Robben Ford Discussion

[AndyR]

at Western Md Blues Fest in Hagerstown, and it topped a great two "guitar days" for me!

On Friday I went to the "First World Guitar Congress" in Baltimore (see: http://www.towson.edu/worldmusiccongresses/guitar.html)

I was bummed because the feature concert with Les Paul and Pat Martino was sold out.

Who I DID see: Bill Lawrence, Ralph Towner, Wolf Marshall, John Hammond, Andy Summers, Tuck Andress, Corey Christiansen, Jennifer Batten...the whole thing was very inspirational!

Rather than return to the Congress on Saturday, I decided to drive out to Hagerstown and check out Robben Ford, since he doesn't appear all that often around my neck of the woods.

Cold and rainy weather kept the crowds down; after I stood around in a cold drizzle for 3 hours, Robben came on 1 1/2 hours late.

I was thinking that Robben and the band must be seriously bummed by having to play in the cold with a constant mist blowing on them.

How WRONG I was!

Robben and crew put on an absolutely incredible show! The guy NEVER stopped smiling the whole time, despite having to towel off frequently, blow on his hands to stay warm, and playing for a bunch of drunk Maryland rednecks on a parking lot stage, in a blue-collar town in the mountains.

Robben is a true, consummate pro, and he and his band gave us a great, 110% performance under less-than-ideal conditions.

And he's a pretty good guitar player, too!



Andy

[Phil T]

Hi Andy,
Thanks for the info/report, glad to hear things worked out as well as they did.
It's never fun playing in such poor conditions

I think this is a more direct link to the site you suggested:
http://www.towson.edu/worldmusiccongresses/

Saw Robben & band a few years ago in my neighborhood, it was June, similar weather (& 40 degrees F). Everyone on stage & off got VERY wet. The band played on. I came home with a picture of me with Robben and a picture of me with BB King.
cheers
phil

[wbfree]

My friend and I went to our first Robben Ford concert here in the small town of Bend, Oregon where we live-just big enough to get good musicians to come and play. I wanted to try and communicate something I felt as I watched Robben play but it is too difficult, all I can say is that it was magical-I am a struggling guitar player and I know enough to appreciate great musicians and Robben Ford has joined my list of truly great guitarists. I have always liked him because he put an original take to playing blues but seeing him in person impressed and inspired me. It was hot when he started playing and the crowd was not huge in this mecca of tight assed wasps, but he played like he was playing to a crowd of thousands. Unlike some guitarists I can think of he puts his heart on the line when he plays and from reading the comments Andy made about playing in the cold and drizzle that is what he is about. He touched my soul with his playing and when somebody does that it is, like I said, magical.
Burnie
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[kirk95]

Isn't that what music is all about?

Touching the soul... communicating.. inspiring!

I'm with ya!!!
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[JavaDiva]

Burnie, I was also at the concert in Bend and it was one of the best of Robben's shows I've been to (of course I say that every time I go). What really impresses me, in addition to his great playing, is his obvious love of the music, his connection with the crowd, and the joy he gets from listening to the other players. Did you see the huge smile on his face while he watched Hilary during the drum solo? Two days later and I'm still smiling...

[wbfree]

I just saw your message-I agree he loves to play and that is what separates him from alot of other players-he knows music but plays with his heart-one of the very great players here in Bend-what a treat.
Burnie
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[Bluesman08]

I too saw Robben at hagerstown. What a great show in spite of the nasty weather. I did come away feeling that Robben loves to play and I was very happy to have been fortunate enought to have been there. Especially being able to see another blues great Duke Robillard get onstage and play with him!