Shotgun Wedding Indeed...

David Lee Roth and Eddie Van Halen in Charlotte a couple nights back. Photo credit Todd Sumlin.

Shotgun wedding? Money talks? Three separate tour buses? Rumors of in-fighting? Lazy Susan lead singers...It goes on and on. I have read the stories, I have heard the rumors. I have spent hours reading all the hype. The continuing saga of the Van Halen family band. Me? I checked that baggage at the door and went to the show in Greensboro last night. This morning I woke with ringing ears and Van Halen songs in my head.

Rewind. I went online weeks ago when I received an e-mail stating tickets would be on sale for the Van Halen Tour. I logged on to three computers that Saturday morning and proceeded to try to get some decent seats. After 2.5 minutes I was in the upper deck. So much for that. I took my lumps and bought the tickets. Besides I am often accused of being a seat snob. My daughter is always saying "Daddd...it's about the music, you don't have to be back-stage." Maybe I should take a lesson from my 15 year old.

Last night as I turned the corner onto the road adjacent to the Greensboro Coliseum I could not believe the amount of cars in the road and in the lot. After several minutes of indexing through traffic that was actually moving very well I made it to the parking gate. I asked the attendant what was going on, as if this was an intelligent question, she said "No other events, just the concert." I went wow I have never seen this many cars in this lot and I have been to many shows here. The music was blaring everywhere and all I could hear from car to car, SUV to SUV was the Van Halen family band's greatest hits. It was a scene for sure.

My daughter Alex and I made our way to the door. Should I mention that the management of the Greensboro Coliseum put nice clean Port-o-johns in the parking lot? Can I also mention that there was only a $10 parking fee? Amplitheatres you need to pay attention.
As we made our way past multiple remote FM radio trucks blaring loud versions of Van Halen standards you could just feel the energy coming from the throngs of people going in the doors. Already the t-shirt vendors were overcome with throngs of people with fists full of cash pushing to get a $40 shirt with the Van Halen name on it. Oh yes these people are serious about this. Many were changing shirts right in front of the stand. Don't get me started with my fishnet hose count from last night. Yes hose sales must have been brisk last Friday.

We bought some refreshments and made our way to our seats. As I climbed the 75 degree steps I finally made it to my fabulous row R seats. I asked Alex at this point if she had a Kleenex as I felt a nose bleed coming on. Actually our seats weren't that bad. In this place most of the seats are rather good. We had quite the view of the "S" shaped runway below.

Around 7:45 Kymani Marley and his band came out and started playing. He pounded out one of his Dad's standards and I thought this was actually pretty good. By the time the second number started and the rapping started up I was headed back to the concession stand. Moving right along.http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendid=39604339

The lights went out. I could see Eddie on stage right. The sold-out crowd roared its approval. The hair on my neck went up and the notes screamed from the stage. OMG. Here we go.

The stage was now in full view as the curtain fell. There were 8 large white cabinets stacked neatly on each side behind Wolfgang and Eddie. The drum riser was full of drums. No less than four hybrid sets of drums blazen with the Van Halen logo. And there on stage for the first time since 1984 was David Lee Roth. Rain-thin, six-pack stomach blaring, short-cropped blonde hair, he looked like a rock star from a Carl Hiaasen Novel. http://www.carlhiaasen.com/books/basket.html

What an amazing night. I graduated from High School in 1977. All night the memories of riding around in cars hearing these songs on the 6 by 9 speakers back then kept coming into my head. It is amazing that this version of this band does this to me. Speaking of High School. David Lee Roth asked last night "Have you seen Wolfie's grades?" http://www.seeklyrics.com/lyrics/Van-Halen/And-The-Cradle-Will-Rock.html

Wolfie played the bass, he roamed the stage, and he sang last night. Amazing for a 16 year old. No he was not as seasoned as a rock veteran but he did his part. He is freakin' 16 man. Wow. I heard Mark Goodman http://www.sirius.com/big80s talking about how well Wolfgang might do in Michael Anthonys place. http://www.madanthonycafe.com/ "Running With the Devil" is the bass players song and they rocked it. I haven't seen that much crowd arm movement since the last time I saw Jimmy B play "Finz."

