west coast tour

[Guest L~Cat]

wasn't going to write a review of the tour as i'm having a hard time gathering my thoughts, but since I did see all of it, I guess I should give it a shot.

This may have been the weirdest tour I've ever been on. Not musically- but all other variables made it quite the adventure. The mercury retrograde, full moon, and other planetary action certainly made its presence known. I've affectionately named it the "you can't make this shit up" tour. So with that prelude, I'll give my review.

As a general comment, I will say that the band is playing at the highest level I have ever seen them play. Jeff is a monster....he really gets in your head....very cerebral and he really seems to like playing to the west coast crowd. It was fun watching him in SF the night of the 69 show when we were able to really cut loose on the dance floor.

Each part of the tour really had a different flavor....the first third- up in the NW was my warm up.... Got into Seattle the first night towards the beginning of the 2nd set. Was greeted by Emma and Tink outside which is always a warm welcome. Got inside in time for the estimated>eyes. What a joy to have room to dance and see all those smiling faces....big love all the way around. Even got a hug from the only nice security person at the venue....we came to an understanding during the last shows there and she realized I'm just there to dance and not cause problems. I was disappointed to find out she wasn't going to be there the next night. Seattle night 2 was big fun despite the very crowded venue and sourpuss standing in front of me the whole night making sure I didn't cross the invisible line. I swear if she smiled it would have cracked her face. I ended up with a nice amount of room to dance though as I was holding down the front. Standouts from the show would definitely be the Sugaree- I remember looking back at Emma with matching looks of amazement. There are certain songs which Jeff just owns and that is one of them. And lucky me, because it is one of my very favorites. Looking back on the setlists, I didn't even realize there was an estimated repeat those nights.... The Stella blue that night was maybe the best stella I've heard the band do since Jeff started. It was soft with quiet spaces between the notes which IMO makes stella such a beautiful song. Who doesn't like a lonesome and long way from home encore besides the security staff? I think they were lonesome and a long way from the bar from the looks of their antsiness. Seattle also met our expectations with the rain - just the beginning of a cold, wet tour straight through to Phoenix. Portland was a bit of a doozie for me- again, not because of the band. I had a great first set- Bucket opener with a Positively 4th street- created a bit of a strange vibe...at least in my head. The 4th street was the highlight for me...just love that song, despite its completely nasty message. Bob Dylan sure is brilliant. I loved the CC Rider too....there are many folks who aren't into the bluesy bobby tunes- the CC or the Rooster, but I have to say, I love them and glad Eaton throws them into the electives. Oh and Big Boss Man, how could i forget? I'll take a pig tune anytime any day. Unfortunately my battery died at setbreak and the venue got overcrowded and I took off...actually ran out of there. Had no dancing room....perhaps if I went into the bathroom I could have found a nice stall to spin in. Super bummed I missed the Hey Jude....and I heard the Viola was huge. Better luck next time. Lets see, pouring rain next day upon waking in portland and lost the car and then got a parking ticket on my car in the garage that i prepaid because I didn't put the little receipt on the dash. Better than bashing up a rental like i did last year on the tour. I had a sinking gut feeling at this point about the rest of the tour. God bless the McDonald theatre though. Room to dance and one of the best crowds in the country. Please don't stop playing there. This time I was late to the show as I was in the line for over a half hour.....that is one thing about folks in that neck of the woods- they don't move too quickly. I did make it in time for the Althea though...not a song to miss. Lets see, highlights include Far From Me- I do believe we did not get enough Brent this tour. I think that may have been the only one. As I think Fred mentioned that if you had any doubts about Jeff going into this show, the Black Peter would have changed your mind. I was elated to hear Palm Sunday. I've been hoping for that one for a while. Thank you for that little ditty.

Whew. Made it through the first leg. Onto Arcata for a day off. And we got a break from the rain. The show in arcata was one of my favorites of the tour, I think. Sold out but plenty of room to move around and kind folks sharing space. The universe certainly provided for me that night knowing I needed a night to let go and dance some ick out. Same as last year, the band always seems super relaxed in this venue....Maybe its that mellow humboldt vibe. The music was flowing easily and danced me all night. Big eyes with that jam- what is that one? Stronger than dirt? or Milking the turkey? The show is a little bit of a blur for me but other stand outs for me were the LLR and Bobby McGee, despite Eaton's difficulties with his voice. I've always had the opinion that when these things happen- voice hoarseness or lyrical flubs, it adds an element of human-ness to the show- we can't be perfect all the time and in a way, it helps me connect even more.

