NC Tour

[PoetryGirl]

I really couldn't believe the boon heading our way when the tour was announced. Back in the day, 3 shows in a row was about my stint as a mostly dedicated BS college student and eldest daughter of non-hippies. 2 consecutive nights in Asheville meant a full day and late nights to soak up the company of friends and the love and sunshine. The Ritz has incredible sound, and Charlotte is so close to home and the finest host. 

Wednesday work done. Crock pot chicken bbq sandwich  with slaw to go, kissed the kids, and headed out a little later to miss the traffic around Asheville I-26. We checked in a couple of doors up and headed down to the venue. Because of my age- I get called a Touch head occasionally. Sporting my gray seems about right- In 1988, 16, southern girl at a show is pretty precocious- lucky I had a number of caring big brother figures who were 4-7 years older than me. I was one of 10 max deadheads in my high school of 1700-2000.  Given all I have learned in life, I like the touch of gray. It is where I cooled my head on the wind and flew through the night! - I earned everyone of those grays. The atmosphere was easy and yet something was different. It was like trying to ease into a swimming pool without the shock

Everyone was grooving under the big ass fan. These guys and girls popped up behind us, beside us and there were familiar  faces from home.  Those faces reminded me of a time so long ago now.  I am grateful to have things fall into place and feel supported by the universe most days in where it is at; the lesson of loss mostly understood in the face of love. Because although I could read signs and had awareness, my lessons were deep and sometimes even eery and I would blindly follow the current pace and tried to maintain grace, maybe lacking patience to know it would work out instead of power housing over the obstacle, and forgetting to be gentle with myself. Stuck inside Mobile was the trick. 

I laughed- "Now the bricks lay on Grand Street-Where the neon madmen climb- They all fall there so perfectly- It all seems so well timed"
And subscribe

"An’ here I sit so patiently-Waiting to find out what price-You have to pay to get out of-Going through all these things twice"  yes, it was a groovy fun float on the moment kind of song- the kind you could circle the coliseum hall with. Not really that much different from Desolation Row in length. Just all those faces in DR. 

Big RR blues...There is a prince of a fella who is at the detention center. He guards as we work with our sharps,  twice a month bringing relief from pain and decay and ambivalence, and kids all the orange jumpsuits about his OJT he is receiving from us- it is their lucky day., he is ready.  every patient.... lol This jailer telling lies just helps them make it a little further down the road. I see how we can make our path harder and usually we are our own worst enemy- Believe it or not, it can be rewarding what I do and we help out- and I receive appreciation and sometimes even the complement- " that wasn't as bad as I thought it would be." haha, Scored again!!! Ninja dentistry is where it is at.

After D>S, I drifted to the back where a beautiful spinner and fleet footed companion were grooving. He threw fairy dust in the air and this one girl would swim under it like guppies in a fish tank- soaking up the shower of happiness raining down. There was slow tai chi like movement and smiles. The Wheel was ever so delicate in its evolution and slipped upon you like an easy answer to hard questions. There was freedom in the change and as long as I moved the space was available.

"All Along the Watchtower" was monstrous- It ripped wide open, wheeling and the power with which it was delivered was awesome and perfect from way down deep. and I let out some frustrations at existential crises in my dance. The speakers live outside conventional life and yet the proletariat profit just as easily from others. It is a questioning of  the  meaning of life. It takes bravery to face the approaching riders- life's circumstance- in a different convention and stepping outside those walls of safety requires courage but is really the only real choice. Obviously, not stepping into life and committing won't bring change, the change will come whether you are in gilded halls or not,  and taking what you think you deserve brings pain to others and anarchy.

We moved up midway for Black Peter. I initially went to a fella's left and he moaned he really had too much space on that side. There was a nice place on the other side of him and we danced there with tons of room. I laughed and said I could tell this was his better side. I enjoyed the show - it felt a bit off- but I really didn't care. all good things in all good time

I need to get some things done.. I will be back later. The Ritz show was a monster-but for my soul- Asheville #2 was super wonderful and special. The essence of some people's souls never lose their fragrance and stay with you always.

thanks for letting me get some of that out.

 

[PoetryGirl]

Asheville 4/13/17

Beautiful day, beautiful people.

Let the Good times roll: okay! sure thing !! whoop whoop!

That 4/4/91 show opened with it and I couldn't feel it- I was a stranger, with a broken heart.

Tonight however was oh so sweet. The harmonizing silky and the piano keys heating up. I couldn't hear Lisa and hoped it would self-correct. yeah----Upright as a church steeple. We were in a great spot a little closer than the night before and reunited with the younger groovers we met. It matters a lot to have dancers around you. Nothing stops the train quicker than a statue of a person. Half step- the journey so freeing once you decide to change scenery. those little nudges tell you where to go and how to lead the way. We fired two people this past month that were albatrosses around our necks. No peace in the barnyard. and ya know what- someone came our way better both times. "you can't change people; but you can change people." And it is All over Now . So our groovy section eventually attracted some really outrageous peoples with West LA whose outbursts lurched me more than once out of my dreamy dancing state. so i asked them afterwards - hey, West la is a groovilicious song- don't ya just love it?? Did you know there is an extra verse ? No-  hmmm. Right in that jam where you were yelling. Please don't yell out anymore until after the song. Like now... now is the time to yell- let's yell and I ripped out a rebel yell. I think Brian would be proud of my no BS attitude and schooling the youngsters. I mean we are all traveling down the same road; Mama tried so maybe the kind people should too.  Passenger - Don't you hear me? This freewheeling, lay the motorcycle to the road on the curve song is hot! Perfect for closer quarters. For the most part, we had no  crosstown traffic until after now. It is when people are making lots of lane changes it is a dancer's nightmare. Lazy river road started and so did the din and the traffic. I wanted to hear it sung. We wanted to feel the music. We easily moved closer and found center. The rest of the set we had  groovy spot and it was a gas. The crazy irreverence of GSETi love:  when life gets crazy the silliness at trying to construct something meaningful in the midst of unfinished business is a good reminder. You can't close the door and forget about it with the walls caving in and call it home. Make it right and the reward is Chimes of Freedom. Bring kindness to everyone. elevate and support others with a love that has humble,  truthful, unassuming, harmonious and persevering and patient to the end.  It is the love you bring that keeps that song on the air. The set ended rocking out Bucket and Day Job. I will keep lining up the long shot until I can dance again.

