Totally OT Post (almost)

So I've been playing in Grateful Dead tribute bands since 2003. This is a side project for our new lead guitarist in this latest incarnation of the band. He's a Yankee fan, and a great guy and guitarist nonetheless. I've already posted that we were able to watch the Sox and Yanks together without killing each other (lol). Jimmy Brighton is in a band called Stackabones, a band that has 3 CD's out, with a 4th due out this year (and I'm on it.) This band has been together since 1981 or so, but Butch Zito, his songwriting partner and bandmate for all these years happens to be living in Delaware (where?) at the moment, but flew in Friday for the local Dead show tonight.

Apparently, Jimmy is impressed with my rhythmic skills behind the drum set as he took me up to the studio to add some percussion to a couple of tracks, as well as some harmony vocals, too. Since Butch was coming in, we hastily arranged a show at The Connecticut Yankee, a Red Sox bar that I've previously written about, with me as the drummer, since George Marsh, the previous drummer is now working with David Grisman, (so I've been told.)

George, Jimmy & Butch after 10 hours in the studio

Butch grew up in Yankee country with Jimmy. He knew we were playing at 'The Connecticut Yankee', but he didn't know it was a Red Sox bar until the end of a short rehearsal when Chip the bass player started to tell him that the bar was a Red Sox bar. I was frantically motioning the 'cut' sign across my throat trying to get him to STFU! Well Butch started complaining about playing with a Red Sox fan in a Red Sox bar. (heh heh heh) I told him there was a big photo of Lou Gehrig on the wall as you walk in.

I left the rehearsal early to get to the club to grab a bite to eat and get my kit set up as drummers usually are first in, last out. I sat down at the bar watching the O's beat up the Yanks. I asked the barkeep if he knew how the Sox had done earlier, and he told me that Fox didn't show the game here yesterday. (It's just as well that I didn't discover the outcome of the game until today.) Butch walks in and I told him, "Don't look at that TV!" Grumble, grumble, bitch, piss, moan. The rehearsal went well, so I thought he was just being an average Yankee fan. He noted earlier in the day when he found out I was a Sox fan that the Sox are the reason he stopped watching baseball. (heh heh heh)

I told him that besides being an exception to the rules of being a drummer (I show up on time for rehearsals and shows, I have a running vehicle, and despite not having a girlfriend at the moment, I am not homeless), I am not one of those Yankee hating, vitriol spewing & bat slinging Sox fans. (I take my occasional shots at the Yankees here on this board, but hey, that's my job!)

I only played two rehearsals with this band, and each was missing one key player, but the show was a total success! Tom, Steph, and Mike from Leadfoot Betty sat in with us on a couple of numbers, as well as a very competent sax player who just happened to be in attendance last night. Many good friends were in the house, too. I had Butch smiling at me while we were playing, and the whole band was smokin' hot despite only two rehearsals with the new drummer. Not only that, with Butch living in DE, the rest of the band hadn't even played together in some six months or so. We recorded the show semi-professionally (16 tracks, where as most audience tapers only use 2 mic's and maybe a PA soundboard feed if they're lucky), and I hope it will get uploaded sometime in the near future to archive.org, a web site for downloading free and legal live shows by many taper friendly bands.

So not only can a Red Sox fan and a Yankee fan watch a game together without killing each other, we can all play on the same stage together, too! A great night!