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lisafaithHi Everyone!
Sorry it has taken a while for me to get to this...sigh...I was supposed to be in NY right now...I should be at Canal Room...sigh...but had a change of plans. But enough of that, cause here I am, here I am ....trying to put into words..one of the best rock shows I have ever seen.
Lovehammers at The Stone Pony.
Where to start...if I start at the beginning, we'll never get to the good stuff, so I'll be jumping around. Let me say that, I have not had a copy of Ultrasound until today (thank you cjspas!), so when I was at the show I was completely unprepared for the opening...Ultrasound/Straight as an Arrow. Bobby slamming on those drums....bumbum...bumbum.... all I can say is that is one hot and sexy song. The acoustics in the room were incredible...and you could feel the music pounding through the room, up from the floor - it was almost like you could see it, smell it. It was so exciting watching them take the stage, and take control of the room. It wasn't a very big stage but there was room enough for Marty to be himself (sans climbing). And what an amazing self that is! With a venue that size, you can see his face, his expressions, and you can sense the power and energy in his body as he prances, floats, conducts, stalks, crouches, points, and surveys the room...and us...what a man, what a passionate talent he has.
The crowd was not very big but EVERYONE in that room was fully into the show. It seemed like EVERYONE was singing EVERY word. Several times during the show, Marty stopped singing for a phrase or two and turned the mic in our direction. The audience didn't miss a beat. Energy was high, from us, and from Marty. Billy was ridiculously fantastic, and Dino was, well, Dino. Bobby's drumming was like the heartbeat of the show.
Fans were three and four deep at the edge of the stage, but it wasn't really necessary to be up there (for me) because there was plenty of room to move around and see from anywhere in the room. But before I realized it I was walking toward the stage, like I was being reigned in...had to get closer, had to get closer, he is truly mesmerizing. Perhaps you have guessed, I am a Marty girl.
At a certain point, as I was bopping up and down and singing/screaming my heart out, I just took in the whole experience...looked over to Diva....put my face in my hands a la "home alone" and looked at her in total disbelief. There are no words. I just could not even believe what I was hearing and feeling. And then she looked back at me, and if it weren't for the music being so loud, it would have been the squee heard 'round the world.
Have I listened to those songs hundreds of times by now? In my house, in my office, in my car...absolutely. A couple of us were talking that afternoon about sometimes you just want to say, okay, that's enough, I am putting in another cd. And you try, but you can't. However, standing there watching them LIVE, is like you've never really heard them before, at all. I heard or read somewhere recently a quote of Marty's about their new CD. He mentioned that they could have released something super slick and very engineered, but they wanted to keep it simple and keep it raw sounding. Well, that's their show. It's raw, it's real. It's overwhelming.
Marty talked alot during the show, alot of personality came through. He was irritated by all the pictures being taken...not from the point of view of it bothering him...He said something like "This is all you guys...click...click...click ....click.." and he pretended to be taking pictures. He said to put the cameras down and BE in the show. He asks of the crowd, "It's up to you to decide just how you want to spend the next hour and a half of your life." He wants us there with him, and he can tell when the audience isn't fully there. It only makes him work harder. He also said that what you see at a Lovehammers show is REAL. His words. It's like he was saying, This is who we are, this what we do. He did say that although they are up on stage, and we are down on the floor, (then he motioned to illustrate an invisible barrier in front of him) there is no division between us and them. He made sure to say that there can be no show without the audience, and they draw from us, as we draw from them. He also said.... take a breath, ...it's like we are lovers. Us and them. Lovers. Okay. Here it is.
I can't really tell you about any particular song, except Ultrasound at the beginning...and I love The Tunnel..(according to Marty, the guys wrote that after going to a dinner party, drinking alot of wine and Jack Daniels...and staying up until four a.m....THEN they decided it was a good time to write a song)....but it wasn't the songs that stood out as much as the overall performance and what they give.
As you may know, the encores they have been playing the last couple of months, Ring of Fire, Paint it Black...they played during the show, and had no encore. Then it was on to the meet and greet, which took a new form, that I have been referring to as the meet and mingle.
