Transatlantic - Whirl'd Tour 2010

Concert was held at Park West theater in Chicago, Illinois on Tuesday April 20, 2010

For those not familiar with the band, Transatlantic is a progressive rock "supergroup" made up of Mike Portnoy on drums and vocals (from Dream Theater), Neal Morse on keyboards and vocals (former Spock's Beard member and solo projects), Pete Trewavas on bass and vocals (from Marillion), and Roine Stolt on guitar and vocals (from The Flower Kings).    All four members have a reputation for writing complex long songs, and frequently write concept or story pieces.  

Around 2001, I was buying just about anything Mike Portnoy performed on.    When he helped put together this group, I bought both their initial releases, a live double CD, and a live DVD.    Shortly afterward, Neal Morse left the group to pursue his solo career, and the band went on indefinite hiatus.    Fast forward to 2009, and Neal contacted the others about possibly putting a third release together.    The "stars aligned" and by end of 2009 "The Whirlwind" CD was available to the public.     This was a nearly 80 minute musical story, broken up into 12 parts.    Rumors about a 2010 tour were bouncing around, but it would seem unlikely considering each member had their own band commitments.

Around February 2010 the news broke that Transatlantic would have a brief USA tour in the spring, and a more extended European tour in the summer.    A stop at Chicago's Park West theater was announced, and I promptly got tickets for me and fellow Transatlantic fan Adam Talley.  

On April 20, we arrived at Park West theater to find a line of fans waiting to get in.     We had "floor" access, but no reserved seats.    I was pleased to find there were seats provided and we found a couple about middle floor.     Park West looks to seat about 800, and the stage isn't huge.   It looked like the band would have enough room, but none extra.    When looking at the stage, the setup was typical Transatlantic - Neal at keys on left, Roine next, Pete, then Mike on right.    Support musician Daniel Gildenlow was towards the back, and provided extra guitar, keyboard, percussion and vocal work.    At 7pm local time, the lights went down and the introduction of "The Whirlwind" came over the sound system.   For the next 80 minutes we got the entire piece, almost studio perfect but with just enough "live" feel to let you know it wasn't just a mime group.    There were the occasional rhythmic flub or slightly missed note, but they weren't often and quickly recovered.     Interaction between Neal and Mike was lively (facial expressions and such), but they were all concentrating.    After completing this massive musical piece, they took a 20 minute intermission.    After intermission, the band came back with various selections from their previous two studio releases.    For the next 1 hour and 40 minutes, we got treated to 3 long pieces (each close to 30 minutes) and 3 shorter songs (more typical pop length).    One of the three short songs was a cover of The Beatles "Birthday", as it was Mike Portnoy's birthday on this specific night.    After some dinking around with various Beatles references, it was back to business.     During this second set, the band showed much more vocal talent than I expected.    All 5 musicians were capable of carrying a vocal part, and they all got their chance helping out on lead or harmonies.     There are many highlights when talking about 3 hours of music.    One part I enjoyed was the guitar introduction to "We All Need Some Light", in which Roine could be heard referencing the melody to "Scarborough Fair" - very pretty.

Although the evening wasn't without the occasional musical hiccup, Transatlantic showed that they were unbelievably talented.    Mike is a master on drums, Neal is able to handle multiple keyboard parts while singing lead, Roine is very tasteful on guitar without getting overly flashy while handling some lead vocals, and Pete is all over the bass while handling backing vocals.    Daniel was not drawing attention to himself, but was holding down multiple parts all night long.    These guys may have not the history of a Yes, Genesis, or Jethro Tull, but they just may be a more powerful unit to deal with.    Oh, and no individual solo moments (which was a tad surprising, considering the talent on stage).

After their encores and a short waiting period, all band members came out to sign autographs and meet fans.    This caught both me and Adam by surprise, as we didn't expect the entire band.    Park West staff attempted to move the process along quickly, but band members still took their time with the fans.    Very cool.

If you are a fan of progressive rock music (like Genesis or Yes), I'd highly recommend any of the Transatlantic releases.    It's also been announced that an upcoming London date of the "Whirl'd Tour" is going to be recorded and video shot for both audio and DVD release.     Everyone will be able to experience this amazing evening of exceptional musicianship.

I'd also like to thank Adam Talley for tolerating my driving, and keeping me company.    It's always fun to have someone along who appreciates and knows the music of the band.

