Well, here is one memorable occasion if there ever was one!
This show was held at the Fanny Brice Theater at Stony Brook University, organized by our friend and local poet & impressario Billy Capozzi. It was to be an open mic poetry reading, sandwiched by two sets (one acoustic, the other electric) from Life Out Of Balance. After the poetry reading - and before our electric set - would be a performance by the Anowa Drummers, two conga players (we had never met). At some point in the show, Billy would come up and we'd improvise with his poetry. The theme of the night: "The Music Will Bring Us Together". So far, so good.
When Hubie showed up for this show, he was very, very sick and his voice was practically gone. We considered canceling, but the whole thing was built around us so the "show must go on" spirit prevailed. (ironically, one year later, almost to the day, Hubie did end up missing a gig due to illness - as far as I know the only such occasion in LOOB history!) Hubie's voice is so weak and hoarse, I get sympathy pains just listening. I wouldn't be surprised if half the audience got a sore throat, just from sitting in front of him! Ted and myself (and even Frank) did as much as we could, adding supportive harmony anywhere we could fit it in.
That said, the show begins with a beautiful acoustic set. Because we wanted to give Hubie's voice a break, we spaced out his songs, and we had to add some numbers, ones that we had never played before. In fact my song ("The Last Song") was one I wrote that morning, we only did it this one time, and I was reading it from a sheet of paper that had temporary lyrics (the demo eventually had a different set of lyrics). It incorporated a piece of an earlier song LOOB used to do called "Happy Day". I actually never demoed "Happy Day" nor is there a tape of LOOB playing it and I've since forgotten how it went! But I know the "spinning 'round like a bicycle" part comes from that song. Never to let one of us die a death, Ted always gives support to the music and in this case sang great harmony, even though he had only just heard the song before we went on.
Along with the stage debut of "No Excuses" (complete with audience clap-along), and a really nice acoustic version of "The Advocate", we play Hubie's "When I", a song I had forgotten about until I began this archival project, and the fact that it's an acoustic rendition makes it a real treat.
After an open mic poetry reading, the Anowa Drummers came up to play. They were two conga players and - as you can hear - played very melodic, poly-rhythmic drum duets. While they were in the middle of their set, Billy nudged us over to join the Anowa Drummers and start playing. To their surprise, we walked onstage during their performance, picked up our instruments, and started jamming along. You can tell when we hit the stage, because they start playing like rattlesnakes! It's very animalistic!
After a bit of jamming, Hubie started playing a new song of ours that wasn't quite ready: "Baby, It's Warm Outside". So this first jam/song isn't perfect, but it was definitely a theatrical moment when we "invaded" the stage and "took back" the show.
After the Anowa Drummers left the stage, we warmed ourselves up with a couple of quintessential LOOB numbers, "Wintertime", and a cool "Return Britain", and then Billy came up to perform some of his pieces with the band. I recognize some of the poems as being "I Am America", "The Music Will Bring Us Together" and "Bluebird", though some of this may be improvised. We jam along, Ted once again really playing out and keeping it together and the band eventually gets into a zone, Billy's words taking us to some interesting places.
After Billy's piece, we bang through some of our numbers and gain momentum, and the jamming resumes with a nice "Sailing", Frank particularly shining on this version. Bringing us back to earth, Hubie breaks out "Ocean Town", one of the few versions I have on tape.
There is a great video of this show which I will post as soon as possible.
Fanny Brice Theatre, Stony Brook University, 4/11/91
acoustic set
What You Say
Windstorm
Don't Step On The Blue Grass
I'm Crying
The Last Song (Familiar Highway)
The Advocate
Babaloo
No Excuses
When I
The Anowa Drummers ->
electric set
Jam (with The Anowa Drummers) ->
Baby, It's Warm Outside
Wintertime
Return Britain
The Music Will Bring Us Together (with Billy Capozzi)
I Owe ->
It's All Right
I Know Your Name ->
Sailing ->
Ocean Town
Beating A Dead Horse
Gimme Fun (with the Anowa Drummers)
Jam (with Billy Capozzi and the Anowa Drummers)
Hubert Poole - guitar, vocal, percussion
Frank Russell - guitar, vocal, percussion
Ted Schreiber - bass, acoustic guitar, harmonica, vocal, percussion
Michael Goodman - drums, acoustic guitar, vocal
Billy Capozzi -poet, emcee
The Anowa Drummers - congas
(at this point, I do not have the names of the two guys who made up The Anowa Drummers, will update if I ever find out their true identities! I am pretty sure Greg was the first name of one!)
Recorded by John Russell on a Tascam Portastudio cassette 4-track. John also did the live mix.
Thanks John, and thanks Billy.
download here:
part 1: http://www.mediafire.com/download/qjunzjxrkpfrec9/1991-04-11+Fanny+Brice+Theatre%2C+Stony+Brook+University-+part+1.zip
part 2: http://www.mediafire.com/download/1q88i8l1vs0symd/1991-04-11+Fanny+Brice+Theatre%2C+Stony+Brook+University-+part+2.zip
The Fanny Brice Theatre was razed in 2007 to make way for new dormitories.
