Oh what a night

Set list with a purpose

What a night we had. Linda & I attended our first concert at Merriweather Post Pavilion since back before Covid. (BBC) …yeah that’s the same Post Cereal lady who had Mar-a-lago built, lived an art filled and beautiful life there… and then willed it to the US Government as a place for diplomacy. Then the Donald bought it as his palace at a fire sale price, because the NPS did not have the budget to maintain it.

The concert was the Tedeschi Trucks Band. (TTB) Duecs Wild Tour . We bought the tickets in July, 10 days before Joe bowed out of the race…6 days after the Trump vs Biden debacle debate.

Things were dark…and I think we needed something to look forward to that would lift us up.

Well the show was a Master Class on how to be a great rock ensemble. The performances and the tech…the sound and lights were as good as it gets. They never said a word…they just played seamlessly from one song to the next. This band chugs along…jams…and turns on a dime. They know each other, trust each other and play like there is no tomorrow.

The set list was obviously set in stone. They went all over the American popular musical map. From Blues and Swing to Bob Dylan and some VERY outside jazz improv, ala Roland Kirk… to covers of the Allman Bros and Derek and the Dominos to Prince and Leon Russell. (If you don’t know them…please google them…all wonderful artists). To their own original music.

Derek is a child prodigy and master of the electric guitar…especially slide. His uncle is Butch Trucks…a founding drummer of the Allman Bros band…Derek grew up listening to Duane Allman and eventually joined the “hardest swinging rock band…period” quote from Oteil Burbridge….bass player of some renown…

His wife and main vocalist, Susan looks like a school teacher or librarian out for a cool night walk in the park with her denim jacket over a summer dress.

She just happens to also be the next best guitar player on stage.

It did not strike me until this morning, but it was a set list with a purpose. It was an original rock opera…probably one time only. I’ll get back to that.

We drove home just in time to catch the incredible Shelia E and John Legend playing a Prince number from Purple Rain about elevators going up…the DNC Convention was rockin’. It felt like the Super Bowl halftime show.

and then we really met Tim Walz…football team, family and all. I REALLY like this guy. I trust him. A coach, a teacher a military man…a person of service to his community… which just keeps getting larger and larger.

I LOVE the Joyful Warrior thing.

Back to the set list. Bob ( Live at the Fillmore) is going to love this…you know who you are.

“I want more” was #2…”Come and Go Blues” was 3.

Here’s a sample of Gregg Allmans mournful, soulful lyric…

“don’t ask me why I stay here, I don’t know. Maybe I’m a fool to care…I’ll stay locked in your web…till that day I might find somebody else…”

#5 Bob Dylan…”Down in the Flood”. “If you go down in the flood, it’s gonna be your own fault…now it’s king for king, queen for queen, it’s gonna be the meanest flood anybody’s seen”.

Do you see where this is going…???

To songs like “Do I look worried”…”Keep on Growing”…”Made up Mind”

with an encore of Leon Russells “Stranger in a strange land”.

“Well, I don't exactly know
What's going on in the world today
Don't know what there is to say
About the way the people are treating
Each other, not like brothers

Leaders take us far away from ecology
With mythology and astrology
Has got some words to say
About the way we live today
Why can't we learn to love each other
It's time to turn a new face
To the whole world wide human race

Stop the money chase
Lay back, relax
Get back on the human track
Stop racing toward oblivion
Oh, such a sad, sad state we're in
And that's a thing

Do you recognize the bells of truth
When you hear them ring
Won't you stop and listen
To the children sing
Won't you come on and sing it children

He's a stranger in a strange land
Just a stranger in a strange land”

The artists and the coach have a clue…they permit him to use their music…

Peace