Robben Ford Discussion

[elizabeth]

Whooooooaaaahhhhh...Would anyone like to guess who had front row, just right of center table in Murphy's? Yes, the number one fan, of course. Robben was fabulous, seemed to be having a great time, grooving with Roscoe and Hilary, and they with him.

I got a good look at the new Gibson; goodness knows I don't know what I am looking at, but it sure is pretty. It sounded clear and true, very bell-like in my unknowledgeable opinion.

It had been a long time since I had seen Roscoe play with Robben, but there did not seem to be any cobwebs. I had forgotten about the unique sound Roscoe plays on "Help the Poor," which is unlike any other bass I have heard. There were lots of grins exchanged between the three of them, so I think they were having a pretty good time. I know we were.

The headliner was Robert Cray, although he continued to thank and make comments about what a treat it was to play with Robben. Many of the people we spoke with (and had the 5 course VIP reception and dinner with) were there to see Cray, but were thrilled by Robben's performance.

I never make note of the song list (really working on being in the moment) but some I remember:

Indianola
Badge
Politician
Keep on Runnin'
The Way You Treated Me (killer!)
Help The Poor


Daved, please help me out here...I can't recall the others, but they were wonderful, as usual. The winery is a gorgeous venue, and as Robert Cray said later, "It was a perfect working temperature." (Hot during the day, but balmy and comfortable in the evening.)

Hilary, I had a total blast hanging out with you, and Joel was so excited that he got to meet you, since this was his second time seeing you. Look for a PM from me in the near future.

Why is it that it always takes so long waiting to go see Robben, then the actual event flies by in what seems like milliseconds? It's just not fair!

love, elzabeth
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[JavaDiva]

Elizabeth, sounds like you got to see a great show at Murphy's. Can't wait until Robben travels north again. Please be sure to post any information you get on Robben's shows with his brothers later this summer/fall (you too Aeolian). Maybe the timing will be right for another trip to California.

[elizabeth]

August 27: Point Arena - Ford Brothers Band (don't know if Robben will be playing.)
September 4: Sausalito Arts Festival (This one is on Robben's tour schedule.)

Remember, I am not an official source by any means, so I can only tell you the things I hear. Daved is much more informative, without mistakes!

love, elizabeth

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[roadwarriorfortheblues]

JD, these shows were recently added to Robben's tour itinerary as posted on the Concord Records web site:

9/28/2004 Mingus Park Outdoor Amphitheater Coos Bay, OR
9/29/2004 The Jungle Eugene, OR

http://www.concordrecords.com/tour_dates.asp?let=F&styp=A
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[Aeolian]

Sounds like a road trip to Oregon
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[JohnnyZ]

Elizabeth, you're slipping. So, what was Robben wearing?!

~JZ~
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[midc74]

YES!!!!!!!!!!

RW you just made my day!

Patrick

[elizabeth]

Sorry Johnny, nice white shirt and black jeans.
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[bek]

Hello everyone; I'm new here, but I was at Ironstone Friday night too (although I sat in the back). I didn't go up close, but I can "talk guitar" if anyone has a question. This is the first time I got a good chance to see Robben and I was pleased and impressed, in general.

[bek]

I thought the best thing Robben did was the blistering "Nothing to Nobody," which he introduced as having written with Michael McDonald. I sure would like lyrics, etc, for that! Resources, anyone?

[kirk95]

Weclome to the board bek.

That's one of my favorite Robben tunes!!

http://www.robbenford.com/SupernaturalLyrics.html

So what guitars was Robben playing?
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[bek]

He was playing that nice old Tele and what I guess is a relatively new Gibson LP. I was too far away to know whether those are custom-made instruments that just looked like the originals or not, but I see from this site that he is indeed using a Gibson (in an odd color suburst). Listening to him swap off between the two every other song or so reminds a player of how similar those two instruments can sound in the right hands through the right amp. I wasn't too surprised to hear Albert Collins sound like Gary Moore (considering Albert used both pickups and had a neck humbucker), but hearing the similarities between the two in Robben's use was very interesting. The main difference between the two was a sharper, more trebly edge with the Tele and that softer, more oddly nasal sort of tone a humbucker makes when he was playing the LP. I did not notice him adjusting his amp at all, but I thought I saw him using a pedal once. Badge: lackluster, worst of the set. Encore was Politician, much better. Interesting that he finished with two Cream tunes.
Did I mention his TONE WAS UNBELIEVABLY BIG AND GORGEOUS? I have to say I saw him in what I hoped would be the most perfect conditions last summer, at a very nearby town in a "clinic" with Tommy Castro at a blues festival, and was annoyed (too hot and crowded and too much talking) and disappointed (undistinguished tone and playing). Here he had a chance to get up to his preferred playing volume and get the tubes saturated so he sounded GREAT! Loved the jazzy things he did toward the end, too. Not surprising of course, with his background.