28 June 2006
The End Of The Beginning
It's a few days after the last show of the tour, and everyone is now decompressing at home.
When a tour comes to an end in California, it's always a whirlwind of activity, guests, friends and family, as well as those last-minute gueslist changes and additions! There was plenty of all those things in Anaheim, Los Angeles and San Francisco.
We rolled into Anaheim early on Thursday morning. Terry was off for an MRI on his arm early in the day. He returned later with the good news that he just needed to rest his arm, and he would heal up nicely. He has some cool MRI images with him too!
The rest of the band dispersed into the Disneyland outer rim in search of food and other sothern Californian delights. Steve Vai climbed aboard the bus with some spectacularly good coffee which he had scouted out, and soon we went to find some breakfast.
The House Of Blues in Anaheim is a smaller venue than most HOB venues, and the stage was crowded. There was no room for Terry's kit, so there wojuld be no Rick Allen-esque drumming from him this evening, with the exception of some cymbal contributions during Joe's solo.
Dweezil spent a lot of time with his rig in the early afternoon before a lengthy soundcheck, beginning with Joe leading a few members of the band through a collection of song-learnings-in-progress - with Terry on vocals - including "Titties and Beer." A small handful of friends were there to witness soundcheck and get a sneak preview of the evening to come.
The show was firey and energetic and the House of Blues was HOT. Although it's hard for me to pick a favorite show on this tour, this one was up there among the best - possibly because of the standing audience and the very palpable energy and excitement in the room. Somehow hot sweaty shows like these are some of the best.
Scheila's sax solo was also one of the finest of the tour in Anaheim. I don't know how she does it. It ain't natural! Joe Travers was drumming for two and was so "on" it was ridiculous. I'm not usually one to use the word "sick" as a superlative, but Joe was just.. well.. sick. Jamie had a chance to trade licks with both Dweezil and Steve during "Trouble Every Day" which was good because the size of the stage meant that he was partially obscured from most of the audience on the left side of the venue.
After the show, many of use returned home to Los Angeles. I got a ride home with Joe and his lovely girlfriend and we had a fun drive back into Los Angeles listening to rare Prince tunes.
I picked Joe up the following day and we headed to the Wiltern in the early afternoon. Joe was sore from the night before but ready for the evening's big show.
The show was great and the Wiltern was packed with fans. The Roxy and Chunga videos played with none of the problems experienced in Phoenix, and the show was opened with a rendition of "Stinkfoot" - a special treat for the homecoming crowd. Diva Zappa also guested on stage during "The Black Page #2" for a dance while Steve and Dweezil's guitars sang in unison.
The aftershow party was an extravaganza of wives, girlfriends, friends, musicians, special guests and combinations of the above and continued into the small hours.
San Francisco was a show mixed with some sadness as it was the last show for a while. It couldn't have been a better way to end what has been an amazing tour. The crowd was incredible and knew they were witnessing a very special show. The show was also filmed by multiple cameras - including mine, and I spent most of the show creeping up behind Joe and Billy's kits, and Scheila and Aaron's riser.
This was the longest show of the tour and featured a special guest appearance by Dweezil's friend Warren DiMartini who jammed on "Eat That Question". Billy Hulting was extraordinary as usual, and I captured many of his complex parts up close with the camera. I don't know how that guy's mind is able to process some of Frank's more challenging parts - and watching those four mallets fly is like some kind of visual Rubik's cube.
Terry jumped on his kit for one-armed renditions of "Punky's" and "The Black Page" with Joe filling in the beats.
So what is left to say about this tour?
This tour was a great success, and it was very aparrent to me just how many people are out there who crave to hear Frank's music performed with such a close attention to detail. Dweezil and the band delivered, and even more than that, they exceeded many people's expectations. There wasn't a night that went by without unique moments that made every show special in its own right. And watching the crowd leave the venue each night was a sea of smiling, happy faces - which seems a rarity today (or maybe I'm just going to the wrong concerts..)
