Galactic: Tipitina's, November 30, 2000

By Tom Speed

When Galactic announced that they would play a two night stand at New Orleans' legendary Tipitina's, anticipation was high. Though Galactic is known for marathon New Orleans shows and isn't afraid to play four times over three days during Jazzfest, this would be their first two-night stand at the landmark club. As the date drew nearer, more information on this historical occasion was released: the two shows would be recorded for an upcoming live album. There would be no taping.

As the date drew nearer still, more information surfaced: in addition to the two dates, Galactic would be playing an intimate, friends and family only "dress rehearsal" the night before. This show would also be recorded, but was intended more to work the kinks out of the mobile recording unit than to record for the album. But it also meant that they might have more than one version of a particular tune to choose from. While it was officially a private party, it was not impossible for Galactic faithful to secure admission. I was happy to be fortunate enough to be in that number.

Right away, the atmosphere inside was different than any New Orleans Galactic show in the last three years. First of all, there were only about 250 people. That hasn't happened since the days Galactic played Café Brasil, which only holds about 250. A glance around the room told you that most of these people were probably at the last show of this size too. There was a sense of camaraderie and, I guess, a sense of pride. In the short time since these same people crammed into Café Brasil a couple of years ago, Galactic had gone on to sign a major record label deal and consistently fill venues the size of The Warfield and Irving Plaza from coast to coast. The hometown boys had made good. There was also the sense that this now three day affair might just be the final send off for Tipitina's; that what was now the home field for the G-Men might be a place that they have outgrown, at least during Mardi Gras and Jazzfest.

But all that chatter dissipated when Galactic took the stage about midnight. It was time to get down, and there was plenty of room to do it. In what is now standard procedure, candles were lit around the stage. Ben Ellman, Robert Mercurio, Stanton Moore, Rich Vogel and Jeff Raines took the stage to warm applause that sounded like a full house and slowly settled into Rich's "Moog Marmalade." Rich Vogel's keyboards have always been an integral part of the Galactic sound but his more recent and more frequent use of the Moog has helped develop the new sound of Galactic -- just one of the factors that has helped the G-men to grow as quickly as their audience has. With "Uno, Dos, Tres, Quatro" the crowd got moving, yet the atmosphere was still somewhat relaxed. No one really knew what form the show would take. Would it be a typical Galactic funk-a-thon? Or would they maybe play a couple of tunes two or even three times to get them right? In other words, would this be a show or a taping session?

A huge vote came down in the "show" column when The Houseman came out dressed to the nines pumping up the crowd as usual, calling out names and expressing his sincere gratitude. "Thrill" was the tune, and it was quite a thrill. Joining the G-men on stage were members of the doo-wop group Hollygrove, Theryl's first band. Sullivan Wallace and Eugene Jackson provided smooth vocal accompaniments just as they did on "Late For The Future." After rousing versions of "Century City" and "I Get Lifted" -- a live staple that will appear on Theryl's soon-to-be-released solo album, "The Houseman Cometh," two brand new tunes debuted. Still untitled but listed on the band's setlist as "New Funk Groove," the first tune featured Ben Ellman's saxophone in a groove that would fit nicely in a spy movie.

A few years ago, the saxophone was a bit of a rotating chair for Galactic. On their second album, "Crazyhorse Mongoose" Ellman and Jason Mingledorff shared playing and writing credits. In their live show at that time, you might get Ellman, Mingledorff or Brent Rose of Moore and More and Quintology. In a 1997 interview with An Honest Tune, Rich Vogel commented on the role of the sax player in Galactic, "the four of us [Vogel, Moore, Mercurio, Raines] came to a conclusion that something really works about this. The four of us as a rhythm section anyway and then we know a lot of good horn players and we've worked with a lot of good horn players so eventually that will work itself out and we'll get down to one or two who are just solid with us." Increasingly, Ellman makes the point that it has worked itself out and that he is as integral to this band as anyone. This has been borne out in his increased involvement and influence as well as commitment. Though he has other commitments such as his role in The New Orleans Klezmer All Stars, Galactic has taken stage front and center. His contributions to "Late For The Future" are immeasurable, most notably on the Klezmer flavored "Hit The Wall."

