OK, so on a whim over this past weekend, I realize Eric Clapton will be in concert Monday night in Raleigh. Had no clue. And it so happens I worked 8-4 Monday. Out of the blue, I decide to trek on over to the RBC Center in Raleigh to see a blues guitar GOD. (As a non-religious man, I drop the term "god" discriminately.)
So I leave at 5:00 so I can sit in Triangle rush hour traffic for quite some time, then arrive in my seat by 6:40. At 7:30, the opening band is making its way to the stage. I have absolutely no idea who it could be, and stare in amazement as the singer's identity is made clear...
ROGER FUCKING DALTREY. The lead singer of my ALL-TIME favorite band, The Who.
I frantically wave my arms and soil my trousers repeatedly. OMG!OMG!OMG!OMG!
Friday night I traveled over to Raleigh on the campus of NC State to see a gorgeous and up-and-coming bassist: Esperanza Spalding. Esperaza, a pianist, guitarist, and drummer entertained for two hours. Jazz, both classic and modern, filled the air. Soulful ballads, upbeat numbers, offbeat acid beats; Esperanza manages to command her bass with virtuosity.
Really an exciting and mesmerizing performance. Here's a video I took on the iPhone:
Drove over to Raleigh and the campus of NC State to see yet another performance by Daniel Bernard Roumain, otherwise known as DBR. This piece, a multimedia production entitled Darwin's Meditation for the People of Lincoln. Two iconic figures born on the same day in 1809. DBR wonders, what would they say to each other if they met? The performance and the piece can be best described by the man himself:
Not knowing what to expect, some "modern" portions of Act I were oddly intriguing. I suppose I had it in my mind that traditional melodic measures would flow. Act I included many sporadic notes and off-tempo beats. Once I settled into the show, it really opened up for me and I enjoyed it immensely.
The treat before the 8pm show was the 6:45pm discussion in the student center on campus. Got there right as it began, and no one was sitting in the very front row! Hell, I'll sit there! Great to hear his thoughts on the piece firsthand. Also cool to hear his tackle audience questions with humility and grace. And finally, even better for him to offer to shake my hand after the discussion. I squeal like a girl.
Wednesday night saw the first of two North Carolina concerts by the Dave Matthews Band. So naturally, being a member of their Warehouse fan club, I bought tickets to both shows before the general public. Wednesday in Raleigh and Friday in Charlotte.
After work was over and immediately on the way to Raleigh, first it was a stop at the Carolina Brewery & Grill in Pittsboro for a delicious barbeque chicken pizza and pints of Flagship IPA. Satiated and quenched, it was back in the Jeep to the [insert corporate sponsor name here] Amphiteatre at Walnut Creek.
Logging in at just a hair under 2 and a half hours, this show just rocked my socks off. It was bittersweet in that their longtime saxophone/horn player LeRoi Moore had passed away in an ATV accident, and this was my first show with him gone. And, because his shoes were so large to fill, it took TWO additional horn players to fit the bill and, I wouldn't say "replace" him, but rather to take his spot on the stage. Tim Reynolds was along to play electric guitar (even Dave busted out the electric for the new song Why I Am!), and there was no Butch Taylor sighting as there were no keyboards tonight.
From the raucous Bartender to the closing Two Step to the long encore of All Along the Watchtower melding into the heavy portions of Stairway to Heaven, this show was spectacular.
Wednesday Apr 22 2009 Time Warner Cable Music Pavilion at Walnut Creek
Bartender #27 Why I Am Anyone Seen The Bridge [segue into...] Too Much (Fake) [segue into...] Ants Marching You Might Die Trying Spaceman Corn Bread Raven Dancing Nancies [segue into...] Warehouse Funny The Way It Is So Damn Lucky #41 Grey Street Two Step
OK, so I'm a member of the Dave Matthews Band fanclub, "The Warehouse". Their concerts kick some serious ass. The jams and riffs and improvisations are spectacular. Songs that take 12 minutes to complete? Awesome. Second-hand marijuana smoke? Sure, I'll take it.
So anyway, they're coming out on tour this spring supporting a new CD. Locally! Or should I say, "locally"? Outdoor arenas in Charotte and Raleigh. Me? Well hell, I'll put my name into the fan club lottery for primo pavillion tickets for both.
Wednesday April 22 in Raleigh. Friday April 24 in Charlotte.
