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To:
hix@egroups.com
From: Jim Gladieux
Date: Thu, 12 Oct 2000 00:35:13 -0000
Subject: [hix] Columbus Show Report
Dan
Hicks Show Report
The Thirsty Ear
Columbus, Ohio
10-9-2000
Well,
I managed to get off work early and get to Columbus in just under 3
hours. Not a bad drive considering how long many of you hixsters
are willing to travel. As my friend and I pulled into the parking
lot we looked into the place and there was Dan et all doing their sound
check. We ran inside and managed to watch/listen to the sound
check for 45 minutes. It was like a mini-show (although Dan was
hard at "work"). While sitting there we met Mike Z.
from the e-group. Hi Mike.
Dan
started around 9:30. The waitress said he was supposed to start
around 8:00. Dan told her he'd be back around 9 9:30. I would
never expect Dan to start before 9. Anyway, by the time he started,
the place was full about 130-150 people. It's not a very big
place, but everyone was there to see the man. Being the consummate
professional and gentleman, he put on another great show. I've
seen more interactions with the crowd at other shows, but the audience
was very intent on watching the show. He played for almost 2 straight
hours. The band was great, Dan was great. The music was
a mixture of old songs, new songs, and tunes that aren't on CD's, but
he's played in concert before. Some titles may not be the actual
title.
Here's
the playlist:
1.
Canned Music
2. Chatanooga Shoeshine Boy
3. Wild about my lovin
4. Caravan/4 Brothers
5. Cello
6. Payday Blues
7. By Hook or by Crook
8. Somebody tell me the truth
9. How can I miss you when you won't go away
10. I Scare Myself
11. Hell, I'd Go
12. Long Comma Viper
13. Capo on my Brain
14. Strike it While it's Hot
15. End of a Love Affair
16. I Don't Want Love
17. Milk Shaking Momma (encore)
18. The Buzzard Was Their Friend
19. Four Five Times (2nd encore)
Dan
will be greatly missed while he heads south and then west towards home.
I can tell that all you folks back in the Bay area are looking forward
to his return. Thanks for letting us have him here in the midwest
this past year. And Steve, I hope you have good (or dumb or any
kind of) luck and can get him booked in Japan while you're there.
JimG
Mike
Zim's 4-27-00 Columbus show report
At: Jerry and Margo Flaherty’s Thirsty Ear Tavern.
Seats 140, cabaret style, with an original 1930’s art deco bar. Has
a high quality collection of R&R memorabilia, posters, and albums.
Voted by "Columbus Alive" readers as Columbus’ Best Blues
venue, Best Beer Selection, and Best Open Stage. Jerry searched out
Dan, so a tip of the hat. (and thanks Margo, for the swell Dan poster.)
Dan
and Tom arrived at 6:30, sat by the stage, checking out the place, reading
the local weeklies. I approached, stood expectantly nearby holding up
my record albums and a pen, and Dan amiably asked, puzzled, "What,
should I sign those or something?" I confirmed that was the plan,
so he got to work, muttering resignedly "Yes sir, yes sir",
and complimented their quality.
The
pen I gave Dan was thick, black felt. He inspected the first autograph,
and said "This might still be wet. Let’s not pull the plastic covers
over them just yet." Aaahhh, what a craftsman. He Does Care.
Some
signature comments: "Dan Hicks wuz here", "Dan Hicks
2000", and "Yes sir! Dan Hicks". He thanked me for that
days’ Dispatch Hicks writeup, and tucked it in his guitar case.
After
refreshments and receiving fans, Tom and Dan did the sound check, to
"You say you will, then you say you won’t". (In-depth enough
reporting for you?)
When
I came back from the car after stowing his albums, Dan was noodling
with his playlist. I asked if it included "Spirit in the Sky",
and he said, without missing a beat, "Yeah. Do you know harmony?"
[Several years ago, on a San Fran Saturday nite radio show, (By the
Bay?) the host asked him about his earliest recording, and Dan said
he played washboard on that old classic. "The problem with the
N. Greenbaum thing was the man made me play with 2 thimbles on each
hand (for clarity, he said) and everybody knows I’m a 4 thimble man.
