THE DOORS OF THE 21st CENTURY
CHASTAIN PARK AMPHITHEATER, ATLANTA, GEORGIA
Friday, October 22, 2004
It was two days short of a year -- to the exact date -- since The Doors of the 21st Century played Atlanta's Chastain Park Amphitheater on October 24, 2003. Of course, this was a fluke: this return engagement was originally scheduled for Saturday, September 18th ... that is, until Hurricane Ivan loomed large and caused the postponement of several shows scheduled for this open air venue.
The re-scheduled show landed on a comfortable evening, much warmer than I expected. The venue has a really nice vibe, with candles burning on the tables. Tammy, Tim and I found ourselves sitting with a couple named T.K. and Jim, and also Ivy. At 8:30 the heartbeat sound began, along with a video montage of quick-cut images set to music. Manager Tom Vitorino came onstage and announced the band ... and out they came.
So, what were the guys wearing tonight? Ty Dennis was in grey slacks and a black short-sleeved tee, with a black knit cap. Phil Chen was tonight's bass player, as the band leaves in the morning for Mexico City and then South America. Phil was all in black, with a yellow collared shirt and a rainbow-striped strap holding his white bass. Ray was also all in black except for the white laces on his shoes, with a jacket over a long-sleeved shirt. Ian wore a black tee-shirt under his Bathing Ape leather jacket. His tight blue jeans -- which fit very nicely (thank you) -- were shredded below both knees and under the left butt cheek ... and accessorized with sunglasses and snakeskin boots. Robby wore faded blue jeans which had wide stripes down both sides in American Indian type of pattern, and a dark blue (and, inside out!) pullover sweater with a blue denim collar, over a red shirt. Even Robby's jeans had a little shredding going on in the front right thigh area, and a black symbol under the right butt that looked like a left-pointing arrow inside a circle. (I'm very observant!) ☺
The night kicked off with Break On Through ... always the most kick-ass choice to start off with and get everyone's blood pumping pumping. We learned that security was going to allow fans to stand right at the edge of the stage. Tammy moved up there right away, and Tim and I joined her shortly after. I was standing in my most favorite spot: right in front of Robby! Love Me Two Times and then Not To Touch The Earth followed. That song closed with Ian's usual homage to Jim: "James Douglas Morrison was the Lizard King ... he did everything."
Ray introduced Ian, Ty, Phil and Robby ... and then Robby introduced Raymond Daniel Manzarek from Chicago, Illinois. Ian's glasses were off now, and Ray began the intro to Take It As It Comes ... which is still my current favorite live song. I'm so glad they are doing that one. Following 21st Century Fox, Ray did some talking to the audience about the Braves and baseball and then it was time for a drink at the whisky bar, by means of introduction to Alabama Song, which segued straight into Back Door Man. Ian opted for the 'eat more pussy' line this time instead of 'chicken.'
Robby removed his inside-out pullover sweater to reveal that the red shirt peeking out was actually the red tee from Poland, with a big white cartoonish bird wearing a crown under POLSKA in white letters. I first saw this addition to the wardrobe last month at the L.A. County Fair show.
This venue is set up with tables and chairs down front, and the audience is allowed to bring in coolers and beverages ... so Ian made some remarks to the fans about the food they were eating. Five to One followed. In the section of the song where Ian says what he wants to do, this night that included taking 'all of us people' with them to Mexico City. Ian remarked that there are ten days to election, and inserted some 'Please please, listen to me children" lines into the song before returning to that song's conclusion.
As Robby was switching guitars to his custom Rick Turner, Ray left his keyboard and walked across the stage towards Robby, then back to center stage to Ian's microphone. The other band members left the stage and Ray did his introduction of Robby as rock & roll's only flamenco guitar player. As Ray exited the stage, Robby said, "Ray for President" and then took center stage himself for that marvelous flamenco playing he does which ultimately leads into Spanish Caravan when the rest of the band return to their instruments.
The pace picked back up with Roadhouse Blues. During the mid-song instrumentals, Ian left the stage. Robby was mid-stage facing Ray as they exchanged their musical lines. Ian addressed the fans in their 20's ... he said, 'don't let these fuckers tell you what to do ... this is my public service announcement ... I have my own political party: it's The Doors of the 21st Century.'
