2-22-99 -- Carnegie Hall, New York, NY
2-22-99 -- Carnegie Hall, New York, NY
Date: Sat, 13 Mar 1999 20:47:23, -0500
From: MS BRIDGET C BOWERS MNNC09E@prodigy.com
To: dws@archive.phish.net
Subject: Special Performance Review: Tibet House 02/22/99
The following is my reveiw of the Tibet house Benefit, I hope you
have use for this on your site.
If my form is wrong, or you have any questions, problems, or answers,
please reply to dat_chili@hotmail.com.
Thank You,
Bri
The Tibet House Monlam Chenmo Benefit Concert
Carnegie Hall, February 22, 1999
We found our seats in Row C, right in front of the speakers. I found
the place fantastic!
My StageBill described this event as ^�a ritual function, conceived as
an offering and creating its won auspicious and protective forces^�. It is
considered to share the spirit of a Great Prayer Festival which takes
place during the two weeks surrounding the Lunar New Year. The Tibet
House was created at the request of His Holiness Dalai Lama, and intended
to help preserve Tibet^�s cultural and religious heritage; to present
Tibet^s ancient traditions of philosophy, art, and science; and to share
Tibet^s unique contributions to spiritual understanding and human
development. I studied some works of the evenings performers with hope to
understand the Worldview of the people who belong in Tibet, and the
musical masters playing for tribute.
The evening began with an introduction by Philip Glass , then a few words Bob
Thurman-founder of the Tibet House in New York. Chaksam-Pa (bridge-
builder in Tibetan) began the stage blessing with chanting, drumming,
and dancing. Cibo Matto was the next musical guest. After listening to
their CD Viva La Woman, I wasnt sure what to expect, and was nicely
impressed! Sean Lennon played bass-Shine On! The first song was a vocal
piece, then the hip-hop punk-jazz came out in full effect for the next
two songs, including ^�Shut up and Eat!^�. I actually liked them better
live! Shawn Colvin then joined the girls for ^�Moon River^�. Not the best
vocals, but sincere. Shawn may have been nervous. Cibo Matto left the
stage and Peter Buck, REM guitarist, joined Shawn for a couple songs.
Shawn leaves the stage and Patti Smith, Michael Stipe, and Mike Mills join
Peter for a tune. Once the song was over, Patti left the stage, and
Nawang Khechog, a native Tibetan forced into exile who studies with His
Holiness the Dalai Lama and other Tibetan Masters-himself a Buddhist monk
of 11 years , joined the stage to perform an Eddie Vedder song with
Michael Stipe. Jay Dee Daugherty was on drums for this one and Tony
Shanahan was on bass. Nawang played an instrument like a sliding
didgeridoo that he invented. It was very loud at times, and intended to
capture the spirit. Then Philip Glass and Shawn Colvin returned to the
stage for a song. Mike Mills and Philip Glass shared the piano. Stipe was
on lead vocals and Shanahan and Colvin on backing vocals. They sang a song
with the lines ^�love to make you smile^� and ^� I count your eyelashes^�.
Very sweet. Then it was just Patti and Philip for a reading. Patti
Smith, long time supporter of Tibet House and other things righteous,
mentions Allen Ginsberg and how much he is missed in this world. She read
a poem Ginsberg wrote for his teacher/mentor whose name is misplaced. The
line ^�I noticed...^� was repeated in the poem and brought both Patti and
myself to tears. It couldn^�t have been read by anyone with more passion.
Sincere passion.
Then Trey Anastasio joined Philip Glass for a duet. The crowd
cheered louder for Trey^�s appearance than for the passion of Patti and
Ginsberg. So loud into the beginning of the next song! I was
disappointed already, because after my new appreciation for opera, I like
to hear the beginning of a song to understand its ending, but the
crowd cheered too long. >From my seat, I could not see what Trey was
playing, so I listened closely. I couldn^�t even hear his signature
sound. It was perfect. The two blend flawlessly and it was a
historical moment in my life for sure. If you are unfamiliar with
the works of Glass, let me know and I^�ll help you out. Trey was in a
suit and shiny black shoes. He looked a little nervous. Trey left the
stage, and Foday Musa Suso joined Glass with his kora(? a beaded
gourd with strings and pedals). He^�s considered a virtuoso kora
player, drummer, and composer. Foday then played solo. He played a song
translated to ^�let^�s take care of the young generations so their future
may be bright^�-Shine On Foday...and he did. Many tribal/classical sounds
to his clever instrument.
