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September 30, 2006
Funeral for a friend
We buried our friend, Tom Hoffman, Friday and, as a Stratford police officer, he was given a send-off that would have embarrassed the heck out of him.
You see, Tom was shy by nature and all of the attention of a cop’s funeral would have had him blushing. Which was ironic because he was a proud member of the Stratford Police Department’s Honor Guard and had been a part of these rituals for many years. It just wasn’t in Tom’s nature to call attention to himself.
Selfless is probably the ideal word to describe him.
If you needed help, he would help. If he needed help, he probably wouldn’t ask and try to figure out a way to get it done by himself.
There is a certain prestige that comes with being a police officer and I’ve seen a few officers use that standing to their advantage. Tom was at the opposite of that spectrum. If he didn’t occasionally wear the jacket he received as a member of the Stratford PAL board, outsiders would have never guessed that he was a cop.
He would much rather talk about is Mets or his Jets or, if I pushed, I could get him talking about the Islanders, though he probably gave up on them years ago. It seems a shame he died so unexpectedly and at so young an age (he was 50) right when his Mets were getting ready for the playoffs and his Jets look like they may be turning things around.
Even though I root for the Dolphins and hate the Jets with a passion, Tom would always invite me to the Meadowlands for the Dolphins’ annual visit back when he was a season-ticket holder. The people in his section, that he had sat with for years, would say some terrible things to Tom about my being there, but he just shrugged them off. I was his friend, I was a Dolphins fan, I was going if I wanted to.
One game stands out in my mind. The Jets dominated the first half and all of the fans sitting around us were laughing and I was taking it all in stride. An older man, who Tom had sat with for years, even offered me some of the hot toddy from his thermos.
After the Dolphins rallied for the win, the mood I the section took a decidedly nasty turn. As we exited our seats for some post-game tailgating, the older man, still seething, yelled: “Tom, don’t ever bring him back with you!�
Needless to say, I was back in the seat the next year.
It was cathartic that some of his friends and colleagues got together Tuesday night at King’s Court in the Devon section of Milford, just hours after the terrible news. We drank and laughed and told stories of “The Koos,� so nicknamed after the Huffman Koos furniture store.
The wake Thursday night at Adzima’s Funeral Home in Stratford was a kick in the gut, probably made worse by how good he looked in his coffin. It was weird seeing this man who always seemed to be in motion, lying so peacefully.
Reality had officially set in.
The funeral featured a police motorcade with motorcycle cops from Trumbull, Norwalk, Milford, Stamford and other towns leading the way. It was quite impressive and, again, Tom would have wondered what all the fuss was about.
Well, the fuss was deserved because, even though it’s so cliché to say the following, in this case it’s entirely true:
“Tom Hoffman was a good man and didn’t have an enemy in the world. There was nothing he wouldn’t do for a friend. He will be sorely missed by all that knew him.�
Rest in peace, my friend.
Posted by Sean on 5:56 PM | Comments (1)
September 22, 2006
Who's next
Week 2 of vacation took a turn for the better Tuesday when my friend Pete banged on my front door to let me know he procured tickets to see The Who at Madison Square Garden that night. For $65, why not?
I realize I'll be covering the band Dec. 1 at the Mohegan Sun Arena, so I made a conscious decision to leave my notebook home and actually enjoy a concert for a change without keeping a set list and taking notes. It would have been frustrating trying to keep that set list, because The Who played a good chunk of songs from its upcoming album, as you can see from the set list below plucked off the Internet.
If the live performances are any indication, the new album should be a good one.
My two friends, who both have seen The Who many times, weren't as impressed with the show as I was and, while waiting for our train, compared it with past concerts.
But for me, the night was special from the start. I had never been to a Who concert and it was just about the last of the must-see concerts for me. I had seen The Stones, Clapton, McCartney, Ringo, Pnk Floyd, Neil Young, etc., but, for whatever reason, never The Who.
I could have caught a show on the last tour, but it didn't feel right - to me, anyway - for The Who to be touring so soon after John Entwhistle's death.
Well, now The Who is checked off my unwritten list of concerts I must attend and if you get a chance to see them, my advice is go. It's a great event and you'll be glad you did.
I can't wait to see the band again at the Mohegan Sun Arena, only this time, I'll have the advantage of hearing the new album before I see the band playing it live.
The set list
I Can't Explain, The Seeker, Anyway Anyhow Anywhere, Fragments, Who Are You, Behind Blue Eyes, Real Good Looking Boy, Sound Round, Pick Up The Peace, Endless Wire, We Got A Hit, They Made My Dream Come True, Mirror Door, Baba O'Riley, Eminence Front, Man In A Purple Dress, Mike Post Theme, You Better You Bet, My Generation, Cry If You Want, Won't Get Fooled Again, Pinball Wizard. Amazing Journey, Sparks, See Me Feel Me, Tea And Theater
Posted by Sean on 10:02 PM | Comments (0)
September 19, 2006
A rockin' mayor
When planning a trip to my favorite city, Baltimore, I happened to find out about an event I might want to check out for the Friday night after my beloved Orioles left town - The Baltimore Irish Festival.
It was the first time the festival was held at its new location, Canton Watefront Park, and when they say Waterfront, they mean it. The backstage area was no more than 15 feet from Baltimore Harbor.
The draw for me was Black 47's headlining appearance, as I have long been a fan of the band and have gotten to know singer Larry Kirwan somewhat over the years I have been covering music for the Connecticut Post.
It was Kirwan that told me about Baltimore's mayor, Martin O'Malley, and how he's an accomplished musician with his Irish rock band, O'Malley's March.
