WEGO: March (2012) Enlighten Cafe Show!

MP3 (122 megs)

Here are the recordings from WEGO's March 8th show at the Enlighten Cafe! The orchestra for the evening was Woody Frank (guitar and voice), Dennis Jolin (percussion, glockenspiel, and uke), Jesse Silvertrees (djembe and voice), Evan Strauss (bass, banjo, and voice) and Me Woods (guitar, evan's bass, and voice).

This was another supremely fun evening of "orchestral" movements. A sizable in-the-know audience accumulated by the middle of the evening, and things seemed to build a little more organically and completely as a result. I *think* it's a good sign when you decide it's about time for a set-break and realize that it's only 10 minutes until closing time...? We probably debuted more new lyrical standards than we recycled, prompting us to consider trying a series of "theme" evenings, where we play mostly brand new standards selected to fit a given theme. For now, I'm just leaving the whole recording as one unbroken megalith, but I may try to pick a couple of natural pauses and break it up at some point.

(Ian had to work and sadly had to miss this one. I tried to cover a bit by bringing out my acoustic 6-string -- the first time in quite a while in this context. (This turned out to be a good idea, since Woody couldn't make it until about a 3rd of the way into the evening.) Also, I forgot to snap any photos! So if you took any pictures while you were there, send a couple along and I'll replace these stand-in shots of my guitar-setup.)

WEGO: Feb 9th (2012) Enlighten Show!!

Set 1 (61 megs)
Set 2 (48 megs)

Here are the recordings from WEGO's February (2012) show at the Enlighten Cafe. The orchestra for the evening was Woody Frank (guitar and voice), Dennis Jolin (uke, light-theremin, etc…), Ian McKagan (guitar and voice), Jesse Silvertrees (djembe and voice), Evan Strauss (bass and voice), and Me Woods (dumbek, glockenspiel, trumpet, charango, and voice).

This was a strong show, opening with a rare mostly-instrumental mood-jam that lasts fully 15 minutes, eventually giving way to a nice mix of both seasoned and first-time lyrical standards ... plentiful momentum and groove throughout the evening.  A consistently balanced mix too!  Things seem to be ever gelling and building for this group right now. Check it out.

WEGO: Feb 3rd (2012) at Molly Maguire's

Set 1 (58 megs)
Set 2 (75 megs)
Set 3 (31 megs)

Here are the recordings from WEGO's first ever full-night show at Molly Maguire's on Feb 3rd, 2012. The orchestra for the evening was Woody Frank (guitar and voice), Dennis Jolin (uke and theremin-thingy), Ian McKagan (guitar and voice), Jesse Silvertrees (djembe and voice), Emma Staake (voice), Evan Strauss (bass and voice), and Me Woods (glock, trumpet, charango, percussion and voice). Wow, that's a big orchestra for a stage that is perhaps optimal for two acoustic musicians! Did I forget anyone?

There are lots of high-points here (especially whatever the hell Evan was singing near the end of Set 1 … and my weirdly macho rendition of 'Single Ladies' in Set 2 ... and both of Emma's lyrical-standards from the end of Set2 -- 'Kiss the Girl' and 'A Man Needs a Maid'). But the entirety of Set 1 is perhaps a great template for the best of WEGO. It's just a little on the edge, but still chock full of groove, spontaneous truly-musical interplay, and vocal synergy that builds well beyond the basic lyrical content.

Molly's was packed pretty tight when we started, and I was continually surprised to look out from time to time and see that an overwhelming majority of the crowd was actually watching and listening intently. With our improvisational format, WEGO usually thrives in this type of a environment, looping positive feedback on the attention of the room. Frequently, laughter erupted. Later in the evening, the "power of the beer" may have become too strong to resist, and I fear we lost some of our dynamic range -- stabilizing into a loud, somewhat-messy din. It seemed that we lost some of our audience at this point too, though perhaps it was just getting late. Regardless, in light of the many high-points, I'm declaring this show a huge success. Hopefully the staff of Molly Maguire's concurs and we'll be back again very soon!

(I don't think I've ever seen so many people taking photos and videotaping us as during this show, but at the moment, I've got nothing to add to this post. Is anybody acquainted with any of the evening's paparazzi?)

WEGO: First 2012 Enlighten Show

Set 1 (32 megs)
Set 2 (30 megs)

Here are the recordings from our first Enlighten Cafe show of 2012! The orchestra for the evening was Woody Frank (guitar and voice), Ian McKagan (guitar and voice), Jesse Silvertrees (djembe and voice), Emma Staake (barista and voice), Evan Strauss (bass and voice), and Me Woods (uke, trumpet, glockenspiel, and voice).

