Monthly Archives: August 2021

Its a Saturday night in the Peoples Republic of Berkeley, and theres a buzz in the air, the likes of which havent been felt in two years.Bob Weir & Wolf Bros are here on 24 July to re-open the Berkeley Greek Theater with the legendary outdoor venues first show since 2019, which represents a big step forward for the Bay Area music scene.

With a capacity in the 8,500 range, this is the largest show in the region since the COVID-19 pandemic shut things down last year. The Greek is checking all ticket holders at the gates for proof of vaccination or a recent negative test and its a safety measure that helps music fans feel better about attending a show of this size. Its also one of the biggest shows that Weir & Wolf Bros have played to date, as the groups sonic evolution propels them from theaters to larger venues.

Launched in 2018 as a trio with bassist Don Was and drummer Jay Lane, Weir has utilized the trio format to explore Grateful Dead music in a more stripped-down form. That has enabled him to put a fresh spin on the Deads timeless songbook, as the trio conjures a cosmic cowboy sound that makes it feel sort of like traveling back in time to see Weir as a troubadour at a Wild West saloon in a bygone era.

Weir first burst onto the San Francisco scene in 1965 as the wide-eyed youngest member of the Grateful Dead, representing the youthful ideals of the 60s rock counterculture. The 21st century has seen him aging gracefully to take on the elder role that bandmate Jerry Garcia vacated upon his untimely departure from the Earth in 1995. The Wolf Bros also bring an extra level of charm to the stage that comes from watching Jay Lane play a drum kit lined with faux fur, while Don Was holds down the low end on upright bass grinning like an amiable pirate whos stumbled onto a treasure chest of sonic goodies.

And while a few outliers have been unable to bend their ear to hear the tune in this format, the Wolf Bros bluesy vibe has proven increasingly popular with the fan base. Theres even a sector of fans who have suggested theyve been digging Weir & Wolf Bros more than Weirs ongoing larger-scale efforts with Dead & Company. The appeal of the Wolf Bros project has only grown further in 2021, with Weir expanding the bands lineup in a monthly webcast series that started on New Years Eve.

The trios sound has evolved with the addition of pedal steel ace Greg Leisz,longtime compadre Jeff Chimenti on piano, and the Wolfpack Horns with Alex Kelly, Brian Switzer, Adam Theis, Mads Tolling and Sheldon Brown. The extra layers of instrumentation have helped Weir & Wolf Bros take their sound to a higher level, with a multidimensional flavor that enhances the core trio without overwhelming their cowboy trio vibe. The band made their 2021 debut to a live audience about six weeks earlier with a four-show run in Colorado, and now Bay Area music fans are salivating for their taste of the enhanced Wolf Bros lineup.

As showtime nears, some attendees are still feeling a bit anxious about being back in this large of a crowd setting. But with general admission seating in effect, theres still a sense of some loose social distancing. The Greek looks pretty full, but it doesnt feel packed. When Weir and his bandmates hit the stage in high energy fashion with the anthemic classic Not Fade Away, the crowd comes alive in the collective recall of a feeling that has felt forgotten. Theres an instantly triumphant sense of returning to a world where live rock n roll music brings the local community together in a way that nothing else can.

The band doesnt wait long to get into some genuine sonic alchemy with Cassidy, Weirs 1972 classic about letting your life proceed by its own design. The Wolfpack horns shine here as they will throughout the night, first enhancing the verse melodies before also providing the lead melodies on a soaring jam over a deep groove from the Wolf Bros rhythm section that gets the audience hooting with approval early on.

Another peak moment in the first set occurs with a combo that sees Garcias Friend of the Devil lead into Weirs Black-Throated Wind. Weirs heartfelt vocals stand out on both of the mid-tempo gems, while pedal steel guitarist Greg Leisz shows why hes worth his weight in sonic gold. The shimmery pedal steel melodies add an extra dimension of sweet bluesy tone science to the Wolf Bros sound here that dazzles the senses. The drink all day, rock all night line from Tennessee Jed wins a big cheer, while Leisz again boosts the song with some twangy fills. The big fun continues as the band welcomes Ramblin Jack Elliott to the stage for Muleskinner Blues, a Jimmy Reed tune with a bluesy honky-tonk flavor reminiscent of Bob Dylans Maggies Farm.

