Mar 18
User ReviewsClassic Rock
No Bald Eagles
The opportunity to see The Eagles fell into our laps the other day. Veronica, a huge fan who had never seen them live, was chomping at the bit. I, however, was skeptical. Having seen The Eagles in their heyday, during the 1976 Hotel California tour, I didn’t want to spoil that memory.
Sure, the stranger on the ferry boat who just saw them the previous night said they were still great, but… he was just a stranger on a ferry across the Mississippi. I also have several musically knowledgeable friends who have seen the band recently and fully agree with ferry boat guy, so I allowed myself to start a bit of bit chomping as we drove closer to the arena.
Once inside, the first thing that struck me was the crowd. This wasn’t a ’70’s rock concert crowd. Oh wait, yes it was — just 30 years older. Middle aged and middle class, I guess we all grew up and now we can afford the hundred dollar tickets. If I remember right, it was around fifteen bucks back when I saw them the first time.
The band took the stage, all in suits and ties, ala Buddy Holly. What happened to the torn up blue jeans and tee shirts? Well, at least Joe Walsh and Timothy Schmitt still have long hair, even if Walsh looks a bit like what if Nixon had long gray hair. Overall, they still look cool, just different cool and at least there aren’t any bald Eagles.
About halfway through the first song I started using my ears instead of my eyes and realized “Man, these guys still sing great!” They are fully aware of the changes the years have brought and embrace them. They humorously acknowledged the passing time right off the bat, with Glenn Frey introducing themselves as “The ancient ones, the band that wouldn’t die” on “The Assisted Living Tour.” This is not a nostalgia tour, it’s rock and roll grown-up style.
This is a very different Eagles than the ones I grew up with. With a four piece horn section and two extra keyboard players, Will Hollis and Michael Thompson, this is more like a review than a country rock group. They also have another drummer, Scott Crago, allowing Don Henley to step in front of the kit for a good part of the show, although he spends a good bit of time on both percussion and drums. Nobody plays the straight country rock beat any better than Henley, and he does it while singing. The group is rounded out with guitarist Steuart Smith playing Don Felder and Bernie Leadon’s old parts impeccably. He is pretty much a real member of the band these days, writing and co-produced on The Long Road Out of Eden album.
The mix of the old stuff with the new, plus tunes from their solo careers, is very smooth and presented with impeccable performances and sound production. The staging was cool, not overbearing, and did not distract from the music.
The guys may be older but they sure aren’t worn out. The show goes over three hours, with a short intermission. It was during this intermission that Veronica overhead perhaps the best line of the night. An appalled security guard remarked as she removed women from the men’s room that she expected that kind of behavior from last week’s Nickelback crowd but not from Eagles fans! Who knew? There were two women in the men’s room when I went too. Rock-n-Roll.
After the break it occurred to me, why should it seem strange or out of place for Rock acts to keep touring into their golden years? No one thinks it the least bit odd when Blues, Jazz or Classical acts keep performing well into their 70’s or 80’s. I think it just goes to show you that Rock & Roll has now become an enduring art form and truly will live forever.
by David, Gypsynester.com
Nov 08
User ReviewsClassic Rock
An Argument for Dylan
What are the chances? Driving along and there you see a big sign flashing “Bob Dylan in concert.” He is, after all, truly a living legend. Since I have never seen him and I might not get another chance, I thought I’d be an idiot not to grab this opportunity. Veronica wasn’t overly thrilled since she had seen him several times before (her dad is the quintessential old hippy making the annual Dylan pilgrimage). I tried to think of some provocative ways to sell her on the idea of spending a hundred bucks and a couple hours of her life listening to unintelligible lyrics mumbled by a 67 year old man.
I tried the living legend idea but she had seen him before, so…as we talked about it, I stumbled on what I think is the real reason for anyone to be interested in seeing Dylan, even if they don’t particularly care for his music. Few people in the history of the arts ever make significant changes in the way their medium is executed. Bob Dylan is one of those few. He fundamentally changed the way songs are written, not musically, but lyrically. There is a noticeable difference between songs before and after his influence. Before Dylan, lyrics told stories in a clear, straightforward manner. The use of imagery was mostly confined to the music itself, with melody and chord structure. He changed that. Now it is common for the lyrics to be used as a vehicle to “paint a picture” as much as the feel and form of the music. Bob Dylan had a huge hand in making that happen. This point made an impact on Veronica and now she was actually looking forward to the show (I wisely decided not to remind her that she wouldn’t be able to decipher a word the man sings–lest I lose the whole lyrics argument).
