[Rick and Roll]

Having seen PT three times this year, all with Three, and Three at Progday (four in four states what a fanboy I guess), I'm long overdue to write about it.

Unfortunately the brain cells or lack of come into play because I knew all of the info better earlier..oh well here it goes....

I hope I mentioned how nice Dale and Sallie are - the Salem Hill experience (round 2) was just great.

Let's get Three out of the way. What is fascinating is that Joey Eppard, the singer/songwriter/guitarist, has a solo record (just listened to it today) is all acoustic, with a lot of the songs that appear later on Three records. It's very soulful, combining Stevie Wonder and Coldplay, and a few other things. It has the flamenco in spots also. Sounds nothing like the end product on Three. He's an amazing talent. I seem to have no issues with sound. Maybe in five or ten years my head will burst, but I'll take that chance. I've gotten to know Gartdrumm (drummer) pretty well - all of the band members are really nice. Gartman is the regular drummer, incredibly solid. Joe Stote does more of the percussion and is more flamboyant. Seeing them at such a loud volume is a turnoff, no doubt - they've got a lot of nuance that is lost at that volume.

Before I get into PT, I'm presently listening to Abigail's Ghost. Man they need to pay royalties to the Tree!

When I saw Porc Tree last year, they played some of the latest record, then earlier this year all of it in order, now almost all of it, broken up. Some of the songs change each show but not more than two or three. Drown With Me is a song from the In Abstentia sessions that they've been playing, featuring SW with a big fat acoustic guitar. There's another I can't place the name...

Earlier this year they were doing Lightbulb Sun and Sever, last time was Even Less and Trains. I too miss songs like Hatesong, but that's the way it goes. Halo from Deadwing ends the show and is powerful....they've been not hitting that record very hard of late. The Sound of Musak has been a staple, and of course Blackest Eyes. Jim's "professional" comment is pretty much on...I like to call it polished. Edwin, Wes, and Richard just do their jobs (although it's hard to tell what Barbieri really does sometime). Gavin Harrison, as does Gartman, pounds the living shit out of the drumkit, and is a pleasure to watch.

In Cincinnati, SW was talking to the crowd and the usual hooting and bad manners were going on...he stops and says, "You're not listening are you"? Quite funny.

The videos are somewhat repetitive. I'm trying to ignore the fact that I've seen them so much. But the pictures of the kids taking pills is beaten over your head. As one with a teenager with some issues, the references hit home in a big way. But it's very heavy handed. Some of the videos like on My Ashes tug at the heart, and some are just goofy (the robot on Sleep Together). Anaethestize (screw the spelling) is the long tune and is just perfect.

It's about time for a PT and Three break live for me....I think I have a dozen shows between now and Feb 1 on tap...but I would highly recommend this show many times over.