I've enjoyed keeping thise blog, even though I've had my share of problems which has prevented me from updating it as often as I'd have liked to... but I still have plenty to add to this growing document of a tour that has only just begun.
I invite you to contribute too! If you saw a show, we'd love to read your reviews, thoughts and impressions. Just go to the "Tourdates" page and click on the "Read Re:views" link to visit the reviews page - and add your own.
If you have press clippings from the tour, you can send scans to us for our "Clippings" section. Or, you can email us links to online publications who have reviewed the show or published editorials about the Zappa Plays Zappa tour. Just send them to: webmaster@zappa.com
Keep checking back! This mini-site will continue to evolve - plus we'll post new tour dates here as they are confirmed.
Mikey
Zappa.com Webmeister
POSTED BY MIKEY AT 2006-06-28 21:09:56
22 June 2006
Return of the Son of Casualties of Touring
It was some time after 9:30pm on a warm Tuesday night at the House Of Blues in Las Vegas. Skinny Terry "Ted" Bozzio - that cute little drummer, was ripping through "I'm So Cute" when he felt a 'pop' in his right bicep. Mildly concerned, said drummer continued through his set unaware of the trauma that lay ahead...
And here ladies and gentlemen, is Terry's resulting exploded Popeye arm. The lesson to be learned from this? Zappa can be hazardous to your health.
Tonight in Phoenix, Terry performed "I'm So Cute" and "Trying To Grow a Chin" on stage with just a mic, before retiring to his cage for a one-armed rendition of "Punky's Whips." The audience seemed to like it, and it made for some great video! Terry's not in pain - in fact he says his arm feels a lot better than it did in recent weeks when he was experiencing pain in his upper arm. After a doctor visit today in Phoenix, he'll be getting an MRI on his arm tomorrow when we're in California.
Tonight's show was another great one, but there were problems with the video which was a small disappointment. The audience didn't seem to mind and were behind the band all the way.
Alice Cooper was in the house and Joe Travers was beyond excited to meet one of his all-time idols before the show. I know he'll be logging on shortly to gush about that.
Vegas was also another amazing show with everyone fresh from a day off.
The sad thing is that the tour is coming to an end, and soon we'll all be back in our homes. The good news is that dates are coming in October. Everyone on this tour gets on so well together. As I write this, the whole band is sitting in the front lounge of the bus waxing lyrical on the romance of analog vs. digital recording. Fascinating. I wish I could type a transcript of the conversation for you.
Another House Of Blues gig tomorrow, and then the Wiltern on Friday. I'm looking forward to the next three shows because I have friends coming, and I'm really excited for them to see the finest live show on the planet right now. If you're coming to those shows, I'm excited for you too. Prepare to be floored.
Mikey
Zappa.com Webmeister
POSTED BY MIKEY AT 2006-06-22 02:48:43
20 June 2006
3:08AM In Vegas
Sitting here at 3:08 AM in my Hard Rock Hotel room in Vegas. The end of the tour is rapidly approaching. As I look back on the tour thus far, it really has been an eye opener for me. The love of FZ’s music is very strong both in The U.S.A. and Europe. The reception from both audiences has been hugely positive & wonderful. The biggest trip was seeing women in Paris, France in the front row singing all the lyrics and melody lines to songs like "City Of Tiny Lites" and "Peaches En Regalia." Same in Dublin, Ireland. This music really reaches out to all kinds. It’s always been known that Frank is more popular in Europe, but I can honestly say that the U.S. seems back in full force.
I’m very proud of Dweezil and this band’s accomplishments. We have delivered to every city music that is rich in texture, dense and complicated, yet with a love and respect that is being portrayed to the audience in a way that it’s unavoidable not to notice. Dweezil has really come a long way and it’s apparent that as every show goes by, he gets tighter and tighter as a player. His solos search in a manner reminiscent of Frank but with a technique that is his own. Working with Terry, Steve and Napoleon has made this tour very special and I feel so fortunate to have had this opportunity. It’s a dream come true for me to be playing this music. Now it seems that we’ll be playing it some more as new dates are being booked for Fall. Plus the tradition continues in NYC for Halloween!! We will have to learn some more music for the fall shows, try and tackle some other essential pieces and hopefully some Halloween specialties.
