Indigenous @ The Trouser Mouse 2-18-2012

Wow, what a ride. I was debating whether or not to make the trip to KC (it's 230 miles...one way) when I saw a request on the yahoo group Indigenousrocks looking for someone to take some recordings to Mato. That started a flurry of emails and finally a phone call to their agent, James Klein who not only OK'd shooting the show, but called me back confirming the arrangements. THANK YOU James! 
When the CDs arrived from Tam, all I had to do was shake a cold and I was all set.
When I got to KC, I went straight to the Trouser Mouse to introduce myself to Brad Mallen, the owner, and to ask about the schedule. He darned near treated me like traveling royalty; very courteous and accommodating and he really knows how to run a bar as I saw later.
Later, while listening to the opening act (a high energy trio called The Rumblejetts who got the place primed for Indigenous), I was sitting by the door when the guys came in. I gave the discs to Mato and (ever the fan first) got him to sign a poster I'd made of him from Jazzfest.
Then it was showtime.........

This is shot at 3200 ISO @ 125th. I knew I wasn't going to get much like this, so I broke one of my most ironclad rules....

.....I used the flash. I felt bad for bothering the guys, so I only did it about 300 times......instead of my usual thousand or so.

As usual, Mato was amazing.

When I talked to Horse before they went on at Jazzfest, he was nervous because he hadn't played in a while. He's gotten over that!

A few by ambient are cool, but too many get old......and it's impossible to get anything really sharp, especially the hands.

The tight conditions may have actually been a good thing. The guys really fed off each other great.

Derek did a great job too.

The first "face" shot of the night.

This kinda shows how cozy it was.

Horse & Charles seemed to have a great time.

There he goes again.

Charles & Horse weren't the only ones enjoying the show.

Really gettin into it!

The start of a great sequence...

Where'd you come from?

This sequence is great too...

Classic

Classicer!?

Drawing to a close.

When I saw these guys last summer at the Sioux Falls Jazzfest, they were terrific, but a season of playing together has really melded them into a tight, fun, band that play off each other extraordinarily well and are a rare treat to watch (AND HEAR!!!) perform. The masterful guitar work of Mato is perfectly complemented by the other guys who are more than mere supporting players in this lineup.
Also, the atmosphere in the Trouser Mouse makes for an almost ideal setting for seeing these guys. The crowd is well into the music without being rowdy to the point of distraction; a nice balance.
Thanks Tam for the copies and hi to Lance, it was nice meeting you.
Thanks again to James Klein for all the help getting me and my camera in the door.
A huge thanks to Brad and the gang at.......

The Trouser Mouse Bar and Grill
625 NW Mock St. (at exit 20 on I-70)
Blue Springs, Mo

http://trousermousebar.com/ 

...... for everything. If you get the chance, you need to catch a show here, it's a GREAT atmosphere for live music.

Oh, yeah, thanks to Mato, Derek, Horse, & Charles too. You guys were so great I still haven't got the grin off my face.
Bet you can't guess who I've been listening to as I prepped the pics.

Take care ya'll and get to an Indigenous show whenever you get the chance!!