Guthrie Govan Discussion

[geese_com]

HELL YEAH!!!!!!!!!!

I had the great pleasure of seeing Guthrie play at the Plainfield School of Music in Plainfiel, IL last night and the show just blew my mind. This was a rare occasion where Guthrie played a set list with a full band (this time it was a group of local musicians) who did a great job of learning Guthrie's material backing him throughout the show. I have to mention that bassist Andy DeLuca, who played with Symphony X and James LaBrie at one point in his career, did an excellent job of trading off improv licks with Guthrie and keping the groove.

I sat behind Ed Yoon (alexkhan here on the boards) and chatted with him before the show. He was a very nice man and we talked about how he travels around with Guthrie throughout the US helping him get exposure and bringing Guthrie to the people (instead of just seeing vids of Guthrie on YouTube)

As for the playing.....IT WAS MIND BLOWING!!!!!!!!!!!! I'm pretty sure I'm never going to play guitar again....hahaha. Guthrie played his GG Signature Suhr (which was absolutely beautiful) plugged into a couple pedals and then plugged into a borrowed Cornford Roadhouse 50 (the guy he borrowed it from just bought the amp the night before at a previous Guthrie gig in Chicago, IL). There were some hiccups here and there, but what could you expect if they were only able to rehearse a day or two before the actual show (there were no major hiccups and the just laughed them off). The song list included every song from the Erotic Cakes album (except Uncle Skunk, Eric, and Slidey Boy) plus a couple of jazz covers including Watermelon Man by Herbie Hancock (this is the only one I remember).

This show was LOUD!!!!! They handed out earplugs before the show started. It was played in a real intimate setting with only 3 rows of seating and I would have to guess about 50 seats. I sat in the 2nd row right in the center with a clear view of Guthrie the first row was mostly reserved. I guess it helps to show up 2 hours early and be first in line. Also, thanks Ed for leaning for most of the show so that I could see Guthrie, it was much appreciated . Guthrie was only about 5 feet away! Sad to say though, I could tell that Guthrie was in some discomfort due to the heat cause by the small room filled with 50+ people and the stage lights blasting right at him, I felt bad for the guy. Either way, he put on an amazing show.

After the show, Guthrie stuck around to sign posters, CDs, and meet all the fans. I took along my Vigier Excalibur Special along hoping to get it signed and GUTHRIE SIGNED MY GUITAR!!!!! This really made my night. I shook hands with him and bought a CD and picked up a signed poster. Guthrie was very nice to talk to (although we only talked for a short while) but I could tell that he was slightly exhausted from the heat.

All in all it was an absolutely great day. My wife and I left at 1:30PM and didn't get home till about 2AM and see Guthrie was worth every second spent driving.

Thanks again to Chris at the Plainfield School of Music as well as Ed Yoon and Suhr Guitars for putting on this show and bringing Guthrie close enough that I could go see my favorite guitarist play. It was very much appreciated guys.

Here are some pics:







P.S. Gear pics are in this thread: http://online-discussion.dhenderson.com/GuthrieGovan/viewtopic.php?t=1706&start=15

[geese_com]

Here are pics of my signed guitar:





Does anyone have suggestions on how to preserve the signature?
It's signed with a Sharpie Gold Paint marker.

Thanks

[Lkdog]

Was there also. Agree it was a great show.
Drove 2.5 hours each way.

Very nice guy, very witty, and humble.
Met with everyone after the show to talk and sign.

His Suhr signature axe is a very thick large slab of various woods.
Impossibly large hands.
Other worldly technical ability and musicianship. Played most all of Erotic Cakes and also a couple Billy Cobham/Tommy Bolin tunes from Spectrum.


The local guys that played with him were pro caliber fusion guys. I think they were affiliated/owners of the school which is the Plainfield School of Music in SW suburb of Chicago.


Here are a few more pics for anyone interested.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/38014506@N03/sets/72157621797123651/

[alexkhan]

Back home to reality now and the recovery mode has kicked in.

Thanks to Chris Ptacek (and wife) of Plainfield School of Music, Teddy at Make'n Music, and the rest of the cool guys who made the visit to Chicago with Guthrie such an enjoyable and memorable hang. Chris took us to Kumas (a really, really cool burger/beer joint) in Chicago and that burger was killer - my only real splurge of the trip as I really don't eat beef anymore. Kumas is very unique. Really enjoyed the hang and the food. As did Guthrie, who also doesn't really eat beef.

