MUSINGS & RAMBLINGS

It seemed pretty busy in the city and with a few close calls in Union Square I thought it best to pull right into the garage so I did.

Got there just before start up time even though it was after 8pm.
They took to the stage and off we go.....

There they were, Four guitarist lined up on stage and I was getting more excited. They did a number or two passing the solos around and then Dave W. had two people leave just to "Thin out the texture a bit" and it worked.
David Bernstein and Chris Cobb were left and man....these two really compliment each other.
Chris announced an old war horse, "Things I used to do" and it was great.

You know....everytime I hear someone cover that song my expectations are a bit high. This one here nearly met them.
It's a beautiful song when done right and they damn near did it right. David Bernstein had what I was wanting to hear from this song. That guitar that is the tell-tale sound of this song, I don't how to explain the playing I'm talking about but it's just that lonesome guitar that just rolls around and around in a circle. I'm sure ones who are familiar with this classic knows what I'm talking about.
The original guitar playing that goes with this song seldom makes it in the covered versions. Joe Beard does one of the best versions I've ever heard.
But like I said, as Chris Cobb was doing his version of it, David was in the back, playing that sound I was so wanting to hear through out the whole song.
It was refreshing to hear and then it came time for his solo.

This guy David Bernstein is absolutely one of the best guitarist I've heard in some time. Just because it's something totally different. A new sound that's original.
The way he plays that guitar is unusual in itself. His fingers, the way they move, the way he hears the song, there is nothing predictable about him.
I'm not one to explain different playing sounds and styles but he definitely has some jazz in his blood. The way he mixes it in the blues is something you gotta hear.
David Bernstein- a must hear and see!

Then there was Sean Carney!!
Wow what player!!
He added some of that jumpin feel to the show. He got to cut loose on a few and man....I thought I felt an artery about to burst in the side of my neck and then he would finally let me down easy. Good timing too because I felt as though my eyes were gonna pop out if that artery didn't burst first!!
This guy is yet another amazing guitarist. I would love to catch a whole show of his with his own band. I bet it's a hell of a show.
Sean Carney got some great stuff in and made a fan outta me!

Chris Cobb...well, we all know about this guy here. What a totally different style. He's got that intense style and the guy rips!!!
I felt like we didn't get to hear enough of him and at one point later in the night, I thought he left. He was off the stage for so long and I didn't see him anywhere and then he came back. Good thing too because I was missing him.

Dave Workman-absolutely one of my favorite around these here parts! It had been way too long since hearing him.The guys does those cliff hangers, you know the ones that just leave you hanging until he pulls you back in. What a player. His Albert King is the best!!!
Damn, that last song "backstroke" was killer!!
Great way to close the night.
Thanks, Chris for getting that one in ;-)

There was just so much guitar and I thought I would be on overload but I wasn't for some reason.
I know the reason for that actually and it's because the momentum was lost with too much down time between songs and too much talking.
I love blues stories as much as the next blues fan, and proper introductions are fine with maybe some playing history with this particular band, but there comes a time when enough is enough and just play the blues!!!
Too much changing up all the time on stage and it seemed like when the momentum of a particular make up would just get going.... it was time to change it all up. I wanted more guitar, less talking, less change up time, I was there for a guitar show and I wanted more guitar dammit!
I liked the idea of putting together different combos but it seemed some were off stage more than on.

All and all, a great show!
Tighten it up a bit (less BSin) and it would've been perfect.
I have no time to waste with talk and talk is cheap. Just play the blues, baby!
Like I said, Stories are cool but too much on stage is just not what I want to hear. Now break time is a time to share that stuff or in writings, interviews etc....

Got to mention the rest of the band:
Wendy DeWitt on Hammond.
I was gonna get annoyed by too much of anything but guitar but it was a good balance. After all, it was dubbed a "guitar show", right?
Wendy is just so good. I love her version of "Messin' 'round with the Blues". When it was just her, the drummer and David Bernstein on guitar for a song, she was covering some amazing ground on that Hammond!!

The rhythm section would be Kent Brison on drums and Randy Bermudas on bass. Need I say more???
Sean's drummer was in the house and sat in for a few and what a totally different style he had! It had a stompin'/skippin' feel to it. It felt heavier. Like I said, I would love to catch Sean with his own band one day.

Let's see....John Nemeth was in the house and jumped up to sing a couple and damn....I can't seem to get enough of that guy!!
A must see this John Nemeth.

I pretty much had the dance area to myself except for little girl who was a jumpin all over the place, doing cart wheels and such. She was cute.
Met a very cool couple from Canada who put together a blues festival up there and talking with them, I wanted to go back to Canada with them!
No we weren't talking politics, just blues. Although I did try touching on politics, I pulled back because I felt my anxiety level going up and I wanted to relax, not get worked up.

Dave Workman is talking of doing this on a semi-regular basis and I'm really looking forward to the next one. I know he's got some great ideas up his sleeve.
Don't miss the next one. And for a jam. I don't get it.......
You people missed out.

After that incredible show, I somehow made it to the Saloon where Sir Charles Wheal "The English Gentleman" was playing. Found parking real close and made in time for the third set.

I ate two granola bars on the way there and they weren't sitting too well in my stomach. I danced a bit and it settled. Thank goodness too because that bathroom there is not one you want to get sick in. Of course, I could've spewed on the sidewalk like everyone else does. Ain't nothing worse than slipping on puke in North Beach! It's very slippery and I think it's from all the pasta and pizza mixed with alcohol ;-)

So, enough of this pukin' talk and Charles deserves a much better segway....

Charles Wheal is just so damn good. His style is sweet, clean, gentle, and precise.
He had The drummer from "Little Charlie & the Nightcats" with him and the bass player was Joe Kyle(?). I had just seen Joe with the Trailer Park Rangers the other night.
That guy gets around and what he does on that stand up bass is nothing short of amazing.
Wow, what a band!!! There was as much sound coming from that little ol' trio as there was from that full stage at Biscuits.
Charles is sounding really good. I'm sorry to have missed the first two sets.
The dancers on the floor were a blast too!

Got home with the aid of consuming mass quantities of junk and slept like a baby.
I'm still thinking of all that blues guitar work from five players and they all have totally different styles.
I wish I could've afforded a CD from Sean Carney & David Bernstein but I was busted. It's been a tight month and just getting there proved to be costly.
Shoot...I spent my whole entertainment budget on that last John Nemeth show not so long ago. I just had to go and buy all his CDs, didn't I?
I do have a few bucks saved for tomorrow night's show at the Last Day Saloon.
Daniel Castro will be there along with the Alameda All-Stars. Should be a good show. I missed the last time they played together there.

See you there or on the blues trail somewheres,
Mo