The good old Boulder Theater

Saturday night the Hot Tuna gang headed out to Boulder to play the Blues And Roots Summit at the Boulder Theater. We were blessed to have our good friend Steve Kimock on board for our whole show. Steve is an honorary Hot Tuna member and he’s welcome to play with us any time he wants to.

Steve and I seen here at sound check

Before our set Ben Manilla did a meet and greet for the Bluesmobile Radio Show. He channeled Elwood as he always does, but that’s another story. Anyway, Ben presented Jack and myself with a lively lifetime achievement award for a life in the blues. Good stuff… really!

Living the Blues...

Here is our set list with Steve!

Hot Tuna 17, 2013
The Acoustic Trio
Jorma Kaukonen, Jack Casady
& Barry Mitterhoff
Featuring
Steve Kimock

1. True Religion
2. I See The Light
3. River Of Time
4. Children Of Zion with Steve Kimock
5. Hesitation Blues with Steve Kimock
6. Barbeque King with Steve Kimock
7. Mama Let Lay It On You with Steve Kimock
8. Come Back Baby with Steve Kimock
9. Ten Minutes of Steve
10. Good Shepherd with Steve Kimock
11. Goodbye To the Blues with Steve Kimock
12. 99 Year Blues with Steve Kimock
13. I Am the Light Of This World with Steve Kimock
14. Nine Pound Hammer with Steve Kimock
15. Encore: Embryonic Journey With Steve Kimock

After the show… back to the hotel and up at 0400 for an early flight home. Today I worked on my tractor and mowed for four hours. Good times and clean living…

Last but not least… allow me to present:

Maverick... Dog Of Destiny

We love this dog…

Onward!

Me, Mickey Thomas and the birthday boy... Jack

The boys and I have been playing Wanee for many years now. We love this gig and the folks there have always treated us like gold! The weather was perfect… and there were 10,000 folks there at the Mushroom Stage. Now, I knew that there was a secret plan to celebrate Jack’s 69th birthday on stage. Jack, I think, was clueless. Here is our set list with the birthday events inserted:

Hot Tuna 16, 2013
The Electric Quartet
Jorma Kaukonen, Jack Casady
Barry Mitterhoff & Skoota Warner
Wanee Festival
Live Oak, Florida
Thursday, April 18, 2013

1. I See The Light
2. Children of Zion
3. Can’t Get Satisfied
4. Ode To Billy Dean
5. True Religion
6. Hesitation Blues
7. Jack’s Birthday Celebration

The cake...

Myron Hart and a lovely assistant present the cake on stage:

Is that for me?

Wait, there’s more:

Many more brother... many more!

More from the set list:

8. A Little Faster
9. Bowlegged Woman
10. Vicksburg Stomp
11. Rock Me Baby
12. Funky # 7

Yep… good times. After the show we drove Barry Mitterhoff, Jack Casady, Skoota Warner and Phil Jacobs back to the hotel at the Jacksonville Airport and Myron, Daniel The Driver and I headed back north to Ohio. Right now we’re somewhere in South Carolina.

As always, more will be revealed!

Last night, Jack, Barry, Larry, Teresa and I held for about seventy five glorious minutes and here is our set list:

Hot Tuna 15, 2013
Jorma Kaukonen, Jack Casady
And Barry Mitterhoff
With Larry Campbell
And
Teresa Williams
Breezes Resort
Negril, Jamaica
Friday, March 8, 2013

1. Serpent Of Dreams
2. I’ll let You Know Before I Leave
3. How Long Blues
4. More Than My Old Guitar
5. Deep Ellum
6. Things That Might Have Been
7. Barbeque King
8. I Know You Rider
9. Preachin’ On The Old Campground
10. Sugaree
11. Bar Room Crystal Ball

Another absolutely great evening for this old picker… and… later in the evening in the middle of Dixie Chicken… Jack and I sat in with our friends in Little Feat. What a night. Today we have an early show at four… and then the banquet.

Nuff for now… gotta hit the beach for the last time before we go home tomorrow!

OK folks… hang onto your hats… a short entry with our set list for tonight. Check it out!

