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Nita's Hideaway - The Sonoran Desert venue
It's the morning after - there was no way I could
response any quicker to last night's concert.
First and foremost, I have to talk about the weather,
as boring as that sounds. As I've mentioned before,
it rarely rains here, and of yesterday's skies the day
was filled with light rains with breaking burst of
sunlight that still was demanding to be seen. The
winds were cold (55 degrees which is very cold for
April) and strong - almost like the May storms back in
Ohio. And of course - the skies are clear today, now
that OtR is gone.
Now the location of Nita's Hideaway is precariously at
a seedy part of town, sharing a parking lot with an
Adult book store - I had no idea until I got there,
even laughing at the irony of it. Once my friend
Stephanie (newbie to OtR) and I parked the car across
the road from the bar, I noticed two things - it was 8
pm on the dot and that there was a taxi cab at the
front door. When Step and I approached the front
door, I became breathless. Carrying an umbrella with
what appeared was a smile of annoyance was Karin in a
white jacket. She called for Jack to come with her as
I watched quietly Linford close one of the taxi cab
doors. I could hear the others mumble about how
crummy the weather was as they were leaving; they just
didn't seem at all happy about the day.
I was hesitant to pay the door fee once I saw the cab
drive away - glad that I didn't run up to them to
annoyingly bother them! But with strength found in my
gut, I told myself that I will at least be able to buy
the last five cd's to make my total OtR collection be
eight out of ten (if you included Linford's solo
album)
Inside, my doubts were quelled - the place was
completely indoors and decked out in typical OtR
fashion.
Steph and I were the first of the friends that were to
be there. I had two other friends (transplants from
Pennsylvania) who were to met up with us there, as
well a friend from Tucson. My Pittsburgh friends made
it, by not my Tucson one - though he did just see them
on Monday.
The opening act was amazing, Ramsie Sheik. They
started to really play around 9:30, which puzzled me -
they started late. Though while they played, I did
see Linford walking around, watch and exchanging words
with the other patrons. I didn't feel right
approaching him, though he was standing behind me for
almost twenties minutes. Maybe because it was
coincidental, or maybe because I had just purchased
almost 90 dollars of goods thirty minutes earlier.
That was when the Merchandise guy kept staring at my
t-shirt - the ancient Over the Rhine black shirt with
the woodcut white print of the scampering dog. He
mentioned that he'd never seen it before, of which I
had to show him how the print of the scampering dog is
left of center on the shirt - I love irony.
Anyway, Over the Rhine didn't start until 10:30, which
I thought was very late, though I forgot about that
concern once they were on stage.
I thought I could remember the exact play list, though
I can not at all! I do remember that the majority of
the songs played were new to me - and I loved it.
I am very glad I now have Ffr! Over the Rhine has
done it again! This album is exactly why I had been a
Rhinelander in the first place.
The concert lasted two hours, with only one encore.
Goodbye was and excellent closing song.
In the past, I had always been able to talk to the
band after they played, but this was not to be the
case this time. I wish I had spoke to Linford when I
had the chance.
In general, I was very glad that everyone at the
concert was quiet and respectful, but I was the only
one dancing! And in retrospect, I think that was
good. I'm sure that Linford and Karin noticed that,
so in a way we met. And I didn't need to really talk
to them after the concert either, because I was the
only one who yelled "Wooty-Woot" (ty listees for that
one!) of which Karin smiled and responded with a
"Wooty-Woot", too - so in a way, we did talk.
Let's face it, the concert was short because they had
to be in Santa Fe by today - a twelve hour bus ride.
So I was glad that they did keep it short. You have
to live here for awhile to understand that concept.
Since Phoenix (or for that matter any West coast city)
is in such a isolated place, you have to accept that
it is at least five to six hours to the state border.
I realized that when I came back to visit Columbus,
Ohio in 1996 and knew that I could be anyway in just
two hours!
And that was the show! I do have to say that if Scott
from Seattle, the guy I met after the place was almost
completely empty, is reading this - reply back. I
apologize that we didn't get a chance to really talk
since Stephanie had pretty decided that it was time
for her and I to leave.
Later Gators!
Chris in Arizona
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