The Outlaws, Burley Mountain and ThorNton Creek at Darrell's 4-28-12

More Whiskey! was the call from the acoustic guitarist for the ump-teenth time. What happened to the whiskey? He was pleading now, he didn't understand what the hold-up was.

The Outlaws were on stage, a Waylon tribute band. The were trying to uphold his reputation. Outlaw living; ride em' hard and put em' away wet.

Jeremy, the lead vocals turned to his squeeze and said, get him a whiskey. She hopped up and headed for the bar even as others turned to the barkeep and ordered the caramel brown sauce that this band was fueled on this evening. Three fingers of whiskey was disappearing with rapidity. A quick wipe of the mouth and back to work.

These were The Outlaws, what else did I expect. Maybe more whiskey for my men and water for my horses! I knew that whatever happened during the performance they were going to be soaked in spirits.

I had been sitting across from them most of the night while they waited for their set. They were on one side of the bar, me on the other. I watched them as the consumed mass quantities of adult beverages. Jeremy the lead singer and rhythm player was drinking Hamm's in a can and whiskey. The acoustic player was drinking pints and whiskey. The bass guitarist was drinking pints and of course whiskey. The others following the same M.O. I watched them put away enough booze to kill any normal man.

Jon Hyde the pedal-steel for The Outlaws is a friend and sat next to me for a while. We were observers to the slosh-fest. He commented my band is going to be so drunk by the time they hit the stage. Uh, yes, but that may be a good thing. They commented that they work better drunk, I had to take their word for it.

About the time the fourth round of drinks were ordered from the stage, I commented that they were going to be falling down soon. Without missing a beat and as the bartender was filling the last of 5 rock glasses she turned to me and said you ain't kidding...

But these were outlaws, bad men with bad intentions. Well, OK, they were kids, Jon was the only one older than 30. It must be nice to be young and have the metabolism to process all that liquor. More on them later.

ThorNton Creek was setting up and I was looking forward to seeing them. I almost had gone to Conor Byrne the previous eve, they were playing.  These guys are local and I always thought they were named after, um, you know...Thornton Creek, the local waterway here in the north side of Seattle.

Turns out the name of the lead vocals and rhythm guitar player is Thornton. I think it is just a clever turn of words. He along with Mike, Steve and Don form this tight country/bluegrass band. They bill themselves as "electric front porch swing".

They had beautiful vocals, harmonizing as they performed some nice familiar and comfortable tunes. Sounding very much like John Prine at times, he and his band played great original music.

Don played some sweet licks on lead as Thornton filled in with acoustic rhythm and beautiful lead vocals. Scott, the sound tech and one of my favorite people and I were talking about Thornton. He had an old-timey feel, but updated and sanitized for our pleasure.

See ThorNton Creek here: https://www.facebook.com/ThorNtonCreekMusic

This was a nice start to an evening of boozing and music. As ThorNton Creek broke down and headed out the door, I did the same. I went to the car for a break and tuned in to The Swing Years and Beyond. This radio program hosted by Amanda Wilde plays the best of big band, western swing and the like every Saturday night.

I had emailed a request for some Fats Waller on the way to Darrell's earlier in the evening. It just so happened she played it in the short time I was out in the car. I must be living right.

Burley Mountain was mounted up and ready to rock. I had noticed that Scott was helping the bass player get set up. It turned out that Andrew was visually impaired. Scott made sure he was plugged in and pointed in the right direction, Andrew knew what to do from there. Whatever he lacked visually he made up sonically.

Burley Mountain is Andrew on bass and adding vocals, Brandon on lead vocals and guitar, Marty playing lead guitar and singing vocals and Scott on drums. The play a cool mix of southern rock and country with bluegrass overtones. Mix great harmonies, nice lead guitar solos, and a strong bottom provided by the bass and drums and you have a sweet combination.

I couldn't help to get up and start moving as they plied their trade; laying down some rocking original music that exuded so much rock history with every note.

