A Mighty Concert

SEATTLE. November 17, 2003

Anyone who knew me at all realized what a big deal this was. After years of worshipping the art and genius behind the Christopher Guest films, I was just 12 hours away from sitting in a theatre and watching them all perform from five rows back. I had somehow convinced some friends to make the trip with me down to Seattle, where the entire cast of A Mighty Wind would be performing music from the movie and soundtrack.

Upon arriving in Seattle we did some shopping downtown. I spent more time looking for the actors than looking at clothes. It was incredibly exciting, just knowing that so many of my idols were somewhere in the same city as I was. Before long it was time for us to leave for the concert. Unfortunately however, our cab driver didn’t know where McCaw Hall was, so I began hyperventilating in the back seat as the show time drew nearer. Despite almost ending up at a former Veterans’ Hall (maybe Harlan Pepper would have been there with his ventriloquist act), we found our way to the right venue. It was a huge, beautiful opera house. Which made it even more surreal that people in the lobby were talking about Waiting for Guffman and Best in Show. I overheard one woman saying "This whole thing confuses me… is this a comedy show, or a concert, or…?" I laughed - I'd had to try and explain away similar questions many times before. Walking to our seats we noticed people dressed in matching costumes with skirts and vests - they’d come dressed as the New Main Street Singers! It was great, I wanted a uniform too.

We went in to the auditorium and took our seats in the center of the fifth row. I couldn't believe how close we were. The first thing I noticed was that the set wasn't the same as in the movie. There was nothing really serving as a backdrop, but set up on stage were 5 or 6 stools. Simple as that, but just seeing them gave me butterflies - it somehow finally made me realize how close I was going to be to these, my comedy heroes.

Finally the house lights dimmed and the crowd roared. Spotlight center stage: and on walked Bob Balaban with at least five pages of notes in his hands. The crowd went absolutely nuts. Just crazy – he got a huge ovation before he’d even opened his mouth. He nervously introduced himself and said that before we got started he wanted to warn us about a few things. The dangers of cellphones, for one. He also suggested sucking hard candies as opposed to biting them, which I took to heart. It was a great little routine: he kept having to stop and stare at his notes just like in the movie. From time to time he would peer nervously at the wires and cables, or inadvertently bump into a microphone stand.

Then he introduced the New Mainstreet Singers and they came bouncing onto the stage. The people in costume, who were a few rows behind us, went nuts and yelled “Sissy!!!” so loud that I’m sure the people in front of them have yet to recover. The band was dressed just like they were in the movie, although Parker Posey wasn’t wearing half as much make-up! They all took their places, and very slowly and almost dreamlike, they sang a cappella: "We’ll still hear the wondrous story…of a world where people care…The story of this Mighty Wind…" Cheers from the audience "…that’s blowing…every…where!" Then they went straight into an up-beat rendition of the "Mainstreet Rag," complete with hand claps and big smiles all around. I was in heaven, and I wasn't alone, the entire crowd had tons of energy. John Michael Higgins did most of the talking for the group in between songs. He made some jokes about Seattle and said that Sissy was "as happy as a puppy with nine tails to wag." Parker got a big cheer when she was introduced.

They were pretty playful together and had good chemistry as a group, although they didn’t really interact with the crowd in the way that some of the others did (wait until I get to Eugene!). Their next song was "Just That Kind of Day" which they played about twice as fast as on the soundtrack. It sounded really good that way. John Michael Higgins sounded great doing these upbeat "Never heard this song…" echoes during the chorus. He and Jane Lynch both sing very well live. Parker didn’t play the mandolin and I couldn’t really hear her sing very much, but she looked so sweet and seemed to be having a lot of fun. She got up and did a hilarious jig during the instrumental break in "Fare Away." And later, when one of the group's jokes fell a bit flat, she just decided to get up and do another jig on the spot for no reason at all. It brought the house down and even John Michael Higgins laughed.

Christopher Moynihan who played Sean (the newbie member with glasses) was absolutely adorable throughout - just so sweet and earnest. At one point Terry Bohner introduced him and Sean excitedly says "I’ll just show you what this baby guitar sounds like." So he plays exactly one chord on his guitar before Terry snaps "Don’t play, Sean." So he stopped. He hung his head for a minute but then acted like he was trying to keep his happy New Mainstreet face on. The crowd went "Awww…" and someone shouted "we want to hear Sean!" and his face just lit up. Later he also told this story about how he had taken George Menschell for a walk (!) and Menschell got poked in the eye with the edge of some pointy building: "He said he’d be okay… so I just left him there." Big laugh. "I haven’t seen him since then…"(long, suddenly worried pause) "H-h-he said he’d be okay though…" Sean's awesome.

