Several years ago, I created a bucket list of artists whom I really wanted to see in concert while both of us still roamed this earth! My list consisted of Van Morrison, James Taylor, Steve Winwood, the Foo Fighters, Roger Waters, David Gilmore, Dave Matthews and Paul McCartney. Good fortune followed me as I methodically eliminated most of the list by traveling to see these elusive artists. Before Saturday night, the list shrunk to two. Come Sunday morning, I was down to one.

Traveling to the campus of Wake Forest University in Winston Salem, NC with my son, we were armed with two floor seats for Paul McCartney that evening. Nearly fifty years after first seeing the Beatles on the Ed Sullivan show, I was about to experience that era and the decades that came after with an evening of Paul McCartney’s music.

A few months ago, it was announced that Paul would embark on a 13-city tour of the States with the “Got Back” tour. Looking at the list, I honed in on the closest show to home, Wake Forest Univ. in Winston-Salem, NC. Only four hours away and on a Saturday night, that was the goal. I was in the Ticketmaster site on the designated sales day at the right time and I was able to choose seats on the field about three quarters of the way back from the stage.

Next was choosing who would I take with the extra ticket? I put it to my two adult children to decide and my son got the nod. So, on Saturday, May 21, we headed out on the road for the concert site in No. Carolina. We tailgated through two rain storms which forced us to abandon our seats in the flatbed of his Toyota Tacoma for the shelter of the cab. When we decided to make our way into the stadium, the size of the crowd was daunting. We somehow found a fast-moving line and we were in the stadium and on the field in plenty of time to explore the surroundings. I observed that the Merch booth was busier than all of the beverage stations combined. They had to have made a mint that night as the line on the field was hundreds long from pre-show through encore.

Likely due to the earlier rain, the show didn’t begin until 8:30, When it did begin, Paul went back to the 60’s with Can’t buy me Love and weaved his way with Wings and Beatle tunes. The complete set list can be found at www.setlist.fm/setlist/paul-mccartney/2022/truist-field-at-wake-forest-winston-salem-nc-4bb70bf2.html.

Along with many favorites songs and a few lesser-known tunes came a touching moment when, through the power of today’s technology, he sang I Got a Feeling with a video image of John Lennon from a live session they performed while still known as the Beatles. Peter Jackson, a filmmaker who has worked with Paul, told him that he had been able to isolate John’s vocals from all other vocals and instruments from that live recording. What ensued was a duet, as live as possible, of Paul and John singing together. It was an emotional moment and Paul acknowledged that as a special moment in his career-singing along with his friend and bandmate, together again. Then Paul pulled out a ukulele, a gift from George Harrison, and played George’s hit, Something, to the crowd’s delight. The pyrotechnics accompanying Live and Let Die was entertaining and well done as was the video that accompanied Helter Skelter, during the encore.  Paul concluded with Let it Be before coming back to encore with the aforementioned, I Got a Feeling, Birthday, Helter Skelter, Golden Slumbers, Carry that Weight and The End, from the Abbey Road album.

Paul Mc Cartney, nearly 80-years old, had nothing to prove that night or any other night of his tour. However, nearly three hours later, he leaves you not wanting for anything more. Certainly, we all have our favorites and maybe he didn’t play one or two of yours but he played enough of those tunes to leave the thirty to forty thousand fans satisfied.

From my original Bucket list, all that is left is Roger Waters, for whom I have tickets to see this August in Atlanta. Cha Ching!

#GotBack #PaulMcCartney #Wings #theBeatles #Wake Forest #Winston-Salem

On a recent Friday/Saturday in March, the delayed Charleston Bluegrass Festival made its reappearance at the Woodlands (woodlandsnaturereserve.com), near Charleston, SC. The Woodlands is a 6000-acre wilderness wonderland that’s great for camping, kayaking and concert going. The Bluegrass Fest was making its eighth appearance since the first effort in 2013. In fact, this weekend marked the second time the festival was held here, the other being 2019. Previous bluegrass festivals were held at the Seewee Outpost and at Awendaw Green, north of Charleston. One major difference between then and now is the size and available facilities of those venues and the Woodlands.  The Woodlands provide festivals with many advantages from the rustic surroundings to the two-stage setting which allowed them to keep the show moving on time. There was an adequate number of purveyors offering everything from food and beverage, clothing and jewelry and the essentials one needs when camping. The infrastructure had to be built from scratch to assist the bands and organizers in putting on these onetime events.

CAROLINA DRIVE with the family Blevins! Boonie, Lauren and Dad

This year’s festival began on Friday afternoon at 4PM with a shortened slate of artists. The crowd was small but eager to hear some live music in a very pastoral setting. The festivities began with local talents Southern Flavor band followed by New Ghost Town. Ghost Town’s set was cut short by a powerful cell of weather which brought vertical rain and winds for about twenty minutes. A big thanks to the people who were manning the beer tent. They accommodated the small crowd who sought shelter, including yours truly. Once the rain stopped, the show resumed with Richmond, Virginia’s Wilson Springs Hotel and culminated with Asheville’s Town Mountain. Each band was fun to hear and offered a nice variety of styles. Town Mountain, formed in 2005, earned the International Bluegrass Music Association’s Band of the Year in 2013 and have been reaching for the stars ever since.

GREENSKY BLUEGRASS AND YONDER MOUNTAIN STRING BAND FESTIVAL HEADLINERS

On Saturday, ten acts would grace both stages from Noon till 11pm. The organizers spent time shuffling between stages, checking in with the staff putting on the show and the artists performing on the stages. At one point when the main stage was quiet, I stopped Eddie White, festival organizer and proprietor of Awendaw Green. I expressed my thanks for what he is doing to bring live music to life here in Charleston, and the Bluegrass Festival in particular. In a separate conversation, Eddie spoke about the birth and growth of the festival. He and Perry Darby breathed life into the early festivals in Awendaw. SC. Over the years they involved many Charleston based bands in the festival. This year represents a major shift in talent along with the different styles of Bluegrass. Eddie partnered up with Ean Wolf and George Clausen, partners in Friends with Benefits, to produce the show. In addition to the bands that played on Friday, Saturday brought Randy Steele and his High Cold Wind band from Chattanooga, TN and Larry Keel from Appalachia. Then Colorado’s Yonder Mountain String band followed and led to headliner Greensky Bluegrass, a band originally from Michigan. They represent the largest field of regional and national touring artists to perform at this festival since its inception.

Saturday began with the downhome bluegrass sound of Dallas Baker and friends. Fellow Lowcountry artist Carolina Drive with Boonie Bevins, featuring her sister, Lauren Bevins Cahill followed on the big stage.  Fiddles, mandolin, banjos, bass and wooden guitars blended together as the music wafted over the crowd and across the nearby lake. Traditional style bluegrass continued with the aforementioned Randy Steele along with Wolfpen Branch and Pierce Edens. Yonder Mountain and Greensky  Bluegrass sandwiched Larry Keel’s flat picking mountain music with their Jam Grass style.