Mirror Balls and laser lights. What a night. The hits kept coming. Yes it was a greatest hits show but it was the best "rock" show I have ever seen hands down. OK so I am not counting the Stones as a rock show so don't start with me on that topic...David Lee Roth is no Mick Jagger. In fact he is moving slower and stiffer than decades ago, BUT his voice kicked some ass for his age. And I swear I saw him swing a rope across the stage when they played "Panama"...or was the MTV flashback? This is the band that should have stayed together. Eddie is looking better since rehab and maybe this tour will save his life. Everyone was all smiles last night.

It is not my place to review this show or give away all the fun but let's just say I got my monies-worth last night. I saw the Sammy Haggar version of this band some time ago and it was a fun show. I really like Sammy Haggar so don't take this the wrong way. This is the Van Halen band that should be on stage.

Last night David Lee Roth came out with an acoustic guitar and a hands-free microphone. He strolled the stage for several minutes stumming and telling the story of the early days of the band. Back when Van Halen played backyard parties. Then the band launched into "I'm Your Ice Cream Man." Very Nice.

Somebody Get Me A Doctor...
As I had just stood and watched through my binoculars the guitar legend had just made his collections of guitars scream. That is the only word to describe Edward's playing. He can make it scream. A true virtuoso. He was all over the stage slapping hands, kissing his kid, jumping off the riser, he was bouncing on the stage like he had springs on his custom red Converse shoes, sliding across the stage on his knees..on and on.

At the end of the two hour extravaganza the confetti flew, Diamond Dave waved the big red flag at the top of the stage, and the band pounded the final song. As I walked down the steps to the exit I was quietly listening to the crowd to get some hints of what the people thought about this show. One kid about 12 years old or so said to his friend "I will never forget this show as long as I live." Another man about 30 or so was telling his friend on his cell phone..."OMG what a show..they played everything for over two hours."

This band brought out many emotions in me last night. I walked to the Land Crusier in the parking lot with a skip in my step singing "Somebody Get Me a Doctor." That is what a great show should do. Charge your batteries and put a smile on your face. Rock on Van Halen. http://www.lyricsdepot.com/van-halen/somebody-get-me-a-doctor.html

Some other Van Halen story links are located here:

http://www.charlotte.com/multimedia/galleries/gallery/296298-a296252-t3.html

http://digg.com/music/Van_Halen_2007_Tour_rehearsal_photos

http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/blabbermouth.net/news.aspx?mode=Article&newsitemID=81651

Lucinda....

Here is my only picture of Lucinda Williams on stage. As I entered the lobby of the theatre two nights ago I was met by signs of no audio, no movies, no recording, no photography. Bummer I think...this place is usually ok to take a few no flash photos. I guess the youtube thing is hurting the small-time blogger types...http://www.lucindawilliams.com/
This was a great show. There were many moments I really enjoyed and I was able to finally hear some of the songs I love performed live. Lucinda had a letter in her hand at one point and she told the story of a Vietnam vet, Roger, who was in the audience. She read a bit of the letter that told the story of how Roger lost his pal in the war and sang one of her songs to his grave in Arlington National Cemetery. The song was "Are you Alright?"
The crowd was great. A sell-out into the rafters. Lucinda said she had just got in from Birmingham the night before and had the next day off. She said "We will play a while tonight." And they did. And it was great.

Are you alright?
All the sudden you went away.
Are you alright?
I hope you come back around someday.
Are you alright?
I haven't seen you in a real long time.
Are you alright?
Could you give me some kind of sign.
Are you alright?
I looked around me and you were gone.
Are you alright?
I feel like there must be something wrong.
Are you alright?
'Cause it seems like you disappeared.
Are you alright?
'Cause I been feeling a little scared.
Are you alright?

Are you sleeping through the night?
Do you have someone to hold you tight?
Do you have someone to hang out with?
Do you have someone to hug and kiss you,
Hug and kiss you,Hug and kiss you?
Are you alright?
Are You Alright?
Are you alright?

Is there something been bothering you?
Are you alright?
I wish you'd give me a little clue.
Are you alright?
Is there something you wanna say?
Are you alright?
Just tell me that you're okay.
Are you alright?
'Cause you took off without a word.
Are you alright?
You flew away like a little bird.
Are you alright?
Is there anything I can do?
Are you alright?
'Cause I need to hear from you.
Are you alright?

Lucinda Williams!

