97.1 The River's Wing 'n Rock Fest with Running With Desire and New Kid In Town

I celebrated my 50th birthday in style, performing at a fun, family-oriented festival with 2 great bands.  My family took me out for a bodacious brunch before my afternoon of active duty.  It was wonderful, opening cards and presents from my 2 boys and Sabina.  Turning 50 is certainly a milestone, yet I do like to think of it as the end of the 40's and not the beginning of the 50's.  Either way, it's just a number.

I made my way up to Woodstock City Park, very close to where we lived in Towne Lake for a few short years.  The event was 97.1 The River's Wing & Rock Fest, an embarrassment of riches in the chicken wing culinary art form and rock band method of entertainment.  The weather was nice, not too terribly hot and humid.  I scored a decent parking spot, as a guard allowed me past the chain to park, unload my pedalboard and Fenders, and even remain through the rest of the day.  I did unload and change into my RWD getup, complete with my red wig, white pants, and gold chain.  A band playing party rock anthems was on before us.  Their drummer was absolutely killing it.  I was impressed with the mix from front of house.

Kaedy Kiely & English Nick announce Running With Desire & toss out t-shirts.

We were up next: Running With Desire.  We played 2 distinct sets, with the Van Halen material first to allow Sam to escape to his next gig.  I had reviewed my material and even brought my charts - those solo sections still confuse me.  The Ampeg rig was small yet powerful - one of Shane's newest acquisitions.  Small is a relative term here; on a grand, covered stage, a 6x10 cabinet can be diminutive in stature.  It had plenty of heft for the big rock show.  Actually, the full bore rockers were thunderous up there.  Panama never rumbled so authoritatively.  All in all, I felt good about the vocals and bass performance.  We shared the stage with local radio personalities Kaedy Kiely (here) and English Nick (here).  Good people who were highly complimentary and remarked on our wigs, guitars, and get-ups.  I'm working on channeling my inner Michael Anthony, short of swilling from a Jack Daniels bottle.  It's a long road to rewinding back to the glory days.

A very special thanks to Bob Tewksbury for his generous photographic efforts, allowing me to post these for your perusal.  We had a grand time, and it shall be noted that J.T. announced me as Pat Benatar - I have since been prompted to find a new wig!

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I was surprised to be going on break with time to change into our U2 personas and return to the stage to play another set.  This time, Shane was on the drums and we were off to Where The Streets Have No Name.  The clouds had thickened and it wasn't before too long that the rain started.  It was light rain that continued into a good shower.  Sometime during the 5th song or so, with a decent representation of holdouts braving the elements, the clouds parted.  Sun came out, and J.T. wasted no time in announcing that it was indeed a Beautiful Day.  Good deal!  Love playing Get On Your Boots from the No Line On The Horizon album; glad we've kept it and surprised it's not played more on the radio.  Seriously, it was a good set.  When we get together, it seems the U2 stuff always gets the shaft.  Granted, it's a lot of material.  Plus, if we're rehearsing with Sam, then it doesn't make sense to go over songs he wouldn't even be playing on.  I am looking forward to our upcoming show in September that we're being asked to play only U2 material.  With Sam, by the way.  Should be a good experience that could prompt us to ramp up our repertoire and really dig into this band that has millions of fans and is still going strong with a new album ready to drop.  Their cliche tunes can get a bit weary.  I hope to broaden our scope.  The crowd enjoyed this set.  They hung in there through the rain.  In fact, the crowd seemed to be even bigger than before the rain started.  On top of all of that, Sabina and the boys showed up, holding signs proclaiming "FIFTY IS NIFTY!" and "WE LOVE YOU DADDY!"  It was very cute to encounter my very boys from the stage - one of those odd juxtapositions that certainly shake one up a bit.  Good clean fun on my birthday!

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...there's talk on the street, it sounds so familiar...

Next up was Brent's Eagles project New Kid In Town, a most excellent tribute band that has assumed the exacting task of replicating the precise studio creations that Glenn Frey and Don Henley have overseen since the early '70's.  It was a tremendously stressful rearranging of the stage prior to our "soundcheck".  With 5 vocalists, too many guitars, keyboards, the bass amp traversing the stage (and in the process, losing power via a faulty power cord, in spite of its age), we had our hands full.  It really seemed to take forever to get everything checked and balanced, but hey, at least we looked good.  White shirts, black ties, dressed for success.  It was a very good show.  Vocals were spot on, and the guitar parts rang true.  What a repertoire!  Great Joe Walsh album cuts as well as a healthy sampling of Eagles radio favorites.  I look forward to day that this band can tackle some deeper cuts.  I know several people who firmly believe that Desperado was the best album they ever put out.  That was back before all of the hits and when they were still a quarrelsome quartet.  Not certain that that's what would get this band to the next level, but I like the idea of an acoustic mini-set inserted somewhere with perhaps a medley of the country-flavored fare.  At the very least we need to toss in the sappy Best of My Love;  that tune defines that greatest hits album that I wore out in my youth.

