The Flamingo Kid has me perplexed

I'm confused.

Some people will want to propagate the idea that Fox News is BAD!!! That channel is Republican propaganda, everything they say is dangerous and completely one-sided, and it's just plain wrong for Americans to watch the "faux" news they put forth to the public.

(That's true, right?)

It's my understanding, according to some, that Sean Hannity represents all things Republican and what does that mean? That means he only cares about himself. The plight of the suffering means NOTHING to Sean Hannity and Fox News.

(Also true, right?)

Then what the hell is Matt Dillon doing on Hannity discussing the plight of the suffering in Sudan? Wouldn't this just be a waste of time to Hannity? Liberals, I ask you -- doesn't this go against everything Fox News stands for . . . in your opinion?? Or is it, perhaps, you're wrong in your assessment of that news channel?

Actually, far more important than slandering/spreading lies about Fox News is what Dallas Winston is saying here. Pay attention to that, won't you? (I hope because it's on Fox News, the importance of the cause isn't lessened. Is it?)

and consider helping out with a few bucks if it's in your heart to

because God knows the government giving tax-payer dollars
surely won't get the job done.

if you'd like to learn about how you can help,
check out:

www.refugeesinternational.org

Oh tidings of comfort and joy

Merry Christmas, Amy. I miss you.

God Rest Ye Merry Gentleman
Jerry Garcia & David Grisman
12/7/91 Warfield Theater, San Francisco

Merry Christmas?

Happy Xmas (War Is Over) - John Lennon

the truly helpless

Sarah McLachlan Silent Night

Clarence & Jer: Perfect Together!

God, I miss this...

Waiting For a Miracle
Jerry Garcia Band w/ Clarence Clemons of the E Street Band
1989 or 1990

Clueless Prez

Barack has no deaf-ense for a tin ear

By MICHAEL GOODWIN
Last Updated: 7:38 AM, December 17, 2009
Posted: 5:11 AM, December 16, 2009

Of all the surprises of President Obama's first year, the biggest is his continuing tin ear for the mood of the country. He often appears clueless about what Americans want.

Almost from the moment he stepped into the Oval Office, the man who smashed the Clinton machine and won an electoral landslide over John McCain seemed to lose his touch with the people who put him there.

Some days, many days, he doesn't look like he cares that big chunks of the country, left, right and center, are giving up on him.

Voters by a large margin have said for months they don't want the health-care overhaul he's pushing, so he pushes harder. They want less spending and debt, so he doubles down on pork, bailouts, handouts and taxes.

They thought he would deliver bipartisanship, and he gives his hard-left allies the keys to the kingdom.

They worry about terrorism, so he wants to close Gitmo and move the worst of the worst to the homeland. With Ground Zero still a mess, he gives the 9/11 plotters civilian trials in New York.

His approval ratings are speeding downhill and some 60 percent say the country is on the wrong track. He responds by giving himself a "good solid B-plus" for his first year.

And he says Wall Street bankers "don't get it."

It comes as no surprise, of course, that our young president has a very, very high opinion of himself. But it is nonetheless shocking he remains so brazenly self-righteous in the face of growing public discontent.

A damn-the-torpedoes style of leadership would be welcome if he were an optimist brandishing an inclusive, sunny-side up vision. He's not. He's too often testy, churlish and downright whiny.

His vision is little more than a string of gauzy utopian platitudes glued together with fear, as when he told fellow Dems yesterday that the flawed health-bill represented "the last chance" for reform.

The last chance? Forever?

His charge that bankers have an obligation "to help rebuild the economy" by making more and presumably riskier loans boggles the mind. Low standards are the hair of the dog that led to liar loans and other housing disasters. By all means, let's do it again.

When something goes wrong, it's not his fault. "Fat-cat bankers," "greedy" insurance companies, doctors who do amputations just for the money, special interests, the media -- the media! -- have all taken their turns being blamed for what he hasn't fixed.

The buck doesn't stop on his desk!

If all other scapegoats fail, there's always George W. Bush. Pressed during last Sunday's "60 Minutes" interview on his decision to send 30,000 more troops to Afghanistan, Obama shared his pain and slandered Bush -- all to distinguish his troop surge from his predecessor's.

