What Goes on Tour
Encyclopedia
"What Goes on Tour" is the ninth episode of the HBO comedy series Flight of the Conchords
. This episode first aired in the United States
on Sunday, August 12, 2007.
. Since they will, in Murray's opinion, need to be at the top of their game, he has organised a warm-up tour for them. When Bret asks how they can afford to go on tour, Murray says he has dipped into the band's "emergency fund". He flashes an envelope of cash but won't tell them where he got the money.
In the car on the way to their first gig, Murray gets a call from his wife Shelley. They had been separated but are back together now. We learn from his phone conversation that the 'emergency fund' came from their joint cheque account, and he hadn't told his wife that he had taken it to use for the tour. We also discover that Mel and Doug have been tailing their car.
The first gig of the tour turns out to be in dark lounge of a hotel next to LaGuardia Airport
. After the gig, Murray gives the boys a per diem
but is annoyed when he discovers they have spent all the money on leather suits. He intended the "per diem" to last all week. They try to give Murray a gift they had bought for him, but an annoyed Murray refuses without looking at it.
Up in the hotel room, Jemaine is trying to watch TV; however, Bret has to hold it in the air in order to get a decent reception. When his arms tire, he puts the TV down on the window sill, but it falls out the window. This results in Murray having to pay for a new TV out of the tour funds. Later at the next gig in Passaic
, Jemaine clumsily, though accidentally damages a club amplifier
, leaving Murray further out of pocket.
When they turn up at their next gig, they find their reputation for damaging equipment has preceded them and the club owner turns them away.
That night at the bar, Bret and Jemaine are invited to sit with the members of the North Jersey University Women's Water Polo
team. After finding out they are in a band, the girls ask for their autographs and suggest partying in the boys' room. Bret and Jemaine head upstairs first and, on the way up to their room, sing "Mermaid".
The guys wait all night, with Murray banished to sleep in the bathroom, but the girls do not show up. The next morning, they discover that the water polo girls have used their autographs and room number to charge a large bar bill to the band's room. However, that is not the end of the bad news for Murray — Bret, not understanding the American
parking
brake
, allows Murray's car
to roll into the hotel
swimming pool
.
A furious Murray quits as manager and storms off to walk home. Left without a way home, Bret and Jemaine are forced to ask Mel and Doug for a lift. When they catch up with Murray on the highway, they successfully manage to make up with him by giving him the gift they had bought for him earlier. It turns out to be a leather suit just like theirs.
The happy threesome head for their final gig in 'Central Park'. The band discovers, however, that Murray has misled them. The gig turns out to be in "a central park" in Newark
.
The concert is titled Newark Summer Jam '07.
Over the end credits, we see Murray on his mobile phone trying to explain to his boss why he has been absent from work all week.
act vocal style.
, founder and lead singer of The B-52's
.
When blaming Jemaine for dropping the TV out the window, Murray likens him to Keith Moon
, drummer for The Who
and notorious destroyer of hotel rooms. There is also a famous, possibly apocrypha
l, tale where Moon drove a car into a swimming pool — as Bret ends up doing later in the episode.
Midway through the episode, during a montage of tour scenes, a piano piece can be heard playing that is almost identical to the piano intro to the Mötley Crüe
song "Home Sweet Home
". The music video for "Home Sweet Home" also features scenes of a band on tour.
Flight of the Conchords (TV series)
Flight of the Conchords is an American television comedy series that debuted on HBO on June 17, 2007. The show follows the adventures of Flight of the Conchords, a two-man band from New Zealand, as its members seek fame and success in New York City. The show stars the real-life duo, Jemaine Clement...
. This episode first aired in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
on Sunday, August 12, 2007.
Plot synopsis
Murray organizes a warm-up tour in preparation for a big gig in Central Park. However, the boys' carelessness and an encounter with a women's water-polo team threatens to ruin the tour and their relationship with Murray.Plot
At a band meeting, Murray has some really good news — a gig in Central ParkCentral Park
Central Park is a public park in the center of Manhattan in New York City, United States. The park initially opened in 1857, on of city-owned land. In 1858, Frederick Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux won a design competition to improve and expand the park with a plan they entitled the Greensward Plan...
