John Stewart at the Kuumbwa, February 5, 2000
by Ron Beffa
"and there are forces to guide you
spirits beside you
rivers to ride you home to the stars"
When John and I talked after the great Palms show in Davis last month he said he hoped that I was going to be coming to Santa Cruz also. I didn't think it could happen as I was beginning a Visual Basic class on Saturdays that would run late into the day. The class was also about half an hour away in the wrong direction from my house and I did not think it possible that I could make it.
But it was going to be a very special day, as my best buddy Catherine was going to be having a significant birthday that I did not want to miss, and how could it be possible that John would be playing a concert in her home town on that very birthday? There was some kind of alignment of the stars I figured, one that I could not ignore, and so I set out to see if I could make it work - checked the maps and routes, guesstimated the time, and figured if I could leave the class an hour early and all went well I could make it before the show. I'd miss all the pre-show fun with friends at dinner, but I could make the show.
I suppose some people can go through life without passion or passions. My friend Catherine speaks of it as a reason to live - I'm not quite sure if I have thought of it exactly that way before, but it is true. Where would be the joy in life without passions? It is our passions that make life so special. Music has been one of my passions throughout life ... and the music of John Stewart is a passion that will be with me until I am gone. During the show John talked about how he still feels like a kid inside. He doesn't think his parents felt that way as adults - in fact he doesn't think his father ever felt like a kid. But I can identify with John's feelings. Despite the unmistakable march of time, I still feel like a kid inside. I want life to be fun. I want to enjoy it. Yeah, that train of reality is steaming outside the door, busting down that door at times, but I'll deal with it. I get a joy and kicks listening to John's music like I got kicks listening to the Beatles when I was 10. John's music is the ticket to the stars.
A few days before the show my car began to behave terribly. The transmission had been a little fussy of late, but something had changed for the worse. My work schedule was nuts - I had no time to get it to the shop - I had to hope it would get me to work and back - I didn't know what I was going to do for the weekend. Saturday morning I stuck my head under the hood. I am not a mechanic, but I can take care of simple things. I checked the gap on the plugs, topped off the oil, and checked the fluids, and snooped around. And then I saw it - the electronics of cars baffle me, but I could hardly ignore a snapped off wire connected to the fuel injection. The soldering gun and solder were right where they should have been (when does that ever happen?) - I made a quick patch and crossed my fingers. I turned over the engine and she sounded fine.....
Catherine says there are Johnny Angels who make sure we get to the gigs safely (and we are not talking Shelly Fabres songs here). This comes from her experience a while back when she and her friend Craig were driving up to Berkeley to see John at the "Freight and Salvage" and a tire blew on the freeway. When they pulled over to the side a crew of road angels appeared and they fixed the tire and she and Craig were back on their way, in time to make the show. I can't say I believe in these Johnny Angels ... but somehow my car was fixed for the moment, and when I left late in the day for the long drive down, with rain squalls coming and going that would bust in so that you could barely see the car in front of you ... I had not a worry. I figured someone was watching out for me, and the ugly climb over the coast mountain and down to Santa Cruz, with the deadly combo of rain and fog - I made it through fine. There were police cars waiting in spots along the road, with occasional red flares out in the foggy dark to guide the travelers. I knew they were there waiting for the inevitable - a car sliding out of control - but I knew it would not be me. When John would drive that same road a short while later, he too would pass safely, but he would be late for the gig because the inevitable accident had happened and tied up the pass through the mountains.
When I walked up towards the Kuumbwa I was surprised to see the familiar face of Georgia Navarro outside on the sidewalk - she used to live fairly close but had recently moved to Reno. The magic of the music had made her come, and she had flown down to the show. We talked for a moment and then I looked over at the end of the line for familiar faces - "Everyone is up front" she said, so I scooted up ahead and there they were - an abundance of familiar faces and friends. Before I could say hi to one, there was a hand on my shoulder and this husky voice to my side in this FBI-like persona starts talking about investigating this phenomenon - the baffled look upon my face was quickly remedied by the discovery that my buddy "Goldmine" Jim had driven all the way up from San Diego as a surprise ... and what a surprise it was. But the few minutes before the door opened were rapidly taken up with quick hellos to Dave Batti and these wonderful folks and introductions to family and friends.
