12 Jan 2007, Boulder Theater, Boulder, CO, USA

Last night's show was incredible. Just incredible. SMB began the evening with great enthusiasm, and played a nearly perfectly chosen set in my opinion. One could tell that it was the first night on tour and it took a few minutes to 'blow out the cobwebs', but they still played great. The Dregs hit the stage after a short intermission, and also played incredibly well. Again, fist night jitters kept the band from being as tight as they probably hoped for, but in a way this gave the show a little more charm. After watching Steve Morse for the entire evening, I am tempted to burn my guitar and take up knitting. Seeing him play is both inspiring and depressing :-) . Hoping to see them all in the future!

Aaron Dees

Steve was not kidding. When he made a short pause in the program to introduce the SMB members and talk to the crowd he said..."We have a lot of music for you tonight, a lot...". What a show! What a way to start a new year. As if seeing the SMB wasn't enough the effort taken to round up all the "DREGS' and get together for this show, could not have been more appreciated by the audience and this attendee. Impecable musicians, who seem to channel some other worldly prowess. It had been too long since the last visit, and we understand the reasons why, but let me tell you...If there's anyone out there who might be undecided about going to see this show, you better go see them. World Class Acts like this don't just fall out of the trees. Passing on this show would be like passing on the chance to talk to Leonardo Da Vinci, Einstein, Galileo, Copernicus, The Beatles, Jimi....Well you get the point. Thanks for the effort in coming to town, thanks for the great music. You enrich the planet we live on...We missed you! Stay safe, keep playing (as always) and COME BACK OFTEN!

Paul Roberts

How Special!! On a night of sub-zero temps outside, the Boulder theater was the site for my first live Steve Morse experience.....OH MY GOD!! I have always been a fan...but never seen his live show.... couple of hundred people in the theater... the weather scared off the amateurs... man what a show!! an hour of SMB, 25 minute break, then The DREGS... Rod was outstanding, he is truly underrated as a musician, T. Lavitz was great and didn't even break a sweat, Jerry Goodman was incredible and took me back to Mahavishnu Orchestra days, Dave LaRue un-freaking-real on bass....then there is Steve Morse, what unreal tone and technique. the night was incredible! Thank you guys!!!

Jim in Denver

This show marks the thirteenth time I've seen Steve, and the first time he and his have been to CO in six years. The Boulder Theater holds about 1000 and it was close to being sold out. This is the first show of the tour. Initial impressions were that this is the sloppiest I've ever seen the Dregs/SMB. It was also the most energy I've seen out of those guys in years, maybe ever. Every member looked very excited to be there and very into it. It was like guys night out for them. Every moment was charged with energy by the band, and the crowd could feel it and reflected it back. I haven't heard that much post-concert whooping and hollering at a concert in years. Steve talked a lot, and described how the boys all have full time jobs now, rarely or never see each other, but thought it was time to have fun. And they did, and so did the crowd. A very cold night, tuning was a challenge all night as the instruments seemed to have trouble adjusting to the dramatic temp changes. I walked in during the middle of SMB Vista Grande (damn it, that song brings me to tears every time I see it live). The energy level was obvious. This show was the best I've seen out of Van. Even though the band wasn't the tightest, every member's chops were in shape. Highlights were SMB doing Night Meets Light (remember this is a 3 piece), which I'd like to see them do again by the end of the tour -that was damn hard to do as a 3 piece; DD doing Cruise Missile (again it was the energy level of the band that pushed this through the roof), and Celestial Terrestrial Commuters, were Jerry's jazz knowledge wiped out the band. During Jerry's fills and then solo, Steve just grinned and shook his head - he got smoked. As a side note: that was the most women I've seen at a Dregs show. Is Steve finally becoming a "house-hold" name? Great show, SEE IT!!!

Bob Kalkman

It was only one degree in Boulder, CO when the Steve Morse Band went on stage Friday night January 12, 2007, but the music was hot enough to melt our souls! It was an almost packed house of 800-ish out of 900-ish available. The guys had not played together on stage for two years, but no one in the audience would have known that if Steve had not mentioned it using his witty sense of humor. Steve, Dave and Van really rocked and I could see fans looking on as if they were thinking, 'wow, who are these guys and where the hell have I been'? With smiles and laughter the guys played their set in typical SMB fashion, which is what we all traveled to see. There was one guy, Mark, who even came from Seattle just for this show. SMB did not dissapoint!

The set list for SMB was:

Simple Simon
Vista Grande
Mechanical Frenzy
----------- (Steve's humorous intro)
Highland Wedding
On The Pipe
Collateral Damage
Duets (steve's guitar went out, couldn't finish 'Little Kids')
Night Meets Light
Rising Power
Stressfest
----------- (break before the Dregs)

The Dregs came out about half an hour later ready to jam. They also rocked the house! My two favorite parts of that set were 1) when Steve said, "I can't believe we're going to play this.... the last time we played this song on stage Michelle Morgenstein was with us. This is a tribute to her." and they played Hereafter. Janine Morse told me that it was her favorite Dregs song. I wasn't paying attention to the other fans, but I did not have a dry eye in the house. 2) The drum set with both Van and Rod. They played in the same tempo together like a marching band, only with an obviously heavier beat.

