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shakedown

bucket
althea
hey pocky way
simple twist 
stuck inside mobile 
birdsong
music never stopped
 
china
rider
sailor
saint
crazy fingers
drums
space
king solomons
need a miracle
stella
gdtrfb
 
rainy day women #12 & 35
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Well, I had my first elective show in quite a while last night and, although it didn't have as many JGB or rarely played tunes as I would have liked, the performance was tight and the band seemed like they were having a lot of fun. Klyph Black from the Zen Tricksters sat in on bass for the 1st set, due to Skip attending his son's graduation. Jeff and Rob B., having been former members of the Tricksters, gave him a warm introduction. "Shakedown" got things off to a powerful start, and Klyph Immediately showed his stuff, dropping some bombs and interacting well with his temporary band mates. Jeff also had a couple of soaring leads, and brought it home for a perfectly timed finish. The crowd showed it's appreciation, and Klyph was beaming from the attention. A strong "Hell in a Bucket" showed Eaton to be in very fine voice, and I found myself dancing with ease, which is often a challenge for me with this tune. A decent "Althea" followed, with some fine licks from Jeff and good slide playing by Eaton. The "Hey Pocky Way" that followed was brimming with energy, with Rob. B. practically dancing on the keys. Next came one of my very favorite Dylan tunes, "Simple Twist of Fate". This was definitely the highlight of the set for me, and perhaps the evening. Jeff's voice was spot on, relaxed, yet forceful when needed, soulful and simply dripping with emotion. The audience quieted down a notch for this song, and I really appreciated that. Hot on the heels of this was another Dylan tune, "Memphis Blues", also crammed with verses, and Rob Eaton did it justice, with nary a missed lyric (I think). The PA system was almost saturated near the end, with Eaton wailing the final "Whoa, Mama"s, yet it never seemed that distorted at all. The "Bird Song" that followed was easily another highlight of the show for me, as Jeff took it to amazing heights, and all band members wrapped tightly around his leads. I somehow predicated it would be followed by "Music Never Stopped", and I proved correct! This version was a monster, and it felt like the roof was going to give way as the volume got so intense, with Klyph treating the crowd to some deep, chest vibrating bass lines. The climax was sounding like a set closer, and indeed it was. All told, only eight songs in the set, which looks very short on paper, but it actually clocked in at about an hour and twenty minutes. Just goes to show you that you can't judge a show merely by looking at its song list!

I will review the second set at a later time, but that is all I have time for now...

Peace.

Topher

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And now for my take on the second set:

After about a 45 minute break, the band returned to the stage, including Skip, and they all looked fresh and eager to play. With Jeff's tuning, it became apparent that we were in for a "China>Rider" to open, and that is exactly what we got! It was so cool to get the "Feeling Groovy" jam between the two songs, like many performed by the GD in 73'-74'. It reminds me a little of the jam during "Dancing in the Streets" on 76'-77' versions, and I just love the variation it brings. After a strong "Rider", the audience erupted in their thanks, which gave me goosebumps. Rob Eaton then brought things down a bit with a well paced "Sailor>Saint". I am usually ambivalent about "Sailor", but Rob gave it a polish that kept my attention, while also allowing my knees and ankles to relax a moment. The "Saint" was fiery, as expected, and once again the crowd roared it's approval after it's conclusion. I was really hoping for a Skip tune next, such as "Pride of Cucamonga", but the "Crazy Fingers" that followed was decently jammed, and fit the bill. Jeff's voice was a little off for the first couple of verses, but got better as the song progressed. A smooth transition to "Drums" left us with Dino and Rob K., who proceeded to amaze with their antics on all sorts of percussive instruments. I normally use this time for a bathroom break, and did tear myself away briefly for that relief, but I returned to be mesmerized by the lengthy adventure that these two incredible drummers took us on, before a gentle glide into "Space". Jeff and Rob B. came back first, followed quickly by the rest of the band, and I loved Jeff's playful licks during this brief jam. I was caught off guard by the intro to "King Solomon's Marbles, which turned out to be another highlight of the show for me. This is one tricky jam, with curve balls and sudden turns that seem very hard to master, yet  the band did a fantastic job with it. Rob B. tickled the hell out of his keys, and appeared to be having so much fun. I was happy to look around and see so many of my fellow Star heads also dancing wildly to this offbeat instrumental. Was looking forward to a lengthy Bobby tune, such as "The Other One", but we got "I Need A Miracle" instead, which was actually quite fun, and the crowd loved it. After just a few minutes, the tune faded out, and transitioned into "Stella Blue", which gave "Twist of Fate" a run for highlight of the evening for me. Jeff really poured his heart and soul into this number, and it gave me chills more than once. His leads alternated from soft and gentle to earnest and forceful as necessary, and the harmonies from the others were spot on. Such a sad song, indeed, but also a perfect choice for the late show ballad. The "GDTRFB" that followed was a little unexpected, as I was thinking perhaps, "Good Lovin'", or "Lovelight" would wrap things up nicely. A bit shaky to start, but Jeff worked the audience into a lather, and we responded in kind! A short break, and then we got a "Rainy Day Women" encore. The verses were shared by Rob B., Jeff, Eaton, and Lisa... who practically brought down the house with her emotional, preacher-like vocals! The crowd went nuts when she was finished, and she appeared almost overwhelmed by the response. Once again, the harmonies on this number were superb, and it was a perfect conclusion to a fun night of music at the Cap, which is one of my absolute favorite indoor venues. Beautiful place, with "Garcia's" bar next door, and so much history...

Topher

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