Later on the band did the XYZ thing from the DVD, which frankly was funnier in the movie but that's okay. Their harmonies were impeccable. I thought the "Good Book Song" sounded especially good, with Jane Lynch even doing the extra verse that's included in the songbook. They ended with "Never Did No Wanderin’" which was even more exuberant and over-the-top than in the movie. A big cheer and a standing ovation as they went off.

Bob Balaban came back on and did some thank you's as the techies set up for the next group. Then he said "We’ve also had a lot of help in the P.R. department" ... and you could just feel a wave of excitement go through the crowd. I had completely forgotten that Jennifer Coolidge was supposed to appear, so when Steinbloom introduced "our Manager of Publicity, Amber Cole" people were cheering and whistling even before she appeared on stage.

When she did, there was a huge cheer. One of the loudest of the whole night. She was dressed in a bright pink ballgown and smiling as only she can. When the cheers died down she said "Thank you" in that bizarre accent, and got a HUGE laugh. The audience absolutely ate her up. It was really incredible, at least to me, how strongly they responded to literally everything she said. She told a story about how she couldn’t get through the metal detectors at the airport and "had to take everything off" before realizing that her breast implants "were made in Sweden and maybe there was metal in them". Huge laugh. "Thank you" she said and the crowd howled. I don’t know how to describe it, but it didn’t even matter what she said, she was getting laughs. She's incredibly talented.

After some bantering with Bob Balaban, she goes "This is a super day, I get the best job. Tonight I get to introduce my favourite group. I give you a big hint.... Alan Barrows!" Christopher Guest came out and the response was electric. It was different than the straight laughs that Jennifer Coolidge had received - this was more like reverence. I saw Mike McKean start to come out on stage and then go back into the wings because the ovation for Chris Guest was so long and appreciative. It was really intense for me too. By this point I had no voice left, but I just kept thinking how grateful I was to this man for all the warmth and laughter and even emotion that his films had brought out in me.

Then Harry Shearer came on in drag.

We settled back down and the Folksmen boldly launched into "Never Did No Wanderin'". They looked really comfortable and natural on stage, which only makes sense, given all their experience performing together. That being said, they sure didn’t look like Spinal Tap! I could see how in the 1980s crowds hadn’t realized that they were the same actors and had booed the Folksmen off the stage in favour of Tap. But the crowd on this night was in on the joke. The only time they hinted at their rocker past was occasionally when Chris Guest did his guitar solos. Sometimes he'd bend his knees and groove a bit, and you could almost see Nigel in there. Almost.

By the time they went into "Old Joe’s Place" everyone was having an all-out great time. The New Mainstreet Singers had had some trouble getting everyone to clap for very long, but by the first "puppy’s in the parlour" no one was about to stop. We gleefully recited the sign that read "Ea – A- Oes" to which Harry Shearer replied "They’ve been there, Jerry!"

‘Marta’ Shubb was looking lovely in denim and had even added some ash-brown streaks to her blonde tresses. At one point Mike McKean referred to the character as a ‘he’ and Harry Shearer very quietly warns, "Pronoun alert. Pronoun alert." It took a minute for that to sink in but when it did it absolutely killed. Marta then announced "This next song is about change… The way I look at it is, you can either accept change, and embrace it…" – (sideways looks from Alan and Jerry) – "…or you can go piss up a rope. This next song is called Corn Wine." That drew tons of cheers, which almost surprised me because Corn Wine isn't even on the soundtrack. But the people who knew the song were apparently very enthusiastic!. They sang the whole song, and the absurd lyrics got lots of laughs, as did their pseudo "ending to this song…"

Later they surprised me again with their song choices. After dedicating the performance to a couple in the audience that was celebrating an anniversary, the Folksmen launched into an a capella song from The Return of Spinal Tap. I squeaked. I actually squeaked. It was very embarrassing. I was just so surprised and tickled because I’d always thought the song ("Celtic Blues") was too pretty and folksy for Spinal Tap in the first place… It was sort of a rewarding in-joke for the real die hards.

Later, the Folksmen were getting all ready to play Barnyard Symphony, and out of nowhere the costumed Mainstreet Singer fans yelled "CORKY WE LOVE YOU, WE WANT YOU TO LIIIIVE!!!" – I just about killed myself I laughed so hard. Chris Guest stared at them for a moment with this priceless look on his face – still in character, looking very puzzled. Again, I don’t think everyone in the theater got the joke (to be honest, I’m not even sure Harry Shearer got the joke), but the people who did were convulsing. It was sooo funny and unexpected. Kudos to them.

Eventually I recovered and the Folksmen went into Barnyard Symphony. My friend and I got to be bullfrogs. Now neither of us are particularly boisterous on an average day. But they asked us to try out our bullfrog noises, so me and everyone else went "ribbit ribbit". Except for my friend, who let out a very loud croak/belching noise. Christopher Guest looked RIGHT at us with this disturbed look on his face. I just about died. It was priceless. The two of us laughed hysterically for the next five minutes. Christopher Guest now thinks we are insane.

