From: Dave Wolfe

Evening all,

Or should I say morning all!! Just got back from the Phil show up in Ft. Collins. In one word...YES!!!!!! We have been spoiled here in Colorado since I have been able to see Phil 3 times in the past 3 months. Unfair you say?? Spoiled rotten??

Just wait...there's more where this came from!

Local guitar wiz Dave Beegle opened up the show for Phil by doing about a 30 min. set. He did several Flamenco pieces and a stunningly beautify piece called 'Intimate Moments'. Dave has a all acoustic album coming out in September that should be awesome!! Anyway, Dave had a friend playing bass with him for the last couple songs and he was just great. Dave is a VERY gifted player.

Phil immediately followed Dave onstage and it was obvious from the start that Phil was pumped. He opened with about an eight minute version of Salvation Army Band. He really was on with playing..Jamman timing...everything. He then did an Elvis number and promptly broke a nail(into the body of his Olson!!). He play for about an hour...doing mostly vocal stuff(Sign Came Through the Window, Do Lord, one of his wedding songs, True Believers) and a few instrumentals(Shades of Green, Legacy & one other). Phil was really on and in a rockin' mood!

Phil then left the stage and Dave Beegle came back on with his band - the Jurassi-casters - and did three electric numbers(ending with a great version of "Cinnamon Girl"). THEN....Phil came out and strapped on a Strat!! They did several Beatles tunes with the singer for the Jurassicasters doing the leads while Phil got comfortable with the band.

I must note here that the Jurassicasters are not just some hack bar band. They are composed of some of the most talented musicians in the state!! Anyhow..Phil played along and did a few leads and sang background vocals. After the first two songs he seemed to get much more comfortable with the band. They then kicked in to a killer version of "People Get Ready" with Phil and Dave exchanging lead breaks. While they were doing the dueling leads stuff, you could really hear the blues influence in Phil's playing. Dave Beegle is much more of a classical influenced electric player and his style of playing, while VERY influenced by Phil, is much different. Dave is probably just as good on the electric as Phil is, so it really was starting to get warmed up.

Then Phil stepped up to the mike and launched into "Chase the Bad Away". The band was very tight with Phil by this point and the song just rocked!! And for the last song...Phil kicked into "Time"!!!! This, of course, turned into about a twenty minute jam!! By this time it seemed that Phil had become very comfortable with the band, and was much confident in his playing.

For the encore...well...lets just say I pray to God that someone taped this show...the encore was to die for music!! They started with the Beatles and ended up with Glass Harp and visited LOTS of stuff in the middle(Including some 220 riffs, Ghost Riders in the Sky...and several others). By this time Phil had allot of trust in the band...when he was about to switch gears...he would just give the drummer and bass player a glance and take off in some other direction....and everyone followed without a missed beat. Phil and Dave were matching each other note for note and Phil would keep changing riffs on Dave, but Dave would be there a couple of notes later.

All in all this was one awesome show. Acoustic Phil and electric Phil(with band) in one show. I would love to hear Phil record some stuff with these guys. By the end of the encore (which lasted about 25 min.) Phil's soloing was lyrical and liquid and he was just cutting loose. One cannot ask for more in a concert!!

BTW...I would be interested in knowing what Phil thought of the show(Robin...Neal...Mark...if you talk to him...ASK!...please...). Phil did not come out and sign any autographs afterward, so I didn't get my PJ CD signed :-(. Oh well....

Later,

Dave Wolfe

Page Last Updated: September 28, 2001