"One of the mistakes that was made over the last eight years is for us to have a triumphant sense about war," Obama said. "There was a tendency to say, 'We can go in. We can kick some tail. This is some glorious exercise.' When, in fact, this is a tough business."

So even when he reaches the same conclusion as Bush, pursues the same enemy, relies on the same commanders and the same Defense secretary, it's different.

Why? Because he says so.

http://www.nypost.com/p/news/national/barack_has_no_deaf_ense_for_tin_eKCniIScOV2j2e0bi8yWTK

Peace Through War

Warmonger? George W. Bush Part 2?

Or is he intelligent enough to know that sometimes
peace is achieved through war?

Afghanistan needs the U.S.

Terrorist scum are NOT civilian criminals

9/11 Families for a Safe & Strong America

9/11 Never Forget Coalition

Dock Ellis & The LSD No-No

Something Good For A Change

While it's not the most important issue America has to face, maybe lowering childhood obesity is something that President Obama can accomplish. There are very serious threats our government has to deal with day in and day out, but if Obama has the time to give more attention to this, that would make me a happy camper. Maybe something good can come from his presidency. Maybe.

starring: NFL stars Drew Brees, Troy Palamalu, DeMarcus Ware for United We Serve

Philly Jerry (sort of)

I absolutely cannot believe I have not listened to anything Jerry in approximately two months. That's just a wild guess -- could be longer. No GD, no JGB, no Jerry & Merl, no Garcia-Grisman, nothing. Spells like this have occurred in the past and each time I come back, I wanna kick myself because it's simply the best dang music in the world! Why'd I stop then? Not really my choice, in a way. This music brings joy and while I want that in my life, joy overall just ain't happenin'. Music's not gonna bring the true happyness that's wanted. So why bother?!

Why'm I listening today then? Not sure. Just am.

Jerry Garcia Band November 25, 1977 Tower Theatre Upper Darby, Pennsylvania

early show

How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved By You)
Catfish John
Sitting In Limbo
Simple Twist Of Fate
That's What Love Will Make You Do
Knockin' On Heaven's Door
Mystery Train
Mission In The Rain

Sound quality is a bit off-putting at first but it gets a little better and I was able to get used to it just fine. There is some channel fluctuation here and there in most songs but it's not terribly annoying.

Halfway thru the opening How Sweet It Is we get to hear Jerry hit his stride, followed by an impressive solo from Keith on piano. John steps it up on bass and then it's back to Jer again. Mmm. Turn this UP!

At some point in Catfish John, the quality takes a turn for the even better. Jerry's geetar and Keith's piano and Buzz's drums and Donna & Maria's background vocals begin to come in much clearer.

Sitting In Limbo is mighty delectable. Donna and Maria sing so beautifully and what a great jam this tune has. Man, they slide into such a great groove, exiting on the other side to the crowd totally loving it.

After a flawless Simple Twist Of Fate, my favorite part comes in That's What Love Will Make You Do. Another jam here that is purely and perfectly in such a sweet groove. Jerry's on cruise control. The whole band is completely on. Unfortunately there's a tape flip near the end. It doesn't cut the jam but it minorly spoils the tune. Eh, just keep on smilin' through it and fahgetaboutit 'cause that is some great, great playin'.

A fine show the Philly area fans were treated to. Yup, fine indeedy.

P.S. no late show. I don't have it. Maybe next year.

As of Nov 25, '09, Garcia stuff is still not at the LMA

Download The Show Here Source: shnid=16837 Audio Quality: Lineage: Unknown Aud-» Cassette?-» CD Part 1 - JGB 11/25/77 early show ♦ 11/25/77 early show JGB - Part 2

mp3 320 kbps not a SBD + setlist (no lossless FLAC) 11-25-77 aka 11/25/77 aka 77-11-25 Tower Theater, close to Philadelphia

Scum of the Earth

Scott Fenstermaker = Traitor Dooshbag.

FOTD

mayhaps one o' these days i'll be in the mood for posting some actual downloadable music... right now (and for quite awhile, i guess) i'm just not feelin' it.

Dig this...

dirty smelly hippies

Charlotte - Fall Tour '89

Still Smokin'

Carlos Santana on the debut of Lopez Tonight (with George Lopez) 11/9/09

Unify

david crosby, stephen stills, graham nash, chippin' away berlin wall germany

Dig this

part 1


-part 2-

Savior to the Rescue!

