TheDrumland.Com

                   Dave Weckl Band

La Palma Club - Rome - Italy - April 15 2004

             When words are not enough...

What a great night for The Dave Weckl Band tonight... The afternoon begun with the clinic where Dave talked mostly about his new loose and relaxed approach and where he spent all of the time on the snare drum (he was using a new model with two strainers but with the new Yamaha Absolute Noveau lugs & hoops and probably with a maple shell and, for sure, with a great sound) with minimal and short examples showed on the drumset. But... then it comes the time for the gig. The band came out from the dressing room and Dave sat at his drumset and all of a sudden he ferociously attacked the drumset with a short solo that annihilated everyone and everything just to create an opening for the initial Wake Up played in a very different and beautiful version from the usual. Soon, after this explosive beginning he was in trouble with his 01V mixer and spent most of the time of the tune looking back at the console and trying to adjust his snare sound and something else. Then it came the time for my favorite track Braziluba, here played in an incredible way, with a strong intensity and with a storming drum solo at the end. Next was the one that I consider my favorite tune from the Perpetual Motion CD, the beautiful composition by Steve Weingart, Mesmer-Eyes. Guys, the way they played this tune it was simply unbelievable, with the club that seemed ready to take off... Steve Weingart played a keyboard solo that took the whole band at one of the highest level I've ever seen, with Dave/Steve's incredible chemistry that dominated the whole track. Then, another great tune by Steve, Oasis, the beautiful ballad played with such a great intensity and with an intense feeling and a moving solo by the great Gary Meek on the soprano saxophone that thrilled me so much. At this point Tom Kennedy took his solo space while Dave was still trying to adjust his mixer trying to resolve some problem. Tom played so great and was joined by Dave after a while and they gave the life at an incredible duet that continued right after with Gary Meek and Dave. Soon it came The Chicken played with an energy that you could not believe if you haven't been there. Steve Weingart's solo and the final drum solo (a new addition) by Dave were super charged and, again, both were unbelievable. You should have been there to see them...

Ok, it's time for the 2nd set that opened with the beautiful Gary Meek's tune Toby's Blues followed by the New Orleans/2nd Line Tom Kennedy's Just For The Record tune (played incredibly slow...); both tunes were played so well... It's time for another Weingart's tune, Phrase Factor from his 1st solo CD Life Times and then for another of my favorites, Crossing Paths. I'm not sure if I'm able to explain the emotion I had in my bones and in my soul just listening to the solo that Gary Meek played here with his soprano saxophone... moving, really moving and intense with the guys in the band looking at him in disbelief... maybe the highest moment of the whole concert. Next was time for a short opening solo by Dave as an introduction to Tiempo De Festival, here played slightly differently and better than the usual. The gig is over but there's time for an encore that was Double Up played with not so much differences from the orginal version appearead on the Perpetual Motion CD.

This time it's over but, guys, what we have seen and heard tonight for 2.20 hours, it's something really special that words can't describe and that will last in my memory for a long long time. The band was in an incredible shape (they're always better and new) and the balance and chemistry between all of the guys is now at a level that I've never seen before, really. I'm begging you to believe me because I'm not exaggerating and I'm not charging anything or anyone. This is simply the best band (you know what I want to say...) around... Let me spend some special words for Steve Weingart that simply is one of the greatest keyboards player I've ever seen in my life and that complete Dave's musicality and composing attitude in a combination that is so rare to find and to see. Dave is at a level that I've never experienced before with such a great and rare combination of musicality, techinque and attitude. He's simply one of the greatest drummers of all times and he never cease to astonish me and surprise me; he's always there with new ideas and he's an unfailing source of inspiration. I always go home with something new, with a smile on my face and with an incredible desire to play and to learn more, always...

Thanks Dave, from the bottom of my everything, thanks for past, present and future inspiration.

                                                      Robertopeland

Copyright © 2001-2005 Robertopeland. All rights reserved.
Best viewed in IE5+ 800x600 32bit colors.


