Donovan Listening to Kelly (photo: Ernie)

Donovan Live At The Tabernacle October 25, 2003

The set list:

Richard Barone Opens the Show

Donovan Takes the Stage

The set list appears above, but that only reveals the sequence of songs--26 in all! It's been said so often before, but "you hadda be there!" It was mesmerizing. I've seen Donovan perform about a dozen times, from a classic Music Hall Boston 1971 show with Paul Horn (when I mentioned this show to him, Donovan commented, "you could not see the stage for the clouds of marijuana") to The Downtown on Long Island this past summer, but he's never, ever sounded better than on this stellar night.

His voice was strong and his guitar work outstanding. The new songs are reminiscent of songs like "Lalena" and "Sunny Goodge Street". I for one am really looking forward to this cd because Don, though very young at the time and only just catching the tail end of the beat era, did emerge during that era before the upsurge of hippies, the summer of love, and flower power, so I think it will be a wonderful window into that timeless era. At least, that's the feeling I get from the songs he played from the cd. He also asked the audience to call out songs which, again, he rarely plays--a joy for fans who, though we may really like hearing the "usual" setlist, love to hear others from the 100s of songs he's written. These included "Only the Blues", "Mandolin Man and his Secret", "Ferryman's Daughter" and "Rikki Tikki Tavi". Richard Barone (ex of the Bongos) opened for him--a very strong set--and ended his set with a cover of Donovan's "Cosmic Wheels"--for which Don came out on stage and joined Richard in singing. While this might have been planned, it didn't look that way; Don just sort of walked out quietly on stage without Richard knowing he was there, picked up a couple of rattle eggs (which he handed out to the audience later in the show--we've got a purple one!), and walked up beside Richard to start singing. Richard looked surprised, but they really got into it and I think it may have been the best rendition of "Cosmic Wheels" I've ever heard.

More photos in the Photo Gallery.

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