Classic & Current Contemporary Non-Schlock-Rock Metropolitan Music

Green Day at Old Dominion University 2005

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Green Day Concert – Norfolk, VA – April 23, 2005

Norfolk, VA (Deaconlight.com) -- April 23, 2005 -- I don't have time to write about the whole show, but last night's show was an awesome event. First of all My Chemical Romance was the opening act, which we were all hyped up for (click for MyChem pix). We got free accommodations at a luxury hotel (old boyfriends do come in handy) and free access to the show.

Avalon and Annecy really wanted to meet Green Day, but I did not have much time or energy to try to get anything set up. But I did have some Kazoobie Kazoos that Rick Hubbard had given me to pass on to Green Day. So I gave the Kazoobie Kazoos to the promotions liaison. She told me she put them in the band's hands and they went straight to the band members' kids. So somewhere around, Green Day kids have Kazoobie Kazoos.

Speaking of which, that in itself would make great swag for Green Day. Rick tells me he has customized Kazoos for lots of bands and musical artists, including Weezer and Ian Anderson of Jethro Tull.

Rick, who on Deaconlight "back then" was known as Fred, is one of my Deaconlight idols I listened to in high school. We got together last spring and talked about Deaconlight, Kazoos, Wake Forest, and other stuff. Rick really is the Kazoo King. From what I understand, his Kazoos are the only ones that are manufactured in the USA, and he says they are very well made.

But Rick insists he does not sell kazoos; he sells FUN!

What really struck me, however, was the story where he told me about how he used to play little folk shows at that snack shop that used to be in Reynolda Hall. You'd have to be a Deaconlight-era Wakie to remember that place. Anyway, Rick said he would play acoustic guitar and sing. One of the songs he did was Emerson, Lake and Palmer's "Lucky Man." Where Keith Emerson played the synthesizer solo, Rick did a kazoo solo. How cool is that?

Those of you familiar with the Deaconlight format by now know this site is not about reviews. I will, however, continue a bit more about the Green Day Norfolk show.

Annecy, my younger daughter who was seven at the time, had brought her Vic Firth drumsticks with her in hopes of having them autographed by Green Day. The promotions liaison person took Annecy's Vic Firths backstage to attempt to get them autographed. But after the show, I was not able to find the liaison and Annecy's drumsticks.

So we waited around, trying to find someone who could locate Annecy's Vic Firths, which according to eyewitnesses had been seen in the hands of an 11-year-old girl visiting the band backstage. We waited. Asked for help. Annecy was so unhappy. She just wanted her drumsticks back.

Finally, a nice guy named Eamon came along to help.

"I can handle people working to get backstage, jump onstage, or make trouble," he said. "But a seven-year-old girl crying for her drumsticks breaks my heart. I will try to get them for her."

Try as he could, the brave Sir Eamon could not penetrate the Green Day security fortress. He did, however, manage to come back with one of Tré Cool's drumsticks that actually had been played at the concert. I seriously doubt the autograph is real, but the nicks in the wood certainly are, probably from banging on the side of a snare.

The Holy Drum Stick of Tré Cool

So at least we have the "Holy Drumstick" even though we don't have Annecy's orginal Vic Firths. If someone runs across them – I think they have her name on them – please let us know. Thanks.

-- DD Thornton