| | Issue #21.35 :: 08/27/2008 - 09/02/2008 | The Spirit of ‘68
Spirit of ‘68 Music & Food Festival
Art Bar: Sunday, Aug. 31
| BY KEVIN FOSTER LANGSTON
| Last Labor Day weekend, the Art Bar celebrated the 40th anniversary of The Monterey Pop Festival by asking local musicians to perform as some of that festival’s (and year’s) most revered acts. The Columbia Pop Festival became the largest gig ever held at the Art Bar, and they’re hoping this year’s revue — a 40-year retrospective on the pop music of 1968 — is just as successful.
Local bluesman Jeff Norwood opens the Spirit of ‘68 Music and Food Festival at 4:45 p.m. with a set of songs by Canned Heat. This blues and boogie band released three records in 1968, including the double-LP Living the Blues.
DNR follows at 5:15 p.m. with its nod to The Velvet Underground, whose 1968 sophomore record White Light/White Heat was an aural assault of drugs, sex and electronic mayhem. Will DNR dare take on the 17-minute “Sister Ray”?
1968 saw the release of Simon and Garfunkel’s most popular record to date, Bookends, as well as their groundbreaking and controversial soundtrack to The Graduate. Brent Lundy and longtime Free Times contributor Kevin Oliver will assume the roles of Paul and Art for a half-hour set beginning at 5:45 p.m.
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| Josh Roberts will reprise his role as Donovan at 9:15 p.m. |
The Band would finally step out from the shadow of Bob Dylan in 1968 with the release of Music From the Big Pink, a masterpiece of American music made mostly by Canadians. If you doubt this band’s influence, consider the supporting acts who supported them on their final show, which was filmed by Martin Scorsese and released as The Last Waltz: Bob Dylan, Joni Mitchell, Neil Young, Van Morrison, Neil Diamond, Muddy Waters, Eric Clapton, Dr. John and a whole host of others. The Dirty Lowdown carry the weight beginning at 6:15 p.m.
The festival house band will hold court from 7 to 8:30 p.m., as five local divas take on some of the year’s more popular singles. Performing “Do You Know the Way to San Jose,” “Stoney End” and “Those Were the Days,” is May Weatherwax. Meanwhile, Jenn McAllister sings “Elenore,” “God Only Knows” and “Dance to the Music.” Shannon Arthur will perform “Angel of the Morning,” “(Sittin’ on) The Dock of the Bay,” and “These Boots Are Made for Walkin’.” Finally, Nikki Lee Hagenmeyer and Leslie Branham will sing “Dear Mr. Fantasy,” “The Weight,” “Baby I Love You,” “Papa Was a Rolling Stone” and “Piece of My Heart.”
Rusty Davis and Paul Russo are next on the ticket at 8:30 p.m., playing songs by The Byrds and Cream. After seeing its lineup reduced to two in 1967, The Byrds recruited Gram Parsons and others and released the seminal country-rock record Sweetheart of the Rodeo in the summer of ‘68. In November of that same year, Ginger Baker, Jack Bruce and Eric Clapton played Cream’s farewell show at the Royal Albert Hall.
Josh Roberts will reprise his role as Donovan at 9:15 p.m. In February of 1968, the Hurdy Gurdy Man joined The Beatles and others in India for a spiritual retreat with the Maharishi Mahesh Yogi. That experience no doubt influenced his 1969 record, Barabajagal, which featured the U.S. hit “Atlantis.”
Bentz Kirby is next at 10 p.m. with his tribute to The Who. The Who wouldn’t release Tommy until the following year, and 1968’s Magic Bus was largely an odds and sods collection. Still, Kirby should have no shortage of Mod-era hits to choose from.
Marty Fort will lead an ensemble of locals performing as The Doors at 11 p.m. The Doors’ 1968 longplayer, Waiting for the Sun, isn’t as celebrated as the its 1967 self-titled debut and Strange Days, but it still featured the band’s second and final No. 1 single, “Hello I Love You.”
Closing out the festival at midnight will be The Papa String Band performing as the Grateful Dead. 1968 saw the Grateful Dead settling in as a studio band and pushing the limits of the LP on Anthem of the Sun with songs like “That’s It for the Other One.”
Throughout the day and night, chef Joe Turkalay will play the role of Owsley Stanley, but, you know, with food, not LSD.
Art Bar is located at 1211 Park St. in the Vista. Doors open at 4 p.m., and admission is $5. Sorry, Junior — 21 and up only. Call 929-0198 or visit artbarsc.com for more information. | |
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