Well, I've reached the end of yet another "triple crown".

After leaving my boss' bachelor party on Saturday afternoon, I arrived at Spectrum at 6:30pm and was greeted by a fairly established gathering of people, considering how early it was. I saw a couple people I recognized, Zay and Katie, and staked out a place as close to the door as possible.

I decided to maintain my balcony seat, since it seemed that the show was going to be an absolute mob scene. I met two brothers in line, Stuart and Steve, who were very cool. I ended up chatting with them during the long wait to get into the club. Some people didn't want to keep their balcony seats, so they sold them to these guys. The three of us decided we'd sit together upstairs and enjoy the show in comfort.

The doors didn't open till 8pm, even though the ticket said the show started at 7:30 (isn't Rochester beautiful?) We went up to the balcony (oooh, 'Lee' reference) and got some seats right up front. Turns out we sat right next to the Reserved seats being saved for Jian's parents (they came up from Toronto to see the show). The three of us talked to them briefly before the show started; they looked like they were having a great time. They were all smiles when Jian came out on stage. :-)

The Nields went on at about 8:30, and only played for a half an hour. They did a quick excerpt from Lazlo's Career, but it was unfortunate that they couldn't stay on stage longer. They're great!

Johny Vegas came on stage around 9:30, and played a little too long in my opinion. People were actually telling them to stop playing. There were a group of teenage girls, scantily clad, dancing in their bras at the top of the balcony during most of Vegas' set. Unfortunately, they received a lot of attention for their efforts. Once again, good 'ol Rochester.

Moxy came on at 11pm to a still energetic crowd. They played for a little more than an hour and a half. Highlights included: the return of Bytor (from Buffalo two nights before), a quick spotlight on Jian's parents, and the new loungey Spiderman (first time I've heard this live).

Dave was still sick, and sounded very hoarse. Some people made him a "Get Well" sign (see below), which was very nice. Dave, rest up, and get better real soon!

After the show, the people working at the venue were being extremely rude. They basically told us "Get the hell out!!" Despite this, some people stayed, and I managed to say a quick Hello to Jian before being booted out the door.

Hi's to everyone there: Zay, Katie, Laurie and all her friends, Lara, Spidey, Steve and Stuart, Jian's parents, Jude, Marcus, Teri, and everyone else I saw there (sorry if I forgot anyone). :-)

So soon, my first all Ontario triple crown (at the end of May). Until then, keep on Früvin!!

Thanks to Katie (Fruhead1) for telling me what was written on Murray's setlist:

LAZLO
BJ
VIDEO
HORSE
BOSS
ASS
MEDICINE
SAH
STUCK
FLY
MICH
SAUCEP'N
RAJA
KING-GREEN
AUTH-RIVER
POTION

From Freetime magazine (4/23/97):

Moxy Fruvous w/ Johny Vegas & The Nields; The Spectrum, April 26

Before being signed by Warner Music Canada, quasi-acappella group Moxy Fruvous had reached "gold" (50,000) units in Canada with its six-song eponymous indie cassette release and had opened for the like of Bryan Adams and Bob Dylan.

In 1993, the Toronto groups's debut album Bargainville, went platinum in Canada while the band toured sold-out theaters across Canada and garnered a Juno nomiation for Group of the Year. They followed this with non-stop touring throughout the U.S. and Europe allowing Moxy to hone their skills and develop a fanatical fan following who are known internationally as the "Fruheads."

In 1995, the band released their second album, Wood, a more intimate and personal record and have just put out their third full-length record, You Will Go To The Moon. The experimental sounds of Moxy Fruvous combines "gansta banjo hip-hop", "accordion love songs", "Persian epics" and "solid pop songs" into one cohesive package.

Editor's Note: See Innerview with Moxy Fruvous on page 25.

• Scan from the local paper about the show (thanks to Spidey)
• Get Well, Dave!!
• Mike does ballet

• Peace of Mind (Brand New Disc)
  • "the incredible madness of our brand new disc!"

