February 6, 1999 Maynard, Massachusetts Show Review

The crowd filtered in a bit more slowly than on Friday, but the house filled to capacity by show time. Many were slowed by the fine show which began falling in eastern Massachusetts during the late afternoon and continued for several hours. Everyone seemed a bit more relaxed than before, which was fine by me, as the pace of traveling and attending shows was starting to wear on me by Saturday night. If it was wearing on me, I can't even begin to imagine the toll that touring takes on the band!

The first half of the show was taped by Chris Locke for conversion to streaming video. This is now available through Dave's Web site, at http://www.davedavies.com/ .

Once again, Joanne's early reservations netted us great seats up front! This afforded us the chance to chat a bit with Dave Nolte and Nathan.

About twenty minutes before the show, Dave emerged from the basement and walked across the room to the restroom located in the back of the bar, as the assembled masses cheered and applauded. I rather suspect that he hasn't been applauded for going to the toilet for somewhere around fifty years.

The band went on at 9:30, since the opening act was cancelled after the previous night's difficulties. I was disappointed, as I'd been looking forward to seeing another set by Les Lokey (the scheduled opening act).

Dave's set included:

'Til the End of the Day I Need You She's Got Everything Susannah's Still Alive Creepin' Jean Milk Cow Blues Unfinished Business Soothsayer Death of a Clown All Day and All of the Night Picture Book Climb Your Wall There Is No Life Without Love

This Man He Weeps Tonight Young and Innocent Days Fortis Green Living on a Thin Line I'm Not Like Everybody Else Encore Father Christmas Money David Watts 2nd Encore You Really Got Me

Dave's Webmaster, Chris Locke, began taping the show during the solo in "'Til the End of the Day," and continued through the end of "All Day and All of the Night." Because of the layout of the seating at the 'Bull, he pretty much stayed to stage left and center stage. As he moved around, we found ourselves ducking the audio cable and moving glasses out of the way to keep them from being swept off by it.

Since the first half of the show is available on the Webcast, I'll concentrate my comments on the remainder of the show.

Dave's talent for losing an earplug (usually the one from his right ear, for reasons unknown to me), manifested itself tonight when he threw a plug during "Climb Your Wall."

The crowd was "into it" in a big way, with lots of people swaying in their seats, clapping rhythm, though many were clapping rhythms uniquely their own. Since most everyone was seated, it looked rather like a game of donkey basketball.

For much of the show, Jill Brand and Kate Hunter were dancing and swaying and singing behind me. I joined them several times. The camaraderie in the room could be cut with a knife!

It was during the end of "Unfinished Business" that we had the most unusual experience of any of the shows we've attended. Dave swung his guitar around, barely grazed the stand holding up his lyrics book. That slight touch was enough to send the stand over, collapsing it on one of its legs. Nathan was out in a wink to right the stand, but one of the legs had crumpled, and whatever holds the legs in a down position had broken. He quickly shut the book and set it back in front of one of the amps while he tried to snap things back together. As the song wound down, though, he discovered that the stand was going to take some focused effort to fix. He made eye contact with Leslie, who shrugged, but then made a gesture that looked like cradling the book. Without blinking, Leslie took the two steps to the edge of the stage, knelt down and accepted the book from Nathan, who tried to reopen the book where it had been when it took its dive. Leslie held the book as "Soothsayer" began, but it was open to the wrong page. A few seconds later, as Dave gestured and mouthed "wrong page," Kate gently tagged Leslie, who quickly handed it to her. Kate flipped through the book until she found the words to "Soothsayer", then knelt holding the book for Dave. The entire episode took less than a minute.

Nathan returned about a song later with the field-repaired stand, held together with duct tape, and relieved Kate of her bookstand duties.

The crowd was better behaved than the previous night, but Pete Bochner took up a protective position in front of the stage as the show wound down, just in case.

Dave's respiratory problems kept him sniffling, and he was looking visibly uncomfortable by the end of the show. When he coughed and spat at the end of a particularly spirited run through "I'm Not Like Everybody Else," a voice from the back of the room cried "Mucus Rules!" Now, I'm a fan of Dave's and all, but I do have to draw the line at cheering the man's bodily excretions...

The moment I'd been waiting for all trip came during the first encore set- the combined "Money" and "David Watts." Knowing the story behind "David Watts," it has always struck me as extremely funny that Dave chooses to perform this song. I also enjoy the glee with which he pounces into the song at the end of "Money."

With the crowds milling about the stage after the second encore, and the temperature in the room rather high from the exertion of the audience, we beat a quick retreat from the 'Bull. This show was a great end to a great vacation!

-Fritz Milhaupt

&nbnsp;

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Excerpts From the Diary of a Raving Dave Fan

Saturday, Feb 6th, Sit 'n Bull Pub. Maynard, Massachusetts
(or how I became a music stand)

The last show of our trip. Once again we found ourselves in the lair of Peter Bochner and friends. Veggie burger for this veg-head!

With the previous nights concern about the opening band moving things, the schedule opening act, which was to be Les Lokey once more, was cancelled.

This was also the night of the webcast. Chris Locke was all set up to tape both audio and video, the first half hour of Dave's concert.

The band seemed a bit subdued when Chris was taping for some reason. Dave didn't flirt with us ladies in the front row, he didn't chat much between songs and looked into the distance more. That is not to say that he and the band didn't rock out! They played wonderfully, but one could tell they were too aware of the camera.

I had been making eye contact with Nathan off and on during the taped portion and he'd smile at me and give me the thumbs up. I was looking at him when Dave's guitar chord brushed the music stand holding Dave's lyric cheat sheet book, and the whole rig collapsed.

Nathan swiftly picked up the book and stand and tried to get the stand upright again. Then panic struck when he realized that the stand needed some repair. He held the stand in one hand and the book in the other and got this deer in the head light look.

I gestured to him, palms upward arms spread, and mouthed, "What can I do to help?". My posture must have reminded him of the stand, because he thrust the lyric book at me and asked me to hold the book for Dave for the next song!

So I did! Without really thinking about it, I knelt in front of Dave and did my best music stand imitation, which as I had it on the wrong page, was not the best one I guess!

Kate, Dave's merchandise manager and general all round helpmate, relieved me of the book and found the right page. She did her music stand imitation until Nathan showed up with the newly duct taped music stand and relieved Kate of her duty.

Peter Bochner did his best to keep the crowd under control, and did a wonderful job. Dave closed out the set with one of Fritz's favorite song combinations, "I'm Not Like Everybody Else", "Money" and "David Watts".

Dave and the band surprised us by coming back for an encore, and then all too soon the show was over.

Epilogue

Now that I've been back in the real world, the non-Dave tour world of my normal life, I reflect on this trip. I got to be with some of the nicest people in Kinkdom, got to see Dave Davies and his band live 4 times and traveled to Vermont.

Was it all worth it I ask myself.

The answer?

HELL YES!!

RAVING DAVE FANS UNITE!!

-Leslie Ohanian

Photo by Fritz Milhaupt