The Concert Thread

[Alicat]

Anyone up for Led Zep and Petty cover bands? I'll be at the Little Fox tomorrow to hear em. Come on down!
http://www.foxdream.com/

[RGMike]

So I got a message from the princess who was in GG park for Mostly Strictly Bluegrass to see Dolly Parton.  We expect a complete report, girlfriend.

[ggould]

So I got a message from the princess who was in GG park for Mostly Strictly Bluegrass to see Dolly Parton.  We expect a complete report, girlfriend.

We went for a while.  Quite a trip!  There was a huge crowd for Dolly, who is one of my heroes, and there were some sound problems.  She started with '9 to 5' then 'Jolene' and did 'Crimson and Clover' and 'Me and Bobby McGee' from her new album. She made some jokes about how it 'didn't smell like clover' in the audience.  Also heard 'Tennessee Mountain Home' and 'Coat of Many Colors.'

Caught a little of Ralph Stanley, Roseanne Cash, Emmylou Harris, and Jim Lauderdale.  What an incredible event, and it's all free.

[urth]

So I got a message from the princess who was in GG park for Mostly Strictly Bluegrass to see Dolly Parton.  We expect a complete report, girlfriend.

We went for a while.  Quite a trip!  There was a huge crowd for Dolly, who is one of my heroes, and there were some sound problems.  She started with '9 to 5' then 'Jolene' and did 'Crimson and Clover' and 'Me and Bobby McGee' from her new album. She made some jokes about how it 'didn't smell like clover' in the audience.  Also heard 'Tennessee Mountain Home' and 'Coat of Many Colors.'

Caught a little of Ralph Stanley, Roseanne Cash, Emmylou Harris, and Jim Lauderdale.  What an incredible event, and it's all free.

I was there for pretty much the entire day on Saturday. Weather wasn't as nice as yesterday, but still loads of people, and some great music to be heard. Saw Earl Scruggs, Del McCoury, Steve Earle, Doc Watson, Rodney Crowell (who along with Earl Scruggs was my fave of the day), and bits and pieces of Los Super 7, Robert Earl Keen, Kelly Joe Phelps, and the Knitters.

We were trying to figure how much scratch Warren Hellman is down for when they do this every year. I was guessing at least $3M+. All those acts, not to mention staff, production, security, lights and sound for five stages, hospitality etc. He's throwing down some serious bank. Gotta give the guy props, he's got his head on right, at least when it comes to music.

Yesterday we went to the Giants finale with a group of friends, then had dinner at a small seafood place out in the Richmond, where we ran into Paul Kantner who came in solo to have dinner. Brought a book, smoked several cigarettes, and was as nice as can be. We chatted a bit while waiting for tables, and he was just another guy there for dinner (albeit a bit loud at times). Talked about his kids and how he used to take them there when he lived nearby.

[RGMike]

Yesterday we went to the Giants finale with a group of friends, then had dinner at a small seafood place out in the Richmond, where we ran into Paul Kantner who came in solo to have dinner. Brought a book, smoked several cigarettes, and was as nice as can be. We chatted a bit while waiting for tables, and he was just another guy there for dinner (albeit a bit loud at times). Talked about his kids and how he used to take them there when he lived nearby.

So what restauarant was it? and didya tell Paul that Grace will be on KFOG Friday? LOL!

[urth]

Yesterday we went to the Giants finale with a group of friends, then had dinner at a small seafood place out in the Richmond, where we ran into Paul Kantner who came in solo to have dinner. Brought a book, smoked several cigarettes, and was as nice as can be. We chatted a bit while waiting for tables, and he was just another guy there for dinner (albeit a bit loud at times). Talked about his kids and how he used to take them there when he lived nearby.

So what restauarant was it? and didya tell Paul that Grace will be on KFOG Friday? LOL!

Pacific Cafe, out at 34th & Geary.

And no, I forgot she was going to be in town. But I bet he knows.

[ggould]

Pacific Cafe, out at 34th & Geary.

My wife's favorite restaurant.  In the 30 years we've been going there, I don't think she's ever ordered anything besides the scampi in the shells.  The name of the dish has changed, but not the flavor!

Great place.  We should all meet there someday!  Free glasses of wine while you wait for a table.  We ate their before the last Winterland show.

