Review: The Battlefield Band

Subject: Review: The Battlefield Band
From: GUEST,DonMeixner
Date: 11 Jan 03 - 09:49 AM

Well, Geoffrey and I went to The Night Eagle in Oxford New York to catch the BattleField Band last night. Driving through the Lake Effect most of the way was a hair raising experience but about the time we reached Oxford the snow had let up and it was just cold.

    The Band packs large venues and sells out auditoriums so how they got them at a 200 seat venue like the Night Eagle is a puzzle to me. But they sold that out too.

    As a musician it was inspiring to sit no more than six feet from the band and be even more......inspired by the skill and fluidity with which they played. They had the occasional gaff that all live performances produce, starting with the capo on the guitar in a wrong place and then Allan Reid doing the same on the piano. (How he caped the piano I'm not sure)

    Mike Katz told of how the night before in Mamaroneck his pipes got a wee bit drunk and ran off with vacuum cleaner at the bar and return until the next day when they arrived by Taxi in Oxford. Reid said actually "He just forgot them."   I believe that a cab ride from NYC to the middle of Chenango county, about 175 miles, was not a cheap ride.

    The music was exceptional. I can't review that. The new kid on the fiddle is a phenom, The old new guy on the guitar and cittern is skilled and sings juust grand. Even did a Billy Connolly tune. Katz and Reid are certainly the glue at this point.

    I have to also say that the dry humor was just perfect for this evening in a blizzard.

    The food was delish if you like cookies, carrot cake, cheese cake and suicidal chocolate pies. The down side was too much coffee, one bathroom.

   The night Eagle is in Oxford New York about 45 minutes north of Binghamton and worth the drive. If Geof and I can go two hours to support this venue , so can others.

   If we don't support live music where we find it, it won't be there when we need it.

Don

Subject: RE: Review: The Battlefield Band
From: JedMarum
Date: 11 Jan 03 - 01:31 PM

Sound like a great evening. Brian McNeill's old band, eh?

Subject: RE: Review: The Battlefield Band
From: DonMeixner
Date: 11 Jan 03 - 01:55 PM

Yup. Dad and Son bonding. Drive two ways through a blizzard to hear a Scotts band and drink coffee in dizzifying amounts.

Subject: RE: Review: The Battlefield Band
From: GUEST
Date: 11 Jan 03 - 04:20 PM

The Battlefield Band brought down the Chocolate Church in Bath, Maine last month. What a driving sound they produce!

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