There is not enough squee in the world for this!

[annathepiper]

Russell Crowe, joy of my movie watching and delight to my musical ears, announced on Twitter yesterday and to his fan site of choice that there are plans afoot to take the current incarnation of TOFOG (The Ordinary Fear of God) on tour next year! They’d been hoping to do August of this year as that’s ten years after TOFOG 1 (30 Odd Foot of Grunts) played in Austin–but that ain’t happening. They appear to be eying next May for a target range of dates, though–and best of all, Russell’s saying they will be bringing Alan. AND that Portland is among the cities in the US they’re eying.

My reaction to passing The Crowe on the streets of Portland in 2001 is fabled in song, story, and LJ post! (flashfire, ssha, mamishka, and kathrynt all still do give me periodic shit about it, too! ;) ) Given that, and given how I could barely manage to talk to The Doyle the couple of times I’ve encountered him, I’m figuring the chances of my brain exploding before the concert even starts are very, very high. Hell, the sheer thought of Alan and Russell on the same stage where I can actually see them perform may make my brain explode RIGHT THIS VERY INSTANT.

Because if this happens, my children, I am going to this. Oh yes, I am going. And there will be massive, massive squee. Better brace yourselves now.

Mirrored from annathepiper.org.

Comments

[desperance.livejournal.com]

Wait, what, are you in Portland? Or striking distance therefrom?

I might be in Portland next year. That's the plan...

[annathepiper]

I'm in the greater Seattle area but am indeed in striking distance of Portland! It's a few hours to drive down, or about the same for a nice leisurely train trip!

[desperance.livejournal.com]

Well, if you're willing, and if the dates work out...? (I might make it up to Seattle, but that's less certain. Portland is ... insisted upon.)

[annathepiper]

I would be delighted! :) Portland is awesome and even if the dates don't line up with the concert that's the subject of this post, I'm always willing to scamper down that way just on the strength of Powell's being there. (insert choir of angels singing here for Powell's, Holy City of Books)

[maellenkleth]

I can distinctly predict that B. and I would be up for Great Big Sea in Portland next year. Planning out next year's Cascadia-cation and we haven't even had this year's one, yet. ^_^

[annathepiper]

Please to note that this is NOT Great Big Sea we're discussing here--it's Russell Crowe's band, TOFOG, of which Alan actually is a member. There is no word yet as to whether Great Big Sea as a collective entity, as opposed to its Gorgeous Lead Singer of Gorgeousness, will also be involved. ;) (Although even if they are not, chances are high that Russell will do a GBS cover anyway; he did at the 2001 show, and TOFOG's recorded that same GBS song, "How Did We Get From Saying I Love You?", since!)

I would recommend checking out the one available TOFOG-2 record, "My Hand My Heart", for an idea of whether their music would suit your tastes. Alan produced it so it's hands down the best music Russell's done to date. If you listen close you can hear Alan's backup vocals in some places, too.

TOFOG-1 records are also available on iTunes and probably on Amazon as well with listenable samples, and TOFOG-2's sound is not significantly different, since most of the members and instruments are the same. :) So if you find any Grunts-era stuff that'll also give you an idea of the sound.

And in particular you should look for Russell's version of "Folsom Prison Blues" because ZOMG TASTY. kathrynt told me after the 2001 show that THAT song ripped the roof off the Roseland, and made her sit up and take notice, whereas for most of the show she was mostly there to snicker at seeing me swoon. ;) Billy Dean Cochran (Russell's lead guitarist) is a very, VERY good guitarist and their recording of that song has a smokin' solo from him.

All that said? Hell, GBS as a collective entity may well hit Portland next year too. They ARE I believe scheduled to show up there later THIS year! But let 'em get this year's tour out of the way first. :D

[technoshaman.livejournal.com]

ROAD TRIP!!!!!!!!!!!11111oneeleven!!!

I am totally prepared; I have most of a CASE of earplugs somewhere around here... :) (for the squee, you know. :)

I also know sneaky back scenic routes that will get us around all that traffic at Ft. McLewis.

Mr. Mowatt! Hands about ship! Set course Sou-sou-west, a point south!

[annathepiper]

Screw traffic, if this happens (nothing's actually confirmed yet as so far The Crowe has only mentioned that plans are in the works, not yet settled), I'm TOTALLY going down on the train. solarbird and I should have oodles of Amtrak points saved up by then!

Also: see my comment to maellenkleth elsewhere on the thread; if you're not already familiar with TOFOG (I know I played you "Folsom Prison Blues" once but I don't know if you actually, like, y'know, LIKE THEM), you might want to doublecheck that that's music you could actually see yourself listening to for a couple hours. ;)

[technoshaman.livejournal.com]

The Folsom track was demo enough for me... I loves me some good blues, and that was *awesome* blues.

(Tho if you have album recs (and I'll re-read the thread here momentarily) I'd gladly take'em; I don't actually *own* a lot of blues, and sometimes a man needs a good dose of blues on a Sunday morning. :)

Too bad we probably couldn't get enough folks to go with us to where it would be ok to have a little jam session going down... 'cause blues and train travel totally go together :)

[annathepiper]

Album recs: My Hand, My Heart, first of all, as that's the one Alan's actively involved with. And watch The Crowe's twitter account for updates since he did mention he and Alan have 14 songs they did together so that'll probably be forthcoming before next year. You'll want to also specifically look for whether you can find the extra couple of tracks that were released after the first release of the album--because "Testify" is very, very strong, and it's not on the original album release.

MHMH is so far the only album of the second iteration of TOFOG. The first iteration has a few, most of which are available on iTunes but I don't know about other sources yet. Best of that lot will be Other Ways of Speaking since that's the one with FPB on it as extra content in the last track. It's also got Russell's strongest Grunts-era singing on it; the previous two albums, Bastard Life or Clarity and Gaslight, do have some strong numbers on 'em but they're rougher.

[flashfire.livejournal.com]

Were I to be there for this, you know I'd have to get pictures of any even remotely possible chance of you passing not one but both of them in some form or another.

[annathepiper]

Muahaha.

Given how part of my brain still seizes up every time I see pics of Alan and Russell together, thinking "that couldn't POSSIBLY BE RIGHT", I fully expect to be absolutely whomperjawed by the sight of them actually in the same place at the same time. ;> It's like universes colliding! Pictorial evidence will be of critical scientific importance!