Acoustic Alchemy concert recap 3 June 22, 2012

Other Acoustic Alchemy recaps: June 2008, October 2010, November 2016

Yesterday was a day I had been looking forward to since mid-March when I bought my ticket: Acoustic Alchemy‘s 8PM set at The Iridium.  It was their third night of three at the club.

But there is a prelude to the photo recap of their show.

This was the middle day of a three-day heat wave in the Northeastern U.S.  The evening before, the power went out at my house for three hours, from 6:20 to 9:20 (both approximately), except for two minutes around 8:45 when there was power before losing it again.  45 minutes later, the power was out again, but back within a few minutes.  The next time I lost power wasn’t until 2:25 yesterday afternoon.  LIPA (the Long Island Power Authority) estimated that power would be restored by 5:00.  According to the alarm clock in my room when I got home, it returned at 5:13.

But I couldn’t wait two hours in a gradually heating up house until my planned train ride at 4:59.  So, within 15 minutes of the outage, I got ready to go (with only sunlight to work with) and got a ride to the Wantagh LIRR (Long Island Rail Road) station at around 3:15.  The train left at 3:27 and I was at Penn Station by about 4:15.  While in Woodside, my train passed over I-278, the B.Q.E. (Brooklyn-Queens Expressway):

This was my second attempt at a picture over there.  My first try came on the way to Shilts’ show at Houndstooth last month.

I took the subway from 34th Street to 42nd and walked toward 6th Avenue.  From there, I passed News Corporation, McGraw-Hill, SNY (SportsNet New York) and Radio City Music Hall, before turning back toward Broadway at 51st Street.

It was only 5:15.  I still had an hour and a half before show attendees could go into Iridium.  So, I killed another hour at the Applebee’s a block away.  Then, I waited for a half hour outside the next-door Winter Garden Theatre.  Finally, at 6:50, the first wave of attendees were let in.  After seltzer, water, and pizza, it was time for the show.

Greg Carmichael, the Boss of the Band, played acoustic guitar:

Miles Gilderdale played electric guitar…

And acoustic guitar:

Fred White on keyboards:

Gary Grainger on bass:

And his brother Gregory Grainger on drums:

The set:
1. Homecoming
Originally heard on: “Reference Point,” 1990; “Arcanum,” 1996

2. Overnight Sleeper
Originally heard on: “Natural Elements,” 1988

3. Angel of the South
Originally heard on: “The Beautiful Game,” 2000

4. Jamaica Heartbeat
Originally heard on: “Back On The Case,” 1991

5. Marrakesh
Originally heard on: “Roseland,” 2011

6. One for Shorty
Originally heard on: “Roseland,” 2011

7. Passion Play
Originally heard on: “AArt,” 2001

8. Ariane
Originally heard on: “Blue Chip,” 1989

9. The Stone Circle
Originally heard on: “Red Dust & Spanish Lace,” 1987

10. The Beautiful Game
Originally heard on: “The Beautiful Game,” 2000

11. Tuff Puzzle
Originally heard on: “AArt,” 2001

Encore 1. Casino
Originally heard on: “Natural Elements,” 1988; “Early Alchemy,” 1992 (recorded circa ’82); “Arcanum,” 1996

Miles’ “Overnight Sleeper” solo:

Greg C.:

Gary’s bass/scat solo on “One for Shorty,” a tribute to his late niece, Gregory’s daughter, Dianne:

Greg G.:

Click here to learn about The MusicianShip, the non-profit organization co-founded by Greg, Dianne, and Jeffery Tribble Jr.

Fred’s “Passion Play” solo:

The Graingers’ bass/drum jam during “Tuff Puzzle”:

Miles’ wild “Tuff Puzzle” solo!:

The encore: “Casino”:

It was quite a show.  The band was fantastic!  And I heard from Fred that the 10:00 show was just as great!