Well, I saw one of these two Smashing Pumpkins concerts at Madison Square Garden.
Smashing Pumpkin shows have been interesting adventures for me; I am not particularly a big fan of the music, or Billy Corgan, but I always find myself having a rollicking good time every time I see them. Corgan is a Howard Stern favorite and has been on the radio show a number of times, the most recent with Perry Farrell promoting their upcoming tour.
1979
Rock on!
GQ
The combination of Paul McCartney and Fenway Park in Boston made this concert irresistible and worthy of a road trip. The weather forecast for the second night of McCartney’s two night stand was ominous, calling for heavy rain throughout, but fortunately the weathermen were wrong on this one and it was a perfect night. My wife and I had a great dinner with a couple of her friends who coincidently ended up at the same show and who had similar seats as us in the second part of the field; ours to the left of the stage. We were close enough that we did not have to depend on the giant screens on either side of the stage, and we were surrounded by happy folks who came to see the 79 year old McCartney perform likely for the last time. I was a little nervous about seeing Paul on the second night with no day off in between shows as I was concerned his voice might be shot; it was a little ragged at times but he made up for it by performing an amazing 37 songs for about three hours with no intermission. It was an extraordinary journey through this career with even the new songs holding up well to the classics. Paul McCartney is finishing up this particular tour at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey this week. As I am a New York Jets season ticket holder, I would be hard pressed to go and see anyone at the Meadowlands (hence the trip to Fenway) but for those wanting to catch an all time legend who will give you your money’s worth (and more), go see Sir Paul in concert while you still can.
I’ve Got a Feeling
Rock on!
GQ
Every time Robert Plant tours he continues to prove to everyone why he is a true rock and roll artist who is constantly reinventing himself throughout the musical journey we are privileged to witness and enjoy. This 2022 tour that stopped at the iconic Forest Hills Tennis Stadium nestled in a residential Queens neighborhood that usually (but not this night) demands a ten o’clock curfew.
Plant & Krauss’ guitarist JD McPherson opened the show at 8 with his rockabilly band for a quick, but entertaining, half hour set that included an interesting take on Iggy Pop’s “Lust For Life”.
Plant & Krauss, with band, came on at 9 and played much material from the two albums they have recorded as a duo. The crowd was respectful and attentive during the quieter songs which were fantastic, with Robert Plant and Allison Krauss trading off lead vocals and playing off each other’s voices, while Krauss played violin intermittently throughout the evening. Plant placated the diehard Led Zeppelin fans early on with a countryish “Rock and Roll”, which he has similarly played on past solo tours, but undoubtedly the highlight of the evening was an epic “The Battle of Evermore” from Zeppelin’s fourth album with Allison Krauss expertly singing the Sandy Denny harmonies of the song and Plant taking the audience on an extraordinary sonic trip. You have to hand it to Mr. Plant; he is still a rock god who could have easily gone on a Led Zeppelin stadium reunion tour, play the beloved classic rock tunes, and make millions living in the past, but he has chosen to follow his muse, playing to somewhat smaller audiences, but living in the present creatively, and maintaining the artistic integrity that his true fans are grateful and appreciative to experience.
When The Levee Breaks
Raise the Roof
Rock on!
GQ
What is most interesting for me about this trio of Neil Young & Crazy Horse concerts in 1996 is twofold. The Madison Square Garden show for any Neil Young tour is a given. The Saratoga Performing Arts Center show happened because we took a summer family vacation to the Bonnie View at Lake George and conveniently Neil and the band were playing SPAC while we were there. I left the kids with my wife to watch for the evening, jumped in the car and headed south. I made the solo run to nearby Saratoga Springs where I sat in the mezzanine and witnessed, for what I believe was the first time, Young & Crazy perform “ Dangerbird” in concert. The Pittsburgh gig at the summer shed Star Lake was a road trip to visit my buddy Eric with the specific objective to catch the Neil Young & Crazy Horse concert. We have attended many Neil Young concerts together through the years and while we are traveling down the highway of life, every once in awhile Neil’s path will intertwine with ours so that we can catch the rock snd roll show and whatever else it may lead us to.
No Hidden Path
Rock On!
GQ