Weir ups the ante on the set closer with a magnificent performance of Weather Report Suite>Let it Grow, one of his most ambitious song combos. The intro with the pedal steel and Wolfpack Horns takes the Weather Report to a gorgeous level of sonic elegance, as Weir sings of the cycle of seasons here on the third stone from the sun. The energy level at the Greek soars as the band picks up the tempo when they move into Let It Grow, enhanced still further with the horns adding some spaghetti western-style melodies that lift the song to new heights.

Here we see Weirs skills as a bandleader evolving to the Jedi Master level. He could easily get away with playing these songs the same way as he has in the past, but the expanded band lineup pays off with a jackpot of sonic riches as fans hear these classic songs in a new light. In this way, Weir shows hes still devoted to seeking new ground, ever the trailblazer for the psychedelic rock counterculture since co-founding the Grateful Dead at age 16. The jam pushes the envelope, with Weir & Wolf Bros laying down a deep groove around the songs signature riff while the horns solo on top in a way that recalls the best of the collaborations between the Grateful Dead and renowned saxman Branford Marsalis.

The vibe at the Greek deepens as night falls for the second set, allowing the light show to shine. Fan favorite Scarlet Begonias is an early highlight, conjuring a joyous singalong with a festive audience that is clearly feeling it. The song doesnt receive the deeper jam treatment that Let It Grow did, but serves as a stepping stone to some dynamic explorations in a classic Playin in the Band / Uncle Johns Band / Playin in the Band jam sandwich.

Letting the horns fill the space traditionally occupied by a lead guitarist again enables a familiar tune like Playin to find new territory for another crowd-pleasing jam. The horns also allow the band to get into some jazzier territory, as with a brief jam on Miles Davis So What before segueing into Uncle Johns. When the Wolf Bros move back into Playin with the horns leading the way, theres a vibe that feels kind of like a mariachi cantina band celebrating the triumphant return of a hometown hero and so it is here with Bobby Weir.

Then just when fans might think the band has provided the centerpiece of the set, Weir steps it up again as the music turns on a dime into another classic with Estimated Prophet. The reggae-tinged intro sounds excellent here in the Berkeley night before the song builds to the triumphant chorus, as Weir sings out the seekers ode to rising up to paradise while knocking on the golden door right here in California. Weir again employs the horns for some jazzy improv as he adds his own dynamic accents on rhythm guitar to propel the uplifting jam.

Another smooth segue moves the set into the prototype 60s psychedelia of The Other One, which features some great sounds from the Wolfpack horns that lend the song a cinematic vibe. This in turn leads to the ever poignant Garcia ballad Standing on the Moon, which sounds even richer with that sweet pedal steel . Weir strikes a notable chord with the local audience as the melancholy protagonist on the moon sings of how hed rather be somewhere in San Francisco on a back porch in July. The set wraps with Weirs own Chuck Berry style rocker One More Saturday Night, re-invoking a raucous dance party vibe as this classic trio of songs makes it feel almost like a Grateful Dead show in the early 90s.

Thank you, youre too kind, Weir says to the adoring audience when the band returns for another singalong with a Ripple encore. A Not Fade Away reprise makes an emphatic statement, as Weir & Wolf Bros rev up the audience one more time in the same way they started the show. The Buddy Holly classic has long since transcended the songs original theme of romantic love, having come to represent the passion between the Grateful Dead and their ever devoted fanbase. Its a relationship that hit its golden anniversary with the Fare Thee Well stadium shows in 2015 and the mood here at the Greek tonight has shown that this love affair still shows no sign of fading.

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Bob Weir and Wolf Bros Knock on the Golden Door at the Berkeley Greek - PopMatters

This year's Rolex Fastnet Race has an all-star line up with some of the most exciting racing yachts in the world taking part. We pick out 10 Fastnet boats to follow

Its hard to imagine a more diverse and intriguing fleet line up than this years Rolex Fastnet Race entries, making it hard to pick out which Fastnetboats to follow.

The fleet is, once again, vast in both size and scope. At last count 355 yachts were preparing to take on the 49th edition of the offshore classic, ranging from the enormous, brand new 140ft ClubSwan 125 Skorpios, to the altogether more petite 11m classic, Le Loup Rouge Of Cmn, and the diminutive 9.33m long T3 Trifoiler LAlbatros, racing in the MOCRA fleet.

