Locomotive Breath...

[BobFV1]

...was just one of the songs performed at Wolf Trap's Filene Center outside of Washington, DC (and about 10 minutes from my office) last night. My two sons Nick (21) and Pete (19) got a picnic dinner and sat on Wolf Trap's famous lawn and enjoyed none other than JETHRO TULL's Ian Anderson with a full backup rock band and orchestra.

http://r1150r.smugmug.com/photos/84311082-M.jpg

The show was absolutely outstanding in every way. Anderson was th consummate musician, on key, playing his flute throughout the performance, explaining nuances to the audience such as:

the key of "A" has a wavelength of 440 cps
"Living In The Past" is one of only two songs ever written in a 5/4 time signature to make the top 10
Jean Sibelius wrote his violin concerto while he was taking a shitThere were only two one-hour sets but the song selection was impeccable, and it was great to sit out on the lawn under the stars and listen. Highlights for me were Bach's "Bouree", an improvisation which closed the first set, "My God", a long selection from "Thick As A Brick", and a rousing encore of "Locomotive Breath" right before they brought the house lights up.

You may be asking yourself why Anderson was discussing Finnish composer Jean Sibelius' bowel movements? If not, you should be. Well, the reason is that there was a very beautiful and talented guest artist sharing the stage for much of the concert, a classical violinist named Lucia Micarelli:

http://r1150r.smugmug.com/photos/84309393-M.jpg

Miss Micarelli, in the first set, played an excerpt from the Sibelius Violin Concerto. Even if you don't like classical music, this is a stirring piece - one of my all time favorites. Listen to it on the headphones some time, maybe on a cool Summer evening wih a tall glass of Scotch.

The highlight of the show came in the second set. This highlight had both of my sons proclaiming that it was the greatest thing they have ever seen. Micarelli, Anderson, rock band, and orchestra all joined together in a long version of Led Zeppelin's "Kashmir". I can't even describe it - it made me feel like a dog with two dicks - just incredible.

The show is traveling around through October - catch it if you can - I think Michigan and Boston are coming up.

Rock on. And ride safe.

[supermotoC]

SNOT, running down his nose...... :020:




the key of "A" has a wavelength of 440 cps
"Living In The Past" is one of only two songs ever written in a 5/4 time signature to make the top 10
Jean Sibelius wrote his violin concerto while he was taking a shit

Well, "A" in the middle of the keyboard, just that one note. A-440 is what every musician learns to tune to, from grade school on....

What's the other "Take 5"? I'd be surprised if Dave Brubeck went top 10!
Many 7/4 tunes have made it to top 40, but most people don't realize it's not 4/4 (tribute to the clever writer, that).

No wonder I smelled something.....



In my other life, I used to tour Europe every summer in a band, and we did a month with Jethro Tull, Foreigner (w/ Mick & Lou Gramm), 10 Years After, Meatloaf(!!), and ELP. Ian is quite the odd fellow, and does not act his age. His stage persona is his persona, and that leads to many interesting escapades when in public. We took this show to Moscow & played in Red Square (1988 mind you), and could I tell some stories......

[Dallara]

Man, oh man, Collyer...

Please DO tell us the stories! :eusa_clap: :eusa_clap: :eusa_clap:

I know I would love to hear 'em!!!

One of the best shows I ever saw was Jethro Tull in Houston back in the late 1970's. Absolutely mesmerizing.

Thanks, Bob!

Allan (Dallara - NAABSCD)

[arkline]

I'd be willing to bet that "Take 5" made the top ten back when...Very popular piece of music when I was in highschool. Um, the music, the car, the backseat...Well, you get the picture!

[DJ Down Under]

Loco. breath is one of my favorites also...I love Tull...this album is my favorite Tull albums.

http://images.amazon.com/images/P/B00070DK1E.01._AA240_SCLZZZZZZZ_.jpg ... http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00070DK1E/sr=1-23/qid=1154019248/ref=sr_1_23/103-5859689-2167048?ie=UTF8&s=music

For those who've not heard it it's worth checking out.

Bob..thanks for the post.