I raise my glass……Here’s to the end of the tour, its success, and the bright future ahead for Zappa Plays Zappa.
Music Is The Best!
Joe
POSTED BY JOE TRAVERS AT 2006-06-20 03:28:00
18 June 2006
Somewhere in Nebraska
Yes indeed, here we are!
Driving through Nebraska on our way to Denver on our way to Vegas where we'll be playing at the House of Blues on Tuesday. There's a little more elbow room on the bus right now. Since we're making a long drive and we have a few days off, some of the guys flew home or elsewhere to visit relatives and loved ones.
It's been great being back in the states. The audiences have been AMAZING and I'm really looking forward to playing out on the West coast. I can't wait to share this amazing music, great show and moving experience with my friends and family. It's been great to see friends of mine at the shows in Belgium, London, New York and Chicago. Mike, Vanina, Deb, Kristy, Jami, Helen, Dimitri and Johnnaaaaay it was so great seeing you all and I'm really glad you were able to come out and catch the concert!
I am really looking forward to the next few shows, but unfortunately it signals the end of this tour....and THAT makes me sad.
HOWEVER...
The thing that keeps me from crying my eyes out after every show is the fact that we will be in rehearsals again soon enough! We already have two weeks of shows booked for the fall and will be starting rehearsals in September to add a few more songs to our repertoire.
Personally I have become a fan of the music from the inside out. I really wasn't familiar with the music of Frank Zappa prior to auditioning for this band. I had heard a couple of songs about 16 years ago. In college I was in a jazz combo with a guitar player who is a HUGE Zappa fan. We had a rehearsal at his place one day and he played us a few songs--I couldn't even tell you what songs they were, though. I just thought they sounded interesting. About 7 or 8 years ago I was played Joe's Garage while driving to a gig in San Jose, CA from L.A. I laughed my ass off and couldn't believe what I was hearing! Still, I didn't investigate any further until the call came in May of 2005 to audition. I had three days to learn/transcribe Inca Roads and Peaches En Regalia. From the first time I heard Inca Roads I have never been the same. I completely fell in love with the melody. It haunted me--not only because I was eating, sleeping and breathing it trying to learn it, but because it is soooooo beautiful - especially the way George Duke sang it. I couldn't get enough and I also couldn't believe all of the complexities of the song. I had had never been challeneged to sing such a gorgeous and difficult melody either. I was hooked. The vocal section coming out of the guitar solo really gets me every time. So now, on the shows, every time we start Inca Roads it takes me right back to those few days of my life that transformed me into a Frank Zappa fan and I smile.
As exciting as the prospect of doing this tour was, I never imagined just how profoundly life altering it would be. Dweezil presents his father's music with such love and honesty. And I am so moved by the fact that he is on a mission to reveal Frank's wonderful music to generations to come. I just love these guys so much. These are beautiful human beings that I get to share this experience with. I'm so thrilled and honored to be sharing the stage not only with brilliant musicians, but with the guys that were around to first make the magic with Frank. There's nothing like it. I don't have the words. It's such a blessing to be able to do this. Every night on stage is a new creation, every bus ride a new adventure...it's all one in the same. The hang in between shows only serves to enhance what happens on stage. It's too much! The beauty of it is that everyone in the band AND the crew realizes this. In one form or another EVERYONE has expressed similar sentiments.
Right now it's about 4am and Joe, Terry, Napoleon, Mikey and I are sitting in the front lounge listening to the 1974 KCET recording of Oh No, Son of Orange County and More Trouble Everyday(thanks for the specifics, Mr. Vaultmeister!). This is really something else. It is moments like this that reveal the profound respect and gratitude that Napi and Terry (and Steve too, of course, but he's not on the bus at the moment) have for Frank and his music. The laughs and the stories they share with us now are priceless.
Wow, someone pinch me. Do I really get to be a part of this???