The next new tune, with the tip-of-the-hat-to-Spinal-Tap working title "Untitled Jazz Odyssey" bore the stamp of Ellman too. Starting off with a reggae feel, this new tune featured supple lines from guitarist Jeff Raines, who inexplicably continues to improve. After stretching things out, they broke down to just Ben, Rich and Stanton before launching into the psychedelic "Shibuya," another of Galactic's recently penned instant classics.

Setbreak was a casual hour, at least. No one seemed to mind. When the band strode to the stage for round two, things started off in fourth gear with "Doo Rag" which led into yet another brand new, untitled tune. From the working title "Untitled Drum and Bass" you can tell that this one was deep in the groove. Next came a couple of tunes from "Late For The Future" that had never before been paired together live: "Jeffe 2000> Bobski 2000." The "2000" part of the title seemed to be a tongue in cheek reference, or perhaps submission to, all the Y2K hysteria that was going around when LFTF came out in early 2000. But in retrospect, it holds more meaning. With LFTF, Galactic once and for all grew out of the shadows of being regarded as merely a New Orleans funk band or a Meters cover band. And it was apparent more than anywhere on these two tracks. Laced with Ellman's harmonica and Raines' slide guitar which speaks of many, many listens to RL Burnside's "Come On In," "Jeffe" and "Bobski" showed a new side of Galactic, one which was dedicated to expanding their sound and taking the roots of New Orleans into the next century. One could make a case that Galactic is the first band in a couple of generations to come from New Orleans to national prominence and further the New Orleans sound, rather than simply represent it.

In the live setting, the G-men seemed to revel in this and took these two tunes to the hilt. This was Galactic for the new millennium. By this time, the crowd was in a frenzy. What better to do than push them over the edge with "Crazyhorse Mongoose?" The reason Galactic has been able to garner so many fans, in part, is the entrancing quality of their tunes. They hook you with a deep groove, catch your ear and build the tension with rotating solos, and then knock your socks off with the tension release of all five of them coming right at you. This method works to full effect on a regular basis with "Crazyhorse Mongoose" and was no different here. Next came an inspired but not particularly unique run through a few Houseman tunes: "Vilified", "Action Speaks Louder Than Words" and the crowd favorite, "Sweet Leaf." I've gotten accustomed to it now, and the impact of it has worn off a bit, but every now and then I just think 'Damn! Galactic is playing Sabbath!'

The crowd was now in their element. Already funked out, but wanting more. Boy, did they get it. First out of the post-Houseman chute was "As Big As Your Face"- laid back, spacey and foretelling of things to come. After building and building and building through the main theme, Stanton came to center stage with a hand drum. It was mic'ed and hooked up to an effects pedal. Enter Phase Four of Galactic 2000.

In addition to the far-out grooves of Rich's Moog, the increased role of Ben Ellman on both sax and harp and the slide guitar of Jeff Raines, you have Stanton Moore. Not only is he one of the most accomplished drummers anywhere, he too has been taking his art and that of Galactic to new heights by enthusiastically embracing new technology. For over a year now, Moore has been employing loops and samples into his drum solos and into the Galactic sound. And more and more, he has taken the center stage and helped promote the idea of drummer as soloist more than anyone else (except Jeff Sipe). His drum solos are always a part of the show and always much more than your average rock and roll drum segment.

Perhaps the first of the Galactic epics, "Two Clowns" has been in the repertoire since before "Coolin Off." In fact, it has been recorded for each of their three albums, only to make the final cut on LFTF. Always a live juggernaut, it never disappoints in the closing slot and didn't here.

