April 10, 2007
Some Music
Posted by Rob at 10:17 AM
March 7, 2006
Concert Review: Billy Joel at @ MSG 3/2/2006
Juliet and I had a great time last week attending the Billy Joel concert at Madison Square Garden. The last time we saw Billy at The Garden he was sharing the stage with Elton John. That concert was great but I was aching for a 100% Billy-fest.
Our seats were in section 318, which is just off to the side and a little behind the stage. No worries about seeing from that vantage point though. Billy always has a wide open stage with a couple of keyboards at the back to play to the folks in the rear. The view was excellent. Of course, the show was sold out. And even though the weather outside was icy and cold, spirits were warm inside the arena.
The concert kicked off about 8:15PM with Billy's piano rising from center stage to the sounds of the theme to the movie, The Natural. The band immediately broke into I Go To Extremes as the crowd went wild.
I wasn't sure exactly what to expect for the set list as I'd heard that Billy was mixing it up. I was pleasantly surprised. Billy and Co. played a few cuts rarely heard live over the last 20 years including Zanzibar, 52nd Street, Sleeping With The Television On and Keeping the Faith. I always love hearing tracks that I've never heard him perform live before.
The rest of the set was packed with hits and Billy gems as follows:
The Entertainer, Ballad of Billy The Kid, Miami 2017 (Seen The Lights Go Out On Broadway) [my favorite live cut after Goodnight Saigon], Vienna, My Life, Big Shot, It's Still Rock n Roll To Me, Matter Of Trust, Only The Good Die Young, We Didn't Start The Fire, I Go To Extremes, Allentown, Pressure, She's Always A Woman, New York State of Mind, Scenes From An Italian Restaurant, Captain Jack and Piano Man (finale) .
He also had one of his roadies sing Highway To Hell. I saw him do that in Dallas in 1999 and I guess it's become part of the regular show now.
I was a little bit disappointed that he did not play Goodnight Saigon or Innocent Man. Oh well, you can't have everything. As I stated earlier he played a few tracks I never expected so it all evened out in the end.
The supporting band was great as usual with old favorites Tommy Byrnes on Guitar, Richie Cannata and Mark Rivera on Sax and Crystal Talifero on just about every thing else. On big change is the fact that longtime Billy Joel drummer Liberty Devitto IS NOT playing on this tour. He and Billy had a falling out a few years back so he has been replaced with the drummer from the Movin Out show on Broadway.
I was amazed by the diversity of ages in the crowd. I saw fifteen year old kids dancing next to sixty year olds. And yes, people danced in the aisles til Garden security shooed them back to their seats.
The show ended at a few minutes til 11PM and I wanted more. I could listen to Billy play for hours and he's got the catalogue to support a four hour show. He was definitely on though. From the friendly banter to the mic stand twirling, the man was in the house. Billy did look a little heavy. At least heavier than he has in recent years. I guess marriage will do that to ya.
Next time Billy comes around I'll do my best to be there. I'm just hoping he tours long enough for me to take my daughter Mia to a show.
Posted by Rob at 6:21 PM | Comments (3)
August 26, 2005
Original Song - Tell Me
I wrote this song back in 2003, prior to marrying Juliet. No secret to what it's about. Enjoy.
Play Song Now
Posted by Rob at 5:27 PM
August 25, 2005
Original Song - Causeway Blues
This is just a dirty blues instrumental that I came up with and recorded in early 2005.
Play Song Now
Posted by Rob at 5:36 PM
August 24, 2005
Original Song - The Hardest Thing
I believe this tune speaks for itself. I recorded it in early 2005 as a way of showing my support for soldiers serving in the combat zone. Here's wishing them a successful mission and a speedy return to our shores.
Play Song Now
Posted by Rob at 12:18 PM
August 1, 2005
Original Song - Hollywood and Superheroes
Where were all the superheroes on 9/11/01?
Play Song Now
Posted by Rob at 5:40 PM
September 24, 2002
Concert Review: Billy Joel and Elton John @ MSG 9/23/2002
This concert was six months in the making. Way back in March, Billy had to bow out of performing a series of shows due to illness, thus disappointing thousands of loyal fans in the New York area. Over the next few months Billy made headlines for everything but his music, including a one car accident and a short stint in rehab for an unspecified 'personal problem'. Thankfully, Billy has gotten passed the troubled times of the spring and summer and seems ready to be the piano man again. His weight in the spring looked to be at his peak but recent photos showed a much slimmer Billy Joel. With this in mind I took my seat at the Garden ready for a night of amazing music. I wasn't disappointed.
