Hammster Concert Review

Jars Of Clay - "Almost Christmas" - Dec 11, 2011

2011-12-15T16:15:00.001-05:00

Jars of Clay – Almost Christmas Tour – Zeeland, MI

We had the pleasure of catching the 2011 version of the JarsOf Clay Christmas tour, as it stopped at Community Reformed Church in Zeeland,Michigan.

The show opened with a few songs from the resident churchpraise team. While I normally getfrustrated with “house bands” opening the show, the group did stick to only a fewsongs. They kept to the Christmastheme, and I believe their lead guy was named Curt Dykema.

Next up was Drew Holcomb and The Neighbors. Drew and his wife are the main vocalists,with Drew also providing rhythm guitar duties. His wife also handled some mandolin and keyboard. They were accompanied by a lead guitar,bass, and drums. The style was very muchin Americana/country/folk, but in a “fun” sort of way – sometimes approachingrockabilly. Drew and his band playedabout 40 minutes of original songs, and some Christmas classics (WhiteChristmas, Baby Its Cold Outside, etc). Overall, not a bad set, but probably went a couple songs too long.

Jars Of Clay came out next, with the 4 key members beingaugmented by the drummer and bass player from Drew’s band. They opened with “Wonderful Christmastime”,and played a couple more numbers before the drummer and bass player left thestage. The next hour was spent withjust two acoustic guitars, piano, and vocals with some light percussion. The band played a combination set of tracksfrom their Christmas releases, as well as some of the hits. This was different from the last time wesaw the Christmas show, when they stuck to all Christmas songs. But, the band sounded great, and they seemedto enjoy the scaled down arrangements. Towards the end of the set, the drummer and bass player came back for acouple more “less acoustic” songs.

Our seats were up in the balcony, on the right side, and thesound mix quality wasn’t great for us. It appeared the main speakers were pointing towards the main floorcenter, and we found it hard to clearly understand anything said from thestage. I talked to a friend who was onthe main floor, and he said it was great down there. We also noticed the subwoofers seemed tooloud, as any low frequency sounds (kick drum, bass guitar, etc.) seemed tooverwhelm everything else (very boomy mix). So, that created some frustration, but I’m sure they must have donetheir best with what they had.

Overall, it was a nice evening, but not the “best” concert I’veseen from Jars Of Clay, and the issues weren’t all in control by the band. Still, a nice Christmas concert, from aband that created one of my favorite Christmas releases.

My week at "Rock The Rapids"

2011-08-16T16:06:00.001-04:00

Last week (Aug 8-13) was the "Rock The Rapids" week of concerts in downtown Grand Rapids.    My wife and I attended 5 of the 6 shows.    Rather than review each evening separately, I'm opting to just provide this single post covering the week.

Day 1 was to have featured Lynyrd Skynyrd and Jonny Lang.   However, the day before the concert, Lynyrd Skynyrd had to cancel due to their lead singer being hospitalized with complications from a previous surgery.    The "Rock The Rapids" organizers accomplished the "practically impossible" and managed to secure another performer to take the opening slot.     With Michigan having a long musical heritage, they were able to get the legendary Mitch Ryder to perform.    Mitch is best known for the hit "Devil with a Blue Dress on".    Jonny Lang was given the headliner slot.    When we arrived, Mitch Ryder was just starting his set.    Considering the Skynyrd cancellation, the crowd did appear a little smaller than expected.    But, Mitch and his backing band delivered a solid set of early 60s era rock and roll, and it sounded good.    Opening night glitches were few, with the most notable being a blown generator shortly into Mitch's set - they got this repaired in very short order and had not further issues.   I had no complaints, but also am not a huge fan of the style Ryder brought.    After a stage change over, Jonny Lang and band strolled out on stage with little fanfare.    Jonny proceeded to play the next 90 minutes with passion and skill beyond his young age (he is 30).    Jonny and his band had to deal with some rain during their set, but kept up the pace of energetic blues.    I have long known about Jonny and his skills, but had never seen him before.   I will say the guy plays and sings every song as if it is the last thing he will ever do.    Most of the small crowd was impressed, but the evening was not without opening night struggles.

Day 2 was headlined by Stone Temple Pilots.     Not having a huge interest in opening act "Red Hill Drive", we took our time getting down to the site.    Upon arrival, we first noticed the crowd was significantly larger.    Having not heard Red Hill Drive before, I would say their style was definitely classic rock influenced.     Trouble we had was that the songs were not that memorable, and their presentation lacked in connecting with the crowd.    They also looked as if they just got off the bus and walked on stage, which isn't always bad, but didn't help them on this day.    Next time, the band may want to be a bit more entertaining, and appear like they care a bit more.    STP was next on stage, and we were impressed that lead singer Scott Weiland was still along (Scott has a long drug history and has frequently compromised his performances).    Using a lighted backdrop which appeared to be the same thing used in 2010, the band came out energetic and sounding good.     Scott looked particularly in good shape, and sounded fantastic.    As the band worked its way through both hits and newer material, the "shoe gazer" tempos became frequent.   I have known the band for years, and don't hate them, but the pacing of the evening seemed to really slow down about midway through.    They tried to kick up the energy with some more uptempo songs, but the tempo seemed to slow back to the middle ground each time.  Considering how often this happened, I began to suspect it was intentional.    But, that brought up the question of why?    Was it because the drummer was having trouble?    Was it done so the singer would be able to keep up?     Why keep noticeably slowing down each song?     That bothered us.    But, overall, STP delivered a decent set, and was a good second night for the week.

