ok...here ya go...
The Doors 21st Century
NextStage Amphitheater, Grand Prairie, Texas
March 29, 2003
The NextStage Amphitheater is a 6,350 seat venue, according to their website. It is only a few years old and is in a beautiful setting, placed back
from the road and surrounded by huge green belts of lawn. David and I cruised into the venue area when we arrived in Grand Prairie to scope it out.
We were surprised to find that there was no marquee to take a photo of: not on the venue itself or out by the road.
Just like last night's show in Houston, at 8:40 p.m., Carmina Burana music began as the famous Joel Brodsky young lion photo of Jim 1943-1971 was
projected on the screen. When the lights came up, there were Ty Dennis at the drums in black shirt and black knit cap; Angelo Barbera in black
shirt and blue jeans on bass; Ray in dark slacks with a dark jacket over a yellow shirt; and Robby in camouflage pants and brown & black long-sleeve
animal print shirt (different from last night's shirt) over an orange tee-shirt. Ian appeared in blue jeans, black tee-shirt, wraparound sunglasses,
and his Bathing Ape leather jacket.
This theater lacked the screens on each side of the stage for closed circuit projections of performance close-ups that audiences enjoyed last night in
Houston. However, the large screen was behind Ty for the videos that would be projected all evening. Since the videos selected for each song are
consistent, I'm not going to repeat the details of the images used to enhance each performance. If interested in that detail, please refer to the
Houston review.
Roadhouse Blues opened the set. Everyone was already on their feet from welcoming them when they took the stage.
The band went right into Break On Through ... Ray provided an extended keyboard outro to the song.
When The Music's Over followed. Robby came front and center during his lead. He slipped on the bottleneck for "the scream of the butterfly" section.
It was exciting watching Ray and Robby intently watch each other during "what have they done to the earth..." I realized Ray had removed his
jacket, I think during the song. Ian told the audience to shut the fuck up. After Ian sang "we want the world...", that line was next sung by
Robby, and then by Ray,
Robby told the audience that they were much better than the Houston crowd the night before ... it evoked wild cheering. Many of us had been at the
show the night before and agreed.
It was 9:10 when Robby's chords opened Love Me Two Times. I noticed that Ty had removed his black cap. Robby approached Ray for their musical
exchanges, and then hopped over to Angelo on his way back to his own mike.
When that song and the cheering subsided, Ian asked the audience if they were having a nice time. Ray volunteered that HE was! ... and, that he
wanted everyone to have a Texas Radio & the Big Beat time!!!
Moonlight Drive was next ... Robby on bottleneck, Ian twirling his microphone Daltry-style, and Ray harmonizing with Ian as the song ended. They
went seamlessly into Horse Latitudes, another passionate and chilling reading of this by Ian.
At 9:20 came Wild Child. Ian was up on the drum riser for the song outro, and leaped off for the "do you remember when we were in Africa ... " song
climax.
They went right into their new song called Cops Talk (or, Cop Talk) without explanation. Ray and Ian alternated on the vocals: "Cops talk, what do
they say, I listened today." It was a mid-tempo song, comparable to Riders On The Storm or Love Street, with some great fluid guitar lines
throughout. Ian used a music stand for the lyrics to this new song, and Ray was also referring to pages. When the song concluded, Ray explained
that it was a new song that would be on the album. He mentioned that it would contain contributions from John Doe, Michael McClure, Ian, Henry
Rollins, Jim Carroll ... 'keeping in the Doors poetic tradition, honoring and loving Jim ... but tonight we have Ian Astbury' .. and then Ray
introduced all the band members.
It was now 9:30. I noticed everyone was standing. There were many empty seats, but that is because so many fans had moved to the front of the stage
and were standing in the aisles. As security was not chasing people back to their seats, the crowd down front kept growing, and the aisles were
filled.
Alabama Song was next. Back Door Man followed. Robby was using the bottleneck on this and came stage front for his solo. I noticed that his right
shirt sleeve was partially rolled up his forearm, but his left sleeve was unbuttoned. The cuff flapped wildly as he played, further accenting his
busy hands as his fingers flew over the neck of his guitar.
Ian jumped onto the drum riser to begin Five To One, where he did some terrific spinning and strutting for such a small and precarious perch!
Robby, Ray and Angelo joined Ian singing on "get together one more time." Ray did the foreboding vocal interplay with Ian, urging him to reveal
'what he was gonna do out in that car.' Ian's voice has an effective crack or break as he shouts that "fucked up" climax ... it really works! I
have said it in prior reviews, and I'm saying it again ... Ian is so right as this 21st Century band's frontman!!!