Rating:  9 out of 10

Setlist:

Set 1:

Pt 1 - Overture - Whirlwind
Pt 2- The Wind Blew Them All Away
Pt 3 - On The Prowl
Pt 4 - A Man Can Feel
Pt 5 - Out Of The Night
Pt 6 - Rose Colored Glasses
Pt 7 - Evermore
Pt 8 - Set Us Free
Pt 9 - Lay Down Your Life
Pt 10 - Pieces Of Heaven
Pt 11 - Is It Really Happening? 
Pt 12 - Dancing With Eternal Glory / Whirlwind (reprise)

Set 2:

1 - All Of The Above
2 - Happy Birthday (Beatles cover for Mike Portnoy birthday)
3 - We All Need Some Light
4 - Duel With The Devil
5 - Bridge Across Forever
6 - Stranger In Your Soul

Audience recording of this concert available as MP3 downloads at http://www.timhamm.com/transatlantic.htm 

Elton John - "Rocket Man" Tour 2010

Concert was held on Saturday April 24, 2010  at Van Andel Arena in Grand Rapids, Michigan

For 2010, Elton John has stated that he would be playing dates in some "secondary markets", which included a stop in Grand Rapids.     According to local reports, Elton had not been in Grand Rapids since around 10 years ago (this would be the third time Elton had performed in Grand Rapids).

Not being a "huge" fan, I had only recently discovered the variety of music Sir Elton had written over his career.    I had basically put him into the category of generic soft rock piano guy, but he would prove me very wrong.

The concert was an "evening with..." show, which meant no opening act (which is a good thing).    Elton and his 5 supporting band members came out promptly at 8pm and entertained us with almost 3 hours of hits.    Opening with "Funeral For A Friend/Love Lies Bleeding" was a highlight right off the bat, as I've read he had not been playing that piece over recent years.    But, that was a tip to things yet to come.    He continued with all the hits that most of us know him for:  "Bennie and The Jets", "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road", "Levon", "Daniel", "Crocodile Rock", and on it goes.    Sir Elton John has never had a "great" voice, but he did deliver exactly as expected.   He wasn't going for the high range notes, rather favoring the lower register harmonies.    However, his band mates were able to cover the higher parts for him, faithfully recreating all needed parts.    The only real "hit" that we can think he missed was "Island Girl", but he may have left that behind years ago.

For me, highlights were his fantastic piano playing, and the "extended versions" of many of his known hits.   Most songs went well past 5 minutes, with many approaching 10 minutes.    Much of this time was taken up with piano solo jam sections, or extended guitar solo sections from longtime Elton guitarist Davey Johnstone.    But, playing piano is what Elton does best, and he definitely made that clear.     Elton offered one new song in the set, which he said was from an upcoming release featuring a collaboration between himself and Leon Russell.    Elton explained how Leon was a hero of his for piano and songwriting, and how Elton had patterned much of his style after Leon (which made sense when I thought about it - although I had not connected that beforehand).

There were many fantastic musical moments, not to mention the amusing LED backdrop visuals.   Animated versions of dancing girls and crocodiles created a fun atmosphere, while the screen also worked well for creating "sunsets" and other ambient lighting effects. The stage had plenty of open space, and the sound mix was acceptable for an arena show (at least, from our side seats).   

Overall, I'd say Elton gave everyone exactly what they wanted - the hits performed by the legend himself.    Say what you want about Elton's personal life, but there are few musicians that are at his level of both performer and entertainer. 

Rating:  9 out of 10

Setlist:
Funeral For A Friend - Love Lies Bleeding
Saturday Nights Alright For Fighting
Levon
Madman Across The Water
Tiny Dancer
Philadelphia Freedom
Goodbye Yellow Brick Road
Daniel
Rocket Man
I Guess That's Why They Call It The Blues
Someone Saved My Life Tonight
Take Me To The Pilot
Something About The Way You Look Tonight
Don't Let The Sun Go Down On Me
Sorry Seems To Be The Hardest Word
Candle In The Wind
You Are Never Too Old To Love Somebody
Honky Cat
Burn Down The Mission
Benny And The Jets
The Bitch Is Back
I'm Still Standing
Crocodile Rock
Your Song
Circle Of Life

The Police - Reunion Tour 2007

Concert was held on July 17, 2007 at The Palace in Auburn Hills, Michigan

After waiting since early March 2007, the “mighty” Police finally rolled into the Detroit area. Having sold out in a manner of minutes, the crowd was primarily fans that loved them dearly. This was becoming the “show to see” of 2007, and many were watching to see if the trio would be able to keep their personal differences in “check”.