[RGMike]

Pacific Cafe, out at 34th & Geary.

My wife's favorite restaurant.  In the 30 years we've been going there, I don't think she's ever ordered anything besides the scampi in the shells.  The name of the dish has changed, but not the flavor!

Great place.  We should all meet there someday!  Free glasses of wine while you wait for a table.  We ate their before the last Winterland show.

I've driven past many times -- I'll remember next time I do a movie at the Balboa.

[urth]

Pacific Cafe, out at 34th & Geary.

My wife's favorite restaurant.  In the 30 years we've been going there, I don't think she's ever ordered anything besides the scampi in the shells.  The name of the dish has changed, but not the flavor!

Great place.  We should all meet there someday!  Free glasses of wine while you wait for a table.  We ate their before the last Winterland show.

And it's likely that the fellow who's waiting on you today is the same one who was your waiter in '76--most of the staff has been there for 10 years or better, and some quite a bit more. And Frank, the server I was referring to, started there a year after they opened in `74.

We like it a lot too, but I have a variety of dishes I'll alternate between--crab cakes, grilled salmon, spicy snapper, ahi with wasabi butter, crab louis (in wintertime). And they have great soups as well, all made in house.

Just plan on waiting a bit for a table. Once in awhile you can walk in and be seated right away, but mostly (and particularly on weekends) you'll wait up to an hour or more. But they're good about keeping the wine flowing, so folks don't usually mind.

[ggould]

Pacific Cafe, out at 34th & Geary.

My wife's favorite restaurant.  In the 30 years we've been going there, I don't think she's ever ordered anything besides the scampi in the shells.  The name of the dish has changed, but not the flavor!

Great place.  We should all meet there someday!  Free glasses of wine while you wait for a table.  We ate their before the last Winterland show.

And it's likely that the fellow who's waiting on you today is the same one who was your waiter in '76--most of the staff has been there for 10 years or better, and some quite a bit more. And Frank, the server I was referring to, started there a year after they opened in `74.

We like it a lot too, but I have a variety of dishes I'll alternate between--crab cakes, grilled salmon, spicy snapper, ahi with wasabi butter, crab louis (in wintertime). And they have great soups as well, all made in house.

Just plan on waiting a bit for a table. Once in awhile you can walk in and be seated right away, but mostly (and particularly on weekends) you'll wait up to an hour or more. But they're good about keeping the wine flowing, so folks don't usually mind.

Since we like the food more than we like wine, we try to arrive 4:30-4:45 to get a table for first seating.  Clearly that's not very convenient.  I know plenty of people who like it just fine that way; the longer the wait, the more wine!  The other 'old timer thing' is the salads.  The original salads are available by asking, but not on the menu.

[urth]

Pacific Cafe, out at 34th & Geary.

My wife's favorite restaurant.  In the 30 years we've been going there, I don't think she's ever ordered anything besides the scampi in the shells.  The name of the dish has changed, but not the flavor!

Great place.  We should all meet there someday!  Free glasses of wine while you wait for a table.  We ate their before the last Winterland show.

And it's likely that the fellow who's waiting on you today is the same one who was your waiter in '76--most of the staff has been there for 10 years or better, and some quite a bit more. And Frank, the server I was referring to, started there a year after they opened in `74.

We like it a lot too, but I have a variety of dishes I'll alternate between--crab cakes, grilled salmon, spicy snapper, ahi with wasabi butter, crab louis (in wintertime). And they have great soups as well, all made in house.

Just plan on waiting a bit for a table. Once in awhile you can walk in and be seated right away, but mostly (and particularly on weekends) you'll wait up to an hour or more. But they're good about keeping the wine flowing, so folks don't usually mind.

Since we like the food more than we like wine, we try to arrive 4:30-4:45 to get a table for first seating.  Clearly that's not very convenient.  I know plenty of people who like it just fine that way; the longer the wait, the more wine!  The other 'old timer thing' is the salads.  The original salads are available by asking, but not on the menu.

My wife doesn't drink much either, and I'm usually only good for about a glass or so of wine at most (which isn't that great, but at that price, you can't really complain). We like going on weeknights after 8, when the line has shrunk to manageable lengths.  (On weekends the line goes on for ages, it seems.) We've only gotten there before opening twice; once we were in the first seating and the second time was yesterday when we just missed it. But that worked to our advantage since it gave us all a good chance to talk, and we'd have missed the opportunity to chat up Mr. Kantner if we'd been seated first, so it worked out just fine.