Friday was a rainy day in Baltimore, but, of course, the luck of the Irish held as the showers ended just before the start of the festivities. I arrived at the park, which is apparently new because none of the locals I asked had even heard of it.
I heard the band from a block away and the first person I happen to lay my eyes on was Kirwan, who was enjoying a Smithwick's as he schmoozed with a fan. He told me that the band on stage was O'Malley's March and the mayor was easy to pick out as he still had his suit on after a busy day of campaigning for governor of Maryland.
The band was surprisingly good, especially when you consider that it hasn't been doing many concerts because of the campaign.
Through Kirwan, I met the mayor after his performance and he is an impressive younger man with a sincerity that can't be faked. He's obviously passionate about the city and I have no doubt that he'll bring that passion to the governor's office if elected.
My only problem with O'Malley is his refusal to act on the major problem plaguing Baltimore. Unfortunately, there is nothing he can do to stop the tide of obnoxious Yankes and Red Sox fans from entering Oriole Park at Camden Yard.
Don't I suffer enough living in Fairfield County, surrounded by these people? Do I have to see and hear them when I'm at a home game?
I think I'll play it safe next year. I'll go back to Camden Yard when the Royals or Mariners are in town.
Posted by Sean on 2:30 PM | Comments (0)
September 5, 2006
Shakira shakes it up
I didn't really know what to expect when I arrived at the Mohegan Sun Arena Monday night for the Shakira concert. I had heard the song "Hips Don't Lie" - who hasn't - but other than that, not much by the Colombian sensation.
I sort of figured I would witness another pop spectacle, where style triumphs over substance, but I was in for a very pleasant surprise.
This girls rocks.
This was a full-blown rock concert with a killer band and just the right mix of upbeat numbers and ballads to satisfy the festive crowd.
Even though I didn't understand the majority of her lyrics - sung in Spanish - I couldn't help but get caught up in the festivities as her adoring crowd treated her as their queen, which is what she is. She's the female equivalent of The King, Elvis Presley. Good looking, energetic and extremely talented. And like Elvis the Pelvis, Shakira moves in ways that most people can't.
I would get even more caught up in the proceedings when Shakira sang in English - songs such as "Don't Bother," "Underneath Your Clothes" and, of course, "Hips Don't Lie."
As a male of the species, I also must confess that Shakira is by far the sexiest performer I have ever witnessed, and it didn't hurt that she performed, for the most part, in very low-riding outfits that showed off her incredible abs and her famous hips. The crowd oohed with every hip shake and aahed with every suggestive grind.
The crowd was nearly as entertaining as what was happening on stage. It had the feel of a South American soccer game as people came with the flags of their nations and T-shirts emblazoned with the names of their home countries. Naturally, there was an abundance of blue and yellow Colombia apparel.
Unlike Mariah Carey's recent show at the Mohegan Sun Arena, which saw her on stage for just 60 of the concert's 75 minutes, Shakira was definitely worth the money as she packed 17 songs into her 100-minute performance. She kept the costume changes to a minimum, about four, and even those amounted to just brief pauses in the action.
If Monday night had one disappointment, it would have to be the opening act, Wyclef Jean. He came on stage after DJ Leon played his music for 10 minutes as a sort of introduction to the crowd. If Wyclef's in the building and has his band with him, why didn't he just come out and perform these songs?
Then he performs a good, if unnecessary, cover of Bob Marley's "No Woman No Cry" before bringing out his sister, Melky, to overdo a song, as in making each syllable last forever.
Soon, Wyclef was going through the rap concert cliches ("Everybody say 'Hey' everybody say 'Oh'" and "How many [insert ethnicity here] do we have in the house?") I think he hit on every country in South America.
His talk of leaving the immigrants alone was amusing when he cited Puerto Ricans, who, if memory serves, are from a U.S. commonwealth.
Very disappointing, even if he atoned for it somewhat with Shakira's "Hips Don't Lie" in the encore, handling his parts from their hit collaboration.
Posted by Sean on 5:10 PM | Comments (4)
September 1, 2006
Mayer makes the tabloids
John Mayer not only has a new album coming out, apparently he’s got a new woman in his life — Jessica Simpson.
The Bridgeport-born, Fairfield-raised Mayer is now tabloid fodder as a big spread in the Sept. 4 National Enquirer reported how the two are “making beautiful music together.�
The cover of US Weekly trumpets Mayer as “a new love for Jess.�
According to the magazines, the pair met at a Grammy party last year and exchanged messages and phone calls before just recently starting to date.
The Web site www.SFGate.com reports Simpson spoke to Us Weekly about the relationship, saying that Mayer was great and that she wanted to “keep it private.�
Coincidentally, Mayer and Simpson have both had recent voice problems. Laryngitis forced Mayer to miss his Aug. 26 concert in Hartford and Simpson said her troubles were caused by a “busted blood vessel that bruised her vocal cords.�
This is Mayer’s second excursion into the world of the tabloids, as he had a much-publicized relationship with actress Jennifer Love Hewitt a few years back.
Tabloid appearance are obviously nothing new to Simpson, whose adventures with singer Nick Lachey started when they were dating and continued through their marriage and June 30 divorce.
Of course, the cynic in me will point out that both Mayer and Simpson have new albums and this could be nothing but a way for the two stars to get their faces plastered wherever possible.
But the National Enquirer and US Weekly are never wrong. Are they?
Mayer’s new album, Continuum, will be released Sept. 12 and Simpson’s latest, A Public Affair, came out Friday.
Posted by Sean on 6:11 PM | Comments (1)