In the end, the weather held off until the last 45 minutes of the show but the light rain was bearable and the bands were sheltered. Many who were camping just had to retreat to their weekend homes. On their way back, they were offered some late-night unplugged bluegrass as the loadout began.

 In a conversation with Eddie White after the weekend, he admitted there are logistic hurdles to overcome as well as behind the scenes matters that would make the job of putting on such a festival an easier task. He understands that the property’s owners have big plans for this place, hopefully including some infrastructure so that at each festival the organizers aren’t recreating the wheel. He envisions the possibility of having a spring and fall festival and believes that some alterations can be made, whether it is a Friday/Saturday, Saturday and Sunday or even a three-day festival.

If I were putting on such a festival, I believe that there are incentives which could drive the traffic. If Friday is to be a shorter day, perhaps a BOGO or a reduced price compared to the main day would draw more people out on a work day. Perhaps a headliner the likes of Yonder Mountain or Greensky Bluegrass on a Friday night would bring out a bigger crowd. Better yet, slide out to a Saturday/Sunday festival with both days starting at Noon but with a shorter slate of artists on Sunday ending by 8 or 9 pm the last day. Just my two cents!

#longmayyourun #charlestonbluegrassfestival #woodlandsnaturepreserve #awendawgreen #dallasbaker #carolinadrive #booniebevins #southernflavorband #newghosttown #wilsonspringshotel #townmountain #randysteele #highcoldwindband #pierceedens #wolfpenbranch #yondermountainstringband #larrykeel #greenskybluegrass thewoodlandsnaturepreserve

The influence of politics in music has a long history which predates rock and roll. For at least the last 100 years, it’s been part of the fabric of modern song for some artists.  Many of the artists and their songs can stir something inside you like a call to action. It’s been said we live in divisive times and while that is true, it was also true of much of the sixties and seventies, just to compare.

In early March, I attended shows of two artists whose messages could not be more different. On a Saturday evening, I worked the Aaron Lewis, “Frayed at Both Ends,” acoustic show and the following Tuesday night it was an intimate evening with Graham Nash. If you’re not familiar with either of them, stick with me for a few.

While it’s not unusual for artists to mingle in different genres, Aaron may be the most successful of the hard rock acts to balance two very different sounds. His politics are evident in his country songs and he’s very conservative in his beliefs. His audience that night was a blend of bikers, metalheads and self-proclaimed rednecks. His current hit song, “Am I the Only One? ( https://youtu.be/iQmCIdUBwtc) was released last July 4. It is a song protesting America’s leadership and left-wing activists. His audience was very much in his corner that evening as he played a variety of his country songs. During the show, I recall him delivering his opinion on Lindsay Graham and separately, President Joe Biden. In my opinion, the audience was more riled up than he was; that possibly was due to the large whisky and ice drinks that were readily at hand on stage as were his cigarettes. Several people attempted to get the crowd to chant, “Let’s Go Brandon,” without success. I observed several men sporting t-shirts with the same saying on the front and at least one t-shirt with the image of President Donald Trump in the setting. From my viewpoint, the crowd was loud but reserved in their actions. While several attendees had to be removed for intoxication, in my observation that is par for the course at a rock or country show.

Three days later, we experienced an intimate evening of story and song with Graham Nash, of the seminal rock band Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young. For those who were born too late to have an appreciation of their status in rock royalty, they formed in 1969 and made their big splash at Woodstock. They are also members of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame; Graham was inducted with CSNY and with The Hollies. Throughout his career, Graham has written and sang many war protest songs. He is an unabashed liberal and has expressed his political views throughout his career. At the beginning of his show, he told the audience that he was shaking up his setlist due to the war in Ukraine. Graham took a strong stand in support of Ukraine, a message that was well-received. He started the show with Find the Cost of Freedom, Military Madness, I Used to be a King, and Wasted Along the Way before dedicating Bus Stop, a Hollies classic, to former bandmate Allan Clarke. He and Allen, childhood friends, are working on an album together. The setlist from this point on was a mixture of hits from his solo career as well as CSNY tunes along with some interesting covers. In his second set, he played Chicago, another protest song that chronicled the 1968 Democratic National Convention fiasco.

Aside from the words and songs that reflected how many in the audience were feeling regarding the Ukraine conflict, Graham was subdued in relation to the political zeal that I have seen him exhibit over the years.  He complimented the audience on the SC state flag, which brought cheers from the crowd. His other remark was to, “Thank God for Jim Clyburn.” This remark was the acknowledgment that Mr. Clyburn’s endorsement of Joe Biden helped propel him to his party’s nomination and his election as President. 

Reflecting on these two performers and their shows, several questions came to mind. Aaron and Graham are thirty years apart in age. Has Graham mellowed so much that he has lost some of his fire while Aaron is in his prime and a man on a mission?  Do their audiences come for the message one delivers while the other’s fans come regardless of the message he delivers? Have their roles reversed over the years? Graham was rallying his audience against the government over the years and now Aaron is doing the same but from the other side of the political aisle. The more things change, the more things stay the same.

#aaronlewis #grahamnash #charlestonmusichall #doyoubelievinmagic

For the last seven years, I have been blessed to see, on average, a show per week. This has allowed me to experience a great variety of genres and bands. Being associated with the Charleston Music Hall opens the door for many great performances. However, only five of my Top Twenty this year were shows produced by the Music Hall. Six of my best concert experiences were out of the state of South Carolina; six others occurred at the Charleston Pourhouse. Variety is the spice of life!

Every concert experience differs for a plethora of reasons. However, they all share the burden of producing a concert experience that lodges in your brain, remembering the show long after the night is in your taillights. My reviews of the shows are meant to encourage my audience to see these artists when they perform near you. Reading a good concert review encourages me to check out the artist when they come somewhere near me. Just as you are more inclined to eat at a restaurant that you have heard good things about, I believe the same can be said for concerts. I hope you enjoy the reviews and I look forward to getting your feedback. In chronological order, here’s my Top Twenty shows of 2021.

First up was Billy Strings at the St. Augustine Amphitheatre, Florida, on March 21. This was my first road trip since Covid started wreaking havoc on our ability to see live music. Billy Strings is a force to be reckoned with; his power bluegrass outfit delivers a strong performance, weaving his original tunes with a broad variety of covers. He makes a joyous noise on his acoustic guitar and his supporting band, including banjo, mandolin, and bass compliment him well. I refer you to my blog post titled, “The Next Generation of Guitar Gods,” (August 6, 2021) for more on Billy and other young emerging artists.

The next show was held in the back lot of the Charleston Pourhouse on April 25 and featured The Infamous Stringdusters live under the giant oaks. The outdoor setting, pods of four friends, was amazing and accentuated the great jam grass sound of the Stringdusters. A highlight of the show was their choices of cover tunes. They are one of the leading artists influencing today’s Jam Grass music scene.

