Hi, Peter. I'm just returning from the Hootie show in Raleigh Sunday night. First, let me say "Welcome Home"! I must say that it was a superb show--color me impressed. While Sir Darius was the dapper showman in white shirt and cowboy hat, you were the coolest MoFo on stage with your CBGBs T-shirt! A question for you, if I may: I know you're an uber-instrumentalist, but would you mind sharing exactly what all instruments you played at the show? In particular, I'm curious about the "small electric guitar" (for lack of a better term) you played during the fourth or fifth song into the show--I wasn't familiar with the song, but its main lyric seemed to be something about "devil." I've seen you in various incarnations (dB's, R.E.M., Drifters, Hootie) and I have to say you and the Hooties definitely had your groove on. Thanks for a grrreat show. From one Durhamster to another, all best.

Hi Steve, glad you enjoyed the show.

We were also graced with the presence of one of my very favorite NC singer/songwriters, Greg Humphreys, who played "Something For You" by his band Dillon Fence with us (as in 'put on a little Dylan/sitting on a fence' OWBWY lyric).

The small guitar is actually a four string electric mandolin made by Epiphone called a Mando Bird. It's shaped like the old reverse Gibson Firebird guitar. It is a pretty neat instrument, although there are some severe design flaws throughout, and I had to have it when I saw it was available in sea-foam green! The four string is a different animal from the trad. eight string mando, as you can bend strings and do real vibrato stuff.

Hope that clarifies for you, and see you around Ninth Street, no doubt.