Recently, at least two new documentaries focused on “the
greatest generation” of Rock and Roll have debuted and both are highly
recommended! I was privileged to see both of these documentaries on the big
screen at the Charleston Music Hall (SC), along with a great sound system.
Since it is the Fiftieth Anniversary of Woodstock, allow me to start with the
Woodstock doc.
Woodstock: Three days
that defined a generation is a behind the scenes look into what it took to
make the festival a reality. It also shone the light on the methods used to
overcome the tremendous, unexpected challenges of putting on a festival at that
time. The stories told dealt with the seemingly overwhelming crises’ that
popped up and how they were overcome. One story that fascinated me was the
monumental task of feeding everyone that weekend. I would imagine from
observing the crowd that most did not plan to bring in enough food, water and
similar provisions to take them through the three plus days of the festival.
Although I knew the movie and albums well, it’s the story of how this idea was
hatched, the hurdles they successfully jumped and those where they stumbled and
fell that captured the audience’s attention.
I have seen the original Woodstock movie several times over the decades and remember the great musical moments that created careers for so many artists. This new doc puts the flesh on the bones, as the saying goes. Once you have seen this movie, you will know ‘the rest of the story’, as Paul Harvey would lament.
Echo in the Canyon tells
the story of the inhabitants of Laurel Canyon (CA) in the sixties and
Seventies. The epicenter of the rock music scene was to be found in this picturesque
valley, on the outskirts of Los Angeles. The host for this movie is Jacob Dylan, Bob’s
famous son. He assembled a band that also featured Beck, Fiona Apple, Norah
Jones and introducing Jade Castrinos, they recreated the wonderful music that
flowed from this canyon back in those days.
The movie intertwines the story of how the Laurel Canyon
became the address for so many of rock’s greatest artists and musicians. There is a treasure trove of film capturing
the magical moments making this music while the producers interspersed these
clips with present day interviews, telling the story from an eyewitness
standpoint. If you enjoy the music of Tom Petty, the Byrds, Buffalo
Springfield, the Mamas and Papas, Beach Boys, Jackson Browne, the Eagles, Monkees,
John Sebastian and more, this is your movie. There are great stories told in
this movie. Some of my favorite memories include Tom Petty, Michelle Phillips,
Ringo Starr, David Crosby and Jackson Browne, to name but a few. So if this
sounds like the soundtrack to your youth, make sure you see it soon!
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This past month, I was fortunate to see Jim James, India
Aire, Shakey Graves, the Kendall Street company in Charlotte, the Happy
Together tour (The Turtles, Chuck Negron of Three Dog Night, Gary Puckett, the
Cowsills, the Buckinghams and the Classics IV), and two shows produced by
Awendaw Green. Awendaw brought the Mike Fruend band, Pluff Mud String band and
Fleming Moore to Summerville for an outdoor show and the Bluestone Ramblers,
Marshgrass Mamas and the Red Cedar Review at the Music Hall.
I want to give kudos to India Aire and Shakey Graves and the Grass in the Hall artists listed above. In their own genre, they are at the top of their game. India Aire has a fabulous voice and delivers a positive message and motivation to her fans through her lyrics. Shakey Graves is a former street artist who found his way to the big stage, performing solo as well as with a supporting band. The bluegrass performers, Bluestone Ramblers, Marshgrass Mamas and the Red Cedar review all could tour nationally especially during the summer festival season.
Rising to the top this month was the Jim James show, which served as his national tour opener. If you’re unfamiliar with the name, Jim is the creative spark behind My Morning Jacket. With MMJ taking a break from touring, Jim assembled a back-up band to showcase his latest solo offering “Uniform Distortion”. His singing style is unique, with soaring vocals and a sound that fills the crevices in any room he plays. He refuses to be pigeonholed as having one style of music. He can rock as hard as anyone relevant today and then strap on an acoustic guitar and play tender songs to an appreciative, attentive audience. He offered up several Morning Jackets favorite, sprinkling the set with his new solo material as well as songs from previous solo offerings. If you’re not familiar with his music, check him and My Morning Jacket out on your favorite music sharing service.
This past April I attended two shows as a patron (Infamous
Stringdusters and Dark Star Orchestra)and
worked the Jamey Jameson and
Tyler Childers shows. All four shows were sellouts.
If you’re reading this, you love the live music experience and look forward to the next show. There’s an excitement and anticipation as you get ready for “tonight’s concert”. Taking it in live is a special experience! It was with that excitement that I saw the infamous Stringdusters and then Dark Star Orchestra on successive nights. I have caught DSO on three previous occasions before but this was my first time seeing the Infamous Stringdusters. I was treated to a 2hr. 30 minute, two set show showcasing their musical prowess. This band is a modern crossover between bluegrass and jam band. The band consists of Travis Book on bass, Chris Pandolfi on banjo, Andy Falco on acoustic guitar, Andy Hall on dobro and Jeremy Garrett on fiddle. These guys played well to both ends of the spectrum, sounding like a traditional bluegrass band for some tunes and then stretching the sounds of their instruments with the fervor of the best jam band today. I loved their harmonies and the virtuoso skills that they brought to their instruments. Their energy and harmonies create a captivating sound. Check them out on YouTube for a great introduction.
Jamey Johnson
The Charleston Music Hall has hosted an ever increasing
number of Country artists, both newcomers and living legends. The shows are
almost always a sell out and the fans are rabid! Jamey Johnson’s show was no
exception. He is firmly entrenched as a Country Outlaw musician. His deep and soothing voice sounded great
whether he was showcasing one of the bands tunes or doing justice to covers of
their favorite artists. He fronted an 11 piece band including several brass
instruments, uncommon in a country band. Among the numerous covers he performed
that night were such songs as “Willing” by Little Feat and Woody Guthrie’s.
“This Land is Your Land”. His songwriting skills may be the most
under-appreciated facet of his skills. If you listen to country music on
terrestrial or satellite radio, you are familiar with his songs. If you’re not,
may I encourage you to check him out on your favorite streaming service.
“Rock and Roll Spectacular”…Chuck Berry/Bo Diddly/Chubby Checkers/Gary U.S. Bonds/Five Satins/the Crystals/Dobells/Bobby Comstock and Band…Madison Square Garden…October 13,1972
The Kenny Loggins Band with Jim Messina/Casey Kelly…Philharmonic Hall, NYC…October 29, 1972
197316 shows
Carole King/David T. Walker…the Great Lawn
in Central Park…May 26…free concert
David Bromberg band/B. Altman(Uncle Dirty,
comedian)/Gee Whiz(Juggler)…SUNY
Oneonta…April 27…outdoor show
Hot Tuna/Journey…SUNY New Paltz…April 29
Hot Tuna/David Bromberg band…SUNY Binghampton/Harpur College…May 2
Commander Cody and the Lost Planet Airmen/Freddie
King Band/Jerry Jeff Walker…SUNY
Albany…May 11
Nitty Gritty Dirt Band/Myles and Lenny…the Bottom Line, NYC…June 4
The Rolling Stones…Madison Square Garden…June 23
Peter Frampton/the James Gang…WSR/CP…June 27
Dave Mason/ Pursett Dart band…WSR/CP…July 2
Hot Tuna*…WSR/CP…July
23
Elvin Bishop band*/John Shine…the Bottom Line, NYC…July 23 …*two shows in one night!
