morst's PITOWN 2007 (pt 3)
Friday, Sept 7, 2007: After getting things going on Thursday, Friday morning and early afternoon was time to relax. We sat around at the Pitown Motel, perfecting our porch-sitting techniques. We amused ourselves by catching up with friends old and new, enjoying food and drink, and doing a little listening to the recordings from the night before.
Friday was the debut of the Crampout sticker, based on a painting by Steve© Dwyer, and modified somewhat by me with some photoshop help from Steve©. A last-minute effort, we only had time to print up about 40 of them, but the image here is the same as the one we used to print them, so feel free to make your own.
At one point in the afternoon, I wandered over to Pappy and Harriet's to see if I could figure out when the CVB soundcheck
would be taking place, and set up my recording gear for the outdoors stage. I set up next to the soundboard area, just behind the board, in a space which I felt would be out of the way of most of the concert crowd. Like the previous year, the outdoor grill has a large woodpile of mesquite logs, and I set up my gear in a little nook protected on one side by the woodpile, and on the other side by the shed which served as the soundboard area in 2006. This year, the sound console was set up further forward, under a tarp-type shelter.
As the crew set up the PA system, and the Campers began to set up their stage gear, I snapped a photo or two since it seemed so strange to see the place empty. The CVB soundcheck took place some time later, and like the previous year, there were only a few people in the stage area listening. I took the opportunity to begin recording, and get the levels set on my DAT machine. Nice to be able to tape the check, since I'd rather not have wildly fluctuating levels on the recordings of the musicians who came to play for us. Camper's soundcheck included some funny banter,CVB's check included Jonathan vocalizing his tribute to the Integratron, Casey asking for Greg "Gerg" Lisher to give him a test signal for his vocal channel ("GERG ANGRY," requested Casey), Frankie singing Frankie - "Summer Wind", Frank then requesting to hear the prepared intro to Processional then launching into it, David working through a guitar part of Cracker's Sidi Ifni, and One Of These Days.
Casey then asked if they wanted to do anything else, and Jonathan said "Casey, all we know how to do is play songs!" So they played She Divines Water, and satisfied, called it a wrap so they could let Casey and the crew get ready for the other bands who were playing first.
The sun high in the sky, I took the opportunity to go back to the motel to relax. Not a very long walk, the bar and motel are less than 100 yards apart!
The evening's outdoor entertainment was kicked off by Dusty Rhodes and the River Band
Their set consisted of Street Fighter, Ghost Trails, Leaving Tennessee, Dear Honey, Oh Icicle, The Weight (The Band), Minor Swing (Django Reinhardt), Goodnight Moonshine and The Ballad Of Graff.
Meanwhile, the stage indoors had Tim Easton getting things started, since Sean Kennedy was not able to arrive for his scheduled set. Kennedy did show up the following day, and started things off on the indoor stage on Saturday, but I should try not to get ahead of myself.
The Dusty Rhodes outdoor set was followed by Magnolia Electric Company. Jason Molina from MECo was kind enough to loan David Lowery a guitar and amp when CVB's gear got ripped off in 2004 in Montreal. I am sure the bands have a good relationship, but it was mighty cool of CVB and Cracker to invite MECo to the 2007 Crampout.
I took a few photos of each band I saw at the Crampout, but normally don't like to use a flash, since it is artificially bright, and destroys the stage lighting just long enough for the exposure. Dring the MECo set, there were a group of Crumbs taking flash photos of each other, which I was calling a "Flash Fight." Here are the culprits, I'm sure when you look through their photos of the weekend, there will be a profusion of flash shots of camera-wielding Crumbs.
Anyhow, the Magnolia's set was approximately as follows: Talk To Me Devil, Again, Memphis Moon, Bowery, Montgomery Bound, Hammer Down, Lonesome Valley, What Comes After The Blues, Astrabel, Shiloh, Hard To Love A Man, and finally, Here Comes The Night. 
(January 2009 addendum - The MECo electric set is now on archive.org in flac format, and on PRY.com as MP3's)
Stay tuned for more from Pioneertown, the next installment will feature Camper Van Beethoven's Friday night set, and there's lots more after that, too!
