One Orlando Night

While on vacation for my birthday last week my Wife and I ate at the House Of Blues in Orlando and discovered much to my delight two of my favorite bands were playing that night. Tickets were cheap, the venue tiny, and the entertainment some of the best I've ever experienced. My great love of the Happy Mondays is no secret. As God says at the end of the brilliant film '24 Hour Party People' Shawn Ryder is the greatest poet since Yeats. I agree wholeheartedly. While his huge drug problems are well chronicled in the film, Shawn was clean and sober at the show and making jokes about his past problems with a closed mouth smile. Shawn admitted at one point during the show all of his teeth had fallen out from drugs and now when he smiles he "looks like a mother f***er." Though there were few original members of the band playing, I was there for Shawn. He did not dissapoint.
The Psychedelic Furs have been on the top of my favorite bands list since seeing the film 'Pretty In Pink' in 1986. They were a band I thought I'd never see live though as they broke up long ago and seemed to want to stay that way. Richard Butler was famous as one of the most entertaning front men of the New Wave era. Even 20 years later it held true. Their sound was superb and all of the songs had been updated for a more modern feel, but leaving none of the old charm behind. I was front and center against the barrier for the entire show and the intimacy of the club mixed so well with the vibe of these two bands I thought I'd never see live that it combined into the best night of what was already the greatest vacation I've had. The chances of these two bands playing while I was there could have been serendipity, or luck, or maybe karma. Whatever it was all I know is it was one of the greatest birthday presents I've ever had.