HeAthen’s West

[UTHeathen]

Great night with great people to wrap up a great weekend. Thanks DBT and thanks to all the cool people we met and reconnected with! This is what makes our community special.

[AkheAthen]

What a great weekend! Just wanted to shout a huge thank you to everyone I met and remet this weekend, it was great to feel part of the tribe. Hope to see you all again soon. Reach out stay in touch and be safe until we can ROCK again

[Zip Up to Michigan]

Night three
DBT 11.5 .2023

Birthday boy
Shake and pine
Www
Gg allin
Panties in your purse
Why Henry drinks
Gravity’s gone
Lookout mtn
Ghost to most
My Sweet Annette
One of these days
Buttholeville/state trooper/buttholeville
Every single storied flameout
The driver
Slow ride argument
Billy ringo in the dark
When the pin hits the shell
Do it yourself
3dd
PPOTM
English oceans
Dd&n
Guitar man upstairs
Sinkhole
Uncle Frank

Woah. Very interesting looking set. Have they ever close a show with Uncle Frank before?

UR texted me The Monument Valley was sound checked. A shame they didn't play it!

[beantownbubba]

Have they ever close a show with Uncle Frank before?

Was wondering the same and I think the answer is yes but I might be confusing a Cooley solo show w/ a full band show. Hopefully Worldwide Bill will check in and set us straight.

What a great weekend! Just wanted to shout a huge thank you to everyone I met and remet this weekend, it was great to feel part of the tribe. Hope to see you all again soon. Reach out stay in touch and be safe until we can ROCK again

Glad it went so well. Don't be a stranger.

[lajakesdad]

Although I was only able to make it Saturday night it exceeded my expectations big time. After all my friends flaked on my I was coming in a little bummed. Once inside I recognized some familiar faces and was immediately introduced to uncle rickey, cooley girl, AkheAthen and many others including John (I think, didn't get your username). A short time later I met the lovely onebeltloop. Being able to hang on the rail with these 3DD legends made me feel like I got a real homecoming experience. And the band was on fire with a near perfect setlist. I love how they grouped together songs from the same albums. It was one of my favorite rock shows and it couldn't have been better. Thanks to everyone for being so cool to me and my boy Elliott. Next year I will make it to all the shows. And someday Athens...

[brettac1]

What a great weekend. The Saturday show feels like one in the upper echelon of all the shows I have seen. Loved all three but that one was the best of the bunch IMO. The vibe was immaculate and the setlist was great.

Especially want to shout out how much early start times rule. See y'all in Athens.

[AkheAthen]

I saw taper mics Friday night, any chance of getting copies? Did anyone record sat or sun?

[brettac1]

I saw taper mics Friday night, any chance of getting copies? Did anyone record sat or sun?

I can confirm there were multiple tapers there Sunday night. Not sure if they've been posted anywhere. I assume Saturday was also taped.

[Jonicont]

I saw taper mics Friday night, any chance of getting copies? Did anyone record sat or sun?

All 3 shows are now up on the Archive. https://archive.org/details/Drive-ByTruckers?sort=-date

[AkheAthen]

Thanks!

[scotto]

That was indeed a stellar set of shows. Jay's set was fun and Model Citizen tore it up Saturday night.
Friday and Saturday outside were packed, the sound was great (after some vocal adjustments), and I met so many great folks. The inside show on Sunday sounded superb, but seemed somehow--off. Not bad, but somewhat tentative. Maybe the tight confines (when's the last time this lineup was on a stage that small?) and some equipment troubles were a bit disruptive.
And the hard stop at 10 was a jolt--I don't think "Uncle Frank" was supposed to be the closer.
Start saving your pennies now for next year.

[brettac1]

That was indeed a stellar set of shows. Jay's set was fun and Model Citizen tore it up Saturday night.
Friday and Saturday outside were packed, the sound was great (after some vocal adjustments), and I met so many great folks. The inside show on Sunday sounded superb, but seemed somehow--off. Not bad, but somewhat tentative. Maybe the tight confines (when's the last time this lineup was on a stage that small?) and some equipment troubles were a bit disruptive.
And the hard stop at 10 was a jolt--I don't think "Uncle Frank" was supposed to be the closer.
Start saving your pennies now for next year.