• Lazlo's Career
• B.J. Don't Cry
  • "Buddha and a brush"
  • Mike uses his megaphone for the "Now on the street..."
  • Mike, thru megaphone: "In 1844, Mozart writes the Magic Flute" (or something similar to this)
  • "every Thursday hits the Roxy"
• Video Bargainville
• Chatter
  • Murray: "We want to meet each an every one of you on an individual basis."
  • Jian introduces the next song.
  • Murray takes a drink of water, and the guys give him a hard time for not being ready.
  • Jian introduces the song again, looking at Murray.
• Horseshoes
• Chatter
  • Some audience members give Dave a big "Get Well Soon" sign, which has a picture of Bytor on it (from Buffalo's show 2 days earlier).
  • Mike, cheering for the Amerks: "Insert local sport reference here."
  • Jian and Murray talk about the balcony and how bands never sing for the people that sit up there.
  • Jian introduces his parents, who are sitting in the balcony.
• I Love My Boss
  • "Who knows what Kodak will be bringing?"
  • Instead of "Examples", Jian says "Syracuse"
• Chatter
  • Murray: We get to do all our dances in that song.
  • Jian: We were all dancers before this, but one of us was in ballet.
  • Mike graces the audience with some quick ballet moves.
  • Murray: "This next song is about staking your bit of turf, on this damn earth!!"
• Kick in the Ass
• Chatter
  • Jian talks about the new album, and introduces the coming song.
• The Incredible Medicine Show
• Sahara
  • Near the end of the song Mike reads from a book, speaking through his megaphone.
• Chatter
  • Jian asks the crowd if they should stop playing. Of course, they're answered with a resounding "NO!"
  • Jian: Here's one we haven't played in a while.
  • Jian describes the chemical weapons ban issues that are going on currently.
• Stuck in the 90's
• Chatter
  • Jian goes through the bands other albums, and introduces the next song.
  • Jian: Buffalo and Rochester are parts of Canada, right? You can get all our albums here.
• Fly
• Chatter
  • Murray: We're at the 7th inning stretch of the show. So stretch out!
  • Jian helps the stretching session with some drums.
  • Quick "Lazy Boy" tease.
  • Mike says Hello to his wife, who is somewhere in the crowd.
  • Jian: If we didn't have our three tanks on the border, America would be annexing us in a second.
  • Murray: And we have one missile aimed at Utica.
  • Murray: Social satire is a dangerous business, and if it's not dangerous, then you're not doing it right!
• Michigan Militia
• Chatter
  • Jian introduces the next song in Spanish.
• Johnny Saucep'n
• Chatter
  • Jian asks who has seen Moxy before.
  • Jian: Apparently this guest star ruled the air waves at WBER.
  • Jian asks the standard royalty questions, but also includes: "Is it Eric Estrada?"
  • "the story about a guy who wrote that melodic American classic: It's Slinky, It's Slinky, everyone loves it's Slinky!"
• King of Spain
  • "there's a balcony overhead"
  • Some funky spinning lights turn on right before the epilogue.
  • Jian sings "Will you tell me what I want, what I really really want?"
  • 'Frosty the Snowman' tease by Dave & Mike
• Green Eggs & Ham
  • Jian: You get the shit kicked out of you in NY if you don't like the Beatles.
  • Jian: The Beatles, you know, Daydream believer, ...
  • Mike does a quick harmonica tease from a Beatles song.
• My Baby Loves a Bunch of Authors
  • "Pulp Fiction"
  • "Who needs a grave? He's Robertson Davies!"

• Chatter
  • Jian thanks the other bands, the audience, and WBER 90.5.
  • "Relax, don't do it..." tease during the buildup to Love Potion.
• Love Potion #9 Medley
  • Ohio
  • Stayin' Alive
  • Jungle Boogie riff on Dave's guitar
  • Who Will Save Your Soul?
  • "My Gramma's silverware" (by Johny Vegas)
  • Gotta Get Over Gretta (by The Nields)
  • You Oughtta Know
  • Murray whips his bass into the air on the last chord.

• Chatter
  • Murray: I always want to apologize to my bass after beating it so badly.
  • Jian reads from a Robertson Davies' book that a fan threw on the stage.
  • Murray, reading some more to himself: Wow, it turns into a soft porn novel.
• Get in the Car
• Chatter
  • Mike asks the audience members who are crowd-surfing to stop, because if someone cracks their head open, Moxy will quit as a band.
• Your New Boyfriend

• Chatter
  • A person from the auidence gives roses to Jian.
  • Jian: Here's a song we just wrote.
  • An audience member yells "Spiderman!"
  • Jian: We didn't just write Spiderman.
• Billie Jean Medley
• The Drinking Song
  • After many technical difficulties (Mike's guitar kept going in and out), Mike finally stopped and said, "We're gonna start it all over again because we love you!"
  • Jian thinks they should do something else first just to make things seem smoother.
• Spiderman (with instruments - "lounge" version)
• The Drinking Song

Some other tidbits from the performance include:

• Feel free to help contribute to this section!