Then Peter Kater stepped on stage behind the piano with Nawang
Khechog on flute. Many extended notes from the flute and rolling keys.
Nawang then changed to his sliding didgeridoo-type instrument with such
emotion, it startled me!
Trey Anastasio takes the stage once again, this time joined by Foday
and Nawang for Brian and Robert. Nawang opened the song with an extended
vocal chant, Trey on acoustic guitar, and Foday on his kora. Trey looked
at his guests as if to help them along the way. It was simple. Nothing
complicated. Trey told the audience they had been hanging out playing
music all day long. (oh, to be a fly on that wall) Then Trey was on
stage alone for Dirt. He whistled through the opening then jammed
acoustically. Slow, even tempo, crystal clear throughout Carnegie Hall,
but not perfect. He extended the shout your name into the wind^� lyric by
repeating it several times.
(repetition/redundancy is a common characteristic of the Philip Glass
operas) Then Peter Kater joined Trey on piano for Billy Breathes. The
crowd went nuts at first. It was another frustrating moment for me. I
wanted to capture every note, but had to keep my levels down on my DAT
recorder so I was sure not to blow my speakers while listening to
the tape later. Trey left the stage quick. It reminded me of when he
left the stage on Halloween in Vegas. Without acknowledgment of the
crowd. It was not a rock concert, but a display of fine talent for a very
worthy cause. I was disappointed in the fans, for sure. Then Chaksam-Pa
returned. One member of the troop mentioned: Trey likes to take break so
we^�ll perform for you^�. They performed a traditional song for elders and
a new song.
Patti time! She was joined on stage by Jay Dee Daughtery (an original
member of her band from 1975) on drums, Lenny Kaye on guitar, Oliver Ray
on guitar, and Tony Shanahan on bass. When Patti took the stage with her
band .She opened with 1959, a song for March 5, 1959, the day His Holiness
the Fourteenth Dalai Lama was forced into exile to India by Chinese
Politicians. She looked great ! Her band was much louder than any of the
other artists. There was a great acoustic guitar solo in this one. She
sounded flawless and was movin' around the stage and in front of the sound
monitors. Then she says," Something Phishy in here??? " The crowd went
nuts. not with polite claps and giggles, but with whistles, screams,
shouts, and claps! It did smell like marijuana. FYI: I could never
smoke marijuana during such a ceremony, it is almost sacriligeous to
the purpose of the music. Then she debuts a new song. Patti played guitar
on this one- maybe its called "Cry Wolf" or "Boy Cry Wolf/Wolf Don't Come"
Michael Stipe & Nawang Khechog join her and the band for "?We shall live
again?". Then she mentions it was the last performance in Carnegie Hall
with this line up in this Century! and someone in the crowd yells, "Party
Like its 1999!!!" (I was so embarrassed-it wasn't anyone I knew...but
Patti deserves a lot more respect than this) She smiled, turned to his
direction and asked "What?". He says "1999!" She says, "What?" still
smiling...He says LOUDLY "TRRRRRRRREEEEEEEEEYYYYYYY!!!!". I lost my
signal during this part because the crowd was so loud I had to turn my
deck down...but I remember her saying something like "Trrrreeeyyyyyyyyy!,
Maybe if you call for him real loud he will come out for you!"
(That's where I got caught up in it and shouted "keep rockin' Patti! Its
your time!"). I couldn^�t believe Trey^�s fans thought the show was just
for him. He was a mere role in the honor. Then the entire cast joins her
for, you guessed it, "People Have the Power". When Trey took the stage the
fans went nuts again. They even jumped on stage to shake his hand at the
end of the song.
Just a reminder. Benefits such as this that take place at establishments
such as Carnegie Hall are not rock concerts. Respect your artists. The
gentlemen sitting next to me had never heard Trey before, and he asked me
who he was. I think he was distracted by the fans, too. I was
embarrassed for Trey. Although he is what inspired me to make a 3000
mile trip to NYC, my spirit was with the cause. And the beauty of
the cause was corrupted for me by the distasteful phans. Trey was booked
as a solo performer, not as a representative of the quartet known as
Phish. No parts were to be greater than this whole. He didn^�t blow our
minds with complex rythyms and uncommon structure. He played well in a
house that doesn^�t blow your eardrums from the third row. My DAT
levels were turned to 10 and I still only had one dash showing I was
recording.
