Firebrand Fridays - People Have The Power!

Sometimes it goes down that too many good things are happening at the same time, and in Los Angeles, sometimes that means you have to make tough choices. We were on our way downtown to the Prince Memorial at Los Angeles City Hall last Friday, when the traffic was taking so long we had to turn around and abort the mission if we wanted to be at Firebrand Fridays at Genghis Cohen - which we did. After a winter hiatus, the rousing evenings of people empowerment were just rebooted by Tom Morello and friends at the Chinese restaurant on Fairfax.

It was sad to not be downtown with my Prince people, but it also felt a little fake to me, like if it's not happening in Minneapolis, why bother? I also didn't feel like being sad, and knew being there would mean more crying, and I wanted to feel strong - which you always do after one of the Firebrand shows.

The night was a showcase of artists from Morello and Ryan Harvey's Firebrand Records, and after a brief introduction by Morello about the night all being for a good cause (all proceeds go to assist PATH in their work with the homeless), their Kareem Samara and Sun Of Nun (Kevin James) opened the show playing the oud and rapping over recorded crowd noise tracks. It was cool, and set the tone for the night. There would be gorgeous playing, whipsmart lyrics, and a crowd all the way into it for the duration. It was on.

Jill Sobule charmed everyone, as usual. She played her truthful and funny "When They Say We Want Our America Back" about the whole immigration debate, the whole room shouted back the answer, "What the fuck do they mean?!" It's pretty much a perfect song, and as Sobule always delivers the potent medicine with a spoonful of sugar, her point is most likely always heard. Smart. Sobule next covered Bowie with "All The Young Dudes", and the crowd sang noisily along from the palm of her hand.

Ryan Harvey is one of the sources I look to the most for the most honest, there on the ground perspective of protest and refugee situations all over the world. From his native Baltimore to his recent stint rescuing refugee boats in Lesvos, Greece, Harvey walks the walk that he talks. I always find his posts on social media to be the most truthful and accurate on any given situation, and they provide a deeper understanding as to what's really going on in the world. The same goes for his songs, and when he took the stage with Kareem Samara and Diego Souza, we were all transported along to the distant shores, watching for overcrowded boats in their song, "Thin Blue Border".

"See It Through" was written about the lack of response to the refugee crisis from the U.S., and its fast, frenetic tempo mimicked the urgency of the situation, imploring people to "Hold the line, even if your voice shakes!" Samara is a complete virtuoso on the oud, and a real joy to behold as he wove a spell around the important words.

Harvey explained that Egypt, Greece, Palestine, Turkey, Ferguson, MO, etc ... all have something in common, which is that the same tear gas substance (made by the Combined Systems company out of Pennsylvania) has been used on people fighting for freedom in all of those places, and more. "Smell It In The Air" calls them out, saying, "There's something that connects us, you can smell it in the air!" It's pretty sinister stuff, and something no one should put up with. It was powerful, and as often happens after these guys play, you felt smarter.

Harvey introduced his co-conspirator in Firebrand Records, and Morello took the stage to huge applause. "One Man Revolution" kicked off his set, and he blew on his harmonica and stomped his feet so ferociously that there was no way it was only a one man thing anymore. Everyone was on board, and it's something to behold every time. Mary Morello was in her usual spot right down front, and her son next played her favorite, "The Garden Of Gethsemane". The acoustic playing on this one is so lush and beautiful, it seems to put people in a trance. It silences the people so effectively that Morello is able to deliver the last verse entirely away from the mic. He says the song is about moments of doubt, but we were all very sure it was awesome.

Morello then launched into "Flesh Shapes The Day" but forgot the words, and the crowd knew them for him. He explained that he's coaching his son's baseball team, so he didn't have enough time to practice for the show, but his son did go 3 for 3 with two home runs! Worth it. He asked for requests, and as several deep catalog Nightwatchman tracks were shouted out, he did not hear my desire to hear "Purple Rain" yet again. Bummer.

