Top 6 Live Music Picks for '06

'Tis the season for year end reviews and countdowns that highlight the top occurrences or highlights of the past year. As we get ready to delve into a new year, there is some satisfaction in reflecting on the events of the past year. In the spirit of these shameless year end reviews and because I am a passionate live music lover, this post will include my top 6 Live Music Picks for 2006:

Disclaimer: I would never be presumptuous enough to argue that these are the "end all, be all" best live music events of the year. There are way too many to say that this is an all inclusive list. However, according to my (rather limited) experience this is what I will classify as the top live music picks of the year. This list does not necessarily reflect the best or the greatest, and it is not presented in any order of importance or quality other than chronologically.

1. Darrell Scott Band, Artscenter, Carrboro, NC
Darrell Scott is a poignant songwriter. He is able to tell a story with humor and humanity, and his musicianship is phenomenal. I have seen Darrell Scott perform in many different configurations. I have seen him solo with just his guitar, and other assorted string instruments. I have seen him with songwriter lineups where he is always able to jump right in on any song and add texture and depth to the music of sometimes unfamiliar songs. I have seen him perform with his father, who interestingly wrote songs as Darrell was growing up in the same vein as Hank Williams and Johnny Cash although never reaching that level of notoriety. And I have seen Darrell perform with his Band which included Matt Mangano on drums and Casey Driesen on fiddle on this January night. Hearing his familar songs in new interpretations with this lineup is the first live musical highlight of 2006. The Artscenter gets props for providing a venue that attracts many prolific artists, and the clientele that frequents the Artscenter is always respectful and reverent. The chemistry between these guys was fantastic and Darrell never disappoints. Highlights: "I Still Miss Someone" (cover of Johnny Cash tune) and "Theres a Stone Around My Belly"

2. Jim Lauderdale and Donna the Buffalo, Shakori Hills Grassroots Festival, Silk Hope, NC
I've posted about the Grassroots festival before, but again this makes it in as another live music highlight. The magical venue of Shakori Hills hosts Spring and Fall music festivals with an Americana and world beat flair. In the spring we were treated to a set from Jim Lauderdale, who by the way was nominated for a Grammy this year for best bluegrass album, who fronted the booty-shake inducing Shakori Hills houseband-Donna the Buffalo. The venue nestled in the tranquil farmlands of Chatham county NC provides a laid back and beautiful atmosphere in which to enjoy the festivities. I love Jim's songwriting and performer appeal. He always wears his rhinestone cowboy attire and never tires of the "I'm sweating" jokes (example: It's so hot, I'm sweating like Dick Cheney at Dixie Chicks concert, or Newt Gingrich at a KD Lang concert, or Karl Rove at a Steve Earle concert, etc). I enjoy Jim when he performs solo, but performing with Donna the Buffalo always makes for some rocking and fun live music. Highlights: "Ginger Peach: and all of Jed's solo guitar work throughout.

3. Phil and Friends with G.R.A.B. Alltel Pavilion, Raleigh, NC
You can take the girl of out the deadhead community, but you can't take the Deadhead out of the girl. I will always be faithful to these traveling minstrels. The musical philosophy, transcendent and improvisational musicanship, and solid songwriting and lyrics are what attracts me to the Grateful Dead. You either get it or you don't. I have heard that some people just can't understand the phenomenon, like it's some analytical problem in which to solve. That is the first problem, you don't think about -you just feel it. And it's not elitism or arrogance that makes me say this, please don't get me wrong.

