The Jefferson Starship landed at Albuquerque's Stella Blue in the midst of the midst of a heavy snowfall. Featuring an intimate performance by Paul Kantner, Slick Aguilar, Diana Mangano, and Chris Smith, it was a show of life changing fresh chaos!

memorable KANTNER quotes...

"I can't possibly do this song without more vodka."

"Never give booze to the guitar player - only drugs."

"You have to e-nun-ci-ate!"

capnchaos reportage...

We left for the show in a heavy snow. There was a strangeness in the air. It was as if something truly filled with the laughter of love and with the true merriment of chaos was about to happen. Fancy that.

We arrived at the door of Stella Blue right behind this fellow who in a gravelly voice said, "We're with the band." Turns out, he pretty much was THE BAND or one of it's major vocalists. His "better half" was female and Grace would've been pleased. I certainly was. Cool, sweet, and strong. Diana Mangano was a crowd pleaser. Slick Aguilar helped ease the pain of anyone missing the guitar sounds of Jorma Kaukonen, Jack Cassidy, or other incarnates of the Airplane's General Staff. And though he stayed in the too dark areas of the intimate stage area, Chris Smith organed his keyboards with aplumb.

Some gorgeous Roadies obviously from Sausilito stood in the back and fiddled with the romantically or muggingly low lights. I remember hearing Grace Slick scream more than once to turn down the lights. No problemo this night. Dark oozing reds and syrupy sweet blues swathed the stage in an underwhelming display unworthy of the INCREDIBLE CHAOS that we so intimately witnessed.

I feel that I spent the evening with some lifelong friends and my resolve to be Paul Kantner when I grow up was heightened once again.

The Capn

email: capn@aquilaarts.com

(copy/paste)

"It was a truly intimate evening. Felt to me as if I was sitting in a parlor with 4 relaxed and remarkable musicians. Most everyone was kicking back with a drink and travelling hither and yon in his or her mind. Except for the "concert cheerleader," who wanted all to stand and clap their hands to prove their enjoyment. To each his own. Kantner could not have been more casual and completely in the moment. A life-changing evening - in a subtle way."

-dragonfly

Some of the songs they played...

Good Shepherd, We Can Be Together, Wooden Ships, Sunrise, Lather, Starship, Volunteers, Let's Go Together, Have You Seen the Stars Tonight?, The Ballad of You & Me & Pooneil/The House of Pooneil Corners, Triad, The Other Side of This Life.

They did not play Caroline, Miracles, or Jane.

Praise Jesus! It was a Kantner - not Balin - Starship evening. Crown of Creation would have been nice.

Wave goodbye to Amerika.

Say Hello to the Garden...

You gotta let go you know

or else you stay.

No Man is an Island,

He's a Peninsula!

on with the show!