DJ

[supermotoC]

You mean how I sold a pair of Levi's for $330 USD to a Russian girl (1987)? Or I almost got arrested for throwing a frisbee across Red Square (captialist decadence was forbidden)? Or how Mick Jones (from Foriegner) like to get 8-10 strippers in his room (in Berlin, it was insane) and invite a few friends over to watch/play landlord-serf.....
Or the odd fact that college girls were much more willing to apply themselves when they had a chance to meet band members, and not the ones that dressed the part. That was a real opportunity to study human behaviour. 6 years of it. Oh, and Little Rock Connie has 3 daughters - first time I met them they were 15,17,19, and they had skills. And they knew how to share. Good parenting is all important, I say.
Boring little stories of learning to live out in the world - the R & R world.
I hung with some of Bob's friends often, up in Marin County. The roadies for the Dead each got a BMW 635CSi for a bonus one year. Nice gig for a roadie!

I could go on & on, but it's all water under the bridge.

[BobFV1]

Loco. breath is one of my favorites also...I love Tull...this album is my favorite Tull albums.

http://images.amazon.com/images/P/B00070DK1E.01._AA240_SCLZZZZZZZ_.jpg ... http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00070DK1E/sr=1-23/qid=1154019248/ref=sr_1_23/103-5859689-2167048?ie=UTF8&s=music

For those who've not heard it it's worth checking out.

Bob..thanks for the post.

DJ

Deej - they closed the second set with "Budapest". If they allowed cameras at Wolf Trap I would have "DJ'd" it for you. :)

[DarthRider]

My son's (then) band toured Finland of all places 2 years running...great stories!

[socalrob]

I saw Tull in San Franicisco (or maybe Oakland) at about 18 years of age in maybe 1975/76, under the influence of some strange San Francisco cocktail. I think ELO & Camander Cody also played. What a show. Ian Anderson was/is one of rock's best performers.

[DJ Down Under]

Deej - they closed the second set with "Budapest".
Wow!...that would have been great.

DJ

[geechie]

Damn,

You guys never fail to surprise me. The early Allman Bros played around with odd time signatures quite a lot. Seems like "Whipping Post" had a riff in 7 or something. Anybody know the tune "Pussy Wiggle Stomp"? Cat's name won't come to me now... fleugle horn player... shows up on "King of the Hill" all the time. Anyway, very fun tune in 7.

George

[DarthRider]

George -
Chuck Mangione (sp?) ?

[BobFV1]

George said "flugel horn". He he, he he.

[DarthRider]

Said "Pussy Wiggle" too!
The boy's out of control...

[geechie]

Yeah Dave, it was Chuck Mangione. I remember a live recording of the tune in which the audience caught on to the 7/4 time signature and were clapping in time... 1, clap, 3, clap, 5, clap, clap. Very hip audience.

George

[Promethean]

Damn! You guys are old. :037:

[geechie]

You wait, you little peckerhead. If you're lucky one of these days you'll be old too. You're not gonna like it, either.

George

[supermotoC]

Talk about odd time sigs - listen to Peter Gabriel's "Salsbury Hill" (on some damn commercial currently). No, it's not 7/4, it's a bar of 3, then a bar of 4, then a bar of 3, etc. The chorus is in 4/4. Simple song, yet not. The steady 1/4 note fools everyone.

[Wild Will]

I can't say when I've enjoyed a thread more than this one, replete with photos. I have seen Tull at several venues in England back at the end of the 60's, early 70's. They remain one of my all time fave groups. My kids even listen to them, and also love Led Zep, and Blind Faith.

If you guys want a thrill you can feel in your spine, get the newly released CREAM live album from Victoria and Albert Hall last year. Listen to Clapton play "Stormy Monday"; I've never heard better guitar.

Too damned bad we can't all live close enough thhat we could head down to the local live music place and chill together as the melodies and the memories blend into musical Nirvana. Again. Endlessly.

[Bones]

NOW you guys are talking!

I thought I might be the only one really interested in Tull "B" side stuff and really early Tull, the stuff that never got air play. I can now actually admit to someone (several someones) that I just listened to the entire Thick as a Brick album the other day, in entirety, without interuption. Passion Play....I might be the only one here to own that album and actually listen to it. Then again, I just listened to Zappa's The Adventures of Gregory Peccary a few weeks ago, too.

Collyer, you must come to Big Bend. There are too many stories for me to hear!

And odd time signatures.......old Genesis, fantastic stuff. Remember, that was back in olden days when Phil Collins actually played drums.

Damn, we are getting old.

Jeff

[supermotoC]

Collyer, you must come to Big Bend. There are too many stories for me to hear!

I need to find a big enough bike to not shake me to bits on the way! My thumper would rattle my fillings out. Anybody got an extra GS or R or anything worthy of riding from Dallas to Big Bend in October? The stories even Wild Will would understand (does the name Grace Slick ring a bell?)