Around 8:45pm, Sting, Stewart, and Andy opened the evening with the signature tune “Message In A Bottle”. The setlist (see below) continued with much of what has been past reported, with no noticeable difference. The band was on stage for almost 2 full hours.

Sting was in fine voice, although not as high as in the past. I am not able to confirm if songs have been lowered in key, however we suspect they have been. His bass playing was in fine form, and he has appeared to take some tricks from his solo career with various jazz musicians (some nice improv moments). Stewart appeared to be very serious and focused on his playing, while enjoying the occasional improv moments. Stewart had his main drum kit, while behind him was a selection of various cymbals, chimes, bells, a marimba-type contraption, large drums, and gong. Andy was the more “understated” of the three, while sporting a “South Park” themed guitar strap. His playing was outstanding, covering the entire spectrum from ambient echoes to blazing lead solos. Stewart and Andy provided occasional background vocals.

The band didn’t have any major visual changes during the show. Sting was stage right, Andy stage left, and Stewart in the middle. Sting stuck with his Fender bass for the entire night, and had a “not huge” amp setup behind him. Sting did have a set of synth pedals, which he only used occasionally to add some “rumble” to a chord. He did have a side stand for his coffee cup (I would assume tea, but didn’t really know). Andy stuck with Fender guitars, primarily a Strat and a Tele. He had a small set of MesaBoogie amps behind him. I couldn’t see his pedal board, but he didn’t seem to be hitting pedals often (everyone once in a while). Stewart had a Tama kit with various sized toms and cymbals, as well as the additional percussion gear behind him (mentioned above).

Musically, the set was nicely paced. They had some flexibility with some improvisation moments, however the band generally stuck with familiar arrangements of the hits. There were a few moments during the evening where it sounded like there were some missed cues or something. This helped reinforce that they were playing live, while showing that they aren’t perfect. Thanks to the live cameras, there were a couple moments when it was obvious the band was using supporting background vocal tracks. You could hear vocals additional to Sting, and could see that Andy and Stewart were not singing. Whether these were taped vocals or simply someone backstage was not known. You could also hear supporting percussion loops on “King of Pain”, “Wrapped Around Your Finger”, and “Walking In Your Footsteps”, although you could still hear Stewart doing his additional percussion parts.

The stage was very open with little obstruction, and was an “end stage” (not “in the round”). Stairs and a platform covered the side and back of the stage. Sting and Andy were both able to wander around and recognize everyone, as seats were filled completely around the arena. Three video screens were facing stage front, and a single screen was on each side and the back. This gave everyone a chance to see some of the close-up camera shots. There appeared to be a problem with the video system during the opening song, however this was fixed by the time they got to the second song.

Overall, I’d score the concert an 8.5 out of 10. They were very good, especially for not having been out on tour for 23 years. All three seemed to be enjoying the crowd response.

Opening band was called “Fiction Plane”, and is headed up by Sting’s oldest son, Joe. The band appeared to be not yet ready for such a big arena tour, although they are getting a good exposure opportunity here. I’d describe the music as a current 20-somethings version of The Police meets U2. Joe Sumner’s voice sounds quite a bit like his dads, and Joe also happens to play bass. The biggest problem was that the band looked kind of “stiff” on such a big stage, and didn’t engage the audience much. They may be much more appealing in a smaller venue. I heard a few comments from people who enjoyed their set.

The Police Set list:

Message in a Bottle
Synchronicity II
Walking On The Moon
Voices Inside My Head
When The World Is Running Down
Don't Stand So Close To Me
Driven To Tears
Truth Hits Everybody
Bed's Too Big Without You
Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic
Wrapped Around Your Finger
De Do Do Do De Da Da Da
Invisible Sun
Walking In Your Footsteps
Can't Stand Losing You
Roxanne
King Of Pain
So Lonely
Every Breath You Take
Next To You

Rating:  8 out of 10

Iron Maiden - "Matter of Life & Death" Tour 2006

Concert was on October 17, 2006 at The Palace in Auburn Hills, Michigan

I have been a fan of Iron Maiden since the “Killers” release in 1981.    Over the years, I have had some issues with both Bruce Dickinson’s vocals, and also some of the lyrical content.   In the past few years, I have rediscovered the band’s music and have grown an appreciation for their entire history.