. Since they will, in Murray's opinion, need to be at the top of their game, he has organised a warm-up tour for them. When Bret asks how they can afford to go on tour, Murray says he has dipped into the band's "emergency fund". He flashes an envelope of cash but won't tell them where he got the money.
In the car on the way to their first gig, Murray gets a call from his wife Shelley. They had been separated but are back together now. We learn from his phone conversation that the 'emergency fund' came from their joint cheque account, and he hadn't told his wife that he had taken it to use for the tour. We also discover that Mel and Doug have been tailing their car.
The first gig of the tour turns out to be in dark lounge of a hotel next to LaGuardia Airport
LaGuardia Airport
LaGuardia Airport is an airport located in the northern part of Queens County on Long Island in the City of New York. The airport is located on the waterfront of Flushing Bay and Bowery Bay, and borders the neighborhoods of Astoria, Jackson Heights and East Elmhurst. The airport was originally...
. After the gig, Murray gives the boys a per diem
Per diem
Per diem refers to a specific amount of money that an organization allows an individual to spend per day, to cover living and traveling expenses in connection with work...
but is annoyed when he discovers they have spent all the money on leather suits. He intended the "per diem" to last all week. They try to give Murray a gift they had bought for him, but an annoyed Murray refuses without looking at it.
Up in the hotel room, Jemaine is trying to watch TV; however, Bret has to hold it in the air in order to get a decent reception. When his arms tire, he puts the TV down on the window sill, but it falls out the window. This results in Murray having to pay for a new TV out of the tour funds. Later at the next gig in Passaic
Passaic, New Jersey
Passaic is a city in Passaic County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city had a total population of 69,781, maintaining its status as the 15th largest municipality in New Jersey with an increase of 1,920 residents from the 2000 Census population of 67,861...
, Jemaine clumsily, though accidentally damages a club amplifier
Amplifier
Generally, an amplifier or simply amp, is a device for increasing the power of a signal.In popular use, the term usually describes an electronic amplifier, in which the input "signal" is usually a voltage or a current. In audio applications, amplifiers drive the loudspeakers used in PA systems to...
, leaving Murray further out of pocket.
When they turn up at their next gig, they find their reputation for damaging equipment has preceded them and the club owner turns them away.
That night at the bar, Bret and Jemaine are invited to sit with the members of the North Jersey University Women's Water Polo
Water polo
Water polo is a team water sport. The playing team consists of six field players and one goalkeeper. The winner of the game is the team that scores more goals. Game play involves swimming, treading water , players passing the ball while being defended by opponents, and scoring by throwing into a...
team. After finding out they are in a band, the girls ask for their autographs and suggest partying in the boys' room. Bret and Jemaine head upstairs first and, on the way up to their room, sing "Mermaid".
The guys wait all night, with Murray banished to sleep in the bathroom, but the girls do not show up. The next morning, they discover that the water polo girls have used their autographs and room number to charge a large bar bill to the band's room. However, that is not the end of the bad news for Murray — Bret, not understanding the American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
parking
Parking
Parking is the act of stopping a vehicle and leaving it unoccupied for more than a brief time. Parking on one or both sides of a road is commonly permitted, though often with restrictions...
brake
Brake
A brake is a mechanical device which inhibits motion. Its opposite component is a clutch. The rest of this article is dedicated to various types of vehicular brakes....
, allows Murray's car
Automobile
An automobile, autocar, motor car or car is a wheeled motor vehicle used for transporting passengers, which also carries its own engine or motor...
to roll into the hotel
Hotel
A hotel is an establishment that provides paid lodging on a short-term basis. The provision of basic accommodation, in times past, consisting only of a room with a bed, a cupboard, a small table and a washstand has largely been replaced by rooms with modern facilities, including en-suite bathrooms...
swimming pool
Swimming pool
A swimming pool, swimming bath, wading pool, or simply a pool, is a container filled with water intended for swimming or water-based recreation. There are many standard sizes; the largest is the Olympic-size swimming pool...
