While I have performed John Prine's wonderful Illegal Smile as a solo for more than 25 years, we don't do it as a band. We did, however, open with Comin' into Los Angeleeeeeze, bringin' in a couple of keys, don't touch my bags if you please, Mr. customs man, mannnnnn
The party was fantastic. Great sound, a great psychedelic light show, dare I say ... FAR OUT!!!!
I'll try to get a picture or two up in the next few days.
There was, unfortunately, one downer. As some may remember, a few months back I bought an SF-2 off of e-bay. The first time I brought it to reheasal, my bass player tried it, fell in love, and wouldn't give it back. So I bought another off of e-bay (the broken Nicki Sixx SF-2), brought it up to Santa Rosa, had it fixed, traded it to my bass player for a check, and got mine back. I was looking forward to this gig as my first time playing out with the SF-2 in the effects loop of my Boogie. I brought my gear over to the hotel Friday morning as my wife and I stayed at the hotel through the weekend attending the conference (I moderated a couple of panels). The rest of the band showed up Saturday night.
Upon arrival, my bass player asked the ancient philosophical question: If an SF-2 falls off a pile of stuff on a loading dock and hits the cement floor 10 feet below, will it still make noise? We plugged it in and found that the answer is no. The result?
My bass player sounded great at the gig,
I am still waiting to play out with my SF-2 in my system, and
I will be getting off the Hearn Ave. exit on 101 the next time I drive through Santa Rosa to once again bring the Nicki Sixx SF-2 to Alembic for repairs.
Oh well, one of these days I'll actually get to use my SF-2. Maybe it's the gods ensuring that my SF-2 has its public debut along with my in vitro custom Further.
Bill, tgo
