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When: March 14, 2003
Where: Blue Note (Cincinnati Ohio)
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to participate in the promotion of this
Noah Hunt and The 420 All-Stars show!
Kevin Fox and his band played a very long set. He kept adding "We still have time for just one more song." which amounted to loud background music through amplified club chat. The crowd was getting restless and fans were commenting, "Noah wants to make sure that everyone who wanted to be here, could get here before he takes the stage." Another fan who drove in from Michigan added "I thought they said this show was on the 14th," glancing at his watch which read five to midnight. Before the words rolled off his lips Noah Hunt and The 420 All-Stars claimed the stage to cheers from the excited crowd who filtered to standing room only on the dance floor.
Hunt commanded the attention of every person in the club when he stood before the microphone. The large crowd applauded his arrival which he graciously accepted and threw back praise to his band. "It's not just Noah Hunt up here, it's Noah Hunt and The 420 All-Stars," which the marquee clearly indicated in bright lights.
The handsome, dark haired singer strapped on his acoustic guitar and looked over the crowd to a lovely lady sitting in the back, selling his Uncle Six CD's. Hunt seemed to be serenading her while still performing to his audience through body motion and vocal expression. "Missouri Boat Ride" was the chosen uptempo courting welcoming tune. With the expressive crowd under his belt, Hunt flowed into the Uncle Six song "Alone" and then "Pretty Mama" off The Long Black Train album which he intro'd, "This goes out to all the Pretty Mama's out there."
While Hunt belted out song after song, the 420 All-Stars were embraced by the excited fans with drinks in hand. Noah wanted to insure that everyone was having a good time and asked "Is everybody getting enough to drink out there?" Response, loud cheers and howls! The 420 All-Stars songs made up the core of the set and were a highlight of the show. Noah Hunt and his band performed these songs with such intensity and charisma the audience was captivated, not only by his strong soulful vocals but by their synchronized instruments. Absent from the January All-Stars show in Middletown was percussionist Duran Murphy. The Blue Note's acoustics were a perfect environment for Murphy's forte' and he blended in very nicely with the rest of the band. There was obvious chemistry between Noah Hunt and his electric guitar player. Hunt enjoyed saying "Snake" several times. Noah's big beautiful smile lit up on his face, enticing audience members to match it.
A special moment occured during the routine "thank you's" to the bands who opened for him. As Noah began to mention Kevin Fox's recent Cammy's he educated the crowd on how the Cammy's were created and why. "We started the Cammy's seven years ago after my friend Mike Bany got killed after a gig. It was at Tommy's on Main. He was actually playing my Dad's 50th birthday but ya know I think it really showed how much good music is in our town. I don't know, that's something positive... it's getting better every year..." The soft brown eyes of the emotional musician began to tear and redden. He pushed away the ghosts and carried on with "and we'd like to do one more 420 All-Star song for you and ah, I don't know what's gonna happen man, I think a lot of people are gonna be getting killed next week and whether you are pro-war or anti-war a lot of people are gonna lose their lives. Its hard to find a little peace of mind and through music I think we can do that. So tonight, let's try to find a little 'Peace of Mind.'"
Fans came out to the Blue Note in full support and were rewarded song after song. Noah's energetic on-stage presence kept everyone spirited. All eyes were on him as he pushed his hair back off his face wearing his flirtatious smiles. All the fans stood strongly swaying at the front of the stage. Hunt encouraging them to sing for him the chorus of the well known Kenny Wayne Shepherd song, "Blue on Black."
A resurrected version of Stevie Wonder's "Superstition" was added to the set list combined with the band solos and introductions. "Friend since high school, "Alex 'Blues' Hughes" Noah accentuated. Alex on the five string bass nodded to the applause. Kentucky drummer Todd Knapke peeked up from behind his drum set when Noah called out his name. "My left hand man 'Snake' on lead guitar originally from Boston, Massachusetts," had his own cheering section. Talented writing partner on many of the 420 All-Stars songs and member of Noah's former band Uncle Six, on keyboards, acoustic guitar and vocals was Dan Hunt. As well as percussionist Murphy. This appeared to be a highlight of the evening for Noah, to share his enthusiasm and respects for these talented and hard working musicians with his audience. NoahHunt.org was actually informed that the timing of the show was off because two of the band members had to work late.
Noah Hunt was in full swing with his tambourine early Saturday morning. He has truly mastered this instrument and it certainly accentuated many of the uptempo songs in the set especially "Midnight Rambler" and "Ain't wasting time no more." Winding down the evening with "The All New Minglewood Blues" the Blue Note started to clear out some, with the late hours. Noah joked "I guess they believed me when I said one last song for tonight."
He ended the show some time after 2am with encore covers of "One way Out" and "King Bee" so electrifying that it just hyped the crowd, leaving them calling for more songs. Noah Hunt and The 420 All-Stars delivered what Noah always promises at the beginning of each show. "We're all gonna have a good time tonight!"
Reviewed by NoahHunt.org 3/15/03 ©2003
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1. Missouri boat ride
2. Alone
3. Pretty Mama
4. Alabama
5. Midnight Rambler
6. Away Away
7, Midnight Sun
8. Peace of Mind
9. Where was I
10. Go for a Ride
11. It takes a train to cry
12. Ain't wastin time no more
13. Medicine Man
14. Blue on Black
15. Grey
16. Long Black Train
17. Superstition (band intros)
18. All New Minglewood Blues
19. One way out
20. King Bee
Set list is pretty accurate
although some tracks may
be out of order, and can't
remember if they played
"spinning time."
