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Last Updated: August 31, 2006
Strange trip
The road to fair's first mini-festival took odd twists and turns
By Len Righi Of The Morning Call
If you think it strange such out-there acts as The Flaming Lips, Ween and Sonic Youth are playing tonight's Grandstand show at the Allentown Fair, consider how this six-hour mini-festival, which also includes Brit popsters The Magic Numbers, came to be.
The wheels began turning in April, when fair talent booker Bonnie Brosious noticed that The Flaming Lips disc, ''At War With the Mystics,'' debuted at No. 11 on the Billboard album chart by selling 48,000 copies.
The wheels began turning in April, when fair talent booker Bonnie Brosious noticed that The Flaming Lips disc, ''At War With the Mystics,'' debuted at No. 11 on the Billboard album chart by selling 48,000 copies.
''That was the best chart position of any album the Lips ever had,'' says Brosious of the 23-year-old acid-bubblegum band, known for its crazy stage shows. ''So I jumped to see if the band would go to a more conventional-type facility, like the Fairgrounds Grandstand, as part of a headlining tour.''
After contacting the William Morris Agency, ''Weezer was dangled as a possibility'' to co-headline with the Lips, according to Brosious. ''Then [veteran noise-rock band] Sonic Youth was brought on as another act, and then Gnarls Barkley put in an offer to be part of the package.''
Ultimately Weezer dropped out — the alt-pop-rock band is currently on hiatus. And Gnarls Barkley? Well, when the collaboration between rapper Cee-Lo Green and producer-keyboardist Danger Mouse unexpectedly blew up with the song ''Crazy,'' and the album, ''St. Elsewhere,'' which was released on May 9, suddenly Gnarls Barkley became unavailable.
''I was told they were going to be in Europe at the time of the fair,'' says Brosious. ''Also, the group was first presented as a low-budget act, but within weeks the price doubled and then tripled.''
Ultimately, says Brosious, The Flaming Lips' agent recommended indie-rock act Ween ''because of the musical compatibility and the regional connection, since [band leaders Dean and Gene Ween] are from Bucks County.''
The Magic Numbers were the last piece to fall into place. ''I got a call from the band's agent telling me The Magic Numbers was on the bill,'' recalls Brosious. ''I said, 'No, you're not.' He said, 'Yes, we are. The Flaming Lips want us to open on all of their dates.' So I said, 'Oh, come on then.' At that point I thought, 'The more the merrier.'''
All that took eight weeks.
Then, because all of the bands wanted to play extended sets, Brosious decided to shape the concert as a mini-festival, a first for the Fair. And because of that decision, for the first time ever people will be allowed to leave and re-enter the Grandstand area. The details were still being worked out at press time, said Brosious.
''We're giving it a stab because it's a long show and not everyone of the acts is everyone's favorite,'' says Brosious. ''It also gives concert customers [access to] the concessions outside. After all, before they were concertgoers they were fairgoers, and we want them to enjoy the fair.''
It was 50 years ago that the fair had its first big-name entertainer — big band leader Guy Lombardo — replacing forever vaudeville-type entertainment and harness racing. The fair has changed quite a bit since then.
Says Brosious: ''The Grandstand was built for harness racing. Who knew there would be this guy [Flaming Lips frontman Wayne Coyne] floating across the stage in a hamster ball? I can't wait!''
THE DETAILS: THE FLAMING LIPS, WEEN, SONIC YOUTH and THE MAGIC NUMBERS
When: 5 p.m. today
Where: Allentown Fair Grandstand, 17th and Chew streets, Allentown
Tickets: $39
Info: http://www.allentownfair.com , 215-336-2000, 610-433-7541
Times: 5 p.m., Magic Numbers; 6 p.m., Sonic Youth; 7:45 p.m., Ween; 9:30 p.m., The Flaming Lips
Note: Ticketholders will be allowed to come and go, a first for the fair.
Len Righi, Assistant Editor, Arts and Entertainment
len.righi@mcall.com
610-820-6626
After contacting the William Morris Agency, ''Weezer was dangled as a possibility'' to co-headline with the Lips, according to Brosious. ''Then [veteran noise-rock band] Sonic Youth was brought on as another act, and then Gnarls Barkley put in an offer to be part of the package.''
Ultimately Weezer dropped out — the alt-pop-rock band is currently on hiatus. And Gnarls Barkley? Well, when the collaboration between rapper Cee-Lo Green and producer-keyboardist Danger Mouse unexpectedly blew up with the song ''Crazy,'' and the album, ''St. Elsewhere,'' which was released on May 9, suddenly Gnarls Barkley became unavailable.
''I was told they were going to be in Europe at the time of the fair,'' says Brosious. ''Also, the group was first presented as a low-budget act, but within weeks the price doubled and then tripled.''
Ultimately, says Brosious, The Flaming Lips' agent recommended indie-rock act Ween ''because of the musical compatibility and the regional connection, since [band leaders Dean and Gene Ween] are from Bucks County.''
The Magic Numbers were the last piece to fall into place. ''I got a call from the band's agent telling me The Magic Numbers was on the bill,'' recalls Brosious. ''I said, 'No, you're not.' He said, 'Yes, we are. The Flaming Lips want us to open on all of their dates.' So I said, 'Oh, come on then.' At that point I thought, 'The more the merrier.'''
All that took eight weeks.
Then, because all of the bands wanted to play extended sets, Brosious decided to shape the concert as a mini-festival, a first for the Fair. And because of that decision, for the first time ever people will be allowed to leave and re-enter the Grandstand area. The details were still being worked out at press time, said Brosious.
''We're giving it a stab because it's a long show and not everyone of the acts is everyone's favorite,'' says Brosious. ''It also gives concert customers [access to] the concessions outside. After all, before they were concertgoers they were fairgoers, and we want them to enjoy the fair.''
It was 50 years ago that the fair had its first big-name entertainer — big band leader Guy Lombardo — replacing forever vaudeville-type entertainment and harness racing. The fair has changed quite a bit since then.
Says Brosious: ''The Grandstand was built for harness racing. Who knew there would be this guy [Flaming Lips frontman Wayne Coyne] floating across the stage in a hamster ball? I can't wait!''
THE DETAILS: THE FLAMING LIPS, WEEN, SONIC YOUTH and THE MAGIC NUMBERS
When: 5 p.m. today
Where: Allentown Fair Grandstand, 17th and Chew streets, Allentown
Tickets: $39
Info: http://www.allentownfair.com , 215-336-2000, 610-433-7541
Times: 5 p.m., Magic Numbers; 6 p.m., Sonic Youth; 7:45 p.m., Ween; 9:30 p.m., The Flaming Lips
Note: Ticketholders will be allowed to come and go, a first for the fair.
Len Righi, Assistant Editor, Arts and Entertainment
len.righi@mcall.com
610-820-6626
Copyright © 2006, The Morning Call
