Thanks for bring back the James gang thread, one of my all time fave bands.
I'm not expecting the Eagles to do anything anytime soon, but I was hoping Joe Walsh would pull JG together for another mini tour this summer. One can only hope.
Speaking of MO and loud (JG was louder) I got to see three shows as I look back at their tour schedule
Invalid Link Removed Each had some unique aspects.
Brown University, Providence RI. Oct 22, 1971. First show on the road for the band after initial NYC gigs. The show was played in Meehan Auditorium, a hockey rink. This show was loud. I stood right in front of John McLaughlin and saw something that made me realize how much I really had to learn as a musician.
JM was playing "Meeting of the Spirits" on his double neck Gibson 12/6 and pops the G string on the six during his solo. He switches up to the 12, and a roadie runs out, threads up a new string while he is playing and tightens it up. JM switches back to the 6, bends the G to the note he wanted, and his left hand flips to the G tuning key like a rattlesnake strike and gets it right in tune. Can't believe he did that. I did train myself to tune my bass on the fly as a result many years later. But I'll never come close to that guy.
Carnegie Hall, NY, NY. Dec 29, 1971. This show was not loud at all. The band had small amps, and you could literally hear a pin drop on stage as Carnegie Hall has unworldly acoustics. They opened for 'It's a Beautiful Day'. Dave LaFlamme played the top bill like a trooper, even though Jerry Goodman pretty much destroyed him on the violin in the MO set.
"Palace Theater", (iirc it was "Ocean State Theater" then). Dec 2nd, 1972. Supported by Mott the Hoople. Very strange show. Mott the Hoople played about half their set. An altercation broke out when an audience member in the third or fourth row threw an empty whiskey bottle at the guitar player (iirc Mick Ralphs) which hit a glancing blow on the top of his head, who then drops his guitar, jumps from the stage and starts pounding the drunk who threw it. Security intervenes, Mott the Hoople leaves the stage, and the curtains close.
About a half an hour later, the curtains part slightly and John Mc comes out and stands there, tenting his fingers for a couple of minutes. Silence falls over the auditorium, and finally JM says some things about karma, chants a bit, and the MO show goes on. Like I said, very weird show, never seen anything again quite like it.
MO played some very interesting, but somehow mis-matched bills. But their live show was phenomenal.
Sorry for the hijack, one more vote for Dale Peters, Jim Fox and Joe Walsh to throw down for a few shows.
Well, upon further inspection, looks like he is on tour with his own band this summer. Bad Company is featured, with the aforementioned Mick Ralphs on guitar. The Boston area venue is Xfinity Center, June 9th. XC has horrible traffic access problems. Leaving takes hours. Unless you leave when the top bill goes on. That's a shame! I'd love to see hm in the Wang Center (Music Hall), Vets Auditorium in RI - near Carnegie Hall acoustics according to the Marsalis Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra anyway. PPAC. Even the Ziterion in New Bedford. Xfinity is a deal breaker for me.
