Yesterday Nancy and I drove up to Bethel Woods Arts Center (on the site of the Woodstock Festival) for a show I was doing with Poco opening for Loggins and Messina. We had a two hour drive that started out nice enough from our hotel in NJ but about ¾ of the way the skies blackened and then opened up with a massive thunder and lightening show. The GPS went out on the car and it was, as we say – always an adventure.
Once we arrived at the venue we had a tour of the Woodstock Museum (if you’re in the area, plan on it as a destination and enjoy the history of the time 40 years ago). I then did a live interview with my friend Pete Fornatale with a couple hundred folks in attendance. It was awesome.
Jeff Friedman image of Richie Furay and Paul Cotton
Sound check for the show was pretty much non-existent for Poco as things were understandably running behind time and, let’s face it, we were the opening act. We did what we could and then as they say – “flew by the seat of our pants” through an hour of music. It was fun and we had a good time and from what I’ve read and heard everyone else did as well. We didn’t stay around for the Loggins and Messina show as we had a two hour drive back to the hotel. We saw a fantastic shooting star on the way home – very nice.
Tonight’s show is in Holmdel, NJ and we’re getting ready to head out for another night of music.
RF
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I am just back from Richie and the Band’s show at — of all places — the Short Hills (NJ) Hilton, where they played a “benefit” for the Millburn / Short Hills Chamber of Commerce. Not that this town’s CoC needs a benefit, but from almost any perspective, tonight’s show was — as Pete Fornatale would say — a foot stompin, rock-and-rollin’ good time.
The music was terrific, the arrangements were absolutely tight and rock solid, and the harmonies were spot on. Best of all, Richie’s voice is still so strong. And on a night where the band probably played to no more than a couple hundred, they treated tonight’s gig as they though they were playing to a filled arena of 15,000!!
Great touches of warmth spilled out when Richie introduced Jesse (his daughter) — who by the way has quite the voice. The entire band is just awesome — go see them if they are anywhere near you. You will not be disappointed.
This was a rare treat, and an even rarer gem — to have Richie grace us with this show is something I’ll long remember. Thanks.
Hi Craig, we just got home form our trip thanks for your note and comments. We try to do the best we can with every show and I’m glad you got to see us at this “event”. David Stone is a friend of mine who has been wanting to do a house concert for a while now and this turned out to be as close as we could get! Thanks for checkin’ in to my website and “bloggin’”.
Hope to see you net time around!
Sorry for the old pic guys. Nobody had a pic from this show for us…
While you and Nancy had the adventure in, I had it out….that is not getting out. The concert was great and so much fun to see you and Poco! Between the museum and the show it was a perfect day topped off with getting stranded there but hey…got a great story out of it! Unfortunatley my video didn’t come out great and although my seat was better at Jones Beach I was so sucked into the show I forgot to take it out OOPS! Now, how about a Buffalo Springfield reunion!!
Thanks for the note Bonnie visiting my website. The shows with Poco and L&M were special for us and I’m glad we got to do them! Hope to see you with my band on another trip back east. Richie