Commander Cody and his Lost Planet
Airmen/Charlie Daniels band…WSR/CP…August
16
Rod Stewart and the Faces/Ten Years After
with Alvin Lee/Lynard Skynard…Roosevelt
Stadium, Jersey City, NJ…August 22
Hot Tuna…SUNY
Oneonta…October 10
Jerry Garcia Band with Nicky Hopkins…Bailey Hall at Cornell University…October 27 !!!
Kingfish (Bob Weir)/Keith and Donna Godchaux
band with Bill Kreutzman…Beacon Theatre
(Manhattan)…Nov. 7
Renaissance…SUNY Oneonta…December 3
1976 18 shows
Doc and Merle Watson…The Bottom Line…January 9
Peter Frampton/ David Sancious…Palace Theatre (Albany, NY)…February 6
Chuck Mangione Quartet…SUNY Oneonta…February 7
Joni Mitchell/Tom Scott and the LA Express(back up band)…Syracuse War
Memorial…Feb. 24…3rd consecutive birthday show
Pure Prairie League/ Aztec Two Step…SUNY Oneonta…April 4
Chris Rush(comedian)/Joey Bananas and his
bunch…SUNY Oneonta…April
27…my first show as promoter /”Cultural chairman”
The Grateful Dead…Roosevelt Stadium, Jersey City…August 4…makeup date from a
rainout that past June
Loggins and Messina/Heart…Saratoga PAC…August 23
CTI Summer
Jazz Festival featuring Grover
Washington, Jr./Ron Carter/Grant Greene/Idris Muhammed/Bob James/Hank
Crawford/Joe Farrell/Patti Austin…WSR/CP…August 27
Kutztown
Good Time Music and Arts Festival- Bottle
Hill/Jay Unger and Lynn Hardy/Red Clay Ramblers/New Grass Revival/Donna Fargo/Liv
Taylor/Bonnie Raitt/John Hartford/Eric Anderson/Emmy Lou Harris…Kutztown
State Fair…Sept. 4(camped out with Karen,Carlynne and Joe Carpo)
Nitty Gritty Dirt Band/ Chris Rush…SUNY Oneonta…Sept. 7@ 7 PM
The Allman Brothers Band…King Street Palace, Charleston, SC…October 12…free concert for
Charleston Hurricane relief fund…Berry Oakley, Jr. played bass for one song
Rolling Stones/Living Colour…Death Valley Stadium, Clemson University…November 26…tickets
courtesy of Pearlstine Dist.
Jimmy Buffet with Mac McAnnally <solo acoustic show>…
King Street
Palace…Hurricane Hugo Relief Fund concert …December ??
1990-1991 8 shows
“Taste of
the Blues”-Albert King/Shirley
Brown/Bobby Blue Bland/Johnny Taylor…King Street Palace…April 20, 1990
Little Feat…King Street Palace…May 6, 1990
Jackson Browne/Macheval…King Street Palace…May, 1990
Hank Williams, Jr./Lacy J. Dalton…Exchange Park, Ladson, SC…August 5, 1990
The Judds/Pirates of the Mississippi…King Street Palace…November 30, 1990
Hootie and the Blowfish/Shawn Mullins…Joe Riley Stadium, Charleston, SC…July 22, 1999
2000 3
shows
Grand Ole Opry show…Nashville, TN. …March, 2000…with the family
Jump Little Children…the Music Farm<first show>…sometime in 2000
Bruce Springsteen and the E Street band…Charlotte Coliseum…April 21, 2000…(Connor’s first concert!…
with Steve and Jodie)
2002-20048 shows
Bob Dylan and his band…N. Charleston Coliseum…Feb. 6,2002
Bob Weir and Ratdog…Music Farm…March 13,2002
Bob Weir and Ratdog/Phil Lesh and friends/Dickey Betts band…Verizon Ampitheatre,
Charlotte, NC…July 26,2002
Bob Dylan and band/the Waifs…NC Coliseum…May 6, 2003…with Connor
Dark Star Orchestra…the Music Farm…November 14, 2003
Eric Clapton/ Jimmy Vaughn and the
Tilt-a-Whirl band…Bi-Lo
Centre, Greenville, SC…June 19, 2004…Karen’s birthday show
Bob Dylan and band/Willie Nelson and family…Joe Riley Stadium, Charleston, SC…August 17, 2004…with Connor and
Madison
The Dead with Warren Haynes and Jimmy Herring…Verizon Ampitheatre, Charlotte, NC…August 18, 2004
2005 2 shows
Government Mule/John Popper project with DJ
Logic…NC
PAC…April 17
Crosby, Stills and Nash…NC Coliseum…August 19
2006
4 shows
Bob Weir and Ratdog…the Plex, N Charleston, SC…March 16
Bob and Tom Comedy tour with Bob Zany/ Donny Baker/Tim Vedor/Chris Bliss/Mike Anderson/Greg Warren/Drew Hastings/Chick McGee,host…NC PAC…July 14
Hootie and the Blowfish Homegrown Concert/Gin Blossoms…Daniel Island Tennis Center…August 18…with family
Charlie Daniels band…Coastal Carolina Fair, Ladson, SC…November 2
2007
6 shows
Tea Leaf Green…the Pour
House<first show>…March 15
Cosmic Charlie…the Pour
House…May ??
Bob Weir and Ratdog/Keller Williams…Chastain Park, Atlanta, Ga…July 7…with Ed C.
Hot Tuna… the
Windjammer…July 30…2 sets…small crowd… ‘Water Song’ for encore
ChazzFest(0nly
show)…Kool and the Gang/Sun Volt/ Uncle
Mingo/Toots and the Maytalls/Branford Marsalis/the Seldom Scene/Galactic with
an appearance from Sam’s Funky Nation(horns) and JJ Gray(vocals)…DITC…Sept.