We arrived just before showtime without tickets and by complete dumb luck got seats in the third row that were somehow overlooked in the advance sales. What can I say, we lead a charmed life. The first thing I noticed upon entering the arena was the crowd. It’s been a long, long time since I have been to a big stadium Rock concert but I still remember what it was like…and this wasn’t it. I actually felt like one of the younger ones there. This was probably a good thing. No mosh pits, groupies, biker security or clouds of pot smoke to obscure the reason we came. There was, however, a quite large contingency of younger kids from the local college willing to stand though the entire show in exchange for the cheaper ticket prices. Perhaps that’s where some secret herbal fires were burning. It did seem like a small whiff drifted by now and then.
As for the show itself, it was pretty much what I expected, except that Dylan has reinvented himself as a keyboard player on this tour. He only touched a guitar on a couple songs and used the harmonica mainly to add a little color here and there. The crowd went wild every time he touched the harp though, so it worked.
Dylan’s been known to do entire shows of songs only a hardcore fan would recognize so we were happy to be graced with some classics like “Highway 61 Revisited”, “Like A Rolling Stone”, “It’s All Over Now Baby Blue”, “Maggie’s Farm” and “All Along The Watchtower”. All nostalgic, bring-you-back-to-a-certain-place-and-time classics. For Veronica, an especially fond memory occurred during “Rainy Day Woman #12 and #35″ (huh?, oh yeah, “Everybody Must Get Stoned”) remembering her mother’s shock that her father was listening to “that song” in front of the children. Daddy easily explained it off as a song about Jesus, which is funny because it’s (kinda) true. A fine little childhood memory, that made Veronica smile.
It can be a bit off-putting how Dylan never acknowledges his audience, almost like watching a rehearsal. You can see that as good or bad, personally I find something to like in it. The lighting is sparse–you never really get a good look at him, the stage very pared-down. It’s almost as if the crowd is an afterthought. I can see how after several decades of performing these songs he might purposely phrase his lyrics so that it doesn’t turn into a sing along. It also occurred to me that the college kids (and some of the old hippies) should stop shouting out requests of favorite songs, because it might make him all the LESS likely to play them.
Dylan wasn’t vibrant, yet he didn’t seem like an “old guy”, either. As Veronica noted, he “oozed cool”. He is after all, as his introduction stated, “the poet laureate of rock ‘n roll. The voice of the promise of the 60s counterculture. The guy who forced folk into bed with rock, who donned makeup in the 70s and disappeared into a haze of substance abuse and emerged to find Jesus.”
And the band kicked ass.
by David, GypsyNester.com
Sep 13
DaraBluegrass, Britpop, Classic Rock, College Rock, Jam Band, Southern Rock
not as dirty (”music for the unwashed and well-read” as they say) as I remembered them – darling curly haired middle-aged member still smoked on stage but nobody else did – think the vision I have of them all living together in a trailer in a incessant jam session is just that (a vision), easy to pick out the member who sang on the cover of Gin and Juice with his highish irreverent voice, had them classified in my head as hard bluegrass but totally inaccurate, covered a huge range of styles on a generally “rootsy” (as they said) foundation, started off with strong twinges of Cajun but depending on who sang veered toward British invasion, Southern rock, etc. etc., they’re a more countrified Grateful Dead, you should know that guitars, mandolins, bass, accordions, keyboards, drums, fiddles, banjos, lap steels are employed
Apr 04
DaraBlues, Classic Rock, Funk, Hard Rock
as good as I remembered, some kind of heavy-riff wah-wah-funk bar blues, from Sabbath to classic rock to…, apparently have another band that’s all old country (Moonhangers)
Feb 10
DaraBlues, Classic Rock, Hard Rock, Trance
the reason we actually came and they too were a top-notch band, more straightforward 70s rock with a healthy dose of blues, pleasing undertone of riff that suited them to the drone theme of the night, reminded me of my favorites The Black Keys, very unassuming attitudes
Oct 05
DaraClassic Rock, Heavy Metal, Prog Rock, Psychedelic, Thrash
like rain, they are my religion — 30 minutes, 2 songs – the heaviest never-ending climax
Aug 24
DaraBlues, Classic Rock, Garage Rock
Josh Allen Band: the reason I picked this place, average-quality music that is quiet enough to allow conversation; Josh Allen and the Whiskey Bros.: the place has changed, music was very loud and much better than what I’d seen in visits past but was very loud, garagey bluesy Southern rock band, did cover of Pixie’s Where Is My Mind, music was very loud
Aug 18
DaraClassic Rock, Garage Rock
kept thinking they must be from Detroit like next band because of their garagey sound but turned out to be from Nashville, female drummer, good stage activity, garage with some heavy riffs, quite liked it though uninspiring in the end
Mar 17
DaraAdult Contemporary, Classic Rock, Punk
They’re from Los Angeles — in town for South by Southwest. Like Bob Seger on speed or, as Rockboy says, a punk Van Morrison. The lead singer has a very distinct persona — dances in native-man circles howling like a wolf in his feather earring. Just a mystic cheese rocker in the end — terrible but loveable. Seemed close to the young punk in the band. They sang one great blues song that was taught to him by an old Lousiana man named Percy.
