Daniel Day Trio @ The Red Door

It was a freezing cold Saturday night.  As we walked down 2nd south to the Red Door my step-brother and I discussed our lovable local government.  I’m halfway through the phrase “Glenn Beck-loving sons of…” when our conversation is abruptly halted.  There’s a wait to get inside. A line at a local CD release show?  Unheard of!  I double-check my notes to make sure we were at the right place, and sure enough it’s the Red Door.  Once we got inside, the guy at the door said “find a spot, wherever you can.”  He wasn’t exaggerating.  As Daniel Day, Jeff Miller and Dave Bowen serenaded the crowd with their de-grunged version of Pearl Jam’s “Alive,” I made my way to the only empty spot I saw, along the back wall.  The place was packed.  One corner was loaded with people lounging on couches, the other side was crammed with too many people sitting at too few tables.  The bar was layered three deep with people waiting to get drinks, and at the foot of the stage people were dancing.  I’m not talking about swaying side-to-side while barely moving-type dancing, mind you.  I’m talking about a 50 year-old guy, wearing a shirt and bolero pants that light up, jumping, grooving and dry-humping all over the place –– and he wasn’t alone.  Truly a sight to behold.

I don’t attend non-metal shows very often, and I’ve never played Name That Tune, but as it turns out I should do both more often.  Leaning against a 12-foot painting of Che Guevara’s face, I found myself turning to my step-brother regularly with a “what is this song?” look on my face.  Then, it  would come to me.  'They’re playing Snoop Dogg’s “Gin and Juice” and they don’t look or sound ridiculous!  The jazzy, rhythmic bass line under “laid back...” sounds as good as the original, if not better.'  These guys rarely stopped for applause, instead they bridged into my favorite Depeche Mode song, “Enjoy the Silence.” Bowen began playing his cumbersome upright bass like it’s a five-pound electric guitar.  He held  his bass horizontally,  jumped off the stage and jammed on the dance floor among the dancers.  Everyone applauded his agility as he danced with his instrument.  Then, at just the right moment, he hopped back on stage, spun his bass, and caught it right on the downbeat of the final chorus.  It's obvious that the Trio is having the time of their lives. 

As the night progressed, Mr. light-up bolero pants came back with a fresh shirt (I guess he knew he’d be sweating like a bastard), more and more people kept cramming inside, and the band burned through their random cross-section of mostly 90s hits.  The windows were all fogged up from  body heat, and after a groovy lounge version of NIN “Closer” that had the whole room bobbing their heads and raising their eyebrows, the band took an intermission.  Day took the microphone to shamelessly plug the trio’s new CD, and points to the beautiful blonde girl selling their CD for “just $15.”  Having been to many CD release shows, and plenty of local shows, $15 caught me off guard as being pretty steep.  But, judging by the atmosphere of admiration in the room, it proves to be a wise decision as more and more people are seen holding their new purchases.  The Daniel Day Trio doesn’t waste their intermission getting a drink and cooling off outside, these guys are working the room.  They can’t know everyone in the audience, but they certainly act like they do.  I even saw them autographing a few CDs. 

Photos:

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Comments on this article

Posted on March 1, 2010 by Rusty

Great show! It is a pleasure to shoot this trio. And this show was one of the best that I have seen them put out, and it is fun to judge that off of other great shows as well.

Posted on March 2, 2011 by Mr. bolero light pants.

Having Danced to Daniel Day trio for over a year now (mostly at graceies), the band has always brought Joy and happyness to me and my dance partner. We start haveing a great time, which shows in our danceing, and guess what the band turns it up a notch, then we turn up our dacing a notch, then the band... Its a wonderful thing! We as a dacne couple bring out the best in the band, and they bring out the best in us. Soon their are many people dancing and letting their selfs go... Daniel Day gets a big smile on his face, and the intensitiy of the drums goes off the map... Daven gets hopping danceing with his bass over his head, and they all smile at each other with joy, because they love what they do, And we as a dance couple love it too... Im 54 & my dance parner 57 and The Trio has put a smile on our faces the next day, (many days) thinking of danceing and having fun.... Go up and talk to them and you will see they are great guys who love what they do.

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