Robby had his brown Gibson guitar strapped on for The Changeling, and wiped down the neck before the next song began. It was now 9:40 ... Ian was crouched on the drum riser for a mighty leap at the start of When The Music's Over. Something distracting was going on in the audience to our left, and then Ian said he was going to start again ... so, they re-started the song. Ian danced with maracas during Robby's solo, and crouched down near Ray's keyboard as Robby created 'the scream of the butterfly' with his bottleneck. Just before the 'what have they done to the earth,' Ian removed his Bathing Ape leather jacket - revealing leather straps on both wrists - and picked up the maracas again. After Ian danced to the end of the song, he thanked Robby and Ray for the incredible privilege, and then thanked the audience for coming.
Robby switched back to the red Gibson for Wild Child. Someone near us at stage-front handed Robby something, then Robby shook a few hands and began the song. Robby was on bottleneck, Ian was on maracas again, and portions of the Wild Child video played on the screen. Robby slapped and shook some more hands at the stage lip when the song ended.
Next, Ray said "Ty Dennis, take it away, man" and with that, Ty went into a drum solo that had Ian dancing again with the maracas. During Touch Me, Robby stood next to bassist Phil Chen during the instrumental part. The crowd-pleasing L.A. Woman was the last song; when it ended at 10:15, the band left their instruments and waved to the wildly cheering crowd as they exited stage right.
The thunderous sounds of Riders On The Storm signaled that the band was coming back onstage. Ian returned wearing his leather jacket and sunglasses. Ray played a fancy solo near the end of the song that I don't recall hearing before. As Ray played, a nice profile of him was projected on the screen.
Ray then announced Peace Frog. During that song, Ian tossed the mic stand toward the side of the stage, which was quickly replaced by Super Roadie Marco Moir. A surprise was the insertion of Sly Stone's "Higher" into the song .. and it worked perfectly! It was 10:35, and the band waved and left the stage again.
After a few tumultuous minutes of applause, D21C manager Tom Vitorino came to the mic at center stage, saying that he thinks the band's done and feigning helpless surprise at the crowd's reaction. After the audience confirmed that yes, we wanted more ... the band returned to the stage again. Robby said "we're just getting started" and Ray said "we'll play until we just fucking die!!" Ray asked what the audience wanted to hear and in response to the cacophony of shouted requests, Ray said, "Wanna hear - - - - - - - - - - - ?" The audience affirmed that suggestion, and at 10:35-ish they began Light My Fire.
Ian left the stage and Robby stood near Phil as Ray took his keyboard solo. A large rose had appeared during the last song and was laying on Ray's keyboards. Ray was now holding it in Lefty and using it to conduct the right hand, eventually beating the rose to death and placing his right foot up on the keys. Robby moved forward for his own solo, and said "Let's hear it for Ray." Ray picked up the loose rose petals and blew them away as he took his bows to the applauses. When the vocal section of the song approached, Ian returned and both he and Robby crouched down, jumping up together at the 'fuck fuck fuck fuck' section. Ray rose to his feet as the song hit its finale at 10:50.
The band members left their instruments and joined up center stage, linking up to take several bows. The band waved and left the stage ... within a few minutes, Ian was back out on stage signing autographs for some fans who lingered there.
Fans who also attended the D21C show last October got a very different show this year. Both shows included 18 songs, but last October's show was heavy on the "L.A. Woman" album cuts and even excluded Light My Fire. The other songs that were new to this year's Chastain Park audience were Break On Through as the opener (last year: Roadhouse Blues opened); Not To Touch The Earth (an excellent set addition); Take It As It Comes (my current fave); 21st Century Fox; Wild Child; Touch Me; and of course, Light My Fire. Last year's 3 encores included Alabama Song, Back Door Man, Five To One, Spanish Caravan, and finally, Soul Kitchen.
Another stellar night --- always worth the travel! Thanks to the band for keeping it going in spite of adversity and opposition.
Ida 10/24/04
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