Monday, August 19, 2013

Joan Baez chooses diamonds.


Mum and I went to see Joan Baez in concert last Monday night. I had bought tickets for Mum’s birthday, which was very nice of me in theory, but fairly amusing in reality when you think about the money that mum has given me over the years and even very recently when I needed it.  Stupid money I loathe and despise it. But I need it. DAMN IT. I suppose it is the thought that counts.

Anyway I met Mum after work and we had dinner at a Turkish restaurant in South Bank. In keeping with the moderately geriatric theme of the evening, we had dinner at 5.30pm. The Russian waiter was a little incredulous when we told him, oh no, we have plenty of time, the show doesn’t start til 8pm! My mother doesn’t like being late for things, and fair enough I say.

We ordered a huge carb and protein heavy platter for two that consisted of practically a whole loaf of bread and dips, twenty thousand lamp chops and kofta. We then proceeded to discover we were not equal to this gargantuan meal. I was feeling uncomfortable and overfull which is not a good thing when you have a late night at a rock concert* ahead of you. My eyes are notoriously too big for my tummy, and my tummy is pretty big so that is saying something.

As you can imagine, we ambled over to the performing arts centre with plenty of time. In fact we had to wait around for quite a while in the foyer, watching the other audience members arrive. It probably comes as no surprise that I lowered the demographic considerably, the average age making Mum look like a veritable spring chicken. There was a proliferation of Comfortable Shoes, with a trend towards the Walking Sandal or Smart Sneaker, and there were even numerous fans arriving in their wheelchairs. Mum remarked that it wouldn’t be long before we saw someone turn up in a hospital gurney attached to a drip.

I hasten to add that it didn’t bother me in the slightest - I mean, the last time I had been to see a show at QPAC was when I attended amatinee of the opera Carmen with my aunt and members of her University of the Third Age posse. Because I came straight from work I realised I had even worn the same outfit as I did on that occasion. I am so glamorous. But seriously, I am anything if ageist and frankly my tastes often run to the more mature anyway. Just check out my husband! I KID I KID!

Being early to find our seats meant we had to stand up while others in our row shuffled by, including one older lady who, as she squeezed past, exclaimed, “Why, you’re very YOUNG!”. As she moved towards her place, she spied another young-ish man and shouted “And YOU are very young TOO!!”

We looked apologetically at each other.
I mean what could we do? I’m not that young really. I can like Joan Baez. So sue me.

Pretty funny to see that Woodstock brigade getting about as senior citizens these days. Hahahaaa.

Anyway Joan was really fantastic. She looks amazing. She is really beautiful and gets about with a close cropped grey hairdo that I hope to emulate one day. I found the concert very soothing at a time in my life that I am finding very stressful.
Also she is a reminder we need to get our activist on a bit more. She is a true believer.
 
 

 
 
My sister-in-law was at the concert too, but I didn’t get to see her, because Joan, the trooper that she is, powered on for a whole 2 hours or so without a break.

 She sang all the old favourites like “The night they drove old Dixie down”, and that sort of bittersweet song she wrote about Bob Dylan, “Diamonds and Rust”.
Instead of singing this angst ridden final line;

And if you're offering me diamonds and rust
I've already paid

She offered up her own lighthearted, updated version, and sang;

And if you're offering me diamonds and rust
I choose diamonds

And quite right too. So would I.

 *geriatric folk music concert

22 comments:

  1. Must have been nice to get out without the kidlets for a change. Last time I went to a concert was in Feb, 2011 when I saw Michael Buble, so it was a similar scene of pensioners with the odd youngster thrown in.

    That meal sounds awesome. xo

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    1. It was fun! I was tired because I had been at work but it was lovely to go out with Mum, we haven't done much of that sort of thing xx

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  2. Mmmm.... lamb chops. You did better than I usually do - a big dinner followed by a concert usually sees me nodding off in true geriatric style halfway through the concert.

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  3. Here's hoping that when you are an old crone with your walking stick, false teeth and propensity to shout inappropriate comments at strangers, that your kids will swing by the nursing home to collect old Mum for a raucous night of... Lady Gaga perhaps... if she's still around by then and by that point is known as Dame Gaga, dressing up as a geriatric hoodlum and turning out sprightly elevator music.

    Rock on.

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  4. That sounds beautiful. I think I should only go to 'geriatric' concerts. Then when I need to sit for most of the concert (The Pixies) or fall asleep (Metallica) it would be a little less mortifying.

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    1. How hilarious! I love the Pixies. Metallica not so much but I admire them and their oeuvre...have you seen the documentary about the band Anvil? It is hilarious but also strangely touching xx

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  5. I don't think I'd recognise a Joan Baez song, but Comfortable Shoes and the promise of a wheelchair has my pulse jumping erratically! Belated birthday greetings to your wonderful mum.

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    1. You should google her - she is probably most famous for her versions of Bob Dylan songs xx

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  6. What is it with us awesome girls who can't just eat a little bit but have to GORGE until we can fit no more in - eyes and belly - NOT COOL! Sounds like a lovely evening, and we are a geriatric family - we eat at 5.30 EVERY night - hee hee. Love the way you write, xx

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    1. I eat at 5pm with the kids most nights too! But usually when out and about I tend to err on the later side, but it was all good! xx

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  7. adding you to my roll as I type xx

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  8. Geriatric folk music is one of my favourite genres.
    I love Joan Baez.
    And we have been rocking hard to Neil Diamond lately...Toddler C likes to sing Sweet Caroline and Forever in Blue Jeans...so much so that I am thinking of buying him a sequin jacket.
    And honestly that music that kids listen to nowadays is just so LOUD.

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    1. I know right! I used to make fun of my Mum's taste in music like there's no tomorrow but nowadays I like nothing better than rocking out to some Neil Young or Peter Paul and Mary xx

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  9. My mum always has my back financially too. She offered to pay for my professional registration this year, fearing I would not renew it otherwise. I think I lost the cheque anyway. But I seem to recall times in my life when my grandmother gave her funds at necessaryl times.... so your turn will come, in 30 years when P needs some help.

    I'm embarrassed to say I don't know who Joan is. But I wonder what we'll wear to a Silver Chair/ Powderfinger reunion in 30 years time?

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    1. You should google her! Most famous these days for singing versions of Bob Dylan, although she was very famous before he came along. They also had a love affair. She was a big anti war activist etc.
      You are right, My nana used to help mum out too, what goes around comes around xxx

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  10. Best concert review ever. I am definiately an advocate of eating early, I think there's a lot we can learn from our older folk eg. comfy shoes. And you have made me crave Turkish now!

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    1. Ha! Thank you. yes, who doesn't like Turkish, right!?

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  11. It sounds like a wonderful evening Slapdash. Meanwhile I'd battle a fleet of personal mobility scooters for an evening of Simon and Garfunkel.

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Vent your spleen! You know you want to.

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