Jerry Joseph and the Jackmormons is a Portland-based jam band that has a huge following along the Pacific Northwest and especially in Utah. I was introduced to the band many years ago by an ex-boyfriend who may not have been the best of guys to date, but who had pretty good taste in music.
My first encounter with Jerry Joseph happened long ago when I did a phone interview with him for an article that I was working on. Joseph was on the road and he was a lot of fun to talk to. The phoner went on for quite awhile and I had some great laughs throughout it and thanks to his ability to tell great stories, I was able to write a pretty decent article on Jerry Joseph and his band of Jackmormons.
At the end of the interview, Joseph asked me to come and say hi to him at his show. So, I did. I will never forget that experience because his reaction when I introduced myself was pretty funny and served as quite the ego stroke. His eyes kind of bugged out and he asked, "You're Autumn Thatcher?" I laughed and told him that yes, yes I was. He then proceeded to say, "Sorry, I am just not used to reporters being so attractive."
I was flattered and embarrassed and feeling a bit awkward so to get rid all of those feelings, I toasted a shot of whiskey with Jerry Joseph to a fun interview. For awhile after that experience Joseph and I remained in touch. He would let me know when he was coming in to town and I would come and say hi and check out his show, which was always a good time.
It was thanks to this connection that I got to experience meeting the one and only Bob Weir, of The Grateful Dead. It went like this: prior to the show, Joseph invited me to come back stage and I said hi to him and his bandmates and we caught up for just a minute. Out of nowhere, Joseph said, "Autumn, this is Bob Weir," and when I heard the name, I tried to make sure that my jaw remained shut. I turned around and sure enough, there was Bob Weir, white beard and all, standing backstage at what is now Bar Deluxe. I shook his hand and smiled, telling him that it was nice to meet him and trying to play cool. In my head however, I was thinking, holy shit! It was a very brief meeting and I only had time to say "hi" before it was time to go out and watch the show.
It has been a long time since I have been to a Jerry Joseph and the Jackmormons show and the whole reason that the previously mentioned memory surfaced in my mind is because as I was doing the music calendar for Now in Salt Lake magazine, I saw that Joseph and his Jackmormons will be returning to SLC on Thursday, October 6.
I know quite a few people who are diehard Jackmormons fans and who even travel abroad to spend weekends at the beach with the jam band and from what I hear, it is always a good time. I myself can say first-hand that the guys put on a great show and are worth checking out. And you never really know who you will run into.
Check out Jerry Joseph and his many side projects here.
No comments:
Post a Comment