"Maximum Firepower" ended Morello's set, with the sad truth sung that "The skin you're in makes choices for you." Every Morello song is timely and truthful, but this one felt very of the moment. And excellent. His conviction is tangible, from the hoarsely shouted lyrics to the fierce strumming, there really aren't a whole lot more people you'd rather follow into battle. Because he MEANS it. Clearly.

"Holy shit, I have to follow that?!" exclaimed Son Of Nun upon taking the stage, but he needn't have worried, because the crowd was along for the night's whole ride. We all joined in the rapper's call and response, yelling, "Word is bond - That's my song! Make that jam rock - All night long!" Son Of Nun is also from Baltimore, but gave it up for Los Angeles crowds after that one, 'cause we gave it some gusto. "You're gonna leave with your shirt wet," promised Son Of Nun, and he was not wrong. It was STEAMY in there, as the tiny, windowless room could not have been more packed.

Like Harvey and Samara's songs, every Son Of Nun lyric has bite and intelligence. Plus they're fun to yell along with as we joined in on the raps for rebels. "It's Like That" has us all chanting the names of Freddy Gray, Oscar Grant, Maya Hall, Tyrone West, Sandra Bland ... and the sad list goes on. This song is saying ENOUGH, and throwing down a gauntlet ... "If we don't get it, SHUT IT DOWN!" Yes. We need more and more songs and artists out there, saying exactly this. It's crucial.

Morello introduced The Last Internationale by saying, "Next is Firebrand's most exotically beautiful couple ... you'll see!" Sure enough, the gorgeous Delilah Paz and Edgey took the stage, but their great looks were almost immediately forgotten with the strength and beauty of their powerful playing and singing. I mean, they opened with Aretha Franklin's "Freedom"! Powerhouse. TLI has me forever now after their next one, which was an original melody put to the lyrics of Kris Kristofferson's "Don't Let The Bastards Get You Down." What?! Favorites playing a favorite, and making it their own. Those are the great musical moments you often get at shows like these. LOVED it.

"Hard Times" was a bluesy number that you'll hear on the next TLI record, and "1968" was their "Revolutionary anthem" that really showcased Paz's voice - and hotness - when she sang about how making revolution makes you feel like making love, which of course it does. We joined in on this one, chanting "People, People have the power!" under her lyrics, and in that moment, it absolutely felt like we did. Because we DO. The Last Internationale have a solo show at the Viper Room on May 25, and you really don't want to miss that gig.

Rhiannon McGavin is a local teenage poet, and she next got up there and delivered a poem about sexual assault and "Denim Day", which draws attention to that particular nightmare. It packed a punch, and as Morello correctly assessed, "I think we're in good hands with the Millenials." At least this one.

The All Star Jam is always my favorite at these shows, and everyone crammed back up on stage to belt out Leadbelly's "Bourgeois Blues", which was great, and then we convinced their asses that we'd enjoy hearing some more. We got more, as Samara took over singing lead in his British accent for The Clash's "Should I Stay Or Should I Go?" This one got pretty rowdy, and shirts were indeed wet.

The ironic champagne bucket was passed around the room for the grateful audience to kick in more for PATH, and as that was happening, Morello told about how it had been his turn to speak to to the little kids at his son's school for May Day. He shared his "revolutionary rhetoric for toddlers" to the kids, telling them how the miners in Marseilles, Illinois formed a Union and fought for the eight hour work day, because they never saw their children and they just wanted to PLAY! This was the real story of May Day, and this IS the real story of "This Land Is Your Land", which was, as ever, the night's finale.

As Morello explained how the song would go down (I'm anarchist, but I'm rule based, like Darth Vader" ... I leave 'motherfucker' out when I talk to the five year olds, but I think it in my head."), and how we were all in it together, it really felt true. You felt that everyone in there had been revolutionized, and that they really would take it out into the world with them, and STAND UP against any social injustice that rears its ugly heads before them. This alternative National Anthem is the real deal, and really the main thing to remember going forward. This land is OUR land. It was made for you AND me. Everyone jumped together in agreement and solidarity, and were reminded once again by Morello that we must "Take it easy, but take it!" Yeah.

