Email Elizabethrichard thompson
Richard Thompson Plays the Crest Theatre in Sacramento
Richard Thompson Trio at the Crest Theatre in Sacramento
When it comes right down to it, I’ve probably been to more Richard Thompson shows than just about anybody’s but, since I don’t go out all that often, that’s not saying much. I mention it because I was looking for a blog about the time I fell asleep at The Fillmore watching Richard Thompson, and I ran into another blog from 2009 about his All Request Show at the 24th Street Theatre in Curtis Park. Probably the first show was at First Avenue in Minneapolis, or maybe it was Minnesota Public Radio’s The Fitzgerald in St. Paul, where they do Garrison Keillor’s A Prairie Home Companion.
The reason I fell asleep at The Fillmore was no reflection on Richard Thompson. We had seats in the balcony, with a table, and it was way past my bedtime by the time he rolled onto stage. At my age, we just can’t stay up that late. Not like when I was 23 and working at First American Title as a title searcher. All I had to do the following morning back then was stomp about in my 6-inch heels at the Boulder County Courthouse and thumb through the Grantor and Grantee books, which wasn’t rocket science. Not like today when I negotiate complex transactions for Sacramento real estate.
Eileen Rendahl, Elizabeth Weintraub and Andy Wallace at The Crest Theatre.
We went to the Crest Theatre last night with our friends Eileen Rendahl and her boyfriend Andy Wallace, renown underwater photographer. Eileen is a famous writer who lives in Davis. As I reported a few weeks ago, there are not a lot of restaurants open on Sunday night near the Crest Theatre on K Street, and I certainly wasn’t about to repeat the unfortunate situation at the KBar / Cafe Bernardo across the street, when the only thing I could get served within 30 minutes of the Zombies was a plate of icky barbecue potato chips. So, this time, we checked out the landmark institution of Frank Fat’s at 8th and L Streets. I don’t know how we could live this long in Sacramento and not dined at Frank Fat’s before, especially since I love red leather booths, and the food and service was pretty decent, too.
Richard Thompson first performed an acoustic set before the electric show: he was his own opening act. During the acoustic, I could see him doing an album of lullabies for babies, his voice is that velvety. Maybe that’s why I fell asleep at The Fillmore, now that I think about it. After that, he launched into his new material from his new studio album, Still, part of which was produced by Jeff Tweedy whom, btw, we went to see at the Basilica Block Party right after the 4th of July in Minneapolis. Such a good match for this type of collaboration.
Richard Thompson is quite possibly the best guitarist ever. His lyrics and voice are magical, rich, grainy and convoluted, just like life. You might be able to still get tickets for The Fillmore on November 10th.
David Lindley and Hot Tuna at the Crest Theatre Sacramento
All the old hippies were out in throngs last night in Sacramento and heading over to the Crest Theatre to see David Lindley perform, followed by Hot Tuna. Always good for a few great Warren Zevon songs, Lindley also kissed and stroked his ostrich shoes on stage, which is what I guess one would expect. We had great seats, too, front and center. Jack Casady, one of the greatest bass players in the world, strolled on stage wearing a long scarf, which he dramatically flung off his shoulders and then paused for recognition, looking very San Franciscan and cool.
He wore a watch, though. Jorma had a watch on his wrist, too. Who do you know today who wears a watch?
The only problem with Hot Tuna at the Crest was it was past my bedtime by the time they got to any songs I remembered from my Jefferson Airplane days, and I was actually thinking about resting my head against my husband’s shoulder, but I knew what would happen. What would happen is I would fall sound asleep. You think a person can’t sleep through a concert? Ha. The last one I slept through was a few years ago at the The Fillmore when we went to see Richard Thompson, and I love Richard Thompson. This is the problem with getting older.
The only thing worse would be to fall asleep and drool or snore. Which I just did not feel was appropriate when a person is sitting in the front row of a show. Fortunately, during the Richard Thompson performance, I was in the balcony and even though I was probably snoring and drooling, nobody could notice because it was too dark and the music too loud. This is what happens when there is a table in front of me, it’s past my bedtime and I’m tired. Even though Hot Tuna at the Crest was entertaining, I started to slip down in my chair . . .
Which brings me to groan about what else I’m tired about. I’m tired of real estate agents who fall off the face of the earth. A seller called me a few days ago about listing his home. I looked it up in MLS and it was listed at “expired, pending.” He was not in contract. He had no offer. On top of this, the listing had expired in December. Our MLS can fine a Sacramento real estate agent for an expired pending listing. Until a listing is removed from MLS, a new listing cannot be entered.
I cannot understand how an agent would NOT notice a listing like this in MLS. I mother my listings daily and hover over them, checking status, showings, tweaking verbiage, switching out photographs, updating days on market with new MLS numbers. But then somebody else probably can’t figure out how I could fall asleep in the middle of a rock and roll show, especially Hot Tuna at the Crest. We all be different.