On May 27, we were back at the Pourhouse for one of the first indoor shows since they loosened the regulations that made reserved tables and pods obsolete. A friend, Brian Reed, recommended we check out this young guitar player, Brandon “Taz” Niederauer. I was blown away by his performance. Imagine blending the energy of a young Eddie Van Halen with the soulful picking of Carlos Santana, and you get Taz! I recommend reading, “The Next Generation of Guitar Gods,” (August 6,2021) for more on this amazing young talent.

The Pourhouse was again the scene as we were there for the Midnight North Band, featuring Graham Lesh and Elliott Peck, on June 4. The quartet, purveyors of Americana music, were touring in support of their current album, There’s Always a Story. Making a guest appearance for the final four tunes was proud dad, Phil Lesh of the Grateful Dead. Read about what made it a special night in the post titled, “Catching Lightning in a Bottle: My Chance Encounter with Phil Lesh,” (June 8, 2021).

Next up was a trimmed-down Tedeschi-Trucks Band in an outdoor show at the Bend in North Charleston on June 25. This was the second of a two-night stand, along the Ashley River, and the last show presented by the Charleston Music Hall at the Bend. The six-piece band delivered a smoking performance from beginning to end. Derrick’s mastery on the slide guitar melds so well with Susan Tedeschi’s smoky blues voice. The band, whether the version we saw that night or their full twelve-piece band, carries on the truest rendition of Southern Rock and Blues found anywhere in this country.

Fourth of July fireworks were in the air, literally and figuratively, for Shred is Dead, once again at the Pourhouse. Marcus Rezak’s and his support band put on a great performance of the Dead’s songbook dominated by the fury of shredding guitars in the likes of Zack Wyld or Dweezel Zappa’s guitar mastery. I’ve seen the Dead’s music interpreted in many styles, but shredding the guitar was a first and certainly won’t be my last.

A week later I made the pilgrimage to Red Rocks in Morrison, Colorado and saw The Avett Brothers with Langhorne Slim on Sunday the 11^th and the String Cheese Incident on the 18^th at this venerable amphitheater. Red Rocks has been operating since 1941 in its present form. The natural acoustics that these rocks provide and the aesthetic majesty of this formation made it a bucket list venue for me. Both shows were memorable for many reasons and the performances reflected the majesty of the mountains which awaited us! I highly recommend making Red Rocks a bucket list venue for you, too.

After returning to SC, I got to enjoy Leftover Salmon on the beach at the Windjammer on the Isle of Palms. No, I am not referring to a restaurant entrée but the Godfathers of the Jam Grass scene. These seasoned musicians pleased the crowd with the electrified string band music. They also paid tribute to at least a half dozen of their influences by covering their tunes. See these guys if they come to your town!

August 16^th saw us venturing to Raleigh, NC and the Walnut Creek Amphitheater for Dead and Company’s summer tour opener. I’ve been a Deadhead since 1974. If they’re willing to play, I am willing to come out and support the music I love. John Mayer has taken this band to a whole new level playing their iconic songbook. Bob Weir, Billy Kreutzman, and Micky Hart continue their legacy for more than 50 years since they broke on the scene in San Francisco.

Labor Day weekend I was back at the Pourhouse for the eclectic Everyone Orchestra and an evening of improvisational music. This is not a band for all to see but they speak to my love of free form music. Matt Butler brings together a varied group of rock musicians from a number of bands whose schedule allows them to spend a weekend playing for the love of live music. He calls it summer camp for musicians. I’ve seen this troupe come to town on four separate occasions and the lineup is different each time. The sextet featured members from four different bands who tour the country on a regular basis.

On September 19, we were treated to an evening of the acoustic guitar mastery of Tommy Emmanuel. Chet Atkins called Tommy a Certified Guitar Player, a label that places Tommy in a small group of elite guitarists. Tommy is a master acoustic guitarist and delivers a dazzling performance of his tunes and the songs he loves. I whole-heartly recommend that you check out his performances on YouTube and buy tickets the next time he comes to your town.

A week later, the Marcus King Band played to a standing-room-only crowd of 1200 fans at the Charleston Music Hall. Marcus was one of the subjects of my blog, “The Next Generation of Guitar Gods,”from August 6 of 2021. He is in his mid-twenties and the future of Southern Rock and Blues for a new generation of fans. An SC native from Greenville, he has a soulful, raspy voice that blends well with his ability to bend the string of his electric guitar making a beautiful sound. His high energy performance was capped by a trio of Marshall Tucker classics, a nod to his SC Southern rock godfathers.

On October 7, the Black Jacket Symphony delivered the complete performance of Pink Floyd’s, The Wall at the Music Hall. BJS’s model is to bring together a group of musicians who can recreate a classic rock album and tour to support it. The troupe has played on average three performances each year at the Hall, playing the music of classic bands like Fleetwood Mac, Tom Petty, Queen, and the Beatles. The band played the double album in its entirety and did it justice. I believe it’s more than thirty years since I sat and took in the Wall in one sitting. You owe it to yourself to take in the BJS’s performance soon…or put the Pink Floyd album on your turntable and recall the mastery of this classic album.

Three nights later, Blue Note records saxophone master Dave MacMurray brought a sextet to the Pourhouse and delivered a jazzy performance of Grateful Dead tunes. Inspired by jazz greats Ornette Coleman and Branford Marsalis’ love of the Grateful Dead, he delivered two solid hours honoring their music as jazz standards. Just when I think that I have heard every possible style embracing the Grateful Dead’s music, along comes Dave McMurray to blow my mind. Give a listen to his album, Grateful Dedications, wherever you stream music.

The next night, October 11, a group of us found ourselves in Charlotte, NC for the fall tour opener for Dead and Company. Two sets, two and a half hours of Dead tunes, and cover tunes from some of their favorite influences are the recipe for a fun evening. The music is a reflection

of the mastery of these fine musicians and their love of the Grateful Dead. Build it and they will come.

On October 20 I had the opportunity to experience Melissa Ethridge for the first time in concert. She brought her quartet to the Music Hall and gave a passionate performance of her music. Her fans are rabid and for good reason. She is a soulful singer and a darn good guitarist. If you’ve read this far, you owe it to yourself to see why she is loved and admired by fans worldwide.

We were invited to a friend’s vacation home in the eastern Tennessee mountains outside of Pigeon Forge for a weekend gathering in early November. After we said “yes” our host informed us of a concert by Eric Church to be held on the campus of the University of Tennessee in Knoxville. So, of course, we bought tickets! Once on the campus, we found our way to the 20,000-seat basketball arena that plays host to the men’s and women’s programs and found our seats in the upper region. What we got was a three-hour performance by a rocker who loves country music. His support band includes guitar masters Driver Williams and Jeff Cease and Joanna Cotton as his singing sidekick. I wholeheartedly recommend seeing his tour. If you are a rock fan and don’t consider yourself a country music fan, you too may be a convert.

