"Livin' Like a Lusty Flower" ~ SCROLL DOWN!!! Share Some Life With Me!

"Livin' Like a Lusty Flower" ~ SCROLL DOWN!!! Share Some Life With Me!
"Once in a while you get shown the light in the strangest of places if you look at it right"

Soulshine

Soulshine

DOSE

DOSE

Saturday, May 28, 2011

10th Annual Messier Marathon



Sky Gazers from Babak Tafreshi on Vimeo.

Chris Squire, "Sundance," WHB, and The Ever Lovely Aspen



Unfortunately, Fred Cox called and asked me to work Warren Haynes Band merch for the 24th and the 25th here in Denver. Absolutely killer shows but it was hard for me to completely enjoy the show as i was focused on a dear friend whose a bit ill right now (as many of you know him email him will ya!!) and also because I was working. I know many folks ask "how hard can it be to sell a t-shirt?" and trust me it isn't that hard (uh, depending onthe customer, I do get a few seriously drunk and high and very rude people) but its the load in, counting in, setting up, tearing down, loading out, counting money, settling with the house and getting all the paperwork in that will really get ya!! So while I managed to work my way to front row several times and I could hear the tunes, and I had a great assistant their was always a nagging tug telling me I needed to keep my "responsible working hat on" and
so I never really did get let go, and I'll admit it...I was worried sick about my friend as well. Warren was ever so sweet as was Farmer. Warren actually took the time after the show to talk to me and tease me a bit..."so they got you working for me now, do they?" he said with a wink and a smile. He was sweet and gracious and he told me he'd put my friend (who is sick and who doesn't really need my help to get on a guest list) on the guest list (Euro tour) as I had asked. I wanted to talk more but I couldn't. Who doesn't want to sit around and talk with Warren and Brian too?! because Brian was just as wonderful to me, gave me a hug, the whole crew really. But the fact is that I was hired to work and even if it is Warren I've got to stay focused and I needed to finish my job. The house manager loves Warren but that doesn't mean he wants to stay around til 4:00 in the morning waiting for a crew to be finished with load out...so, I got back to earth. And put my thinking cap on...so it goes.
 
We flew into Aspen...such a relief not having to do that 5 hour drive, it isn't a mean drive...rather lovely, but working a show means no sleep. Oh I know you think going to a show means sleep deprivation but working it just tack on another 12 hours to that lack of sleep and picking up 35 to 50 pound boxes, doing all the paperwork, you'd be feeling my weariness...landed in lovely Aspen
and it was just that Beautiful...and Surreal. How is it that life is so
heartbreakingly hard and agonizing and yet so stunningly generous and amazing. It makes my heart break and smash open into a million different flower petals! I needed that short plane ride after the Denver run...so amazing to hear Warren in this new incarnation. Everyone sounds so vibrant and connected in this band and it has a way of taking off like a soaring bird or butterfly...I like the openess to it. I am proud that Warren is trying different stuff and I love the new stuff. I love his new lyrics "is there anything I can do to be a friend to you..." yep, I'm all about it...I love Warren's perspective. I find it hopeful and respectful and engaging. Another sweet soul just living life, trying to experience and feel what life is really all about...a lovely song of a body of work is he...Warren and Company all of us on his ride...all of us lucky to want to share it...
 
Walked around Aspen (ah the Dior, the Louis Vuitton, Hermes, Ralph Lauren and Hippie Chick shop windows...a girls dream!!) in the glorious sun with no sleep in our eyes and green bud in our systems and bought fancy schmancy bathsoap and hair stuff for our fancy schmancy bathroom (talk about heaven and our hotel room had the biggest loveliest terrace in the trees with a huge mountain in our faces!!!!) bought some coooollll "Moose Drool" would commonly refer to as Brown Ale. Went to our local dispensary and couldn't resist the "Woody Kush" I mean "say what the hell, hang fire" and we did!! got Ben and Jerry's "Cherry Garcia" and potato chips or what one ...then settled down easy to get ready for the show...hour showers...cool Colorado Breeze Drying my hair!
 
Guest Listed and tickets I guess I'm just spoiled and we got our front row...and Warren Acoustic Solo just nailed it...I'm sure some of you heard how he threw out 7 picks and those 7 people got to ask him any question...are best buddy Neil yelled out "was Sundance the only Mule song never performed live" an excellent question indeed and so Warren answered 'true, we never did play it and the reason is that Chris Squire (for those who don't know Chris Squire was the bassist for the band YES, okay guy friends cut my girl friends some slack, hear me?!!) wrote the bass part for that song and no one since has had the balls or the ability to play it. Except for Jorgen that is and so maybe we will play it' and then he proceeded to play a bit of it for us...wow!!!! take the house down. Many of the other questions were boring and typical...would you play "Into The Mystic" "Everyday Will Be Like Holiday" "Warren Take Off Your Pants" (my friend Scott responded to this request with a "We don't need to see Warren in no speedo!!" Even Warren busted a chuckle to that one! "Warren You Are The Man" "Warren We Love You" excellent requests/shouts/badgers but I wish folks wouldn't have been so predictable and actually come out with good questions like Neil did.
 
I could go on. Rave as usual but the deal is after a while you sorta begin to feel like a parody..."he's so wonderful, the best, love him, can't get enough, bought the disc, yep got the hoody" the conversations in "fan-dom" often gets predictable and I am no different my words are the same...it was lovely and beautiful and I'm grateful for the nice time...but then isn't Aspen always a lovely time? I suppose. Flew home, an hour maybe not even and it equates to a nap, off the plane, shuttled home, Chinese food, watched the movie "Tangled" and voila sitting here the next morning writing to all of you...this was a short run...WHB...short and sweet. I wish Brother Joel could have heard some of this new stuff. I suppose he has and he's loving it...he and Woody are loving it and smiling!!! So kids, if you are so inclined take the time remember "Still Life is
Overrated, Burn Out Factor is Part of the Game, Life Should Be An Adventure, Anything Else is Just a Crying Shame..."
patch
ramblinrose
cebelina...any of these names will do
just don't be calling me late for the show!
 
When you are drifting about in outer space and on the precipice of a worm hole, the best thing to do is to take the ride and go for it! Frank Zappa