I spent a year of my life traveling the country, now I'm back home in Pittsburgh working as an event planner, living life and learning how to be a grown-up!
A couple weeks ago I spent the weekend in the land of the Amish--Lancaster, PA. I was surrounded by farms, horse and buggies, lots of fresh veggies, and the towns of "Bird-In-Hand" and "Intercourse." Ok, it's also the land of my best friend, Kaitlyn.
I got to spend a few days with her which is always nice since we really don't see each other enough. One of my favorite bands, Dawes, performed Sunday night at a free concert series at Long's Park. They were amazing as always, and the venue was beautiful.
Monday was spent doing the typical touristy things in Lancaster. I've been there many times before, however never really stopped in any of the towns or villages. We had lunch at the most amazing little place, the Tomato Pie Cafe. Let me tell you--if you're ever in Lancaster or even near there you have to go to this place. We had the most delicious roasted red hummus platter, then I had the beet and goat cheese salad and Kate had a sweet potato and mascarpone sandwich. We spent the rest of the day visiting the old Wilbur Chocolate factory, the Jam & Relish Kitchen, a little petting zoo and many other shops and restaurants.
There is no way around it, rock and roll would not have been the same without Levon Helm. He was a true artist who wanted nothing more than to play good music and make people happy. I think it's safe to say he did just that. When I found out that Levon was sick--not the normal sick stuff, but the "last stages of his battle with cancer" stuff, I immediately felt like my heart was breaking into pieces. I had just seen this man and his band in Woodstock, NY not even five months ago. I knew he suffered from throat cancer and various other problems that come about when your 71, but I always thought Levon would pull through. I had plans to go to Woodstock again and attend another legendary Midnight Ramble. I wanted to stand in the balcony of his barn and look down on the greatest singer/drummer of all time. I can only hope that his friends and family will continue to carry on the Rambles in honor of him.
Levon passed away five days ago--and I cannot shake this feeling of sadness. There have been very few artists that I have an attachment with who have passed away while I was of the age to really get it. Sure there have been some incredibly talented artists who were taken away too soon, but none of them had the affect on me that Levon had. I was 13 when George Harrison lost his battle with cancer, and it was the age that I was really just starting to love The Beatles--so it was sad, but it wasn't until after he died that I really formed by bond with the band. Levon was the first artist who I saw live who passed away. When I was at that Ramble I knew I could never experience anything else like it. The Band's music just got to me. I respected them and appreciated them for who they became. They were honest, hard working men and I truly believe the greatest of them all was Levon. After that Ramble I felt like I knew him. Like he was an old friend who asked me to come to his house for some food, drinks and music.
The Facebook and Twitter posts from musicians, fans, and his friends and family continued to bring tears to my eyes. There has been an overwhelming amount of articles written about him and his influence on music. Even though he was not a fan of "The Last Waltz," I couldn't help but to watch it last night. Watching him singing and drumming--you can't help but to get a smile on your face. Mainly because he's smiling the entire time! You could see the love and passion for music just oozing out of him. I remember reading that he loved the drummers spot--you could see the band and the fans and watch the reaction from both. He sure knew how to hold down the back beat and make people dance.
Looking back on what Levon's accomplished in life makes his passing just a bit easier. He had success from a young age, then continued on until his 70s by making his own music with The Levon Helm Band--all three albums won a Grammy award. His Rambles were the essence of rock and roll. I truly believe I chose to attend the best Ramble there's ever been. When I first heard Dawes I immediately thought "thank you." Thank you for reminding me that real music does exist. When I saw Dawes was opening up for Levon I knew that was it--this was the Ramble I needed to go to. To my surprise, along with Dawes I also got Jackson Browne, Jimmy Vivino, Donald Fagen, and Garth Hudson! At only 23 years of age I got to witness 2 out of the 3 living members of The Band sing together! What an honor and privilege for a music fan. That memory will be with me forever.
Levon's passing shook the music community. But it's safe to say that the tributes, thoughts and love for his music will never go away. We were lucky to have such a great man around for so long. He will live on forever through his music. So don't stop listening, and certainly don't stop dancing when you hear that beat. Take a load off, Levon.
Where do I even begin? I guess I’ll start with some background info on Levon Helm. For those who don’t know, Levon was the drummer/singer for The Band (famously known as being Bob Dylan’s back-up band before going out on their own and becoming one of the most influential bands of the 60s & 70s). Both Dylan and the members of the band spent most of their time during these years in or around Woodstock, NY and a few stayed there long-term, Levon being one.
The drive from our hotel to Levon’s home/site of the Midnight Ramble was about 20 minutes. We went back on this dirt road, in the dark and we thought, “How in the world will we ever find it?” But once we got close, we could spot it immediately. Levon’s beautiful barn was all lit up, people we talking and music was playing. We pulled in, gave our names and off we were. We had some beers and stopped in Levon’s General Store—this is where his merchandise is sold and the food is set out. It’s like one big party with people you’ve never met before. The dinner was a potluck; I brought a ramen slaw & received lots of compliments which made me happy! Kev bought a poster and I bought a sticker to add to my collection (I’m now kicking myself for not buying a poster as well).
Since we had standing room only tickets, we decided to get in line a little early so we could find our “spot.” We made friends with the two couples in front of us, one lived in Boston and the other is from the North Hills of Pittsburgh! Such a small world it is. Both couples were awesome—we talked beer, food and of course music. Finally the doors opened and we were greeted by big security men who had big smiles on their faces. We ran upstairs and found a great spot along the banister right up from the drums. The loft above and behind the stage was definitely the closest, but I was too set on being able to see their faces. It ended up being perfect. To me, the only better spot would have been front row seats (which were reserved for special guests so that was a no-go anyway).
