INXS Memphis concert April 21, 2006

Orignially posted at www.rockbandlounge.com at http://www.rockbandlounge.com/forum/topic.asp?topic_id=2514&whichpage=2

This was night one of the best INXS weekend I could imagine. It’s hard to start this recap as the weekend is all one big blur. I admit I had the ultimate BSC weekend – 3 concerts in a row, 2 M&Gs (yikes!) and 2 cross-state trips with RBers. So if my facts are a bit mixed up from one night to the next, please forgive me!

True confession since CrazyforINXS already “outed” me : I could have gone to the M&G with her this evening. But I was already uncertain about going to one let alone two M&Gs in Nashville and Cincy, so I was glad that CFI was able to find someone else to go with her.

So while most of the first three rows were at the M&G, I met W.A.T.T. in the lobby and we went to our seats when Dirtie Blonde was due to start. I had a front row pit seat thanks to the lovely CFI. Never would I have imagined Seat 3 would be almost center stage! As CFI said, thank you “hole in the floor!” What was funny was of the 8 seats in the first 2 rows to the left of center, I was the only one there. It felt like Dirtie Blonde was giving a concert just for me. Dirtie Blonde – can’t say I absolutely fell in love with them, but they were good. I liked their music. At times I liked the lead singer’s voice more than at other times; I thought it sounded better in lower registers. But they tried hard, and I didn’t think they looked awkward on stage. The singer was very humble. She said after the 2nd song I believe “This is a really big deal for us.” She also mentioned a couple times that we were being so nice to them, and in the end she thanked us for not booing them. (The applause grew as the set moved along, so the crowd was starting to get into it. No one was standing that I could see, though, I looked back a couple times. People stood at the end of the set, though.) She also started to announce the number of songs left ‘til INXS was on – she then said “how cool is that?” I think they really appreciated the opportunity.

Soon after, CFI shows up so I get to meet her, then strawberrygirl. Hi, gals! You were fun to squee with. Also met hskrinxsfan and redhead.

The concert gets started just as we are used to, with the countdown and the music starting and then the curtain being raised – and there they are, INXS! JD is in a new outfit, what are apparently black cords and a white jacket with thin pinstripes over a very nicely fitting black (with pinstripes) button up shirt – with bottom buttons undone of course!

Did I mention yet that I was first row LOL? JD has lots of room to walk and stand right in front of me as the speakers were set back 3 to 4 feet. I have lots of wonderful memories of JD and his sexy moves and hip gyrations right in front of me, like a foot away – squeee! Kirk and Garry came close by too. I was enjoying Kirk in front of me a few times, and I let him know it and he was appreciative. For some totally inexplicable reason, the 2 front row seats next to me were empty for the concert. For the first few songs, security would not let the 2nd row people move up so I had the space of 3 chairs to dance and pogo and sing along – which I did to my detriment as I ended up with almost no voice after the concert. Eventually, two people moved up then two more, then it was a bit crowded by me. (Unfortunately, it became a little unruly by the end, as CFI said.)

I’m not going through all the songs, but this was the concert where Perfect Strangers debuted. I know we had heard they would be putting more Switch songs in, but it was so exciting to be there when JD said “You are the first to hear this song played live” and then INXS played Perfect Strangers. *mad pogoing* It sounded sooooooo good!

Then along comes Hot Girls. Be still the heart - I’m likin’ it, likin’ it. JD is all over the place, so much energy it is incredible. And of course, Elegantly Wasted has been added to the set and JD completely nailed it. To me, all of the new material sounded well rehearsed and bloody brilliant. (Well, maybe I wasn’t quite as thrilled about God’s Top Ten in the encore, I’m just not a huge fan of the song. It was sung well, but I found the long instrumental piece at the end awkward.)

There was so much energy tonight – it was crackling hot! Speaking of hawt, JD did do an abbreviated (varied) Taste It tonight, where he laid back on the ramp by Garry with his knees bent, feet flat on floor. He puts the microphone between his knees and kind of just moves it more and more toward the audience - like dropping down more between his knees to the ramp - and therefore closer to the audience. He then got up with the "thrusting' drum beats - I'm trying to remember the exact sequence - there should be video of this, I believe - he does one or two thrusts maybe then he licks his fingers, touches the spot, flutters/rubs a little, then brings his fingers back up to his mouth and licks. He may have then done a couple more thrusts, I don't remember. It was really short when he was back at the mic - maybe 20 - 30 seconds? Then he started back into the song. During Hot Girls, I believe he licked briefly the "spot" then ran his tongue up the mic as he was standing up. JD had some hawt moments in Perfect Strangers, for example he “melted” on the ramp behind Jon during the “burning wax” lyric.

Lots of man-love moments. JD did the thing where he crouches down by Garry’s side, reaches his arm through Garry’s legs and pretends to play Garry’s bass. The megaphone - a darker red one - made a brief return in Pretty Vegas in Memphis.

I got a nice water spraying from JD as he stood right in front of CFI and I to throw his water. Another “nice” moment was that JD shook the hands of everyone in the front row that stuck up their hand. The most special “not personal” concert moment was when JD sang Amazing Grace with the backup singers - and Andrew accompanied them. More of the band could have been playing to, but I was focused on JD. It sounded so good.

Then the encore, JD changed clothes – to a t-shirt with Sinner on the front. I had made a sign right before the concert that said very simply “THANK YOU INXS.” I wanted to express to them how much I appreciated them and the journey they have taken to get back to us and the beautifuk, rocking music that they play. So I held up my sign (it wasn’t a huge one) above my head a few times during the encore, but mostly I was holding it at my chest level during the encore. I’m watching them play, then all of a sudden I realize that JD was singing and looking right at me from behind the mic stand. I in turn stare at him and see him mouth the words “thank you” to me between lines of the lyrics of the song (New Sensation I think – it is all a blur). Awwww, did you know you can melt in a puddle in Memphis in April? ‘Cuz I certainly did! I mouthed back “thank you” to him. Now, hopefully he wasn’t talking to the person behind me LOL! (BTW – that is how low the stage was – that I could hold the sign at chest level and the BINXS could still read it – and I’m short!) But believe it or not, Garry's "thank you" to me for the sign was even sweeter. He caught my eye and kind of tilted his head to the side, then brought his hands to his heart then held his hands together in a "thanks" gesture. Girls, where do I sign up for the Garrem?

At the end of the show, JD wished Andrew a happy wedding anniversary.

I can only make a comparison to the one concert that I had previously seen – St. Charles – which was an amazing, amazing concert. But to me that concert was JD more at a point of having just come out of his chrysalis stage – wonderful and new and exciting and perfect but just a tiny bit awkward too. Well, peeps, no more I tell you – he is a full-fledged frontman now. There was an ease about him with a command of the stage, a comfort zone that JD found; I felt like he had arrived and fit into that place that was meant to be his. It was electric and beautiful to watch. JD was graceful and powerful. I didn’t sense any awkwardness, just sexy, sinful, playful, funny, gorgeous INXS – complete *sigh* Destiny fulfilled dripping from each note.