Vacation over, back to work and into the second part of the tour... bay area. Local shows for me are a mixed blessing as I'm close to home, but I'm also working and juggling many friends. The band certainly did not let the bay area down..... I had a feeling of pride for them as I looked around Thursday night and just saw so many people completely blissing out. Then had a few folks come up to me and say, wow they sounds just amazing..... I think there was something that happened between the last time they were out here and now. The 69 show was sooooo good. There was some funky energy in there as a few of us were super tired and cranky, but the music was so powerful, it carried me through. This was another one of my favorite shows - but i had a lot this tour. The 69 shows get better and better....if you listen back to the first 69 show that was played in SF a couple years ago, the improvement is very noticeable. They are getting that early sound down perfectly. The alligator>Jam>Chinacat Jam>Caution flowed so smoothly. Complete moment of brilliance IMO. The 3rd filler set was my favorite part I think. A bunch of people left and we had acres of space to dance. SF Night 2 was equally as great but completely different....love me some 76. another BIG sugaree. The comes a time was much wanted that night as I was having a meltdown earlier that day from being over-tired and stressed, so I'm thrilled I got my wish. And the dancing>NFA>dancing was super. Mission was beautifully played- another one of Jeff's goodies. I was kind of disconnected the 3rd night but pulled it together by 2nd set, which I thought was much better than the first set. Though the MK sit- in during teh first set was big fun. He's great- always enjoy his playing. The 2nd set was actually one of my highlights of the whole tour- we had that balcony raging and got some great tunes.

Got my arm twisted in going to Petaluma. And boy I'm glad i went. The mystic was so fun that night. Such a great mellow venue. Can walk in and out as you please- they don't care what bottles of whatever you bring in. Had tons of space and no creepers. The whole show was the highlight...hard to break it down. I do want to throw out another kudos on the LLR- that pedal steel sounding stuff was really cool. Another favorite of the tour.

Santa cruz...by this point I have done the show-work thing 3 times and I was kaput. But they did it again, got me dancing and got me power up enough to make it through the show and drive home. To wake up and get to work AGAIN. The "cattlepit" just sucks though...sound blows, the feng shui blows, stage is so high....really too bad there isn't a better spot. It was DEFINITELY better than the last time they played there though. I really like those Omni setlists.... i know I'm weird, but I just love walkin blues- what a fun dance. So I was pretty stoked to hear that. The whole show was really smooth- Jeff seems to be getting the later stuff more and more.....I've always thought the later stuff was his weaker stuff. Not anymore- its really becoming consistent. And SOTM proved that....beautiful. Lisa lit up the stage at the end with her soulful Strange Man. People always leave in awe when she does that.

Onto the 3rd and last part of tour. My bday weekend and what a weekend it was. Got picked up from the airport and scooted right to hotel. Pizza port is the tradition there so was nice to connect with some friends for birthday cheer before the show. Talk about strange men- let me tell you, they were all there at the belly up. I was really into the show- but I looked back at the setlist and it all seemed new to me....don't remember a bunch. I guess thats what happens after 11 shows. And lucky me on my birthday, I called security for my first time ever at a show. 3 gropes, confronted him myself, next try a reach between the legs, and it was over. I don't understand why men think that is OK to do. And he was pissed when the security guard told him he had to get away from me. Well, next time don't be a creep, buddy. Like i said, the show is fuzzy, but i know I had a great time.

Truckin.....onto Agoura hills. Home of my new favorite venue. This was the most perfect night of the tour and IMO the best show of the tour. The music played the band and it danced us with little effort. Great venue for the kiddos too....the little ones got a whole big booth to themselves where they could play and run around while we danced. Completely left alone by others. Nice little pocket of 418 action. With awesome plush carpet. I knew when I walked into the venue and saw the giant bronze Buddha statue that it was going to be a great place. Please play there again. So much better than the El Rey. I don't even remember seeing a security person. The Playing in the Band was unreal....I'm glad I like that song again. There was a moment in time when I thought if I didn't hear it ever again, I'd be OK. I still could do without TLEO. I had to smile during the Ship of Fools- thirty years upon my head. how perfect. Ending with Sisters and Brothers was sweet...used to hear that all the time between JK playing it quite often in DSO and then it was played every show in JGB, but its been quite a while, so thanks for that!

