Short review...
After having dinner with Vika, we got to Lee's expecting doors to be already opened (it was about 8:30). Well they had _just_ opened when we got there, so we still had to stand in the cold for a while...brrrrr.
Susan Werner was the opener this time. 99% of her songs were her and a guitar. At first, she didn't grab my attention at all. I think this was the case with others in the audience as well. But as her set progressed, she really won the crowd over, especially when she performed a song on the keyboard, which was about "If they make a movie of my life". Dave and Jian joined Susan during one of her songs (I can't remember what it was). She played for about 45 minutes.
Fruvous took the stage around ten-ish, and played a show that I felt was better than the previous nights'. More new songs...including my first hearing of When She Talks. Again, I had wished there was a little more banter, although the jams were really good.
Mike's setlist reads:
Michy Jockey Tureen Saucep'n When She Boss 1/2 If Only Indy Minnie Mistra River M.P.G. Moon Hold Careful Kingreen BJ Psycho Horse Dance Early
I was even more tired this night, and during a good chunk of the show, I couldn't help but sit in a chair. Again, only some of the guys came out to chat, and we didn't hang out long afterwards. Chris T, Vika and I grabbed a cab back to the hotel and I finally hit the hay around two in the morning, again. :-)
From Bridget:
Well, it was STILL cold waiting outside Lee's!!! Before we got in line, we went across the street to grab a slice at the Pizza Pizza. Hee hee. Same story as the night before, waited and waited, got inside, staked out that second row (stage Murray...) and slowly thawed out. Susan Werner opened, and was EXTREMELY well received. She was a hoot! And we got an encore... with Jian and Dave. The night was off to a very promising start...
The very promising start blossomed into what has been the BEST Früshow I've seen yet. The energy was incredible, on stage and throughout the crowd. Everyone I talked to agreed that this was one heck of an incredible show. Setlist and my random thoughts...
Michigan Militia - I LOVED to see the set opened with this one. It just set the mood for a totally rockin' evening.
Jockey
The Present Tense Tureen - YAY banjo!!!
Johnny Saucep'n - needless to say always a crowd favorite. I get mesmerized watching Murray with that grater...
When She Talks - hadn't heard this one before tonight. Didn't leave much of an impression on me. There are lots of the "new" songs that I like a whole lot more...
I Love My Boss - I know that some people feel this song should be given a rest, but I disagree. I can't get enough of it. And it was especially relevant after the performance we got from the younguns at the 'con...
Half As Much
If Only You Knew
Independence Day - please please please let this one make the album!! I ADORE this tune...
Minnie the Moocher - 'twas awesome!
River Valley
My Poor Generation - I love this song.
Mistra Know-it-All - YAY!! The first song of the weekend (excluding the new ones) that I'd yet to see live. Loved it... especially the bass solo (as if I need to say it...).
You Will Go to the Moon - way to go, Murray!!!
So then we get a "way to go Murray jam", thanks to Brent. It was absolutely hilarious! Perhaps the highlight of the evening... being the "Murray's people" that I am... and look forward to the new Früvous album, entitled "Way to Go, Murray".
I Will Hold On
King of Spain
Green Eggs & Ham (short)
BJ Don't Cry
Psycho Killer
Horseshoes
Dancing Queen - YAY!! Lou!!
Early Morning Rain - so, isn't there a campaign out there to get this one on the new album? My undying support...
Again, this was just an incredible show. The setlist seems almost ordinary, but the electricity in the air was unequaled. And I have to mention our most efficient use of Früspace on the way back to the hotel... 10 Früheads in Michelle's mini-van... not too bad! And from this experience came our catch phrase of the weekend... "YOU were in the van last night..."
"Can we all fit around this table?" "YOU were in the van last night!"
"Can we all get into Andy's car?" "YOU were in the van last night!"
Took a long time to come down from this show.