Don't wanna be treated this old way

On Tuesday, the Empire State Building was lit up in honor of the Grateful Dead... on Wednesday Bob & Phil were in town for a fundraiser... and they played a little ditty that you might recognize...

playing with a band called Wigjam

ouch. unfortunately the sound cuts out a few times but it comes back


They also played this...


That's kinda odd...
it was a Grateful Dead event but they played no true Grateful Dead songs.
Still looks pretty cool for those who were there.

Goin' Down The Road Feelin' Bad by Bob Weir Phil Lesh Wigjam
fundraiser for the New York Historical Society

America's Safety Should Be #1

ESB in "Tie Dye"

Last night (October 19) the Empire State Building (that's in NYC, yo) was lit up in honor of the Grateful Dead? (Better than being lit up to honor Communist China.)

It appears Phil & Bob will be in town mañana for a New-York Historical Society Fundraiser and in "March 2010, the New-York Historical Society will present the first large-scale exhibition of materials from the Grateful Dead Archive."

Here's a link for more info.

image borrowed from and copyright ccho on Flickr

Funny Mulder

Punk for Pups and Pussies

Are you in the tri-state area? (NY-NJ-CT . . . is there any other that actually matters? NO!) Are you out on Long Island? You gotta car, right? A Schwinn? One of them idiotic Segway dealies? Can ya drive a train, Casey? Charge a fuckin' plane ticket on your Diner's Club card, I don't fuckin' care, just go get yer ass to this show. A'ight? Jeez, what do I gotta do, kick yer ass all the way to Amityville myself? Yeah, it's where that movie and those murders took place, so fuckin' what? Go anyway. You'll be supportin' a great fuckin' cause, ya fuckin' hear me? GO!!

Out of the Shelter into the Pit
Come check out a great punk show and support our shelter

Saturday, October 17, 2009
4:00pm - 10:00pm
Broadway Bar, 198 Broadway, Amityville, New York
$10 cover goes to our Shelter

My friend Nazz from Bleedin' Out is in Dirty Pillows
so tell 'em Zoooma sent ya.

Have you left yet???? GO!!!!!

Freeport Animal Shelter says: "we are a private no-kill shelter that functions as a 501c. Our organization is striving to upgrade our facility and support the local stray and abandoned animal population through the generosity of private donors and animal adoptions. We are one of the oldest no-kill shelters on LI and we are struggling to maintain quality services for our animals."

Help 'em Out!!!
freeportanimalshelter.com

Or find a shelter near you!
Shelter Finder

Oils for Waves

Midnight Oil 9/29/03
DNA Lounge, San Francisco

benefit for the Surfrider Foundation

Surfing With A Spoon
Feeding Frenzy
Brave Faces
Wharf Rat
Wedding Cake Island
Back On The Borderline
Burnie

Sound quality kinda sucks -- definitely below average, unfortunately. Vocals are often lost in the mix but it's still listenable. My highlight, besides hearing songs from way back in the earliest days of the Midnight Oil (there's like nothing between 80 and 93!), is the UBER-rare performance of Wharf Rat. The Oils recorded this for inclusion on the 1991 Grateful Dead tribute album: Deadicated. Even though they made that recording, the tune has been incredibly absent from their lives shows I guess here in San Francisco, home of the Good Ol' Grateful Dead, Peter Garrett wanted to pay tribute to the city's most famous band and they break it out for the fans. Of course I have no idea how many in attendance may have been a Deadhead and gave a crap about Wharf Rat, but this Deadhead typing this loves that it was played. I wonder if Garrett even listens to the GD but even if not I'm sure he appreciated what they've done as a band in their career. He makes a half-joke about the Grateful Dead saying, "They're all kind of overweight now but they're still very decent people," and goes on to say about the Deadicated album, "If you haven't got it in your collection, you should pick it up 'cause it's pretty neat."

Have a listen to the live version of Wharf Rat from this show...

At around 8 minutes in length, the Oils' version here almost approaches Grateful Dead-like territory as the band gets into a bit a dreamy jam through the last few minutes. Very cool and it's a shame they didn't keep it going for another awhile longer. Oh well.