Day 3 was Willie Nelson and Robert Randolph.   Being the best weather so far, the crowd was even larger and the event was starting to see some changes.    The "Port O Potty" lines were getting long (the event organizers need to probably double these for next year), and they had volunteers working to put the seated crowd into actual rows (previous nights it was sort of a "sit where you want" and a bit chaotic).     Coordinating the seating proved helpful, and got more people into the area.    Having seen Robert Randolph & The Family Band before, I know he would be great.    Trouble is, it seemed most of the crowd wasn't familiar with Robert, and he had an uphill battle.    He did what he could with his funk infused gospel jam style, and managed to get the crowd dancing.    The set was tight and fun, but it was obvious much of the crowd was there just for Willie.    After a stage change, a small group came to the stage followed by the legend that is Willie Nelson.    Willie is 78 years old, and has nothing to prove.    Supported by piano (played by his sister), electric bass guitar, harmonica, and just a snare drum (and maybe a kick drum-couldn't tell), Willie was the only guitar player and lead singer.   Having been around for over 50 years, Willie has written at least one song everyone knows.    With a style best described as "cowboy songs", Willie managed to amble through his various hits, while including some cover songs he obviously enjoys.    His voice isn't great, but it never was.    His guitar playing is surprisingly melodic and unique - improvisation and jazz licks were speckled throughout.     Willie and band played for about 90 minutes, and he covered just about everything I would have recognized.    For me, I'm not a Willie fan but do have a respect for his legacy of music.    He gave a classic country show with no frills and kept you entertained.

Day 4 was Bachman-Turner and Alice Cooper.   For this day, the crowd was slightly smaller than Willie Nelson, but still good sized.   Weather was great.    Everything with the event coordination went almost identical to the night before.   Bachman-Turner came out with their hits from the BTO catalog.   Fred Turner on bass/vocals still has a great raspy voice, and sounded perfect on songs like "Let It Roll Down The Highway".    Randy Bachman on guitar/vocals still has his clean higher voice, and does great on songs "Takin Care of Business" and "You Ain't Seen Nothin Yet".    Overall, they gave us just over an hour of classic 70s era rock.    After a stage change and promise of the most stage props of the week, a front stage curtain dropped to the opening of the song "The Black Widow".     Alice Cooper was at the top of a large platform, dressed in an outfit that featured 6 extra arms, making him an 8-legged representation of the song.    For the next 90 minutes, we were treated to hit after hit, with various costume changes and set pieces.    "Feed My Frankenstein" featured Alice in a lab coat, as he brought a 10ft monster to life.     The campy nature of the monster roaming the stage was textbook Alice.    A nice treat for me was hearing Alice perform the song "Clones" from his "Flush The Fashion" release - I long thought he was trying to forget this 1980 release and the "new wave" synth vibe of the record.    But, "Clones" fit well with the rest.    Alice shared a couple new songs, along with all the hits.      Alice did not break "character" until encore time, when he commented on Detroit and sports.    For me, this was the best evening of the week, and Alice gave a lesson to the rest on how to entertain a crowd.

Day 5 was headlined by Blake Shelton.    This is one of the "new country" stars, and my wife was interested in seeing some of hist set.    So, we wandered down a little later in the evening, and got there about halfway through opener Bomshel.    This was the largest crowd of the week, and was said to be "sold out" (the attendance number I read was 10,000).    Getting there later, we were not able to get anywhere near the main seating, and we ended up near the back.    Bomshel may be good, but I didn't hear much that caught my attention.    They appeared to be 2 ladies supported by 2 additional musicians.    It was all acoustic, and was even a tad hard to hear from the back.     After a stage change, Blake Shelton and band took the stage with energy and a country rock sound.     Not being familiar with any of his material, all I can say is that he did sound good.    After a couple songs, Blake took time to talk about his new wife Miranda Lambert (another country star), and seemed to ramble on about related topics.    He got back to songs, but many were ballads.    We got more talking, and then a brief medley of songs his sister used to play for him ("Play The Funky Music", "Centerfold" from J Giles, and "My Prerogative" from Bobby Brown).     This is the sort of thing that has me questioning current "new country" bands - if I want to hear rock songs, I'll got to the rock shows, OK?    But, the crowd seemed to love it, so what do I know!    After that, he went back to more ballads.     Overall, it sounded to me like Blake Shelton needs coaching on how the keep the show moving and not kill the momentum.

We sold off our tickets to the Day 6 rap music show that was to feature Ludicris and T-Pain.   Reviews indicated the crowd wasn't as big as Blake's, but the rap show did get good reviews.

For the first time the event has been held in downtown Grand Rapids (it was previously held at 53rd ballpark outside of town), the organizers did a good job.      I've got a couple tweaks in mind, but things could have been much worse.    They need to expand the overall crowd area (getting around the crowd became difficult on the larger attendance nights), and they need to at least double the amount of "port o pottys" (you don't want to skimp on that).

Meatloaf - Val Du Lakes - August 6, 2011

2011-08-08T13:06:00.000-04:00

Thanks to radio station WFGR, my wife and I were able to attend the "80s music - Day 2" at Val Du Lakes amphitheater in Mears, Michigan.

We arrived just at the end of the opening set by Dr. Hook featuring Ray Sawyer.   So, no opinion on that performance.

Next up with Donnie Iris and the Cruisers.   I did not know much about Donnie, except for a couple hits.   He seemed to come out a little stiff, but warmed up quickly.    His backing band of guitar, keyboard, bass, drums provided decent support (except for some keyboard technical difficulties during the set).   The highlights of the just-over-an-hour set included "Ah! Leah!" and "That's The Way Love Ought To Be".    I was impressed with Donnie's voice, and it was a decent mid-day performance.

Following Donnie, was Tom Cochrane & Red Rider.   Backed by bass, drums, and guitar, Tom plowed through a set of hits.    Having a bit of delay before he got started, it appeared Tom had an "up hill" battle to connect with the crowd.   Early on in the set, we got "Lunatic Fringe", which was the song my wife wanted to hear.   The other "hit" I recognized, was closing song "Life Is A Highway".   Overall, Tom Cochrane sounded fine, but never seemed to get his momentum going with the audience.   His set was less than an hour.

