To: Hix List <Hix@yahoogroups.com> From: Wendy Lapides Date sent: Sun, 18 Jan 2004 Subject: The Narrows Center for the Arts, Fall River, MA., January 17, 2004 Almost a year to the day, my husband and I returned to the Narrows, a turn of the century mill, whose top floor is a performance and arts center, to hear Our Man. With a great deal of positive publicity in the local papers, including a review in the Providence Phoenix which called "Where's the Money" a disc that should be in every American home, it was no surprise that the show was a sellout at about 300. Due to the Northeast recovering from record chill temperatures, the staff of The Narrows Center was kind enough to open the doors prior to the scheduled 7:00 opening. As we waited on the landing between the second and third floors, I chatted with some people who had come down from New Hampshire to see Dan. Turns out they had read my review of last year's show so that they would have some sense of the venue. They were not on the Hix List, but had been to Kathy and Ken's site and praised its high quality. Soon we were handing over our tickets and scrambling for the best seats. There's really not a bad seat in the house. There are a dozen tables surrounding the stage platform and the rest of the seats are church pews. We were in the first pew on the Lickettes' side. The show started a half hour late at 8:30 and by this time, the crowd was pumped. Enter Dan from the audience, wearing deep red trousers, a black shirt and a silver chain from which hung a five-inch dollar sign. He is followed by the Lickettes, Susan Rabin in a black and red floral skirt, sexy off-the-shoulder black top and short black gloves, and new-to-me, Linda Groves in a black skirt and red velvet camisole. They are followed by Dave Bell on guitar, Brian Godchaux on violin and mandolin, and Paul Smith on bass. The audience is clapping wildly and Dan, poking fun at the fact that there is no backstage from which to make a grand entrance, then points to the sound guy who then officially introduces the band, to even more rousing cheers. The first set is Evenin' Breeze, Shootin' Straight, Blues My Naughty Baby (not Sweetie) Gives to Me, 'Long Come a Viper, Song For My Father, I Feel Like Singin', Pay Days Blues, Exactly Like You (with Dan on percussion). Dan is in good humor, even respectfully handling the requesters in the audience. The girls are delightful, the solos and dances a treat. After a 20 minute intermission, set two begins with I Scare Myself (with a very nice effect on Linda's part with a rain stick at the mike), The Piano Has Been Drinking, I'll See You in My Dreams, That Ain't Right (a great song I'd never heard), The Buzzard was Their Friend, Strike It While it's Hot (Dan said Bette Midler would have joined them but was sitting in the car because she's shy), and ends with How Can I Miss You. The crowd goes wild, and they come back for an encore of Milk Shakin' Mama. Dan did an awesome scat here with two voices, a high one, answered by a low one. Never missed a beat. What can I say? There are few things in life that can make me feel like I'm 17 again. A night like this is one of them. Thanks, Dan!