Philzone.org Discussion Board: Archive 2004: Non-PF/Dead Show Reviews Archive 2004: Bela Fleck and the Flecktones - The Grand, SF - 11/11

Good times at a new venue (for me) last night. The Grand is clearly set up to compete with The Fillmore. More power to them. As much as I love The Fillmore, I hate CCC enough that I would LOVE to see Lonley Planet succeed with The Grand. I will speak its praise.

The room is set up as a rectangle with the stage at a short end. The floor is wood and plenty spacious. There's a horse-shoe balcony with seats that goes all the way around to the stage wall (but not behind the stage) that goes behind the main speakers, so you can watch the band from behind, like we used to be able to do at GAMH. The room is as grand as its name -- all off-white, glowing, about 30 chandaliers (sp?) hanging. It was an excellent sound system, but the soundman had too much white noise mixed in with Bela's banjo. (Was that because the room is too live?)

I rolled in just passed 8:00 and found Emily. Downbeat was 8:15.

Why was I there? Victor Wooten. He delivered. During his first solo/feature, he was doing the most amazing fretwork I'd ever seen on the bass. The crowd was *dead* silent. The kind was KIND, and the notes were numbing. Everyone stood and stared, eyes like saucers and mouths agape. I giggled at one point, trying to imagine what Victor was thinking as he played to this kind SF crowd.

In the first set, they had a guest play the ukele as the rest of the band stood clear. The Uke player put down the most beautiful, artistic Uke solo I have ever heard in my life. True virtuoso. After his solo number, he joined in with the band and did one more song, then left the stage. The crowd ROARED for this kid. (He looked about 20 years old, maybe even younger). He came back out in the 2nd set, but he wasn't as enjoyable. He tried to work the crowd -- overdoing it.

Tom the Nurse found me at set break. Now I know why he's a nurse. YOWZA! (Thanks, T!)

I met some other heads at setbreak, introduced by Emily. They were equally as kind. I got a chuckle half-way through the second set, though, when I realized that these guys (just graduating from college next week) must look at me as the "creepy old guy who I always see at shows." You know the guy -- he was there when you were young, too. I guess I'm that guy.

Speaking of "that guy," I saw "That Guy," the guy I always see at shows. (Not the same guy in the previous paragraph). It's Peter, who I met a few years ago because I saw him so often. I finally had to tell him. His buddy Alex was there, too.

Close to the end of the 2nd set, a guy came up and grabbed me, very excited to see me. I didn't recognize him. He asked me if I would sell him anything -- he had ten bucks. No way, I said. I had nothing to sell. He was terribly offended. I eventually figured out who he was. A girl he was with during the first set asked me to smoke her out, and she shared it with her friends. (No problem). He was one of the friends. Oh well.

At the end of the night someone walked by and handed me the setlist that was from the Board. I could tell that the guy I was talking to wanted it more, so after reading it and getting a promise from him that he'd post it on setlist.org, I let him have it.

So -- a big thumbs up for my first Bela show and my first Grand show. I'll be back to both.

Nice to see Emily, Tom, Tom's friend, Emily's friends, Alex and Peter. I'll see everyone but Alex tonight at Mule!

Well said!

Here's a partial set list off the Bela board:

Stomping Grounds
Bil Mon
Lover's Leap
Newest Guitar
Victor/Bela
Scratch & Sniff

2nd set
Futch/Jeff
Sleeper
Futch's Dream
Sherpa
Nu Wacky One
Bela

encore
Blu-bop

The ukelele kid is Jake Shimabukuro...he was awesome! And loved being up on stage, he's far more expressive than Bela. His opening jam--sounded to me like while my guitar gently weeps--seems fitting to give Harrison a nod on the uke

At the end of the night Jake and Bela trading licks twinkle twinkle little star followed by heart and soul, ya know the piano song from big? Fun Stuff.

We can't leave John Lennon out either...Bela did imagine--to be joined by the audience at the end with a little humming at the end, and then the last line the audience joined in loud and clear 'and the world will live as one' Very nice touch to the instrumental that bela was playing!

It was another great show It was easy to find doogs (look up) and tom (follow your nose)!


Can't wait to do it again tonight!

That's right -- Imagine. Thanks for filling in some of those gaps. I really enjoyed the entire solo banjo section, which is when Imagine fell in.

I've only seen a few Bela shows so maybe I just haven't seen enough but it seemed like there used to be more banjo...That's what initially drew me in, but last night was a lot of jazzy stuff.

Although, I do love the way it's 'Bela's band' but he's got no problems letting victor and futureman do their things...definitely no ego on that stage last night!

Here's the setlist according to an actual setlist provided at the show (thanks Doogles).

I'm not sure about the "names" for some of these songs and whether the setlist taken off the board is more correct (I think that list has several incorrect tunes listed). I'm certain they played Blu-Bop and New South Africa, so something appears to be wrong with the setlist provided on the Bela board (no criticism, just stating what I think are the facts):

Throwdown
Wacky One
Jake/Lover's Leap
Blu-South Africa
Vic/Bela
Off the Top

Futch/Jeff
Nu C
Whistle Tune
Futch's Tune
Poindexter j
Puffy j
Bela
?Cheesballs? mike?
Message j,m

I'm not recalling the Cheeseballs, but most of the rest of this strikes me as what was actually played (well, at least those tunes that I actually know the names of).

Either way, a great show and tons of fun (just get the bartenders and patrons to keep it down during the quiet sections!)

I'm sure your setlist is the more accurate version, given it's origin...but I'm not familiar enough with the tunes to say...

man i had such a solid time!!doogels, great review!!nice to meet you and emily!!jake >> the dude on ukelele bought a tear to my eye..there is a definate shortage of electric uke players around..bela was magic with that purple guitar,,

...>>magic with that purple guitar,,<<
i meant banjo

i loved this show
awsome through and through
i almost got me a free cosmic hippo plush at the end when they threw them out but just missed it

Is the Grnd what they were billing as the Avalon for a while?

>>Is the Grnd what they were billing as the Avalon for a while?

Nope, the Grand is upstairs from the Avalon and they're run by Another Planet Ent. and Morning Spring Rain, respectively.

The management at the Avalon isn't very together so it's nice to see the Grand on the ball! Another Planet also runs the Independent and they're both off to a good start so hopefully they'll be around for years to come.

I was talking to a friend this weekend who made some disparging remarks about the new clubs opening in san francisco but I completely disagreed! I think it's great to have some options, the fillmore and the warfield are great venues but I think they're due for a little competition!