The Doobie Brothers opened this classic rock bill at the site that used to be “Woodstock” and really provided high energy rock and roll music for an appteciative crowd. I’m not sure why, but the sound at Bethel Woods was outstanding and the band sounded great while providing a nice mix of their greatest hits like “China Grove ” which are numerous. 

My wife who is a ridiculous Chicago fan, had a blast from the first row and was thrown a pick from the Doobie Brothers bass player John Cowan. The Doobie Brothers had the crowd on its feet and singing along by the end of their set. In a bit of a change from past tours,  the band would not return at the end of the Chicago set to play a few songs together as they have done in the past.

The big news for Chicago fans is that Peter Cetera replacement Jason Scheff is gone and the new “kid” in town is Jeff Coffey. Mr Scheff’s voice was sounding strained at times the past few years after years of constant touring so hearing a younger voice added to the band was refreshing. The band’s set list rarely varies but it is a formula that has worked for them for decades and have kept Chicago working on the road consistently for fifty years now. An intermission about 10:15 PM caused some in the crowd to hit the exits early as a passing rain showered the crowd but the band played until 11:30 PM and ptovided all the usual hits including “I’m A Man” and “25 or 6 to 4”. My wife was a big Jason Scheff fan so she did not immediately warm up to a new bass player but Mr. Coffey won her over this night and sealed the deal by handing her a pick at the end of the show.

Music is the Doctor

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GQ

I’m in the general admission pit at Northwell Health at Jones Beach Theater and a band called Anderson East just kicked ass in front of a smallish beach crowd. Southern soul, horns, Booker T and the MGs and some Lynyrd Skynyrd thrown in. I’ve discovered a new band to investigate so the night is already a success.

Chris Stapleton up next- his duet with Justin Timberlake on some awards show is what first brought him to my attention. An acclaimed country music songwriter takes center stage.

Gimme Three Steps

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GQ

Classic rock reigned supreme at Northwell Health at Jones Beach Theater last night. Jason Bonham Led Zeppelin Experience opened and played tribute band versions of Led Zeppelin classics with a bald lead singer thankfully unable to replicate Robert Plant’s flowing locks. After Jason Bonham sat in for his father, the late great John Bonham, and played the one big Led Zep reunion show some years back, Bonham has taken the brand name on the road. If Jason was a Van Zant he would be singing lead for Lynyrd Skynyrd. JBLZE provided a nice short entree for what was to follow.

Cheap Trick just may be the hardest working band in rock and roll. Grandpa Rick Nielsen is still manically rocking on multiple guitars with his son Dazz replacing Bun E. Carlos on drums. Original members Tom Petersson and Robin Zander looked and sounded great. The band mixed up the set with old and new songs, finishing up with mega hits like “The Flame” but the highlight for me was Petersson’s take on the Velvet Underground classic “I’m Waiting For My Man”. Cheap Trick still rocks loud and hard: the greatest, most dependable arena opening act in the history of rock and roll.

There is only one original member left in Foreignor, Mivk Jones, and on stage with the Foreignor replacement players he looks like Johnny Knoxville in Bad Grandpa. He does not speak much and for good reason as he needed to be prodded to introduce his capable lead singer to the audience. Foreignor put on a full on 1980’s era arena extravaganza and played every song you could want to hear during their hour and a half hour set.

Mr.Jones took the microphone before the encores to announce that founding members Lou Gramm, Al Greenwood, and Ian McDonald would join the band and they played “Long, Long Way From Home”, I Want to Know What Love Is” and “Hot Blooded”. This is reportedly the first time the surviving members have played together since 1980 and it may be part of a campaign for induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as they celebrate the 40 the anniversary of the band. It was a special night for Foreignor fans and the reunion completed an overall entertaining evening of old time rock and roll.

Surrender 

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GQ

Cyndi Lauper opened last night’s Jones Beach Concert with a cowboy western theme wearing a purple wig and carrying a suitcase. While thoughts of this being a long evening crossed my mind, Ms. Lauper provided s mix of New And old with a professional band in tow slowly building to her crowd pleasing hits like Girls Just Want to Have Fun (damental Rights) and the old Kodak commercial dong “True Colors”. Cyndi aptly straddled the line politically without being overbearing and later came out to sing a song with the headliner; Lauper’s set was an entertaining prelude for what was to come.

The legendary Rod Stewart pulled out all the stops for this tour that left out the standards that dominated his set lists some years back and this time around he emphasized his numerous 1970’s and 80,s hits. 

The 72 year old singer, who is holding up a lot better than many who attended last night’s concert, was energetic and in goood voice through the night. Stewart opened with “Infatuation” and closed with “Do Ya Think I’m Sexy?” with dancing girls, violins and mandolins in between. The multi media extravaganza will play well in Las Vegas and those who stayed until the very end at the sold out venue saw Sir Rod slip out the side and into the night leaving the rest of us to struggle with the worst parking lot gridlock I have seen in some time.

Maggie May 

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GQ

It’s been a busy summer concert season on Long Island and New York City, particularly Queens. On the heels of Lady Antebellum at Jones Beach and a phenomenal show by My Morning Jacket with guitar slinger Gary Clark Jr. at Forest Hills Stadium, tonight the legendary Rod Stewart plays at Jones Beach with Cyndi Lauper opening. The weather is perfect (and the crowd is old) for this almost sold out (and expensive) ticket.

