Looking forward to hearing some gigging tales!

I have said it many times, but I have never even played along with another human being yet. However, my son has been hacking away on a guitar for a little while so we are planning on jamming as soon as I get back home, and get my double-decker drum rack configured! I already told him every single lick we do will include at least one drum solo, and that can come at any time!!! LOLCool1

Basically a couple of posers, but we will have a blast!Eye BallEye Ball

So, that will be my favorite gig!

i never "played" in a band but i did run sound n lights for a band that my brother and uncle played in (erich thompson and the stone cold cowboys) and we opened for dierks bentley. that was so much fun, still get all fuzzy feeling when i think about it. it was when dierks won the new comer award 2005 or 6 can't remember the date but remember the gig real well. we rocked the place that night and had a blast, got to hang with dierks and his band b4 and after the shows. and then there was the time we opened for confederate railroad.....now that night was sooo cool, i got to help with running their sound. i did their stage sound while their guy did the mains, they used the house sound equipment. that was so tidious but they all thanked me kindly and said i did a great job then invited me (and my guys) on their bus. what a night. ahh memories.

It's very hard to choose an all-time favourite gig, but here are some shots from La Grande Place in Brussels. We opened up for Robert Charlebois, a Quebec icon, to do promotion for Quebec City's 400th anniversary in 2008. My brother was doing band gear with Robert, so was there too. My wife came on tour with us in Spain and this show was a fly in (from Barcelona), fly out 2 day affair. The square was jam packed and full of energy that night. The kind of show that reminds me why I do this for living. After a great encore and selling a record number of cds to the crowd, we crossed the square to City Hall, a beautiful gothic building from the early 1400s, where we were invited to drink lots of fine wine and watch the main act from a second story balcony with gargoyles. I try and remember moments like these when I play in half empty dives.

The night shot is credited to Sam Butler. I found it online so figured I had better credit him.

My favorite gigs were all at the Electric Circus in N.Y.C. (67' to 69') There were acrobats, jugglers, girls dancing suspended in cages high in the air and a psychedelic light show, all going on simultaneously while we played.

My favorite moments were always watching the dancers moving up and down on the dance floor to the beat of the drums. I was young, 18 years old, I felt like a 'Music God' in those moments. Like the whole Universe was bopping to the beat I was laying down. The sight of hundreds of bodies moving up and down in unison, with strobe lights going, the air thick with the smell of cigarettes, booze, perfumes from the ladies and pot smoke, the performers all doing their thing, you didn't need drugs to get high... it was quite a scene man.

My 'misspent' youth. :p

John

1997, Sierra Madre, CA Memorial Park stage, last night of the summer music series. Playing congas & percussion with Pasadena based Rifficus Rose, a Grateful Dead & Phish cover band. Full park, dancing crowd, GREAT time jamming!

Brian, did you have a good time jamming with the conga player? I did that once and it was a gas. The guy was a terrific latin player and we 'fed off each other' all night, weaving together some great grooves. He added color to the stuff I was doing on the drums. Complimenting it rather than competing with it. I loved it. Great music experience for me. I got to play, 'Oye Como Va' (Tito Puente tune,) with him and it was drummer heaven. Great horn section on that gig too, don't get to jam with horns too often.

John

I was fortunate enough to play with Rick Danko for a week, just a few months before he passed.

That gig completely changed my perception of the kind of musician I strive to be, and the type of music I choose to play.

Aaron

Awesome! Was Rick playing bass or guitar?

Guitar.

I have some pics floating around somewhere. I'll look around.

Aaron