*****

Bryan Schoff

What an awesome time- I actually traded off on bass with Mike Gordon! It was a dream come true to say the least.

*****

Brain Stollery

Waited outside for 6 hours then couldn’t get in because it was 21+ and I’m 20. Saw Mike walking in though, and Jeff Bridges walked past outside at one point, so wasn’t a total loss.

*****

Tommy Tompkins

I was fortunate enough to get a chance to jam Mike at company at the great Mossing. I had been looking forward to this event since it was first announced. A chance to jam with Mike Gordon…there was NO way I was going to pass up this opportunity! I arrive there around 5:20 pm, and noticed that the line was already around the block! I was trying to make it by 6 to play it safe, it was a good thing I was coming from the east and avoided most of rush-hour.

After waiting outside and talking with other fans (all were very personable, cool humans) we were let in around 7:10pm. The first thing I noticed was, well, the place was COVERED in moss. From the bars counters and floors to the bathroom walls, this was indeed a Mossery. There was a good buzz about the place before the event started. When I first went up to Mike I air guitared some slap-bass and asked if he was going to do any of that tonight. The event started shortly after that.

Like many people hoping to play there, I was wondering exactly how this is going to work. Mike gave the low-down and said they will be running through the album, jamming out some grooves and calling us up as it was happening. It was a very pleasant surprise to see Scott Murawski and Joe Russo joining in. This only racked my nerves more, having seen Murawski wailing in Max Creek as well as on Gordon’s previous Tour. The numbers start rolling along, people going up there and playing with these heavy hitters. I was watching from behind the stage and seeing Russo on the kit that close was absurd. He made playing the drums look effortless, yet it sounded anything but that.

#36 was my number. I got called to the stage as they were in the midst of a funky jam. I had no idea what I was going to do when I got up, but after watching everyone else play I noticed how Murawski was being very gracious about letting people get a chance to jam up front. So I get up there and just started improvising over the heavy pocket Russo and Gordon were laying down. As I’m playing I’m nervous as shit, but I look back and see Scott and Mike bobbing there heads and smiling so that set me at ease a bit. Then everyone stops, including me. I see Russo behind the kit looking at me during the brief pause fretting on his drumstick. I took it that he wanted me to play in the break, so I did. After the groove starts back up Mike starts singing “Rock Me Baby”. “Oh shit, this is awesome” I thought. I figured after that my time was running out, and sure enough the MC says thank you. I look back and Mike is pointing at Scott, then me. It turns out he wanted us to do a mini-duel. I couldn’t believe it, a chance to trade riffs with a legend! It was one of the best feelings ever getting a chance to do that. After it was done I shook their hands and thanked them for this rare opportunity and moseyed off stage giving high-fives to those
around me. I was on cloud-72 after wards, and still am today.

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