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Above Photo's:
Milestones Rochester, NY
October 22, 1998
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Milestones Music Room
Rochester, New York
October 22, 1998
A Review
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On Thursday October 22nd I made the journey from Saint Paul, Minnesota
back to my home town of Rochester, New York. This is not an unfamiliar
journey because I still have family in this part of western New York,
and fall is about the best time to return. However this trip back home was to
be even more meaningful because I scheduled it around a Big Brother & The
Holding Company show.
I began this sojourn by busting my glasses on the flight out. Luckily I
had some reading specs packed in with the lap top. At this point I'm hoping this is not some sort of omen. I get in to town visit with me old mum, and head to the hotel for a rest prior to the evening show. Hey! I've turned 50 and require naps now and then. I knew the music is supposed to start at 9:30 this particular evening, so there was plenty of time. Well, much to my amazement, I woke up at...you guessed it...9:30. I then rush out of the hotel and the 4 blocks to Milestones Music Room & BBQ Emporium, the venue for the evening.
Once I get to Milestones, there is a "guest pass" waiting for me, thanks to Catherine the BBHC booking agent. Once inside I breathe a large sigh of relief as there is a local warm-up group performing...YES, I didn't miss any of the BBHC show. So I grab a beer (Labatts Blue which I can't get in Minnesota) and check the venue out.
Milestones is a venue I didn't know existed. Of course I don't get downtown much when I come back to visit. Nevertheless, it's a cozy bar & grill with a good size stage. My guess is that it holds about 200 people. So far this night, it is about half full, but this is about to change. It has a nice bar, friendly staff and a room towards the back for folks who may want to play pool. So as I'm checking the place out, who do I run into but Sam Andrew, who is checking out the warm-up group. (Sorry I never got the name of the group.) Sam was surprised that I actually made it from Minnesota to get to the show. So he brings me over to meet Peter Albin and we chat a bit.
But so much for background, let's take a look at this show. I did see BBHC in August when Lisa Battle was singing with the group. Now, with Lisa's departure, Halley DeVestern was sitting in for this east coast tour. Halley told the crowd she is a singer/song writer from Brooklyn and has her own solo CD entitled "Sugar Free". But I digress.
The band opened up with 'Down On Me' and Halley proved to the crowd that she was more than an adequate replacement for Lisa. From there the band went directly nto 'Combination Of The Two' with Sam Andrew's patented 'rap'. By now the place was starting to fill up and the crowd was getting into a dancin' mood.
It was at this point that Ms. DeVestern talked about her background and her CD. The band then went into one of her composition's 'Animal'. This my friends is a great tune and the band played it like it was one of their own. From there the band played a good mix of BBHC standards, newer material and a couple more DeVestern tunes. I particularly like the newer tunes of 'Take Off', 'Do What You Love' and perhaps my personal favorite of the newer Sam Andrew composition's... 'Save Your Love'. This tune has a reggae flavor to it and the guitar work of Tom Finch and Sam Andrew is particularly nice.
Last summer when I saw BBHC in Saint Paul, I was definitely impressed with Lisa Battle's vocals. But this evening Halley DeVestern did an exemplary job. While Lisa could belt out the blues, Halley has a fresher, rawer sound. I really don't think it's fair to compare her with Janis but I did think of her on a number of Halley's vocals.
And of course we can't talk about BBHC as a whole without looking at the original members of Peter Albin (bass), Sam Andrew (guitar) and Dave Getz (drums). Then there is Tom Finch, who I still consider the 'New Guy'. Tom really compliments Sam on guitar and just seems to get better as the group continually develops. During this evening each member took the spot light for their own unique contributions to the band. Peter did the crowd favorite of 'Blindman' and of course Dave had the drum solo just prior to 'Summertime'. However, as I noticed at the August show, Tom and Sam have added an intro to 'Summertime' called 'Springtime'. This piece is just excellent guitar work which somehow fuses classical and psychedelic guitar together with the Getz percussion work and suddenly without notice turns into 'Summertime'. And 'Summertime' is still the signature tune of the band. Just amazing work.
The band did not stop here however. The extended set included 2 more DeVestern tunes 'I'm Going To Light Myself On Fire' and 'Anthropologist' as well as a few more BBHC standards, ending the set with 'Piece Of My Heart'. As the crowd called for more, the highlight of the evening was still to come. As the band lit into the encore of 'Ball and Chain'
Halley belted out her best blues vocal of the night. The band cooked and it was time for Tom Finch to shine. Finch laid into an extended guitar solo that had Sam just grinnin' from ear to ear. Finch played like his life depended on it and all too soon the evening was over.
This band has put together a winning combination and as Sam said to me as we shared a beer after the show..."No matter who the lead vocalist is, you will always be getting Big Brother and The Holding Company". So for you folks who reside in the upper midwest look for BBHC in Pennington, Minnesota next July. I know I am chomping at the bit for that summer tour. A BBHC show is an event to behold.
 MileStones Set List
JW's BBHC Photo Gallery
The Band
Peter Albin: Bass and Vocals
Sam Andrew: Guitar and Vocals
Halley DeVestern: Vocals
Tom Finch: Guitar and Vocals
Dave Getz: Drums
JW Anderson
Saint Paul, Minnesota
November 7, 1998
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