We went to where the show was and saw their bus - and John Finch (who provided great directions!) was right - "this is the place that Cracker is playing?!?" It was a nice little place anyway. The stage was strange - it was at one of of the bar and it was even smaller than the stage for Fletcher's - but it wasnt as closed off at that stage. At the back of this stage there was a wall of mirrors - I quickly decided not to take any pictures - I dont want to see how bad I look during a show. During the show it was really bizarre to look at the stage and see myself ... as bad as that was, it was a great way to look out for crowd surfers ...
Anyway, I'm getting ahead of myself here ... we got there checked out the place, and then ran off for dinner. We ate at a place called the Coastal Cactus (it's at mile post 5 1/2 if youre curious). It's a great little Mexican place - trust me on this, I grew up in Texas. They had Key Lime Pie, which we almost tried (but we didnt have time ...) and they even had Shiner Beer from Texas on tap (later David, Johnny, and Woody got a kick out of this information).
We headed back to Port O Call to see if we could run into everyone, and once we all checked in Jessica, Jill and I ended up on the beach. We had quite an interesting time out on the beach ... we discovered that Jill has to be the fresh water girl - she doesnt like salt water at all.
So, the three of us are just standing out there on the beach talking, and who walks up to us? Johnny Hickman! We talked with him for awhile - and he told us about how he took his kid on a camping trip up and down the Outer Banks .. what a lucky kid. Johnny had also just learned of the Hickman brand of surfboards - they were giving a board away at the show this night. (It was just chance that it was a Hickman surfboard too ... I dont think anyone realized that that was Cracker's guitarist's last name.) I asked Johnny about his black guitar and he said it was about 25 years old and every so often he just sits down and starts drawing on it. His most recent addition is a large splinter (large for a splinter that is) of wood from Muddy Waters house. Johnny carved out a small hole in his guitar, and then put this little piece of wood (it's maybe 3" long) in there. I got a closer look at the guitar this night, and the far right side of the guitar says "Muddy Waters" (written along the edge) and has an arrow pointing to the wood.
So we talked, and then Johnny had to go a little further down the beach. We were standing around still being amazed that Johnny came up to us - on the beach. At this point some guy off in the distance walking towards us was looking at me funny. It turns out that it was David Lowery - and he was looking at my 40 Watt Club tshirt. So, we talked to David for a bit too ... and complained about all the jellyfish that were out in the water - it wasnt quite safe for swimming.
We wanted to hang around on the beach and wait for Bob, Kenny, or Frank, but it was getting dark, so we decided to head back to Port O Call for the show.
Willis was the opening act for Cracker - it was just him and his (David's?) guitar. He did a couple covers and some original songs too. His best song was his bean burrito song ... uh ... hmmm ... it sounded like La Bamba sung by someone who couldnt speak Spanish - but it was great. : ) He mentioned that his cd will be coming out hopefully in September. I also heard that Willis occasionally escapes the Cracker compound in Richmond and goes and plays his own shows - I'm not sure of the name of the band though.
A guy from Virgin records was there at the show (what a great job - show up at the beach to see a client!) and he brought his kid along to see the show too (the kid was singing along to some GB songs later too). They passed out (threw) some signed GB Cat posters to the crowd, along with some promo cds. A few of these cds were lost because they were almost tossed up to the crowd on the balcony (they came back down and shattered).
They also gave away the surfboard .. I'm not sure who won it though, but it later appeared outside and the winner got a picture with the band.
Then Cracker finally took the stage - and John Finch was right again, we were right at eye level with them. David Lowery wasnt as talkative this night, but they played great. Kenny was able to fully extend his according this night too - but he was partially obscured by a pillar on the stage.
This show could have been better for me ... but I got nailed by a crowd surfer. On his way down (or just before that - I'm not sure) he managed to empty a beer down my shorts and nearly remove them at the same time - I think he also gave Jessica a kick in the head too. I almost knocked David's monitor on to the stage when this bozo nailed me too ... I was a little soggy after this, but I managed to get back in to the mood after a song or two. (This little incident happened during This is Cracker Soul too ... the crowd was relatively safe during Low.)
I think nearly all of the front row was taken up by C2K people too .. starting on Johnny's side we had Jill, Chris, Jessica, me, Karen, John Finch, JF's daughter, and mango was some where around there too (and - yes, mango did have a great time - someone that rode with him should tell a little of his condition after the show - unless they've all been sworn to secrecy) : ) Matthew and his group were around there somewhere too, along with Tony, his brother and Nancy.
