The first day of the three day Newport Folk Festival brought out Margo Price with guest appearances by John Prine and Brandi Carlile, Sturgill Simpson, Charlie Musselwhote and Ben Harper, St. Vincent, Jason Isbell And rumors of Neil Young closing the Saturday night show tomorrow.
J.D. McPherson Band and a guest appearance by Shakey Graves were an early highlight so far .
No rain and hot as it should be; a very good opening day of the three day festival.
Rock on.
GQ
The Pixies are tearing it up on stage on a beautiful summer night at Jones Beach. I have never seen the band before tonight and it is clear why they are considered legendary indie rockers. The Pixies sound great, heavy and the band is right as hell.
Last night I caught the second night of the Foo Fighters at Madison Square Garden. Dave Grohl and band are the current standard bearers of rock and roll. While U2 rely on stage effects and gimmicks these days, the Foo Fighters just relentlessly rock harder then anyone else in the world on tour at the moment and with a boisterous, adoring crowd dancing, singing, and screaming at the top of their lungs, FF had the Garden shaking and they damn near blew the lid off of the joint. The show was pretty similar to the one at Jones Beach on Saturday but they did throw in a little “You May Be Right” in honor of Billy Joel’s 100th Madison Square Garden headlining performance happening tonight. The Foo Fighters restore faith in the power of arena rock and roll and are the best act on the road south of 70.
Weezer up next.
Tomorrow Beck is ambitiously performing in the big arena at Madison Square Garden and next week it’s a family trip to the Newport Folk Festival (no rain, no rain, no rain).
I got two turntables and a microphone.
Rock on!
GQ
The Foo Fighters take the stage tonight at the Northwell at Jones Beach Theatre on a steamy summer Saturday night where Dave Grohl will not have to work too hard to get a sweat working. The Foo Fighters continue their tour this week with a couple of sold out solid dates at the recently vacated by Radiohead after four nights this week Madison Square Garden.
I went to see Radiohead at Madison Square Garden this past Tuesday where the crowd was totally into the show but the atmospheric music and crowded but low-key stage show left me flat. Then I took a road trip to Boston to catch th last two shows of Neil Young’s six date 3018 solo tour at the beautiful Wang Theatre.
I just saw Neil Young and the Promise of the Real a few weeks ago at the Arroyo Seco Festival in Pasadena. Mr. Young has been playing sporadic short stints with first Crazy Horse in California, warm up shows with the Promise of the Real for a couple of festival dates, and now a six show solo tour. With his guitars and banjo in a circle center stage and surrounded by three pianos, organ and Woody, Neil Young played what he felt like playing to mesmerized audiences. With the release of “Roxy”, the live Tonight’s the Night album, he broke out “Mellow My Mind” on the banjo and “Speakin’’ Out” and an extraforniary version of the title track on the original “Tonight’s the Night” piano that had been repainted tye-dye by his daughter while on a past tour. “Are You Ready for the Country” had a lyrically political twist and Neil played a variety of hits and more obscure tracks (as long as no one yelled out a request). Neil and the Real will play Farm Aid and Willie Nelson’s Outlaw Festival in Saratoga Springs in September. What will happen between now and then and beyond is anyone’s guess but be sure to check his tremendous Archives website regularly for any presale information.
Hey Hey My My
Rock and Roll Roll Will Never Die
At least while Neil Young and Dave Grohl are still around
Rock on!
GQ
It’s been an active 2018 Spring/beginning of summer concert season so here are done quick hits of what I’ve seen so far.
I had not seen U2 perform since the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame concerts at MSG some years ago, and I had not seen the band perform a full show in person since The Ritz on Saint Patrick Day in 1980 following the release of the album “October”. U2 had not been on my radar until I read a review of the album “October” in Esquier magazine and I then decided to check them out for myself. Needless to say that the show at Nassau Coliseum this year was quite different than the one I saw at a club in New York City decades ago. U2 has many great songs and they have become one of the great stadium acts in rock and roll. The giant “interactive with the band” screen which pretty much split the arena in two halves is pretty cool and the band gives you your money’s worth (at least my money’s worth as I did not opt for the $300 plus seats for anything close to the stage that took up the entire floor except for the standing room and uber-expensive Red Zone). I found the concert to be entertaining and although the band is obviously talented and legendary, I would prefer to scale back the gimmicktry and just play the tunes. The Sirius show at the Apollo had to have been awesome but unfortunately I was not fortunate enough to attend that one.