The crowed exploded out into the night, gasping for cool air and a breeze to dry the shirts. I headed for home, feeling inspired, and totally sure that I'd made the right choice in the night's entertainment. Because everyone was happy, everyone was ALIVE, and everyone could feel the promise of better days ahead, because we're in it together. And People have the power. Never forget that.

See you next time!

Firebreand Fridays With Tom Morello And Friends!

The inaugural Firebrand Friday hosted by Tom Morello took place last Friday at Genghis Cohen in Hollywood, and it was just the best. Hearkening back to the Hotel Cafe days when Morello had these nights in residency where he would bring in all his rock star friends and for the price of $10 - with every penny going to help PATH (People Assisting The Homeless) here in L.A. - you got hours of the best music ever, in a space smaller than most living rooms. Genghis Cohen is even smaller, so it was like chilling with all your friends ... some of whom were eating Chinese food.

The night began at 7:30, so with L.A. traffic, there were like six of us in the room when it began. That did not last long, however, as the next time I turned around the little room was packed in so tight, air itself was becoming scarce. And no one cared. Morello opened the evening explaining that the night was a benefit for PATH, and that Genghis Cohen was the first place he had Chinese food, and that the first (acoustic) rocker of the night would be Mr. Wayne Kramer of the mighty MC5. Yeah.

Kramer opened the evening with his excellent and appropriate "Wild America". Kramer is the founder of the U.S. branch of the excellent Jail Guitar Doors organization, teaching inmates how to play guitar. He next shared with us a cover of Merle Haggard's "Sing Me Back Home", a song Haggard was inspired to write after hearing Johnny Cash play in prison. Excellence. Kramer was just back from performing in Dublin, where he learned about the "Old Triangle" that was rung in the prison there. He had Carl Restivo and Jill Sobule join him for the haunting, Irish lament, their harmonies soaring as they took us back there with them. Friends singing together for a good cause, there really is nothing much better.

Morello came back up to remind the room that 100% of the night's proceeds were going to PATH, and that we were about to hear one of his favorite new bands, "Standard bearers in the social justice struggle, The Last Internationale." Up came Delila Paz and Edgey Pires - The Last Internationale. I'd heard Morello talk about them and heard they crushed it at the South American Lollapaloozas, but I had no idea how mind-blowingly AWESOME the voice on Paz is. WHOA. They began with a Malvina Reynolds tune, "It Isn't Nice" that nicely complimented the night's theme of fighting the power and solidarity ... "It isn't nice to block the doorway, it isn't nice to go to jail, There are nicer ways to do it, but the nice ways always fail, it isn't nice, it isn't nice, you told us once, you told us twice, but if that is Freedom's price, We don't mind." That's right.

They followed that one with their own, "We Will Reign", and after hearing that, I have every reason to believe that they will indeed reign - over almost all the bands out there right now. Ass kicking music with a message everyone needs to hear ... you can't lose. The real show stopper was their cover of Mahalia Jackson's "I'm Going To Live The Life I Sing About In My Song". Paz said, "I'm gonna change the lyrics a bit for the times ... that never change." I'm not exaggerating one bit when I say I was covered with chills the entire song. The song was so soaring, so clearing grounded in Paz's convictions, delivering this gospel standard with anger and a fierce strength that quite truly blew minds. The room erupted in cheers, and Morello came up with his hand over his heart and said exactly what I'd just written in my notes ... "Holy. Shit." Honestly.

Next up was the fantastic Jill Sobule, who is always a complete delight to behold. She's not only SO talented, but downright hilarious, with some of the very best lyrics around. She told us how her first song didn't go over so big when she last played it in Tennessee ... "When They Say They Want Our America Back", and had everyone singing along with her when she asked, "Well, what the fuck do they mean?" Super timely, super relevant, and super true, whether Tennesseans liked it or not. We LOVED it (and Thank GOD for our little L.A. bubble). Then, with all the talk about earthquakes (and actual earthquakes happening lately - and that big dumb San Andreas movie opening), Sobule sang about how it it was "A Good Life", no matter what happens. We all sang along, and agreed with her. Especially on nights like this, it is a REALLY good life.

