Show 119 - Bx3 !!!

[Rick and Roll]

This post doubles as the set list to my show and a concert review of the awesome Bx3 show. Bx3 is Jeff Berlin playing a 45 minute-hour set, followed by Stu Hamm with an hour, and the incomprable Billy Sheehan with his hour. Then they all come back. Each bassist is accompanied by Jude Gold on guitar and John Mader on drums. Those two played all three hours, and get the award for not only endurance, but playing three different styles of concerts in one night. Mader was awesome, hits em hard like Dennis Chambers or Jerry Gaskill. Jude Gold had some neat effects and was technically brilliant, but never stole the spotlight.

The three bassists came out to a version of the Star Spangled Banner, sung by Sheehan. Then Berlin played a jazz set that was out of this world. Nothing from the old days, and a lot from the later solo records, except for a song that was reminiscent of "Joe Frazier". He did a beautiful rendition of Clapton's "Tears In Heaven". I hadn't seem him since 1983, with Holdsworth and Wackerman.

Stu Hamm was his usual brilliant self. His first number was a 15-minute medley from Abbey Road, with the cornerstone a thundering take on "I Want You". As with Berlin, all ten fingers had a purpose. No one picks like Stu Hamm. I hadn't seen him since 1993, and it seemed like yesterday. He blew the doors off the place. Plenty of solos, and Mader and Gold were just brilliant. Stu Hamm walks that rock and jazz line so well, especially on his two Gambale\Hamm\Smith songs.

Billy Sheehan is too good. No one is faster, yet he rocks like no other. It took me a week to pick up my jaw from seeing Niacin at Nearfest last summer...and now this. The highlight was 15-20 minutes of Beck's classic "Led Boots". Sheehan did everything...high end solos, everything possible. And introducing this as "a song from one of my favorite bands", they did a version of King's X's "Goldilox". Gold nailed the solo, and Sheehan played the vocal parts on bass, as "not to descecrate the great vocals".

All five then came out, with a few gems and surprises. Stanley Clarke (who to me is the fourth in the Mount Rushmore of living bassists, and I will see next month) was represented with "School Days". Then a great version of Spinal Tap's "Big Bottom"! The last number was the classic "Crossroads", with Berlin on vocal.

Lots of humor, all night...my favorite was a heavy metal bass joke, too long for here, and one by Hamm aimed at Berlin: "What's the difference between a large cheese pizza and a jazz bass player? A large cheese pizza feeds a family of four".

They'll be in VA on Sunday and Baltimore on Monday. Would love to go again but it's a standing show this time and I'll will have coached back to back basketball games that night. Leave that for the young men.

Oh yes, the show this week:

Stu Hamm

Stu Hamm - Kings of Sleep (1989)

Black Ice
Surely the Best
Call of the WIld
Terminal Beach
Count Zero
I Want To Know
Prelude In C
Kings of Sleep

The bass line in "Call of the Wild" is just stupendous.

w/ Joe Satriani - "The Bells of Lal" from "Flying In A Blue Dream"
w/Frank Gambale Steve Smith - "Bad Intent", "Dangerous Curves"

Jeff Berlin

w/ Bill Bruford's band:

Hell's Bells
Five G
Age of Information
Joe Frazier
q.e.d.
Sample & Hold
Fainting In Coils

The best cuts from "One of A Kind", "Gradually Going Tornado", "The Bruford Tapes". Joe Frazier is an all time favorite!

w/ Players:

Freight Train Shuffle
20,000 Prayers

Billy Sheehan

w/ Terry Bozzio "Live By the Gun"

from his solo CD "Cosmic Troubadour", "From the Backseat"

Niacin - "Organik" (2005)

Skipping two songs for time considerations, here's the latest Niacin CD - this may be their most accomplished. Bring a towel...

Barbarian At The Gate
Nemesis
Blisterine
King Kong
Super Grande
Hair of the Dog
4' 5 3
Stumble on the Truth
Club Sola
No Shame
Clean House

Explain to the neighbors that you have three hours of music to crank......

[Rick and Roll]

http://s67.photobucket.com/albums/h3...roll/Ramshead/

Here's four pics from the show, and two others, from a friend....

[Rick and Roll]

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