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March 17, 2010 1 Comment

Allman Brothers — my first show since the 70's

The Venue (United Palace Theater, 175th and Broadway)……unbelieveably ornate and lush.  25 minute subway ride (express thru Harlem)…the A train from 59th.

The Vibe: Older and greyer than I thought.  Mostly mellow, a few rowdies, happy group

The Show:  They still jam.  This was no aging "greatest hits" deal….Derek Trucks and Warren Haynes were firing on all cylinders and Gregg's voice was still powerful.  Awesome drum solo……a few great covers:  The Weight, Only You Know and I Know.  3 Drummers, powerful, pulsating sound…….great trippy images and visual show behind

Set 1: Hot’lanta, Can’t Lose What You Never Had, Trouble No More, Come & Go Blues, Rocking Horse > Little Martha Tease > Jam > Rocking Horse, Gamblers Roll, Only You Know & I Know, Kind of Bird, Statesboro Blues

Set 2: Melissa, Good Clean Fun, Black Hearted Woman>Other One Jam, The Weight, Every Hungry Woman, Jessica > Will The Circle Be Unbroken > Oteil Solo > JaBuMa > Jessica

Encore: You Don’t Love Me

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September 30, 2009 Leave a Comment

New Orleans: Spin Class and the Real Thing

From my weekend in New Orleans: 2 signs you would never see anywhere else, check these out. Cafe Negril is in the Marigny and had an amazing Reggae Jam band. But why no music the other 2 nights a year? Lost Trumpet….”no questions asked”.

New Orleans Playlist (used in Spynergy Wellesley last Friday, Spynergy Newton THIS Wednesday)

The City of New Orleans Arlo Guthrie, Papa Dukie and the Mud People The Subdudes, Ca tu dis et ca tu fair sont pas Steve Riley & The Mamou Playboys, Pressure Drop Toots & The Maytals, Yellow Moon The Neville Brothers, Me and Bobby McGee Grateful Dead ,The Levee’s Gonna Break Bob Dylan, Home Cowboy Mouth, Love Is Free Sheryl Crow, The Saints Are Coming Green Day & U2, What a Wonderful World (Single) Louis Armstrong

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July 23, 2009 Leave a Comment

Bob Dylan live at McCoy Stadium, Pawtucket RI

I think he winked at us with this show. First of all the “circus” theme?? Complete with cheesy taped intro music and a booming ringmaster announcement: “ladies and gent — tul —- men, the poet laureate of a generation, the folk icon of the 60’s, etc. etc.”. What was up with all that? The master showman was a master showman, what can you say.

Once the band started playing, it was all business though. They started at 80 miles per hour (Cat’s in the Well) and rarely let up. The show was instrumental, rocking, energetic and best of all tight……musically. Poignant ballads? Not tonight.

Willie Nelson and John Mellancamp? Nice side-shows, nice for what they do, and nice build ups to the main act — center ring. Song treatments were what you would expect……Dylan’s were not. The beauty of this kind of Dylan show, was that you could have it both ways: you could hear a song you’ve heard 400 times, and you could hear the same song for the first time. It Aint’ Me Babe was the song of the night for me and I didn’t even recognize it until several minutes in. For the old-timers Masters of War was warped into an angry rock diatribe spitting venom. Later Highway 61 Revisited got you into a looser mood and when the band kicked into Summer Days you felt like you were dancing in a juke joint somewhere in the southern midwest.

Most songs displayed an almost “jam band” type feel as powerful instrumentals shattered the damp night air. The only criticism I heard (which was true) was that you could not understand Dylan’s voice at all. Yes, you could hear it — but as usual it was unintelligible. You know what? So what? Most people knew all the words anyway.

All in all this was a summer show — threatening to rain all night but it miraculously held out —- maybe it was because he played The Levee’s Gonna Break. Who could resist a grin while the highly satisfying encore rolled out Like a Rolling Stone, Jolene (brand new), and All Along the Watchtower? If you haven’t seen a Bob Dylan show in several years, it is crystal clear to me he has developed a stadium “thing” that is innovative, skilled, and highly entertaining. Best of all, it somehow seems to magically feel fresh as opposed to nostalgic. How does he do that………again?

For another opinion on the show and a bit more detail, check the Larry Fishman review at the Bob Links site.

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July 23, 2009 Leave a Comment

Cronkite, Woodstock, Spin Music and more

Two Play lists below #1 A little tough to make the connection, but yes we managed. Walter Cronkite actually had audio albums including vignettes of his comments about various events. One was Woodstock. We followed his resonant voice, with a group of songs by artists at Woodstock — lots of great stuff there. That was last sunday (see playlist below). Last Tuesday was a random eclectic mix asked about by several………OK, here it is.

Sunday July 19
August, 1969: Woodstock (I Can Hear It Now the Sixties) Walter Cronkite
Woodstock Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young
Everything’s Coming Our Way Santana Greates
All Along the Watchtower The Jimi Hendrix Experience
Born on the Bayou Creedence Clearwater Revival
Magic Bus The Who
Spinning Wheel Blood, Sweat & Tears
I’m Free The Who
Here Come’s the Sun Richie Havens
Janis Joplin I shall be released
Somebody to Love Jefferson Airplane
Feelin’ Alright Joe Cocker
Cry Baby / Piece of My Heart Melissa Etheridge & Joss Stone
Long Time Gone Crosby, Stills & Nash

Tuesday, July 21
Praise You Fatboy Slim
Mr. E’s Beautiful Blues Eels
Suicide Blonde INXS
Pressure Drop Toots & The Maytals
Go Walking Down There Chris Isaak
Knockin’ On Heaven’s Door Guns N’ Roses
Bom Bom Bom Living Things
Orange Blossom Special The Charlie Daniels Band
We Are All Made of Stars Moby
Love You ‘Till the End The Pogues
Shadow Of The Day Linkin Park
Stop Children Buffalo Springfield

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July 12, 2009 Leave a Comment

Music, Music, Music

Eclectic music weekend…to say the least. Saturday night we visited UMass Lowell (baseball field where the Red Sox minor league “Lowell spinners” play) for a rain-drenched but outstanding Wilco concert. Coined “roots rock” Chicago-based Wilco is a difficult to describe amalgamation of influences. At various points in the show, I felt I heard waves of Neil Young, Carlos Santana, The Who and The Grateful Dead…..yet Wilco sounds like none of them. They also had fun, and I think they were messing with us at various points…….long jams that all of a sudden took off like rocket ships and exploded. Sup with that? Right before their last song, an impressive deluge of rain began. Fortunately, (or unfortunately) I had enough $7 beers at the ol’ baseball park to move towards the stage as most sensible people ran for cover.

Then at this morning’s indoor cycling (spin) class, we dipped into Joni Mitchell and Carole King because my wife is riveted by a new book called “Girls Like Us” that tells the story of the intertwined lives of those two plus Carly Simon. You can’t spin to much of their music, but its great to warm up to. My wife wouldn’t let me play Smackwater Jack, even tho it is the only vaguely spinnable Carole King. Tapestry was the number one selling album of all time up to that point, and actually held the title until Michael Jackson came along.

Also, we had a request for the pop classic? Rock the Boat by “The Hues Corportation”….Who? I agreed to play it, but only if I could offset the kharma with a long live version of Going Down the Road Feeling Bad recorded live at the Fillmore East by the Grateful Dead.

Eclectic music weekend? I think so. Other songs from today’s spin class: St. Theresa by Joan Osborne (lights out), Mercy by Duffy, The Weight by The Band, Magnificent by U2, Magnificent 7 by the Clash.

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