Last Sunday night in Greensboro at the Carolina Theatre. Lucinda was in the house. But just before she came on stage Doug and Telisha Williams threw down on stage, and no they are not related, but boy this couple were great! They had a short introduction as Doug and Telisha although I had a hard time hearing the guy introducing them from my fourth row seats. All I heard was Martinsville, Virginia which is roughly 12 miles as the crow flies from my house. I thought, oh no, 45 minutes of suffering on a late night before a early working morning with two girls in tow who will want to be in bed early...
As Doug and Telisha started playing I went, Wow these two are great! http://www.dandtw.com/index.html They switched from guitar and stand-up bass to guitar and mandolin. They went from style to style and played it well. Their songwriting is very top shelf. I was very impressed with the banter between songs as I ready like to hear the story behind the music. And they have a story or two. As I left the theatre I bought the new cd from this couple. It is great. Do yourself a favor and go see them play. Better yet buy the cd and keep them on the road. Talent like this needs to be heard.

Eagles....

The Eagles have recorded some awesome tracks lately. That is all I will say. Even though I am not a fan of big box corporate America they pay the bills....grassroots one day, I hope soon...long story....here is the link to a sample of the awesome tracks to come. I will predict this album will kick serious ass in 2008. And command some big $$ in the concert market. Well..they are damn good and like so many... priceless to our generation. (man I thought it would be the day when I would add a link on my web log to Wal####.)

http://soundcheck.walmart.com/eagles.html?povid=cat4104-env10169-module54497-lLink1

My Favorite Billionaire at Work....

Israel Paskowitz, the founder of the Surfers Healing Foundation, hoisted a glass at the Sunset Saloon in Montauk with Jimmy Buffett, a volunteer, after a successful day in the surf with autistic kids.

JB. Now here is some good work. You are the man. High five to the man with the $$ doing the good deed....You make me proud to be in the parrot corps.
Paul O. Colliton - credit for the photo...This article comes from The East Hampton Star News http://www.easthamptonstar.com/DNN/Default.aspx?tabid=3608
As always I am going to copy it as the link may go away in the future and this is a gem. Thanks to my pal in Florida KWD for passing this on. Finz up KWD!

Taking Autistic Kids for a Surf in Montauk

By Russell Drumm

(09/20/2007) A young boy walked up to Israel “Izzy” Paskowitz at Ditch Plain Beach in Montauk on Saturday. His mother was at his side. His eyes seemed to be looking elsewhere, but very politely, at his mother’s urging, in a soft voice he said, “I want to thank you for the surfing.”

“You’re welcome,” Mr. Paskowitz said. The boy put his hands to his face. “I want to go again,” he said.

“When?” asked the founder of Surfers Healing, a organization created specifically to take autistic children out of their mysterious shells, and to turn a beach here, a beach there, into a sanctuary of shared understanding for moms and dads who most days struggle alone to cope with their challenged children in the “normal” world.

“Now,” said the boy, his eyes still focused elsewhere but now flitting eagerly. “My vest is back there. Who can take me?”

“I will take you. Let’s go,” said Mr. Paskowitz, a former competitive surfer and the father of Isaiah, a boy with severe autism. Isaiah, now 16, was 3 or 4 “when the clarity went out of his eyes,” said Joshua Paskowitz, Izzy’s younger brother and part of a team of world-class surfers who have perfected a method for getting autistic kids into the surf safely.

It’s not always easy. On Friday, mothers and fathers led their children to big surfboards waiting on the beach pointing seaward. Some kids went willingly. Others balked, held their faces. Some screamed, not in terror of the water, one mother explained, but in fear of doing something outside their narrowly proscribed experience. Each was greeted and encouraged by the men who would paddle them offshore, and by two others whose job it would be to catch the surfboards when the tandem team approached the beach on a wave.

At the start of the day, Izzy Paskowitz had gathered the volunteers into a circle. His healing surf sessions began in 1999 when he and his wife, Danielle, saw the peace that surfing brought Isaiah. He told volunteers not to be afraid of their charges’ resistance. “If they grab and scream, that’s okay. They can be combative, resistant, but this is something different for them.” One of the team offered a prayer in the Hawaiian language, and the surfing began.

The waves were small, ideal for 11-year-old Nicholas Daly, who had flown to New York from Surrey, England, to take part in the Surfers Healing events at Long Beach two days earlier and in Montauk on Saturday. Steven Daly, Nicholas’s father, said he was living in Cape Town, South Africa, when his son was diagnosed with autism at only 7 months. The family moved to England and from there commuted to New York in search of therapy.

