(editor’s note – no ex post facto proof for David Sancious and Tone)
Jefferson Starship makes cosmic landing
by Carol Vidumsky, The Saratogian
The hard rock sounds of The Jefferson Starship landed on the ears of nearly 10,000 people at their first SPAC engagement Friday night. Though officials believed that the Starship would draw nearly 30,000 people, it was obvious that the poor weather conditions were responsible for the smaller attendance.
Despite a continuous rain that eventually turned into a steady downpour, most of the audience remained for the entire performance and through the 15 minute encore.
Many of the fans who had purchased lawn tickets sat in the wet grass and mud, soaked and shivering. All their attention was riveted on the music, and they seemed almost unaware of the pounding rain.
Some innovative fans erected lean-tos out of canvas or plastic, while others wrapped themselves in wet sleeping bags and plastic sheets. Those who could not find shelter under the ramps that led to the upper level simply sat or stood in the pouring rain.
The crowd sat contentedly and listened while the warm-up band played, but it was obvious that they were waiting to hear somebody else. The instant the Starship struck their first chord, the entire audience jumped to its feet and those who stood in the back of the amphitheatre rushed past the guards and packed the aisles in an attempt to get near the stage. It took nearly an hour for the aisles to be cleared and several fights broke out between members of the audience and security guards. No injuries were reported.
Deafening applause proceeded the completion of the Starship’s first number, and they continued to rock their audience with 2 1/2 hours of music and showmanship.
The San Francisco rock beat of the Jefferson Airplane of the 1960’s has evolved into the cosmic, more universal sound of the Jefferson Starship of 1975.
Social consciousness is still a primary point of emphasis in their more recent music, but they have moved away from songs that scream “tear down the walls” and revolution in the street. They now sing about hijacking a starship to start a new life in outer space. This fantasy is developed in their first album, “Blows Against the Empire,” which was the first piece of music to be nominated for the science fiction writers’ Hugo Award in 1971.
Their current album, “Red Octopus,” is now No. 10 nationwide.
The three primary members of the Jefferson Airplane, Paul Kantner, Grace Slick, and Marty Balin, have survived this musical evolution, and it was obvious that they were the ones the audience came to see.
They are now joined by three incomparable musicians: bassist Paul Kangaroo, recent associate of Johnny Winter; John Barbata on drums, an original Airplane member, and guitarist Craig Chaquico, whose first solo album was released last year.
The Starship has a dynamic, pounding sound that does not let up, and the entire band was working at a very high energy level.
They chose mainly to perform numbers from the three albums they have released since 1971 and only reverted to the musical works of the Jefferson Airplane for a not-so-standard rendition of “Somebody to Love” and “White Rabbit.” These were the Airplane’s first successful releases in the ’60s, and it was to these two songs that the audience responded the most. Slick’s voice and Kantner’s musical prowess have not lost any of their original power and force.
Though few could be dissatisfied by the musical dynamism presented Friday night, many, especially those who had traveled long distances, expressed disappointment that the infamous fiddle-playing Papa John Creach did not appear. No explanation was available as to why he did not perform.
A license plate check revealed that the Starship drew fans from Vermont, New Jersey, Connecticut, and Massachusetts as well as thousands from throughout New York State.
It was an evening of musical marvels and masterful techniques that did not seem to let up even when the Starship prepared to take off for their weekend appearances in Lenox, Mass., and the New York State Fair in Syracuse.
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