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Re: Zappa, and homework for the weekend.



For what it may, or may not be worth, I had the very fortunate opportunity to see the original Mothers Of Invention, on a triple bill with Country Joe and the Fish and Canned Heat,
in the Summer of 1968, and at some LONG GONE venue in Houston TX called "The Catacombs". No kidding.  It was designed inside to make it feel like you were in a CAVERN and the place was nice and cool, AC-wise too, which was GOOD since this was in the SUMMER in HOT and hellishly HUMID Houston.  If anyone has ever been in Houston during the Summer, especially LATE Summer, they will KNOW what I am referring to!   Humidity SO THICK that you could almost cut it with a knife.

Anyway, I was a very young teen and the place was all ages, but I think(?) it was also was set up to sell alcohol too, but I do not remember now, but I do recall it also being filled with a lot 'adults' as well. This was a night I will NEVER FORGET!   After the Mother's set, Frank came wandering thru the audience being friendly and briefly speaking to people, etc, 
and he eventually came up to me and asked if he could take a sip out of my large size, iced Dr. Pepper soda pop, since it "was hot on that stage" 
(his words, even with the decent enough AC in the venue) and of course I was TREMBLING, but also let him take sip off of the straw. 
I was VERY intimated to be in direct presence  and personal contact with a "STAR" and the only dumb ass thing I could think of to say to him was, 
"Er...when are ya coming back to Texas?"  DUH!  I forget what he said, but I recall that he was nice enough and then moved onto the next person in the crowd.

Country Joe and The Fish and Canned Heat were also in great form that evening too. This 1968 event in Houston was billed as the "Houston Trips Festival" (or concert? OR..?)
But gee....I  have NO idea of WHY it was called THAT? (snicker)  This was the first and only time I was ever at the Catacombs to see any gigs. I wish I could have seen more there.
It was a great place!

Below is some more info about the Catacombs history,etc.
The authors write out the Mothers,etc, gig as the "Houston Pops Festival" but I  remember it being called the "Trips" fest ,since those of us "in the know" got a big laugh out of that. 
Or maybe someone else decided to "rename" it as that? That would have been appropriate since Owsley was still "productive" in them thar days. (or, daze) :-)  
Mein Gaia, that was ages ago. Enjoy.

-Rev. Fever

During it's 5 year stay at the South Post Oak Road location the Catacombs booked an amazing array of musical talent. Such bands as the Grateful Dead, Jethro Tull, Jeff Beck Group, and the Mothers of Invention (at the "Houston Pop Festival") performed their first Houston shows there.


'In fact, shortly before making the move, the Catacombs hosted what it described as "Houston's first pop festival" featuring the Mothers of Invention, Country Joe & the Fish, Canned Heat and a number of local acts.'

On Jun 22, 2007, at 1:10 PM, Dennis Montgomery wrote:

I've had the absolute week from hell and I put on my old Zappa '81 Halloween in NY video to watch with lunch.  Tough to worry about bills/money/crazy stuff watching FZ.  The Helsinki band and the '81 band with "Stevie Vai" are my 2 fave Zappa road gangs.

Arf