Reviews

Just got back from the New Riders show at the Mystic in Petaluma. It sure took me back. Packed out house singing along lustily on songs they didn't know they loved so much and suddenly discovered they did. Friends crawled out of the woodwork for this one. Betty Cantor was there and Annette Flowers; Michelle, who is to the Riders what Sue Swanson is to the Dead, first fan and lifetime helper. Dan and Patty Healy both looking great. Ramblin' Jack Elliot spry, spare, ancient and smiling. Other faces half remembered but accounted for. An aura of Joy quickly established itself, similar to the first night of the Dead at Alpine on an intimate scale (a weird parallel I know, but there you go) - the resurrection feel, not repeatable on demand. The spirit bloweth where it listeth. Everyone realized pdq it was one of those nights destined to be remembered, what the music is all about, all it was ever about: love, magic and kick ass songs.

I spent the night on my feet way up front, soaking it all in. Finally went to the back of the house, dead on said feet, with Maureen and Kate to await the encore, which was, fittingly, the late Buck Owen's "Truck Drivin Man" a song no Riders show ever omitted to play. The band's manager spotted me seated in the rear of the Mystic, said the band wanted me to do the last number with them. I said I'd worn my voice out singing along with the crowd, which was true, not to mention not having been on stage since opening for the Dead & the ABB at the Gorge a century or two ago - but there was some part of "no" he didn't understand, as a good manager shouldn't, so without bothering to have my arm politely ripped out of the socket I went up and did it.

Long time since I've been on stage but I can always pull a Ripple out of the hat. How sweet it was to finally sing with the New Riders of the Purple Sage after nearly forty years. A deep emotional experience on the heels of one of the best NRPS shows I've ever seen, and I've seen a lot of them. Old Nelson had tears in his eyes, Buddy sitting there like a great glowing Buddha of the pedal steel. Old home night in the 21st Century. The ghosts of Spencer Dryden, Dave Torbert, Skip Batten and Dale Franklin singing along on the chorus, JG present in the melody itself.

The missing Marmaduke seemed supernaturally imminent in the voices of Michael Falzarano of Hot Tuna, whose rhythm guitar is simple and absolutely superb, and of Ronnie Penque and Johnny Markowski who acquitted themselves with honors. Each of the three is capable of believably copping the Dawson style without which it wouldn't be the Riders. So much so that it seemed like a chorus of Marmadukes on the harmony parts! I won't even get into what a storm Nelson picked on his Telecaster, and of course, Buddy is Buddy. Nuff said. If this sounds like a rave review, so be it. Go get 'em Riders!

Few bands had as much impact on the country-rock movement of the early '70s as the New Riders of the Purple Sage, America's premier psychedelic cowboy band. Originally created as a Grateful Dead side project so that Jerry Garcia could get his pedal steel fix, the band took on a life of its own after Garcia left. They gave the world such great tunes as "Panama Red" and "Henry," and lead singer David Nelson and pedal steel wizard Buddy Cage became cornerstones of the Americana and jam scenes.

Fast forward to 2006, and NRPS decides to get back together after years of inactivity. Founding member John "Marmaduke" Dawson is unable to tour because of health issues, but Cage and Nelson are still going strong. Former Hot Tuna guitarist Michael Falzarano and the rock-solid rhythm section of Ronnie Penque on bass and Johnny Markowski on drums (both formerly of Stir Fried) round out the band.

The group and their fans quickly realized that the old magic was still there, and when they played an intimate gig at Turkey Trot Lodge in upstate New York, they decided to film a live DVD, Wanted: Live at Turkey Trot, to capture the excitement of the reformed NRPS.

Capture it they did! From the red-hot version of "Lonesome L.A. Cowboy" that opens the disc to the epic 16-minute "Garden of Eden," the band is Hittin' the Note throughout. Buddy Cage gives a clinic on pedal steel, showing why he is a legend on the instrument. David Nelson is grizzled charisma personified, whether telling the classic story of "Panama Red" or ripping a solo on "Portland Woman" that is equal parts bluegrass, country and rock and roll.

