Half-Truth

On Thursday, Big Head Todd and the Monsters rolled through town. I remember their hey-day when I was in college as they had a couple of minor hits. The band's always been noted in certain circles, especially the jam band scene, though they never struck me as a jam band. I honestly couldn't name a single song of theirs but have never seen a reason to not like their music. They just never entered my music listening taste. Then why would it matter if they were playing the Fillmore on Thursday?
Well, because the Truth & Salvage Co. were opening the show. They've been on a mini-tour of the Pacific Coast, In Idaho, Washington, Oregon and a couple of stops in California. The guys told me that they were rolling through when I last saw them and, being in the first week of school and a sticker of $31.50 plus fees, I was wondering if I would have to miss them for the first time this year. Hmmmmm....
Last week, we connected and I was possibly going to get on the guest list if a significant other was not going to make the show. I needed to remind them a couple of days before the show. I was thrilled. On Tuesday, I made my reminder contact but was given the bad news that "she" would be making the show. Hey, no problem; they'd been so gracious with previous shows and I'd just need to buy a ticket to get in.
That wasn't happening. Nothing on craigslist, eBay or stubhub for cheap. Understandably, my better half reminded me of my fiscal responsibilities as a husband and a father and she told me that I'd have to miss the show, deal with it and grow up. She was right. Damnit.
So, Thursday night, with wonderful weather in the 'Wood, the family had a great dinner and we were outside. All except my oldest, who was watching favorite cartoon clips on Youtube. The only problem was, he wasn't allowed to be watching cartoons as he had done something he wasn't supposed to earlier in the afternoon. I walked into the kitchen where the computer was, stopped the cartoon and minimized the screen. To my dismay, I was looking at my inbox and what did I see? An e-mail from the guys letting me know that the plans had changed, "she" couldn't make it and that I WAS ON THE LIST. That was 7:24 p.m. The show started at 8:00. The Fillmore is in the city, an hour and a half away. Rolling her eyes, my wife consented and I was in the car less than one hundred and eighty seconds later. For the first ten minutes of my drive, I questioned my sanity and nearly turned around several times. When I realized that I could do eighty miles an hour around Antioch, however, that lack of certainty disappeared. Now I was at war with the clock; I was going to be late; the question was: just how much of their set would I catch?
Long story short: no traffic. I shot through the Caldecott Tunnel, over the bridge and into the city. Through the city. Parked. Literally ran to the venue. Hit the window. Booked into the beloved Fillmore, where I had first heard them seven months ago opening for the Black Crowes in what may just be one of the top ten shows I've ever seen.
Thankfully, they were still playing. The venue was about a third full, not bad for any opening act. What was great, though, was that everyone in there was not just casually listening but giving them full-throated cheers and their undivided attention. I bee-lined it straight to the stage just as they began ripping into "Rise Up." Scott was singing at his best, the band was DRIVING the song and when the guitar breaks came, the best band in the history of rock and roll ruled the universe for two eternal minutes. Adam's organ was hot in the mix, Smitty declaring war on his cymbals. The crowd was in a frenzy as Scott and Tim were eye to eye, jamming in harmony, sounding increasingly like the Brothers when Duane and Dickey would do the same thing.
"Rise Up" ended and Joe began thumping into "She Really Does It For Me", a rollicking song that would have been Joe Cocker's biggest single from his second album. Tim cranked the song out and the band pushed this harder than I'd ever heard it, straight into "See Her", giving Scott another chance to tear into his '73 Gibson SG. Four minutes later, the crowd roaring and the band dripping in sweat, the song concluded. The audience's response was so loud that I couldn't hear Walker thank the crowd, Big Head Todd and introduce the band. Smitty walked out in front of the kit and they began "Pure Mountain Angel". Walker as adamant as ever on lead, Scott, Tim and Bill the choir. They made such joyful noise that the audience was dead silent. The song moved through two verses and into the outro and the band received a greater ovation than any other time I'd seen them. I'd driven an hour and five minutes to catch four songs and it was one of the best shows I'd seen this year. Capping it off, a couple of the guys saw me from the stage and yelled out, "didja get in? You were on the list!"
For the next hour or so, we caught up and talked about the tour, Fall plans and whatnot. The postshow was just as great as the mini-set I caught. Stories will stay with me. All the while, Big Head Todd was playing. Their set was fine, though unfamiliar. None of us was going to stay around to catch the complete show; I wanted to get back in time for a night's sleep for work and the guys were rolling out to L.A. in an hour. We parted ways, another amazing story had and another long drive ahead.
I told a couple of colleagues the next morning of my adventure. They told me I was nuts. I think they're right.