After a pretty brief pause came the encore (this was a real show, all right!). It was the best encore they play. "Quiet Please" is beautiful, satisfying, gorgeous, soulful. I like this song because it gives every player a chance to shine. Robert Mercurio's bass can be described in one word: solid. He doesn't fly off the handle with fancy riffs, he just keeps the groove. That's a great thing a lot of bass players could learn from him. I love the way his bass line starts this song. For the most part, this is Rich's showcase, but Jeff too is able to play that delicate riff, backed by Ben. And finally, closure. This song always makes me smile after a long funked out Galactic show.

It was about five in the morning now, and as the crowd dispersed, one could only speculate on what the next two nights would bring. They'd come a long way since the last time they played in New Orleans for a couple of hundred people. They had taken the sounds of New Orleans from coast to coast, to Japan and more recently to Europe, all the while developing that sound and their own style and all the while reinventing the funk and preparing it for the future. One could only imagine how the G-men would close out 2000 on the first weekend of the last month of the year and only imagine what it would be like when Galactic 2001 rears its head. I, for one, can't wait.

Setlist: Galactic; Tipitina's November 30, 2000 I: Moog Marmalade> Uno, Dos, Tres, Quatro, Thrill *>Century City > I Get Lifted, "New Funk Groove", "Untitled Jazz Odyssey"> Shibuya

II: Doo Rag, "Untitled Drum and Bass", Bobski 200>Jeffe 2000, Crazyhorse Mongoose, Vilified, Actions Speak Louder Than Words*, Sweetleaf, As Big As Your Face, Two Clowns

E: Quiet Please
*w/Hollygrove (Sullivan Wallace, Eugene Jackson)

Check out Galactic on the web at http://www.galacticfunk.com

[Tom Speed is Editor of An Honest Tune, a quarterly print publication that is "Taking the Music Everywhere." For more information on An Honest Tune Magazine, check out their online home at http://www.anhonesttune.com for more reviews of Galactic and other great bands.]

Thanksgiving, Memphis-Style
Widespread Panic and North Mississippi All-Stars
November 24-25, 2000

by Chip Schramm

Round 1

Set I: Love Tractor>Travelin Light, Party At Your Mama s House>Dyin Man, Papa s Home>Walkin >Jam>Papa s, Red Hot Mama> All Time Low

Set II: Blackout Blues, Henry Parsons Died, Little Lilly>Vacation, Porch Song>Drums*>Arleen>City of Dreams

E: Let It Rock

Widespread Panic played their annual Thanksgiving concerts this year in the welcoming confined of the Mid-South Coliseum in midtown Memphis, Tennessee. Memphis has long been a favorite place of the band, so it seemed like the city on the bluffs of the Mississippi River was a good fit to gather their extended family of fans for two sold out shows. The Mid-South represented a significant step up from their usual summertime venue, Mud Island Amphitheater. Indeed, it was the first indoor show they played in Memphis in over 5 years. The fans were encouraged to attend by the mail order offered up by the band, so they could order their tickets in advance without having to worry inflated prices of scalpers or Ticketmaster. As it turned out, the sold out shows were an accurate reflection of the band s continued rise in popularity and traveling fan base.

The Friday of the first show was marked by some nasty weather throughout the region, so most fans were eager to get inside the venue and get down to business. The band was ready to jump right into their own brand of rock-and-roll with a full-speed "Love Tractor" to open the first set. Todd Nance was leading the way early and often as his snare rips cued the rest of his mates. The segue into "Travelin Light" set the table for a set filled with many of the staples from the band s 15 year career. That song choice was also justified by the great distance many folks traveled to get to the show. Even with the strong fan base the band has in Memphis, the number of fans needed to sell out the Mid-South was greater. License plates from Texas, Florida, Wisconsin, and of course, Georgia, littered the parking lot.