On November 17, it was back to an arena, the North Charleston Coliseum, for the James Taylor & Jackson Browne tour. I’ve seen both in the last decade and really enjoyed their shows. But I wasn’t hoping to see them again, thinking they didn’t have much new to offer. My daughter, who has seen both of them with me, was excited that they were playing together so we bought tickets. Both artists put on spirited performances of songs old and new along with a few covers of other artists’ tunes. James Taylor was the headliner and played two tunes together with Jackson at the end of his opening set. For his set, James and his bandmates had five backup singers including one of his sons. I was concerned that I would get the same string of hits that he has been playing for years; but I was pleasantly surprised that he mixed up his setlist with nuggets from several other artists. The pairing of two iconic singer/songwriters touring together was well received and may be a good idea for other classic musicians to emulate.

My last show was a band whose name was familiar, Breaking Benjamin, but whom I had no recollection of their style of music. The show was at the Music Hall where I worked as an usher. BB is a rock band from Pennsylvania, founded by Benjamin Burnley, who have been performing together since 1999. To me, their music was in the same style as bands like the Foo Fighters post-grunge hard rock. On this night, it was an “acoustic” performance. The three acoustic guitars were amplified and they gave a loud, energetic performance from their six studio albums and a couple of tunes by others. I have to say that I left the show a fan and would look forward to an electrifying performance in the future.

Thanks for taking the time to read the entire recollection. I am living proof that you can find great live music without breaking the bank. Charleston, SC has come a long way in the last twenty years to grow a live music scene and draw national acts to our little hamlet by the ocean. What were some of your memorable performances from 2021? Let us know by adding your comments below.

#doyoubelieveinmagic #LoveYouLive #BillyStrings #theInfamousStringdusters #BrandonTazNeiderour #MidnightNorth #TedeschiTrucksband #ShredisDead #AvettBrothers #LanghorneSlim #theStringCheeseIncident #LeftoverSalmon #DeadandCompany #EveryoneOrchestra #MattButler #TommyEmanuel #MarcusKing #BlackJacketSymphony #DaveMcMurray #MelissaEthridge #EricChurch #JamesTaylor #JacksonBrowne #BreakingBenjamin

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This blog’s title may deceive you a bit as to the substance of and message in this post. I encourage you to spend a few short moments to read this before the holidays overwhelm you.

David Bowie sang about it on The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars. You may have read about a performer whose music you enjoyed and whom you admired having taken his or her life. With the death of Neal Casals this past September, I began to do a little research on what is becoming an all too common occurrence in the world of Rock and Roll.

As a fan of rock and roll, we are all too familiar with the untimely deaths of musicians by drug overdoses. The 27 Club is an eerie collection of rock musicians who died at the age of 27. This includes Jim Morrison, Mama Cass Elliott, Jimi and Janice as well as Amy Winehouse. But their deaths were considered accidental, not a deliberate attempt to end their life.

When you think of famous musicians who died by suicide, Kurt Cobain probably comes to mind. The Nirvana frontman killed himself in 1994 at the age of 27. News of his death shook the music world as it occurred with Nirvana on the top of the Rock world. One of the first musicians I recall who may have committed suicide was Sid Vicious, bassist of the Sex Pistols. He lost his life in 1979 at the age of 21 with his band being the face of the Punk music scene. Richard Manuel of The Band took his life in 1986; he was just a month shy of his 43^rd birthday. His was a well-documented, troubled life. He departed this world years after the Last Waltz but during a period when the band reunited without Robbie Robertson. Tommy Boyce, one half of the songwriting team of Boyce and Hart (The Monkees), took his life in 1994 at the age of 55. Michael Hutchence was the frontman of INXS (pronounced In Excess), the Australian rockers. He took his life at the age of 37 in 1997. INXS sold more than 60 million records at the time of his death, a huge success during his time. who were riding high on the record charts until he took his life in 1997. There is some dispute as to whether his death was accidental but has not been proven.

In 2012, Ronnie Montrose, of the band of the same name, took his life in March at the age of 64.His first album, called Montrose, was considered America’s answer to Led Zepplin (NationalRockReview.com) He was suffering from prostrate cancer and was also being treated for clinical depression. Bob Welch, an original member of Fleetwood Mac and also well known for his solo career, ended his life in the same manner that June. Keith Emerson, of Emerson, Lake and Palmer, committed suicide in March of 2016. All three  had reportably been suffering ongoing medical issues. Butch Trucks, one of the founding drummers of the Allman Brothers band,was 69 when he  took his life in January 2017. It had been noted that he was despondent due to his financial situation.

Chris Cornell, the lead singer of Soundgarden and Audioslave, was found dead in his hotel room, hours after a performance at the Fox Theatre in Detroit on May 17, 2017. He was 52. Cornell’s close friend, Linkin Park’s and Stone Temple Pilots’ lead singer Chester Bennington, took his own life at his California home on July 20, 2017, in the same manner as Cornell. Chester was 41 at the time of his deat

This past September, Neal Casals, guitarist and singer/songwriter for such bands as Chris Robinson Brotherhood, Ryan Adams and the Cardinals, Hard Working Americans and Circles around the Sun, took his life two days after performing at the Jam Band festival, Lock’n in Virginia.He was 50 at the time of his death. It was his death that motivated me to do the research for the article. It was while doing this research that I learned more of the history of suicide amongst rock stars.

The deaths of so many rock artists may not be unusual as a percentage of people who take their life by suicide. It might be more than normal due to the eccentricities that many artists indulged themselves in over their careers. It may even be a smaller percentage of deaths than drug overdoses are responsible for. I was not looking to see if the numbers leaned one way or another.

As fans of these artists, we probably didn’t know that these artists were having mental or physical problems which led them to making the decision to end their lives. We were surprised and saddened to learn the news of their untimely deaths. What I discovered was that those close to the artists have known of the struggles they were having, yet were unable or unsuccessful in stopping them from ending their lives.

The Holiday season can be a difficult time for many in our circle of family and friends. Many don’t have family that they want to share the holidays with or friends who include them in their festivities. The holiday season (Thanksgiving through New Year’s day) can be very depressing and lonely for some we know.

Social media has been known to accentuate and exaggerate the wonderful side of our lives. Most of us know that life is not as good as the posts make it appear! Or do we? Social media with all of its apps has exploded the chasm of how many measure the value of their lives…

 Friends may struggle to make sense of their lives compared to what they see posted on social media. What can you do? To begin with, I urge you to be extra observant of those in your lives. If you see something, say something! (Where have I heard that before?). Engage those who may be acting different than their usual selves. Talk to them or connect them with people who are qualified to help. Invite a friend to a holiday gathering or a meal. Don’t leave it up to someone else, as there may not be someone else to take up the gauntlet. Imagine how you would feel if you ignored a signal/sign from someone you know and subsequentially learned that they made the irreversible decision in their life.

