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Iggy Pop
A Concert Review |
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When I told one friend of mine that I was going to see Iggy Pop, he
replied "Isn't he dead?" "I guess not," I
replied, "since he's playing at the Metro." Then I told
Stu I was going and his retort was "Dude, he's the ugliest man
in rock & roll." Well, Stu, maybe to you, but as Iggy knelt
in front of the microphone to start his set, the first thing I heard
was a dudette yelling "You look great Iggy!" I guess to
each his, or in this case her, own.
Me, alright, I've heard of Iggy Pop, and maybe just my
upbringing, or maybe because they didn't play him on the radio in
Cleveland in my formative years, but in all honesty, if you asked me
to name one Iggy Pop song, I couldn't tell you one. So it was with a
little surprise when I got to the Metro and saw the microphone on a
little stand about crotch high. I thought to myself "Self, I
thought he was taller than that." Alright, I thought that would
be a funny joke, but I guess you had to be there. In any case I
figured Iggy had to be of slightly higher stature so there had to be
some strange reason for the mike to be that low. Then Iggy came out,
the dudette screamed her admiration for Iggy, and Iggy proceeded to
kneel in front of the microphone, acoustic guitar in hands, and
sang, or more actually orated, this brooding, acoustic, I'm guessing
song from his new CD "Avenue B" but I could be wrong, that
had me saying to myself "Self, this has the makings of a very
strange show." But then the explosion started that I now know
is Iggy Pop.
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Forgive me again for not really knowing most of the songs in Iggy's
set, but sometimes I can go to a show and not know a damn thing but
leave the show duly impressed. After leaving Iggy's show I was duly
impressed for a variety of reasons, but mostly because one, the dude
is nuts, and two, he rocks his ass off. The nuts part comes from
seeing Iggy almost take out band members as he would swing his
microphone stand all around the stage, running like a fullback into
a set of speaker-stacks nearly toppling them over, and jumping on
another set of teetering speaker-stacks, almost looking like he was
ready to stage dive, but instead taking a leap back onto the stage.
The rocks his ass off part comes simply because he did. Working the
entire stage, connecting with audience folk, singing what people
wanted to hear, and it was obvious that Iggy could take to school
many of the younger generation, teaching them a thing or two or a
hundred about how to put on a concert.
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There were a few songs I did recognize, especially a most
excellent "Real Wild Child (Wild One), and many I didn't
recognize, like "Raw Power" (which someone told me), and
what I wrote down as "The La La La La La La La La Song"
which my investigating let me to find being "The
Passenger." But even though I didn't know the songs, I too,
like everyone else, found myself bobbing my head, dancing along, and
enjoying a man who made me realize what all the hubbub is about.
Like I mentioned, Iggy did some slower things, like when he came
back for his extended encore, but sadly the acoustics of the Metro
where I ended up, as well as assholes in front of me talking about
the upcoming Bears game, muffled the lyrics. I suppose I should have
just kicked those dude's asses, but I wanted to see the rest of the
show. In any case, not knowing a damn thing except his name, I can
now say I am impressed with Iggy Pop. Sometimes it's just that
simple.
A lot of people were going to have a hard time getting to work
the next morning, especially the dude in front of me who almost took
a header out the fire escape door but managed not to spill his beer.
I think that is what most of the people were hoping for. Iggy didn't
let them down. For that it's TWO "HE'S DEFINITELY NOT
DEAD" THUMBS UP for Iggy Pop.
That's it for this one! I'm The Dude on the Right!! L8R!!! |