Friday, Sept 7, 2007: After getting things going on Thursday, Friday morning and early afternoon was time to relax. We sat around at the Pitown Motel, perfecting our porch-sitting techniques. We amused ourselves by catching up with friends old and new, enjoying food and drink, and doing a little listening to the recordings from the night before.
Friday was the debut of the Crampout sticker, based on a painting by Steve© Dwyer, and modified somewhat by me with some photoshop help from Steve©. A last-minute effort, we only had time to print up about 40 of them, but the image here is the same as the one we used to print them, so feel free to make your own.
At one point in the afternoon, I wandered over to Pappy and Harriet's to see if I could figure out when the CVB soundcheck
would be taking place, and set up my recording gear for the outdoors stage. I set up next to the soundboard area, just behind the board, in a space which I felt would be out of the way of most of the concert crowd. Like the previous year, the outdoor grill has a large woodpile of mesquite logs, and I set up my gear in a little nook protected on one side by the woodpile, and on the other side by the shed which served as the soundboard area in 2006. This year, the sound console was set up further forward, under a tarp-type shelter.
As the crew set up the PA system, and the Campers began to set up their stage gear, I snapped a photo or two since it seemed so strange to see the place empty. The CVB soundcheck took place some time later, and like the previous year, there were only a few people in the stage area listening. I took the opportunity to begin recording, and get the levels set on my DAT machine. Nice to be able to tape the check, since I'd rather not have wildly fluctuating levels on the recordings of the musicians who came to play for us. Camper's soundcheck included some funny banter,CVB's check included Jonathan vocalizing his tribute to the Integratron, Casey asking for Greg "Gerg" Lisher to give him a test signal for his vocal channel ("GERG ANGRY," requested Casey), Frankie singing Frankie - "Summer Wind", Frank then requesting to hear the prepared intro to Processional then launching into it, David working through a guitar part of Cracker's Sidi Ifni, and One Of These Days.
Casey then asked if they wanted to do anything else, and Jonathan said "Casey, all we know how to do is play songs!" So they played She Divines Water, and satisfied, called it a wrap so they could let Casey and the crew get ready for the other bands who were playing first.
The sun high in the sky, I took the opportunity to go back to the motel to relax. Not a very long walk, the bar and motel are less than 100 yards apart!
The evening's outdoor entertainment was kicked off by Dusty Rhodes and the River Band
Their set consisted of Street Fighter, Ghost Trails, Leaving Tennessee, Dear Honey, Oh Icicle, The Weight (The Band), Minor Swing (Django Reinhardt), Goodnight Moonshine and The Ballad Of Graff.
Meanwhile, the stage indoors had Tim Easton getting things started, since Sean Kennedy was not able to arrive for his scheduled set. Kennedy did show up the following day, and started things off on the indoor stage on Saturday, but I should try not to get ahead of myself.
The Dusty Rhodes outdoor set was followed by Magnolia Electric Company. Jason Molina from MECo was kind enough to loan David Lowery a guitar and amp when CVB's gear got ripped off in 2004 in Montreal. I am sure the bands have a good relationship, but it was mighty cool of CVB and Cracker to invite MECo to the 2007 Crampout.
I took a few photos of each band I saw at the Crampout, but normally don't like to use a flash, since it is artificially bright, and destroys the stage lighting just long enough for the exposure. Dring the MECo set, there were a group of Crumbs taking flash photos of each other, which I was calling a "Flash Fight." Here are the culprits, I'm sure when you look through their photos of the weekend, there will be a profusion of flash shots of camera-wielding Crumbs.
Anyhow, the Magnolia's set was approximately as follows: Talk To Me Devil, Again, Memphis Moon, Bowery, Montgomery Bound, Hammer Down, Lonesome Valley, What Comes After The Blues, Astrabel, Shiloh, Hard To Love A Man, and finally, Here Comes The Night. (January 2009 addendum - The MECo electric set is now on archive.org in flac format, and on PRY.com as MP3's)
Stay tuned for more from Pioneertown, the next installment will feature Camper Van Beethoven's Friday night set, and there's lots more after that, too!
