Perception vs. reality

I had this week all planned out to the letter. Used my powers of deductive reasoning culled from years of Dell logic problem solving to figure out when Eric Clapton would be able to join the Allman Brothers Band during their Beacon run and then played chicken to get an I Love All Access package for Fleetwood Mac at an auction for a third of what the other patrons paid for theirs.

And still, with that knowledge of what could happen, well I couldn't even fathom what it would be like when the weekend came to pass. Except maybe the worst-case scenario.

So we're off to the Beacon on Friday night and the band was in a slow jammy state of mind for the first set, starting off with Oteil's solo take on "Little Martha" to a montage of photos of the still very much-missed Duane Allman, whom this year's run is dedicated to. That segued into "Mountain Jam" and the likes of "Trouble No More," "Midnight Rider" and "Ain't Wastin' Time No More" before wrapping up with "Mountain Jam." It was a very laid-back ambience. Maybe that's for the best since we needed to be well-rested for the second set.

"Melissa" started off the second set, which cranked to an at-that-point evening high with "No One Left to Run With." But the Brothers DO have someone left to run with, someone kind of obvious, yet someone they had not played with in public in the four decades of their existence.

And with a this-man-needs-no-introduction introduction, EC joined the band on stage. They started off with "Key to the Highway," just enabling everyone to settle in. "Stormy Monday" was an unexpected setlist selection and the solos were masterful all the way around. Then came "Dreams," and anyone who knows Eric knows that he can just soak up the ambience in any environment and then deliver a masterful solo in that vein. Absolutely done here.



Then the killer punch to me ... "Why Does Love Got to Be So Sad." In particular, the guitar exchanges between Eric and Derek Trucks -- with EC now not Derek's boss (like on his solo tour), but his peer. It was dazzling the way they mixed and mingled guitar lines -- as potent as Duane did all those years ago on the Derek and the Dominos album that ultimately gave Derek his name. Like Eric and George Harrison on "While My Guitar Gently Weeps."



Speaking of weeping, when that ended, I wasn't nearly ready for the power of "Little Wing," so there was weeping to be sure. And then the BIG surprise "In Memory of Elizabeth Reed." Another ABB song that EC immersed himself in so completely, providing mesmerizing bits within the context of the very prized slice of Allman history. Went along so well with what Derek and Warren Haynes and Gregg Allman and co. were doing.



And the band got to repay the favor on the encore -- "Layla." I was expecting it to sort of soar, with the intertwining lines on "Why Does Love Got to Be So Sad" intimated that it might, but the Allmans have developed their own blissful take on it -- simple but majestic. Derek took off solo for the instrumental segment and didn't really need to relinquish the reins.



After the show, Park and visiting Doc Proc tried to make sense of what we just watched. The most obvious comparison was to the "Blind Faith" reunion with Steve Winwood last year. It's a little bit apples and oranges, but when you get down to the crux of it for me, Derek and the Dominos was my fave era in EC history. So if you're going to perform material at that high level, well it's like being in the original Fillmore East when that music was at its peak.



And for that reason, I would say that is the strongest performance that I've ever seen.

So the issue becomes, you have a show the next day. It's a show that you've seen once and that doesn't really alter in the way guitar solos tend to completely change the mood of a Clapton show.

But there were enticements expected to spice up the proceedings, notably the pre-show meet and greet with band founder Mick Fleetwood. The show was taking place at the ... snort ... Izod Center, which I prefer to call the former Continental Airlines Arena. Now all but obliterated by the hideousness which is to become Xanadu -- high def. remains a XanaDON'T! -- I hadn't been there for a couple of years, after spending at least a couple days a week there in the Devils' final season at the arena.




















We got treated like royalty from the moment we got there. Free drinks, ability to purchase merchandise at a table in the room and very attentive service. Then we were off to the stage! Standing on the stage looking out, the arena looked very small. I set down my stuff just to the right of Lindsey Buckingham's pedals. 'ark was apoplectic. See?