Moments of more traditional grooviness materialize throughout, but overall this was one of our most free-wheeling improv-o-thons yet! After two full sets of sounds and words, I don't think we hit more than 3 or 4 lyrical standards. Instead, lyrical themes tended to build spontaneously from the circumstances of the moment. One of the only proper standards to make an appearance (Ween's "Mister, Would You Please Help My Pony?") wasn't even on anybody's sheet until it happened … though I think I'll probably transcribe it for the next one! Conspicuously absent was Dennis. So we sang about him instead. There was also a 20 minute trio-jam at the top of the evening (Jesse, Evan, and me, before Woody and Ian showed up). It was probably okay, but I really felt like I was floundering on the uke ... and possibly trumpet as well ... too embarrassed to go back and look. So, in the versions I've uploaded here, it's as though the guitars were there from the very beginning.  (I also delivered our first version of "Enter Sandman" during this excised set of movements ... a light jazzy rendition.)

Personally, in spite of continuing to struggle to find the right combinations of instruments to sprinkle into the mix, I had a really good time.  This might not be our most accessible pair of recordings to date, but for those of you who were fans of our early work in the late 60's and find yourself complaining that we've become too "safe" in the new millenium, maybe give this a listen.  Can't wait for Feb 3rd at Molly Maguire's!

WEGO: December 8th Enlighten Show!

Set 1 (52 megs)
Set 2 (59 megs)

Here are the recordings from WEGO's December 8th show at the Enlighten Cafe! The orchestra for the evening was Woody Frank (guitar and voice), Dennis Jolin (percussion), Ian McKagen (guitar and voice), Evan Strauss (bass and voice), and Me Woods (glockenspiel, trumpet, keys, assorted-percussion, and voice). We also finally ran a mic on a super-long daisy-chained cable all the way back to Emma behind the bar … hence the origin of much stellar vocal texture.

This wasn't a particularly strong night for me individually, but for the band and the sound as a whole I think it ranks up there with our very best shows. With Evan already masterfully filling the bass role after only two shows, I'm free to explore other niches. I guess it only makes sense that I would struggle a little in finding the right combination of instruments to work into the mix, but meanwhile the overall balance, cohesion, and energy of the sound just seem to keep deepening month after month! Even as the grooves become more relaxed and spacious, the funkitudinous momentum flows ever stronger. Feels like things are looking up and up for WEGO in the new year.

WEGO: November Enlighten Show!

Set 1 (49 megs)
Set 2 (52 megs)

Here are the recordings from our November 10th show at the Enlighten Cafe. The orchestra for the evening consisted of Woody Frank (guitar and voice), Jenny Freeling (djembe), Sarah Gardener (sp? … first time out on banjo!), Dennis Jolin (uke and percussion), Ian McKagan (guitar and voice), Jesse Silvertrees (keys and voice), and Me Woods (bassbox and voice). Wow, that's a good-sized orchestra! Did I forget anybody? Oh yeah, Emma joined us again briefly during the second set too.

We transitioned pretty seamlessly from a chaotic last-minute setup straight into one of our best first sets ever. Woody was directly next to the board for this one, and seemed to be adjusting the mix throughout the evening, with indescribably beneficial results! Even with the extra-jumbo lineup, the mix felt balanced and well-supported throughout, and the playing responded in kind. Jesse and Woody had called out for some new lyrics, and so the three of us had each brought in a couple of new sheets to spring on the group. While I still value the possibilities that collective familiarity with a particular 'lyrical standard' can bring, the influx of fresh structures really seemed to launch us into a happy and synergistic place. With all of the recent shows, it seems we were ready for them, in a number of ways!

I also noticed two subtle changes that seemed to open things up: One was the increase in complicated and jazzy changes (lots of major 7ths and 9's), which just felt so rich with the easy momentum of the big group. And the other difference was signaling more of the changes to cycle at about half the rate that we usually cycle them (each chord held for two or more measures, instead of a quick 4-count).

This was a fairly inspired evening for me personally, on both bass and vocals (see "Whip It" or the first-set-closing "We Will Rock You", for example). I felt like we were all a bit spent after Set 1's climax -- certainly I was! -- and so the second set may have tapered off a little in cohesion, if not energy.  …though I haven't had a chance to listen through yet.  But all in all, this was right up there with our very best shows and another good omen of things to come!

WEGO: Nov 5th at Molly Maguire's

WEGO set (50 megs)

Here are the recordings from our Nov 5th opening slot for David Montgomery and Lark vs Owl at Molly Maguire's. The stripped-down orchestra for the evening included Jenny Freeling (djembe), Dennis Jolin (ukelele and assorted percussion), Jesse Silvertrees (keys and vocals), and Me Woods (bassbox and vocals).

This was my first time playing at Molly Maguire's -- though I think I may have seen a semi-acoustic show in the back room there towards the end of the '90s, back when it probably had a different name. I'd loooooove to play this place again! There was a huge, diverse, energetic, seemingly-walk-in crowd -- the sort of energy I haven't seen since the old Dubliner Pub at the bottom of Fremont hill. The stage is a bit tiny for our usual lineup (and even for the the 4-piece we had in effect on this particular evening), but we could get creative, right? Even the pesky intermittency of the PA turned out to be the result of my own defective 1/4 inch cord.

So yeah, this was a fun evening! We were certainly missing Woody and Ian from the core line-up (looking forward to this Thursday at the Enlighten!), but even the early parts, which felt almost painfully tentative at the time, have a solid mix and a nice rubbery bounce to them.