July 12, 2005
soundcheck
Dietz was on stage, glazed in the thin shell of his performing persona, soaked in perspiration, slamming the chords on his guitar like he was driving nails. Behind him the Twisted Pears were keeping time, loose and steady. In the darkness, stage right, blue, red, and green lights twinkled on the sound console, throbbing.
The seats were empty but two cleaners stood in the back of the room, at the doorway, now and then leaning towards each other, their lips barely moving, arms crossed, heels moving to the rhythm.
The house manager leaned against the wall next to the stage, smoking, her eyes half-closed, a fat envelope dangling from her left hand. She tapped it against the black fabric lining the wall, keeping time.
Grasping the mike with his right hand, Dietz held the chord on his guitar and started to send the lyric
one white blossom
lean over smell so sweet
one short hour
together so fleet
one white flower
oh so fragrant
overpower
your senses
love is a tall white tower
with an endless staircase
a tall white tower
in a garden of bliss
in the garden is a rattlesnake rattlesnake
listen to his rattle hiss
he's a rattlesnake rattlesnake
there's poison in his kiss
he's a rattlesnake rattlesnake
and he's warning you
stay away from the rattlesnake
unless you're a rattlesnake too
ooo-o-oo one white flower
oooooo smell so sweet
Dietze was lost, his guitar screaming, his eyes closed, knees bent, silver boots stomping time.
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posted by matthew at 06:20 PM