Hot Tuna 14, 2013
Jorma Kaukonen, Jack Casady
And Barry Mitterhoff
With Larry Campbell
And
Teresa Williams
Breezes Resort
Negril, Jamaica
Thursday, March 7, 2013

1. I See The Light
2. Genesis with Larry Campbell
3. Let Us Get Together Right Down Here with Larry Campbell
4. What Are They Doing In Heaven Today? with Larry Campbell
5. Angel Of Darkness with Larry Campbell and Teresa Williams
6. Come Back Baby with Larry Campbell
7. Children Of Zion with Larry Campbell and Teresa Williams
8. San Francisco Bay Blues with Larry Campbell
9. Vicksburg Stomp with Larry Campbell
10. Smokerise Journey with Larry Campbell and Teresa Williams
11. White Rabbit with Larry Campbell and Teresa Williams

Whaddaya thing about that?

The view from the stage at Breeze's

OK, so look… I’ve become infused with the ’soon come-ness’ of Jamaica. I came to the lobby of the resort here where the internet is the strongest. I had every intention of posting last night’s set list. When I opened my computer, I realized that I didn’t do the set list here… I did it old school long hand in my lyric book. Well… the book is back in our room… I am here… so I guess the set list will have to wait… maybe until tomorrow. Here’s the important stuff though. There was Jack Casady, Barry Mitterhoff, myself of course… but also Larry Campbell and the ever lovely Teresa Williams. Larry played every song with us except for the first one… True Religion. To play with my usual suspects is always a blessing… to add Larry to the mix is always a treat… when we get Teresa too… well, what more can one say?

We closed our show with Teresa preaching to the tune of Rev. Davis’ Keep Your Lamps Trimmed And Burning. Of course… as always, she brought the house down with this one. As an encore… the boys and I pulled back with a (if you can imagine) reflective version of the great Jelly Roll Morton’s, Whining Boy Blues.

Paul Barrere just stopped by to say hey… big thanks to him and Little Feat for inviting us to the party… Gabe Ford, Little Feat’s drummer just stopped by with his small son and said Hey too… wow… all the stars are here… anyway…

Good times indeed!

Somebody's got to do it!

Well… life here at the Breezes Resort is pretty much perfect… I think I’ll hit the beach for a while…

Tough job, but…

Hey… here it is… the set list from last night:

Hot Tuna 13, 2013
Jorma Kaukonen, Jack Casady
And Barry Mitterhoff
With Larry Campbell
And
Teresa Williams
Breezes Resort
Negril, Jamaica
Wednesday, March 5, 13

1. True Religion
2. Nobody Knows You When You’re Down And Out with Larry Campbell
3. Children Of Zion with Larry Campbell and Theresa Williams
4. More Than My Old Guitar with Larry Campbell and Teresa Williams
5. Hesitation Blues with Larry Campbell
6. Barbeque King with Larry Campbell
7. Sea Child with Larry Campbell
8. Second Chances with Larry Campbell
9. Good Shepherd with Larry Campbell
10. 99 Year Blues
11. Mama Let Me Lay It On You with Larry Campbell
12. Goodbye To The Blues with Larry Campbell
13. Keep Your Lamps Trimmed And Burning with Larry Campbell and featuring Teresa Williams
14. Encore: Whining Boy Blues with Larry Campbell

Au revoir

Nothing like being home after a long road trip folks… driving our daughter to school… picking her up… taking out the trash, picking up the guitar… eating at home instead of going out… our own bed… the six year old climbing into our bed at 0300… ‘I accidentally woke up Mommy…’

All that stuff… better than good…

A hearty Hello from Madison!

Well… a quick wrap up from what was quite a long, but enjoyable tour… first with Barry Mitterhoff and then with the addition of the wonderful jack Casady. Before I jump into this, I am going to take two seconds to comment on Kenny The Red’s comment with on the ‘What A Night At The Barrymore’ post. Kenny was talking about the lyrics to 99 Year Blues… when i sing the line, ‘Going to shoot everybody i don’t like all,’ there is usually some scatological response from the audience and with my usual good humor, I might way, ‘Behave yourselves,’ or ‘It’s just a song,’ or, ‘This is a song about a man with issues,’ or some such nonsense. I do not think this cuts too close to the bone in any way shape or form, today… or any day. Kenny goes on to comment about the lyric that says, ‘Going to find a connection and take some kind of dope, and get high if you can.’ Kenny, you’re ascribing to many intellectual attributes to the way I phrase this these days. I like to blur the first part of the ‘connection’ line in a guttural old timey blues way and spit out the ‘Get high if you can,’ part. Whether I do or don’t do drugs, whether I do or don’t believe in the Second Amendment has nothing to do with how I perform this song. My politics are my own private business. My songs are for everyone who finds something they can hold onto in them. No artist can script how people are going to respond to their art. It is enough for me that the people who like my work, like my work.

