Okay, so it's a
PAUL KANTNER backing band, as
PAUL KANTNER is the only
JEFFERSON AIRPLANE... and I think
JEFFERSON STARSHIP... original member apparent in this incarnation. Nonetheless, they have worked hard to recreate the
AIRPLANE sound, also with
STARSHIP material, of which there was less. This was at The Old Mill Inn in Spring Lake, NJ, in their ballroom! Not a very big venue. Just like the old days, 'cept this crowd probably all went
deef this time, at their advanced ages.
I'm actually too young to have enjoyed
JEFFERSON WHEELCHAIR their first time out - 44 years ago!!! I did see
JEFFERSON STARSHIP at South Mountain Reservation in Essex county, New Jersey 30 years ago...
Nonetheless, I had my fingers in my ears thru half the show (but not the parts I loved...)
Thursday, there were 8 of us, lucky enough to get the table far right by the wall first row stage front... best seats in the house (for a Hard Rock show with exeunt stage left as necessary!) I don't think the venue was filled (with dinner, well over 100 bux). Considering
GRACE SLICK really doesn't sing with
JEFFERSON WHATEVER anymore, strangely much of the program was
AIRPLANE era
SLICK written material (all sh!t I love like
"Eskimo Blue Day" and
"Lather")
KANTNER was smart enough to play those hits they had had that I'm frankly sick of (I did like
MARTY BALIN's compositions for
STARSHIP)...
KANTNER was savvy, too, to play his own
"The Ballad of You and Me and Pooneil" BTW: After lawsuits and per legal agreement, if it's name is
JEFFERSON AIRPLANE,
GRACE SLICK must be a participant; if it's name is
JEFFERSON STARSHIP, it's
PAUL KANTNER who must participate.
Footnote:
PAUL KANTNER is the only artist who appears on every single recording by
JEFFERSON AIRPLANE or
JEFFERSON STARSHIP. The last actual incarnation of this band was simply
STARSHIP - when
KANTNER's suit prevented use of the
JEFFERSON part.
STARSHIP's first album without
KANTNER was
Knee Deep In The Hoopla with
3 top 40 hits, including two (count 'em)
2 #1 records, I'm pretty sure it was more successful than any record by any JEFFERSON incarnation. It's also noteworthy that that album and it's biggest hit
"We Built This City" (
) routinely top "Worst of all time" lists.
One of my oldest and dearest friends lost her cellphone so we went back to The Old Mill to retrieve it; she had it within 90 seconds, and luckily the band was just then coming out. I payed a bit of homage to
PAUL KANTNER which he laughed off... a few minutes later we met in the parking lot, and I just had to ask to shake his hand.
And another friend with us made up the name
JEFFERSON WHEELCHAIR, the band really doesn't call themselves that. Yet.
You believe me, don't you?
I'm listening to
Bless Its Pointed Little Head... now
Volunteers...