Concert Review – The Smithereens At Duke Island Park 8/25/13 by Laila

Mom and I just got back from The Smithereens concert at Duke Island Park in Bridgewater, New Jersey.  Remember my telling you and my many fans around the world that I’m taking a break from blogging?  Mom’s friends keep telling her how much they love what I write.   They want more.

If you’re depending on the channeled musings of a fourteen year old mixed breed dog for entertainment, get a life.

Seriously.

Or go to a concert.

Hey, we just did that!

I’m Laila: cancer survivor, dementia survivor, and now concert reviewer.

It’s no more farfetched than the other things I’ve done this year.

Mom is a big fan of The Smithereens.  I have no idea who or what a Smithereen is.  But the air conditioning in our home stopped working two days ago, and Mom’s doing her best to keep me out of the house as much as possible.   She learned The Smithereens were giving a free concert in a park about an hour from where we live.  We could both relax in the car’s air conditioning in the car for two hours, plus we could enjoy the refreshing late summer breezes at the dog-friendly park.

Sign us up.

The drive up was nice and cool.  Mom had packed my water dish, a bottle of water, and a bag of my very favorite freeze-dried salmon treats.  Even though we arrived way before the concert started, it was hard to find a good place to sit.  Mom found us a close spot to the left of the stage, poured some water into my dish and gave me a nice big chunk of freeze dried salmon.

All of this was working for me.  This was my first concert.  I could get into attending concerts, as long as the salmon supply holds out.

The two little girls sitting next to us really liked me.  Smart kids.  They began playing with my ears.  Mom told them, in a nice way, I don’t like having my ears played with.  She suggested they pet me gently on my back or sides.  They began playing with my tail.  Not a good move.  Mom nicely asked them again to pet me gently on my back or sides.  They went back to playing with my ears.  I curled my lip, just a little, to make my point.  Mom knows what that means and placed herself between me and the girls.  The girls’ dad also knew what that means.  He left, taking my tormentors with him.

I won!  Like there was any doubt!  I rule!  Yay, me!

Other people were looking at me.  I’m a very nice and very gentle dog who happens to look like a wolf.  They were initially scared of sitting so close to a wolf.

Good!  Do I play with your ears?  Do I get up close and personal with your tail?

Back off, Jack.

Mom told me to get to the point, that people want to read about the concert.

From what I can tell, The Smithereens are four men who stand on a stage and make very loud noises.  They don’t feed the dogs in the audience.  They don’t come offstage and pet the dogs in the audience.

Why should I give a rat’s behind about The Smithereens?

I did enjoy seeing Mom rocking out.  She really loves their music, even if they don’t feed the dogs in the audience and don’t come offstage to pet the dogs in the audience.  She came to dance.  She came to have a good time.

I did enjoy meeting two Huskies and getting petted by some very discerning people who were sitting nearby.  I did enjoy the cooling breezes in the park and the excellent air conditioning in our car.  I came because Mom brought me.  It wasn’t my idea to come.  I could have pouted.  I chose to have a good time.

Mom and I saw many people at the concert who didn’t seem to be having a good time.  They weren’t clapping.  They weren’t smiling.  They weren’t rocking out.

Why were they there?  And why weren’t they choosing to have a good time?

I dunno.

Look, it’s summer.  The weather is nice.  The concert is free.  Even though The Smithereens don’t feed the dogs in the audience and don’t come offstage to pet the dogs in the audience, Mom and many others really, really like their music.  Mom said they put on a terrific show. Mom loves passion.  Mom loves that The Smithereens are so passionate about playing their music.

To the hundreds of people who weren’t clapping or smiling or rocking out for The Smithereens:  Grrr!

Mom said I have to include a set list with the review or else you won’t think I’m professional.

Fine.  Whatever.

The Smithereens At Duke Island Park, Bridgewater, New Jersey, 25 August 2013

Noise

Noise

Noise

Noise

Noise

Noise

Noise

Noise

SALMON!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Call me when the air conditioning is fixed.

“We still play the music the way it’s supposed to be played … We play every show as though it’s the last show we might do.”  Pat DiNizio of The Smithereens

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