Orca goes to The Florabama

… sort of.

So – I went to Orange Beach to see Taylor play The Wharf and headed over to The Florabama afterwards. The rental condo my friends and I were using was right next door, so it seemed the logical late-night choice. As one of the gals said, “Walking distance to The Florabama … stumbling distance home!”

We got a nice little surprise: Taylor Hicks was there. And he was performing. My mind went into automatic and I dialed my friend Orca in Vancouver so she could listen. Well, Taylor played all night and Orca listened to it all via two other friend’s phones … and she got on The Boogie Board to do a play-by-play. So, while I couldn’t set up a cellcert, at least they could share in it in some way – and Orca did a kick-ass job of capturing the excitement and spontaneity of the evening. Reading her play-by-play two days later was like reliving the night.

Thank you so much, Orca!

Here, copied and pasted from The Boogie, is Orca’s play-by-play:

September 3rd, 2007 12:48AM CST
Amy just called me from the Florabama and I got to hear Taylor singing and playing harp on Seven Mile Breakdown with Wynn Christian!

The place is an absolute NUTHOUSE! VERY VERY VERY loud. Tons of young, drunk people and hotter than hades.

Amy’s there with DownInFlames, Tee, Beachn (who was right up in front of Taylor), Havingfun, Lee and many others.

They missed most of Taylor’s set, but Beachn said he sang for 15 minutes and did Seven Mile, Lay Down Sally and possibly another song that I can’t remember the title of right now, but has the words “bring it on home to me” (a Rod Stewart song?)

He came off the stage after seven mile and headed straight towards them and Bill was dragging him out of the place. Terrific loud screaming going on. Had to hang up, but she might call back later.

GAWAAAAAD I WISH I WAS THERE.

I FREAKIN’ LOVE AMYH !!!

September 3rd, 2007 01:11 AM CST
They’re BAAAAAAACK…..friggin hotalicious crazy Harp Gonna Move coming into my ear LIVE from the Florabama right now!

Amy just giggled “I LOVE the Florabama”!

Taylor’s singing “that’s where it’s at pretty baby” now.

“how about it for this band?”

back to gonna move – more HARP!
CRAZY harp!!!

“smoke from a distant fire”

Taylor’s talking now, but I can’t make it out

more harp. HOT harp AGAIN – GAH!

JAYSUS….HE’S STILL BLOWIN THAT HARP’!!!

“say yeah” call and response – still gonna move

AAAAACKKKKKKKKKKKKKK MORE HARP!!!!!!!
OMG – I have never heard it this good!!!!!!!!

Eastbound and Down – shout: FLORABAMA

MORE HARP – GOD I’M DEAD

Gonna Move again

big finish….long wail…more harp….moaning something now….

When the Saints Go Marching In….
“I’m here in Alabama”

some chicken pickin’ goin on – Josh?

GAH – MORE HARP!!!!!!!!!!!!! I’M ALREADY DEAD TAYLOR…..

More Saints – crowd singing along

Amy says Rick Carter on the guitar

HARPITAUR DUEL – I need oxygen – how are those people surviving there?????

Crowd is signing Saints
Taylor joins in!!!

September 3rd, 2007 01:28 AM CST
OK, Saints just had the big finish with a last harp

Just awesome…..I can’t believe that HARP!

Amy just said OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG

Taylor just said “I wrote my first song HERE when I was 19″

Amy’s phone died – she just called me back on Legacy’s phone

I can’t tell what song is going on, but it’s slow and sweet and he’s harpin’ again….ok, take a load off Texas – take a load off Fanny! Put the load, put the load, put the load right on me

it’s morphed into Tupelo Honey now – mosly Taylor’s voice pure and clear – back to take the load off…

September 3rd, 2007 01:37 AM CST
I’m just blown away right now!

oh, saweeeeet ending!

More OMG OMG OMGS from Amy….can I stand it much longer??? Duh…YEAH!

Amy just made some kind of strangled sound….”please sing it, please”

Taylor just said “it’s not the first time I fucked up a verse at the Florabama”

Ack – I can’t figure out this song yet! he’s tinkering around now!

OK, he’s either changed his mind, or he’s figured out how to sing Call Me The Breeze now!

“I might go down to the Florabama”….