Poison and Cheap Trick at Northwell at Jones Beach Theatre was a mixed bag for me. Is there any band that Cheap Trick has not opened for? The band is as tight as ever and sounds great. What impressed me the most is that Cheap Trick has a great new summertime song as good as anything in their catalogue. In a climate where new music by classic bands rarely gets played on the radio any more, the fact that I heard the “Summer looks good on you” tune on a terrestrial radio station in Los Angelos this past week absolutely floored me. It’s a catchy tune that will stay in your head and have you singing it for awhile. Check it out.
My wife loves Brett Michaels and Poison, sans make up, played their hits and the 1980’s hair metal fans seemed to have a rockin’ good time. To Mr.Michael’s credit, he is vociferously pro-military and although much of his act is shtick, he seems to love performing and appreciates his fans.
My wife and I traveled to Pasadena, California for the Seco Arroyo Music And food festival with a line up that included Neil Young and the Promise of the Real, Kings of Leon, Robert Plant, Jack White and three stages of continuos music. The two day festival was a great experience with great music, food and perfect weather. Neil Young played without a set list and seemed to be having fun, Robert Plant was awesome and the rock and roll elder statesman brings with him a great band, new music and some takes on Led Zeppelin tunes. Mr. Plant is a true artist who continues to create new music pushing the boundaries where world music and rock and roll converge.
The North Mississippi All Stars and Trampled by Turtles (the best band name sine The Teardrop Explodes) impressed but the real surprise was how good Alanis Morissette was. An enthusiastic crowd in front of the main stage watched a confident, and seemingly content, Morrissette belt out most of the songs ffom her big hit album. Alanis wore a white t-shirt that said HER on the front and MAN on the back and tried her best to work the large stage. Ms. Morrissette has great pipes and sounded great.
On Friday, my wife and I went to the refurbished St. George Theatre in Staten Island to see Stephen Stills and Judy Collins for the second time on their tour. We got stuck in Friday evening Belt Parkway traffic and jumped in to a little Italian restaurant to grab some food. I had forgotten there was an opening act and at 8:15, after everyone else had already made their way in to the theatre, we were hustling to get yo our seats. As we passed two parked tour buses and an alley way next to the theatre I saw lone figure dressed in black halfway in to the alleyway walking toward us. I focused my eyes to realize it was Stephen Stills trying to make his way back to the tour bus pre-show. We walked toward him and I helped him move the metal barricade so he could get through. I do not get starstruck but this was my opportunity to speak with one of my rock and roll heros with literally no one else nearby. I told him that I was a huge fan and that we had just seen Neik Young with Promise of the Resl in California. Mr. Stills said that Neil is out there working. I told Stephen we had seen him perform with Judy at Westbury as he continued to make his way toward the bus. I told Stephen to have a great night and he got back on his bus. The encounter was so unexpected but I was glad I had the opportunity to speak with the legendary performer who has provided much of the soundtrack to my life. Now I saw Neil Young perform last week, about two weeks ago I saw Graham Nash attending Roger Daltrey performing the rock opera “Tommy” with an orchestra at Forest Hills Stadium, and now I run into Stephen Stills in a Staten Island alleyway. Perhaps this is an omen that Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young can find their way back together for one last go round.
The Stills-Collins concert was tremendous. Stephen voice has been rough the past few years but it is beautifully offset by Judy Collins who sounds incredible and provided harmonies where needed throughout the performance. Ms. Collins sang some of her own songs and the two interspersed great stories and anecdotes making it a very special evening.
Stephen Stills played “Long May You Run” from the Stills-Young Band and “I Won’t Back Down” for his north Floridian comrade Tom Petty.
For What It’s Worth
Rock on!
GQ