Just like any show, the lights got dim and the audience got quiet. Barbara O’Brien, Levon’s manager and host of the Midnight Ramble got on stage and told us we were in for a treat, “Tonight is going to be the most over the top Ramble we have ever had.” She sure knows how to get a crowd going—but she was not lying.
A big reason we chose to go to this Ramble, was because of the opening band, Dawes. I first discovered Dawes a little over a year ago, and just in that short time they have progressed as a band in ways some bands who have been together 10 years don’t even understand. I was kind of mad at myself because I looked at their entire set list before they began to play, but once I saw one of my favorite songs listed I just couldn’t help myself. Dawes played “A Little Bit of Everything” AND “How Far We’ve Come,” in addition to a few others including a Band cover and their most popular “When My Time Comes.” They were absolutely perfect. Dawes is far and few between when it comes to new music. They have that old-school Laurel Canyon/LA feel and they play simply because they love to play music. They are genuine, beyond talented and so respectful. During their set, Taylor Goldsmith told a story of when they first started as a band. He said “We were making a list of goals for us as a band, and one of those was playing at this here Ramble.” After their fourth song, out comes Jackson Browne. Dawes has been Jackson’s backup band and just the day before they performed at NYC’s Occupy Wall Street together. Jackson didn’t play any of his own songs; he did however perform a song that he wrote for another band. “Take It Easy” began and it was one big sing-along. Jackson wanted to show that he was there for the experience and to support Dawes and Levon—not to show off his talents.
The next set was about to start and in walks Jimmy Vivino. Jimmy is the musical director and leader of the band for Conan O’Brien’s show, and man is he a talent. I sort of knew who he was, but I was completely blown away. He is an artist, storyteller and a loyal friend to many. His set was special because he did a tribute to Rick Danko and Richard Manuel, both original members of The Band. He shared stories about Richard and mostly Ricky, to the point where I thought that I actually knew them. Jimmy invited a special person on stage… The Band’s Garth Hudson. I don’t think Garth said more than 5 words but they were not needed. He blew everyone away with his continued piano skills and added his own special touch to each song.
Before we knew it, in comes Levon and his band. He just stared and smiled at the entire crowd. It felt like he was personally looking at each and every person and saying thank-you. The crowd was going wild. People were screaming, smiling and just staring in awe at this wonderful legend standing before us.
Another guest joined Levon’s band—Donald Fagen from Steely Dan. He did a mixture of Grateful Dead, The Band and his own Steely Dan songs. At this point I wasn’t expecting any more surprises and I definitely had no idea what I was about to experience. Jackson came back on and sang “Up on Cripple Creek,” his choice of song. Levon sang “Ophelia,” which is probably my favorite Band song. I wasn’t expecting him to be singing at all due to his throat cancer, but he shocked us all when we heard “Boards on the window, mail by the door, why would anybody leave so quickly for, Ophelia,” coming straight from LEVON! It was like a dream. The entire set was a dream. By far the most memorable part of the night was the last song, “The Weight.” All of the artists got on stage, between the singers and musicians there must have been at least 20 people up there. Levon yelled out to Jackson to take the first verse, which he willingly did. Taylor from Dawes shared the mic with Jackson and the other members were spread across the stage. The entire song was one big sing-along, but the last verse was by far the best. I also need to point out how incredibly talented Levon’s band is. It is lead by Larry Campbell and features Larry’s wife, Theresa Williams and Levon’s daughter, Amy Helm. What a power this trio gives off.
I didn’t it want it to come to an end, but I knew I just had one of the best musical experiences of my life. I felt like I was Levon’s friend… like he called me up and invited me to a small get together. That’s certainly what it felt like considering there were probably less than 200 people there. And how in the heck did I get so lucky to pick the most “over the top Ramble ever?” I stared out onto the stage a little longer just to take it all in. Again, it was like a dream.
I knew it was time to go, I put on my coat, turned around and looky, looky what I got:
That’s right, the set list. Before the show started I was talking to a nice man about my love for set lists. He won tickets to the Ramble from the local Woodstock radio station and just like us, he was a Ramble first-timer. At the end of the show, I turn around to leave and he is standing behind me holding out a copy. I immediately thought, “How did he get this??” Then it crossed my mind, could this actually be for me? When he handed it over I screamed like a little girl and gave him a huge hug. A man from the crew was watching this all happen, came over, gave me a hug and said he just wanted to tell me how happy he was that I enjoyed the show and have such love & respect for Levon and his musical family.
And if that wasn’t the perfect end to a perfect weekend, I’ll show you what is:
I met Griffin and Tay fro Dawes! And these nice boys let me sneak in a picture. Pretty awesome, right?
Woodstock is the best place for this Ramble. The entire community makes you feel at home and Levon and his people were no different. Even if you don’t love The Band (but how can you not?)but you have a love for music, especially live music, you need to make it to a Ramble. It will change your life in some way I can promise you that. One of my goals for 2012 is to get back to that Ramble—and I’m pretty sure I can make that happen.
I couldn't be more excited for this coming week. First off, I have a four day work week--for the second week in a row. Second I get to see one of my very bestest friends who lives a few hours away. Third I get to finally visit the Museum at Bethel Woods aka the Woodstock Museum & the site of the Woodstock music festival--something I've been wanting to do for years. And fourth, I get to see Dawes & the Levon Helm Band play live at Levon's barn--talk about a dream. I have such high expectations for this weekend and I'm pretty confident that it will be even better than I can imagine. Not to mention I was told there is a "special guest" performing with Levon on Saturday--in the past Warren Haynes and Phil Lesh have stopped by, so I can't wait to find out who he is (yes, it's confirmed that it is a 'he').
So these next four days need to hurry up! I will miss this pretty little face this weekend--she was a sleepy girl all day today:
