Larry Carlton & Robben Ford touring together

Tony Prior · From: Charlotte NC

One band on stage together, the way it should be.

Yeh..I'm going to Nville to see them this week..can't wait

Robben, my all time favorite player..

Of all time, did I say that ?

Oh and Larry your pretty great too just in case you are reading !

Tony Prior · From: Charlotte NC

double post, we did go to the show.

may be an interesting read...

We went to Nashville from Charlotte this week specifically to see the Larry Carlton / Robben Ford show, which was musically great by the way, no doubt that these two guys smoked and are masters.

Before the show started it was announced NO FLASH pictures, which I always find odd anyway, here we are in a small 300 seat theater full of aging Guitar players coming to see two more aging Guitar players , one with no hair and one with long graying hair, (of which they joked about) and they announced NO FLASH pictures of the these Guitar players. It's not like the average Soccer Mom driving past the theater who see's there names in NEON even know who they are.

by the way, the age group of the audience was probably 45 to 65, certainly not screaming teens.

Ok, maybe they have a reason, which can only be distraction I guess, but after 35 years of touring the world they should be well beyond the Instamatic syndrome.

Anyway, ok, here we are front row center, sitting maybe 8 feet from the stage, I turned the flash off and took a few pictures, Then my wife took the camera, FLASH OFF and started to set up a photo of Robben, in her seat, not at the stage, Robben looks at her and waves her off, meaning "Don't take my picture"..

That was really bizarre. Actually beyond Bizarre, it was a downright bummer. Here is my all time favorite Guitar hero telling my wife with his hand motion..while playing in concert...
"Do not take my picture"...

Ok, I won't, and I won't come see you anymore either.And I certainly am not going to buy the CD's you guys were selling for $25 each either.

This was huge for me, 2 Airline tickets, Hotel, etc..all that with the primary reason for going to Nashville this week being this show .

Now in comparison, A year or two back we took a few pictures of Brent Mason playing, I sent them to him, he used one on his latest CD jacket and mentioned me by name in the credits for the photo .Now that was not only a surprise but an honor, thanks to Randy and Brent for that.

Sorry Robben, it's one thing to have a huge ego and it's quite another to learn how to control it, I still like your playing but don't expect me to drop a dime on a show ticket ever again.

oh and no, they were not selling anything at this show other than 1 CD for $25 or 3 for $65, 3 of the same which was also bizarre, Maybe they were thinking I was gonna wear 2 of them out and needed a 3rd backup copy.

My daughter told me that all of the POP/Rock star kinda people do this now and that this is really common.She said she a has been to shows where it was announced that if you took any pictures you would be escorted out.

Here's what I have to say to all of them..
How about I keep my money and not even come in !

David Mason · From: Cambridge, MD, USA

There are two things I can think of. One, there really are a lot of camera/phone clips of performers appearing on YouTube, and both these guys are now selling performance DVDs and they'd rather you bought one than watch them for free on a crappy YouTube phone movie. Two, maybe they think that they're casting a magical musical spell like they're the Grateful Dead or Mahavishnu Orchestra (or London Symphony Orchestra) and they don't want you goinking up their trance-induction ceremony.

I'm pretty sure symphony orchestras don't allow pictures? I'm also pretty sure the Dead or Mahavishnu were confident enough in their mind-blowing capacities... the least they could do would be prominently display on their websites, concert ticket sales blurbs and posters that no pictures will be allowed, only clap when instructed, dress code enforced etc. Pah.

Tony Prior · From: Charlotte NC

David, your part one is true, except they weren't even selling any DVD's or blah blah blah's.

They did say "NO FLASH" photography just before show time.

That is probably the reason even though they don't even HAVE a DVD of this two guitar god show.

BUT, on the other hand, if it wasn't for the YouTube video clips from Tokyo of this band, I wouldn't have purchased 2 show tickets, two Airplane tickets, a Hotel room, a rental car, stood in line for an hour etc to go see them play live and take a picture with my little stinkin' camera , which by the way, I bought two new batteries for. Now what am I gonna do with the two new batteries ?

It's not like they are on tour with Elvis ya know.

Now , regarding your part two..
I have to read it again as it is , well, very interesting and there is an outside chance that you are on to something here !

