in what has been a long hot day at the beach. Gregg Allman is about to hit the stage following a nice performance by former Drive by Trucker Jason Isbell as the headliner to his Laid Back Festivsl at the Jobes Beach venue.

Marshal Tucker Band played a lackluster half our set on the main stage after Allman Brothers Band legend Jaimo started the day off with a bluesy set in the Low Country second stage. America played an hour of hits and deep tracks on the Laid Back main stage which an appreciative crowd enjoyed but the big revelation for me tonight was how much fun the band Orleans is.

As a cool ocean breeze blows into the amphitheater, Mr. Allman and his band will take us home.

Still the One

Rock on

GQ

Jeff Beck and Buddy Guy appear at the Theater at Madison Square Garden tonight with Billy Joel playing the big room upstairs at the same time. I think the last time I remember this happening Van Morrison was in the Theater while the Rolling Stones shook the Garden arena.

There will be a Traffic Jam in midtown Manhattan tonight.

Rock on

GQ

Florida Georgia Line headline a country lineup at the Jones Beach Theater tonight on a hot and humid mid-July evening on Long Island.

I happened to see the band’s tractor trailers and tour buses traveling westbound down Merrick Road in Seaford on their way to Wantagh Parkway and the beach.

The road goes on forever.

Rock on.

GQ

I’ve heard of Cowboy Junkies but don’t know their music; another musical adventure.

Early show starts at 7 and ends at 8:30-

This must be what Florida is like.

Rock on

GQ

My seat to the extreme right of the stage would have been ideal except for a tent next to the stage. Being unable to see Mr. Dylan from this vantage point just adds to his mysterious persona as his gravelly voice wafts into the cloudy Queens sky.

There’s a slow train coming and it’s not the 7 line.

A legend’s road goes on forever.

Rock on

GQ

Paul Simon performs at Forest Hills Stadium tonight and Friday night in support of his recently released “Stranger to Stranger”. I last saw Rhymin’ Simon with Sting at Madison Square Garden. Sting is currently on a similar type tour with Peter Gabriel.

Now I first sort of saw Mr. Simon with Art Garfunkel from quite a distance at the now legendary Central Park concert. The venue at Forest Hills will most definitely provide a better vantage point at least for me.

Paul and Art Garfunkel grew up in Forest Hills so these shows are a bit of a homecoming for Simon.

My daughter is getting married in August and I discovered the perfect father-daughter dance song on Simon’s “Surprise” CD. Until recently,  I mistakingly believed I was the only one who had found the beautiful song “Father and Daughter” only to find that it is a top ten most popular wedding number.

Thank you Google.

Me and Julio Down by the Schoolyard

I Am a Rock

GQ

There are still a few rock and rollers alive and kicking in this year of too many musical icons passing away.

Peter Wolf is still rocking hard and I just recently saw Justin Heyward at City Winery with amazing guitarist Mike Dawes playing with Steve Howe like dexterity. Tonight the great Ian Hunter and the Rant Band play City Winery as part of their summer residency. Ian Hunter, best known for the Mott the Hoople and his many solo hits in the 1980’s, still looks and sounds phenomenal-a must see concert by a rock and roll legend in top form.

Once Bitten Twice Shy

Rock on

GQ

Debbie Harry emceed a benefit concert for Ivan Julian at City Winery last night.  Lenny Kaye opened the two and a half hour concert with The Foundations’ “Build Me Up Buttercup” which rolled on with  Ian Humter,  Richard Hell, Vernon Reid with Burnt Sugar (performing Prince and Bowie tunes), Garland Jeffreys, Dictators, Bush Tetras, and more. Just a great ride with New York City rock and roll royalty and some moving tributes for and by the seriously ill Ivan Julian.

The benefit on Wednesday night sold out quickly and a second show was added this Saturday, May 7th.

Blank Generation

Rock on

GQ

Pearl Jam closed out the second night of a two show stint at the completely sold out Madison Square Garden joining special guests Cheap Trick with “Surrender” then later with Sting and  “Driven to Tears”. The band played a heavy dose of their debut album and the rollicking Garden party had the building shaking with the suspended bridges high above the stage bouncing. Nosebleed seats for this hot ticket went for up to $400 a pair and the rabid crowd got its money’s worth. There was an urgency to the performance that proved that rock is not dead (yet).

 Eddie Vedder provided some political comments during the performance and played on. Bruce Springsteen,  on the other hand, recently canceled a concert in the Carolinas to make a point. Besides the fact Bruce Springsteen took money out of working people’s pockets who could have worked their minimum wage jobs that night and make a couple of bucks, Bruce cost others planning on attending time, and possibly money, on the canceled concert. He is entitled to his opinion but if Bruce does not live in that state, and he apparently has no dog in the fight, couldn’t he have just expressed his views like Vedder and played the show? Was it a calculated ploy to remain relevant perhaps as Springsteen plods toward schtick for an aging audience base? What next? Will he advocate government sanctioned gender reassignment to get a rise from his formerly working class audience? Free government castration! Glory Days? 

Thank you Pearl Jam and 

God Bless America !

Long Live Rock

and Keep on Rockin’ in the Free World

Rock on!

GQ

Jimi Hendrix Experience

Are You Ecpereienced?

Rock on

GQ