"Loco Man" was easily the funniest song they performed. Mike McKean did this ridiculous intro in a terrible Jamaican accent, and during the actual song did all sorts of crazy echoes and comments in between the lyrics. Like Harry Shearer would sing "Coconut coming down all de time." And Mike McKean yelled "Look out below!!" It was so funny in a juvenile way. Mike McKean obviously loves the song. Midway through he even started doing this little hip-swaying thing that was clearly not planned, because Chris Guest had to bow his head and bite his lip to keep from laughing. It was the only time they broke character - I remember watching it happen and just thinking 'he got him!' It made me smile.

They ended with "Start me Up" which went over well of course. Especially the "you make a dead man: Kum-ba-ya". Classic.

The next segment from Jonathan Steinbloom included him reciting a poem he’d written for his (late) father. It was actually kind of touching I thought, but on the other hand I was feeling just a tad over-emotional about the whole event! Anyhow, the poem was something like "I’d sing you a song, but I don’t know the words, I’d whistle you a melody, but my whistling’s for the birds". At which point he tried to whistle into the microphone, which didn't go very well. Apparently Jonathan's mom never let him take whistling lessons either. The end of his poem was something like "now all I can do is hum…" so he started to hum and eventually everyone else joined in. Which again was surreal, being in this classical venue. I'm sure I heard some Amber Cole-style humming coming from the back. Amber herself then came back on and flirted with Jonathan which got a good reaction from the crowd and (naturally) made Jonathan very anxious.

Then it was time: "Ladies and gentlemen, I give you two of the nicest words in the English language" – Cheers – "Mitch and Mickey." Now I won’t say the response was as jubilant as it was for Jennifer Coolidge or as reverent as it was for Chris Guest. But it was more real, if I can put it that way. It was as if veritable, honest-to-goodness legends were coming out. People jumped to their feet and just applauded for a very very long time. You would have thought that these were real folk icons with 30 years’ worth of sold-out concerts behind them. They were, quite simply, larger than life. My friend and I each put a rose on-stage and went back to our seats. I’m not sure why, but I got butterflies.

Mitch counted them in and just like that they were singing "When You’re Next to Me". It was a nice, upbeat way to start what was easily the most emotionally-charged set of the night. There was a cheer as Mitch started to play, and his voice just soared. Eugene did a little run in the melody for the line "Rivers wind…" that was so lilting and beautiful I could have cried. Catherine’s voice here had an almost childlike quality to it that I hadn’t heard from her before. Something about the way she was singing "I see…" (sweeter days, etc.), in these quick little bursts. It was endearing and added to the simple sweetness of the song. The applause afterward was very enthusiastic. Then just as all the cheering was dying down, someone yelled "EUGENE!!" Fraction of a pause. He did the Mitch look, then turned and looked behind him and you would swear that Mitch thought there was someone named Eugene there. He sold it. The audience applauded so he turned back around, and in his feeble, spaced-out voice said "Thank you." It was funny and true to character and very quick of him. I was proud :)

Throughout the set, Catherine as Mickey was just so wistful and charming and noble. She looked beautiful, and never once broke character. She just had this far-away look in her eyes - sometimes when Mitch was talking you could actually see her lingering hurt and sadness, but also the relief and comfort that the music brought her. And there was playfulness too, but more on that later…

Their next song was "One More Time". Before they started, Mitch decided that he had to tune his guitar so he put it right up to his ear and just kept playing the same string over and over again. I think he actually did have to adjust the tuning, but it just looked so sad. There were a few ‘awwws’ from the audience. Then someone cheered and right away he goes ‘Be quiet.’ It was classic. Catherine kind of hunched her shoulders, put her fingers to her lips and nodded like ‘yep, we better be quiet.’ Very cute moment.

I never fully appreciated the beauty of "One More Time" until I heard it here. The harmonies are so tight and intricate, especially on the parts like "it can fell the tallest tree…" It was mind-blowing to think that these two were afraid to perform on stage, and had only started doing so a few months before. Catherine’s voice had been a bit tentative on the first song, but here she really sang out and shone. I don’t know why I found this particular song so moving. Maybe because it caught me by surprise. The way their voices mixed and filled every corner of the room brought tears to my eyes. It was a while before I realized that I was hugging myself just like Naomi Steinbloom does in the movie. Leaning forward, wanting to soak it all in. There’s a point in the song where they both stop singing, and when they did there was silence. Absolute silence from 2000 people. No one moved. It was intense. The final chord was beautiful and the response from the audience was pure warmth. You could almost hear people collectively go ‘wow.’ The acoustics had been wonderful throughout the entire night, but I felt during this song that perhaps the venue was being used to its absolute full capacity for the first time. In saying that I don't mean to take away from the other groups, both of which were brilliant and very musical. But this was different than all of what had come before. It took me back to the woman in the lobby: Was this comedy or concert? I didn’t think it was possible to walk the line so delicately as Catherine and Eugene did. It was indescribable - the best I can manage is to call it pure bliss.

