FROM PORTLAND TO LIVERPOOL

Flew into Helena, Montana for a two day conference, the first afternoon being spent with others climbing Mt. Helena. We then had a few beers at the Blackfoot River Brewing Company, followed by dinner at the Wind Bag and then closing the day with a night cap at the Lewis & Clark Brewery. There are benefits to arriving at your destination ahead of schedule!

I continued with the room renovation, completing the trim around the windows. Not enough time for staining, that project left for the following weekend. I'm burning out fast.

This was the 9th anniversary of 9/11. How disappointing to hear all the screaming and hatred on the television.

I listened to the second half of Sub Pop’s 20th anniversary Deluxe Edition reissue of Nirvana's debut album Bleach, the previously unreleased performance at the Pine Street Theatre in Portland, Oregon on February 9, 1990. Excellent show, great sound. By the sound of it, I believe the show ends with them smashing their guitars.

Get out there and buy it!

Like a pestilence

Fueled by their fear and hatred

Blight upon the land

Black eyes stare intently

Leaps across tire smoothed pavement

Joins the roadside dead

Sweat on helmets brow

Tight fingers on the trigger

Hunt down their brothers

A boyish faced teen

Pretended to be a man

Lying on the ground

Years passed since they fell

Still counting the faceless dead

Love that's turned to hate

Haunted by the ghost

Their revenge claims the living

Worshiping the dead

Say its for honor

While wearing wings of angels

Acting like demons

Next up was a classic performance by Echo & The Bunnymen in August 2001 at Paul McCartney's Liverpool Institute of Performing Arts. Listening to it put me right back in front of the stage, reliving my short time in Liverpool last December. Loved it!

Another beautiful evening under the stars, Autumn's chill in the air. In bed by 1 AM, not necessarily looking forward to resuming work on the room.

A LABOR OF LOVE

Labor Day weekend is just that, I spend it working on the upstairs room, building out the windows and trimming them with white oak. A very slow and laborious process, requiring multiple trips up and down the stairs between the room and garage where all the equipment is located. Monday evening was spent at a friends house celebrating his wife's birthday. That was my only down time for the weekend, except for Friday and Sunday night spent in my virtual reality in front of the stage.

First up was Nirvana's first album Bleach, released on June 15, 1989.

Nirvana: Bleach

By AJ Ramirez 5 November 2009

"It’s amazing to note that it’s now been 20 years since Nirvana released its first album. It only seems like yesterday that the grunge group emerged from the American indie scene to knock Michael Jackson off the top of the Billboard album charts, in the process bringing mass acceptance to the alternative rock genre and underground music in general. Despite this milestone, Sub Pop’s 20th anniversary Deluxe Edition reissue of the band’s debut album Bleach comes off as both unnecessary and oddly muted."

Read it all here:
http://www.popmatters.com/pm/feature/115413-nirvana-bleach/

Sitting in comfort

Our mission accomplished but....

The war rages on

Grabbed with clumsy hands

Their lives are but a play thing

Shatters when it falls

Time to turn the page

Another month has gone by

More gray hairs to count

Heart in a handshake

We shared our time together

A shame we must part

Bad news has arrived

One of this weeks twenty three

Color drains from life

Went so far away

To fix the old mans mistakes

Our youth sacrificed

Next up this evening out on the warm prairie is Coldplay performing live in Glasgow, Scotland on September 16, 2009.

"Coldplay's whistlestop Viva La Vida stadium tour flew into Scotland last night as they played at Hampden Park in Glasgow. This show will be featured on Radio 1 tomorrow as was reported recently - and Jay-Z made a special appearance during Lost, which effectively turned the song into Lost+ (as featured on the Prospekt's March EP). No other major changes to the setlist but the playing order of Trouble and Death will Never Conquer where switched, however. Chris Martin once again did an interactive question and answer set on stage talking to a video recording of Simon Cowell on X-Factor, who basically criticised the crowds rendition of the ending of Yellow... until it was done a second time."

Read it here:

http://www.coldplaying.com/index.php?name=News&file=article&sid=6684

Sunday night found me once again standing under the stars listening to music late into the night, safe knowing that the following day was a holiday from the office, but not from "work." This time it was REM performing in Stockholm, Sweden on November 9, 1998. A fine show and excellent recording, but I was reminded why REM never caught fire with me. I'm still not a fan but the show was still enjoyable, Michael Stipe blabbing the whole night between songs.

Download it here:

http://www.megaupload.com/?d=PC70WL37

THREE DOWN, SO MANY MORE TO GO

Another weekend of working slavishly on the room: sanding drywall, spray texturing, priming, final painting of the walls and ceiling. After hours of working on Saturday, I was ready for a break out on the prairie. A yellowed last quarter moon was rising up above the eastern horizon when I parked the truck.

Three part act this evening, starting off with Siouxsie & The Banshees performing live at the Shibuya Kokaido in Tokoy on February 5, 1983. Sultry voice and great guitar work. Sipping tequila, consumed with the first of two cigars. Excellent soundboard recording of the whole show. The Japanese politely clap in the background.

On the edge of life

Looking at us with their dull eyes

As we drive right by

Born with so much hope

Error on top of error

The sunbeam grows dim

Felt so effortless

But here come the aches and pains

Struggles to survive

Once was so naive

His attitude adjustment

Getting hard to care

Download it here:

http://www.megaupload.com/?d=RB4LO3A0

http://www.megaupload.com/?d=N9T9E9NV

Next up was Nirvana recorded live at the Cabaret Metro in Chicago, IL. on October 12, 1991. Their second album was released the previous month, their hit song "Smells Like Teen Spirit" capturing the attention of the nation, propelling them to instant stardom. They were just beginning to ride the crest of the wave that would suddenly crash in 1994.

"10-12-91 is one of the best Nirvana shows ever recorded and can be found on at least three separate discs. The vocals are blistering and extremely solid. The drums are a little loud and drown out the bass somewhat, but the performance is raw and full of energy. An early "Rape Me" & "Lounge Act" would have been nice additions to the setlist, but there can't be any complaints about the songs that were performed. A few times during the show, stage divers knock over the mic stand and the vocals are lost for a few seconds (Krist tells them to watch it.) It's a fun show to listen to and a favorite among Nirvana bootleg collectors.

A spirit long gone
Burned with such intensity
Singing forever

Down load it here:

http://rapidshare.com/files/282221413/Nirvana-Dressed_for_Success-2002-SataN_Int.rar

I closed the evening with Echo & The Bunnymen, a fine bootleg recording of their live show before an enthusiastic audience at the La Bamba in Portland Oregon on October 27, 1981. Classic early Bunnymen!