The Robert Cray Band!!

Picture by Martin Fried 2013

http://robertcray.com

Well I have lost count of the times I have seen this band perform since the 1980's but I never tire of a moment when they have the stage. Robert roared to the stage with his debut hit "Phone Booth" and continued to rip through some of his recent songs from his latest album. He had the sold-out Durham Performing Arts Center ROCKING! There were several awesome songs played but I guess the one I remember hitting me hard was "Side Dish" from the last album "Nothin' But Love." OK I will admit "I'll Always Remember You" kicked ass too but there is always that one song that gets you on a good night. Go get Robert's new cd if you are not listening to it..it is great stuff...

Side Dish....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=17dviPTqolE

Don't like the fire and forget what you doing
Make you baby mad and start her to stewing
when she starts to boil and knocks some steam
you become a side dish if you know what I mean

appetize a main course don't you understand yeah
If you don't do your prep you get canned
I love you when something's hard to chew
you become a side dish it could happen to you
(cool rabi, turn up, don't cry french fry, escalo, scalium)

you got to tender your cooking every day and every night, yeah
you got to stir it, season it and check that its allright arggh
it is as simple receipe and it ain't hard to do
you became a side dish you be off the menu
(rock a lady, mashed potato, sellery, onion, carrot, oil after that, you'll be crying )

Jonathon "Boogie" Long at the DPAC!!

Picture by Martin Fried http://www.rhythmscene.com

The opening of the BB King show. I was told to put my camera and my iPhone away. I did even though I was only a few feet from the stage. I did get some low grade phone shots but nothing like Martin did.

http://jonathonboogielong.com
Here is a line from his web page: In 2011 Jonathon”Boogie”Long won the Guitar Center King of the Blues guitar competition for #1 Unsigned Blues Guitarist in America and plans on being a pioneer for Blues music and it’s roots. Boogie’s Debut album is coming soon. Keep an eye out for him...he is a player...

Eric Clapton...The 2013 Tour.

Photo Credit: Andrew Talbert Down South Productions 2013

There is always that moment in a show where something you hear takes you to a place and makes you remember the moment for a long time. That happened last night. I felt the release I needed, it had been a long day and the music took me away... The song of all those great ones? "Badge." It was incredible. The whole band participated. They were like candles around the star. Eric soared through the chords of this song and sang the parts like it was a well worn tire on a new journey. The guitar work was unbelievable. It was DAMN good. When the tears flow out of my eyes I know I have my moneys worth. Last night was a jackpot. 'Nuff said.

"Badge", written in 1969 with help from the likes of George Harrison and even Ringo Starr. It still rocks even today. Last night was incredible. I loved every moment of that show.

Eric was just 68 years old on March 30th. He is the master. Last night a huge building toasted him. "Crossroads" is coming in a week. What a story. He is a legend.

Until next time, I'll see you, down the road.



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HVvUQqDVWi4


Thinkin bout the times you drove in my car.
Thinkin that I might have drove you too far.
And Im thinkin bout the love that you laid on my table.

I told you not to wander round in the dark.
I told you bout the swans, that they live in the park. (a drunk Ringo threw this line in...cool huh)
Then I told you bout our kid, now he's married to mabel.

Yes, I told you that the light goes up and down.
Don't you notice how the wheel goes round?
And you better pick yourself up from the ground
Before they bring the curtain down,
Yes, before they bring the curtain down.

Talkin bout a girl that looks quite like you.
She didn't have the time to wait in the queue.
She cried away her life since she fell off the cradle.

Paul Carrack!!

http://www.paulcarrack.net

Paul was on the keyboards last night and he has an extensive resume. Roxy Music, Ace, Squeeze, Roger Waters backing band, the list goes on and on. If you have ever listened to commercial radio you have heard his voice. During the Eric Clapton set were several times where the band all went to the cover band extraordinaire status and played several of Paul's hits with him leading the vocals. Many people have said this guy would be as big as Elton John or Phil Collins if the music world was totally built on vocal ability. He is still pretty awesome. Here is one of the favorites they played last night from the band Ace, "How Long." This song is still a favorite of mine. What a night this was!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wAVl_IJV5eI

How long has this been going on?
How long has this been going on?

Well, if friends with their fancy persuasion
Don't admit that it's part of a scheme
But I can't help but have my suspicions
'Cause I ain't quite as dumb as I seem

And you said you was never intending
To break up our scene this way
But there ain't any use in pretending
It could happen to us any day

How long has this been going on?
How long has this been going on?