Sobule came out with "I Kissed A Girl" well before Katy Perry did, and on this night, she took her song back. We were all glad she did, as it was once again hilarious (and made a bunch of 13 year old girls buy her song by accident, which I love). A song about meeting your heroes, "Heroes". Again, it was pure comedy as Sobule listed off dictators and other dicks that should not fall into the heroic category. "Where is Bobbie Gentry?" is a song about how Sobule has been stalking the singer of "Ode To Billie Joe" - and she's getting close to finding her. You could hear Morello laughing in the wings as his friend wittily spun her musical tales and probably made people want to stalk HER.

Morello came back to let us know that Firebrand Fridays are not just musical events, but a movement. "A plan for global domination." These shows will happen on Fridays throughout the summer (follow Morello on Twitter to be kept in the know), but even if you're nowhere near, you can create a "Mosh pit in your mind" as you share your own firebrand thoughts through your music around the world and hashtag it with #FirebrandFriday so we can all stand together in solidarity, wherever we are. Do it. With that, Morello lit into his "Flesh Shapes The Day" and we all "Woo HOO HOO'd" with him during his musical mic check to show that we were all the way on board. "Si Se Puede, fuck YEAH!"

Carl Restivo "My Steven Van Zandt" came up to join Morello for the Ben Harper part on "Save The Hammer For The Man", which was as excellent as ever, their voices and guitars harmonizing together perfectly. "I need Daddy's apple juice", said Morello after that one and once that sauce got served, we got the sublimely gorgeous song about moments of doubt, "The Garden Of Gethsemane". Mary Morello was sitting down front, and at 91, she was as into it as anyone there as she watched her son play her favorite. It was so quiet in the tiny room, the only other sound you could hear was the (much needed) fan whirring and people breathing. Respect.

"This is a song about kicking everyone's ass that gets in your way," said Morello by way of introducing "House Gone Up In Flames". It truly was fiery, in its message and delivery, his "Whatever It Takes" acoustic guitar truly a weapon. Morello was singing so forcefully and meaning it so hard you could actually see his face shaking with the sheer determination that wrongs WILL be righted. People yelled themselves hoarse when it was done, and Morello told about how he's seen U2 at the Roxy the night before when some guy yelled out, "Helps to be Tom Morello!" to which Morello responded, "You can just put that hipster hate away, or I'll have Mary Morello come back there and choke you out." The hate was immediately stowed. Ha!

"The Fabled City" was dedicated to The Last Internationale, as it's their favorite, and then a champagne bucket was passed around for people to pony up for PATH, since the $10 cover worked out to "Only about $1.15 per superstar," and we could do - and did - better than that. While the bucket was being passed, Morello told us about how he could not believe it, but that very morning the words "Turn that music down, it's too loud!" had come out of his mouth to his sons. Everyone laughed, as they appreciated the irony there, especially when Morello said that the look his five year old son gave him was basically, "Fuck you, I won't do what you tell me!" Ahh ... the chickens coming home to roost. Hilarious. With that, Morello ended his set with a song about moments of certainty, and dedicated "Until The End" to our friend, the late anti-war hero, Tomas Young, saying from now on it would always be played for him. It was beautiful, and the room erupted in cheers after Morello's harmonica solo riled them all up.

Rancid's Tim Armstrong was actually kind of responsible for the Firebrand Friday, as he and Morello had talked about doing acoustic shows together, and now, here we were. I never realized the political slant in Rancid's music before, and was pleasantly surprised to hear, "It's Quite Alright", with its lyrics about freedom, ignorance, and reality. It was so good. "Thank you. How great is this?", asked Armstrong, and we all let him know it was pretty great. As was his "Harry Bridges" about the great Union leader, and also the man who lost his job. Powerful stuff. I also never knew that Rancid's "Into Action" was really about taking public transportation, as Armstrong doesn't drive. "Respect to New York, Respect to London, but we're from California and our state is golden!" That got big cheers, rightly so.

