Thanks to everyone who came out last Thursday night to the House of Blues in Boston for the V66 Reunion concert. You all made it a memorable night for Rods and Cones. We had not performed live in 22 years, and we did put some effort into making the set as powerful as we could. To see so many old friends and new friends made it all a rare experience.
Special thanks to Brian "Bone" Marra for doing quick study on bass guitar, to Curtis Kelley for swinging the drums for our rehearsals, Granny (soundman extraordinaire from the Rat), Un-Ted Murphy (for his organizational abilities), John Innamorato (for behind-the-scenes work that we didn't even know about), Tom Schneider (our once and present manager, God help him), Pete Newman (thanks for watching my bass, Pete) and to everyone else who pitched in or danced or simply added their good feelings.
Also, there were fine performances from vintage Boston bands and performers. I heard an especially soulful sound-check from Woody Giessmann and Right Turn, and I also enjoyed the rocking sets from O Positive, Digney Fignus, the Fools and Animotion. If I failed to mention any other fine performers, forgive me -- it was an eventful night.
Playing music with my old mates Rods and Cones for five days and nights has certainly turned my head around. All that bass-playing is going to make it hard to go back to the keyboards, or it may influence my keyboard playing, such as it is. Rods and Cones is the most overtly rhythmic band I've ever played in. Everything fell right into the pocket. When it gets grooving, the music has a lot of air and space in it, and that dual-percussion lineup has a homemade sound.
To get a sense of that night, please go here.
To make it all even better, on Saturday night we re-convened for a party at the Real School of Music in Burlington, Mass., where we shared a bill with the Elliot Mouser Floating Blues Band, which features the incomparable Chris Jenner on guitar. Rods and Cones then played a more jammed-out and perhaps less professional set of music. Then, for an over-the-top third set, the Mousers and Cones joined forces, and we mixed and matched performers and played everything under the moon until the wee hours of the morning.
I'm hoping we get to do this again before another 22 years go by.
Keep those Deluxe Reverb tubes nice and warm!
(Photo of Chris DiNardo taken by Chris Kelley at the Real School of Music)