Garcia and David Nelson dosed together for the first time. And Robert Hunter talked them through it, after consulting the Tibetan Book of the Dead, and pronounced everything alright. Then the Wildwood Boys were bent for good, and look what's come of it.
So, a storied crooked line led to last night's NRPS show here in gusty Jacksonville Beach at the saloon called the Freebird.
It all makes more sense to consider that Nelson was in it, up to his eyeballs, from the beginning, that he's seen things,
that he and Cage rode the Festival Express with Garcia and Janis and Pig, and NRPS toured with the Grapeful ones in the cowboy years-so last night, a slow Wednesday night across the street from the foamy Atlantic, when Nelson and Cage took the stage, with Michael Falzarano on guitar (ears still ringing, no doubt, from years with Jorma) and Ronnie Penque on bass and Johnny Markowski on drums, both of which drive the old men relentlessly, and with proprietary pride one could be forgiven for seeing Nelson and Cage as a weary truckstop angels, who have a personal relationship with the keys of G and D, and the rest, who have infused the Bakersfield Hymnal with electrical Powerglide. Nelson's halo is still encircled by a familiar bandanna, his trusty Telecaster (with a B-string bender and a middle Strat pickup) plugged into a tiny wicker and wood Mesa Boogie combo, and Cage is slumped over his pedal steel holding his mouth funny like a slide player must, holding his breath as the bar slides across that 400 pounds of highly amplified string with a twinkle in his eye-and Nelson told us about the new songs they would play, how Robert Hunter had called him and said "It's your turn now, I'm going to send you some words."So Whatcha Gonna Do, I Don't Know You, Panama Red, Lonesome LA Cowboy, One Too Many Stories, Henry, Glendale Train all were delivered with authority, with spanking clarity and the inimitable CLANG of Fender guitars, and Dawson would toast Penque's handling of his tunes, and Cage iced that Workingman's cake with slippery steel dog whistle sounds. But the Hunter songs were so new Nelson put on his glasses to read them from a music stand, and the words rang true in the instantly familiar Hunter style, and the oldsters in the room drew a bit closer to be warmed by the new fire. We can only hope that these songs have the chance to get played in, and grow old and familiar and dog-eared and graceful as this band.

The New Riders of the Purple Sage were a dream in their day. I saw them with 50,000 people in August 1974 in Central Park and the women around me all took off their shirts, making it a rather memorable show for this 14-year-old. Now, I see, they've revived and still feature David Nelson, pedal steel player Buddy Cage, plus ex-Hot Tuna guitarist/singer Michael Falzarano. There's a new double live album with some pretty fine playing on it recorded by Bob and Betty (of Workingman's Dead fame) last New Year's Eve 2006.....

The band, which got its start in 1969 as a vehicle for Jerry Garcia to practice his pedal steel guitar, a long strange trip that brought the band to the Palace Theatre for several shows in the early 1970s. But the Riders are back. They re-formed last year with original band guitarist/vocalist David Nelson and longtime group pedal steel player Buddy Cage in the fold.

Sure, the Riders are rooted in the past. But they are much more than mere musical ghosts and they proved it in a triumphant return to The Egg on Thursday night. The Riders, who played to a packed house at The Egg last year, played an inspired two-hour show that had the 400 or so fans packed into the intimate Lewis A. Swyer Theatre singing along and cheering at the first strains of most of the songs.

The fans, the majority of whom were baby boomers in their 50s and 60s, were plenty familiar with almost every song the band played. They couldn't get enough of Cage's sometimes ethereal pedal steel guitar or Nelson's nasal voice and credible lead guitar work……

Augmented by former Hot Tuna guitarist Michael Falzarano, and a solid rhythm section, the New Riders rode tall, turning in vintage, classic, suitably sloppy versions of "I Don't Know You," "Louisiana Lady" and the swampy 15-minute jam that was "Dirty Business." The band's rendition of "15 Days Under The Hood" was intense and immediate, Cage's cutting pedal steel licks mixing comfortably with Nelson's jangly, country-fused guitar leads. Nelson's voice had certain urgency to it, unlike his delivery in most of the band's upbeat country-folk songs. There's still plenty of spirit left in the New Riders, and especially in Cage's pedal steel playing. Wearing a tie-dye shirt and moccasins, Cage effortlessly laced each song with his pedal steel licks, his big sound perfection in songs such as "Diamond Joe," "Sutter's Mill" and the beloved "Henry," which had a few fans dancing in and out of their seats……

All in all, the New Riders of the Purple Sage were enjoyable on Thursday night. This band is more than just a shadow of its former self; they continue to be the real deal.