I am tapping Phil and Friends as another musical highlight of the year. Phil Lesh, the Grateful Dead bassist, has assembled some of the finest "Friends" lineups over the years that have included the likes of Warren Haynes, Jimmy Herring, Trey Anastasio, Paul Barrere and Billy Payne (of Little Feat), Steve Kimock, John Molo, Rob Barraco, John Scofield, Larry Campbell, Barry Sless, Chris Robinson (yes, or the Black Crowes), Joan Osborne, Ryan Adams-just to name a few. Anyway, as former deadheads you may find yourself entrenched in one of the two camps. There is Bob Weir's Ratdog and Phil Lesh's Friends. Phil's lineups are the superheros of jambands and Ratdog is made up of tight and competent musicians. Phil tends to improvise much more than Ratdog and his interpretations of Grateful Dead gems is at times meandering and aimless. But nonetheless uplifting and transcendental as if taking off on some musical journey of soundscapes and melodies. Some can't stand his vocals, but I still enjoy seeing the Phil lineups each and everytime. Highlights: cover of the Stones "Gimme Shelter" and the everloving "Shakedown Street"-"don't tell me this town ain't got no heart."

4. Roger Waters, Nissan Pavilion, Bristow, VA
Former bassist of Pink Floyd offered a tour this year that has to be one of the top live music highlights. Again opposing camps are formed with the remnants of the Floyd. Dave Gilmour, guitarist, who came on after Syd Barrett's mental decline is still touring and has fronted the newer version of Pink Floyd back in the 1990s. He evidently was touring this year too. Roger Waters has had a solo career apart from the Floyd and he did not disappoint on this September evening. Full on some of the best Mexican food, we enjoyed the Pink Floyd standards and some new material which included a song about a experience Roger had while a youth travelling and his car breaking down in Lebanon. A family took him in and treated him as an honorable visitor. The message of the song is that we are quick to assume that all Arab people are terrorists. Also another sensitive topic addressed in this song is that terrorism is terrorism no matter who makes the rules about it. There is also some good cracks about Texas education and a plea to Americans with our shopping malls and freedom of speech not to ruin it for the rest of the world. Roger was naturally treated to some boos during this tour, especially as a large inflatable pig was launched the included such epitephs as "Impeach Bush" on the hind end. The northern Virginia crowd was a little more accepting of this and we all watched as the pig on the wing was released and floated off into the black night. The second set consisted of a full peformance of Dark Side of the Moon. Highlights: "Set the Controls for the Heart of the Sun" and the ultimate guitarist move- in the middle of a killer guitar solo during the Dark Side of the Moon performance he took the time to push his long hair out of his face as if to say "Take that Dave Gilmour. I can solo with both hands tied behind my back or at least while styling my long flowing hair."

5. Thanksgiving Jam featuring Jon Shain and friends Cat's Cradle, Carrboro, NC
When my husband and I first moved to the Triangle area we became fans of small local band named Flyin' Mice. They got a horrible review in the entertainment rag in Raleigh that likened them to the Grateful Dead and the reviewer went off on a tirade about copy cat bands. My husband wrote a letter to the editor expressing his disagreement with the review that was printed and Jon Shain contacted him to work on some promotional materials. Flyin' Mice has long been broken up but Jon is still very much active in the music community, His style is characterized as "Piedmont blues with bluegrass, rag, and swing." He is an extaordinary picker and engaging entertainer. We were treated to a pre-Thanksgiving jam on the Wednesday before Thanksgiving. The first set was phemonenal with Jon trading off tunes with Greg Humprhies (of Hobex & Dillon Fence), Cyril Lance, and Will McFarlane (played w/Bonnie Raitt and Wilco). They surely did not disappoint and we were captivated by the songs, the music, and the performance. The second set was good too, although it was admittedly hard to top the first set. We definitely got our fill on this November night.

