Trying to order dinner at the counter of the venue's restaurant in Amsterdam, shyly waiting while you realize no-one in particular is noticing you or even interested in taking your order ... Is that because you are tiny, modest and scared to talk English in a foreign land? Well to be honest, I wouldn't have a clue. ;-> But that's what happened to Ian Brown, former singer of the Stone Roses. A band which, in this week's New Musical Express, was declared one of the top 5 bands of the last 50 years. Fame, fickle fame. His 15 minutes in the spotlight seem to be over. But at least starving Ian was playing at the Max, the new and biggest hall in the venue (capacity: 1.000 visitors).

In the other hall, not sponsored by a soft-drink, the Oude Zaal (capacity: 600), the stage was reserved for Woven Hand starring David Eugene Edwards who on the other hand seeks the more secure surroundings backstage.

But let's turn our attention to what really matters, the music: Woven Hand on tour in April and May 2002 enriched with Ordy Garrison on drums and Paul Fonfara on cello. A welcome duo who were able to bring the music to a higher level. A three-dimensional level, so to speak.

But what made tonight's show different from the other nights, is that that we got an even more intense and emotional David because of his son's birthday. His voice was strong and so full of power from the first notes he uttered. An angry look, his body wrapped around the mandolin/viola: "cotton mouth quick, cross the water. She gave me her hand Phyllis Ann". His feet started tapping the wooden floor of the stage. Vigorous. Heels on the floor, toes up. The start of a seated Appalachian clog dance which became stronger and stronger every other song. Reaching its peek during the cover of Ain't No Sunshine. One of the slower and personally more difficult songs to take in. It's quite a depressing song and makes a violent impact on the set especially in contrast with songs like Arrowhead and Glass Eye. Songs which are amazingly light-hearted, happy and gay; enough ingredients to get the audience of their feet, particular those who weren't standing in the first place.:-) Overall the audience had been very well behaved, reserved and yet relaxed. Silently watching the show, shushing each other for fun, and staring with full respect at David who was seated not in the middle but on the right-hand site.

Unfortunately or maybe fortunately, Daniel McMahon on the left behind two big organs didn't get a lot of stares. And yet his talents and patience are equally admirable. His talents for playing multiple instruments and patience to keep an eye and ear on everything and trying to sing back-up vocals. As much as I appreciated his vocals at the Crossing Border festival last year, strong and full of confidence, I was disappointed to the same extent now because he could hardly be heard. He had to settle for the Steve Taylor approach. Which is to mumble and hope for David not to change his lyrics or tunes so it becomes impossible to catch up? ;-)

Paul Fonfara, already has enjoyed a short but successful career playing the clarinet/guitar/saxophone/concertina for Devotchka and the clarinet and cello for the Denver Gentlemen. The Boy Wonder mastered his cello-style within a few days from violently attacking it, like in Haarlem, to softly caressing his cello, in a manner that definitely will be appreciated by European cello-teachers. ;-) Well it's true, because the rendering of Last Fist never sounded as breathtaking as during this show. He surely proved himself to be a worthy member of Woven Hand.

Ordy Garrison played drums for some years with Slim Cessna's Auto club and with another promising Denver band, Tarantella. Recently he played percussion on the latest Jay Munly album, a project that was also enriched by Mr. Edwards. Ordy definitely has a good eye to select the best bands in the region. If you ever want to buy some good music, look for those bands. In my humble opinion they are perfect for an European audience. Now if only Mojo, the most important Dutch music promoter, could be more open-minded and daring enough to book them.
Anyway, Ordy added a lot of power to the initial Woven Hand approach. A very welcoming and substantial ingredient to make the songs more dramatic and moving. Challenging drum wise and one of the extreme highlights for me were: When I come back and Your Russia. When I come back is absolutely my favourite song of the set. And can you imagine they only wrote this song one day before the tour? Amazing.

As said before David Eugene Edwards was in a different spirit because of his absence from home on this special day. But he was waggling on his chair, clog dancing furiously, clinging to his microphone, giving us frightening looks and bawling with his voice to a great extend. So full of passion and intensity. It was a treat to watch how he performed the songs so different from the album. And on top of that he was really talkative. Not that he cynically spoke about tractor as he did on the first shows of this tour, but like:

David: Was it all sold out next door, you couldn't get in over there or what?
Audience-member: We had to stand in line for you guys.
David: You don't want to do that.

David: I want to say thanks for coming to watch us play. I'm surprised every time that anyone shows up.
Audience: sighs of disbelieve

After the first set, David came back for an encore, performing Golden Rope solo. Just before he wanted to start, people shushed in a sarcastic way.
David: You don't have to be quiet, if you don't want to. Talk about it. Talk amongst yourselves. Get it all worked out.

Soon after we got a rendering of Golden Rope where he drew out the notes and stretched his voice to a yet before unheard dimension. Beautiful. Chilling. Another exceptional moment of the night.

A concerned audience member right after the song: How are you doing David?
David: Well, ... it's my son's birthday, so I'm somewhere else. .... No offence.

An invitation for the audience members to sing a song? A comical relief:
Happy Birthday to you
Happy Birthday to ... uh ... him
Happy Birthday dear ... uh (lot's of laughter)

David laughing: Elijah

Take two of the song with the correct name. Soon after the start of another one: "He's a jolly good fellow."
David smiling: I agree with you.

The evening was closed with a folksong from England: Down in Your (Yon) Forest. This song originally called, The Corpus Christi Carol, dates back from 1500 and was also covered by Jeff Buckley on the Grace-album. A macabre detail is that Corpus Christi is celebrated on the Thursday after Whitsun, the day that Buckley was drowned in the Wolf River in 1997.

But back to a happy ending: Even though you could see they were a bit tired with their casual looks and their unshaven facial hairs, the strange thing was that this was definitely THE best show in Holland were they played so full of fire and passion. Unforgettable. Let them come back.

By Ing!