The show of the summer so far was the My Morning Jacket show in Queens on Saturday. If Led Zeppelin, The Grateful Dead and Pink Floyd at a laboratory conceived child it would be My Morning Jacket. Everything about this show blew away the ctowd on this night and the Gull, who is a huge MMJ fan, loved the set list. Gary Clark Jr. hit the stage and played an hour long set in the sunlight and Jim James and company started at 7:30 and roared for two and a half exhilarating hours. 

I’m sure that Rod and Cyndi will rock the house tonight but I think I need a Bowery Ballroom show soon after this one.

The First Cut is the Deepest

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GQ

A busy summer concert season continues when the Moody Blues play the Northwell Health at Jones Beach Theater tonight. 

Last night I caught John Mellencamp touring behind an excellent  “Sad Clowns and Hillbillies” collection. In a somewhat strange twist, this show did not sell fast, or well even after a reduction in ticket price after the initial on sale and a lengthy stint on Groupon. Then a few days before the Tuesday night show was to happen, many tickets appeared for sale on stubhub for as low as the $10 to $15 dollar range before fees. Since there is a 10 PM curfew to appease the neighbors, there is a 6:30 start time for most shows making it difficult for some to make the eeekday gigs. Throw in the LIRR track repair summer of hell and ticket sales were sluggish. The Forest Hills Stadium was mostly full at show time as Mellencamp played a little more than an hour and a half with opening acts Valerie Carter and the great Emmylou Harris who both also helped out with John’s set. 

A highlight last night was Emmylou and her band playing a beautiful version of “Abraham, Martin and John” written by Dick Holler and first made famous by Dion.

Legendary chain smoker John Mellencamp’s was in good voice and an entertaining “Tuesday Afternoon” and evening in Queens seemed to be had by all.

Moody Blues tickets for Jones Beach were available for as low as $20 and were seen on Groupon for $15. The classic rock concert landscape is a mixed bag this year and there are bargains out there to be had to catch some great live rock and roll music this summer.

I’m Jusr a (Pop) Singer

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GQ

Two thirds of the Dukes of September play The Paramount in Huntington tonight.

Wye Oak is playing City Winery in New York City Friday, 10/6/17.

What a Fool Believes

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GQ

Jesse Paris Smith’s mom is Patti Smith of the Patti Smith Group. City Winery continues to reinvent the New York concert scene with cool acts and innovative events. Although when pressed at the Relix Music Conference at Brooklyn Bowl recently, owner Michael Dorf said that they catered to the “viagra and wine drinking” crowd (some offense taken, as I neither take viagra or drink wine), the venue is always a great place to see a show.

There are various guests tonight but the obvious draw is seeing the Patti Smith Group play in an intimate space that is not the Bowery Ballroom.

Patti and her children, Jackson and Jesse Paris, will play a show later this year at Central Park Summerstage (yet another great New York City concert venue)  in a tribute to her husband Fred “Sonic” Smith of the MC5 from Lincoln Park, Michigan.

Kick Out the Jams

Happy Birthday and Rock on!

GQ

Elvis  Costello took the Central Park Summerstage last night with his Imperial Bedroom and other chambers tour for what   turned out to be a 2 and a half hour marathon that ran the gamut from hits, ballads, and a Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds.

The Imposters, as I learned from Rolling Stone magazine, are the Attractions with a different bass player/background vocalist and the addition of two female singers. 

Elvis was resplendent in a red hat that complemented longtime mainstay Steve Nieve’s grand piano.

It was a long show to be sure and the pacing was somewhat questionable at times that resulted in some of the crowd talking through some of the quieter moments, but it was an excellent retrospective of an artist with a vast catalogue of music.

The Summerstage is a uniquely New York City venue nestled in the park.

But I must digress. Tears for Fears at Forest Hills just killed if opening for Hall and Oates. Despite the cattle car-like crush to enter the old tennis stadium and missing a good part of the set, the joyous crowd danced and sang along to 90’s hits like “Shout”. 

Next up, Hall and Oates.

Private Eyes

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GQ

Jethro Tull was my favorite band in high school and the first album that I actually purchased myself was Tull’s “Warchild”.

I do not really recall seeing U.K. for either show and, to be honest, I do not believe they were even on my musical radar screen at the time.

As far as Jethro Tull is concerned, the only recollection I have from (hopefully) these shows is that I was quite impressed with Ian Anderson swinging the length of the stage with a rope in his best theatrical fashion.

I do have one Jethro Tull MSG story but I am not sure which show or tour that it actually occurred. As I was wandering through the Garden during the show,  I happened upon an unattended elevator and I got in  As luck would have it, the elevator took me right behind the stage, stage right, and I tucked myself behind a curtain for a bit and watched Ian Anderson perform on stage. I stayed in that spot for a few minutes when a security person finally saw me and asked me what exactly I was doing backstage. Without any realistic explanation at my disposal, I was then escorted from the area but was thankfully not removed from the building for my curiosity.

Wond’ring Aloud

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GQ