22…with Karen, Steve and Jodie
Furthur…Verizon Ampitheatre,
Alpharetta,GA…July 31w/ John O
Hootie and the Blowfish/Foster and Lloyd…DITC…August 13
Lowcountry
Jazz Festival featuring Michael Franks/ Charleton Singleton band…NC
PAC…Sept. 2
Southern
Ground Music Festival-My Morning
Jacket/Zac Brown band/Warren Haynes
band/Blackberry Smoke/The Whigs / Dangermuffin/
Cornmeal…Blackbaud Stadium, Daniel Island…October 21 (Zac Brown does cover
tunes set including ‘Comfortably Numb’ with Warren Haynes performing a killer
solo)
Jorma Kaukonan and Barry Mittendorf…the Pour House November 20…”Embryonic Journey” encore
2012 18 shows
Tommy Emanuel… Charleston Music Hall…February 24…birthday show…First show at
the Music Hall!
Big Head Todd and the Monsters/Van Ghost…the Music Farm…March 15
Warren Haynes band…Charleston Music Hall…April 19…front row seats with Arnold, Gary
and Ray
Ketch and Critter(Old Crow Medicine Show)…College of Charleston’s Cistern Yard…May
24…1st night of(5) Spoletto outdoor concert series viewed while
bartending
Cecile Mc Lorin and trio <Jazz standards>…the Cistern…May 26
Rebirth Brass band <New Orleans jazz>..the Cistern..June 8
Rebirth Brass band …the Cistern…June 9
Alice Cooper/Venrez…NC PAC…June 11
Furthur…Verizon
Wireless Ampitheatre,Alpharetta, Ga….July 10 (with Gary Ricozzi and John
Oechsner)
Furthur…Koka Booth
Ampitheatre, Raleigh,NC…July 11 (with Gary Ricozzi and Dave Bathurst)
“Last Summer
on Earth” tour- Cracker/Big Head Todd and
the Monsters/Blues Traveler/Bare Naked
Ladies…Family Circle Stadium, Daniel Island…July 14 ( with Dave B., Craig
F., Steve and Jodie March, Madison and Morgan)
The Killer Whales/Johnny Mac and the Booty
Band/Free Mountain Standstill…the
Windjammer,IOP…July 21(with Dave Bathurst)
Hootie and the Blowfish Annual Homegrown Concert/Collective
Soul Daniel Island Tennis
Center…August 18
Southern
Ground Music and Food Festival/Zac Brown
Band with performances by John Mayer,Greg Allman,the Avett Bros. and Darius
Rucker/the Avett Bros. band/Grace Potter and the Nocturnals/Charlie Danielsband/Levi Lowery/the Wood Brothers
band/Dugas/the James Arthur band…Blackbaud Stadium…October 20
The Marshall Tucker band…Coastal Carolina Fair, Ladson, S.C….October 26…got picture
backstage with the band at their “Meet and Greet”
2013 9 shows
Yonder Mountain String Band/Lake Street Dive…the Music Farm January 29
Dweezil ZAPPA plays (Frank) ZAPPA…the Music Farm, February 4
Graham Worley<solo acoustic>…Mex 1 Cantina …West Ashley … March 23
Government Mule, The Revivalists…NCPAC, April 23
Graham Worley<solo acoustic>…Mex 1 Cantina/West Ashley August 9
Homegrown Saturday free concert…A Fragile
Tomorrow/Atlas Road Crew/Adalya…Great Lawn @ Family Circle Cup, Daniel Island,
Charleston…August 24
Widespread Panic /Umphrey’s McGee…Family Circle Stadium, Daniel Island, SC…October 5…with Gary
Ricozzi
Southern Ground Music Festival…Zac Brown band
with sit in performances by Kenny Rogers and Jason Mraz/Frank Oliver ,Illusionist/Comedian/Kacey
Musgraves/Band of Horses/Levi Lowery/Willie Nelson and family/Niko Moon/the
Head and the Heart/Clay Cook/Freddy Clarke…Blackbaud Stadium, Daniel Island…October
20
Edwin McCain…Coastal Carolina Fair…Ladson, SC…November 1(with Steve and Jodi)
.moe…Music Farm…January 29 {Jimmy Herring and
the Ringers were the opening act and cancelled due to weather issues
Yonder Mountain String band/the Traveling
McCourys…the Music Farm…Feb. 5
Melvin Seals and the Jerry Garcia band/the
Other People(GD cover
band)/Big John Belly…Music Farm…March
13
Plane Jane…Pinewood Prep’s Blue Jean ball…Summerville Airport…March 15
Dirty Dozen Brass Band/the Last Waltz
Ensemble…Pour
House…April 18
Willie Nelson and family/Alison Krause and
Union Station, featuring Jerry Douglas on Slide Dobro/The Devil makes Three (heard outside the Stadium)…Family Circle Tennis Stadium…May 8
First Flush Festival with the Avett
Brothers/Stop Light Observations/The Executives/Luke Cunningham band/Tyler
Boone band/Atlas Road Crew/Uncle Mingo/ Mike Pinto/McKenna Andrews Charleston Tea Plantation…May 24
Jack White/Kelly Stoltz…The Fillmore, Charlotte, NC( with Dr. Eric Weinstein)…June 5…’miracle’
ticket
Reckoning playing Europe ’72 and celebrating
Jerry Garcia’s birthday…the Pour
House…August 1
Crosby, Stills and Nash…NC PAC, August 12…with Gary…’miracle’ ticket
Leon Russell/the Butterneck Trio…the Pourhouse…August 21…with Gary, Arnold, Ray and Bill Murray
Southern
Ground Music and Food Festival…Zac Brown
band with sit in performances by Bela Fleck and Warren Haynes& Gov’t. Mule,
Preservation Hall Jazz band, Clay Cook band, Bela Fleck and Abagail Washburn, Boy
and Bear(Australia),The Wailers, Steep Canyon Rangers, Old 97’s…with Karen
and Carlynne…Blackbaud Stadium…October 12
Tedeschi-Trucks band/Spirit Family Reunion…NC PAC…Feb. 25
Santana/…NC PAC…March 10
Ides of March with guests Rick
Emmitt(Triumph),Carmen Appice (Vanilla Fudge),Chuck Negron (3 Dog Night ) and
John Densmore(Doors).. No.
