David Given Schwarm

I went to the Hollywood Bowl with Melissa, Willie, Jennifer, Carey, Shannon, and Jonny to see the lead singer of the Pretenders. She is one of my all time favorite old school punkers & I was going to see if she was a witch and if her power had been stolen by the patriarchy. I am not sure what I learned.

We stopped by Silver Lake Intelligentsia for some very good coffee and other snacks–this was a VERY good move.

Melissa and Wilie got this horrible drink–they loved it (Willie complained about the cost)–I ignored it. A dude at the next table was reading a Cthulu book and I did not talk to him–this is a change–I do not automatically engage with TRPG Folks like I used to.

Later, before the show, there would be other snacks–also, horrible.

Venue was perfect–I mean seldom have I seen it better–actual fog by the Hollywood sign and everything.

The opener was a the Hollywood Bowl Orchestra playing late period Ellington–first and third movements of the Black Kings stuff–I do not know it well & it seemed to be trying to hard–it had swing, but did not swing if that makes sense–to much of a PSA.

Here is the setlist

1. The Star Spangled Banner
2. Three Black Kings (Balthazar Movement)
3. Three Black Kings (Martin Luther King Movement)
4. Naima
5. I’m a Fool to Want You
6. Caroline, No
7. Once I Loved
8. I Get Along Without You Very Well
9. Brass in Pocket
10. How Glad I Am
11. Wild Is the Wind
12. Absent Minded Me
13. …

My post show comment was that I needed Robert Hilburn.

We went and had Thai Food after the show.

Hynde has not been limited by the Patriarchy. She is a witch. But, and here is the tricky part, she seems to have a VERY complicated view of her past–like she hates the little punk she was which is odd in a time when everyone seems to have had a Hardcore youth. She actually lived it in London, but seems to want to forget it happened or ignore its significance or down plays it impact to her as a women. This show was not a continuation, it was a running away–an attempt to flee who I think she really is (a persona she KNOWS that I love), but not in a your wrong kind of way, but just in a “kids will never understand” kind of way…and there WERE a surprising number of DUB moments.

To say I was confused would be an under statement.

Here is someone that may have understood it more thean I did.