Brandon had a strong voice and took control of the party. Drunk Again he sang, seems like the story of the evening.

Marty was killing on the lead guitar. He had the kiddie's attention with his dynamite solos, just what you would have counted on with a southern style rock band.

The crowd loved and showed their love after every tune. Burley Mountain was fun and entertaining, four accomplished musicians who know how to please the masses. I am looking forward to seeing them again. See them here: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Burley-Mountain/381649818519197

It was The Outlaws turn, could they make it up to the stage? Could they find their hole from an ass on the ground was my question.

I have seen some very drunk guys on stage, some barely making it up there, even with help.

Top Jimmy of The Rhythm Pigs was a notorious drunk. Once he needed a chair to be able to perform, he couldn't stand up. Another time at Al's bar in L.A., the band had started without him. After a couple tunes, they asked the crowd to look for their wayward lead singer. Only when they offered a free beer did Jimmy turn himself in, no doubt expecting the beer as reward.

Never the less, Jimmy never lacked passion and talent, a killer gravely voice, perfect for the blues. Read about Top Jimmy here, unfortunately he drank himself to death: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Top_Jimmy_%26_The_Rhythm_Pigs

During one punk set at Al's I saw Rik L Rik kill a full bottle of whiskey during his set (what is there about whiskey and rock stars?). He had complained of having a lousy cold and his answer was to try killing the little virus bugs with booze. We have since learned that the beggars actually like to swim, it just made him sicker. Of course it didn't help that he liked to perform barefoot.

Read about Rik and the LA Punk scene here: http://www.punkvinyl.com/2004/12/17/selections-from-the-punk-vault-rik-l-rik/

My wife used to play in a band and their lead singer used to drink Black Jack out of a Woolite bottle.

Rock stars just hare drawn to whiskey like a moth is drawn to a flame. They can write a lot of great tunes based on the misery it causes.

So it was Jeremy's turn to corral this rag tag group of inebriates and get them up on stage.

Short story; I needn't have concerned myself. Like pigeons programed from birth to fly home, these guys were drawn to the stage. The booze had given them the strength to do what they have done for years, play great music. They didn't need it, but it sure couldn't hurt.

The Outlaws are ever changing, Jeremy is always at the helm but the rest of the crew is how you say; fluid. The last time I saw them at Slim's, they had Lucky Lawrence sitting in on guitar (no vocals) Randy from The Souvenirs on pedal-steel and Tom Forster (The Black Crabs) on drums. Tonight, Jon Hyde was sitting in on pedal-steel. They also had a killer harp player in tonight. Waylon had a harp sometimes, so why not. Kim was an awesome addition. I will quiz Jon for the names of the rest of the Outlaws and will fill in later.

Editors note 6-14-12, Here is the full line-up for the Outlaws: Jeremy Manley, Liz Herrin, Aaron Starkey, Mike Jochum, Jon Hyde, Ty Baille, Terry Mattson, Perry Morgan, Justin Cronk, Jordan Vestal and Kim Field.

Playing covers of Waylon Jenning's killer tunes, they connected with me right away. They had a wonderful country sound led by the steely and a great lead solid body. Jeremy has beautiful vocals and had a Waylonesque stage presence.

I love the pedal-steel and Jon plays one of the best. Jon is in The 1Uppers and Varmint, he is a seasoned pro who has been pleasing crowds for years live and on at least 4 CD's. I know the rest of these guys play in other bands, they all just love to play...and drink.

The steady stream of whiskey had little effect on the band that I could notice. Well, there was the odd happenings with the ever changing bass player. I had seen his eyelids getting heavy at the bar but he perked up right good for his set. He had several bass playing buddies in the audience and insisted they get in on the action. He was handing off at the start and even during some of the tunes. They were all great bass players so this little bit of theater was fun. I think one guy got this reward as he was a friend who had been providing them with the liquid courage.

