| Concert Review of Jimmy Buffett at Wrigley Field on Sun Sep 04, 2005 |
| Event Date |
| Sun Sep 04, 2005 |
| Source |
| Chicago Sun-Times |
| Concert Review Preview |
| Buffett's escapism right at home at Wrigley September 5, 2005 BY DAVE HOEKSTRA Staff Reporter "Give me some words we can dance to," Jimmy Buffett sang from the center field stage Sunday night at Wrigley Field. The line is from the Steve Goodman composition "Banana Republics," popularized on Buffett's 1977's "Changes In Latitudes, Changes In Attitudes" album. This is the record that defined Buffett as an artist of escapism, as it also delivered "Margaritaville." Liberation from daily life is what has made Buffett a cultural phenomenon equal to the Cubs and is why he played to sellouts of 39,500 on Sunday and Monday afternoon at Wrigley. "Give me some words we can dance to" had even greater meaning over a Labor Day 2005 weekend where news is disconsolate. But the Gulf Coast native was on top of his game in a performance that was fueled by the rock 'n' roll pocket of his band (guitarist Peter Mayer, drummer Roger Guth, bassist Jim Mayer, formerly the band PM from St. Louis) and musical director/keyboardist Michael Utley. After "Banana Republics," the band nailed Stephen Stills' "Southern Cross" and adroitly shaped the pop hooks of "Schoolboy Heart." Afterwards Buffett told the Wrigley throng, "I don't know if we'll ever get to do this again," but was quick to add he will be back when the Cubs win the World Series. Sunday night was the closest I've seen to World Series merriment on the field at Clark and Addison. Walking through the gates 90 minutes before showtime, I was met by a long line of vendors selling margaritas. Wow. This was like a late-night infomercial "Tribsters Gone Wild." Bulls guard Kirk Hinrich was dancing in a center field aisle. Buffett hired a blimp to hover over the ballpark during the concert and the view of the packed park from above was breathtaking. Of course, this was the job for me. My memories of Buffett concerts and Wrigley Field could fill this newspaper. Add this one to the list: for the evening's final encore Buffett and his fine guitarist MacMcAnally adjourned to the top row in the southern corner of the right field bleachers. This is where Buffett and the late Goodman sat in the mid-1970s when they hung out at Wrigley. Buffett was performing at the Quiet Knight near the ballpark and Goodman was in residence at the Earl of Old Town. Buffett and McAnally delivered a tender version of Goodman's train classic "City of New Orleans" as classic pre-Hurricane Katrina images of the Crescent City flashed on the big screens. The majestic Wrigley Field scoreboard was bathed in a calming blue. I saw people cry. Goodman's mother and brother were in the audience. Buffett played up the Chicago feel to include a taped introduction of Ernie "Mr. Cub" Banks welcoming all parrot heads, a real seventh inning stretch and a plug for Buffett's Cheeseburger In Paradise restaurant in Downers Grove during a rollicking version of "Cheeseburger in Paradise." Buffett also included rare chestnuts such as a charging, electric version of 1976's "Woman Going Crazy on Caroline Street." The acoustics up front were fine but muffled in the back of the stadium. Regular Buffett fans I talked to under the grandstands said even that was better than the Tweeter Center or the lawn at Alpine Valley, places where Buffett usually holds court. Neighborhood concerns kept amplification down (the show was over around 8:45 p.m.), but just before intermission Buffett's traditional sing-along of Van Morrison's "Brown Eyed Girl" bounced around the grandstands like center fielder Don Young's bobble. . |
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