The opener for BNL was supposed to have been The Persuasions: the acappella group BNL just collaborated with on a CD.
That’s why I was surprised to see Mike Evin post this on Facebook a few days before the concert:
I heard Mike Evin before on one of the BNL cruises. I remembered how he said a long talk with his grandmother had led to a song. I liked that songs enough to document it in the post above. I didn’t like it enough to remember all the details carefully, and I confabulated it with another song I heard on the cruise, Dancing Partner. That led me to leave this comment on his Facebook post:
So, a little humiliation on my end, but you know me, gotta take that humiliation and parlay it into complete disgrace. (Wait for it. It’s just a few paragraphs from now.)
Fast forward to the concert. The second song he played was Wait for the Tea to Steep (video here). I listened closely to all the lyrics. There is nothing, nothing in the lyrics about any grandmother. Not a word. Had I not chronicled his grandmother reference in that link above I would have thought I was demented.
So of course, I had to find him and confront him in the merchandise booth during the intermission.
“Hi. Okay, so now that I know Dancing Partner isn’t about YOUR grandmother – “
“Oh! That was you.”
” – didn’t you say on a cruise that Wait for the Tea to Steep was inspired by a conversation you had with your grandmother? Or am I crazy?”
“Ah. That was a … made up story.” He left it vague so it wasn’t clear if he’d made it up, or if Crazy Facebook Lady made it up all in her head.
I took care of that (“Oh, so it was a LIE!”) and extracted a promise that he would write a song about his grandmother. By the time I got back to my seat I vowed never to try to speak to a musician again. It just never turns out well when I do it.
And I suppose embroidering ones grandmother into the intro for a song is fair play when you have to entertain strangers and keep their interest. He really did a great job of showmanship at the concert. Just a few songs in we were all captivated, clapping, singing along. And now I have another story to think of EVERY DAY while my tea steeps.
2 responses to “Barenaked Ladies Concert 5/15/2017 (Mike Evin Post)”
Ah, Mike Evin. He’s very enjoyable. I was sad when he opened for BNL here awhile ago that we only got to hear him do 4 songs!
I also have unfortunate conversations with musicians. I fool myself into thinking I can have a normal conversation, then BOOM! it all goes awkward and weird.
Thanks for the link back to your post related to Ships and Dip. Are you aware they just announced BNL for Rock Boat 18 next January?
Kristie – I am indeed aware. Given that it’s shipping out one of our favorite cities and that it has two of our favorite bands and that we have the money saved up, we are probably going. We didn’t have a great time on the last one, but that’s probably because Gary was asleep for much of it.