SOME KIND OF HEAVEN

There was almost a mini-war, a skirmish. Do I stay home and watch the end of the first season of Battlestar Galactica or do I venture into the crowds in the park to see if I can snag a good seat for Dr. John? One would think there would be no contest. Entropy and inertia run deep in my bloodlines and it took an effort to get out of the house.

I knew Dr. John was playing this summer and although I had some of his cds and admired him, did I really want to get out there and get finagaling? By the time I woke up from my nap, the show had begun (two other bands). Getting a good seat would not be a simple matter. But I had listened to Toni Price's song, Remember Me (it's an .aiff file so it will take awhile to download) and his playing had reminded me of how great he is.

It was hot tonight, and even hotter in the crowd. But it was the kind of hot and sticky that had a cooling right beneath it, more of a teasing heat than a punishing one. I bought my wine allowance (one glass) and surveyed the seated crowd. I spied what I expected was an empty seat about 13 rows from the stage. Nice. Right in front of the sound booth, too, so the sound ought to be good. After stalking the seat during the second band, watching to see if anyone was sitting there, I decided to just take a load off while the band set up.

Excellent choice. After all those years of weaving through the crowd to stand at the feet of Jerry Garcia, I can still suss out the most direct route to where I can hear and see the best. And what a great show. There are musicians who are performers and there are performers who are musicians. And this band was the real deal. Exquisite musicianship, a tight band, and a perfect vibe for a hot summer night.

The clouds in the night sky were cottony. And there was the sweet smell of mary jane wafting around pretty much through the whole show. Kind of heavenly. And who knew Dr. John could play guitar? When he started playing playing, I immediately thought that he played piano the way I like guitarists - a clear narrative line that takes me on a little mental journey, gives me an insight into how the guitarist thinks. What does s/he have to say? You know how much you enjoy how your favorite writers think about things, how they use words. Dr. John's "voice" was equally clear on piano and guitar. Damn straight.

Right Place, Wrong Time. (And one with Clapton and the Dr.)