I see a lot of shows -- a lot of really good shows. But one of the highlights of the past few years was seeing Thomas Dolby at the ROMT; my first time ever. Thomas Dolby (along with Gary Numan, DEVO, and the like) were hugely influential in my formative teenage years. Who my age(ish) can ever forget "She Blinded Me With Science," which seemed to be one of the only four videos MTV had in its fledgling months? That video more than probably anything else cemented -- if not created -- my love of twitchy, nerdish, bespectacled men. These days, of course, Thomas Dolby is to be recognized for much MUCH more than a few extremely radio-friendly early new wave ditties. He's a brilliantly talented musician, inventor, and innovator, as can be seen in his latest work, A Map of the Floating City, which merges interactivity, social networking, and tech, along with his unmistakable musical style, and a voice that makes me light up every single time I hear it.
Oh, and let's not fail to mention, my beloved moppy-haired gangly Brit boy has matured into a squeaky-bald, intense-eyed, grinning technonaut, just when I thought I couldn't love him more.
It's something to say that at that show in Royal Oak, jaded lil'ol'me smashed up to the front, waiting for The Man to begin. Happy, but not carrying a huge burden of expectations, when Dolby hit the first synth notes, my knees buckled, my stomach filled with butterflies, and I bounced off my feet like a 12 year old girl. Squealing and beaming, I apologized to the woman in front of me for losing my shit, while the friend who was with me -- who had known me for a decade -- looked at me with surprised disbelief.
I wonder if lightning can strike me twice. I'd be a fool not to get out there and find out.
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(Photo credit: Thomas Dolby by Arthur Mouratidis, courtesy of Wikimedia Commons) |
Thomas Dolby: The Time Capsule Tour
Wednesday, 4/4/12 7:00PM EDT
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