Every epoch or so I’m compelled to come down from the hills and move about the city streets in an effort to enrich my life. Sometimes it’s for fancy restaurant food, sometimes for movies or books. This time I was wrastled out for a musical. I believe a musical is like a play, but it’s got a lot of music thrown in there.
Chilebrown said he had a ticket for me if I’d like to go this musical. It sounded like fun and besides, we wanted to visit Big Nates Barbecue.

I’m not exactly someone who attends such things. I do enjoy Janis’ music and lyrics, but I wouldn’t say she’s on my top 10 list of performers to see, dead or otherwise. Trying to keep an open mind, trying to keep an open mind, trying to keep an open mind.
We were to meet at Meathenge Labs at 5:30. This would give us enough time to get over there for some refreshing beverages, food and then the musical. I offered to drive, gulp. But CB drove his little green car. It’s got as much dust outside as it does inside. He says it’s a piece of shite, I kinda like it. Plus it’s about 11 feet shorter than my pickup, makes parking niiiice.
The drive over was uneventful, couldn’t find parking for beverages so we visited Big Nates first thing. Smelled good. We both had a pork rib plate with tater salad and a few beers. The meat tasted good, but wasn’t completely done. Yet the bark on the meat was black, fire too hot? We paid 9 dollars for 4 ribs and a tiny cup of salad, not quite a deal says I.
We found the parking garage and made our way to the ticket boof. CB looked down and noticed a woman had dropped her purse. It was packed too, wallet, cel phone, papers and all kinds of goodies. We dropped it off at the attendant’s office pronto and it turns out the owner was on the phone holding/waiting. Can you imagine dropping your purse in San Francisco, in a parking garage and getting it back within moments? We’re so cool. The heros move onward.
The Marines Memorial Theatre is a kinda sobering place. And it seemed odd to be housing such a musical as this. My hair is getting quite wooly, my red beard has its own mind and CB looked as though he was seeing people as tall, cool refreshing beverages that needed relieving of their bodily fluids. We hung out in the lobby for a bit. Janis was quietly peeking out from the little speakers up on the wall. There were a few folding tables housing t-shirts and books. The bar looked a little lonely with just a few available drinks and candies. I suppose it’s all about the show, right? You bet.
We were seated soon enough and it turns out this is quite a small venue and a little on the older side. Maybe 400 people? It wasn’t much, but that’s nice for me. I’m not a huge fan of new shiny things. I like my theatres full of history, love and a few blemishes. My pal Shrek would call these, “Homey Touches”. We each got these Theatre Publications booklets to let us know who was who and what was what. Print too small, light too dim, can’t read, save for later.
I did no research as to what I was about to see, typical. So, I spent the first 10 minutes figuring things out. Attempting to glean whatever I could, visually. I do have a handful of her records and I can say, I do know what she is supposed to sound like. But as far as who Janis was as a person and a personality, I have a very little idea.
Those first few minutes were tough. I’ve never been a fan of revivals or people attempting to relive an era by being someone else. it’s really tough for me to watch, makes me cringe. Go read a book or something if you want to know that badly, just leave me out of it. By the end of the first song, “Piece of My Heart” and then “Down on Me”, it was arm hair stand up noticeable that these pepole were good, really good. In fact, by the end of “Bye, Bye Baby” I could most certainly say, “Fucking Nailed It”. I got over myself and decided to sit, shutup and enjoy.
Love, Janis is a musical based completely on Janis’ own words. Letters she sent home to family, press, radio and tv interviews. Laura Jopin wrote the book which inspired this musical, both with the same name. This isn’t someone’s hayseed dream of how they thought it was, nope. This is a thoughtful, beautiful, somewhat simple muscial about a woman who died 36 years ago and her family and musical legacy she left behind.
The play is fun to watch. One Janis (Morgan Hallett), the Inner Voice I figure, comes out and reads the letters. She moves about the stage between two old comfy chairs. She talks about what it’s like hitchhiking out to SF in ’66, apprehensive about what or who she might run in to. Not sure if she’ll be accepted, wanting to fit in. This moves about time to finding Big Brother and the Holding Company, meeting all the cool people and feeling as though she makes a difference. She began to feel good about herself and her music, people wanted her around. Then, the curtain walls pull to the side and the band comes to life. The other Janis (Katrina Chester) comes up front while Inner Voice relaxes in a comfy chair. The band starts up and literally moves the audience to cheer with “Turtle Blues”. The backrop behind the stage is the living, breathing, pulsating psychodelic colors of 40 years ago. Colored spot lights spray this way and that. Joel hoekstra the band leader is a fucking badass lead guitar. In fact, I spent quite some time watching the band and their old amps and instruments. These guys spent way too much time practicing. I spent a lot of time smiling. Eric Massiminoon Bass was always bobbing his head, clearly having a good time. Chris Pimentel on the other guitar had his head band on and stood around looking way too cool. And David Rokeach with his shoulder length hair kept right up. He seemed like a nice guy who wouldn’t drink all your beers, like many drummers will.
The musical moved on pace and never slowed. The letters were touching and we got to witness a side to Janis that was completely missing 36+ years ago. Living life on the road can be tough and lonely existence, Janis was no different. She fell prey to heroin like so many others. It offers solice and a place to be when you have none. Sure it’s an evil bucktoothed solice, but solice nonetheless. As Janis always said, “Get it While You Can”.
It wasn’t long after Jimi Hendrix’s death, within the year of 1970, that Janis too passed. This moment was portrayed as the two Janii sat with each other at the end of the stage, closer to the audience. No way was there a dry eye in the audience, not even one. As the voice-over read the newspaper articles about the Janis dying alone, the Inner Voice looked upset and sad that Janis had gone this way. Her face turned away in a stiff lipped denial. But as the voice-over continued, she gave in and the two embraced each other, both coming to terms with the fact it was over. This was the final It and Janis was gone.
I suppose if I knew more about music and how plays are supposed to go, I could tell you about all the notes that were dropped, the keys Janis couldn’t reach or the ques that were missed or late, but I can’t. And the audience probably wouldn’t have cheered, applauded and gave as many peace signs as they did if it was off. Everyone in that production company deserves a standing ovation. Oh wait, they got that at the end of the show, heh. If you want something critical, here’s something. At the end, the Janii promptly ran away. POOF !!! I somewhat expected them to come out for a little bit and talk or whatever, nope. They ran away and the band went nuts (In a good way). Joel even threw his guitar pick to the audience, cool very cool.
To sum it all up, a great time was had by all. Thank you CB and thank you Love, Janis crew. And, you’re welcome crazy lady who drops purse out of car near ticket machine, you were damned lucky.

xo
ps – Both images are from my personal record collection, not ripped from the Net.