Going to see Adrian Belew Saturday

[Hyfi]

I got 4th row tickets at the Sellersville Theater to see Adrian Belew and his recent Power Trio tomorrow night. I wondered who would be in his trio so I searched.
It turns out he is touring with two of the first graduates of The School Of Rock from my area. Julie Slick, 21, on bass and her 20 year old brother on drums. A bit cayious, I searched again to find this.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jUkt_ymc-3o

Hard to imagine but very cool to see this young girl follow this bass line with no problems. This clip is from this tour so I am in for a nice treat if they play this and others from Beat/Discipline era.

Has anyone seen Adrian lately and what did you think?

Hyfi

[Troy]

Too bad I can't hear the bass at all on that youtube thing cuz she's using chapman stick fingering on a regular bass. Weird.

I'd go. It's been a few years since I've seen him. Is he coming to San Francisco?

You'd think, what with a brand new Bears album just released (pretty good), that he'd use Fetters, Nyswonger and Arduser as his touring band. He's done this in the past.

[Hyfi]

Too bad I can't hear the bass at all on that youtube thing cuz she's using chapman stick fingering on a regular bass. Weird.

I'd go. It's been a few years since I've seen him. Is he coming to San Francisco?

You'd think, what with a brand new Bears album just released (pretty good), that he'd use Fetters, Nyswonger and Arduser as his touring band. He's done this in the past.


Troy,

I'm glad you replied since you are one of the reasons I am going to see this show. I had your excellent 9 Pair in rotation when I was sent a link for this show. Having been to The Sellersville for the first time a few months ago to see the California Guitar Trio, I jumped at the chance to see another good show in this small awesome venue.

Maybe I can hear the bass line because it's burnt into my head. Beat and Discipline are two of my favorite KC disks. I went to see KC way back when those two disks first came out.

I don't think he is coming your way as it is not announced.

2007 ADRIAN BELEW POWER TRIO TOUR
[Updated June 11, 2007]
June 19, 2007 - Mercy Lounge - Nashville, TN
June 21, 2007 - Jammin Java - Vienna, VA
June 22, 2007 - Rams Head On Stage - Annapolis, MD
June 23, 2007 - Sellersville Theatre - Sellersville, PA
June 24, 2007 - School of Rock Fest. Rocks - Asbury Park, NJ
June 25, 2007 - B.B. King's Blue Club - New York, NY
July 11, 2007 - Intl. Summer Fest - Quebec City, QC NEW
July 15, 2007 - Kyoiku Bunka Kaikan - Toyama, JPN NEW
July 16-22, 2007 - Blue Note - Tokyo, JPN NEW

I think it's really cool that superstars give these young talented kids exposure.

I will post a review after the show.

[3-LockBox]

I'm glad to see younger people digging obscure music like this.

I'm sure it will be a good show. I've been getting into Belews solo career as of late, and I find he is one talented guy. I think I'd rather hear one of his solo projects than another dense, meandering KC project.

[Troy]

I'm glad to see younger people digging obscure music like this.

I'm sure it will be a good show. I've been getting into Belews solo career as of late, and I find he is one talented guy. I think I'd rather hear one of his solo projects than another dense, meandering KC project.

Then buy the new Bears album:

http://www.thebearsmusic.com/

You'll love it. Maybe.

That tour, Quebec to Japan in 3 days? What is that, like 40 hours of travel time? I'd be jetlagged to death! They really should stop on the west coast for a few show to try and acclimate themselves . . .

[Hyfi]

Well, this was one of the most surprising shows I have been to in a long time.

The opening act was a local gal named Caryn Lin who is making a pretty good name for herself using an electric violin and looping. She has been all over TV and schools with her program called Bach to Rock.

Adrian and his power trio came out to a faulty mic but started the show anyway with a song I was not familiar with. At the end of the song, they fixed his mic and they started the show again. I don't know the name of the tune but as the rest of the show it was kick ass.

The Power Trio consisted of Adrian along with brother and sister Julie and Eric Slick. They were highly recommended as the top graduates ever from the local Philly School of Rock. Julie is 21 while her brother is 20. I have never witnessed talent like this from youngsters besides the likes of Eric Steckle and just a few others.

For all but one track, Julie played a Fender Precision (or possibly the Jazz model but I could not read the head). She also played a beautiful Frettless Gibson on one track. The drum kit Eric played was not elaborate but the kid had chops. If you could mix a Weckl and Bruford together, Eric is what you'd get. Neither of them missed a beat or note while keeping up with the veteran Belew. I am also surprised kids of their age getting into the obscure (as 3LB put it) music of Belew and King Crimson. My only complaint about the bassist Julie, is that she did not have a good stage persona. I seriously don't think she has a clue just how good she really is and therefor was a bit quiet and shy on stage. Most of the time she played the most difficult Tony Levin bass lines, she looked bored or asleep although she ripped up every note.

Playlist went something like this and not in this order:

A few songs I didn't know.
Dinosaur
Some song about a Cat
Rinosaurous
Neurotica
Three of a Perfect Pair
A song about ruining the earth
A few more of which I was not familiar

Encore was:

Thela Hun Gingeet
Elephant Talk

Adrian must be the Master at making a Guitar sound like anything but a Guitar. The sounds he can make are truly incredible. His voice was still all but stellar as he did play several songs in an octave a bit lower than the originals. His voice only cracked once that I noticed on a high note.

Unfortunately for me, the last time I saw Adrian Belew was with KC in 1982 just after the release of Beat and Discipline. I immediately fell in love with both disks and was overjoyed that this show included tracks from that era along with TOAPP.

On a side note, this weekend was also the School of Rock Festival where all the kids performed along with some giants including Adrian. Eric Slick had just arrived at the show to perform after playing with FIVE other bands on Saturday, and again was to play today with several others including Adrian and his sister.

Cheers to the School of Rock for molding such talent that by far blows away most bands and their music of today. These kids can play circles around most of the top performing Popular Artist of today and the last couple decades. If anyone gets a chance to see this performance, I highly recommend it.

Hyfi

[Troy]

Probably "Big Electric Cat."

AB an octave lower is probably a good thing.

The documentary called "Rock School" is a must see if you are curious about the school or it's students. It's real and it's heady stuff. It's also a must see for Zappa fans. It's also a must see for fans of Amish Rap.

Good review, sounds like a cool show. I wish they were swinging thru the west coast.