But somewhere around 1993, my interest in all-things Jimmy started to wane. There were other interests that had taken over my life (a mortgage, a wife, kids and a dog). My biggest beef with the scene at the time were the actual concerts. I thought Jimmy's shows had become way too silly and too theatrical. "Jeez, just play the music for God's sake!" I used to complain. We don't need a big intro to "Let's Get drunk" involving preachers, a gospel backing and a huge fake stain glass window.
Anyway, I stopped going to shows after the '93 one at Merriweather. I still loved his music and would play it on occasion, but with the exception of my purchasing "TT and S", I didn't buy any of his new albums. About five years ago, I started getting interested again. I wondered how his "newer" albums sounded and I gradually started buying them. I was pleasantly surprised, and with the advent of Radio Margaritaville, I was able to listen to some of his current and past tours. I re-read "Tales from Margaritaville and read the delightful "A Pirate Looks at 50". I was beginning to get hooked all over again.
This leads me up to my first Buffett concert experience in a dozen years. I ventured out to Nissan Pavilion last week, knowing on one hand what to expect, but on the flip-side, I was a little nervous to find out what has changed since Bill Clinton's first year in office.
I was happy to find out the answer was, not much.
I enjoyed the entire evening (not counting the 2 and 1/2 hours it took to get to the event). The parking lot crowd was great and I was treated to jello shots, Coronas and some kind of green rum mixture handed to be by someone with a face painted to look like a shark.
The parking lot was great, but now it was time for the big test. How would the show be? In a word? TERRIFIC
Jimmy and the band sounded sharp and they played with a ton of energy. As the night wore on, I began to feel like I was home again. I'd once complained about hearing "Cheeseburger" for the 1,000,000 time, but you know what? I was happy when I heard the first cords of it last week, and by the end I was singing and dancing along like I was a high school student and it was 1979 all over again.
I really liked it in the second set when Jimmy sat down on a bench made of surfboards and played some "laid-back" tunes (though I wish if he were going to invade the James Taylor songbook, he'd have found a better tune). He really rocked out at the end of the second set (with "OPH" sounding as crisp as it did in the mid-80's).
All in all, it was a great night and the only thing that stinks about it is, I have another year to go before I can do it all over again.
I've been contributing to this message board for two years, so I guess my "lapsed" status has been lifted, but if there was any doubt, after last week, that moniker is officially gone and I'm back amongst the flock.
Happy Summer ya'll.
Carmen
