SHARING THE SHOWS
When did I become such a crochety old man? That seemed to be the subtextual theme of the night. After a day of grading, I was looking forward to dinner with my friend Tim by the Waterfront and a night with the Allman Others Band (as opposed to the Allman Brothers Band, the iconic act they pay tribute to). We enjoyed some Indian cuisine at Masala (where I usually go with Pete) and caught up on the last few months (adult friendships are just like that: more sporadic contact). Crochety Old Craig Gripe #1: there was a Mardi Gras celebration earlier at the Waterfront. All the beaded people managed to descend on it. I’m actually pretty cool with people in general, but I guess the tribalist side of me went, are these REALLY Allman Brothers fans? I expected to see more bearded folks, tie-dyes, and Baja jackets. As a Deadhead, I do try to practice tolerance (although I’ve heard stories about people being given dirty looks at shows if they’re not dressed “appropriately”). That being said, they were having a good time without bothering anyone, so cool. Crochety Old Craig Gripe #2: too much feedback from the amp was giving me tinnitus. Of course, I was right near the amp. Solution: move to the back like I always do. Crochety Old Craig Gripe #3: seeing cups thrown in the urinals (I’ll spare you the visual). People, put your garbage in a garbage can, don’t just throw it in the urinal. I can’t stress that enough! Here’s a clip in case you don’t believe me. Okay, so now that that’s out of the way, I was happy to see the show started only six minutes after the promised 8:00 time and it ended before midnight, with plenty of time to get to the Metro. Once again, this concert-loving introvert loves when shows rock AND they end early. The setlist is linked here. Highlights for me were “Southbound” and “Come and Go Blues.” However, the Allman Others lapped Skydog as the #1 Allman Brothers Tribute Band I’ve seen (out of two) due to their playing of some deep cuts I never heard from Skydog, such as “Woman Across the River” and “Revival.” I was pleasantly surprised by their covers of Derek and the Dominoes’s “Layla” and “Keep on Growing” and their encore of The Beatles’s “With a Little Help From My Friends.” I mention the Beatles, but they did it in the slower tempo characteristic of Joe Cocker’s version, which I can’t help but associate with The Wonder Years. And, just for fun, here’s Simpsons parody in Spanish. A positive highlight: a few compliments on my Grateful Dead T-shirt, including one person asking me if I’d seen the Grateful Allmans Band, a combination Grateful Dead/Allman Brothers tribute. It’s definitely on my list (possibly in April). Another one: a serene walk during setbreak during which I had some nice nighttime views of the waterfront and the nearby highway. Despite all my griping at the beginning, I had a blast. And a story to close out. I had some fun hitting the balloons that went across the crowd. Not too many, which I like. I started thinking about a Blind and Dirty show I went to with Maggie, Johnny Mac, and a few other folks in Williamsburg in 2016. Having been in the front row, we were inundated with balloons; eventually, I started stomping them out. You’d think people would call me a buzzkill, but it was just the opposite. The other concertgoers kept passing the balloons my way, because, well, I guess I was the only one with the cojones or the motivation to stomp them out. It was fun.
I know; I have problems. Good night, everyone!
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Damn COVID. The symptoms started Monday, 1/23; the test read positive Tuesday, 1/24. Greensky Bluegrass was on 1/28, Day 5, just before I could leave isolation. Fortunately, I got $40 for the ticket, so it wasn’t a total loss.
Wednesday, 2/1, was my second negative test, so I was prepared to make up for it on Friday, 2/3. Thanks to Pete’s recommendation, I was able to secure enough Friends with Benefits points to get a free ticket to a show at the 9:30 Club. I’d heard the name Pigeons Playing Ping Pong (P4) tossed around among other jam band fans, and I’d never seen them. I figured, why not? Pete and I met at 1914 by Kolben, a Pho restaurant near the club for preshow chow. All I can is say is that Cha Gio Re (waffle wrap egg rolls) was incredible. When I got my ticket, I was hoping for an old-school printout, but I got one of those small blue ones they use in raffles (which security then took). Fortunately, coat check was still free (although I always tip). The opening band, Dale and the ZDubs, rocked pretty hard. They reminded me of one of those 90s ska/rock/reggae type fusion bands, like 311 or the Urge. Their reggae rendition of “Scarlet Begonias” was pretty sweet too. My friend Kathy described P4 as a jamband version of a “boy band”: very peppy and happy. And they delivered on that preview. Pete described the lead singer, Greg Ormont, as “always smiling,” and that delivery was accurate as well. I could see his grin from the back. Hey, the way I see it, if you’re playing happy music, show it on your face. Shows have come back in full force; the last two I saw at 9:30 were completely sold out; during the first set, I could barely move, and I had to groove in the hallway to get space. P4 was hot, though; they played the two songs I know, “F.U.N.K.” and “Water.” Pete and I hung out in the lounge in the basement before the set and during setbreak, during which I heard songs by Cypress Hill and Metallica, a dark contrast to the band above. We agreed the show should have started earlier (particularly a two-set affair with an opener), but I’m glad I got to see most of it (it was free, after all). I got “peopled out” by midnight, so I rode home. It was fun being able to dance after being in lockdown (although I liked Dale and the ZDubs even better than P4; I hope they play in DC again). After an episode of Gentrified, a cool dramedy about a Latinx family that runs a taco shop, I was out like a light, and Chester made sure I didn’t get up from the couch for a good hour or so. |
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April 2024
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