Concert Blog 09: Subatomic March 3rd 2010 Cheap Shots

Umm yeah.  I have many words for this night fellow blog followers.  But it's best summed up by the following picture.

Yep.  That's about it.  All I can say.  No, we weren't "trippin ballz".  Everything that could go wrong did... and that which did not go wrong, well, went wrong at some point.  Really, from amps, to monitors, to well everything.  Yeah...  Next Gig.

Concert Blog 8 (I think): AWATHD (Aaron Willams and the Hoo Doo) March 10th 2010 The Brink Lounge

Well yeah, your resident blogger can't count.  Have you figured that out yet?  But I figure you don't come here for numbers, you come for the... umm.. well I don't know why you come here but I will continue to kick out verbs and words for your enjoyment... and my sanity...

With that being said, here is the MO for the night.  Rough day at work, Sonny's helps, chill at the house, proud of my wife for sticking it out diet wise, have some Chinese food, then stare at each other asking what to do.  These nights usually end with nothing but tonight... lil different.

Saw on the ol facebook that Aaron and the guys were heading south.  Too Cool.  I was blessed at one point in my life to meet the southern gurls that promote the music.  Aaron and the men (some would say boys but well I digress) were headed south to rock the ATL.  If you haven't seen these guys yet, check my previous blog....  They are the real deal.. and they are not the musical a$$wholes you generally meet in this gig.  But again... I digress.  Must See Show.

My gig on nights like this is simple, spend some time with my wife, let my mind melt to some sweet tunes, and check out of the scene.  That was the scene tonight, but I had to tell the guys to say Hi to Gizmo (one of the sweet animals down south that I miss), and wish them well.  Shack, Z, and Aaron all asked where my harps were.  I would never... NEVER just bring in my harps assuming I was going to jam.  This is their gig, and the fact they asked was an honor.    BEGIN SIDEBAR

Several years ago, when my pops was around, we were hangin out listening to one of the harmonica greats pratice his craft.   At break he came to me and humbled me by asking if I would play a tune with them... I didn't have my harps.  Thus, I missed a chance to play for my Father.  Which, I won't let happen again.  So if you see me, I have my harps... song done  

END SIDEBAR :)

So we jammed some tunes.  Hmmm... how to describe... how to put into words what went down.


Enter a dark room, sound filling around you, it envelops you... not letting you see, or breathe.  A shriek comes from no where and with every strum, every pluck, your body moves.  Seemingly the fingers of a soulful sound pluck at the strings that are the chords of your life.  Every movement seems calculated, but the sound is not.  Time... Gone..... Hope... Restored... Sun.. setting while rising.... and your soul... made whole.  This IS music... This IS the Hoodoo.  Sound painted on a canvas... and I'm just happy to be a color that this band paints with from time to time.  Being a pigment of the art that is the music they play.

After all was said and done... some more dual harp action took place (see last blog).  Again, I cannot stress how cool Andy was jamming dual harp action.  So many harp players, so HUGE of ego's, and this guy has what it takes, sans the ego.  No wonder the Hoodoo embraces him.

Well, I should add some pics, and get some sleep.  I have a VERY stressful day tomorrow and I honestly want to just relish in the jam of what tonight was.

Enjoy the ride guys... and keep the bluz alive.

Til next time...

Concert Post 7: Aaron Williams and the Hoodoo, Brink Lounge Feb 25th

But Mike, you can't count.  It's supposed to be Post 7... Shut your pie hole... It's Post 8 so read and enjoy.  7 will be here soon enough... Promise.

Awe Snap.  Blog chicky BLOG BLOG… another night and I find myself typing at the computer.  Wait.. I did this all day too.  Damn my geek life.

Tonight’s gig blog is another “catch up” if you will; I’m still suffering from my long time lack of writing.  After a nice CDC (Captial Dining Crew), I drug the gang that was left down to the Brink.  Real tough getting them down there as most work there.  Regardless, people were getting HooDoo’d one way or the other.

So I’m sure your asking what the heck HooDoo is.  Well, hmm that’s tough.  Get yo’self a blender, throw in equal parts Stevie, Hendrix, Buddy, add a splash of Sam and Dave for Soul, press puree, while blending add some of that swagger you see on those stupid AXE commercials, and pour HEAVLIY over your body… Yeah.. that’s it… now rub that in.  Feel Better Already… don’t cha?

Graphic description aside, like most bands I have written about on here, I have a history with the Hoodoo.  Way back when Pops was still floating around, on Wednesday nights, an Open Jam was going down at a place call the Cuda Café.  Never being one to shy away from playing some tunes with people I have never met, I wandered in a couple of times to see these cats tearing at the roof.  Ahh, memories… we had some times and played some sweet sweet sounds out of that barn like place.  Fast forward 5 years and here we are.

Add to the stew of my past the fact that they are hooked up with Opus Entertainment and the fine ladies in the ATL and you have some added “irony” behind the story.  I do have to say, Spice Right is callin my name.  I digress.. so easy to do for the guy with ADD.

Aaron, Shack, and Z were tearing it up as usual.  Add to the mix a harp player that was doing some tight stuff with the guys.  Aaron caught a look of my lurker self and mentioned that he thought he saw a mouse runnin around.  Shortly after set break, harps were obtained from the car, and it was on.

Andy was one of the nicer guys I’ve met with a harp in his hand.  For some odd reason, meeting decent, respecting harp guys is rare.  The majority of them see music as some sort of one-up-manship if you will.  I will never be one to claim that yours truly is better than anyone else…. Quite the opposite.  I personally feel that we all have our voice, and I’m blessed to be here playing.  With that being said, dual harping was on.  Lil Sweet Home Chicago for the fleet, some Hoodoo Originals (buy the cd.  I strongly recommend you buy all the blues CD’s you can), and in the end, the depths of the groove were felt by all.  These men know how to tell you like it is, was, and forever shall be.  Get you’self to the Hoodoo Church, it’s the best blues feed you will find in these parts.  Hands Down, Up, and Screamin’ hawt.

Well, this guy should rack it up for the eve.  One more gig to update on and my carcass is caught up.  That is until this weekend.  Wait.. Does Jillian getting “rock star’d” count.  Hmmm might have to be my first Karaoke blog.  We will have to see.

Til Next Time… It Ain’t Easy….

Mouse