The Outlaws played classic country licks; great renditions of Waylon tunes and then some. They were spot on; the lead guitar player and Jon were trading solos. No matter who was playing, the bottom was anchored by the bass and the cowboy on percussion. Jeremy added perfect vocals and had the folks up and bogeying.

One of the best parts of the show was Kim Field, he killed on his harp. He is joining an all-star lineup Saturday at The Tractor. I am looking forward to see him again.

See them here: https://www.facebook.com/TheOutlawsSeattle

I am looking forward to seeing The Outlaws again in whatever form they take. The are accomplished and entertaining even if they were as drunk as a fiddler's bitch.

As I drove home I couldn't help think about who was driving them home. I hope it wasn't the coroner. Just saying...

The Band Across The Street at Slim's 4-26-12

It felt like family. My buddies from work were playing at Slim's again, back by popular demand.

Karl had finagled an early spot on a Thursday night a few months back. Slim's doesn't normally have music at Happy Hour so it was a nice addition to their normal schedule.  The first show was a sparse presentation; no tech guy so it was not the best sound. But the place was packed with co-workers and friends. Those folks were ordering dinner, swilling beers and sipping cocktails. As soon as they were done playing the place was empty.

The folks at Slim's are in the business of making money and I am sure they could smell it here.. They didn't miss this opportunity, BATS got invited back.

It seems they have a great gig there every month, on a third Thursday evening from 6-7. This was their third gig in a series. A perfect lead into Friday and the weekend, they have found a niche. I hope they can keep it up. They had another nice and very appreciative crowd on this balmy Thursday eve.

The Band Across The Street is Karl, David, Geoff and Ben, they play rock covers with some very creative arrangements. They do a great version of the Paul Revere and the Raiders song Steppin' Out. The very 60's and almost comical refrain step, step step, step, step, steppin' out on me is handled with humor.

And by gum, I think Dave was there in the 60's. Tonight he decided he wanted to set up his keyboards so he was facing inward with his back to a major part of the bar. I gave him a hard time then and here it is again.

Another reason this felt like family was that Ben's mother and father had flown in from Minnesota. Mom was into it, she was clapping, mouthing the words. Apparently Ben's dad taught him a lot of what he knows musically. It was nice to see them digging their son.

Ben lays down a great bottom playing a beautiful hand carved solid wood electric bass. He also adds vocals and has a lovely voice.

Karl's daughter sang with them. She performed a killer version of Wild Horses with her dad adding great guitar licks. He was beaming at the end of the tune as the crowd applauded in appreciation.

They are very tight and do some wonderful covers. I love when Karl and David trade leads as in my favorite cause we've ended as lovers by Jeff Beck. Karl plays a lovey guitar, he is one of these guys who toils for the love of it. He is semi retired from the regular-gig schedule but his love for playing live has to be satiated. His rendition of this tune is beautiful.

David adds great keys and has a nice voice. He does remind me of Paul Revere in his keyboard M.O. He and the band combine to sing some great harmonies.

Mild mannered corporate partner, working in a numbered cube by day, rock star by night. I chided him for having a pen in his shirt pocket as he mounted up. Geek!

Geoff is in the back anchoring the band with some tasty percussion. He joined recently but is a seasoned pro and has played with Karl for the best of 20 years.

They have played at work several times and I have seen them here twice. They have a lot of fun and play happy music. Tonight they made us all happy and we showed our appreciation with loud applause, hoots and hollers.

Oh, and speaking of family, my brother's David and Wild Bill were there. Mike, Jenny and Mary were in the adoring masses, as well as many others from work. I could have sworn I saw Howard duck in for a quick pint. It was nice to see the kiddies come out and show their support for their fellow babies.

They will play at Slims again in a month, it is at the perfect time; right after work, cheap adult beverages and great music. One hour of entertainment on an otherwise boring school night. See you there.

DoctorFunk at Big Daddy's 4-21-12

Before I get started on today's lesson let's review some of what we learned from yesterday.