.
A furious Murray quits as manager and storms off to walk home. Left without a way home, Bret and Jemaine are forced to ask Mel and Doug for a lift. When they catch up with Murray on the highway, they successfully manage to make up with him by giving him the gift they had bought for him earlier. It turns out to be a leather suit just like theirs.
The happy threesome head for their final gig in 'Central Park'. The band discovers, however, that Murray has misled them. The gig turns out to be in "a central park" in Newark
Newark, New Jersey
Newark is the largest city in the American state of New Jersey, and the seat of Essex County. As of the 2010 United States Census, Newark had a population of 277,140, maintaining its status as the largest municipality in New Jersey. It is the 68th largest city in the U.S...
.
The concert is titled Newark Summer Jam '07.
Over the end credits, we see Murray on his mobile phone trying to explain to his boss why he has been absent from work all week.
"Mermaid"
There was only one full song in this episode, "Mermaid" (a.k.a. Mermaids). The boys imagine the girls of the water polo team are mermaids and sing an ode to the mythical creatures in a loungeLounge music
Lounge music is a retrospective description of music popular in the 1950s and 1960s. It is a type of mood music meant to evoke in the listeners the feeling of being in a place — a jungle, an island paradise, outer space, et cetera — other than where they are listening to it...
act vocal style.
Other songs
Bret and Jemaine play a fragment of "Rock the Party" at the gig in the hotel lounge. In the park at the end of the episode, when Murray is on the phone, we can see the boys on stage in the background playing the intro music for "Robots".Cultural references
The club owner that turns the band away is played by Kate PiersonKate Pierson
Catherine Elizabeth "Kate" Pierson is an American vocalist and one of the lead singers and founding members of The B-52's. One of the multi-instrumentalists in the band, Pierson played guitar, bass and various keyboard instruments...
, founder and lead singer of The B-52's
The B-52's
The B-52's are an American rock band, formed in Athens, Georgia in 1976. The original line-up consisted of Fred Schneider , Kate Pierson , Cindy Wilson , Ricky Wilson , and Keith Strickland . Following Ricky Wilson's death in 1985 Strickland switched to guitar...
.
When blaming Jemaine for dropping the TV out the window, Murray likens him to Keith Moon
Keith Moon
Keith John Moon was an English musician, best known for being the drummer of the English rock group The Who. He gained acclaim for his exuberant and innovative drumming style, and notoriety for his eccentric and often self-destructive behaviour, earning him the nickname "Moon the Loon". Moon...
, drummer for The Who
The Who
The Who are an English rock band formed in 1964 by Roger Daltrey , Pete Townshend , John Entwistle and Keith Moon . They became known for energetic live performances which often included instrument destruction...
and notorious destroyer of hotel rooms. There is also a famous, possibly apocrypha
Apocrypha
The term apocrypha is used with various meanings, including "hidden", "esoteric", "spurious", "of questionable authenticity", ancient Chinese "revealed texts and objects" and "Christian texts that are not canonical"....
l, tale where Moon drove a car into a swimming pool — as Bret ends up doing later in the episode.
Midway through the episode, during a montage of tour scenes, a piano piece can be heard playing that is almost identical to the piano intro to the Mötley Crüe
Mötley Crüe
Mötley Crüe is an American heavy metal band formed in Los Angeles, California in 1981. The group was founded by bass guitarist Nikki Sixx and drummer Tommy Lee, who were later joined by lead guitarist Mick Mars and lead singer Vince Neil...
song "Home Sweet Home
Home Sweet Home (Mötley Crüe song)
"Home Sweet Home" is a song by the American heavy metal band Mötley Crüe. It was originally released in 1985 on the album Theatre of Pain, and again in 1991 for the Decade of Decadence compilation album...
". The music video for "Home Sweet Home" also features scenes of a band on tour.