Last night I had the distinct pleasure of stopping by my Wife’s office, and, by doing so, was fortunate enough to watch a band that helped form my own particular musical tastes.
I first started listening to The Specials back in high school, when I entered my full-blown “Ska Period”. They had long since broken up, but their records could be picked up cheaply — not only at the small, indie stores downtown where we got our Moon Ska discs — but at the bigger chains like Camelot Music at the mall (due to The Specials being on a major label: Chrysalis/Virgin).
The Specials reunited last year with six of the seven original members (it’s unlikely Jerry Dammers will ever rejoin the group) and were touring for their 30th Anniversary. As luck would have it, my wife sent me a message yesterday saying they were on the show (well, technically Friday’s show, which tapes on Monday). She then suggested I come up after work and she’d sneak me into the back of the theatre — where I’d get to watch them play.
So I did. And it was pretty great. Paul and the CBS Orchestra kicked out some ska jams (Madness and Bosstones) during the prior commercial break — Lynval even warmed up and danced around to their rendition of “The Impression That I Get”. Before I knew it, The Specials came out and played a stirring rendition of “Nite Klub”. For a bunch of guys in their 50’s, they still move around quite well.
Not a bad way to end a hard day at work, if I do say so myself.