"Abrupt" was the word I used when talking to Mundane Mayhem on the way out on Sunday night. I loved that show, though. The sound was far better than I anticipated. Myself and onebeltloop were closer to the back of the room basically straight back from Matt. As the show went on things loosened up and it was also more comfortable back there than I had anticipated. That said, I sure wouldn't argue if all three were outside, either.

[vt3pinandy]

What a great weekend! Just wanted to shout a huge thank you to everyone I met and remet this weekend, it was great to feel part of the tribe. Hope to see you all again soon. Reach out stay in touch and be safe until we can ROCK again

Hey C, It was great to meet ya and hang after the show Sunday. Your always Welcome in the NEK and hope to get to the NWK(your hood) someday to visit. See ya next time.

[AkheAthen]

Thanks, I had a great time as well!! You’re always welcome in NWK for sure. Hopefully we’ll share a rail sooner rather than later..keep rocking and we’ll see you

[beantownbubba]

What a great weekend! Just wanted to shout a huge thank you to everyone I met and remet this weekend, it was great to feel part of the tribe. Hope to see you all again soon. Reach out stay in touch and be safe until we can ROCK again

Hey C, It was great to meet ya and hang after the show Sunday. Your always Welcome in the NEK and hope to get to the NWK(your hood) someday to visit. See ya next time.

'bout time you showed up, andy. Give us a few words on the shows, why dontcha?

[beantownbubba]

Unless I missed it, nobody has mentioned that the homecoming shows are actually going to start an hour earlier than previously. I know a number of people here have already mentioned that they'd welcome this change and...voila! On behalf of the AARP chapter of the DBT fanclub I want to sincerely thank the band for its consideration and continuing evolution in fan friendly ways. Plus rocking the fuck out of course.

[brettac1]

Unless I missed it, nobody has mentioned that the homecoming shows are actually going to start an hour earlier than previously. I know a number of people here have already mentioned that they'd welcome this change and...voila! On behalf of the AARP chapter of the DBT fanclub I want to sincerely thank the band for its consideration and continuing evolution in fan friendly ways. Plus rocking the fuck out of course.

This is a very welcome development and I hope it does end up actually coming to fruition (rather than just being the advertised start time). The early starts were a huge part of what I loved about the Pioneertown shows. I don't even drink or anything and I'm still wiped after 3-4 nights being up that late so I can only imagine what it must feel like for those really who go like hell every night.

[glennrwordman]

I saw taper mics Friday night, any chance of getting copies? Did anyone record sat or sun?

All 3 shows are now up on the Archive. https://archive.org/details/Drive-ByTruckers?sort=-date

And, can I say, they sound EXTRAORDINARY. Just incredible. Literally a "like you were in the room" recording.

THANK YOU!

[glennrwordman]

So for those of us who were not there, but MIGHT one day consider it, can those who were give a little "look-back"?

What was good?
What was great?
What were some challenges?
What do you hope might change?

The scene reports made it clear that the band was fantastic, sore throats and hot rooms notwithstanding. But so much of what makes a "residency" is all the other stuff. I'd love to hear some more about it. Danke, in advance.

[brettac1]

So for those of us who were not there, but MIGHT one day consider it, can those who were give a little "look-back"?

What was good?
What was great?
What were some challenges?
What do you hope might change?

The scene reports made it clear that the band was fantastic, sore throats and hot rooms notwithstanding. But so much of what makes a "residency" is all the other stuff. I'd love to hear some more about it. Danke, in advance.

First off, I don't know that I'd change anything necessarily. Maybe have all three nights outside? It was cool to see them in such a small room but aside from that novelty I'd say everything else about being outside is preferable.

Good:
The food at P&H. Not great, but good. Long wait if you go closer to showtime.

Great:
The desert is awesome. It's beautiful. Joshua Tree is not far away. I think P&H is a really great vibe. I loved the pace of the whole weekend.