Overall, a cool little show from this amazing Aussie band. I may have hopped on the bandwagon when they got popular here in the U.S. with Beds Are Burning but exploring all their albums and shows is a music treat and being a Deadhead, this one's gotta be the tastiest of all!

9-29-93 a.k.a. 09-29-93 a.k.a. 9/29/93 a.k.a. 09/29/93 a.k.a. 93-09-29

Download The Show Here unknown audience recording @ 320 kbps Midnight Oil - DNA Lounge, SF - 9/29/93

The Surfrider Foundation is a non-profit environmental organization dedicated to the protection and enjoyment of the world's oceans, waves and beaches for all people, through conservation, activism, research and education.

Donate and/or check out their website at:

www.surfrider.org

Weirday

i just noticed it's Robert Hall Weir's birthday.

Happy Birthday, Bob!



Yeah, Fuck you, too, Bob! The Grateful Dead suck ass, biotche!!!

Who's Your Papa?

Papa Mali and Seven Walkers

Sunday, October 11, 2009

Saxon Pub, Austin, Texas

Papa Mali - guitar and vocals
Bill Kreutzmann - drums
Reed Mathis - bass
Matt Hubbard - keys

SaveKUTAustin benefit

Do Your Thing
Death Don't Have No Mercy
New Orleans Crawl
Bertha
Wharf Rat
Mr. Charlie

This is my first time listening to Papa Mali and I'm impressed. My only complaints are I wish the show was longer and I kind of wish he mixed in another one or two of his songs to make this feel like less of a cover band. Aside from that this is a cool set of music. Do Your Thing is a Papa Mali original, I believe. It's kinda mellow to start but momentum builds nicely. Billy K is playing great, a marvelous backup to the guitar stylings of Papa Mali. This almost feels Doors-esque at times... or maybe a little Allmansy?

Death Don't Have No Mercy has a jazzy feel through some of it, I think because of the keys and the way Billy's playin' the skins, but there's a good amount of Delta blues in there, as well.

Much more of a jazzy feel throughout a new Robert Hunter tune, New Orleans Crawl. Yeah, this is straight off Bourbon Street... I can picture Louis Armstrong singin' this and blowin' that trumpet of his in place of Papa's guitar, or perhaps a Bing Crosby-Satchmo duet. Oh yeah, Robert must have been down in the Quarter when he got his inspiration for this one. Then again, he may have only written the lyrics and had no input on the music.

Have a listen to New Orleans Crawl. Lyrics by Robert Hunter.

Wow -- Bertha really gets goin' and Papa Mali's guitar work is excellent... not perfect but a couple times for little while I'm thinkin' he just nails it... but without sounding like Jerry. The bass could be crankin' a little more but what we get fits in really nicely. You can tell Billy loves playin' this one, especially at the end.

A lot of Hammond B-3 on this Wharf Rat gives it not a totally different sound but somewhat. While the organ sort of lifts the song to Heaven, the bass is the counterweight giving this a deeper, darker feel throughout. Billy being the sole drummer also gives this a noticeably different sound than a regular GD version. The way he drives all on his own is amazing and just hearkens back to the days before Mickey and when Mickey was absent from the Dead. The Rhythm Devils duo is an amazing sound but Billy can sure play on his own, even still all these years.

Having a very similar feel to Bertha (danceably energetic,) Mr. Charlie closes out the short set and it's an excellently fun version. Not quite Pigpen but better than Warren Haynes with The Dead. There's a nifty keyboard solo in there and Billy alone on drums just makes it so perfect.

Overall, a funky, jazzy, bluesy, jammy set of tunes that totally floats my boat! I'll be lookin' forward to more of this in the future. There's a Halloween show coming up so if you're in the Yosemite area, go check it out!