Maybe these ladies and gentlemen thought if they yelled loud enough
Trey would look at them, or remember them, or be so distracted by the
scream, maybe he^�ll mess up and they can go home and tell everyone ,
^�Hey, I caused commotion at Carnegie Hall^�. They should say, ^� I
disturbed a ceremony for peace, a 40 year separation from His Holiness
the Fourteenth Dalai Lama and Tibet, his native country.^� Well, in
the words of the wonderful Patti Smith, ^� People have the Power^�. I^�m
still praying for peace, and I^�m still hoping for the people of Tibet for
be recognized by the world as Tibetan, as patient, and as wise people in
our universe. Not only that, but I'm also hoping the fans of Trey
Anastasio and Phish start to respect them as performers.
What are you gonna do?
Respectfully,
Bridget
dat_chili@hotmail.com
Date: Tue, 23 Feb 1999 07:45:35 -0400
From: Matthew Iarrobino MIarrobino@FOODTV.COM
Subject: Review of Trey's Appearance at Carnegie Hall
How could I possibly not at least try to get in?" So, I drove up to 57th and
7th, found a parking meter, and got to the entrance of the famous Carnegie
Hall. It was kind of a crazy scene outside - people smoking cigarettes and
joints right outside Carnegie Hall!! I ended up scoring a ticket outside from
Hall. It was kind of a crazy scene outside - people smoking cigarettes and
joints right outside Carnegie Hall!! I ended up scoring a ticket outside from
a guy who ended up being the owner of Higher Ground in Vermont. He only
charged me $10 for a $45 ticket, and it was a "band" ticket, so I had
sweet seats right down in front. I sat down just as Trey was coming out
for his solo set...He was wearing a suit! A nice one too, with no tie.
Trey looks good in a suit...very GQ. His first song was Brian and Robert,
played with a Tibetan Flute player named Nawang Khechog and Foday Musa
Suso who played a large stringed instrument that I think is called a kora,
which is not to much different from what Ravi Shankar plays, but not
Indian. Next, the 2 musicians left the stage and Trey was by himself,
getting huge cheers from the crowd, something that is frowned apon at
Carnegie Hall. People kept yelling out "Trey!!!", and other people were
going "Shhhhhh". Trey is now on stage by himself, in all his glory. A
smile was on my face, as big a smile as I have had in a while. Trey
played "Dirt" solo and "Billy Breathes" with a pianist named Peter Kater.
After this, Trey left the stage for a while. I has noticed that the crowd
in the balcony was a little rowdier then the one down on the floor, so I
figured that some of my buddies were up there. So, I decided to move up
to the balcony, which was 4 levels up!! The sound up there was so much
better, and sure enough - there were some friends of minutes, and didn't
return until the last song with Patti Smith and the entire group of
musicians performing "People Have the Power", a Patti Smoith song.
The guys in R.E.M were also on stage at this time. Trey was right up
front for this, playing his Paul Languedoq electric. When the song ended,
two people ran on-stage and went for Trey. One guy hugged him, and the
other shook his hand. It seemed like Trey was kind of embarrassed by this.
And that was it. It was also crazy to see people smoking pot in the
bathrooms of Carnegie, and the ushers didn't care!! Phish should play a
show there some time. Outside, the scene was like being at a show -
people hanging out, one guy selling veggie burritos, The Dude of Life, and
a lot of friends. I'm glad I ended up going! I will always try to go see
Trey acoustic now. His voice and the acoustic guitar just by themselves
sound amazing!!
-Matt Iarrobino
miarrobino@foodtv.com
Date: Tue, 23 Feb 1999 01:52:12 EST
From: WEINISH@aol.com
To: dws@protos.lifesci.ucla.edu, tkartzman@aliveone.com, andy@gadiel.com
Subject: CARNEGIE HALL REVIEW
Februrary 22, 1999
New York, New York
Tibet House Benefit Concert
"Tibetan New Year's Celebration"
For those people in the New York City area that felt $40 was too much dough to
see Trey play for 15 minutes you made a mistake. This show was one of the
better concerts I have attended.
Let me begin by saying that Carnegie Hall is a wonderful room with white
walls, beautiful old American style architecture, 4 balconies, and great
sound. If you ever have the opportunity to see a show there by all means
take it.