During the holidays, most of us are in a giving mood and our financial generosity makes a positive influence in the lives of people we don’t know and will likely never meet. Yet, we get a good feeling when we make a purchase for an Angel tree or donate to a charity. These are examples of people doing the right thing for others. Whether it is with your time or your money, just imagine how much better you will feel this holiday season when you make a positive effect in the lives of someone you know. Please “Share” this with your circle of friends and family if you feel so moved.

#SeeSomethingSaySomething  #RockandRollSuicide #KurtCobain #SidVicious #RichardManual #TommyBoyce #MichaelHutchence #RonnieMontrose #BobWelch #Keith Emerson #ButchTrucks #ChrisCornell #ChesterBennington #NealCasals #HolidayDepression

It’s November 18, 1971, in Brooklyn, NY. I am a high school junior, who along with friends, gets on a D train express to Manhattan for the forty-minute ride to 34^th Street in midtown Manhattan. At our ages, the train is the usual form of transportation on our travels to New York City. When we reach our destination, we scale the stairs to 34^th street. There, between 6^th and 7^th avenue, stands Madison Square Garden, the most famous concert venue in America. We are there to see Alvin Lee and Ten Years After. it’s to be my first concert event ever. What a time it was! Riding the popularity of his Woodstock performance, Alvin Lee and the band put on quite a show. Lee was one of the fastest guitarists of his day and he proved it that night. In those first few months after losing my concert virginity, I was fortunate enough to see the likes of the Beach Boys at Carnegie Hall, 60’s folk stars Brewer and Shipley, the Allman Brothers, Jefferson Airplane, George Carlin, Chuck Berry, Bo Diddley, the Kinks, Kenny Loggins and Jethro Tull. Thus began a journey that has brought me to more than six hundred shows to date. Little did I know what would transpire over the years. Great artists, fabulous venues, and memorable experiences were there for the taking. And take I did!

Do you recall how you feel when you are getting ready for a concert? The time leading up to the show brings fresh energy and an adrenaline rush. Then comes the performance and the experiences we have attending these shows. For many, it’s a better experience than going to a professional sporting event or a Broadway-style show.

Sometimes you catch lightning in a bottle and see an exceptional performance. Often you catch a great show from the artists who take the stage. Rarely have I ever walked out on a disappointing concert.       

Concert experiences are best shared with others whenever possible. Everyone wants to have a good time with their friends and family. There have been scientific studies which have concluded that frequent concert-goers (6 shows a year on average) are happier, healthier, and live longer than the general public. For me, there’s no place I’d rather be than at a concert, indoors and outside!

This blog, Do You Believe In Magic, derives it’s title from a Lovin’ Spoonful song by the same name. The lyrics go like this; “Do you believe in magic in a young girl’s heart?, How the music can free her whenever it starts, And it’s magic if the music is groovy, It makes you feel happy like an old-time movie, I’ll tell you about the magic and it’ll free your soul, But it’s like trying to tell a stranger ‘bout rock ‘n’ roll,” (1965). These words ring true even to this day! Whether I’m working at a concert or attending as a patron, It brings me great joy seeing pre-teens with their parents, getting an early start on their lifelong concert experience.

It’s been fifty years since I experienced Alvin Lee at MSG and I can’t wait for my next show! For the first forty-four years attending concerts, I averaged nearly seven concerts each year. Since that fateful day in 2015 when I began working at the Charleston Music Hall, I have averaged a show each week, every week for the last six years. Mind you, I probably attended forty percent of all of those shows as a paying customer at venues all over the country. The last six years have brought a cornucopia of musical styles and sounds. I love almost every kind of music and I have seen eight of my ten bucket list artists along with visiting several bucket list venues (the Ryman Auditorium and Red Rocks). You can find a recap of the first five hundred shows in (July 13, 2019) at DoYouBelieveInMagic.blog.

To celebrate this pinnacle in my music lovin’ life, several shows have come together from across the musical spectrum. It begins with the Indie rocker Shakey Graves followed the next night by funk jam band Galactic at the Charleston Music Hall on November 9 and 10^th, followed by country superstar Eric Church in the Thompson-Bolling Arena on the Univ. of Tennessee campus in Knoxville, TN on the 12^th,. Then I will be attending the Jackson Brown/James Taylor show at the North Charleston Coliseum in S. Carolina on the 17th. I’m thankful to have made it this far and hope to have the health to attend concerts for many more years to come. If they keep playing, I’ll keep going to the shows. 

#themusicneverstopped #letthegoodtimesroll #listentothemusic #doyoubelieveinmagic

I was thinking about the last year’s music scene and how lucky I was to take in as many shows (over 40) that I saw since Charleston (SC) reopened the end of May, 2020. The pandemic allowed me to experience three extraordinary young guitarists in three different settings. The main theme that they all shared was how well they played their instrument and how the crowd reacted.

I’m speaking about Marcus King, Billy Strings and Brandon “Taz” Niederauer. If anyone’s name is new to you, it won’t be for long. If you’re not familiar, read on for a few minutes and then go stream some of their songs.

My first opportunity to witness one of these guitar masters was outdoors at the Bend in N. Charleston when we saw the Marcus King trio preform a powerful mix and blues and rock along with some countryfied barn music. In the true power trio format, Marcus carried the band with a blistering guitar that is reminiscent of Jimi Hendrix, ZZ Top and the Allman Brothers band. Marcus is from Greenville, SC and turned 25 this past March. He has put out two albums to date, the first with Warren Haynes producing and 2020’s  El Dorado. El Dorado was produced and co-written by Dan Auerbach of the Black Keys. The album garnered him a Grammy nomination as Americana music.  

Marcus’s music harkens one back to the heyday of the southern rock sound, especially the bluesiness of the Allman Brothers, Stevie Ray Vaughn and Elvin Bishop. I first saw him in 2018 as he co-headlined a show at the Charleston Pourhouse with Eric Krasno. At the age of 22, he commanded the stage with his bluesy voice and killer guitar licks. You can tell then that he was going to carry the sounds of southern rock into a new era. Here is Marcus, solo, performing in a famous shop called “Norman’s Rare Guitars” in 2015 at the tender, young age of 18! (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CRpOqZqlHRY)

Billy Strings is a 28-year-old acoustic guitar wiz, drawing out sounds that have rarely been heard by this instrument. His is a bluegrass band, featuring Jarrad Walker on mandolin, Royal Masat on stand-up bass and Billy Failing on banjo. What emerges is a sound that covers the spectrum of new grass bands in today’s music scene. Billy has magic fingers that shows him prying out sounds that one doesn’t expect from an amped up acoustic guitar. Whether he is performing an original bluegrass tune in all its glory or covering any number of musical influences, the sounds he makes are to be seen AND heard.

Billy began playing bluegrass at the age of four and accompanied his dad with rhythm guitar in bluegrass settings. As a pre-teen, he received an electric guitar and amp and discovered Jimi Hendrix. He continued to improve his guitar skills on any number of stringed instruments which lead his aunt to give the moniker of Billy “Strings” after the ease which he moved from one instrument to another.  The nickname was earned and justified.

