THE MAGICAL ARMCHAIR

The Ben Folds Five Digest

Issue #438 - August 12, 1997



Magical Armchair Digest    Tuesday, August 12 1997    Volume 01 : Number 438



                           THE MAGICAL ARMCHAIR
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TOPICS IN THIS DIGEST:

    Re: Magical Armchair Digest V1 #436 
    The Peter Rowe Project 
    there are no angry dwarfs in kansas......... 
    Great Woods H.O.R.D.E.
    Answers to Tour Questions
    3 bands to jam with BF5
    Margot O'Breslin
    list poll
    :)
    Re: Magical Armchair Digest V1 #437 
    Bands to play with BFF... weird Digest occurrence 
    list poll (again)
    Re: Magical Armchair Digest V1 #427

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Date: Sun, 10 Aug 1997 21:57:31 -0400 (EDT)
From: Alanica@aol.com
Subject: Re: Magical Armchair Digest V1 #436 

i think it would be great if BF5 did a show with Sameasyou. : ) Umm.. i
wonder how a show with the Counting Crows would be. um..........
 **Gs**Nevermind that's already been done. Sorry I'm not all here today~
obviously

take care,
Becca

" I've come to you because I need guidance to be true" Fiona Apple

------------------------------

Date: Sun, 10 Aug 1997 22:31:32 -0400 (EDT)
From: Opus <opusmo@tiac.net>
Subject: The Peter Rowe Project 

All,

I'm an old-school fan from the days when Frank emailed a few people and
asked "Do you think I should start a Ben Folds Five mailing list?".

My question (and comments) are for anybody who was at the second HORDE date
at Great Woods here in Massachusets. For those who don't know, HORDE has a
"Jam Stage" where members of different bands can go up and just jam.
Doughty from Soul Coughing and Ben were talking before about the general
hippy jam vibe that was going on up there, and how they wanted to crash the
party and just make Noise.

Which they did. They had Doughty, Ben, Darren, Kerri Kenny from Cake Like
and Soul Coughing's tour guy Gentleman Jim up there with some of the "jam
band" regulars and they did this massive super noise jam that blew me away.
Of course, I had advance warning so I was right up front, but it was ironic
that whilst hundreds of BF5 fans were crowding the seconds stage just yards
away, Ben & Darren were rocking it out right next to them.

My question, of course, regards boots. I know we've got some hardcore
booters out there, and I was hoping that somebody noticed what was going on
and managed to get it on tape. This isn't just for myself, but talking to
the guys on stage they're very interested in getting a copy to see how it
turned out. I've got some stuff I might be able to hook you up with, too.
So drop me a line, let me know whassup, and we'll chat..

merci buckets,

opus

- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Hot N' Spicy Opus Moreschi - Kind and benevolent ruler of The 5% Nation
      http://www.wbr.com/soulcoughing * opusmo@tiac.net * opusmo@aol.com
    "I must, I must, I must have more thoughts than this" - Soul Coughing
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

------------------------------

Date: Mon, 11 Aug 1997 02:03:18 -0400 (EDT)
From: LOUISE008@aol.com
Subject: there are no angry dwarfs in kansas......... 

At my concert of the century, I would have Pearl Jam, Fiona Apple, and
Metallica play with Ben Folds Five! It sounds a little weird, but it would
all work out!!!! 

P.S. I ordered a BFF piano book, then i realized they were all out (after i
sent the check, of course). does anyone have an idea if they are going to get
anymore in??  i'm leaving for college in 5 days and i just wondered......

- -Stacey L.

------------------------------

Date: Mon, 11 Aug 1997 09:05:50 -0700
From: Anne_Lyons@BayNetworks.COM (Anne Lyons)
Subject: Great Woods H.O.R.D.E.

Hello the 'Chair!

WARNING! Long post to follow... with the hopes that others are looking for
what I'm always looking for... tales of the Five!

Well -- here's my first chance to report on my H.O.R.D.E experience (8/8 at
Great Woods in MA)...

(In the tone of "I got your hidden track right here, man...") BEN FOLDS
FIVE ARE THE [expletive deleted] BEST, MAN! I was so pumped to se them
live... and you know how you usually are disappointed when you build it up
that big in your head (you know what I mean -- like the prom!) -- well,
they surpassed even my overactive imagination!

You all know the set list by now... so I won't bore you with that... but
here are some vignettes from the experience...

