The Wheel!

The view as I walked into the Durham Performing Arts Center last Sunday evening. I'm here for Elvis Costello!
http://www.elviscostello.com/

It was a fine sunny day in Durham, North Carolina. The baseball game was going and I had been sitting at Tobacco Road taking in the game and enjoying the sunshine over a Green Man IPA and some awesome food.

The Durham Bulls slugged a couple of home runs into the roof over my head with a resounding thud. It was a nice way to wind down before what I knew was going to be a great show!

It was almost two years to the day since I had seen Elvis perform. In fact I was on the stage crew and I really enjoyed having a brief chat and taking some cool pictures of him and his band. That night after
the show I had the pleasure of working with his guitar technician while packing all of those fabulous guitars he owns. The guitars are very cool and the very old acoustic Gibson models are very nice.

I didn't put too many pictures from Merlefest 2010 on my blog but I have some really cool ones of his band standing in the hallway outside green room doing the pre-stage rituals.

Here is a link to a photo I put on the blog back then as Elvis jammed on stage with a Grammy-winning throng of musicians. That was an awesome day and night!

http://downsouthradiohour.blogspot.com/search?q=elvis+costello

Elvis Costello!

My thoughts about this show? Well. First I would say that I got my moneys worth and then some. The tickets were priced well for the show and Elvis and his band played very well. This band ROCKED non-stop and delivered a finale of fast-paced Rock and Roll at the end of a marathon night. Impressive to say the least!

Next there was a moment when Elvis took the stage alone with just a guitar. He was singing several songs and telling stories around a couple of them. Elvis played "A Slow Drag with Josephine" and as he worked through the lyrics behind the microphone he suddenly stepped to the side and started singing and playing with no amplification.
You could have heard a pin drop. The DPAC is a pretty big place but I swear you could have heard him in the balcony. I was lucky to be standing about 10 feet from him and it sounded awesome. When he finished the song the crowd ROARED their approval, rose to their feet, and applauded. Yes, these are the moments I live to see. Indeed. No cd or video can give you goose bumps like that.

Here are some links to a cool video or two:

"Slow Drag With Josephine." Recorded this year. This video backs the story I told you above. Enjoy it. I just did again. Before you click the link listen to the tone of Elvis's voice on this song and tell me you don't hear a hint of a Paul McCartney sound. Just sayin.' As I watched him perform I could hear that tone and it was really nice.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AV_UaQY6YUI&feature=related

"Pump it Up." Yeah this was one of the last songs. Always a favorite of mine. They rocked this one better than the video but I still go back and watch You Tube files like this to re-live that moment.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fG-q2tEhV7s


Here is another video featuring Bono and the Edge. If you have never seen Elvis's awesome TV show you are missing something very special. Here he finishes an interview and they go to the stage to ROCK a medley.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oFUEM61jIVo&feature=related


Another one of the finale songs "What's So Funny 'Bout Peace Love & Understanding" On this link you can see Elvis hosting the "David Letterman Show" and playing that killer guitar I showed you the picture of earlier.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1XYFJUP84lE

Well that's it for the moment. Remember as Warren Zevon said "Enjoy Every Sandwich" and live NOW. Go see some live music.


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

NIce Inlay Dude.

I love guitars and this one was very nice. This photo is all about looking at the inlay on the fretboard. Although I haven't posted too many pictures in this blog series I did manage to get some nice
photos of the Elvis Costello guitar collection on this tour.

The Hillside Album Hour Crowd.

http://www.waybacks.com/

This event has become a tradition at Merlefest. The Hillside Album Hour crowd was HUGE and very loud. We estimated 8-10,000 people on the hill sitting on the grass. The Waybacks played the Beatles "Abbey Road" from start to finish. Elvis Costello came on and added his vocals at one point. The crowd was so large I never even got close to the stage. Matt, my new friend from Athens, Georgia and I just soaked up the show from the side of the stage. It was great. Very cool. I am hoping to find a bootleg of this audio on the internet. I would like to hear it again.

Ron Holloway and the Dirty Dozen Brass Band!

At the Christmas Jam there is always a great selection of horn players. This year was no exception. I have lost count of how many of these Jams Ron Holloway has been to but it is a pretty big number. He has a history of playing with Government Mule, Little Feat, the Allman Brothers Band, and many others. He can always crank out some stunning sax solos. http://www.ronholloway.com/

The Dirty Dozen Brass Band http://www.dirtydozenbrass.com/ from New Orleans was a welcome addition this year. I have to say I loved the Drew Brees Saints jersey as I am a life-long fan of the Saints. These guys have played with everyone from David Bowie to Elvis Costello. They rock!

Jerry Douglas

http://www.jerrydouglas.com/

Did I mention Jerry Douglas was in the house? Man what an awesome player and yes he is a nice guy. I asked him to pose for me and he did without hesitation. There is nothing I like better than a down to earth great musician. This guy has won twelve grammy awards and so many other honors I don't have web storage to tell you about them. He has played with anyone who is anyone. He is just that good. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jerry_Douglas

Anyway in the next few pictures you will see him playing with Elvis Costello and others. Did I mention he was a nice guy who smiles all the time? Very cool.

Talent.

There was a TON of talent on this stage. What a great show.

Elvis Costello, Jim Lauderdale, Jerry Douglas, and others. A great show. Did I say that twice? Yeah, it was an awesome show.

http://www.elviscostello.com/

http://jimlauderdale.com/
http://www.jerrydouglas.com/