Mar 16
DaraClassic Rock, Hard Rock, Psychedelic
They were big in the nineties, and are from Australia. Their official SXSW show was at 11:30pm at the Blender — the fairly late time indicates that their status. Punk Pink Floyd oldies and then Cramps, Cramps, Cramps. Charismatic lead singer who sucks the crowd in — weaves back and forth back and forth — possibly a visionary.
May 17
DaraBlues, Classic Rock, Prog Rock
had seen him before but was impressed anew at his guitar dexterity (beginning to buy into Rockboy’s multiple seeings of same band), particularly enjoyed his ventures into prog rock after playing old standard blues, he clearly knows a wide range of music, worry that his appealing freshness and innocence will be denigrated
Aug 24
DaraBlues, Classic Rock, Prog Rock, Singer/Songwriter
a dreamboat of a performer, knows he’s cute, plays guitar like a mofo, Exnonboyfriend and Exnonboyfriendboyfriend saw him years ago and raved about him like he was a prodigy because so young, he sings old-time blues with a gorgeous and intent voice, then he went into prog and then crap singer-songwriter, knows his music and knows how to play with the crowd, outstanding
Sep 18
DaraClassic Rock, College Rock
soccer referee drummer, spiritual rocker to modern rocker costumes too, from classic to 80s rock music, they do rock, behave as if already classic, music is already classic, too formulaic perfect?
Sep 19
DaraClassic Rock, Jazz
shamefully I went to hear his pop songs, should have known he was not there for those but for his (surprising to me) histories with Traffic and Blind Faith, classic rock and then jazzy tunes, very enjoyable
Jul 25
AndrewClassic Rock, Singer/Songwriter, Soft Rock
07.25.1998 Stevie Nicks MGM Grand Garden Arena, Las Vegas, NV
Opener: Boz Skaggs
Stevie Nicks is a divine performer. Blessed with a unique voice, an unmatchable sense of style and just enough mystique to keep you wondering. People continue to find her enchanting, even though her live act has more or less settled into the routine. It’s not such a bad thing, and she can hardly be criticized for doing what she does best. That is what people want to see. It does, however, make her live performance a mixed bag.
On the one hand, she has a regal command of the stage, in her swirling robes and trademark tambourine tied with a sash. On the other, though, her songs lack a certain amount of punch live. The ballads suffer particularly. Stevie Nicks was touring in support of her box set Enchanted and the set was generously coated in b-side balladry that she admitted to the audience, were songs she hadn’t been able to play live in the past. Mostly slower, less pop-oriented tunes like “Garbo” and “Has Anyone Ever Written Anything For You” that are supposed to be pretty, but came across as washed-out.
The good stuff is great. “Stand Back” and “Edge of Seventeen” put the crowd on their feet. “After the Glitter Fades” fortunately lost its Southern influences and came out a more enjoyable song as a result. But then “Twisted” was lackluster, especially since the studio version with Lindsey Buckingham is so vital. The dichotomy was most evident with a messy, uninhabitable version of “Rhiannon” that was too much piano at one point, too little melody at another.
I would have liked to see Stevie Nicks again during her Shangri-La tour because the songs on that album were so energetic and fresh and everything about her live act (including her reunion shows with Fleetwood Mac) seems very canned. I can’t get my head around the difference.
Setlist
Outside The Rain
Dreams
Enchanted
Gold Dust Woman
Gold and Braid
Stop Draggin’ My Heart Around
After The Glitter Fades
Garbo
Rose Garden
Sleeping Angel
Stand Back
Rhiannon
Whole Lotta Trouble
Landslide
Twisted
Edge of Seventeen
Encore
I Need to Know
Has Anyone Ever Written Anything for You
Jun 06
AndrewClassic Rock
06.25.1988 AC/DC San Diego Sports Arena, San Diego, CA
Opener: LA Guns
All I really remember about this concert is that Reuben and I left our seats to use the bathroom and came back to find some very scary biker-looking individuals had taken our seats. We discussed our options briefly and decided to park it elsewhere rather than confront. At the time, I knew a wide range of AC/DC lyrics and they played all the hits on
this tour.
Reuben’s dad drove and only as an adult did I wonder what he did while we were inside the sports arena.
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