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The
Doors 21st Century
Last Call With Carson Daly show taping on February 12, 2003
Glyn Emmerson
With the city on red alert we had to go through at least four checkpoints
at NBC Studios at Rockefeller Plaza to the old Saturday Night Live.
At six, Carson Daly greeted the crowd with a dull monologue, announced
the night's guest, Mia Sorvino, and poked fun at the rowdy, whistling
Doors fans in the front row.
After Mia’s interview, staff took the first
two rows of chairs out and the roadies placed the band's equipment
onstage. Stagehand/band manager Marco gently placed Robby’s
foot pedals of fuzz, wah wah and distortion stage left as Ray's
Alesis keyboard was placed towards the back right next to the drum
riser, just like the old days. As the band took to the stage a chorus
of Happy Birthday greeted Ray that must have lasted at least five
minutes. Ray announced that Ty Dennis would be on drums and that
Stewart Copeland was still recuperating from his arm injury. The
band then bolted into Roadhouse Blues that had the crowd
singing along as if they were sucking down Buds at the local dive
down the block. For the harmonica solo that John Sebastian did on
MORRISON HOTEL, Robby and Ray did it as if they were duking it out
for rock and roll turf. Drummer Ty Dennis and bassist Angelo Barbera
pounded out the saucy rhythms that reeked of stale beer and stinky
cigs.
After the tune ended Robby, Ray and Ian assembled
onstage and staged goodbyes for the camera. The band then returned
for a raucous Five To One to be used for a future show. Ty
cracked out the beat in 4/4 time as the band sank its teeth into
a driving, sanctified and funked up trance. Ian climbed on top of
the bass drum for the grand finale and let out a blood-curdling
yelp to the band's firepower as if they were battling the establishment
and its call to arms, just like the sixties.
Robby and Ian talked to fans from the stage afterwards
and I asked Ian if the band will be returning to the New York City
area soon – he said in April.
Fuck the critics, this time around it's for the
fans!
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