“They are tactile-defensive,” Mr. Daly said. Autistic people do not like to be touched. “This allows them to be coated, enveloped without threat,” he said of surfing. “It’s freedom. I guess it’s what surfers feel but don’t think about.”

Nevertheless, it was with some trepidation that the local volunteers watched the children being paddled out, some lying prone in front of their guides, others sitting, still others, the younger ones, riding on their guides’ backs. They were paddled out to the lineup, where the small waves were forming up and breaking. The first wave was caught. The guide stood, reached down, grabbed the child’s life vest and hoisted him to his feet. The beach erupted in cheers and applause as the autistic surfer approached the beach, his face alight with joy.

Again and again, all through the day, more than 50 autistic kids surfed wave after wave. Their joy was infectious. Smiles and tears.

John Russell from Oakdale took part at a Surfers Healing event at Long Beach last year. He goes to a school that has a work program. He files papers. “I never thought he’d get that far. I knew nothing. All I knew was ‘Rain Man.’ There was no help out there,” said his mother, Justine, referring to Dustin Hoffman’s character Raymond in the Academy Award-winning 1988 movie. She said that when John was diagnosed, the occurrence of autism in the general population was 1 in 10,000. “Now, it’s 1 in 150.”

Justine Russell’s other autistic child was on the beach, too, although he could not participate. He was going through a difficult period. His hands had to be restrained to keep him from harming himself. His twin sister is free from the disorder. The cause is a mystery, Ms. Russell said, and no, she did not think it was genetic. “Nothing runs in my family.”

Lisa Meyers is the executive director of the East End Disabilities Association, which co-sponsored Saturday’s surf session. She and her husband “came together from other families,” and are both parents of autistic children. They met while advocating for state help in the early 1990s. The association, which started as an after-school program in Westhampton Beach, now employs 250 people from a home office in Riverhead. Services include a crisis center where children “with trauma” can be taken to give exhausted parents a break.

“I’m surprised to see it in person,” said Ms. Meyers’s husband, George Fertal, speaking of surfing’s therapeutic properties. “Autistic kids don’t want to be touched. Their personality becomes one with their surroundings, with the water. They’re gleeful. I think it’s a God thing, or umbilical, reminds them of the womb once on the board and in the water.”

“It’s the motion of the ocean,” was how the singer Jimmy Buffett put it. Mr. Buffett, a surfer himself, showed up to volunteer on Saturday afternoon. Later that evening, he performed for parents and volunteers at the Sunset Saloon on Fort Pond Bay in Montauk.

The Paskowitz family was well known for their good works long before Surfers Healing. Dorian Paskowitz, M.D., is the father of nine children, Israel and Joshua among them. He’s known as the Surfer’s Doctor as well as the father of surfing in Israel. He took surfboards to that nation in 1951. On Aug. 21 of this year, the 86-year-old “Jewish Hawaiian” donated and personally took 12 surfboards through the barriers at the Israel-Gaza crossing to Gaza’s small surfing community, in the hope that it would help foster peace between Palestinians and Israelis.

“Autism is a mysterious affliction,” Joshua Paskowitz said on Saturday afternoon, a day without a cloud in the sky. “It’s like they hear at double speed a record that’s playing at normal speed. They experience overwhelming input. They are a part of another world, another speed. They absorb things differently. One kid on my board said, ‘Look, a rainbow in the sky.’ ”

As parents and surfed-out kids began heading home, a tired Israel Paskowitz talked about autism’s sensory overload, and the quieting effect of the sea. “They are on a different frequency. They see the sun differently, tastes are alien. The water captures every one of their senses, neutralizes [the static]. It’s not surfing,” Mr. Paskowitz said. “It’s the ocean.”

What an awesome article. Now this is living baybee. Great writing, great people, cool stuff. Thanks for making my day. 'Nuff said.