Remarkably, all five of us were available for this show once again: Brent Whiten, Jason Bozik, Brad Newell, Tim Turner, and myself made the core quintet.  On this show, Brent added multi-instrumentalist Brooks Smith on keyboards and 12-string acoustic guitar.  His well-executed parts brought the sound to a whole 'nother level.  He came extremely close to nailing that studio-infused ARP synth break on Life's Been Good.  He also gave us a properly delicate intro for la pièce de résistance, the inimitable Hotel California.  Tim brings a lot of strengths as the Joe Walsh character: clear tenor voice, rude slide guitar, and supreme confidence.  Brad nailed the tricky Felder parts with passion and precision.  Jason is a great Frey foil for the frontline.  Brent sang the Henley leads effortlessly, all while laying down the beats and adding some dynamic leadership cues to the whole performance.  I just hung on for stability and added some harmonies when I felt I could.  We had  to drop a few key songs to fit it into the festival format.  Everybody really enjoyed the show, especially the encore of Seven Bridges Road - an accidental omission that felt like the perfect closer to the festival.  The crowd really got into that one - nothing like ending on a high note after thinking we were out of tunes.  Thankful for hell freezing over.

Cheesy grin from the birthday boy.

Platinum Heads West to The Club in Birmingham

This was a deluxe birthday party celebration for a distinguished 70 year young man.  It turned out to be a fine  gathering at The Club, a cool, retro chic Rat-Pack evoking lounge that overlooks much of Birmingham, Alabama.  What a view, indeed.  The stage is motorized so it is a simple roll-on and roll-off, with a vertigo inducing rise for proper elevation.  One thing about playing for somebody's 70th birthday that is perhaps key: we weren't there for him, per se.  We were there because somebody decided it's not a party without a band.  As it turns out, the most important song of the night was Sweet Home Alabama, for obvious reasons.  Bogey handled the vocals on this one, and very well I must say.  It turns out that lots of folks know the words to this one.  No worries.  I actually did sing an energetic version of Johnny B. Goode.  I did indeed rock!  I was pleasantly surprised that I could continuously hit that E (we were in A, not Bb).  Sometimes I got it, sometimes I don't.  If I'm relaxed, then it can be downright smooth.

Glen, Derek, and Norm all rode with me.  Nice to split the gas money 4 ways.  It did take it's toll on me, as I had a church gig in the morning.  After unloading form that, I manged to hurt my sore toe once again.  Earlier from moving a dog crate, then Piggy stepping on my toe, then my combo amp landing (gently but firmly) square on it.  That was the last straw - "Uncle", said the big toe!  This led to going to the clinic and suffering a major skin infection that is still in the healing process.  I'll spare the picture I took - a lot of purple!  My word, what a wrong thing to do there...

some pics to follow

The Brett Warren Band Testifies

Here's a potentially combustible aggregation of fusion disciples, combining forces for the unsuspecting throngs casually sipping and noshing at Decatur's fine bistro Java Monkey.  Brett Warren from Chattanooga, Tennessee is a triple threat of stunt guitar with Vai-esque chops, Stevie Wonder range vocals, and a wealth of proggish musical leanings.  The band is only limited by his vision and the hired hands who may not quite be up to speed.  I guess I speak for myself more than the others.  I have visions of being ready for anything.  Reality seldom intersects with one's intentions in cases such as this.  Here's a chart I could have used on the spot:

Nice page of chord changes, with no melody, found here at Free Realbook Jazz Charts.  A great resource for legible chord sheets and an index of where to track down printed pages.  I always thought of it being in the key of E flat minor, not D sharp minor.  That said, D sharp minor is only 4 sharps, whereas E flat minor is 6 flats.  D sharp minor it is!  This is a good one to know, as all Stevie tunes are.  I am working on a homemade chart with melody and such, but it takes time that I just don't have at the moment...

Aside from Brett and his first-call drummer/bassist/vibraphonist/guitarist/vocalist Adrian Ash, we were joined by Deep Blue Sun's keyboard wizard John Marsh.  John was a much welcome addition to the fold, wielding his multi-timbrel Nord and pretty much slaying any tune that came his way.  I know I let him (hell, all four of us) down a bit on the above mentioned song.  I thought I knew it a bit better.  I learned it in a former life, but it had been a long time between revisits.  I think I went through it on the Stick way back when.  I can remember shedding in my bedroom at the house I shared with Jim from Atlanta CD and two others in Dunwoody, we're talking 1991 or so.  I was getting into Stevie really for the first time, picking up used copies of his older stuff whenever it came through the doors of the retail store we managed.  Anyways, that was one I wanted to get down but it obviously didn't stay with me so well.  Well, apologies to John - I hope we can play together again at some point, under better prepared circumstances.