(1) I saw Darren and Robert during set up, but somehow, they seemed more
complete when they were on stage with Ben for the set -- cheezy aside: the
thought that popped into my booze-addled brain at the time was the line
from Jerry Maguire: "You complete me." Anyone else get that feeling? That
these guys complete each other? OK -- my cheeziness quotient for the day is
now met!

(2) Ben is TOO cool... his stage posturing is simply *perfect* -- and his
interaction with the crowd (like grabbing the kazoo that was offered by the
girl in front of me and then playing it during a song...)

(3) On a more down note: too bad all the Ben fans aren't like all of you on
the 'Chair... I had one girl tell me that I was "invading her space" before
the show (HELL-o?!! You are 5 feet from the stage... we're *all* invading
each other's space right now!!! = D) Many of the cool folks around me were
nice enough (especially the crew from central PA) to tell me that she was
totally out of line, and that I had done nothing wrong... then later in the
set some twerp with an attitude and too much of something in his
bloodstream started trying to mosh his way up to the front of the stage...
(I think not.) creating a few hot tempers up front. What evened out the bad
Karma was the kick-ass band on stage... Thanks Boyz!

(4) Here's a quick, fun, easy way to feel really old: go to your local BFF
concert... HELL-o! There I am pogoing with fans young approximately 47
years younger than I am (OK, so that's an exaggeration...) but seriously...
27 never felt so old before! But hey! I was the only one with a beer in my
hand! = D

(5) The only other downside was not meeting the men themselves -- I looked
and looked and they were nowhere to be seen (and neither was Kate...) All I
can say is... Oh well! Maybe next time... and Oh Yes, there will be a next
time... what can I say? I'm addicted! I can't wait for my next fix of
BFF... it's like heroin, all I can think about is my next Ben Folds Five
score! (Except I've never done heroin, so I really don't know what I'm
talking about... but somehow, saying "It's like Starbucks Java Chip ice
cream..." just didn't have the same ring to it...)

Well -- that's all for now... hope I didn't bore you with my raving lunacy...

Cheers!

- -Anne
______________________

"Wait, is it widely acclaimed or wildly acclaimed? I think I'd rather be
wildly acclaimed, wouldn't you?" 		- Anne, in one of her all time Anne-iest
moments

------------------------------

Date: Mon, 11 Aug 1997 09:37:51 -0400 (EDT)
From: Frank Maynard <maynard@mail.oeonline.com>
Subject: Answers to Tour Questions

Hilarie mentioned that HORDE was coming to Philadelphia at the end of the 
month. Unfortunately, Ben Folds Five won't be at that show - the last 
HORDE they do is Virginia Beach on August 13th.

Tina asked about touring after Australia.  Yes, a US tour is being put
together, and they've said they'll hit just about everywhere, but the
dates aren't confirmed yet. I'm going to make sure they play a gig in the
Detroit area, even if it's in my living room (too hard to move the piano
to the back yard). 

 -fjm
          The shaking voice that tells him go still thinks he might

------------------------------

Date: Mon, 11 Aug 1997 10:27:07 -0400
From: percystar@cyberdrive.net (percystar)
Subject: 3 bands to jam with BF5

Hiya Fivers!  Because I did not contribute to the traumatic Ben v Tori 
dispute or the infamous top 10 lists, I thought it was justified to add to 
this soon to be flamed 3 bands to play with our band list.  (preferably 
playing an intimate small hall show)    They are:
Squirrel Nut Zippers, Beck, and Puff Daddy.  JUST KIDDING.  Really, Bare 
Naked Ladies.  Wait, 2/3 of my pics were on HORDE with them?  Go figure.  
Stay cool.

Heather 

"Where do all the secrets live, They travel in the air, You can smell them 
when they burn...Stop and smell the smoke." -Ben Folds Five

"The way you stand up straight on a sunny day, And the way the ocean meets 
the sand in perfect harmony, Material time just goes on anyway" 
- -Margot O'Breslin

visit my newly updated web site with new bands and hang out in Fiver-ville: 
http://www.cyberdrive.net/~percystar/

------------------------------

Date: Mon, 11 Aug 1997 10:30:58 -0400
From: percystar@cyberdrive.net (percystar)
Subject: Margot O'Breslin