September 3rd, 2007 01:42 AM CST
I heard someone near Amy say something about videoing – maybe DIF?

still CMTB…almost sounds like there’s a fiddle there, but I’m not sure….harp….singing again…harp again.

He’s loviin’ that harp and I am PISSED OFF that I’m not there, but SO GRATEFUL to Amy and all the boogies there for us all!!!!

HARPITAUR!!!!

September 3rd, 2007 02:05 AM CST
Stupid board kicked me off….

anyway….Taylor called someone up on stage, said they gave him his first gig at the Florabama.

Amy: EVERYBODY (wink wink) is drinking Bushwackers….

Clay Connor is playing with him now.

break time…..

Amy and the gang are going for Bushwackers….

break is over…Wynn and Quinn are getting ready to play again….don’t know if Taylor is coming back – stay tuned!

September 3rd, 2007 02:11 AM CST
The boogies are all talking about how drunk they are getting!

Legacy says she thinks Taylor got in a car and left but not totally sure.

Amy is right at the stage 2 feet from Wynn Christian. “How cool is that?”

Spoonful James is starting up….sounds bluesy and jazzy…piano….now Big Legged Woman! (thumbs up – very cool!)

Did a little bit of Badge…now singing something I don’t know. Amy said something but I didn’t catch it….maybe Taylor is back????

some funky guitar and “Mr. Quinn Borland on bass” – now Sneakin’ Sally Thru the Alley. I don’t know who’s on piano.

“play the blues!”

Sneakin’ Sally over….Amy says Clay Connor is standing on the edge of the stage ready to come back and play.

Amy says she’s drunk and her feet are sore!

Did someone just say “Hey Zippy????”
YES!!! Looks like he’s going to play!!!!

Amy: OMG, I have died and gone to fucking heaven!

Wynn is introducing the band.
Amy says everyone is just having SO much fun!

damn…the board is going to freeze up for it’s nightly nap in a few minutes….I’ll just take notes and post later…

September 3rd, 2007 02:42 AM CST
crazy piano – Brian Less?

shout outs for Jager Bombs

TAYLOR’S BACK!!!

Rockin’ Pnuemonia – hey pocky way

lots of woooooo’s and screams

funkity funky bass and honky tonk piano “make it funky”

Fire on the Bayou

mad bad ass Zippy drums

“It’s good to be back home. With my buddies. We’re gonna have a jam session!”

Amy: I can’t tell you how many people are crammed on this tiny stage!”

Feelin’ Alright

KICK ASS guitar – OMG!!

Taylor singing Feelin’ Alright again – more screaming guitar!!!

crowd singing along – more unbelievable piano!!!

It’s Loren Gold!

Jeez….why aren’t we all there? I love Amy and Legacy and everyone doing this for us!

Eastbound and Down again – crowd singing now acapella

Taylor: “one more time”

crowd sings acapella again with Taylor

Taylor talking, muffled….”I love all ya’ll motherfuckers” (that’s my bad boy! LOL)

Taylor’s shouting out thank you’s to the Florabama and thank you’s to the crowd. They are ALL still singing EB&D…..crazy guitar again now – did I say I love the boogie? xxx Orca

HARP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! OMG FUCKING WILD CRAZY HARP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

“Say YEAH!!!!” call and response

no words for this guitar…. Taylor and his boys know how to kill an audience….

gospel like organ winds down Feelin’ Alright….shit, now back to hot harp and say yeahs!

DEAD

and the assault continues….. DO.NOT.STOP.

YEAH!!! OMG OMG OMG OMG

That’s all folks…..I need a ciggy……

Night nights from the Florabama xxx Orca

September 3rd, 2007 02:55 AM CST
Talking to Amy now….she’s thanking the band.

I just got a shout out from Loren “Hi friend in Canada”

Amy talking to Loren…asking about tags BWAHAHAHAHAHA – “we heard it dude. I’ve had a lot to drink, but I heard it” LOLOLOLOL Loren doesn’t know what she’s talking about!

OK, that’s really it now – they’re all drunk and stumbling home!

Can’t wait to read the recaps from this one – unbelievably fanfuckingtastic. Amy’s sorry she didn’t have cellcert numbers to call from the FB, so hopefully this play by play will make ya’ll smile.

My heart’s just a bustin’ with thrills for Taylor and the awesome night he’s had

Orca out
xxx