Port O Call needs a new/better air conditioning system - the place was hot! The Fletcher's show was much cooler - cold in fact, and even though the DC show was outdoors in the streets of DC, it was still cooler than Port O Call.
After the show it was so hot we all went outside to catch our breath. Kenny eneded up coming over to us and talking to us a long time. I'll let Jill fill in more of the details here, but this was when Kenny told us about the Lucky Sevens band - and I'd like to hear more of this band too.
(In the spirit of Mark Cathell's comments about Johnny playing Happy Birthday to Me for him ... ) : )
Later I was talking to Woody and told him about Shiner being on tap at the Coastal Cactus, and he offered up a little bit of info that I had been wondering about. In the Been Around the World song there is a line that says "Hello to Howie, say hello to Spike" - I always thought that "Howie" was the guy from the Heartbreakers (Tom Petty's) since he played on the album (I think he did at least ...) - but Woody told me that Howie and Spike were two guys that helped out on one of Camper's tours. I also mentioned the place had Key Lime pie, and he said they found a place that served it too - but it wasnt that good. Woody also told me about his place in Camper mythology. : ) Check your liner notes on Key Lime Pie before continuing here ... The bit about many Key Lime pies was Woody's fault - he really wanted David to like Key Lime pie, so kept encouraging Dennis Herring's wife to make another one for David ... Oh, did I mention that this was while I was driving Woody back to his hotel? No? good. I'll leave it that way.
... and then we sadly left the beach.
Then we continued on to the beach. It was heaven to be on the beach again. (I *love* the beach and I haven't been in years...) Once there Chris took off back to the club, and that left just John, Jill, and I to play on the beach... I was going in the water a bit (Birki's in hand) but there were a few jellyfish and it was a tad worrisome... The water was cold too! =) We did try to get the aforementioned photo of Jill in the water but she was being a ninny about it. ;-) Then, when John and I were messing around in the water, Jill was distracted, and I guess that made me look up to see a familiar form heading our way and it was Johnny. He stopped and chatted a bit, we learned all about "Beef" and "Chicken" and the Muddy Waters story was great... More about his son and the Outer Banks trip... Poor Johnny's been off-line for quite some time too... um... And he was generally nice. =) Has anyone mentioned so far that his son has like skipped a grade in school and is like really smart? Um, so we talked about that then he strolled on down the beach. So Jill, John and I were marveling about how cool that was when david came up and said that he figured that he knew us since John was wearing a 40 Watt shirt. He chatted a bit about how he wanted to go swimming but there were too many jellyfish, ocean AND sound side. Um and then he commented that this area marked "Danger deep hole" might possibly be an old sewage outlet... Oh, and Jill apologized for her desperate measures in trying to get into the show that night and David told her that Willis put her on the guest list a nd I suppose she could breathe a bit easier... Then he went along his way... I played in the water a little more, and picked up a seashell for memories, then we headed back to the club since it was dark...
Once there Jill had no problems getting in, and Willis gave her tiny x's and begged her not to drink. =) The stage was hardly raised at all... (maybe 4 inches?) and the only barrier between the crowd and the stage was the row of monitors that came up waist high, (sitting on their cases) and a thin nylon rope about elbow height that was easily pushed down (john). I ended up between David and Johnny for the show... Perhaps I should have traded with Jill since I did have a good view of Kenny from time to time... =) The height was a tad awkward (a la Ziggy's actually) but it was cool too. The show was great and here is the set list:
1.Been Around the World
2.Eurotrash Girl
3.The Good Life
4.Lonesome Johnny Blues
5.7 Days
6.100 Flower Power Maximum
7.Dr. Bernice
8.Pictures of Matchstick Men
9.Teen Angst
10.Wedding Day
11.This Is Cracker Soul
12.Mr. Wrong
13.Trials and Tribulations
14.Get Off This
15.How Can I Live Without You (!)
16.Sweet Thistle Pie
17.Low
Encore
18.Satisfy You (!)
19.Let's Go for a Ride (!) (1 broken string)
OK so as you can see it was a cool set. Only spoilers were that crowd surfer at the start of Cracker Soul
that kicked me in the neck... From then on I used the mirrors at the back of the stage to scan for more
potential surfers... and that drunk girl to Jill's left who kept pestering Johnny...