Finally, after another long switch over (but a bit more justified, due to the extra stage risers and gear), the legend that is "Meatloaf" took the stage. Considering the news reports said Meatloaf had been having asthma trouble in the past couple weeks, I was impressed just to see him vertical. Opening with "Hot Patootie (Bless My Soul)" (from his Rocky Horror performance), proved a great crowd pleaser. He sounded alright, but the vocals were low in the mix. Backed by a great sounding 7 piece band named "Neverland Express" (2 keyboards, 2 guitars, bass, drums, backing vocalist), Meatloaf spent much of the opening few songs stalking the stage working to rile up the crowd. Most of the night was concentrated on the hits from his "Bat Out Of Hell" releases, while also featuring some tracks from his latest "Hang Cool Teddy Bear" release. The first half of the show seemed to be going better than I expected, but Meatloaf starting wearing out for the second half. He brought out a bar stool for "Two Out Of Three Aint' Bad", and attempted to explain how it wasn't because he was tired - well, maybe not entirely because of being tired, but he still sounded out of breath. By the time we got to "Paradise By The Dashboard Light", he was spending much of the song leaning on his microphone stand as if it was a crutch. Granted, at 63 years old and struggling with asthma, I'm sure the humid outdoor venue wasn't helping his breathing. But, almost in spite of the conditions, he continued soldiering on giving us everything he had (even if it was only a portion of what he may have wanted). Most of his stage banter with the audience was profanity laden, and seemed a bit out of place. But, even with the lagging vocal performance, the band was fantastic. Featured backing vocalist Patti Russo provided great support for Meatloaf, while also covering the sassy personality needed for the more theatrical songs. Pianist Justin Avery recreated all the signature parts created by "Bat Out Of Hell" original composer Jim Steinman. While his performance was certainly not what he offered years ago, there was no doubt about Meatloaf's ability to dramatically deliver a song. He was not giving us any sort of "phoned in" performance - he was giving all he had and then sum. For this show, Meatloaf was a better entertainer, than singer.

Val Du Lakes is a small campground area near Silver Lake. Although there is not anything specifically wrong with the venue, there also isn't anything specifically special about it. The stage, sound, and setting are all fairly standard. Trouble is, for the extra drive and today's ticket prices, they need to find some niche to make the trip worth the effort. Had I paid full price for the show, I may have been a bit disappointed (especially considering all the music offerings around the area this summer).

Overall rating: I'd give the show a 7 out of 10

Setlist for Meatloaf:

1.Hot Patootie (Bless My Soul)
2.If It Ain't Broke, Break It
3.Bat Out of Hell
4.Peace On Earth
5.Living On The Outside
6.Los Angeloser
7.You Took the Words Right Out of My Mouth (Hot Summer Night)
8.Rock And Roll Dreams Come Through
9.I'd Do Anything For Love (But I Won't Do That)
10.Two Out of Three Ain't Bad
11.Paradise by the Dashboard Light
12.Boneyard
13.All Revved Up With No Place To Go

Motley Crue, Poison, New York Dolls - Van Andel Arena - Aug 3, 2011

2011-08-04T16:32:00.001-04:00

Hearing about the summer tour featuring Motley Crue, Poison, and New York Dolls brought a bit of curiosity. Sure, there was the various drama going on individually within Motley Crue and Poison, but there was also the reported feuds between the bands. Having already seen Motley Crue, and not being a huge fan of Poison, the only real interest I had was New York Dolls. A couple months back, a friend of mine mentioned he might want to see the show, and next thing you know we had tickets.

New York Dolls opened the show with their "no frills" early punk rock style - think a heavier Rolling Stones. They are celebrating the 40th anniversary of the band. New York Dolls are frequently mentioned as starting the "Glam Rock" fashion, although that isn't as much of their look these days. Lead singer David Johansen may have achieved more notoriety with his "Buster Poindexter" persona, but he seemed more "comfortable" with the dolls. The only other original member is guitarist/vocalist Sylvain Sylvain. The band is completed with bassist Kenny Aaronson, drummer Jason Sutter, and additional guitarist Earl Slick. The 5 members rifled through nine songs, covering both old and new. Johnansen and Sylvain both seemed in good spirits, even though most of the crowd had yet to show up. The band played a style of 70s rock, which definitely influenced the bands coming up later that night. I enjoyed their 45 minutes or so, and would love to see them again in a smaller venue. I'd' give their set a 7 out of 10 - no frills rock and roll. Set list noted at the end of this post.

Next up was Poison. These guys are celebrating 25 years together, and currently consist of all original members. With a pyro filled opening, lead singer Bret Michaels rose up to a platform behind the drum kit. Bret manages to keep up the energy as lead singer, almost in spite of recent past health issues. His voice was in better shape than I expected. Lead guitarist C.C. Deville matches Bret with running around, while also displaying some fairly impressive guitar skills. The rhythm section of Rikki Rockett (drums) and Bobby Dall (bass) keep things on a solid foundation. Poison definitely brought the party. I was bored with their cover of Grand Funk's "American Band" song, which the band really did nothing to make it their own. Other than Bret's patriotic introduction (which was fine), I saw no point to including this song in their set. Their cover of "Your Momma Don't Dance" was also less than impressive, so I would have recommended leaving that out. But, both tunes were crowd pleasers, and that appeared to be the sole point. Separate drum and guitar solo moments seemed purely to remind us of the 80s, as they didn't necessarily add to Poison's show. I'd give their set a 7 out of 10 - great energy, but a couple set changes could improve the overall experience. Set list noted at the end of this post.

