Robbi Robb writes about the Herzberg Festival
Day One:
Breakfast with the Wailers at the hotel started the weekend off just right. Then we went down to the festival to watch them and Gong. The wailers were great and it was really something special to hear all those familiar Bob Marley songs roaring their message of peace through the big P.A. it was something I've always wanted to hear. Then the rain and jet lag kicked in, so we split the scene really sorry I missed Gong oh well next time
Day Two:
German hotel breakfasts are the best! - Mahesh can attest to that! Got all our shit together and went down to the festival the "hippie convention" as they like to call it to catch some bands.
First up was Mother Finest. This was a real blast because as some of you might know we worked a Mothers Finest song "Truth will set you free" for Rachel to sing at Bingo's birthday, so when they kicked into that song live - I was standing in the audience with Bella (my 10 year old girl) and all I could say as the first few taceted bars punched us in the guts was "watch out" then they bust into it proper and Bella let out a spontaneous yell it was mind blowing!! I was like Jeezuz what am I thinking of playing that stage with bands like this!!! pure entertainment. Unfortunately the band left the stage after a rather short set .. our dressing room was adjacent to theirs and when I got back there I realized what happened the musicians ego is a real bitch!! I went over to inspire them and met Wizard the bass player and we shared stories of Doug Pinnack. Lovely guy Wizard!
Standing on the side of the stage was a man I recognized - his collar all crumpled, I sidled up next to him and gently corrected his collar he smiled warmly at me .. happy to see each other I wished him the best .. ladies and gentleman Eric Burdon!!! I felt so proud of him in some strange way, like I wish I had a flag that said "Joshua Tree loves Eric" or something a strange feeling of patriotism, or father son or neophyte and shaman of sorts came into me, .. really inspiring to see him work and the audience loved him!!! Eric rocked the crowd and got a great encore, - so he rocked them again! excellent!
Again I was thinking "oh boy" ..
Then Derek Trucks came up and started off really subtle and tight. I was hesitant to watch this band because we were up next not a good idea I thought, feeling insecure enough already. Derek is considered one of the finest guitarists around and he's been doing this shit for years with the same band etc etc .. so yes, I was hesitant. But I stayed and watched nonetheless .. the audience liked it but I was after a few songs quite bored I think Derek was also bored, something wasn't right, just had no magic well shit can happen you never know when the music will suddenly fall to the ground like a dropped egg or when it will rise up beyond you and all you can do is hold on for dear life! But then the crowd were pleased and Derek plays damn great guitar even on a bad night!
Then "Ladies and gentleman Tribe After Tribe" and the roar of ten thousand people!! .. and then there we were -- standing on the stage that was rocked by the greats, Joe Bonamassa, Gong, Eric Burden, the Wailers, Derek Trucks, and there we were .. diving into some crazy ambient music doing my best to remember how it feels beneath the Joshua Tree sky .. Kripa speaking an enochian prayer, invoking fire, her delicate angelic voice coming through a huge P.A. system .. then Mahesh kicked in and then Tony and then Al, and boom I was sucked in like as if into some kind of vortex vacuum .. boom and the audience rocked in the over flowing stage lights .. Mahesh wrecking the drum kit, engulfed in smoke and roadies .. and the moon rose up and the stars shone bright and it was a clear sky first time the whole weekend .. and then there were the screams of yea and we love you and .. the band rocked and Tony held it down .. and Kripa danced like an African goddess across the stage and .. Al's Hammond B3 solos soaring through the night sky .. and then the stage filled with dancers and then fire works shot into the sky and Mahesh sounded like ten thousand drummers drumming .. with Andre pounding on the djembe - and in the wings Bella beamed a smile and I knew she was proud first time she has seen me live with Tribe .. and the jams went deep, weaving musical webs like desert spiders .. and the audience sang out loud and clear, and clapped in time to the African beats .. and my guitar played itself .. soaring like an eagle at times .. Tony riffing like Entwistle .. and it was over and there came the first encore .. and so we rocked them a few more times and left the stage exhausted .. and then another encore .. everyone insisting we go again and so we did yea! we rocked them again and again and again!!! Sometimes you just never can tell when the music will lift up beyond you!!! you just never can tell!
We had five cameras filming the show, and a 48 track recording of the music .. so look out for this when we mix it and edit it and make it available to all .. Big thanx to the Herzberg organizers and to the Herzberg audience .. and especially to Tony, Mahesh, Al, Kripa, Andre and of course our mascot, Bella who formed the "special Herzberg Line up" for Tribe After Tribe .. thanks!
Shine on
Robbi
