I have to admit that when Dave Grohl broke his leg falling off a stage recently requiring six pins to put him back together, I was hoping that the band would postpone, or even cancel, their North American tour. I believed that the ticket prices were a little high for a stadium show to begin with and I had visions of Meat Loaf performing his “Bat Out of Hell” tour from a wheel chair at St. John’s University after he had broken a leg. At the end of that show, after being confined to a standard wheel chair during the performance, the heavy set Meat Loaf dramatically pulled himself out of the chair as if he had broken out of restraints and staggered/limped forward  victoriously toward the end of the performance. I did not know it then, but Mr. Loaf was known for his athletiicism and for doing tumblesaults but not on this night and I have always felt that I did not see Mr. Loaf at the height of his powers.

While Mr. Grohl is not known for doing backflips on stage, he is a high energy rock and roller; an old school rocker who I saw roaming the Sirius studios before his Chelsea Handler Town Hall interview enjoying an afternoon Coors Light while looking for the men’s room. Dave Grohl is my kind of rock and roll star.

The last time I saw the Foo Fighters was at the Global Festival with Neil Young and Crazy Horse in Central Park when he announced it would be their last performance as the Foo Fighters. As we now know, that did not last very long. Before that I saw the Foo fighters open for the Rolling Stones at Giants Stadium many moons ago.

My hopes of a postponed Citifield performance were dashed when I read that this tour was going to generate upwards of 68 million dollars for the band. Like when The Who went on tour after John Entwhistle died unexpectedly, if the money is in the bank, they are not making refunds. YES will apparently tour this summer without the late great Chris Squier who passed away recently.. YES is a band already currently touring without Jon Anderson or Rick Wakeman and with an old Alan White on drums. The show must go on I suppose but maybe Robert Plant has got the right idea about Led Zeppelin reunions. 

My wife and I took up spots in the general admission in front of the stage extension into the middle of the orchestra. I was really expecting the worst; a money grab from one of the last of the true rock and rollers. After the two man aural assault by a very interesting Royal Blood and video clips from the Sonic Highways documentary series, the Foo Fighters curtain dropped at 8:30 PM and our rock and roll savior Dave Grohl was seen on stage sitting in a magnificent throne-like chair with a red oval backing, an FF emblazoned on it,  with rotating stage lights around it’s back and various guitar necks protruding from the sides as if it could take flight at any given moment. Grohl’s right leg was elevated and in a cast and mid song the chair traveled up the catwalk where he was right above us. It should have sucked but it did not. Dave said that he was going to rock harder in that chair than he ever did on his feet and I’ll be damned if he did exactly that. 

We should have never doubted Grohl’s will to rock. It was a great show that included video clips of Dave’s on stage accident, x-rays, and a travelogue through his recovery and special chair configuration. 

The show was not sold out as they put the Wednesday show on sale after the Thursday sold quickly. The band rocked, appeared to be having fun and, while the Foo Fighters generally do not perform encores (and there was an 11:00 PM curfew), Chad Smith from the Red Hot Chili Peppers joined the band on drums for the Faces’ “Stay With Me” with Taylor Hawkins on lead vocal which lef the crowd pretty satisfied as we headed to the Citifield parking lots.

Foo Fighters drummer Taylor Hawkins wore a Yes t-shirt throughout the show that said RIP Chris Squire which was a nice tribute to the legendary bassist.

The Foo Fighters are in Boston tonight and tomorrow for two shows at Fenway Park.

Let There Be Rock

GQ

I have been a neglectful blogger so to my one follower out there, my apologies but here is how my summer vacation is going (so far).

I attended Stephen Stills at City Winery a couple of weeks ago. It was advertised as a solo show but Stephen did have a band with him. which was a good thing. While I would have gone irregardless, Stephen Stills’  voice is pretty rough and ragged these days and on a bad night he struggles. On this night at City Winery Stephen was in good spirits (except for a few rants about cell phone video) and he was able to hit the high notes as well as he can presently. 

One great thing about a Stephen Stills performance  is that despite the current vocal shortcomings. Stephen Stills’ long history with the audience has everyone in the venue rooting for him; when he hits the difficult note, or comes close, the audience erupts in applause. 

The last time I saw Stills without Crosby and Nash he was with the apparent one-off The Rides with Kenny Wayne Shepherd in Westbury. The Rides was a blues fueled project where Stephen shared the stage somewhat equally with the other players.

Both shows had Stills playing nice renditions of Neil Young’s “Rockin’ in the Free World”.

My “Peaches Records and Tapes” 1978 CSN Walk of Fame T-shirt was a big hit with random people in the City Winery crowd and my daughter said it was the best show we’ve seen at City Winery, which  is high praise indeed.

In June I spent a week at Bolton Landing , New York on Lake George where I finally got to read the Gregg Allman autobiography and Neil Young’s  Waging Heavy Peace. I found both books interesting and worth reading but if I had to choose one, the Neil Young book, which he wrote in his own, was a far more interesting read as Neil jumped back and forth between time periods and topics while keeping the narrative moving forward to provide great incite to his history, creative process, and motivations.

