The Doobie Brothers, with Michael McDonald in tow, play the Northwell Health at Jones Beach Theatre tonight. I purchased these tickets pre-pandemic December 2, 2019 and at that time I believe it was supposed to be a 50th anniversary tour somehow coinciding with their Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction. It has been awhile holding onto these seats but barring something unforeseen, and in these crazy times you never know for sure, the band will hit the Jones Beach stage this evening.
I have seen the Doobie Brothers many times and it is always a rollicking good time. There is a chance of rain, but who cares? We will be outdoors rolling down the highway with the Doobie Brothers once again- FINALLY!

What a Fool Believes

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GQ

While we were on a summertime family vacation to Lake George and our favorite resort on the lake in Bolton Landing, the now defunct Bonnie View, we took the kids to what I think was their first rock concert at nearby Saratoga Springs and SPAC. From what I remember, Eric Johnson was a guitar wizard at the time, Steve Miller did his Steve Miller Band thing, and at least one of the kids was sound asleep early on during the evening’s festivities. I know that we had orchestra seats, which I assume were reasonably priced at the time, and allowed us to avoid the expansive general admission lawn seats at the venue.

The Joker

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GQ

In between the two 1997 H.O.R.D.E. Festival shows headlined by Neil Young & Crazy Horse was a Saturday night concert with Jethro Tull at the Jones Beach Theatre. Tull has been a favorite of mine since I was a freshman at Holy Cross High School in Queens when I bought the “ Warchild” album (likely from Korvettes). The last time I got to see Ian Anderson and the band in concert was for their 50th anniversary tour that landed at Forest Hills Stadium on the evening when my daughter told us at a nearby restaurant that she was pregnant with out first grandchild. The Tull concert that night was a good one, with interview snippets of musicians shown congratulating the band on the milestone and citing Jethro Tull as an influence in their own careers. It was a memorable day on many levels to include the possibly last time I would see one of my favorite bands perform live in concert.

Bungle in the Jungle

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GQ

Neil Young @ Crazy Horse headlined the 1997 H.O.R.D.E. Festival with Beck, Primus, Soul Coughing, Mighty Mighty Bosstones, Leftover Salmon and Toad the Wet Sprocket. Since Young & Crazy were headlining I caught the show twice in August, 1997; first at the Jones Beach Theatre then took a bit of a road trip the following week to the PNC Arts Center in New Jersey.

Year of the Horse

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GQ

Another summer, another Chicago shed tour with a stop at the Jones Beach Theatre in Wantagh, New York, this time supporting a new album Chicago XXXVIII “ Born For This Moment”.

My wife and I recently saw the band at the legendary Capitol Theatre in Port Chester and Chicago’s never ending tour, with the occasional replacement player on board, continues this summer with Brian Wilson of The Beach Boys opening. Brian Wilson follows Paul McCartney by a few days and turns 80 today so “ Happy Birthday Brian!”

Wouldn’t It Be Nice

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GQ

I was never a huge fan of Rush; I liked “ All the World’s a Stage” and “A Farewell to Kings”, and I can appreciate the stellar musicianship of the band, but I now find them to be damn near unlistenable. On a Friday night in June, 1997, Barney Fife and I ventured to the Jones Beach Theatre to see his favorite band from Canada. Fife spent his formative years playing air guitar and air drums alone in his room instead of hitting the weights thereby morphing into a thirty year old man in a 50 year old body. We were mid way up on the mezzanine level at Jones Beach Theatre and he began to get annoying, his usually whiny self, so I decided to wander. I made my way into the orchestra, excused myself in front of the first row seats, and found myself leaning on the stage with Alex Lifeson above me and a great view of the amazing Neil Peart on drums. I felt a little bad for bailing on Barney so I decided to try and bring him down; I told each usher on the return trip out of the orchestra section to remember me, as I obviously did not have a ticket for the front row. When I got back to my real seat, I told Fife to come with me back down to the orchestra, and I would put him on the stage in front of his heroes. We made our way down the aisle and I told each usher “He is with me”, but at some point we were stopped and told that only I could continue to the stage. I shrugged my shoulders and said “ See ya Fife” and went back to railhugging the stage with my newfound friends in front. It was a great concert from my vantage point, and I really did not mind hoofing it back to Merrick Road to find my way home, but somehow Mr. Fife pulled up alongside me in his jalopy, I hopped in, and was quickly dropped off at my front door.

Crossroads

The Stars Look Down

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GQ

While it was not a rock and roll show, the Tokyo Shock Boys had a punk rock attitude and a “Jackass” like vibe which I believe preceded Knoxville and the gang exploding onto public consciousness. This Off-Broadway event was an interesting night out with some of the guys from work that culminated with one of the Shock Boys shooting a Roman Candle across the stage from out of his rear end.

Last Call

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GQ

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

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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

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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

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GQ