Sonny Landreth and Jerry Douglas.

This was a moment. Sonny Landreth and Jerry Douglas on stage playing dueling slide guitar together. This is what Merlefest is. Great jamming with all kinds of fusion music. I love every moment of it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KcuOMePIuCk

"Hey Joe" Jerry Douglas video link:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mfCiuYVZVTU

Sonny Landreth!

http://www.sonnylandreth.com/
Before the Doobie Brothers come on the stage Sonny Landreth is coming out to awe the crowd. You really have to see Sonny play to understand how awesome his playing is. Here is a link to a great video of Sonny playing with Eric Clapton recently at the Crossroads Festival:

http://www.ericclapton.com/videos/sonny-landreth-eric-clapton-perform-promise-land-crossroads-2010

Sonny is smoking on the guitar. I love to see him play. Again and again.

The Doobie Brothers are in the House!

http://www.doobiebros.com/
Back stage with the Doobie Brothers, April 2011. I am really looking forward to this show. I have seen these guys perform since the 1970's, many times in fact. I never tire of this gig. Bring it on!

Zac Brown.

http://www.zacbrownband.com/
Zac Brown at Merlefest 2011. It was a good show. The cool thing was the union guys were there and I left at midnight. I had three nights ahead of me and I was headed for wine country to get a good nights rest. Back in the morning.

A Not so Great Photo of Randy Travis.

I am my own worst photo critic. I was very busy during this set. I did shoot a few pictures. This is Randy Travis on stage Thursday night at Merlefest 2011. It was a crowded back stage. Zac Brown was on the right side and Randy's stuff was on the left. There were two tractor trailers backed up to the loading dock. We had fun with a cooler that said "Randy Travis" on the top. The road manager kept saying that there were complimentary autographed drinks inside as a way of saying thanks for all the help. When you opened the lid it would lift a fake snake up! People would jump across the floor when this happened. We got all the Zac Brown crew with this one...It was funny..

Randy Travis' Set List

This was the first show I was back stage for. It was a complicated load out. That's all I'll say. lol.

The Food Tent at Merlefest 2011

It always amazes me how this festival has grown. The food tent is huge. The crowd just grows and grows. The talent gets better and I am enjoying working the main stage and seeing the talent this thing is attracting as it approaches a 25th anniversary next year.

On to Merlefest 2011.

Merlefest 2011. I am behind blogging due to all the stuff I do. This event is held at the end of April each year. At this point it is almost the end of May as I write this. No big deal. It is not like I am getting compensated for this or anything.
This is a shot of the sand sculpture as it is being created. Each year it is a cool thing to watch over several days. These artists are amazing...

Bob Seger!

So you can see from this picture, seats - lower level half-way back. But I should say this was one of the best shows of the week. I was always a fan of the music, problem was it was so over-played on FM during my formative years I could never seem to go see it performed live. As I heard this HUGE band play and Bob sing his heart out I realized what I was seeing. It was awesome. All the way from the drummer aka Grand Funk's centerpiece, the Sax...ah the horns were off the meter! And my pal Shaun Murphy who has fronted Little Feat as a vocalist, all the while she has been with Bob for many years, what a talent. Can I say I looked at her and thought just how great she looked at this stage of her life? Not sure of what spa she goes to but they should hire her for a testimonial.
The show was GREAT. I read recently in Rolling Stone about this tour. The thing I remember was how Bob wanted to fly back home, sleep in his own bed, and take his kids to school the next morning. He said he was not sure how much more of this he could do even though he had lost 35 pounds on a diet recently. Bob. Read my words. You should do more, not less! I hope I can see another edition of your show again. Very soon!

Here is a song I woke to not long ago. i could not get these lyrics out of my head. Bob Seger ROCKS! Even in 2011 and that makes it even better. 'Nuff said.


