Man Oh Man What a night.

I'll fill in a few more details to Georgia's and Roadman's report on the show at the Palms, and hopefully Rich and son Sean can fill in some details on the wicked guitar that was literally putting fire in the wind.  Rich (Shirt Guy) and Sean were sitting right in front of John, and feasted.

I had stopped off in town when I drove up to get a ticket for the show and was greeted with the bad news "Sold Out" but maybe a couple tickets at the door. I soothed the pain more than a bit by buying a ticket to see Kelly Willis at the Palms next week.   Talk about Fire in the Wind.  Whoa.  My ears are burning and the goosebumps are going up and down both arms already just thinking about her.  If you've never seen or heard this gal from Texas before, let me tell you to get your ticket to the stars.
  OK enough of that.

It was sold out when I arrived, and Rich and son a few minute after I. Dave did some talking and made sure we all got in.  It was SRO.  A couple had driven all the way down from the Mucky Truckee River and John and Dave made sure they got in too.   They had seats at the bar next to myself. Well, sort of.  I didn't even have a seat.  I had been busy selling CD's for John and Dave and squeezed in just before the show began.  Warren, Georgia and daughter, Rich and son, Howard (Roadman) and Carla were the front row dancers.  There were several other Bloodliners who said hi during the night. I remember Mike Owens and Kevin, and there were a couple more whose names I didn't get, and I was so busy helping  Dave selling I had barely time to talk.

I'm usually up pretty close for the shows, but as I've said before, the Palms is so intimate that there isn't a bad seat.  I really enjoyed the view from the rear this time.  The energy of this show was so incredible.  I couldn't stand still back there at the bar.  John kept getting these grooves going and I was rocking in my shoes.  It was so hot that I wanted to
dance to more than a few.

Here is the set list with a few added comments along the way....

First set:

Shadows of the Angels Wings

John told a funny story about now about when he and Nick Reynolds played at the Palms a dozen years ago (I was a front row dancer at that show, right in front of Nick.) We had perfect weather last night -- we were lucky -- all these rainshowers and cold spells we've been having, but not when Nick and John were here.  John said it was pouring that night and there's a little window in the back behind the bar.  Nick told him that he thought he saw Bobby Shane (from the K Trio) looking in from outside in the rain during the show. John wondered if Nick had been drinking but was assured he was not.  John said he later found out that Bob Shane had indeed been there and had slipped in the back door during the show.  Has he told Nick this?  Noooo.  He wants to keep that guy on the edge.  True story?  Urban legend?  Is Bob pulling John's leg?
Only Bob would know....

Dreamers on the Rise

John was definitely in one of those joking and storytelling moods.  I can't remember most of them, but I think about now John told the audience that Dave had not been watching much TV because he had been getting his Master's degree in music. Dave would now be known as Master Batti ...

Johnny Flamingo on the Blue Dream Road

Davey on the Internet
... the drum machine was kicking and the boys rocked! John was on fire on the electric lead, a hint of the things to come.  John carefully enunciated the words to this song.
Sometimes they fly by so fast ... what was that question a while back? it is definitely: carpal tunnel, too stressed,
  looking out for Lordfrench.

The Ghost Inside of Me

Always Young
(that terrific song from the One Night in Denver CD) That guitar was starting to catch fire again and it did, going right into

Fire in the Wind

July You're A Woman

Coal Tattoo
(that great Billy Edd Wheeler song I've been raving about the last few shows)  This one is on the new Darwin's Army CD - it wasn't paired this time with Santy Anno because Buffy wasn't there to do the lead vocal for Santy ... as hot as Dave and John were last night we all still missed Buffy.  John took the opportunity to jive Dave throughout the night about a lot but
especially Darwin's Army being the Billboard spotlight pick of the week. John calls Dave up to tell him the news and Dave responds: "How did that happen?" "It wasn't that bass playing Dave...."  "Did somebody buy it?"  Poor Dave.
Playing foil to wicked John....

Irresistible Targets

Eyes of Sweet Virginia
(good to have Dave here for this one but Buffy's
harmony was missed)

Set break -- off to the CD table where folks were acting like they were starved for good music.  Denver CD's ... ate em up.  California Bloodlines, Lonesome Picker, Darwin's Army and more ... sold out.

Second set:

Strange Rivers
Ticket to the Stars
Who Stole the Soul of Johnny Dreams
(this was one of those funny on the stage times ...  John and Dave are fiddling with the drum machine and it plays the backbeat to Davey on the Internet. Hmmmm fiddle fiddle OK that's better) 

Freeway Pleasure

Cannons in the Rain
John does a great job on Freeway Pleasure.  One of those great great songs.  I closed my eyes and soaked it in. and then John blows me away.  An absolutely beautiful Cannons in the Rain begins.  My eyes are closed again.  I have to hold it in.  It's 23 years ago and I have a heart that is broken like no heart ever should.  I thought I was a dead man.  I never saw the body but I saw the blood on the tracks and I know whoever walked away from it would never be whole again.  I lay there in those dark dead places for a long time and it was Cannons in the Rain that helped me make it through those times.            

Jesus Was A Friend of Mine

Runaway Fool of Love
(more of that great guitar again)

Children of the New Frontier

Midnight Wind
(killer extended guitar work on this.)  John was in some great
grooves. John had talked about what a great guitar player that Vince Gill is (and a nice guy too Dave!) - he makes it look so easy - let me tell you, John was flying here)

Waiting For Castro to Die
John gave a good extended intro to this song ...
this is why you need to come to the shows ... to hear the stories behind the songs ... and then again .. this time John was going for Guitar God status - I could see Rich and his son really enjoying some of these extended riffs on these songs where John was letting it go. Man it was GREAT... right into

Neon Road

Encore:

Star in the Black Sky Shining

Mother Country

Standing ovation and John and Dave return. John tells the audience about Buffy and the Bloodliners. Words failed him ... except that we know who the next song was for...

She Believes in Me

John had his digital camera at the show and took a few candid shots including the audience.  Unfortunately most of the Bloodliners were seated to the left of John when he took the pics, but I think Rich's son Sean and Georgia and daughter are in one of them. You can see them at:

http://members.aol.com/clackclack/pix/palmspix.htm

Ron Beffa
for Buffy, the missing part