He got his first big break playing with master composer and showman Frank Zappa, and moved on to play with King Crimson, David Bowie, Talking Heads, Nine Inch Nails, Tom Tom Club, and the Bears. (He’s still an active member of King Crimson and the Bears.)

He has a daughter that lives in Seattle, and a son who lives in the Portland area, so Adrian brought his wife along and the whole clan got together for a family reunion kicking off with that night’s show. The extended family took over half the front row tables. It definitely added a festive touch to the evening.

Adrian has always maintained a prolific solo career in parallel to his work in bands, mostly to pursue his eclectic and avant-garde musical vision. He was one of the very first to apply synthesizer technology to the guitar, as well as to some of the myriad of other instruments that he has mastered. (His cello playing is absolutely as entrancing as his guitar work.) He’s also done a lot of producing and session work with Paul Simon, Tori Amos, Crash Test Dummies, Cyndi Lauper, Mike Oldfield, Laurie Anderson, and Jean-Michael Jarre. His talent crosses all genres.

Adrian was surrounded by foot pedals and stomp boxes. He wore a type of aqua-socks with suction cups for traction as he worked the technology with his feet the way most guitarists use their fingers on their axe’s strings. I got a real kick out of the way he bounced around his foot boards, synthesizers, and amps on his boingo chair. Like a kid in a candy store!

For the last two years, he’s had a young brother/sister team tour with him on his solo endeavors. They’re both in their early 20’s, but you’d never know to listen to them. These kids know their chops!

It was unusual to see the drummer perpendicular to the audience, but it gave us the opportunity to get an appreciation of Eric Slick’s incredible footwork. Adrian has a very unique sense of syncopation, but this lad never missed a beat.

Sister Julie Slick was masterful on the bass. And definitely the most photogenic of the group. (That must be the reason I have so many more pictures of her…)