Late for the Sky (Pilot), with apologies to Jackson Browne...

Morning has broken:
Less than a week to go before Jazz Fest, but this is a weekend not to be wasted. Up at dawn for a 7:07 tee time. Chilly! But it's good to be back playing with Steve, Vin and Gino (substituting for the injured Keith), putting up our usual lackluster numbers. Three birdies, though, not bad for the initial 18 of the season (mixed in with a nine, tree trouble, on the par five 6th hole). But, Jesus, it's cold! Where is that mid-week, summer-like warmth?

Pre-game:
Showered, shaved and fed, The Reet and I pick up Sharie & the Little Guy at 2:45pm for the short trip over to Hubbard Park to catch the 4pm Eric Burdon & the Animals' performance at the 2008 Meriden Daffodil Festival. The morning of golf has not allowed time to catch either Christine Ohlman & Rebel Montez or Plantsville's own The Sawtelles, who went on around noontime. We drop off the young ladies at the park entrance and make our way slowly to the bottom of the hill where we park at Maloney's Pub, then hike the half mile back up the hill. It is now quite warm as the sun has suddenly awakened, and I lose the ESPN sweatshirt, wishing I had left it in the car, and don the sunglasses.

Still an hour from showtime, so we sample the craft booths, with The Reet and Sharie picking up some jewelry along the way. I make my way over the the Food Tent, where River City Slim & the Zydeco Hogs are performing. Keith and I caught these guys at the 2007 Apple Harvest Festival and liked them alot. Zydeco is infectious, toe-tapping music. The others catch up shortly to hear a few numbers, but the Hogs don't seem to have the same zip for us today. Knowing it's close to showtime, we hike back over the hill to the Bandshell Stage to stake out our turf for the show. Not much room left, but Keith finds us a small opening in the crowd where we can sit on the grass (we were too lazy to bring chairs, shame on us). Since we are positioned behind those who DID bring chairs, we will have to stand during the performance, but that's ok.

Enough Rope to hang ourselves:
Hmmmm, we wait. And wait. A half-hour passes before some guy steps to the microphone to announce that "...Eric Burden is close to Meriden" so please be patient. Here we go, close to Meriden my ass. More waiting, the crowd gets restless as Announcerguy reappears with the news that, while we wait for Eric (Godeau?), we will be 'rocked' by a band called Rope. Allllllrighty. For Rope (two of whose members, according to the Festival band notes, play with Animal Hilton Valentine in a Connecticut band called Skiffledog), this is both difficult, having an impatient audience, but an opportunity to play before a large crowd, so the power trio launches into some grinding, distorted guitar-based rock that is initially passable, but ultimately painful. As it becomes obvious that they will play their complete set (they were scheduled to follow Burden), an exasperated woman seated behind us pleads, "Make them stop!" Thankfully, they eventually do.

Finally!:
But now Announcerguy tells us that we must have additional patience while they set up for Eric, and suggests that we (a) save our seats, (b) go buy a hot dog, (c) buy a Rope CD, normally $30, but on sale to us, because we've bonded so well, for $5. Although a savings of $25 is difficult to pass up, I do just that. I don't buy a hot dog either. Christ, it's getting chilly again. I am now thankful I didn't leave the ESPN sweatshirt back down the hill in the car!

Announcerguy gives it up to Announcerguy2, a WPLR DJ, who tells us to give it up for Eric Burdon & the Animals. Well, ok. Eric looks older, but fit, with grey, crew-cut hair and sunglasses, which are needed only for appearance for the day has once again turned overcast and quite chilly. "Where's Hilton?" someone cries out from in front of the stage. Burdon, somewhat annoyed, retorts, "I don't KNOW where Hilton is. Ask his wife!" I guess the only other original Animal will not be joining us!

In this dirty old part of the city, Where the sun refused to shine
People tell me there ain't no use in tryin'
Now my girl you're so young and pretty, And one thing I know is true
You'll be dead before your time is due, I know
Watch my daddy in bed a-dyin', Watched his hair been turnin' grey
He's been workin' and slavin' his life away, Oh yes I know it
(Yeah!) He's been workin' so hard, (Yeah!) I've been workin' too, baby
(Yeah!) Every night and day, (Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah!)
We gotta get out of this place, If it's the last thing we ever do
We gotta get out of this place, 'cause girl, there's a better life for me and you

My expectations for this show are high, much higher than for oldies acts that typically are "and you all remember what you were doing when you heard this one!" crap (like The Turtles at the 2006 Daffodil Festival). Burdon is, at his core, a blues singer, having continued to perform with various incarnations of War, the Animals and his own bands over the years. I am not disappointed. He is in fine voice, still powerful, growling. And his band (Red Young/keyboards, Billy Watts/guitar, Eric McFadden/guitar, Paula O'Rourke/bass and Tony Braunagel/drums) is solid, better than solid, taking full advantage of their many solo opportunities. No pedestrian run-through of the greatest hits here. Each song is stretched, kneaded, with an overriding sense of deep respect for the music, especially the blues, as is obvious with Burdon's comments prefacing a Memphis Slim number (I forgot which) and John Lee Hooker's Boom, Boom, Boom.

Many of the hits (Baby let me take you home, Don't let me be misunderstood, It's my life), but with other stuff worked in over the ninety minute show. A Mardi Gras number, then an a capella snippet of Do you know what it means to miss New Orleans preface a rousing House of the Rising Sun to close the show. For an encore, EB gives some love to Tina Turner (doesn't mention Ike) with River Deep, Mountiain High and then another number I didn't recognize. Great show, worth the wait!

We gotta get out of this place:
The group is completely frozen as we make our way down to the car, catching a brief glimpse of Burdon being whisked into a white stretch limo behind the bandshell. It's late, going to have to blow off the annual Rotary bowling night, but can't help it. We top off the evening with some tasty Italian at Lido's. A very good day.