Freedom

Last Saturday, Heather and I made our way to the recently-remodeled El Campanil Theater in Antioch. This old theater, one of the last remaining movie houses from the Art Deco era had seen better days long before I moved away nearly fifteen years ago. As the downtown area has been in the process of being revitalized, the theater is a bit of a crown jewel for the city.
It's beautiful, returned to its original splendor, and over the last year, the managers have been trying to retain some class for the ol' girl by showing classic movies (mainly pre-war) and bringing in live entertainment in the attempts of bringing back a vibrant night life for what used to be a wonderful city front right along the Delta. Last Saturday provided that, as folk music legend Richie Havens performed to a near-sell out crowd. Richie played with an accompanying guitarist and a cellist. In great form and spirits, he gave us two hours of music and stories and his concert will be something that stays with me for a long time.

I've always been a Woodstock nut. In college, when I discovered the late '60s counter culture music, many of the performers from that concert became my favorites. Many still are. For one of my birthdays, my brother gave me the director's cut of the film after I saw the original on television. It was the only movie I had my senior year and needless to say, I watched it endlessly. One of my favorite artists was Richie and I used the portion of the film with his two songs in my documentary of the counter culture in my Vietnam War units in school. The music meant a lot to me then and the more I've listened to his music, the more I appreciate Havens' kindness and outlook on life.

The performance was solid; Havens' voice still is that rich baritone that has only deepened and strengthened with age. His unique style of playing was something I enjoyed watching and having fourth row seats only helped me to do so. Several times, Richie was so moved by the songs that he either stood up to frail on the strings of his Guild or that he moved away from the microphone and could be heard shouting through the theater. His newer material is just as strong as the classic, more familiar tunes he performed. While I'm no expert on Havens' discography, I can recall the following:

All Along the Watchtower (opener, with a great story about how he borrowed this from a young folkie in the Village in the mid 60s only to give it to someone else who recorded it and made it his)

The Well

Handouts In the Rain

Woodstock (only recorded on his last album and completely his - closer to Joni's than CSNY's version)

Here Comes the Sun (great but wrecked during the encore when someone yelled out for him to play after he had already done so)

Follow - (a beautiful song that I first remember from the film, A Walk On the Moon. A song that will be a lullabye for my children. When this was called out, Richie held his face in his hands, saying that he hadn't performed it in years but would give it a try. He wrestled with the first verse but the rest just came back to him. The highlight of the night for me.

Maggie's Farm (with a really cool quote of the bridge from The Who's "Won't Get Fooled Again")

Freedom (of course, the evening's closer, the song he made up on the spot at Woodstock after running out of songs he knew)

The supreme treat of the evening was being able to meet him after the show! He set up a table for a meet-and-greet for those who wanted to stick around. Heather and I were about fifth in line and Richie graciously signed my ticket ("to Paul, a friend forever..."), chatted with me a little bit, took his picture with me and shook my hand. I e-mailed him two nights later to thank him and today I received a response in kind! A wonderful evening from a wonderful person.

So, to be totally dorky, here's a list of the people who were at Woodstock whom I've seen:

Santana (Carlos, of course, not the guys who tried firing him from his own band!)
Crosby, Stills and Nash
Neil Young
Joan Baez (at last year's Bruce show for "Pay Me My Money Down")
John Fogerty
The Dead (sans Pigpen, Jerry or Tim, of course)
Richie Havens
Wavy Gravy - at a couple of Phil Lesh and Friends shows, walking around and being Wavy.


On a separate note, Hillary and John McCain took New Hampshire, shocking the media and just about everyone expecting post-Iowa patterns. Romney finished a solid second for the GOP and Edwards another disappointing third. I can't remember when the next primary is, but already the candidates are vetting for positions with the front runners, one can imagine.