Les Barker opened the show. He recited many hysterical poems that he had written. A comic poet he is. Although we were not happy, and a little worried that John was late in arriving, Les really warmed up the crowd with his offbeat humor and crazy rhyme. "Occasional tables" and "Dachshunds with Erections can't climb stairs" and many more put the audience into hysterics. But the really good stuff, the reason we were all there, was about to come.
I put on "Punch the Big Guy" as I made the kid's lunches this morning. Surely one of John's finest. And it takes me back to how it began...
"oh there is a train
and it runs by my room
and it wakes me up in the middle of the night
at the arc of the rising moon..."
The concert starts with a one-two punch from the Big Guy, "Ticket to the Stars," and "Strange Rivers." It sometimes only takes three or four notes to recognize a song, and John had come out and picked up the 12 string Taylor, and "Get your ticket to the stars" pops into my mind unbidden. But there had been no time for a soundcheck, with John arriving well into Les Barker's opening comedy, and the guitar didn't sound right, so he set it aside in favor of the 6 string. But then he launched into "Ticket to the Stars," and it was quickly evident from John and Dave's vibrant play that it was going to be a great night. The first three rows were full of people from Bloodlines, all scattered about, with Mott and Rhea near dead center. Mott somehow was not in his seat when the show began and came up to sit after "Ticket to the Stars." John could not let this pass, and goes into an ad-lib routine about being "tardy - what an anal word etc. It was rather funny at Mott's expense. Before he would begin "Always Young" from the "One Night in Denver" CD, John talked about how he still felt like a kid inside, as I mentioned earlier ...
I'm a teenage kid from my high school days you
know
I got grown up clothes and grown up ways and so
A kid has dreams in a grown up haze
'Cause I can't live in yesterdays
I can't live, oooh
In yesterdays
Can't live in yesterday
In yesterdays
no I can't live in yesterday
When I hear "Da Do Run Run" you know
"Don't Be Cruel" and "Born To Run" and so
I crank it up and I pop a can
And then I know just who I am
I know, oooh
Just who I am
That is simply who I am
Just who I am
That is simply who I am
There is a bird I keep inside you know
And I keep her free so she can fly and so
The song she sings is "You have won
If in your heart you're always young"
In your heart, oooh
And you're always young
If you sing you're always young...
The Trio died in '61 you know
and they tapped me - they said come here son and so
We're double parked, let the motor run
We get the money, you get the fun
Oooh
and I got the fun
I was singing in the sun
and I got the fun, yeah
Singing in the sun, in the sun .....
After this John looked down at Catherine and smiled. He told the audience that there was someone here with a birthday, and with John leading we all sang Happy Birthday to Catherine.
"July, You're A Woman" followed, and then the remarkable "Long Train of Dreams." This song is on the Rocket Roy Plus CD, and just keeps getting better. I'm not sure how he does this with songs - maybe one just needs to hear things in different ways. I've liked "Long Train of Dreams" from the start, but this was one, of several songs during the night, that upon hearing again just took on more feeling and meaning. Sometimes you just hear things that you've never heard before.
John switched over to the 12 string Taylor and went into "Chilly Winds." And then followed with "Blonde Star", mentioning shorlty into the song, as an interjection, that he had written it while touring with Stevie Nicks. It was time to make someone feel special again, and John dedicated "Cowboy in the Distance" to Catherine for her birthday. Can you imagine what it must feel like when "Neon" Johnny Dreams sings a song to you? I think that Rhea was beside herself in excitement at the thought. "Cowboy" has become my absolute concert favorite recently, but it is getting some competition.
John followed with a rousing "Irresistible Targets" and then went into an incredible "Fire in the Wind." John and Dave were so full of energy concert night - and they were so in sync playing off of each other - Dave was playing some phenomenally good bass - there was truly fire in the wind between the two of them.
And then the song that is giving "Cowboy" some serious competition - the brand new "Walk on the Moon." The debut of this song was only a month ago at the Palms, and it had struck me then. I listened much more closely, with the benefit of a second hearing, and I am convinced that this will soon become a favorite of many. The song is wonderful - such an intimate portrait of John's feelings.
John then went into a very strong "I Remember America" a song he remarked about as quite appropriate in election years. This moved right into a surprise, a full of life rendering of "Hearts and Dreams on the Line" from the "Last Campaign" album.
"oh time after time you can read the signs
with our hearts and our dreams on the line
And if someone has a light
you'd better shine it every night
with our hearts and our dreams on the line
..... there's nowhere left to run
for the children all have guns
with our hearts and our dreams on the line...."
