Tim Flannery the Lunatic Fringe and Friends in San Diego, California
Star of India
San Diego, California
December 21, 2024
On this night Tim Flannery, the Lunatic Fringe and Guests put on a great concert for a small but highly appreciative crowd on The Star of India.
After mingling on the main deck over catered food and drinks, the crowd gathered in the cargo hold of the oldest sailing ship in the world to participate in the ancient ritual of celebrating the Winter Solstice with stories.
From the depths of the old ship Tim Flannery and the Lunatic Fringe, made up of Jeff Berkley on Guitar, Shawn Rolf Banjo and Guitar, Doug Pettibone Guitar, Chris Grant on Drums, Catherine Beeks on Backup Vocals and Amber Lee guest guitar and vocals, entertained the crowd with 3 hours of rousing stories.
Tim Flannery, or Flan as his friends like to call him, introduced each song with a personal story from his past that pulled the crowd into an intimate space that can only be found in a live performance. Most of Flan’s stories were funny anecdotes from his time playing or coaching baseball but there were also serious stories of losing family and friends.
My favorite song from the 20 song set was “Hillbilly Rain”. On that song, Flan’s visceral lyrics of loss and respect for his family from the hills of Kentucky, along with the dynamic raining down of Jeff Berkley’s guitar solo, poignantly expressed a sense of sadness we feel at losing loved ones.
Sometimes the stories lasted longer than the songs that followed but no one complained for we knew that magic was happening. After each story the song that followed built upon the one before and soon we were all riding along on the emotional roller coaster ride; simultaneously laughing, crying and clapping along with Flan and the band.
After they played their last song the band bowed to the crowd. Not having any words or songs to send back in appreciation, the standing crowd loudly expressed and released all of their pent up feelings with a thunderous applause that reverberated off the steel hull of the Star of India and enveloped the band on stage.
On this night, thanks to Tim Flannery and the Lunatic Fringe and Friends, the ancient celebration of the Winter Solstice on the oldest sailing ship in the world pushed back the longest dark night with stories and songs that revealed the ever increasing light that is sure to follow.
Lunatic Fringe
Tim Flannery Guitar and Vocals
Jeff Berkley Guitar and Vocals
Shawn Rohlf Bass Banjo and Vocals
Doug Pettibone Guitar and Vocals
Chris Grant Drums
Cathryn Beeks Backup Vocals
Amber Lee Solo Guitar Vocals
(review and images by Steve Anderson)
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