Aerial View was WFMU’s first regularly-scheduled phone-in talk show. Hosted by Chris T. and on the air since 1989, the show features topical conversation, interviews and many trips down the rabbit hole. Until further notice, Aerial View is only available as a podcast, available every Tuesday morning. Subscribe to the newsletter “See You Next Tuesday!” and find tons of archives at aerialview.me. (Visit homepage.)

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July 29, 2014: I'm Too Old For This Schlitz
I went to see Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds on Sunday night. I'd seen them years ago, at the Beacon Theater in Manhattan, with a nice, comfy seat in which to park my carcass. Not this time. I screwed up and didn't notice I was purchasing General Admission/Standing Room tickets. Initially, my wife was supposed to join me but when she found out we didn't have seats she balked. I totally get it. The idea of standing around for God-knows-how-long while being packed in with a bunch of smelly, drunk, stoned acolytes made me more depressed than anything off The Boatman's Call.

I don't know if it was FOMO or that I'd been looking forward to it so much but I decided to go and I gave away the other ticket to someone who bestowed free Flaming Lips tickets on me not long ago. Ultimately, I enjoyed the show. But I think I'm too old for this shit. I felt like I was stuck in that Portlandia sketch The Best Part Is Going Home. In that sketch, Carrie and Fred brilliantly (apologies for being redundant: they don't do anything any other way) deconstruct the whole experience of heading out to a concert, putting up with the crowd, getting overcharged for everything, waiting through the encores and that blissful moment when you know you're heading home. Oh, just to be home. That was me Sunday night.

I would go see more live music. But I can't take the diehards. The people singing along at the top of their lungs because they know all the words. The ones who know when so-and-so is going to take their moment in the spotlight and they bum-rush you from behind to take cellphone pics. They ones who yammer endlessly about how this show is not as good as Cleveland and that one was not as good as Philly show. The ones who need you to know that they care more deeply than you. That they're paying more attention. That they are all up in that band's ass. Meanwhile, I've met Nick Cave. I shook his hand. I interviewed him on the radio. And he signed my copy of "The Death Of Bunny Munro" (below). I win. So please shut the hell up and let me enjoy the show.

Sorry. I didn't mean to go all superior there. It's just that I think my general-admission-standing-room-only concert-going career is over. What about you? What are you done with? What are you too old for? Or fed up with? Or unable to take anymore? When was the last time you felt like the Warriors or that guy in After Hours, when all you wanted was to get home? Call me tonight at 201-209-WFMU and answer one or all of those questions. And please remember: Nick Cave is 56 years old.

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