1) Funk is danceable soul
2) There are great funk bands playing locally here in Seattle (and elsewhere I would imagine)
3) You can dance the shoes right off your feet for a minimal investment in time and money.

Yesterday's summary; If you are not getting out and seeing this marvelous music you are cheating your soul. The energy that is being transferred from the artist through the instruments, amps, speakers and finally to your ear is electrifying.

The homework is for you to see some of this great genre and report back to me. Please use the comments section below. Remember this is 100% of your grade this semester. You don't want a black mark on your record.

Just to remind you, here is what we reviewed yesterday:
Eldridge Gravy and The Court Supreme. The Brown Edition. Philly's Phunkestra.

I am willing to do the reconnaissance, but you must hold up your end and see some funk soon.

To that end, I decided that I needed more. My funk bone was telling me that if I would just spend one more night getting down and funky, it would leave me alone for a while. I agreed.

It just so happens that there was the promise of funk in Woodinville. DoctorFunk was playing Big Daddy's and I was invited.

A few months ago I was talking to one of my suppliers at work. I am a designer and my main duty is to make our building a great place to be. If you are going to spend a quarter of your life at work you should enjoy your surroundings.

My team and I were installing the last part of a major exhibit. As the exhibit designer on the project, it was my job to make sure that the correct product was ordered and installed. In this case, it was a beautiful antique mirror we were specifying for a high profile location.

This mirror was to cover 14 feet of wall and was a special order. Think about a mirror that had been sitting in a corner of the barn for 50 years. The silver is streaked black, gorgeous organic patterns form and give this glass a real personality. We paid to have this simulated. My great partner, our talented Senior Interior Designer E, had a vision and it was my job to make sure she was happy.

We contacted Steve at New Dimensions Frame and Mirror in Bellevue.

It turned out that Steve was a great supplier, he personally supervised the installation to make sure it was done right. If you want a cool mirror like this, or other cool interior accents, go to New Dimensions Frame and Mirror, Steve's biz. You might be able to get his autograph. Here is a link to his site: http://www.newdimensionsframe.com/ 

Here is the mirror installed:

There was something about this vendor that called to me. It might have been the soul patch, it might have been his confident aura, whatever it was, the conversation turned to music. He mentioned that he was in a funk band; DoctorFunk.

My Spidey sense kicked in; let us review the first part last night's lesson again.

I started the evening by sharing a microphone with Leon Berman, DJ for Shake the Shack (KEXP 90.3 6-9pm Fridays). Leon has a brother, Leonard.

When Steve said he was in DoctorFunk, it took me couple seconds, but when the old cpu kicked in, I stammered that Leonard was also in said band. Steve affirmed that fact. Small fricking world. The coincidence was too much, I was headed to Big Daddy's.

When I got to Big Daddy's, DoctorFunk was already in full swing handing out their prescription for fun. I had noticed that every parking spot was taken for blocks, the proof greeted me at the front door. The place was packed and this was a big room. The dance floor was full of moving bodies. The kiddies were not wasting any time, and how could you sit still with this band on stage.

I immediately had a huge smile on my face; Steve, the guy I bought the mirror from, was belting out the killer soul. The band was pumping out the funk and Steve was the lead vocal that completed the dynamite sound.

The juxtaposition of the two persona's was amazing. He commanded the attention of all, moving up and down, manhandling the microphone and singing in a beautiful soulful voice. This was a classic soul singer with a high energy band driving him. I was blown away.

The band was wonderful; I had seen lots of horns the previous evening but this might have been my favorite combination. Two trumpets and three saxophones was just what this patient needed. Add a skilled bass (who also added beautiful vocals) a great drummer, a talented keyboard player and the rocking lead guitar and you have the tonic for what ails you.