Didn't know about the salads--I'll have to inquire next time. I know the Shrimp Louisiana is off the menu but you can still get it if you ask.

[urth]

Here's the scoop on the Chet Helms shindig:

FREE!
A Chet Helms Tribal Stomp
Family Dog
Sunday October 30th, 2005
Speedway Meadows, Golden Gate Park
10:00am to 5:30pm
Free
 
Bands: Nick Gravenites, Harvey Mandel, Taj Mahal, Dan Hicks and the Hot Licks, The Charlatans, Terry Haggerty and James Preston (Sons of Champlin), Zero II, Squid B. Vicious, Paul Kantner (Jefferson Airplane, Starship), Barry Melton (Country Joe and the Fish) Blue Cheer, (Dickie Peterson, Leigh Stephens), Jorge Santana, George Michalski, Greg Errico (Sly and the Family Stone), Quicksilver Gold, Canned Heat, Narada Michael Walden, Natural Act (Hal Wagenet and Hitchell Holman), Jeff Blackburn, Howard Wales, Richi Ray, (Freedom Highway), Ray Manzarek (The Doors), Vince Welnick, (TheTubes and Grateful Dead), Prairie Prince (Tubes), David Denny (Steve Miller), Peter Kaukonen, Iron Butterfly, Sammy Hagar, Herman Eberitzsch (Lee Oskar ,War), Ross Valory (Journey), Ace of Cups, War, Judge Murphy, Stephen Gaskin, David Freiberg (Quicksilver and Starship) Country Joe McDonald (Country Joe and The Fish) Greg Douglass (Steve Miller) Pete Sears (Rod Stewart, Hot Tuna), Bruce Latimer, David and Linda Laflamme (It's A Beautiful Day), Rowan Brothers, Lydia Pense, Annie Samson, Wavy Gravy.
 
Chet Helms was one of the founding fathers of the psychedelic movement from the 1960's. As promoter for the "Family Dog", Chet developed the concept of the modern rock concert and was one of the founding fathers of the 1960's peace movement that swept the nation and made waves around the world. Chet was also the catalyst that brought together Janis Joplin with Big Brother and the Holding Company, which helped shape the San Francisco sound. Without Chet Helms, as many have said, there would be no Grateful Dead, no Jefferson Airplane, no Big Brother and the list goes on and on. He promoted other acts like the Charlatans, the Great Society, Jimi Hendrix, The Doors, Peter Tosh, The Clash and countless others. Chet Helms continued promoting pivotal concerts through four decades. In the 60's at the Avalon Ballroom, Family Dog at the Beach, S.F. Golden Gate Park, Denver Dog, and Crystal Ballroom in Portland.
 

this may be primarily of interest to Gaz, but the living SF music history pix are pretty cool.  First, here's a link to some photos:

http://vcpractice.com/chet/
<snip>

It appears we have not yet heard the last of Chet Helms. From Leah Garchik's column, today's fishwrap:

P.S.: That Chet Helms memorial/fundraiser at the Great American Musical Hall wasn't the last of it. An all-day Chet Helms Tribal Stomp, produced by Family Dog on Oct. 30 at Speedway Meadows in Golden Gate Park, will feature 7 1/2 hours of free live rock 'n' roll.

That sounds like it has a lot more promise than the Bridge show (not to mention it's a mere 15-20 blocks from my casa). The mind boggles at the psychedelic possibilities. Whaddaya think? Club gathering in the park?

[Alicat]

Wow! Day in the Park and then Pacific would be a lot of fun. I have never noticed the restaurant and lord knows I've driven by it enough. I could walk there from my Mom's place.

[ggould]

I know the Shrimp Louisiana is off the menu but you can still get it if you ask.

Stop the presses! This is the dish Martha craves! I better call them.

[ggould]

I know the Shrimp Louisiana is off the menu but you can still get it if you ask.

Stop the presses! This is the dish Martha craves! I better call them.

I just called, and they said it's available, but they don't cook it in the shell anymore.  Hopefully it will be just as yummy.  I was always too lazy to order it because of the shells anyway!