Dave Mason, with Jim Capaldi
2 January 1999
Fox Theatre, Boulder, CO
Well, Dave picked one of the snowiest nights of the Winter to perform, in all places, Boulder, CO. But, good old Dave brought along his buddy from his Traffic days, Jim Capaldi, to help liven up the spirits on drums, Bill Mason on keyboards.
Performing at the tiny Fox Theatre, on 13th Avenue, Dave had no trouble packing the house. Recently exchanging his cowboy hat for a buzzcut look, Dave, bulkier than what we're used to, opened with an appropriate, nightclub-sounding rendition of "Pearly Queen", which has always offered plenty of room to show off his bluesy, highly-competent lead guitar work. "World In Changes", his opener of choice many times in the past, came next.
Billed as a two-man show, the event offered Jim Capaldi on occasional lead vocals, including on a Top 10 tune he co-wrote for the Eagles reunion, "Love Will Keep Us Alive", followed by the Traffic classic, "Low Spark of High-Heeled Boys".
Occasionally sipping on a glass of wine, Dave returned to lead microphone to perform his most successful singles, "We Just Disagree", and "Only You Know and I Know".
In between songs, Dave made an open invitation for his long-lost Traffic organ player, superstar Steve Winwood, to join the party, stating that he "really should be with us, having fun like the rest of us."
Nevertheless, in Winwood's absense, Dave carried out impressive renditions of more Traffic classics, "Feeling Alright", and the made-for-Dave-Mason-guitar-work "Dear Mr. Fantasy". The band added the Dylan-penned, Hendrix-popularized "All Along The Watchtower" for grins.
Dave definitely shows that he's in it for the music, and the good feelings it brings, both in terms of the memories of days gone by, as well as his competence as perhaps one of the most underrated guitar players in the last 35 years.
[****] - Steven T.
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