SHARING THE SHOWS
Today, I decided to just wake up and head to Port Chester so I could beat the Memorial Day traffic across the Tappan Zee. Having lived and worked in White Plains, I have many not-so-fond memories of sitting in gridlock across that bridge during rush hours and holiday weekends visiting Mom and Dad.
I made it to the station, where I was greeted by a dude asking, “Habla espanol?” “Asi asi,” I replied. He presented me with some electronic device I couldn’t quite make out. “No gracias,” I said. Kelly had recommended a bakery on Main Street where she had gotten a cinnamon donut (she said it was a bread place). After some amateur detective work (i.e., Google search), I deduced it was a place called The Kneaded Bread. I had hoped to go the night prior, but it was closed. I went in, and was informed they only sold donuts on the weekends (I guess Memorial Day doesn’t count). Still, I enjoyed a chocolate croissant and large decaf coffee while I wrote the blog for Sunday’s show. From there, I hopped the train into Manhattan, where I walked around, found Nathan’s on a cart (as I heard heavenly music on my personal soundtrack), indulged in a cheese dog and cheese fries (I had to! This blog is devoted to String CHEESE Incident…hahahhahahahahah), and decided to catch a movie using a gift card my colleague gave me when I got promoted. I really want to see Booksmart, a female version of Superbad, but the only times would have made me super late for the show (it started 50 minutes late, so did it really matter?). Anyway, I ended up going to see Brightburn, which seems to have been an anti-superhero movie. It was okay, nothing to write home about. Dinner was an everything bagel with lox and scallion cream cheese eaten on the train going back to Port Chester. I tried to nap on the train, but that couldn’t happen. When I got into the venue and bought my bottled water from the stand, I heard the dude in front of me telling the bartender, “I’m shot.” That about summed it up for me. I love shows, but three in a row definitely takes a lot out of me. But I was determined to rally. I ran into Shmaya preshow and talked with him for a bit. The floor was sparsely populated in comparison to the nights prior (“never miss a Monday show,” Hollingsworth said). The band began with one of my favs, “You’ve Got the World,” at which point I felt a tap on the shoulder. I turned around, and there was Fred, always a positive presence. “Sweet Spot” was next (“You’re what’s going on”). They then went into an Allman Brothers-style jam, at which point Fred informed me of the two-year anniversary of Gregg Allman’s passing. Somewhere in there, I thought I heard “Mountain Jam,” but upon further research, I learned it was "Hot 'Fanta." “Beautiful,” another fav, came on, and I saw a young lady sporting an American flag around her back. I complimented her, and she informed me she got it for $3 at Wal-Mart. A small price for patriotism, particularly on Memorial Day. “Outside and Inside” was next (Fred informed me that Trey & Mike from Phish played this with SCI recently), with Scott Sharrard on electric guitar, followed by the Allmans's “Hot ‘Lanta” closer. At setbreak, I chatted with Aaron (the man behind 52 Shows a Year) and his friend Meg. I didn’t know most of the tunes at second set, but Fred informed me that one of them was a Keller Williams song (I’m quite impressed at Fred’s musical knowledge, as his tidbits have had me conducting research, which I love). The second set opened with an acoustic, unplugged version of the Grateful Dead’s “Dark Hollow.” The crowd had bunched around Hollingsworth (if I’m wrong on who actually played this, please correct me via comments or e-mail), so I couldn’t see it, but the singalong give me a nice skingasm. Fred called the opening notes of the Police’s “Walking on the Moon,” and I’m pretty sure I heard a “Other One” tease in “Colliding” (my biggest skingasm of the run). As the second set progressed, I kept seeing space open up closer to the stage, and eventually, I gravitated right toward the front, which I rarely do. Something about this New York vibe (and maybe the energetic presence of Fred, Aaron, Meg, and Shmaya). I had never heard “Shakin’ the Tree” before, but it nearly brought tears to my eyes. I said some pretty sentimental goodbyes to Fred and some others as I left. The last moments of a run are always hard because it signifies a transition from “show world” back to “real world.” I’m lucky in that I have the summer “off”(in theory), so I can take a day to transition before I go back to work on the multiple projects I have going on this summer. I get anxious about them (my book deal’s brought me to some new places), but during the show, I meditated, and essentially, the spirits told me, “You’ll get it done. You always do.” These shows are great for getting those types of answers. And I’ve got a bunch more happening this summer. Yep, this is going to be a summer of writing, music, friends, and some travel. And I wouldn’t have it any other way.
2 Comments
5/28/2019 08:06:16 am
“...good vibes in circulation,
Reply
Craig
5/28/2019 08:25:14 am
Thanks, Meg! You too! Great meeting you! Hope to see you again!
Reply
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. Archives
April 2024
Categories |