6. Warren Haynes 18th Annual Xmas Jam Asheville, NC
I would be totally remiss not to include the Xmas jam in my top picks. Warren (of Allman Brothers and Govt Mule fame) has put on the Xmas jam for the past 18 years as a benefit concert for Habitat for Humanity. The lineups are awesome and the overall value of this ticket is priceless. It usually starts around 7 pm and can go on until 3:00 in the morning with very short breaks between sets. This year we ended a little early at 2:30 am. The lineup included Jon Popper and DJ Logic, Taj Mahal Trio, Marty Stuart and his Fabulous Superlatives, The New Orleans Social Project (WOW!!!!), Dave Matthews (insert screams here-although not from me), Govt. Mule, and many many more. Branford Marsalis sat in with many of the performers and he can really light up a stage. Oh yeah, the other special guest....may I have a drumroll please....Taylor Hicks, American Idol 2006, sat in on a couple of numbers lending his vocals and harmonica playing. We joked about him being kind of like a medfly-you couldn't get rid of him and he was insistently asking for his mics to be turned up. Overall, this was such wonderful experience and we will be back again next year.

So there it is my top live music picks of 2006. As previously stated this is my humble opinion and I know there were plenty of performances over the past year I missed: Cream at MSG, Springfest & Magfest on the Suwannee, and the many other festies out there which always provide plenty of jams.

So au revoir 2006 it seems like we just met and now it's time to say goodbye. I hope your successor, 2007, will bring all of you readers goodness, and if it's not too much to ask just a little light and peace on earth.

Park Ranger Handbook: How Not to Instill a Sense of Security

Park Ranger Handbook Rule #25
When your patrol beat is in a National forest at a remote campground the best way to make sure campers feel uneasy and scared is not to ask them "How are you doing on this fine evening?" but instead to approach them with this question:
"Has anyone bothered you tonight?"

I suppose the answer can be any of the following:

No sir, however a roving band of hooligans were making real loud noises and jamming their boom boxes at full blast two campsites over.

or

No, no one has bothered us, oh, except for the 8 foot tall half-man half-skunk ape that is taking a nap in our tent.

or

Not at all, unless you count the serial murderer dressed in a hockey mask that went running past our camp site holding a large scythe covered in blood followed by the leatherfaced man carrying a chainsaw.

Keeping the Ruse Alive for Another Season Fa La La La La

Parents have traditionally continued the age old practice of, well, pretty much lying to their children. The Tooth fairy, the Easter Bunny and Santa Claus-all big fat lies. It's not all bad though, as these mythical entities have been constructed for good and not at all for evil purposes. We want our children to have wonder, hope and faith in the good things in life-like money, candy and presents! Don't get me wrong, I'm no Scrooge. I totally understand why we have these creations in an otherwise dull and meaningful existence. Wait, I'm not an existentialist either. Bah Humbug!

As much as I cherish my childhood memories of Santa Claus with the leaving of the cookies and the fear that if I woke up at the crack of dawn Santa still might be here in the house filling the stockings with care. And as much as I enjoy my daugter's excitement about a big fat man in a red suit that shimmies his way down our chimney and leaves us these wonderful presents wrapped in paper that looks very similar to the paper that we keep in the closet, I have to admit that keeping up the Santa ruse gets more and more challenging with each passing year.

Now, my daughter is in 3rd grade, so wait, you may say incredulously-"She still believes in Santa Claus??" or you might be thinking "Hasn't some kid with a older brother already spilled the beans on the Santa conspiracy?" To which I would reply, "YES, she still believes" and "Yes, some kid has already told her that Santa doesn't exist." But she is my daughter after all, so she is not quite ready to believe that he's not real.

I remember Christmas 1979 when my sister, and me got cool 10- speed bikes for Christmas, the kind with the curled handlebars. My Mom foiled the Santa myth when Sears and Roebuck called the house and I answered the phone. Well I told her it was Sears, she exclaimed "Oh, it must be about the bikes, ooops!" Needless to say Santa was finally exposed for the fake that he was. Now if you do the math and figure I was born in the late 60s that I couldn't possibly have believed in Santa at the age of 11. The thing about that is that I knew logically and rationally that Santa is an impossibility. All those mall appearance, the tons of cookies and time consuming travel routes all added skeptism to the Santa belief. But I wasn't ready to give up that belief, not just yet. So, I'm assuming that is where my daughter is this year-teetering on the fence between belief and non-belief-which might just result in no presents.