Finally, after a stage change and with a sudden set of firework explosions, Motley Crue stormed the stage. The Crue is celebrating 30 years as a band, and currently features all original members. Their stage area is primarily open and clean, which puts the center focus on the roller coaster contraption that Tommy Lee has his drum kit mounted to. Having only seen the band once before (on their 2009 "Saints of Los Angeles" tour), I wasn't sure how this performance was going to compare. The band sounded a little tighter, but lead singer Vince Neil's voice wasn't as strong. Maybe due to performing the night before in Ohio. Mick Mars continues to have a massive guitar sound, which rattles the entire building. Nikki Sixx appeared a little less animated than last time, but also appeared in better shape. Nikki had his vocal mic as part of a trapeze type thing that hung from the above lighting rig. This proved an interesting visual, as he could mess with making it swing around from time to time (I think he may have stole the idea from Bono). The band also featured two ladies on background vocals, which helped Vince a bit. The ladies provided some various dance moves during certain songs, but didn't add much to the overall show. The centerpiece of the show was Tommy Lee and his drum roller coaster. Providing a lighting structure reminiscent of Pink Floyd's circle setup from the "Pulse" era, the roller coaster frame also had a video screen in the center (not as clear as what Pink Floyd had). During Tommy's drum solo section, he was secured in and the entire kit was revolved 360 degrees (you can find video of this on Youtube). Yea, it's gimmicky, but does look pretty cool. It is pure showmanship. Tommy even picked out an audience member to come up and get harnessed into a companion chair, to ride along with a couple rotations. After that, the band was back out and plowed through more hits. From what I read, the set list was comprised of choices made by fans on the Motley Crue website. The set definitely stuck to hits, and even featured early tracks like "Too Fast For Love". The show featured a ton of pyro and explosions, which helped keep the audience energized (almost as much as a KISS show). Thankfully, the set didn't have Nikki bass solo sections or pointless "camera" shenanigans from Tommy Lee - they stuck to the music this time. I'd give the Motley Crue set an 8 out of 10, based upon the showmanship and sticking to the hits. Set list noted below.

Overall, the show was a bit much for one night. New York Dolls laid the foundation for the evening, Poison ramped up the party atmosphere, and Motley Crue took the whole thing over the top of excess (what they do best, right?).

New York Dolls
Looking For a Kiss
Dance Like a Monkey
Cause I Sez So
Talk to Me Baby
Kids Like You
Who Are the Mystery Girls?
Pills
Trash
Personality Crisis

Poison
Look What The Cat Dragged In
Ride The Wind
We're An American Band - Grand Funk Railroad cover
Your Mama Don't Dance - Loggins & Messina cover
C.C Deville Guitar Solo
Fallen Angel
Unskinny Bop
Rikki Rockett Drum Solo
Every Rose Has Its Thorn
Talk Dirty To Me
Nothin' But A Good Time

Mötley Crüe
Wild Side
Saints of Los Angeles
Live Wire
Shout at the Devil
Same Ol' Situation (S.O.S.)
Primal Scream
Home Sweet Home
Don't Go Away Mad (Just Go Away)
Tommy Lee Drum Solo (on 360-degree roller coaster drum riser)
Looks That Kill
Dr. Feelgood
Too Young to Fall in Love
Ten Seconds to Love
Girls, Girls, Girls
Smokin' In The Boys Room - Brownsville Station cover
Kickstart My Heart

Brian Wilson - Meijer Gardens - July 29, 2011

2011-08-01T17:15:00.002-04:00

My wife is a big fan of The Beach Boys music, especially the Brian Wilson songwriting and vocal arrangements.   I've had some appreciation for them over the years.    But, when I heard about Brian Wilson coming to Meijer Gardens, I knew it was the show my wife needed to see.

So, this past Friday night was the night.

Once we found a spot on the amphitheater grass, the typical "background" music was playing through the PA.   We were a bit amused to hear "Weird" Al's tribute to Brian Wilson - the song "Pancreas" - come over the system.    Whoever was responsible for the song choices apparently saw the quality in the song, and we were hoping it was suggested or at least approved by Brian (would be nice to know Brian had a sense of humor about it).

Anyway, at 7pm the 9 member backing band came out, and they were followed by a shuffling and fragile looking Brian Wilson.    The audience welcomed the legend with a mostly standing ovation.    Brian was dressed casually with a dark shirt and what appeared to be running pants and sneakers.    He took his place on a stool in front of his keyboard, and welcomed the crowd.     While nobody should have been surprised to see the 69 year old moving a bit slower, I was a bit surprised with his condition.    A well documented drug assisted breakdown put Brian into seclusion for most of the 70s and 80s.    During the late 80s and into the 90s, Brian managed to find his way back.   Since that time, Brian has slowly released music and became more active. In 2009, Brian released "Brian Wilson Reimagines Gershwin" which hit #1 on the Billboard Jazz Chart - the project is part of a 2 record deal with Disney.

Brian had a fantastic backing band, which included almost everyone singing.    Thanks to this large group of qualified singers/musicians, the complex harmonies were recreated with hardly any flaw.    Brian has taken to singing the lower "Mike Love" parts, while one of his guitar players has assumed the falsetto parts Brian made famous.    The evening was split into two sets, with a 20 minute intermission.     Both sets featured a majority of Beach Boy songs, including only a few songs from the Gershwin project.    Brian's rendition of "Summertime" was pleasant, with Brian delivering an adequate lead vocal.     The crowd seemed to go along with him on these newer tracks.     During the first set, Brian appeared a bit disconnected from the crowd.   But, the second set found a much more lively Brian, and he seemed more active on the keyboard.    Maybe he just needed to get comfortable with the surroundings during the first set - whatever it was, the second set definitely was better.

Throughout the evening, various band members took their turns at lead vocals.    There was little question about the quality of the band - excellent.    Even though Brian may not have the capability to perform as he used to, he obviously knows what he wants and can put a band together that captures that vision.    Brian sat out front, visually a reminder that what we were hearing had originated in the mind of this great talent.   If nothing else, Brian Wilson had/has an unmatched skill in vocal arrangements.     And his band was demonstrating this skill all night long.