As everyone settled into a groove, the band pulled out their only instrumental of the evening, the relatively rare "Party At Your Mama s House." Somewhat neglected in recent tours, "PAYMH" sounded warm and smooth, as the new sound crew mixed the sound of John Bell Mike Houser s guitars perfectly. This would lead to Jojo Hermann s first song of the night, "Dyin Man." Much like the "Blackout" opener in the second set, "Dyin Man" was an appropriate song to play in the home of the blues. Dave Schools even scratched up and down his bass, mimicking the scratching the Colin Butler provided on the album version of the song.

The segment would continue to build from there as it dropped down into the methodical opening conga beat of "Papa s Home." A first set "Papa s" was a bit of a surprise, but certainly not a disappointment. Sunny Ortiz lead the way with his timbale flourishes and percussion fills. As is often the case, this one would be split down the middle with another song. "Walkin " was yet another oldie-but-goodie, instantly recognized by everyone in attendance. What the song lacks in vocal spontaneity was more than made up by the monstrous jam that followed. By the end of the jam, most folks were totally unsure which song they were listening to. The jam reached its crescendo and them slammed face-first back into the last part of "Papa s Home" to complete the sandwich.

From there the band would take a moment to catch its collective breath before hitting the highlight of the first set. "Red Hot Mama" was just as smoking as billed. Bell s vocals were dirty and loud, yet still as clear as they ve ever sounded, especially in the part where he goes "oh-ooh-ooooh-oooooh-oh." Get the tapes if you don t follow. The sound will explain itself. The George Clinton cover would then flow directly into the gospel-punk anthem "All Time Low." Being an obsessive fan, I was once again somewhat disappointed that the band didn t stop by the Mississippi Boulevard Baptist Church to grab their choir on the way down, but New Years 99 spoiled lots of us like that. In reality, this version was hot and hard, and a fitting way to close the first set.

The second set opened with another Hermann blues song, "Blackout." Being bordered by the Mississippi River to the west and the actual state to the south, Memphis made this another good call. Perhaps there is nowhere better for Jojo to sing "Moving back to Mississippi, before I lose my mind." "Henry Parsons Died" was a rather surprising choice, given that it is usually played on a Saturday night. Those studying the Fall Tour setlists noticed the anti-trend of playing some songs on nights contrary to their usual placement. For example, "Knockin Around The Zoo," which is usually played on a Thursday because of the first line s reference, was played on a Wednesday in Asheville. "Last Dance" with a similar reference to Monday morning, was played the previous Tuesday in Louisville. Willingness to mix things up is one of the truly great things about Widespread Panic.

The jam at the end of "Parsons" featured the omnipresent bass rips from David Schools, but from that point on, the show was owned by Michael Houser. At this point in the tour, there was little doubt in anyone s mind that the new sound crew was a good thing. Each band member has benefited in different ways, but Mike Houser has truly come into his own. "Little Lilly" still continues to evolve, and on this night it was one of the highlights. Houser wove an intricate solo into the back end of the tune, sounding for a second like it would segue into a different song, then coming full circle and re-entering the realm of a "Little Lilly" jam. I personally think that Houser s guitar sounds clearer and more distinct than it ever has in his career. It s almost like he is a totally different person.

Maybe it s just the power of suggestion, but he seems to be looking up and smiling more too. No longer content to have his hair hiding his face, he seems to have emerged from his self-imposed solitude in both a literal and metaphorical sense. Needless to say, he had everyone in the building smiling as the meandering harmonies of "Lilly" peaked and landed at a welcome "Vacation." A rare and special treat, "Vacation" on this night made everyone in the building sigh with relief. Plenty of the folks at the weekend shows in Memphis had worked hard in their regular lives for just a little time off to enjoy their favorite music. Houser rewarded them with one of his greatest vocal gems.

As the warm tones of "Vacation" subsided like a tide slowly washing the sand out to sea, Nance didn t waste more than a second before firing up the band s quintessential feel-good song, "Porch." At this point, the only comment I could muster was, "Houser s on fire, why not?" Again, with each pass through the bridge, the song built and built, much like the definitive version from Oct. 29th in New Orleans. The guitar solos were powering the engine. Bell and Houser played together perfectly, with each daring the other to take things just a little bit higher.