Careful fivers... UNRELATED TO BF5... except that Margot O'Breslin is an up 
and coming wild piano player in the Cleveland area.  She doesn't play 
exactly like Ben (sorta darker), but she is awesome.  You can check out a 
review of her on my web site (see below), or email me privately and I can 
get you a CD.  Thanks for listening.  -Heather

"Where do all the secrets live, They travel in the air, You can smell them 
when they burn...Stop and smell the smoke." -Ben Folds Five

"The way you stand up straight on a sunny day, And the way the ocean meets 
the sand in perfect harmony, Material time just goes on anyway" 
- -Margot O'Breslin

visit my newly updated web site with new bands and hang out in Fiver-ville: 
http://www.cyberdrive.net/~percystar/

------------------------------

Date: Mon, 11 Aug 1997 11:22:22 -0500
From: Lachesis@webtv.net (unlucky leprechaun)
Subject: list poll

hey there, fellow ben folds five fans (since that's our politically
correct name)!  after much thought, i've decided to do a list poll.  i
want to know what your five favorite bands are (besides bff) in
descending order (one being your most favorite).

here are simple, easy-to-follow instructions for this list poll:

1. DO NOT REPLY TO THIS ADDRESS.  write to clotho@webtv.net .  this will
avoid clogging up this e-mail address, and simplify things greatly for
me.

2. LIST YOUR FIVE FAVORITE BANDS IN DESCENDING ORDER.  number one is
your favorite, number two is your second favorite, etc.  this is
important, as each position will recieve a different number of points.

3. DO NOT LIST BFF.  obviously we are all fans of bff, so DO NOT list
them.

4. ANY ENTRIES NOT FOLLOWING THESE RULES WILL BE DISQUAILIFIED.  if for
some reason, you cannot get the mail to clotho@webtv.net , then you can
e-mail me at this address, but make sure you explain what happened so
you don't get disqualified.

if everyone follows these rules, things will go much smoother.  i'm
really excited about this.  it should be cool to see what other
bands/performers you guys like.  i haven't set a deadline yet, but as
soon as i do, i will inform you all.

remember:  reply to clotho@webtv.net

dave

"mom, romance is dead.  it was acquired in a hostile takeover bid by
hallmark and disney, homogenized, and sold off piece by piece." --lisa
simpson

want to find a place on the internet where we can all be happy and
joyous and have lots of fun?  too bad. there is no such place on this
plane of existence.  but if you like you can visit my site:
http://members.tripod.com/~lastpolka/index.html

------------------------------

Date: Mon, 11 Aug 1997 13:45:58 -0500 
From: excandescent@cowland.com
Subject: :)

       Last night, oh man, last night

           Ben Folds Five at HORDE * Saratoga Performing Arts Center,
                              Saratoga Springs, NY


       :)

       Need I say more?

       What really sucked was that the freakin idiots who run the damn
concert cut down Ben Folds Five's already WAY, WAY, WAY TOO SHORT
playing time even MORE (down to 25 mins!!).

       They definitely made those 25 minutes worth the 30 bucks I paid
to get in, though.  They made it worth the industrial strength headache
I had and they made it worth the trouble I had driving home - I had to
pull over, I felt so sick.

[string quartet plays a little bit]
One Angry Dwarf & 200 Solemn Faces
Fair
Song For The Dumped
Theme From Dr. Pyser
Philosophy
[string quartet]

Am I leaving something out?

       What was really great was that I was in front, off to the right
side.  I had such a good view, the best view I'd ever had of the band
playing.  Robert's playing amazes me, really does, ever since I heard
"Uncle Walter" and it just hit me - he's playing that solo on a BASS,
for chrissake!  Darren is amazing, too.  Couldn't see Ben that well
except for his head just above the piano, singing :)

       Afterward me and a bunch of people flocked over to the side of
the stage for a little autograph hounding.  Darren was the first one to
come out, soon after they were done playing, and I shook his hand and
asked if they were coming back to the area since I'd heard about a fall
tour and all and he said yeah, they'd probably be coming back in the
fall.  (Can't wait!  I dunno where they're gonna play that's around here
though, because the last time they were here, the club they played,
Saratoga Winners, has since gone country.  There's Bogies, maybe..I
dunno.)