Love,
Scheila
POSTED BY SCHEILA GONZALEZ AT 2006-06-18 23:26:05
15 June 2006
Hello from DZ
Hello Everyone,
I haven't had the opportunity to write anything until now. The tour schedule has been pretty hectic for me. I suppose I should let you all know some thoughts about my experience thus far.
This tour is an obvious labor of love for me. I believe it is for the band as well. During the rehearsal/Zappa boot camp indoctrination I had my first glimpse of what you all now know is possible. It was not difficult to inspire the troops in to battle no matter how Sisyphean the task. The phrase that became popular was, "I am not afraid". The music is indeed difficult but not something to fear, unless of course you do not possess the ability to play it or if you've slammed your finger in a door.
The music itself speaks to us with it's unique hortatory message and all of us in the band have internalized it. I am in awe of my Dad's accomplishments and I have endeavored to present his music to all of you in the most authentic way possible. The musicians that I have the pleasure of sharing the stage with every night have really made this a profoundly rewarding experience for me.
Of course we couldn't do any of this without an audience. I am thrilled to see everyone coming out in force and I am overwhelmed on a nightly basis by what each audience radiates back to the band. I am particularly excited to see so many young faces in the crowd. It is a dream of mine to bring Frank's music into focus for a wider audience and allow it to speak for itself. It is my belief that the striplings of today don't even know what they're missing. For that matter neither do their adolescent female counterparts. Frank's music is the World's Finest Optional Entertainment.
Thank you for all of your support. I hope to see/meet more of you at future shows.
Sincerely,
DZ
POSTED BY DWEEZIL ZAPPA AT 2006-06-15 00:06:05
13 June 2006
Philly and New York: A Homecoming
The shows in both Philadelphia and New York are behind us - and what great shows they were.
Philly was of course the first full-length ZPZ show in the US, and played to a packed house at the Tower Theater. From the very start the audience was excited and it was clear that many had waited for some time to see they show, and were there to savor every moment. Early in the show, Dweezil spotted a young boy named Eric in the second row. When he found out it was Eric's first concert, Dweezil remarked that he felt obliged to make sure the show was great. Eric was in for a treat and as the show progressed he even got some advice from Terry Bozzio and was eventually invited up on stage at the end of the show to jump on the last note with the band. It makes Dweezil really happy to see younger audience members, because he feels very strongly that more young people should be exposed to Frank's music and the exceptional musicianship on stage. I think Eric had a life-changing experience.
There were a number of well-known musician Zappa fans in the audience including Mike Portnoy from Dream Theater, as well as guitarist Dave Weiner from Steve Vai's band. Dave later delivered a giant container of his mother's seasoned pretzels to the bus and the Zappa band soon became addicted to what is fondly refered to on Vai tours as "Mrs. Weiner's Homestyle Crack".
We returned to our hotel after the gig to enjoy one last night in those luxurious beds before making a bus our home again for the next two weeks. After a week of many fly days, the bus, though at times cramped, is a welcome home to return to. It's one of the few sanctuaries one has when touring - along with the dressing room. Not having to drag tons of luggage through an airport is a luxury too. Steve Vai said that when he was in Frank's band, every day was a fly day. I can only imagine what extra work that would have been - on top of having to play Frank's music every night.
Everyone in the band was excited for New York, and it turned out to be one of the tour's highlights. Dweezil was clearly moved playing on front of a sold-out audience in a city that was a favorite of Frank's to play.
The Roxy video started the show after a notable absence due to techical issues in Philly, and lack of room in Reykjavik and Greece. Fans were also treated to the haunting "Chunga's Revenge" duet at the end of the show. George Duke was in the audience and stayed for the whole show. Aaron was very excited about that, and got to meet him later in the evening when Napi brought him back to hang out in the dressing rooms. Gail and Diva were in the house too (as well as the show in Philly) and they were having a great time - Diva spending most of the show dancing on the side of the stage near Aaron and Scheila. Steve Vai's mother was also in the audience enjoying the show. I can only imagine how cool it must be for her to see Steve performing Frank's music again - when Frank was where it all started for Steve. Good times indeed.