From there, things would break down into the drum solo. The highlight of the drums/bass segment of the show was without a doubt North Mississippi All-Star Cody Dickinson on his electric washboard. Showing the down home instincts cultivated during his jug band days as a member of Gutbucket, Dickinson scratched and clacked his spoons to create the most unique rhythmic groove of any "drums" this tour. It would end up serving as a good bit of foreshadowing for the fireworks to come the following evening as well.

As tinny clicking of the washboard faded, Dickinson exited the stage and the rest of the band returned. A couple of double-pumps from Nance s bass pedal indicated that Arleen was in the house. Rested and revived from their mid-set break, Houser and Hermann built the jam, trading razor-sharp guitar licks and clavinet chords like two opponents at a Ping-Pong table. This built and built, eventually sliding down into the dream-like chorus, then linking smoothly into "City of Dreams." Much like "Heaven," this talking heads cover provided warm fuzzies for everyone in attendance, Memphis natives especially. After a quick regrouping backstage, the band came out and played the Chuck Berry nugget "Let It Rock" for the encore. Since I woke up that morning and drove in to Memphis from Mobile, AL, I couldn t help but smile.

Panic Fans For Food Feeds the Needy
North Mississippi All-Stars Light Up The Mid-South

The second day of Thanksgiving festivities would involve much more than just the 2 sets of Widespread Panic that most folks had mail-ordered for. As has quickly become the tradition, Panic Fans For Food arranged some pre-show festivities as well as a canned food drive in the afternoon and early evening hours. This PFFF gathering was without a doubt the most involved yet, much to the credit of Josh Stack and Memphian Todd Dudley who helped organize the event. Co-sponsored by An Honest Tune, the PFFF drive was one of the most successful ever. Numbers on the actual poundage of food were not available at press time.

In the afternoon, folks gathered at the Young Avenue Deli in the Cooper-Young district of Midtown. The Deli was a good choice for a pre-party because of their good food, flowing spirits, close proximity to the venue. What was even more of a bonus, many musicians donated their time and energy to play sets of music onstage that afternoon. The Memphis duo of Phil and T opened the afternoon playing their trademark folk and Dead oriented set. They were followed by Danny Hutchins and Eric Carter from Bloodkin, who also played an acoustic set. Bloodkin played full electric sets after each Panic show, so it was very nice of them to give up some additional time for the cause. Last but certainly not least, Memphis jamband icons FreeWorld played to the delight of food drive supporters. Their set ran right up until showtime.

Most folks did hurry over to the venue right away, as nobody wanted to miss the opening set of the North Mississippi All-Stars. Brothers Cody and Luther Dickinson are well known to all Memphis and Mississippi music regulars, but they won over scores of new fans on this weekend at the Mid-South Coliseum. They opened for Panic both nights, brining their own style of "world-boogie" to a crowd that was very receptive to their vibe. On the first night, they played some really nice extended jams, including a lengthy "Lovelight" jam wrapped around "Shake Em On Down." They also stretched out the jam in "Coal Black Maddie" and segued it with "Skinny Women" even better than they do on their album, which is saying quite a bit.

The second night provided more nuggets for the NMAS, including a powerful "All Night Long" as well as rousing versions of "Station Blues" and "Drop Down Mama." The band started out this night with Cody Dickinson playing guitar and Gary Burnside playing drums. They would swap up later in the show. As it turned out, Saturday night would be Luther s night to shine all the way around. The guys in Widespread would bring him back up later, but I m getting ahead of myself. . .

Round 2

Set I: Thought Sausage, Chilly Water>Jack>Chilly, Bear s Gone Fishin , I m Not Alone>Watching the Sleepy Man, Tallboy>Climb to Safety.