Charleston Convention Center private party for Floyd and Taylor
Publishing…March 16 (Bartender at event}
Warren Haynes with Jeff Sipe and Chessboxer/Justin Townes
Earle/Chessboxer…Music
Hall…October 20…<Usher>
Mark Knofler…NC
PAC…October 25…
Little River band…Coastal
Carolina Fair…October 29
Home Free…(Acapella
group)…Music Hall…Nov.11…<Usher>
Robert Cray band…Music Hall…Nov. 13
Tommy Emanuel/The Lowhills…Music
Hall…Nov. 15
Chris Thile…solo Mandolin…Music Hall…Nov.19…<Usher>
John Kadlecik band…Pour
House…Nov. 30
Andy McGee…Music Hall…December 9…<Usher>
The Blue Dogs 3rdAnnual Homecoming concert with special guests
Sadler Vadan (Jason Isbell band),Charlie Thompson on Pedal Steel, Josh Roberts,
John Wesley Satterfield, Reed Stone (Guilt Ridden Troubadors),Dan Lotti (Dangermuffin),
Drivin’ and Cryin’, Doug Jones (Cravin’ Melon), Taylor Richardson(Atlas Road
Crew), Danielle Howe and June Thorn…Music
Hall…December 27…<Usher>
2016
42
shows
“Women and Young”…a celebration of the music
of Neil Young as performed by Lindsay Holler, Jordan Igoe, McKenzie Eddy, Ann Caldwell,
Hazel Ketchum, Aisha Kenyatta, Delia Chariker, Lauren Bevins Cahill, Boonie
Bevins, Camille Rhoden and Regina Roupoli backed by the Western Polaroids and
the Hungry Monks…The Music
Hall…January 9
Jackson Browne solo …NC
PAC…January 13…with Madison
Shovels and Rope/SUSTO…Music Hall…January 15…with Connor
Shovels and Rope/Indianola…Music
Hall…January 16…<Usher>
Arlo Guthrie/Sara Lee Guthrie…50th anniversary of
Alice’s Restaurant debut…Music
Hall…January 26…<Usher>
Billy Gibbons and the BFG’s/Tyler Bryant and the Shakedown…Music Hall…January 27…<Usher> only played an hour
Dr. John/Avi Jacobs…Music Hall…February 12…<Usher>
Dark Star Orchestra…Music
Hall…February 17…<Usher>
Experience Hendrix with Guitarists: Dweezil Zappa, Eric Johnson,
Mato Nanji, Zakk Wyld, Johnny Lang, Kenny Wayne Shepherd and Buddy Guy. Drummers:
Chris Layton and ? ,Bass: Billy Cox and Scott
Nelson ,Vocals: Henri Brown and Noah Hunt…Gaillard
Center…February 28
Black Jacket Symphony performing “Dark side
of the Moon” and greatest hits…Music Hall…March 4…<Usher>
Nikki Lane/She returned for more…’Rocks and
Roll’ part of the Charleston Food and Wine festival…March 5,Noisette St., No. Charleston…bartender
Dell and Dawg…Dell McCoury and David Grisman…
Charleston Music Hall…April 2…freebie
Forty Mile Detour…Oak Road Brewery in Summerville…April 15
Southern Ground Music Festival…Zac Brown Band
joined by Sam Bush and Michael Franti, *Marshall Tucker band, Thomas Rhett, Coy
Bowles and the Fellowship, Michael Franti & Spearhead, *Old Dominion, Sam
Bush,*Drake White and the Big Fire, Cam, John Driskell Hopkins, Jamestown
Revival…(*heard but didn’t see)…April 16
Southern Ground Music Festival…Zac Brown Band
joined by Kacey Musgraves, Susan Tedeschi and Derek Trucks, Hunter
Hayes/*Hunter Hayes/Tedeschi Trucks band/A Thousand Horses/Kacey Musgraves/Clay
Cook/Bruce Hornsby and the Noisemakers/The Packway Handle band/Muddy
Magnolias/*the Archetypes…April 17
Pat Benatar and Neal Giraldo/Luke Cunningham…May 5…Music Hall <Usher>
Cyndi Lauper/The Peach Kings…June 2…Music Hall <Usher>
Dead and Company…PNC Arena, Charlotte, NC…June 10…opening night of the summer tour
with Jimmy,Dave, Matt,Gary, Jeff and Chris
Steely Dan/Steve Winwood…PNC Arena, Charlotte…July 2…with Dave Bathurst and Caroline Khan
Robert Earl Keen/The Lowhills…Music Hall…July 14…<Usher>
Chris Robinson Project…Music Farm…July 15
Graham Worley and friends/Reckoning…The Pourhouse…July 20
Dave Matthews band…NC Coliseum…July 2?
Sam Bush band…Music Hall…August 5…<Usher>
Reckoning plays “Cornell show” from May
8,1977 …Pourhouse…August
6… ‘the Days Between’
2nd annual New Music Confab
featuring Stop Light Observations, Death Valley dreams, A Fragile Tomorrow,
Falling through April and June Divided…August
26…Music Hall <Usher>
CMH Live featuring Dallas Baker and Friends,
Honeysmoke and the Traveling Kine…September
3…Music Hall…<Usher>
Phall Ball in the Hall, attribute to the
Grateful Dead and Phish…Runaway Gin(Phish) and Holly Bowling (Grateful Dead)…Music Hall…September 9…<Usher>
Women and Dylan featuring Lindsay Holler, Hazel
Ketchum, Danielle Howe, Lauren Cahill, Jordan Igoe, Samantha Church, Faline,
Hunter Park, Alva Anderson and Ann Caldwell backed up by the Western Polaroids
and the Hungry Monks…Music
Hall…September 10
Peter Frampton’s Raw Acoustic tour/Julian
Frampton and Ben Sheridan…Music
Hall…Sept. 20 <Usher>
Phish…No.
Charleston Coliseum…October 15,,,with Chris White, Jeff Holt and Gary Ricozzi
An Evening with the Maverick ….Music Hall…October 21<Usher>
Louis CK/Sam Morrell/Grier Barnes/Tom List…Gaillard Center…October 26
Old Dominion…Coastal Carolina Fair, Ladson…October 27
Women and Radiohead featuring Lindsay Holler,
Hazel Ketchum, Zandrina Dunning, Jordan Igoe,
McKenzie Eddy and the Entropy Ensemble…November 1…Music Hall<Usher>
An Evening with Eric Johnson, acoustic guitar and piano…Music Hall…November 11 <Usher>
Drivin’ and Cryin’/Patrick Davis and the Midnight Choir…Music Hall(filming of Live at the CMH)…November 18 <Usher>
Blues Traveler/The Hibachi Heroes…Music Hall…November 21<Usher>
An Evening with Steve Vai…Music
Hall…Nov. 22…<Usher>
4th Annual Homecoming 28th Anniversary of
the Blue Dogs featuring Daren Shumaker, Jaime Harper, Charlie Thompson, Travis
Allison and Jason Moore with special guests Shawn Camp(Nashville songwriter),Cary
Hudson of Blue Mountain, Phillip Lammonds, Pappa Futch, Danielle Howe, Doug
Jones (Cravin’ Melon),Wallace Mullinax and Finnegan Bell…Music Hall …December 28…with family and Marchs’
201753shows
Joe Russo’s Almost Dead…the Music
Farm…January 13…got shut out with Dave Melsopp and Chris White…only time that
has happened!