For those who missed the New York show, I have good news. Tickets go on sale tomorrow for a just-announced show on Halloween at the Theater in Madison Square Gardens (visit the venue box office for more info.) I'll be posting further Fall ZPZ dates shortly, so keep an eye out for those.
Now we are in Boston. I imagine there are lots of Berklee students here to soak it up. The show just began so I'm going out to take photos... and maybe a little video too. The lobby of the Orpheum is full of people drinking beer even though the show is on. I wonder sometimes why people come to shows to do anything other than listen to the music. Ah well, to each his/her own...
Mikey
Zappa.com Webmeister
p.s. The new Apple Store on 5th Avenue is awesome!
POSTED BY MIKEY AT 2006-06-13 19:01:41
11 June 2006
Back in the USA plus Greece, Iceland and a touch of the blues.
We're in Philly. It feels great to be back in the USA, and I know Dweezil and the band are really excited to perform Frank's music for American audiences.
The past few days have been an amazing advenutre. I'm sorry about the silence since Athens, but internet has been somewhat of a rarity - plus we've been travelling, so we get little time to try to sneak onto an open wireless network (if any).
So let me tell you about Greece and Iceland. Wow.
Athens was amazing, and the band spent some time on the morning of show day seeing the Acropolis and Parthenon. I was able to bore them with nuggets of art history and architectural trivia regarding the Parthenon's construction and the types of columns used. I think it impressed Scheila. Finally my degree in Art History was good for something. ;) From there we had some amazing lunch before returning to the hotel for a quick shower before heading to the venue. It was a long drive, but we got to see the seaside before arriving at the Olympic Complex's softball stadium.
The stadium actually hadn't been used for anything since the Olympics - we were the first in there since, and there was a large dirt pitch between the sound desk and the stage. Behind the sound desk there was a grandstand. The venue filled quickly and the show began in earnest with the sun setting in the background. The crowd were really excited to see the show and were singing along loudly. As the sun set, the night wind whipped up the dust from the pitch, but it looked cool as hell through the lens of my video camera. I spent most of the show climbing around the stage capturing the nuances of the performance - including probably one of Aaron's most amazing keyboard solos thus far (perhaps with the exception of his "Peaches" performance on the Royal Albert Hall pipe organ.) As soon as that new laptop arrives, I'll get snippets up for your viewing pleasure.
The show was great - and everybody really brought it in a big way. Steve's demonstration of tongue harmonics for Scheila was a funny moment (Scheila had asked him about it earlier and Steve said he'd show her how it was done) - and Scheila's sax solo was also another highlight. In fact, it was just one of those shows where everyone just had an extra special or comical moment and a chance to shine.
At the end of night everyone was a little windswept had a fine layer of softball pitch dust coating on them (along with their sunburn from earlier sightseeing), and spent the ride home preparing for what would be a hellish travel day to Iceland.
It sounded easy enough: a flight from Athens to Copenhagen, a layover followed by another flight from Copenhagen to Reykjavik. But it turned out to be a big waiting game because of a strike in Denmark. Argh! So, the airport became our living space for a while, but it was kind of fun. Ipods were traded, people played eachother songs, and we found a few wireless networks that we could get on to for some email checking. Steve Vai met some fans who told him that they were 5 when he last toured there with Whitesnake back in 1990. Fun.. but by the time we finally got to Denmark, the waiting was getting old. We finally arrived in Reykjavik at 2am, but of course it's almost like broad daylight at night, so it was an odd sensation for all of us. Bleary eyed, we surveyed the countryside through fogged-up van glass before collapsing into our hotel rooms.
We explored Reykjavik the following morning, and we loved it! We went to the main shopping street to check out the sights, before heading down to the water and then the main cathedral that sits at the top of the hill. Beautiful stuff. An hour before the show, I took Steve Vai out to show him where we had walked, and surprised a few fans who couldn't believe they were bumping into him just walking the streets before the show. I could write a bunch more, but let's get to the show.