This is not the first time someone has brought this song up in this way. As I’m won’t to say… ‘It’s just a song and a darn good one at that.’

Nuff said… driving on here…

The madcap life of the open road

The last two shows at the Old Town School were delightful as they always are, even though two full shows tiring by the end of the evening… We loved it anyway! The OTS was the holy grail of folk music when I was at Antioch College in 1959. It still is:

Here are our set lists:

Hot Tuna 12, 2013
Jorma Kaukonen, Jack Casady
And Barry Mitterhoff
The Old Town School Of Folk Music
Chicago, Illinois
Saturday, February 23, 2013

First Show:
1. True Religion
2. Nobody Knows You When You’re Down And Out
3. Children Of Zion
4. Hesitation Blues
5. Heart Temporary
6. Serpent Of Dreams
7. Barbeque King
8. I’ll Let You Know Before I Leave
9. How Long Blues
10. Mama Let Me Lay It On You
11. Whining Boy Blues
12. 99 Year Blues
13. I’ll Be All Right Some Day
14. Keep Your Lamps Trimmed And Burning
15. Encore: Uncle Sam Bllues
Second Show:
1. I See The Light
2. Too Many Years
3. Waiting For A Train
4. Full Go Round
5. The Terrible Operation
6. Come Back Baby
7. Let Us Get Together Right Down Here
8. Things That Might Have Been
9. Goodbye To The Blues
10. Dime For Beer
11. Vicksburg Stomps
12. Good Shepherd
13. Candy Man
14. Genesis
15. I Am The Light Of This World
16. Nine Pound Hammer
17. Encore: Embryonic Journey

Well home I am.. and it’s darn good to be here. My amazing daughter sold seven hundred boxes of Girl Scout Cookies. SEVEN HUNDRED BOXES…. That’s my enterprising girl.

After the six weeks I was just away from home, I am not quite as excited to be leaving again next week for Jamaica… but you know, it’s a tough job and someone’s got to do it… might as well be me and it sure won’t be snowing down there!

For now… onward!

Goodbye to Moe and the Big Bus!

Last night my buds and I showed up at the Barrymore Theater in Madison, Wisconsin… We have played this lovely venue off and on for… well, over two decades. I liked it then… i love it now! It’s chilly up here in the North Country… of course, it is still winter. That said, it was hot on stage as Jack and Barry and I had a simply wonderful night. I could go on with the superlatives, but I think I’ll just lay the set list on you:

Hot Tuna 11, 2013
Jorma Kaukonen, Jack Casady
And Barry Mitterhoff
The Barrymore Theater
Madison, Wisconsin
Friday, February 22, 2013

First Set:
1. Too Many Years
2. Nobody Knows You When You’re Down And Out
3. Children Of Zion
4. I’ll Let You Know Before I Leave
5. Waiting For A Train
6. The Terrible Operation
7. Let Us Get Together right Down Here
8. Sea Child
9. Come Back Baby
10. 99 Year Blues
11. Nine Pound Hammer
Second Set:
1. I See The Light
2. Re-Enlistment Blues
3. Second Chances
4. Goodbye To The Blues
5. Hesitation Blues
6. How Long Blues
7. Prohibition Blues
8. Good Shepherd
9. I Am The Light Of This World
10. Barbeque King
11. I Know You Rider
12. Encore: Death Don’t Have No Mercy

Tonight we are at the Old Town School Of Folk Music in Chicago. I notice in their blurb that they flatteringly refer to Jack and myself as ‘teenagers,’ when we were in the Jefferson Airplane. Yeah… it seems that way when you look back, but I was actually in my mid 20’s. Man, that was a long time ago.

And speaking of a long time ago… I have really been digging all the crosstalk spawned by my ‘I’m ready to go home’ blog. Good stuff all. We have all come so far together and our little time on this earth is so precious… and if I do say so myself… so special! As Pete Seeger would say, ‘Wasn’t that a time!’