Put in for both. It coincides with work schedules as I work 8-4 each day. I am so, as they say, "there".
For both.
Kick ass.
Bittersweet though as these will be the first North Carolina concerts since the death of Leroi Moore, the uber-horn player, whether it be sax, trumpet, horn, whatever. It will be emotional to see who takes on the torch of DMB horns. I for one am just glad they're trudging on and going forward after his tragic death.
Who else sings about the plight of Native Americans and their removal from tribal lands? Seriously. "All I can say, to you my new neighbor, is you must move on or I will bury you.....Don't drink the water, there's blood in the water." (Appropriate the YouTube snapshot below shows Leroi bellowing on his sax...)
Giddy.
The official word hits the street in early January. Can't wait to hear where my seats are...
An intense bout with clogged sinuses did not stop Chris for a visit 60 minutes east to the RBC Center. Many many drugs and a quick nap after work resulted in a drive over to Raleigh for the 2nd home game for the 2-0-0 Carolina Hurricanes (your 2006 Stanley Cup Championship team). The 1-1-0 Detroit Red Wings (your 2008 Stanley Cup champions) took the ice versus our local heroes. It was also the inaugural night for the new "alternate sweaters" for the 'Canes. Yes, hockey players wear sweaters, not jerseys. The marketing department certainly did their homework.
Black.
The usual suspects are:
Home red:
Away white:
And now, the alternate black:
Way cool. Instead of the usual logo with the puck as the eye of the hurricane storm comprised of two C's, the shoulder logo (Chris's favorite) takes prominence on the chest: a hurricane flag on a hockey stick over a triangle. Get it? Triangle? Raleigh-Durham-Chapel Hill? Triangle?
The home team lost 3-1, the third goal being an empty net variety with seconds remaining. Great seats, center ice behind the penalty boxes. Center ice as in, Chris's seat was directly on the red line. Sure it was a pretty penny, but Gordon appearances at Hurricanes games do not occur nearly as often as we'd prefer.
Figured the Monday Night Football game with the Browns and the Giants would be a Cleveland disaster, so the hockey game took precedence. Who knew the Brownies would end up victorious in the end? Chris was home for the 4th quarter of the football game, but the sinuses began their newest vicious onslaught and bedtime occurred early.
Regardless of a snot-filled buckethead, it was an enjoyable evening.
Last February we went to NC State in Raleigh to see a concert of DBR + the Mission. Last night was a toned down version, "unplugged" if you will, of DBR + the SQ Unit. "SQ" meaning string quartet. Sadly, Kimberly could not get out of work with all her days off for Europe and lobbying stuff, so Chris made the solo drive out to Raleigh to see the show himself.
A stop in Raleigh at Flying Saucer Draught Emporium first for dinner after work. The delicious Founders Breakfast Stout was on the docket, yet another brewery making their entry into the North Carolina beer market. Life is good. A French Dip and some stouts, then it was on to the NC State campus and the concert.
Excerpts from A Civil Rights Reader, pieces composed in tribute to heroes of the civil rights movement, were performed. String Quartet No, 1 X (1993) String Quartet No. 2 King (2001) String Quartet No. 3 Powell (2003) -- for Adam Clayton Powell, not the general String Quartet No. 4 Angelou (2004) String Quartet No. 5 Parks (2005)
The Parks quartet was interesting with a movement entitled Klap Ur Handz, which had relegated moments and structured composition for hand clapping. Great fun! Takes "classical music" and turns it on its ear. The creativity and message behind the music was jaw-dropping.
Also on the program was a commissioned piece for an octet: a professional quartet plus a quartet of amateur students. 4 students from NC State met the band Monday, and performed onstage as the octet Tuesday. Unreal. Can't imagine how nervewracking that could be. A balance of the complicated and the simple-yet-still-important to the fabric of the piece. Nifty.
February's concert was an auditory onslaught of what you could do with an amplified and electrified violin. Last night's, even though it was unplugged, still exhibited the skills and virtuosity of making the instrument sing and create notes not heard in conventional arenas.
The big score was after the concert, where groupie Chris hung around for autographs and photos. A wonderful evening. Oops, sorry Kimberly. I meant to say that the evening was a waste and the concert was no fun at all. There's no need to feel bad about having to work and missing the performance. It sucked, Kimberly.
