I’m going to try to climb out of my sorrow cocoon over Molly by posting some overdue highlights from the Las Vegas 2012 (my eighth trip) vacation.
As Summer was getting underway and the opportunity to get away was rapidly slipping, not everywhere has great weather after Mid-October, Somara and I were shopping for concerts to center LV12 around. I had pitched the upcoming Peter Gabriel Back2Front tour celebrating the anniversary of So, his commercial breakthrough. The pricetag was rather steep for seeing PG at PH but I figured it would be worth the sacrifice. Given the vet bills, it’s a good thing Somara had pre-cognitive powers to convince me to go with another stalwart figure of the Eighties…Adam Ant. Stalwart? Yes. Probably more in the UK than America yet he had several Top 20 hits up until 1995 and after 1985, Adam took up acting with a guest appearance on The Equalizer and a key role in Slamdance. Besides, PG was $300 to get started, Adam $30, it wasn’t any contest.
We were lucky too. This was a makeup date. The original series of concerts were supposed to be in the Spring (I’m guessing he’d swing through here for SXSW) and Somara remembers why they were cancelled, I didn’t care. I was more excited to see Adam for the third time and at another point in his career. It was Somara’s first.
The opener was a pretty cool. A duo from Brazil called Brothers of Brazil. The singer/guitarist going for the Brian Setzer suave and the singer/drummer imitating the Billy Idol swagger. Their English on stage was so good I thought it was an act. When I met the singer/guitarist at the swag table, no, he had to pause a bit before he spoke. Rather bummed they weren’t staying on through Austin, I feel my current hometown would dig these guys. I bought both of their CDs if you’re interested.
Adam Ant hit the stage on time with his current backup band known as The Good The Mad & The Lovely Posse. Sadly, Adam’s long-time collaborator/songwriter/guitarist Marco Pirroni was absent. He did return to his early Eighties form by having two drummers. From the photo above, you can see Adam is donning the old pirate garb, part Johnny Depp and part Kings of the Wild Frontier.
Despite the “wait” music being nothing but oldies, the concert did showcase new material Adam will have released next year! According to various sites, the new tunes were co-written with Marco, Andy Bell (of Oasis, not Erasure), Chris McCormack and Boz Boorer (Morrissey). I thought they sounded fine, I need the finished, polished project. Few debuts have ever gotten latched into my memory and they’re not always favorite bands.
Of course he did the hits, at least one from every album.
- Dirk Wears White Socks – “Cartrouble” and “Cleopatra”
- Kings of the Wild Frontier – “Dog Eat Dog,” “Kings of the Wild Frontier” and “Antmusic”
- Prince Charming – “Stand & Deliver” and “Prince Charming”
- Friend or Foe – “Goody Two Shoes” and “Desperate but not Serious”
- Strip – “Strip”
- Vive le Rock – “Vive le Rock” (an underrated album in my opinion)
- Manners & Physique – “Room at the Top”
- Wonderful – “Wonderful”
It was interesting to hear these without the horns or keyboards many were famous for having rather prominent roles (“Goody Two Shoes,” it’s right there in the bridge!). His new (albeit quite younger) five-piece group was up to the task. Near the end he threw in a T-Rex cover. When I saw Adam in 1995, it was “Twentieth Century Boy.” This year he stuck with the more familiar “Get it on (Bang a Gong)” and he carries it well.
Outside the live performance, the other thrill for me was Adam having copies of his autobiography at the merchandise table. I had one years ago and I lost on the plane ride home from Las Vegas six years earlier! I had gotten to page 50 before misplacing it. Compared to other tell-all books, Adam’s was well written so the option of this being made into a movie may not be a boast. This copy is autographed too!
In closing though, I think I am going to try to stay with assigned seating for any shows I see in Las Vegas. The crowd may have been older like Adam’s contemporaries we’ve recently seen but some must be illiterate if they don’t understand the no-smoking signs. I can handle some shoving in Austin, I live here; when I’m on vacation, I would like to avoid any altercations.