 See that horn section, man did they blast the best medicine for this sick patient. I especially loved the sax guys. The baritone dude was puffing mightily into his horn, heavy hot air came out and formed awesome notes. He also wrote some of the original music they performed.  The two tenors took turns amazing the crowd with killer solos. The guy on the right was a freaking genius, born with a silver reed in his mouth, no doubt. The crowd was cheering his solos, even from the dance floor. He was great.

The bass and drummer are joining forces to anchor the band. Leonard is melting our faces with some of the tastiest licks of the weekend. As I found out from this weekend's scouting, a talented and skilled lead guitar is a necessity. Leonard is the proof, his fingers were a blur as he vibrated the strings of his well traveled guitar.

What a thrill it is to stand up right next to the band and watch these great artist's work. Steve and his fellow babies are having fun and made sure we were going to have the same. I danced at the band's feet for a long time, it was as much fun as you can have with your clothes on.

DoctorFunk is: Steve, Leonard, Dave, Eric, Jack, Greg, Jim, Scott, Bob and Alexey. The mix was great, I could hear every note. See DoctorFunk here: http://www.doctorfunk.com/

In summation; Funky University was in session for two nights, we heard 6 hours of unforgettable music, we witnessed the best theater available, we saw four awesome bands and somewhere around 41 individual musicians. It cost twelve bucks to see the first three bands and ten bucks to see the good doctor, a screaming deal!

You should have learned by now that your soul needs this music, for it is music that brings it life.

Here endeth the lesson.

I do want to say hello to my friends in Germany, Canada, Russia, Brazil, Israel, The United Kingdom, Australia, Vietnam, China and the far flung Isles of Langerhans. I appreciate your stopping by. I would love to hear what kind of live music you see. Use the comment section below and tell me how you feed your soul.

Eldridge Gravy and the Court Supreme, The Brown Edition and Philly's Phunkestra at the Tractor Tavern 4-20-12

Here is one to add to your bucket list; see Eldridge Gravy and the Court Supreme. Your life will not be complete until you have had this wonderful experience. Don't take my word for it, check this out: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zc-zIWh_4So

More on them later, this was a magical evening for me.

I was fortunate enough to sit in with my two favorite Dj's on the best Rockabilly, R&B, Surf radio program in the country. Shake the Shack is in it's 25th year under the tutelage of The Doctor of Proctology, Leon Bermen. I have been listening for most of those years, from the tiny studio on the UW campus to their present location, Leon has consistently played the best in Rockabilly music. A member of the Rockabilly Hall of Fame, the good doc is also the sweetest guy you would ever meet.

Look at that smile!

I have sat in with Leon, Mike and the rest of the rowdy crew several times. It is so much fun to be part of something that made such a big change in my musical tastes so many years ago. I was seeking when I first heard Shake the Shack; looking for something to replace the post-punk music I had been listening to for years. There is only so many times you can listen to Atrocity Exhibition (Joy Division...did I say that? Kevin Cole played it just before Leon's show; it rekindled my love for the dark side). But I am straying here. Leon played the music that I would come to love, to live for.

Here is the doctor at work:

Leon and Mike asked me to be in the skit they were doing in conjunction with their all Space themed show. I would play Autobahn, protocol-male to Talleah, Queen of Mars. I was promised that I would be performing rectal probing, I couldn't say no.

We barely had 20 minutes to practice. 3 of the actors tonight were all partners at the same great coffee company. Mike, Betty Ford Galaxy and I are linked by the amount of caffeine we have in our systems at all times. Jumpy, me?  The other two were KEXP talent; Mel and Leon are linked by their love of music, Bully! It was a fun group, we bonded over the silliness of Mike's script.

Here is Mike and Betty Ford Galaxy; menace of the Roller Derby circuit.

The acting was not the best at times but the show was entertaining and fun. I always love Mike's enthusiasm for theater, he is a radio pro from way back and has not lost any of his love for being on-air. He wrote this script spending hours adding the right touches, jokes about rectal probing and missions to Uranus. The script was funny and we did our best with little preparation, but it was the music that saved us.

