In mid-2023 The Fixx surprised their fans with news of a Fall 2023 US tour. As I sang the praises of  them here before, they are my all-time favorite band since the early 80’s.  So, of course I wanted to go.

They were playing at the Keswick as they did before- this time on November 20^th, the week of Thanksgiving.

Tickets went on sale in late June/early July. That week, I was home and in the throes of COVID. After 3 years of managing to avoid it, the nasty pandemic virus managed to get me hard: right smack in the middle of summer. For me, it was not “like the flu”, it was different. I coughed non-stop. It was difficult, almost impossible to take a deep breath. I hardly ate.  My sleep was disrupted. The fatigue and weakness were unlike anything I’ve experienced before- apart from a bad case of chronic fatigue syndrome. I have not read anything on this: but I am convinced that COVID plays with your moods, too. I was depressed and miserable for about a week and a half.

At the same time, in July and through August, my sweet cat Frankie who I’d only had for 3 years, became ill and was subsequently given a terminal diagnosis.  It was not a good time.

Still, by the grace of the internet, and despite feeling like hell, I managed to score tickets. Once again, I got front row seats- the same exact seats I had last time. It seemed like destiny, as well as a source of positive energy- which I really needed at that time. It would not be the first time that they lifted me during a rough time.

I recovered, and Frankie passed away. To mend my broken heart, I adopted a new kitten in September and named her Jamie, after the Fixx guitarist, Jamie West-Oram. It’s kind of funny that my kitten is a she named after a he.

November finally rolled around and so did a freezing cold spell- temps in the 30’s at night, a contrast to the weather during the last time they were here- a humid night in August.  Before the show, a group of fans that had become friendly over the Facebook fan page had met at a restaurant/bar  called Jerzees for dinner before the show. We were about a dozen people, all Fixxtures– the term for the die-hard fans. We had food and fellowship. It felt not much different than the church social events I’ve been too. Everyone was friendly and casual. We talked not just about The Fixx, but our lives. A few were curious about what I do as a deacon and why I chose that path. It was a joy to talk about it. We posed for a group photo, I brought a sign and dubbed the event “Fixxgiving.”

After dinner, I met up with my old college friend, Sarah, who was also going to the show. I had not seen her in a long time, and she messaged me about a donation. She is a caregiver for a living, and she had leftover personal hygiene products from a client who had passed away. She asked if I’d find a place to donate them. We met outside the theater, and I took the large bounty from her car to mine. It felt awesome to be doing diaconal work even on this night- a time for entertainment, but also a time to remember that I’m a deacon 24/7.

The show itself was excellent as I expected. After a strong opening performance by Kasim Sulton, they took the stage and played some songs that they haven’t played live in a while: like The Fool, which was the opener. Cy Curnin, completely covered in a shroud, had no problem singing as he gestured and held the material in place at the same time. His voice was as strong as ever. The shrouded figure disappeared and reappeared onstage during the guitar break, then Cy suddenly reappeared as himself- surprising us with the fact that the shroud was transferred to somebody else.  We laughed. Fooling us- get it? It’s nice to see Cy tap into his theatrical side- he and drummer Adam Woods were drama partners before their musical career.

They played the hits, of course, One Thing Leads to Another was one of them- I, and someone else nearby motioned to the crowd to stand up.  They played some songs not heard in a while, like Something Ahead of You and Just Before Dawn. Both were incredible live! Earlier in the year, their official Facebook page posted a question that asked, “Which song would you like to hear live?” I wonder if the answers were factored into building the set list.

During the song Are We Ourselves?,  Cy  pulled out a bulky old cellphone- the same kind used in their 1984 video of the song. It was a great inside joke for the fans. He jokingly “took a selfie” with the brick phone of himself and Jamie.  I got a great shot of that and it was later shared by Cy himself on Facebook. I was ecstatic to see that he shared my photo!

They ended with the powerful Red Skies, and came back out for the encore, starting with Happy Landings– a personal favorite of mine. It’s a beautiful song about getting through something difficult and landing on your feet. It was touching to hear it live. Next was the adrenaline filled Deeper and Deeper. Jamie, looking striking in his emerald green snakeskin patterned shirt against his purple guitar, gave a great solo, as always.  Instead of the tradition of ending with Secret Separation– which moved towards the top of the set, they ended with Saved by Zero. Though I love the studio version, it really packs a punch when played live and engages the audience.

After the show, I was determined to get a setlist. I never had one before, and they are sought after souvenirs. There is only a limited number of them on the stage.  I came up with the clever plan of making a sign asking for one, working the Thanksgiving theme into the request.  A whole bunch of us were around the stage and a crew member saw my sign and graciously gave me the one that was taped near Jamie’s mic.  He said, “She has a sign, she’s got to have one.” I thanked him and wished him a Happy Thanksgiving.

I met new faces who had traveled some distance to the show, and we hung out together outside near the band’s tour bus. It was very cold, clear and dark out, and the town seemed dead on this Monday night with the majority of businesses closed. It was the opposite of the warm, bright, busy summer night from the 2022 tour. We chatted a bit with bassist Dan K. Brown, who I didn’t even recognize at first because it was dark and he was bundled up, his trademark top hat put away. I had a small picture of the band with me in case they came out to sign, but I forgot my Sharpie and only had a pen. Dan graciously signed it. He said, “You know this is the second time I’m signing for you.” I was a little surprised, saying “Uh…yeah!” The first time was back in 1991 when he signed my Ink Tour poster- I am holding it in my “Why I am a Fixxture” YouTube video. I said, “Thank you, God bless.”  Jamie West-Oram came out for a bit and signed a copy of his solo album, Skeleton Key, for someone. I remember him saying hello to Ed (another die-hard Fixxture) and hugging him, and then he said hello to me, and he hugged me, towering over me in his long coat. Shortly after, he went back inside. We talked among ourselves and waited a little longer. I was asked if I had ever used Fixx lyrics in my sermons. The answer is yes, I have. Inspiration is a gift of the Spirit, and it can come from anywhere. There’s a running joke among preachers that we should come with a warning that says  “ Warning: anything you do or say can end up in a sermon.”  It was getting colder, and we were starting to tire out. We took this as our cue to leave and respect the privacy and downtime of the band and crew.  We said goodbye and went our separate ways. The night was over, more memories were made. Happy Landings!