Philzone.org Discussion Board: Archive 2004: Non-PF/Dead Show Reviews Archive 2004: Peter Rowan & Tony Rice - 12/4/04 - Kent, OH

Lude, my buddy Rick, our friend Jameson and I headed over to Kent, OH for the Peter Rowan & Tony Rice show. Got to the theatre early in the afternoon. Kent is a nice little quaint town. There was a big Christmas celebration going on in the town square which kind of got me in the Christmas spirit. We grabbed some really good burritos and beers at this little Ma and Pa mexican restaurant and got to listen to Charlie Brown Christmas album while we ate.

Next we headed over to a nice little corner bar for some beers. Sierra Pale Ale and Great Lakes Christmas Ale on tap and a damn fine jukebox selection...my kind of place. While we listened to Bob Dylan, T Rex, Tom Waits, The Black Keys, and Curtis Mayfield, Lude was having some conspiracy theory conversation about Marilyn Monroe with this lady that was beyond trashed. She told her husband we were going to give her a ride home when he said he was ready to leave. Luckily her husband got the idea that we weren't going to do that!

We head up to the theatre and a nice crowd is gathered in the lobby. Old folks, babies, and everything in between are in the lobby. I love going to shows like this. We grab our tickets and another beer and head in. Slaid Cleeves was the opener...pretty good stuff. Billy Bright came out and did a song with him that was really sweet.

After short intermission, Peter Rowan, Tony Rice and the Brights took the stage. Dressed like gentlemen, Tony in a suit, and Peter in a shirt/tie with Mexican cape, the band took the stage to a huge roar. I couldn't believe there about 400 people there.

I really really love the new Rowan/Rice album "You Were There For Me." Probably my favorite cd released this year. I knew we were going to get to hear a lot of tunes from it, but I was also hoping to hear some tunes from "High Lonesome Cowboy."

Have to say that Brynn Bright knows how to handle bass duties. She took some amazing solos throughout the night that got the crowd really going. The show opened up with 2-3 older tunes I wasn't familiar with. Then they showcased the new album and played a good 6-7 songs from it. "You Were There For Me," "Ahmedd The Beggar Boy," and "Ain't That Just Like You" being my highlights. After that they played a Billy Bright composed instrumental that was pretty fast and smoking. The set closed out with a wonderful rendition of "Land of The Navajo" that was really extended, probaby around 8 minutes. I love watching Tony and Peter play the guitars. Such different styles but both are so extremely talented.

After a standing ovation, the band returned and we were served with an encore of "Free Mexican Air Force," "Panama Red," and one other song which I forget.

An amazing night of music and one hell of a road trip! Great to see Rowan and Rice again. Don't miss them if they come around.

Nice review, Damon!

I will title mine:

STELLAR TUNES, TYE DYED SKIES, CHARLIE BROWN CHRISTMAS, SLOPPY DRUNKIN' WOMEN & FART BOY!

Well, I got to Damon's at about 3:45 pm on Sat and off we went, west on the Pa Turnpike. We commented on how the sky had turned overcast after having been mostly clear throughout the day. As we hit the Ohio toll booth we started to notice that the overcast had cleared on the western horizen and a nice sunset was begining to take shape. We had no idea. About ten minutes passed and what had been "nice" was now one of the most spectacular sunsets I've ever seen. A true "tye dye sky". Every color of the spectrum seemingly emanating in incandecent eddies from the clouds themselves...WOW. And listening to set 2 of 11/1/85 made it all the better...Black Peter->He's Gone->Spoonful->Comes a Time->Sailor...yummy.

So the night was off to a stellar start. We arrived in Kent to the town fair. Lots of families with tots in tow. The sky was now clear with bright stars which seemed to augment the white Xmas lights adorning all the ornamental trees lining the streets. Very Rockwellish. We were directed to a little Mexican place with excellent food, and they served bottled beer, and as a bonus, they were spinning Vince Guarldi's "Charlie Brown Xmas". The only Xmas music that I heartily enjoy, much less tolerate.

So after the great meal, we proceeded to the Zephyr, a funky bar on the main drag with a great jukebox. Damon loves a great jukebox & immediatly went to town. As he was programming the atmosphere, a drunk woman came over to me and goes "Yoush know youdsh look just liek Charlez Manshon..." I told her that indeed, my name is Charles, call me Charlie...She rambled on about her Marilyn Monroe obsession/collection (Charles Manson->Marylin Monroe? Dunno how she made that tranistion in her addled brain...Marylin Manson? Rowan played with Bill Monroe? Trent Reznor influenced Marylin Manson is from NE OHIO?)...anyways, I was at that borderline facinated/annoyed/alarmed...then her hushbanth comes over "Hey, whats going on here..." You know its gonna get stranger...So finally she left, though for an alarming minute it seemed as if hubby was going to ditch her with us! OY.

So showtime approached, we went to the theater and bought out tickets...9 yr old boy in line w/folks in front of us blows MAJOR ASS...ha ha...we stop at car for final pre-game maneuvers .

As for the show, Damon covers it well; Brynn Bright - WHAT A HOTTIE - rips on the standup bass & backing vocals, Peter, Tony & Billy are fabulous, every note pristine & clear...the Kent theater is acoustically fine. I wish I wouldn't have drank so much pre-game, during the middle of the set I became, well, a bit semi-conscious...great music to float through my addled mind fo sho, but I wish I would have been a little more lucid.

Here a word about the opening act, an acoustic guitarist...Slaid Cleeves...He played some folk tunes about hotrods, booze & women with Billy Bright acompanying him on mando...interesting stuff.

Oh, yeah...during the break between Cleeves & Rowan/Rice we were rappin' with this chica who we had met at the Zephyr (after Drunka left), Amy was her name, & she says "there was a little boy who could not sit still sitting directly in front of me...how annoying"...I mention Fart Boy...then I see Fart Boy run out of the theater doing tae quon do and almost runs right into Damon..."that's Him!" exclaims Amy..."yup...thats Fart Boy" says I...eh, ya had to be there...

Well, anyways, it was a great fun adventure all around, can't wait to do it again soon, Damon!

Word dude. I forgot about the sunset and the farting boy. (I still owe ya $6!)

>I still owe ya $6

nah, You drove, thats,gas $$$...no worries

Maaaan...my fleece thingy still reeks of spilled beer...