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2006-03-30 03:25:41 ET Westbound Train - Bloomfield Ave. Cafe and Stage, Montclair, NJ - Saturday March 25, 2006 Oh so in all the drama I forgot to mention that Westbound Train still makes me swoon. Drove to Jersey with a friend on Saturday. Got to the Bloomfield Ave. Cafe early. Was nice in Montclair, weatherwise. We were on the guest list so we got in early...hung out with the band, skanked a bit to the openers, ran away from some. Some of them just make your ears bleed you know? At one point I just accepted that I'm too old to skank for long periods of time to "noise". Even a lot of the young ones just couldn't do it. But anyway, The Train saved the day. Beautifully done, they played for about an hour. Obi opened the show by laying down the riot act..."we're a reggae band. This is going to be a dance party. We are all going to be nice to one another and have good time. Everyone knows that ska is just punk rock with horns!" Of course, this sarcasm illicited a groan from the old heads, but it was still funny. And then we danced the hour away...They played some stuff from the new album then Obi realized no one knew any of it so the band swang back to 5 to two, played a little rock steady and some skin-head reggae and ended of course with "Bigger Things in Mind" sing-along-style. Yes, there have been more draining shows. Yes, there have been shows where the crowd reaches a fever pitch, but hell, it was Jersey and Westbound Train was singing to me. All was well. ******************************** Was reminded of this quotal exchange today (Seems just like life): -Look, I'm weak. I've never been anything else. It's not the demon in me that needs killing...It's the man. -I love you so much, and I tried to make you go away. I killed you and it didn't help. And I hate it! I hate that it's so hard... and that you can hurt me so much. I know everything that you did, because you did it to me. Oh, God! I wish that I wished you dead. I don't. I can't. -Please. Just this once, let me be strong. -Strong is fighting! It's hard, and it's painful, and it's every day. It's what we have to do. And we can do it together. But if you're too much of a coward for that, then burn. If I can't convince you that you belong in this world, then I don't know what can. But do not expect me to watch. And don't expect me to mourn for you. |