And here's Mr. Charlie for your listening pleasure

10-11-09 a.k.a. 10/11/09 a.k.a. 09-10-11

Download The Show Here (320 kbps) Papa Mali with Bill Kreutzmann - Austin 10/11/09 Lineage: Church Audio Cards-> CA-9100 pre amp -> Microtrak 24/48 ->R8brain->CD Wave->TLH

pictures borrowed from and copyright Austaper

The Jerk plays The Banjo

Steve Martin
with the Steep Canyon Rangers

Saturday, October 3, 2009

Speedway Meadow, Golden Gate Park, San Francisco

Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Festival

Hoedown at Alice's->
Freddie's Lilt->
The Crow
Daddy Played The Banjo*
Pitkin County Turnaround
Late For School
Nowhere To Law Low**
Be Still Moses**
Jubilation Day
Clawhammer Medley
Hide Behind A Rock
Words Unspoken
Tin Roof
Calico Train
Orange Blossom Special

* with Tim O'Brien; ** without Steve

Fun show. A really good time, definitely well worth it! Steve is crackin' jokes between nearly every song because, after all, he's Steve Martin! What do you expect him to do, just play music and humorlessly leave it at that? Heck no, dang it! He gives the crowd many truly laugh out loud moments not to mention some great banjo playin'. The Steep Canyon Rangers as Steve's backup band are just excellent. Is this world class bluegrass? Ya know what, I can't tell ya... I can only tell ya what I like and me likes this mucho, thank you very much. Late For School has gotta be my favorite here as it's just this totally nonsensical jolly meandering tale that could almost be something out of Saturday Night Live. And then at the end of Orange Blossom Special my feeling of elatedness for the greatness of the musical presentation sank to sadness for I simply did not want it to end. Ah well, this ain't no jam band, just a bluegrass band, and what they gave the crowd was, for my money, nothing less than splendid.

Have a listen to Orange Blossom Special

10-3-09 a.k.a. 10-03-09 a.k.a. 10/3/09 a.k.a. 10/03/09 a.k.a. 09-10-03

Download The Show Here (320 kbps) Steve Martin - Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Festival 2009 stealth audience recording by Easy Ed from the fourth row directly in front of a speaker stack (about 20-30 feet away) Rode NT4 stereo microphone mounted to the top of a cowboy hat > Sony D8 DAT (with microphone preamps modified by Oade Brothers) @ 44.1kHz > Tascam DA-P1 DAT (playback) > coax digital out > Sek'd Prodif Plus soundcard > Sound Forge 7 (fade in and out, track markers) > .wav files > Trader's Little Helper > FLAC level 8 encoding (align on sector boundaries)

Musical Steve... Pre-Bluegrass

Steve Martin - King Tut skit on Saturday Night Live

Help

www.hsus.org

Truly Needed Change

How come on a cloudless day when the sun is blaring down, people will say it's SUNNY . . . but on a cloudless night when the moonlight is bright, no one says it's MOONY?

Televangehypnotism?

Living Colour September 11, 2009 Mexicali Live Teaneck, New Jersey

Middle Man
Desperate People
Type
Flying
Bi
Elvis Is Dead
Drum Solo
Burned Bridges
The Chair
DecaDance
Young Man
Method
Behind The Sun
Bless Those
Hard Times
Taught Me
Out Of Mind
Not Tomorrow
Cult Of Personality

Encore: Time's Up
Love Rears Its Ugly Head
Should I Stay (Or Should I Go)

I'm not entirely sure why but when I found about this Living Colour show, I had to have it. I dug this band since their debut album and early videos on MTV (back when MTV actually used to feature music videos.) I have their debut, Vivid, as well as whatever their next album was. For about a decade, decade and a half or so, I didn't really listen to them more than once every couple years or so. Never knew a single note of other music they put out. But still I just had to have this show.

Maybe it has a little to do with the fact that the show took place in Teaneck, New Jersey. I used to go there when I was a kid, to 125 Galway Place. (Weird how more than two decades later I still remember that address so well.) My dad worked for many years in Teaneck when I was growin' up in northern New Jersey and I used to go to the office with him sometimes... maybe a few hundred times, actually.

And then there's the fact that this took place on 9/11. But if it was a show by Living Colour on 9/11 in Houston or Seattle or Champaign, Illinois, it wouldn't have the same appeal to me. But Teaneck, at the former Mexicali Blues Cafe, right in the NYC area..... yeah, this was something I wanted.

And so I got it and here it is. Pretty cool show. After some familiar songs, the show changes somewhat in the middle when they play their entire new album all the way through... good music, I just didn't know it. Who did?! It came out like a few days after this show! I'm now on my third listen and it's definitely energetic and well-written stuff.