Other interesting tunes we did that did turn out well: The set opener of The Lee Boys' funk vamp Testify (paying homage to a sweet version on YouTube featuring Oteil & Kofi Burbridge), Stellar Rays from the virtuosic Shawn Lane, Tamacun by Rodrigo y Gabriela, a 12-bar rave up of Johnny Winter's called You Must have a Twin, Al Green's Let's Stay Together, Frank Zappa's miniature pop-jazz-symphony Peaches En Regalia, the Godfather of Jam Bands Col. Bruce Hampton & The Aquarium Rescue Unit's Time Flack, not to mention Les McCann's (and ARU's) Compared To What - man, the sights were set high on this night...

There was some good energy throughout the two extended sets.  The other Winter brother was represented by Edgar's classic hit Frankenstein.  Adrian contributed a killer solo - gotta give the drummer some - and paid homage to the late, great Chuck Ruff.  Chuck Ruff!   That solo sounds easy - it's rhythmically twisted!  Another good exercise in tight unison lines is another Stevie pop ditty Sir Duke.  Last time I played it I did it in Bb.  This time we kept it in B.  Stevie loves that key since it is so closely connected to D#m or Ebm;  I wonder how he thinks of those keys.  Sometimes I wonder if he just plays music and sings and doesn't even think about what the technical terms are.  I mean, he doesn't read music, unless it's in braille.  I don't think so.  I think we were 90% solid on Sir Duke;  my licks were a little skittish and maybe we weren't quite right on that 2nd chord in the chorus (an F minor following the B major - such a cool change).  A critical critique indeed.  It was big fun to jump into the deep blue waters with these fearless fusioneers and tread lightly with a highly anticipatory crowd hanging onto our next genre shift.  By the way, Peaches was a bonafide success, even if I did not nail the Shuggie Otis bass line note for note!  More performances from the Brett Warren Band are promised in the future, perhaps in early autumn from what I gather.

New Kid In Town Preps For the 2nd Show

The Money Shot

Not much to relay here.  I figure I'm doing this blog mainly for me and my sanity, perhaps my (lack of) memory.  Little pieces of the puzzle come together in odd ways.  Speaking of coming together, I am impressed that these lads can make it to a rehearsal from as far away as Tampa, Tifton, and Nashville.  Brent and Renee were generous hosts to have us in their home.  We donned (henley & felder - sorry, couldn't resist!) our black suits and mugged for the camera.  Our photographer was a very good director.  She will stay anonymous, but she sure did a great job at trying to bring out the best in us.  As for the practicing, we went over some key tracks in detail.  Ultimately, there's a lot of information to keep up with here.  Vocal harmonies are key, and I think it gets confusing quickly.  This music is very exacting, as any tribute band can be.  Songs like Witchy Woman, One of These Nights, and New Kid In Town are hook-filled micro-symphonies that belie the common "made easy for guitar" songbook.  To do this music justice, a drill sergeant MD (musical director) should be standing over each of us, tapping their feet and ashing their cigarette on our guitar straps as we sweat over the next subtle variation that is fast approaching.  Still, in our relaxed atmosphere, it's nice that we nailed some things down.

Bands know the painful process of getting the publicity photo.  If you don't, then take heed.  It probably pays to stay sober during the ordeal.  We were, for the most part.  There may have been a few shots of tequila involved - I'm just sayin'...  Eagles 2nd album standout has to be Tequila Sunrise.  It's only fitting.  I was instructed to not disclose our wonderful photographer in any blog or social media whatsoevah.  Got it.  There were some humorous jpegs taken on my fine camera-phone that violated that stipulation.  Too bad.  I present to you the best of the rest: here are some long lost outtake shots - the making of The Money Shot, if you will...

I think I was trying too hard all along...