Mick came out, started talking and signing for everyone. 'Ark's "condition" manifested itself at my expense as he winkingly claimed that I was a nouveau Mac fan culled from Buckingham and Nicks' arrival. Everyone -- including Mick -- laughed. I doth protested. Everyone -- including Mick -- laughed. Since my question involved Mick bringing his sultry eponymous blues band to "the mainland" and I also referenced "Oh Well," an early Mac hit that was the highlight of the Pittsburgh show for me, 'Ark said I shouldn't worry that Mick really got the wrong impression. Sigh. That isn't over.

But there wasn't time to dwell. Mick said his good-byes and we went back to the pre-show party for catered food (I had chicken, 'Ark had three helpings of ziti) and a trivia contest. 'Ark warned that I get competitive, and yeah, I was a little. When a multiple choice question asked where Mick first heard of Lindsey and Stevie, I didn't only provide the answer: d.) a studio but went for bonus credit by adding "Frozen Love" was the song being played at that time. With only one answer wrong (dang!), we tied for the win and each got a John McVie guitar pick, sweet!

Oh yeah, we still have a show to go to! Our tickets had us in the second row. We all had five-star access laminated passes and walked to our seats, feeling green eyes upon us. There we also got a pink wristband, this meant we could go up to the stage whenever we wanted and would never be told to sit down by beret-throwing party poopers behind us.



The lights go down and we position ourselves right at the foot of Lindsey's monitor! Stood there all bloody night too. Well 'ark stood. I boogied, clapped, whooped, hollered, cheered, whirling dervished, et al. (The video clips are examples of my work, gleaned from a fan on the other side of the stage. I'm the tiny dancer. Mark's orange shirt pops into view as well.) I loved "Monday Morning," "Go Insane," "Second Hand News" and "Oh Well" as much as in Pittsburgh and was blown away to see Lindsey's intricate guitar work on "Big Love" and "Never Going Back Again" a couple of feet from my face.



Stevie was even in better voice on "Gypsy," "Rhiannon," "Storms" and "Gold Dust Woman." John's bass spirited us all along, particularly on "Dreams" and "The Chain," and Mick was just smiling and pounding the crap out of his drums throughout. I even liked "Say You Love Me" -- a definitive Christine song.



OK, the pieces de resistance. Lindsey rocking out to "Stand Back," singing song lyrics when he wasn't in front of the mic. On "World Turning," in which Mick's drum solo ends with Lindsey vocal loops from the song, he mimicked his own voice "Iiiiiiii" several times in the darkness at stage left. As "Tusk" ended, he leaned close to the audience in the center. We could see two women just aching to reach out and touch him. As if an animal in a zoo. Guess that's appropriate with "Tusk." Finally one did and then the other, and he didn't recoil in horror but smiled broadly.




I sort of figured out that I was in his peripheral vision pretty much all night, when he looked down at his guitar strings, well, I was right below him jamming away. We had the simultaneous pogo going on during the chorus of "Go Your Own Way." But then ... the second verse of "Don't Stop," when Stevie's singing and he was looking at me from across his monitor ... he scrunches up his face at me in a way that I mirrored. I looked at 'ark, he was laughing heartily. That's in the above clip, and the moment comes right before the chorus, about 1:20 into the song. You can't see the face, but you can definitely see the lean, haha.

And after "Silver Springs," Lindsey looks out at the tens of thousands and thanks everyone for coming. And then ... and then, no joke... he came over near me said "Thank YOU" and blew a kiss to me. I half-smiled and then froze. Then turned around to make sure he was talking to me. Then I looked over at 'ark and he was all "Yes, that was for you!" Then my face crumpled and tears welled in my eyes. Being the considerate b/f he is, 'ark laughed at me. But I was gone. Gone, but aware enough to snag Lindsey's setlist, anyway!

But now what? We seriously have no idea. Not even about perceiving a particular direction.

Addendum to the story: Once our pro photos came over, I recalled that I forgot to add that Mick was helping me wear my scarf in our photo, and that our hostess was very intrigued by my vintage Mac rings. (See below)