He wants to dream like a young man
With the wisdom of an old man
He wants his home and security
He wants to live like a sailor at sea

Beautiful loser
Where you gonna fall?
When you realize
You just can't have it all

He's your oldest and your best friend
If you need him, he'll be there again
He's always willing to be second-best
A perfect lodger, a perfect guest

Beautiful loser
Read it on the wall
And realize
You just can't have it all
You just can't have it all

The Bob Seger Crowd....Greensboro, North Carolina 2011.

Yes I took this picture from my seat. My seats, well frankly they were not the best I had had this week. It was the fourth concert this week and I had not spent my usual pre-work to make sure I was on top of the stage. Actually I was at this show to make sure my favorite aunt Terri was going to be there. After I left I realized just how damn good the show was.

A Classic Amos Pose.

So as I watched this show unfold I can tell you a few things. This guy has huge eyes and most of the time he is on stage he keeps them closed. I shot quite a few pictures and most of them he has his eyes closed. It is not a big deal as I will tell you he is very into what he is doing. He is not posing for pictures. He is leading a band and singing his songs with a passion of a great performer. I really enjoyed the show and his focus on what he was doing. His band was great so I am looking forward to this guy going places. He is one of those that you look back later and say...I saw him in a small venue before he got big....Great stuff. And this was only my third concert in one week. One more to go....more on that on that in a moment.

Well to all my friends that treated me so well
You know I'm headed out to that Mission Bell
Gonna wash my soul, gonna get it clean
Heading down the border road called the El Camino

Well I've been a prince and you know I've been a post
By a barb wire fence and a murder of crows
I'm leavin' all I've loved and all I've seen
Heading down the border road called the El Camino
Heading down the border road called the El Camino

Amos Lee!

http://amoslee.com/
So I arrived in Raleigh at the Lincoln Theatre to check out Amos Lee. I had heard a lot about this cat so I was looking forward to seeing the show. As I arrived it was a wet day not far from a recent tornado touchdown. I was happy that rough stuff was over even thought it was still a very cool Spring day in North Carolina. I was lined up with lots of young people trying to stay warm before the doors opened. As soon as we all got in which was 15 minutes after the advertised door open everyone went for the best place to view the show. There were overhead steel supports with new seats added since I had been here last. But as always I headed for the front of the stage. It was going to be a good night.

Steve on Acoustic.

There is not much I can say about this show that hasn't already been said. This was an eight show mini-tour and I felt very lucky to be there. I am glad both of these talents are still cranking out music and touring so we can watch them play live. Yeah baby.

Some people call me the space cowboy yeah
Some call me the gangster of love
Some people call me Maurice
Cause' I speak of the pompetous of love

People talk about me baby
Say I'm doin' you wrong, doin' you wrong
But don't you worry baby don't worry
Cause' I'm right here at home

Cause' I'm a picker
I'm a grinner
I'm a lover
And I'm a sinner
playin' my music in the sun
I'm a joker
I'm a smoker
I'm a mid-night toker
I get my lovin' on the run
Ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh

The Stage Backdrop.

I really like this background. Guitars galore!

Steve Miller!

http://www.stevemillerband.com/
The day after the new cd released I was in the house watching Steve Miller. It was a blues-filled night. There were hits and there were covers and I should say it was all really, really good. Steve doesn't look as old as he actually is. I stood there looking at him thinking of his age and the things he must have seen in his life. If you go read about Steve you will see just how many cool musical talents he has been around since a very young age. I have everything he has ever recorded and I love to listen to it all. His show was fabulous. The band was tight and the set list was great. What a night!

Gregg on Guitar...

Gregg on the guitar. His band is sounding great and I really enjoyed this solo performance. It has been a long time since I saw him solo. But I still have the ticket stub. It was the same night I got to talk with him after listening to him play from a bar stool two feet from my seat. He is a super nice guy. A real Southern gentleman.