Keep on Smilin'

Well Jimmy played my song last night. Yes I still have the old vinyl of Wet Willie's "Keep on Smilin." I even got a digital copy a couple of years back. I saw Wet Willie perform back in the 1970's and those recordings are still among my favorites. Growing up in Mississippi during the 1970's it was hard not to be a fan of a Southern Rock band from Mobile. http://www.ktb.net/~insync/wet_willie.html
Jimmy made a really nice remark last night as he introduced the song Keep on Smilin' and I don't think I can quote it verbatim but it went something like this. Life goes by really quick. We have lost a lot of friends over the years. It is up to us who survive to celebrate them. To live our time we have to the fullest. People like Duane Allman, Berry Oakley, Lamar Williams, Toy and Tommy Caldwell, and a list of old school blues players too. Man this was a night of memories.
For the final jam the band brought out Jeff Becks' "Goin' Down." This morphed into Led Zeppelins' "Whole Lotta' Love" and back. Awesome stuff! What a band. Did I say that enough last night?
Jimmy Hall is not to be missed. Tell your friends and family. Go see him as soon as you can. You will not be dissapointed.
Here are some links that relate to this story:
http://www.marshalltucker.com/cgi-bin/tuck/faq.html?id=Zk7TKrtq
http://www.jeffbeck.com/index.html
http://www.allmanbrothersband.com/

Jimmy Hall.

Here is Jimmy and as you can see from the photograph I was pretty close to the stage. I liked this one. He was in the face of the crowd all night. By the end of the evening half the women in the audience were trying to get on stage for various reasons. I'll leave that story for another time and place.

Jimmy Hall Last Night!

Jimmy Hall. http://www.jimmyhall.net/
Now here is another guy I had not seen since the mid 1970's. Wow what energy!! You talk about a tough photographic subject! This guys never stands still. He is all over the stage and he just ROCKS. He went from song to song with the intensity of a twenty year old. He plays the harp, he plays the sax, he can belt a song like nobodys bidness. He just plain gets down. WOW...this is one of the best shows I have seen in a loooong time. I heard all my favorite names called last night. Same Cooke, Delbert McClinton, Greg Allman, on and on. More in a moment.

Mission Temple Fireworks Stand....

Another photograph of Paul from the side of the stage. He amazed the crowd and then closed his set with the "Mission Temple Fireworks Stand." I was waiting for this.
He came to the center of the stage with a microphone in hand, his guitar slung over his shoulder. His band started a low instrumental that sounded like a Sunday morning sermon warm-up. As he told the story of growing up as the son of a preacher many years ago you could sense the crowd was being drawn to his every word. He ended his story and the band ripped into the song. After about three notes the hillside emptied to the dance floor in front of the stage. Hands in the air it did indeed remind me of a tent revival or that scene in the Blues Brothers movie with James Brown as Reverend Cleophus.
After Paul ended the song and left the stage I thought this guy just added a large list of fans to his already large list of followers. A final note. The headliner, Jimmy Hall who Greg Allman once called the hardest man in the business to follow on stage said as he took the stage "Thanks Paul Thorn, now I have to follow that?" 'Nuff said.

Paul Thorn on Stage in Roanoke!

Paul Thorn on stage last night. http://www.paulthorn.com/
I never tire of seeing this guy perform. He started when he was three and he just gets better everytime I see him. He is my favorite kind of performer. One who has the gift of gab and musical talent. This Mississippi boy can tell a story and he sets up his songs perfectly. His comedy timing is spot on and his band is so tight they blow your mind. What a show, What a show!!!

Jimmy Thackery!!

Here is Jimmy posing for my photo...I thought this was a cool one.
http://www.jimmythackery.com/
Jimmy was really on yesterday. I have seen him several times and this was probably the best form I have seen. When he played the Star Spangled Banner vis a vis Jimmi Hendrix the crowd rose to their feet and he just plain soared with his licks. Amazing guitar work through his entire short time on stage. He played it behind his back and with his teeth, but when it was all said and done, he played it damn well. Thanks mon.

John Hammond & Jimmy Thackery Jamming...

Here is a picture for you. Actually Jimmy brought John back to the stage during his set to jam. These guys are smoking! I love the way Jimmy wears his watch. A true guitar player.

John Hammond Yesterday.

Yesterday, under beautiful Roanoke, Virginia skies...The Big Lick Blues Festival 2007.
http://www.biglickblues.org/
John Hammond pictured above led the relentless stream of artists on the stage for almost 8 hours. WOW what a show and what talent. Any of these people could have been the headliner.
I had not seen John Hammond since the early 1970's and time has made us a bit older. Big deal. Age is just a number. This guy has just gotten better. http://www.johnhammond.com/

The Big Lick Blues Festival.

http://www.biglickblues.org/
The logo for the Big Lick Blues Festival. Note. I will come back. This event was top shelf.
Eric Fitzpatrick created this logo. http://www.fitzpatrick-art.com
Eric has been voted the Best Artist of the Area for the last 27 years by the Roanoker Magazine.