But there are multiple issues regarding the Santa conspiracy this year which have needed to be addressed.

Issue 1: The Dog.

We didn't have our dog last Christmas so it was not an issue. But this year my daughter is very concerned about our dog's reaction to a fat man coming down the chimney.

Explanation: You know Santa only comes when you're sleeping, right? Well, it's the same for dogs. Santa will come to the house when the dog is sound asleep.

What I'm really thinking: I hope that when real burglars, or even the Grinch, break in the dog will actually know to bark. And baring her teeth would be nice too.

Issue 2: Christmas away from home.

We recently decided to go to my husband's family for Christmas this year. Which means flip flops and old people since we'll be down in South Florida. So now my daughter is worried about Santa bringing her presents to the right place.

Explanation: Santa knows where all kids are going to be on Christmas eve, so he will bring the presents to Grandma and Grandpa's house.

What I'm really thinking: How the hell and I'm going to lug a bunch of Christmas presents on a 12 hour drive without them being seen only to lug them all back home?

Issue 3: Unreasonable wish lists.

I want my daughter to have the things she wants, but I have to draw the line at certain requests. She fortunately has relented on her requests for a real pony. Thank god for the Simpson episode where Lisa gets a pony and Homer works all night shifts at the Qwikie Mart in order to feed and board the pony. Because I can usually break things down in a way that a 8 year can understand by referencing Simpsons episodes. (Sidenote: I know we're terrible parents because we let her watch a show that glorifies smart ass kids and dumb ass fathers-oh wait that was the cell phone commercial that did that)

But now my daughter wants the next best thing-a Fur Real Pony. Now the Fur Real toymakers have already tricked us in to buying the polar bear that makes noises and moves his arms and blinks its eyes. We also have the little kitty. (By the way, those toys have been collecting some dust.) But I'll be damned if I'm going to shell out $300 for a pony sized stuffed animal that takes batteries, makes unnecessary noise, and just stands there. For $300 that pony better trot, gallop, and canter. Fixing me a sandwich would be nice too.

But the problem remains in trying to explain the "no chance in hell of getting that present" in terms of Santa, because you know that Santa can bring you just about anything you ask for because he's magic like that. So I've tried several different tactics to address this problem

Tactic one: Because we're going to Grandma and Grandpa's house Santa knows that he can only give presents that are the size that can fit in our car since we are going to have to haul them back home.
Her response to this was not too favorable. She got quite upset about this and in fact I think I might have caused her not to want to go to Florida for Christmas. She also lamented about the big present(i.e. the bike) that she got last Christmas which I turned into a discussion about good things coming in small packages-usually.

Tactic Two: Because the first try didn't go over too well, I tried to explain that Santa has an allotted amount to spend on each kid so his toys are distributed fairly and equitably (who knew Santa was a communist). So if she really wanted a Fur Real pony she wouldn't get anything else because that would take up her allotment. That one seemed to work because she figured she would rather have more presents to open than just one big stuffed pony that moves-but only slightly.

That being said, I'm not off the hook with unreasonable requests because when I checked her Christmas list it had expensive sounding things on it-an I-Dog (don't really know what that is or what it does), Digi-makeover (which is a digital camera & computer software that allows you to manipulate pictures you've taken), Nintendo DS Lite-the pink one of course, the Fur-Real Chimp (how's that for compromise), and the Amazing Allison doll (not to be confused with the knock off Amazing Amanda).

Anyway, the Santa conspiracy will continue to rule parents' lives this time of year as they attempt to give their children some of that Christmas magic they grew up with. Who wouldn't want to believe in a jolly old bearded man who enslaves elves to work tirelessly in his toy factory and breaks into homes across the world only to deposit toys and goodies for all the good little girls and boys? Besides, the behavior modification capital that parents have at their disposal during the Christmas season is quite effective in getting children to behave. So I'm going to try to keep the ruse going for one more year, or for as long as my daughter lets me.