Now it's 9:45, and Ian encourages everyone to stand up. Ray dedicated Ghost Song to the native Americans ... said we are ALL native Americans ...
everyone there was a native American ... and spoke of how we need to get back to the green earth, and smoke a joint together. There was no video
backdrop used during this sequence as the two native American Indian dancers who have been a constant at all the shows, danced onstage. There were
dry ice effects which added the smoky, eerie feel to this haunting and spiritual segment. Ian left the stage as Ray took over on Hill Dwellers. As
they exited the stage, Ray identified the dancers as members of the Lakota tribe in New Mexico.
At 9:53 Robby straps on his custom Rick Turner guitar. All the band members left the stage except for Ian, who crouched in front of the drum riser
during Robby's intricate introduction to that most special Robby Krieger showcase that is Spanish Caravan. As the intro ended, Ty and Angelo
re-appeared, and waited for their musical cues. When the song ended, Ray proudly called Robby the only flamenco guitar player in rock and roll
!!!
Ian called on everyone to support our troops, to save our troops, and to bring them home safe. Ray called Saddam Hussein a 21st century Adolf Hitler,
and called for peace in the middle east.
Maggie M'Gill had Ian really whipping and slinging his hair as he inhabited this song.
10:05 brought the opening chords to L. A. Woman. The video for that song plays behind the band during this song, which includes 60's clips of the
band interspersed. Those familiar clips evoked whoops & shouts from the audience. Ian jumped into the crowd in front during the song and
disappeared from sight. Road Manager Extraordinaire Marco Moir scampered to the edge of the stage to watch over Ian and assure he returned to the
stage in one piece.
At 10:15 Ray recited Texas Radio & the Big Beat. His performance of this number was an evangelical incantation! That song ended and went right
into Light My Fire to the delight of everyone. Ian left the stage when the instrumental ride began. Robby approached Ray during Ray's keyboard
solo. Ray was just beaming and smiling as he played, and they exchanged looks. Robby introduced Ray, who played the end of his section with his
elbows. Robby strolled off front and center for his lead, which sampled My Favorite Things partway through. When it was time for Ty to take over
with the drum spotlight, Robby got up on the drum riser to support and encourage Ty's exciting drumming. Robby then introduced Ty as that part wound
down. Ian returned to the stage at 10:25; he picked up a joint from the stage and asked if that was a Texas cigarette. Ian resumed the vocals
with 'get up, stand up, stand up for your rights.' He got up on the drum riser, and jumped off for the 'f**k f**k f**k', and rolled onto the
floor. Ray and Robby joined Ian singing the finale. Ray stood up at the end of the song; Robby took off his guitar and held it in front of an amp
before doing a jump.
At 10:30 they exited the stage as the original Doors logo in purple appeared on the backdrop screen. The crowd was stomping their feet for an encore
as Doors 21st Century manager Tom Vitorino came to a microphone and asked if we wanted more. Ray was the first to return to the stage first with his
arm raised in the air. Thunder sound effects played as storm clouds were projected on the video screen backdrop to signal Riders On The Storm.
Marco and a roadie came onstage with some towels to quickly mop up some areas of the floor. During the long instrumental section of the song, Ian
did some pretty cool dance moves, and he shook some hands at the end of the song.
Ray asked who was going to San Antonio the following night, and said something about there might be an orgy. A young lady jumped onstage and was
escorted off, and the band went into Peace Frog. Ian was up on the riser dancing, jumped off and went down to his knees in front of Robby during a
guitar lead.
At 10:45 it seemed to be over, as the band members waved and left the stage again. The house lights came up and many people headed for the exits.
For sure, those who had been at the Houston show the night before, knew to stay put! Marco moved about the stage moving and removing stuff. After
a few minutes, Ray returned to the stage saying that he had one more song. The rest of the band returned as well, and they launched into Soul
Kitchen. Immediately a blonde appeared onstage, approached the drum riser facing Ty, shed her pants or skirt to reveal a thong, and bent over from
the waist to ensure everyone got a good look at her butt as she removed her shirt, as well. As she pranced around onstage nearly naked, more and
more AND MORE people climbed onstage. There were so many people onstage that the band members were swallowed up in the crowd ... Ian was
crowd-surfing at one point. It was QUITE a finale, and it was over for good at 10:50.
From Velvet night came forth our torch burns eternal,
For time is but a dream and our mischeif be infernal,
Black Angels watch over neglecting the living but not the undead,
Blessed are the hallowed and gracious for their blood shall keep us fed,
Hark the electric thunder drawn like moths to a flame,
To a place of wicked wonder...and Hollywood be thy name.
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