Moments: Lotus & Space Bacon Honor Chuck & Charley Morris at The Capitol Theatre
Lotus and Space Bacon delivered an expansive evening of celebration and remembrance at The Capitol Theatre this past Saturday. It was a moment in time that I won’t soon forget, cultivated with the distinguishable nature of intent, serving a far greater purpose than just another Lotus show.
I study moments, time capsules of bereavement and wonderment, catered by forces beyond the realm of our senses. Some people collect antiques, baseball cards, coins, sneakers and stamps - I collect moments. Moments of somber heaviness and moments of lighthearted joy. And while I am often captivated by the hopeless romanticism of a pretty woman with a warm aura, I can run from it just as fast. I teeter back and forth between accepting this season of my life and regretting the guilt and shame of my storied past. This is why I continue to seek out moments of unpolished reality, they inject the medicine I need into the fractured facades that plague me. A number of these moments have been scored by the music of Lotus. They have provided a soundtrack that has helped release my inhibitions time and time again.
My research has brought me to places of euphoria and despair. The unblemished quietness of Western wilderness. The polluted beauty of urban decay. The conversations of love cradled by the benches of Central Park. The sunflowers that bloom under the Sunkist skies of the South. The desolate tranquility of the Hudson River after dark. The Shakespearean tragedies of the dope houses in Paterson, New Jersey. The slow-motion sailboats coddled by the temperament of a Chesapeake Bay breeze. The acid-fueled epiphanies that linger in the woods of northeastern Ohio. The friends I’ve been gifted through the music of Lotus and Space Bacon - the ones who stood by me through it all.
This past Saturday night filled me with wholesome gratitude. Both bands executed with professionalism while honoring the lives of Chuck and Charley Morris. Every musician that touched the stage carried themselves with such open-hearted dignity and class. It was truly an evening of celebration and remembrance. A moment that will be carried in our memory banks for as long as we choose to honor it. It sparked deep-seated reflection, love for one another, and appreciation for the breath in our lungs. Although it was the fourth and final memorial show that Lotus and their team put together, the band will continue to honor their fallen brother every single time they touch a stage or enter the recording studio.
I gave drummer Mike Greenfield a hug as he exited the stage after their soundcheck. I’ve studied Mike over the years, as a drummer and a music writer, he has always treated me with genuine love and respect. The bond that he and Chuck built through the universal language of rhythm is eternal, I can’t help but think about all the times I saw them operate as a single organism in the midst of improvisation. It is deeply saddening and disheartening to think about how we’ll never get to experience that again, and though it’s been a rollercoaster of grief, I know how grateful Greenfield is to be able to help raise a significant amount of money for Chuck’s wife and daughter. He’ll be doing another benefit show with Electron at Ardmore Music Hall on Monday, May 15th with Jesse Miller performing as Beard-o-Bees.
I also had a chance to have a meaningful conversation with Steve Clemens backstage before the show began. He was the original drummer of Lotus for those of you who aren’t familiar with the name. His work has deeply inspired me as a musician and as a creative. Just listen to Nomad. I could feel the love and gratitude that he has for the Lotus community as he spoke about his life’s enrichment. His words were honest and heartfelt, he told me that the Denver shows were the most profound musical experiences of his entire life. He spoke about Chuck and how he was listening to Nomad earlier that day and forgot that Chuck had laid the original vocals on Spiritualize, he almost had to pull over as the emotions came flooding back. A moment of connection so simple but so real, I am grateful that I got to share my feelings with him. If somebody has inspired you and you have the chance to tell them, please do it.
My brothers in Space Bacon hit the stage as patrons began to fill the venue. It was their third show with Alfred Rylands on guitar, but it was my first time seeing him onstage with them. I’ve played a lot of music with Fred over the years - he is gifted and well-versed in a plethora of styles and sounds. I knew he’d pick up what Jack Willard put down without an issue, his tone was balanced and full, the interplay between him and keyboardist Chris Gironda was tasteful, and Bacon packed a ton of punch into a forty-five minute set. They debuted a new song and gave fans a taste as to what is coming next. Though I miss my friend Jack, I am thoroughly excited to see what Bacon continues to create in the not-so-distant future.
Lotus brought out a cast of characters to ensure the show would be a monumental representation of Chuck’s love and musicality. They were joined by Rob Compa and Eli Winderman of Dopapod and Jeremy Schon of Pigeons Playing Ping Pong. And on percussion duties they had Clemens, Adrian Tramontano of Kung Fu/Twiddle, and Jamie Doyle of Blendmode. It was stellar with standout moments sprinkled throughout. Luke Miller crafted two sets that portrayed the past, present, and future of Lotus.
From Tim Palmieri playing slide guitar on Hammerstrike to Sift with Eli and Clemens. Everybody contributed their unique voice to the collective soul. The second set featured Did Fatt > Mink & Shoes > Livingston Storm which was the biggest segment of the night with Palmieri and Schon playing off of each other with driven dynamics. Chuck Morris lived and breathed percussion and world music so the drum jam was a powerful tribute to him - the interplay between Adrian and Greenfield was superb. The encore though… Palmieri and Compa took Sunrain into the stratosphere, pouring themselves into a Kilimanjaro-like peak that had us reaching for the stars. It was the exclamation point on a night of poetic prose.
As we pay our respects to the pain in the rearview, we keep our eyes on the windshield and press the pedal into the floorboard. We are alive and we mustn’t take this gift of life for granted. We owe it to Chuck and Charley Morris (along with all of our fallen friends and family) to feel each moment and to cherish each day, accepting the good, bad, and the indifferent. We must keep their names alive while supporting the people that are still with us. We must stay vigilant in keeping the faith and never losing hope.
So with that, I leave you with a quote from Chuck Morris, taken from an interview I did with him once upon a time, “I feel like we are blessed to have such an appreciation of our original material and style of musicianship. It’s been a steady build for us. I am elated to witness this time period that we have looked forward to as this career becomes viable and affordable. We had discussions about faith since before becoming a touring band and we took the stance that since we were all so hard working and determined to see it succeed, it was natural for it to develop and bear fruit. I think our real fans can see that we give back what we can. And if that means the budget provides for more lighting tech and crew then we will step up to the challenge and get them the experience they are paying for! I’ll put on record that we certainly have the greatest crew in the industry but that’s probably just like my opinion."
Onward and upward my friends. Through it all. God bless.