In 2005, I was able to catch the OzzFest USA tour, which featured a “retro” Iron Maiden set.   The band performed material from only their first 4 releases.   Having not seen the band prior to this, it was a nice shot at seeing the band recreate some of the early days.    I was very impressed with the energy the band brought to the stage.

Now in 2006, Iron Maiden has released a new CD called “A Matter Of Life And Death”.   This release reached #9 on the top Billboard charts for the USA, and topped the charts in other parts of the world.    This has proven to be one of their strongest releases, and certainly the best in recent memory.    When I heard the band would be starting the tour in North America, this was a pleasant surprise (it has been many years since the band started a tour in North America).

On a Tuesday night in October, Iron Maiden brought their 2006 tour to The Palace, in Detroit suburb Auburn Hills.     A friend and myself arrived a tad later than desired, and we had missed the entire opening act.    The opening band was called “Bullet For My Valentine”, and I have no knowledge of them.    Upon entering the performance area, we noticed the crowd was far from a sell-out.    We found our reserved seats around 8pm, and Iron Maiden took the stage at 8:30pm.    This was a tad earlier than I expected, but I didn’t mind.    The band opened the evening by performing the entire new CD, from start to finish.    Dickinson and the rest of the band looked energetic, and worked hard to keep the audience involved in the new material.    Although I wasn’t entirely surprised that they chose to highlight the new release, I did think it might have been better to include a couple older hits intermingled with the new tracks.    After about the fourth song, Bruce told the audience that drummer Nicko McBrain had broken his bass drum head and there was going to be a brief moment while this was replaced.   This provided some humor during the show, and certainly wasn’t planned.    During this time, my friend and me went to find some other seats more “directly” facing the stage.    We found some nice seats by  the time the band got things going again.    They continued through the new CD, and completed the material a little over an hour into the set.    Maiden then moved into some older material.    They treated us to versions of “Fear of The Dark”, “The Evil That Men Do” (featuring an appearance by band mascot “Eddie”), “Iron Maiden”, “2 Minutes To Midnight”, and even “Hallowed Be Thy Name”.     The band sounded great during all these songs, and the energy was kept up all night.    After almost 2 hours of full on metal, Iron Maiden bit farewell to Detroit.

Afterward, I heard some fans upset about not getting performances of “Number Of The Beast” or “The Trooper”, and I was a bit surprised these were left out.    However, I could see that the band was working at keeping the focus on the newer material, and they weren’t really looking to make this a “retro” tour.    They were going to showcase the new CD, and share some of their favorites from the past.    It wasn’t going to be a total “best of” concert, like some may have wanted.     I would say a majority of the audience was very happy with the evening.    I know I was happy to see the band working to build interest in the new material, and not just riding on past successes.

Overall, a solid performance from one of the all-time best heavy metal bands, while also showing they continue to release quality new material.    Although certainly not as popular as they are in Europe, Iron Maiden is still one of the best metal bands touring today.   

Rating:  8 out of 10

Queensryche - "Operation Mindcrime 1 & 2" Tour 2006

Concert held on September 17, 2006 at Emerald Theatre in Mt. Clemens, Michigan

Having been a Queensryche fan since their "Empire" release (1990), I have taken the time to go back to their earlier releases, as well as keep up with the new.     The first time I heard the "Operation: Mindcrime" release (1988), I was very impressed with the band's concept piece.    In 2006, the band brought the fans "Operation: Mindcrime II", which is the "conclusion" to the story.     I have been pleased with the release, and knew that I needed to catch the new tour.    I was very pleased when I heard the new tour would feature a full performance of both "Mindcrime" releases, including actors and additional props.

On Sunday, September 17, 2006, me and friend traveled to Mount Clemens, Michigan (just North of Detroit), to the Emerald Theatre.    I had not been to this venue before, so I was curious what kind of evening this would be.    The venue was easy enough to find.   All tickets were "general admission", so there was a line waiting to get in.    Doors had just opened when we arrived, so the line started moving fairly well.    We got in and found some seats up in the balcony.    Overall, the Emerald Theatre is a decent place for a concert.   I'd go back.