Governor Mike Easley signs HB 392, raising the cap on beer's legal alcohol-by-volume from 6% to 15%, leaving beer nerds throughout the state to rejoice heartily. A lot of hard work, many trips to Raleigh and the statehouse, and plenty of fundraisers throughout the state helped achieve our goal.
Has it really been 3 years since a dedicated beer run to Blacksburg or Richmond in Virginia has taken place? Awesome.
Last night saw Chris and Dale, one of his beer geek friends, drive over to Raleigh to see R.E.M. in concert. Sadly, Kimberly couldn't go as planned as her work schedule shifted. This made her sad as the last time we saw R.E.M. (13 years ago today on June 11, 1995 in Cleveland, OH) was one of the best concerts she ever saw.
After work, Dale and Chris drove over to Pittsboro and Carolina Brewery for dinner and some delicious Flagship IPA. It's conveniently about halfway to Raleigh on US-64. Bellies full, it was off to Raleigh and the outdoor amphiteater there. Hot, sweaty, and close to 100 degrees before the sun went down. Ugh.
At 6:30pm, the band The National hit the stage for a half-hour set in the oppressive heat. Then, at 7:30pm, Modest Mouse went onstage to play for 45 minutes. Finally, at 9:00pm, the main event: R.E.M. for close to 2 hours. Fantastic. After the proverbial sit in traffic in the parking lot plus the ride home, it was 1:00am when Chris finally got home. On a Tuesday night even.
Michael Stipe wore a suit for the entire show. A suit! In this heat! Mike Mills's harmony was angelic and beautiful as ever. And Peter Buck frankly looked old on the guitar. He played well. He just....looked...."old".
A great mix of old (and I mean OLD) songs with new. As opposed to our 1995 concert where a majority of the songs were off of their heavy 1994 Monster album (do kids still call them albums nowadays?), last night's was a mix of wonders from all throughout their catalogue, spanning 1982 to today. 1982! Compare the setlists:
June 11, 1995 - Cleveland, OH I Took Your Name - 1994 What's the Frequency, Kenneth? - 1994 Circus Envy - 1994 Turn You Inside Out - 1988 Near Wild Heaven - 1991 Crush with Eyeliner - 1994 Drive - 1992 Country Feedback - 1991 Half a World Away - 1991 Losing My Religion - 1991 Tongue - 1994 I Don't Sleep, I Dream - 1994 Man on the Moon - 1992 Strange Currencies - 1994 Pop Song '89 - 1988 Get Up - 1988 Bang and Blame - 1994 Star 69 - 1994 encore: Let Me In - 1994 encore: Everybody Hurts - 1992 encore: Finest Worksong - 1987 encore: It's the End of the World as We Know It (and I Feel Fine) - 1987
June 10, 2008 - Raleigh, NC Harborcoat - 1984 Living Well is the Best Revenge - 2008 Bad Day - 2003 What's the Frequency, Kenneth? -1994 1,000,000 - 1982 Man-Sized Wreath - 2008 Welcome to the Occupation - 1987 Accelerate - 2008 7 Chinese Bros. - 1984 Hollow Man - 2008 Imitation of Life - 2001 Houston - 2008 Electrolite - 1996 Walk Unafraid - 1998 The One I Love - 1987 Final Straw - 2004 Find the River - 1992 Let Me In - 1994 Horse to Water - 2008 Auctioneer (Another Engine) - 1985 Orange Crush -1988 I'm Gonna DJ -2008 encore: Supernatural Superserious -2008 encore: Losing My Religion - 1991 encore: Pretty Persuasion - 1984 encore: Fall On Me - 1986 encore: Sitting Still - 1983 encore: Man on the Moon - 1992
A great concert, with plenty of Michael Stipe diatribe: "Hey you on the lawn, check this shit out!" before 1,000,000 "For our awful president, George W. Bush." before Welcome to the Occupation "Here's our first #1 single. In Japan." before Imitation of Life "We wrote this in response to our government's terrible response to Hurricane Katrina." before Houston "We wrote this the week our awful president invaded Iraq." before Final Straw "This about growing up queer in the south." before Pretty Persuasion "Today is my sister's birthday. And this was the first song I wrote that I felt gave something to society in a positive way, and it's about her." before Sitting Still
and the best one:
"I have felt proud for just the first time in the past few months to be from the south because North Carolina went for Barack Obama. [quoting lyrics to Cuyahoga] Let's put our heads together and start a new country up."
