Mike Keneally Band, last night, Baked Potato tonite

[Chuck Turner]

Yikes, that was some scarry stuff. Mike Keneally Band played in San Pedro last night at Rosalie and Alvas performance space. I'd been meaning to see a show at Alvas for a while and this one I just couldn't pass up. Zappa alum, Keneally was playin his friggin ass off . . . you could tell he dug the unique atmosphere at Alvas (it was his first gig at this space). It holds about 60 people very comfortable and the band had as much room as the wanted to set up. I'd seen him once before with Beer For Dplphins opening for Gong at Luna Park in the 90's. But I didn't realize what a quick mind and original style of giutar playing he has.

 

O.K. so I'm not really that familar with his music, but I have the "Hat" recording stashed somewhere (i bought it at a 90's progfest cause Doug was on it) The played alot from this record and older stuff, there was lots of improve moving freely from jam to real tune at will, blowing minds when Keneally and Joe Travers (from Zappa Plays Zappa [i think]) went into the Black Page.

 

 

 

alright . . . so yeah I'm still a newbie here on VC, and I'm a "Major Nobody" as a musician, but I was lucky enough to play in Walter Zooi's band "Boilermaker" with Doug Lunn, Nels Cline, and Ric Parnel (aka Mick Schrempton from Spinal Tap) back in the 90's. So it was fun to catch up with people . . .

 

There were loads of tapers at this show. I not familar with that scene but I guess you could find it if wanted to hear it.

And it was video taped.

 

The creative energy was really high last night. The band was really havin fun . . . Keneally also sang great, payed some nice keyboards . . . they did an encore after a heartfelt ovation . . . and since Alvas has an wonderfully redone Steinway grand, Keneally also did a McCartney tune on acoutic piano with just drums . . . the one that starts "Martha My Dear . . . "

(is that the name of it?)

 

alright, I'm a verbal midget so I'll [try to]stop here . . . it was definitely worth the bread to see these guys, highly recomended.