Another Brick...

Last evening, I witnessed The Wall for the first time in my life.

Yes, I've heard some of the songs. Strike that, I've heard most of the songs from Pink Floyd's rock opera. But I've never seen the movie. And I've certainly never seen it performed live.

A few months ago, my friend Drew told me he was going to see a group called The Australian Pink Floyd Show, and he asked me if I'd like to go. He told me that they sounded just like Pink Floyd. And then he forwarded me a review. I found out that The Australian Pink Floyd Show is the only band that has ever played for a Pink Floyd member - David Gilmour. Gilmour liked them so much that he invited them to play at his 50th birthday. I needed no more coaxing.

Though I can't claim to be a huge fan, I certainly like Pink Floyd. 'On the Turning Away' is my favorite Pink Floyd song, though I had no idea that this was in the post Roger Waters era.



So, we arrived at the Paramount at 7 p.m. and had ourselves a couple Heinekens before we entered. About 30 rows back in the center. Not close enough to be spit on, but close enough to be blinded by the spotlights. And attacked by the strange green flashes emanating from the stage.

One small issue. Or rather 5 large issues. We had Larry, Darryl, and his other three brothers, Darryl, Darryl, and Darryl behind us. Picture Larry the cable guy minus the sense of humor plus 30 pounds each and intolerably drunk. Times five. That's what we had behind us. Fun.

Beside me, there sat a couple in their early to mid 40s. Yeah, random, but they become important to this story.

There we were, enjoying the concert. 'In the Flesh'. 'The Thin Ice'. 'Another Brick in the Wall (Part 1)'.



And one of the brothers Darryl - completely blasted, mind you - decides that he's going to get up and go charge the stage. The other Darryls and Larry - the biggest, fattest, loudest one of em all - tells the overly intoxicated Darryl to shut the fudge up and sit the fudge down. (If you have a difficult time determining the real meaning of fudge, please see A Christmas Story when Ralphie helps to change the tire. That should clear things up nicely.)

The blitzed Darryl begins to force the issue right into the back of the people sitting in front of him, namely, Drew and me. Larry and the other Darryls finally relent and allow him through, at which point the blasted Darryl catches, i.e. punches, the 40 something guy - let's call him Moe - in the back of the head. Moe - obviously not one to back down from a fight - turns around and gives Larry a piece of his mind, which immediately alerts the ushers. Meanwhile, the tanked Darryl lopes down towards the stage.

The lights go dark as the song ends. And when they come back up, inebriated Darryl has disappeared into the ether.

The ushers manage to separate Moe and Larry so that we all can enjoy the show.

And everyone lives happily ever after.

Until...

The second act.

Drew and I notice that loaded Darryl has rejoined his plaid garbed kin. Somewhat relaxed though still mind-numbingly loud, Darryl of the three sheets to the wind remains calm through 'Hey You' and 'Is There Anybody Out There?' But then he decides that it's time to leave again. A few more types of fudge get flung between Larry and the Darryls before tanked Darryl gallops off somewhere new and exciting.

After besotted Darryl departs, Larry starts to get in on the fun. He decides to lean forward as far as his corpulence allows and belts out the lyrics in a voice that might remind you of a large maimed cat in heat. It was a little bit of stupidity and intoxication mixed into his overabundant frame. But he doesn't just scream like one might normally scream at a concert. No, he decides to scream louder than the music itself, a tough feat.

I watch as Moe turns to Larry and double pokes him in the eyes. Okay, so not really, but Moe gives Larry a talking to. Moe then turns around thinking that all is right with the world. At which point, Larry ups it a few decibels on his end. The proper response from someone acting like a three year old. But Moe is not to be outdone. He gets the bright idea of folding up his chair - one of those swivel sorts that you'd find in a baseball stadium, but much more comfortable - and sits on top of the seat effectively giving Larry a close up of the back of his (Moe's) head.

Larry throws a fit. He curses more time in 30 seconds than a distraught sailor. And Moe decides that he's had enough and retrieves the ushers. So, the ushers come to babysit. Well, not babysit exactly. They stand a couple yards away and observe.

Larry, thinking the ushers have departed, begins his antics again. This time, he adds a pair of drumming mitts on the back of Moe's chair. Moe retaliates by sitting atop the chair again, and Larry erupts. But the ushers witness the ridiculousness this time around. They surround Larry and tell him he'd better shape up or he'll be shipped out. All while we hear the likes of 'Vera' and 'Bring the Boys Back Home'.

The ushers then decide that it would be best to part Moe and Larry for good. Moe and his wife leave for other seats giving Larry an open seat and the freedom to do whatever the hell he wants, i.e. yelling the lyrics and beating the seats senseless (subsequently causing what felt like a small earthquake in our row).

But I didn't care. I was Comfortably Numbed to their stupidity by the remarkable music.

I leave you with it.