Ben Folds Five @ MindSay

Oh! I’m still glowing from it!

I had decided on Tuesday that I would take a half day off work on Friday to go home and start my paper due on Sunday. But yesterday I read in the paper that Ben Folds was going to be doing a free show at the Apple Store on Michigan Ave. (in Chicago) on Friday at 3pm. Well, me being a fan (but a dumb fan because I didn’t even realize he was doing a real show tonight and didn’t get tickets), decided that it was fate that I would be off of work in time to try and go see him at the Apple Store. Yay! I ended up leaving work a bit later than I wanted to, so by the time I got to the store the line was sprawled around the corner and my hopes of getting in were looking slim. After about 40 min of standing in line and even more people lining up behind me, the apple store workers came out and started handing out red wrist bands. Yay! I got one. But they didn’t say that meant I was in for sure. Another 20 min went by and it was already after 3. Sure enough the line started moving and we were going in really fast! They led us to the 2^nd floor where there were some actual “stadium” like seats (which were all full already when I got up there), but I was able to sneak around to the side and ended up getting a pretty decent spot. I was right in front of the speaker but my ears are already damaged…no further harm could possibly result from a 1 hour show of a guy playing piano and singing solo. I had my camera ready and out he came to play! He’s a funny guy (and kinda funny looking, but still cute enough to say, ok I’ll be your groupie) and he plays piano so awesomely! (Is that word? It is now!). I took a lot of pics (below) and I also took video and will try my best to do the youtube thing and upload it. As soon as they ended the show we thought he was outta here to go to sound check but the Apple store manager said, "Ben would like to meet as many of you as he can so start lining up by that guy over there," (pointing to the left of the store). Lucky me, I was toward the front of the line! It moved pretty quick and I was afraid I wouldn’t be able to get a picture with him. I decided to be slick and I asked the guy next to me if he would take a pic of me with Ben and I would take a pic of him with Ben with his phone (I saw him looking at pics on it). The guy agreed and it worked like a charm. I walked up to Ben and I hadn’t even thought about what to say really so it sorta came out like this:

Val: “Hi, It’s nice to meet you, I’m Val.”

Ben: “Hi-ya” (with a smile as he grabs my wrist to sign my wrist band)

Val: “Can you sign my wristband?” (As he’s already signing it – I told you it went fast!)

Val: You’re awesome! (As he’s finishing signing)

Val: “Oh - smile!” (Me telling him to smile for the camera to the right)

Val: “Thanks!”

Ben: “Sure!”

Then I took a couple pictures of the other guy with his phone, and then we traded back. I stayed behind for a few more pics and then walked out with a group of people and we were all giddy from the meeting and looking at our pictures.

Normally, I don’t get this crazy about celebrities. Well at least not around film stars, but with musical artists and bands I get excited! He’s musical genius on the piano (my favorite instrument in the whole wide world) and a lyrical genius as well. I’ve been listening to him for more than 10 years and today was truly a memory I’ll never forget.

Update I forgot:  I LOST the wristband he signed while I shopping after the show! I'm such a moron. I was trying on clothes and it must have fallen off my wrist somehow. There was no way it could have been torn off. I'm a doofus. Oh well...I'm happy I got the pictures vs. an autograph. That was what I really wanted.

Other links:

http://www.myspace.com/benfolds

http://www.benfolds.com/

Driving home from work, I turned off the air conditioning in the car and let my windows down. (My asthma will make me pay for this later.)  It was such a pretty and unseasonably cool day, I couldn't help myself.  Driving through the hood,  I had my cd player blasting Ben Folds' Five'  "One Angry Dwarf and 200 Solemn Faces". I was singing at the top of my lungs and playing air drums.  A guy in a metallic blue truck bumping some rap song I couldn't place (probably because my own music was so loud) pulled up next to me and looked at me like I was nuts.  I winked at him and hit the imaginary hi-hat on my imaginary drum set.  Yeah bayyyybeeee! Dat's how I roll!

One Angry Dwarf and 200 Solemn Faces

September '75 I was 47 inches high
my mom said by Christmas I would have
a bad-ass mother G.I. Joe
for your little minds to blow
I still got beat up after class
yeah, now I'm big and important
one angry dwarf and
200 solemn faces are you
if you really want to see me
check the papers and the TV
look who's telling who what to do
kiss my ass
goodbye

don't give me that bullshit,
you know who I am
I'm your nightmare,
little man
Vic, you stole my lunch money,
made me cry
Jane, remember second grade?
said you couldn't stand my face
rather than kiss me you said you'd rather die

I'm big and important
one angry dwarf and
200 solemn faces are you
if you really want to see me
check the papers and the TV
look who's telling who what to do
no, kiss my ass
goodbye

you'll be sorry one day
yes you will,
yes you will
you shouldn't push me around
'cause I will,
yes I will
you will be sorry when I'm big
yes you will,
yes you will
you will be sorry

now I'm big and important
one angry dwarf and
200 solemn faces are you
if you really want to see me
check the papers and the TV
no,
look who's telling who what to do
kiss my ass

kiss my ass,
kiss my ass goodbye now
kiss my ass,
kiss my ass goodbye now

kiss my ass,
kiss my ass goodbye now
kiss my ass,
kiss my ass goodbye now

(you should be payin' be bitch!)

(September '75 I was 47 inches high)
(September '75)
(September '75)

aah!

(I liked that one.)

when my dad gets home, im going to watch requiem for a dream again... MOTHER MARY AND JOSEPH!!! i just found a song i have lost for years! i guess thats a total plus of getting random songs... even though it was by ben folds... rockin the suburbs... *sigh* memories... anyway... my day...

before school... showered, and thats basically it...

1st hour... we did a lab finding which felt pens are soluble by different things... it made cool patterns. some that even glowed in uv light...

2nd hour... vocab

3rd hour... college day... i was there for 3 minutes... i said, "screw this" and left after being in there for 3 minutes max. i went back to class where i was the only one there... i read some of "the river why."

4th hour... i had to fill out an application for college of the southwest in hobbs... i actually HAD to... the teacher made you. that sucked... oh joy, i see junk mail just coming... why didnt i use some other address... eh we did some exercises in the book.

lunch... no lunch for danno... he just read more of "the river why."

5th hour... 3 minutes of notes, and more of reading "the river why"

6th hour... i scared the hell out of the librarian... he is going deaf. and i walked into his office and started talking to him and he jumped out of his seat... he didnt see me... i'm surprised i didnt give him a 'nam flashback... i would feel bad if i did...

7th hour... did my damn homework...

and now im waiting for my dad to come home so i can watch requiem again...