As an 18-year-old, he began his professional career and at 23 moved from his native Michigan to Nashville. His first roommate was Molly Tuttle. They found themselves on a street full of musicians, coming and going on tour. After bouncing around in different arrangements, he fortunately assembled his current quartet in 2018. In 2019, the International Bluegrass Music Association named Billy Strings the Guitar Player of the Year. Billy is a master on the acoustic guitar and makes it sound like no one else I have heard.

The future looked bright so they headed out on tour for the next year and then Covid hit and the brakes were on their career. Fortunately, they used the time to write and produce an album that they took on the road this year. In March of this year, Billy received a Grammy for Best Bluegrass album with Home. This was his second album and he was being congratulated from all corners of the musical universe. The world is now his oyster. If Billy is within driving distance, make the effort to catch the magic and let me know what you think!

Here’s a video of Billy and Molly Tuttle performing “Sitting on top of the world” at the Grey Fox festival in 2019. ( https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LJzz-Nuo-QQ)

The last of the trio of new guitar gods is 18-year-old Brandon “Taz” Niederhauer from Long Island, NY. In his brief life he has played on stage with no less than Gregg Allman, Derrick Trucks, Warren Haynes, Buddy Guy, Slash, Dweezil Zappa, George Clinton, Gary Clark, and many more. He’s been onstage with Widespread Panic, String Cheese Incident, Tedeschi Trucks band, Umphrey’s McGee, the Scorpions and the Revivalists, just to name a few.

At the age of 12, he appeared on Broadway in “School of Rock” in the role of “Zack”. At 14, he played the part of Virgil Overstreet in Spike Lee’s Netflix series, “She’s Gotta Have It”. He has many other film and television credits to his name at such a young age. Through this all, he found the time to get an education and play with the who’s who of Rock. A few months back, he was booked for three sellout performances in a club in Charleston called the Pourhouse. When we saw him that night, it was like seeing a combination of a young Eddie Van Halen and an equally energetic Carlos Santana. His mastery of the electric guitar combined with his youth and passion makes “Taz” an artist that you can’t afford to miss. He can hold his own with the best of them without being intimidated. Catch his act the next time that he plays in your town and then tell me if you’re not impressed!

Watch this clip of Taz performing Hendrix’s, “Voodoo Child” during halftime at a NY Knicks game at age 13!! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OUvwdwz5ONs

#marcusking #billystrings #tazniederhauer #thebend #charlestonpourhoouse

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Its 3:45 pm on a Friday afternoon and I am in line at the local post office when my phone’s notification ring goes off. It’s a text from my friend Lou, who writes: “rumor has its Phil Lesh is playing with his son’s band tonight at the Pourhouse. You know anything about this? “

That’s crazy talk! If Phil Lesh announced he’d be doing gigs with Midnight North (son Graham Lesh’s band) I would have read about it at Relix or Jam Bands online. But then I recall reading in the Relix daily 7 that he made an appearance this past Wednesday in Nashville and Thursday in Asheville with Midnight North. I quickly switched over to the Pourhouse’s web site and, indeed, Midnight North was scheduled to take the stage on the outdoor deck at 7. Could it be possible that Phil was along for the ride and make it three in a row?

Midnight North on the Back Deck at the Charleston Pourhouse

About 7:40pm, the band (Graham Lesh on vocals and lead guitar, Elliot Peck on guitar, keyboards and vocals, Connor O’Sullivan on bass and mandolin and Nathan Graham {no relation} on drums and vocals) takes the stage and begins their performance. I look behind me and ten feet back is Phil Lesh, watching the proceedings. He’s really here! This could be good! No, this could be great!! With Lou’s guidance, I position myself to photobomb a picture of Phil with me nearby. On both attempts, Phil is looking away and has no idea what we are doing.

Back to the band. They presented a nice selection of songs from their three albums, including “There’s always a story”, to be released July 23. Elliot Peck’s singing complimented Graham’s voice and the two delivered on their guitars. About thirty minutes in to the show, the rain stopped enough for people to spread out and dance. Each song was well received and enjoyed. I learned later that the band had been named “best New Act” at the Peach Music Festival in 2018. The magazine said that the band “takes the best parts of root music and Americana”. {Source: EverybodyWiki}

At one point, Lou comes over to me and shows me a selfie he took with Phil Lesh a few minutes earlier. He pointed me to where Phil was sitting and off I went. Phil Lesh was sitting behind a draped and skirted table that was likely meant for merchandise in an area where he could hear the band perform. As I approached the table, I told him that I followed the Dead since 1974 and wanted to thank him for all of the great music and memories the Grateful Dead has provided me all these years. It was when I extended my hand for a shake that one of the house security guys stepped between us to tell me that Phil wants to be able to enjoy the music. I told Phil I respected his wishes; he beat his heart with his closed fist to let me know “it was from the heart”. I returned to the crowd and the music and enjoyed my time with the band and our friends.

After about 90 minutes, the band took a twenty-minute break and returned to the stage with Phil on bass to the delight of the audience. They performed their own” San Francisco Rain” and got funky with the Grateful Dead nugget, “Viola Lee Blues”. After giving everyone a chance to contribute to the tune, they delivered a lovely “Ripple” from the Dead’s American Beauty album. This is one of my favorite Dead tunes and it touched a lot of hearts in the audience that night. They conclude their performance with another original tune and the show was over. Three hundred music fans were treated to a great performance by an up-and-coming band worth listening to and a four song sit in by the King of Jam Bass, eighty-one-year-old Phil Lesh. Here are links to the performance of Viola Lee Blue (https://youtu.be/j96D2A73WpI) and Ripple (https://youtu.be/Zetgzi64ohI ). Many thanks to Ed Congdon who posted these at his YouTube channel.

When the band left the stage, we ambled out to the parking lot to wade through the ponds that appeared due to the downpour. I was thinking of Phil Lesh, watching with pride as his son performs and follows in his dad’s footsteps. Just like many of us spent innumerable hours attending our children’s sporting events, cultural offerings and awards ceremonies, Phil was there to support his son and revel in a job well done.

As for those of us who took a gamble on a hunch that Phil wouldn’t pass up a chance to see Charleston and Midnight North, we were well rewarded. I didn’t know most of the three hundred or so fans who showed up for the show but I imagine that I will meet some when the conversation turns to great live music. As a lifelong Deadhead, along with friends Chris White and Jim Garvey, we have a memory that will always be a good story to tell when lovers of live music get together. My friends Lou and Chrissy Voylager Pfeiffer have been with us to see Dead & Co. shows but never saw the Grateful Dead live.  They love the music, the vibe and the crowd’s energy along with the spontaneous nature of the entire evening. My wife Karen, who was at the Summer Jam in Watkins Glen (1973) and the Cornell show (5/8/77), said it was like a trip down Memory Lane.

#midnightnorth #charlestonpourhouse #phillesh #gratefuldead #Lovelivemusic #thatswhatdreamsaremadeof

If you follow my blog, I published an article about this year’s RNR HOF nominees on February 14,” Is it time to rename the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame”?  I laid out the argument that the nominee list includes many artists that can’t be called Rock and Roll and offered some categories to recognize their contributions without diminishing the original intention of the Hall.