The set list for the Dregs was:

Aftershock
Country House Shuffle
Sleeveless in Seattle
Assembly Line
Shapes Of Things
Hereafter (played as a tribute to Michelle Morgenstein)
Kat Food
Celestial Terrestrial (a Mahavishnu tune)
Ionized
Take It Off The Top
The Bash
Cruise Control
----------- (encore)
Dueling Drum solos (Van and Rod)
Bloodsucking Leeches

I didn't bother the guys for any meet and greet photos this time, but I will in California..... There are, however, several photos (and a couple of videos) available to view on a temporary page on my website located at www.caninepsychologycenter.com Just click onto 'DregSMB'. Thanks for listening and for being fans of the greatest rock band(s) on the planet!

Suzi Schaefers

I just wanted to say that this was my first time seeing the Dregs or Steve Morse Band and I had an excellent time! My uncle, who also attended, is a long time Steve Morse fan and he got me into the Dregs a couple years ago. The live experience was incredible, and watching Steve's technical ability on guitar was inspiring. I was also very impressed with how loose the Dregs got on some of their tunes; I was expecting the same intricate compositions I had heard on disc and was pleasantly surprised by Jerry Goodman and Steve trading riffs on some of the songs. Overall a jaw-dropping performance and I thank you for the opportunity!

Greg McGuire

We traveled from St. Paul, MN to see SMB & Dixie Dregs in Colorado and it was well-worth the trip!! Standing in "front row" had the four of us in awe, watching Steve & his band(s) do their finest. Steve, even in your 50's ----- you STILL rock!! Hope you make it to MN next tour. Thanks for a great show!!

We met some wonderful people at the Show (Boulder Bill & Randall) we sure appreciated the ride back to our Motel. And to the guy who handed me Rod Morgenstein's drum-stick after he caught it amongst the crowd, saying I deserved it for traveling so far, you made my day!!

You Boulder-Fans are as awesome as the Show we traveled to see!

Cathy Gagliardi

I've been a close listener since What If. Can't help but notice how Dregtunes haven't aged a bit.

Three of us made the 525-mile drive from Jackson Hole to catch this show, thus fulfilling my 28-year goal catching the Dregs live. Thanks for remaining alive and healthy and nimble all these years, Steve & Co.

The Boulder show made us extremely happy -- Best. Concert. Ever. -- and I'm a guy who saw Zappa with the Zubin Mehta and the L.A. Philharmonic. Supreme musicianship, deluxe gear onstage (my pals are musicians and hard-core sound freaks), lovely little wrecks now and then. That's one good test of showmanship -- how a band handles missed cues and whatnot. The band that laughs the most wins. Well done, gents.

To nitpick, perhaps the sound of the classical guitar could use some work to sound classical-er.

Loved "Shapes of Things" -- wish I could hear it again later in the tour. If you decide to make another studio album, think massively reworked covers a la Kashmir, the Summertimesharonamissisipppifreebird romp et al. Or forget studio albums. You could not do too many live recording releases for my tastes.

After the Boulder show we should have followed the gig to Salt Lake City, but when a 58-year-old man stalks it's kinda creepy.

David J Swift

First off, Thanks Cathy for the kind words (above). Great to meet such dedicated fans of Steve and the band. We had a great time for sure, Dregs and SMB are always on top of they're chops, even at the kick off to a small tour. The band steamrolled through a great set, even if it was 0 degree outside. This was my 7th. Dregs show, starting back in '81 and I believe 3rd. SMB show as well. One thing for sure from Steve....you will "always" get your moneys worth. One of the best guitar players around. And how great was it to hear "Kat Food" having not seen that played live since 1981.

Bill O'Leary

As a long time fan who saw the band courtesy of a fake ID for the first time in 1980, I just want to say thanks to Steve, Rod, Dave, T Lavitz and Jerry for the dedication it takes to make music of this caliber. I had the extra pleasure of taking a friend along to the show who had never seen either band live before, and he enjoyed himself in spades.

This show will go down in my mind as a unique one, from the very enthusiastic crowd to Jerry’s moment of rebellious improvisation (inserting trading solos with Steve into Shapes of Things) to the obvious emotion on both sides of the stage/audience relationship during Hereafter and Steve’s dedication to Michelle Morgenstein. As always, the vibe was positive, the nervous energy brought out the best in the band regardless of a couple creative arrangements, the power and dynamics of Rod’s playing made me happy, and Steve laid it down with authority. The musical friendship between Rod and Steve should go down in history as one of the great ones – and be remembered along with Page/Plant and others that roll off the tongue. Their relationship is deep, telepathic and fruitful, has informed music that is both technical and emotional, and has expanded my horizons as a music fan and a musician more than I could have ever imagined.

For me highlights were a crankin’ On The Pipe and a graceful Night Meets Light in the SMB set. I agree with other reviewers that Van’s playing was the best I’ve seen. Hereafter stole the show in the Dregs set, with Shapes of Things a close second. Guys, you’re the best and your music will live on in the hearts of the crazed faithful.

Andy Liss