Marcus King band/Eric Krasno band…Pourhouse…January 31 with Grateful Dave and Jim Garvey
Dave Chappell with 2 other comedians…Music Hall… February 1<Usher>
An evening with Al DiMeola …Music Hall…February 8…<Usher>
Elise Testone:for the Love of Legends, featuring
songs by Janis, Garcia, Alain Touisant,Hendrix,Amy Winehouse,Bob Marley,James
Brown,Ray Charles,and others…Music
Hall…February 10
Rufus Wainwright/Joel Hamilton…Music Hall…February17…<Usher>…left
after 30 minutes of RW’s set
Women and the Rolling Stones featuring Hazel
Ketchum, Lindsay Holler, Zandrina Dunning, Samantha Church, Sarah Cole, Eden
Fontvaile Lily Slay and others…Music Hall…February 24
An evening with Los Lonely Boys…Music Hall…March 3 <Usher>
Celtic Night featuring Derek Warfield and the Young Wolftones/The
Hungry Monks…Music
Hall…March 4…<Usher>
Ryan Adams/Phoebe… NC PAC…March 9…w/Bob Cuddy
John Waters-The Dirtier, Filthier Tour(Actor
and Comedian)…Music
Hall…March 10…<Usher>
Everyone Orchestra( Oteil Burbage, Ian
Neville, Holly Bowling, Claude Coleman, Jr.<Ween>,Natalie Cressman <Trey
Anastasio band>Mike Quinn, Rev. Jeff Mosier<Blueground Undergrass, Matt
Butler, Wallace Mullinax <Dead 27’s)/Dead 27’s…Pourhouse…March. 10
Robert Earl Keen/Ryan Bonner (Sideshow
Americans)…Music
Hall… March 15…<Usher>
St. Paul and the Broken Bones/Los Colognes…Music Hall…March 16 …<Usher>
An evening with Ann Wilson of HEART…Music Hall…March 22…<Usher>
Jazzed up in the Holy City-the Charleston
Jazz Orchestra…March 29
..Music Hall…<Usher>
40 Mile Detour…Bummerville Ampitheatre…March 31
The Nitty Gritty Dirt band, 50 years of
Dirt/Cross Atlantic…Music
Hall…April 1
Bruce Hornsby and the Noisemakers…Music Hall…April 9 <Usher>
Marty Stuart and his Fabulous
Superlatives/Sean McConnell…Music
Hall…May 3…<Usher>
Post Modern Jukebox…Music Hall…May 8…<Usher>
Rick Springfield-Stripped Down/Jennie Lynn
Simpson…Music
Hall…May 11…<Usher>
An Evening with Bela Fleck and Chris Thile…Music Hall…May 23<Usher>
“Grass in the Hall”(Piccolo Spoleto)
featuring The Bluestone Ramblers, River Boy and Southern Flavor Bluegrass…Music Hall…June 1…<Usher>
Cody Jinks and the Tone Deaf Hippies/Ray
Cauthern band…Music
Hall…July 12…<Usher>
Steve Earle band/The Masterdons…Music Hall…July 13…<Usher>
Forty Mile Detour…Coastal Coffee Roasters…July 14
Sol Driven Train/Graham Worley…Windjammer…July 21 with usher buddies Steve Morse and Michael
Turner
Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit/Strands of Oaks…NC PAC…July 23 with Bob Cuddy(freebie)
An evening with Lee Ann Womack and Patty
Griffin… Music Hall…July
30…<Usher>
Government Mule/Galactic…Volvo Car Stadium…August 4…with Connor
Mary Chapin-Carpenter/Emily
Barker(Australian)…Music Hall…
August 9…<Usher>
Homegrown concert with Hootie and the
Blowfish/Stop Light Observations…Volvo Car Stadium…August
12… a family affair!
The Grateful Ball featuring The Traveling
McCourys and the Jeff Austin band…3 sets of
Bluegrass…Pourhouse..Sept. 8
Marie Bamford/Jackie Kashian (Comediennes)…Music Hall…Sept.20…<Usher>
Grass is Dead /David Gans/ Hungry
Monks…Pourhouse…Sept. 21
An Evening with the Chris Robinson
Brotherhood…Music
Hall…Sept. 28…<Usher>
An evening with the Robert Cray band…Music Hall…Oct. 10 <Usher>
An evening with the Jerry Douglas band…Music Hall… Oct.11 <Usher>
The Foo Fighters/The Strutts…Colonial Life Arena, Columbia,
SC…Oct. 17…with Connor
Phil Lesh and the Terrapin family band
(Graham Lesh, Alex Koford, Ross James
and Jason Crosby)with special guests
Robert Randolph and Nikki Bluhm and the Preservation Hall Jazz band…Asbury Park Convention Center…October 26, 2017
Oteil and Friends >John Kadlecik, Eric
Krasno, Melvin Seals, Jay Lane, Alfreda Gerald and Weedie Braimah…Pourhouse…Nov. 1
An Evening with Randy Newman…Nov. 10…Music Hall..<Usher>
An Evening with Judy Collins…Nov.17…Music Hall…<Usher>
CGP and Dawg-Tommy Emanuel and David
Grisman/Trey Hensley and Rob Ickes…Nov.
