Les Claypool is a not of this planet! But, neither was anyone else on the Gypsy Tea Room's Ballroom stage on June 20, 2006...

Rasputina started playing when I was still in the will call line ($25 ticket...$29.50 day of show) and we could hear them rocking through the wall! I walked up to the ballroom as some friends of mine were just stepping into the end of the line and joined them. They were supposed to be on the list to get in, but I never saw them again once I made it through the door, so I hope they made it (but I fear they didn't).

The room was surprisingly crowded for a Mavs playoff game night (I guess it shouldn't have been that surprising for Claypool/Rasputina) and I couldnt ever really get close enough for any good pictures (it didn't help that as soon as I tried to take any pictures, some of the friendly venue staff approached me to politely remind me that they do not allow photography at the GTR). I did get something recognizable of Claypool on my cell phone and a couple of (less blurry) shots of Rasputina. (and I snuck about 40 seconds of Rasputina video, but I doubt it will ever see the light of day)

Rasputina was such a trip! They are 2 female cello players (Zoe Keating & Melora Creager) and a drummer (Jonathon TeBeest) that sound like a full rock band. As I walked in, they were playing Led Zeppelin's "Rock n' Roll" and later they covered Heart. Melora introduced the song by saying that since we, as an audience, were so knowledgable about classical music and technique that we would appreciate their next classical piece...and then they played Barracuda! They are really funny between songs (if you like biting, cynical sarcasm), and I got to shake Melora and Jonathon's hands and personally thank them at the merch table during Claypool's set (it was really crowded and the steps by the merch table are perfect to help see over crowds if you are 5'9 like me)! Bobkat hit the nail right on the head on this one...GREAT CALL!! If Rasputina is ever in the same city with me again, you can bet I'll be there!!!

Les Claypool was nothing short of amazing from start to finish! It is such a treat to see a musician with such prowess over his (or her) instrument, that words can't really do it justice. Les played both a "strapped on" and an upright bass (occasionally with a bow) throughout the night, masterfully manipulating the crowd as if we were puppets and his fingers held our strings instead of his bass's.



To send the show further into the surreal, Claypool was joined onstage by a citar player, a drummer, Mike Dillon (percussion) and Skerik (sax)! Dillon played percussion in such a way that you would have thought you were listening to a highly skilled keyboard player and Skerik on sax played lead where you would expect an electric guitar! I saw Skerik & Dillon together at the Gypsy Tea Room on January 27, 2006, and was absolutely blown away! Claypool hit the stage around 10:15 and I was back in North Dallas before 1:30 (really rare)! Most of my friends were still shell shocked from the game, but even they couldn't help but dance to the filthy funky jams!

One of the better shows I have seen this year (I am somewhere in the neighborhood of 130 shows in 2006 at this point) and I would without hesitation see them again (and again and again)!

Another busy night tonight with shows @ The Granada Theater and @ Club Dada. Check them out!

Have fun! Be safe! See you there!