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Show Report- Nokie Edwards at El Camino Nov 10, '03 - Tokyo, Japan
I was thrilled to find that Nokie Edwards would be appearing in Tokyo while I
was visiting Japan. The Ventures "Live in Japan '65" is one of the most
important instrumental releases of that decade, and the Ventures have maintained
their premier status in Japan by playing at least 30 shows there every year for
the past 39 years.
First, a little about the El Camino club. The El Camino is very small,
about the size of the downstairs at the Hotel Utah, with no real stage. No
seats, just couches like a comfortable living room for about 35 people. In fact,
it is a shrine to the Ventures. Though not a private club, it is frequented only
by patrons who are Ventures fans. The patrons are also musicians of varying
degree, from novice on up. They leave their guitars hanging on the walls (all
signed by Nokie and other members of the Ventures) so that they will always be
there when they need them. No one worries about their guitar being stolen, and
they don't mind if other people use them. The El Camino provides a backline- two
Twin Reverbs, a bass amp and drums. The owner of the club is an excellent player
(he backed up Nokie this night) who just leaves his '64 Jazzmaster on stage.
Tickets for the show cost $100, but that also included dinner and top shelf
booze and beer which was placed on the tables in front of the couches. Yes, an
open bar only an arms length away. The price also includes a chance to chat with
Nokie, as he just hung around the stage before and after his performance.
Nokie was traveling with a second guitarist, Kerry Marx who plays with the
Grand Ole Opry House house band in Nashville, which should tell you quite a bit
about his ability on guitar. As there were three guitar players, Kerry mostly
filled out the sound with fat tones from his PRS, although he and Nokie had
worked out a few intricate two guitar arrangements for some of the songs. Kerry
has great respect for Nokie and is on call for him whenever needed. The rest of
the band was rounded out by Mr. Toda, the club's owner on Don Wilson style
rhythm guitar and veterans of Japanese Ventures cover bands on Bass and Drums.
This was a Nokie show, not the Ventures so there was a lot more focus on
his solo stuff and the Nashville chicken-pickin' style he is so good at. Each
song was greeted with a huge response from the crowd, though the Ventures tunes
were the most appreciated (fans did the rhythmic clap all the way through "Let's
Go".) Though Nokie walks slowly with a pronounced limp and sits on a stool for
the show, his fingers fly as fast as ever, the speed of his right hand finger
picking matched by the chordal comping, double stops and single note lines of
his left. There were several jaw dropping displays of technique, like in his
versions of "Classical Gas" and "Orange Blossom Special".
I got a chance to ask Nokie a few question: How did he fell about the
longtime adoration of the Japanese audiences? He was on a first name basis with
many of the patrons at the club, who had been fans of his since 1964... Nokie
said that "the Ventures fans had grown up to run the country- Doctors,
businessmen, politicians" who still came to his shows. I asked about how his
approach to a song like "Caravan" had changed since playing it in '64 compared
to the greatly expanded version that closed the second set tonight. "Well" he
replied in a low key manner, "I still just try to get some of the notes right."
I have to say that he got more than a few right.
Nokie was very eager to talk about his new guitar, the "Hitchhiker" which
is a custom design of his. The most noticeable features are the thumbs-up
headstock, neck through body design with laminated layers of wood looking
something like an old Alembic, though the body shape is more of a Mosrite style.
Two Seymour Duncan humbuckers with coil taps and passive electronics that give
you 21 different tone settings. The body has a clear laqueur but the neck
backside has no finish, just bare wood. Nokie has the bodies manufactured in the
old Charvel factory and they are sent to him in Portland and he has a local
luthier finish and install the electronics.
Set 1- Walk Don't Run, Driving Guitars, Manchurian Beat, Keep Searchin, El
Cumbanchero, Tequila Sunrise, Orange Blossom Special, Runaway, Sentimental
Guitars, House of the Rising Sun, Secret Agent Man, Diamondhead, Wipe Out
Set 2- Let's Go, Ten Seconds to Heaven, Mr. Moto, I've Got a Woman, Sleep walk,
Alabama Jubilee, Aquarius, Classical Gas, Steel Guitar Rag, Slaughter on 10th
Ave., Yellow Jacket, Hawaii 5-0, Surf Rider, Pipeline, Caravan
Sounds like a great show. There's nothing better than an oldtimer that still
rips.
Is anyone planning on going on the Ventures cruise this year? I heard Los
Straitjackets won't be playing this year, but Nokie will be there.
