Scoop! - All the news on Was (Not Was)
Video – Sunshine Superfly from the Boston show - May 26th, 2008
Thanks to Red.
Audience Review – Portland and Seattle - May 26th, 2008
Saw WNW in Portland and Seattle. The Portland show at Wonder Ballroom
was excellent, although the sound was a bit muddled at
times…especially the first two songs. Crowd was small and the critic
for the local rag was groovin’ like the rest of the crowd – all 150 of
us. His review can be found here.
The Seattle show was at a smaller venue and the sound and show was
even better – fantastic show.
I have posted one song from Seattle- From the Head to the Heart – in
both WAV and MP3 format. (Unfortunately, I munged the taping in
Seattle and don’t think I can salvage any other songs. I may post the
Portland show but that also is a bit muddled – will need to have a
discerning ear check it out before posting.)
Downloads – or redirects to another site for the material are and will
be available here.
Thanks to Ted.
Audience Review – Portland - May 19th, 2008
The Mrs. and I caught the Was (Not Was) show at the Wonder Ballroom tonight, and I pretty much got just one word: Wow.
More
Thanks to Jack
Review – WONDERLAND BALLROOM, PORTLAND, OREGON - May 19th, 2008
Music review: Alternative reality of Was (Not Was)
Edward Lorenz, the meteorology professor who helped develop chaos theory, died last month at age 90, having seen his intellectual breakthrough influence economics, ecology and numerous other fields.
It is doubtful that Lorenz noticed its application to R&B, but Saturday night’s Wonder Ballroom show by the band Was (Not Was) might have been an apt demonstration. ….
by Marty Hughley/The Oregonian
Was (Not Was): Work the dinosaur - May 17th, 2008
“Why do they even give you a “Do not disturb’ sign?,” asks David Was, while recounting a recent hotel staff invasion. “I could have had a dead chick in the room! I’m a rock star, dog!”
Interview with David in the Colorado Springs Independent
Was (Not Was) brings the funk at homecoming show - May 17th, 2008
Towards the end of the night Fagenson promised the Majestic crowd that “we’ll never forget this night — I mean that.” And it will most likely stick in the memory of anyone who was there, too.
Review of the Detroit show in the Oakland Press
Audience Review – Detroit - May 16th, 2008
Hey Everyone,
I was at the show last Friday at the Majestic in midtown Detroit. The
native Detroiters in the band were quite happy to be back home
playing for friends, relatives, and long time fans.
I’ve been following the group since around 82, when I played bass in
a band that featured JonJaz Weiss – Dave’s brother – on sax. He’s the
one that turned me on to them by giving me an advance copy cassette
of “Born to Laugh at Tornadoes”. I’ve been hooked ever since.
They played to a pretty well packed house, and a great reception.
It’s something about playing in the shadows of Wayne State University
and Cass Corridor – always down, but never out, always living in
despair of some kind or another, but always hopeful of a better
future – for some reason, the funky grooves and the strange
storytelling of their songs resonate to a lot of us. It’s Real
Detroit music, no doubt.
Standing in line, waiting for the doors to open & sharing stories of
how we came to dig the Was bros. Talking about the old haunts, mostly
gone now. Lots of graying hair in the crowd (including mine).
Sound quality was good where I was, right in front of the stage. I
couldn’t hear the main stacks, only the front fills and a lot of
stage monitors. Didn’t matter anyway-I was singing louder than the
speakers.
Songs were similar to other stops on this tour, with the addition of
Mitch Ryder coming out to do Devil With the Blue Dress with them.
Sure was great to see them again. As I told Sir Harry after the gig,
it’s been way too long!! Don’t be strangers – come back and visit
again soon.
Steve “The Count”
Video – Was (Not Was) Backstage – Jools Holland - May 16th, 2008
Audience Review – MAY 9 MAJESTIC THEATER, DETROIT - May 15th, 2008
Sorry this is not a timely report but since I attended the show at the
Majestic last Friday I should offer some comments. (Despite the nice previews
given in both major Detroit newspapers, neither had a post-show article.)