New Riders of the Purple Sage high in the saddle at Granada
By Matt Weitz

The intersection of rock 'n' roll and country has gone through many permutations, more than a few of them centered on Texas. After all, there was Willie, then Killbilly, and current hybrids like Eleven Hundred Springs. With only about 10,000 artists in between.

But before there was a Texas progressive country scene, or alt country, or Americana, there was the New Riders of the Purple Sage, the California group that was born in the shadow of the Grateful Dead.

They went on to middling success, then petered out, but returned Thursday night at the Granada Theater to play a triumphant two-set show that was long on vibe and virtuosity.

Helmed by founding member David Nelson and longtime contributor Buddy Cage, the group – unlike many in a similar situation – didn't suffer from the addition of newer supporting members.

The band played a long, two-set show for slightly over 200 fans, starting out with "I Don't Know You" and "Watcha Gonna Do," from their self-titled 1971 debut.

Although it could have easily been an oldies show, the music was fresh and immediate. Mr. Cage is one of the most impressive pedal-steel players active these days, and all the other members of the band shared singing duties, capturing close harmonies and a certain innocent, adenoidal sound reminiscent of the Byrds and other California bands from the '60s.

Mr. Nelson was an old coffeehouse chum of Mr. Garcia's, an association underlined by a version of the grease monkey's lament "Fifteen Days Under the Hood" that sounded very much like "Truckin'," followed by the old folkie chestnut "Peggy O," a Dead standard.

But the band never sounded derivative or stale, even when showing its roots. Mr. Nelson's guitar leads were agile and sharp, and Mr. Cage not only delivered the swooping lyricism associated with his instrument, but a lot of unusual atmospherics as well.

In between new songs – which, entirely contrary to the cliché, were as good as the faves – the group did beloved numbers like the entrepreneurial "Henry" and the surprisingly vulnerable groupie song "Portland Woman."

They also essayed good covers, including vintage pop ("Take a Letter, Maria"), the obligatory Dylan ("Absolutely Sweet Marie") and the Rolling Stones (an epic "Let It Bleed").

An encore version of the Hunter/Garcia classic "Ripple" only underscored similarities that were present throughout the entire show. The glory of the evening was that despite their obvious footing in the past, the New Riders were not just an echo or reflection of their thing, but still a credible version of that thing itself.

What a great show! Two full sets - age is catching up with me, I wrote down the set lists and now find that between the Purple Haze beer, memory, and my handwriting, its a little rough making it out! Nevertheless, they played about 20 songs in all, many of the standards the crowd expected, but what impressed me the most was the musicianship of the band! Very tight and could extend and jam with the best (David is pushing "70" and it sure doesn't show - Buddy hasn't lost anything either!) A dready fella AKA ScareKrow opened for them on acoustic guitar, and played some covers and originals including one he wrote with Robert Hunter, "Billboard Dreams" - very nice - he is one to watch and I hope he comes back to Roanoke with the NRPS or solo.... -

New Riders Back in the Saddle @ Skippers
Written by Randi Whitehead

The New Riders of the Purple Sage, the band that began in 1969 and later toured opening for many Grateful Dead shows, spread their psychedelic cowboy music to several hundred fans at the “Skipperdome” in Tampa, Florida on June 29, 2006.

Comprised of original members, David Nelson (guitar and vocals) and Buddy Cage (pedal steel), and adding to their psychedelic sound with Michael Falzarano (guitar and vocals), Johnny Markowski (drums and vocals) and Ronnie Penque (bass and vocals). Markowski and Penque are not newcomers to the band’s vibe as they played with Cage in Stir Fried a couple of years ago. Fans crowded the venue, many to recreate their past memories of the group, and it’s legendary history, based on folk, but interpreted into rock & roll and country with the aura of the hippie era.

