Wednesday, May 7, 2008

I can die happy.

This is going to be long, and probably won't interest you if you don't love Flight of the Conchords. Also, I recommend imagining all of their quotes in a New Zealand accent in order to get the full effect.

So, the show opened with a voiceover from backstage between Todd "Crazy Doggs" Barry (from the season finale episode) and Jemaine. Todd was indignant that everyone was here to see the Conchords and he was just the opener, which Jemaine rationalized by explaining that they are taller, which is why everyone likes them more. Heh. Someone yelled out "Yeah BRET!" and Todd was like, "I think they're confused about which of you is talking." Anyway, Todd's standup act was pretty funny. Someone yelled out "Arf! Arf!" about a minute into his set, and he was like, "I'm surprised it took that long." Heh.

I was so excited when the boys came out, I can't even explain it to you. Megan said she felt like a little girl (we weren't sitting together, unfortunately) and I agree. There was a strictly enforced rule against picture-taking in the theatre, so I didn't really get any good shots since security was patrolling the aisles. Anyway, their banter between songs was hilarious, and they added little bits into certain songs to keep them fresh and awesome, which to me is the best part of any concert. I wrote down the set list on an old tithing receipt I had in my purse (it was awesome trying to decipher my scribblings later, since it was completely dark in the theatre...):

Inner City Pressure
Most Beautiful Girl
Think About It
New song (it was about their ex-girlfriends and what they would complain about)
Motha'uckas
A Kiss Is Not A Contract
Free Bird
Hiphopopotamus v. Rhymenocerous
Jenny
Bret You've Got It Goin' On
Robots
If You're Into It
Not Crying
Business Time
Albi
New song (I think it's called "I Told You I Was Freaky")
Ladies of the World

Encore:
Bus Driver Song
Angels



Random details:
- After "Inner City Pressure", people kept screaming for either Bret or Jemaine, and Jemaine pointed out that it was "like a debate at the United Nations." They also talked about how New York is better than the original York, because in the inner city of York it's still legal to shoot a Scotsman with a crossbow.
- An extra line to "Beautiful" - "like a nice piece of crockery... or a tasteful Persian rug."
- They talked about their set list, which was a crumpled piece of paper on the table between them, and which Bret said looked more like a flow chart than an actual list. He was like, "It should say, 'Did that song go well? Yis - proceed to this song.'"
- At one point, a bunch of girls started screaming about their love for Bret, and Jemaine looked sad, so Bret got all the men in the audience to shout "We love Jemaine!"
- "Free Bird" was a shouted request from the audience - Jemaine played and sang the first few lines and then gave up, saying he needed to learn it. Throughout the show, people yelled out "Free Bird!" a few more times, and each time he would play the same few bars and everyone would cheer. He was like, "It gets the same reaction every time!"
- "Hiphopopotamus" was another yelled request among many others, but was the only one that drew unanimous cheers throughout the crowd. Bret called the guy who shouted it a "dynamic leader." Also, there were a few extra bars of interlude before the second rap verse because Bret forgot the words, haha.
- "Bret You've Got It Goin' On" was sung by Jemaine while Bret curled up in his own guitar case on the ground because he was tired and felt down about his body issues.
- On the second new song, Bret played the keytar and came down into the audience, and got so into it that he accidentally hit the "demo" button and it started playing "Last Christmas" by Wham. He got back up on stage and complained that it had ruined his solo, and then they let it keep playing while they sat there and talked a little.
- Near the end of the show, people got a little more reckless with their picture-taking (not even turning off their flashes, etc.) and Bret and Jemaine started posing for some people in the closer rows. When a bunch of flashes went off, Bret was like, "There they are, get 'em!" and said he should get a yellow Security jacket.

After the show, we waited for about an hour by the stage door with some other fans for them to come out (thanks to Megan for waiting with me and not mocking me for being such a fangirl), and we were rewarded! They actually came out a different door, but we kind of swarmed them, heh. Bret seemed a little more shy than Jemaine, but they were both really nice as they signed autographs and took pictures with the 20-30 fans that had waited. I'm sure it must have been a little overwhelming. When I got my picture with Jemaine and asked him to flip the bird at my camera, he said, "What kind of bird?" I told him whichever kind he liked best. After we took the picture I was like, "Thank you so much, and sorry we are kind of crazy!" and he said, "That's okay, you can't help it." Hee. No, no I cannot.

Anyway, it was an amazingly fun night! I don't think anything will top that for a long time.

5 comments:

  1. Excellent recap. "That's okay, you can't help it"?!?! OMG, they're just as I imagined them. Snaps to you for waiting by the stage door. Now *I* can die happy.

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  2. You introduced me to "Business Time" (through facebook, probably), and I crack up just thinking about it. That's so awesome.

    I could have sworn that the other guy was in a breastfeeding class I went to. and they had accents too. It was odd.

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  3. Hey Laura - While you're gadabouting in New York, don't forget to stop by Radio City Music Hall and try out for the Rockettes. Stephen Colbert said they're having tryouts now. You're the right height, I think.

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  4. Awesome! I love that Wham's Last Christmas started playing.

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  5. so, yeah...um...you don't know me?

    but i am equally enthralled with Flight of the Conchords, so basically...you do, kind of, know me. i was looking for photos (because that's what i do), and i came across this page, and felt the need to comment?

    anyway, i saw them in Seattle at the Sub Pop 20 concert. i, unfortunately, was not as lucky as you in the autograph/photography department, but i did stand on the other side of a fence from them! not nearly as amaaaazing as your encounter, but still. my lengthy re-cap can be found here: http://fesley-lerguson.livejournal.com/43830.html, if you would care to hear about a less-exciting version of your story.

    anyway, thank you for a wonderful anecdote.

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