7 Walkers Beachland Ballroom 3/29/11

I caught the second set of the 7 Walkers at the Beachland Ballroom and was very impressed. This isn't just another Grateful Dead cover band. 7 Walkers takes Grateful Dead songs and makes them their very own. They have a mixed style between Jam band and New Orleans funk blues band. At times they sounded like Dr. John plays the Grateful Dead and at other times they sounded like Bill Kreutzmann plays New Orleans Rock. Very different but appealing to me.

I had one Dead Head telling me how longed to here that old Jerry twang in the songs. Jerry's dead this is new and exciting. Bill Kreutzmann Drummer, formerly of the Grateful Dead, did a fine job of switching between his old style of drumming to that syncopated New Orleans sound. Papa Mali Guitar and Vocals sounds like Dr. John vocally but plays an exquisite slide guitar and never once tried to reproduce any of Jerry's sound when they were playing covers. Matt Hubbard Keyboard, Harmonica, Trombone and Vocals multi instrumentalist that was very entertaining and added the twist that makes this band very different from any other band out there today. Reed Mathis Bass kept he rhythm going very nicely with Bill but stepped up to play the bass like a guitar which I always enjoy. As I said I only heard one set but was very impressed with the originals that they played kind of low down and funky blues, to up beat swing, to some good old rock and roll and they made the GD covers into their own. I loved them.

They had a light show like I have never seen before at the Beachland. They had the back stage surrounded in tie dyed hangings then they flashed lights onto the tied dyed hangings that brought the tied dyed hangings to life. At times I thought I saw faces then looked again and it was just tied dyed. I thought I saw fishes or birds swimming and flying through the different colors and then I looked again and it was just tied dyed. Very well done kind of reminded me of being basked in the 70's again. I give the portion of the show I saw Four twirls and some moth catcher moves thrown in.

Just Kids

Patti Smith's book "Just Kids" is a twisted story of her friendship, relationship and growth with the artist Robert Mapplethorpe. They meet in New York City under a mitigating circumstance. Patti was afraid of a man she just met and pretended that Robert Mapplethorp was her boyfriend. Her shining blue star saved her that night and they began a long journey of protecting each other and influencing each other through out their lives. This love story is filled with twists and turns as the two artists falter and hustle in New York City's growing art, rock and roll, poetry scene. Robert was trying to be an artist who ended up a shocking photographer. Patti also wanted to be an artist who became an underground poet and the leader of a punk rock band. They take you around the emerging scenes at places such as the infamous Chelsea Hotel, The Village Gate, Max's Kansas City, The Fillmore East and CBGB. The story chronicles their brushes with famous people or people who were to become famous in the near future. Patti reads tarot cards for Johnny Winter and is taken around town to meet emerging poets and rock stars by Todd Rundgren. She has a conversation with Jimi Hendrix and a heart to heart conversation with Janis Joplin. Artist, poets the Merry Pranksters were just another person on the street to Robert and Patti. Their relationship endures through hard money woes where Robert sells his body on the streets and Patti gives up books and pieces of art work that she loves so that the two can survive. Patti seems to be the more conventional worker, taking jobs in bookstores. Robert is hustler and a street kid who just knows how to make money in unconventional ways. Drugs, gay sex, poor but never alone because the two of them always have each other to lift and inspire each other . This book is a must read for anyone interested in the counter culture of the late sixties and seventies. A must read for anyone who loves a good story of love and friendship. A must read for anyone who has ever had a dream and wants to know how to achieve it.

Paul Thorn Beachland Ballroom 3/4/11

I know that I have covered Paul Thorn concerts many times before but for $18 you can't get any better entertainment than the PTB. We had another Paul Thorn Virgin with us Sharon, who half way through the concert turned to me and said, "I absolutely love this guy". The man has an infectious stage presence and the music is really good. I think he is one of the best story telling lyricists alive. The stories he tells between the songs are so funny he could easily be a comedian. Music and comedy for the price of one ticket, you can't beat that.

THE SONGS PLAYED
Your Not The Only One
Weeds In My Roses
Everybody Looks Good At The Starting Line
Nothing But the Devil
Better Days Ahead
Resurrection Day
All About People
Ain't Gonna Sin No More
Rise Up
Temporarily Forever Mine (solo acoustic)
I Don't Like Half The Folks I Love (solo acoustic)
Where Was I (solo acoustic)
Pimps and Preachers
Ain't Gonna Beg
Might Be Wrong
Mona Lisa
Lotta Good Reasons
Have a Good Day
Lovers Vacation
Long Way from Tupelo

Encore
That's All I Know Right Now
Mission Temple

Paul changed the mood of the night from slow bluesy tunes like "Lotta Good Reasons", "That's All I Know Right Now", "Ain't Gonna Beg". To hot rocking songs like"Weeds In My Roses", "Lovers Vacation", "Pimps and Preachers". He gave the band a break when he played three Acoustic songs, "Temporarily Forever Mine", I Don't Like Half the Folks I Love" and " Where Was I".

Through out the show Paul Thorn would stop singing and let the crowd take over singing the lyrics. It just amazes me that in a few short years the Paul Thorn Band went from maybe thirty people in the Beachland Tavern to a packed house in the Ballroom and everyone knew the lyrics.

The final song "Mission Temple" was like an old time bible revival with Paul Thorn singing out words and the crowd with their hands in the air repeating back the words. People were dancing singing and laughing the whole night long. Don't be surprised if the next time the PTB comes through you see another review. Sharon by the way I love this guy too.

I rate this show four twirls with some mothcatcher hand moves thrown in.