Labels: California, Camper Van Beethoven, Dusty Rhodes And The River Band, Jason Molina, Magnolia Electric Co., Pappy and Harriet's, Pioneertown
posted by morst at 10/29/2007 07:39:00 PM -
1 comments
morst's PITOWN 2007 (pt 2)
Thursday, Sept 6, 2007: So we got ourselves down the interstate. . . past the giant windmills,
and up 29 Palms Highway to Yucca Valley, got some groceries, and headed up Pioneertown road
to the historic Pioneertown Motel. The schedule called for Chris LeRoy at 9PM then Railbenders at 10, but nobody seemed sure what time things would actually get going. 
Beachbum had his autograph session over by room 12 of the Pitown Motel, he was signing little leather tush covers, well, leather discs that could be used to cover a small part of one's tush, I suppose. He also had some images printed out but he did not want to sign those when he decided that they were counterfeit, showing a scene which never took place.
Over at Pappy and Harriet's, the Railbenders played an early Soundcheck set around 6PM for the bikers who rode up with the local Harley dealership's monthly ride. The Railbenders played about a 20-minute set: Whiskey Saturday Night, Like A Wheel, Black Chrome Horse, I'm At Home Gettin' Hammered (While She's Out Getting Nailed), Whiskey Rain, and I Drive A Truck.
Then, satisfied that the sound was ready to go, they cleared out, and sat down and had dinner. Around 9PM Chris LeRoy came out with Johnny and played three acoustic tunes (On a Good Thing, San Bernardino Boy, Whole Lotta Trouble), then was joined by the rest of Death Of Me to celebrate their CD release. The band played Please Please Please, The Trees, Last Train, Saint and a Sinner, then closed with Let It Drown. I suppose it was the debut performace of pretty much everything except San Bernardino Boy and Whole Lotta Trouble. Casey Martin mixed the audio for the evening, and the crowd was really into the music. During the Death Of Me set, the crowd nera the stage was in rapt attention mode, singing along with the newly debuted songs like they were classics already, having heard the demos and pre-release postings on the myspace page. Back in the pool table area, the bikers were seen dancing with pool cues. It was an amazing level of crowd response for a band's first gig, breaking out unplayed songs, and a great way to start the official Campout schedule.
After Chris's set was over, The Railbenders got right up there and played about a 40 minute set consisting of Midnight Train, Country Song, Dope Smokin' Song, I Drive A Truck, I'm At Home Gettin' Hammered (While She's Out Getting Nailed), It's Time To Party, Whiskey Drinkin' Man, O.D.'d In Denver, Hellbound Party Train, Honeymoon Song, Drivin' Back to Denver, and ending with Drive Away. I Drive a Truck was dedicated to Mat, who had made his mark on Railbenders history at the Hollywood gig the night before, and who told Jim Dalton of some misheard lyrics which were funnier than the actual lyrics. Jim sang Mat's lyrics, and, not knowing the original version, I thought it was the best line in the tune! Wonder if that will stay that way, or just be a cool alternate!?
After the Railbenders, the scene shifted to The Hickman Dalton Gang - Johnny Hickman and Jim Dalton, playing a three-song set of Whiskey Rain, then Old Border Town, and finishing up with Mexican Jail. Johnny and Jim have only been doing the "gang" thing for less than a year, but they sure play great together! After the HDG set, Johnny and David got up and did a great nine-song Cracker Acoustic Duo set of Dr Bernice, Been Around The World, Sidi Ifni, Everybody Gets One Free, Teen Angst, Big Dipper, One Fine Day, Mr Wrong, and then Friends. Following the set, the crowd adjouned from Pappy and Harriet's to the motel for the first night of Porchstock, featuring Johnny, members of the Railbenders, Frank, Casey, Mr Monkeyfingers, Father Dan, and many others singing, picking, and percussing! An auspicious start to the first official three-day Crampout.
