Ten years ago my naive self made my first trip to The Capitol Theatre, it wasn't to go see a show, I was going playing on the stage with Robert Randolph and The Word comprised of John Medeski, and the North Mississippi Allstars (Luther & Cody Dickinson, Chris Chew)
Unbeknownst to me at the time the vast history and legend of this building. At this point a Stealie, to me, was still “that weird red, white and blue skull sticker people had on their cars.” But let's go back to how this dream came to be.
The only reason I picked up a guitar a couple years prior to this moment was after watching a Live Concert DVD that my dad received as part of a Blues Foundation subscription. I was enthralled by the muddy, dirty sounds of a cigar box guitar and the man whose hands it was in as he howled in conjunction with this strange instrument, alongside two other guys it was a power trio of sound that was infiltrating my ear canals. The band was the North Mississippi Allstars.
The first time seeing them live at the Highline Ballroom in NYC changed the game. To see how these three individuals created a unit together that was nearly unstoppable. Bringing energy and joy to everyone who would stop and listen. I knew what I wanted to do.
From that moment a desire to learn and grow as a musician overwhelmed me, and I kept shedding to the best of my abilities. Somehow after a couple years of playing I found my way into SUNY Purchase. Perhaps I squandered the opportunity away from home as some do, but I wouldn't trade it for the people I met and experiences I had. It helped shape who I am today.
As those last few weeks approached of my freshmen year (which would turn out to be my only year 🤦♂️) my grades were less than stellar, but my playing had grown. Low and behold on the first day of May in 2014 I wake up to a phone call from my pops alerting me that I had won a contest he entered me into and I was gonna play with not only NMA but Robert Randolph and John Medeski as The Word.
Half in the bag from the night before I scramble to get dressed, get my guitar and get down to meet my dad, who drove up from Long Island, and drove us to The Cap. I approach the side stage door of the Cap nearest to the train station and inform the security I was the contest winner and sure enough he let me right in and they escorted me to the downstairs green room. I was then given a little spiel about the history of the building and all that had went down. I began realizing this actually could be the “Original Rock Palace” as they billed it.
John Medeski was the first and only member to make his way downstairs and introduce himself and spark up a conversation. He mostly inquired about what got me into music, I explained to him the whole North Mississippi Allstars situation and his face seemed to light up at this whole coincidence. I could see he’s seen this type of cosmic magic in his line of work before, not surprising.
Shortly after I hear above me on stage they began soundchecking, my palms get sweaty and I pull out my first guitar, and Mexican Fender Tele, maple neck, classic sunburst and try to follow along with what I’m hearing descending from above. Then dressed in all black a stage hand is sent to retrieve me and bring me out to the stage where my idols are just casually hanging getting their tone dialed in for the evening ahead. I look at the wall on the side of the stage and see a picture of a someone familiar, but not someone I could instantly identify at the time. Upon scanning the image it was a picture of Jerry Garcia. Adjacent to the poster was a book which held signatures of all those who had played this stage since it’s re-opening ready to be filled out by The Word members after soundcheck. I began flipping through the pages, and this was the “oh shit.” moment that the gravity of the situation began to set in, Warren Haynes, Trey Anastasio, Phil Lesh all of whom I would go on to see countless times at The Cap.
To them this was another night making sounds together and finding a groove on yet another historic stage. To me this was something unfathomable to me at this time, invaluable experience for someone at my level to be thrusted into this situation. I walk on stage for soundcheck, they hand me a quarter-inch plugged into a Fender Deville, snugged in between Luther Dickinson and Chris Chew, behind where Robert Randolph would be sitting for the set. It was then Medeski kicked off a groove on the Hammond, that gave way to Luther playing some notes while getting his amp just right, then Cody Dickinson leads into a powerful steady drum groove that I hadn’t felt at that time. Chris Chew, as only he can, fills in that low end and completes the pocket. This was the tune I was going to be playing, “Heaven On Earth” by Larry Graham.
Let me say that again, the tune I’m playing with MY IDOLS, on an ICONIC stage is called “Heaven On Earth”. That’s surely no coincidence.