On May 12, the Rock Hall announced this year’s inductees to some fanfare. Among the performance winners are the Foo Fighters, the Go-Go’s, Tina Turner, Carole King, Todd Rundgren and Jay Z. Winners in the early influence category were Kraftwerk, Charley Patton and Gil Scott-Heron. The Musical Excellence award winners include LL Cool J, Billy Preston and Randy Rhoads. You may sit down now.

Among the performers not voted in are Mary K. Blige, Kate Bush, DEVO, Iron Maiden, Chaka Khan, Rage against the Machine, Dionne Warwick, the New York Dolls, LL Cool J and Fela Kuti. So, what do you think?

Among the performers, Tina Turner (Ike and Tina Turner), Carole King (collaborator with Gerry Goffin) and Dave Grohl (Nirvana) are being inducted a second time. The rest are first timers.

Personally, I have no issues with the Foo Fighters, the Go-Go’s and Tina Turner’s solo career. They deserve a place in the Rock Hall.

On the bright side, I am a closet Go-Go’s fan and happy they made it in. Their Power Pop sound and all girl band style just hooked me in. With influences from Grunge and Rock and Roll, they stood out during the 80’s! I recall that they graced the cover of the Rolling Stone magazine in 1986 and I still have that magazine. As an entertainer, Tina Turner’s solo career is quite impressive and I see her as a great influence on women artists. Her live performances, including her duet with Mick Jagger at Live Aid in 1985 was memorable.

The Foo Fighters have hit after hit to their credit and are a tremendous live performance. Where else can you permanently lose your hearing while enjoying a 3-hour high energy performance with Nirvana’s former drummer now singing and playing guitar? I believe they deserve their induction!

My issues are with Jay Z, Carole King and Todd Rundgren, and the continued denial of Hard rock, Progressive (Prog Rock) and Metal bands getting the nod.  Let me state that I recognize Jay Z’s musical greatness and his influence in Rap and Hip Hop. I’m not stupid but I am also not in the demographic he is speaking to. Why not have a category for Rap and Hip Hop and recognize him there, rather than leaving out a deserving performer or band. Do you know that Joe Cocker, Jethro Tull, Bon Jovi, the Cars, Warren Zevon, Jimmy Buffet, John Mayall, Meat Loaf, Sting, Peter Frampton/Humble Pie, Little Feat, Phil Collins (solo artist), Judas Priest and Kansas are not in the Rock Hall?

Carol King was a great songwriter and an equally great performer. Her breakthrough album, Tapestry, was a large influence in my life in the early 70’s. I recall seeing her perform for free in Central Park in 1973, a great memory.  But she is NOT Rock. She is a Pop artist and should be in a separate category along with Dionne Warwick and other Pop artists. Name another of her albums that are memorable? The Hall has already recognized her for her songwriting ability.

In order to be eligible for induction to the Rock Hall, an artist has to have released their first recording at least 25 years ago. Other than that, it is up to a committee made up from all aspects of the music industry to nominate the artists and vote on the winners. The public is invited to vote for a slate of their favorite artists in the hope that their vote totals will influence the committee’s final decision. Based on the popular vote totals and the final selection, it appears that the public’s vote is largely ignored. Stay tuned next April for the Hall’s latest slate of nominees, certain to continue the madness. It’s sad.

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#rocknrollhalloffame #thefoofighters #thegogos #tinaturner #jayz #caroleking #toddrundgren

Flying Under the Radar is an ongoing series of interviews with those who are promoting and performing the arts in the form of live music in Charleston, SC. My goal is to introduce you to those who are shaping the musical landscapes in the Lowcountry. They deserve our praise and support.

Let me introduce you to Charles Carmody, General Manager of the Charleston Music Hall and force behind the “Around the Bend” concert series at the Bend in N. Charleston. Charles has done much to promote local artists and the arts community on a whole while bringing national touring acts to an intimate theatre for rare appearances.

Charles was born in Charleston, SC in 1989 and grew up across the river in Mt. Pleasant. He was in the fourth grade when his parents took him to his first concert, In Sync at the N. Charleston Coliseum. He grew up as neighbors with Mark Bryan of Hootie and the Blowfish. He recalls picking Mark’s brain and record collection for the sounds of Led Zeppelin, the Rolling Stones and Pink Floyd, among other influences. Mark Bryan took Charles with him, at fourteen, to his next show, Cowboy Mouth at the Windjammer on the beach in the Isle of Palms. He recalls that his ears rang for days! Like many of his contemporaries, he spent many nights in the cigarette smoke filled Music Farm. To this day, his Mom still doubts Charles’ claim of not indulging in those cancer sticks!

In grade school Charles learned to play the guitar and now enjoys the banjo and mandolin among the string instruments he plays. A regret that he admitted to was not learning to read music back then. His first live performance was playing guitar in the youth band at his church. In the sixth grade, he was a member of Circadia, his first live band. They recorded an album in HS. As is common for most musicians, he played in various arrangements in high school and college, mostly for fun. You might have caught his act on King Street as one half of the comedy duo “introducing Fish Taco”. In college, while living on Spring Street, he arranged weekly open mic nights at his rental house.  Referred to as “Bean Night” the rice and beans meal was served up every Tuesday. With help from friends, they built a stage in the backyard, added lights and a PA system. Voila! It was there you could find Charles alongside local musicians and the occasional touring group playing to an audience of his peers in the heart of college living in downtown Charleston. He credits these open mike nights as his first attempt at organizing events for the enjoyment of all. It was here that Charles first recognized that the heart and soul of the local music scene needed to be recognized and appreciated for what they were creating. Being a champion for local bands and artists is in the essence of Charles’ soul and a driving force in his work today.

After college, Charles was bitten by the traveling bug as many do. He loaded up his VW Rabbit and ventured out to Vancouver, BC in the hope of making a go of it with a lady he met in college.  He stayed there for a few weeks, after which he turned around and headed for Seattle and points south. Arriving back in Charleston in 2012, Charles faced an uncertain future as do many college graduates. Through some family connections, an interview was arranged with Michael Bennett, a local hotel and construction company owner. Their conversation led to a meeting with a General Manager of one of Bennet’s hotels. Both soon realized that Charles was not destined to work in the hotel industry. From his initial interview with Mr. Bennett, Charles had an interest and curiosity about a shuttered Bennett property, the Charleston Music Hall. At one time, Bennet collaborated with a Myrtle Beach promoter to bring a variety show, called Serenade, to the theatre for the growing tourist trade. The building, originally built in the 1850’s, was retrofitted with seats on two levels.  The show ran for four years and then the building went dark for many years.

