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.