wolftrap3

Wolftrap 2005

Alan introduced the next song as being written with Chris Trapper of the Pushstars. Chris got a cheer there. He described the version he first heard as very different from the one that made its way to the Sea of No Cares CD. I knew immediately that we were going to get the �Living Room Version� of Sea of No Cares. Alan went on to say they had even gotten to opportunity to �make a video for it in Cancun, Mexico, of all places. It was friggin� cool!� He said that even though they had made many videos before this one and he should not be phased by it at this point, that it was a time he �felt like a rock star and loved it.�

He looked a bit desperate at the start of the song until Bob plucked the bouzouki. �Thanks, Bob, for that note.� And the sweetest, most tender version of Sea of No Cares began. I have heard it several times and this was just perfect tonight as far as I am concerned. S�an�s melody was a little different when he and Alan traded vocals. Kris on shaker and tight snare lent a dramatic tone to the song. For most of the song, Bob and Murray sat back on the drum kit, but moved forward with more insistent instrumentation for the last part of the song. That, Helmethead and River Drivers were worth the price of admission alone. What a pleasure to be in that place, for that song! Wow!

I knew we were coming to the end when I heard what sounded like it might be a sneaky intro to Consequence Free. Vic was surprised when I predicted it. He didn�t recognize the intro. I guess that�s how they keep themselves from being bored, changing the instrumentation a bit. They even did a little reggae bit for the last verse. I love that song. It was my anthem along with Sea of No Cares and Ordinary Day for a good part off the last two years. Work stresses had made me wish I was consequence free many a day. And some days that song was the only one that made me feel better.

No time for banter, the show was like a runaway train at this point, one song going right into the next. Mari Mac started out all slow and sweet and ended up one of the fastest versions I have heard. I know that Kris sped it up a bit in the middle but I think Bob had a hand in its speed at the end. He was blazin� on that fiddle! Sean jumped onto the riser for the last bit and the b�ys waited for him to leap off before they sounded the last note. S�an's vocals were a bit muddy for this, as they have been

Then right into Ordinary Day, a bittersweet moment because I know that�s the last song in the regular set. Kris�s drum solo was totally enjoyable and Bob�s accordion part seemed to be done with much energy. I can�t imagine how tired they must have been at this point. I was exhausted from dancing in that heat and I had short sleeves on and no hot lights on me! They all seemed happy with the effort though, and strode off with a wave into the backstage area.

The darkened stage indicated they had no aversion to coming back for an encore, but we started up the chant anyway. �Great Big Sea, Great Big Sea!� They came out, Alan first with the guitar and I thought we were going to get Boston & St. John�s, but shortly afterwards Bob and Sean joined him on stage, S�an with his guitar and Bob with a whistle. Well, it could still be Boston, but I hadn�t heard the full band version of that for I don�t know how long. Then Alan began by saying it was written with Chris Trapper for the Sea of No Cares album. Oh, what a blessing! We got Clearest Indication! I like that video the most of all of them and the song ain�t too shabby either. I enjoyed it so much and so did Vic. It was the living room version of Clearest Indication.

But we didn�t have time to dwell in that sweet place, because Alan immediately began Excursion �Round the Bay. Murray came out and it was great to see that sea of faces fist-pumping and yelling �Hey!� Nice to hear a different harmony from Bob for part of it, somewhere between Murray and Alan.

Kris joined the bunch for Fortune and everyone was dancing around having a blast it seemed. Love this to close the instrumental set. It�s so much fun!

A brief Rant and Roar was the closing number and then a goodbye without final introductions. A night well-spent for sure!

I stuck around for the Saw Doctors. I heard them once before when the Barra MacNeils opened for them. We had gone expressly to see the Barras and were chatting with them during the Saw Docs set. The Saw Docs were an infinitely better match for GBS than Big Head Todd last summer. Although it took a while for the GBS audience to participate in their show, by the end I think everyone was up dancing or singing. Vic had gone back to the car to wait because it was too loud for him. I stuffed my ears with tissue and enjoyed the set from there. The opened with N17 and went into a song about a DJ, complete with actions � Tommy K. It was fun to watch them and to try to participate in the actions. Think YMCA and then think TK for Tommy K and hand motions for DJ. What fun! Endi had come down to sit next to me in Vic�s seat and she made a comment that would have me giggling the rest of the night. �The lead singer is Alan in 20 years!� I could see Alan up there, just like that, doing that very same thing, 20 years from now. Except the lead singers moves were more like S�an�s dance moves. What a trip to think of Alan still up there in 20 years! I ran out of room on my scratch pad here, but I do remember that I particularly enjoyed a song called, I Wrote This Song on Your Guitar. It was for the guy�s 9-year-old son, who got a guitar for Christmas. It wished the son all the happy times Dad had during his days in a band and at the end, the chords were part of the verse. �And it goes, A,E,G C#, D, G�� That was great! I remember Clear Island and how much I enjoyed that and a really long song about a football rivalry between Galway and Mayo. Good show!

I left a little early and we missed the traffic jam going home. Stopped in Essex for a bite to eat at McDonald�s since we hadn�t had supper and had an uneventful trip home. One day�s rest than off to Buffalo for GBS in the Square! I do love this band!

Addendum: Vic says that he didn't get the same vibe I did. He said the b'ys played like they were five happy INDIVIDUALS and not a happy band. Hmmmm. I'll have to think on that one. I didn't get the same vibe. But he feels strongly about it, so I mention it. Vic also said the sound was lousy after the River Drivers song.

Some OKPers at Wolftrap:
Left to right: Endi, Christina, Lynda, Anne, Jean-Marie, Michele from LI