A TAAG Reunion Reception and a Cozy Throwdown in Marietta at the Whitlock Inn

The full 8-piece performing unit assembled in the rather small great room at the Whitlock Inn, just off of Marietta Square.  We were pressed into the corner of the room, as tight as we could get.  For the first time that I remember, I didn't even bother with my pedalboard.  Still using the Genz-Benz to power the cabinet.  No compression - a new sensation!  Super tight stage setup.  I set my gear up after a morning stint at work in Norcross.  Then I hurried over to join Adrian Ash, Jason Passmore, and Guy Fenocchi,  earlier in the day, Ade got the ol' "Java Monkey Wine Tasting" band back together to play a wedding ceremony and reception at the Church of St. Andrew on Riverside Drive at 285.  The ceremony music was a mix of contemporary Christian with a heavy rock slant.  The volume was subsequently kept in check, perhaps wisely so.  We played a mix of Motown classics, instrumentally, for the dancers during the reception.  It was very nice, if a little stiff.  No choice on that matter; being in a church, there was no alcohol involved.  No worries, we provided good vibes on many requested tunes.  Supposedly, the groom wanted to hear In-a-Gadda-da-Vida, but the timing didn't seem to work out (not ours, mind you).  The most popular by far seemed to be I Can't Help Myself (Sugar Pie, Honey Bunch) by The Four Tops.  That's a good one to have under your belt.  So many people saw The Big Chill back in the day...

Platinum was tucked away into a corner, if you can imagine that.  It was so tight, yes, no pedals, as mentioned previously.  Lots of Van the Man, lots of classic rock.  The first song of the evening was also the first song from earlier with Adrian: Just The Two of Us.  How coincidental!  Also implemented a soon-to-be-oft-requested mash-up of Gold Digger into Thrift Shop - both in Ab so that makes it extra special.  It was the first gig with Norm subbing for Anton.  Norm remembered me from Fat Matt's Rib Shack!  He also remembered Matt Kearney and Randy Chapman.  Hey, well I'll be.  He sounded good.  No synth, but lots of well played percussion.  I have a feeling there's more to Norm than a clever name.  I played the 6-string, as I did earlier in the day.  It is a fine all around no worry bass as far as I'm concerned.  Nice venue, if a bit small.  Thanks to Gus for reminding me that I'd left my axe on my exit.  I didn't waste too much time...

A Platinum Quintet In da Hood... My Harmonica Debut

Lost my voice the previous Sunday with Last Call at Meehans.  What can I say?  Apparently, not very much that anybody can discern...  I was a bit concerned; as the week inched along, my voice wasn't much better.  It was shot.  Whispering is bad for it.  Falsetto was definitely out.  I was supposed to sing the first dance, a tune by Ryan Adams entitled Desire.  I hadn't even listened to it as of Tuesday.  Okay, I actually had, and found that there wasn't much for me to do other than sing.  So I really listened to it on Wednesday after contacting V to warn her of my predicament.  I downloaded the studio version and checked out the live youtube cut.  It both, Ryan just sang and also played a simple harmonica solo.  He exuded the stylings of Dylan, Petty and Young with his casual blowing and drawing, catching double stops and perhaps more - very simple.  At some point, I thought I should give it a try just to have a go at it.  Here's the interesting part of the story, I think.  I waited until Saturday (my day to sleep in as Bin and the boys were at Camp Coleman) to go buy a harmonica.  The question was, which key?  The song is in G, but typically one plays in "cross harp" or a 5th up in pitch (in this case, a D harmonica).  If I'm correct, then that would involve bending the B note to create a B flat for the minor third tonality in G.  Fortunately for me, I did not need to get too complicated.  I simply needed a G harmonica and had to learn to play a few notes - G, B and D by blowing, E by drawing.  It was fairly easy, but I did need to master the one lick of E to D to B to G, and then again, kind of fast and fluid.  Fast means remembering to draw and then blow for a few consecutive notes.  Also had to master playing one note at a time - yes, you have to put your tongue on the sucker to block unwanted notes from sounding! It's a bit tricky and certainly quite different from the bass.  I was able to master this rudimentary little solo - not too shabby.  I should've opted for front and center on the microphone.  Too shy and I needed the words for reference.  Glen helped me by covering the bass on his keyboard.  Virginia sang a harmony line that worked out well.  I also did get around to singing I Want You To Want Me, with help from V on the chorus and the high "crying".  Came out great, with no form screw-ups and a very confident presentation - noteworthy since we had never played it together before.

We were at a rather new facility: Monday Night Brewing, located off of Howell Mill Road.  It has a great patio and open air step up, with a nice, long bar to serve the thirsty throngs inside and out through tilt-up windows.  It sports the great wall of ties, with a clever logo: Tie One On!  Another great slogan they have: Weekends Are Overrated!  Only downside, other than no stage, the room being too loud for the band, and the buffet running out of choices before it was our turn to graze, was a lack of air conditioning.  Understandable with the open patio step up.  I wonder how they combat the bugs and humidity when summer rolls around...  Still, a cool vibe that was welcome after playing in so many ballrooms and the like.