Robben Ford Discussion

jconstant · Posted: Mon Jan 05, 2015 11:57 am Post subject: New tour dates with Mark Ford

You read that right. This morning, this was posted on Facebook:

I'm really happy to announce some shows I'll be playing this month in California with my brothers Patrick and Mark, whom I grew up, of course, playing with one way or another. Patrick is still, in my opinion, one of the greatest blues drummers in the pantheon, and Mark is an incredible blues harp player who decided to play again after a very long break. These are rare opportunities when we can get together like this and I guarantee a great vibe and some incredible playing from the whole band. Hope to see you out there.

1/23 @ Ramona Main Stage in Ramona, CA
1/24 @ The Coach House in San Juan Capistrano, CA
1/25 @ SOhO Restaurant & Music Club in Santa Barbara, CA
1/26 @ Kuumbwa Jazz Center in Santa Cruz, CA
_________________
"Somebody's got to make some music around here." - Robben Ford

PaulG · Posted: Tue Jan 06, 2015 7:51 am Post subject:

Thanks JC!
This is the same line-up as their gigs in NoCal in August. I got to see them in Chico and Ukiah.
Mark is as good as ever and has written some new songs.

I've said it here before, there's always a good vibe when the FBB gets together. Nice to see them in SoCal!

frank0936 · Posted: Tue Jan 06, 2015 12:56 pm Post subject: New gigs

That's going to be unbelievable. I wish I could get out there. I am so envious of all of you that live close enough to see this.
Frank

Nick-O · Senior Member Joined: 09 Jul 2014 Posts: 67

My sentiments exactly. If only it were enough to convince my wife to head west...not. ):

frank0936 · Posted: Thu Jan 08, 2015 5:48 am Post subject: FBB

This would be a good excuse for a live DVD (hint, hint)!
Frank

jconstant · Posted: Mon Jan 12, 2015 8:52 am Post subject:

I'm waiting a little bit to see if they add any dates closer to Los Angeles. I'll go to the Coach House show if I must but since I moved to LA from Orange County, that's now a particularly long drive, especially during the week.

You never know if this will happen again and I've wanted to see Mark perform live for as long as I can remember.
_________________
"Somebody's got to make some music around here." - Robben Ford

Nick-O · Senior Member Joined: 09 Jul 2014 Posts: 67

I would take the drive! I know LA can be a pain but I would do it....love to see the brothers together. And really, you never know if they will do it again. I would love to have the chance myself.

Danny · Posted: Mon Jan 19, 2015 2:30 pm Post subject:

I've got my ticket to the Ramona Mainstage show ;) A guitar player friend of mine told me about the show, I've never been to this venue but I'm pretty excited!
From the way the gig was advertised ("the Ford Blues Band") I thought Robben might be playing with his brothers, but I wasn't sure. This is great news! I'll have to bring my Charles Ford Band record and see if I can get the other Fords to sign it ;)

_________________
"Music is the only thing that you can share with a million million people and you don't lose, you gain. It helps you to get energy and to live long, because when your soul is very happy then you don't want to die." - Ali Akbar Khan

PaulG · Posted: Tue Jan 27, 2015 8:28 am Post subject:

Just a quick review of the Santa Barbara show. Not surprisingly, they played great. I didn't keep a setlist, but the songs consisted of mostly FBB songs and/or songs from Mark's previous releases with the Blue Line. A couple of Robben's standards (Help the Poor and Moonchild Blues) were also included. Mark has written some new songs, and at least one was included.
Personally, I've always enjoyed the songs and arrangements of these guys. Perhaps it's a 'West Coast Blues' thing, but they can make even the slowest blues fresh and exciting. I loved every song. Now, if I can only convince them to add 'Same Thing' to a set, I'll be a happy camper. (I love that arrangment)
Robben played the Tele, sans Dumble. I believe he played thru a Super Reverb. Volker played a cool Les Paul Special with single coils that sounded great.

I hope that these guys continue to put these tours together. There is a lot there to enjoy. If they were new to the biz, i'm sure they would be pulling down awards. Keep it going, fellas!!

