The Bx3 Tour

[bx3webmaster]

Post here if you attended or plan to attend!

[IndyMike]

I would have posted this last night but I had to wait for activation!

What a great show. I've been a big fan of Billy and Stu for over ten years at this point, and given Jeff's reputation I was expecting a great deal from him too. So really, I wasn't surprised by the facility displayed by the "3"s.

I WAS surprised by the drummer and guitar player, however.

Playing that long of a set, John Mader really impressed me. With all of those up-tempo songs... man. As a drummer, I was very impressed.

Jude Gold was great too. A lot of shoes to step into... Frank Gambale, Steve Vai, Eric Johnson... and he did a great job. His slapping/percussive playing on the Strat copy was my favorite thing about his playing though. I've seen Victor Wooten's brother Reggie do a similar thing, but I've always felt Reggie's tone was lacking and it's not as musical as Victor's slapping. But Jude really has it down. There's a lot of musical tones and overtones going on. Even with a thinner tone than most guitar players use (because obviously B3, you're getting more bass sound than anything else), Jude's musicality really came across. GREAT job! (Hope he reads some of these reviews!)

I liked them opening w/ the song they chose, and I love Billy's singing. He has a gritty sort of voice (a cross between Halford & Bowie, some say!). And the bass interaction between Stu & Jeff while Billy sang was great, as expected.

Jeff's set was more jazzy than expected, but that was just an unexpected pleasure. I like swinging stuff, so it was great. Jeff's soloing is obviously great. My bass player friend got off on the tonalities he chose to solo in. My music theory knowledge is almost nil, so I just enjoyed it for what it was: Great bass playing! I liked what chordal stuff Jeff did the best. Bass chording is one of my favorite aspects of bass. (Chordal harmonics are my favorite.)

Stu's set was fun. I've seen him a number of times w/ Joe Satriani, on G3 and in clinic. I love his tone and his funkiness. He played "Lone Star" which is one of my favorite Stu tunes ever and Jude played the Eric Johnson guitar part damn well! I really liked how they slowed "Lone Star" down in the middle and messed with it a bit.

Billy's set was relentless! He played heavily from "Cosmic Truboudor" and had a lot of up-tempo parts. "Taj" was just NAILED by the band. Great stuff. My only complaint about Billy's stuff is that sometimes his tone is too muddy and you can't pick out all of the notes. But I was on the far side of the stage from his stack and didn't get the PA mix since I was front row, so maybe the folks stage left and in the back could hear him better. Oh well.

Everyone hung out and chatted after the show (which was impressive, since they didn't start til 9!). I mostly talked w/ the drummer, John, keeping him from breaking down his kit.

Overall, a really fun show and there were more folks in the audience than I'd expected considering that it's a player type of audience that usually shows up for these things.

If you're on the fence about going: DO IT! Don't think, just go!

[Bx3 Photoman]

Great review Mike.
_________________
"I have to have my picture taken with this Guy" Jeff Berlin April 2006

[Bass Kahuna]

Yeup... as soon as I saw they were coming to Indianapolis when I got my weekly email on upcoming shows from Ticketmaster back before Christmas I bought tickets! It was at The Music Mill in Indianapolis, a good sized club, but small enough so we could stand right up in front of the stage and be 2 feet from these great musicians (and yes, I definitely am including Jude Gold and John Mader, the twanger and stinky in there as well!)

Okay... for those of you who aren't "Ugly Bass Players", we refer to drummers as "Stinky" drummers and guitar players as damn "twangers".... okay?! Onward!

Right from the start I made my way up to the front of the stage just like a groupie. Heck, I am a groupie, who am I kidding? I know some of you might think that is a bit silly, especially for someone in his.. ahem... middle 40's.... but not only was I there to see these 3 great bassist play and steal some licks and tricks, I was there to show my appreciation and support for all that they have given us. Think about it, the large majority of us here have been onstage at one time or another. Would YOU prefer the audience so sit in their seats at their tables in a club like that, or do you get off on having them get up in front of the stage and cheer you on? Nuff said, I was there to do my part and be a giggly, smiling member of the audience. You know when it is all said and done that THAT is why they play.

