Mike with Max Creek - 11/25/00 The Living Room, Providence, Rhode Island

Date: Thu, 30 Nov 2000 09:36:09 -0500
From: Timothy O'Neil TONeil@datx.com
To: dws@netspace.org
Cc: dws@gadiel.com
Subject: MaxCreek 11-25-00 Review
 
Max Creek - 11/25/00 The Living Room, Providence, Rhode Island
1: Secrets > Rainbow > Big Boat > Pissed Off, Can't Let Go, You're TheOnly
One, Eminence Front
2: Calling Elvis > Heartbeat > Devil's Heart > Jam* > Sailin'
Shoes*,poetry**^ > One Way Out**#
E: Possum**##, Back Porch Boogie Blues***
- Mike Gordon on bass** - Mike Gordon and John Rider on bass ^ - poetry
reading by Frank Messina # - Eamon Cronin on lead vocals## - Mike Gordon on
lead vocals; first time played by Max Creek
Good Morning-
 
        I wanted to send in a quick review from Saturday's MaxCreek show at
the Living Room in Providence RI.
We took a couple of friends from home with us on the trip down to the Living
Room. After a brief 40 minute drive we were pulling into the Living Room
parking area. The LivingRoom where it stands now is an old restaurant turned
into low key club.
        We got there a little early so we grabbed a few beers and hung out
right up front talking to some friends.  The place filled in pretty quickly
and by 10:30 the band got on stage. As of now I had no idea that Mike was
going to be in the house.  After about an hour or so I head for one of the
bars to grab a beer.  Bryan, one of the owners, says to me" did you see the
guy from Phish here?" I couldn't believe it. I grabbed a few brews and
headed back down to the front of the stage. I told my girlfriend that Mike
was seen and she couldn't believe it either. I look over to my left and
there is Mike just hanging out with a few people next to the stage. Woohoo.
I knew the second set was going to be a rager. We had seen the MaxCreek show
back in January when Mike joined them and he seems to be able to make the
rest of the band pick it up a notch.
        So back to the music, First set starts off with a  nice
Secrets>Rainbow>BigBoat>Pissed Off with Scott mentioning his anger for the
New England Patriots Football team during Pissed off.  Scott Breaks a string
during You're the Only One and finishes the song minus one string. He does a
quick repair and they launch into Eminence Front by the WHO. This was a
raucous version that extended into some real nice solo work by Scott and
John.  The crowd is so worked up at this point, people were tapping me on
the shoulder telling me that was Mike Gordon over there and others were
asking if that was Mike because it looked an awful allot like him. Funny
stuff.
        Second set starts off with one of my favorite set openers- Calling
Elvis. They moved along into Heartbeat and then into a real nice slow
version of Devils Heart.  After the Devil's Heart Jam Mike jumps on stage
and grabs John Rider's bass and they go into this real sweet jam. Mike was
slapping away on the bass like you read about.  They segue right into Sailin
Shoes.  The Living Room was in full swing at this point.  John Rider joins
them back on stage with his spare bass guitar and they bring out Frank
Messina and his big book of poems. He picks one out and they go into a free
form jam with Frank singing his poems over the jam. I believe the poem was
called rhythm vacuum. We were all stuck in the rhythm vacuum vibrating with
all the good vibes going around.  Then I hear a familiar bass line and they
bust out One Way Out by the Allman Brothers.  Eamon Cronin came on stage for
vocals on this one. He was dressed all in black from head to toe and he
belted out the lyrics to a tee.  He hung the last notes out there to end the
second set  with the crowd going insane. They all walk off stage and regroup
for a few minutes. Up to now it was like nothing I had seen. It was like an
open mic night for some of these guys who wouldn't normally get a chance to
play with somebody like Mike Gordon. It was soo cool that everybody was
having a good time.
        They stroll on for the encore and they seemed to be taking their
time so people started getting a little excited and started hootin and
hollering.  They start playing a few notes any my girlfriend says i think
that is a phish tune? I pick it up and say no shit, they are going to bust
out possum. Mike steps up to the mic and they nail it. Scott was familiar
with the song from 99 when he joined Phish on stage at the Tweeter Ctr.
Mark Mercier laid down a sweet piano solo during the first solo section with
Scott following.  They finish up possum on Mike's 4 count and they roll
right into Back Porch Boogie Blues, a real nice country sounding banjo
pickin blue grass instrumental.  They wind it all down and they walk off the
stage at 2:05 AM. What a hot show. A wide range of new talent, top notch
talent and the vibe of it all on Thanksgiving weekend made this MaxCreek
show a 10.
 
peace,
tim
 
Timothy P. O'Neil


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