The show was smaller than previous ones, but the audience was excited to see the show, and their applause was as loud as a crowd twice their size. The venue was an art museum hall, and was a tricky one to mix sound in, but the band's energy and performance overshadowed any minor problems.
After the show, we all went out to see some nightlife and met some fine young Icelandic ladies who went out of their way to show us a great time and take us to some of the citys hotter nightspots. We were really impressed at how friendly and welcoming the locals were, and even ran into groups of people who had seen the show earlier. It was the best way we could have ended the European leg of the tour, and left all of us wishing we had another day to spend there.
Dweezil and most of the band went to the Blue Lagoon hotsprings and spa before the airport to rub mud on themselves and other spa-related activities. A few of us slept in. The flight home was pleasantly brief, but we all kind of had the blues about leaving Iceland. (Except maybe Joe who was loudly fantasizing about the Philly Cheesesteak he would soon be "throating.")
We can't wait to return to Iceland. It's an amazing place with wonderful people.
So here we are now in the dressingroom in the Tower Theatre. It's the first US show, so the crew are getting used to the new equipment. I'll be back later to report on the gig.
I hope you enjoyed this Zappa Plays Zappa meets "The Lonely Planet" blog entry. It'll be strictly Zappa from now on, I promise... ;)
Mikey
Zappa.com Webmeister
POSTED BY MIKEY AT 2006-06-11 10:48:22
6 June 2006
4 cities, 3 shows, lots to say, lost for words...
The last 3 shows have all been amazing and all very different too.
The London show was something really special, and the Royal Albert Hall is an IMPRESSIVE venue. But aside from the venue's prestige, what made the gig significant was the fact that Frank had played there some 30 odd years ago and had eventually been "banned" from performing there again. The ZPZ show brought the music of Frank Zappa back to leave its mark yet again, leaving a very high benchmark for others to follow.
The audience loved every minute of it. This show also marked the second time the band performed the "Chunga's Revenge" duet with Frank's video. The audience seemed to like it a lot. I wonder how it makes people feel to see this video? Sometimes I expect to hear huge cheers and screams, but I think the audience probably feels the same as I do: just wanting to savor the moment in reverence.
Dublin provided a day off and we explored the streets of Dublin and enjoyed some fine meals together. Steve and I even went to see a movie and walked back to the hotel through a beautifully clear night as the locals spilled out of pubs in all directions.
The show in Vicar Street was also great - and hot! I'm not sure why they don't use the air conditioning in that venue. Is it so people will keep going to the bar? Hmmm.... Unfortunately, the venue was without internet connectivity, which was a little frustrating. I did manage to catch up on a bunch of photo editing from Belgium and London though. I'm trying to get those up for you shortly.
This morning we had a fly day with the Paris show in the evening. The airport was completely packed with people. It was a sight to be seen, and seemed like an awful lot of crap to go through for such a short flight. From the airport we headed directly to our hotel to drop off our bags, and then to the Zenith for soundcheck.
The show tonight was LONG. Dweezil added a few songs, and Terry was playing with the band again, so his sat was added to the selection that the band had been playing in his absence. I think the show began at 8:30, and the band came off stage at midnight.
The crowd was huge and the electricity in the air was something else. Their appreciation of the show was fervent and loud, and there were standing ovations a plenty.
Terry broke his kickdrum head during his set and so performed "Punky's Whips" on Joe's kit. With the kick repaired, Terry performed the Black Page #1 on his own kit again before Steve took the stage to join the band for #2. Speaking of "Punky's", I have to say that it's my favorite moment of Terry's set. When he gushes those words "oh Punky!" into the mic, it cracks me up every time.
I'm out of superlatives for the Paris show. It was the best show of the tour thus far. It's going to be hard to beat the passion, love and wild appreciation the band felt from the fine Parisians who came to the Zenith last night. Another highlight for me personally was riding back to our hotel in the van with Terry who told me the story of his audition for Frank. It's stuff like this that legends are made of.
