Tracking Sam Pirt

Subject: RE: Tracking Sam Pirt
From: GUEST,Graham Pirt
Date: 03 Jun 01 - 05:57 AM

Good to see that everyone seems to be enjoying Bill, Ian and Sam's music. Now Bill, you know they're only young lads - I hope you're not keeping them up too late! Enjoy yourselves

Subject: RE: Tracking Sam Pirt
From: Naemanson
Date: 03 Jun 01 - 07:08 AM

Well, the first concert of the tour is done. What a night! Disaster followed by a triumphant victory. Those who didn't make it to the concert will be sorry they missed it and they'll know it because those were there will be talking about it for a week.

Jeri commented on the crowd being reserved. Can't help that, most of them are from Maine and a little reserved in everything they do. Kendall can speak to that. All I know is they were effusive in their gratitude to me for bringing the guys out.

We started the evening with supper. I made spaghetti with garlic bread. Bat Goddess and Guest Winterbright (one of the many good guests) came to join us. Jeri was also supposed to join us but she never arrived. She later said something about getting lost and not being able to find Bath. Little did I realize that her failure to arrive was the harbinger of greater disaster looming on the horizon.

Bat Goddess and Winterbright headed in to the church while I rounded up the rest of the gang and loaded the car. We had to stop off at a friend's house, a caterer, to pick up the goodies for the refreshment table. My timing was off so we arrived at the church a little late. People had started to arrive.

But the worst part of the evening was just beginning. The common room for the Unitarian Church is in the basement. Our weather in Brunswick yesterday included the heaviest rain we've had in months.

When we got to the room we found Bat Goddess and Winterbright madly fighting a flood with mops and squeegees. All the carefully positioned chairs had been pushed aside, the sound system was in danger, the wall hanging on the left side of the stage was soaked and had been raised so you could see the junk it usually hides, and wires were up off the floor and hanging from mike stands and chairs. And right behind me were the paying guests.

We fought the flood. Ian and Sam and Charley Noble helped out with the mops and squeegees and Dahlin and I moved the sound system to the other side of the room. Somehow we brought order out of chaos and only started a few minutes late.

And the boys were brilliant. Everything Jeri says is true. Those two boys might be young but it doesn't show in their music. They display an understanding of the music that shines when they pick up their instruments. Through the evening people kept thanking me for bringing them to Maine. It was an evening few of us, the boys, the audience, and my volunteers will ever forget. And then, at the end of the evening, the final disaster. Jeri had brought a cheesecake for our desert. But at the end of the evening she decided to head for home rather than join us at my house. And she forgot to leave the cheesecake!

What a night! It was unforgettable for both our triumphant victory over the various disasters and for the wonderful sound of Sable, Pirt, and Stephenson.

Subject: RE: Tracking Sam Pirt
From: Naemanson
Date: 03 Jun 01 - 08:06 AM

Actually, I have to disagree with Jeri's assessment of the crowd being "reserved". As I look back over the evening the applause was generous, tere were some enthusiastic shouts after a particularly hard driving piece, and everyone was generous in their appreciation of the band's hard work.

The only way they could have been more enthusiastic would have been to jump up on their chairs and wave their lighters around. And that would never do in Maine.

Subject: RE: Tracking Sam Pirt
From: Jeri
Date: 03 Jun 01 - 11:05 AM

What's wrong with jumping on chairs and waving lighters?
OK, what I meant by "reserved" at 2 AM was that they were from Maine, but I didn't want to say that after absconding with the cheesecake! I was mainly brain-dead when I posted, and made it sound like folks were sitting there doing crossword puzzles or something, which isn't what I meant. When I looked at the other audience members, I saw toes tapping, faces smiling, seats being danced in and laps being played. There were few whoops and hollers, but I guess that was my job. And yes, I felt very welcome there - the warmth was evident, even if it was quiet warmth.

I did, in fact, never find Bath. I'm fairly sure it exists because it's on the maps, but I was lost for about 1.5 hours and gave up to start the search for the church.

The sensitivity these guys have to the music is incredible. At the Press Room, Liam's Brother asked Sam to accompany him on Leaving of Liverpool. Very tasty - he knew just how to showcase the song. The same was was true of all of them last night. They know just how to do some amazingly original things with the music without overpowering it or stepping on a song. They have the exuberance of youth (even the kid with the beard) and the skill and understanding of masters. It was fun to watch the communication between them on the stage. "OK, this is where we get all quiet and delicate," then "Now let's hit it hard and soar through the roof!" Mostly this was done with eyebrows and head tilts.

It was good to hear Ian play guitar. Other than a bit of rhythm guitar, he didn't have a chance to play at the Press Room - just too noisy. Not being a guitar player myself, it still sounded beautiful, and I don't have a clue how he can fingerpick while holding the flat pick in the same hand.

Naemanson, I thought about the migraine coming back in the morning and me having to drive home with it. I thought it was best to do the drive while the headache wasn't very bad. Now I have to find something to do with the cheesecake - what a dilemma!

Subject: RE: Tracking Sam Pirt
From: Jeri
Date: 03 Jun 01 - 11:23 AM

This was getting a bit long, so I started a new thread.

I included all the guys, since we wound up talking about all of them. If anyone wants to start threads on individuals, please do.

The new thread is here: Tracking Sam, Ian and Bill (part II)