Set II: One Arm Steve, Pusherman, Casa, Fishwater*, Stop Breakin Down*, Drums, Stop-Go, Makes Sense To Me, Give

E: Ain t Life Grand

  Fans entered the Mid-South Coliseum in anticipation of a big night from both the North Mississippi All-Stars and Widespread Panic. North Mississippi delivered in their opening set, so the table was set for a big Saturday night from the boys in Panic as well. Your narrator was pressed up close to the front of the stage with the infamous inhabitants of the Schoolzone, directly underneath the looming shadow of Dave Schools. A few folks in the zone had "Thought Sausage" T-shirts on, you know, the one with Homer Simpson daydreaming on it. They talked long and loud about a "Chilly>Sausage>Chilly" in the first set. Given that lots of folks had taken the time to taste a little Memphis Bar-B-Que this weekend, it seemed that everybody had pork on the brain.

If there was any doubt that the band was going to play "Thought Sausage," was quickly erased when John Bell s guitar tech came out to sound check his guitar one last time, about 15 minutes before show time. He pressed down on a pedal and played one quick chord, emitting a loud WHAMP throughout the arena. Sure enough, they opened the first set with "Thought Sausage." Dirty and greasy, as Widespread Panic originals are meant to be, there was almost too much energy in this one. It s a good thing the North Mississippi All-Stars gave us a chance to warm up our boogie bones. Otherwise, somebody might have gotten hurt.

As one might guess, the folks in the Sausage T-shirts were going nuts. They were joined quickly by the folks in the Chilly>TIMMY>Chilly South Park shirts as the band broke into "Chilly Water." In some cases I would wonder how anybody could have such a precise idea of what the band is going to play before the show begins, but on this night, some folks were just feeling it. By the time the "Chilly" segued into "Jack," the crowd was rapt. The transition back into Chilly would complete the sandwich, putting everyone up on an adrenaline rush that would last most of the evening.

After taking a few seconds to tune and regale themselves, the band was ready to go again. Jojo Hermann tinkered a bit on the treble clef of his organ to provide his usual prelude for "Bear s Gone Fishin." That was a good high-energy song to keep the momentum of the set flowing. From there they dropped down into low gear for a moment as Bell sang the opening lines to "I m Not Alone." "Alone" provided a sweet contrast to the more rowdy tunes of the first set, and this one was especially pretty. The jam at the end started slowly, picking up steam until it linked up with the attacking bass lines of "Watching the Sleeping Man." Dave Schools looked confident and in command as he belted out the vocals to all the freaks in attendance.

It s hard to explain what exactly attracts some people to Widespread Panic on such a habitual basis. In most cases, it boils down to personal satisfaction. For me, it often has to do with a bond or link I can feel within a particular moment in a particular song. The meanings can sometimes change over time depending on the context. While the ultimate criteria of a good show should be the performance of the band, the setlist is important, too. Most nights, fans will go into a show with some idea of what songs they want to hear. Anyone who spends extensive time following the band will have a notion of what they are likely to hear by what is up in the rotation on any given night.

Sometimes the point where personal interpretation of the music meets reality is hard to anticipate. The band prides itself on the spontaneity that IS Widespread Panic. Other times it is easy. Some nights the band plays every song you want to hear. Other nights the songs you want to hear play you.

To explain further: Leaving Atlanta on Wednesday evening to hit the road for the Thanksgiving holiday, my car broke down. I mean, really broke down. I didn t get 2 miles into my journey and the wheels simply stopped turning. To say I was in a panic would be a gross understatement. The thoughts that kept swirling through my mind as I waited on hold (broken down on the side of the road) with AAA for a tow truck were this: Now we were going to hear "Tallboy" and "Stop Breakin Down" in Memphis. Hey why not a "Stop-Go?" No, that would be too obvious. But it seemed that easy. In a few moments of extreme frustration and angst, I felt like the rest of my weekend had been laid out before me.

