Review: Why won't Tom Waits play in England!!!!!

Subject: RE: Review: Why won't Tom Waits play in England!!!!!
From: GUEST,Jeff
Date: 26 Jul 08 - 01:12 AM

Opened for him at 'The Quiet Night' in Chicago. He was sitting at the bar between sets, staring into a beer. A young lady w/a Farrah Fawcett hairdo approaches him and says, sprightly, "You're songs are all so depressing...don't you do any happy songs?" W/o looking up from his beer he said, "Lady, I haven't been happy since 1956." And continues to stare at his beer. She stood there w/mouth agape and finally walked off w/a sort of dazed look on her face. I laugh out loud to this day when I recall the scene...he's one of a kind.

Subject: RE: Review: Why won't Tom Waits play in England!!!!!
From: fat B****rd
Date: 25 Jul 08 - 02:55 PM

Customers at the Edinburgh show are being checked to see if they bought their tickets ar legit sources.
AND I WISH I HAD ONE !!!!!!

Subject: RE: Review: Why won't Tom Waits play in England!!!!!
From: G-Force
Date: 25 Jul 08 - 02:21 PM

Great live artist, great showman. Saw him in London in (guessing) 1990/1991 or thereabouts. Unforgettable.

Someone to see before you die, definitely.

Subject: RE: Review: Why won't Tom Waits play in England!!!!!
From: WFDU - Ron Olesko
Date: 25 Jul 08 - 12:46 PM

I've seen him several times over the years and he puts on a highly entertaining show. He rarely tours anymore.

Subject: RE: Review: Why won't Tom Waits play in England!!!!!
From: Anne Lister
Date: 25 Jul 08 - 12:39 PM

I saw him once in London, in the 80s, and it was a memorable, theatrical show.

Anne

Subject: RE: Review: Why won't Tom Waits play in England!!!!!
From: dwditty
Date: 25 Jul 08 - 11:34 AM

I saw TW once live...solo show on a twin bill with Leon Redbone opening. He was terrific. Stuart, Nighthawks at the Diner is, to me, one terrific live album. Not quite the same as seeing him, but still very good.

M.Ted, many who dug TW back when mention that his voice has deteriorated. I, too, felt let down circa Frank's WIld Years, Big Time, etc. I have found though, that with a few listens, TW's current style is just as engaging as ever. But as Tom might say, "Not for everybody."

dw

Subject: RE: Review: Why won't Tom Waits play in England!!!
From: M.Ted
Date: 25 Jul 08 - 10:13 AM

He's in Edinburgh this weekend, and Dublin July 30,31 and August 1--which seems to be the last date on this tour. Tom Waits Gloom and Glitter Tour Schedule. If you don't catch him there, it will probably be a while before you can see him anywhere--

I've always been a big fan, but his voice has deteriorated considerably, and it is hard for me to listen to him, considering what he had once been.

Subject: RE: Review: Why won't Tom Waits play in England!!!!!
From: Effsee
Date: 25 Jul 08 - 10:04 AM

Stuart, not England , but a bit closer... http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/edinburgh_and_east/7525079.stm

Subject: RE: Review: Why won't Tom Waits play in England!!!!!
From: CupOfTea
Date: 25 Jul 08 - 09:56 AM

nope, never seen him live on Mudcat. (rimshot)

Live in Clevelad, yes. It's been many years. Many Many - early 80s I think, so I've no idea what sort of show he gives these days. It was a grand show, sort of beatnik poetry & song, with some stage settings- a car, a diner booth. Though some covers of his songs are "prettier." none have more conviction than when Waits himself sings them.

He also gave some of THE best audience comebacks to a heckler in the audience. I'm not sure all the frat boys in attendance realized the depth of Waits, perhaps being there on the strength of "Pasties and a G-string" (as in pasted on the chest, not et in Cornwall) Waits was doing an introduction to a song about an old girlfriend. Jerkwater in the front hollers up "did she have big tits??" Waits pauses, contemplates it, and responds to the guy "No, actually she had small tits, do YOU have big tits?" It was a neatly timed rebuff of an interruption and squelched the heckler with one line. And I remember it 25+ years later. Powerful performer.

Subject: Review: Why won't Tom Waits play in England!!!!!
From: stuart2008
Date: 25 Jul 08 - 09:23 AM

Oh i wish, i wish, i wish, i wish that Tom Waits would play in England.

Has anybody ever been to see Tom Waits live here on mudcat? I'd like to know before i purchase tickets to go see him in the US. I live in England, but am desperate to see him live, but don't want to waste my time if he is poor live, though i can't imagine he is.