"This song's about hanging out with friends, because sometimes friends are all you've got." Armstrong played his last number, "Olympia, WA", and we were all just kind of tripping that Tim Armstrong was sitting right there on a stool, playing acoustic, and so was thoroughly entertaining that it was almost a drag that it was time for the All Star finale jam.

Almost, but not quite, because now EVERYONE came back up, and sang and played together like they were reaching for the rafters of Staples Center, but in a space smaller than one of the luxury suites over there. The legendary Pete Seeger Union song, "Which Side Are You On?" was belted out by all on stage and all in the audience alike, and all the fists in the house were raised, perhaps no higher than when Paz gave us chills again with her command to "Fight like a woman!" It was awesome in there.

Always the show stopper, "This Land Is Your Land" was listened to, sung to and jumped to in unison by all, front to back, as is required when Tom Morello is leading this classic.

He appointed one lady to film the proceedings, so we could all live in the moment live vs. through a phone screen - a greatly appreciated standard practice. The place went nuts the whole time, and then it amped up even further when Morello told the crowd that "Tomorrow is my birthday, and I'm having a fantastic time!"

So were all of us, and then it got even more fantastic when they couldn't stop and had to lay one more song on us and that song was The MC5's "Kick Out The Jams"!

Morello was beaming from ear to ear during he and Kramer's guitar lick battle, as those jams done got kicked OUT. The guy right behind me said simply, "Wow." That's just about all you could say, truly.

The sweaty and thrilled audience serenaded Morello with the "Happy Birthday" song, and it was over, with Morello thanking the Firebrand Freedom Fighters and reminding us all to "Take it easy, but take it!" Done, and done.

This night also served as the launch of the new label from Tom Morello and Ryan Harvey. Firebrand Records ... rebel music, by and for the People. It's ON.

THANK YOU to Tom, and to everyone involved. Freedom fighting is not only fun, but in these crazy times, ultra-necessary. Please join this master plan for global domination, either by attending a Firebrand Friday yourself (and supporting PATH!), or by uploading your own brand of fire and sharing it with the hashtag #FirebrandFriday. It's on, People.


* Photos by Paul Gronner Photography

The Jail Guitar Doors Rock Out 2!

The second annual Jail Guitar Doors Rock Out was held September 5th at the Ford Amphitheater in Hollywood, and it certainly held true to its name. With another all star line-up coming together to benefit the organization founded by Billy Bragg (in the UK) and Brother Wayne Kramer and his wife Margaret Saadi Kramer (US) to bring guitars to inmates in prison as something positive in their lives.

It's touching to hear the stories that happen each Tuesday night in the guitar classes led by JGD volunteers in the Twin Towers men's central correctional facility in downtown L.A. MC of the evening, Dana Gould, brought out Wayne Kramer to much applause, and Kramer explained, "We see  inmates learn to process problems in new, non-confrontational ways. The walls go down, racism goes down, classism, sexism goes down ... and we end up with all that we really are - human beings."

Powerful stuff, and the applause was resounding for the volunteers (Jason Heath, Cody Marks, Michael de la Rocha, Adele Bertei, etal.) and JGD graduates that came out to play the first number, a jazzy one, led by graduate Franc Foster, who has gone on to run his own music program on Skid Row. The chorus went "I love you" ... and that's just about the most important thing to say ever, so we were off to a good start. They clanged out the namesake Clash tune, "Jail Guitar Doors", and then it was time for Kramer to really shine.

Earlier this year, Kramer released his jazz album, Lexington, and the Ford audience was in for a treat as Kramer and his Lexington Arts Ensemble (Phil Ranelin on trombone, Tigran Hamasyan on piano,  Buzzy Moore on tenor sax, Bob Hurst on upright bass, Doug Lunn on bass, Eric "The Claw" Gardner and Brock Avery on drums and percussion) spoke to us about life in prison through jazz in three instrumental numbers.

