Hot Tuna was scheduled to play The Palladium after the release of their double live album and I believed that the band was about to break huge. The late 1970’s was the time of the great live LP propelling artists to arena acts and beyond but unexpectedly it was announced that Hot Tuna had broken up as a band. Hot Tuna no longer existed as an entity but Jorma Kaukonan would perform as a solo act in its stead. When Jorma hit the stage it was a bit of a shock because the long hair was gone and instead he sported a short slicked back orange hairstyle. Years later I read somewhere where Jorma said he had taken a swig of champagne before the Palladium gig and that unbeknownst to him it was laced with LSD resulting in him playing the same note for twenty minutes. To be honest, I do not think anyone in attendance took notice.

Watch the North Wind Rise

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GQ

One of my few rock and roll regrets is that I did not attend more David Bowie performances while he was still with us. My first Bowie concert was at Madison Square Garden for the tour which would turn out to be the double live “Stage” album. We had rear orchestra seats a little left center from the stage to witness one of the legendary performers of this or any era. The tour followed the Berlin trilogy albums and “Station to Station” was one of many highlights. I would get to see David Bowie in concert only one other time at Giants Stadium during the “Let’s Dance” mega-tour. While Bowie was, and is, one of my all time favorite performers, for some reason I always seemed to miss him when he was on tour. The most befuddling to me is when he played a show in each of the five New York City boroughs, which I believe was never attempted before or since. How I did not catch one of those gigs is beyond me.

Dollar Days

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GQ

In the late 1970’s New York City’s Palladium was the preeminent tock and roll theatre venue, after the Academy of Music was no more. The Palladium was sort of a grungy low rent version of the Beacon Theatre located in downtown Manhattan and they booked all of the best up and coming rock and roll acts, many of whom went on to headline arenas and stadiums. Amazingly, Hot Tuna is still touring and they are doing quarantine gigs online until they can get back on the road hopefully next summer when the postponed Paramount gig in Huntington is already on the schedule.

Keep on Truckin’

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GQ

After seeing the Showtime documentary “12 Bars”, it occurred to me that my first of many Eric Clapton concerts took place during a dark time in the rock legend’s career. The documentary is definitely worth a watch but be prepared to feel a sadness for the many tough times EC has gone through during an amazing but troubled life. The blues man has definitely had his share of trials and tribulations but he has come out the other side and appears to be a content married with children man. I have well worn Eric Clapton t-shirt from his 70th birthday shows at Madison Square Garden from a few years ago and it reminds me that our rock heroes are getting up there in age. Hopefully some have a tour or two left in them whenever the COVID-19 crisis is finally in the rear view mirror. In the meantime I have discovered YouTube and it’s extraordinary catalog of music videos to satiate my live music fix until concerts return hopefully next year.

Lay Down Sally

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GQ

Dave Mason and the Quarantines, which is an all star cast including Mick Fleetwood, Michael McDonald, have released a remake of the classic song “Feelin’ Alright” during these crazy times without live music. It is a great version well worth checking out.

Certified Live

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GQ