Thursday, Sept 6, 2007: So we got ourselves down the interstate. . . past the giant windmills,
and up 29 Palms Highway to Yucca Valley, got some groceries, and headed up Pioneertown road
to the historic Pioneertown Motel. The schedule called for Chris LeRoy at 9PM then Railbenders at 10, but nobody seemed sure what time things would actually get going. Beachbum had his autograph session over by room 12 of the Pitown Motel, he was signing little leather tush covers, well, leather discs that could be used to cover a small part of one's tush, I suppose. He also had some images printed out but he did not want to sign those when he decided that they were counterfeit, showing a scene which never took place.Over at Pappy and Harriet's, the Railbenders played an early Soundcheck set around 6PM for the bikers who rode up with the local Harley dealership's monthly ride. The Railbenders played about a 20-minute set: Whiskey Saturday Night, Like A Wheel, Black Chrome Horse, I'm At Home Gettin' Hammered (While She's Out Getting Nailed), Whiskey Rain, and I Drive A Truck.
Then, satisfied that the sound was ready to go, they cleared out, and sat down and had dinner. Around 9PM Chris LeRoy came out with Johnny and played three acoustic tunes (On a Good Thing, San Bernardino Boy, Whole Lotta Trouble), then was joined by the rest of Death Of Me to celebrate their CD release. The band played Please Please Please, The Trees, Last Train, Saint and a Sinner, then closed with Let It Drown. I suppose it was the debut performace of pretty much everything except San Bernardino Boy and Whole Lotta Trouble. Casey Martin mixed the audio for the evening, and the crowd was really into the music. During the Death Of Me set, the crowd nera the stage was in rapt attention mode, singing along with the newly debuted songs like they were classics already, having heard the demos and pre-release postings on the myspace page. Back in the pool table area, the bikers were seen dancing with pool cues. It was an amazing level of crowd response for a band's first gig, breaking out unplayed songs, and a great way to start the official Campout schedule.
After Chris's set was over, The Railbenders got right up there and played about a 40 minute set consisting of Midnight Train, Country Song, Dope Smokin' Song, I Drive A Truck, I'm At Home Gettin' Hammered (While She's Out Getting Nailed), It's Time To Party, Whiskey Drinkin' Man, O.D.'d In Denver, Hellbound Party Train, Honeymoon Song, Drivin' Back to Denver, and ending with Drive Away. I Drive a Truck was dedicated to Mat, who had made his mark on Railbenders history at the Hollywood gig the night before, and who told Jim Dalton of some misheard lyrics which were funnier than the actual lyrics. Jim sang Mat's lyrics, and, not knowing the original version, I thought it was the best line in the tune! Wonder if that will stay that way, or just be a cool alternate!?After the Railbenders, the scene shifted to The Hickman Dalton Gang - Johnny Hickman and Jim Dalton, playing a three-song set of Whiskey Rain, then Old Border Town, and finishing up with Mexican Jail. Johnny and Jim have only been doing the "gang" thing for less than a year, but they sure play great together! After the HDG set, Johnny and David got up and did a great nine-song Cracker Acoustic Duo set of Dr Bernice, Been Around The World, Sidi Ifni, Everybody Gets One Free, Teen Angst, Big Dipper, One Fine Day, Mr Wrong, and then Friends. Following the set, the crowd adjouned from Pappy and Harriet's to the motel for the first night of Porchstock, featuring Johnny, members of the Railbenders, Frank, Casey, Mr Monkeyfingers, Father Dan, and many others singing, picking, and percussing! An auspicious start to the first official three-day Crampout.