Luther walks me through the A-section and the B-section, shaping out the chords with his hands for me to see, making it as easy as possible for me to lock in on the tune. After about 7-8 minutes of getting familiar, soundcheck ends as the house has to prepare for doors and everything else that goes into a production of this size. The band retreats to their respective green rooms upstairs and I retreat back to dungeon of The Cap.
Watch me nearly sh*t my britches during soundcheck ⬇️
It was at this time my pops had some sort of revelation that by taking me back to campus to catch my 5pm history class I may save my academic career at Purchase. A las upon bringing me back I had to tell all my friends about this crazy news and word was getting round that I had won the contest. Needless to say I missed my history class that evening. I was instructed that I could hand in a list to get all of the homies in so after a year of nicknames I finally learned some of my friends full names. My dad picks me up to bring me back to The Cap around 7pm and not even after a second after the door shuts he looks at, “You didn’t go to class did you?”. “Would You?” I responded. Next thing you know we’re back at The Cap for the evening's festivities.
Back in the depths of The Cap there’s a buzz in the air with the fans filing in and the anticipation of “when will the band come on?”. With my telecaster in my hand I just keep going over those chord changes Luther was signing to me during soundcheck. Finally shortly after 8pm the band hits the stage and they are on fire. Finally I get to hear the steel clad sounds of Robert Randolph and the backing of The Word. This is a supergroup no doubt about it. I go upstairs to side stage and find a copy of the setlist, towards the end of the set it says “Heaven w/”. I knew that was my queue.
The band rips through their set, finding a groove after nearly every turn, truly something to behold. The crowd is digging into it, stomping to the Gospel Funk Blues this band is churning out tune after tune. Alas the moment arrives and the tune before “Heaven” ends and my chest is pumping through my guitar strap. I start to walk out making damn sure I take notice of the fluorescent tape on the floor so as to not trip and bust ass. I went straight to my amp and plug in, flip the standby switch and I’m on live. At that moment I look up at the crowd and it’s one the most magnificent things you could imagine. The lights beaming down creating a glow as you look out amongst the crowd, I hear so many voices but the lights only allow you to see so far out, maybe ten to fifteen rows back from the stage. John Medeski, as if it were a Sunday, is laying down interlude on the Hammond, as Robert Randolph introduces the band. He gets to me and he says into the mic for all these people, “Ladies & Gentlemen how about it for Mr. Wee Wee Hatfield”.
Not sure where the miscommunication lies. Was it my dad fat fingering an email response on his cellphone earlier that day? Did I, amidst my nervousness, say that was my name? Who knows, it didn’t matter to me.
I look to my left and there's Luther Dickinson holding his hand out for a handshake, a familiar embrace that would be the start of many awkward handshakes between Luther and myself. I turn to my right there’s Cody with the biggest smile on his face and between Cody and myself sat Chris Chew, another fellow southpaw with a tophat on ready to lay it down. So interesting how comfortable you can feel in such an intense situation just by the people who are around you, a lesson that helped me grow as a musician to this day.
Without hesitation Medeski kicks off “Heaven On Earth” and the band, just as they did earlier in soundcheck, falls right in. I mind my volume and try to my best to just be another piece of the puzzle. Speak when spoken to, no need to fix what ain’t broken. The tune rolls on with Medeski playing the head working right through the B-section and back to the top. I’m given a look that say’s “Do it!” from Luther. So I go for it as best as I can at that time in my playing. It was a free moment for me, like the first time diving into the deep end of the pool. I had complete faith in what was going on around me that if, when, I f’d up I knew there’d be a hand to reach out grab me and help pull me back. I traded some licks with Luther, him playing down to my abilities, and that got us into the B-section and on our back to the top Robert Randolph signals for me to come forward and the band breaks it down. There I am next to Robert Randolph. He's motioning for me to keep going and funk it up, and I try to do just that. We then begin to trade licks and match up then Luther after him and the whole band crescendo into the B-section. This gave way to a massive applause. I was there the whole night. This applause was no different from any other incredible moment that night, but I was a part of it. I served the sound well enough to merit a response from the audience. As the tune closed, I walked off stage to a handshake from Randolph, Chew, both Dickinson brothers and a head nod from the wizard Medeski.
It really was a dream come true.
That’s what happened on that one fateful day, May 1st 2014, my first time at The Capitol Theatre.
Watch the video here ⬇️