Treetop Flyer

Rock on

GQ

i have to admit that when I picked up tickets to see Mudhoney at the Bowery Ballroom it was partly to see the band connected to the 1980’s Seattle music scene that gave us Nirvana, Soundgarden and Pearl Jam, among other acts, but the primary pull was to see them at one of my favorite venues, the Bowery Ballroom.

I had heard of the band but was unfamiliar with the music and did not know even one Mudhoney tune before the show. I was truly a blank slate for this show but I enjoy a new musical experience so I was raring to go. 

Mudhoney rocks. 

The lead singer/ guitarist Mark Arm exudes the best grunge while channeling John Lydon and Iggy Pop’s love child. The songs are intelligent, the band is tight, and the music is loud but clear.

I left the concert wondering how this band did not break out big but I am sure there is an interesting back story that explains that particular question.

Every Good Boy Deserves Fudge

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GQ

Billy Joel was in good voice tonight for his record tying appearance at Madison Square Garden where he broke into a Monkees medley about halfway through the show. 

I’m a Believer

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GQ

The legendary Van Morrison plays Forest Hills Stadium tonight for what is reportedly his only scheduled North American appearance. 

I’ve seen Van Morrison in concert a few times, and I am a huge fan, but a few years ago at Jones Beach Theater the man showed me something I had never seen before. During the concert on the right side of the stage there was a large digital clock with bright red numbers that counted up from zero to an hour and a half exactly when the night’s last song had ended and at which time the eccentric Van walked off stage withnot as much as a goodnight. This still ranks as one of the oddest things I’ve ever seen at a concert. 

Mr. Morrison could not have left the venue faster if the building was on fire. 

Whether the hour and a half performance was what the contract called for or just his own quirky twist on the evening, it left a strange vibe hanging over an audience who were clearly enjoying one of the great artists of our time.

If you do attend tonight’s performance, you can likely set your watch, or I-phone, from the time Van Morrison and his band hit the stage.

In any event, from the looks of it, it will be a marvelous night for a moon dance in Forest Hills tonight.

Real Real Gone

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GQ

I do not consider myself to be a movie reviewer but the film Love and Mercy about Brian Wilson and the Beach Boys is brilliant. The story of Brian Wilson as the tortured musical genius would be hard to believe if it were not true and it makes for a riveting cinematic rock and roll journey worthy of numerous Academy Award considerations. 

Good Vibrations

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GQ

Peter Cetera is one of the founding members of the band Chicago. At some point the bad blood between him and the band got so bad that when Peter Cetera came out with a solo greatest hits collection, Cetera had to re-record his great Chicago hits because the band would not authorize his using the originals for the compilation. Perhaps if the band Chicago gets inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame where they rightfully belong, Petra Cetera and Chicago can reunite for one last go round.

In the meantime, Chicago tours at an extraordinary pace year after year, this summer with Earth, Wind and Fire, and Mr. Cetera plays tonight in the half round at Westbury Music Fair.

Saturday in the Park

Rock on!

GQ

The Dave Matthews Band plays two sets at the sold out Nikon at Jones Beach Theater and the unofficial start of the rock and roll summer concert season on Long Island begins tonight.

The Best of What’s Around

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GQ

Part if the reason that I attend so many rock concerts is the quest for nights like this one. Every once in awhile something special or unexpected happens; sometimes the audience and the performer connect for an extraordinary confirmation of the power and glory of rock and roll.

Forest Hills Stadium is a unique venue- a medium size amphitheater in the middle of a residential neighborhood that mandates a 10 PM curfew. Opening act Joan Jett & the Blackhearts hit the stage at 7 PM.

This was the last night of the first leg of The Who’s 50th anniversary tour. There was a communal feel to the mostly mature crowd and after Joan  Jett & the Blackhearts finished their 45 minute set in predominate sunshine on a perfect evening, The Who hit the stage and played a greatest hits set that had the crowd on its feet for the entire night. 

The Who last played Forest Hills Stadium in 1971 and there was a buzz in the air that this would not be a run of the mill Saturday evening. While beer vendors wearing Heinekin back packs poured enumerable $9 beers into tiny plastic cups, The Who played hit after hit in front of state of the art video images. Roger Daltry defies age and is in great voice at the moment and Pete Townshend appears to be really enjoying what is advertised to be the band’s last full scale tour.

Due to time restrictions, The Who cut out “A Quick One While He’s Away” from the concert and it seemingly tightened the set up to where there were no lulls in the action. At 10 PM the band looked as if they were enjoying themselves so much that you believed they may have played one more song for the ecstatic audience if not for a curfew; Daltry looked at his wrist watch and said goodnight for the triumphant players.

For me, this was the best Who performance since John Entwhistle passed away 13 years ago. A rollicking good time was had by all and if this was the last go round, what a way to go!

You Better, You Bet

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GQ

The great Ian Hunter & The Rant Band will return to City Winery in New York City tonight. 

Sweet Jane

Rock on

GQ