Personally, it's hard to imagine being able to attend a show that combine two songwriters of the caliber of Billy and Elton. Throughout the three hour and fifteen minute concert, every song played was recognizable and well received. It was like watching two great pitchers throwing perfect games, without a down moment in the whole game.
First, Billy and Elton rose out of the bottom of the stage with pianos facing each other and began a series of duets including Your Song, Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me and Just the Way You Are. After the initial musical sparring, Elton's band took the stage and he rocked the crowd for the next hour, playing such classic hits as Funeral For a Friend, Take Me to the Pilot, Tiny Dancer, Crocodile Rock and Philadelphia Freedom along with some newer tunes like I Want Love and This Train don't Stop Here Anymore. Overall, Elton sounded great and his band was right on, including long time guitarist Davy Johnston who never missed a riff. I must admit that it took the heavily pro-Billy crowd a few songs to get into Elton, but he really broke the ice with Tiny Dancer and Philadelphia Freedom.
Next, Billy began his set with an impassioned rendition of Prelude/Angry Young Man. The crowd was sufficiently pumped from Elton's great set and rode the wave all the way through Billy's set. Even though Billy hasn't released and original album in ten years the songs were fresh. Highlights included a rare live rendition of Summer Highland Falls, an ode to manic depression. Billy seemed to work in material from all his albums except Innocent Man, including Movin Out, My Life, Allentown, River of Dreams, New York State of Mind, Scenes From and Italian Restaurant and my personal favorite, Miami 2017. Billy wasn't afraid to change a few lyrics to get a laugh, delivering the line, "A bottle of white, a bottle of red, perhaps a glass of perrier instead," obviously referring to his troubles with alcohol. One notable absence in Billy's solo set was Goodnight Saigon, maybe his most powerful live tune. That aside I can' say I was disappointed in the performance. During an impassioned performance of It's Still Rock n' Roll To Me Billy gyrated and worked the mike stand like in the old days. He even thanked a few young ladies in the front row who rubbed and grabbed at his legs and (ahem!) crotch while he wiggled his hips feverishly at the front of the stage, saying "thanks I needed that!" We all needed it and Billy delivered.
Roung two of the face to face kicked off with spirited versions of You May Be Right, with Billy dancing on top of Elton's piano, and The Bitch is Back. BJ and EJ also rocked out on a covers of Hard Days Night and Great Balls of Fire. The evening finished as it started with Billy and Elton on the stage playing piano on Candle in the Wind and Piano Man.
Billy paused and took a moment to soak in the love before walking off the stage for the last time, hinting that he really misses the connection with the crowd. Let's hope both these guys keep connecting for a long time to come.
Posted by Rob at 6:43 AM
August 5, 2002
Concert Review: The Who with Robert Plant @ MSG 8/4/2002
The first miracle of this show was the fact that I was able to get tickets in the first place. I totally missed the boat on getting seats when they went on sale, and then lost interest when I heard the news about John Entwistle. But as always my curiosity was piqued after reading the review of last Wednesday's show at The Garden. I'd always heard that Ticketmaster released tickets to sold out shows a few days before the event, so I logged onto their site on Saturday morning and lo and behold scored a pair of tickets on the lower level of the arena. Score one for the optimist.
The allure of psychedelic rock may have faded, but it's never to late for short vacation trip back to the 70s. As a fan of Led Zeppelin I was greatly looking forward to hearing some of those classic tunes performed by the original lead singer. Plant and his band took the stage at about 7:45 to a 3/4 full house and immediately broke into a couple of tracks from his new album Dreamland. The songs radiated bluesy influences mixed with exotic, middle eastern style guitar riffs. Although the songs were unfamiliar they definitely rocked hard. Plant's voice was dead on and showed no signs of weakness as he wailed over his five piece band's rocking thunder. His band included a keyboardist, standup bass and cellist in addition to the standard backing musicians. A pair of guitarists drove the music's hard edged sound.
