Oliver (and Patti) at CB's Gallery

[JED <dalynyc>]

Oliver Ray performed at CB's Gallery on Saturday night, and Patti joined
him for two songs.

CB's Gallery is next door to CBGB's on the Bowery.

Oliver arrived just before his set was to begin.  Patti, Oliver's
"roadie" for the evening, helped him carry his guitars to the stage and
then sat at a table with friends for the show.

Oliver opened the set with an instrumental.   A bluesy sort of thing
played on a dobro (I think...some kind of steel guitar anyway).

He then sang several songs, including Walking Blind and Phenobarbitol
and God (two of his songs that Patti has performed) and others.  He also
read some poetry.   The set was all acoustic, and he was more than
competent on the guitar.  During the first few songs, his voice was a
bit weak, and he seemed pretty nervous, but once he warmed up, he
sounded quite good.  Not a great voice, technically, but he sings with a
lot of passion. One of the songs he did was a cover of a Grateful Dead
song (he mentioned that today was Garcia's birthday).  He did an
especially great version of Walking Blind (it rivaled Patti's IMHO). 

Later, Patti came up on stage and sang two songs, and played guitar. 
Oliver accompanied Patti on guitar.  I didn't recognize the first song
(a soft acoustic song that Patti sang in a very high voice, for Patti,
and she sounded great), but the second was Grateful, an acoustic song
she performed a few times last summer (I love that song...!). 

Lenny was also in the audience, which numbered about 50.  

There was no mention of Burroughs' passing.  Maybe they didnt' know
yet...