FEBRUARY 11, 2006:
Van The Man in Granada, Spain: Great concert, including the lead guitarist, backing vocalists, the two drummers, keyboardist, steel guitar player, fiddle player, the tenor sax man, and on alto, the Van The Man Man (Van did not pick up a guitar the entire night, but did do the alto solos himself on about seven tunes -- note to such inferiors as "Kenny G": this is how a sax is supposed to be played [rest in peace, Mr. Coltrane]). (I learned that [ within ( working at The Miami Herald, just as Mr. Dylan picked up certain guitar licks in Italy.) Tunes from that great concert that had the circa 15 musicians all beaming when they left the fine Spanish venue in the wind and the rain, the wind and the rain (weather on demand for Van The Man, as this happened during a very serious drought) included St. James' Infirmary, Brown Eyed Girl and Your Cheatin' Heart (which elicited a very loud and spontaneous very-Van-like "Yeah" from this writer/listener [this was a preview to the "Pay The Devil CD" and this writer had no idea Van was going to get into the C&W realm that windy, rainy night]). Also, you've got to like that name Tick Tack Ticket. Note: After the concert, this writer saw the small device that held the recording of that night's peformance (after a "roadie" told this Van aficionado that the great gig had been recorded) -- release it Van, for the world to hear, release it!