		Dave Weckl Band La Palma Club - Rome - Italy - April 15 2004 *When words are not enough...* What a great night for The Dave Weckl Band tonight... The afternoon begun with the clinic where Dave talked mostly about his new loose and relaxed approach and where he spent all of the time on the snare drum (he was using a new model with two strainers but with the new Yamaha Absolute Noveau lugs & hoops and probably with a maple shell and, for sure, with a great sound) with minimal and short examples showed on the drumset. But... then it comes the time for the gig. The band came out from the dressing room and Dave sat at his drumset and all of a sudden he ferociously attacked the drumset with a short solo that annihilated everyone and everything just to create an opening for the initial Wake Up played in a very different and beautiful version from the usual. Soon, after this explosive beginning he was in trouble with his 01V mixer and spent most of the time of the tune looking back at the console and trying to adjust his snare sound and something else. Then it came the time for my favorite track Braziluba, here played in an incredible way, with a strong intensity and with a storming drum solo at the end. Next was the one that I consider my favorite tune from the Perpetual Motion CD, the beautiful composition by Steve Weingart, Mesmer-Eyes. Guys, the way they played this tune it was simply unbelievable, with the club that seemed ready to take off... Steve Weingart played a keyboard solo that took the whole band at one of the highest level I've ever seen, with Dave/Steve's incredible chemistry that dominated the whole track. Then, another great tune by Steve, Oasis, the beautiful ballad played with such a great intensity and with an intense feeling and a moving solo by the great Gary Meek on the soprano saxophone that thrilled me so much. At this point Tom Kennedy took his solo space while Dave was still trying to adjust his mixer trying to resolve some problem. Tom played so great and was joined by Dave after a while and they gave the life at an incredible duet that continued right after with Gary Meek and Dave. Soon it came The Chicken played with an energy that you could not believe if you haven't been there. Steve Weingart's solo and the final drum solo (a new addition) by Dave were super charged and, again, both were unbelievable. You should have been there to see them... Ok, it's time for the 2nd set that opened with the beautiful Gary Meek's tune Toby's Blues followed by the New Orleans/2nd Line Tom Kennedy's Just For The Record tune (played incredibly slow...); both tunes were played so well... It's time for another Weingart's tune, Phrase Factor from his 1st solo CD Life Times and then for another of my favorites, Crossing Paths. I'm not sure if I'm able to explain the emotion I had in my bones and in my soul just listening to the solo that Gary Meek played here with his soprano saxophone... moving, really moving and intense with the guys in the band looking at him in disbelief... maybe the highest moment of the whole concert. Next was time for a short opening solo by Dave as an introduction to Tiempo De Festival, here played slightly differently and better than the usual. The gig is over but there's time for an encore that was Double Up played with not so much differences from the orginal version appearead on the Perpetual Motion CD. This time it's over but, guys, what we have seen and heard tonight for 2.20 hours, it's something really special that words can't describe and that will last in my memory for a long long time. The band was in an incredible shape (they're always better and new) and the balance and chemistry between all of the guys is now at a level that I've never seen before, really. I'm begging you to believe me because I'm not exaggerating and I'm not charging anything or anyone. This is simply the best band (you know what I want to say...) around... Let me spend some special words for Steve Weingart that simply is one of the greatest keyboards player I've ever seen in my life and that complete Dave's musicality and composing attitude in a combination that is so rare to find and to see. Dave is at a level that I've never experienced before with such a great and rare combination of musicality, techinque and attitude. He's simply one of the greatest drummers of all times and he never cease to astonish me and surprise me; he's always there with new ideas and he's an unfailing source of inspiration. I always go home with something new, with a smile on my face and with an incredible desire to play and to learn more, always... Thanks Dave, from the bottom of my everything, thanks for past, present and future inspiration. *Robertopeland* Copyright © 2001-2005 Robertopeland. All rights reserved. Best viewed in IE5+ 800x600 32bit colors.