@ the North Fork Theater
by Blue Lou Margiore
Dave Mason and John Sebastian
February 2007
North Fork Theater
By Blue Lou Margiore & Tara Moon
A couple of prominent "old hands" in the music business graced the North Fork Theater. John Sebastian, mentor and leader of the Lovin' Spoonful, opened for Dave Mason, singer, songwriter and founding member of Traffic.
John Sebastian began his set with a Mississippi John Hurt tune, "I'm Satisfied." (Sebastian named the Lovin' Spoonful from a John Hurt verse). Sebastian's effervescent, pop-friendly tunes captured the radio waves with triumph years back. "Younger Girl" and "You Didn't Have To Be So Nice" were sweet teenage love songs, as was "Do You Believe In Magic," which remains one of the "sunniest" rock and roll anthems ever. "Welcome Back," the title song of the hit TV show Welcome Back, Kotter, was well received, as was the syncopated rendition of "Nashville Cats." Sebastian ended his performance with the loose and flighty hit "What a Day For a Daydream."
Throughout his performance, this musical raconteur told memorable stories that evidenced he was the epitome of the classic tie-dyed hippie. His "hook" and key signature, to the delight of his fans, remains a sense of laid-back, wistful, wonderful and deliberate naivete.
Dave Mason and crew started with the truly boring "Let It Flow." This cautionary tale about becoming comfortable in a relationship was segued into the opposite end of the spectrum with a memorable rendition of the ominously foreboding and climactic "40,000 Headmen." Mason, a self-taught guitarist, then stepped it up a bit using his trademark Alvarez 12-string on "World In Changes" from his premiere solo album, Alone Together.
The rock-ribbed "Look At You, Look At Me" was presented longer than usual as it took on a spacey and beladonnic haze with each stanza. His cleverly comedic approach with "Ain't Your Legs Tired Baby, Cause You Keep Runnin' Through My Mind" brought smiles abounding, as "We Just Disagree," his biggest hit, culminated in sad memories and thoughts of love-lost scenarios. Sharing stories from his tenured Traffic days of psychedelic "research and development," "Dear Mr. Fantasy" was brilliant, as was his rendition of Bob Dylan's "All Along The Watchtower." When Mason was 19 years old he wrote his lone encore of "Feelin' Alright" that was covered by just about everybody.
Dave Mason's resume includes work on Eric Clapton's Derek And The Dominos, Jimi Hendrix' Electric Ladyland, the Rolling Stones' Beggars Banquet and George Harrison's All Things Must Pass. While this underrated performer has never really put everything in just the right way at the right time, with the exception of Alone Together, there is little debate over the fact that he remains an extremely talented, esteemed and highly regarded elder statesman of rock.