Kramer introduced the first number by saying that this album was "a way to talk about my jail experiences in my first language - music." As Kramer's signature star spangled guitar wailed in conversation with his fellow musicians in the Ensemble, and he tore off a particularly fresh solo, I thought to myself how he really is speaking, and we really are being taken on a tour of the thoughts and feelings involved with incarceration. It was heavy and cool at the same time, like jazz itself, I suppose. A true highlight.

Gould next introduced the ever-charming Jill Sobule, as a "Musical novelist", which is true, because every Sobule song tells a whole story, always with a little zinger of wit included. Like in her opening number, "Jetpack" where she sings, "If I had a jetpack, I'd take you so high, If I dropped you, you'd die." She's the best. She brought out a band to join her on the next one, saying, "I'm not used to having a guitar person!" and said that her favorite gigs are always the ones played with Wayne.

"When My Ship Comes In" was a rocker, with Sobule trading licks with Kramer metal-style. Raucous applause met them at song's end, and Sobule said, "I've always wanted to do that with Wayne!" Gould came out and said, "A guitar duel with Wayne Kramer? For a young lady, that takes balls." Yeah.

Next up was Tim Presley's White Fence, who, appropriately for the evening, have a new album called, For The Recently Found Innocent. While Presley looks a bit like a young Serge Gainsbourg, his band is straight out of hipster band central casting ... skinny jeans, pointy shoes, big beard, baseball hat ... check, check, check, check. They live in the "Psych Rock" bin at Amoeba, but had a lengthy jam band thing going too. They played two rockers for us before it was time for intermission.

After a few minutes of catching up with old friends, checking out the JGD merch table, and grabbing a beer, it was time for Mr. Gould to introduce the next performer as playing with his Mother, "So she's obviously more supportive of his career than mine was..." and out came Ben Harper with his band, The Relentless 7 (Jesse Ingalls, Jason Mozersky and Jimmy Paxson on drums and garbage can). "My Mom told me to man up and play one on my own first," Harper joked as he and the band played an acoustic "Don't Give Up On Me Now". With all of his vast catalog to choose from, this was an interesting choice when each performer only got a few songs in their set. Maybe to tie in with the prison message or something, but it's not really a fan favorite. But still real good.

"I'm Ben Harper, and this is my Mom, Ellen." Harper welcomed his Mother, Ellen Harper, to the stage with a hug and a kiss, and they harmonized beautifully together on the family-feeling "A House Is A Home" from their recent collaboration together, Childhood Home.

Ellen Harper took the lead on "Farmer's Daughter" on vocals and banjo, while Ben slid away on his Weissenborn ... taking us to the Appalachians and back, lamenting the loss of family farms to conglomerates like Monsanto. It was very easy to see where Ben gets his talents, and his social consciousness, as he played next to the woman who gave him those gifts. And that was it! Shouts of "MORE!" met the Harpers and the band, but as Gould said, "Ellen has to get Ben's lunch going for their gig tomorrow." Ha.

Rock Hall of Famer Jackson Browne took the stage next with a big band, including Ben Harper, who Browne brought back on to join him for a song "we both know, but we've never played it together before." So together they gave us, "Jamaica, Say You Will" (which Harper covered on the recent Browne tribute album, Looking Into You: A Tribute To Jackson Browne). It was as sublime as you can imagine, as Harper's Weissenborn, Browne's piano, and their classic voices blended together like a good dream.

"I'm fortunate to be here ... compared to jail, we're fortunate to be anywhere," said Browne truthfully. He brought back Jill Sobule (Jack and Jill!) to join him on Warren Zevon's heartbreakingly tender "Don't Let Us Get Sick". So pretty, I almost cried (but if you know me, that's not that hard). After that loveliness, it was back to the rock, with Browne unleashing his timeless "Running On Empty", stoking the entire place, as everyone sang and danced along under the starry skies on a warm, Hollywood night. It doesn't get a whole lot better ... but it does.

Browne brought out actor Tim Robbins (in a tank top) to join him, saying, "You're like the poster child for going to jail, Mr. Shawshank!" Fittingly, they lit into The Clash version of "I Fought The Law (And The Law Won)", trading licks and verses, and looking like they were having an absolute blast - as were all of us in the audience.

