Congrats, jon. Getting tix to lifelong fantasy shows is a blast. Here's hoping they can pull it off (like when I've seen Kraftwerk, Gang of Four, Brian Wilson, X, the Buzzcocks, Motörhead, the Cramps, Silver Apples, Mission of Burma) rather than not (as in the Wire, Love, Damo Suzuki, the Shangra-La's, Suicide, Residents, Legendary Pink Dots, Misfits, and Television shows I've been to).

thanks, item. My friend Pem has played on a few bills with the Dictators and their various offshoots and says that they always put on a good show and are tighter than ever. It's also incredibly appropriate that it's at CBGB's, since they're pretty much the last fully intact band from those days (except Blondie).

I saw Brian Wilson on the Pet Sounds Orchestral Tour down in Florida and it was mind-bogglingly good.

also, except for Thunderbolt Patterson on drums, it's the original lineup, which is impressive.

jon, three of the bands I listed (Television, Suicide, the Cramps) are CBGB's bands that are still (somewhat) active. Oh, and I saw the Bush Tetras there during the fund-raising thing about a year ago.

And I saw Mr. Wilson on the Pet Sounds tour as well (in Austin). The show was the only one ever that had the following effects on me: 1. brought tears to my eyes, and 2. made me turn around to tell some tye-dyed wearing skank to shut the hell up and show some respect.

1. brought tears to my eyes, and 2. made me turn around to tell some tye-dyed wearing skank to shut the hell up and show some respect.

It had effect no. 1 on me, but as I was in Fla. and surrounded by middle-aged Cubanos in hawaiian shirts, the skank-shushing was unneccessary.

jon, three of the bands I listed (Television, Suicide, the Cramps) are CBGB's bands that are still (somewhat) active. Oh, and I saw the Bush Tetras there during the fund-raising thing about a year ago

Oh, yeah. I always get Tom Verlaine and Robert Quine confused, so when Quine passed away, I thought it meant the end of Television. (This is good news, hearing "Marquee Moon," live would be amazing. But give the Dics their due, they were one of the original CB's bands and they're local boys, so it's appropriate that they do the second-to-last show.

I agree with the appropriateness of the Dictators playing, definitely, even though they were never my taste.

'Marquee Moon' is one of my all-time favorite records. Television live, when I saw them 3 or 4 years ago, were fucking awful. Imagine what they'd sound like if all they'd listened to for the past 25 years was the Greatful Dead. They added revolting jammy jams to nearly every one of their songs and played a bunch of questionable covers (Knockin' On Heaven's Door comes to mind).

Oh, and Patti Smith is really great live. Saw her in Central Park a couple of summers ago and at a political rally 5 years ago. See her if you can.

I can imagine. They're sold out online, but they've got day-of-show tickets for $33. Maybe. "Gloria" and "Rock and Roll Nigger," are two of my all time favorite songs.

Television live, when I saw them 3 or 4 years ago, were fucking awful.

Ewww. Drag.

I agree with the appropriateness of the Dictators playing, definitely, even though they were never my taste.

Heh. The only thing more appropriate would be if Legs McNeil showed up and vomited on one of the tables.

or Wayne/Jayne County showing up swinging a mike stand.

Or Johnny Thunders showing up and then promptly disappearing into a bathroom stall.

By the way when I lived in New York, as a special treat to myself and a visiting friend, I did crazy drugs in the famous basement bathroom of CBGB's. It was worth it.