Roots.
It is a really unique thing to see the roots of a band. That was the experience I had, as did many others, at Maggie Mae’s in Austin a couple of weekends ago. Mark del Castillo and Mike Zeoli sat in with their old band, Milhouse. The group was something of a musical throw-back, harking back to the early 90’s and Pink Floyd around the mid 80’s. I would’ve been intrigued with the guys currently in the band, but then Mark and Zeoli got up there.
Whoa. All the positive things I could ever say about those two as musicians were massively amplified, literally and figuratively. Mike is a maniac when playing with DC but letting him loose doing heavier rock, well, all I can say is he is proof that drummers are nuts. I would love to have heard the experimental jazz band he was in at the same time he was doing Milhouse!
and Mark....the two brothers of the DC blow me away quite often, and I wasn’t surprised to recently have been impressed by both of them on electric. However......I heard such possibility this night at Maggie Mae’s. His wife looked at me and grinned. “This is when I met him.” I had to laugh, because I could hear exactly what she was attracted to. If it had been any place but the overcrowded Austin scene, I daresay Milhouse would be a big name by now. Had I been a fan back in the late 90’s –early ‘00’s, I would have been unhappy about the forming of Del Castillo, at least for awhile.
you see, this is where the roots come in. Not only did brother Rick produce both of the CDs this group has put out, but the beginnings of what would be DC are on the first recording. There is this amazing piece called “Para Mija Linda” that is nothing but acoustic Spanish guitar. The credits say it is only Mark, but I could easily hear the two of them playing it. It would fit into the current repetoire quite well. It startled me when it came on, because I could see the future, being played in the past.
It is curious thing to watch a band grow and change, solidifying slowly into what the world will finally know. It is even more unusual to be able to kind of back up and see where it started. I will cherish this, because many people will come in when DC has progressed a long way down its destined path. I will try to remind them of the roots of this band, the steps they had to take to get where we now have them. And may their growth, and their ever growing audiences growth continue on the path of peace, love and the Light.
namaste.
Monday, May 30, 2005
Sunday, May 15, 2005
A Del Castillo Two Foot Night. Twice
Ahh, it all comes rushing back with blinding clarity- the reason I fell for this band so long ago. I find it so hard to capture in words the effect they have on me in those moments. It is so difficult to catch such emotions on paper; when they are being experienced, one does not wish to slow down to do the writing. When they are over, it is only through somewhat melancholy introspection that one can pull together all the thoughts that raged upon one while going through the experience. I am sitting at home today, still buzzed from last night's amazing concert, wishing only that I could be near others who were also there and feel like I do, going back over all the details we each went through in detail. I think it is an attempt to hold onto the extraordinary magic that is this band. One wishes it WAS a tangible thing, so it might permeate every aspect of one's life. While I personally carry their music and love in my head and heart forever, it is the joint experience, the unity factour that makes it such and unreadable thing.
Once again, I will rejoice and rue the day they finally start to take this out to the world at large. I will have to wait longer between my moments with them, but I will know how many more they have touched and thus belong to the ever-widening circle of dedicated, connected followers.
I sound a little fanatical, eh? Well, an DC concert of the magnitude of last night can do that.. I am not sure what it was that drove them quite so high last night. I am, however, glad to have been there to be part of it. It is something about the audience and their connection to the band that seems to be a catalyst. I have heard audiences recently singing the chorus to "Suenos Madrigals", but yesterday, they sang many of the choruses so loudly Alex gave over the mike and reveled in it. People came from Corpus, Tyler, Houston, Austin and many many other places around Texas just to stand in front of this band and let them know what they mean to us by singing back to them their own songs!
It felt like a much larger style concert in that respect, but the most intimate kind possible in every other. I think most people in the audience,even those no where near the front left with a sense of awe about Del Castillo. And any who were not yet convinced have been converted.
To finally get to the whole point of my title: for those who have not read through all the months of this blog, back in 2004, I witnessed what I call a two-foot night. Ricky Del Castillo got so into one of his solos, so far down into that creative place that demands some form of physical release, that both of his feet came off the floor . It doesn't last long, but it means he has found that spot that no artist can tell another person about. It is one of the reasons some of us get so addicted to our art: we know there is a moment of connectedness that can only be descibed as divine. And last night, he did it not once, but TWICE. That screams volumes to me about where the whole band was in their head and heart.
Details of the gig are almost pointless, save that it was one of the longest sets I have heard them do. I would've have thought them all way too tired to hangout with the fans afterwards, but they were higher than any of us!
I do remember being blown away by all the people around me singing. It wasn't always in key (!) but it was from the heart and it fueled the guys. I could see that in their eyes. The collective experience can grab you and take you into new territory, but at the same time I couple see on many faces around me that individuals were also in their own world. I wish I knew how to put to words, again, the level of emotional intensity that comes from this. I have often wondered if it wasn't a form of group hysteria, albeit a positive one. I witnessed something similar back in the early Beatles days: one girl gets all hyped up, squeals, and sends others into the frenzy.
I dunno though; this feels different. We are all just so positive and upbeat afterwards. So far, there has been no fainting or throwing of panties at the band. It is a warm spiritual thing that envelopes us, takes us to heights usually reserved for yogis and such, and then leaves us with enough aftertones of it that we all walk around for days just getting happier as we go.