The octane got jacked up a whole lot higher for the last performers, Tom Morello and his Freedom Fighter Orchestra (Carl Restivo, Dave Gibbs, Eric Gardner). Bringing the incendiary rock for the final jams is now standard protocol for Morello at these events, and he did not disappoint.
 

Unveiling the brand new and super timely "Marching On Ferguson", they had fists raised and a whole bunch of grey heads practically moshing. A heavy tune musically, lyrically and subject-matter wise, Morello reinforced the argument for him being the modern-age Woody Guthrie or Pete Seeger ... that can do a solo with his teeth on his Arm The Homeless guitar.

"Well, this is my last song because of curfew issues, so let's make it a good one!", said Morello to a disbelieving, riled up crowd. It WAS a good one, however, as Morello's version of Springsteen's "The Ghost Of Tom Joad" would have blown the roof off of the Ford, if it had one. It's so much his own now, with the famous guitar solo that still gives me chills. When you hear THIS Tom sing ...

Now Tom said, "Ma, wherever there's a cop beatin' a guy,
Wherever a hungry newborn baby cries,
Where there's a fight 'gainst the blood and hatred in the air,
Look for me, Ma,  I'll be there.
Wherever there's somebody fightin' for a place to stand,
Or decent job or a helpin' hand,
Wherever somebody's strugglin' to be free,
Look in their eyes, Ma, you'll see me.

... you know that he absolutely means it. If there's a strike at the Port of L.A., or a Teacher's Union picket line, or a night of rock to help give incarcerated inmates something positive in their lives, Morello can be counted on to be there, if at all able. I am proud to be his friend, straight up.

People jumped to their feet, whistling and stomping, having just had their minds blown. "Does that mean you want one more song?!", Morello shouted. He then invited EVERYONE down front to jump and scream around for "The Road I Must Travel".

"OK, I need that 17 times louder, all together in solidarity!" ... and together the Ford crowd shouted the "Na, na, na, na..." chorus one more time. After more yelling for more, Morello ignored the curfew (and the fines), saying, "I don't think I'm done with you yet," and launching into the power riff from Rage's "Sleep Now In The Fire". All-time.

"TAKE IT EASY! TAKE IT EASY! TAKE IT EASY! ... BUT TAKE IT!!!" shouted Morello in his customary sign-off, but then swerved and said, "Fuck the curfew, let's play one more!" No one minded in the least (besides maybe Ford Theater neighbors, but they should be thrilled), and Morello brought back the whole line-up for the All Star finale. "Where's Ben Harper?! I've been waiting my whole life to play this song with Ben Harper! C'mon, we're being charged $15, 000 a minute!", Morello kept asking, but alas, the Harpers had already curiously peaced out ... Mom must not have wanted him out past curfew (Sorry. The comedian stuff rubbed off a little).

A shame, because who wouldn't want to play Kiss's "Rock And Roll All Nite" with Morello, Kramer, Browne, Sobule and a slew of other fantastic band members that BROUGHT. IT. Carl Restivo took on lead vocals, and we really could have kept it up all nite.

You can't have a Wayne Kramer gig without seriously kicking out the jams, and that's what the grand finale was, with everyone on stage as one unified Guitarmy. Kramer, Morello, Robbins and Browne all shared a mic at one point, and it was a delight to watch Franc Foster watching all these music heroes playing for, and on the behalf of, people just like him.

Jail Guitar Doors gives hope to the inmates it serves. It also gives hope to the world, that you can always make change for the better. When Kramer shouted at song's end, "We done kicked 'em OUT!", it was about the jams, of course, but it could just as well have been yelled about all the 'isms that he spoke about at the beginning of the show ... there's no room for racism, sexism, or any negativity at all when you share moments like this with good people like these ...it's ALL kicked out.

Support Jail Guitar Doors, and the musicians that support them, because they're all doing something that truly matters, all while rocking you silly. Everybody wins!

*Photos by PaulGronner.com