Challenges:
Access to a rental car for someone in your party is likely a necessity. The airport is over an hour away (also, PSP is an absolute fucking dump - ONT is far better). Dining options are quite limited locally. We went to a grocery store and bought stuff to keep at our Airbnb. Yucca Valley is close and there's lots of stuff there. Also you have to drink a lot of water.

[Plus one]

So for those of us who were not there, but MIGHT one day consider it, can those who were give a little "look-back"?

What was good?
What was great?
What were some challenges?
What do you hope might change?

The scene reports made it clear that the band was fantastic, sore throats and hot rooms notwithstanding. But so much of what makes a "residency" is all the other stuff. I'd love to hear some more about it. Danke, in advance.

So, My take on the weekend was that it was an overall amazing experience. The shows were great. Both the band being on fire as well as the setlists. Saturday night was probably my favorite but all three nights were excellent. As to the overall experience I would have to say gathering in the desert with a bunch of heathens from around the country and world is a good use of my time! The desert is beautiful. It is vast and rugged and has, without being sappy, a profound mystical, timeless quality that needs to be experienced to be understood. In other words it’s a great setting for DBT shows.
Beyond the shows, having a chance to meet many new people and have a chance to hang out and get to know better those I’ve met before was another highlight. Being at Pioneertown which is pretty isolated but still close enough to civilization for comfort and convenience made it a great choice for homecoming west. It really had a feel of a tucked away community.
Joshua Tree National Park is great and very easy to get to. Yucca Valley is a nice little fairly generic but slightly funky little town in very close proximity to Pioneertown. We stayed in an air b&b in Pioneertown which was about a five minute walk from P&H. I highly recommend this option as being able to walk home or have a very short drive is a nice luxury. We flew in and out of Palm Springs and found it to be convenient and an easy 45 minute drive to Pioneertown. Having a rental car is a must.
Finally, within 5 minutes of getting home Beth and I were already trying to figure out how to get to Athens and the next thing we knew Homecoming was announced!

[scotto]

So for those of us who were not there, but MIGHT one day consider it, can those who were give a little "look-back"?

What was good?
What was great?
What were some challenges?
What do you hope might change?

The scene reports made it clear that the band was fantastic, sore throats and hot rooms notwithstanding. But so much of what makes a "residency" is all the other stuff. I'd love to hear some more about it. Danke, in advance.

So, My take on the weekend was that it was an overall amazing experience. The shows were great. Both the band being on fire as well as the setlists. Saturday night was probably my favorite but all three nights were excellent. As to the overall experience I would have to say gathering in the desert with a bunch of heathens from around the country and world is a good use of my time! The desert is beautiful. It is vast and rugged and has, without being sappy, a profound mystical, timeless quality that needs to be experienced to be understood. In other words it’s a great setting for DBT shows.
Beyond the shows, having a chance to meet many new people and have a chance to hang out and get to know better those I’ve met before was another highlight. Being at Pioneertown which is pretty isolated but still close enough to civilization for comfort and convenience made it a great choice for homecoming west. It really had a feel of a tucked away community.
Joshua Tree National Park is great and very easy to get to. Yucca Valley is a nice little fairly generic but slightly funky little town in very close proximity to Pioneertown. We stayed in an air b&b in Pioneertown which was about a five minute walk from P&H. I highly recommend this option as being able to walk home or have a very short drive is a nice luxury. We flew in and out of Palm Springs and found it to be convenient and an easy 45 minute drive to Pioneertown. Having a rental car is a must.
Finally, within 5 minutes of getting home Beth and I were already trying to figure out how to get to Athens and the next thing we knew Homecoming was announced!