From Cameron:
After waiting from the end of the Con, till 7, when the "Risque Fruheads" meet to travel to Lee's, we all get going to Lee's, with some tourist stuff from Brent (I have decided that if I ever need to know anything about Toronto, I will ask him). We get there at about 7:30, after a fairly long time in line with some "It's getting cold, let me in" following the "Do you want to know, tell us king" routine, there was a large amount of Monty Python lines spread about, and we start on the way in, I find out though, that the show is sold out, and I don't have a ticket, so I start on my way out, saying good bye. Then I meet up with the people I talked to after not getting into last nights show, so we start talking again, and it seems that a person that they were talking to has an extra ticket, so I buy it, and get in line. I manage to get in by sneaking in behind some nice people who were my "parents" for the night, and made it in to the show, yippie!!! I spend the next 5-10 minutes (after getting my card stamped), seeking out people that I know, and doing the whole 'hey, you got in! cool!" bit
ok then!!!!! My time ran out on my school's eMail thing, so I got no time to finish this. I'll just respond to one of the setlists with my comments.... MY, I have a feeling I won't be trying this again for quite a while :)
From Josh:
Michigan Militia, Jockey, Tureen, Saucep'n, (Polish Jam), When She Talks, Boss, (Pop Rap Jam), Half As Much, If Only, Independence Day, Minnie The Moocher, River Valley, My Poor Generation, Misstra Know-It- All, (Tequila Sunrise Jam), Moon, (Way To Go Murray), I Will Hold On, King of Spain -> Green Eggs, BJ, Psycho Killer E1: Horseshoes, Dancing Queen E2: Early Morning Rain
From Tom:
Michigan militia Jockey Present tense tureen Johnny saucep'n When she talks I love my boss improv - "He Popped" Half as much If only you knew Independence day Minnie the moocher River valley My poor generation Mistra know-it-all You will go to the moon improv - "Way to go Murray" I will hold on King of spain Green eggs & ham Psycho killer Encore: Horseshoes Dancing Queen Encore 2: Early Morning Rain for those of you keeping track, that's 43 songs w/ 9 repeats, 10 possible new album songs, and no Gulf War Song (not that I've been to 12 concerts and still not heard GWS live, that just makes it sooo much more special when I finally do).
From Irene Gaspar:
After the Frucon, I trotted up the street to the Keg Mansion to meet a friend for dinner. I had never been there before. What a beautiful place! The food was tasty, too. I highly recommend the place.
A bit before 8pm, my friend Krishna and I hopped in the car and headed for Lee’s. Talk about parking disaster! We spent a good half hour hunting for a spot, and even then all we could find was an illegal one. We crossed our fingers and hoped for the best. The one good thing that came of our tardiness was that we did not have to wait long outside.
Inside, I introduced Krish to the Fruheads I knew, before I caught sight of someone I had not seen since high school. When we went to say Hello we discovered that he had with him another high school person. As if that wasn’t enough of a shock, I caught sight of an old university friend. Holy small world, Batman!
Susan Weaver opened for the Lads on this evening. Wow, wow, wow. Her poetry is incredible. There was a song called Between Trains that was very poignant. Her excellent metaphors were accompanied by a searing sense of humour that made for a terrific show. My friend loved it. I have since gotten him one of his CDs, but shhhhhh. Don’t tell. I haven’t given it to him yet. ;)
During the sound check, Krishna left just to check on the car. He had a bad feeling about it. (The last bad feeling about his car that he ignored resulted in his car being towed away.) So off he went. I should have gone, too. Next time, Wendy, I’ll ask you to reserve both of our spaces! After 15 minutes I started to look left and right for him. After 20 minutes I started to worry. By the time 25 minutes were up, the show had started and he still wasn’t back. It was about another 10 minutes before he was back. Turns out he got there just as the car next to his was being towed. The tow-truck driver told him he was lucky--Krishna’s car had been his next stop!
Once my friend was back I was able to pay attention to the concert. I’m not sure what song we were up to by the time Krish returned, but I know that he was in time for Minnie! This was the second time I had heard it. That song is so much fun for the audience, and it sounds so polished. I love the Toronto references Mike put in it, especially the one about the new Toronto beer (a.k.a. Mel’s piss). It became even funnier when I told my parents about it the next day and Dad told me that he had tried the stuff that night. Apparently it’s not bad. <=|
Krishna had never been to a Fruvous concert before, but he was the first person I had ever brought to a concert who actually came away genuinely liking the band. (Yes, Jian, we have a conversion here!) And to think I had just about given up. My friend really liked Minnie. He also loved the fact that each member of Moxy Fruvous is a musician (and personality) in his own right. Improvs like the “Way to go” song (in which each member of the band had a verse praising him--was it Jian or Dave who imagined the headline: “Egotisical band sings song about self”?) thoroughly impressed him.