Very good turnout for the Detroit gig, not standing-room only packed but
surely bigger than they’ve been drawing on other dates, at least that’s the
impression I have from what I’ve read. The show itself was the same setlist as
I’ve seen on the other US dates, with a couple of additions. Toward the end they
performed Somewhere In America…(honoring someone’s request during the
soundcheck, Dave said). And then they brought out Mitch Ryder who sang Devil
With The Blue Dress, in a slower, R&B style than his 60′s hit Detroit Wheels
version. That was fun, but I’d probably have rather seen some musicians sit in
(David McMurray for example). The guys definitely were pumped to be in Detroit
but other than these two songs I got the impression it could have been any
other date on the tour. I guess they’ve rehearsed what they’ve rehearsed and
that’s what people are gonna get this time around. I wasn’t disappointed, but
wasn’t blown away, either.
With thanks to Steve.
Dave Meets Don (Not That Dave) - May 15th, 2008
Dave (Not that Dave) just sent me this email – I have to share it with you all!
Don says to get in touch with you so here I are!
I saw the band last night in Minneapolis at the Cabooze and had a great time. Here’s a bit of what I’ve written elsewhere… (forgive the few smilies in the text)
Was(Not Was) was great last night. I had a fleeting interest and knowledge of their work from having lived through the ’80s, and have always enjoyed a good R&B/Funk band but had never bought any of their LPs or seen them live or on MTV. I caught this thread so I go to tape. [a reference to another BBS for tapers]
As is my want, I got there plenty early to set up and managed to see someone who looked like he was affiliated with the band preparing to slip out the back door to the bus at around 8:15. The guy was sporting nasty dreads and a straw cowboy hat and had a very workman like set of threads hanging on him… Roadie maybe.… I approach and ask him, A) are you with the band, W(NW) and 2) are you/they still OK with taping. He sort of grinned and said, “OH, yeah sure. That would be great, just let us know where you’re going to post the show.”
I get set up and suffer through Todd Snyder, only because I’d failed to have a handle on the space left on my JB3 and it ran out mid set. 
and get ready for the big show to come. The band gets on stage and low and behold, the guy I’d asked permission turned out to be the bass player. Now I know nothing about who plays what in this band and in fact had thought the principals in the band were “brothers”… not siblings… “Brothers” so imagine the intensity of my head slap when it becomes apparent that the man I’d talked to was none other than Don Was. D’oh! I later confessed to him my ignorance and apologized for not having a better handle on the band’s history and promised to get the show out soon. He was very nice about it and seemed to get a little kick out of my “error”. He was very easy to talk to and seemed very high on the concept of audience taping and sharing. In fact, he made a point to announce during the show that there is a recording being made and that it will be available on the internet …”Where is it going to be posted?” he hollers out to me. It’s all on tape. ;D
It looks like the same set list that they followed at the 5-3 Ram’s Head show that is on the LMA/archive.org but I think we got an additional two encore tunes out of them. The crowd was pretty light on a Tuesday and actually fell off some when the opener was done with his set, but those who remained had a the pleasure of hearing some great singing and playing. I hope they can stay on the road.
The recording will not likely hit the LMA for a few days as I’m now in the process of moving, but it will eventually get posted.
All for now, I gotta go.
Video – Was (Not Was) – Your Luck Won’t Last From Jools Holland - May 12th, 2008
Video – Interview From Jools Holland - May 12th, 2008
Video – Was (Not Was) – Semi Interesting Week From Jools Holland (Friday Version) - May 12th, 2008
Video – I Feel Better Than JB @ Boston - May 12th, 2008
Thanks to Red
Audience Review from The Basement Columbus ,Ohio - May 11th, 2008
I am one of the lucky few who experienced an intimate, powerful show in Columbus,Ohio in The Basement. The band was phenomenal and the energy for what had to be less than 100 in the audience was great. I waited 19 years or so for the opportunity and the experience was far better than anything I could have hoped for. I have found it hard to describe to my friends but I am looking ahead on your tour to make sure anyone I know near a show gets plenty of encouragement to go. I still hear you playing in my head and having been able to stand next to the band during the performance I have visuals to accompany the sound track jamming thru my brain. Best show of the year anywhere
with musicians who really feel it no matter what the venue is like.
Thank you Michael!
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