Cotton Club, Atlanta, Georgia
Opening Band: Love In Reverse
"We are the Olympians," announced Ian Astbury as the rest of the boys
played out the jazz intro.
What a night it turned out to be. I arrived with my friends at about 9:30
p.m. and there were about ten people in the place. I promptly took two
of the promo LP sized cardboard posters of the Cream cover off of the wall
and returned them safely to the car. At around 10:45, after playing some
pinball and waiting nervously for the Holy Barbarians to show up so that I
may have the chance of meeting them, the openning band, Love in Reverse,
started their set. Some two or three songs into their set I decided to
walk to the front to see if a friend had showed up. As I got to the
entrance I came face to face with the four Barbarians just arriving at the
club. I was paralyzed, all I could say to a friend was "that's Ian," over
and over as I stared at the Sun King dressed in a sarong, t-shirt, and his
grey stocking cap. I watched them walk to the back and dissapear into the
dressing rooms. I was too excited to move. After sitting back down I
noticed that Matt Garrett had come back out to watch the band. I gathered
my courage and went up to talk to him. I introduce myself and he was
really cool. I asked how the tour was going and he said "great." He also
told me that this crowd was the fewest people they had played for yet and
that they would be in Canada before they go to England. I asked how he
liked playing with his brother and he said it was incredible, he had never
played with him other than in the garage or basement. I told him the
usual that the CD is fantastic and that I had been reading the reviews of
the shows on the Holy Barbarians page run by Jon and that they were all
very good and he said "cool." Then he explained that he was a little
dazed from the long trip, they arrived in Atlanta 6:00. Then I left and
he shook my hand and I said have a good show, he said "thanks, nice
meeting you." I later learned Ian had come out and stood in the shadows
as well, damn!!!!
By the time the Kerouac reading had started their were only about
fifteen people at the front of the stage, the rest sat at the back. Then
the band came out and started the jazz intro. The lights dimmed and Ian
came out dressed in his leathers, snakeskin buckle loafers, a black shiny
shirt with big cuffs, and yellow goggle-sunglasses. After introducing the
band as the Olympians they tore into Blind. I couldn't believe I
was that close to them, an arms length away. I finally got to see Ian's
spinning and twirling on stage (last time in Atlanta Ian had blisters on
his feet and couldn't dance very much).
The song highlights were Blind, Cream, The Witch,
Bodhisattva .....well just about everything. Ian's voice was
amazing! I have never heard it that clear live. Brother Fights
stood out because we got to see Ian play his 63' Gretch witch he did very
well. Patrick Sugg is amazing, clear and precise, very tight. One of the
highlights for me, being a big Elvis fan, was when Ian flipped his collar
up and struck a seventies Elvis pose as a song ended. Before the encore,
Ian stepped off the the side to wipe the sweat off and I ran over and
pulled out a pen and the Cream CD insert and he signed it!!!! I was face
to face with him. I said it was a fantastic show and he said "thanks" as
he signed it and as other people ran over. They finished with Magick
Christian which Ian sang with emotion I've never seen in anyone
before. Then, after explaining how he didn't care who had covered it, they
plowed full steam into Helter Skelter bringing the crowd
into a frenzy, as Ian spewed beer all over the drums and every one else.
All in all it was an amazing mystical experience with the Holy
Barbarians. I waited around again for them to come out and I managed to
get the set list off of Scott Garrett's bass drum which was covered in
beer. I also convinced the bouncer to get me the promo poster for the
tour from the front case. But I decided to leave when I realized I didn't
have anything for anyone to sign anything with because Ian had taken my
pen!!! SEE THEM NOW!!!!!!
Adam Garcia - adamg@netime.com