John just got better as he launched into an interwoven "Rivers of Light" and "Oldest Living Son." This is the kind of stuff you come to concerts for - the unexpected like this and "Hearts and Dreams on the Line". John then dedicated his next song, after a call form the back of the crowd for the big horse, to the promoter of the show, Sleepy John, who had just survived a near fatal head on collision. John and Dave were really rocking and though this song has appeared in many recent shows, this was full of the energy of a new song. Sleepy John Sandidge, when he introduced John at the show's opening had himself paid tribute to John by saying that of all the shows he has presented over the years, the artist he was most proud to present was John.
There was a great round of applause and John would follow with "Star in the Black Sky Shining". The crowd was on its feet applauding. I had been expecting two sets, as John often does, but I couldn't figure why the first set was going so long. It would turn out to be just one long set, but one to hold on to. Looking over at Dave, John declares: "Butter the monkey. We're playing another." and John would then finish up the show with "Mother Country."
John was full of jokes throughout the night, mostly at Dave's expense, which I haven't tried to recount because I would certainly get them wrong. But the funny moments mixed in with these remarkable songs are all part of the experience.
John came out after the show and warmly greeted many many fans who were waiting to talk. There were lots of photographs including this huge group of folks who posed onstage with John and Dave. John had told the audience to see me about Bloodlines and so I had to try and scribble a URL I should know by heart, but you would be surprised how difficult that can be after one of these shows. Next time I'll print up a batch of cards to hand out with the website and Bloodlines info and we can have them available at the CD table.
After the show John invited some of us back to the dressing room while Dave was busy packing up. He wanted us to meet his brother Michael, and Michael's son Jamie. Yes, Michael Stewart was there, and it was a little thrill to be there and see him also. John wanted us all to relax and sit down on the chair and sofa and ordered us to stop standing. John had mockups of the new McCabe's live CD cover art, titled "Way Too Much Fun". Howard "the Roadman" is very flattered to the point of no words to describe the feeling and honor that John will be using his pictures on the new CD. The playlist for the McCabe's CD looks great, and I'll just say that when you hear the unbelievably good version of "Under Heavy Fire" you will be knocked out. How in the world could this song have almost been lost? We talked about the effort underway to release some of John's old material, the "lost songs" from the box. We let John know that we aren't expecting perfection, but we want really do want to hear the unreleased songs. We also talked photos, CD burning, websites and all sort of stuff like the new lyrics database about to come out.
It was such a nice wind down after the show to sit there at ease and talk
with John. He has become so very real to me these last few years. Afterwards,
we hauled John's gear and guitars out to the van. "I'm carrying that one"
Carla declared as I reached for one guitar case she obviously thought should
be in her hands. I chuckled inside. We all want to touch the
magic.
When we reached the the parking lot John was worried about the low pressure on a front tire, and with the weather as it was and a three hour drive ahead of him ,there was no sense not being careful. His wheel cover was jammed up against the tire stem so that it would be impossible to get air in. And the wheel cover itself was jammed - Mott produced a tire iron and I tried to get the wheel cover off, but it appeared I would break it in doing so. I didn't exactly want to be the guy to break John's wheel, so John decided it was time to call AAA.
We had a long wait, as I'm sure the tow trucks were busy with all the
rain. But it ended up as an extension to our
dressing room visit with us all talking as we
waited for the truck driver to arrive to fix John's tire and John refueled
himself on the delicious carrot cake that Kate had made for Catherine's birthday.
Then it was time to say good night --- and every man wishes that the girl in his arms had a look on her face like Catherine has when John hugs her. And probably more than a few girls wish that they were there.
There are not many nights like this. Just remember, when you have a chance, get your ticket to the stars.
Here's the setlist:
(6 string Taylor)
Ticket to the Stars
Strange Rivers
Always Young
Happy Birthday group sing to Catherine
July You're A Woman
Long Train of Dreams
(12 string Taylor comes out)
Chilly Winds
Blonde Star
Cowboy in the Distance (dedicated to Catherine for her birthday)
Irresistible Targets
Fire in the Wind
Walk on the Moon
I Remember America
Hearts and Dreams on the Line
Rivers of Light / Oldest Living Son
Let the Big Horse Run (dedicated to Sleepy John Sandidge, the show's promoter)
encore:
Star in the Black Sky Shining
Mother Country
Ron Beffa, February 2000
all photos courtesy of the Roadman. See many more photos from the show at the Roadman's Bloodnotes website
