The Pete Sears Experience

The trio of Pete Sears, John Molo and Barry Sless brings as much, or more, psychedelia as any group in current Rock and Roll.

Okay, the band is called Moonalice, and is a lovely vehicle for Roger McNamee to invest some of his fortune into the musical and arts community. It must be a blast for him. I bet it's nice to be rich. It is good that musicians as solid as the Trio and the rest of his band are presumably getting regular pay.

Anyway, in a wonderful return home, I made it out to the Bandshell in Golden Gate Park last night for the Moonalice concert. It was a lot of fun and musically tight show. The band was well rehearsed and looked happy being there. Lester Chambers brings old school gravitas to the group. His son, Dylan, and the Tietjen sisters bring good vocals and tight harmonies. Oh yeah, and what did we do before Jason Crosby made the scene? A week and a half since seeing him play with Phil at the Cap and there he was tickling the keys.

Love the old rock standards and the groovy funk that Lester brings, but what is really great is when the rest of the band falls back and let's the Trio jam free, which they did several times last night. An extended "Coconut Wireless" near the middle of the 2+ hour set, and "The Eleven" leading into "Lovelight" near the end were just superb. Pete's fingers moving around on the bass, Barry's soaring leads, and the Mighty White Cloud pounding those heathen skins!

All that and memories of seeing Jerry play on that same stage many years ago.

Best free show I have seen since Hardly Strictly Bluegrass a month ago. Sweet music to sooth my soul.