Winston Calling: My Photos

Winston Calling: A Rock and Comedy Benefit for Baby Winston Bertrand hosted by Black Francis

I heard about this event quite awhile back through a blog(?). I'm sorry I can't remember which one anymore. It was a two night event for the benefit of Winston Bertrand. Winston was born earlier in 2009 with malformations that require him and parents to travel frequently for treatments. Through some incredible internet-based luck (there's a story of his mother befriending Violet Clark via MySpace), he had an amazing rock show (Night 2 was more comedy/magic themed) dedicated to raising money for his medical needs. 100% of the ticket price went to Baby Winston. All entertainers and the venue donated time and efforts.

You can read more about Baby Winston HERE.

I brought my camera with me to Night 1 at the Echoplex.
Here are a handful of my favorite photos from the evening.

Black Francis brought Joey Santiago and Dave Lovering out for the event. Kim Deal was reportedly in London that evening. So you essentially got a concert by 3/4 of the Pixies and sitting in for Kim Deal, Kim Shattuck. Pretty awesome. I haven't seen or heard from The Muffs since the 1990s. She still sounds great!

Tenacious D. I've never seen them live before and I'm glad I finally did. I remember being in college and seeing a bit they did on HBO when they were 1st breaking out (thank Mr. Show people for that) and being so amused and kind of hopeful that some people in the world are actually funny. I will actually watch SNL if I know they will guest on it. Here they are on the other side of their career after they've experienced success. People went shithouse when they were announced as special surprise guests. Between "the D" songs and some Pixies songs, with Black Francis, they even did the Surfer Rosa "you fucking die" banter. Everyone ate it up.

Here it is. The guy everyone was there to see. Al "Weird Al" Yankovic. For me, this was worth the ticket price. Via Twitter I knew he was planning to do ONE SONG with Black Francis and that's exactly what I got. Wished he could be persuaded to do another, but I'll take it. He performed "I Bleed." I love this man. You have no idea. My love for Al Yankovic previously expressed here.

The blurry man in the foreground is Flea. He never stopped moving. Not once. How can a man in his late 40s be so high-energy? I'm jealous. I wanted to put a video here of his cameo in Fear and Loathing but I can't find one.

Here's Joey Santiago and Black Francis. Dave Lovering is back there somewhere but I never saw him from my angle. They played so many Pixies songs, I think I'm good for live Pixies for awhile now. Unless they can coax Kim Deal to return (I should dig out some Breeders). I was also ringing in my right ear for two days afterward. This was a most excellent show.

Here's me with Citizenrobot and Apollosputnik waiting between sets. We are full and happy on vegan food from Flore.

There are a few more on my Flickr.

Update: Ooh I forgot to mention that David J of Love and Rockets played quite a few songs. And She Wants Revenge made an appearance most notably covering The Psychedelic Furs' "Love My Way." Holy jeez that was a great cover! Definitely a highlight from the evening. I haven't followed She Wants Revenge at all. I vaguely remember deleting my digital copy of the one with "Tear You Apart" on it. Actually, I think it was self-titled. Maybe I should go back and give it another try.