While I gently weep at the guitar

I am thrice Experienced! Wednesday night was my third Experience Hendrix show, back at the Beacon (thank Gawd!)

And talk about being third time charmed. I wasn't prepared for the ultimate surprise -- Jimi's Woodstock Stratocaster was in the building ... and used on stage by Eric Johnson and Kenny Wayne Shepherd! (This must be my year for seeing legendary guitars following Eric Clapton's Blackie and George Harrison's Gibson at Crossroads.)

The Woodstock Strat was truly mesmerizing. And for the record, Eric J. sort of let it play him on "Are You Experienced?" But Kenny Wayne play-ed it on "I Don't Live Today" and "Let the Good Times Roll." And in my breastplate, I felt an inkling of what the assembled masses at Yasgur's Farm did all those years ago.

On to the highlights and lowlights:

Most inspired matchup: They saved the best for first. Hendrix's Band of Gypsys bandmate Billy Cox, former Stevie Ray Vaughan drummer Chris Layton and Isley Brothers' axe slinger Ernie Isley. Isley burned on "Manic Depression" and reached into the Hendrixian bag of guitar-playing tricks (over the shoulder ... with his mouth) for "Amazing Grace." Didn't even cross my mind that I wasn't hearing my all-time favorite song -- the Isleys' "This Old Heart of Mine."

Most uninspired matchup: Poor Jonny Lang. He gamely performed "All Along the Watchtower" and "The Wind Cries Mary" with Aerosmith's Brad Whitford, but Whitford's solos were somnambulistic. Susan Tedeschi, Robert Randolph and Living Colour's Corey Glover and Vernon Reid did their part to aid Jonny's cause, adding spirited backing vocals on "Fire."

Most unintentional pop culture references: Corey Glover looked like a slimmed-down Rerun from "What's Happening," with his grandpa cap, checkered jacket and before-its-time hip-hoppy dance moves. But gotta go with Kenny Wayne Shepherd, who came off like Jon Heder in "Blades of Glory," complete with hair flip.

Best example of female power: Only two options, but both great -- Jimi's sister Janie, who has kept a careful watch over the Hendrix catalog and its releases, and the ever-powerful Susan Tedeschi, the tour's Foxey Lady in a shimmery silver dress. Gotta go with Susan, particularly for her dazzling takes on "If 6 Were 9" and "Spanish Castle Magic."

Best use of the Hendrix spirit: I wouldn't call Steve Vai my favorite of the night, but he was the performer who delivered the most Hendrixian-inspired performance. He mixed Jimi's trademark style with his own, particularly on "May This Be Love," rather than just give some kind of karaoke guitar performance of the classic songs.

Best example of what not to cover: You would think that guitar world would have been aware of how Eric Clapton and Steve Winwood just murderalized "Voodoo Chile" on their reunion tours/at Crossroads and avoid it at all costs. But Kenny Wayne Shepherd (and his usual lead singer Noah Hunt) tried ... and fell short mightily. (The assembled patronage going wild for it obviously didn't see any of the EC/SW shows.)

My favorite of the night (obviously not involving the Woodstock Strat since that CAN NOT be topped): The nominees are: "Crosstown Traffic" (with Living Colour's Corey Glover and Robert Randolph), Ernie Isley's "Manic Depression" and Kenny Wayne Shepherd's "Voodoo Chile (Slight Return). Will go with "Crosstown Traffic," particularly for symmetrical reasons, since at the time 'Ark was winding his way through the city to the event.

Sick? Go see the doctor!

On Oct. 13, I was in the midst of a pretty bad battle with the dreaded flu bug. Rick Springfield was in the state doing a signing for his New York Times best seller "Late, Late at Night."

The stars weren't exactly aligned for me to go. I had taken the day off from work, but I really needed some rest and Mark was off to Home Depot to fill out all the requisite paperwork for his new job and it didn't seem like there would be enough time to get 'er done.

But then a text message, "I'm on my way back ... let's go see, Rick." And despite some reservations about making my first love ill (not to mention scads of loyal fans), I prepared to go. I wasn't sure we'd even make it, since the signing started at 1 p.m. and that's pretty much the time we left our abode.

We did get to Bookends (so named because it's at the end of New Jersey? OK, only Ridgewood) in time. And I dutifully bought my book and got on the line to wait my turn. We winded around and around and around, but I felt sicker and sicker as we worked our way to the front.

There had been a bit of a verbal scrum with Mark during the course of the wait. He wanted to take a picture with me and Rick, but I didn't want to because I 1.) looked like death and he looked like a million bucks, 2.) had my glasses on, 3.) had no makeup on and 4.) did I mention, I looked like death? But he talked me into it -- weakened condition!!! -- by saying that we could always keep it just for us and have no one else see it.

Now the first time I got to meet Rick, it was a total surprise. Sis and brother-in-law and I were going to a show and there was a surprise signing set up at a neighboring record store. (Well, surprise to us anyway.) And when it was my turn, I had to walk a bit of a distance from the line to the man. And I just couldn't say anything. So Sis helped me out ... by yelling "Talk!" and that opened up the gates for a flurry of comments.

This time, I don't know if it was my bloodless state of illness, but I didn't freeze up. Gave him my book, told him how to spell my name and moved closer for the picture (ahhhh, he's rubbing my back. Nice, healing Dr. Drake). I can still feel the fabric of his coat.

And then I blurted out the little speech I had prepared, kind of in some semblance of order. During the New York show, I had this realization that maybe Rick's affinity for the likes of Eric Clapton and Jimi Hendrix had been a gateway to my deep love for their music. I told him (the way I remember it, anyway) that I hoped he always included a cover like "Crossroads" or "Fire" in his shows, and I probably loved those artists so much because of the many hours spent in my bedroom air guitaring to his records! I got a nice hearty chuckle at that one too.

And that was it. Short and sweet. And we're back in the truck and I look at the picture that was taken and, hey, it's not half bad actually. Mark said I was beaming for three seconds while it was taken. Well, what kind of cure would you expect from a TV doctor, anyway? ;)