Though the concert on Saturday had a lot of overlap with the one on Friday, I actually liked it better. I had hoped that the last encore would be the Drinking Song again, because I had half-missed it the night before (At 1am I had started to get panicky about the subway closing time: Did the last train leave Kennedy at 1:30 or did the last train come into Kennedy at 1:30?). Turns out the Saturday night concert ended with Early Morning Rain. I had never heard Fruvous perform it, though I knew it was in their repetoire. It was exquisite.
It was a great weekend of meetings and concerts. Thanks everyone!
From Lori Martin:
After the Con was over Steve and I headed back to our room for a little while, then to Cedars, a most excellent Lebanese restaurant on Bloor Street, before getting on line for that night's show. You know how restaurants work ... when you're in a hurry the service is slow ... well, we WEREN'T in a hurry, were hoping to kill an hour or more so as not to freeze our butts off on the sidewalk again, but no such luck. Amazing vegetarian food, but we couldn't stretch the meal out more than 45 minutes even with dessert. So off we went to the line, which was a bit shorter than it had been the previous night ... Fruheads do come to their senses eventually. We snuggled, we sang, we shivered, we looked at Chrissy's pictures, and we gave an uproarious welcome to Mindy and Ben when they showed up to try to get in ... and they succeeded! So glad Mindy didn't travel all the way from Willliamsburg to not see a show!
The doors opened earlier than they had the previous night, praise the deity, and in we charged to ... gasp ... Stage Dave! In some sort of mystical confluence of minds, 3 different groups of us who wanted to hang together all decided independently that this was the place that rocked in this venue ... evidently it's not just the lads channeling us; we ALL channel each other. Well, actually we wound up Stage Tobey, a location that is absolutely without compare ... there were chairs, there were tables, there were assorted surfaces on which to rest drinks, Smarties sacks, and toys, there was room to dance without crashing into each other (unlike on the floor the previous night) and there were amiable Fruheads everywhere.
I'm afraid I committed high idiocy by managing to get scolded by
Cal even BEFORE the show started, much to the amusement
of many. Hey! It was really really crowded! And Jen had
asked for a photo in her Wench garb! So ... I mighta stepped
up onstage a little ... just to get a full-figure shot ... what
flashlight? Was someone shining a flashlight on me? The show. Oh yeah! Susan Werner opened, and, noticing
bubbles, diddlybobbers, and general frivolity in the air, announced
that we were the weirdest audience she'd ever seen. Of course
we told her she hadn't seen anything yet ... she seemed to enjoy
herself though. At least, she came back the following night ...
The FruSet just completely ROCKED. I thought this was the
best set of the weekend, in terms of energy level. Our crew
had about 4 chairs among ten people, but it didn't much matter
-- they kicked off with Michy and Jockey, and that was pretty
much IT for sitting. Mellowed out a little with Tureen, then
did a very fast Saucep'n to which I believe all of us managed
to keep pace. When She Talks, then Boss -- watching the
lads do this, after the wee lads had done it at the Con a few
hours earlier, was a riot. A wide assortment of shaker
instruments were unveiled, and Jian subsequently joined the
audience for a few moments for a shake-along while Mike was
singing. 1/2 As Much, If Only, Independence Day -- this song
is more intense each time I hear it -- Minnie, and then Mistra
Know-it-All -- the first time I've heard it in months! A definite
highlight. Meanwhile Rachael, Monique, and Amy decided to
create sculptures with diddlybobbers and cocktail glasses,
earning some bemused looks from Dave.
Then River Valley. Ahem. chad has a theory re: Mike Ford's
physical composition -- the term "human flubber" applies -- and
it appears that Katrin, she of washroom appliance fame, has
similar qualities. Either that, or she feasted on Mexican jumping
beans prior to the show. Whatever. Boy was she having fun!
Heh. And so was I, bouncing along right behind her, and so, it
appeared, was pretty much the rest of the room. Whatever that
song's *really* about, Katrin, I'm glad it makes you so happy.
My Poor Generation Moon, IWHO, King/GE&H, BJ, then Psycho
Killer and, for a real change of pace -- Horseshoes. Stunning
denouement, then an uptempo finale with Dancing Queen medley.
Then another huge surprise -- Early Morning Rain as an encore.
It was a pindrop moment, you could say.
