Your Sort of Human Being

I don't think I'm going to Soho for spring
You wouldn't be caught alive at the Garrick with me
Did I die with the daisies?
Did I go with the wind?
Did I did I burden you with this?

I seem to pace across the floor tile
Jammed up inside
I made the digger dig a little deeper
'Cause I can't believe it died
Was I not your sort of human being?
Was I not your kind of creature?
Tell me how unworthy
I seemed when you got thinking about it
I seemed when you got thinking about it

So my love song isn't hard enough for you
Did I lose my tune to one of Jupiter's moons
Did I pass with the centuries
In your Coventry house
Did I did I call your name too loud?



February 26, 1999 - Emm opens for Tom Cochrane at The Vogue in Vancouver.

On Friday night I got to see Emm in concert for the second time in my life.
(Those of us not in Ontario are so deprived! ;) Last time was a cool concert in a church last summer, when she opened for Bernard Butler. The audience then was about 240. This time it would be over 1200.

I got to The Vogue early, and had a chat with the merchandise table guy. Emm CDs were already being sold, and I heard some people talking about her in the lobby ("she's great..."). I put my name down for some big promo posters...

I checked out my row 4 seat. Nice view, and nice venue, a classic older design with curving ceiling (never mind those missing chunks of plaster that fell during a show two weeks ago!).

The show was scheduled to start at 7:30, but folks were slowly arriving at that point, so I hoped Emm wouldn't come on too soon. When she did, at 7:45, the house was about 60% full for the sold out show. Most of the audience seemed to be in their forties (32-52).

She came out, picked up her acoustic guitar, introduced herself, and played Your Sort Of Human Being. (No backup band, just her.) I'm always amazed by her voice! She sounded great. :)

Next she sat down by her keyboard and played Phone Call 45 (the song that hooked me when I first heard the CD at a listening bar) and Wisdom Bus (I want to hear it on the radio!).

Unfortunately, some audience members were talking instead of listening. A biker-style dude [I was amazed at all the 40 and 50-year-old Harley-jacketed folks who came to see Tom] in the row behind me was almost shouting to make himself heard by his neighbour, so I had to lean back and tell him to 'please keep it down, I'm trying to listen!' Fortunately the guy was reasonable. ;)

At this point Emm said she would 'give you people a break from my songs and play someone else's...' Before she said more, some goof in the audience named Bob yelled out 'Ozzy!' Hehe. ;) Emm said, 'someone's got me figured out...' ;D She then offered a choice between The Clash, Paul Weller and Ozzy Ozborne. The biker dude helped me out by yelling Ozzy about 5 times louder than I did. Emm said 'metal wins again' and vowed to play The Clash the next night.

It was great to hear Crazy live. :) It took the audience awhile to figure out the song, but they dug it.

(There was a moment in that song when Emm seemed to look over my way, so that kinda made my night. ;)

After that she got up and sang This Mad a capella. That takes guts in a house of 1200 that aren't all paying attention. I love it when she sings it loud.

Back to the guitar for a new song, Good Riddance. Sounds great. Hmm, is it too early to start anticipating the next album? :)

Then to the piano for July, dedicated to 'sweet Christine'.

Her last song before the break was Summerlong, and she introduced Tom's backup band who played for that one. So I guess I have seen Emm with a band now! The song rocked, and I think quite a few people recognized it. The house was full by now. Emm thanked the audience ('thanks for listening, those of you who did') and the lights came up for the break.

Well, I got what I came for, should I stick around for Tom's show? Yes, because I had been tipped off that Emm sings backup on some Tom Cochrane songs. She also plays keyboard. Like the piano refrain in Sinking Like A Sunset... She was introduced as the unofficial fifth member of the band by Tom, who said he loves her songs.

Emm played on about 9 Tom songs in the course of his two hour set. She looked so cute back there by her keyboard!! (Tom's band are a bit ancient, so the contrast between those old guys and a beautiful little Emmee was kind of amusing. ;) Ever see Purple Rain? Emm did this adorable little hop backwards like those band members do in that movie, after she played her keyboard bit. Hehe. The lighting was cool too, and Emm seemed to be floating in a hologram of color waves... (sorry if I was ignoring you, Tom! ;)

Tom Cochrane made a point of hyping Wisdom Bus ('I don't want Emm to get a swelled head, but I really think she's a great songwriter') so I hope to God some radio types were listening!!

Tom did put on a great show. It's too bad the audience was too old to get up and dance, but they did tell Tom they loved him, and he was affected by it, getting choked up around the time he played Avenue A, which was my Tom highlight (yeah I'm old enough to remember that Red Rider song).

The only thing that could have made the experience more perfect would have been if I had been able to say hi to Emm after. Oh well, maybe next time... (you people in Ontario are so lucky that you can talk to her without having to get past layers of security.)

All in all it was an awesome night! It was so great to see Emm in person for a few hours. :)


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