I agree with all the above.
My plusses:
Loved the quirky location (I was staying in Pioneertown just a short walk to the shows) and the forced slowed-down pace, which fostered some extra camaraderie and less clock watching.
Joshua Tree NP and the Gram Parsons pilgrimages.
Hoodoo's Records in Yucca Valley--great selection and good prices for a relatively small shop.
The food was consistently very good, which was a pleasant surprise given the two establishments in town (Pappy & Harriet's and Red Dog Saloon) could easily go the airport concession route and gouge the shit out of everyone. Not cheap, but certainly not outrageous. (Also, many veg options, which I'm always wary of when traveling.)
The outdoor venue was comfortable, great sound, easy to maneuver, and just plain pleasant. Plus, standing on desert dust beats sticky concrete floors any day.
Loved the earlier curfews and subsequent earlier shows (though it did make for a surprisingly abrupt halt on Sunday night).
Likewise, the town's light pollution restrictions made for some lovely evening strolls and fireside visits.
Amazing birding and nature because I'm a geek for that stuff.
The people/vendors/shopkeepers seemed consistently friendly and welcoming. I'm sure they're jaded from all the tourists, but it didn't show.

My minuses:
Not an easy hike and some logistical issues. I was fortunate to get rides and stay with folks who'd already sussed out the locations and such, but if I'd had to stay in Yucca Valley or Palm Springs (or wherever) and beg rides or Uber to and fro it would have been much more nerve-wracking.
Not-good cell/internet coverage, which occasionally made navigation, ticket retrieval, etc., problematic.
For me this was a cheaper trip than the Athens jaunt, but that's only because I've always depended on the kindness of HeAthens. As mentioned above, if I'd had to book shuttles and Ubers and find my own lodgings I'm sure it would have been much more expensive.

A magical trip and amazing shows and of course wonderful people and I'm glad I went. Will I go west again? I say no, but I could be easily swayed when Homecoming West rolls around next year. But all y'all need to go.

[vt3pinandy]

On behalf of the AARP chapter of the DBT fanclub I want to sincerely thank the band for its consideration and continuing evolution in fan friendly ways. Plus rocking the fuck out of course.

Even us mid-middle aged souls that are still a few years away from our Card carrying AARP days love this move. I can only push Happy Hour so deep before my eyelids start to get real heavy.

[vt3pinandy]

'bout time you showed up, andy. Give us a few words on the shows, why dontcha?

Hey Bubba. Sorry to miss this and I owe you all my take on Ptown which was amazing. Still learning this format and probably should figure out how to get a notification when my presence or opinion is asked for. Best to you and the family this holiday season. We got a lil shorted on our December solo events and missed seeing you.

[beantownbubba]

'bout time you showed up, andy. Give us a few words on the shows, why dontcha?

Hey Bubba. Sorry to miss this and I owe you all my take on Ptown which was amazing. Still learning this format and probably should figure out how to get a notification when my presence or opinion is asked for. Best to you and the family this holiday season. We got a lil shorted on our December solo events and missed seeing you.

Looking forward to seeing you, Andy. And yes, would love to know your thoughts on the west coast stand, if you can remember, lol.

You should have a "notifications" tab at the top of your screen which will at least tell you when you are quoted. Posters used to be able to be notified by email when they were quoted but I don't use that feature so I don't know if it's still active.

PS I hope you got your Xmas tree. I hear there's a shortage up your way.

[glennrwordman]

Posters used to be able to be notified by email when they were quoted but I don't use that feature so I don't know if it's still active.

Still works!

[Beaverdam]

What is this world coming to when our word man makes a two word post?!?

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/It%27s_ ... Feel_Fine)

Posters used to be able to be notified by email when they were quoted but I don't use that feature so I don't know if it's still active.

Still works!

[glennrwordman]

What is this world coming to when our word man makes a two word post?!?

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/It%27s_ ... Feel_Fine)

Posters used to be able to be notified by email when they were quoted but I don't use that feature so I don't know if it's still active.

Still works!

End Times.

[Beaverdam]

Succinctly verbose!

[vt3pinandy]

PS I hope you got your Xmas tree. I hear there's a shortage up your way.

Just so happens we decided on the local nursery this year due to my laziness and pulled in last Sunday and they had 1 left. Our neighbors cut there's at our local farm we normally go to and paid more than we did. Bah Humbug!!!

I have vivid memories of HC West and plan to finally put a pen or my fat fingers to them this weekend. Keep you eyes open.