Today, (6/6/06) is Steve Vai's birthday. We arrived in Athens this evening and all went out together for dinner at a wonderful rooftop restaurant with a close and spectacular view of the Parthenon. Food was amazing and company was awesome. Lots of old Frank stories were told by Steve and Dweezil. Joe had a healthy does of Zappa vault trivia to share, as well as some amazing stories about original tapes of "Peaches en Regalia" and the way the track is edited together. Being on tour and getting to witness (and capture for prosperity) the greatness of all these musicians on stage every night is an incredible privilege - but making the experience even more valuable and memorable is soaking in the stories and wisdom of those who were fortunate to work with and know Frank, and who have had rich careers working in the music business ever since.
It's 2:30 am here now, and I'm off to bed before getting up to work on the ZPZ site now that I have a laptop again.
The show later today will be the last show that Terry is unable to make due to his double booking. The venue sounds interesting - it's open air and by the sea. It was also used for the recent Olympics.
Talk to ya tomorrow,
Mikey
Zappa.com Webmeister
POSTED BY MIKEY AT 2006-06-06 18:14:32
2 June 2006
London, early...
We rolled into town early and I'm at the venue already. Breakfast is cooking. It smells good.
Last night's show was great, though there was a technical difficulty which put the show on ice for a brief moment. Dweezil's rig has a power regulator, but it began taking on more and more current - possibly because of an unregulated power source in the venue. It became clear that he was in danger of getting a nasty shock and his rig overloaded and shut down. In short, it was a case of "too much juice for the gander" (thanks to our monitor expert Roger Cole for this beautiful analogy.) At the suggestion of Joe Travers, the band played "Pound For A Brown" and "Filthy Habits" while they worked on the problem - with each member of the band having a chance to step out and solo. Eventually Dweezil plugged direct into his amps and the show continued with "Inca Roads" - and then he was again able to resume use of his rig and the show continued without a hitch.
The special surprise I hinted at last night was the addition of "Chunga's Revenge" to the set, where the band played and Frank appeared on the screen to solo over the band's backing. It's a treat to see. I hope you dig it when you get a chance to see it. I went out to check out the audience's reaction, and they sat spellbound watching a gap of twenty or so years being bridged.
Off to document the setup. I'll try to film some of the crowd outside the venue tonight before doors open. Please say "hi" if you see me. Who knows where this footage may one day surface!
Cheers,
Mikey
Zappa.com Webmeister
POSTED BY MIKEY AT 2006-06-02 03:14:36
1 June 2006
Sitting on the side of the stage
It was a great day off in Manchester yesterday - and much needed after the marathon busride and pre-dawn channel crossing. After a quick shower at the hotel I headed out to find a computer store where I could pick up a few replacements bits - including an external drive to empty my bloated compact flash cards from the (did I already say) amazing show in Belgium. No luck though - so I'll get one in London tomorrow. I hear there's a very sexy Apple store there.
Anyway, we had a great evening eating at one of the city's finest Indian restaurants before heading over to the giant ferris wheel for a few spins. I was here in October last year and didn't get too see much of Manchester - and I was so glad we all went out last night.
Now I'm hunkered down on the side of the stage at the Manchester Apollo. The band finished soundchecking a short while ago and now I'm watching the first of the audience begin to fill the venue.
The audience are in for a special treat this evening - one which I've been quite excited about since the tour started, but that hasn't happened until tonight. I can't give it away just yet, but read the reviews later and I'm sure you'll hear all about it. To me it's such a cherry on top of the show, and a vortex back in time that I personally find quite moving.
I can't wait for you to see it too.
More later,
Mikey
Zappa.com Webmeister
p.s. Many thanks to all the fine people who wrote me such thoughful and sweet comments about the whole laptop debacle. You guys totally rock. There's a lot of love in the Zappa community, and I felt it in a big way. Thank you.
p.p.s I took a photo of Dweezil's injured finger - so I'll get that up as soon as I can too.
POSTED BY MIKEY AT 2006-06-01 12:43:36
