Last Week's Shows

Last week saw three shows that show just how much live performances are often unpredictable and are never the same (if you're doing it "right"). The three shows in question were at the San Diego County Fair with Tim Mudd (as For Wardens and Strangers).

Personally, I felt the Friday night show on the O'Brien stage was the best. Tim and I were properly aligned with what we were hoping to accomplish on stage, and though the audience was few, we we producing a lot of sustainable energy. The drum solo was a lot of fun ... some new ideas popped up as I was going along - what Bill Bruford would call "research and development." After playing, we retreated to the Brig for a drink and discussed rather animatedly some things we would like to collaborate on in the future.

Saturday found us on the Finish Line stage, headlining the Singer/Songwriter festivities that Tim organizes and MCs every year at the San Diego County Fair. By the hour we went on, I felt, to be honest, "over it" and was hoping for an excited crowd to help us through. Unfortunately, the majority of the crowd had left (including most of the day's earlier performers). I was feeling flat and lifeless. Tim, however, was feeling very "punk rock" and tore into the set with reckless vigor. Maybe it's just where I am in life now, but I'm not into that sort of live energy. To further prove the point, my body began to let me know that I'm not as young as I once was with jolting blasts of pain. Tim said that it was our best show. Personally, I felt it was crap.

Our third and last show of the San Diego County Fair was on the Rock On stage. With Mike Clowes (sp?) running sound, I was feeling really comfortable with going on stage ... shaking off the sour stomach of the last night's show. Being more familiar with Tim's new material, I put my 2 cents in as to what songs I wanted to play more than others ... really looking forward to "To Be" in the set. We were playing well, jamming into the before mentioned song when Tim's G string breaks. Time for the "Broken String Drum Solo" as Tim quickly does his thing. I was having a blast, however it was short lived. As he was restringing, the same sting broke AGAIN! Tim had no other G on him, so we stopped (an anti-climactic ending to a drum solo). He ran to his car out in the parking lot, grabbed one, ran back, restrung, and we were on again ... with 15 minutes left. We did a blitz through "Black Taxi Cabs"/"Big Yellow Taxi," "All Along the Watchtower," and "Desire" to close out our show. It was on its way to a great show, but limped to the end with injury to pride. And thus ended Tim's and my adventures together at the Fair.

Having just received the two disc anthology of Bill Bruford's Earthworks in the mail, my mood is in a different place musically. Next week, I meet again with Roger Anderson to discuss the continuation of our improvisation duo as a trio with Jack (whose last name currently escapes me) on bass. I look forward to doing more of that classical/jazz work. Also, I hope to get together with Isaac Langen sooner than later to begin working on our project. I just want to play, to build upon what I've learned with Tim, Scar'd Sanity, Tom Griesgraber, Holiday & the Adventure Pop Collective, Jen Knight, and all those other musicians along the way, and do something a little more selfish.

However, not too selfish, as it is not lost on me that Al Gore's concerts are going on right NOW. I wonder what my music can do for my son's planet earth?