Concert attendance

Shubertmaniac: Glad you enjoyed the show, but I tend to take exception to the billing that McCarty + Dreja = The Yardbirds (What was Box of Frogs?). That's less than 50% of the proper lineup - even less if you include all three (actually four, but who remembers the guy before Clapton?) lead guitarists who came and went - and could be argued to consist of the two least crucial members (though I personally don't view it that way - I love both their playing, and they were founding members). But if the band did a good job on the old songs, that's what matters most. I might've met you at the Ramshead under different circumstances, but as things were, I couldn't get myself motivated about this one...maybe I screwed up! :-)

You screwed up royally!! Gipie Mayo is a fine guitarist, who plays the Yardbird's songs with great elan. The band members Chris and Jim (who were very polite to the crowd
afterwards) absolutely love playing with them. Alan Glenn the blues harpest was much better than Keith and John Iban was very good as a bass player and singer. Actually I think the newer members have total reverence for what the band stood for. They had a great 10 minute "raveup" of Smokestack Lightning, that was as good as I heard. However, THE highlight of the show was their version of Dazed and Confused, their last recorded song, just before the band split up( of course you know who made it famous). Absolutely awesome!!! As far as I am concerned, these new members are Yardbirds. They had fun, the audience had fun. Would it have been more enjoyable if Jeff Beck or Paul Samwell-Smith had been playing, really I am not sure nor do I care. As far as the Ramshead Tavern is concerned, real nice, great pub food, nice selection of beer on tap. The acoustics/PA system was excellent. Again, I had a blast!!!

Shubie, are familiar with Gypie's work with roots pub-rockers Dr. Feelgood (not a band on par with the YB's, but not many were/are)? Unfortunately, he was also filling someone else's shoes there - original guitarist Wilko Johnson, who's style he seemed to be copying to a large extent...

Sean, you definitely made a big, big mistake. The LOVE concert was one of the top highlights of my concertgoing experience, & I've been going since before the original band. Unless it was some kind of family emergency you experienced, I would urge you in the future not to read into temporal events some sort of "superstitious" uber-plan. Hey, Arthur Lee's "message" before the US tour was to apparently break his ankle just before the first show putting him in chronic pain and unable to walk without a cane or help. He did put the cane down and carried on on adreline for close to 2 hours and KILLED for most of that time. And then he had to be helped offstage. Absolutely the best show I've seen in years by anyone (altho I heard the LA show was mediocre). Unfortunately you truly missed a major event my friend. They may return in the fall for another tour.
Although this probably isn't the forum to get into this, since you brought it up I would urge you, inasmuch as it is possible, not to let your life be guided by external events or opinions but rather by your owns dreams & goals.
"Good luck is the residue of design." - Branch Rickey
Respectfully,

Both I & my buddy who attended the Yardbirds NYC gig & go back to the beginning with them agreed that this was a real Yardbirds show, not a tribute band or an oldies act. They played with fire & spirit and sounded great. No, not the "original" Yardbirds perhaps, but a real Yardbirds nonetheless.
In the literal sense I can't think of a single 1960's "original" act that has toured for a number of years, and even back in the day personnel & sound changed constantly. Pete Best & Stu Sutcliffe with the Beatles, Brian Jones with the Stones, Pigpen from the Dead.... Was the Graham Parsons version of the Byrds inauthentic? How about a few months later when they dumped him but kept his songs and arrangements? I'm probably going to get the new Yardbirds CD. Who'd a thunk it?