In episode 2 of Hooked on Creek, I discuss Max Creek’s performance on October 2, 2002, at Lupo’s Heartbreak Hotel in Providence, Rhode Island.
A live recording of this entire Max Creek performance is available to stream or download here.
Episode 2 transcription
Welcome to Hooked on Creek. A podcast celebrating the music of Max Creek. I am your host, Korre Johnson, and you are listening to episode 2.
Hey everyone thanks so much for joining me on episode 2 of Hooked on Creek. In this episode, I am going to discuss Max Creek’s performance on October 2, 2002, at Lupo’s Heartbreak Hotel in Providence, Rhode Island. You can find a direct link to stream or download the entire Max Creek show I am reviewing in this episode in the episode show notes, or simply head over to hookedoncreek.com. And while you are there, click the contact link and let me know what you think. I am always looking for recommendations on topics to cover or shows to feature in this podcast. Alright, now let’s get started.
The show at Lupo’s Heartbreak Hotel back on October 2, 2002, starts with a thick and dreamy version of The Field. As the song builds, the singing and the guitar playing get increasingly entwined, beautifully trading voices and working together to summon the haunting tone that defines the classic Max Creek tune.
And then like a warm ray of sunshine on a cold morning, John wakes us from our transcendental state with a crisp version of You Don’t Know.
Next, Mark leads the band through a cover of Steady Rollin’ Man, a Robert Johnson song that dates back to 1937. Of course, Robert Johnson is considered one of the most important and influential blues figures in history. And here, Mark does a great job interpreting and delivering this iconic blues tune.
And now after those first three songs .— The Field, You Don’t Know and Steady Rollin’ Man — the crowd at at Lupo’s Heartbreak Hotel in Providence, Rhode Island is treated with a huge You Write the Book, clocking in at over 22 minutes. About 3:30 in, we start to hear Scott build a succulent jam that cascades with intensity, extending to about the 6:30 point in the song. Then after another verse, the jam comes back with an entirely new level of creativity and improvisation. At about 14 minutes into the song, deep inside this epic jam, John uses his bass guitar to lead the band into entirely new space, opening the song to a new groove, which Mark perfectly leverages in his continuation of the jam. The song concludes as a cosmic masterpiece, that you just have to hear.
As You Write The Book ends, it transitions into a great cover of Six Days on the Road, a song written by Earl Green and Carl Montgomery, that was made famous back in 1963 when country music singer Dave Dudley took it to #2 on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart.
Next up, Max Creek covers the classic song Ophelia, which of course is a song written by Robbie Robertson from The Band, and first released on The Band’s 1975 album Northern Lights – Southern Cross. Here, Mark delivers a powerful interpretation of the song, and both Scott and Mark contribute nicely to build some interesting jams throughout.
After Ophelia, comes a beautiful Louisiana Sun, that transitions effortlessly into a heavy Darlin’, clocking in over 13 minutes long, then the boys clean up some unfinished business by transitioning back into Louisiana Sun. So, we’re given something like a Darlin’ sandwich — a tasty treat I know you will enjoy.
Then, Max Creek plays When I Paint My Masterpiece, a song written by Bob Dylan in 1971 that was first released that year by The Band in their album Cahoots. After Mark delivers the final verse — about 4:30 in — the structure of the song starts to loosen, and a delicate and subtle jam emerges to close the song, but then things start to get really interesting.
The tone of the show takes a somewhat darker turn through the following string of songs that end the set. When I Paint My Masterpiece ends by dissolving into a 15 minute long version of The Same Things, that’s overflowing with raw emotion, which is followed by beautiful, yet somber, version of Want to Die Easy that clocks in over 14 minutes long. That’s followed by a heartfelt cover of Baby Please Don’t Go, which was featured earlier in the introduction to this podcast episode. And while this song is commonly recognized as one of the most played, arranged, and rearranged pieces in blues history, there is nothing like hearing it performed by Max Creek, and this version delivers the goods. And then, Max Creek ends the set with Scott singing Pissed Off.
And for the encore, Max Creek comes back to play a fun and lively version of Trippin’.
Looking over the entire show, you are going to hear three songs from Max Creek’s 1980 album Windows, which are: The Field, You Write the Book and Darlin’. We heard three songs from Max Creek’s 1983 album Drink the Stars. Those were: You Don’t Know, Pissed Off and Trippin’. And we heard 1 song, Louisiana Sun, from their 1990 album MCMXC.
I think there is a lot to love about this October 2, 2002, Max Creek show, so I highly recommend streaming it or downloading it from arhive.org. You can find a direct link in the episode show notes or online at hookedoncreek.com. Now, let’s hear a few tunes from this amazing show. First up, you are going to hear You Write the Book, which will be followed by I Want to Die Easy. This is Max Creek performing live at Lupo’s Heartbreak Hotel in Providence, Rhode Island on October 2, 2002.
And now, here is I Want to Die Easy.
And that concludes my review of Max Creek’s performance on October 2, 2002, at Lupo’s Heartbreak Hotel in Providence, Rhode Island. I highly recommend you check it out. You can stream or download this Max Creek show on archive.org. And if you have feedback about this episode or recommendations for future episodes, visit hookedoncreek.com and click the contact link to send me a message. Thanks for tuning in.