Shine On You Crazy Diamond......

On the threshold of stardom, members of the psychedelic rock band Pink Floyd leap from the steps of EMI House in London in this March 3, 1967 file photo. From left: Roger Waters, Nick Mason, Syd Barrett and Richard Wright.

LONDON — Syd Barrett, the troubled genius who co-founded Pink Floyd but spent his last years in reclusive anonymity, has died, a spokeswoman for the band said Tuesday. He was 60.



Syd Barrett - 01.06.1946 – 07.07.2006

Rewind: Trey Anastasio Band - Halloween 2002

Folks, I haven't archived a single article for almost a year now and my apologies. The Phreshwater team, although dispersed countrywide, are grooving right along in life. I've been putting serious thought into going back into the water full force either web or print or both. What do you think of that? Drop a line and let me know what you think! Here's one from the deep pool of articles that took place 2 years ago on Halloween night in Ashe-Vegas... by yours truly. I hope you are all doing well - we're not dead yet!

Trey Anastasio Band - A Bag Full of Tricks and Treats! 10.31.02

The chill of autumn winds stirred steadily in downtown Asheville NC bringing the Halloween crowd into the proper spirit. Phans gathered merrily outside the Asheville Civic Center costumed and lubricated with microbrew and goo-balls. Even the Asheville Police Department was rather bubbly for a ghoulish evening, which could be attributed to the positive mass consciousness that was brewing outside the doors for this general admission show.

Just before the first set the crowd was really amped. We were all treated to a full on costume show that was highlighted by a small raucous parade of cartoon heroes: The Incredible Hulk, Wonder Woman, Velma, Scooby-Doo, and Elvis all dancing in a train around the civic center. There were at least 3 Bucketheads, 2 Evil Knevil's, and some dude dressed up as a lawn chair with green patio carpet draped over him with his head protruding from the seat!

The first set kicked off with a screaming version of 'Night Speaks To A Woman' and if a minute passed it could have been an hour! You could tell Trey was loose, relaxed, and ready for a long night. The band was just getting warmed up through 'Mozambique', 'The way I feel', and 'Curluse Call' (?) the entire crowd pulsating and leaping everywhere you could see. Trey conducted the band and entire musical experience like Frank Lloyd Wright, designing architectural masterpieces right before your eyes with hand signals, telepathy, and numerous contortions. The set rounded out with an insane run of 'Olivia'> 'Windora Bug '> 'Tops Off' where Trey encouraged the screaming crowd by taking off his shirt and swinging it madly in the air which resulted in a whirling crowd fresco of t-shirts, hats, and even a few breasts poking up and out for some fresh air! But the set STILL wasn't through! The 'Tops Off' pep-rally incited the band into 'Chapeau Mauve' (?), a stellar rendition of 'Ether Sunday', and closed the set with 'Last Tube'. I thought for a brief moment that there would be no intermission and we would just dance until sunrise! All I can say is 'WOW!'

The second set got whipped up in similar fashion with 'Money, Love, and Change'> (Killer unknown Jam)> Drifting > Gazebo. Jennifer Hartswick was just beaming all night while cutting staccato trumpet riffs and singing her ass off! the entire rhythm section's performance is beyond my ability to describe how tight they held it all together with Cyro Baptsita crazily pounding his tower of timbales and birdcalls to boot. Trey just kept giving sporadic doses of guitar prodigy throughout the night and into 'Sultans of Swing'. The encore, 'Push on til the day', was equally impressive and I seriously thought it might never stop when Trey went into a barrage of feedback trickery with sonic screams and overdrive auditory meltdowns to the rabid delight of everyone present! And then, like Nikola Tesla resurrected on stage, Trey captured the sonic feedback into a ball of tangible energy and tossed this imaginary sphere of sound into the crowd where it was 'tossed' back into his hands and then 'passed' around to the band members on stage! It was a great ending that was impressive to all my senses.

This was a show that I will never forget. It was non-stop excitement and high energy musicianship from every angle. Trey Anastasio looked and appeared like he is ready and prime for the upcoming Phish events with full confidence and evergy. What an amazing Halloween!

Review: S. Remington

Larry Keel and Curtis Burch - The Newgrass Experience

Artist: Larry Keel and Curtis Burch
Title: Larry Keel - Curtis Burch and the Experience
Year: 2002
Label: Little King Records
Style: Bluegrass

This insightful collection of mountain lore and super-charged new-grass is fueled by two living legends of acoustic music. Larry Keel, flat pick guitar champion and founding member of McGraw Gap, joins forces with Curtis Burch the internationally renowned dobro master who has graced the stage with other Bluegrass giants such as Norman Blake, Doc Watson, and Ralph Stanley. This collaboration, which is dedicated in memory to genius Bluegrass singer and songwriter John Hartford, also features a talented supporting acoustic ensemble including Billy Constable (Hypnotic Clambake), Woody Woods (Blue Rags), Jason Krekel (Snake Oil Medicine Show), Mark Schimick and Jenny Keel (Larry Keel Experience).

The first track, ‘In the Plan’, features Curtis Burch on lead vocals and dobro in a sure-footed version of this classic written by The Dillards. The Experience rises next for a high-mountain thrill ride with ‘Carolina Sunshine’ and ‘Never Get On A Train Again’- a newgrass electrified rendition originally performed by the Everly Brothers.

Jason Krekel, on mandolin and lead vocals, heads up a brilliant cover of John Hartford’s classic ‘On the Road’ – A zany musical dissertation of the effects of jet-lag played in hyper-waltz time signature ( I give this version a very hefty A+, which is saying a lot coming from a seasoned Hartford fan!). On track 5 Larry Keel presents a hand-crafted composition entitled ‘The Door’: A bluesy, head-bobbing, number packed with Larry’s raspy vocal musings and greased lightning on the fret board. Then Larry and Curtis gladly throw a habanero into the pot and get down to business with a roof burning rendition of Tut Taylor’s ‘Black Ridge Ramble’.

I’ve always had great joy whenever hearing John Hartford’s ‘First Girl I Loved’ and I am equally impressed with this collaborative version including the haunting guitar and dobro interludes which weave themselves gently between the lyrics of this timeless tale of love past and present. This disc also boasts three other Keel compositions ‘Kite Song’, ‘These Things’, and ‘Smile’ which are impressive displays of Larry’s songwriting talent that make him one of the most important artists in acoustic music today. As an added bonus on this CD we are treated to ‘Pennies In My Pocket’ (written by Curtis Burch, Sam Bush, and Mark Olson) which features a bluegrass knuckle-sandwich of Curtis Burch on dobro and Billy Constable on banjo.

I’m sure that if you are a serious Bluegrass fan that this CD is a no-brainer to add to your collection. Larry and Curtis are two of the most talented and hard-working dudes who have ever played acoustic music. You can really feel the emanations of the great time these two must have had with The Experience rambling through these choice cuts in the studio. Isn’t that what great music is REALLY about? I’m sure John Hartford is looking down from the clouds right now knowing that he is not forgotten and honored that these two friends are playing his songs and having a blast in the process.

Review: S. Remington

CD Review originally appeared on PhreshWater.com in November 2002