Diamondbag Meets the Wolfman

Friday, January 9, 2004: Club Dada

Anyone who walked into Club Dada about 1:30 a.m. last Friday night-well, technically Saturday morning-probably got quite a surprise. After all, we're advertised as Diamondbag, your friendly local neighborhood Neil Diamond tribute band. People expect sequins, throaty ballads, and songs about chairs and tables and overrated Spielberg movies with extra cheese on top. So imagine how weird it must have been for a new arrival to see me on stage screeching "Holly Holy" in an Iron Maiden soccer jersey! I'm not sure what exactly possessed me, but I assure you it wasn't Satan despite the lovely portrait of a decomposing Eddie on my shirt. I think I just felt like having a little fun since we were playing in the late late slot. Remember when you were a kid and late night TV was all about those scary old monster movies mad eback in the '40s and '50s? Well, that's what we were last Friday I suppose. Just call us Diamondbag Meets the Wolfman.

We've played at Dada on a ton of Fridays over the last three years, and every time it seems that we have played in the 10:30 slot right after A Hard Night's Day. It's a great slot to have, once you accept the fact that the reunited Beatles themselves would likely clear their gear off the stage faster than the Hard Night's Day gang. Well, this time we didn't have to worry about that, as our good friends in Oliver's Army were following up next on this particular evening. I was really excited to be playing with them, as 1) I worship Elvis as the deity that he is, and 2) Oliver's Army are amazing. They played a superb eighteen-song sampling that spanned most of one Declan Patrick MacManus' career, and as always I simply smiled widely and sang along. Maybe one day they will play "Uncomplicated" and let me sing it and I can die happy.

After the Army finished-and removed their gear in a very timely fashion, I might add-it was time for us to get cracking. With our late start time, I was really worried that the crowd might be, well, non-existent. Much to my surprise, Dada was still quite full when we went on about 12:40. A shocking thought: maybe people really do like us! That can't be true, can it? To reward the faithful, we opened with "Cherry Cherry" and proceeded Warp Factor 9 through what turned out to be a really rocking set. We still barely know "Red Red Wine," and for some reason our Who-ized version seems all the better for it. Before we knew it, we were closing with "Sweet Caroline" with me singing down in the crowd. OK, I admit it-I watched the U2 Live at Red Rocks video way too many times when I was growing up, and I always seem to end up stealing Bono's moves. Maybe someday, I'll even use the "There's been a lot of talk about this next song-maybe way too much talk. This song is not a rebel song. This song is Crunchy Granola Suite" intro.

By the way, I'd also like to point out that this particular night was Diamondbag webmaster extraordinaire John Dietrich's birthday. I'm not sure exactly how old he is, but I do know that he's older than me and that is a good thing. John was nice enough to spend his birthday with us, although apparently he wasn't nice enough to actually listen to our set as he apparently has no memory of us playing whatsoever. I was asked to announce to the crowd that John had recently pierced both of his nipples, and I laughed along with the joke despite the truly scary images flashing through my brain. You can only imagine my shock and disgust when I discovered a day or two later that John really had pierced them.

"The horror. The horror."

After the tremendous success of the show itself, it was time to return to "The House" for the traditional after-party. Unfortunately, Matt & Sarah will soon be moving, and The House will be no more. I will weep like the little girly-man I am on that day, I assure you. But at least we have a few parties left, and I for one will cherish every moment I can spend with Pino's nasty eel, Ivan's incredibly stubby legs, and Matt's inevitable TV theme song barrage. Megan & David and Paul & Rebecca even graced us with their presences, and there was much drinking. Rejoice!

Special thanks as always to everyone who came down to Deep Ellum to see us (and generously parted with $5 of their hard-earned money). Diamondbag will return on Saturday January 17 at the LBG, and will at long last return to the Barley House on Saturday February 14. That's right kiddies-Valentine's Day with Diamondbag. "Love On the Rocks" indeed . . .

Happy New Year, you freaks. Thanks for reading, thanks for listening, and thank you for being our friends.

Set List
Intro (Get Smart)
Cherry Cherry
Kentucky Woman
Forever In Blue Jeans
Love On the Rocks
Cracklin' Rosie
Solitary Man
I Am . . . I Said (for Megan)
Rock Me Gently
America
Red Red Wine (for Pete Townshend)
Girl You'll Be a Woman Soon (for John's nipple piercings)
Holly Holy (for all those crappy Seattle grunge bands)
Sweet Caroline (for the love of God please stop)

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