One song in the show, a tribute to September 11, has brought me to tears during the second and third listen after I fetched the lyrics for it....

Flying

I jumped out the window to get to the parking lot
I'm writing this little song on my way down
Never in my life have I felt a heat so hot
I had to get out

Such a lovely day to go flying
The sky's so clear, the sun is shining
Fate has given me wings
Such a terrible funny thing

I was gathering up my nerve to ask out Carmen
She glanced out the window
Oh my God
The room It went away, now we're holding hands
Just not the way I planed

Such a lovely day to go flying
The sky's so clear, the sun is shining
Fate has given me wings
Such a terrible funny thing
Funny thing

I jumped out the window to get to the parking lot
I'm writing this little song on my way down

Such a lovely day to go flying
The sky's so clear, the sun is shining
Fate has given me wings
Such a terrible funny thing
Funny thing
Such a funny thing
Funny thing
Funny thing
Such a terrible funny thing

9/11 is something that has affected me immensely. Eight years later and I can't watch a single second of footage from that day; I've simply gotta change the channel or turn away or both. It's too much for me and these lyrics are... I don't know exactly but the song brings me to an incredibly staid state of being. The feeling of that horrible day is matched by the music here. The two musical forces behind Living Colour (no offense to Doug Wimbish on bass) -- Vernon Reid on guitar and Will Calhoun on drums -- are... very respectful of the nearly 3,000 who were murdered as well as the countless who have been affected. All of this together courses through me and makes me loathe everything in the world... or at least not understand it. But then who does? What an incredible song.

The audio ain't the greatest
but here's the performance of Flying from this show...

While that part of the show was something to behold, fun surely follows, particularly with Elvis Is Dead which features some sweet sax by guest musician Jeff Smith. And then holy freakin' Drum Solo, Batman. Will Calhoun is an unbelievable genius!

After the playing of the new album, the crowd gets to hear Living Colour's most famous song, Cult Of Personality. Check it out...

Three songs for the encore including a cover of The Clash's Should I Stay (Or Should I Go?) That one's not exactly played as 72 billion people know it and it might take some getting used to but it's pretty cool. Again, have a listen...

Unfortunately, the sound quality is just average. To me, that's not good enough. Well, wait... it is good enough but average is almost disappointing, actually, especially in this day and age of great recording gear. Also, just last night I listened to a show from Buckeye Lake Music Center (not quite a small indoor club) from 19-freakin'-88 and the quality of the Audience recording was a-freakin'-mazing. So why in 2009 is something a little muddy and distant like this is? Oh well. Still it's listenable and better than most of the Youtube vids of this show that I've checked out. And despite it not bein' the crispest Audience source, I've dug three listens of it and I'm sure I'll pull it out again someday to Press Play on once again.

Here's a pretty good "report" on the show....

