Big in the Midwest

July 5, 2006 9:38 AM

"We need to go to Tennessee to pick up some fireworks, and someone owes me money in Kentucky." Tom Waits goes on tour for the first time in years.
posted by timory (27 comments total)

Not doubting it, but it is interesting that this isn't on the Anti site, don't see it anywhere 'cept that semi anonymous article. Hopefully if it is true the tour gets expanded, saw him in Minneapolis during Mule Variations, one of the better shows I've seen.
posted by edgeways at 9:57 AM on July 5, 2006

Gah. Saw him in Boston for Mule Variations and it rocked. Sat close enough to the stage that I was covered in dust when I left.

Here's hoping he comes up Yankee way again. With a big trip overseas in the Fall, I can't justify chasing him about the country in August.
posted by robocop is bleeding at 10:12 AM on July 5, 2006

i can't justify it, but i'm sure as hell going to try to see him.
posted by timory at 10:17 AM on July 5, 2006

Nothing west of the Mississippi? *glares menacingly* Hey Tom? Fuck off!
posted by loquacious at 10:26 AM on July 5, 2006

nothing in Canada? *sigh* (prepares to beg...)
posted by I, Credulous at 10:58 AM on July 5, 2006

Come on down, Canadians! Cleveland/Akron's not too too far from Toronto, really.

I'll be there with bells on. My SO is already filling his flask with Old Crow...
posted by bitter-girl.com at 10:59 AM on July 5, 2006

God's away on business

biz niz...
posted by Unregistered User at 11:05 AM on July 5, 2006

Pepsi Blue Valentine.
posted by JT at 11:20 AM on July 5, 2006

Pollstar just made it official, but tickets aren't on sale yet (I heard July 8th for the first date in Atlanta). Hope the link works.
posted by timory at 11:22 AM on July 5, 2006

Holy cow... he's starting his tour about a block and a half from where I'm sitting right now. I am so there.
posted by BoringPostcards at 11:25 AM on July 5, 2006

July 8th? As in three days from now?!?!
posted by grabbingsand at 11:28 AM on July 5, 2006

Oh. Okay. August 1st for Atlanta. Whew ...
posted by grabbingsand at 11:28 AM on July 5, 2006

tickets, just tickets, not the actual show, deep breath
posted by timory at 11:32 AM on July 5, 2006

:inhale:
:exhale:

Much better now. Thanks.
posted by grabbingsand at 11:36 AM on July 5, 2006

So-so day for Waits fans (8 measly dates?); shit-ass day for MeFi. Concert announcements, now? Ugh.

God's away on business

Ack. The man's become a caricature of himself!
posted by dobbs at 11:39 AM on July 5, 2006

His voice is getting worse and worse. And not in a good way.

(First saw him at Frivolous Sals Last Chance Saloon in the mid 70's.)
posted by HTuttle at 12:21 PM on July 5, 2006

I'm tempted, but I haven't been especially impressed with anything he's done since Black Rider, especially the huge number of boring solo piano ballads that all sound the same.
posted by PinkStainlessTail at 12:32 PM on July 5, 2006

Especially especially especially. Thought I'd throw a few more in.
posted by PinkStainlessTail at 12:33 PM on July 5, 2006

From the ANTI site.

From me: Whoo hoooooooooo!!!!!
posted by spilon at 1:05 PM on July 5, 2006

It's on the Anti site, too:

Tom Waits announces tour plans

For a second I got all excited, then I remembered that Auditorium theatre (Chicago) is a relatively small venue and last time I tried to get tickets to an event there, they were sold out in like 6 minutes. (With tickets showing up on eBay immediately at many times the face value, mostly from those evil ticket resellers - boo.)

So, I'm trying to dim my excitement knowing the chance of actually landing a pair of tickets will be slim.
posted by misskaz at 1:06 PM on July 5, 2006

Damn you Waits!

Say what you will about his recent recordings seeing him live will add ten years to your life. Then those years will be sucked away (minus five more) by all the cheap whiskey you will there after consume. Seeing him live will get you laid (and I don't care if you're "sneak up on glass of water ugly"). And it will be the best, craziest, world-cup, cramp-in-the-arch-of-your-feet, cum-out-your-ears sex you have ever had.

If you are with in 600 miles of any of those tour cities you must go. Even if on your death bed. Crawl, though that may mean pulling out your IV drip and the tube currently removing waste from your rectum. You MUST go see Waits live.

Because I can't. So you must go. Then I have tell you how much I hate you.
posted by tkchrist at 1:16 PM on July 5, 2006

heaven forbid he should fucking come to new york.
posted by shmegegge at 1:27 PM on July 5, 2006

No one should go, it will be the worst show ever


(now maybe I'll have a chance to get tickets)
posted by Mick at 3:18 PM on July 5, 2006

Fuck! The day he comes to Nashville, I'll be in the Northeast! Foiled!
posted by anotherpanacea at 3:28 PM on July 5, 2006

A few years back, I flew in from Japan to see Waits do the benefit for his friend in Oakland. I don't think my husband has ever totally forgiven me for going solo.

(Hey, man, I had a much more flexible schedule at the time...I went for BOTH of us...yeah, he didn't buy it either.)

Imagine if I somehow scraped together both plane and concert tickets for August? Gave them to him as a 15th anniversary present? Mayhaps the rift would finally be repaired....

(starts a-scraping....)
posted by squasha at 8:54 PM on July 5, 2006

Unrelated...

When I am a pirate (and I will be) my soundtrack will be Rain Dogs. Over and over.

The captain is a one-armed dwarf,
he's throwing dice along the wharf
In the land of the blind
the one-eyed man is king, so take this ring
posted by rollbiz at 8:44 AM on July 6, 2006

They look serious about preventing scalping for the show in Louisville:

"Tickets will be available online...or by phone in Louisville... and in Lexington. There will be no outlet or venue box office sales for this event. Two ticket limit per person will be strictly enforced. All tickets will be available for pick up at the venue beginning at 6pm night of show only, and will require purchaser to provide both a photo id and the credit card used to purchase the ticket; your guest must accompany you at time of pick-up. No exceptions. No re-entry."

And the damn things go on sale at 10 a.m.
posted by dilettante at 2:29 PM on July 11, 2006