BNL Concert in the Godforsaken Town of Primm Nevada

I had a little culture shock when we drove from the Bellagio to the BNL concert (40 miles outside Vegas in Primm Nevada).

Desert mountains are made out of dirt! I’m sorry to offend any mountain dwellers, but I had just gone from the Bellagio …

… to Buffalo Bills:

… which is not the same.

I am sure that had I just flown right into Primm, I would have been fine and not as aghast. As it was, I was glad to see friendly faces in Brandy and Crystal. Following the Bellagio, my expectations of Primm were probably high, just like my expectations of the new Steven-less BNL. And I am amazed to say, I didn’t miss him. Much. My biggest concern was they’d try to swap out Steven’s tenor for Kevin’s tenor, which would be swapping out a hurricane for a very pleasant gentle summer rain. Steven can turn his voice into a goat-annihilating nuclear firestorm. I’m afraid Kevin isn’t vaporizing any goats. (Nor would he want to, fellow woodland creatures that they are.)

As it turns out, Ed’s voice with a shiny finish of Jim’s voice layered on top makes a pretty good substitute for Steven’s voice. I only missed Steven on two songs: Life in a Nutshell, and sadly, one of my favorites: It’s All Been Done. I imagine that I imagine the personal Steven influence in Nutshell, and instead of free Steven on the chorus of It’s All Been Done there was close harmony.

However, those were only two songs of a long concert. Gary pointed out all things they did musically to compensate for Steve’s guitar. but I am too musically-backward to say anything but “Music pretty.”

However, this shocked me. Did you know there is this guitarist named Ed in the band, and he is very pretty? And the drummer, Tyler, sacked up and vamped out Alcohol like a pro. Jim spoke and gave a little counter to Ed, and so did Kevin, but they need to challenge Ed more. Ed is very pretty, and talented, and as such he needs someone to argue with every single thing he says. That person used to be Steve.

Ed: I am having a great time! That last song was rocking!
Steve: Really? I thought we could have done better. And the food here sucks.

On the other hand, I was glad to see band happiness (amid constant assurances they WERE HAVING FUN FUN I GET IT) and glad to hear new songs, including a solo one from Kevin. And yet another one “with really fast rhymes” that begs to be read and deciphered.

I must admit this though, it did make me want to go to Ontario and hear a few Steve concerts next year. A little. Not as much as I expected.

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While in the internet blackout city of Vegas (what is posted in Vegas stays in Vegas, evidently) I see I have accumulated a backlog of comments since I was only able to get on for a few minutes a day. Commenting back will give me something to do tomorrow in the doctor’s waiting room. There may be more codeine in my future.