Jam with LOS LOBOS Live in Calgary!

T Bassman · #1 11-27-2011, 05:18 PM

Hey everyone, I had the incredible honour of being invited up to play with Los Lobos at a recent show in Calgary, Alberta, Canada! What an amazing bunch of guys( and their crew), and Conrad is so friendly and warm as a person. A true old world gentleman.

I played bass for a cover of The Grateful Dead's 'West LA Fadeaway', and also played percussion for 'Cinnamon Girl' and 'La Bamba'.

I got to play Conrad's main touring bass, which is a USA made Fender 60's reissue Jazz Bass, white with a matching headstock and Badass 2 bridge.

Here's a youtube link, for anyone who's a fan of the band, or is just interested in checking this out. I was opening two shows in Alberta for them with singer/songwriter Leeroy Stagger. Leeroy recently recorded an album with Lobos' Steve Berlin down in Portland, hence the opportunity to do the shows in our neck of the woods!

Los Lobos has been in my top 5 most personally influential bands for many years now, so this was an unbelievable experience for me

Los Lobos West L.A. Fadeaway live in Calgary - YouTube

Hope this is the correct forum to post this? If not, moderators feel free to move this to the appropriate spot! Thanks for checking it out fellow TBer's

bassteban · #2 11-27-2011, 05:38 PM

How friggen cool!

RFord04 · #3 11-27-2011, 05:45 PM

So cool! Congrats!

T Bassman · #4 11-27-2011, 06:29 PM

Thanks fellas! It was one of those amazing nights one will always remember. I find I always learn SO MUCH when I get to play onstage with musicians of this caliber.
So nice when you meet musical influences, and they turn out to be such quality people, as well as incredible players. Hope I get the chance again sometime on a longer run of shows!

Munjibunga · #5 11-27-2011, 07:15 PM

It's cool that you got great video to memorialize it. Looks like you having the ultimate in fun.

stratovani · #6 11-27-2011, 07:28 PM

Congratulations! It's not often we get a chance to play with our musical heroes, you're very lucky indeed to have had the chance to. Myself, I'll be waiting a while longer before Geddy gets me up on stage to play with Alex and Neil!

JimmyM · #7 11-27-2011, 08:10 PM

Cool jam, bro. Nice going!

T Bassman · #8 11-27-2011, 08:59 PM

Oh man believe me, RUSH is on my list too!! Haha. I had beers with Alex once in Toronto by pure chance, but that's the closest brush to that greatness I've encountered yet. I hope you get your wish someday bro!

bassteban · #9 11-27-2011, 09:20 PM

I had a beer & played pool w/Tony Dow once

ChrisPbass · #10 11-27-2011, 09:28 PM

Lookin' for a chateau...

T Bassman · #11 11-28-2011, 10:52 AM

"... don't want to buy it, just wan't to rent it for a minute or two."

TBrett · #12 11-28-2011, 05:30 PM

Very cool - congrats! That's awesome. Great groove.

As for the remarks about Rush, I was at a Foo Fighters concert a few years back when all the band members mysteriously left the stage except for Taylor Hawkins, the drummer. Suddenly the opening notes of YYZ were heard over the PA and... out comes Geddy and Alex to rock the house! I kept thinking how psyched Hawkins must have been - especially being a Canadian boy - to be playing with those guys!

T Bassman · #13 11-29-2011, 09:44 AM

Thanks man! Ya really neat experience that I'll never forget. It was so surreal to just be able to hang out with Dave Hidalgo as well and talk about everyday stuff. He, Louis and Ceasar have collectively written some of my favourite all time songs. The modesty in Los Lobos is like nothing I've ever experienced through all the 'famous' folks I've been able to hang with over the years. Zero pretence with all those guys.

Whoa that must have been a crazy, unexpected moment at a Foo's show! Super cool! Ya no kidding, bet Taylor was over the moon! Rush certainly come across as pretty normal unpretentious fellows too! So rare in a world full of wankers huh. Haha

RFord04 · #14 11-30-2011, 02:23 PM

It seems to me that the guys who are the best at what they do are often the most down to earth... Probably because they know they are good and don't have to pretend to be some kind of rockstar and can just be themselves.

TN WOODMAN · #15 11-30-2011, 02:31 PM

Cool that Conrad's back on the Fender. He had been playing Laklands for a while. Not hatin', just sayin'.

T Bassman · #16 11-30-2011, 03:47 PM

I couldn't agree more RFord, that lack of insecurity professionally/artistically makes so much difference. The really cool thing is that I got a sincere sense that the guys still LOVE playing music together, and are still growing musically and as composers. Very inspiring to witness.

Ya I was stoked too that Conrad is rocking his Fender live. He says that white Jazz Bass is his main recording electric bass too! I forgot to add earlier that it is strung w/ DR Flats. My personal fave as well coincidentally:-D.

I asked him about his Laklands, and he says he only has a US Lakland Joe Osborn left, but since he had Family Man autograph it he's retired it from live use;-)