Within the huge range of entries are some of the worlds best professionals, family boats, first timers, and everything in between. We pick out 10 Fastnet boats to follow:

Another huge fleet will be lining up for this years Rolex Fastnet Race with dozens of intriguing boats to follow. Photo: Carlo Borlenghi

The breath-taking new ClubSwan 125 is the biggest yacht ever to take part in the Rolex Fastnet Race.

Recently launched out of Nautor Swan in Finland, Skorpios has been working up to speed in the UK butonly recently arrived in Cowes yesterday, as with 24ft draught her manoeuvrability in the crowded waters around the Solent is limited.

Designed for offshore record setting, skipper Fernando Echavarri and owner Dmitry Rybolovlev are here for line honours.

On the eve of the Rolex Fastnet Race, we got an exclusive sail and tech tour aboard this monster of a racing yacht:

Owner George David has a history with the Rolex Fastnet Race like few others.

His Rambler 88 won back-to-back monohull line honours in the last two editions, but in 2011 his Rambler 100 supermaxi capsized just past the Fastnet Rock all crew were safely rescued, but its an emotive race for David and his team.

This time Rambler 88 goes into the Fastnet after a light year of sailing due to pandemic-related travel restrictions having a big impact on the grand prix racing circuit.Nevertheless, Ramblers 19 crew have all made it into the UK, while the boat arrived on a ship from the USA in June.

This week the silver maxi has been out for a training sail. We just want to make sure we can still sail it in anger after a year of not sailing, tactician Brad Butterworth. Ramblers last race may have been the Rolex Middle Sea Race in 2019, but her crew is one the most experienced around.

The late Eric Taberlys name is ingrained in the history of offshore racing and one of the iconic entries in this years Fastnet is his Whitbread Round the World Race maxi and 1976 OSTAR winner Pen Duick VI, now skippered by his daughter Marie.

Pen Duick VI is switching back into offshore racing mode in preparation for the 2023 Ocean Globe Race, a nostalgic tribute to the original Whitbread. Check out the October issue of Yachting World magazine for a closer look at this world famous yacht.

Pen Duick VI competed in the first Whitbread Round the World Race in 1973-74. Credit: Ocean Frontiers OGR/ GGR

Alex Thomsons black and hot pink Hugo Boss needs little introduction and is always one of the most popular boats to follow.

This is the British Vende skippers first outing in his foiling IMOCA with its radical inside cockpit since it suffered structural and rudder damage during the last around the world race.

Now fully fixed, Hugo Boss will be co-skippered by Swiss racer Ollie Heer, who is the boat captain for the complex design.

Anyone wanting to get a feel for just how punishing the Fastnet Race is in a foiling IMOCA should check out Thomsons Hub page, which shows real time data from the boat and biometrics from the sailors heel angle, hours of sleep and much more See alexthomsonracing.com/the-hub/

Hugo Boss is one of 13 IMOCAs competing in this years Fastnet.

Other star skippers lining up include fellow Brits Sam Davies on Initiatives Couer and Simon Fisher on 11th Hour Racing, plus Jrmie Beyou on Charal, Vende Globe line honours winner Charlie Dalin on Apivia and overall Vende champion Yannick Bestaven on Maitre Coq IV.

Itll be a wet and wild ride for Andrew Fennell and team on his Shuttleworth-designed one-of 39ft carbon trimaran Morpheus.

We took a tour of the boat after they finished the 2019 Fastnet Race, where they described life onboard as Like trying to sleep in the back of a 1950s pick up truck with leaf suspension being driven down a dark dirt road by a drunk driver

Morpheus is racing in the MOCRA class, which has a diverse entry ranging from the modified, foil-assisted MOD70s Argo and Maserati, to the luxurious 84ft performance cruising catamaran Allegra, which will have world speed sailing record holder Paul Larsen onboard.

I liken [it] to rally driving Bentley Continentals they are hugely capable cars with incredible brakes and engines and handling packages, but at the end of the day it is a Bentley Continental and, when things go wrong, it weighs a lot, said Larsen.

Other big names in the MOCRA fleet include French offshore legend Loick Peyron aboard the Outremer 5X No Limit, while Christian Guyader aboard the TS5 Guyader Mext will be among the favourites for a class win.