Back on the road again, touring this summer from the south to the northeast, including several festival stops, including Gathering of the Vibes in New York and then back to north Florida again this fall for Magnolia Fest, the band is already selling out at some venues. David welcomed the fans to the wild venue, adding, “we’re happy to be here, it’s a little bizarre in a way, but fun.” After encouraging both taping and dancing, Peter Rowan’s “Lonesome L.A. Cowboy” led to the original ”Rainbow”, and then Dave Torbert’s “Contract” (written by the original bass player for the band) The psychedelic cowboys kicked up the vibe even more on Skipper’s outdoor range as they played “I Don’t Know You”, as fans sang along with Michael “you’ve been lately on my mind”, reminiscing moments from past concerts from as many as thirty years ago. Cooling it down a bit, with “Peggy-O”, a tune derived from the Scottish ballad “The Bonny Lass of Fyvie”, after which fans yelled “awesome!” and Buddy stated “that’s a cool song, isn’t it”, the cowboy’s rode even harder with Ronnie singing “Whatcha Gonna Do”. This tune led to other New Rider originals “Dirty Business” and “Whiskey”, before all of us Florida ladies danced our hearts out to “Louisiana Lady”.

The virtual presence of John Dawson, aka Marmaduke, the original guitarist and vocalist for the band, who wrote a majority of their original tunes, was evident in the mode of the night (although he is retired in the hills of Mexico) given he blessed the band to journey with his songs on the road again to fans old and new. With one of old fans yelling out “these guys are the real deal”, they played “15 Days Under The Hood”, after which David thanked everybody, and said, that was “rocking, you are great”,
After a short break, set two began with Buddy mentioning the Sandhill Cranes they saw in Zephyrhills that morning, stating “what a pretty, pretty thing”, before the apropos “Last Lonely Eagle”, after which the bluegrass kicked in on “Henry”. The crowd was truly “going down the mountain road” with the New Riders, and danced faster and faster

After conferring over the setlist for a few minutes, the rocking cowboys played “Garden of Eden”, which rocked out even their own roadies at the side of the stage. After another meeting of the musical minds over the setlist, David mentioned that a fan had requested him to sing backwards. With a time curfew looming, he stated there wasn’t really time, but then launched into the jumbled backward words of “Panama Red”, before giving away his secret that it wasn’t his natural ability (he tape recorded the tune and then listened and practiced it repeatedly), prompting Michael to caution the audience not to try this at home stating “you might hurtyourself”. The right aways of the song ensued, creating a sing-a-long with almost the entire crowd, with Michael inciting the audience to scream the chorus louder and louder.

Reminding everyone to vote for them on jambands.com, and reminding the “young” fans to check out their myspace.com site, Johnny sang the vocals of “Groupie” before Michael jokingly announced the next tune as an English folk song. A riveting rendition of the Rolling Stones “Let It Bleed” ended the show, with the audience singing along “we all need someone we can dream on…

The crowd cheered and yelled, bringing the New Riders back for just one more, ending the evening with the Grateful Dead’s “Ripple”, to which another sing-a-long ensued. As the tattooed words on Buddy’s neck state (loosely translated – lunatic or crazy for music) a bit crazed we were, after such a smoking show at the smokehouse.

The New Riders of the Purple Sage emerged in the early 1970's an offshoot and side project of the Grateful Dead. Now, with the absence of The Dead and Phish on the annual touring circuit, NRPS stand poised to emerge among the leaders of the jam band pack. Case in point – just one week into their renaissance tour found them headlining the three-day Harvest Festival in Bainbridge, New York – an event that included many of the east coasts finest improvisational rock outfits.

Now, some history... In 1969, writer John Dawson was looking for an opportunity to showcase his songs and Jerry Garcia was searching for an outlet to practice playing his new pedal steel guitar. These two, along with a group of other talented musicians including some members of the Grateful Dead formed The New Riders of the Purple Sage. The band went through a number of incarnations early on including the replacement of Garcia with steel player Buddy Cage. The NRPS built a strong following, especially in The Dead community, for their unique blend of country harmonies melded with pulsing rock rhythms.

Mexicali Blues was sold out Thursday, October 6, 2005 and there were 200 more people outside wanting to get in, inside the crowd grew electric in anticipation of the long-awaited return of The New Riders of the Purple Sage. It's been more than twenty years since The Rider's rode together and veteran fans were anxious to see what the night would hold. The current line-up is comprised of long-time core members David Nelson (guitar and vocals) and Buddy Cage (pedal steel), with Michael Falzarano of Hot Tuna fame (guitar and vocals ), and Stir Fried's Johnny Markowski (drums and vocals) and Ronnie Penque from The Neon Gods(bass and vocals) rounding out the unit.

