Juggling Suns - 4/30/02 - The Conduit
Posted on 5/1/2002 at 09:48:06 AM by Taper Tim

Howdy Gang:

Great show last night, with super tight but extended versions of just about every song. The vocals were killer through the super sweet PA system. A reworked version of the new Mark song "See You Again" was very tasty indeed. More details later today.

Juggling Suns - 4/30/02
The Conduit - Trenton, NJ

(one long set - about 115 min)
Wicked History
PWave
Forbidden Fruit
Restless!!
See You Again!!
Shelter!
Stuck In The Middle >>
Toll Taker
Steppin' Off A Star >>
Fortune Teller >>
Festival >
Mountain Marlane >>
Into Tomorrow
Spin Song
Express Yourself

Peas
Taper Tim
 

Replies:

Juggling Suns - 4/30/02 - The Conduit - More Thoughts - By Taper Tim 5/1/2002 at 05:15:29 PM
Re(1): Juggling Suns - 4/30/02 - The Conduit - More Thoughts - By shaggy 5/2/2002 at 11:49:46 AM
Good times, good friends, GREAT show - By Ian 5/1/2002 at 11:34:23 AM

Juggling Suns - 4/30/02 - The Conduit - More Thoughts
Posted on 5/1/2002 at 05:15:29 PM by Taper Tim

Howdy Gang:

What a fun time last night at the Conduit. Here's a few more tale's about the night's adventure.

I got to the venue about 6:15 pm (only a 10 min drive from my office!), and it proceeded to continue raining as the van pulled into the parking lot. Several extra hands helped get the equipment loaded, and Mark and I got things on stage before the opening band started setting up. (FYI, yes, we really do try to get to the venues that early when there are opening bands. If Jugs can partially set up first, it makes the transition from opening band to Jugs soooo much easier).

Sooooo by 7:00 pm, we were down to the "hurry up and wait game." I got a chance to see the new CD (and the new baby pictures) which was really special. I just love the looks of the new CD, and the inside cover (with all of the song particulars and thank yous) is soooooo Pro-Fans - you guys are gonna love it!!!

We just hung out (Mark, Brianne, Brianne's brother John, and Beth). Folks started arriving around 8:30, but we still had two hours to kill. Some pizza and good coversation, and then setting up the taping "stuff." I managed to finagle (sp?) a SBD patch from the house sound guy Art, and we gave feeds to several folks, including a video feed - the Hi-Fi pro-quality digi camera was run by the venue - although we only got an hour of video, I can't wait to see and hear it - should be awesome.

The opening band finally ended around 10:15, and we had the usual run around getting the last minute hookups, drinks, etc. Jugs finally got things rolling around 10:35. Because of the light turnout (about 50-75 people in a venue that easily holds 400-500), it was agreed to do one long set.

Throughout the day, I was soooo optimistic about a good turnout - I thought for sure that the small crowd would dampen the band's spirits. Hell no!!! The really nice PA system just added fuel to the band's fire. From the opening notes of Wicked History to the final notes of Express Yourself, this was an incredibly well-played show, particularly all of the vocals (and especially Gus and Bruce - Mark is always loud in the vocal mix :).

After the powerful "minor jam" feel of Wicked History, we were treated to the shake your booty dance feel of Pwave. A nice version and a good start to the show. Bruce was next up with Forbidden Fruit, and this was one of nicer versions I can remember. I was a bit nervous about Restless in the fourth slot (I like to hear this later in the set when the band is in full groove), but no need to worry. This version just raged, and was probably the start of that "special feel" to the entire evening. The crowd was totally digging the powerful jazzy jam ending to this one, and their was a collective "wow" from the band when they finished.

Next up was Mark's new song "See You Again." This song has a bit of history to it. From the pen of the master Rick McGillis (as I understand it), this song is really about the band, and the trials and tribulations in a highly competitive market - the theme is sort of focused on encouraging the band to overcome any and all obstacles on the path to success. Mark got the words to this song from Rick just a short time ago, and apparently the song was completed in record time (the melody just came naturally to Mark). This song was first played in the key of D, and was debuted, literally without the rest of the band ever hearing the song, at the last Brass Lantern gig. It was played in the same format the next night at the Harvest Moon. The talk among the band was that it sounds a lot like U.S. Blues, but something like Loose Lucy. During the rehearsal for the 4/20/02 Juggling Friends gig, we changed the key to C (which made it seem less like U.S. Blues), and it was debuted in the key of C at the Annapolis gig. Well, last night they messed with it again, and it was played in the key of C, but with a very different feel (Bruce says it has a very similar feel to a fast version of Stuck in the Middle - I would have to agree). The result of all the transformations was a great success - a dance-til-you-drop fun song, with the flavor of a real fast Loose Lucy - I was blown away!

Next up was Shelter, and a raging version this one was - super sweet. Stuck in the Middle with great vocals from Bruce segued like a swiss watch (perfect timing) into Toll Taker. Mark got his usual raging guitar solo in at the end. Transitions, transitions, transitions - that's all I keep hearing about. Well how about Stepping Off A Star >> Fortune Teller - very sweet indeed, and a nice cosmic version of Fortune Teller to boot. A half second pause between Fortune Teller and Festival, and then another neat transition into Mtn. Marlane. This then segued sweetly into the new crowd response favorite Into Tomorrow. At this point, we needed to add one more song to reach the 12:30 am mark. I was pushing for Viola Lee, but instead we got a full out killer version of Spin Song - again great jams and great vocals on this one. Gus closed out the night with a tight version of Express Yourself that left everyone feeling cozy inside.

All in all, a wonderful show that virtually no one was there to enjoy. I kidded the promoter Jason about how we sometimes play these killer shows were to a crowd of 20 people, and if we don't watch out, this will be the most popular band that everyone listens to, but never sees in the bigger clubs. No worries - it was a rainy Tues night with all of the area colleges in the middle of finals week. As always, the NEXT SHOW, wherever it may be, holds the same promise of something truly special in front of a huge crowd.

See ya'll at the Blue Star on Friday for more shenanigans :)

Good times, good friends, GREAT show
Posted on 5/1/2002 at 11:34:23 AM by Ian

Yes, it was a wonderful eve. The show was cookin' from beginning to end. Glad to see the Hotel crew made the trip from the Jersey shore and Jim A. all the way from Maryland (dedication at its finest). Thanks to all involved parties for a great time. Thanks to Brianne for selling me the FIRST official over the counter copy of Steppin' off a Star. Thanks to the band for rocking my ass all over yet another town in this fine state (maybe one day my lazy bones will make the trip to Maryland or Dankaster, Pennsyltukey). And extra special thanks to Beth for filling in the missing gaps in my in my short term memory and remembering my disc, AND for the Kathorn Crystal. I'm sure its charged to the max with positive vibes. Keep on shinin' girlfriend. See y'all on the 11th at the Moon for Big Marky D's birthday (observed).