response 74 of 91:

Aug 14 19:46 UTC 2000

We went to the Ark a few weeks ago to hear the Stick people. Chapman, that
is. Some pretty cool stuff. Started with a 3pc group whose name escapes
me, very good lead guitar, zen drummer and stick player, followed by Greg
Howard, one of the best in the midwest. There were gasps from the audience
during his performance. Amazing what can come out of a 10 string
instrument. He was followed by the Michigan Stick Trio, local guys. While
waiting for the next band to play, Steve Osborne treated us to the Star
Spangled Banner, played on a theramin. We clapped anyway. CD3 followed,
with their jazzy kind of music, to my feeling more European style than
American. To finish the show, all nine workshop participants got on stage
at the same time(setting a record for 'most strings on the Ark stage at
one time', 100 I believe) and played a piece composed during the last half
hour of the workshop. Very melodic and fun.

My wife came home from work the other day and told me she had picked up
tickets for Asleep at the Wheel for Saturday night. I can hardly wait!

response 76 of 91:

Aug 17 22:12 UTC 2000

stupid Grex killed two lines at the end...
 
>the music is excellent -- better-tha-average when recorded, much more
spirited
>live. The opening bands, as before, were adequate (I'd seen Cowboy Mouth some
>time back wsg Everything), but cowboy Mouth makes the show. (The style is
>pop-rock colored with New Orleans jazz.)

response 78 of 91:

Aug 27 23:20 UTC 2000

Had a fab time at the Ark last Sunday for the Asleep at the Wheel show.
Leader Ray Benson played a great guitar, the rest of the the six piece
band really cooked. Even played 'Hot Rod Lincoln' with a Carlos Santana
like solo. Mentioned something to the effect that "carlos is a 'good old
boy', but he can't sing". I picked up a cd from the early days at the
table in the back. It features a pretty long interview w/ Ray about the
history of the band. Even got his autograph on it and the cover from an
old cassette I brought along. 

response 80 of 91:

Sep 8 16:38 UTC 2000

It's a shiny plastic thing with large buttons on it.  It uses MIDI to trigger
various drum/percussion sounds.  Straps on like a guitar, I think.

response 82 of 91:

Sep 11 00:53 UTC 2000

I think it's the same thing, yeah.

response 84 of 91:

Apr 28 05:13 UTC 2001

Marlee MacLeod, Crazy Wisdom Bookstore & Tea Room, April 27 2001:
 
My expectations were vastly exceeded.  I was a bit worried, because
on her recordings Marlee plays mostly electric guitar with a standard
rock band, but for this show it was just her and an acoustic 
guitar.  But her guitar picking was consistently interesting, and 
her voice, I just fall into it.  (She's originally from Georgia, 
maybe it's the accent.)  In some senses it reminded me of a 
Richard Thompson acoustic show, hearing all these band songs in 
stripped down versions.  Mostly she played the songs from the new 
album, and I almost might have liked them better this way.

For Jim Roll (the Ann Arbor musician who brought the PA) and me, she 
agreed to tackle her song "Mata Hari Dress," one of her loudest 
rockers, which she doesn't usually do in the solo shows.  
"The drum solo goes here!" she said, thumping on the acoustic guitar a bit.

I also learned that the song "Geronimo," from her out-of-print album 
VERTIGO, was originally written by The Dashboard Saviors, who I had 
never heard of before.

Ah, what a voice; what soaring, what a sustain.  I'm still flying.
This was such an unexpected treat; I only found out about this show 
less than 24 hours before it happened.  Thanks to Tim Ryan for coming
out and joining me.

response 86 of 91:

Apr 28 22:06 UTC 2001

(and Rye/mspiggy tells me she was sitting right in front of me and I 
didn't recognize her...)

response 88 of 91:

Jun 6 04:45 UTC 2001

i was at the detroit electronic music festival this weekend. some good stuff.
saw mogwai and bardo pond last week. excellent show.

concert i want to see more than anything in the world and cant:

in london, this july: beck is opening for radiohead. aaaaaahhhhh..if only.

response 90 of 91:

Jun 11 02:27 UTC 2001

personally, i wouldnt take a kid. unfortunatly. maybe for awhile during the
early part of the day...lots and lots of raver kids on drugs, some fights...
i had fun, and the music was great, but i know i wont be taking my kid down
there anytime soon. (she's 8)