Well I'm goin' away to leave
Won't be back no more
Goin' back down south, child
Don't you want to go?
Woman I'm troubled, I be all worried in mind
Well baby I just can't be satisfied
And I just can't keep from cryin'

Well I feel like snappin'
Pistol in your face
I'm gonna let some graveyard
Lord be your resting place
Woman I'm troubled, I be all worried in mind
Well baby I can never be satisfied
And I just can't keep from cryin'

Gregg Allman.

http://www.greggallman.com/
Gregg as he took the stage. He looks great for what he has been through the last year. He sounded good and I really enjoyed the songs he pulled from his older albums. The new release is a very fine piece of work. I am listening to it as I write this. I have been a Gregg Allman fan since I was very young. I haven't lost any interest since the first time I heard him sing a song live and I lost count of the live shows back in the early 1980's. The first one was 1974 if I dare say that...

And the Next Night....

http://www.boothamphitheatre.com/
The night after the Jimmy Buffett show I was back in Cary, North Carolina for the Gregg Allman and Steve Miller show. Yeah I just saw them perform in Asheville at the Warren Haynes Christmas Jam only 5 months ago. I watched back stage as they smiled and exchanged a hug. You could tell these guys are friends. I was not surprised to see them put a joint tour together.
I was into the venue early as I know the ropes and have great seats for this show. I walked back to the back to have a glass of wine and take the picture you see above. The show was close to starting and the place was completely full of people.

JB.

Jimmy April 2011. I really didn't take too many pictures at this show. I was there just to take it all in. It is still a social event for me. I had a great time. I thought the set list was pretty cool. There were some older things I really enjoyed. I really don't want to elaborate on my music collection but I will say I always enjoy a "deep cut" song during a concert no matter who is on the stage. I really enjoyed "Lady I can't Explain" and "Survive."
I remember the day "Volcano" was released. I drove to a mall in Greensboro and bought the album on vinyl. I ended up seeing Jimmy perform twice that year live. Since then I have talked to some of the people who were participating in the album. So I guess that one was a special one for me.

Speaking of albums, a little bird told me some old Buffett music was found recently that will find it's way into a new release soon. Seems there were tons of old tracks that were mostly forgotten and almost thrown out. That should be interesting to hear. Anyway...

It was good to see some of my friends at another JB show as I know life is short. A good night indeed.

Here is a link to the set list that night:

http://www.buffettworld.com/archives/2011-welcome-to-fin-land/04-19/


What could I do?
That's never been done before
What can I say?
That hasn't been said by scores

If I was a designer I could do nothin' finer
Than dress you in style
But I'm a hopeless romantic still behind all these antics
Is a heart full of smiles

So I'll just keep on dreamin' (I'll just keep on dreamin')
Thoughts that are in my brain
You just keep on bein'
Lady I can't explain

Ilo Ferreira on the stage.

Ilo just released his new album. It is available on Mailboat Records.
http://www.mailboatstore.com/product_info.php?cPath=34&products_id=171

Ilo came out to open the show for Jimmy. He played several of his tunes and soon it was time for the main event. I will see Ilo again soon. More on that later...

Pre-show...The Flag is Flying...

This was the scene as we walked into Walnut Creek for the show. Joined my my old friends Jimmy and Henry from Goldsboro as well as his daughter Liz and a friend we took our place in Box 14. The Landshark lager pre-show fun had been great. Now we were lubricated, fed, and ready for 90 minutes or so of music I know by heart. Not only do I love the scene but I always enjoy a warm Carolina day with live Jimmy Buffett music. It is sort of like watching your musician friends with 25,000 other friends watching. Did I mention I am still not tired of this?

Meanwhile back at another Buffett Show...

Jimmy Buffett. Show number eighty-one for me. But who is counting? I know I haven't put discussions of shows on this blog intentionally as sometimes people start asking me why I go to so many concerts. I have a bumper sticker on one of my coolers in my collection. It was given to me by one of my parrothead friends Jimmy Jeffreys. It says "It's a Buffett thing you wouldn't understand." 'Nuff said.

Anyway. I will start the Raleigh April 2011 report with this picture. FOH. The "front of House" sound. I remember the first time I heard that phrase so long ago in Mississippi. It reminds me of a question I asked Paul Barrere of Little Feat one time. I was asking him about a name of one of his stage crew. He told me about the guy, his name, and yeah he is "FOH"... front of house baby.