Highlights for me during the evening were "Surfer Girl", "In My Room", "Fun, Fun, Fun", and "Pet Sounds".

Having just seen Paul McCartney earlier in the week, my wife and I were comparing the two legendary artists.    Both are 69 and have huge catalogs of well known songs.   Paul is in much better health, but both are able to bring joy and smiles to their fans.   The crowds are not the same size, and Brian's audience had fewer younger age, but both shows were celebrations of music that has wide spread appeal.   It has been a pleasure to see both legends this year.

Overall, I'd give the show a 7 out of 10 (the 2nd set definitely improved things)

Brian's band consisted of:
Jeff Foskett - Guitar, Vocals
Darian Sahanaja - Keyboards, Vibes, Vocals
Scott Bennett - Keyboard, Vibes, Vocals
Probyn Gregory - Guitar, Vocals, Trumpet, Theremin
Nicky Walusko - Guitar, Vocals
Brett Simons - Bass Guitar, Vocals
Paul Mertens - Sax, Flute, Harmonica, Vocals
Nelson Bragg - Percussion, Vocals
Mike D'Amico - Drums

Setlist for the evening was:

Set 1
Do it again
Dance Dance Dance
Catch a Wave
You're so good to Me
Salt Lake City
Drive-In
Surfer Girl
When I grow up
Don't worry baby
Do you wanna dance
I Get Around
Summertime
I Got Plenty of Nothing
They Can't take that Away
I got Rhythm
Heroes and Villains
California girls

Set 2
Little Girl
Shut Down
Little deuce coupe
In my Room
Please let me wonder
Then I Kissed Her
Darlin
Sail on Sailor
Add some music
Pet Sounds
Sloop John B
Wouldn't it be nice
God only Knows
Good Vibrations

Encore
Johnny B Good
Rhonda
Barbara Ann
Surfin USA
Fun, Fun, Fun

2nd Encore
All summer long

Max Weinberg and Big Bad Voodoo Daddy - July 21, 2011 - Meijer Gardens

2011-07-28T17:25:00.000-04:00

Michelle and I went to the Max Weinbeg and Big Bad Voodoo Daddy concert at Meijer Gardens Ampitheater - Thanks to John Gonzalez and the Grand Rapids Press for providing the tickets. The concert was Thursday July 21, 2011.

Max and his 6 supporting musicians opened the show. For those who may not recall, Max Weinberg has been the drummer for Bruce Springsteen, as well as doing a long stint as band leader on Conan O'Brien's late show (prior to the whole Jay Leno fiasco). His band consisted of Bill Champlin (formerly of Chicago) on guitar/vocals/organ, Will Champlin (Bill's son) on keyboards/vocals, Carmen Grillo (from Tower of Power) on guitar/vocals, Bobby Watson on bass guitar/vocals, Steve Madaio on trumpet, and Jerry Vivino on Saxophone. The band covered quite a variety of songs from different eras. Some highlights included "Heat of the Night" (theme from the TV show), "634-5789", "Turn Your Love Around" (tune Bill wrote for George Benson), and "Can't Be Still" (a Booker T & the MGs song). Max and his band played for about 45 minutes (or so), and seemed to just be a bunch of guys who loved playing some of their favorite music - nothing pretentious or flashy. After their set, Max could be seen along the side stage area meeting fans.

Next up was Big Bad Voodoo Daddy. BBVD are one of the bands who rose to fame during the "swing" resurgence of the late 1990s. However, they have managed to dabble in other related styles, while still growing a fanbase. According to band info, they have been around almost 18 years now, and have had 8 releases (7 studio, 1 live). Lead singer and guitarist Scotty Morris said they have all original members. We had last seen the band at The Intersection in downtown Grand Rapids, and was curious how the style would be holding up. At Meijer Gardens, we saw a band that has grown into a family friendly image, which projects the coolness of swing music along with the fun of Dixieland. With a 5 piece horn section, the band is able to create the big band sound that much of their music requires. Scotty has managed to not only keep his vocals smooth and strong, but has also managed to cultivate a confident and appealing "band leader" persona. I've seen few bands where all members appear to be having just a great time playing - Big Bad Voodoo Daddy is one of those rare exceptions. Their set covered material from throughout their career, however the older material was noticeably more familiar to the crowd. Some of my favorites from the evening were "Jumpin Jive", "Zig Zaggity Woop Woop", and "Go Daddy-O". The guys played for around 90 minutes, and it went by quickly. Much of the crowd had a great time, including children. Big Bad Voodoo Daddy definitely delivered a fun evening with some great music. I'd recommend them to just about any fan of fun "make you smile" music.

Overall, I'd give the evening an 8 out of 10

Paul McCartney - Comerica Park - July 24, 2011

2011-07-26T17:30:00.000-04:00

I finally got the pleasure of seeing Paul McCartney in person, and thought I'd share my thoughts on the evening.

The concert was held Sunday July 24, 2011 at Detroit's Comerica Park (home of the Detroit Tigers).   After attending a 2009 U2 concert at Soldier Field in Chicago, I had pretty much sworn off these "stadium" concerts with crowds of 40,000 or more.     But, this was Sir Paul - someone who could be considered one of the best songwriters ever.   Not to mention the cultural impact his music has had around the world.   I would bet most people have at least one song Paul either wrote or cowrote - especially with that little band from Liverpool.

My companions included my wife, and our friends Gary and his son Spencer (two friends who frequently go to concerts with us).    Our seats were in the standard ballpark seats, in the lower bowl, along the 3rd base line.    There was seating in the outfield closer to the stage, but no seating in the "in field" area.

