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Rich Hope



Last Updated: 12/20/2009

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Status: Single
Country: CA
Signup Date: 11/24/2005

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Friday, August 14, 2009 
The weather wasn’t lookin’ too good when I got up Sunday morning.  First day in what seemed like a hundred that we’d seen a drop of rain, and just in time for the big show.  Oh well,  a little drizzle wasn’t gonna stop us.  And it didn’t.  It was misty, but warm on the grounds as we set up and by the time we were ready to play it was pretty much dry.  The rain didn’t deter the crowd much either as they were out in full force to see some Evil.    We laid 40 minutes of rock n roll on those people and by the time I got to When My Light Comes Shining, I had called for light and indeed, there was light.  Guess the Big Man was listening.  (no, not Clarence Clemons, the other one.) The sun never left us for the rest of the day. Here are some highlights:Oh Susanna!   I haven’t played with her in about 10 years and it was great to see her again. Country honk and folk-noir and she’s just a great singer and Paul Pigat (Vancouver’s Cousin Harley, for those of you who don’t know.) was playin’ the guitar!  Totally enjoyed her set and so did the crowd, who sat on the grass and let the sweet music in.David Lindley walked out later that day and blew me away.  He noodled around on his Weissenborn lap guitar, meandering into one of the most beautiful songs I’ve ever heard - “Revenge Will Come”, by songwriter Greg Copeland.  He followed it up with a track from The Boss, “Brothers Under the Bridge”.  David only played about 5 songs, but he did more in those 5 than anyone else had all day.Sharon Jones did not disappoint.  Her Dap Kings were revved and ready to go and she bounded out on stage and got butts wigglin’.  ”100 day, 100 nights”, “Nobody’s Baby”, and “Answer Me” were among the great moments, trumped only when she found the whitest guy in the audience to bring on stage to sing to.  Hell, the guy held his own, i don’t know what i’d do if Sharon were singin’ straight to my face.  And then Smokey arrived, like a vision in white satin, ready for Vegas.  With his dancers in tow and a band consisting of a few too many synthesizers for my taste, Mr. Robinson ran thru the hits and seemed genuinely excited to be doing the show.  It was cool to see him sidestage, just 50 feet away.  I could feel the greatness.  However, I was standing with The Dap Kings and I couldn’t help but think how much better he’d sound with them backing him.  Real horns and soul power, you know?  But, whatever, it was still pretty good.Mr. Mack and I had a great day.  Thanks for comin out.
9:02 PM 
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Saturday, August 08, 2009 
I am very excited to play the show tomorrow.  It’s gonna be a great day.I remember the first time I heard Smokey Robinson.  Or, the first time I really rememberhearing Smokey sing.  It was in The Big Chill, a nice little film about a reunion of college friends who sit in a house and empty their emotional closets.  Not a bad movie.  Great soundtrack.  Smokey’s “I Second that Emotion(-al closet?)” is on it and I swear to god, I have heard that song about 1 billion times since and it just doesn’t get old. Of course, he wrote a few the other songs on that soundtrack as well, having been the Temptations’ songwriter from 1963 - 1966 (”My Girl”, “The Way You Do The Things You Do”).  He was pretty much involved in everything Motown did in the ’60’s. I am even old enough to remember his hit “Being with You” on the radio in 1981 - I loved that song, despite my addiction to The Clash and The Stray Cats and all things punk n rock n roll (despite isn’t the right word as it really just makes sense, but whatever).  Radio was still great back then. It  wasn’t nearly as formatted. Singles came out and didn’t all sound the same. used to wonder what the kids were gonna do with what we’re left with now… you’d have to tune in to the “oldies” station now to hear anything like Smokey.  Happily, the IPod has come along and the single is king once again!  Kids are trading music back and forth faster than you can say ‘mix-tape’.  I suspect we’ll see some enlightened youngsters in the front row When Smokey Sings.  Move over, cuz I’ll be there.I’ll be there, of course, because I’ll have secured my position in front during what will surely be a blistering set of soul R&B by the fantastic Sharon Jones!  For those of you who haven’t seen her, she’s the female equivalent of James Brown (which isn’t to diminish her standing as an entertainer in her own right, but just to provide context to a criminally ignored artist).  She’s backed by NYC’s The Dap Kings (you’ll remember them from Amy Winehouse’s smash record).  Man, can these cats play.  DO NOT miss this.I am looking forward to seeing Keb’ Mo’ as well, and David Lindley, whose version of “Mercury BLues” was always on my tapes as a kid. His tone on that song was a monster - a monster like Hound Dog Taylor’s - most certainly an influence of mine.  I once saw a picture of David with a white National Val-Pro (sister to my black one) and I hope he brings it with him.  Maybe we can compare notes. It’s gonna be a dance party folks, and we’ll be startin’ it.  1:30pm.  See you there.RH
6:43 PM 
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Tuesday, August 04, 2009 

Current mood:stoked
Hey Everybody, 

The new album is officially out on Aug 18th, though we have received cd copies here at RHHQ, and are selling them at upcoming shows.  And they're selling fast.  Why, just the other night we opened for Kenny Wayne Shepherd at The Commodore Ballroom (our new home away from home) and unloaded 60 copies of the thing!  Seems people need some rock n roll.  Well, we's here to give it to 'em.  This Sunday August 9, we'll be playin' Deer Lake Park for the Burnaby Blues Festival, which features headliners Smokey Robinson and Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings!  You think me and the Crasher are excited?  Hell yes, we are.  We take the stage for a half hour set starting at 1:30pm...we'll see you there.

Later, 

RH
8:09 PM 
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