Ian Hunter & the Rant Band return to City Winery in New York City and this time for an album release “Fingers Crossed”.
The legendary Mr. Hunter is always a “must see” as he and the (almost) legendary Rant Band perform a full out old time rock and roll show at the intimate NYC venue.
Cleveland Rocks
GQ
Moreland & Arbucle open for George Thorgood & the Destroyers tonight at The Paramount in Huntington.
My good friend Mr. Nut AKA Mr. Vega once gave Thorogood the highest praise possible when he told me that the band was a must see as every song was like an encore.
The last time I saw Thorogood and band was at The Paramount and he did not disappoint providing a rollicking good time in the perfect venue for his fast paced rock and roll show.
I once heard that George Thorogood scheduled the tours around his softball schedule.
Play Ball!!
Still Bad to the Bone
Rock on
GQ
its been an interesting week. First Axel Rose fronts AC/DC at Madison Square Garden, then a trip to Scranton, Pennsylvania to catch Neil Young and the Promise of the Real at the inaugural Outlaw Festival, and now the artist formerly known as Cat Stevens Telling stories and singing songs including Carole King’s “Up on the Roof” and the Beatles “Love Me Do” at a sold out Beacon Theatre.
All are quite different and great concerts.
More to come.
Keep on Rockin’ in the Cat’s Attic
GQ
To be honest, I went to the Don McLean concert at City Winery last night with low expectations. I knew the song “Vincent” from back in 1972 when I was twelve and collecting singles on vinyl. As s matter of fact, I remember trading my 45 of “Vincent” to a kid around the block named Vincent, for I do not know what, and he dropped and broke it while climbing a fence to head home.
Obviously the iconic song “American Pie” is the primary reason anyone first goes to a Don McLean concert but this show was surprisingly much more than that. With a first class band of Nashville session men in tow, McLean mixed in his hits like “Crying” with deep tracks like “Crossroads” from the American Pie album, country tunes, new tunes that heartened to pop songs of the 1950’s, up tempo rockers like “Tulsa Time”, and stories of his youth growing up in New Rochelle, New York.
Mr. McLean, who turns seventy one this year, looked and sounded great. The legendary singer-songwriter has gone Bob Dylan on us by reinventing his style to a bygone era of standards and pop songs but, unlike Dylan, staying true to the original versions of his best known songs that many first time McLean show fans, like myself, appreciated hearing as we remembered them growing up.
Every once in awhile you rediscover a gifted artist who never really went away, as McLean has traveled the world several times over, but has been somewhat forgotten in our memory banks.
Don McLean did also give the crowd what they originally came for with a rousing version of the all time classic “American Pie” which had the usually seated City Winery audience dancing and singing along in the aisles. This show was just an unexpected, for me, joyous event and I would highly recommend catching Don McLean when you can as I do not believe you will be disappointed.
And I Love You So
Rock on
GQ
Jimmy Buffett and the Coral Reefer Band played by the Atlantic Ocean at the Nikon at Jones Beach Theater last night and I must say, I did not hate it. I’ve never been a fan of Buffett’s novelty songs about sun, surf, and tequila but last night at the beach I finally got a feel for the Parrothead community and the tailgate party that precedes the show proper.
The weather cooperated for a glorious sun filled day in the Jones Beach parking lots that started to fill up in the early morning causing “late comers” arriving two hours before showtime to walk a good distance to the concert.
Jimmy Buffett and band hit the stage at 8:15 and played many of the most popular songs in the first hour.
A highlight of the show was a tribute to Glenn Frey during a bluegrass segment that included a nice take on the Eagles classic “Take It Easy”.
I would not want to live there but this night in margaritaville was an enjoyable end of summer jaunt.
Cheeseburger in Paradise
Rock on!
GQ
The reeling New York Mets open for Styx at what will be a stifling hot Citifield tonght.
Jacob deGrom pitches for the Metsies so they should at least keep it close tonight against a bad San Diego Padres team the embarrassed them last night. The Mets will need to compete tonight to keep an increasingly frustrated fan base in the stands for tonight’s post game concert.
Styx and Dennis DeYoung parted ways many years ago and replaced him with Liza Minelli who performs DeYoung’s hits capably.
Too Much Time on My Hands
Rock on
GQ
A band calling itself Yes plays at the NYCB Bank at Westbury tonight. There is no Anderson, Bruford, Wakeman just Howe.
And of course no Chris Squire.
There are plenty of tickets still available at the box office for this quasi-cover band.
Yes was my favorite band in high school and I’ve seen the band so many times in so many varied line ups that I’ve lost count.
Jon Andrrson plays with Rick Wakeman and Trevor Rabin in the fall as a more legitimate Yes incarnation in my opinion and I am undecided as to whether I will attend tonight’s Yes performance.
The last time I saw Yes, drummer Alan White looked like an old guy you would see in the gym sauna at L.A Fitness on a Wednesday morning.
And the ticket prices for a good seat this time around are borderline obscene. The Album Series angle is not selling tickets and the house will likely be close to half filled.
Sad but True
Perpetual Change
Rock on!
GQ
On the heals of finding out that Gregg Allman is at the Mayo Clinic with serious health concerns and that he has canceled the remaining dates of his tour until October 29, 2016 I go to see another elder statesman act of rock and roll at The Space at Westbury tonight.
Mr. Allman sounded phenomenal at the Laid Back Festivsl at Jones Beach recently and while he looked slightly frail, he appeared to be in pretty good health considering all he has put himself though in his lifetime.
Jorma and Jack are both over 70 years old and the road really does not go on forever.
See the music legends of the 1960’s, 70’s and 80’s while you still can because many of out heroes are eligible for social security and in varying states of health, fitness, and voice.
Tony Bennett turns 90 and Yes tours without Anderson, Bruford, Wakeman, just Howe.
Let’s party like its 1979!
Death Don’t Have No Mercy
Rock on!
GQ
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