The Mexicali gig was one of the first dates on the band's tour, yet they sounded liked a tight, seasoned band who has been playing together for years. Buddy Cage was the first to appear on stage, taking a seat behind the pedal steel to tune and adjust his instrument. A few cautious fans approached him for autographs but he waived them off to focus on the music. The rest of NRPS walked on stage around 9:20 p.m. to thunderous applause.

'Henry' was the opening song of the animated first set. It is a rocking blue grass number featuring dueling guitars and a subtle rhythm. Bassist Ronnie Penque sang the lead and vocally he sounds a little like Jerry Garcia. The slide parts were magical. 'Lonesome L.A. Cowboy' is a county flavored rocker with rich guitar parts and tempos. David sang the lead as Buddy delicately handled the steel – gently using the foot pedals to craft a silky, twangy sound

Michael Falzarano sang the colorful 'Rainbow' harmonizing with David as the enchanting instrumentation ebbed and flowed into Cage's steel solo. Michael asked the crowd if anybody drinks 'Whiskey' as the drummer, Johnny Markowski tapped out the opening beats to the tune. The rest of NRPS kicked it up as Ronnie sang lead. Afterwards, Buddy mentioned that he hosts a show on Sirius Satellite Radio that features Dead/jam type music and he encouraged folks to tune in.

Johnny Markowski is an impressive player behind the kit. He is powerful yet touches the skins softly to avoid overpowering the textured guitars and steel. 'Whiskey' included an extended jam with a funky slide part and mesmerizing rhythms. The audience really enjoyed this classic swaying and getting completely caught up into the groove.

David introduced 'Contract' as a song about a bounty hunter which is not a savory topic but their interpretation was flavorful and sizzled. It started off with the slide as the snappy beat implying movement picked up the pace while Nelson sang the story. 'Truck Driving Man' was an up-tempo bluegrass song featuring rich textures and tones. Falzarano handled the vocals as Buddy's slide snaked from soft to strong over beautiful guitar leads and lush rhythms. Roused by Michael – the crowd sang along capably for a number of choruses.

'Dirty Business' had a swagger melding with slick slide that was hypnotic as they moved into 'Runnin' Back To You' – a lively honky-tonk tune. The set closed with the spirited 'Take A Letter Maria' that had a Dead flavor thanks in part to Ronnie's vocals.

The first set was very well received and after a break the second set built on the momentum with more classics including 'Panama Red'. The NRPS are poised to ride to the helm as a premier jam band. The quintet is filled with skillful veteran players who are still passionate about the music. They bring a freshness to songs that are decades old. Besides first class musicianship, NRPS has diversity with three lead vocalists who all have a distinctive style and sound. The New Riders of the Purple Sage are back with a vengeance!

www.kyndmusic.com 6/9/06

Three days after arthroscopic knee surgery and guess what? I don’t need no doctor, cuz I had some tickets for The New Riders of the Purple Sage (NRPS). The Lycian Centre in Sugar Loaf, New York is a great hall. It seats 677 folks, has a high ceiling and 3 columns of seats. Let’s just say I was quite jazzed when I first walked, or hobbled, in to the sold out room.

8:15 and the lights go dim and out walk the NRPS. The band of today consists of David Nelson, Buddy Cage, Michael Falzarano (Hot Tuna), Ronnie Penque (Neon Gods) and Johnny Markowski (Stir Fried). John Dawson has retired to the hills of Mexico and has given the guys his blessing. The first song is a NRPS favorite of mine [as are a lot of them]; a Rolling Stones cover of “Dead Flowers” and the band is cranking it out just fine in a wonderful country rock manner that only the NRPS can fancy.

I am quite pleased with the music let me tell ya. David Nelson is playing a Fender b-bender Telecaster, a b-bender being a device which as you push down on the guitar the b string bends up in it’s tuning so it gets a real nice twang to it. Michael Falzarano is also playing a Fender Telecaster but with a sunburst and a Seymore Duncan pick up at the bridge of the guitar. Ronnie Penque is playing bass on a 1957 Fender Precision bass; a real nice guitar there, a sweet thumper for sure. Buddy is playing a Fessender pedal steel guitar that has two 10 string pedal steel guitars placed together and countless knee and foot pedals. Everyone in this band sings and they all trade places as lead singer, which really impressed when drummer Johnny Markowski sang too. The whole band has talent out the wazoo and they sure showed it that night.