I enjoyed the entire show, all dang near 3 hours of it. Jeff Berlin is just a monster jazz soloist. I have an old instructional video tape of him during which he does his version of "Dixie", and called it out to him during his set, but he said he doesn't play it anymore, and then did part of it anyway even though he goofed it up a bit, just because some bonehead bass player (who.. me?) in the audience called it out and he was there to please. He did do a very similar version of "Tears in Heaven" which I thought was a very beautiful rendition. Funny thing, on top of his great playing he also had great stage banter and a few good jokes as well. I didn't realize he had released several new albums recently... I had no cash on me at the show and they weren't taking credit cards and the lousy ATM was out of order, so I will be ordering some new Jeff Berlin CD's from his site right away.

And, of course the incomparable Stu Hamm up next. I've been a fan since I heard his debut solo album "Radio Free Albumuth" when it first came out...sheesh... has it been that long that I've had that album? And yes, I've bought several more of his albums as they have come out including "Kings of Sleep" and others. I was happy to hear him play a large majority of his set from these first two of his albums. I recognized them instantly and of course it was great to watch him play them, "Terminal Beach" and several others, including "Lone Star" which he wrote for Eric Johnson. I was just a tad disappointed that he didn't do "Country Music (A night in Hell)" from his first album, nor did he do "Linus and Lucy", but he still smoked his bass and was very entertaining with some witty banter and jokes as well.

And then, of course, was my "hero", Billy. His playing was ON that night, starting off with several songs from his most recent album "Cosmic Troubador", which I recognized from playing that album a ton in my truck while driving around. He was up to his usual stage antics, and yes, they were silly and fun, but always done a bit tongue-in-cheek and to be entertaining. We do, afterall, go to "see" musicians play, don't we? I will say that I thought he had maybe a bit too much overdrive dialed in, which did make his tone a bit thick or muddy here and there. He was fine when rocking with the stinky and twanger, but when he broke into a solo whether playing alone or with the band, he had (in my humble opinion....) just a smidge too much overdrive going, and having seen him play many, many times over the years live starting back in the late 70's in Buffalo in Talas, with Mr. Big several times, etc... and on multiple videos and DVD's, I know this is not typical of his sound. Ah well, I'm really nitpicking anyway.

Again, all in all a fantastic show, with all 5 musicians really being on it and in the pocket all night, and most obviously having fun. They were obviously enjoying playing together and having a blast. Jeff Berlin even states on his website that hanging out with this band is some of the most fun he's ever had.

In talking with all 5 of them after the show (yes, they took time out to come out into the audience and do the whole meet and greet and talk, hang out, take pictures, etc. for a long time after the show), they all talked about how much fun they're having, how much they all respect and admire each others playing (Jude Gold even mentioned about how he was along to "go to school"...). I must mention too, that for musicians of this caliber to announce at the end of the show to just give them 5 minutes and they'll be back out to hang out and talk with us was just the best. Not many will do that.

And yes.... I already have other stuff signed by Billy back from my days of seeing the original Talas in Buffalo, but I did take along my Purple Attitude X 10 year Anniversay bass (#139 out of 300!) and while talking to Billy for a while, I got him to sign it for me. I didn't get any pics of him signing it, and that was not my intention. I wanted him to sign it just because. He was actually impressed that I'm obviously gigging the bass (I guess too many people buy them as collectors items and then lock them up in their cases.... too sad) and that I have obviously altered the electronics and a few other things on it to suit my preferences. Very, very cool. Jude Gold and John Mader were ULTRA cool too, and talked with us (I took my stinky and twanger along to the show) for about 20 minutes or more. Just great, down to earth guys with talent hanging off of them, and obviously if they were picked to do this tour.

A great night, a great show, a great experience, and yes... I am still smiling.

And yes, when I got home I immediately picked up my bass and wailed away on it for a while! Lessee now.. how DID they do that?...
_________________
:^)~

-Grandon-
http://www.basskahuna.com
"What's inside The Bass wants out..."

[actrade]

Grandon, I didn't know you were there! I was sitting back by the bar with Kent Stembel and our wives and never made it up to the front. Your review was spot on, including the part about Billy being a bit too overdriven. That much overdrive kind of muddied his mix and I wanted to hear each note clearly. Other than that, how often do you get to see five incredible musicians play for $18! I also bought one of Jeff's CD's as I thought he was unbelieveably good. Tell Guy hello for me as I'm his bass playing neighbor in Fowler, IN.

Jim Gerlach

[ron]

Dang. In Poplar Grove it was only $12 and as that band stated close to 12 below.