We arrived at the ballpark around 7pm local time, and found crowds all over the outter ballpark area.    It turned out to mostly be people just hanging outside before the show (a Beatle tribute band was performing outside one of the bars). Getting into the park wasn't nearly as slow as I'd expected.    Once we got into the concourse, things became much more congested.    Between crowded merchandise areas and concessions, there were many points where movement came to a standstill.    First thing we did was connect up with my friend Adam Talley, who came over from Lansing.    We met him near the carousel, and exchanged comments about the massive crowd and our mutual excitement for the evening (Adam always has interesting insight into Beatle stuff).    We then went our separate ways (Adam had seats on the field).     Our 4 person group found the way to our seats around 7:30pm, waiting for the scheduled 8pm start.

Just before 8pm, a thunderstorm moved close to the ballpark.   Although the show was listed as "rain or shine", there was concern about close lightning strikes and the various high metal rigging (with spotlight people on some of the rigging).    We checked weather radar on our phones, and saw it was a small storm moving over the area.   It appeared the technical crew were also watching, and the show was delayed.    There was light rain and a few bolts of lightning in the distance, but the storm only came close to the park (never directly overhead).    After almost a 30 minute delay, Paul McCartney finally came out to joyous welcome from the anxious crowd.

Sir Paul and his 4 supporting musicians launched into The Beatles "Hello/Goodbye", with Paul on a version of his legendary Hofner bass.    The band consisted of Paul "Wix" Wickens on keyboards, Rusty Anderson on guitar, Abe Laboriel Jr on drums, and Brian Ray on guitar/bass. The mix was a little "uneven" from our seats, but it improved over the evening.     Paul and the band all appeared to be in great spirits, and having a good time.

For almost 3 hours, we were treated to songs from throughout Paul's entire career, with plenty of focus on his Beatle catalog.    Beatles favorites for me were "All My Loving", "Drive My Car", "Hey Jude", "Lady Madonna", and "Eleanor Rigby".     From his Wings/solo catalog, my favorites were "Let 'Em In", "Band On The Run", and "Live and Let Die".    Newer songs like "Dance Tonight" sat fine alongside the older material.   Paul spent probably 40% of the night on bass, but also performed on electric guitar, acoustic guitar, piano, and ukulele. His voice sounded fine, although he did avoid some of the higher scream parts in "Helter Skelter" and "Hey Jude").     A solo section during the evening with just Paul and an acoustic guitar was very nice, when he played "Blackbird" and "Here Today".

As expected for a stadium show, the stage and lighting were massive, as well as the live video screens.    An LED type background provided very clear and appropriate visuals for the set.    For me, the ambient and atmospheric backgrounds worked better than the historical photo/video clips.    Most of the live camera work was good during the show, but I seem to recall it was "Helter Skelter" which had some constant camera changes which made it annoying (I know it was planned, but still annoying).    The pyro (fire and fireworks) were impressive during "Live and Let Die" (something that isn't easy to accomplish in a stadium show) - even Paul was "coughing" afterward, acknowledging the large amount of smoke left over.

Paul and the band all appeared to be having a great time all night.   He made a couple references to his age/history, and also referenced the influence Motown had on his musical upbringing.   He mentioned taking a tour of the Motown museum, and performed the 1962 Marvin Gaye song "Hitchhike" for us.    Not sure this would have been my Motown song of choice, but it obviously was important to Paul.    To me, it was just nice to have the special moment just for Detroit.

At the start of the evening, I wasn't sure how things would go with the 69 year old.    By the end I was surprised how fast the almost 3 hours went by, and rarely had a moment where I was looking at my watch.    Sure, there were a couple tunes I didn't know, but those didn't slow down the evening.     By the time he reached the final encore of "Golden Slumbers/Carry That Weight/The End", I was beyond impressed with Paul and his band.    It truly is a special moment to be able to sing along on the "Na-Na" part of "Hey Jude", actually singing with the guy who wrote the song!!   That isn't something you get to do regularly, and is a memory of a lifetime.

I'd rate the show a 9 out of 10 - taking off a star for the headaches of a stadium show, and the somewhat inconsistent sound mix (at least, from our seats).

I'm still not a be fan of these "mega-concerts" at stadiums, but sometimes it is the only option available for seeing legendary performers that still have huge popularity.

Here is another picture from our seats:

According to Paul's website, here is the setlist from Sunday nights Detroit show:

Hello Goodbye

Juniors Farm
All My Loving
Jet
Drive My Car
Sing The Changes
Hitchhike
The Night Before
Let Me Roll It
Paperback Writer
The Long and Winding Road
1985
Let 'Em In
Maybe I'm Amazed
I've Just Seen A Face
I Will
Blackbird
Here Today
Dance Tonight
Mrs. Vanderbilt
Eleanor Rigby
Something
Band on the Run
Ob-la-di Ob-la-da
Back In The USSR
I Got A Feeling
A Day In The Life/Give Peace A Chance
Let It Be
Live And Let Die
Hey Jude

Encore:

Lady Madonna

Day Tripper
Get Back

2nd Encore set:

Yesterday

Helter Skelter

Golden Slumbers/Carry That Weight/The End

Cornerstone 2011 - My Report from Thursday/Friday

2011-07-13T16:48:00.005-04:00

On Thursday June 30, my wife and I attended the Cornerstone Festival 2011. This particular day featured a "Jesus Rally" with multiple bands from late 70s/early 80s Christian music. The Cornerstone Festival is a week long music festival held in Marietta, IL (near Bushnell), however we were not able to make the whole week.

When we first arrived on site, we made our way to the merchandise tents. In one particular area, there was a "meet and greet" setup, with many of the bands participating. Below are some of the photos I got:

Me with Randy Stonehill (CCM legend)

Me with Phil Keaggy (guitar wizard)

Me with Bob Hartman (founder of Petra)

Me with Bob Hardy (vocalist for Servant)

While waiting to meet Phil Keaggy, my wife got dizzy from the heat and had to go find some shade.   I caught up with her after meeting Phil, and helped her get some ice and cold water (it was hard keeping any water cold in 100+ degree heat index weather).     After she spent a few minutes at the first aid trailer, she was back to her normal self.

