Concrete Blonde - Atlanta

The concert was AMAZING. Over-the-top, leave-me-alone, can't-you-see-I'm-crying-to- I Don't Need A Hero-good.

I have loved this band since 1987, when I first heard God Is A Bullet on KROQ. I was 14, the world made no sense but was viscerally dangerous, and this voice of anger and reason came to me. I'm sure I didn't get the lyrics right, but there was so much righteous indignation when Johnette sang about being physically small but big enough to get a badge and a gun. Now, that was some truth to a girl who was trying to hide the hurt of not getting picked for drill team by becoming a goth.

When Concrete Blonde traveled down from Los Angeles to south Orange County, where I lived, I begged my mother over and over again to let me see them. She refused; she heard the rock-and-roll anger in the music and thought that I was too young to be exposed to such things. I seethed, but obeyed, in what is possibly one the dumber moves I made as a teenager.

So when the boy mentioned that the band was touring again to mark the twentieth anniversary of Bloodletting, I screamed like a little girl. We wanted to go together, but Concrete Blonde plays next week (I think) in Seattle. But they played Wednesday night in Atlanta. I waited twenty-three years to see this band.

It was worth it. Johnette is strong and powerful and her bass playing was fantastic. The band was tight; the venue was intimate enough. On the way there, Date and College Friend and I wondered aloud if we could just slip her requests. Turns out, there was no need. Here's the setlist:

Via:

1. Bloodletting
2. Joey
3. I Don’t Need A Hero
4. Days and Days
5. Lullabye
6. Scene of A Perfect Crime
7. Ghost of a Texas Ladies Man
8. Someday
9. Everybody Knows
10. Caroline
11. When I Was A Fool
12. God Is A Bullet
13. Run Run Run
14. Little Wing
15. Heal It Up
16. Your Haunted Head

First Encore
17. Mexican Moon
18. Happy Birthday
19. True
20. Tomorrow, Wendy

Second Encore
21. Still in Hollywood

She might as well have read my mind. The only other song I would have wanted to hear would have been Darkening Of The Light, but since that's a duet of Johnette and herself, I understand why she didn't play it. Besides, had she played it, College Friend and I would probably be in jail from crushing the other patrons in our need to get next to each other (it is our song).

I watched the show from about two-thirds of the way from the stage, as I am an old woman and I wanted to sit. College Friend went up front to dance with the other revelers, and Date moved back and forth between us to keep an eye on us. For me, this was perfect: the show was almost a religious experience for me, and I really wanted to be alone to absorb the music and remember the feelings and situations that Johnette so perfectly describes.

These pictures, then, are from Date's phone when he went up front.

I think this one is loaded backwards.  Johnette played from stage right.

Look at those legs!  I should be so lucky.

Each time Date went down to get closer, there were more people there.

So if you've not yet seen Concrete Blonde, go. I'm already regretting missing PiL.