The stage had a curtain closed, so there wasn't any "preview" of what the setting would be like.    At 8:15pm, the curtain opened to reveal a multi-tiered stage, with a video screen at the back.    Immediately, the animated opening footage and dialogue from "Mindcrime I" started, which was the same used on previous tours.    At the completion, the band kicked into the opening of "Anarchy-X", and it sounded great.    The band was not overly energetic, but wasn't ignoring the audience.    Lead singer, Geoff Tate, made his appearance with the follow-up of "Revolution Calling", with "headset" microphone and assumed the role of lead character "Nikki".    The band continued through a dramatic recreation of the first "Mindcrime" CD, with only a slight change in the storyline.   I did find it a tad confusing that there was an actor who would occasionally take the role of our lead character "Nikki", while Tate would "become" other characters (for example, "Dr. X").    The female vocalist who was in the role of "Sister Mary" added much more to the performance than previous tours, and was a key part of the music and drama.    The band did a major overhaul of the "Electric Requiem" track, giving it a much more dramatic and powerful performance.    Not as "dark" as the original, but much more entertaining.   I half wondered if this was changed partly because of the original vocal being very high register, however Tate didn't seem to have any problem with any other vocals, so this may not have been the reason.   At the end, Tate was put into a straight-jacket, and did a great job of providing the vocal while looking like he was losing his mind.  After some extended musical sections, part 1 ended around 9:15pm.     After a 15 minute intermission, the band returned with the opening to "Mindcrime II", and seemed more energetic with the new material.    Duel lead guitar solos were sounding great.    By the time we got to "I'm American", Tate appeared in a nice black & white suite (think "Men In Black"), and powerfully wandered the stage tormenting a selection of actors representing business folk.    There were additional actors and props involved in this second part of the evening, and the band also seemed much more excited with the material.    For the track "The Chase", a video image of Ronnie James Dio was shown as "Dr. X", and fading between Tate as "Nikki".   The battle between the two was obvious, however I was a bit disappointed that Tate remained off stage during this performance.    You basically had the band performing, and all vocals were presented via video and tape.     Towards the end of the performance, an actor is brought out in the "Dr. X" role, where "Nikki" (Tate) ties him to a chair and shoots him.    This was dramatic, but suffered a bit from the "Dr. X" actor not having any resemblance to any of other representation of "Dr. X".    This confused the plot just a bit.    The band continued their strong performance, while the story took a dark turn towards the end.    Tate kept up the vocals, and did a fair job of holding the dramatic performance.    He's not the best Broadway trained actor, but I could see him having the capability.    Upon completion of "Mindcrime II", the story was still a bit confusing, but I certainly had the feeling of a full dramatic fictional story had been played out.

After completing the "Mindcrime" sets, the band returned for two encores.   We were treated to "Empire" and "Jet City Woman".     Tate had gotten rid of the headset microphone, and assumed the more general rock singer look.    The audience loved the two encores, and sang along with every note.    The show ended around 11:15pm, and lived up to most expectations.    The band, actors, and technicians all put together an elaborate performance, which has rarely been attempted in the past.   

Overall, I'd say Queensryche has successfully brought to life the somewhat complicated "Operation: Mindcrime" story.    Some may wonder if previous guitarist Chris DeGarmo is missed in this performance, and I can honestly say no.    My friend had seen the first full "Mindcrime" performance with DeGarmo, and said he only missed DeGarmo's stage persona.    Musically, nothing was missing, and the band let Tate have the spotlight most of the time.    If you are at all a fan of Queensryche, or a fan of progressive hard rock, you are sure to love this concert.    However, if you are looking to see Queensryche simply play their hits, you will be disappointed.   This is solely a tour for the "Mindcrime" releases, but is something most of the fans have wanted.

Rating:  8 out of 10

Gary Hoey - Saturday, August 5, 2006

Concert held at "The Intersection" - Grand Rapids, Michigan

I have been a fan of guitarist Gary Hoey since first hearing his instrumental version of the song "Low Rider".   I have since enjoyed most of what I have heard, and had been looking forward to a chance to see him perform live.

Saturday, August 5, came the opportunity for me.     Myself and a friend went down to Grand Rapids venue "The Intersection".    My friend had seen Gary about 10 years prior, and was looking forward to seeing the new show.

The evening was started with an opening set by a local blues band.    I apologize for not remembering their name, but they were a basic electric blues group.    No new ground was covered, but they were decent at the style.

