Marconi Plays The Mamba

My Dear Princess and Dear Fellows,

Baaa-ba-ba, da-da, da-DAAAH

I've been hearing that all week. From Feefs, Craig, Cazza or just random locals walking around casually, doing chores, or in those silences in conversation suddenly they'll just say:

Baaa-ba-ba, da-da, da-DAAAH

Not that there was much time for lulls today. We were all busily preparing for our day of sitting in a paddock. The supplies we had bought were put together in the kitchen, babysitters and doggysitters arrived to take away Little Nipper and Tiggydog and we were taken out to the Baypark Arena for a day of drinking in the sun and listening to "Aotearoa's Favourite" - Dragon.

I knew one song. Fortunately they also covered Celebration by Kool & The Gang, which was a bit surreal.

Dragon played for just over an hour then there was a brief break for more drinks and more chat and more baaa-ba-ba, da-da, da-DAAAH.

Then Jefferson Starship were ushered onstage. I wondered if the name meant they would be doing only those songs from the era when they were Jefferson Starship and not "Airplane". Or just "Starship". They did a terrific version of White Rabbit, then "Miracles" and then moved into the 80's with "Nothing's Gonna Stop Us Now" and "We Built This City".

Which - when I googled later - I was ASTONISHED to find is regularly voted worst song ever by music critics! Seriously? What's not to love about a song that includes lyrics about being "knee-deep in the hoopla" or indeed about Marconi playing the mamba?

Music critics are nobs, and anyway we all know it is really "Lady in Red" by Chris de Burgh.

So Jefferson Starship were actually pretty amazing live and EVERYONE sang along to "We Built This City". So there.

Baaa-ba-ba, da-da, da-DAAAH

What's that?

Baaa-ba-ba, da-da, da-DAAAH

Time for the main event?

Yes! Here comes Toto! I didn't recognise any of them of course. To me, they were always one of those bands full of earnest yet anonymous musos, like Kansas or Styx or Chicago or everyone who wasn't Steve Perry in Journey.

Look, I'm sure their mothers recognise them. But the point is that they are amazing musicians and proved this by rocking up a storm. There was even a long bongo solo at one point. AND I ENJOYED IT. 

But throughout the two other Toto songs I know ("Hold The Line" and "Rosanna") there was something... something in the back of my mind like drums echoing or wild dogs crying out in the night...

Baaa-ba-ba, da-da, da-DAAAH

Yes! Africa! They did a 10 minute version of the song and we all sang and sang and sang along, hurry boy, she's waiting there for yooooo,... frightened of this THING that I've become... sure as Kilimanjaro rises like Olympus above the Serengeteeeeeee...

IT'S GONNA TAKE A LOT TO DRAG ME AWAAAAAAAY FROM YOOOOOOO
THERE'S NOTHING THAT A HUNDRED MEN OR MORE COULD EVER DOOOOOOOO
I BLESS THE RAAAAAAAAAIIIIINS DOWN IN AFRICAAAAAAAA

Apparently the song has gained a whole new audience because Weezer covered it. Consequently, Toto returned the favour and covered Hashpipe as their encore. It was really cool. 

So it was a good night. We were hoarse by the end of it.

It is now Thursday morning as I type this. Feefs is up and about as I lounge in bed. But she's put the stereo on. What's that beat I can hear in the background?

Baaa-ba-ba, da-da, da-DAAAH

There's no escape.

S.