Hello, Hello, Is There Anybody In There?

Yes, I am still here. First off, I wish to apologize for my lengthy (almost a month!) hiatus from the blog. Not that it is an excuse, but I have been locked in an ongoing death match all month with Comcast and AT&T for my home Internet service. I am seriously starting to wonder if my apartment is like the Bermuda Triangle when it comes to connecting to the 'Net. I am so beaten down that I don't even get worked up with the customer service people anymore. It's like, "Hey, Leo, how are the kids? Wife still happy with her new job? Oh yes, and can you send another technician out to check my phone line? Cool, talk to you tomorrow."

Enough unpleasant thoughts. Let's move on to something that still makes me smile two days after it happened, that being another World Series championship for my Boston Red Sox this past weekend. After once again coming back in the ALCS, this time from down 3-1 to the Cleveland Indians, the Sawx rolled the overmatched Colorado Rockies 4 games to 0 for their second title (and second Series sweep) in 4 years. That's right, the formerly tough luck Sox are now a juggernaut, a powerhouse, your worst nightmare. Trust me, it is as weird for me to write that as it probably was for you to read it.

As I said to my mom and sister, it was definitely a new kind of feeling for me as a Sox fan watching the 2007 run. 2004 was like this fairy tale experience, completely nervewracking and I was so anxious that I wasn't able to completely enjoy it while it was happening. This time around I was much more relaxed and confident that the Red Sox were the better - excuse me, the best - team and would prevail in the end no matter what the obstacle. The thing I like more about the 2007 team is that it is a nice mixture of young and old, with newcomers like Pedroia, Ellsbury, Beckett, Lester and Papelbon blending in seemlessly with experienced vets like Ortiz, Ramirez, Lowell and Varitek. It is a team built to win now but also well stocked for the future.

"The Boston Red Sox on Sunday night graciously removed the crushing weight of baseball angst from all those blank-faced 2-year-olds toddling around New England wondering if they would ever see a World Series title in their lifetimes."

-Washington Post 10/29/07

I exchanged some e-mails this week with my buddies Rob and Greg about the implications of this title for the Sox. Specifically, how they are perceived now that the 86-year drought is over and they are no longer the perennial bridesmaid but rather the smoking hot bride. Rob, a Cubs fan from Illinois who rooted for the Rockies in the Series, was saying that most casual fans outside of the Boston area were also pulling for the Rockies. Much like the Sox in 2004, they were the feel good, cinderella story this year after going on a ridiculous run to squeeze into the playoffs as the Wild Card. Greg, a former Boston resident, suggested that when the Sox ended the "Curse" in 2004, they threw it on the Yankees, whose Series drought is now seven years and counting.

I will concede that I am a bit biased in this discussion as a Red Sox fan, but as I said to Rob there is always going to be some backlash when a team has the kind of success the Sox are having now. Just like everybody outside of New England is sick and tired of the Patriots winning or contending for the Super Bowl every year. The Sox went from the cuddly upstart to the relentless bully in a span of three years, and an already rabid fan base is going to be that much louder now that they are winning regularly. All I can say I guess is that if you want to shut us up then beat us. It is that simple. You don't hear a lot from Yankees fans these days, which is a beautiful thing in my opinion.

In short, the Red Sox are the gold standard baseball organization now, not the Yankees, and it is a strange and wonderful feeling.

Grant About Town - October 2, 2007

Genesis at United Center

With a career that has spanned 40 years, 150 million albums sold and numerous transformations, English band and longtime G favorite Genesis was certainly not lacking in material when it came to play the first of 3 sold out shows at the United Center. The question was: How do you reconcile all of the periods - the prog rock of original lead singer Peter Gabriel, the still progressive yet less theatrical period after drummer Phil Collins took over lead singer duties in the mid-70's, and the more radio-friendly pop orientation from the 80's forward - into a coherent live show.

Part of the answer came when (much to the dismay of many diehard Genesis fans) Gabriel was not able to fully commit to being a part of the Genesis reunion despite initial interest in doing so. Depending on the source, early guitarist Steve Hackett either dropped out when Gabriel could not commit or wanted to join the tour but was passed on by the other three members. Whatever the case may be, Collins, along with keyboardist Tony Banks and guitarist/bassist Mike Rutherford decided to hit the road as a three-piece along with longtime collaborators Chester Thompson on drums and Daryl Stuermer on guitar to round out the quintet.

Some 20 years after I had last seen them on the "Invisible Touch" tour at the Hartford Civic Center in 1987, Genesis managed to strike a balance between the old and the new as they ran through a catalog of their many hits. The transition from one era to another was not always super smooth and the results ranged from sublime and powerful (the fantastic 70's medley of "In the Cage"/"The Cinema Show"/"Duke’s Travels"/"Afterglow", the two-part 80's hit "Home By the Sea"/"Second Home By the Sea") to cheesy (the clunky ballad "Hold On My Heart" from 1991's "We Can't Dance"). However, the sound was quite crisp and clear for an arena show and the musicianship was always tight throughout the 2 1/2 hour performance. Collins alternated between frontman duties and banging away on the drums side-by-side with Thompson, Banks created lush harmonies on keyboard and Rutherford sported a doubleneck bass and 12-string guitar.

A few other odds and ends from the show: Amazing video screen on the stage. Wow. Just stared at it for minutes on end during the show. At one point, it was in synch with the notes being played by the band, like the little lines going up and down on a stereo display. Concert t-shirts ranged in price from $40-50, which certainly raised the eyebrows and lowered the wallets of my buddy Rob and I. Our seats were great, section 109 lower level on the corner right over the tunnel to the locker room. We had folding chairs on the aisle, nothing in front of us but a railing (both a foot rest and my makeshift drum kit for the night) and could get to the nearest bathroom in about 30 seconds so the beer was flowing. What more could you ask for?

In a repeat of my experience at The Police concert in Connecticut, I had the requisite "Older audience member asking the younger one in front of him to sit down" episode, which made me shake my head and laugh. This isn't a movie theater or your living room, for christ sake. People stand at concerts, and sometimes they sing and dance, too. Next time stay at the retirement home and watch the concert on DVD. If I ever get that lame, please don't let me go to rock shows anymore. One more thing for the band. Would it have killed you to include "Abacab," perhaps as a kick ass closer instead of the slower paced oldie "Carpet Crawlers" which had many people (myself included) heading for the exits. Kind of a weak finish, but a fine night overall.

Genesis Set List - October 2, 2007 at United Center

Behind the Lines / Duke’s End / Turn It On Again
No Son of Mine
Land of Confusion
In the Cage / The Cinema Show / Duke’s Travels / Afterglow
Hold On My Heart
Home By the Sea / Second Home By the Sea
Follow You, Follow Me
Firth of Fifth / I Know What I Like
Mama
Ripples
Throwing It All Away
Domino
Drum Duet / Los Endos
Tonight, Tonight, Tonight / Invisible Touch

Encore
I Can’t Dance
Carpet Crawlers