Thursday - so much to report

What an interesting couple of days it has been, starting with a terrific concert on Tuesday night at Radio City Music Hall - “Ringo Starr and His All Star Band” - which included two of my favorites, Billy Squier and Edgar Winter. The concert was sold out and my seat was excellent, in the orchestra about 15 rows from the stage. I was very surprised at the number of teenagers in the crowd and also the number of preteens with their parents. I have seen Ringo three times and each concert has been very enjoyable. The band played a lot of 70-80s standards and Beatles hits but the number that got the biggest ovation was Edgar Winter’s “Frankenstein.”

Wednesday was a double-header, starting off on a high note with the confirmation from one of my ticket services that I indeed have a ticket (full price) to Friday’s Yankees/Mets game at Shea Stadium. How they were able to score these tickets I have no idea. It should be interesting. I, of course, will be in full Yankee regalia.

My matinee show was at 2:00 down in the Village. It was Neil LaBrute’s “Reasons to Be Pretty,” which I described in some detail in the last blog. There was an insert in the Playbill to the effect that the show will be moved to a Broadway venue by the same group that produced the hugely successful “August: Osage County,” winner of the Tony for best play. The show is a 4-person piece where everyone screams and cusses at whoever is sharing the stage with them at the time. The theme is the male obsession with beauty. As much as I expected to like this show, for some reason it just didn’t work for me. I didn’t hate it but ... The acting was excellent, however. I also have to add on a positive note that the weather was beautiful and had I not had the concert up at Lincoln Center I probably would have walked back to the apartment.

But, I didn’t. I took the subway back and just had time for a quick shower, a change of clothes and a small fruit and cheese plate. The concert started at 7:30 and I had to meet a representative from one of my ticket services to pick up my ticket. I couldn’t believe that I was getting a complimentary ticket to a New York Philharmonic Orchestra concert. I was sure it would be in the upper nose-bleed section, but no matter. The annual subscription series is over and this is part of their Summertime Classics Program. I was almost speechless when I got my ticket - it was in the orchestra, row T, house right - awesome.

Avery Fisher Hall was full. The title of the concert was Moscow on the Hudson. The first half was: Shostakovich’s “Festive Overture,” and Prokofiev’s “Selections from Romeo and Juliet.” The second half was Rachmaninoff’s “Piano Concerto No. 2,” with the familiar theme in the second movement made popular by Frank Sinatra as “Full Moon and Empty Arms.” All during the concert I kept thinking: “This is almost surreal, Bill, you are in the orchestra section for a New York Philharmonic Orchestra concert and it cost you only the $4.00 service charge. Only in New York, only in New York.” The performances were awesome (there’s that word again).

The concert was over at 9:15 and I knew that I was going to walk back to the apartment. The weather was great - 78 degrees with a nice breeze. As I strolled back I listened to the Yankees/Pittsburgh game on my trusty Walkman and the Yankees kicked butt - way to go Joba!!. I chose a route that took me south on Amsterdam (10th Avenue) to 57th Street, then East on 57th Street to 2nd Avenue and South on 2nd Avenue to 51st Street and the apartment. Gosh, it felt great to be in The Big Apple. The distance was 2.0 miles and I was back in the apartment at 10:00. Fixed some pasta, watched Jon Stewart and Letterman and crashed at the usual 2:00am, thus ending an outstanding day.

Today’s entertainment event was a very good comedy/drama by A. R. Gurney called “The Cocktail Hour.” It has gotten very good reviews and they were justified. The house was full. In the show (which I described in the last blog) the family is only semi-dysfunctional and there is no screaming although voices are raised a time or two. The show closes this weekend and I am so glad that I got to see it.

The show was over at 9:15 and I had planned to walk back to the apartment while listening to the final Yankee/Pittsburgh game, but, it was rained out. That didn’t change my plans, however, and walk back I did, a little over 2 miles.

Tomorrow should be interesting. The Yankees and Mets are playing a doubleheader, the first is a makeup game at 2:00 at Yankee Stadium and the second, for which I have a ticket, is at 8:00 at Shea Stadium. Right now the weather forecast is kinda iffy, so we will see.

I am happy to report that my sister Ann made it through her artery surgery OK. Hopefully she will not have to go through another one of these procedures. Oldest grandson Alex will be roasting at Arizona for about a month as part of his training reactivation. Don’t ask, it is too complicated to explain here.

So, it is almost time to crash ...

Damn, I am so lucky/blessed - Thank You Higher Power.

Go Yankees!!!!

Billi Pod
wanjr@aol.com