Back to RustFests Page Sacramento RustFest (September 16, 1996)Your Host - Jim Ten Silver Saxes PittillaPre-Fest NoticeThe Fest Call was put out by Jim Ten Silver Saxes Pittilla.... The votes are in...
Fest Report(Also see the Show Reviews)This show was probably *the best* NY & CH performance I have ever seen (my opinion, of course, I haven't seem him that many times). I have really enjoyed reading reports where people have talked about their "entire show experience", not just saying "The jam at the end of Slip Away was spectacular", so I've added a little bit of that to mine. (I hope this post is not *too* long, and that you will enjoy reading:). Before we get too far, here's the list of folks that were involved in the RustFest. There were several more than this, but these are the ones who I can definitely remember. (If you were there but aren't listed, drop me or RE*AC*TOR a note):
It started for me at Sacramento International Airport the afternoon of the show, wandering around looking for a Lost Dog (aka Mike Currie). He was flying down from British Columbia for the shows. Having never met this individual, I was a little tentative. Friends had been saying stuff like: "WHAT, you offered some guy that you met on the internet a place to stay? Are you insane? You don't know what kind of freak he could be?, etc." Well, come to find out the that Mike was a great person with lots of passion for Neil's music. We found we had similar educational and vocational backgrounds, and similar tastes in music, and and we soon found that we had similar fervor for Neil's music. We left the airport and immediately headed for Rubicon Brewing Company in Sacramento for lunch and a pitcher. Then it was back to my place for more beer, etc., and LOTS OF LOUD NY MUSIC. Now, I don't have a huge Neil collection, but we were able to play many fine examples of Neil's work, from throughout all of the different phases of his career. Mike had also brought some tapes, including Glasgow. Not too surprising, often we would turn to each other and say - "I would love to hear Neil play this song tonight!!!" Now we knew previous set lists, and most of choices were admitted long shots, but it was great to speculate anyway. My friend Jo came over, and settled in for some listening before we left. She *loves* Neil's acoustic work, bought Broken Arrow when it was released, and gave it to me because she didn't like it (the day after she went to the Sacramento and Concord shows, she went out and bought BA again, she had been converted!!!!). Primed for the event we headed off to Sudswerks to hook up with other Rusties. There was a fine group of people in attendance (Hugh, JonC and company, Mr. & Mrs. Calistar, DevonT & Fontainebleau, and I know that I am leaving out some people, but I was pretty well liquored up at this point, and the memory is fuzzy. ;) Others joined later. Lost Dog had brought the MORE BARN! Banner from the Gorge, so we started passing it around for signatures, while talking, drinking, and eating. We took pictures of Rusties and the Banner w/the Sudswerks sign. Hopefully we can get them on HyperRust soon. Now it was time to head across the street to the amphitheater. It was a great night for a show at CalExpo, cool, light breeze, and some stars out. We made it to the seats and met more Rusties, and I won't try to name eveyone because I know I'll leave somebody out. I didn't get to meet everybody that I wanted to, because within just a few minutes the lights went down and the horse was let out of the corral !!!!!!!!!! Jim's show review is on the Cal Expo Review Page.This is getting rather long, but I would just like to add that I have not been experiencing the Post Neil Depression, as some people have been speaking of. I think it is because of finally being able to meet other Rusties face-to-face, and being able to be a part of Lost Dog's road trip. It's been quite awhile since I have been able to "connect" with people, let alone complete strangers, and it has been rare that I meet people that understand, or at least feel the same way about Neil's music as I do. The Sacramento and Concord shows opened up something emotionally for me, and I have a ton of things to think about now. I was traveling for a few months 12 years ago, and met lots of people. We had little in common except being in the same place at the same time, and getting poured on, or almost freezing to death, or surviving one more lightning storm, or having walked 1,000 miles to be where we were. I met some great people during that time, and have since fallen out of touch with all of them. (I am terrible about making the time to write or call - that's why e-mail can be sooooo cool. ;) I really consider that 5 months to be one of the defining periods of my life. It was a time when I was meeting new people, and didn't have to apoligize for my obsession of wanting to backpack 2,000 miles. In some way it was like meeting other Rusties and not having to apologize for the fact that I get in moods where the best thing I can think of to do would be to crank Fuckin' Up or LAH or Changin' Highways or Thrasher or even ATGR to 11 (screw the neighbors!) It's really strange. LAH on 9/17 made me think a lot about being up in the high country during lightning storms and feeling the thunder pound me. Amazing that music can bring back that experience so vividly. But then again, we're talking about Neil. ;) I hope this was not too long, and thanks for reading. JimPS: Any other long distance hikers out there? (GA --> ME, '84) E-mail me!
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