Ramsay Midwood @ Riverbend in Chattanooga 06-08-2003

Uncle Vernon has a tapeworm or he is just completely obsessed by his Nutro Complete Care Kitten Food (dry formula). Recently, he’s become over-affectionate at ridiculous hours of the morning (5am.), causing my girlfriend and I much consternation. Our attempts to remedy this behavior, including feeding them later in the evening, are not taking. Is it possible he has some sort of parasite that is feasting on his internal organs? Or, as many of my “friends” have already suggested, is he, simply, a “goddamn cat”?

Also, why do cat turds become cat toys after they’re rolled in litter? And would it be inappropriate, as a Halloween Prank, for me to take a poo in the litter box and let my girlfriend find it and, hopefully, be worried about the cats? No?


Today, we have a concert I recorded back in 2003 at the Riverbend Festival in Chattanooga. Ramsay Midwood, the eclectic Americana singer/songwriter, was touring in support of his excellent album “Shoot Out At the O.K. Chinese Restaurant.” I’m not sure Ramsay or his band expected the huge crowd that came to see them. Chattanooga’s local public radio affiliate, WUTC-FM, had been spinning the album for weeks and people seemed to really take to it.

This is a direct soundboard recording to DAT tape. The band is on point and Ramsay is in great spirits. Highlights include the “Shoot Out” stuff like “Monster Truck” and “Mohawk River.” The song “Monster Truck” is played twice because they ran out of material and us Chattanoogans just can’t enough of anything pertaining to big, over-sized, stupid trucks. My favorite songs, however, are “Jesus is #1” and “Prozac.” Ramsay is definitely an underrated songwriter/performer. Whatever happened to this guy anyway?



Ramsay Midwood
Riverbend Festival – Chattanooga, TN
06-08-2003


1. Chicago
2. Mohawk River
3. Rattlesnake
4. Monster Truck
5. I Feed My Monkey
6. I Saw the Light/Spinning’ on a Rock
7. Esther
8. Fisherman’s Friend
9. Reelin’ and a Rockin’
10. Jesus is #1
11. Prozac
12. Monster Truck (requested again)


Download Ramsay Midwood @ Riverbend

Chris Smither: Chattanooga, TN 06-08-2002

Vernon’s Brother, Cheswick, won’t eat and has some sort of stomach bug that produces foul, green-colored diarrhea. He also likes to pee in my piles of dirty clothes. Oh, and vomit. He likes to vomit too. Otherwise, he’s a beautiful, healthy, growing, lovely little cat.

I have for you today a wonderful concert from 2002 recorded at Chattanooga’s “fun” Riverbend Festival. This is an annual event that takes place on the banks of the Tennessee River. Overall, there are five different stages hosting acts as varied as ZZTop, New Order, The Ohio Players, Vince Gill etc. My favorite stage happens to be “Tennessee Valley Credit Union” stage, formerly the “Amsouth” stage, under the Walnut St. Bridge. I’ve seen some wonderful acoustic acts there, but my favorite will always be this solo-acoustic blues set from Chris Smither.

Chris Smither is a blinding blues guitarist. He’s got some songwriting chops to boot. Highlights of this excellent sounding show include a cover of Robert Johnson’s “Dust My Broom,” Bob Dylan’s “Desolation Row” & “Statesboro Blues” by Blind Willie McTell. However, the whole set really shines.

I was a sophomore in college in 2002. I think this was the first time I REALLY enjoyed the blues.



Chris Smither (Solo)
Riverbend Festival, Chattanooga TN.
06-08-2002


1. Hold On
2. Dust My Broom
3. No Love Today
4. Confirmation
5. Love You Like a Man
6. Can’t Shake the Blues
7. Get a Better One
8. Rock n’ Roll Doctor (Little Feat)
9. Drive You Home Again
10. Crash on the Levee, down in the flood (Dylan)
11. Lola
12. Statesboro Blues (Blind Willie McTell
13. Live As I’ll Ever Be
14. Hey Hey Hey
15. Desolation Row (Dylan)
16. Link of Chain
17. Magnolia (J.J. Cale)


Download Chris Smither in Chattanooga