Awesome.
Special guests included The Smiths Johnny Marr on guitar for Fall on Me, and early R.E.M. producers Mitch Easter & Don Dixon on guitar on Sitting Still.
The Raleigh News & Observer review can be found here.
In closing, a video and lyrics for Final Straw for our "awful president".
As I raise my head to broadcast my objection As your latest triumph draws the final straw Who died and lifted you up to perfection? And what silenced me is written into law.
I can't believe where circumstance has thrown me And I turn my head away If I look I'm not sure that I could face you. Not again. not today. not today.
If hatred makes a play on me tomorrow And forgiveness takes a back seat to revenge There's a hurt down deep that has not been corrected. There's a voice in me that says you will not win.
And if I ignore the voice inside, Raise a half glass to my home. But it's there that I am most afraid, And forgetting doesn't hold. it doesn't hold.
Now I don't believe and I never did That two wrongs make a right. If the world were filled with the likes of you Then I'm putting up a fight. I'm putting up a fight. Putting up a fight. make it right. make it right.
Now love cannot be called into question. Forgiveness is the only hope I hold. And love - love will be my strongest weapon. I do believe that I am not alone.
For this fear will not destroy me. And the tears that have been shed It's knowing now where I am weakest And the voice in my head. in my head.
Then I raise my voice up higher And I look you in the eye And I offer love with one condition. With conviction, tell me why. Tell me why. Tell me why. Look me in the eye. Tell me why.
Michelle Obama was in Raleigh at NCState on April 8th, and Chris took a video with his digital camera. It was a stirring speech relating the uphill climb versus the "establishment" concerning Barack's legitimacy as a candidate. Alas, it was too large of a file to download directly into the blog.
Then 3 weeks later it finally hit...YouTube! Download it onto YouTube and then embed it in the blog! Brilliant!
Enjoy The House of Gordon premier on YouTube:
And enjoy the couple of bitter "Come on" statements that our fearless blogger utters under his breath to the folks two rows down. Apparently the microphone was close...
R.E.M. is coming in concert to Raleigh this June, and the House of Gordon will be in attendance. We last saw them 13 years ago (!) in Cleveland on June 11, 1995 at Gund Arena for their "Monster" tour. At that time, Kimberly wasn't as "in" to R.E.M. as Chris was, but after that particularly stellar show she became a convert. We recently received an email stating that R.E.M. was coming to Raleigh and Pearl Jam was coming to Columbia, SC. Hmmm, decisions. Chris had asked Kimberly if she was game for either one, and she replied that whatever was OK with Chris was OK with her.
June 10, 2008; Raleigh, NC; R.E.M; we're there. Sa-weet!
We don't think they'll play this one though:
But maybe they'll play this one so Chris can croon to Kimberly publicly. This is a gorgeous song. I love you Kimberly.
Michelle Obama campaigned through North Carolina today, with stops in Charlotte this morning, Winston-Salem at 2:30pm, and Raleigh at 7:30pm. Unfortunately, Kimberly had to work 7a-7p and miss the fun; but our friends the Gallers were one of 2,000 or so at Winston-Salem State University's gym to see her in the afternoon, and Chris was one of 6,000 or so to see her at NC State over in Raleigh.
Chris worked 7:30am-3:30pm today, then high-tailed it across I-40 to Raleigh fighting Research Triangle rush hour traffic. Ugh. The doors were to open at 6:30pm, with the event starting at 7:30pm. Chris arrived around 5:30pm and was pretty deep in line. In this photo, the line snakes around the garden to the final destination: Reynolds Coliseum on campus where the red flags wave. Probably 1,000 people ahead, the worst originating line entrance in Chris's three Obama events.
As the minutes passed, the line behind Chris becomes much more circuitous as 5,000 people have worse spots then he:
Finally, entrance to the coliseum, the old place where NC State played basketball before moving into spacious RBC Center where they and the NHL's Hurricanes play:
Seats weren't too bad after 1,000 folks entered. To the right of the podium and slightly behind: Michelle took the stage to thunderous applause, then spoke on the ever-changing bar that her husband strives for. Whether it be money, states, votes, delegates, the bar that he must reach to be "legitimate" is always changed once he reaches and/or surpasses it. This same bar is true for most Americans: where people work hard, do the right things, then go to reap the benefit of "playing right" by reaching that bar. and the bar is moved, it's raised, and people cannot fairly attain their prize. People don't mind a high bar, just keep it still so they can grab it.
