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From:
"JL Rose"
To: <hix@sedona.ch.intel.com>
Subject: Dan's Philly Show (Incredibly verbose)
Date: Sun, 9 Apr 2000 14:48:40 -0400
Hi fellow Hixter types,
Dan made his (almost) annual appearance at the Tin Angel in Philadelphia
last night. Barbara and I met our friends Mick and Linda at Serrano's
Restaurant for a yummy meal before the show. If you eat at Serrano's
you get reserved seating for the show so this is our usual MO.
Dan strolled in to the Restaurant about 6:30 with Tom Mitchell in tow.
Although this is the first time I've seen Tom play with Dan he looked
awfully familiar. I said hi to Dan as he walked past and He mumbled
a greeting in return. He looked pretty tired. Guess the road doesn't
get any easier. They ate dinner at the Bar.
They had booked Dan as the early show in a two show evening. Not sure
why they did this as Dan has always sold out both shows when he played
the Tin Angel. I asked Rich Machlin (the owner) about it and he said
Dan's show sold out in 2 weeks. "Maybe I should have booked him for
both shows, Huh?" Hey, good thinking!
The show started right at 7:30 to a real enthusiastic crowd. The Tin
Angel is about 16 feet wide and 100 feet long with the stage at one
of the narrow ends so if you aren't in the first 30 or 40 feet by the
stage you don't see much. Luckily we were only 3 tables back so we had
a great view.
Marina Vittoria opened the show with some original folksy type love
songs. She was very good and warmed up the crowd nicely. She said
it was great to open for one of music's 'Old Legends' like Dan Hicks.
I kind of winced and hoped Dan was busy tuning up back stage. God it
even made me feel old!
Dan was still a bit out of it when he took the stage. He was mumbling
a bit and had a hard time remembering what albums songs were from. He
also mentioned his new album coming out this summer called "Shooting
Straight" ???? Someone from the audience helped him out with the title
and Dan said "Got that from the Internet, Huh? You can download the
whole damn thing from the Internet!" He was also seemed annoyed that
he had to finish by 10 for the next show to set up. He put a hurt look
on his face and said "Y'know, we like to play music all night when we
come to Philly." Got a big laugh with that one.
It was one of those shows where Dan goofs on most of the numbers instead
of playing them straight, making it more of a comedy evening that a
music evening. I'd rather he'd play it a bit straighter and make us
work for the jokes, but, what the hey.
His set included:
- The buzzard was their friend
- Shooting straight
- Hell, I'd Go
- Strike it while its hot
- Peach picking time in Georgia
- Long comma viper
- Caravan/Four Brothers
- I scare myself
- Capo on my brain
- Evening Breeze
- Cello
- How can I miss you when....
- Canned music (The encore)
By the third song Dan had sharpened up and seemed recharged by the crowds
warm reception. His singing improved, his playing got better, and his
wit got dryer.
"Buzzard" was played and sung so off key that Tom Mitchell was wincing
through the first half of the song and just shut his eyes for the second
half. Tom has one of those faces that is real open. It was often just
as funny to watch Tom's reaction to something Dan did as it was to watch
whatever Dan was doing at the time. Shooting straight started of messy
but got real good by the end. Caravan was played with such precision
by both Dan and Tom that it was breathtaking. Were talking Chet Atkins
and Roger McGuinn here, folks!
Dan introduced 'Evening Breeze' with the comment "I used to have some
women in the band, we called them the Lickettes." After some wild applause,
Dan said "They retired and are doing missionary work in China now, they
were so affected by their time in the band". Dan then proceeded to sing
both his and the Lickette's parts in Evening Breeze.
He introduced How can I miss you with "Were going to do this next number
then go backstage and come back out to do our Encore. Don't forget the
thunderous applause". Which is, of course, what he did.
I snuck backstage after the show to get Dan to autograph my 'Last Train'
LP. I saw Tom Mitchell first and he said, you look familiar, have
we met? We went over some places we had been and I realized I had seen
him many times with "Big Night Out", a swing group that played in the
Philly area often. Don't know how he'd remember me, though I'm
sure we talked a few times.
Dan autographed the album but I think he was put off a little by me
coming back with an album for him to sign and spending 5 minutes shooting
the bull with Tom. Ah, well. He asked me my name, then asked me "You
sure about that?" I said I was pretty sure, "but hey, let me check my
license, OK?" He gave me one of those squinty eyed looks that said "leave
the jokes to me, Bub", and signed the album. Hope I don't look familiar
to him next time.
Sorry this is so long. We were clubbing pretty late and I lose my ability
to edit when I'm hung over.
Regards,
Jon
Subject:
Dan at the Tin Angel
Date: Mon, 10 Apr 2000 14:11:11 -0400
From: Peter
Dan
Hicks put on an entertaining show Saturday at The Tin Angel, 2nd and
Chestnut in Philadelphia. Wish we could have heard more about and from
the upcoming album, "Beatin The Heat"!
Sitting
in the restaurant downstairs (Serrano's), I spotted Dan at the bar waiting
for his dinner and reviewing the song list. He graciously accepted my
hand and then answered my question about who else is on the new album
(Bette Midler, Rickie Lee Jones, Tom Waits, Elvis Costello, and Brian
Setzer). He said he'd never done anything like that before, so many
guest stars. I said, "Well, it worked out pretty well for Santana.
I can see you next year, getting that Grammy." He said, "I
have my speech ready."
My
friends and I caught the 7:30 performance. The opening act was Marina
Vittoria, a moderately-talented singer-songwriter aged 38-42.
After
her 6-7 songs came a 10 minute break, and then Lonesome Dan hit the
small stage. It's only about 12 feet wide by 8 feet deep. The room is
long and narrow, but the sound system is decent. He and his one accompanist,
"friend" Tom Mitchell, played around 60 minutes, sitting on
stools mostly. Tom is a virtuoso guitar player who was able to fit Dan's
style with licks that were tasteful and (often) high-speed. He sang
a few of the accompanying parts, but not very well. In fact, when Dan
chose to sing both the male and female parts (a funny bit) he sang the
female parts better than Tom.
The
songs were a cross-section from a variety of Dan's albums, plus a Jimmy
Rogers song and a few new songs, including "A Capo for My Brain".
His patter for the audience and moves/face-making were great. There
were not many leg kicks, but he did stand in front of Tom and pretended
he was doing Tom's fancy solo using his tongue as a pick. He was in
good voice, but his old black Guild really needs some work. Its strings
were buzzing like crazy, an unnecessary distraction.
After
being somewhere in upstate NY Friday night, he was going back to NY
after this one show in Phila. This gifted man deserves so much more.
Let's hope the new album (with so many famous and talented people) gets
the press, the critical attention and the sales needed to send Dan right
to the place he's earned, as one of America's most original and skilled
songwriters.
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