Paul Moxon and Steve Jones 50ft Bermudan yawl Amokura is the oldest boat in the race.

Designed by Fredrick Shepherd and built by Moodys in Swanwick in 1939, originally for Lord Mountbattens Aide de Camp, Ernest Harston, Amokura competed in the 1959 Fastnet Race and tried again 60 years on in 2019, but finished neither.

In sharp contrast to most of the entries, she is built with a pitch pine hull on oak beams, teak deck and seven ton bilge keel and displaces 20 tonnes.

The oldest yacht in the fleet is Amokura Photo Nic Compton/Yachting World

There are four incredible Ultim 100ft trimarans taking part this year, including the Gitana teamss Maxi Edmond De Rothschild, which smashed the (old) course record last time and will be hoping to set the benchmark for the new one this time around.

Charles Caudrelier skippers with Franck Cammas. Rivals include Thomas Coville, who returns with his giant trimaran Sodebo.

IRC Class 4 is shaping up to be hotly contested, especially among the double-handed entries.

Since its introduction in 2011, IRC 4 has always been won by a French boat and for the last four editions by a JPK 10.10.

Among the 40 or so British teams competing in IRC Four, Richard Palmers JPK 10.10 Jangada may have the best shot of breaking Frances winning streak. Racing double-handed with Jeremy Waitt, Jangada was 2020 RORC Boat of the Year and winner of the 2019 RORC Transatlantic Race.

Richard Palmer is competing in his 10th Rolex Fastnet Race. Its the worlds most competitive offshore IRC event, he commented.

We are looking forward to the increasing level of competition in the Two-Handed fleet and the new route into Cherbourg. The most difficult part this time will be strategies for the main tidal gates.

Theyre likely to face stiff competition from Emmanuel Pinteauxs JPK 10.10 Gioia, 2nd in class in the last race (and overall race winner back in 2013, racing as Night and Day with the Loisons).

Richard Palmers JPK 10.10 has the best shot of breaking Frances winning streak in IRC4. Racing Two-Handed with Jeremy Waitt Arthur Daniel/RORC

The 73ft classic ketch won line honours in the 1961 Fastnet Race, when Francis Chichester was navigator for her original owner Kees Bruynzeel.

Now, 60 years later Stormvogel is back for another go after a full refit. Skipper Graeme Henry, says: Stormvogel is back to a new level of performance while maintaining the original 1961 concept and 1960s style.

Several classic yachts will grace the 2021 Rolex Fastnet Race fleet, including the 73ft van de Stadt ketch Stormvogel, the 1961 Fastnet Race line honours winner Stormvogel

IRC Class 4 features some well known British names racing double-handed on SunFast 3300s.

Dee Caffari whos completed six around the world races including skippering a Volvo Ocean Race, a Vende Globe, and was the first woman to sail solo, non-stop around the world in both directions is racing with James Harayda on Gentoo.

Meanwhile Figaro and Volvo Ocean Race sailor Henry Bomby joins double Olympic Gold Medallist Shirley Robertson on Swell.

Other names bidding for IRC 4 and Two-Handed victory include Alexis Loison, who won the 2013 edition overnight with his father Pascal, and IRC 3 and IRC Two-Handed in 2019 on the JPK 1030 Lon with designer Jean Pierre Kelbert.

For 2021, Alexis will return in Lon with 470 and Figaro sailor Guillaume Pirouelle. Alexis will also have strong local knowledge for the new finish, as his home port is Cherbourg.

Link:

All-star line-up: boats to follow in the 2021 Rolex Fastnet Race - Yachting World

Utopia: an unattainable goal of societal perfection, and even here, the best we can do is a temporary one.

Utopia: an unattainable goal of societal perfection, and even here, the best we can do is a temporary one. Tucked in the corner of the parking lot between Cafe and Restaurant, the Temporary Utopia Greenhouse is hosting the knick-knack/art/curiosity shack: FLOWERSHOP, a once-a-week pop-up featuring printed socks, objects and leisure wear by Strathcona (Ryley OByrne strathconastockings.com), with Tiny Moon Flowers (Kyra Power, on Instagram: @tinymoonflowerfarm). Only Sundays, 10ish to 6 p.m. For more info: temporary-utopia.com.