We worked our way over to mainstage around 3pm, only to find Classic Petra was still working on their sound check.    This pushed the schedule back almost an hour.    I later found out that the stage managers ended up asking each band to cut at least one song from their set, to help recoup the lost time.

Servant kicked things off around 4pm.    The lineup of the band features all but 2 original members (they had a new lead guitar and drummer).    While many of us expected a set featuring material from their early releases, we were treated to material mostly from their later career.   Opening with "Power" from the "Swimming In A Human Ocean" release, and continuing with much from "Light Maneuvers" ("War Dance" and "Poolside Logic" for example).    They had a rough start with sound issues, but after about 3 songs things started to settle down and they got into a groove.   Considering they had not performed in almost 20 years, it went better than expected.

Next up was Barry McGuire.   Unfortunately my pictures of Barry are mostly shadows, due to the sun setting behind the stage.    Barry is an old "hippie" era guy, who had hung out with just about everybody (Mamas and the Papas, Frank Zappa, etc).   Barry just came out with an acoustic guitar.   He kept our attention with his stories of the past and his catchy songs.    A fun set and a great testimony.

Next we had Daniel Amos. Again, my pictures are shadows.   Daniel Amos started up with a few cuts from their "Doppelganger" release, and settled into some older material.    This band has been playing music since the mid 70s, and continue to maintain a solid alternative/folk sound.    Lead vocalist Terry Taylor sounded a little weak, but the rumor mill was saying he was quite tired.

Next up was Randy Stonehill.   Randy is always a treat on stage.   Energetic and funny.    Randy came out with just his acoustic guitar (typical for him), and played tunes from all across his career.   Actually he played more newer stuff, but still included some late 70s/early 80s material.   Randy sounded fantastic, and showed you don't need a full band to be completely entertaining.

Next was E Band.    I had not heard of this band before the festival, but the story goes that this was Greg Volz band before he joined Petra.   E Band had originally written the song "Coloring Song", which eventually became Petra's first hit in around 1979.    These guys had not played together in almost 40 years.   I had low expectations.   Oddly enough, the band sounded great on just about every song EXCEPT "Coloring Song".    Their bass player had a hard time with that song, and it showed.    But, the rest of their set was better than expected, and the material was almost progressive - certainly late 60s/early 70s hippie jam stuff.    Not too bad.

Next was Resurrection Band.   Like Petra, Servant, and DeGarmo & Key, Resurrection Band were constantly touring in the late 70s/early 80s.   In fact, Resurrection Band members are part of the organization that founded Cornerstone Festival in 1984.   The band features the lineup from their later career, but still has a majority of the group that founded the band in the mid 70s.    Playing a mix of material from throughout their career, vocalist Wendi Kaiser and husband/guitarist/vocalist Glenn Kaiser still sound great.    They did cut their set short, out of a desire to leave more time for Phil Keaggy and Classic Petra.    Considering Resurrection Band has been doing a few reunion shows over the past couple years, most of us had already heard much of the material recently.     There was also a story that the band had done an extended rehearsal in one of the other tents on Wednesday night, and many on the grounds had seen that.

Next up was Phil Keaggy, but he chose to bring his Glass Harp bandmates. So, this actually became a Glass Harp set. Although Phil is certainly a master on guitar and has a long solo catalog, Glass Harp was his first successful band and was popular back in the late 60s/early 70s. The band has done their fair share of reunion shows over the years, but it sounded like many at the fest had not seen an actual Glass Harp set. The band is just a trio (bass/vocals, guitar/vocals, drums), and played an hour set of jam based gospel rock. Some blues, some improv, and some great melodies. I liked it, but my wife wasn't that into it.

The final act for the night was Classic Petra. This is the lineup of the band that was around in the 1983-1985 timeframe (or so). Bob Hartman, Greg Volz, Mark Kelly, Louie Weaver, and John Lawry. Having reunited over the last couple years, that band has already been recreating their 1984 stage setup around the world (most recently in Australia). They have a new DVD featuring a concert from last year, as well as a documentary. For Cornerstone, they used the festival's own main stage and backline gear. Although not as tight as I had hoped, they did seem to be having fun and enjoying some of the updated arrangements. However, there was a problem getting the song "Clean" started. Greg Volz told the audience it was what he called "a trainwreck". It appeared that Bob Hartman was off by a couple frets, putting him in a different key for the song. Keyboardist John Lawry had to stop the song, and Mark Kelly, John, and Bob Hartman had a quick huddle to work it out. Once they were ready to resume, Greg said they had to now start the song over just to show us they could play it correctly - all went well. Overall, I liked their set, but it did lack the "polish" they probably have with their own gear.

Overall, the "Jesus Rally" day was a fun return to the days of early Christian rock bands. The music was a bit dated and didn't have the same punch of a P.O.D. or Anberlin, but I also remembered many of these classic songs from my high school days. I do think I learned more scripture and bible stories from Petra, Servant, and Randy Stonehill, as opposed to what I hear from more recent bands.

We did come back on Friday for some music, and caught sets from Brian "Head" Welch (previously from the band Korn), and P.O.D. While both these bands had much heavier music, their desire to reach out to the lost and hurting seemed just as passionate as the "Jesus Rally" bands from Thursday. Even though the musical styles were different, the message of Christ was the same. That was very cool. Here's a couple pictures of Brian "Head" Welch and P.O.D. Enjoy

Oh, and as an added bonus, my wife got to meet the fairly known character actor Doug Jones. Doug was doing a meet & greet and Q&A session at the movie tent. Doug may be best known as 'Abe Sapien' from the "Hellboy" movies, as well as the "Silver Surfer" from the "Fantastic Four" movie. He has been in a ton of stuff over his 25 years in film. He also was sharing some of his Christian perspective on working in Hollywood, which Michelle enjoyed quite a bit. Here is a picture with her and Doug:

Final note: On the way out Friday night, we caught a couple songs from harpist Timbre. This was some very nice ambient/new age type solo harp music, that sounded great. She has a couple CDs and does some singing, as well as added instrumentation. If you are looking for something soft and almost classical in style, check her out.

