Last night we went to see Cheech & Chong at the Orpheum in Boston. It was really great seeing them live. They revived some old bits and added a few new ones.
The show opened with a comedy routine by Tommy Chong's wife Shelby. She was ok but went on a bit longer than her material warranted and became the subject of some nasty heckling.
I remember them looking like this.
But they looked more like this.I was surprised to find that Chong was much funnier than Cheech in a stand-up environment, but they were both good. The problem was the venue & a small portion of the crowd. The Orpheum really sucks. The seats are uncomfortable and there is zero leg room (I'm 6' tall) I guess people were alot smaller back 1850 when the place was built. People kept getting up and moving around and you just can't see anything when someone stands. The sound wasn't all that great and often was hard to understand what they were saying. The assholes of the crowd just kept talking and getting up and down and yelling out stupid things but I guess that par for the coarse, it was a Cheech & Chong show afterall.
There is a zero tolerance smoking ban in effect at the Orpheum and I do mean ZERO! People who felt moved to spark up were ejected from the theater immediately by a big burly bald security guard and a very butchy looking female in an event staff shirt. I guess had they known perhaps they would have smuggled in some brownies instead. Still, as we were ambling toward the door after the show the sweet smell of herb wafted through the crowd as people lit up proclaiming, "Can't kick us out now."
The highlight of the show was Cheech hitting the stage clad in a pink tutu singing "Earache My Eye". This received a standing ovation. A classic act and despite the Orpheum I'm so glad I got to see them live.
There is a zero tolerance smoking ban in effect at the Orpheum and I do mean ZERO! People who felt moved to spark up were ejected from the theater immediately by a big burly bald security guard and a very butchy looking female in an event staff shirt. I guess had they known perhaps they would have smuggled in some brownies instead. Still, as we were ambling toward the door after the show the sweet smell of herb wafted through the crowd as people lit up proclaiming, "Can't kick us out now."
The highlight of the show was Cheech hitting the stage clad in a pink tutu singing "Earache My Eye". This received a standing ovation. A classic act and despite the Orpheum I'm so glad I got to see them live.
7 comments:
woohoo catfreeek, great review. i didn't even know they were coming to town.
that's funny about the orpheum; i don't quite hit 5'3 and even i'm uncomfortable in those seats. i recall being prevented from dancing in the aisles at a bob weir concert a couple years back. if they don't want smoking and dancing then why do they even have cheech and chong and bob weir at their venue?
Beats me, I'm kinda wondering where the 50¢ restoration fee goes cause the place looks like an armpit.
I'm so jealous you caught them! What a great ticket stub to tuck away... It doesn't surprise me that Chong was funnier. While Cheech was palling around with Don Johnson in the 90's Chong was still doing the only things he knows how to do - smoking weed and being funny. I must say I'm impressed that they were able to curb the herb at a Cheech & Chong show.
Every show I ever saw at the Orpheum was a disaster. A guy with positively obscene body odor ruined a Beck show for me and the fact that we weren't allowed to stand up in the balcony ruined a Squirrel Nut Zippers show. Now that I think of it I hate every Boston venue with the possible exception of the Paradise (though even that can be a bitch when it's too crowded).
speaking of the paradise johnny are you gonna be around for the raveonettes show?
It looks like I'll be in town the last week of January so I won't make the Raveonettes show unfortunately. I'd still like to get together with as many of you clowns as possible though!
Yeah, it was great to see a couple of legends before they kick it.
JSP the thought of you standing next to the BO monster makes me giggle for some reason. Though I'm sure that is a terrible memory to have go along with Beck.
I'm so jealous that you saw this!!! I think we need to have a Horrorthon rule that if anyone becomes aware of upcoming coolness it needs to be posted here! That must've been a terrific show. It's so cool to see cult legends.
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