The Prankster’s - Band
They were the latter children of “psychedelia” who evolved into a “cover” band of The Grateful Dead catalogue among other noted icons of the era. All have been stalwarts of the Louisville scene for decades although demographically, not exactly the “Emerald City”
of culture. The agrarian perspective of The Golden Age lives on through the mastery of this band, a link to “The Golden Age”. They have mingled with a few of The Royalty of Rock
and from my perspective should have made their chosen road a profession. Marriage children, responsibility entered the picture and allocation of time for various bar gigs and
festivals keeps their innate ability alive and well. Perhaps the distance between major cities was always a detriment but I’ve been to 2,500 performances and festivals and few
have ever been better than The Pranksters. Raw energy condensed into a 90 minutre set leaves rudimentary bands in the musical wake of The Pranksters. At times, there are
memorable melodies and perhaps writing a few songs within the band structure would still see them reach and achieve the grandeur so deserved after all these years. Psychedelia has had an effect through the years, soirees similar to what The Pranksters have accomplished
since I first met them a few decades ago. From acid-rock pop-rock & classic-rock, all the members will be revered in Louisville long after the desire to play has waned.
Other than the joy of playing, the goal is ultimately to be remembered. For myself, it’s always about the musicians and subsequent tunes that make my heart smile. Yesterday
was one of those moments. Classical enclaves are but a smidgeon of the band catalogue so Louisville fans will roll down this chosen road with the remnants of the
Bohemians, hippies and practitioners of the arts along with The Pranksters. We bridge the individual gaps with the music that circumvents “The Mainstream”, Civil Rights,
Gay Rights, Women’s Rights and this insidious virus. It is always about the music, a paradigm that has always defined this band. The halcyon days are now memories but they return from the recesses of the mind when attending a concert by this band, as it should be.
Don Aters- 6/15/2020