The first real treat of the set came around the fourth song when Plant sat on a stool with his guitarist brandishing a mandolin and the crowd roared for the intro of "Going to California". Plant talked to the audience a bit but his short opening set precluded him from doing more than plugging his new album. The rest of the set was strong with Plant throwing in three more Led Zep songs including, "Babe I'm Gonna Leave You" and an encore of "Whole Lotta Love". In addition, Plant rocked out on his early 80s comeback hit "Tall Cool One" from the album Manic Nirvana. Overall, the crowd was very pleased and although unfamiliar with the new music, they received the tunes very well. In the end it was the old stuff that made Robert Plant's set shine.
Prior to The Who's opening, two large video screens displayed a video of the band's rehearsals for the tour at Pete's studio in England. This video included footage of late bandmember John Entwistle and the crowd responded with cheers. The Who ambled onto the stage in full view of the packed house at MSG at 9:15PM. Like the grizzled rock veterans that they are, they seemed cool and collected as they donned their instruments for a two-hour sonic assault on the sellout crowd. These days The Who is made up of Townshend, Daltrey and a variety of backup players including drummer Zak Starkey, bassist Pino Palladino (a veteran of Townshend's solo group), Simon Townshend (Pete's brother) on backup vocals and guitar and Rabbit Bundrick on keyboards. The group launched right into "Can't Explain" followed by "Substitute". The group started strong and the crowd was energized by these old tunes that feel so new.
Townshend did most of the talking during the two-hour show, making references as wide ranging as the loss of John Entwistle to American's obsession with white teeth to the events of 9/11/2001. Daltrey and Townshend repeatedly thanked the crowd for their attendance and enthusiasm as well. Verbage aside, the concert rocked with great vocals from Daltrey even though he's lost a bit of range on the high end. Townshend's guitar crunched and squealed thru the heaviest tunes and then delivered clean melodies on the slower, more melodic parts of their tunes. Both performers were top notch, especially considering the fact that they're both in their fifties. Hell, they'd blow away most rockers half their age today.
As for the songs, it was pure joy for the crowd. The band ripped through a tight set of hits including "Who Are You", "You Better You Bet", "Eminence Front", "My Generation", "5:15", "Behind Blue Eyes", Baba O'Reilly" and "Won't Get Fooled Again". The band played an encore of songs from the album Tommy highlighted by "Pinball Wizard" and "See Me, Feel Me". When the concert was over my throat was sore from singing and my legs were tired from dancing, just as it should be at a great rock n' roll show.
Posted by Rob at 6:47 AM
February 28, 2002
Tribute to John Entwistle
Seems that the world of rock n' roll has lost another icon as legendary Who bassist John Entwistle died at the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas on the eve of the start of a highly anticipated U.S. tour. The news is a shock to me as only yesterday I read some interviews related to the tour which was supposed to kick off tomorrow, June 28th in Las Vegas. Obviously that isn't happening and I certainly doubt that the remaining band members, Roger Daltrey and Pete Townsend, will tour without their original bassist.
I first started listening to The Who in my first couple of years of high school in the early 80s, just as the band was launching their first comeback. They are certainly legendary as their major hits like My Generation and Won't Get Fooled Again blasted out of my cassette radio player in my room. I remember seeing Quadrophenia on videotape and being blown away by the power of songs like 5:15 and Love Rain O'er Me. Yeah, the Mods vs. the Rockers indeed. That film included an early appearance by a very young Sting as a bellboy. And what about Tommy? Another true rock opera by Pete Townshend with it's weird characters and powerful anthem Pinball Wizard. I love the guitar in that song. Layers of acoustic and electric creating an immensely powerful sound.
Although the band was dominated by Townsend's prolific songwriting and guitar along with Daltrey's melodic wailing vocals, John Entwistle laid down a mighty solid baseline even after the loss of original drummer Keith Moon. Check out Who's Next for some fine examples of Entwistle's powerful, pulsing bass work. Who's Next is my favorite album by The Who. I picked up a special remaster CD with a few bonus tracks and it definitely rocks as hard as anything coming out today. And it's got some awesome melodies happening as well. Check out "A Bargain" for a great example of both.
Just a couple of weeks ago my lovely girlfriend Juliet expressed interest in getting tickets to see The Who at Madison Square Garden at the end of July. Even though the show was sold out I thought about picking up some tickets on eBay. I wondered whether the guys could still pull it off in their late fifties. Some concert reviews that I read indicated that the band was still pumping out their classic tunes with great fervor. I just might've got those tickets, but it seems like The Who has been silenced for now. The song is over for now, but the sound still floats thru the air....
Here's to John Entwistle...
Posted by Rob at 6:49 AM