California Guitar Trio at Blueberry Hill

California Guitar Trio
Blueberry Hill - Duck Room
University City (St. Louis), MO
Wednesday, April 7, 2010
General Admission
On the Guest List! :-)

Roy and I have a tradition at California Guitar Trio shows. Years ago, their volunteer coordinator asked if I could work at their merchandise table. We've been doing that at every CGT show I've attended in St. Louis since then. I think this was our fifth time. We got together with a friend for dinner before the show, and then went down to the Duck Room at Blueberry Hill to set up the merchandise before the doors opened.

Seeing the show from behind the scenes like this gives it a different feeling than most other concerts I attend. I get to interact with a lot of other fans, and also with people new to CGT. Their enthusiasm is a lot of fun to see. I've seen CGT so many times, I always enjoy the music, but the surprise of "wow, these guys are really good!" is over for me. But I get to experience it anyway by talking to other audience members.

There was already a short line by the door when Roy, Ralph, and I finished dinner. The band was already setting up: We saw them guys enter the restaurant from the back and load in their equipment. Hideyo walked out front to take a picture of the marquee. I always feel a little weird just opening the door to the Duck Room and walking downstairs. I don't have any credentials with me other than a printed out e-mail from Bert Lams. I didn't even have a specified time when I needed to be there, but in the past, they'd asked for me to be there a half hour before the doors opened. The door that led down to the Duck Room was unlocked, and staff were going in and out. There was one employee at the door. I told him we were working the merchandise table, and he let us go in, no proof needed.

The band had just finished their soundcheck, and were about to go out to eat. Roy and I live real close by, so we recommended a few places. They wouldn't be back by the time the doors opened. Bert told me he had already inventoried the CDs for sale. I've done this before, so I knew to unpack them and how to display them on the table. I didn't have any change yet, but I'd get that from the band when they got back from dinner.

I like being in this position. The band were selling their best-of compilation, Bert Lams' solo album, a new DVD, and pre-selling a copy of the night's concert. That gave me something to talk about with everyone who approached the merchandise table. "The band is recording tonight's show and you can buy a copy of it now." It's much better than waiting for them to ask a question and it helped to break the ice. We sold a few copies before the show. It wasn't too busy, so Roy hung out with Ralph. I'd work the table during the first half of the show, both of us during the intermission. I'd grab Roy's seat for the second half, and then we'd both be back there for after the show.

The attendence seemed down from the last time they played here, fewer than a hundred people. I don't think the word got out about this show. Blueberry Hill listed it on the advertising and on their marquee. The band was even able to do a TV appearance for it. But I sent an e-mail to several friends a few days before the show, and none of them knew about it. There are so many places where you can connect with the band, their mailing list, Facebook, the Yahoo group. I saw a mention of the show on their mailing list, but the show was added to their itinerary without much fanfare. I think the band would be better off if they sent monthly reminders of shows to all of these places, rather than having us check their website. I missed a show they did in St. Louis a few years ago for this same reason.

The band came back from dinner. I've worked most closely with Bert on the merchandise. He came back over to finish getting me set up. He offered to get me something to drink, but Roy already took care of me. Then Bert pulled over a chair for me. (There was limited seating, not enough for all the people attending the concert, so I felt weird about taking a chair. But if the band thinks it's okay, it's okay for me too. I ended up standing most of the time anyway, so I could make eye-contact easier with people. During the show, I needed to stand to see the stage anyway. But it was a very nice gesture.)

Bert and I talked for a little bit then. The band stayed at a hotel by the Arch. There's not much downtown and Bert liked the Delmar Loop area more than that location. I told him about Laclede's Landing, just north of the Arch. It's nice to walk around there, even if it is mostly bars. But they had to leave at 8:30 the next morning to drive to the next day's show, so they wouldn't have time anyway. No roadies, no driver. I don't envy them for their lifestyle.

One fan approached Bert while we were talking. He works at KDHX and wanted to find CGT a more appropriate venue to play in St. Louis and help promote the shows. Bert gave him a couple CDs. I see what the guy means. The Duck Room is so convenient for me, and Blueberry Hill is a hangout for Roy and me. But at a quiet show like this, you can hear the cash registers and talking over the music. It can't be fun for the people who have to stand either.

The band opened up doing a circulation piece. This is something they do at every show - play a melody with each band member playing the next note. It shows off how well they listen to each other, getting the timing just right. There were a few classic instrumentals they covered - Walk Don't Run and The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly. In the second set, they did Classical Gas.

I watched the first set from behind the merchandise table. I've sat further away from the stage than this at other CGT concerts, so I didn't feel all that removed from the music. It was nice having all this space to myself. It gave me a good view of the audience too.

There were two younger guys standing by the far wall, being loud. One guy was on his cell phone for most of the time. People were turning around and glaring at them, hoping they'd quiet down. This lasted through most of the first set. I wondered if I should walk over to them and ask them to keep it down, since I was sort of a staff person that night. I didn't. Other people moved their chairs or found another place to stand. Finally, one of the loud people came over to buy a CD. I suggested the live CD, and I wanted to say that he'd be able to hear what he was missing live. I didn't do that either. He was unfamiliar with the band and thought this would be a different type of concert. He bought Highlights and then they left. They got even louder as they walked up the stairs. I was glad they left.

I enjoyed the show more after that. The next song was CGT's cover of Bohemian Rhapsody. I sang along. Last time, they played this song at the end of their set, when I was sitting up front and Roy was in back with the merch. Ralph remembered that he and I sang along together. Roy said I should have been up there this time. He's a better singer than I am, but I know the words better.

We switched over merchandise duty during the intermission. I took the front row seat next to Ralph. The songs with the biggest reaction during the second set were a cover of Pink Floyd's Echoes and a Beethoven piece. Something happened that I'd never seen at a CGT show. Usually, only Paul Richards does the stage announcements. He's the only native English speaker in the band, and I guess he's the most comfortable with it. This time, all three band members spoke to introduce songs.

Paul said the definition of an intellectual is someone who doesn't think of the Lone Ranger when they hear the last song, the William Tell Overture. Guess I'm not an intellectual then! Towards the end of the show, Paul talked about the new DVD they had for sale (we sold a lot more copies after that). He also thanked everyone involved with the show. He thanked Roy and me by name, which was really sweet. I wasn't sure whether to include this bit, but he pronounced my name wrong. It should have been such a happy moment, but it was frustrating. I didn't say anything to him later about it.

Roy and I continued to sell CDs after the show. The band came out to burn copies of the newly recorded show and to sign autographs. Roy moved away, but I was still standing back there taking money from a few people. It was interesting seeing this meet and greet from the band's side behind the table. Bert told me they'd be giving me a copy of the live CD. I also saw him pull out a DVD, open it, and have the band sign it. I figured that was going to be for me as well, and I thanked him when he handed it to me.

The crowd was beginning to thin out. This show was an hour later than the last one they played here, starting at 9 instead of 8. It was now close to midnight instead of 11-ish, and I was tired. Bert told me not to worry about counting the money or tallying how many CDs were sold. He'd do it later. There were still a couple people hanging on talking to the band. We said goodbye to Bert. Paul ended up excusing himself so he could come over and talk to us. He gave both Roy and me a hug and told us to keep in touch.

Ralph had been waiting for us. The three of us walked upstairs and outside and said our goodbyes as well. I hadn't seen Ralph since the Yes show at the Pageant in 2008. We shouldn't wait this long to see each other, but I'm glad the concert gave us the push to get together.