Cat's Cradle, February 7th, 1999 (AKA Heaven)

SemiReview-Big Shindig

After the show at the Cat's Cradle, I just had to have more. The webcast was lovely and all, but I wanted them in person. Who ever would have thought that the one of the local crap stations (pardon my insultingness :), G105, would have them playing at their "Big Shindig". Let me explain--G105 is one of those top-40 stations that plays the same song over and over until even the best songs are utterly ruined for any but the prepubescent and the obsessed. This latter one saved me from developing an aversion to Closing Time. Well, suffice it to say that I was not pleasantly surprised by the quality of the rest of the lineup at the Shindig. Joey Mick-intyre? 99 Degrees? Oh well, Semisonic made sitting through them all worthwhile.

Getting there was half the battle. Eventually I managed to get my parents to drive us (embarassing, isn't it?) We staked out a place on the lawn and entertained ourselves in the -boiling- heat by scoffing at the other bands. Eventually, we got bored and wandered around, finding some people we knew and killing time until Semisonic came on. Somehow, we ended up getting lost and had to sit in the area with seats. (I would have bought reserved seating tickets if my friends were willing to!) Semisonic came on, and of course I had to stand up. Yeah. I think I may have been the only person in the entire crowd who was standing up. Occasionally, one of my friends would stand up with me for a few moments, and then they'd get embarrassed and sit back down. Of course, I have no shame as far as obsessions are concerned, and I pretty much stood the whole time and embarrassed my friends by association.
Semisonic started off with If I Run, which has still got to be one of my favorites. I, like always, don't remember the exact set-list but they played This will be my year, Never You Mind (Larissa makes fun of me by saying its their "one" good song :-P) Secret Smile, All worked out (with another anecdote advising surrender :), a cover of Prince I think is called Take Me with You, DND (with a new anecdote that explained the DND was about getting shut-eye on the road...yeah...), Delicious, and, finally, Closing Time. The crowd was very rude, I thought. While we did make fun of the other bands (hey, they were worthy of our mockery), we never yelled anything at the stage, like this one guy to the front right of us was. However, Semisonic did manage to get the crowd singing along to the choruses to Delicious and Closing Time, and even managed to get the crowd to its feet on Closing Time. I did feel very special, though, because Dan Wilson said he loved the people who were already standing more ;)
After their set, 98 degrees was going to come out, so we quickly vacated the area and I ran to the little area G105 had where the bands came out after they performed. (Ok, so now I can't say G105 entirely sucks--there's always surprises...) Waiting in line by the throng of 98 degrees fans was an interesting experience. Many of them chose to miss the set rather than give up their place in line to meet them afterwards. Some would call that dedication. I say--what kind of dedication is that when you miss their music? It's times like that that I'm glad I'm about the only teeny-bopper-ish Semisonic fan :) They finally came out, the 30 or so of us waiting cheered (5 of them with me :) When I finally got up there, I think I must have frightened the heck out of the band, in my little halter top and absolutely gushing with praise. I figure they thought I got separated from the 98 degrees fan group. Poor guys, I had them sign my CD insert and asked Dan Wilson to shake my hand and did NOT want to leave their table, but then I think my friends kinda nudged me along and it was over. Walking to the gate in the rain was lots of fun, bnut it was all worth it. Ahh, if it weren't for the fact that I like to look at lyrics once in a while, that insert would be framed and up on the wall :) Well, you can look at the autographs here, and sadly there were no cameras allowed so I didn't think to smuggle one in.

Semisonic: Main Pictures Info Autographs