CG
----- Original Message -----
From: Ferenc Dobronyi
To:
Cc: surfguitar101
Sent: Wednesday, November 12, 2003 1:49 PM
Subject: [SurfGuitar101] Show Report- Nokie Edwards at El Camino Nov 10, '03 -
Tokyo, Japan
Show Report- Nokie Edwards at El Camino Nov 10, '03 - Tokyo, Japan
I was thrilled to find that Nokie Edwards would be appearing in Tokyo while I
was visiting Japan. The Ventures "Live in Japan '65" is one of the most
important instrumental releases of that decade, and the Ventures have
maintained
their premier status in Japan by playing at least 30 shows there every year
for
the past 39 years.
First, a little about the El Camino club. The El Camino is very small,
about the size of the downstairs at the Hotel Utah, with no real stage. No
seats, just couches like a comfortable living room for about 35 people. In
fact,
it is a shrine to the Ventures. Though not a private club, it is frequented
only
by patrons who are Ventures fans. The patrons are also musicians of varying
degree, from novice on up. They leave their guitars hanging on the walls (all
signed by Nokie and other members of the Ventures) so that they will always be
there when they need them. No one worries about their guitar being stolen, and
they don't mind if other people use them. The El Camino provides a backline-
two
Twin Reverbs, a bass amp and drums. The owner of the club is an excellent
player
(he backed up Nokie this night) who just leaves his '64 Jazzmaster on stage.
Tickets for the show cost $100, but that also included dinner and top shelf
booze and beer which was placed on the tables in front of the couches. Yes, an
open bar only an arms length away. The price also includes a chance to chat
with
Nokie, as he just hung around the stage before and after his performance.
Nokie was traveling with a second guitarist, Kerry Marx who plays with
the
Grand Ole Opry House house band in Nashville, which should tell you quite a
bit
about his ability on guitar. As there were three guitar players, Kerry mostly
filled out the sound with fat tones from his PRS, although he and Nokie had
worked out a few intricate two guitar arrangements for some of the songs.
Kerry
has great respect for Nokie and is on call for him whenever needed. The rest
of
the band was rounded out by Mr. Toda, the club's owner on Don Wilson style
rhythm guitar and veterans of Japanese Ventures cover bands on Bass and Drums.
This was a Nokie show, not the Ventures so there was a lot more focus on
his solo stuff and the Nashville chicken-pickin' style he is so good at. Each
song was greeted with a huge response from the crowd, though the Ventures
tunes
were the most appreciated (fans did the rhythmic clap all the way through
"Let's
Go".) Though Nokie walks slowly with a pronounced limp and sits on a stool for
the show, his fingers fly as fast as ever, the speed of his right hand finger
picking matched by the chordal comping, double stops and single note lines of
his left. There were several jaw dropping displays of technique, like in his
versions of "Classical Gas" and "Orange Blossom Special".
I got a chance to ask Nokie a few question: How did he fell about the
longtime adoration of the Japanese audiences? He was on a first name basis
with
many of the patrons at the club, who had been fans of his since 1964... Nokie
said that "the Ventures fans had grown up to run the country- Doctors,
businessmen, politicians" who still came to his shows. I asked about how his
approach to a song like "Caravan" had changed since playing it in '64 compared
to the greatly expanded version that closed the second set tonight. "Well" he
replied in a low key manner, "I still just try to get some of the notes
right."
I have to say that he got more than a few right.
Nokie was very eager to talk about his new guitar, the "Hitchhiker" which
is a custom design of his. The most noticeable features are the thumbs-up
headstock, neck through body design with laminated layers of wood looking
something like an old Alembic, though the body shape is more of a Mosrite
style.
Two Seymour Duncan humbuckers with coil taps and passive electronics that give
you 21 different tone settings. The body has a clear laqueur but the neck
backside has no finish, just bare wood. Nokie has the bodies manufactured in
the
old Charvel factory and they are sent to him in Portland and he has a local
luthier finish and install the electronics.
Set 1- Walk Don't Run, Driving Guitars, Manchurian Beat, Keep Searchin, El
Cumbanchero, Tequila Sunrise, Orange Blossom Special, Runaway, Sentimental
Guitars, House of the Rising Sun, Secret Agent Man, Diamondhead, Wipe Out
Set 2- Let's Go, Ten Seconds to Heaven, Mr. Moto, I've Got a Woman, Sleep
walk,
Alabama Jubilee, Aquarius, Classical Gas, Steel Guitar Rag, Slaughter on 10th
Ave., Yellow Jacket, Hawaii 5-0, Surf Rider, Pipeline, Caravan
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