Never again!)"]
The
9:00 opening act didn’t show, so our hosts called Donna Mogavero, and
she got started at 9:30. She’s an active regional singer/songwriter
with 2 CD’s out, hosts the Thirsty Ear’s Wednesday nite Open Stage,
and a Sunday morning radio show on WCD101, Acoustic Cafe. musiccentral/donna.com
Dan
got started 10:30. Of course he was stylish, in alligator slip-ons,
and harlequin swinger dress shirt. (Don’t recollect EVER seeing him
wear tie shoes.) In the footwear dept, Tom was in the swing of things
with 2-tone B&W’s.
Playlist
+ patter:
PEACH PICKIN TIME IN GEORGIA - (He’s done this in previous Columbus
shows.
HONEYSUCKLE ROSE - (Guitars were ripping! Tom showed Lang/Reinhardt
influences.) (Curt Scheiber, the Dispatch reviewer, said it included
an extended quote of a Charlie Parker tune.) Ad Jay, you’re right on
the money about Dan’s stalwart sidemen.)
- A blind guy with a Dalmation guide dog was crowding the stage. Right
out of R. Crumb.
- Shouting fan. Dan, steady gaze, pause, "OK ladies and gentlemen,we’re
going to resume playing." Zing!
SHOOTIN’ STRAIGHT
‘LONG COME A VIPER
· Audience shouting requests, Dan "We are taking no requests at
this time, but we do appreciate the input. We have entered that stage
of our careers where we have to WANT to do the song."
BEATING THE HEAT [First time I’ve got to hear new Hicks straight from
the source.]
STRIKE WHILE IT’S HOT - "Yes, this song is going be the turnaround
for our career. It’s gonna get us back on the Johnny Carson show."
(Lukewarm reaction from audience.) Pause "That was a heart-warming
response." "It makes all the hours spent to write it worthwhile."
"When the album comes out, you’ll say, "Why, I never heard
that before." "Retention can slip away." Much laughter.
- "And now it’s novelty time. I don’t know how funny this song
is, but it’s supposed to be funny. Capo, capo."
Audience shouter. Dan paused, "I think this song is right up your
alley. We like the interplay, the verbal feedback from the audience.
Some bands don’t like it, we do." "Fuck you"
CAPO ON MY BRAIN - Dan jerking head comically, having a good time.
THE BUZZARD WAS THEIR FRIEND - Dan: "This was originally recorded
on Blue Thumb, and is available at record stores everywhere. Especially
Ebay." (He laughed)
- Audience shouting requests, I threw in Evergreen, (from recent joke
on Hickslist) He picked up on it, and sang a few bars: "EVERGREEN,
and the livin is easy. The fish are jumpin, etc," to the tune of
"Summertime".
- He asked "Is anyone going to be reviewing this for the internet?"
(I eased down a few inches.)
Then he sang "Thirsty Ear, and the livin’ is easy, ...."
- Hicksters: Any idea what the Summertime/Evergreen connection is?
I SCARE MYSELF - Tom switched to mandolin. Dan: "As we climb to
the top, we will not forget this evening."
PAYDAY BLUES - Crowd noisy "If you can’t hear the mandolin, imagine
you can."
- "After the show, I’m going to give away my guitar. Tom and I
have been talking, and we figured we need a gimmick. So we’re going
to Give a Guitar Away a Night. I don’t know how it will work, but...."
- "Now, everybody that’s on the dole and don’t give a shit, sing
along." Big response. Some chucklehead DO DE DO, DO DE DO song,
audience joining in, clapping rhythm. (dunno title)
BREAK
Thanks
to Caffrey’s Irish Ale sales rep for the T-shirt and other goodies.
[People, I can give an unbiased, unqualified rave review for that brew.
And good on to that fifth columnist DJ I met in the parking lot, who
subversively slips Hicks tunes into his country program.
CARAVAN/4
BROTHERS - LOUD scratch noise, problems with sound system. "Their
baaaack ladies and gentlemen. Can you say "Technical Difficulty"?"
Audience acting up. "Can you say "Blow Job"?"
