I attended a downtown concert last evening that was a surprising change of pace from the usual offerings from the Community Arts Committe... They have a free public concert hosted by the local Taco Bell and local Jazz radio station... Usually it's a couple of local frat bands playing mediocre covers, or a country tinged rock band that just goes through the motions... Last night, things were a bit different.... I had just arrived at the bandshell, when I spotted the feature band setting up. Both the guitarist pulled out beautifully aged and well kept Les Pauls... Hmmm, thought senor... Maybe these guys have held onto the first guitars they got in the late 50's, early 60's.. Always a good sign, I figured... They did a quick sound check, showing some casually adept licks, looked like they knew their way around... Senor then split to a local watering hole for a pitcher of draft beer. When myself and a lady friend approached the plaza an hour later, the intro band was well into their first set... To my delight, they were playing some blues-rock!! Either some old SonnyBoy Williams, or their own compositions... They had a hot viollin player that dueled and danced with the lead player in a greatly entertaining way......... When the intro guys finished, the guys with the old Gibsons hit the stage and literally rocked the house down playing a brand of rockabilly with an edge of acid rock.... The original compositions were tightly written with excellent storytelling as well as some really tastefully done whammy bar work that evoked images of nights on the beach, and innocence thought lost......... All in all, a surprisingly good night of freebie entertainment sponsored by the city powers that be....... Damn!!! Maybe art is not dead after all--- sal
I talked to Art last night, the old boy is barely breathing but he ain't dead yet.
Hey, how old were the Les Paul weilders? Did they have a name?
We get a few free municipal shows each year, quite a few. Sometimes the music is like flavor of the month, this years model, group hug before they go on stage, gonna be huge future rock stars. But as often as not it is some of the authentically great music that is just boiling up around here.
Come on folks get out and boogie! And when you go to a free show, buy a CD and a shirt. Support the arts!
" Barely breathin' but he ain't dead yet " :lol: I'd guess the youngest guy (lead player, '66 Les Paul-dark honey color ) was maybe 'round 45 yrs young. He also wrote some very good originals... Dude's real name was, get this. Johnny Raven!! :D The rythmn-front man wielded a gorgeous blood red Les Paul, he looked like a comfortablly aged 50 something.. Matter o fact; he looked like what you would have expected Buddy Holly to look like if he would have hung around to get a lil long in 'da tooth..... They even did a Dwight Yockum song that sizzled (something I had never heard before)----------- Yep--- support that live stuff people---- They had T-shirts fer sale for $8.00 Tasty black with big white lettering that proclaimed the bands' name "Doublewide" HHmmmmmm; wonder where they ever came up with that :wink: :wink: -------- sal They must be into some regional or semi national touring cuz they mentioned thier next town gig was in early Sept.... senor will be there , bedecked in his dancin' booties 8) --- sal
Good name! I may have heard of them, might have been a trailer park ad though.