It'll be a while before I recover and catch up on things to collect my thoughts about the 2.5 week Suhr-Guthrie clinic tour throughout the US/Canada northeast. All I can say for now is that it was amazing and that everyone got a great kick out of it and that it was a very productive thing for all parties involved - Suhr Guitars, Guthrie, the Suhr dealers, the growing legions of Guthrie fans, the musicians who played with Guthrie, etc. This is just a stepping stone for bigger and better things in the future.

All the dealers, musicians and fans want us (Guthrie and Suhr) back next year and they promise better venues and way more people to attend these clinic/concerts. The attendance was better than both Guthrie and I had expected. Alpha Music in VA Beach had well over 100 people; Berklee had 150+ and had to turn back over 100 people because they didn't have the room, which Guthrie and I felt very bad about. Montreal venue had a full house and an amazingly responsive audience. Toronto's Cosmo had 150+ and that clinic/show would have to be considered the highlight of the tour.

The show with Chris P at Plainfield School was intimate but also generated 100+ (according to Chris's receipts) and Chris did a great job organizing and promoting the event. The band did an excellent job as well and Guthrie clearly had a lot of fun although the beer overload and sleep deprivation have been taking their toll on our bodies and minds. It was the getting in at anywhere from 2 to 4AM every night after downing at least a six-pack and then getting up at 6 to 8 to get to the next place that started breaking us down a bit near the end. But, hey, that's just how things go sometimes.

Guthrie is well on his way to becoming a "star" and legend. The response has been overwhelmingly positive. It's funny to see the younger guys (especially the Berklee students) gasp in awe at the sight of Guthrie. It's also cool to see the very wide demographic attending the clinics and shows - late teens to guys well into their 50's - even parents bringing over 7~10 year olds to see Guthrie play.

And Guthrie just keeps getting better. He played better on some nights than others but each night had their share of amazing moments. And when he was on and clicking with the bands he was playing with, I can honestly say that some of the playing was the very best electric guitar playing I have ever seen. His tone is getting thicker, fatter, juicier and more alive every time. His phrasing, creativity and feel are getting more sophisticated. And his signature insane technical displays also keep getting more jaw-dropping as well, as hard to believe as that may be.

Well, that's my somewhat brief report of the tour for now. As I said, this is just a start for bigger and better things, including another visit to Chicago and another gig at Chris P's new facility next year. We'll try to do something really big in Boston/Berklee and NYC as well very soon and also look into a southeast/midwest tour next year to visit cities and dealers that we missed this time around.

BTW, Chris, no Slayer burger next time around at Kuma's. I'll go for something that I know I can finish. That Japanese 'Meatball Machine' gore flick that Kumas had running while we chomped on those burgers was a great touch, making the meal and the evening totally unforgettable!
_________________
Ed Yoon
Certified Guthrie Fan-atic
BOING Music LLC - Managing Partner
.strandberg* Guitars USA
Ed Yoon Consulting & Management
Guitar Center Inc.

[geese_com]

Here's my "loot" from the concert:

[Lkdog]

[NESFantasy]

Hey Ed,

I caught the clinic at Chuck Levin's Washington Music Center. I walked in the main store and asked them about the clinic and they told me it was in back, where the old Blockbuster used to be. Imagine my surprise when the old Blockbuster had an awning that said "E-Beauty" all over it. Despite it seeming like they held you guys up in a instrument case warehouse, I hope the 50 or so attendees made it worth your while.

Guthrie really was stunning, though he made a few mistakes that I'm sure he was frustrated with. Of course, you can't tell at the time that he really wasn't happy with his "wrong" notes, because whenever one occurs the first thing I notice is him starting to laugh at himself. It's actually quite amusing!

Anyway, here's a few shots I took from the clinic. I was all the way in the back, so I didn't get any good action shots, but I took what I could. Also, thank you to Ed and Guthrie for being so giving with your time. Ed, I spoke to you briefly while standing in line and you were very friendly, which I appreciated. And Guthrie did his best to accomodate everyone, though I could tell he was worried about holding up the autograph line with too much chatter for any one person. I'm sure that's something all musicians in that situation face.

Click on these for a bigger picture:








_________________
My mind still refuses to acknowledge my existence...

[alexkhan]

[alexkhan]

[geese_com]

Sign me up to see a gig next year for sure!