from Kweevak.com: The Chair In The Doorway is the new hard-hitting album from Living Colour available on September 15 from Megaforce Records. The recording is a colorful pallet of passionate and pointed prose with pulsing rhythms. The eleven tracks are divided between metal tinged tunes with hypnotic hooks and more vibrantly visual pieces that are molded with the band's trademarked melody and multi-part harmonies. Heralding from New York City, Living Colour (Corey Glover-vocals, Vernon Reid-guitar, Doug Wimbish-bass and Will Calhoun-drums) formed in the 80's. Living Colour's unique urban rock blended free-form jazz, funk, hip-hop, metal and punk and their lyrics were often caustic and cautionary in pointing out injustice and racism in America. Mick Jagger of the Rolling Stones saw their potential and produced their early demo tapes with two songs appearing on their smash debut album Vivid. Their anthemic "Cult of Personality" won a Grammy for Best Hard Rock Performance in 1989. Today, Living Colour is back with a vengeance touring in support of The Chair In The Doorway with a stop at Mexicali Live in Teaneck, New Jersey on September 11, 2009. The venue's compact stage was packed with gear as both Vernon and Doug made full use of effect pedals and digitally driven enhancements. Calhoun's yellow drum kit was impressive and at one point Reid joked that Will has the Cadillac of drums. Behind the stage was a screen with visual displays that recorded shots of the band in bleeding colors, capturing their movements, and adding to what was already a very vivid stage presence. Living Colour opened with the massive sounding "Middle Man". Vernon was cool and collected as he pulled concise, colorful chords from his black guitar. Wimbish was technical, too, using a variety of techniques such as tapping and thumping his fingers over the bass strings while mixing in rapid pulls on the neck in a dragging motion. Will, a graduate of the Berklee College of Music, was the driving force behind the band with his bold beats and tricky time-keeping. "Desperate People" was daunting with demanding drumming, soulful stirring singing and intense instrumental exchanges. The song flowed into "Type" that blended rapid fire rhymes, roaring riffs and a dash of reggae effects. Reid acknowledged the date (9/11) and dedicated "Flying" to those who died and were impacted by that fateful day. The song soared on Glover's silky vocals and the instrumentation went from spacious to haunting. The tune took a quick turn into David Bowie's "Heroes" bringing it to an even higher level. Living Colour was edgy and engaging. Corey easily coerced the crowd to sing the refrain "everybody" and "Elvis is Dead", which included a sassy sax solo from guest player V Jeffrey Smith of The Family Stand. The sax was countered by Calhoun who was ever commanding on the kit. "Elvis is Dead" segued into Will's solo that was daunting and included the use of an electronic drum pad to produce strange sounds and beats that were befuddling but beguiling. Returning to the kit Will used LED lighted sticks that emphasized his speed and motion. The band took a quick break and returned to the stage announcing that they would be doing something different at this show by playing their new album in its entirety and sequence. "Burned Bridges" was bold with brash build ups and edgy effects. "The Chair" melded metal with menacing meandering. "DecaDance" was caustic with crashing chord structures. "Young Man" was a rocking rant with racing rhythms followed by "Method" - a methodical and moody piece. "Behind The Sun" was feisty and funky and featured some harmonies. "Bless Those" - a personal favorite off the new disc - was reflective and robust with a catchy repeating refrain. From our perspective, the crowd quickly connected to this tuneful track. "Hard Times" started off pretty but quickly turned to power packed pulsing prose. "Taught Me" was a mid-tempo melodic muse followed by "Out of Mind" with its thunderous time-keeping twinged with metal guitar tones and threatening bass lines and lyrics. "Not Tomorrow" had a slightly swamp feel to it with soulful singing, saucy string work from Vernon and smoky rhythms. Living Colour closed their set with an animated version of their anthem "Cult Of Personality" which is still a passionate and powerful piece. "Time's Up" started with the sound of clocks that quickly collided into fast and furious fret work filled with frightening rhythms. "Love Rears Its Ugly Head" blended funk and metal and moved through a number of moods. The third song of the encore was the classic "Should I Stay (Or Should I Go) by The Clash - a cover that was featured on Vivid. Living Colour's interpretation was creative and crazed and left the crowd craving more. Opening for Living Colour was Phantasm a young three-piece from Philadelphia. Phantasm was eager and energetic. Their set was a mix of high speeds and styles. Their songs melded metal with a punchy punk attitude with lots of changes. The guitarist who handled lead vocals had a wide range and could hit high notes. The trio was very animated in their movements and music. At one point, the bass player was jamming and standing on the bass drum. Their thunderous tunes had theatrical moments and generally they were able to engage the crowd who were eager to see Living Colour. by Rich and Laura Lynch, Kweevak.com

09-11-09 a.k.a. 9-11-09 a.k.a. 9/11/09 a.k.a. 09/11/09 a.k.a. 09-09-11 Mexicali Blues Cafe

Download The Show Here (320 kbps) Part 1 ♦ ▬ ♦ Part 2 original text file (not included in .rar files.) Recorded & Transferred By Bob Pitlak Lineage: Zoom H-4>wav>Usb>Pc>Cd Wav>Traders Little Helper>Flac

in the big hard world

Introspection... but not a thesis, not while buzzed. This song -- Hard Sun by Eddie Vedder -- has got me captivated this morning.

I put the Into The Wild Soundtrack on and when I got to Hard Sun I set the music player to repeat and play just that one song -- over and over and over, for a half hour, for an hour, I just can't get tired of it. At some point I went to Youtube and checked out the video and...... geez, man, the similarities between me and that idiot Chris McCandless, they're there. I guess I always knew this but there's a new component now. We both had a rich east coast upbringing that went buh bye to search for the wild of the west -> eventually Alaska. That's where young McCandless was a schmuck and Alaska was too big for him. It's too big and too wild for many... he went Into The Wild... but was unable to come out of it. "Lonely. Scared." he wrote. I know those feelings but they are not ones you can have in the wilderness.

