I don't know where or when I met Dave Kleinhardt but since we were both guitar players (a term used loosely in my case), we struck up an instant friendship working together in a prison. He was a counselor then and I was a Sergeant. Throught the years we have played in numerous bands together. Well not really numerous, since every year instead of learning new material we would just change the name of the band. We started as "Premature Grey", and went through names such as "The Dillons", "Shotgun Romeos", and "Three Daves and Two Other Guys". Although they still occasionally play, Dave cleverly moved so far away that it became impossible for me to keep it up.
However all is not lost. Although he accepted many promotions and works in Lansing now, we have kept up our friendship through the miracle of e mail. He supervises a large office staff and every year for Christmas they buy him a double pass to the Common Ground Festival in Lansing. As a generous goodwill gesture, Dave usually lets former band mates go to one of the 8 or 10 nights with him. I started out just taking the night nobody else wants to go, but recently I've kind of indicated which one I'd like to see.
So here is a run down of the years as I recall them.
Year One: Nobody else wanted this night so I went to WAR and JOE COCKER. We sat halfway back, and halfway through Dave's seat collapsed (chair technology has come a ways since then). But nevertheless it was a great show. I was blown away by how really good Joe Cocker was . He just kept coming at us with hit after hit. I had fogotten how many really great songs he has had.
***** Five stars.
Year Two: CROSBY, STILLS, AND NASH: Easily one of the best concerts I've ever seen, and buddy, I've seen a lot. I had anticipated three guys with acoustic guitars on stools and some quiet warbling. Boy, was I wrong. These guys came out rocking and never let up. They opened with a pounding version of "Carry On". We were also about second row center, and the boys were only about 20 feet from us. We could hear them chatting to each other. Hit after pounding hit highlighted by a blistering version of "For What It's Worth" from Stills, who is a lot greater guitar player than I ever gave him credit for. Combining all of the Springsteen shows into number one, this show easily fall into my top ten all time shows.
**** Five Stars. Easily.
Year Three: MITCH RYDER and THE BLACK CROWES. First row - right. I was attracted to this bill in order to see Mitch Ryder. I was right about him. He sounded great for 60 years plus. The Black Crowes were a real downer though, and maybe the worst show I've ever seen. They were terrible at best and were so full of themselves they wouldn't even play their one modest hit "Hard To Handle". If you ever get a chance to see them - don't.
* one star (Mitch gets that one).
Year Four: KEB MO and BONNIE RAITT. Third Row -center. I love Bonnie and since I'm a blues fan I was also excited to see KEB MO. But it had downpoured on us earlier and KEB just barely got a short set in before it started to down pour again. Bonnie tried to hurry through a set, but we were getting drenched and she mercifully cut it short. What we heard was wonderful though and I can't wait to see her again.
***Stars (only because it was short)
This year: DICKEY BETTS and PETER FRAMPTON. Fourth Row Center. Never been a fan of opening act Dickey Betts and still ain't. He was tired and lame. Yech! But Frampton came out and opened up on us with both barrels and never let up. He was incredible. Every time I see this guy, he's a better player than the last time. Man, was he great. And on top of that , he had a guitar side-man who was also one of the best guitar players I've ever seen. This was an awesome great rocking show, and I am so glad my old buddy Dave thinks of me year after year. Other than the Black Crowes, we have seen some terrific shows together.
***** Five Stars
