A Date Night Sans Casablanca

Rather than dwelling on Arsenal's ridiculous showing in Porto yesterday, I want to talk about Béla Fleck. On Monday evening, I saw a Facebook ad for his show @ Hill Auditorium last night, & the cheep balcony seats were only 10 bucks. We hadn't seen him since a Flecktones' show @ EMU in 1996, so for 10 bucks a pop we were in. Back in '96, their show was the same week as Phish @ the Palace & in Grand Rapids & Blues Traveler @ Hill Auditorium, so we had a fun-filled week of local music. This time, I realized the only show I've been to in the last couple years was the Springsteen concert I worked for Nicola's.

After class, I raced home & we hit Amer's for falafels & fries then walked over to Hill. The show was amazing. He's touring w/ his "Africa Project," an ensemble he put together while traveling through Africa (Mali & Tanzania mostly) & studying the origins of the Banjo. These musicians are amazing. Anania Ngolia on the thumb Piano accompanied by a guitarist & then Ngoni Ba, a group from Mali fronted by Bassekou Kouyate on lead Ngoni. The ngoni is an instrument made from a calebasse gourd w/ a goat-skin stretched across it (very much like a banjo) & this dude was like the Jimmy Page of the ngoni... standing on the edge of the stage w/ his foot on his amp & rockin'! Béla Fleck was MCing & would come & go playing w/ these different musicians & then letting them do their own thing. I'm so glad we went. I'd never done anything based on a Facebook sidebar ad, but this was well worth it. Check out this video of Ngoni Ba... you won't be sorry.

The Big Phish Comeback Show or The Brahphecy Fulfilled

Phish played their 1st show since 1995 last night at Hampton Coliseum in Hampton, VA. Holly's son (our nephew) Andy went, & will be @ the shows tonight & tomorrow too. They're a funny band; I rarely think about them or listen to them, but when I do, I'm always reminded that they are stellar musicians. Not to mention that I was able to start downloading the 1st set before the 2nd set was even over. (For all of you who are dying to hear it, you can download it hereThose kids today w/ their new-fangled technology... up-loading the show from the floor of the Coliseum. We used to have to wait & wait & hunt down bootlegs over thee course of months & sometimes years. The show last night clocked in @ 3 hours & 45 minutes & the setlist is spectacular.
Set I
Fluffhead
Divided Sky
Chalkdust Torture
Sample in a Jar
Stash
I Didn't Know
Oh Kee Pah>
Suzy Greenberg
Farmhouse
NICU
Horn
Train Song
Water in the Sky
Squirming Coil
David Bowie

Set II
Backwards Down the Number Line
Tweezer
Taste
Possum
Theme From the Bottom
First Tube
Harry Hood
Waste
YEM

Encore:
Grind
Bouncing Around The Room
Loving Cup