       Then eventually Ben came around to the side (btw, earlier before
their set I saw him going into the porta-potty..now this is weird,
because it made me laugh.  I don't think that the sight of one of my
friends or something going into the porta-potty would have been funny,
but because it was Ben Folds, it was funny.  Actually, porta-potties are
funny little things, so maybe seeing anyone using one..I dunno.) and I
got his autograph and shook his hand, and as he was walking away he
(AAAUUGGGHHH!) touched my arm and looked at me and said, "I'll see ya
around."  It made my milennium.  I think he recognizes me from shows now
maybe cuz 3 times this summer I've seen them and all 3 times I've gone
up for autographs and handshakes and "good show" and whatnot..I
dunno..it was just cool. :)  They're such nice guys.

       I also spotted Robert walking away and got his autograph, and I
mentioned that I play bass too =) and he's like "Oh, cool."  I didn't
say much more to him besides great show and all...wow...I'm still amazed
by last night :)

       I was also there with my friend Mark and I got him to talk in his
Mr. Anderson voice :>  if you know who that is.."Ben Folds?  Is he the
one been wackin' off in my tool shed?  This here's God's country."  It
was so funny, I wanted him to talk to Ben in that voice but he didn't :(
Also, I didn't have anything for them to sign, I was gonna have them
sign my program but someone kinda stole it from me..and I had this
Private Parts postcard that a radio station was giving away so I had
them sign that.  It was pretty comical :)

       I didn't see any mailing list people (I didn't really know what
to look for tho besides nametags..I was gonna wear one but I went to CVS
before the concert and I couldn't find any)  I'm pudgy :D, and I had on
the Middle C shirt and a Stewart's hat...so if anyone saw me...oh man, I
can't wait for them to come around again. :D

------------------------------

Date: Mon, 11 Aug 1997 14:09:22 -0400 (EDT)
From: JoanneQ@aol.com
Subject: Re: Magical Armchair Digest V1 #437 

I've chosen the view the glass as half full...

Instead of being bummed that the boys aren't going to be doing HORDE in
Philly (& Holmdel, NJ & other points east), I think that they'll feel
indebted to doing a FULL show here once they're back from Down Under.  At
least that's my theory. 

As much as Horde sounds like fun from all your posted reviews, just 7-8 songs
would make me just want more. I think I'd get cranky.

Joanne (&Jeff)

<<"Perhaps I'm just smoking crack, but they look like they could be
brothers."
- - -Courtney Knopf>>   still chuckling at this one!

------------------------------

Date: Mon, 11 Aug 1997 14:53:50 -0400 (EDT)
From: GenLand18@aol.com
Subject: Bands to play with BFF... weird Digest occurrence 

Well, to start it off, a nice Chapel Hill gathering of Squirrel Nut Zippers,
Southern Culture on the Skids, and Ben Folds Five would definitely ROCK!  =)
 Talk about a killer tour...

Or, you could just go for the ultra bizarre:  Ben Folds Five, Soul Coughing,
Devo, and Nerf Herder.  There definitely wouldn't be a dull moment...  any
band that is "fun" would be a great companion to Ben Folds Five.  Hmmm... BFF
and Man or Astroman? and the Aquabats?  Ahhh, the inifinite possibilities!

<<weird.... am i the only one who just got armchairs #401, #400, #410, and
#409?>>

No.. I got #401, #409, and #410 yesterday.  I have no idea why!

SuperGEEK,

**Leslie**

"Teddy Ruxpin is a whore" -- Kara's Flowers

------------------------------

Date: Mon, 11 Aug 1997 15:31:09 -0500
From: Lachesis@webtv.net (unlucky leprechaun)
Subject: list poll (again)

i also forgot to mention one thing in my rules:  DO NOT send your lists
to the armchair.  this is off topic, so if you send it to the armchair,
you're going to get flamed by someone.  send them to clotho@webtv.net ,
NOT THE ARMCHAIR!

thanks.

dave

"mom, romance is dead.  it was acquired in a hostile takeover bid by
hallmark and disney, homogenized, and sold off piece by piece." --lisa
simpson

want to find a place on the internet where we can all be happy and
joyous and have lots of fun?  too bad. there is no such place on this
plane of existence.  but if you like you can visit my site:
http://members.tripod.com/~lastpolka/index.html

------------------------------

Date: Mon, 11 Aug 97 17:35:21 EDT
From: peristotle <apheller@eden.rutgers.edu>
Subject: Re: Magical Armchair Digest V1 #427

unsubscribe

------------------------------

End of Magical Armchair Digest V1 #438
**************************************


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