Jam bands.  There never seems to be any middle ground.  They have their devoted fans who love ‘em; others can’t see what all the fuss is about and would just as soon leave ‘em.  I saw it with the Dead twenty years ago; I saw it with Phish ten years ago.  At this very moment, halfway around the world, Dave Matthews is probably eleven minutes into the third song of his second set, while Mercury moves out of retrograde and six independent circles of hackysackers hack away blissfully, believing in their hearts of hearts that this is the most awesome (Deadheads used to say “killer.”) show they’ve ever heard, at least until the next one on the tour.

Jazzam’s alleged “farewell show,” New Year’s Eve at the Rex Theatre, had much of the same sense of collective consciousness, or unconsciousness, depending on your level of tolerance for exotic aromas wafting through the air.  As is the law under galactic accord, a few minutes before midnight, the band is obligated to acknowledge the fact and lead the countdown.  In Jazzam’s case, this rote tradition was initiated by singer and secondary guitarist Clinton Clegg barking out, “Guys, we’ve got ten minutes till 2010.  Give it up for Marc on the bass!”  At this point in the show, however, we were only into the third song of their set (More on the opening band later.), and we had already spent a good part of the hour “giving it up” for three or four of bass player Marc Sterling’s solos, so the singer’s benediction did not exactly shift a paradigm, although it did at least END the current interminable jam.  This did lead to a nice moment, however, as a whole bunch of (one would guess) friends and family members joined them onstage as the calendar turned over, much hugging, kissing, dancing along, and general good vibes all around...then off they went into another endless jam, to the delight of many, and the acquisition of more beer by others, including this writer.