Leon's collection of music is amazing. He comes to work with more luggage than a family of 4 has on a month trip to Poughkeepsie. More CD's than any one person can listen to in a lifetime. This is but a small part of the collection. Leon has the largest collection of Surf music in the world. His love of this music has made the genre more accessible to the unwashed masses.

Leon is the madman behind Shake the Shack, too bad he doesn't have any fun.

After a lot of great music, rectal probing and an encounter with the beautiful Queen of Mars, we wrapped up and went our separate ways. You can stream this program for two weeks from today. Take a listen and you can hear how lame Carmen Ghia sounds while you read this blog.
http://kexp.org/streamarchive/streamarchive.asp
In the DJ column scroll down and choose Leon Berman, at the next window choose the April 20th show, at the next window you will be able to choose the player you want.

Here is the Spaceship in Denny Park:

 
I don't know where the others went, but I headed to The Tractor Tavern to hear some funk. Here is a genre that I have ignored since the Tower of Power days. I still play their music along with some Parliament-Funkadelic at times but haven't seen any live funk for a decade. Tonight promised three funk bands, and an act with a name that was so compelling that I could not resist.

The line was already out the door when I arrived at the Ballard landmark at 9:30. The kiddies were getting ready to dance, sweat and boogie. I was a little surprised at the make-up of the audience. I assumed there was going to be a lot of folks dressed to the nines; big heels, big hair and short skirts. What I saw was the usual Seattle chic; flat shoes, slacks, t-shirts and tattoos. Oh, there were a few nicely dressed ladies but this was the exception, not the rule.

The first band on the fairly large stage was Philly's Phunkestra from Portland. They came on with a rocking instrumental before Miaya, their beautiful and rocking lead singer joined the fun. PP is Chris "Philly", Alex, Tyler, Ryan, Charles, Greg, Brett and the lovely Miaya.

The recipe for any funk band is based on a heavy bottom. The bass and drummer set the pace, the anchor of the genre. Mostly based on a extended vamp on a single cord, Funk is danceable soul.

Philly directs the band from his double deck keyboard on the left. The band is so big that communication has to be coordinated closely; he was signaling to his man on the tenor sax on the far right. Time to rock was his main message, I was sweating from the first song; moving, grooving...funky.

Philly played long keyboard solos and the band rocked behind him. The powerful horn section was laying down the killer sound. A baritone sax pumping out the low notes with lungs full of passion. The trumpet and trombone buzzed their talented lips into the mouthpiece creating brass magic. The tenor is the icing on the cake for this great horn section.

The lead guitarist was pleading with us to move our butts via his Cry Baby, the wah-wah pedal that has a very distinctive sound.

Miaya had a beautiful set of pipes and used them convince the kiddies to move closer and get personal. She had a wonderful stage presence, and was a blur as she belted out the funk

They were really happy to be there and it showed. They played a marvelous set and the crowd loved. I got a chance to voice my appreciation in the street later. I am looking forward to seeing them again.

See them here: https://www.facebook.com/phillysphunkestra

The Brown Edition promised more of the music we all came to see. By the time they came on the place was sold out and jammed with 420 partying inebriates. The smell of pot lingered in the air. The bouncer was on point; I saw him trying to find the scofflaw with his snooter. Or was he just looking for a puff? I figured the stern look on his face and the large Mag-Lite in his hand meant he was serious, but to no avail. Every time the waitress walked out of the main hall past where I was rocking, I got a huge hit, er I mean whiff.

The Brown Edition is Miguel P, Tarik, Thomas, The Ivan, Aaron, Miguel L, Ninee and Brian.  They had the crowd crazy from the first note, Miguel leading his mates in a course of action meant to get your butt moving and your soul singing. Killer bottom with a stellar drummer, congas and a madman on the bass; a beautiful solid wood piece of art. The horn section was dynamite; pumping out accents, solos and background for the edification of the crazed dancers, which was everybody in the house by that time.

