Waits' PEHDTSCHJMBA underway

(Photo: Joe Odea, Pitchforkmedia.com)

All that separates me from Tom Waits now is a night of sleep, several hundred miles of scorching hot desert and whatever line there is to get into El Paso's Plaza Theatre.

With the tour underway, I feel properly immersed in Waits' tunes, tales and mythology to really go nuts at the show. Sure it's a shame that our own Fox Theatre in Tucson didn't get booked for this tour, but it's an absolute blessing to have a chance at all to see the man.

The reviews — uniformly glowing — are rolling in for the first night of this Glitter & Doom Tour:
Los Angeles Times
Arizona Republic
Phoenix New Times
Rolling Stone
Associated Press
LA Weekly
Pitchfork
IckMusic

I'll be back with a review of my own, but in the meantime, here's a tremendous live Waits performance from Tucson, in 1975, broadcast on KWFM. (Pay close attention to his story/poem about being hustled in 9-ball.)

DOWNLOAD:
Tom Waits - Rosie (live KWFM Tucson, 1975)
Tom Waits - Ol' 55 (live KWFM Tucson, 1975)
Live From Lee Furr's Studio - KWFM Tucson 1975 (zip file)