Too bad we cannot feed this to the world at large, hmm? Our world would be a much better place if this was something we could share. Del Castillo has an uneviable task in front of them, one I personally think they will take on with joy, and that is spreading their music and its Light to the rest of the world There is obviously an audience hungering for such things, and know we don't all live in Texas. I hope the road isn't too rough on them.
I have the set list rom last night, something I rarely get due to its collector popularity (hottest items below guitar picks and drum sticks!) I think I may put it on here. I will ask permission first. It is not THE set list, it is far more complete than many gigs. It also has a number of newer tunes on it that may well be destined for the next CD. I personally am hoping that isn't too long from now!
I have to go try to live a normal life today. Much that needs to be done. I will continue to collect my thoughts about this gig. I know it will be the last for me for about a month, so I will have time. I hope someday those who read this and haven't had the chance to see them yet soon will. I will be sitting back here, very envious and very happy for you at the same time. And when you walk out of their gig, you'll know why.
Namaste.
Once again, I will rejoice and rue the day they finally start to take this out to the world at large. I will have to wait longer between my moments with them, but I will know how many more they have touched and thus belong to the ever-widening circle of dedicated, connected followers.
I sound a little fanatical, eh? Well, an DC concert of the magnitude of last night can do that.. I am not sure what it was that drove them quite so high last night. I am, however, glad to have been there to be part of it. It is something about the audience and their connection to the band that seems to be a catalyst. I have heard audiences recently singing the chorus to "Suenos Madrigals", but yesterday, they sang many of the choruses so loudly Alex gave over the mike and reveled in it. People came from Corpus, Tyler, Houston, Austin and many many other places around Texas just to stand in front of this band and let them know what they mean to us by singing back to them their own songs!
It felt like a much larger style concert in that respect, but the most intimate kind possible in every other. I think most people in the audience,even those no where near the front left with a sense of awe about Del Castillo. And any who were not yet convinced have been converted.
To finally get to the whole point of my title: for those who have not read through all the months of this blog, back in 2004, I witnessed what I call a two-foot night. Ricky Del Castillo got so into one of his solos, so far down into that creative place that demands some form of physical release, that both of his feet came off the floor . It doesn't last long, but it means he has found that spot that no artist can tell another person about. It is one of the reasons some of us get so addicted to our art: we know there is a moment of connectedness that can only be descibed as divine. And last night, he did it not once, but TWICE. That screams volumes to me about where the whole band was in their head and heart.
Details of the gig are almost pointless, save that it was one of the longest sets I have heard them do. I would've have thought them all way too tired to hangout with the fans afterwards, but they were higher than any of us!
I do remember being blown away by all the people around me singing. It wasn't always in key (!) but it was from the heart and it fueled the guys. I could see that in their eyes. The collective experience can grab you and take you into new territory, but at the same time I couple see on many faces around me that individuals were also in their own world. I wish I knew how to put to words, again, the level of emotional intensity that comes from this. I have often wondered if it wasn't a form of group hysteria, albeit a positive one. I witnessed something similar back in the early Beatles days: one girl gets all hyped up, squeals, and sends others into the frenzy.
I dunno though; this feels different. We are all just so positive and upbeat afterwards. So far, there has been no fainting or throwing of panties at the band. It is a warm spiritual thing that envelopes us, takes us to heights usually reserved for yogis and such, and then leaves us with enough aftertones of it that we all walk around for days just getting happier as we go.
Too bad we cannot feed this to the world at large, hmm? Our world would be a much better place if this was something we could share. Del Castillo has an uneviable task in front of them, one I personally think they will take on with joy, and that is spreading their music and its Light to the rest of the world There is obviously an audience hungering for such things, and know we don't all live in Texas. I hope the road isn't too rough on them.
I have the set list rom last night, something I rarely get due to its collector popularity (hottest items below guitar picks and drum sticks!) I think I may put it on here. I will ask permission first. It is not THE set list, it is far more complete than many gigs. It also has a number of newer tunes on it that may well be destined for the next CD. I personally am hoping that isn't too long from now!
I have to go try to live a normal life today. Much that needs to be done. I will continue to collect my thoughts about this gig. I know it will be the last for me for about a month, so I will have time. I hope someday those who read this and haven't had the chance to see them yet soon will. I will be sitting back here, very envious and very happy for you at the same time. And when you walk out of their gig, you'll know why.
Namaste.
Friday, May 06, 2005
Connect The Molecules With the Light
When you hear something that moves you to dance, to cry and to dance at the same time, your molecules change.
I'm happy to tell you that we are not alone; there are a lot of people who are resonating this and want the same thing. I think the door is open; we want it now. We want spiritual revolution, consciousness revolution. It's not impossible.
I invite you to crystallize your intention, motives and purpose, because if you don't do that, you're always going to blame somebody else for what you didn't get to do.
Carlos Santana
from magazine What Is Enlightenment?
issue March-May 2005
This really fits this band and the effect they have on their growing legion of fans. Fitting that the perfect words should come from one they admire so.
I'm happy to tell you that we are not alone; there are a lot of people who are resonating this and want the same thing. I think the door is open; we want it now. We want spiritual revolution, consciousness revolution. It's not impossible.
I invite you to crystallize your intention, motives and purpose, because if you don't do that, you're always going to blame somebody else for what you didn't get to do.
Carlos Santana
from magazine What Is Enlightenment?
issue March-May 2005
This really fits this band and the effect they have on their growing legion of fans. Fitting that the perfect words should come from one they admire so.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