During the break I was able to get backstage and talk a little bit with some of the band. I had a great talk with Buddy about how tube amps are superb, “Are there any other kind of amps?” he said. ‘Yes but they aren’t my cup of tea,’ I replied. I had mentioned a few mutual friends and we had a few laughs, Uncle Willie and Ned Moran were the topic for a bit; I asked him about new music and he said “live music is mainly what people want. So we’re selling shows playing everything.”

Captain Toast, the tour manager and main man announced stage in 5 minutes so I had to exit stage left to hobble to my seat.

The second set started with “Dirty Business” and man did Buddy get that nasty distortion slide sound. He has a hard-trucker cabinet from the ol’ Grateful Dead years, fired up by an old Fender Twin Reverb amp with lots of vintage effect pedals to tweak the color of his sound, and some of the songs had great lengthy spacey jams. David was playing his guitar through a 100 watt Mesa Boogie Mark 1 amp, they are really beautiful amps with wooden body and a wicker grill covering the speaker. Michael was jamming through a 50 watt Carvin Nomad, also a gorgeous amp with a tweed covering. As I was talking the pictures I wanted so much to dance around so I just shuffled best I could to the music that moved me. Before I knew it they walked off stage. But after a few minutes the band, adorned with surrealistic clothing they found backstage, returned and gave us the encore of Dylan’s “Rainy Day Woman # 12 & 35/”

It was a great show and I will remember it well. I also hope the audience remembers what David and Buddy had mentioned onstage; support the politicians who will support the earth like Patrick Leahy and John Hall.

Now that hair rock has killed L.A. for good (the signs were all there; Motley Crue’s reunion tour merely confirms it) and CMT has killed Nashville, there aren’t a whole lot of places left to go for the heart-on-sleeve new traditionalist California country that came out of the Golden State in the late 60s and early 70s. The Byrds were the popular pinnacle, Graham Parsons was the martyr, and The Eagles seem to have been the last gasp—and I hate the fuckin’ Eagles, man. So for all intents and purposes, the jingle-jangle of California country died sometime around 1980, when Buddy Cage returned to record one last album with the New Riders of the Purple Sage. After “Feelin’ Alright,” John Dawson carried the torch through the 90s, but things were never quite the same once Poison broke up.

Ironically, it was newer blood that pumped David Nelson and Buddy Cage to reunite for a new New Riders tour this winter. Drummer Johnny Markowski and bassist Ronnie Penque apparently just hounded Nelson until he couldn’t say no, and with sometime Hot Tuna guitarist Michael Falzarano rounding out the line-up in place of the homebound Dawson, NRPS was ready to ride again. Call it a reunion tour. Call it a comeback. Just don’t call it a farewell tour. There’s no reason for the New Riders of the Purple Sage to rehang their saddles anytime soon.

While there’s still some rust around the edges, as de facto frontman Nelson was insistent upon pointing out, the New Riders are back in the saddle, and despite the age on their faces, they’re playing with all the chiming youth of their California birth. Cage’s pedal steel whistled and moaned through the apropos opener “Lonesome L.A. Cowboy,” and Penque, Nelson and Falzarano’s sweet harmonies resonated through “Rainbow.” Apparently having learned a few techno-tricks from his upstart bandmates, Nelson admitted to having had to Google the lyrics for the shuffling 50s blues rock of “Fifteen Days,” but the country rocker gave a lesson all these “new country” bands being spat off the Nashville assembly line should heed: there is a way to put a little rock into your country without losing the soul of either.

“Dirty Business” added a little grit to the sock-hop rock, and Cage sent sparks off into the few empty corners. Nelson added some honkytonk guitar before Cage returned like a lion then went out like a lamb, leaving wide-open spaces for his bandmates’ harmonies to fill. Part-time cohort Peter Rowan’s “Panama Red” rocked a little harder than expected, and “Louisiana Lady” sang along with the train’s whistle. While the entire show carried an undeniable nostalgia, the band’s youth gave it a life beyond old photos and artifacts buried deep in the closet. The bittersweet freedom of the Stone’s “Dead Flowers” brought the set to a sunnily cynical end, admitting the defeat of age, but refusing to accept the chains of maturity.