Well, we were in the first row, there were like 300 people behind us in the rest of the rows with camera's, cellphones etc..., maybe a YouTube video will show up with Robben motioning not to take his picture, that would be different, a video of him saying don't take my picture.

I wonder if they'll have that scene on the FOR SALE DVD !

David Mason · From: Cambridge, MD, USA

I had Sugarmegs on anyway (listening to Sun Ra while I do my legal writing work, uh-oh) so I just had to check. There is a bootlegged Robben Ford concert from 2008-02-13, where he specifically says NO audio, video or pictures.... na, na, na.... Shocked

http://tela.sugarmegs.org/_asxtela/

(He bores me anyway; he, John Scofield and Mike Stern all used to know how to take organized 128-bar solos when they played with Miles, now they just play cute - either they think their audiences can't process long solos anymore, or it's just less work Razz

)

Tony Prior · From: Charlotte NC

Had he said "NO" photo's, I could have easily respected that. They didn't, they said no Flash photography.

My daughter went to see Eric Johnson a few months back, Eric did it the right way, he came out and asked everyone to refrain from taking ANY pictures during the show and that he would give everyone an opportunity for pictures late in the show.

I feel like a traitor, I still like him as a player but we're having a love fight right now Sad

Probably what happened here is that he may have thought the announcement was for NO photos and all they said was NO Flash Photo's.

Stephen Gambrell · From: Over there

Actually, using a flash to take a photo of anything past 10-12 feet, is pretty much a wasted effort. All you're gonna do is light up the people around you. I've taken GREAT concert pictures, using a spot meter and a 200 mm. lens. Let the stage lighting do its work, and skittish performers won't get scared.

Tony Prior · From: Charlotte NC

Stephen, couldn't agree more, I had the camera set on one of those custom low light settings.

Like I said, had they said NO PHOTO's that would have been different, my initial thought was the flash distractions, but I guess "I" was the distraction !

Oh well, that was Wednesday, this is Friday, I'm just about over it... Crying or Very sad

steve takacs · From: beijing, china via pittsburgh (deceased)

Heh, Tony, sorry about your experience; it sure can put a damper on an evening which should have been magical. You ought to send your post to Mr. Ford and see if he replies. Just out of curiosity, how did the photos you took turn out or did you delete them? Time to post again in under the topic: "Ever been REALLY disappointed by one of your music heroes?" I can't figure out why some performers take themselves so seriously. steve t

Tony Prior · From: Charlotte NC

Steve you are so right, I have not even looked at the photo's .

Maybe I will him send a note. I doubt he will reply.

I guess what I can't understand is that he would be hostile right there on stage in concert instead of tucking it in and enduring. It just seems so odd for a PRO , and he is a PRO,to do this, maybe something else was going on, who knows.

he could have just smiled and had his picture taken !

Bill Hatcher · From: Atlanta Ga. USA

I could understand what he did if it had been a person with a fancy camera firing away at the edge of the stage, but to do that to someones wife?!?!?.....I mean come on. Nobody plays good enough to act like that. Just a woman obviously just sitting with her husband taking a simple snapshot. I always felt honored if someone wanted to take a picture if I was playing in a band, but I am just a nobody.

Ford has an attitude problem.

Andy Greatrix · From: Edmonton Alberta

Maybe he forgot that he was there for the public(they are the ones who are paying)instead of the other way around. The biggest enemy anyone can have is their own ego, and we all forget from time to time.

Eric West · From: Portland, Oregon, USA, R.I.P.

Well since he's from my town..

I remember a few years ago on one of his "environmental crusade" tours, his bus emptied the sewer tank on an expressway, and it made the news.

I guess, just another example of those "spreading the message" with no concern for their OWN impact.

Wink

EJL/HFLE

John Macy · From: Rockport TX/Denver CO

I am going to see them here next Thursday. Sorry to see him like that. One summer back in the '70's we were recording at Caribou Ranch and Robben and LA Express were rehearsing in the lodge--we spent a lot of time listening and hanging and he seemed like a really nice guy. Run in to Larry several times and he has always been very approachable... Still two of my favorites...

(Tony--PM me and give me your address--I have a great live tape of the two of them at Dante's in '79...assumming you still want to hear him... Smile

)
_________________
John Macy
Rockport, TX
Engineer/Producer/Steel Guitar

David L. Donald · From: Koh Samui Island, Thailand

Or just maybe he is VERY camera shy.

