Playing to a surprisingly sparse crowd at the EMU ballroom in Eugene, Oregon, the open space in which to move seemed a little surreal, perhaps a zen trick in itself. Whatever the case, the strong Dead-related following Eugene has always garnered missed out on this one.

Starting with an acoustic-based set, the strength of their three part harmonies and tight musicianship was apparent from the beginning. They scattered an even mix of originals from their 1999 release A Love Surreal, and 96 release Holy Fool, as well as several Grateful Dead covers throughout the evening, such as "Operator," "Casey Jones," and "Ripple" and "Mountains of the Moon." Most of the lead vocals were traded off from song to song between lead guitarist Jeff Mattson and keyboardist Rob Barraco, both providing varying degrees of a sometimes hauntingly Jerryesque vocal quality.

Going full-on electric for set two, they took the music to yet another level, going into jams with complex time signatures, one of which took on a nearly middle eastern groove. "Spanish Jam" featured a guest vocalist, Phun G. Badillion, who provided a meditative vocal jam that included a psuedo-yodeling technique (the old finger to lip flapping trick) nearly comedic to watch, yet compelling in the context of the whole.

With a strong jazz-jam sensibility, Rob’s keyboard work provided tasteful and melodic fills weaving in and out of the complex rhythm structures and competently diverse lead guitar work.

Bassist Klyph Black, at center stage and also a strong vocalist, moved freely from one bandmate to another, tuning in for face to face jams with each, providing the glue to bind them as they soared upon the layers of sound they laid down.

By evening’s end they had run the gamut of Dead-style diversity, including an energetic drum solo and a creative sampling of space mode. With time constraints at the University venue, they still pulled off a short but incredible 3-part harmony acapella version of "And We Bid You Farewell." The only missing element of the evening was a significant audience to hear it. Oh well, ya snooze, ya lose.


Article © 2000 - Tim and Ananda Owen
Photographs © 2000 - Tim Owen