Me too, sort of. The "connection" part. I'll let somebody else pat me on the back about the rest of it.
My Dead Connection was more of the New Riders Of The Purple Sage variety. It goes all the way back to 1970 or so, when Garcia was playing guitar/pedal steel and Phil Lesh was playing bass with the band. Those two, David Nelson, John Dawson and Spence Dryden rounded out the lineup. It was never intended to be any kind of commercial success, as far as I can tell. Just something to do: "in the Off-Season." It was almost as cool as working for The Dead, in my book. I would later do that too, in a much different discipline than my usual L.D. role. We combined our Hippie Light Show talents with Legitimate Stage Lighting Craft for one of those NRPS shows, mostly providing a simple, changing, Spaghetti Western Scene, rear projection backdrop, to the actual truss-over-stage, follow spots, side fills, footlights, Craft. It was good, clean, fun.
I have also worked for Bob Weir a few times, both with Bobby And The Midnites and Kingfish. Small theatre venues here and there. Weir was "kind of an asshole" one time and "An OK, Regular Guy" the other couple of times. He got good quality lighting those times so, whatever he was pissed off about the one time had nothing to do with "Us." We, The Lighting Crew, were familiar with the venues and knew them, from nightmares and pipe dreams, like the backs of our hands. One joint held about 1,200 people and the other, about 900. We did allot of those size gigs. Our speciality was "B" halls. Less than 2,000 seats. Kept us from having to: "Go Union" or have: "Guys That Were Union" around.
It seems like a past life now. The last shows I worked, hopefully "forever," were as a follow spot operator at a Leo Kottke show and a Mac Rebennack (Dr. John, The Night Tripper, for you Old Folks) shindig. (Of course, I saved my laminates.) The guy I was working for thought I was going to be content with just seeing free shows and having my brain picked for Stage Craft Ideas, which, was somewhat plausible. I was, in actuality, doing it as more of a "favor" to him. Getting paid would have been nice, too. He didn't recognize that though and due to an off-handed comment I made to someone else that got back to him about him being a: "Better Theatre Lighter than a Rock and Roll Guy," we never worked together again. I didn't really Give A Shit. I was just filling a spot on The Crew that I can, literally: "Do In My Sleep."
I've seen more shows than 90% of the population and just wasn't all that impressed with working solo acts at what used to be a High School Auditorium in Fort Bragg, Ca.. The Cotton Auditorium is a REALLY nice hall though. Sort of somewhere between an old Fox Theatre and an Art Deco-ish mish-mash of a High School Administrator's Audiologic Wet Dream. Good sound. Comfy seating. Full 40'x80' stage, permanent overhead and out-front trusses and side fill mounts. A "Do It Once, Right, Renovation." kind of place. If it were better booked/managed/promoted and Fort Bragg had more of a draw for cool shows, it would be spectacular.
There are many halls in many cities and towns like The Cotton. There are two of them near where I live now. They don't see enough use. For REALLY COOL acts, anyway. (The modern version of The Beach Boys have played one of them) They both have the same problem: As with Fort Bragg, this is the Lost Coast. No parking and Acts coming through have one night and they're in-between San Francisco and points North. Eugene, or Portland and Seattle, Vancouver, B.C., or "wherever." The BIG SHOWS usually fall to HSU, Humboldt State University, which has a REALLY NICE performance hall on campus. Usually, it's some kind of Hip-Hop/Trance/Dub crap that The Kids all want to go see/hear.
Long and short: I prefer to go see/hear artists that I really like in small, intimate venues like night clubs and restaurants with stages. I went to see David Lindley, by himself, at such a place in Arcata a few years ago. I spent most of the show being heckled by some college/Local punk because I was photographing the show. The Kid was REALLY upset that I was: "Doing it without the Artist's permission." I've been heckled before. The Kid was an idiot. I just ignored him and shot film while he embarrassed his friends.
As Mister Dave was packing up his stuff, I walked up to the stage, plopped down next to him, we shook hands and shot the shit while I waited for my taxi. I made sure The Kid saw me do it. "Artist's Permission THAT, Bitch." I also was wearing a 1970's Lindley Studios (Pleemhead) Crew Guy's T-Shirt. Dave got a kick out of it. He said: "Wow. That shirt's really old." I grinned and shot back: "WE'RE really old, Dave." He chuckled. He's a Pretty Nice Guy. I've worked with him allot over the years and Way Back When, with a bunch of bands and by himself or with Wally Ingram. (Wally's also a Really Nice Guy)
Much nicer morning Out There today. 44 degrees instead of 35. I may take myself out for a walk, later. Grab a beer at the Indie-Mart and maybe rattle my German Car Mechanic Friend's cage. Mostly, it will be all about: "Getting out of the house and into some fresh air while moving my legs." Lately, I haven't been out much. It has been either too cold, wet or crammed full of people that are all in a hurry to get somewhere without killing a pedestrian, barely.
Today, my neighbor, The Scrodfish, will be having another round of Mister-Scrodfishes'-Not-Really-Reggae-Jam-Fest. I get super-duper tired of listening to the same old fucking kick drum and bass backbeat. I eventually become very annoyed and put on bagpipe music really loud or something. I'm not the kind of guy that calls the The Cops or The Landlord to complain. I AM The Kind Of Guy with the loudest stereo rig in the building though. And, a music collection that ranges from the sublime to the annoyingly ridiculous and everything inbetween.
BTW: Last Regular Season game for the 49ers today. S.F. vs. Az., in San Francisco. 17-13, Ariz. @ halftime. Might be Head Coach Jim Harbaugh's last game with the team, as goes the rumor. Coming into the 4th Quarter @ 20-17, S.F.. S.F. Wins!
Second NRPS lineup. Dave Torbert on bass.
Hoddinott, Weir, Torbert w/ Ron Tutt on Cans:
Mister Dave and Wally:
-El Doktor
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