Needless to say, my predicament did indeed dictate the destiny of the song choices that evening. Jojo Hermann threw in a "Tallboy" towards the end of the first set. The second set featured a nice "Pusherman" with extended jam as well as the new song "Casa des Grillos." The "House of Crickets" as is the English translation, is a new tune that is still in transition. The song originates from a dream that John Bell had in Spanish. The lyrics to the song alternate between Spanish and English on most nights, all depending on what he feels like singing. "Casa" is not an instant fan favorite just yet, but it needs time to develop so more people can warm up to it.

The second half of my premonition would become evident as Luther and Cody Dickinson joined the band onstage during "Fishwater." I knew that they were familiar with the Rolling Stones tune "Stop Breakin Down Blues," since they are a blues-based rock band themselves. More than any other "bustout" song from the Halloween run, "Stop Breakin Down Blues" had fallen directly into the rotation for the duration of the tour. There s no accurate way to describe the satisfaction I got from hearing two of my favorite bands collaborate on a song that was so appropriate for me at the time. Luther Dickinson s slide guitar work was some of the best he s ever played. He traded licks with Houser and Bell as if he played with them every single night. Those two songs alone are worth obtaining a tape of this show.

As the drum solo came to an end, signaling the home stretch of a holiday Panic weekend, there were a couple treats left in store. Dave Schools used his bass solo at the end of drums to set up "Stop-Go." Yes, I said "Stop-Go." While not a totally radical song choice in and of itself, once again I felt emotionally overwhelmed. There was no doubt that I was meant to be in Memphis on that night. The fact that the band choose "Give" to close the set simple cemented the fact. Probably the biggest fan favorite out of all the great songs the band has introduced in the past year, "Give" just gets better and better with each lyrical evolution.

Overall, the shows and festive atmosphere throughout the weekend were a wonderful way to celebrate the holiday. Anyone who has ever spent some extended time in Memphis can tell you that it is a city full of warm and friendly people. For that reason alone, it makes sense that it would be a favorite place for Widespread Panic to play. The ribs are always hot, and the music is never far off. From the sounds of real blues creeping out of clubs like Buffalo Bill s over in the Volentine neighborhood, to the real food from places like the Bar-B-Que shop, Memphis shows are not to be missed  

The Jones Report

by Mike Jones

Well, amongst finals that I'm still in the middle of, an impending move to another state, the endless job searching,  and end of the semester projects that were due, I don't have too much to report to you this month.  I figured that I might do a round up of New Years Eve shows down and around this way.  For starters, you have the Screamin' Cheetah Wheelies playing at Juanita's in Little Rock, Arkansas.  There are rumors running rampant

that with the demise of Capricorn Records, the Wheelies are on the verge of a break up themselves.  I'm hoping that the rumors aren't true but we have all experienced at some point the break up of a great and talented band.  I hope the Wheelies keep rockin' for many years to come because they are simply one of the best live shows out there. Over in Nashville, there is a benefit show going on at the Convention Center.  One of the acts playing this show is Will Hoge.  If you haven't seen this band yet, get off your rear end and go see them now!  One of the hottest unsigned bands out there.  I know that's a cliche but once you see this band you will know what I'm talking about.  If you like to see the guys on stage putting passion and soul into their music then this is the band for you!

In Jackson, MS we have Blue Mountain doing a two-night stand at George St. Grocery.  Many of you know and have seen Blue Mountain and they never seem to leave the road for very long if at all.  This band is enjoying their longevity due to an outstanding mix of different genres into their very own sound.  Both nights are sure to sell out as Jackson is one of their strongest markets, so if you don't have tickets and plan on going, get in touch with George St. Grocery today. Even though it's not in my region, I couldn't finish up without mentioning WSP in Atlanta but these shows are no secret to anyone. Watch out Atlanta, the SpreadHeads are about to take over!

Now, back to my uneventful and seemingly never ending - studying for finals so that I can graduate from this place and hit the highway outta town!

Peace and Happy Holidays to all....

Mike Jones