HOW CAN I MISS YOU? - Tom executed some nice country picking technique.
Dan interpolated lyrics of "I’ve seen fire, I’ve seen rain".
"2 songs at once, Ladies and Gentlemen."
CANNED MUSIC [Side note: In the The Fall and Rise of Reginald Perrin,
Englander David Nobbs uses the term "canned music". Book came
out in ‘75, Striking It Rich came out in ‘72, so maybe Nobbs is a Hicks
fan, or maybe that’s a common Britishism?]
EVENING BREEZE - "This is a song we used to do with the female
singers the Lickettes." "This is not a nostalgia band, not
a reunion band, not a tribute group, out to milk another $ out of the
public." Dan sang guy and gal parts. "Tom, nice licks. You
know, he never had a lesson in his life. He’s been playing like that
since he was 4."
- It’s now about 1:00 a.m., and a couple are leaving. Dan’s seated close
to the front door, and as they walk out, he watches them intently, points
and says ominously "I’ll see YOU later."
- In a B. Murray-esque lounge-singer kind of voice, "And now, another
original song. Ladies sitting at the bar, getting mildly plastered.
"Leave me alone" kind of people."
BOTTOMS UP (Some good facial bits)
- Tom on a medley, swing deals, jump tunes, potpouri of flourishes.
SLOW BOAT TO CHINA Tom sang well. Exiter, Dan: "I’ll see
YOU later."
- Dan: Here’s a "Tom Waits song, depicting a surreal gig."
THE PIANO HAS BEEN DRINKING [Menus are drinking, the piano tuner has
a hearing aid, the ashtrays are on fire, the barstools have retired,
the piano has been drinking, not me]
COWBOY’S DREAM NO. 19 - "This is a song about a drugstore neurotic,
and then we’ll play some heavy Rock and Roll after that. Lots of R&R
in Cleveland. [His gig the next night.] The goddam R&R Hall of Fame’s
there." [Ouch. I checked rockhall.com, and he’s not in. Any
Hixters in the music industry? Anyone know how to lobby for induction?]
- Audience shouter. Dan: "He may not be monetarily successful,
but spiritually you can’t touch the man." "Can you say "Blow
Job"?" ... to self, ponderingly, "I could add that to
the act."
NO. 19 Staccato/stutter singing, Dylan parody, lots of singalong.
I GOT MINE - They were smokin! The joint was jukin’!
NEWS FROM UP THE STREET - Dan stood to sing. [Otherwise, both Tom &
Dan sat for the whole show, unlike his previous Columbus shows. This
befits his seignorial status, and being a 2-man band, there’s less need
to choreograph & direct. The more relaxed, intimate arrangement
also encourages more audience interaction. It Works!] Tom did some sweet
variations.
- "Time’s running out. The entertainment lease is expiring"
Couple of exiters, the inevitable: "I’ll see YOU later."
CELLO
- "One more song, then I’ll feint to the door, then come back,
and do O’Reilly. That’s a crowd pleaser, but the song I least
like to do." Audience member: "Fuck It". Dan: "Can
you say "Blow Job."?" Aside to self, "Hmmm, or maybe
I’ll become the "Blow Job" guy."
WALKIN ONE AND ONLY
Show over at 1:20
In
summary, Dan was in great form, singing, guitar-playing, joking. He
was in absolute control of the rabble, truly a Master of Ceremonies.
(And yeah, the revelry was intense, but not as bad as KC sounded. This
club’s clientele is a little more with it.) His banter was smart &
funny, and it felt damn good to briefly inhabit Hicksville. Why, one
could’a just setup a fixed video camera for the duration, and walked
away afterwards with an outstanding concert video. (THAT’S something
I definitely need.) Wait! Why don’t we petition him to let one
be made? Folks, this is one show that’s too good not to chronicle for
posterity. (Hell, I’ll fess. I want it for ME!)
I
could stretch this out further, but you get the point. Hey Dan! Now
can I join your posse?*
It’s
Bad Grammar, Baby
Mike
in Columbus, hoping not
*That’s
right, I’m no Ben Sidran.
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