Oh, your friends with their fancy persuasion
Don't admit that it's part of a scheme
But I can't help but have my suspicions
'Cause I ain't quite as dumb as I seem

Oh, you said you was never intending
To break up our scene this way
But there ain't any use in pretending
It could happen to us any day

Doyle Bramhall II !!!

http://www.doylebramhall2nd.com/home.htm
Doyle. Well first I want to meet this guy in person. I have seen him play many times but every time I see him I think of Stevie Ray Vaughn. Last night there was a moment when I watched him play some chords SRV style and smile. His Dad was close friends with Jimmy and Stevie Ray Vaughn. Last night I saw it and I heard it. It is cool when you know you understand what is being "said" on stage. I really want to meet a guy who plays a right-handed guitar upside down better than most play the standard way. That is some strange processing to get those chords straight. He does it well. Jimi Hendrix was that way...I enjoy watching and hearing Doyle play. He is one of a very few...

The 000-28 Martin...It's Eric Clapton!

http://www.ericclapton.com


Remember all photos unless otherwise stated are ©Andrew Talbert 2013 Down South Productions

Back to the opening. EC walked out and picked up his Martin 000-28 aka "triple 028." I really love this guitar as many of the ones hanging around my house closely resemble this model...in more ways than one...'Nuff said. The safe is locked and the alarm is on, just sayin.' As EC came out I knew it would be a great night. It is sort of strange to watch a legend on stage. I have seen Eric play several times now and every show leaves a lasting memory of something very different. He had some of the familiar guys on stage but as I watch them play it is almost like they move away from him at times and the body language of a great player standing next to a legend says "I am pretty damn awesome to be on this stage but that candle over there is the one that blinds everyone." It is true. I sensed that last night several times. Crazy. Everyone on stage was so talented last night and the crowd roared for everyone of them but I felt as I always do that something special was happening as Eric Clapton straps on a guitar. It is the real deal. 3-D baby, no glasses required.

The Wallflowers...Jacob Dylan!!

http://www.thewallflowers.com
Wow. The Wallflowers open for one of my favorite artists? BONUS!! From the moment as my daughter Alexandra's friend Meghann Hoyle has said "The spawn of Bob Dylan" stepped on stage my eyes started flowing tears of joy. If you search back in the blog you can read the story of when I took them to the House of Blues in Myrtle Beach to see the Wallflowers and that was some show! Back to last night...If you click the link above you see the new album. I bought the vinyl last night. Why? "Glad All Over?" Are you kidding me? I was a very young kid in the 1960's. My aunt Jane lived with us in Greenwood, Mississippi for a while and she had all these cool albums. One of them was the Dave Clark Five "Glad All Over" I remember so well. Here is the video link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EipdAjhImrc I just thought that was too damn cool when that played as the lights dropped last night. I wondered how many people got that...At any rate as the song progressed and the hits kept coming from the stage I hear the guys behind me go "Hey they are pretty good." I heard that again in another song and finally I turned around and said " You know who that is right?" They had no idea. I said that is Jacob Dylan as in Bob's son...they suddenly lit up and said awesome!! I think they were instant fans then. This band is really cool. I loved every track they played.I hope I get to see them all alone in a small venue soon. They are so good.

If you want to listen to the latest album with a track featuring Mick Jones go check this out:

http://www.rollingstone.com/music/albumreviews/glad-all-over-20121002

They played some hits last night. But I waited for my favorite. It came and I loved it. Here is the video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zzyfcys1aLM

The best wine don't touch these lyrics played live. 'Nuff said.

So long ago, I don't remember when
That's when they say I lost my only friend
Well, they said she died easy of a broken heart disease
As I listened through the cemetery trees

I seen the sun comin' up at the funeral at dawn
With the long broken arm of human law
Now, it always seemed such a waste
She always had a pretty face
I wondered why she hung around this place
Hey...

Come on try a little
Nothing is forever
There's got to be something better than
In the middle
But me and Cinderella
We put it all together
We can drive it home
With one headlight

She said it's cold
It feels like Independence Day
And I can't break away from this parade
But there's got to be an opening
Somewhere here in front of me
Through this maze of ugliness and greed
And I seen the sun up ahead
At the county line bridge
Sayin' all is good and nothingness is dead
We'll run until she's out of breath
She ran until there's nothin' left
She hit the end, it's just her window ledge

Come on try a little
Nothing is forever
There's got to be something better than
In the middle
But me and Cinderella
We put it all together
We can drive it home
With one headlight

Well, this place is old
It feels just like a beat up truck
I turn the engine, but the engine doesn't turn
Well, it smells of cheap wine and cigarettes
This place is always such a mess