3/13

As I celebrate the 37th birthday of the Fillmore East concerts by the greatest band in history, I learn of bad news tonight. Saxophonist Martin Fierro passed away after battling cancer for a brief time. He played with the Legion of Mary and with the Dead on and off for several years. I first saw him playing with the Derek Trucks Band in September of 1999 and again with the Allman Brothers in June, 2002 at the Warfield. While sometimes I found Fierro's playing a little too eccentric for my tastes, I appreciated his contribution to the fibrant music scene of so many great bands.
The Warfield is closing, though the reasons are unknown. I had learned a couple of years ago that the venue had acquired the next door business (hopefully the porn house) and was going to expand the concert hall to bring in bigger acts. I personally think this would be a great idea. The Warfield was getting a tad too cramped for my tastes. While I love the old theater, the bathrooms were atrocious, the floor was disgusting, the balcony seats a tad tight. I'll be curious to see the venue, which is supposed to be blown up to fit over 4,000 people, will be designed like a a modern Winterland - open with room for great views all around.

I'm tired of watching the Clinton campaign feel that this election is Hillary's and anyone in the way should be destroyed. I, on principle, can not vote for someone that's running a campaign like a Bush or Nixon administration and feel that Hillary will be just as divisive as the last sixteen years this poor old country has had to put up with. Ferraro, be smart, not hypocritical.

Miles Davis - Cookin' With
Allman Brothers Band - Live at Fillmore East
Ryan Adams - Easy Tiger
Willie Nile - Streets of New York
Pink Floyd - Wish You Were Here
Tom Waits - Closing Time