Carey Bell Show.

[Norbert Brunhuber <brun@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

  Last night I caught 2 out of the three sets of the Carey Bell
performance.  He was a very nice gentleman, relaxed in his style of
playing.  He was playing marine bands through a green bullet. 
Occassionally he would use a wireless vocal mike.  The amps he was using,
I couldn't tell but he did have a wild effects pedal that gave some heavy
reverb.  He also used a 64 hole chromatic (but didn't touch the slide!)

  His tone was great but the melodies sometimes were a bit rough, just 
like his singing.  The tone he got through the chromatic sounded just 
like one of those cheesy Hammond organs.  Amazing!  The show was a lot of 
fun and the crowd enjoyed it (particularly a rendition of "Too Late.")  
During a slow Mississippi style number, he went out into the crowd and 
let a bunch of the harp-player wannabees play.  The crowd also thought 
this was great.

  I thought it was big of Carey to let other people play during his show. 
I guess at his age and experience he is confident enough in his skill (and
ego!).  This brings up a point though about harp players -- when are we as
a group going to pay some respect for ourselves?  Do we see drummers or
bass players dragging their instruments into a show and playing along, or
demanding to play with the band?  I always wonder why if these gunslingers
were so great, why don't they get their own band??  Because our instrument
is so portable, we have to display some self-discipline. 

  I come to a show to hear other performers.  I get my act together when I
want to play.  No mixing. 

--Norbert