I wasn't originally going to go to Phoenix because it just seemed silly for a 2 hour show, but I'm glad I did. What the hell I did the whole tour, may as well finish it up. Was sooo looking forward to some sunny 80 degree weather. Well, what did we get? 65, cloudy, with a couple drizzles early in the day. I guess I brought SF with me. Really odd festival. Basically in a shopping center parking lot covered with sod. I was grateful for the sod that it added some cushion, but rather strange....I guess being AZ, if it would have been blacktop, it could have roasted people. I was bummed too because when I looked at the pics from the festival a few years back- it looked awesome- big stage in the middle of a grass field with the mountains behind. Well apparently, it was moved to this other place. The show was great- i really loved the setlist they put together. Must be difficult choosing a setlist for a 2 hour show....gotta condense a lot. Was super happy to hear black throated wind....it always works for me. Actually got both of my favorite Bobby tunes in one show. ...thats a great way to end tour (yes, I'm a bobby fan too). Even got a little Lisa action with the You Ain't Women Enough. And a boot scootin cumberland blues. I thought for sure we'd be getting the scarlet>fire but no fire surprisingly! It was a fire free tour actually. Glad I got to end my tour with Ripple to send me home.

I'm so grateful that I was able to get to all these shows....it was definitely a roller coaster for me. There were times I wasn't sure i was going to make it through, but i did and I will be smiling for a while from it. Thank you to the band and crew for coming out here and really throwing down. I hope you all had a great time and as much fun as we did. And congrats on selling out almost half the gigs.

Have a great break.

love,

the cat

ps....sorry for the verbosity. I should have listened to my 8th grade history teacher more often - KISS *(keep it simple, stupid).

[Guest L~Cat]

I also want to note the sound the whole tour was amazing....in the venues that are built for good sound. Belly Up was the most difficult but I was dancing on the side of stage anyway.

I'm not a sound geek so if I can notice the difference, it must be huge.

[nwnj steve]

loved your thoughts on stella,the most beautiful part of that song is between the music ,the stillness or quiteness that happins ,pure bliss

[Guest L~Cat]

loved your thoughts on stella,the most beautiful part of that song is between the music ,the stillness or quiteness that happins ,pure bliss

IMO the most brilliant songs are the songs in which the melody or musical arrangement is telling the story along with the lyrics..... we all interpret songs differently but the lyrics to me of stella are about an emptiness- when all the cards are down, nothing left to see, nothing you can hold, etc etc and the melody and the way Jerry played the song is all about the space, or emptiness between the notes. Then it moves in to a beautiful crescendo- dust off those strings one more time, gonna make em shine. Then it gets quiet again, moves into the last verse - again emptiness, space between notes and one final joyful crescendo.....

we seem to have a bunch of essay writers here....whose got the red pen? ;-)

[chuckvegas]

We all do. Everyone's a critic. I'll use it on myself first...

[TerrapinJen]

I've affectionately named it the "you can't make this shit up" tour.

can we make t-shirts??

haha, i agree though 100%. shows were great, no doubt.. but things got a little strange.

[Pdxhead]

Great to hear a full west coast tour breakdown...I must have been dancing next to you during the friday night seattle show. That security guard had the meanest expression I have ever seen....just hating life it looked like. But that didn't stop us from dancin' hard- and yeah the sugaree was epic.

My only issue for the seattle and Portland shows was how packed they were. Man- it just feels like they are overselling these venues. Either that or DSO has to start playing some larger places so I can get room to dance.

[Guest L~Cat]

Great to hear a full west coast tour breakdown...I must have been dancing next to you during the friday night seattle show. That security guard had the meanest expression I have ever seen....just hating life it looked like. But that didn't stop us from dancin' hard- and yeah the sugaree was epic.

My only issue for the seattle and Portland shows was how packed they were. Man- it just feels like they are overselling these venues. Either that or DSO has to start playing some larger places so I can get room to dance.

Thursday in seattle was fine- it was Friday that was crazy....and that is par for the course re the security guards at the showbox. Its a shame because the crowd is very well behaved and there is no need for that type of power-trip attitude. Hell, she didn't even have to do her job because I was pretty much doing it for her. No one was getting out of control or causing problems. There was one guy that was nice and he came over to give her a break for a bit, and it completely changed the vibe. I've had the issue there every single time I've been to that venue.... Wish they would switch over to the new Neptune theater. Several other bands have and I've heard great things about it.... beautiful room, good acoustics, and open dance floor.

I've never seen the crystal ballroom that crowded either.... I of course am happy for the band, but man, you needed a shoe horn to get through that crowd. 2 nights there would probably solve that problem.

I'm always more of a fan of the smaller town shows.... though I completely understand that the band needs to make money, and those aren't the places to do so.....

[Pdxhead]

Yeah I would agree they make more money at the big venues- which I totally support. But man- I need me my dancin' space. At the crystal the best dancing space was surprisingly right up close. The closer you got to the merch table the worse it got in terms of crowd. Course my ears just about blew off during the Viola Lee Blues- but it was worth it.

Yeah so how bout multiple dates- or could they start playing 3-5,000 seaters in the big cities?