After the show it took a few minutes just to get our bearings --
we were that wiped out. Sat for awhile eating Jen's AMAZING
pistachio truffles, cooling off a little, then meandered to the
center of the floor, where a haphazard conga line ensued,
resulting in one of the best backrubs of my life courtesy of Tom
(he of the amazing hands and willing harem.) Andi, I hope
you enjoyed the one I gave you -- I thought I was just going
to melt into the floor. Eventually the crowd thinned, and we
left for the Ramada with evil Valerie, bemused Dan, and chad,
who took Val's ribbing rather well I *think*. Apparently there
were some parties going on that night, but heaven knows I
was pooped ... all I could do was crash for a few hours, with
dreams of budgiedogs coursing through my slightly-Fruoccupied
head.
Random stats, Day Three:
Crossword clues correctly solved: 14
doorprizes won: 0 :(
Cchads hugged at one time: 2
hours spent standing: 12
hours spent sleeping: 5
IRC messages sent: 1st and 2nd of my life!
From Koogle/WayToGoMurray.Com:
Click here for an audio clip of 'Way to go Murray'
The Way to Go madness started one night in Toronto; everybody was having a good time, enjoying the tunes and the company when all hell broke loose. We haven't been quite the same since then...
Some other tidbits from the performance include:
(audience) All right, Murray! (cheers)
Jian: Did you say 'all right, Murray'??
(Audience cheers)
Dave does a step-out, sweat pouring from his brow, he's
doing You Will Go to the Moon, and this, this fucker; this,
this peasant has the audacity to say 'Way to go Murray' after
Dave, a friend of mine...(gestures to Dave, to his far left)
Dave! (Audience cheers for Dave, shouts of "way to go Dave" are
heard in the background.) These, these are the Daves I know.
Murray: Give now to the Dave Drive and Save Dave.
Mike in a labored English accent: Per-Per-Personally I can't stand
either of them. I like to sing pretending they aren't even there.
Jian in an English accent: (blah blah) if you'll have it.
(Audience starts a chant) Murray! Murray!
Dave: Let's just have a little Murray moment here.
Jian: The new name of the album is Way to Go Murray!
(Audience cheers)
Murray: I know I can count on your support for my Bass and
Whistle tour, kicking off in early...
Dave starts strumming the guitar and singing: Way to go Murray...
Way to go Murray...Way to go Murray
(Jian and Mike join in)
Murray: No, this is too much
Dave: There's a man who wears brown shirts
Jian (following): There's a man who wears brown shirts
Dave: And he plays a little bass
And he plays a little bass
And he has a sexy bum
And he has a bony bum
And a very very very long face
And a very very very sweet face
Way to go......Murray
Murray: Thanks, guys.
Way to go......Murray
You really shouldn't've.
Way to go......Murray
I'm blushing.
Way to go......Murray
Mike: Yah!
Jian: Buuuuuut: There's a man I know instead
Mike: Man he knows instead
And he has no hair on his head (audience cheers)
No hair on his head
And he's a happy go lucky guy
Happy go lucky kind of chap
And I've got to ask you why.....
We can't sing way to go Daaaaave
Way to go Dave
Way to go Dave(oh-ho)
Way to go Dave!
Dave: That's me!
Mike: One day there was a big contest
To see who could bag the most blond men
They might have used to been blond or still be blond
But it was a big contest out on the lawn
And a man named Jian took his gun and he caught
Dave and Murray
He reeled them in
Jian: I caught!
With just one shot
He put them in a bag
In a bag
And sold them at Fairweather's
For a good price
And they were born on the street in a cultural rendez-vous
Jian: Well there's a guy we like to call Forty
His name is Ford, so you'd think it'd be Fordy
Mike: Way to go, Forty
But instead we call him Forty
That's my name. Don't wear it out.
Murray: You know the chorus:
Way to go Forty
Way to go Forty (oh-ho)
Way to go Forty
Way to go Forty!
Murray: Ride those steeds.
Jian: This song is totally Stan Ridgeway
Murray: I think this is a Stan Ridgeway bonus track, it didn't even make the album
Ooooh oooh oooooh (Dave finishes with twangy guitar chords.)
Jian:A self-obsessed Moxy Früvous narcissistic trip
Murray: Band sings song about self
Dave: Band improvises tune about band.
Jian: And now a little ditty about when Dave was seven.....
The Pictures
Thanks to Kimberly for this one:
Thanks to K. Messer for this one:
Thanks to Anna Adler for these:
Thanks to Chrissy Hill for this one:
The Music
The Set
Closed with
Encore 1
Encore 2
Misc. Info
Back to the tour dates 1999 page
