03-02-2012, 12:33 PM
This was the launch of Mickey's new band, which will go on U.S. tour for the next two months. The Rio is a tiny converted movie theater, one that Mrs. Dm remembers seeing French Lieutenant's Woman in - only a few hundred seats and it was about half full. It was a bday outing and T came along.
A guitarist/singer from Czech Republic opened. Didn't get her name but she worked music loops to some amusement. I'm always impressed when it's just one lone performer and her instrument. She did one a cappella loop that was very enjoyable.
Mickey's new band is an 8 piece. Lead, bass, 2 keyboardists, a singer and 3 drummers. Sikiru is part of it, who has been with Mickey ever since Planet Drum.
Some of the best and worst shows I've ever been at were Mickey shows. The two Planet Drum shows were among my top shows ever. Mystery Box was one of the most horrible, the closing headliner at a Laguna Seca festival that ending in driven cold rain.
I miss Mickey in Furthur. He was really the sound that drew me into the Dead. There's just no one who can deliver that rudimentary drumming like Mickey. Plus he brought out the beam - a key instrument back in the days of the Dead - hadn't heard that in years and it was a delight. Several other deadheads swarmed around it during set break, taking pictures and expressing their admiration. I took T up for a close look. She tried to take a photo of it, but it doesn't really look like much. But that sound. Nothing sounds like the beam. It was too much for such a tiny venue. T was amused that Mickey had a cowbell array among his many diverse instruments.
MHB opened with NFD, which was rousing, then went into the new MHB stuff, which was good, although the lyrics were too new-ageish for me - too much galaxy, light, angels crap. The mix was bottom driven, really a percussive dialog between Mickey and Sikiru. They closed first set with a fine Franklin's. The next set opened w/Beam space, which was awesome. They worked their way into more new MHB stuff, then to a searing Other One, and then more MHB stuff. We left before it ended because it was getting late and T has a big day today (school play - 2 performances!)
I'd see MHB again. After this tour, hopefully they can tighten up their sound some more. It was fun to see the birth of a new bastard child of the Dead. I hope he can keep this one going.
A guitarist/singer from Czech Republic opened. Didn't get her name but she worked music loops to some amusement. I'm always impressed when it's just one lone performer and her instrument. She did one a cappella loop that was very enjoyable.
Mickey's new band is an 8 piece. Lead, bass, 2 keyboardists, a singer and 3 drummers. Sikiru is part of it, who has been with Mickey ever since Planet Drum.
Some of the best and worst shows I've ever been at were Mickey shows. The two Planet Drum shows were among my top shows ever. Mystery Box was one of the most horrible, the closing headliner at a Laguna Seca festival that ending in driven cold rain.
I miss Mickey in Furthur. He was really the sound that drew me into the Dead. There's just no one who can deliver that rudimentary drumming like Mickey. Plus he brought out the beam - a key instrument back in the days of the Dead - hadn't heard that in years and it was a delight. Several other deadheads swarmed around it during set break, taking pictures and expressing their admiration. I took T up for a close look. She tried to take a photo of it, but it doesn't really look like much. But that sound. Nothing sounds like the beam. It was too much for such a tiny venue. T was amused that Mickey had a cowbell array among his many diverse instruments.
MHB opened with NFD, which was rousing, then went into the new MHB stuff, which was good, although the lyrics were too new-ageish for me - too much galaxy, light, angels crap. The mix was bottom driven, really a percussive dialog between Mickey and Sikiru. They closed first set with a fine Franklin's. The next set opened w/Beam space, which was awesome. They worked their way into more new MHB stuff, then to a searing Other One, and then more MHB stuff. We left before it ended because it was getting late and T has a big day today (school play - 2 performances!)
I'd see MHB again. After this tour, hopefully they can tighten up their sound some more. It was fun to see the birth of a new bastard child of the Dead. I hope he can keep this one going.
Shadow boxing the apocalypse