Well… two shows in Chicago tonight at the Old Town… drop the guys off at the airport and then Myron and I drive home to Southeast Ohio. Like everyone else on this planet, my life has not been pain free… nor would I have it so. For today at least, I am able to accept blessings and hurdles with equanimity. We’ll see how long that lasts… anyway, I’ll take it.

Off to Chicago…

Tonight the gentlemen and myself played the Mill City Nights here in Minneapolis. This was our first time at the club and you know what, we enjoyed it thoroughly! Here is our set list:

Hot Tuna 10, 2013
Jorma Kaukonen, Jack Casady
And Barry Mitterhoff
Mill City Nights
Minneapolis, Minnesota
Thursday, February 21, 2013

First Set:
1. True Religion
2. Serpent Of Dreams
3. Things That Might Have been
4. Hesitation Blues
5. How Long Blues
6. I’ll Let You Know Before I Leave
7. Barbeque King
8. Children Of Zion
9. Prohibition Blues
10. Sea Child
11. Keep Your Lamps Trimmed And Burning
Second Set:
1. Been So Long
2. Heart Temporary
3. Search My Heart
4. Come Back Baby
5. River Of Time
6. Let Us Get Together Right Down Here
7. Living In The Moment
8. Good Shepherd
9. 99 Year Blues
10. I’ll Be All Right Some Day
11. I Know You Rider
12. Encore: Water Song

Yep, it was a really good night. Tomorrow we’ll be in Madison, Wisconsin at the Barrymore Theater. It’s been a while since we’ve been at the gold old Barrymore so this should be fun. We’re expecting that big storm coming from the West to effect our drive time so it’s going to be an early bus call… which means, it’s bed time.

Good night all…

View of the box seats from the stage of the Meyer

Tonight the boys and I played the Meyer Theater in Green Bay for the first time. The temperature was in single digits outside but inside, it was warm and inviting. This is a classy theater with great ambiance and great sound!

Jack sets up...

Here is our set list:

Hot Tuna 9, 2013
Jorma Kaukonen, Jack Casady
And Barry Mitterhoff
Meyer Theater
Green Bay, Wisconsin
Wednesday, February 20, 2013

First Set:
1. Too Many Years
2. Nobody Knows You When You’re Down And Out
3. Children Of Zion
4. Been So Long
5. Hesitation Blues
6. Second Chances
7. Come Back Baby
8. 99 Year Blues
9. River Of Time
10. Vicksburg Stomp
11. I Know You Rider
Second Set:
1. I See The Light
2. Heart Temporary
3. Candy Man
4. I’ll Let You Know Before I Leave
5. More Than My Old Guitar
6. Barbeque King
7. There’s A Bright Side Somewhere
8. Good Shepherd
9. The Terrible Operation
10. I’ll Be All right Some Day
11. Nine Pound Hammer
12. Encore: Genesis

Another lively night… this has really been a great tour. Tomorrow morning we leave early for Mill City Nights in Minneapolis. This will be another first for us and I’ll report on all this sometime tomorrow after the show.

An another subject, I’ve been following all the reminiscing in the comments section and I find it interesting on one level in that these are times we all shared when we were young and it is a part of our history. That said, for me all that is only interesting as a part of the history of life. I have no euphoric recall from those times whatsoever. I also have no regret… what’s the point. None of us would be the people we are to today without those experiences… plus, let’s face it, what’s done is done. It was the best of times, it was the worst of times… it was a tale of many cities… day after day, year after year. I would change nothing if I could… but I would not repeat any of it. For me the most interesting gig I ever played is the one I finished tonight… or tomorrow night… It’s all about building a construct of sagas… keeping the tell alive and ever growing. People often ask me why I choose not to play certain songs. Sometimes the answer is painfully simple… I have let them get away and rather than spend time reconstructing a time and a place I find it more productive to come up with something new. Sometimes it is even simpler than that. The content of some songs simply do not represent who I feel I am today. Yep… time to drive on. Sometimes though, even the most ancient of songs continue to tell my story. Interesting…

OK then… I think you all for your interest and excitement. I find it thought provoking. Perhaps someday I’ll write some stuff down and run it up the flagpole to see who salutes… who knows? Well… time to see if sleep will come…

More anon…

Barry gives the blessing...