The night began with Chaksam Pa, the Tibetan Dance and Opera Company.
Consisted of 3 dancers, 1 drummer, and 1 cymbalist. The dancers all had Asian
style wood masks and loosely fitting multi-colored outfits, similar to the
clothing worn on Zemunda, for those who have seen "Coming to America".
Chaksam Pa did a spiritual/synchronized dance to the drum and cymbal beat for
about 15 minutes. One member commented on how they did this act for 8
straight hours. We thought Phish pushed the envelope.
Next came Cibo Matto which is Italian for "Food Madness". The band featured
singer Miho Hatori and painist Yuka Honda as well as a bassist, drummer, and a
rapper all of whose names I did not catch. Hatori came out with a piece of
paper and sang a catchy/somewhat slow paced song that she read. After this
song she changed personalities almost to the extent that Michael Cain did in
"Dressed to Kill". Hatori starts rapping with a Beastie Boys sounding backup
band, and it was good, but shocking. No one was ready for that at Carnegie
Hall. Anyway, a good performance and I will pickup a cd. Shawn Colvin, a
guitarist/singer/songwriter, came out and sang a third song with this band.
Shawn then took the stage by herself and sang a few tunes as well. They were
all really good and the lady has a great voice. I believe Michael Stipe made
his first appearance of the night during one of Shawn's songs.
REM was next and they sang a few tunes, all good, and one of them by Eddie
Vedder. Patti Smith joined REM to do vocals on the chorus with REM. It was
really good. I must say that every act was great. Nawang Khechog, a native
Tibetan who fled into India himself only to teach himself music, joined REM
and played an instrument similar to a dijeridoo, but the body slid together
like a telescope. He invented this instrument and it made a really deep
sound, like a fog horn crossed with a Dij. Khechog invented his instrument
and is the only person playing it. He has played with Dave Matthews, U2, REM,
Phillip Glass, Alannis Morrisette and a host of others. I believe that
Khechog played solo and then with Foday Musa Suso. As for Suso, he was great.
Suso is a Mandingo griot (the hereditary musician/historian of the West
African Mandingo people) and a virtuoso kora player. The kora is similar
to the guitar, but held straight up and has a large bubble shaped body; the
strings are inside the instrument. He played with Peter Kater (piano) and
solo. He was amazing putting it mildly. Some of Suso's works have been with
Herbie Hancock and Bill Laswell as they came together to write/perform the
music of the 1984 Olympic Games. If you like African sounding music and
strings I suggest picking up some of Suso's material.
Okay, Patti Smith and her band were really good. But I have to get to the
goods, Trey. Trey came "dressed to kill" (ha) in a gray suit and shirt
taboot, with black shoes. The man looked good. His first song was a ballad
as part of a duet with Phillip Glass (piano). Trey had the Languedoc spit
shined for this. He sat over Glass's shoulder and they went into a short but
sweet ballad. It was a C-E-D progression I believe. Whatever it was it was
nice. After the song ended and Trey left Glass commented, "Don't worry, he'll
be back." There were a lot of Phish heads in the place, but not an
overwhelming amount. However, I will take this time to take my shots. The
Phish "heads", not fans, "heads" were highly annoying. They were the ones
sitting in my seat when I got there, they were also the ones screaming
"TREY!!!!!!" when he came or left the stage, they were the ones clapping and
whistling as soon as they realized what song Trey was playing, and they were
the ones shouting "FORBIN!!!" and interrupting Patti Smith. As one fan yelled
"Trey" at the end of the show Patti became involved with some audience members
and joked, "Trey what??? A tray of cold-cuts?". This was prior to the encore.
It was a good move to put Trey near the end of the show to ensure people would
not walk out. I must say though that Trey was the featured act in my eyes. I
thought it would be REM, and it may have been Patti Smith, but all in all it
was Trey. Back to the review.
Trey came backout eventually and played "Brian & Robert" solo, and "Dirt"
with Suso and Khechog, (<
Date: Tue, 23 Feb 1999 19:02:47 EST
From: WEINISH@aol.com
To: dws@protos.lifesci.ucla.edu
Subject: Re: CARNEGIE HALL REVIEW
please put a note to other people that I know Sean Lennon played bass and
do not email me about it, if you can.
david
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