Buffett, Margaritas Hold Storm At Bay
by John Weckerle
Jimmy Buffett and the Coral Reefer Band in Paradise – Albuquerque, October 20, 2015.
This week, two thirds of the denizens of New Mexico Central Headquarters embarked on a local adventure centered around Tuesday’s first-time-ever Albuquerque performance by Jimmy Buffett and the seemingly immortal Coral Reefer Band (Senior Parrot Correspondent Wilson conceded that he could not produce ID proving that he was of age, despite having reached the age of 42 in Correspondent Years in June, and it would be less fun without access to the entire experience). Given the opportunity, the remaining 67 percent decided to turn the experience into a mini “staycation” and, aligning with a few similarly minded people, decided to make a night of it, and then some.
The day started out with – well, work. Your editor and Senior Music Correspondent Lucy took the latter half of the day off, and met with part of the crew for lunch at BJ’s (Winrock, behind the Macaroni Grill) for lunch and a beginning to the festivities. We were not unpleasantly surprised to find that wine was 50% off and that draft beer was $3.50. We’re not in the habit of seeking out lunchtime happy hours, and we don’t know whether this is a daily event, but those planning a pre-pre-concert interlude might want to check in ahead of time and see if this is a worthwhile stop on the tour. Unlike a number of nearby chain restaurants, BJ’s has not fallen victim to “menu simplification disorder” (another article forthcoming) and has a diverse menu with tasty options available for devout carnivores and non-meat-eaters alike.
Following lunch, we checked in to the Sheraton Uptown – pricey, but we got a bit of a deal, we think – enjoyed another beverage or two, and headed off to the Parrotheads of New Mexico party at the Casino at the Downs, located at the New Mexico State Fairgrounds (by way of the hotel shuttle, which was part of the all no-driving strategy for the evening). Overall, this was a good event, although we will note that the Downs needs to do a better job in ensuring that their events are adequately staffed; the bar was understaffed and wait times for drinks and even light snacks such as French fries were far longer than they should have been. With respect to entertainment, the venue faces serious challenges regarding acoustics, which would require some sound engineering attention, and as a result the performers perhaps did not fare as well as they might have otherwise (would really like to have had the steel drum audible) – although, in the end, everyone seemed to have a great time and that is what it was all about. Still, a little bit of in-house sound engineering help for performers might help the venue in situations where the entire audience isn’t actually focused on going somewhere else. And to be clear: thank you, Parrotheads of New Mexico, for setting this up; it was a blast, and helped enhance the mood.
We then got on the bus to the show – thanks again, to our in-state Parrotheads for setting this up – got out of the bus, and noted that it was still raining when we arrived at the Isleta Amphitheater (formerly the Journal Pavilion), and that the rain was falling just a bit harder. We got into the venue after a rather weird, and probably unconstitutional, separation into lines by gender and a rather detailed pat-down for the men by patters-down who seemed perhaps a bit more nervous than one might expect. With the rain getting just a bit heavier, we visited the concession stand just inside the gate, ordered margaritas – it was, after all, a Jimmy Buffet concert and his first headlining in New Mexico – and paid for them…
And the rain pretty much stopped right about then, and didn’t return at any time during the show.
Encouraged, we moved forth, rented some low-profile lawn chairs and, after encountering some friends we haven’t seen in a while and were delighted to see again, found ourselves at the very front of the lawn section and dead center in front of the stage – a great spot from which to enjoy the show.
Jimmy and the Coral Reefer Band opened up with Ragtop Day and moved on to License to Chill. After covering Alan Jackson’s It’s Five O’Clock Somewhere, along came some old favorites – Pencil Thin Mustache, Come Monday (as a friend noticed, with beautiful backdrop photography of Montana), Grapefruit-Juicy Fruit, Son of a Son of a Sailor, and Fruitcakes. After Workin’ and Playin’ (also the moniker for the tour) came Fins and Margaritaville, followed by a cover of The Allman Brothers Band’s Little Martha by Coral Reefer guitarist Mac MacAnally. The band moved on to Banana Republics and Volcano before covering Josh Kear’s Bama Breeze and continued with One Particular Harbour and Why Don’t We Get Drunk. Following a Mac MacAnally original – Back Where I Come From – came A Pirate Looks At Forty and a cover of the an old Crosby, Stills and Nash favorite, Southern Cross. The main part of the show ended with Changes in Latitudes, Changes in Attitudes. After a short period of cheering, the band returned and encored with Cheeseburger in Paradise, winding up with a cover of Van Morrison’s Brown Eyed Girl. All were delightfully performed and many were customized for the time and place, making for an experience that was musically excellent and wonderfully entertaining.
Throughout the concert, the rain steadfastly did not fall, and continued to not do so until our intrepid band of adventurers had been whisked back to the Downs, subsequently ferried away by the hotel shuttle, and safely installed in the hotel lounge – which, we were delighted to find, was still serving the full dinner menu despite the late hour. Your editor highly recommends the “Very Vegetarian” and may well return in the future just to enjoy it again.
In a rare moment of foresight, your editor had elected to take vacation time the following day, allowing for a little extra sleep before housekeeping came knocking at 8:15 (we had forgotten to put the Do Not Disturb tag on the doorknob). Breakfast, also at the hotel, was a very creditable huevos rancheros, although the service was a little on the slow side. Then again, we weren’t in that much of a hurry. How could we have been, after the previous day’s festivities?
All in all, it was a great time, and it looked as if Jimmy and the band enjoyed their first show in Albuquerque as much as we did. We hope the unusual weather didn’t alarm them too much, and that they’ll return again soon. We appreciate their performance and are glad they came to bring us one last bit of Summer – if in music rather than weather – as Fall arrived at last.