Ryan’s Place

“What’s the difference between an Airbus and an airplane?”

My MEM -> MSN flight was canceled on Friday, so Northwest issued me a voucher to Holiday Inn Mt. Moriah.  It was pretty gross.

The halls reeked of cigarette smoke, and the hallway carpet was peeled up at spots.  In fact, it looked like it was in the midst of renovations, but it wasn’t.  The bathroom cabinet obviously hadn’t been cleaned in a while, the furniture was gouged, and the clock radio hadn’t been cleaned recently as well.  My room was non-smoking, but the room across from it wasn’t so smoke wafted into my room.

Would you stay here?

Think  about these two things:

• Someone returned a sandwich because they put it on the wrong bread (whiner).  First they told the guy to keep the mismade sandwich and they’d make him another as well.  He didn’t want it so he gave it back to Milio’s.  The sandwich-maker decided to keep it on the side, saying ”Someone will eventually order a #1″.  I have no doubt some unfortunate customer will be re-served that other guy’s sandwich.
• Look through the little window area where you should be able to see them making your sandwich.  Yes, your view is blocked by the case’s cover, but look at the edge area right by the window.  Notice how dirty it is?  Exactly.

I saw Billy Joel last night at the Bradley Center in Milwaukee.  He was excellent.  I think he was better by himself than with Elton John like he was the last two times I saw him, actually.  He was able to play more songs instead of having to share time with Elton.  Not that they’re not an amazing duo…

Highlights from the show:

• “Chainsaw” a roadie singing “Highway to Hell”
• “Rootbeer Rag” live
• “We didn’t start the fire”
• “Scenes from an Italian Restaurant”

Billy Joel always ends his concerts with “Piano Man.”  It was funny that the person a few rows behind me didn’t know that, though.  After the obligatory “good night, thank you Milwaukee” at the “end” of the show, Billy came out for three more songs.  Each time the guy behind me thought that the show was actually over.  He was yelling and screaming about how “He can’t do that!  He has to play ‘Piano Man’”.  They did eventually play “Piano Man”, of course, but it was funny listening to the guy who thought he didn’t get what he paid for.

One overall impression about the concert was that the songs sounded almost exactly like they do when they were originally recorded.  I like that.  I like variations on things, but I don’t like the song to stray too far from the original.  Even the instruments sounded just like the originals.

I believe this was the last concert for this tour.  No reference was made to that, so I’m not entirely sure.  I’d like to see him perform again; hopefully that happens.  He’s not too old, right?