You'll find Chris as the large blurry cranium in the gray "Hope" sweatshirt immediately above Michelle Obama's head. At the 1-minute mark when the camera zooms in, his enormous dome is quite evident. Enjoy:
Last night saw the Gordons drive over to our fair capital ("Raleigh" for those of you playing the home game) to the campus of NC State University to catch a performance by DBR + The Mission at the Stewart Theatre. DBR are the initials for Daniel Bernard Roumain, and a bit of info from his bio can be found here:
Known for fusing his classical music roots with a myriad of soundscapes, Haitian-American artist Daniel Bernard Roumain (DBR) has carved a reputation for himself as a passionately innovative composer, performer, violinist, and band leader. His exploration of musical rhythms and classically-driven sounds is peppered by his own cultural references and vibrant musical imagination.
Third row seats, so close we could see the hairs on their bows shredding away. Sadly, the music stand for the cellist was in the way for Kimberly to see her bow, but her left hand on the neck was easily seen flailing away. Neato.
3 violins, a viola, a cello, a keyboard, a bass guitar, a drum set, and a DJ all mix together to weave a musical tapestry of funk and classical and outright fun. Nifty new instruments such as a 5-string bass guitar, a 7-string violin when plugged into a pedal board sounds like a heavy metal guitar, and a viola that is made to sound like a bluesy crying guitar both blew us away. Incredible. 2 hours of fantastic music and entertaining performers.
Here are two snippets to give you a taste:
Way cool. An incredibly fun evening.
"Seamlessly blending funk, hip-hop and classical music to create a revolutionary new sound."
Drove over to Raleigh and the campus of NC State to see yet another performance by Daniel Bernard Roumain, otherwise known as DBR. This piece, a multimedia production entitled Darwin's Meditation for the People of Lincoln. Two iconic figures born on the same day in 1809. DBR wonders, what would they say to each other if they met? The performance and the piece can be best described by the man himself:
Wednesday night saw the first of two North Carolina concerts by the Dave Matthews Band. So naturally, being a member of their Warehouse fan club, I bought tickets to both shows before the general public. Wednesday in Raleigh and Friday in Charlotte.
OK, so I'm a member of the Dave Matthews Band fanclub, "The Warehouse". Their concerts kick some serious ass. The jams and riffs and improvisations are spectacular. Songs that take 12 minutes to complete? Awesome. Second-hand marijuana smoke? Sure, I'll take it.
An intense bout with clogged sinuses did not stop Chris for a visit 60 minutes east to the RBC Center. Many many drugs and a quick nap after work resulted in a drive over to Raleigh for the 2nd home game for the 2-0-0 Carolina Hurricanes (your 2006 Stanley Cup Championship team). The 1-1-0 Detroit Red Wings (your 2008 Stanley Cup champions) took the ice versus our local heroes. It was also the inaugural night for the new "alternate sweaters" for the 'Canes. Yes, hockey players wear sweaters, not jerseys. The marketing department certainly did their homework.
Last February we went to NC State in Raleigh to see a concert of DBR + the Mission. Last night was a toned down version, "unplugged" if you will, of DBR + the SQ Unit. "SQ" meaning string quartet. Sadly, Kimberly could not get out of work with all her days off for Europe and lobbying stuff, so Chris made the solo drive out to Raleigh to see the show himself.
August 13, 2005.
Last night saw Chris and Dale, one of his beer geek friends, drive over to Raleigh to see R.E.M. in concert. Sadly, Kimberly couldn't go as planned as her work schedule shifted. This made her sad as the last time we saw R.E.M. (13 years ago today on June 11, 1995 in Cleveland, OH) was one of the best concerts she ever saw.
At 6:30pm, the band The National hit the stage for a half-hour set in the oppressive heat. Then, at 7:30pm, Modest Mouse went onstage to play for 45 minutes. Finally, at 9:00pm, the main event: R.E.M. for close to 2 hours. Fantastic. After the proverbial sit in traffic in the parking lot plus the ride home, it was 1:00am when Chris finally got home. On a Tuesday night even.
