Guest Book

I posted the set list earlier, and promised more details later. Well, here they are . . . The central question is, what is good, what is excellent, and what is phenomenal? A whole auditorium of people will watch the same show and have different opinions. From what I hear of the first night (Tue.), this would have been a good year to try to make both nights. Alas, I'm happy with what I got. I'd rate last nights show as follows - setlist, good. Performance, excellent, and the guitar interplay between Derek and Warren, phenomenal. This isn't really a review, just some random notes, in case you haven't noticed. For you ladies (or guys, hey, to each his own) who think that Gregg is a sexy hunk, if you had been at last night's show and were sitting on Gregg's side of the stage, you would have been treated to a bit of eye candy when Gregg changed his shirt midway through the 2nd or 3rd tune. But, enough of my aberrant fantasies . . . in a few recent reviews I've seen, there has been mention of how "Derek blew Warren Away." Well, if you remembered to bring your stopwatch with you last night, and clocked all of the solos, Derek may very well have come out ahead, but that's speaking of quantity. In between my last ABB concert (last summer at the Chicago Theater) and this one, I've been to my first Mule show, and my first DTB show. So I've now seen both of them when they "work alone." My collection of live shows for each act has also grown considerably. For me, the strength of the current incarnation of the ABB rests squarely on the relationship between Warren and Derek. To put it simply, it's arrived. In 2001, it was on the way, in 2002 you could catch glimpses on the horizon, it would stop by for a visit, etc., but in 2003, it's here in full force. Being two excellent guitarists in their own rights, they have always shined when it's "their turn" to take a solo . . . but for my ears, it's the interplay between the two, not what they do when they under the spotlight (although that of course is excellent). Maybe it will be amusing to some, but the best analogy I can think of is two lovers, who have been together for a while, and know each other intimately. I know I'm rambling here, but I'll try to bring it on home with some of my favorite guitar moments from last night . . . Rocking Horse, for instance . . . Warren takes the first solo . . . rips it to shreds . . . then Derek steps up, and plays the first half straight (no slide). At one point Derek is sliding triads around . . . creating lead runs with chords . . . and a peek over at Gregg shows him staring at Derek with his head cocked, and his mouth hanging open just a bit. Magic. Hoochie Coochie man began with a nice long slide dual between Warren and Derek, with I think three turns each, every one longer then the one before it . . . by the time the main riff of the tune broke free, the crowd was practically orgasmic (Warren's first turn featured some distinctly "Trucksian" moves, I thought that was very cool). A couple of tunes earlier, I'm pretty sure it was the end of "Woman Across the River," we saw something similar with straight playing, but where the slide dual was like a diving competition, the call and response (or question and answer) of "Woman" was more like a boxing match. Quick jabs . . . two measures apiece, trading back and forth . . . it was like perfect . . . one of my favorite examples of battling leads is the middle section of Mean Town Blues, from Johnny Winter And, Live. This blew the shit out that, hands down. Which leads me to my final point. Derek is an awesome slide player, I doubt that there's anyone left who will dispute that, but that guy is growing in his straight playing by leaps and bounds. Just the two segments I've mentioned already, the first half of his Rocking Horse solo, and the give and take with Warren later on were enough to floor me. He was playing fast . . . damn fast . . . all over the fret board . . . that was a hell of a performance. I'm going to get this show for sure (and Tuesday's, too) as soon as possible. I've simply got to hear that stuff again. Here's a question for folks more knowledgeable than me - In the footage of the old blues guys on the screen, who was the guy with the pointy beard and jacked-up teeth . . . Sonny Boy Williamson (I or II?) is my guess, but I'd like to know for sure. Also the heavy set guy with the very dark skin . . . I'd like to know who he was, too . . . I think most of the others I knew.