Seeing the boys in a little over a week. I believe they are 2nd billed of 8. Headliner appears to be Mitch Ryder for Detroit. Playing 30 minutes max. Too bad as Rare Earth was the 1st of nearly a 1,000 shows I've seen since 1972!
Nice job guys! Only had time for Hey Big Brother, Papa Was A Rolling Stone, Get Ready, and I Just Want To Celebrate. 2nd billed out of 8. Hometown hero Mitch Ryder closed. Met the guys who signed a lot of "stuff". Gil's mom was zooming around taking pics in the front row! Ivan has done a nice job being the new kid on the block. Guys were surprised to see I had Made In Switzerland (official pressing CD!) and Different World! Randy said he didn't even have a copy on CD!!!!!! They said they are coming in a few weeks to the Motor City Casino...I'll be there and so should you!!!
As for Hippiefest, great time. Wavy was fun. Surprised how well Terry Sylvester (Hollies-Bus Stop, Carrie Anne, Long Cool Woman In A Black Dress, & He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother) and Denny Laine (Moody Blues & Wings-Time To Hide, Go Now, & Band On The Run) were. Also surprised/impressed with Canned Heat (On The Road Agian, Going Up The Country, Let's Work Together, Boogie). Mountain (Never In My Life, Mississippi Queen, & Nantucket Sleighride) and Country Joe (Entertainment Is My Business, George Bush, Fish Cheer/Fixing To Die Rag) were great as usual. Need to catch full sets of both. Corky Laing and Leslie West are goofs. Joe is as topical/political/relavent as ever. Melaine....well she was OK. Voice seems to be going a bit (Brand New Key, Look What They've Done To My Song, Jam, Lay Down). Mitch got to play a couple of extras as it was closing night for Hippiefest 2006 and he was home. Shock of shocks he did a GREAT version of Gimmie Shelter and finished with Rock and Roll from Detroit! Also did Sock It To Me, Jenny Take A Ride, Little Latin Lupe Lu, Devil With A Blue Dress On & Good Golly Miss Molly.
All in all, a lot of fun. Crowd was a bit light. Maybe 5,000... hard to tell with lawn. Still, more than most would pull on their own.
If I could only have been backstage.................aaaaah!
There were two HIPPIE Fest shows here in the NY metropolitan area and Rare Earth was definitely the headliner at both these shows. The shows here were at two different venues and some of the other acts were not invoved with both shows, but each show was awesome and how could it not be if Rare Earth was there. Both shows were really hot shows and I'm not even talking about the bands at the moment. These shows took place during the August heatwave here in the northeast and the temperture was 101degrees at the Brookhaven show but a little cooler with a 99 degree reading at the sea breeze park gig. Once Rare Earth came on they burned up the stage with the classics that everyone was waiting for. The band played on and gave the fans their best effort just as they have done so for the last forty plus years. Fill your head with dirt. JockoD
