Tonight, I'm going to tell you a fun story. It's one of my favorite concert stories about a band I still love and listen to. The band?
Tripping Daisy. If you never heard of them, I wouldn't be horribly surprised. But I can almost guarantee you know their one song that got a whole lot of play.
"I Got A Girl". Probably heard it at least once, I'm sure. Far from their best song, but still a good one. Which leads to the story.
I moved to the Northwest, in January of 1994. Gig Harbor, Washington to be precise. I lived there with my dad, brother Chad and sister Heather. I spent all day listening to the radio and gaming, since I had nothing to do when Chad and Heather were at school. Hear on the radio one day of a two-day concert at the stadium where the Tacoma Rainiers played baseball. Most of the bands were either up and coming, or still unknowns. The two biggest bands playing were both local. Presidents of the U.s.(fun as hell when they play), and a band called Goodness, which came about from a band called Hammerbox. Great singer/songwriter Carrie Akre, you should give them a listen.
Anyhow, I decided 3 months of hanging out in the house was long enough. Told dad I NEEDED to go to this show, didn't even want to go both days, just the first. My dad has always been big on us going to concerts, so he bought my ticket, and drove me there. My dad is awesome. For those of you currently confused by my last sentence, I told ya before...
my stepdad = my dad, or daddy
biological father = father
Got it?
The couple of weeks before the show, the station began to play songs of the bands that were playing those two days. That was the first time I heard "Girl", and was kinda excited to see what the band was like live. I went to the local record store to see about getting the CD. Wasn't out for another month. Bullshit, I tell you.
This was the line-up that Saturday in April. Show started at noon, was slated to be over around 10pm.
Goodness - the most popular unsigned local band at the time
Deftones - shortly before the release of their first album, and the first I had ever heard of them. I have been a fan ever since.
Steel Pole Bathtub - A whole lot of suck. I went and got another beer and went to the bathroom.
Hagfish - Another band I love a whole lot, with its own set of stories for another time. Super fun shows, and they are great with their fans.
Tripping Daisy - Getting to that one...
Possum Dixon - The band that led me to bands like Weezer and Matt Good. They are the only other band I knew going in, as they Were a Southern California band I had been listening to for awhile.
There were a couple of other bands after that, but I couldn't even tell ya anything about them, I left after the last band I mentioned.
By the time Hagfish took the stage, it was around 3pm. There were about 100 people in front of the stage, everyone else was just kinda hanging out in the stands, getting trashed. Halfway through their set, I notice this short little guy standing in front of me, bouncing around to the music. I only say short, 'cause I'm 5'8", and he was like 5'3". After the song was over, he turns around and says to me, "aren't these guys great?" We spent the rest of the set chatting about the band, the people hanging out in the stands, his hair (he had it all spiked up, and it was bleach blond with pink, green, purple, and blue on the tips...it was awesome...).
When the set was finally over, he told me he had to go, gave me a hug, told me he had a great time talking to me, and told me to have fun the rest of the day. We parted ways. Had time for one more bathroom break before the next band (T.D.), so took care of that, and came right back to wait. Only had to wait about 5 minutes. Then...
Son of a bitch. I just busted out laughing. It couldn't be helped.
That bubbly, sweet little guy with the cool hair I had just spent a half hour chatting with?
Tim DeLaughter....lead singer of Tripping Daisy.
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