18…Music Hall
Drivin’ and Cryin’/ Aaron Tasjian…Nov. 24…Music Hall…<Usher>
Dead and Company…Spectrum Centre,…Charlotte, NC…Nov. 28…with Chris White and Brian Reed
Seacoast Christmas Collective/Robert Williams
and friends( Christmas tunes, jazz interpretation)…December 11…Music Hall<Usher>
Blue Dogs 5th annual Homecomings
show featuring the Killer Whales, the Connels, Finnegan Bell and others…Music Hall…December 29…with Karen, Bob Cuddy, Kacey Milligan, Dave
Bathurst and Caroline Kahn
Jump Little Children with the Charleston
Symphony Orchestra…Music
Hall…December 30…<Usher>
2018
51 shows
Travis Tritt, solo acoustic…Music Hall…Jan.4…<Usher>
Women and the Grateful Dead…Lindsay Holler,
Hazel Ketchum, Adele Tobin, Alva Anderson, Clare Elich, Whitney Hanna, Aisha
Kenyatta, Leah Suarez, Christian Smalls, Jess Pennel with the Western Polaroids and the Hungry
Monks…Music
Hall…Jan. 12
Brian Culbertson ‘Color of Love’ tour…Music Hall…May 2…<Usher>
TRONDOSSA Music and Art Festival featuring Widespread Panic,
Sturgill Simpson, Margot Price and Big Something…Riverfront Park, N. Charleston…May 5, 2018
An Evening with David Crosby and friends..Sky Trail Tour..May 29. ..Music Hall<Usher>
Umphreys McGee/Perpetual Groove(3 songs)…The Grove @ Patriots Pont…May 31
Dead and Company…Lakewood Ampitheatre,,
Atlanta, Ga.…(with John
O, Lou, Chrissy and Chris) June 8
Dead and Company…Walnut Creek Ampitheatre,
Raleigh, NC… (with Lou,
Chrissy and Chris) June 9
Brian Setzer’s Rockabilly Riot/Miss MaryAnn
& the Ragtime Wranglers…Music
Hall….June 18…<Usher>
Bruce Hornsby and the Noisemakers/The Wood
Brothers…Gaillard
Auditorium…June 27…
River Craft 2018…Forty Mile Detour, Paul
Storm, Mikey from the Howard Stern show and Josh Jarman…Black Water on the Ashley…July 1
Lake Street Dive/Madisen Ward and Momma Bear…Music Hall…July 10…<Usher>
Grass in the Hall featuring the Marshgrass
Mamas/The Lowhills/Zoe’s child…Music
Hall…July 13…<Usher>
What’s going on? The music of Marvin Gaye by
Brian Owens…Music
Hall…July 14…<Usher>
Boy George and Culture Club/the B-52’s/Tom
Bailey of Thompson Twins…Volvo Car Stadium…July 20
Rodney Carrington…Music Hall…August
16…<Usher>
New Music Confab featuring Chase Bryant,
Austin Burke, Lauren Hall, Beam ,Blue Pickups…Music Hal…August 31…<Usher>
Holly Bowling/Reckoning…Pourhouse…Sept. 5…
Women and Beatles…Lindsay Holler, Hazel
Ketchum, Exavia Baxter, Erin Johns, Whitney Hanna, Lindsay Holler ,Zandrina Dunning
,Jordan Igoe, Amber Grace Joyner, Aisha Kenyatta with the Western Polaroids and
the Hungry Monks…Music
Hall…Sept.6
Outlaw Music Festival…Van
Morrison/Tedeschi-Trucks band…the
Pavillion at Montage Mountain, Scranton,Pa., Sept.14…with Steven Morse
Outlaw Music Festival…Willie Nelson and
family/the Tedeschi-Trucks band/Sturgill Simpson/Lucas Nelson and the promise
of the real/Greensky Bluegrass…PNC
Ampitheatre…Holmdel, NJ…Sept. 16
An evening with the Squirrel Nut Zippers…Sept.
29…Music Hall…<Usher>
Johnny Lang/Zeke Carney…Oct. 9…Music Hall…<Usher>
Blues Traveler/Animals Ear(didn’t see)…October 17…Music Hall…<Usher>
An evening with the Chris Robinson
Brotherhood…October
21…Music Hall
An evening with Collective Soul…Oct.28…Music Hall…<Usher>
Adam Devine/Comedian #1/Comedian #2…October29…Music Hall<Usher>
Neko Case/Jennifer Castle…Jan. 30…Music Hall…<Usher>
Pigeons playing Ping Pong/the Fritz/Wallace
Mullinax, Campbell Brown, Matty Thompson and Jonathan Peace…Feb. 5…the Pourhouse
Sugar Lime Blue…CommonHouse Ale Works…N. Chas…Feb 8
Jon Pardi, Waterloo Revival, Runaway
June…”Concert for the Kids/MUSC”…Feb. 12…Music
Hall…<Usher>
Women and Led Zepplin featuring Lindsay
Holler, Stephanie Underhill, Heather Emrick, Hazel Ketchum, Alva Anderson, Erin
Johns…Feb.
17…Music Hall
Jake Shimabukuro trio…Feb.18…Music Hall…<Usher>
An evening with Dawes: the Passport tour…Feb. 20…Music Hall…<Usher>
Everyone’s Dead featuring John
Kadlicek,Jeremy Schon (4P),Aaron Metzger (Disco Biscuits),George
Kelas(Revivalists), Jeff Mosier (Aquarium Rescue Unit) and Matt Butler on
drums…Pour
House…February 28
Experience Hendrix featuring Joe Satriani,Dave
Mustain,Johnny Lang, Zakk Wylde,Eric Johnson, Dweezil Zappa,Mato Nanji
(Indigenous) and Ana Popovic on lead
guitar. They were followed by Chris Layton (S.Ray Vaughn) and Kenny Aaronoff on
drums, Billy Cox, Doug Pinnick (King’s X) and Kevin McCormack on Bass. “The Slide Bothers” Calvin Cooke and Chuck Campbell
on lap steel guitars and Henri Brown on vocals…No.Chas PAC…March 8
***An evening with Mike Gordon at the Music Hall ,March 12,was supposed
to be #478…a friend had a medical emergency and we left for the hospital after two songs
Imagine Nation featuring Mercy
Me/Crowder/Micah Tyler…N.C
Coliseum…March 14,,,courtesy of Jeff Holt
An Evening with Hootie and the Blowfish…Music Hall…March 23…<Usher>
An evening with the Mavericks…Music
Hall…March 24…<Usher>
Kendall Street Company…US Whitewater training facility, Charlotte,NC…May 11
Awendaw Green in Summerville featuring the
Mike Gruend band, Pluff Mud String band and Fleming Moore…Carnes Crossroads Green Barn, Summerville, SC…May 19
Piccolo Spoletto’s Grass in the Hall
…Bluestone Ramblers,Marsh Grass Mamas and Red Cedar review…May 29…Music Hall…May 29…<usher>
Happy Together tour featuring the
Turtles,Chuck Negron of Three Dog Night, Gary Puckett, the Buckinghams, the
Classics IV and the Cowsills…Music
Hall…May 31…<Usher>
Yonder Mountain String band on the beach…the Windjammer, IOP, SC…June 2
Bruce Hornsby and the Noisemakers/Sam Abidon…Music
Hall…June 18
Slightly Stoopid/Matisyahu/Tribal
Seeds/Hirie…Riverfront
Park ~Old Charleston Naval Base…June 23
An evening with Wynonna and the Big Noise…Music Hall… June 27…<Usher>
Dead and Company…PNC Arena, Charlotte, N.C…June 28
Dead and Company…Lakewood Ampitheatre, Atlanta, GA.
