Dondante in Santa Barbara

[rincon]

I hope someone got a good video of this performance. It could very well be their defining moment. Sounds like a bold statement? Picture this. The first half of the show was in the daylight, no light show to speak of. The band was tight, but the crowd was dead, especially comparing it to the Pantages, where everyone stood the whole show. It finally got dark. The Way He Sings kicked it up a notch. Then Phone Went West was stellar. Jim then points out that in 4 minutes a space station will pass over the Bowl. It was cloudless, 70 degrees or so, and just effin beautiful. During the opening vocal part of Dondante Jim would point at air plains in the sky and the whole crowd was watching them. After about 3 false alarms an orange non blinking glow raced across the sky. Soon after the guitar solo came. I did not think anything could eclipse Okonokos, but this solo must have went on for 10 minutes!. It had lots of back and forth with Carl's guitar. I kept anticipating the sax solo, but it just kept on going. At one point carl was doing a solo and Jim disappeared. After a few minutes I saw his head bobbing up and down behind Patrick's drum kit. When, after I truly believe was 20 minutes Carl picked up his sax. He did not play a fadeout but what could be described as a  3-5 minute tribute to Clarence Clemons. Mixed with an amazing lightshow, the band was bathed in blue light, and appeared 4D, it was the best performance I have ever seen in 34 years of going to concerts. I truly think it was 25 minutes long.

[baconus66]

It was a killer version without a doubt.  The sax was amazing.  He came in hard and powerful unlike I've ever seen him do.

[kydiddle]

That sounds absolutely amazzzzzzing. Amazing. I hope there is a recording. So happy you got to experience that. 

[rincon]

Here is Circuital. I got a few others, not great quality, but not bad. The real good stuff was to good to spend time holding up a flip camera.

My Morning Jacket Circuital SB Bowl

Dancefloors
Video 18

[woodnymph]

Wow this sounds like an extra-ordinary Dondante!!!  Thanks for sharing such thorough details about it all!  Hope a recording surfaces!!  Definitely sounds like magic that the space station was about to pass overhead (and he KNEW about it, and pointed it out to everyone!!)  It's like Dondante was fated to transmit out into the deep regions of the    universe......  :)

I know we had a thread going at one point about the orbiting space station(s).....  but that would just be such a surreal beginning to the song.  AWESOME! 

[Apeskies]

It was incredibly emotional. I loved every minute of it...definitely one to go down in the books.   :) I was to Jim's left on the rail and watched as he went off behind the drum kit...man!

[johnnYYac]

Wow this sounds like an extra-ordinary Dondante!!!  Thanks for sharing such thorough details about it all!  Hope a recording surfaces!!  Definitely sounds like magic that the space station was about to pass overhead (and he KNEW about it, and pointed it out to everyone!!)  It's like Dondante was fated to transmit out into the deep regions of the    universe......  :)

I know we had a thread going at one point about the orbiting space station(s).....  but that would just be such a surreal beginning to the song.  AWESOME! 

I seem to recall that very thread.  ;)

http://www.mymorningjacket.com/forum/index.php?topic=12455.0

[mons]

Although I live in la, I chose to drive to Santa Barbara instead and arrive early to make the front row. I can't describe Dondante better than anyone else already has, nor can I imagine the idea of having missed this undoubtedly unforgettable, intoxicating moment.  Like no other performance I've seen before.  Amazing! Thank you, MMJ.

[darkglow]

sounds alot like the don dante from terminal 5.. minus the space crafts

[La barba de Castro]

I am amazed by how much this song keeps evolving. The version in Vancouver was amazing. This one sounds just as great.

[HoodooOperator]

The guy from NM who was right by me in front of Jim's mic got almost the whole song, but cut it off about 11 minutes in.  I kept watching the screen on his phone thinking: holy balls this is going to top 15 minutes, I know it.  That three song stretch of Phone, Slow Slow Tune, and Dondante was one of those things I'll remember for the rest of my life.  It is EXACTLY the reason I choose to follow music.  A religious; transcendent; mindblowingly communal experience.  Thank you to all who were there for making it that much better.

[JPV]

My Morning Jacket -- Dondante (Santa Barbara Bowl w/ space station flyover)

[rincon]

Thanks JPV. Well, my memory was corrected. It sure seemed like 25 minutes at the time. Must have been something in the air. It looked like there was an edit during the sax solo. Is that correct?

[JPV]

yeah, there's something missing during the sax sesh. it's not my video. after reading your description, i had to see it and this appears to be the only video of Dondante, so far,  from that night.

[RedPatokaSea]

Thanks JPV. Well, my memory was corrected. It sure seemed like 25 minutes at the time. Must have been something in the air. It looked like there was an edit during the sax solo. Is that correct?

You were experiencing time dilation...a common phenomenon in the MMJ experience.

Sounds like a pretty special night.

I love the fact that Dondante is constantly evolving. It's always a incredible song. I think my favorite versions are from the early 2006 tour when Carl would start on the sax. They'd also bring it down really low toward the end. Totally hypnotic. Not sure they could do that anymore...seems that there are more talkers at the shows these days.

Aahhh, the good old days...

;)

Northwestern U. - Patten Gym on 2006-04-22

Bonnaroo '06 is similar.

[eleaf14]

Oddly this was the only video I took that night. It kicks off after the vocals.

My Morning Jacket - Dondante Jam - Santa Barbara Bowl -7/2/11

[cre618]

Thanks for posting the video!  Couldn't see the Space Station from the pit..but now I did.  Yay!