High energy funk delivered with enthusiasm and passion; they wowed the crowd who literally roared at every tune. Miguel had us by the balls and he was going to make the most of it. Set um up and knock em down, funk style.

They hail from our state capital Olympia and bill themselves as Sophisticated Funk..I will buy that. But the sweat running down my back and into places that are best left un-named makes me believe that their brand of funk is less sophistication and more tribal.

The lead guitar of this funk band was a lean gent hiding in the back, he had us all locked on his sound. He was moving the strings with skill and artistry. I was surprised that the guitar took such a large presence in these funk bands, shows you what I know.

There wasn't a person around me that wasn't moving; some were acting like this was the first time they have got out of the house for a while. I had one guy that was dancing in front of me, 5 foot tall in bare feet doing the hippie dance. His arms flailing, reaching for the sky, his bare feet moving to the beat and his little eyes closed, lost in the rhythm. This was a lot of fun.

 I loved it and would recommend you see them if you get a chance.
See them here: http://www.thebrownedition.com/fr_home.cfm

Remember The Commitments, the collection of musicians formed for the movie of same name in the early 90's? OK, think of them with a lot more funk. This was my first impression of Eldridge Gravy and The Court Supreme. Both bands are fronted by a white guy with a voice that defied the person presented. Eldridge had a voice that would make Pavoratti weep, would make Sinatra moan.

So here is the scene; there are 13 musicians crammed on the Tractor's stage. In the back there are congas, keyboards, drums, bass, guitar and out front are the horn section, back-up singers and the king of his court, the bigger than life Eldridge Gravy. Eldridge had the best voice of any person I have reviewed in my short career, not saying much but I have seen hundreds of musicians. His voice, personality and showmanship was as good of a show as I have ever seen.

By this time the mass of humanity on the dance floor was at a fever pitch. Eldridge was egging us on with exhortations of love; come to me my children and I will give you what you want, what you need...here's the funk babies! You will never be the same.

13 people in perfect rhythm, folks who have come together to make this world a better, funkier place. The horn section blasted out the tasty burst of energy that makes a funk band real. The bass and percussion are jamming the bottom with the good stuff. The lead guitar is melting our faces with some crazy licks, not what I expected from this band.

On one tune, now one of my favorites, he played more like an ax player in a psychedelic metal band than in a funk band. I bought two copies of Party Hard and listened on the way home. Throat Dry is one of the best tunes on this killer album.

Wow, 13 parts to this amazing band, I was absolutely floored for most of the show. I hollered so hard at the end of every tune that I garnered the scorn of several of my neighbors. There was no where to go, it was a mass that had to move as one. I don't normally like this kind of closeness, but here I was, a slave to the mad hatter.

The Court Supreme is: Lady Gravy, Donnie Dollarstack, Spicy Brown, Aria DeBop, Ol' Pollina, Wilson Mason, Daddy Daddio, The Crime, Yeager, The Colonel, G.I.T., Larry and his highness Eldridge Gravy.

One of the coolest things I witnessed was the love and attention Eldridge showered on his peeps. With every solo he acknowledged the artist. To show his deference to the musicians in the back, he and his entourage would kneel to let the audience see the soloist.

The whole time he is smiling, so happy to share the love with us. He is a very happy person sharing his very happy music. If you hadn't caught his virus by now, you smoked too much weed.

I wish I had better pics, my camera started acting funny and I couldn't maneuver any place to get a decent pic. You will just have to go to their site and soak up some of the sweetest soul and funk you have ever heard. See them here: http://www.eldridgegravy.com/

 They are locals and play fairly regularly. If you are in the Seattle area try to make an effort to see and support this amazing band. I have said they were amazing twice for a reason, I will not quickly forget this show. My life is changed again; my funky bone has been tickled.

Whats that? DoctorFunk is playing in Woodinville tonight? Oh damn, that bone will not be happy unless I go. This is going to be a very funky weekend.