U2 - 360 Tour 2009 - Soldier Field, Chicago, IL

2010-05-04T16:22:00.000-04:00

Concert was held at Soldier Field, Chicago, IL on September 13, 2009

As many of my friends will tell you, I have often sworn off of going to concerts at football stadiums. Not only are the venues beyond huge for a musical performance, but the huge crowds also tend to lend themselves to various frustrations. So, when I first heard about U2 kicking off their North American 2009 "360" tour at Chicago's Soldier Field, I said "no thanks".

However, my wife was being sent to McCormick Place for a trade show where her employer was having a booth displayed. She was going to be working at the booth from Friday thru Monday. She was looking for something to do for the weekend, and came up with the idea of trying to see U2 on Sunday night. It turns out that Soldier Field is within walking distance of McCormick Place, so I said maybe I'd come along. She asked if I could find some tickets. We found a guy on CraigsList who was in Grand Rapids, and had two spare tickets for Sunday night. He had bought four, and could only use two. He was letting me have the other two at face value. So, we took the chance, got the tickets, and had a surprisingly good time.

We walked over to the stadium, from the Hyatt hotel. I waited until we got into the actual venue before pursuing some souvenirs. In 2005, we remembered getting U2 tour shirts that ended up being "form fitting". So, I had my wife help me come up with a choice that hopefully is a bit more "loose' fitting. They had a nice "Soldier Field" specific shirt, but those were mostly sold out by the time I got to a vendor (I checked about 4 different tables). So, I settled on a shirt and a program. I chose to use a credit card, and their "wireless" systems were running very slow. Turns out that some of the stage technical gear was causing problems with other systems around the stadium. I'm sure it had something to do with BlackBerry sponsoring the show - LOL.

The "360" tour features a custom "spaceship" stage, with a 360 degree minimally obstructed view of the band. There is also a 360 degree video screen that would descend and ascend as needed. Check around the internet for details, but the story we see says this contraption takes 2 days to put up. To say massive is an understatement. Yup, it's a bit much for 4 guys playing music on stage.

Opening band "Snow Patrol" kicked things off right around 7:15pm (local time). They played about 40 minutes of very U2 influenced pop (think a more bouncy Coldplay). They were OK.

Around 8:30 local time, the lights went down, and David Bowie's "Space Oddity" started playing. After the first verse, a separate ambient track came in, and the band emerged from a back stage entrance. They individually walked up some stage stairs, with drummer Larry Mullen being the first on stage. Edge, Bono, and Adam followed, and the band kicked into songs from their new CD. I found a site with the complete setlist, and have posted the list at the end of this review.

The band played a little over 2 hours. There were plenty of songs off the new CD, and they seemed to be picking other "obscure" tunes to include.. We still got staples like "With or Without You", "Where the Street Have No Name", "Vertigo", "Beautiful Day", "Sunday Bloody Sunday", etc. But we also got treated to "Until The End Of The World", and a nice acoustic version of "Amazing Grace". What we didn't get was "Pride (In The Name of Love)".

Edge seemed a bit more animated that I remember him being in 2005. Bono seemed to get the most enjoyment out of being close to the audience around the stage perimeter. Adam is adequate, and does what he is supposed to (the luckiest average bass player on the planet). Larry actually impressed with his consistent drumming all night long. All four worked well as a single unit.

The stage is amazing, and they must have an entire I/T department to keep the thing running. It's a technical marvel, not unlike some of the best ideas Genesis has had in the past. And each band member did make at least one complete trip around the entire outer circle.

In general, I'd say the show wasn't quite as "energetic" as the 2005 show we saw in Detroit. This year's setlist didn't seem to pack the same punch, but the band was more interactive.

The attendance numbers have indicated there were around 65,000 people there. For that huge of a crowd, U2 still managed to make it feel like a much smaller venue. Bono truly tried to connect with the audience.

I'd say it was worth the trip, but I'm not sure I'll be endorsing the football stadium concert idea yet. It's still something very few bands can pull off. U2 is a rare group in the regard.

Keep in mind that U2 is coming up on 30 years since their first CD, and it still is the same four guys. Not bad, if you ask me. They seem to continue to evolve and yet maintain their own style. I don't mind calling myself a fan.

One point of note: This is the second time my wife and I have gone to Chicago to see a band that was not making a stop in Detroit. Chicago is becoming the town to see the "special" shows. Sorry Detroit.

Thanks to Scott for setting us up with the tickets.

Setlist:

Breathe
No Line On The Horizon
Get On Your Boots / Blue Suede Shoes (snippet)
Magnificent
Far Far Away (snippet)
Beautiful Day / King Of Pain (snippet)
I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For
Elevation
Your Blue Room
Unknown Caller
Until The End Of The World
Stay (Faraway, So Close!)
The Unforgettable Fire
City Of Blinding Lights
Vertigo
I'll Go Crazy If I Don't Go Crazy Tonight / I Want To Take You Higher (snippet) / Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough (snippet)
Sunday Bloody Sunday / Rock The Casbah (snippet)
MLK
Walk On

Encores:
One / Amazing Grace (snippet)
Where The Streets Have No Name / All You Need Is Love (snippet)
Ultra Violet (Light My Way)
With Or Without You
Moment of Surrender

Transatlantic - Whirl'd Tour 2010

2010-04-28T16:33:00.000-04:00

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

2010-04-27T17:48:00.000-04:00

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

2010-04-26T16:16:00.000-04:00

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

2010-04-26T16:11:00.000-04:00

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

2010-04-26T16:06:00.000-04:00

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

2010-04-26T16:02:00.000-04:00

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

2010-04-26T15:57:00.000-04:00

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

2010-04-26T15:45:00.000-04:00

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