On a personal typewriter Charles typed a letter to Mr. Bennett along with an eight-page business plan and mailed it off. His hard work paid off in a second meeting where Charles was given the green light to make something of the facility. Armed with an intense desire to succeed but not much else, Charles was sent off in search of the keys to the building. What awaited him was a “nightmare”, a dark, dank and dirty building badly in need of repair and one working phone line. Armed with a vision, beer and pizza, Charles convinced friends to help him clean up and paint the building. He built a box office, put a ticketing system in place and scrambled for staff to work those early functions. He learned QuickBooks, FB Marketing and wrote all of the social content for the Hall.   

 In September,2012 at the age of 23 he re-opened the Charleston Music Hall. Early shows in the fall of 2012 included Andrew Bird, Jimmy Herring (Widespread Panic), Victor Wooten (Flecktones) and Keb’ Mo. He was doing all of this with no real set budget and precious little involvement by the Bennett’s’. Charles wore many hats while figuring out how to staff and run a performing arts center. Flying by the seat of his pants, Charles realized he need professional partners to make this work so in the spring of 2013, he drove to Nashville and talked to Booking Agents and Operators, anyone who would give him the time. This resulted in an agreement with NS2, an exclusive talent buyer who promised him 20 shows to be booked that year. The reality was that NS2 brought 45 shows to the Music Hall that year and Charles was off and running. The Charleston Music Hall, a 965-seat theatre in the heart of the historic district began to set Charleston on the map for many artists who were not filling up stadiums and coliseums.

In 2014, Charles brought on Bonny Wolff to handle the box office, the volunteer staff and whatever needed to be done to operate this facility. In 2015, he recruited Nicholas McDonald to be the operations and technical manager, a role he performed most recently with the Music Farm, a block away.  Both remain integral parts of the Music Hall’s success, despite the CV pandemic.

In my conversations with Charles, one thing really stood out. He has always had an unwavering conviction that he would be a success in this industry. “I always knew it would work” was his answer to whether he ever doubted what he was doing and why. The Music Hall became a magnet for local artists of all styles and substance. Charles supports theatre, comedy, conversation and music by local artists looking for an outlet to impart their talents. He promotes diversity in the style of performance and the people he associated with in the product he brings forward. He has a vision to use the charms of the Hall so that local talent would have an outlet for their creativity. It was this way when he began and it remains that way 9 years later. Charleston’s growing popularity with tourists is hurting the local artist community. It’s become too expensive to live for many and is not friendly to the community. He has seen many talented people leave to ply their trade somewhere more affordable and welcoming.

I asked Charles’ to share some of the highlights of his days growing the business. He spoke about shows in 2014, his first full year with NS2’ backing/involvement. A large smile graced his face as he recalls shows by Shovels and Rope, Stop Light Observations and Brave Baby. Here is a trio of local acts that have gone on to gain national attention, tour the country extensively and in Europe, also. This was quite an accomplishment as these local musicians got critical support from the Music Hall and Charles, in particular, while developing their audience. Charles also co-managed the band Susto for four and a half year. Once more, a local act that has gone on to national prominence. He has fond memories of the shows he promoted in 2017 and 2018.During this stretch, Charles found the time to get married and start a family. With the love and support from his wife Becca Barnet and son Cassius, Charles delivered many memorable performances. In 2019, the Music Hall hosted 278 performances of music, theatre, lectures, movies and multi-media offerings to an appreciative audience. In the seven years of full-time promotion (2013-19) many artists returned again and again and spoke fondly of their love of performing here. If you are lucky, you just might come across that night’s performer grabbing an early dinner at any number of local restaurants within walking distance of the Hall.

In February of 2020, Frank Productions, a national promoter based in Wisconsin took over the operation of the Music Hall while the Bennet’s’ remained the owners of the building. The future was looking brighter than ever and the possibilities seemed endless. Then came the Covid pandemic and the Hall, like most businesses around the country, was forced to go dark for an unknown length of time. Like most, the thought was this would be temporary and they would re-open in weeks or a month or so. By May, he realized that nothing was going to change soon. While some local clubs reopened with outdoor shows, constrained by the Covid regulations, the Music Hall remained closed. Things got really scary in June as the employees were furloughed or their salaries trimmed to face the reality that there would be no live music at the Hall anytime soon. Charles knew he couldn’t stay closed for much longer or there would be no more Music Hall. So, he set out to find an outdoor venue to bring music to the masses, within the protocols set by the state of South Carolina. He toured several, local outdoor facilities but there was always an issue that couldn’t be resolved favorably in order to promote the kind of program he envisioned.

He met with the local owners of a pleasant patch of land along the Ashley river in N. Charleston called “the Bend”. He realized that he could make a go of it promoting outdoor shows here. There was a big open field, a small paved lot for parking and easy access to the Interstate…but not much else. From this, Charles developed the plan to build two hundred and fifty secured spaces(pods) that four people could safely occupy. (Insert video of Charles venturing from downtown to the Bend) Sponsors were pitched; plans were drawn and in October the first concerts were announced. It has a festival like atmosphere where patrons bought a pod for four friends. One could bring their chairs and furniture, food and beverage and create a friendly spot to watch live music for the first time in a year. Eight of the eleven shows were quickly sold out while the remaining three had very respectable attendance. The downside? After most performances, everything needed to come down from the individual pods to the stage and tents used for the night. Quite the challenge. The “Bend” hosted local artists with a national following when Shovels and Rope, Ranky Tanky and Susto performed on the weekends. St. Paul and the Broken Bones, Marcus King and the duo of Jason Isbell and Amanda Shires were some of the artists that they were able to bring to a music starved audience this past fall. A partial schedule has already been announced for April and May and there will be more shows to come in June and possibly July. This is a testament to his vision and desire to bring the best possible entertainment to an audience desiring a return to normal. In grand Charles Carmody style, he and his friends created a short video which tells the story of Charles’ search for the Bend. Take a moment and enjoy.  https://youtu.be/5Ym9DMzYdyU

In full disclosure, I have worked for Charles Carmody as an usher since March of 2015 and have been witness to many of the spectacular performances they have brought to an appreciative audience. During the shutdown in 2020, the Music Hall exchanged the permanent orchestra seats for new, removable seating. For the right band, the orchestra can be converted to a dance floor for those so inclined and the capacity can be increased to 1200. Charles has spoken many times of the inability to book acts that demand an open space for dancing and carousing. With Covid restrictions none of this was possible but the future looks brighter for audiences to experience this new look and feel soon. What does the future promise? Hopefully, the Hall will be back in full swing by July and the house can be full beginning this September. He acknowledges that there is great interest from touring acts to fill the house from September through next January. Charles wants to continue trying to make Charleston the best music city in the world. That sounds great but exhausting! Charles thinks of the possibilities and just smiles.

If the past is any indication of what he can accomplish, I would say that the music and arts scene will be in good hands.

#CharlestonMusicHall   #TheBend   #CharlesCarmody   #MarkBryan #ShovelsandRope #RankyTanky #Susto #BraveBaby #StopLightObservations #FrankProductions #BonnyWolff #NicholasMcDonald

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