The Byrdsian harmonies and chiming chords of “I Don’t Know You” blew a cool ocean wind into the second set, as Cage played the “Last Lonely Eagle,” riding the gusts and gaps in the breezy melody before Falzarano ripped through the country rock of “Goin’ Down to Suttersville.” “Garden of Eden” blasted some psychedelia into the room as the band finally spread its wings on the skip-foot arena rock of “Groupie” and the raw, rusted Crazy Horse stomp of “Death and Destruction.” Much of the older crowd had called it a night after the first set, but those that were left joined in the singalong of “Rollin’ Down the Highway,” and the young’uns soon dropped their skeptical façade and joined right in.

The gap between the world that birthed the New Riders and the world in which they now ride again stretches over almost two generations, but the band’s galloping rock and soaring country bridges it, even if the two sides are still worlds apart. Station 2’s marble dance floor shook beneath the band’s closing honkytonk boogie and was only saved by the somber encore tribute of “Ripple.” While the hats-off to Garcia may not have been the evening’s finest moment, it goes a long way towards resolving the New Riders’ dual existence in the past and the future. The New Riders’ west coast country hasn’t aged quite as well as Garcia’s music, but their old lungs are breathing new life into a sound that by all accounts should live on beyond the vinyl collections gathering dust in America’s collective attic. So here’s to a few more rides and the hope that a new generation will take up the reins before it’s all over.

New Riders of the Purple Sage @ Canal Room

By Steve Bloom

Due to their Grateful Dead connections, the New Riders of the Purple Sage need no introduction. Even if they haven't toured consistently in over a decade, NRPS conjure good times in the '70s when they opened for the Dead, with Jerry Garcia playing pedal steel guitar.

Four years ago I organized a full-scale reuinion of the New Riders at BB King's in New York as part of the High Times Doobie Awards. We were able to coax John "Marmaduke" Dawson, who wrote and sang most of the band's songs, out of his bunker in San Miguel Allende, Mexico to join David Nelson, Buddy Cage and Nelson's band (bass and drums). Original drummer Spencer Dryden and "Panama Red" songwriter Peter Rowan were last-minute additions to the reunion. NRPS received a Lifetime Achievement Award and performed a five-song set that included "Glendale Train," "Panama Red," "LA Cowboy" and "Henry" ("going' down the mountain/fast, fast, fast").

The version of The New Riders who performed Thursday night did not include Marmaduke. But Nelson, Cage and the replacement players - Michael Falzarano (guitar/vocals), Ronnie Penque (bass/vovals) and Johnny Markowski (drums) - easily sufficed. Nelson, who "picked" with Garcia in the Wildwood Boys, is a legendary guitarist and certainly the best known, along with Garcia, from that very special scene.

NRPS were pioneers of country-rock, now known as alternative-country, or alt-country. Between the Dead, Poco. Neil Young & Crazy Horse, the Byrds, the Band, Bob Dylan (Nashville Skyline), CSNY, Flying Burrito Brothers, the Stones (Exile on Main Street), even Elton John (Tumbleweed Connection), the New Riders fit right in, mostly because of their pedal-steel style and C&W harmonies.

The three-and-a-half hour Canal Room show was laden with favorites and lengthy jams. Split into two sets, the New Riders peaked early with "I Don't Know You," "Whatcha Gonna Do," "Henry," "LA Cowboy" ("smokin' dope, snortin' coke") and "Louisiana Lady." The second set featured Peter Rowan's stoner classic "Panama Red" ("he'll steal your woman/and he'll rob your head"), "Last Lonely Eagle" (dedicated to Dead roadie Ramrod, who died on Wednesday) and a run of covers ("Willie and the Hand Jive," "Take a Letter, Maria," "Let it Bleed" and the Dead's "Ripple").

NRPS road manager Mark Topazio says Marmaduke is not in proper physical condition to endure a rigorous schedule but has giving the band his blessing. The band is currently in the midst of a nine-date tour: their next shows are Saturday in Fairfield, CT at FTC Stage One and Sunday in Albany, NY at The Egg.

featuring

David Nelson and Buddy Cage

with

Michael Falzarano, Ronnie Penque and Johnny Markowski

www.kyndmusic.com 6/9/06

New Riders of the Purple Sage @ Canal Room

By Steve Bloom