Rex Benefit

[Drunk Monk]

@ Warfield 12/15/007

Coming from the symphony, the Waybacks really worked for me since they have a violin and standing base.  Bobby sat in, but seemed confused about what song was being played.  

Next up, Little Feat - a band that's always been dear since the formation of the drive-through-tree brotherhood of doom (one of our many secret triads).  The show manager of Reggae Rising is deeply connected to that band, so we hung out and I wound up schmoozing with LF before the show.  They still rock.

Ratdog had its moments.  Bobby summoned that ol' Dead magic for a blazing Other One and an interesting Come Together (amazed he could remember the lyrics to that and not remember some old Dead tunes).  There was also a nice Catfish, and reinterpreted Franklin's and a stereotypic Saturday Night.  

Got puked on.  That sucked.  Not badly, just my hand and pants.  Hazards of the job.  Had it been a moment earlier, I might have caught it full on in the face.  It was a cantankerous drunk woman - she didn't even apologize.  We cleaned her up then kicked her out.  Always good to be back amongst my tribe, those stinky deadheads...

[Drunk Monk]

@ Fillmore 12/1/18

Has it really been over a decade? 

Tonight was JGB with Melvin Seals plus Dave Ellis on sax. Seals still had chops but he lost a lot when he traded his Hammond for a synth. The drummer was sluggish and the songs felt plodding and slow. The had a few moments - a surprise jam from Don’t Let Go to an instrumental Moondance, the reggae riddem for the end of Knocking. But still left wanting. 

Wound up talking to Reya (Mickey’s daughter) who showed me their new fire today truck and vis of her dad goofing with the siren. Almost bid on a Twilight Zone crew jacket - it went for $175 which was cheap for that, but as cool as it was, I really don’t need another jacket, plus times are tight at the moment. 

Always an honor to work with the Mo crew. Everyone has such savage comic timing. Good to see some old friends.

[Drunk Monk]

@Mo 12/6/19

Bobby makes a surprise guest appearance.

T sisters trio stole it all with an acapella Attics. Heavenly.

Jackie Greene

Now a China>rider encore. Or maybe another tune?

[Drunk Monk]

Well that was fun. Just the refreshment I needed to finish out the year. 

The bummer was there was an accident that shut down 280 at 380 just in front of us.  We sat for over an hour.  Which is why it took me this long to return to our bungalow.

[Drunk Monk]

So I wasn't planning to go to Rex this year.  I noted when it was happening and promptly forgot it.  Then my dear Cruzian accomplice the invisible one, hollered at me on Thurs nite, saying he'd drive and I just could not refuse.  Glad I went.  It was great.  I luv the Mo crew, jaded sf veterans, acerbic, sarcastic, and so judgy - my peeps.  Several people asked how I was doing, which caught me a little off guard.  It was that psych check in, as they know I just lost Dan and Steve, both of whom were influential in the music scene.  It struck me that no one has really asked about that beyond Stacy and DOOM.  Work checked in a little, basically saying that I could take time, or whatever I needed, which I do appreciate, but work moves on.  But that psych check was sweet - I'm heartened by their genuine concern.  

We got there late due to rain traffic and procrastination.  The opening act had finished and the band was just launching into American Beauty, arguably one of the finest Dead studio albums ever produced (most of their studio albums suck). I lost count of how many people were in the band - 2 drummers, base, four strings to replace Jerry (guitarists alternating with banjo, mandolin and pedal steel), violin, two keyboards, four female singers, the trio and a gospel lead.  The only one I knew was Jackie Greene who started on keys.

The acapella Attics of My Life was a show stopper.  The T sisters.  It's one of my favorite songs and I never heard the Dead play it (they stopped and only played it once during my deadhead years and a show they did at Hampton under the Warlocks in the early 90s, or something like that).

The held off on Truckin for the surprise guest - Bobby.  Even with that big ass band, Bobby's obtuse approach to Dead songs stood out.  There were off key and awkwardly timed interludes, but the best parts were when the rest of the band backed off and Bobby soloed. His guitar has gotten so psychedelic, playing around the notes, implying the tune, still got it. He stayed with them for Sug Mag>SSDD and then was set break.

The band came back with Jackie Greene taking lead.  They did So Many Roads, covered Sympathy for the Devil (whic I didn't think quite worked), Bobby came back out again for Loser and New Speedway, then China>Rider.  E: Touch of Grey.

It was a good night, a great night - some lovely renditions.  The Mo crew was welcoming and it was good to catch up. They cover my dinner ($20 cash) and catering brought us a ton of snacks - finger foods - cheeses, meats, fruit, a huge tray of marinate olives and this delicious spicy flat bread that was super addictive - plus the show gave out posters (mediocre and didn't include Bobby because he only committed to the show on Thur, like me) and a CD of 12/28/79 at Oakland, which I've only listened to the first few tracks today will doing some errands and it sounds very sweet.  

Grateful.  Forever Grateful.