I was 14 when Woodstock took place. It was 1969 and I was a freshman in high school back in Brooklyn, NY. I recall the posters on buses in Brooklyn advertising the festival and it’s lineup. Did I go? HELL NO!! As I said, I was 14 and my parents weren’t going to let me leave their sight. But when I was 16, they did let me and a group of high school friends take the subway into Manhattan for our first concert. And so it began…
My first show was Alvin Lee and Ten Years After at Madison Square Garden in November of 1971. Alvin Lee was huge at that time, having ridden his performance at Woodstock into a successful career. I quickly followed that with the Beach Boys at Carnegie Hall, Brewer and Shipley at Brooklyn College, Melaine in Central Park and the Allman Brothers at Gaelic Park (an old rugby stadium) in the Bronx, with an encore that included Jerry Garcia and Bob Weir. Five shows within eight months and I was off and running! What could be more fun than getting together with your friends and experiencing some live music in unique locations? We were history in the making and were having a good time to boot! Where do I start?
As it turns out, the music never stopped (a nod to the
Grateful Dead) and my life has been on a roller coaster called Rock and Roll
since then. Less than 50 years have led me to my 500th performance
and a chance to reflect on these experiences. When I look back on it all, I
realize how lucky I was to have been born in New York City. There were iconic
venues for live music everywhere! If you were going to make it big, you had to
play New York. When you did, you know you made it.
I was fortunate to grow up where I did and at that time in
music history. I had access to all sorts of artist and dozens of venues to see
them in. I saw eight shows during this time at the venerable Madison Square
Garden and more than twenty shows in Central Park at the seasonally vacated
Wollman Skating Rink. Shows in Central Park took place up to three times per
week and I often took in two or three shows in a week. More than thirty shows were seen on my
college campus and several more in upstate New York. Some of my best memories
include shows at Saratoga Performing Arts Center (SPAC), Barton Hall on the
Cornell campus, the Bottom Line in Manhattan and several grand old theatres in
Manhattan and the surrounding environs. That is in addition to the venues
previously mentioned here. The artists that I have been fortunate enough to see
are too numerous to mention here. I would only wind up leaving off a memorable
performance or two. Check out the document attached to this blog (The Music
Never Stopped) for a complete list of artists, venues and dates to back all
this up. Six years after I got the bug, I logged in more than one hundred (100)
shows and was able to graduate high school and college.
Then I got a JOB and everything changed. For the next thirty
years until 2008 I could only partake in the fun another hundred times.
However, during this stretch I witnessed Eric Clapton and Alvin Lee take the
stage with Asleep at the Wheel for some good old fashioned Texas swing! My
first music festival was most likely the, “Champagne Jam,” of 1979 in Atlanta.
Hosted by the Atlantic Rythem Section and headlined by Aerosmith, the show also
included The Cars, Mothers Finest and Whiteface. This period ushered in my
appreciation for the Fox Theatre on Peachtree Street in Atlanta. During two
separate stints living in Atlanta during the eighties I was able to enjoy Rock
royalty at the Fox. Some of the artists included Santana, the Grateful Dead,
the Allman Brothers band, Kenny Loggins, Warren Zevon, the Kinks with John
‘Cougar’ Mellencamp opening and Little Feat. I saw shows at the old
Philadelphia Spectrum during my stint working in Philly and have fond memories
of shows at Chastain Park in midtown Atlanta.
About ten years ago, it appears that things were headed in
my favor, allowing me to spend more time experiencing live music. I was now a
Charleston area resident for twenty years and had been living in our dream home
for about five of those years. I developed a group of friends with similar
interests and circumstances and the North of Fifty gang was born. North of Fifty was the moniker I used to
describe my concert going friends. I could always count on going with or
meeting up with a friend or five at most of the shows. Truth be told, if I want
to see someone bad enough, it matters little if anyone goes with me. I was
logging in more than a dozen shows each year.
It was in 2014 when a friend posed the question, knowing my
love of live music, why I wasn’t an usher at the Charleston Music Hall? My
response was that I didn’t know such an option existed. She put me in contact
with the right people and my tenure as a volunteer at the Music Hall began. It
was a life changing moment which opened the doors to experience as many shows
as my schedule allows. I now average a show a week over the course of the year.
By being part of the staff at the Music Hall, artists whom I had anything from
a curiosity of to being an ardent fan, were on my calendar!
Show number Three hundred came in Chicago on the Fourth of
July weekend in 2015. It was the opening night of the Grateful Dead’s
celebration of fifty years together, Fare
Thee Well. The performances would be the last time that the four remaining
members of the band performed together. Now a day, Phil Lesh leads bands
bearing his name and the remaining three members tour as Dead and Company.
It is that band, Dead and Company, that I saw at the
Lakewood Ampitheatre in Atlanta, Georiga on June 29th celebrating my Five
Hundredth show! Sports fans, that makes two hundred (200) shows experienced
in the last four years. While most of these have been viewed at the Charleston
Music Hall, we have several eclectic places to experience a band live in
Charleston! In the last four years, I’ve traveled out of state to see Dead and
Company (Atlanta, Charlotte and Raleigh), Van Morrison and the Tedeschi Trucks
band in Scranton, Pennsylvania (home of the Peach Festival), Willie Nelson’s
Outlaw Music Festival in Holmdel, New Jersey, and Phil Lesh and Friends at the
ancient Asbury Park Convention center in New Jersey.
I want to go on record as saying that while it’s a lot of
shows generally speaking, I have fellow ushers at the Music Hall who take in
70-100 shows a year if they want. And then there are some of my DeadHead
buddies; these road warriors have seen more Dead shows than I have seen shows.
Once I posed the question to several of them if they would like to venture a
guess as to the number of concerts seen. To a man, they couldn’t tell. Too many
shows, not too many drugs!
Reflecting on the great times I have experienced in the last
48 years, I marvel that 40% of the shows have taken place in less than 10% of
those years (Two hundred in four years). If I can keep up with the pace, and
there’s no reason I can’t, I could take in one thousand shows before my 75th
birthday. Now that’s a new year’s resolution I can get behind!
Allow me to shed some light on the next blog post/spreadsheet, “The Music Never Stopped.” When I was 17, I had the foresight to write down some data about the shows I was seeing. These musical memories were being recorded for my future review and admiration. I’ve had countless conversations with old and new friends for which I had to refer to this musical diary for confirmation of my memory. Old friends have reminded me of shows that we saw together in times past. I have kept up with the list after all these years, for which I am grateful. This post will likely be posted by the time you read this. If I could go back in time, I would have collected the show tickets for the ones I attended. Personally, I have a good friend who has a big basket of tickets for shows he was able to say that he was there!
With this blog, I am celebrating the Third anniversary of
this blog. My first blog was posted on July 17, 2016 as it introduced the blog
and laid out the “Why” that this blog was created. That first post was “How did
we get here”? I encourage you to peruse the different blogs and let us know what
you think.
We would love to hear about your concert habits, the great performances you saw and the great venues you’ve been to. We want to encourage you to comment on this or any blog I have published. We want to know what you like and what you don’t. Please LIKE our FB page, Do You Believe In Magic! You will receive an email when a new blog is posted and no spam! What’s stopping you?
