My only tDB 'tour' 10-01-98 - 10-03-98

[ChrisJ]

Ok so it wasn't a tour, hardly even a run. Whatever.   :roll:

I decided to look on the archive to see if that 10-01-98 was up there and whaddayaknow there it is. Bessie's is right here in downtown Wilmington, NC. It was the first tDB show I went to, 10-02 the second, and you guessed it, 10-03 was my 3rd.

They actually played a double bill with a really popular local band called ergot on 10-01 and 10-02. I remember there was quite a discussion about who would be opening for who.  After all it was 1998, and tDB would have only put about 50-60 in Bessie's, but ergot was a solid 150+ every time.  There was also a bit of craziness over which local band was going to play the second night. I know Humchuck Fire was supposed to open the 2nd night and I think they didn't show, so ergot played again. Could be wrong but I think that's it. You'd think with all the heightened awareness I had in me at the time I would remember.
Well those 2 nights were something to behold. Some of the most inspired psych/trance/house/prog/rock I had  heard being played by real BANDS.  Plus we were, well.... ahh.... very well stocked w/  ALL  proper party favors for such an event. As I am sure most of you know, when you can get a room of hundreds of peeps all on the same vibe, powerful things can happen. They certainly did.  Can't wait to hear this show again for just a tiny taste of that night.

The guy that taped and seeded the 10-01 show was the sound man for ergot at the time and taped a lot of shows then I will see if I can get in touch with him about the second night as well.  Been a long time, but I think I can track him down; I still see some of the ergot guys now and then.

As far as the final night, 10-03 in Charlotte, I think Jack Straws was the place. I don't remember squat about that one. Staying awake for 3 days will do that for you. Much later I did get a partial cassette from the board tho. I remember during some great banter the guys just started bitching about how bad the water in Wilmington had been. They had been staying at the ergot 'band house' which was close to the beach. One word about the well water here: SULPHUR!  It tasted awful, and theirs was some of the worst in town.

ahhh good times good times!


EDIT:
the setlist for 10-01 includes Banter/Oh Oh Oh Oh Oh Jam* and the footnote reads
*w/ members of Changing Channels
Changing Channels was a very talented improv comedy troupe that had a weekly gig at Bessie's. Can't wait to check that out, I have zero memory of it.