And just when you thought they were completely in earnest, one of them would start talking. And then anything could happen. At some point after a song, Mitch announced: "On drums…" then turned around and realized there was no drummer (as he would later do at the Oscars!). Mickey touched his arm and kind of shook her head. Eugene was really ‘on.’ He was always completely in character, totally in control. Mitch as a character is just so funny and touching and flawed and beautiful…I hope Eugene will find opportunities to play him for years to come.

When Catherine announced that they were going to do the Catheter song there was a collective cheer. She seemed pleasantly surprised by that, and quickly remarked: "there must be some hospital employees in the audience!" Her accent was wonderful to listen to. She kept dropping the ‘h’ in words like ‘hospital’ and ‘husband,’ and kept that lilting quality to her voice that made her seem even more ethereal.

Before they got to the catheter song, though, the most memorable part of the night happened. And while it might not translate here, I’ll try to explain: Some of the jokes that the various groups did were obviously planned and repeated each night of the tour - it didn’t matter because they were hilarious. But perhaps what I like most about Chris Guest’s movies is the feeling of spontaneity - the sense that anything can happen at any time. It just takes a spark. This was one of the main reasons I was so grateful for the opportunity to see them live, because I knew that there was a chance we’d witness some of the magic that many of the cast members have talked about experiencing on-set.

So right before Sure-Flo there’s laughter about something. I don’t remember what Eugene had said, but out of it comes a man’s voice and he yells "we love you Mitch!!" A pause. Mitch looks into the crowd and from where I am, I can see a spark in his eye. "Is that Larry?" he calls. Everyone in the house laughs because he sounds so sincere. Catherine’s about to start playing Sure-Flo when he asks again, "Larry…?" And right then I could tell that this wasn’t planned - that this had never happened before, and that something magical was taking place in front of this small audience. For no reason at all, Mitch just started telling us about ‘Larry from the flower store’, who he had worked with back in Ontario. This went on for a while, he bantered with Catherine and it wasn’t perfect and it probably wouldn’t have made its way into one of the films, but it was electric and everyone felt it. This was one of the few moments that I was able to fully appreciate as it was happening. It honestly took my breath away.

Something that might surprise you: Sure-Flo is very pretty when accompanied by a three-piece band! Eugene started echoing Catherine on the second verse ("hateful cries, hateful cries, Sureflo..."). Then they started whistling in unison and it was all very funny. Catherine ended with this run of notes that was actually really remarkable…I didn’t know she could do that!

"Bobby and June" was next, and like "One More Time" it was wistful and bittersweet…absurd if you thought about the lyrics of course, but affecting nonetheless. They changed up the harmony a bit here too, but it sounded just as good if not better than on the CD.

Their last song, naturally, was "A Kiss at the End of the Rainbow". Did you know that Jamie Lee Curtis initially had to talk Chris Guest into using this song for the movie? I was floored when I first read that. The song evokes so perfectly both the era and the emotion particular to the Mitch and Mickey relationship that I couldn’t imagine anything ‘A Mighty Wind’ without it. Just as in the movie, this was the climax of the night, and it didn’t disappoint. I don’t think there was anyone who wasn’t holding their breath for the entire song. The vocals were perfect, and the tension was real. I blocked out the cheering of the crowd as he leaned in to kiss her, and just watched their eyes lock and search each one anothers’. It was the quiet moments like that that will stay with me. He kissed her a second time, and they smiled almost shyly at each other afterward.

It was such a rollercoaster of a set, I couldn’t imagine being able to feel any more than I did during those 30-odd minutes. Bliss, sadness, nostalgia, hope…and for some reason I felt proud as well.

With that, they left the stage, and Amber and Jonathan did a couple more bits while everyone was setting up for the finale. She made the inevitable pun which went something like "I love to listen to this music when I folk!" Now that's a classy evening at the opera house.

The ‘Mighty’ finale was grand and rousing, although I couldn’t quite process having that many of my heroes on stage at once. Even Jonathan and Amber stayed on stage during the song. She did the most surreal dance I have ever seen, and at one point I looked over at Jonathan and he was quietly singing along as well. The word that comes to mind even now is 'overwhelming.' The song was over almost before it had begun. They did a couple of thank you’s and said goodnight.

The concert was everything I could have hoped for and then some. It is probably the closest to being on-set that I will ever come, and I feel very privileged to have been there. I'm not sure how I could ever properly thank the actors for the experience, but hopefully by other people reading this I've at least been able to pass on some of the joy!

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