Whittier Acoustic Showcase 1/13/18

Setlist:

Stop Draggin My Heart Around
Behind Blue Eyes*
Eve Of Destruction
Fox On The Run
First Cut Is The Deepest
Switchboard Susan
Lynch Party
Light My Fire
Love Song
Dark End Of The Street*
Logic And Lies
Cinnamon Girl (Extract)

(with Rick Clay)

In the dead of winter when you have subzero temps nobody goes out for jams. I have been used of seeing single digit performers and crowds to the point that it don't bother me  In fact I would get stage fright if there was more the 20 people in the audience.  I didn't figure the Whittier jam would be many people showing up.   I was right. Five people showed up including the host David Lam and Stu Pershing showed up later to really help things out.  I may include to lift a couple of songs that he usually does, Feeling Alright, Seven Turns and All I Can Do Is Write About It.

I worked all day on Behind Blue Eyes so I had a idea on how to play it, among with Dark End Of The Street.  The arrangements were rough but by the time I got to Whittier I managed to have a idea in my head to play them.  For something completely different, I sang Stop Draggin My Heart Around from the male point of view.  As well as covering The Cure's Lovesong.  Both songs are done by Julie and done better but for shits and giggles, I thought I'd try them out.

I went electric, using the my red Fender Strat for the first time. I haven't done Eve Of Destruction much, Steve Black Wolf does that one more often than I do.  Fox On The Run with all them shifting chords managed to sound very good with no mistakes.  Lovesong I had to include the riff to Walk Don't Run from the Ventures   The intention of the songs such as Dark End Of The Street and Draggin My Heart Around is to involve Julie more into the mix of music that I do.  With Ryan slated to come back in a couple weeks to start up The Dreams Of  Arcadia, I fear that I won't be doing much with Julie once he's here.  He's the money making partner. I'm just the love struck groupie.

(with Troy Mitchell: Jus Coz 1/13/18)

Phil Koening usually doesn't do the Whittier Jam but mostly the Waubeek Jam.  He opened up for Dan Hubbard at the Artisan Sanctuary and a few locals went to see him.   Four Day Creep was doing their birthday bash at Just Coz and once the Whittier Jam got done, I added another 60 miles to the car to help them celebrate their birthdays.  Each and every one were born late Dec and early Jan.   I got there at 11 and got to jam with them on Dreams I'll Never See Again.  Plenty of all stars sat in, the guys from FLEX, Mount Rockmore and a few other bands showed up.  Pat Geisland played drums on a couple numbers.  Even Rick Clay decided to try his hand at playing drums on  a couple numbers and kept dropping the drumsticks but he can twirl them. It was a good time.

(Four Day Creep:  Troy, Amanda and James and the lead singer from Slap N Tickle)

Notes; Since there was not any pictures taken of the Whittier Acoustic Showcase, Tami Soukup took plenty of the Four Day Creep Birthday Bash at Just Coz in Cedar Rapids. Even though I got there late, they managed to slot me in on a song and they are fun to jam with.  Rick broke a string on one song and kept playing, never missed a riff whatsoever.

A fashion note:  I actually wore a dress shirt before going to the Whittier Acoustic Showcase.  Didn't plan it that way but I do stick out in the crowd.

Tami Soukup took the photos shown.


Rumors' Jam 1/14/18  Hosted by Terry McDowell

with:
Micheal Clair-Guitar and Vocals
Tommy Bruner-Guitar and Vocals
John Hernandez-Bass
R.Smith-Drums

Setlist:

While My Guitar Gently Weeps
Kansas City Blues
Dirty Water
I Saw Her Standing There

Thankfully I got there before the rest of the drummers showed up, so I managed to do new stuff.  Tommy sang all but Kansas City, Mike sang Kansas City.  The first song was extended quite a bit, but Tommy played some soulful licks.  Despite the crappy weather we had six other drummers show up and everybody added something to the songs.  A pretty good jam overall.

We have proof that Rick Clay played drums now!  Here tis!