After a short intermission, Gary Hoey and his band took the stage.    The touring band was a simple power trio, made up of bass, drums, and guitar.    Gary opened the night with a few instrumentals off his "Monster Surf" release, and moved on to some vocal tracks from his new CD "American Made".    Personally, I didn't find Gary's vocals that impressive, but that isn't surprising (see Joe Satriani vocal tunes).     Gary shines much more on guitar, and did an excellent job of holding down melody lines and keeping the rhythm going (as much as possible).    His fellow band mates provided  a solid foundation for Gary's guitar acrobatics.     Considering the new CD wasn't yet out at the time of this concert, I felt Gary included a few too many of the new tracks in his set.    However, I understand about promoting a new release.    Ultimately, Gary was best when cranking out the instrumental tunes.   Gary's versions of "Hawaii Five-o", "Low Rider", "Wipe Out", "Linus & Lucy", and "Pipeline" were all presented in all their rocking glory.

After the 90 minute set (approximately), Gary wrapped up the set.    Shortly after, he was out at the merchandise table signing autographs and getting pictures with fans.    I met the guy, and he couldn't have been nicer. 
 
Overall, a fun evening of American guitar rock, without any frills.  

Rating:  7 out of 10

Toto - "Falling In Between" Tour - July 7, 2006

Concert held at Muskegon Summer Celebration, at Heritage Landing in Muskegon, Michigan

I've been a fan of Toto since first hearing their debut release in 1978.    However, I lost touch with the band during the 1980s and 1990s.    I knew they continued to release recordings, but wasn't hearing much about them.   The band got much more support in Europe and overseas, so they spent most of their time outside the USA.   In 2005, I started hearing about how their new release was going to be fantastic.   Once released, I was reading many positive reviews.   I decided it was time to "special order" the new CD, since no store was carrying it "on the shelf".   While placing the order, I was told that the band was coming to the area.    After hearing the amazing CD called "Falling In Between", I knew I had to catch this concert.

The Friday evening was sunny, comfortable, and the outdoor festival stage is right along Lake Michigan (great sunset viewing).   

Opening the evening was classic rock icon Eddie Money.   Having seen Eddie Money the prior year, I didn't expect to see much new.   I wasn't surprised with the opener of "Two Tickets To Paradise", and Eddie continued the evening with a steady stream of mostly hits.   The show wasn't much different than the prior year.   Pretty much "working class" rock and roll, performed with energy and a fairly solid band.   No complaints, but no real highlights either.    At least Eddie is consistent.

After a brief intermission, Toto took the stage opening with the title track from the new CD.    This is a progressive rock type tune, with the added moments of classic Toto chords structures and harmonies.     The band sounded great, and appeared to be enjoying themselves.    The touring band included a second guitarist/vocalist, to help cover some of the high vocal harmonies, as well as rhythm guitar.   Bobby Kimball's lead vocals sounded very good, even on the older material.   Steve Lukather was a master of the "tasty" guitar solo, never getting too "flashy".    Toto keyboardist/songwriter David Paich no longer tours with the band, but the addition of new keyboardist Greg Phillinganes covered what was needed for the performance.    Although I'm sure David's presence would have added to the evening, he wasn't noticeably missed from the live performance.  There was no question that this band was definitely about the musicianship, and less about the showmanship.    I noticed a portion of the crowd seemed to be leaving during the set, and I believe this was because Toto wasn't giving the "rock show" type performance that Eddie Money had.   However, for those who stuck around for Toto, we were treated to an evening of music covering of 25 years of Toto.    A new opening for the hit "Rosanna" offered some unique and pleasant vocal harmonies, before melting into the traditional version.   "Hold The Line" sounded as powerful as it did in 1978, and "I'll Be Over You" sounded simply beautiful.    Rarely will you get a chance to see this much musical and vocal talent on a single stage, all working together in a single band.    Very solid.   

There was very little to complain about, and I was surprised with how good a turnout the concert had.    I'm hoping the band was happy with the support.  

I would highly recommend catching this newly revived Toto, as they are one of the best live acts performing today.    Great performance.

Rating:  9 out of 10

Introduction

Hi there,

Since I have an ongoing "hobby" of attending various concerts and shows, I have decided to create this blog for a running" diary" of a review of the ones I've attended.

I am going to start with a few "archive" reviews that I had originally posted on my own website, but will also be quickly adding reviews from my most recent shows.

I will attempt to include some photos of live performance, when possible/available.

Thanks, and enjoy.

Hammster