Dumbek's Random Stuff

Up bright and early the next morning. Dinger has to get home and back to work. I jump in a cab and head to the train station. A short ride later and I'm in NYC.

I meet up with my old college friend Kevin for lunch at Tracks, right in Penn Station. mmmm...calamari. A drink or two later and it's time to check-in at my hotel. I managed to get a room at the Hotel Chelsea. Yes - that Hotel Chelsea. The one where Sid killed Nancy , where Patti Smith and Robert Mapplethorpe lived together and numerous other writers, musicians and artistic-types have lived over the years. I could easily have spent the whole day in the hotel, just looking at all of the art that covers every inch of the place. The fact that it was dirt cheap and in a perfect location made it a no-brainer as the place to stay. We took a handful of pictures and headed back out.

From there we proceeded to drink our way around Manhattan, eventually ending up down at the Seaport. It started out great - just us, a beautiful day on the deck and control over the jukebox. Within an hour or so we were surrounded by stockbroker types and the women who throw themselves at them. Apparently the power tie is making a comeback. Who knew? I've never felt so uncomfortable in a bar. Time to go. A no-go at some rooftopk Kevin wanted to show me. We ended up a block or two away from The Garden at a bar showing R.E.M.'s Perfect Square DVD on about 6 big screens. Perfect. A few more drinks - including a couple bought for us by a rather angry young woman - and we were more than a little plastered.

I love Madison Square Garden. There's just something special about it. Easily one of my favorite places to see a concert. The show itself is kind of a big blur. 11th row on the right. Nothing special song-wise. The big tour debut was "Leaving New York". eh. Appropriate, but not my favorite. Certainly not an exciting choice. The show kind of dragged in the middle, with too many slow/mid-tempo songs. The last half was just kick-ass rocking though. "Driver 8", "Harborcoat", "Horse To Water", "The One I Love", "Pretty Persuasion", "Orange Crush"...Yowza! The encore was identical to Philly's, sans Eddie Vedder. That's fine. I'll take "Begin The Begin" any way I can get it.

Back downstairs to Tracks for more completely unnecessary drinks. After a while, Kevin looks at his watch and says "Sh*t! My train! Gotta go!" and he ran off - never to be seen again. I stumbled back towards the hotel, stopping for a much needed slice of pizza on the way. Back at the hotel I took a ton of pictures, wandering around, trying to not wake anyone up. Trying to imagine who used to stay in all of these rooms, and who was there now. What a landmark this place is.

Next morning a quick walk around Chelsea and back to the train station. Back to DC by about 4:30.



Probably my least favorite of the shows I saw, but still a great time. I need to get back to NYC soon. Hopefully for more than 24 hours next time.







6/19/08 Madison Square Garden - New York, NY

1. Living Well Is the Best Revenge
2. These Days
3. What's the Frequency, Kenneth?
4. Bad Day
5. Drive
6. Hollow Man
7. Ignoreland
8. Man-Sized Wreath
9. Leaving New York
10. Disturbance At The Heron House
11. Houston
12. Electrolite
13. (Don’t Go Back To) Rockville
14. Driver 8
15. Harborcoat
16. The One I Love
17. Until The Day Is Done
18. Let Me In
19. Horse To Water
20. Pretty Persuasion
21. Orange Crush
22. I'm Gonna DJ

23. Supernatural Superserious
24. Losing My Religion
25. Begin The Begin
26. Fall On Me
27. Man On The Moon