PaulG · Posted: Tue Jan 27, 2015 8:29 am Post subject:

Just a quick review of the Santa Barbara show. Not surprisingly, they played great. I didn't keep a setlist, but the songs consisted of mostly FBB songs and/or songs from Mark's previous releases with the Blue Line. A couple of Robben's standards (Help the Poor and Moonchild Blues) were also included. Mark has written some new songs, and at least one was included.
Personally, I've always enjoyed the songs and arrangements of these guys. Perhaps it's a 'West Coast Blues' thing, but they can make even the slowest blues fresh and exciting. I loved every song. Now, if I can only convince them to add 'Same Thing' to a set, I'll be a happy camper. (I love that arrangment)
Robben played the Tele, sans Dumble. I believe he played thru a Super Reverb. Volker played a cool Les Paul Special with single coils that sounded great.

I hope that these guys continue to put these tours together. There is a lot there to enjoy. If they were new to the biz, i'm sure they would be pulling down awards. Keep it going, fellas!!

jconstant · Posted: Tue Jan 27, 2015 8:40 pm Post subject:

Well, I did take the drive ('bout 1 hr 45 min each way) and it was absolutely worth it! Nick-O, like you said, I wasn't sure I'd ever have the chance again so I wasn't about to miss it.

Paul covered many of the noteworthy points and I'll add that the whole band was just on fire. The got off to a rocky start because Pat was having a problem with his bass drum sliding around but they took it in stride and it was resolved after the second tune or so.

Of course there were the usual camera issues with one guy immediately taking video with his cell phone that had a very bright light so Robben turned his back. And during the second tune a guy in the front row on the Volker side of the stage started taking video and Robben had a small fit trying to get him to stop from his side of the stage. Fortunately, there were no more issues after that.

The big treat for me (other than it being a fantastic show) was, of course, getting to see Mark for the first time. Nobody in that room was enjoying themselves more than Mark. I've never seen anybody happier to be on stage than he was. Toward the end of the show, he explained that he took a break from music for about 6 years (more on that in a second) and after 25 years of being an EMT, recently retired and has been getting back into it for maybe a year or so. I happened to sit next to a very nice guy who knew Robben and he told me some of the back story of Mark's hiatus. It turns out Mark moved to India for those 6 years and became a Buddhist Monk. The good news is, it sounds like he's back in to stay for a while.

This was one of my favorite shows and I couldn't be happier that I was there!
_________________
"Somebody's got to make some music around here." - Robben Ford

Nick-O · Senior Member Joined: 09 Jul 2014 Posts: 67

I am so glad for you guys that made the trip. Sounds like it was more than worth it. I hope they all got as much out of playing together as y'all did. Perhaps the band will realize the mojo that comes from that kind of a team is not an every day thing. Something to be appreciated.

Awesome...I'm going to go and jam with these vibes!

Danny · Posted: Sat Jan 31, 2015 12:54 pm Post subject:

The Ramona Mainstage show was awesome! It's probably the most intimate setting I've ever seen Robben in. We had the same issues with the uninformed pissing Robben off with flash photography/photography in general. At one point he actually leaned forward across the stage and asked a woman to move back so he couldn't see her, since she was bumming him out. Other than that though it was a nice night, and I did manage to get my Charles Ford Band LP signed by Mark and Patrick.
Though Robben did have the Dumble with him, I wonder why it wasn't at the other shows?

The set was something like this: If You Come My Way, Chevrolet, Don't Start Me Talkin, In Your Arms, Moon Child, Let It Go, Spoonful, Nobody Knows, Another Fine Day, Do What You Set Out To Do, Help the Poor, Illusory World, Start It Up, If You Live (encore), Taste and Try (encore).
A few songs must have been skipped, as I don't remember hearing Help The Poor and there's a bunch of songs written by Mark that I don't know.
_________________
"Music is the only thing that you can share with a million million people and you don't lose, you gain. It helps you to get energy and to live long, because when your soul is very happy then you don't want to die." - Ali Akbar Khan

steviegtr · Member Joined: 05 Nov 2005 Posts: 5

My buddy and I flew to San Diego from Denver and then rented a car and found Ramona for the performance on 1/23. My first time seeing Robben with his brothers, and it was fun to see the wonderful chemistry between them. The concert was a disappointment not because of the band and great playing, but because the jerk soundman obviously only listens to heavy metal. He had the bass so loud we could barely hear the vocals or the harmonica! The vocals sounded like they were coming from a tin can, so frustrating when there were three good singers on stage! I don't know if I'll ever get the chance to see the Ford brothers again and wish this had been more like some of the great performances I see on Youtube. Crying or Very sad

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Steve
Denver, CO

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