Tweedy Tonight

Just got back from Vancouver where Tim and I went over to see Jeff Tweedy solo acoustic. We were walking around in the afternoon in an uberstorm, a mighty big wind and rain and got drenched, but managed to take tons of digital pictures along the seawall and in Stanley Park and downtown. The evening with Tweedy would be magical as well as shelter from the storm.

Our ferry trips going and coming were filled with celebrity sightings and adventure. Ran into Terry David Mulligan whom we had seen on tv the night before on "Shakin' All Over" a tribute to Canadian psychedelic sixties and seventies bands. Mully was a television and radio disc jockey for years, now a film critic on tv, and commented throughout the program as did several musicians. He had missed the show and appreciated hearing about it from me, especially regarding the bands and musicians that were featured.

Tim had David the Eighth, his goat mascot, with him and stopped to talk to The Canadian Tenors on board as they were asking about the goat. They decided they needed to have a mascot to travel with them after hearing about David's adventures in South Africa, Central America, Mexico, Mount Killimanjero, Australia, Europe, Kitchener, Toronto and Winnipeg. We spent a good time talking with Giovanni, Paul, Leon and Joey about their music and Tim's music and they hope to come to Tim's Mufaro and Chikoro marimba gig later this month.

The wind was picking up as our ferry docked and soon the rest of the day's and evening's sailings would be cancelled in 70 to 100 kilometre gusts.

We took buses downtown and easily found our hotel. Tim and I took a walk along the harbour past Canada Place on the seawall toward Stanley Park. It began raining hard and was extremely windy. The rain seemed to be falling sideways up our sleeves and down our necks. Stopped for lunch at Cardero's. Beautiful view, yummy food, a window table overlooking the marina. We went out again into the weather and realised we should have dressed better for this west coast storm. The valet for the place was squatting in his tiny booth and looked like a jack-in-the-box.

Went as far as Stanley Park and we were the only ones outside it seemed. Some folks were at the Vancouver Aquarium. Tim found another pet, this one of the stuffed variety, Tigger on the ground unrecognizable under several layers of mud. We decided to head back to the hotel and dry out. We made good use of the hair dryer in our room for coats, scarves, hats, gloves, pants, socks and shoes.

Fast forward to Tuesday evening.

Jeff Tweedy was here on a small west coast tour doing his folkie thing. He grew his beard especially for this and encouraged the yahoos to not whoo hoo during his sensitive songs. The sold out Commodore, one thousand fans, loved him and respected him. It made for a beautiful evening of music by a mellow troubadour who can rock us when he feels like it with Wilco but blow us away acoustically with his amazing songs alone. Jeff was funny as hell, interacting with the audience members and charismatic. His jibes included politics, working out, pot, rehab, his sons' mis-aim toilet habits, sweet digs at his drummer who opened for him, Jesus, Satan, George Bush and The Sea Hawks, the latter included as a Seattle-ite was shouting out for his home team.

Amazing night, awesome venue, second row center standing twenty feet from Tweedy.

Woke up at six fifteen the next morning, pile drivers on the waterfront were sounding off the construction of a new building next to Canada Place. The sun came out and we enjoyed a continental breakfast, then Gastown, Canada Place and another seawall walk. Walked all the way to English Bay admiring the mountains and the busy harbour, Lost Lagoon's greenery and tall trees, squirrels, geese, herons, bikers, rollerbladers, bicyclers, runners and strollers.

It began to rain and the number of boardwalkers lessened and umbrellas sprouted. After thirty days of rain, the sun's appearance this morning had been a great gift.

We were drowned ducks by the time a bus driver and then another one gave us a couple of free rides towards our eventual three zone purchase ride to the ferry. I guess they felt sorry for us.

Waiting for the ferry, we ran into a friend, Adam, who was sitting forlornly in an empty room looking out for his ride to tour Calgary and Edmonton. The snowy weather further down the road was making it mandatory for winter tire chains and they were going to have to get some. I am assuming his ride came but it was two hours late. Adam is touring with Ridley Bent and the music they make is awesome, kind of talkin' blues ironic hip hop rap.

We had plenty of time before our five o'clock ferry trip, so we checked out the new food and crafts market complex at the terminal and it is awesome. Ran into Tom Landa our friend from The Paperboys. Tim got to tell him Pat is having a baby and I am going to be a Grandma!

Also on our ferry heading back to Victoria was a hip hop band called Zulu Nation, they were exhausted and sleeping for the trip.

Great to be home. I think I even saw some sun this morning. Our friends and family back east saw Victoria on the news yesterday morning, all about the storm and the power outages. That was the Tuesday that was and we were there, only Vancouver-style!

Allison