10 Biggest Questions About Tomorrow

24 HOURS FROM WEIRDNESS

We're in the final countdown to Live Ricky IV, and you can feel the tension in the air. One person who can definitely feel it, is Andrew Unterberger, who decided on the ten biggest questions about the event. Before we get to that below, some reminders!

* Tickets are available in advance for $29.99, and $35 at the door. There will be tickets at the door, but who among us doesn't love things in advance? The show is all-ages and kid-friendly aside from the errant f-bomb.
* The most recent addition to the event is this amazing Mike Scott temporary tattoo set, which will be available at the Providence Animal Center booth for a small donation.
* Did you know bees make honey, and mead is made from honey? The new one from Colony Meadery is called "I Ain't No Peach" and it's available online Friday at noon (and not until then) at this link (Thursday in the taproom). Use the code HIVE for $5 off AND a poster of the sweet art.
* Fly The Process V is going to Indiana to see TJ on New Year's Eve. TJ will come to our private NYE party too. All details here. Because of a few reasons, capacity is MUCH LOWER this year, so book fast.

Alright... now to AU....
 

Only one day left until Live Ricky IV -- which, in the grand historic tradition of IVs (Rocky IV, Led Zeppelin IV, the band DIIV) is guaranteed to be the best one yet. Already, kids are skipping school and grown ups are calling in sick to the non-existent jobs that in theory they should have by now, just to line up around the corner from the Franklin Music Hall in their Hollis Thompson throwbacks and Grow the Orchard, Sam tees. Tomorrow night, for the second time in three weeks, it’s going to be both a full moon and Friday the 13th. 

Indeed, the breathless anticipation as the hours count down to Mike Scott o’clock has swept up the entire city of Philadelphia. And good thing, considering the Phillies are officially bad, the Eagles are bringing in Todd Pinkston for workouts, the dominant Sixers story line is somehow still about Markelle Fultz, and as far as I can tell the Flyers season still doesn’t start for another four months. Here are the ten questions on everyone’s mind, as the Ricky faithful officially crank into ONE MORE SLEEP gear.
 

1. What bizarre chant will sweep the crowd?

We’re almost certainly due for a handful of “MIKE! SCOTT! HIVE!”s, and we’re probably still not yet totally out of “NOR-MAL COL-LAR!” range either. But what about the more off-the-board choices? I’d like to believe there’s a shot for “JAMES ENNIS GROUP,” but the rhythm is a little too weird (and the naming rights for JEG are still too unsettled/controversial). Can we squeeze “APPRECIATORS” into a four-syllable clap? How about a “NO-MORE-PEA-NUTS?” Whatever it is, it’ll magically be something everyone arrives at organically and simultaneously. 

2. How long can Killakow’s Bill Simmons segment go before the crowd starts to turn on him?

Honestly, the answer to this question would’ve been totally different before the latest Malcolm Gladwell episode. That controversy -- which caused any self-respecting Process Truster to reflexively turn to KK’s twitter, like Americans tuning into Walter Cronkite after the JFK assassination -- must’ve bought him an extra couple minutes’ worth of material before anyone started getting antsy. Are we sure that Jerry Sandusky isn’t having a moment?

3. What will be the funniest Sixers shirt/jersey/shirsey in attendance?

A 2020 season-modeled Spencer Hawes or Joe Johnson jersey would be pretty good. Maybe a shirt of Andrei Kirilneko saying “I’m on the shirt”? Is Summer League Korkmaz already out of date? Would we make exceptions to our strict no-Celtics policy for a C’s Enes Kanter jersey that had “(is Boston’s starting center)” written on the back underneath the name? 

4. Who will be the biggest breakout performer of the evening, the person getting the tattoo or one of the two people lying on the Big Barker Dog Beds?

Laugh if you want, but the two dudes who napped on the Big Barker Therapeutics at Franklin Music Hall last year left that building as stars. Unfortunately for whoever fills that role this year, there’ll be competition for the spotlight this time out with the person sacrificing their body in homage to Mike Scott and the Ricky. No matter how it turns out, though, at least the Dog Bed crew can take comfort in knowing they had the far more palliative viewing experience than the poor soul getting ink seared into their flesh for a bloodthirsty audience of 1,000. 

5. How good will “Imagine the Process” sound when sung by a member of the Paul Green Rock Academy band?

Only one way to find out, and I certainly hope the young lady responsible for it takes us there.

6. Which longtime RTRS heel will show up just to get booed?

This question of course counts both Andrew Sharp and Howard Eskin as givens, as they no doubt had this date circled on their calendar since Mike Scott was just a gleam in the Los Angeles Clippers’ eye. Which Enemy of the Process will make their first-time appearance, though? Malcolm Brogdon might be the sentimental favorite -- feels like Spike and Mike have spent the entire summer trying to speak that one into existence -- but I’m holding out for Drew Hanlen, maybe even doing a Bash Brothers salute with Dr. Daniel Medina. Take your overdue laps of shame, cowards.
Check out the rest of AU's article, with numbers 7-10 here.
See you tomorrow?
-K