Dallas Show, July 1st

[whatdisay]

wow. wow. wow. wow. wow.

oh wait a minute, sorry…

Here’s what I can tell you:

Very interesting night.

The doors to this place (the Curtain Club is fairly small. The stage is raised to about b/w belt and chest level) were SUPPOSED to open at 8, show at 9. I got there at 8:15 and there were only a few kids–I’m talking 19, 20, 21 year olds–hanging around. I talked some dinosaur jr. with them for awhile, then went and got a beer across the street.

Finally the doors opened, I went in and found a PERFECT spot immediately stage left, on a two-step stair that went up to a booth. Seemed like forever until the opening band started, and to be honest I don’t remember anything about them including their name. I guess I was just having too much anticipation for J.

After opener went off, I grabbed a couple of beers, abandoned my spot, and established myself at the stage left corner (it was so cool, I simply laid my two beers on the damn stage and leaned on it.). After a while, a tech came on, set up a mike and a chair–and that’s it. And so we waited…

Finally, from out of nowhere, this grey-haired guy with a sports backpack climbs up the stairs at stage right, walks over to the chair area (about 5 feet in from me), sits down, opens the bag, and pulls out pedals(z.vex lo-fi looper, z.vex fuzz factory, old Ibanez analog delay, boss tu-2 tuner, some brown box), cables, picks etc. IT WAS FUCKING J!!!!! I was in awe. No tech, no big set up–the guy just sort of wanders on stage and sits down like I do at home and starts setting things up!!

He got his two guitars out of their cases and tuned them, then just started playing.

I can’t remember every song, he played forever. Some kid leaned up and swiped the song list which was sitting next to J’s chair at the end. J just kind of watched the kid do it and didn’t seem to mind. Hysterical.

As to his playing: amazing, awe-inspiring. Better solos than I’ve ever heard him play, all on an acoustic. Sometimes the contrast between his rhythm, completely-clean playing and the stomps on the z.vex fuzz were so pronounced that myself and others were actually laughing. I mean, he would sit there, singing a beautiful harmony, decide to strike a chord or a couple of notes with the fuzz on–and when he did, the whole place shook–and he’d just keep on singing like nothing had happened. I’ve never seen anything like it.

As to the looper effect, sign me up. Zachary Vex makes great pedals and he’s often on the Harmony Central Effects Forum. The best way I can describe how J used it is on "Get Me." (my favorite performance of the night–probably a 4 or 5 minute solo). He fairly quietly would play the end riff (the "you’re not gonna get me through this are you" C to F to C etc. part), capture it on the loop, take a pause, then start the actual song. Then when he got to the part I mentioned, he’d turn on the looper, and just GO. Gawd it was unbelievable.

O.k., I’ve rattled on long enough. OH, except to say that after he was finished HE WENT AND STOOD OUT IN THE FREAKIN PARKING LOT WITH EVERYONE. That’s when I met him, shook his hand, confirmed the z.vex question and babbled a bunch of nonsense about how amazing his playing was and "what an influence" and all the other crap you end up saying when in complete awe.

Very nice guy

wow. All that for around $15…

[AGAP]

Wow Wow Wow <img> wicked 1st post!!! Thanks tons for the review, gotta love that sonic blast every now and then <img> I think people who were not sure about the acoustic show might just change their mind after reading your spiel…very cool <img>

Welcome to the boards!

Allison

[FlyingCloud]

hey whatdisay,
thanks for your fine review <img>
sounds like you had a great night. I know, these solos are incredible. I was overwhelmed, too, when I had the luck to see one of J’s acoustic shows.
And finally you got to talk to him afterwards! <img> <img> <img>

<small>[ 07-02-2002, 04:09 PM: Message edited by: Flying Cloud ]</small>

[Cloud9]

hEY Whatdisay

Welcome at this board

& Thanks for yr great review

[SG]

Whatdisay-welcome to the boards <img> and thanks for the great review <img> hope you hang around here and post some more,things have been rather quiet recently,love to read some posts from new members(and old members too) <img>

[Author]

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