The Gumboot Nations new groove! As Kronk says, Oh yeah, its all coming together! This Creek Daze is a rich example of our DIY attitude we cant wait for someone to make our fun, we make it ourselves! Sunday, Aug. 22, bring your Gumboot pride to the school at 10:30 a.m., the parade will begin at 11:11. The Mandela stage runs from 11:30 to 7 p.m. and the Slow Sundays stage, noon to 6 p.m. There is the The Heart Centre kids zone, hosted by the amazing Kelsey OToole, and a couple of food vendors lined up (more are welcome!). If you want to help, shout out to eastsidestudio@gmail.com.

Hawthorn Ceramics open house Saturday, Aug. 7 (thats tomorrow if you managed to get the paper on Friday like I do, or yesterday if you waited till Sunday to read it, but I digress ...), 11 a.m.-5 p.m., 1551 Lockyer Rd. At the end of the driveway, ground floor of the house, you will find the studio filled with fresh fired usable art to buy and take home. Hang out on the back deck and have a cuppa Davis Bay tea. Also, check out the basket of seconds and experiments for sale.

A new art piece at the mouth of Roberts Creek has some along the waterfront tilting at windmills. Almost immediately on its installation, far into the tidal foreshore, this guerrilla art raised a few eyebrows in the neighbourhood, with cries of how long will that be there?

The artist(s) have assured me that, with the help of our watchful community, any errant parts will be dealt with and should it come apart, it will be picked up and recycled. I have been told we may expect more, in among the pylons, in what some hope will become the Gumboot Nation sculpture park.

This week, Aug. 8, Slow Sundays presents Whirlwind Woodwind Quintet (Heidi Kurtz, John Storer, Danielle Stephens, Meredith Bingham and Yvonne Mounsey) at noon, followed by teen singer/songwriter Kaishan at 1 with Martini Madness Band (Kevin Crofton, Andy Amanovich and Graham Walker) closing the afternoon. Always free, bring a seat and your love of music.

Our Little Legion hosts a group jam Friday evening, but be sure to catch the Burying Ground, Saturday, Aug 7, as they blend prewar blues, early jazz and American rural folk music traditions into their own material. Find tickets to all shows at rclegionevents.com.

Next week Phantom Limb Syndrome, melodic hard rock all the way from Gibsons, B.C. They are Dylan Clark, Dylan Brackett and Scott Reinson (mind if we call you Dylan to avoid confusion?) with guests Redwhyn, Friday, Aug 13.

Im picking up what youre putting down, kellybacks@rocketmail.com.

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Art, music and utopian goals - Coast Reporter

The Doobie Brothers will release a new albumtitledLiberte on Oct. 1.The band has released a self-titled EP featuring four of the upcoming record's tracks as a preview. (The new EP is available nowon all major streaming services.)

You can hear the lead single, "Don't Ya Mess With Me," below, as well as see the track listings for the album and EP.

Liberte features 12 new songsfrom Doobie Brothers mainstays Tom Johnston, Pat Simmons and John McFee. Michael McDonald, who will be joining the band on tour for the first time in 25 years this summer, does not appear on the album.

The Doobie Brothers' 15th album was produced and cowritten by John Shanks, who has previously worked with Bon Jovi, Sheryl Crow and Miley Cyrus. "Hes a great producer, and we wrote together and that was fun and something different," Simmons told UCR. "Hes a great player, too, so we could stand toe to toe and work on things together, and see where we were going at any given time. Hes got his own approach and is super high energy, but not in a way that feels manic oranything."

The Doobie Brothers' 50th-anniversary tour kicks off Aug. 22 in Des Moines.

The Doobie Brothers 'Liberte' Track Listing1. "Oh Mexico"2. "Better Days"3. "Don't Ya Mess With Me"4. "Cannonball"5. "Wherever We Go"6. "The American Dream"7. "Shine"8. "We Are More Than Love"9. "Easy"10. "Just Can't Do This Alone"11. "Good Thang"12. "Amen Old Friend"

'The Doobie Brothers EP' Track Listing1. "Oh Mexico"2. "Cannonball"3. "Don't Ya Mess With Me"4. "Better Days"

From AC/DC to ZZ Top, from 'Bridge Over Troubled Water' to 'London Calling,' they're all here.

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Hear the First Song From the Doobie Brothers' New Album 'Liberte' - Ultimate Classic Rock