Just knowing he could be caught in a bad pose
throws him for six. And makes him SO nervous
he screws up musicaly.

I do know people who REALLY lose it
when they KNOW a camera is aimed at them.
No flash, then it isn't OBVIOUSLY happening
so he can deal with it, but he SAW the woman and,
that was enough to make him nervous,
so he waved her off.

I have seen normally gregarious, inteligent people
start acting like 8 years old when a camera aims
their way and they don't feel PREPARED for it.

Could be.

Still I wouldn't drive so far to hear great music
and worry about getting a snap shot or not.

And I DO shoot good available light concert shots,
and shot 4,500 frames on film in 1997.
But that's just me.
_________________
DLD, Chili farmer. Plus bananas and papaya too.

Real happiness has no strings attached.
But pedal steels have many!

Tony Prior · From: Charlotte NC

I contacted Robbens wife by email and told her what transpired, she responded back that she will pass my note on to Robben.

Thats a start I guess..

t

steve takacs · From: beijing, china via pittsburgh (deceased)

Good on you, Tony, for taking the time to write Robben. Hope he takes the time to write back wih an explanation, which I'd love to hear. Getting a reply at least from his wife is a start. steve t

John Macy · From: Rockport TX/Denver CO

We went last night, and what a show. The drummer, Gary Novak was a monster. We were fourth row, right in front of Robbben...

Before the show they announced NO photography and no video, and please turn off your cell phones... Smile

Tony, interestingly enough, he made a lot of hand gestures, including throat cuts etc., to the monitor mixer and I wonder if you by chance caught one of those at just the right time--he did it several times during the evening...
_________________
John Macy
Rockport, TX
Engineer/Producer/Steel Guitar

Tim Harr · From: Dunlap, Illinois

Tony,

Hi. Like you I am a huge Robben Ford fan and as for Larry Carlton...wel...he is my absolute favorite all around guitarist. In fact, I play a Gibson Custom Shop Larry Carlton Signature Model ES 335.

I was thinking that maybe the "No Flash" disclaimer is that of the venue and there may have been a "No photography" (at the request of Robben) disclaimer that was not communicated by the venue... who knows?

I know that is a lot of "maybes" but there must be a logical explaination.

I have seen Larry before (w/o Robben)and he is totally liberal about pictures during his show.

They are both amazing players and I have their DVD from the gig in Japan.

Great that you were able to check 'em out live!!

check out: http://www.mr335.tv

Tim

Tony Prior · From: Charlotte NC

ah ha ..the return of the Robben/Larry thread !

Well, I never head back from Robben or Mrs. Robben, no big deal. Robben is in Greensboro NC in Feb,( 90 min. N of where I am ) I am thinking of going up to see him if I don't have a gig. A small theater ( Carolina Theater) with 3 or 4 other blues guitar people on the line-up. Maybe I'll bring my Steel and run em' all off the stage !

Rick Campbell · From: Sneedville, TN, USA

Does this make you feel any better? Maybe I've lived a sheltered life, but I've never heard of either one of these guys. I found a photo of them for you though.

Tony Prior · From: Charlotte NC

Rick Campbell · From: Sneedville, TN, USA

Yep, that would explain it. I'm more into Jimmy Capps, Leon Rhodes, etc... I like the clean sound. To me, distortion on a guitar makes it sound like something is in need of repair.

However, I did listen and admire the talent, but it's not my cup of tea. I don't regret that my shelter life deprived me of any of this.

Tony Prior · From: Charlotte NC

Rick, those guys did not make a career out of distortion. They made a career out of guitar playing, all styles, all genres.

Larry is a regular member of Four Play, the LA Jazz group featuring keyboard great Bob James, Larry is on just about a every TV sound track recorded in the 80's and early 90's, Robben cut his teeth with the Yellow Jackets in the early 80's, toured the world with Miles Davis etc and countless other gigs..

Like I said, these guys are not just distortion players but they can play with distortion.

I am also a big fan of Jimmy Capps and Leon Rhodes.

tp

Rick Campbell · From: Sneedville, TN, USA

Bingo - A name I recognize. "Miles Davis" However, I couldn't pick him out of a line up.

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