DATE: Mar 8, 1996
VENU: Stache's
TIME: 90:00 (incomplete)
QUAL: excellent
This was the first NDI show I ever recorded. They've gotten a bit tiresome since I first saw them (with Mojo Nixon) in 1994, but are still a kick-ass band if you appreciate their sense of humor. I foolishly brought a C-90 to this show - I know, I know! From now on, C-120s only, and more than one of'em!
THE NEW DUNCAN IMPERIALS (M)
DATE: Jun 20, 1996
VENU: Stache's
TIME: 120:00 (I learned my lesson!)
QUAL: excellent
This was one super-duper show. I couldn't believe my good fortune: NDI came back to Stache's within 4 months of their last show there. This time I got it all. The highlight of this one is when they lead the conga line out onto High Street, which I participated in and recorded. You can hear club owner Dan Dougan warning "drunks outside, drinks inside!" The rendition of "Velour" here is especially vulgar and sexist, too, which should delight all *true* NDI fans.
NOTE: both of these NDI boots feature The Colonel, not Pigtail Dick, who was home taking care of his new baby.
MOJO NIXON AND SKID ROPER (S?)
A fellow Mojo fan who worked at Johnny Go's House Of Music was kind enough to give me this tape. It's a soundboard, but oddly that doesn't make it better than my audience tapes. The audience sounds are faint, and it's not very loud - you have to crank it to hear it. Not recommended for a walkman. Still, an interesting document of early Mojo with Skid Roper's influence. Skid does a fine rendition of "Nervous Breakdown" and actually begins "Michael Row The Boat Ashore" in an attempt to quiet the rowdy fratboy jerks who keep slamming the little gals down front. A true gem!
MOJO NIXON AND THE TOADLIQUORS (M)
This was not the first time I ever saw Mojo, nor the best (that was with The New Duncan Imperials in 1994) but it was stupendous nonetheless. Here he appeared with The Rugburns who were also excellent. I still listen to this one at least once a month. He was nice enough to compliment a local institution, Nancy's Home Cooking. A must-have for any Mojo maniac - I *highly* recommend this one!
MOJO NIXON AND THE TOADLIQUORS (M)
This boot makes for an interesting comparison to the last one. On one hand, he seems to be tired and lazy, just repeating his show from the year before. On the other, you can still feel the same old Mojo magic. This is soul music for spiritually starving anarchists, and I do recommend it to any Mojo fan. He *did* seem to be milking it a little, however, which was a bit of a letdown - you've been warned.
MOJO NIXON AND THE TOADLIQUORS (S)
Not only is this one of the longest shows he's ever done, it's one of the best. The Toadliquors were without Pete "Wet Dawg" Gordon on piano but still sounded great.
The best part of this show was all the NEW SONGS from Mojo's new album Sacre Bleu! (correction: Sock Ray Blue!) some of which have been concert standards for years, but until now not on record. Some of these are UPS My Heart To You, The Ballad Of Country Dick, I Don't Want No Cyber-Sex, Orenthal James, Rock N' Roll Hall Of Lame, Drunk Divorced Floozy (about Princess Diana!) and You Can't Buy Cool. Man - I can't wait until this one comes out!
The album is supposed to be out in August or September. I spoke to Earl B. Freedom after the show, and he assured me they would be back in Cowtown to promote it, likely at Little Brother's. "We like this place, man." - it's on the tape.
(NOTE: the lovely girl who keeps giggling on the right channel was named B.J. - how appropriate!)
I got a genuine Mojo Nixon World Empire gas-station work shirt before I left, sat with two lovely girls, drank my own vodka, never had to get up to take a leak and just generally had a whale of a time. What more can I say except GREAT GOOGLY MOOGLY!!!
MOJO NIXON & THE TOADLIQUORS (S)
Mojo was in fine form this night - well, musically at least (you KNOW what his physical form is!). No new songs, in fact virtually the same show as last summer, but plenty of good-natured heckling (wait until you find out who the new pantywaist band is!) and ribald commentary. And no, the new album isn't out yet, but he promised it would be this year. For more information call 1-(619)-239-KING.
Dan Dougan's band The Wahoos opened.
MOJO NIXON & THE TOADLIQUORS (M)
THE RUGBURNS (M)
This was the first bootleg I ever made, and it came out great. The Rugburns opened for Mojo Nixon on this night, and I got him too. Highlights of this tape include "In Columbus" and "The Billy Joel Vocal Medley," both of which are hilarious.
THE SOVINES (M)
Again, a roots rock band that's been around a while, and again, just like The Cowslingers, they've just gotten better and better. This particular night the opened for The Cowslingers (with Th' Cheatin' Dogs) and they sounded great. Lotta truck-drivin' music. In case you don't ecognize the name, they're named for Red Sovine. If you don't know who THAT is, you shouldn't be drivin' a truck, bubba.
(NOTE: Matt Benz of the Sovines asked me for a copy of this tape)
BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN - "E TICKET" (?)
This is a bootleg vinyl record album I bought for the amazingly low price of $7, but I haven't played it yet. When I do, I'll post the song list and fill in the details above. It seems to be German, and there are 2 versions of "Thunder Road" on it. Maybe a live show, but I have to listen to it to be sure.
THE UPPER CRUST (S)
OH man, were these guys sensational! What a KICK ASS(IS) show!
The Upper Crust are from Boston, which may be where they got the inspiration for their zany theme: they pretend to be 18th Century aristocrats who just happen to play rock n' roll. They dress in period costumes (lace, ruffles, powdered wigs, etc.) and have corny stage names (the bass player is "Count Bassie") as well as affected smarmy accents and a condescending, mock-blueblood attitude. What a riot!