We both also wanted little to do with Society. Yet I find myself sitting here smack dab in the middle of Society, wanting to very much be a part of American Society even more. But things go good -> things go bad, and what I could say about McCandless -- "What a waste of a life" -- could now be said about me, as well. Another striking similarity. At least I'd be smart enough not to get myself dead with the Parks Highway just a day or two walk to the east.

P.S. Before I ever even knew about the movie being made, I went looking for that bus once. Because of wicked high volume of melting glacial waters, I was unable to make it but I could take you there tomorrow. McCandless wasn't that far away from civilization (a major Alaskan road) and that's he's kind of a joke and why his demise is somewhat laughable to many Alaskans.

One day is fine, next is black

Bourbon and a bagel for breakfast? Why the heck not. 58° and raining and I've gotta walk to the local convenience store for a Coke so's I can properly wash down this bourbon. Me not a straight drinker of the spirit, no way... tequila, sure, but not bourbon. Good breakfast -- couple shots with a Coke, actually not a Coke, that's sort of a lie, I bought an RC Cola. Good to start the day with bourbon. Nothing better at 7:45 a.m. i always say. Well, maybe not always but now. I always wonder what the cashier at the grocery store thinks when I'm buyin' a 6 of Newcastle or Sam Adams at 7:15 a.m. I coulda sarted with the beer but the bourbon first is perfect. oh yeah. and a bagel, of course. not really of course 'cause i don't eat bagels often but bein' from northern New Jersey, they're in my blood. Didn't quite get good NY bagels, or even northern NJ bagels... but okay. Besides, when you're drinkin, what the dang heck does it matter? all's i know is i've gotta stop diong this. bad news, man. then walkin' back from the cinvenince ctore (wow... without correcting i am typing wayyyyyy badly but who gives a crap.) anyway, where was i? almost got creamed by a truck. well, i could've if i wanted to. thought aabout it. I did want to but I'm not completely ready. Besides, what if the driver of the truck swerved and hit something or someone else and the injury wasn't just to me? That wouldn't be good. That's not the right way to die. The right way is let the physical just be you but maybe let another or others see it happen so they have to live with what they've done. That always sounds good to me. Almost revenge but I know revenge is wrong. I dunno. Anyway, twas a Cheerwine truck, i noticed. he was barrelin' down, doin' a whole maybe 40 in a 35, maybe 45 he was doin. coulda killed me, sure, had i been hit the right way. believe me, i thought about it. all's i coulda done was not crossed at the second i did and waited a few seconds. Emeril doing color commenatary mighta gone, "BAM!" Yeah, man. That'd a-been a waste of an RC Cola (and a small bag of Fritos.) $2.65 that coulda gone into my will (recipient not yet chosen, thought it was but now not sure... I've really gotta get that done 'cause who the hell knows what can happen... what will happen, what might... what will.... but when? Hard to say.)

Anyway, where was I? 2 minute walk back i thought of -- Should I Stay or Should I Go? Tough question to answer. Not much reason to stay, is there, Ame? Juliet doesn't think so either. I'd tell you both to go to hell but A) I can't because I'm not a mean, heartless bastard and B) maybe you're right. Too much hope to go but it sucks like the worst hell to stay.

Beer time, #2.

Gotta love an overcast rainy day. Practically black outside and it's 8-something a.m -- perfectly matches this feeling of despair. Tis weird 'cause it ain't all bad. Watched CSI: Miami earlier and it was a decent 44 minutes (On Demand, without commercials) of semi-relief. Dang thing is i don't wanna fill my life with TV. I didn't watch much that to begin with now I'm filling 44 minutes here, 60 minutes there with Monk and Psych and Trauma and CSI and NCIS and there's more I could try and might 'cause music only goes so far. Music? Music's good, too... but there are just do many frickin' hours in a day to fill.

This has gotta stop. Something's gotta give.

Love & Rockets

few yrs after their prime but still darn good