I managed to get a good nap during the NHL all star game last night. Here's the highlights. The league's corporate showcase event was it's usual boring snore fest. This year the pointlessness was increased by the fan balloting and the four Canadians in the starting line up. We got to see a traditionally pointless affair that showcases the best players around that was turned into a pointless affair that showcased the ordinary players.
The game went to a shootout so the last few minutes of the third was at least mildly interesting. Tim Thomas was in net for the East at the end and he stood on his head... as usual. He is the man after all. Overtime was about the same with the exception of a penalty. The first penalty called in all-star play since 2000. It was called on a Montreal player, of course. The shootout was okay with the only real notable point being that a very undeserving all-star selection, Alex Kovalev, scored the winner and was awarded the MVP. That probably means there won't be any fan balloting (ballot box stuffing) changes for next year's game. Yippee.
Complete change of subject......
I was on google reader this morning plowing through the ten thousand or so blogs I subscribe to and I saw an entry from Bill Bruford's page. He has retired from public performance. No more gigs for Bill. The post is here, but you have to scroll down a ways to read it.
Bill played in some of my all time favorite bands. He was in Yes at the beginning and he played on both of my favorite Yes albums. (Fragile and Close to the Edge) He was in King Crimson on three separate occasions. He did one tour with Genesis in 1976 when Phil Collins became the front man. He played in UK for one record, and had an excellent fusion solo band along with Alan Holdsworth and Jeff Berlin. It's been a long and storied career for Mr. Bruford.
I saw him twice, both with different incarnations of Yes. The first time was in 1989 on the Anderson, Bruford, Wakeman, Howe, An Evening of Yes Music Plus tour, or whatever they called it. The show was absolutely mesmerizing. The ABWH record wasn't very good, but the new songs came off well onstage, and the old 70's Yes songs were unbelievable.
The second time was on the 1991 money grub Union tour where the Euro version of Yes (Jon Anderson, Bill Bruford, Rick Wakeman, and Steve Howe) hooked up for a few months with the US version of Yes (Chris Squire, Alan White, Tony Kaye, and Satan... I mean Trevor Rabin) for a cash grab of a tour. Despite the awful reasons behind the event, the shows were beyond brilliant. (even Trevor Rabin was tolerable... most of the time... especially when he kept himself safely hidden behind Steve Howe's magnificentness) I saw them at the Worcester Centrum. The show was done in the round with a revolving stage. Band members came and went throughout the show, but the performances were as close to perfect as I've ever heard with my own ears. "Close to the Edge" was even better than it had been in '89. "Awaken" was so amazing I can't even describe it. The only word that comes close is orgasmic. People were sitting through the whole show, but the tension in the music first had the entire audience leaning forward, then pulling up onto the edge of their seat, and then when the song climaxed everyone fell back with the release. It was brilliant, it was amazing, it was breathtaking, it was incredible.
And now Bill is retired and we won't ever see anything like that again.
Thanks for the memories Bill Bruford. Keep the music coming. You are one of my all time favorite drummers. I am honored that I got to see you live twice. Thanks
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