This past Friday I took the Long Island Railroad and then subway into Manhattan to see Bob Dylan’s Rough and Rowdy Ways tour at the Beacon Theatre (it is impossible to drive or park anywhere in New York City anymore but that is a story for another day). During the pandemic hiatus, I have been obsessing a bit on Mr. Dylan. I have been rotating out my many Dylan compact discs while traveling in my car with the couple of days right before the show listening to the phenomenal “Tempest” collection. I have been watching Dylan and the Dead on YouTube and found a 60 Minutes interview with Bob that is extraordinary. I have seen Bob Dylan in concert on more than a few occasions including Bobfest at MSG and, most recently, on a couple of dates with Neil Young & the Promise of the Real at Hyde Park, London and Kilkenny, Ireland. The show at the Beacon Theatre was advertised as “doors at 7, show starting at 8” with no opening act. I entered the Beacon early through the rear entrance and got through the Covid protocols pretty quickly. I had a balcony ticket but made my way down to the orchestra where I met Steve Earle who was very cool and we spoke briefly about his upcoming benefit concert in December at Town Hall. At 7:45 they announced to go to your seats and promptly at 8 the show began with Bob Dylan behind his piano and with his exquisite band playing perfectly on an eclectic set of tunes. The songs were great, the group was impeccable and the crowd was mesmerized with a few of us on our feet hooting and hollering at the appropriate times. Unbelievably, the concert ended at about 9:40 but I was satisfied to have seen the reluctant genius in yet another incarnation yet still creating powerful compelling art as great artists do. Bob Dylan’s merchandise said that this was amazingly, and optimistically, the 2021-2024 world tour and I hope that he is still on the road in 2024, and beyond, as we are all fortunate to have the opportunity to see the master musician still honing his craft live and in person.

Key West (Philosopher Pirate)

Rock on!

GQ

I attended one of my many Crosby, Stills & Nash concerts on a Saturday night in September, 1987; this one taking place at the Jones Beach Theatre in Wantagh, Long Island with opener the Fabulous Thunderbirds. CSN always seemed to have interesting opening acts when touring the summer sheds, and not always seemingly the obvious choices, but always making it a fun and festive musical evening under the stars.

Live It Up

Rock on!

GQ

The great David Bowie brought his Glass Spider tour to Giants Stadium in New Jersey following the huge commercial hit project “ Let’s Dance” and his more recently released “Never Let Me Down” album. My wife and I drove to the show with my work buddy Mike and one of his then girlfriends while he was in between marriages. An empty plastic one gallon milk carton was filled with Meyers rum and orange juice in a long ago time when such items were allowed into the stadium. The rum concoction did its trick, and I vaguely remember Bowie performing at some point high above the stage and among the lights and scaffolding. The iconic Bowie is still one of my favorites and I hope to visit the limited engagement pop up store celebrating his 75th birthday located near one of his residences in downtown Manhattan sometime in January, 2022; I am guessing Bowie 75 might echo the tremendous Brooklyn Museum exhibit I was fortunate to experience a few years back.

Modern Love

Rock on!

GQ

I vaguely recall attending the Moody Blues and Til Tuesday concert at the Jones Beach Theatre in July, 1987 and have seen the band a number of times through the years. I just recently saw Justin Hayward at the Paramount in Huntington and it was reminiscent of his City Winery appearance a couple of years ago. Mr. Hayward played with guitarist and keyboardist and was in fine voice; it was a phenomenal feel good show. Unfortunately long time Moody Blues drummer Graeme Edge recently passed at 80 making it more unlikely the group might tour again as the band members are getting up there in age, as many of our musical hero’s of the 1960’s and 1970’s are at this point. My feeling is next year will be a big year for live music as the older artists who have been on the shelf for two years attempt a victory lap with the accompanying revenue streams before they are unable to. In the meantime, at least for one evening, Justin Hayward reminded us of how powerful the Moody Blues musical legacy still is with an outstanding stripped down performance with delightful stories interspersed.

I owned quite a few singles when I was a kid, and followed the record charts every Sunday in the newspapers, but “Every Good Boy Deserves Favour” was only the second long playing record I owned after “Meet the Beatles”; the Moody Blues album was purchased for me by my father as he knew I loved the song “The Story in Your Eyes” which was getting a lot of radio airplay at the time. All these years later, the Moody Blues music still holds up, and likely always will, as they are clearly one of the greatest acts in rock and roll musical history.

Gemini Dream

Rock on!

GQ

I literally have no recollection of this Crosby, Still & Nash concert at Radio City Music Hall but I am more surprised that I had not gone to a show in 1987 until July 7th. This is quite possibly the longest concert drought for me until 2020 with the pandemic quarantine and the live music shutdown.

Wasted on the Way

Rock on

GQ

After seeing Neil Young & Crazy Horse’s Rusted Garage tour in New Jersey, next up was half of CSNY, and formerly good friends, David Crosby & Graham Nash playing the Westbury Music Fair in the round in December, 1986. I am pretty sure that it was during this concert when I witnessed David Crosby sing a cappella, without amplification, at the 1800 seat venue; the performance was stunning. David Crosby is a freak with amazing pipes to this day. It is unbelievable that with the abuse that David famously inflicted on his health and body for so many years, his voice is still magnificent; what a gift! As I recall, the band that evening consisted of Crosby, Nash with John Ferrentino on keyboards performing songs stripped down, yet still powerful, with their extraordinary harmonies on display. While it seems unlikely that the two will perform together again any time soon, David & Graham are still creating art separately, as true artists will do, and their rock and roll legacy is undeniable.

Out of the Darkness

Rock on!

GQ

Neil Young & Crazy Horse brought the Rusted Garage Tour to New Jersey’s Meadowlands, on a Saturday night in September of 1986. The tour harkened back to the Rust Never Sleeps tour of 1978 with the larger than life stage props as a backdrop to the Crazy Horse rock and roll musical experience. Neil has recently been working with the reconfigured Crazy Horse during the pandemic years with Nils Lofgren replacing Frank “Poncho” Sampedro after a freak accident caused him to retire from playing guitar with the band; original member Ralph Molina is still playing drums with Billy Talbot holding down the base in Young’s distortion friendly ensemble. One memorable moment for me was Neil Young & Crazy Horse playing “ “Walk Like a Giant” in Central Park for the Global Citizen concert at such a volume that reportedly the ground shook and windows rattled throughout Manhattan during rehearsals.
The last time I saw the band was two nights in Winnipeg in 20 below weather in February a couple of years ago; an incredible experience I will never forget.

Don’t Spook the Horse

Rock on!

GQ