Moving Matter

This is some notes on our very first gig from Robby Richardson, original keyboardist and dear friend!  Robby was a key founder in MM and we thank him for all his contributions and love to the band.  We are all still great friends, and every once in a while manage to get him back on stage with us!  It's been a great ten years, we recently celebrated our ten year anniversary with Sushi and fistfights!

..... from the journal de bert....

"Today is our gig at Al's--I'm itching with excitement (and exhausted from the physical and mental energy from practicing and trying to understand how to work the rented equipment). Everybody is all jacked up with anticipation, and Ben, Devin, and Matt have offered to help move equipment and take care of the sound."

And then from the next day:
"The show went well with the exception of an early ending brought on by a visit from the Sheriff--the neighbors complained about the noise. They have an agreement that outdoor music at Al's will not exceed 60 decibels, and at one point, we were at 85. It was humorous really, to see the neighbors out on the street holding their decibel meters in the air, trying to catch us in the act. And it makes a pretty good story that our first gig was busted up by the cops."

Anyway, for what it's worth, here's the setlist from Moving Matter 1.0:

Set I:
Bond
You Don't Love Me
Yamar
After Midnight > Fire on the Mountain
G.M.Funk

Set II:
Who Loves the Sun?
Slime
Cocaine > Weekapaug Groove
Hottentot
Skippin' on the Moon

Set III:
Wolfman's Brother*

*interrupted by a visit from the Sheriff's Department

So, we ended up with two sets and an encore, rather than the three sets that we had planned. I imagine that each one of these songs lasted at least 20 minutes each. Whatever. It was the beginning of an era. It's crazy to think about what followed from that night.

Anyway, I just wanted to say that I am so happy to have been a part of Moving Matter, if even for a while, and I am so proud that you guys have carried the torch for ten years--from Al's Canyon Grill to Diamond Billiards, Back Alley Lounge, the Starlight, and the Aggie, and on to Austin, Dallas, Houston, and around the western USA. It's an amazing thing, and people have been moved to MOVE--to dance and feel something that they would otherwise never have known.

I wish that I could be there to hang out this weekend and celebrate a landmark with you all, but am sending my best wishes in the best way that I can. Jessica has a gift for you from me that I hope will allow the four of you--the band--to go out and have a good time and celebrate ten years of Moving Matter. Know that I will be there in spirit. If you got the rhythm, I got the rhyme.

The Wonderwheel rolls on.

Much love from
BERT