Tension at the Rehearsal
There were about 15 musicians onstage – “an unusually large group.” Densmore just figured that for the second half, they needed extra players to replicate the sound of Astral Weeks. As he tested out the drums in the empty auditorium, he was excited for the night to come.
Photo by Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images
Strangely, Van was nowhere to be seen. As they rehearsed, Densmore threw in some of his own signature licks, and the musicians turned around,” acknowledging me with big smiles.” When he asked where Van was, the musicians told him he was in his dressing room. He then felt “tension mounting among the players.”