Stone Pony has a large outdoor area with seating and a bar and an outdoor stage, and the club just opens to the outside. After the show, Diva and Jodie(ca) and I were sitting outside, and the guys appear out there and start chatting, signing autographs, and taking pics with folks. After a bit, it's just Dino outside and the other guys were gone. I was reluctant to "go through the line" because it's just really embarrassing to me. I felt like a total dork when I did it in Chicago at Pearl Room, and suffered the humiliation of Post-show Hammerspeak (or lack thereof). I was so focused on giving Marty a gift and meeting him for the first time, that I dont' think I even told him "hey great show" before I shoved my gift in his face, mumbled incoherently, probably drooled a tad, and moved on down the line. I just did not see how I could do that again. Jodie had gotten up to do her photography/documenting/fangirl odyssey thing. After a bit Diva and I went looking for her. When we went back inside we found the guys hanging out, Bobby standing with his back to the bar having a beer, talking to fans, Billy...the same...and Marty was in an area that had barstools and high tables...and he too was hanging, signing, chatting with people. And of course, Miss Thing, Jodie, was up there taking pics of people - doing her thing.
Before I knew it, I was chatting with Jodie while she was taking pictures of people with Marty and I was taking it all in. In seconds, I was standing near Marty (okay a couple of feet away, sheesh you people are so demanding), and again, no intention of doing the "hello I am a moron and you're just the coolest guy in the world" routine, so I am just standing around hanging out and chatting with Jodie and whoever. My Jodie says, "Marty, Lisa's next"....gulp. Smile. TIMEOUT FREEZE FRAME- sorry time to back track. (Wayne's World- doodoodoodoodoo)
Those of you who have read MyO's post will be aware of our chance encounter with the guys that afternoon as we were driving to our hotel after missing them at the radio station. We are just talking about how maybe it's for the best that we missed them cause what the hell would we have said, just the two of us, face to face...in a room...hi we're fans and we drove down to this radio station so we could GIVE YOU DONUTS?
??argh.. At this point my heart skips a beat and my eyes gravitate toward every blonde head I see. Then the double take, and I say, "Omigod, it's them". I thought MyO was going to have a heart attack. "Where?" (I think she's screaming but I can't hear over the sound of my heart going thud thud thud) And I point past her side of the car toward where the sidewalk should be, except it's Asbury Park, and there's no sidewalk, only rubble. By the way, if anyone is thinking of vacationing in Asbury Park anytime soon, go to the Middle East instead. Better food. So anywho- there they are, Billy, Marty, Bobby, Dan, and Dino...just walking across the street. MyO pulls a U-turn (wrong way on a one way street) and I roll down the window (real nonchalant) and say, "Hey, if you'd waited at the radio station, you could've met US, Lisa and Bernadette"...(cause we called the radio station and asked if we could come by and the dj said yeah, but then told us to come at 1:00 and they were gone by then, but he mentioned on the air that Bernadette was waiting for them outside...yadda..yadda) .... and what I got from Marty (for those interested, black tank top, jeans, chuck taylor's, yellow lens sunglasses) was THE face... mouth slightly open...every so slight vibe of fear...and a slight backing away from the vehicle. BUT, I still think I am cool and mention...we just wanted to bring them snacks.......NOOOOOOOOOOOOOO I DID NOT JUST SAY SNACKS I DID NOT JUST SAY SNACKS.........and I then say, "oops, sorry, I know how you hate that word"......NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO I DID NOT JUST SAY THAT EITHER!!!!!! OOOOOOHHHHH I DID I DID I DID-- Lord take me now!!!!!!!!! Obviously mouth is still slightly agape, Dino and Dan kept walking, and Bobby walks away. Of course, Billy is sweet as can be, and pauses from his cell conversation to say, "who's Bernadette?" says hi, and then continues his conversation. Marty notes that they have to go unpack the van..and I'm like. .. Okay, see ya later. Doh!!!!!! Hitting head into dashboard over and over again. Okay back to FREEZE FRAME- TIME OUT OVER....again Waynes' World doodooddoo dooodoodooo...
