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Monday, February 4, 2008
Lance Armstrong loses his cool (Band of Horses does not)
After watching the Super Bowl at an incredible party (thank you, John and Mandy), I was fortunate enough to grab a ticket (thank you, Sarah) and a ride (thank you, Blake and Peter) to the sold-out Band of Horses show at La Zona Rosa. I was not planning to write up the show, but after a strong performance, and an even more interesting post-show experience, I felt compelled.
I, like many of my friends, have been underwhelmed by the poor and inconsistent sound at La Zona Rosa, but last night’s show may have been one of the best shows I have seen there in terms of the sound design. On the heels of their 2006 debut, ‘Everything All the Time,’ received top 10 mentions across the country, Band of Horses released their second album last year, ‘Cease to Begin,’ a strong showing but one that lacks the emotional force and hooks of the debut. The band, however, leaned heavily on ‘Everything All the Time’ early Sunday night, opening with three songs from the first album, before playing some new tunes and covering J.J. Cale’s ‘Thirteen Days.’ The overwhelmingly enthusiastic response to the set’s opening tunes prompted Horses frontman Ben Bridwell to proclaim that the Austin audience was the best of their tour.
Although many of the band members have come to play with Bridwell in just the past year, the band had a chemistry and tightness that belied their nascent formation. Beyond being astounded that I could hear each of the (at times) four guitars, as well as the keyboard player — who looked like Bridwell plucked him from the Charlie Daniels Band — I was most impressed with Bridwell’s vocal range. Going into the show I was curious as to whether his delicate yet powerful melodies would translate out of the studio to the stage. The answer quite simply was the realization that the singer from South Carolina has one of the best voices in the business.
OK, now back to the headline. (Talk about burying the lede. And now, excuse me, as I go minor-celebrity-reporter on you for a second.) After the show, people were gathered at the adjacent Backstage Bar, drinking beers, talking about the show, and catching glimpses of and brief words with the band. Seven-time Tour de France winner Lance Armstrong, who had been at the concert with a couple of buddies, took leave of the bar around 1 a.m. and apparently forgot that it is illegal to take drinks from the club out to the streets. Backstage door man Sean Higgins, obviously not concerned with the celebrity of the person who was breaking the law, quickly ran over to Armstrong and his pal and rather forcefully made it clear that the guys could not walk off with drinks. Armstrong at first seemed surprised and briefly cordial, but that soon gave way to fierce indignation. Having taken the drinks from Armstrong and friend, Higgins returned to his post at the door. But, possibly due to being called out in front of a few dozen people, Armstrong, apparently having taken exception to the manner in which Higgins was performing his job, would not go quietly into that good night.
He returned to the door, full of sound and fury. Higgins, who has worked at the Backstage Bar for four-and-a-half years, made it quite clear that he had no interest in Armstrong’s celebrity or defense of his actions. Armstrong, not willing to drop the issue, flailingly tried to retake whatever sense of pride he apparently felt was taken from him, by berating Higgins while his friends stood at his side. With a finger that came inches from Higgins’ face, Armstrong, according to Higgins, let loose a series of threats that concluded with the time-worn threat of “You’ll never work at this bar again.” Higgins, who apparently didn’t get the memo that nobody puts Lance in the corner, scoffed at the irate Armstrong, who then left to a series of under-breath cat calls and one patron labeling Armstrong as overrated (the cleanest of the insults softly launched his way.) Bizarre end to an excellent night. I’m sure Higgins is on Career Builder as I type. (Not really.)
UPDATE - Lance Armstrong responds
I recently got off the phone with a friendly and apologetic Armstrong, who called to discuss the events of last night. Armstrong says that he was mostly shocked by the way in which Higgins originally approached him, but was contrite in admitting that he was in the wrong for the way in which he overreacted.
“Listen, I was totally out of line,” Armstrong said.
Although Armstrong says he was in the wrong, he felt that the door man in question could have handled the situation better, as well. “You know, give us a warning. He walked over and nearly tackled us as if he had warned us four or five times. He was so aggressive without any warning. Believe me, man, if somebody says, ‘You can not take these beers out of here,’ I’ll just throw them away or go back inside. I’ve got no problem with that. I wasn’t looking for any special rules or treatment.”
Armstrong confessed that despite feeling he wasn’t given any warning before being confronted, he should have responded differently. “I don’t need to do that (respond the way he did), though. Two wrongs don’t make a right.”
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