Labels: Chris LeRoy, Dalton Hickman Gang, Death Of Me, Hickman Dalton Gang, Hutchins Harley Davidson, Pappy and Harriet's, Pioneertown Motel, Porchstock, Railbenders, Yucca Valley
posted by morst at 10/08/2007 12:39:00 AM -
2 comments
morst's PITOWN 2007 (pt 1)
Wednesday, Sept 5, 2007: After much anticipation and preparation, I flew from Milwaukee to Minneapolis, then from there to Orange County. Glenn picked me up at the airport and we did a little shopping (a large cooler and some groceries) on the way back to his place on Newport Beach. Literally ON the beach. His back porch looks out over the clean white sand beach to the Pacific Ocean. At Glenn's place were Splinter and Cathie, Mungo and Alick, Mat "El Hairy Watermelon", Lee "Sector 7G", Rubinator, Chill-I and KDay. Mr Monkeyfingers rolled in shortly after I arrived.
Much fun was already afoot with the Margarator set up in Glenn's kitchen. This device uses garbage disposal technology to dispense slush made from whatever it's loaded with. It can run on A/C power, or off a car lighter or external battery pack for portable wackiness!
The gang rented a limo to go see Hackensaw Boys at a club in Hollywood, then Railbenders at a different one - Knitting Factory and Safari Sam's but I don't know which was at which because I elected not to go. Glenn and I hung out in at his beach house, and took a late-night bike ride down the beach. Mellow fun, and a good first night in CA.
The next day, around noon, we packed it up and headed for Pitown. I rode with Sector 7G, and we tried to follow Mr Lead-Monkey-foot-fingers in California style. Well, Lee didn't want to drive 85 mph, so we caught up to them at the food breaks.
I should mention at this point that I used my camera's self-timer to shoot a couple photos of the crew at Glenn's place before we took off to Pioneertown. Behold, from far and wide, the Crumbs!!!
Clockwise from back left: El Hairy Watermelon, Mr Monkeyfingers, Rubinator, Sector 7G, Glenn, The Splinter Whisperer, Splinter, Chill-I, KDay, Mungo, Morst, Sleepy Crumb
Counterclockwise from front left: Tom, Graham, Kevin, Alick, Kevin, Jeff, Cathie, Glenn, Lee, Jeff, Greg, Mat
. . . to be continued. . .
Wednesday, Sept 5, 2007: After much anticipation and preparation, I flew from Milwaukee to Minneapolis, then from there to Orange County. Glenn picked me up at the airport and we did a little shopping (a large cooler and some groceries) on the way back to his place on Newport Beach. Literally ON the beach. His back porch looks out over the clean white sand beach to the Pacific Ocean. At Glenn's place were Splinter and Cathie, Mungo and Alick, Mat "El Hairy Watermelon", Lee "Sector 7G", Rubinator, Chill-I and KDay. Mr Monkeyfingers rolled in shortly after I arrived.
Much fun was already afoot with the Margarator set up in Glenn's kitchen. This device uses garbage disposal technology to dispense slush made from whatever it's loaded with. It can run on A/C power, or off a car lighter or external battery pack for portable wackiness!
The gang rented a limo to go see Hackensaw Boys at a club in Hollywood, then Railbenders at a different one - Knitting Factory and Safari Sam's but I don't know which was at which because I elected not to go. Glenn and I hung out in at his beach house, and took a late-night bike ride down the beach. Mellow fun, and a good first night in CA.
The next day, around noon, we packed it up and headed for Pitown. I rode with Sector 7G, and we tried to follow Mr Lead-Monkey-foot-fingers in California style. Well, Lee didn't want to drive 85 mph, so we caught up to them at the food breaks.
I should mention at this point that I used my camera's self-timer to shoot a couple photos of the crew at Glenn's place before we took off to Pioneertown. Behold, from far and wide, the Crumbs!!!
Clockwise from back left: El Hairy Watermelon, Mr Monkeyfingers, Rubinator, Sector 7G, Glenn, The Splinter Whisperer, Splinter, Chill-I, KDay, Mungo, Morst, Sleepy Crumb
Counterclockwise from front left: Tom, Graham, Kevin, Alick, Kevin, Jeff, Cathie, Glenn, Lee, Jeff, Greg, Mat
. . . to be continued. . .
Labels: California, Camper Van Beethoven, Cracker, Newport Beach, Orange County, Pioneertown, Pitown
posted by morst at 10/02/2007 01:00:00 AM -
1 comments