I thought they played great, sound was super again! =) Wedding Day was a treat. How Can I live Without You was really cool too. =) Satisfy You was excellent, and David remembered all the words, no repeat of the Ziggy's attempt. =) Let's Go For a Ride, was a different story... =) He did miss the second verse, but it was still great to hear that live after only hearing it in bootlegs before. =) Besides it was so fitting, with the massive road trip and all. =)
Um... also, Willis was the opener and he was really good. I'm guessing he was using Cracker's equipment... Johnny mentioned on the beach that Willis had had all his gear stolen recently. =( A *bunch* of folks in the crowd were asking each other about how to get Willis stuff. As for his setlist... I didn't get it, but I know he did a couple of his own songs, plus a Dave Matthew's Band cover, and a cover of Dylan's All Along the Watchtower, and of course, his very own bastardized version of Labamba. =)
Post Cracker show.. that tossed out The World Is Mine promos and we all got one... Jill also got a GB poster which she kindly gave to me. =) thank you Jill! The were also unloading some TGA t shirts. The cool green ones w/ the wheat on them... Everyone got one but me since I had one already (In the final fan club mailing I ordered every tshirt they had available... =). Then we strolled out to the out doors where it was cool (it was insanely hot inside the whole show, I was pouring sweat...) and while the band signed stuff for the fans, we (c2k ers) just hung out and talked about the show... Then we saw Kenny come off the bus and Jill called to him so he came over. He talked to us for a while. It was really cool to hear Kenny went to the school Jill is going to in the fall! =) Um... and He told us about how he's been playing for years and years, and he's got his other stuff going , and is writing stuff now... um, just cool stuff like that... And he did mention Cracker was in the running to be Tom Petty's opening act for the next leg of the tour, nothing solid, just being considered is all. And John and I got a picture taken with Kenny (thanks Nancy!) then John gave Woody a ride to the hotel and came back with some other guy... and then we drove back to Chris's parent's place to crash for the night... and most of the way back we listened to Kitty's CD on repeat. Man is that thing awesome. =) next review will come tonight I suppose...
john is right when he said i am a FRESH watergirl. he had the wonderful idea of taking a picture of me in the ocean (aka water :)) and putting it up on jess' webpage entitled "the water girl". what a shitty idea that turned out to be. :) just as he was about to take a picture, this stupid wave had to come crash on me, getting my pants all wet and then the sand stuck to my feet, and the sand stuck to my birkenstocks. oh geez you gotta love the beach. :) so i am, from now on, strictly a freshwatergirl. :) though i must report that i didnt get water for anyone this weekend, and i actually stole some of mark's water that mango had gotten him. i think it's time for a new watergirl. :) now onto the more interesting stuff..
like john said, it was very cool running into johnny and david on the beach. it was weird, cause jess and john were sort of playing around in the water, and i turn and who do i see walking down the beach, but johnny hickman. he talked to us for a good while as well. and then david came walking from the other direction! you gotta love the beach. :)
i was getting last minute jitters about getting into the show, but when we got back from the beach, to the club, tony informed me that i was on the guest list, so i felt a bit better about things. and i got in without any problems. shew! my first 21 and up show!
the mirror on the back of the stage thing was very weird. i sure dont wanna see what i look like during a
concert! oh well. this show was great as well, but fletcher's was the best in my opinion. there was a
drunk girl on my left, who kept spilling her damn drinks all over me, and she kept reaching her hand out
for johnny to touch, continually calling him "guitar boy"...and she messed with johnny's mic during get
off this. then she tried messing with his guitar pedal thingys (lol, what are they called??) and david
looked was shaking his head at her and looked like he would hit her if she didnt stop!
:)
it was my first experience with a crowd surfer at a cracker show. though had i had to choose which song it would happen during, i wouldnt have thought cracker soul.
it was very awkward being at eye level with the band, especially considering that i was directly in front of johnny, and couldnt really look at him, cause it was too weird. the pillar in front of kenny was kind of annoying, though mostly johnny was obstructing my view of him, so it's just the same. great show..
afterwards, as john said, kenny came over and talked to us. i dont reallyt know what details to fill in (john?), we just talked about lots of stuff....boston, nyc, writing songs, soccer interfering with cracker shows :), lucky sevens ,etc. i also told him that if they wouldnt play low the next night in dc, john, jess, and i would do ANYTHING for him. he said that he had a feeling they would play low. :) i also suggested incorporating his accordion into every song. :) i think thats when he told me about lucky sevens, saying that i'd like them, cause he plays accordion the whole time. and fyi (important bit of info here!) his accordion is from the 70's.
thats pretty much it from that night.