The venerable Fox Theater in Oakland opened with aint life grand fanfare in 1928. But, earth to america, by 1966 the Fox shuttered with the rest of Oakland's dreams. In 1973 the decrepit shell was noted as "the largest outdoor urinal in the world." By the late 1990's mushrooms sprouted from the floor. But something happened to Oakland by 2005 -- light fuse and get away -- Oakland has learned it can do its own thing and take everyday life on its terms. Another joyous occasion among the many from Oakland's hiphopissance was the faithful remodel of the Fox to its wide, tiered, balconied splendor. We scouted the neighborhood by Street View, checked our clothing and headwear, and bombed into Oaktown like butterflies for the Widespread Panic shows Saturday and Sunday.
The Fox delivers. No visible signs of floor mushrooms. Certainly less misdirected urine than a phish show. Indeed, the tiered options of the Fox and the decent acoustics were a good platform for WSP's predictable unpredictability. Plus, no line at all for the $20 cocktails.
Here is a shot of the Widespread Panic gang in action. This is a professional musical act with all of the trappings of the genre like technicians and lighting and swag. WSP is the russian nesting doll of jambands -- solid, fat on the bottom, and then lots of unknown and even good stuff inside that will also be solid and fat on the bottom and a lot like the other solid but fat on the bottom stuff you already just heard. Like one of the best russian nesting dolls, the sets are well constructed, the segues seamless and the entertainment value progressively shrinking as the secrets are revealed in solid fat on the bottom manner.
John Bell is the WSP founder and lead singer -- you know, the voice of Widespread Panic. He alternates between electric and acoustic rhythm guitar -- but the solid fat bottom of Widespread Panic requires him to keep the same singing tone on every selection. WSP chooses terrific covers and the fun of those is always in realizing how panicated they will become via Mr. Bell's familiar pipes, solid fat on the bottom.
We did not see any "Let Phil Sing" audience signs, but if you had, they would have been talking about this man, Dave Schools, seen here in rare quarter-turn away from the fan trained on him fabio-style. Another of the WSP founders, Schools is talented and even enjoyable but no doubt essential to the russian nesting doll solid fat on the bottom genre.
JoJo Herman is playful on keys. Despite phish's paradigm-shift, two drummers generally are best --- WSP teams Todd Nance on kit with Sunny Ortiz on congas and percussion. Bay area skin man Wally Ingram joined Ortiz for a terrific Use Me -- "keep on using me, until you use me up..." Other highlights included Slippin' into Darkness and The Shape I'm In. There is also a single-mode lead guitarist apparently aspiring for a nickname only as insulting as fake jerry.
The WSP crowd was civilized and noticeably more polite than the typical phish show crowd -- either of which is more civilized and polite than the Raiders at 49ers. The Oakland Fox Theater has survived urine and mushrooms and more years shuttered than open. Who knows that tomorrow (post prop-19) may bring?
See you in Nevada!
People nomarlly pay me for this and you are giving it away!
Posted by: Demarlo | 12/26/2011 at 00:47