Ottmar Liebert + Luna Negra, Celebrity Theater August 9, 2006

Well, as you can see here, the cats out of the bag. Under normal circumstances, just seeing Ottmar perform is a huge high point for me. Getting to spend some time with him adds to the experience more than I have the ability to explain.

After meeting the crew (yes, Jon Gagan is as cool as you think he is) and hanging out for a while, I headed back home so they could get ready for the show. A few hours later I was back at the venue. A friend from work who had never seen Ottmar live before had decided to attend (this could have been peer pressure). I caught sight of my neighbor from down the street as well.

The Celebrity Theater continues to be one of my favorite venues. The sound is good and the atmosphere pleasant. Wednesday’s show was no exception. The latest incarnation of Luna Negra includes Stephen Duros on rhythm guitar and soft synths, Dave Bryant on percussion, and of course, everyone’s favorite bass engine Jon Gagan who also lends his skill to the “hard synths”.

I’m not sure if it was just me but I never knew where to keep my focus. All four of these guys are having so much fun playing, you don’t know who’s going to do what next. This is my first time seeing Dave Bryant’s percussion and he does not disappoint. The crowd loved him. Stephen’s playing is a fantastic compliment to Ottmar’s. Before the show, the house music was a blend of Stephen’s new CD as well as Jon’s. Both are great but I’m really looking forward to putting in some serious listening time on Mr. Duros’ latest project.

Early in the set I was surprised by a new twist during Santa Fe. After most of the familiar sounds of this song had been played, Ottmar then reached for his electric guitar. This was so cool! After the show, he said that this was something new they started in Australia, as were some of the new bass changes on a few other pieces. What a great addition. The tone of the electric guitar seemed even better than it has before. I forgot to ask if he made some change there. I think it’s time for an electric guitar album. Stephen can play acoustic rhythm guitar and let Ottmar loose with the electric.

The start of the second half of the show begins with This Spring Release 10,000 Butterflies from the One Guitar CD. Ottmar plays this alone on stage and is then joined by the rest of the guys. It was great reminder of his solo shows. Those on the east coast of the US should watch for the upcoming dates. These shows are not to be missed. The intro to Duende de Amor is a fantastic new buleria, which should appear on next years release Up Close. Food for a buleria junkie to be certain.

As always, the show passed by too quickly. Before I knew it, the crowd had all left and I watched as the crew handled the tear down. From there I witnessed the now infamous “Fake Segway” episode. They had the nerve to put training wheels on the thing. After another chat while watching the trailer get loaded, it was time for the day to end. I would have loved to hitch a ride on the bus for the rest of the tour. Who knows, maybe sometime I’ll have the chance.