So, "Marty, Lisa's next"...gulp. The sweetest face with the most beautiful blue eyes looks my way, turning his head ever so slowly and then time slowing down...slowing down....opens arms and goes to hug me....not real...in a dream...can't breathe..biggest smile from him. I respond with hug in kind, and whisper in his ear, sorry if we scared you this afternoon. Mr. Perfect leans back and says, you didn't scare us! It's just weird sometimes when we're walking down the street and people stop and say, Hey Marty how ya doin? So suddenly he's real, and dealing with feelings of awkwardness and the changes in his life, and I am not scared anymore. And we chat, I tell him how happy I am for them, its such a gift to be a part of what is happening to them -that the show was fantastic...in my own little Lisa way...I say "You guys were insane!" He says shocked, "you think we're crazy?" and I say, "No you guys are crazy good!" and again he is a little shocked and says" You really think we're crazy?" And I explain...tell him how Pearl Room was my first show, had to fly from Florida to see them, couldn't wait anymore, then came to NJ and was going home Sunday cause I had to work Monday, and flying back on Tuesday to see them in NY. Well his jaw about hit the floor when he heard that. Blinks, wide eyes...extremely flattered by it. (Too bad I didn't actually get to go back to NY)...he was excited, and said that NY was going to be an incredible show, which we will all be hearing about shortly I am sure. It was my turn to step back and let someone else talk to him, but not before Jodie took many shots of me and the man. Can't wait for those! I settled into a barstool just feet from where Marty is sitting, but he was talking to other fans.
The clincher was we just stayed there and hung out, took more pictures, chatted between us girls, and also with Marty ...Then all of a sudden he tilts his head to one side and catches my eye. He opens his arms and gives me that look of "come over here" - so naturally go in for Megahug number two...woohoooooo. And we just kinda chatted and hugged and had arms around the waist kind of thing, talking with him and me and Jodie and Diva, the girls were wearing my jewels and he was admiring them...and oh lalalalala life was really nice. I took his face in my hands (did that at Pearl Room too- little bit of soft stubble, soft skin) and said, thank you so much marty casey and gave him a kiss, and was on my merry way. AAAhhhhhh....sigh.
I spoke to Bobby too, but sorry guys, I got nothing left. Will try to give a little more tomorrow. I believe it has taken me over an hour to write this.
For those of you going to upcoming shows who have never seen the Lovehammers, you are in for the time of your life. These guys are so special, not just because of the music, and not just because they're hot (cause we know they are), but truly because of who they are.
Yours in hammerheaven,
Lisa
YNOTME, Tooks, Chayla, it was great to meet you finally Tooks was great, she gave my son a LH button but he had to sing the chorus of Trees for her. He seemed painfully shy at that moment but he was able to get some of the words out!!! Thanks for making him feel special Tooks! 
next I almost ran over the LH 
) 
so i pull up right next to them and they freak out for a second (like deer in the headlights) 
and then we start yelling out the window that we were sopposed to meet them at the radio station, and I said I'm Bernadette..........so Marty starts singing my name and says oh we were talking about you this after noon on the radio........ 
so finally I pulled myself together and drove to the hotel..........
and more hands in the air...........I don't know how I did it, but along with the cellcerts and the camera I had my hands in the air already .......... 
...........I was so pumped, and then at one point Marty came off the stage and was standing right next to me and he was singing and I put my arms around his waist ........again I was under some sort of spell I do not behave like this normally. After the hour and a half that they played they left the stage and we all were screaming for an oncore but they did not have one :(so I went to the outside bar to look for lisa, jodie and diva and as soon as I walk outside the first thing I see is Marty talking to some people and signing shirts and stuff and then I see Dino wwwwwwwwwoooooooooowwwwwwwww!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
but at last it was my time to have my moments to have in my heart for ever 
My last time seeing them was CBGB's in NY...which was fantastic....
I had no expectations of this happening...but...am grateful I did get this opportunity....and that the band was willing to hang out until closing time. I met Jodie and Rockdivagirl/Kelley briefly when I checked into the hotel....Jodie asked me during the after show mingle if I had my chance to meet Marty & get a picture...she was so sweet to ask me this! A first class fan girl indeed! I wish I had more time to meet more fans and chat more... the night (morning? LOL!) went by so quickly... Hopefully this will be the case with Hammerjam...since I will be in Chicago for 3 days...
I couldn't have asked for a better squee partner....love ya girl! 
I also hung out quite a bit with YNOTME and her daughter...who were so cool and it was great to hang in the line with both of them...you both rock! 
Wendy, it was nice saying hi to you again...wish I had more chat time with you....I always