Guest Book

There isn't a whole lot more that can be said about the show Friday at Red Rocks...simply remarkable. Everything about was just great...couldn't believe the OWO opener...to close with Dreams (so cool at that venue), SB, W Post, Moutain Jam (thank you thank you)..I can't emphasize how cool and perfect the dual flutes were....and, finally, Layla - they just killed it. I so didn't want to leave. And there was a point maybe 1/3 of the way thru the show in between songs when Warren says "Derek will be playing tomorrow night at the Boulder Theater" - I'm thinking "Man, did my Saturday night just get a whole lot cooler!." So I'd like to expand on how that turned out. We went to Boulder midday and walked around, found the theater, found some fine folks from AZ who were also going and went to the tix office...the lady basically spewed a bunch of disclaimers about the show being an 'Etown Show'...it is a radio program..we have to clap, we have to be quite, blah, blah, blah, some people get p'd off b/c they paid $16 and didn't see a 'concert' - I'd pay $16 to see Derek burp, for the record - she really emphasized that is was NOT a DTB concert. I was still enthusiastic as @#% and bought our 4 tix. We show up before the doors open to stand in line...walk in and the place is a very, very small theater..with a balcony....the main level held maybe 250 seats (and that's probably an overstatement)...it was maybe 3/4 full...1/2 regulars who go there always just to support the theather, the other 1/2 heard about it at the show. We're sitting 3rd row maybe 10 feet directly in front of Derek. I knew Susan was in town so I was hopin' to see her. Just before it starts I sort of look around and Johnny is sitting right across the aisle - great to see you bro - that was a bonus..met Tommy again and met Jeanne - wonderful. The host and his wife(?) open w/a Johhny Cash song...out walks Derek and the band, they get announced and just RIP thru four great songs...the last one was 'I gotta move' from Susan's CD - she came out and sang - it was sweet as can be. Then the host proceeds to interview Derek for roughly 15 minutes...let me just say it is a must hear and I can't wait to record it from the radio and distribute it in 5 weeks or so when it airs. Towards the end the host asks him to show us a thing or two about using a slide for sustain...Derek proceeds to give us a guitar lesson for 15 seconds or so...at the end he kind of shrugs his shoulders like he just taught the audience how to point or something, no big deal. I almost cried I was so friggin' happy. Then this 127 year old black blues guitar legend named 'James Blood Ulmer' comes out and plays some whacked out blues style of electric guitar...it was very cool. The host interviews him for a while...he was great, very funny, and maybe very, very stoned - but it too is a keeper of an interview...they finish the iview, he plays one more song. Back to Derek. 3 or 4 more songs including a killer 'Joyful Noise' that just knocked me out...they then close w/Goin' Down Slow joined by Jame Blood Ulmer. This guy plays in a chair with his left knee propped up and an old ES335 Gibson-looking ax across his knee. Derek is standing behind him to his right watching him play over James' shoulder...Derek was so happy and just enjoying the piss out of the moment...it was real special. Like a lot of you already know...one of the better reasons to set that close is to watch the interaction of the band and watch Derek lead the Group, nod and wink and smile at Susan, check out the crowd...smile and nod at familiar faces, and just generally kick ass as always. I'll never forget it. It was truly a wonderful night in an amazing setting...the night after a perfect night in THE MOST amazing setting in the world...'can't even xplain what a phenomenal time the whole weekend was. 😎 😎