| Author | Message | ||
| jacko
Senior Member Username: jacko Post Number: 1137 Registered: 10-2002 |
Only 5 days to go!!! Who's interested in meeting up before the gig? Jazzy, I'll give you a call Saturday to try and make some arrangements. If anyone can suggest a suitable tavern near the venue that we could meet up in, that would be great. If anyone's interested, drop me a note and I'll mail you my mobile number. Graeme Update. According to the webmaster of the Stanley Clarke forum, it's a smallish venue and the doors open at 7 so if you want to get to the front, you'll need to be there early. (Message edited by jacko on April 24, 2007) | ||
| bracheen
Senior Member Username: bracheen Post Number: 1208 Registered: 11-2003 |
You're in for a great time Graeme. I saw him here in a small venue. It was a bar basically. He put on a great show and interacted with the crowd all night. | ||
| bigbadbill
Advanced Member Username: bigbadbill Post Number: 312 Registered: 10-2003 |
Looking forward to it, although I'm there Monday, not Sunday. | ||
| jacko
Senior Member Username: jacko Post Number: 1144 Registered: 10-2002 |
Just got back from my weekend in the Big City. Boy what a day Sunday turned out to be. Spent the day at the London guitar show which was a bit of a disappointment for bassists. EBS, Warwick and Marc Bass were there but that was pretty much it as far as big names go. We got to see Dominique di piazza (john McLaughlin) doing several demos and Steve Howe appeared on the main stage for a half hour acoustic set. Sadly, the event was dominated by several thousand guitarists all trying to out-malmsteen each other at full volume. In complete contrast, Stanley's gig was incredible. We got to the venue some 2 hours before the show and managed to get right up against the stage. Here's what we spent alot of time drooling over....  Meanwhile we'd got talking to a group of Polish Bass players who were working as hotel staff in London as they couldn't get work in poland. nice guys but totally mad....  That's Mike Pisanek on the right. Once Stanley started playing, I was amazed at the size of his hands. I'd managed to shake his hand as he went into the venue earlier but hadn't appreciated just how big they are - this shot makes his Alembic look like a toy...  (by the way, if I'd reached out I could have changed his tone settings, I was that close). Interestingly, he also played a f****r for a short tune...  It's a victor bailey signature model. Sounded very nice when Stanley played;-) The highlight of the show for me was his upright section. He played a couple of duets with his Israeli pianist then launched into one of the most amazing solos I've ever heard - even putting Victor's two handed tapping pyrotechnics to shame.  This was followed by an incredible drum solo and a brief encore. Overall, the show was superb but too short. While waiting for an autograph, we finally met up with Jazzyvee who'd come down from Birmingham for the day and here we are...  Sadly, Stanley wasn't doing a signing session so we had to chase him out of the building to get his attention. I managed a quick word but Jazzy wasn't able to get his control cavity cover signed. So, after a 30 year wait, I finally got to see one of my biggest bass heroes and boy was it worth it. Graeme | ||
| jazzyvee
Senior Member Username: jazzyvee Post Number: 843 Registered: 6-2002 |
Hey it was great meeting you two guys. I have to say it was a "good" gig but not a "great" gig from my perspective. I agree the double bass section was the best part as far as I was concerned. I was quite disappointed that the overall band was not as interesting musically as when I last saw him which was about 13 yrs ago at the Coach house in California. However on that gig he was with Billy Cobham, Larry Carlton, Najee and Deron Johnson. That was AWESOME, I was expecting to hear more from his latest album and a bit of Vertu, and some of the amazing unison runs with the band that he really excels at. He did actully play one of the vertu tracks I think on the acoustic bass guitar. Maybe I had built the gig up in my mind so much since it's been ages since I last saw him live. Three of my mates who aslo came down from Birmingham to see the gig left before the concert was half way through as they were very disappointed. They were at his last gig in Ronnie scotts last year and said that this was very lame in comparrison. Having said that, I certainly would go to another of his gigs. But I'd probably check who was also in the band first. I did hang around for about 1/2 hour after Stanley left the building as he insisted that he would be returning to the venue. But he never showed up and I had a trip back to consider. In actual fact we are all intending to email the Jazz cafe to complain about the way that the crowd was packed in and we could hardly see anything. I'm 5'10 and had trouble seeing through the crowd and everyone else who was with me was shorter so they hardly saw anything apart from stanleys head. Considering we all paid £25.99 ($50.00us) you should expect to get a good view of the stage. Jazzyvee | ||
| keavin
Senior Member Username: keavin Post Number: 1144 Registered: 12-2002 |
That is Soooo cool!!! | ||
| bigbadbill
Advanced Member Username: bigbadbill Post Number: 313 Registered: 10-2003 |
Well I got back last night from Monday's show, and it was unbelieveable!!!! Far better than when I saw him with george Duke in 80-something, although he was great then too. I was about 6 ft from the stage, but that was as close as I needed to be. I think my highlight was Lopsy Lu, which I didn't expect. I loved the way the band were so relaxed and basically just jamming so much, and the drummer (whose name I forget...) wow!!!!!!! Lovely to see the band in a venue that small too. Also got to shake the man's hand (and yes, they are big) and got my DVD signed, which was nice. I can honestly say I had the time of my life. | ||
| jazzyvee
Senior Member Username: jazzyvee Post Number: 844 Registered: 6-2002 |
Hopefully next time I will have a better experience. May have to book a table and sit upstairs, but hopefully he will be in a venue with a better all round view. I'm glad you had a great time. Jazzyvee | ||
| jazzyvee
Senior Member Username: jazzyvee Post Number: 845 Registered: 6-2002 |
Hey just noticed that photo close up of Clarkee with his bass, he isn't using the five pin plug. I wonder why cos he certainly had the right rig for running in stereo. Jazzyvee | ||
| bigbadbill
Advanced Member Username: bigbadbill Post Number: 314 Registered: 10-2003 |
Maybe it wasn't quite as packed Monday, I could see fine (but then I'm 6ft so usually can). In fact my view was perfect. Sorry your experience wasn't good Jazzyvee. I'd have been so gutted if mine had been the same. Luckliy I enjoyed it more than any concert I've seen in the past ten years or so. I just wish I'd bought tickets for all 3 nights! | ||
| bigbadbill
Advanced Member Username: bigbadbill Post Number: 315 Registered: 10-2003 |
BTW, anyone know what gauge strings he's currently using? | ||
| jacko
Senior Member Username: jacko Post Number: 1145 Registered: 10-2002 |
Jazzy. We had a discussion around the gear he was using - all the amps semed to have been hired from JHS and I guess they probably wouldn't have had an Alembic series power supply. Stanley's own DS-5 would be 110 volts cos he's american so it would blow up if he used it in the UK. Here's a question his bass brought up.... If he's using series 1 electronics why doesn't his signature bass have them? Graeme | ||
| bigbadbill
Advanced Member Username: bigbadbill Post Number: 318 Registered: 10-2003 |
I think the Signatures were supposed to be more "affordable" versions of his and Mark King's basses, hence the lack of Series electronics. But I know what you mean!  | ||
| davehouck
Moderator Username: davehouck Post Number: 5029 Registered: 5-2002 |
A list of the current band members is here. | ||
| jacko
Senior Member Username: jacko Post Number: 1152 Registered: 10-2002 |
Dave. This show only included Ruslan, Phil and Ron. There was no guitarist or violin. Graeme |