"Wait a minute!"  ....a nice break. 

Rudy was right on. We slip into the end of Help on the way and the back hall is jamming!! slipknot -a long one. might even become tangled.... Rumi on my mind and " Birdwings" I see a doppelgänger. Somewhere I had a knot, I remember and I remember the pain of loss and sadness. Engulfing sadness. I mean I know death. Sometimes it doesn't come fast enough. My "uncle". I loved him so. Brilliant doctor - photographic memory and a good man and fun and funny and handsome and loving and kind and paralyzed in his mid 30s- a night of partying- infarction in his medulla. This fellow looks like him-seriously- and has no left arm. Really ! you came to me. and I remember and honor your impact in my life and how you kept me safe by extension of your lesson when I was in dark places and how I am now standing in the place that brought us together to inspire those graduating. I wonder if this fella feels life is hard sometimes; I am sure he does. All Josh had for 13 years was his left arm, his mind and his eyes. We have a life of gratitude to live and share. Wade was a cool cat. He smiled and told me he was too old and that is why he sits and plus he couldn't play his music that loud. He gifted me and I hope I gifted him. 
<Lost sailor>  one of my favorites- turns me inside out- 
-Terrapin suite- it spiraled and crashed and spiraled and meandered and crashed and then the dream begins as we approach Terrapin
Drums- it was fantastic. I sent my Native American friend whose totem is the turtle lots of aloha and chant during this one. Aumakua- higher self... manifest the life. She had a TIA and needed some extra healing her way. The scene up front and center is a blast and I dance with the women around me. 
Space-Other one  -> the synchro of life. God bless it. no need to Going down the road feeling bad. Get on the bus and that does;t mean touring all the time to be there, man.

Rainy day women - just so Haight Asbury- I love it. Let's kick all this bullshit in this world to the curb and make it real.

[PoetryGirl]

By Good Friday I had wrung myself out and felt free and floating from good times with J and friends laughing and dancing.  I like the Ritz' expansiveness as a venue. The security was tight and ever present in these big NC farm boys keeping an iron grip. It was like the Elon offensive line had been hired. I need a different strategy. I used to like the edges in which to dance but that doesn't work when a bar or bathroom is close and there is never one far in the Ritz. I settled in behind the soundboard which was ok but the energy was unsettling as movement was to and fro. I felt its disruption all first set. The big security guys loomed close huddled, plotting. "I know you have overdue library books by the look of you. you must be up to something. kind of mentality."  By the end when many had cleared out, stopped drinking or whatever the MO the space was delightful in the back and I moved freely. It would be different if I danced in one spot but I dance the circular track of the plow ever glowing. Admittedly I was tired first set and yawned a good bit and rested well during break. Twice I got faked out- Promised Land sounded like Johnny B Goode and Samson like Dancin. Might as Well has that free wheeling vibe that moves beautifully into LIG, quite an extended jam with drums solo. And things got slinkier into Cosmic Charlie and I floated in my paper canoe. The NFA was monstrous coming out of St Stephen and I had no preconceived notions except I believe in that answer. It was a sick jam, balls to the wall with all pistons firing. As the crowd started to degenerate into the group clapping, Jeff nipped it quick in the bud and bam! back into St Stephen with all its revelry at the end. And there it was, the dancing. oh, yeah, baby. The back corner was all aglow and we were one moving organism. The blossoming into the Wheel unfolded and we left the set rocking out. The hum of what happened hung and the easy breezy JGB celebrated the catharsis of the set that left all aglow. What a White Rabbit, even the tease of it was good. I hope my daughter gets to see her powerful voice this Friday. 

 

[PoetryGirl]

"Crossroads" 

inspired by "Visions of Johanna"

Why does my mind take me away? Some invisible heartstrings seem to play

The vision of another reality haunting In its beauty holds me in a trance. 

The vision's fragrance pulls me like a moth around a flame's dance

And I need to clear the room of this distraction before the dream of my heart fades away.

I hold the winning ticket plainly in my hand.

 

Opened eyes find a gentler way of acceptance, the world is one I can choose.

Simple moments appreciated hold me fast to a dream of love that lasts and I can't lose.

Sunshine on my face doesn't mean a burn. My simple kindness doesn't demand a return.

Society's conventions play the notes that make many dance without a vote.

The moments in the spotlight don't matter that much anyway. 

Truth and love in the day to day. 

I hold the winning ticket plainly in my hand.