Their music is straight out of the 20th Century, however. These guys sound almost exactly like AC/DC, both rhythmically and vocally. Their songs are written from an upper-crust perspective ("I'm Finished With Finishing School") and are hilarious. This band has to be seen to be fully appreciated, but I'd recommend buying their albums to listen to between gigs. I sure hope they come back to Cowtown; I'll definitely be there.
This was on a Friday, the night before the Michigan State game - the only game Ohio State lost all season. Hmmm ... you don't suppose a few critical footballers saw this show, do you? That would explain why they saw no point in working-class athletic balderdash the next day.
Oh, nevermind all that; let us just exalt in their superiority, shall we, and be grateful that our social betters will stoop so low as to play for us. If you feel as I do, worship them without shame at this Unofficial Upper Crust Web Site, a Mecca for all devout Crustians.
Lollipop Factory opened for them - how apprpriate!
DAWN UPSHAW (S)
I was pissed at first, because this was supposed to be in the Ohio Theatre and the moved it, and as a result I lost my reserved seat. Luckily I was able to sit down front in the center, which was better than my reserved seat. I've never taped in the Ohio either, and I already knew the acoustics in the Southern wre good from when I taped The Kronos Quartet the week before.
What can I say? She was fantastic. Beautiful as ever, and with a voice that melted this man's heart. She has a great rapport with teh audience too, as well as a vivid sense of humor: she did some Mussorgsky children's songs following Mussorgsky's original directions to "sing them like a child" - fantastic!
After the show I went backstage to get my CD signed. It was a single from her album "Chants D'Auvergne" (songs by Joseph Canteloube) and she was surprised to learn there was a single; I was surprised to learn there was an album.
There were two encores, but I think I only got one of them on tape. BTW you'll need to send me a C-120 to get the whole thing; the 90:00 version leaves some minor things out.
VELVET UNDERGROUND - "BACK TO VENGEANCE" (?)
My first trade! A Czech named Simon Sefranek wanted a copy of my Dirty Three tape, and offered me this gem in return. Thanks, Simon!
This tape is from the bootleg CD Back To Vengeance and sounds like it came off their soundboard; if you can find a copy of the CD, check to make sure. The Velvets are in fine form, and overall this tape sounds a lot more friendly and intimate than their Live MCMLXXXXIII album, recorded at L'Olympia in Paris. They do the same set essentially, as they did at all shows on this tour, but the gem here is a VERY different rendition of "Velvet Nursery Rhyme," in which Lou can be heard obviously ad-libbing and stumbling, before recovering hsi train of words. It's moments like that that make bootlegs special.
In addition, John Cale reads "The Gift" much more smoothly (another instance of Lou using imperfect takes of others to make himself look good?) and Moe and Sterling's voinces are clearer on "I'm Sticking With You." The tape concludes with some other stuff Simon threw in from Nick Cave.
ROGER WATERS (S)
LINK WRAY (S)
What can I say? This ancient surfer dude was 16 again tonight, rocking virtually non-stop for over an hour. His stage show is just like his albums only moreso - take that thudering surf beat and add spontaneous improvisation, a big, voluptuous dancing redhead (his wife, it turned out) and a promoter straight out of the World Wrestling Federation Style Manual, and you've got one hell of a show. The highlights here are one or two ballads, plus Bobby from The Cowslingers sitting in on guitar - though "sitting" is definitely NOT the appropriate word! As the actual performance was less than 80:00, this might make a good CD boot - oops, gotta stop thinking like that!
FUNNY ASIDE: after the show, I asked Mrs. Wray for their mailing address, so I could send Link a copy of my tape. She got VERY cross with me and demanded I hand it over to her! Supposedly Link really hates being bootlegged. "Do you want to give me the tape NOW??" she asked me. "Uh, no," I replied, "I think I'll keep it." And I skedaddled - just in time.
But I don't think Link really minded - I think it was the WIFE that minded.
...AND THERE'S MORE TO COME
this page has been visited
DATE: sometime in the 80s
VENU: the Underground Railroad, Morgantown, WVa
TIME: 90:00 (incomplete)
QUAL: soundboard
DATE: Nov 30, 1995
VENU: Stache's
TIME: 100:00 (NO, it will NOT fit on a C-90)
QUAL: excellent
DATE: Dec 10, 1996
VENU: Stache's
TIME: 120:00
QUAL: excellent
DATE: June 23, 1998
VENU: Little Brother's
TIME: ~110:00
QUAL: awesome - my best ever
DATE: December 10, 1998
VENU: Little Brother's
TIME: 90:00 almost exactly
QUAL: quite good
DATE: Nov 30, 1995
VENU: Stache's
TIME: ~60:00 (I use a C-120, non-stop on both sides)
QUAL: excellent
DATE: Apr 24, 1998
VENU: Little Brother's
TIME: 60:00 (C-120 best, C-60 OK)
QUAL: not bad
DATE: ???
VENU: ???
TIME: probably under 60:00
QUAL: ???
DATE: November 6, 1998 (night before the Michigan State game)
VENU: Little Brother's
TIME: 90:00
QUAL: jolly good
DATE: November 1998
VENU: Southern Theatre
TIME: 90:00
QUAL: very good
DATE: June 8, 1993
VENU: somewhere in Prague, I think
TIME: 90:00
QUAL: soundboard
DATE: May 30, 1998
VENU: Little Brother's
TIME: 90:00
QUAL: excellent times since April 1, 1998