Bob Schneider & Jeff Plankenhorn - Fort Worth - 06/21/2007

I have seen Bob and his band on more than a few occasions and he is one of the most hysterical lyricists I have ever witnessed on stage. Seeing him live is one part music and one part improv and is a performer whose talent you can’t capture on a studio album. I have never seen Jeff in person but have heard his name before as he has traveled with the likes of Ray Wylie Hubbard and Bruce Robinson. So the 250 or so that showed up were in for a rare show as these two do not play together very often. A bit of funk, country, folk with some rock folded in, Bob was typical Bob, not giving a damn what he said as well as making fun of a guy in the back of the room for shouting out song requests. It is no wonder why he has won "Musician Of The Year" in Austin……4 times.

 

Bob’s lyrics are not for the uptight, conservative crowd and he was in full form and offering no apologies tonight. “God Is My Friend” off his album I’m Good Now was written from his visions of a Bible with gold trim from his younger days and the Michelangelo picture of God dressed in a robe talking to naked Adam. He thought it was bogus and had his own visions of God, such as “i can see god in italian shoes with a beard and a gun and a case of the blues smoking a cigarette and drinkin coors light”. I think the nuns from his Catholic school days would not be too proud.

Still from his youth, “Time Waits For No Man” about how the ugly guy always get the pretty woman, which he commented was his life from ages 13-25. There have been rumors of him dating Sandra Bullock in his younger days, so I don’t think he has that problem anymore. Between giving the audience advice on the best making out music (Lupe Guru) and if they ever wanted to know what a musicians’ lovemaking face looked like (just look at his hot guitar solo playing face), he continued to be Jerry Lewis to Jeff’s Dean Martin.  

Jeff handled his duties great as a sideman bouncing back and forth from a slide guitar, an acoustic and a mandolin as well as an occasional vocalist. These two are not only great musicians they have a lot of fun playing together, even laughing through Bob’s lapse of memory on song lyrics or getting tongue tied trying to be too creative. They need to do this more often.

If you get a chance to see Bob Schneider in your area, get out of the house and head to whatever venue he is playing. You won’t be disappointed……as long as you are not too uptight…..  Schedule of dates

Here is a taste from the YouTube world….Enjoy………..

 

Bob Schneider Interview and Performance

Bob Unplugged at Poor Davids Pub 12/20/2006

Bob from his early days with the Scabs