After helping move my daughter and son-in-law from Battery Park to Brooklyn in the middle of a trick or treat frenzy, my wife and I scrambled to make the last John Hiatt performance at New York City’s City Winery In downtown Manhattan. We were running late for the scheduled 7 PM start so when traffic came to a halt on Varick Street just before the entrance to the Holland Tunnel and suddenly realizing that we were at the beginning of the huge Halloween Parade spectacular, I did not hold out much hope of seeing the Hiatt show at all. Fortunately, and unbelievably, we quickly found a parking spot on the street just two blocks from the venue and walked in just as Hiatt hit the stage to do his third solo acoustic concert st City Winery. John Hiatt is an extraordinary singer-song writer who has written huge hits for Bonnie Raitt among many others. John played an hour before breaking for 25 minutes and finishing with a strong second hour of songs highlighting his new Eclipse Sessions collection. The new songs were recorded during the most recent solar eclipse and were quite frankly outstanding. The 66 year old Hiatt intermittently changed guitars, played a couple of tunes on piano, and bantered with the half filled Winery audience. It was a tough night to get downtown so I am sure some reserved tables were left unused by patrons stuck in the traffic snarl. It was a laid back evening of great music in an intimate setting performed by a legend.
It was an interesting week of rock and roll that began Sunday with Billy Gibbons touring behind his new blues album at the Paramount in Huntington. Billy Gibbons is a great blues guitarist, and with Matt Sorum of Guns ‘N’ Roses and Velvet Revolver on drums, Gibbons rocked a Paramount house of blues and ZZ Top fans who got their money’s worth (I know I got my $19.99 Groupon money’s worth). Matt Sorum is a great drummer and it was very cool to watch him in action up close and personal at the not quite full Paramount.
On Monday I trekked into the Kings Theatre on Flatbush Avenue in Brooklyn for the Beastie Boys Book Tour. I had my doubts, and did not know what to expect, but the two remaining Beastie Boys told stories with video accompaniment, and Mixmaster Mike spun some complimentary sonic blasts that provided an entertaining evening to the attentative and appreciative Beastie Boys fans they came out to the sold out Brooklyn venue. Quite frankly it was a better than expected event but for me it was not quite worth the $80 face value ticket price. Fortunately I purchased a ticket on StubHub gor $6 the day before; a grab that cane with a copy of the Beastie Boys book upon arrival to the theatre. Needless to say, I was a completely satisfied customer on this particular night.
No Sleep Till Brooklyn
Rock on!
GQ