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Country Joe Plays Milwaukee

By John Zutz

VVAW's 30th anniversary was celebrated in Milwaukee, Wisconsin with a sold out fundraising concert by Country Joe McDonald. Though the early June concert was opened and closed by The DT's, a relatively new Milwaukee blues band that is gaining local popularity, the standing-room-only crowd clearly came to see, hear, and perhaps even touch McDonald.

The rock & roll legend had not performed publicly in over a year after entering semi-retirement (following the death of Jerry Garcia). He seemed to have grown rather rusty as he opened his two-hour set. His voice had a catch, and he seemed to be uninterested in his surroundings.

However, his personality and presence began to shine through when he began the second song, his ode to Janis, which he includes in every performance. By the end of the song he had the crowd firmly in had.

McDonald's guitar technique has, if anything, improved over time. He alternated between a complex fingerstyle and slide guitar. His voice, once warmed up, was a pleasant and passionate baritone which enhanced his ability to convey the emotions described in his poetry.

He led the entranced audience through a mix of older and newer songs, interspersed with poetry readings and tales from the Sixties. His repertoire varied from intense antiwar ditties to romantic love ballads, ending with the "Fixin' To Die Rag". He concluded his encore with a save-the-whales sea chantey that had the entire audience singing and clapping.

Though the continuity between songs was a bit rough, the content and presentation of the individual pieces could not have been smoother.

John Zutz is a former VVAW Regional Coordinator. He lives in Milwaukee and makes great beer. He's a Vietnam veteran.

check out Country Joe's website at http://www.countryjoe.com/