There’s a packed crowd at the movie theatre for the premiere of, “Bohemian Rhapsody,” the Queen biopic. The crowd ranges in age from 12 to 88 or so. It’s a good bet that several in the audience will have their minds blown tonight watching the sheer stage presence of Freddie Mercury and his bandmates in Queen. While many, if not most of the audience have heard Queen on the radio or through their headphones, not many in the audience have ever seen them live.
What ensues is the discovery by many of a band they would
have followed had they lived ‘in the
day.’ The combination of seeing the live performance of the band along with
their story being told on the big screen exposes the band to a new world of
fans. New generations are discovering
what others got to experience firsthand in the band’s heyday. Queen t-shirts
are cool to wear in high school and college. Some are even buying their vinyl
records. While there is a band touring as Queen fronted by Adam Lambert, Brian
May and Roger Taylor, the movie is credited with making a new generation of
fans. Queen is a distinct example of a
band out of time in 2019!
A similar situation exists with the collaboration between
Paul McCartney and Kanye West back in 2015. The Beatle worked with the rapper
on Kanye’s singles, “Only One,” “All Day,” and “FourFive Seconds.” It was reported by several news sources, such
as AXS, that many of the rapper’s fans have no idea who Paul McCartney is,
referring to the Beatle as an unknown artist. “I don’t know who Paul McCartney
is, but Kanye is going to give this man a career with this new song,” tweeted a
Kanye follower. Another wrote, “Kanye has a great ear for talent. This Paul
McCartney guy is going to be huge,”(AXS.com). For fans of the rapper, in 2015
Paul McCartney became a Band out of time
to his many followers.
And then there is Dead and Company. They formed in the fall
of 2015 after the Grateful Dead’s 50-year celebration shows, “Fare the Well.”
Three original members of the Grateful Dead team up with guitarist/singer John
Mayer, Allman Brothers bassist Oteil Burbage and longtime pianist Jeff Chimenti
to form D&C. The Dead rise like a phoenix
from the ashes. There is a new generation or two anxious to sport their tye dye
shirt and play the music of the Dead. In addition, there are legions of John
Mayer fans anxious to find out what their favorite musician is all wrapped up
in. Grateful Dead cover bands are very popular, carrying on the band’s music to
generations of fans and a new audience. Dead and Company’s summer tour is
projected to be one of the Top Ten grossing tours on the road in 2019. To many
who were too young to have been to a Grateful Dead show, Dead and Company is a
Band out of Time to them. Here you have a band that had only one “hit” in Touch
of Grey in 1987 and they are bigger now than at any time in the past.
This phenomena, the band
out of time, can likely be credited to other bands. My hope is that by
sharing these stories, I will hear from the audience about other examples of
musicians and bands that are shining examples of a Band out of time! Could
Elton John be next? We welcome your
feedback!
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This past month brought a host of unique and great concerts to Charleston. In order, I took in the 2019 version of Experience Hendrix, Hootie and the Blowfish, the Mavericks, day one of the Charleston Bluegrass festival, and Bob Weir and the Wood Bros. Since they were great and unique performances, it seems unfair to highlight just one or two. I decided that I have something to say about each show. I hope that these artists come to your corner of the country soon as each show was worth seeing
First up was the
latest Experience Hendrix offering. I first saw this production back in 2012 at
the Performing Arts Center here in North Charleston and was blown away by the
quality and quantity of great performers assembled on one stage. This program
brings together great artists, paying homage to the musical influence of Jimi’s
amazing guitar playing, for more than three hours.
This year saw regulars Billy Cox (Jimi’s original bassist),
Dweezil Zappa, Eric Johnson, Mato Najii, Zakk Wyld and Johnny Lang joined
by Dave Mustane and Joe Satriani. The
Slide Brothers added lap steel along with drummers Chris Layton (Stevie Ray
Vaughn) and Kenny Aaronoff (Mellencamp among others) with Henri Brown on
vocals. They performed two sets of popular Hendrix hits and rarities along with
and a few cover tunes that Jimi performed in his own unique style. The
highlight of this show, for me, was Zakk Wylde’s performance. He is a monster
heavy metal guitarist and is known to leave the stage, performing in the
audience to an appreciative crowd. We sat in the fourth row of the upper area
of this 2300 seat arena and Zakk’s chord was able to reach us! He wailed on the
guitar as an appreciative audience caught it live on their phones, feet away
from the action. Having now seen three performances over the last seven years,
I can heartily endorse this show if it comes anywhere near you.
Hootie and the Blowfish are preparing for their first
full-scale tour in 20 years and took the stage at the intimate Charleston Music
Hall for a 90-minute private performance for a group of collegiate golfers and
supporters. Hootie has been sponsoring a collegiate golf tournament at nearby
private Bulls Bay Golf course for years. Tickets were distributed to all of the
participating teams and supporters along with friends of the band. The Blowfish
sounded great and are prepared for this summer’s cross-country tour. If your
plans are to see them this summer with the Barenaked Ladies, you won’t be
disappointed.
The next night, the Mavericks returned to the Music Hall for
their third visit in the last four years. These guys have been performing for
the last thirty years and they always bring the party with them. I wrote about
them back in October 2017 in a blog titled, “There’s a Party Going on at the
Mavericks Show.” For my money, they are one of the greatest acts I have
witnessed, consistently giving the audience their money’s worth. If you are not
familiar with their music, check them out on your favorite streaming service
and dial up this band. You too will be a convert.
The fifth annual Charleston Bluegrass festival was held at
the Charleston Woodlands, a pristine patch of land surrounded by lakes in the
heart of the Plantation district of Charleston. There were two dozen bands over
two days, headlined by Town Mountain on the second night and well represented
by local bands. Dr. Eddie White, the founder of Awendaw Green, is the Bill
Graham of Bluegrass music in this area. There are lots of Bluegrass Festivals
around the country and are worth looking into; but this one was inexpensive
($15-20 daily tickets), in a pleasant setting and offered up a varied lineup
each day. Bottom line, support local music. It gives back way more than it
costs.
That brings me to the last show of the month, Bob Weir
(Grateful Dead/Dead and Company) and the Wolf Bros. This ensemble consisted of
Weir on acoustic and electric rhythm guitar, Don Was on bass and Jay Lane on
the drums. This side project made North Charleston the final stop of their
spring tour. We were treated to a two and one-half hour, two set show. The band
featured classic Grateful Dead tunes, a few Bob Weir classics, and several
well-chosen covers. Just when a Deadhead believes that they have heard it all,
here comes the Wolf Bros. The three instrument arrangement gave us novel
interpretations of the songs most Deadheads cherish. The sparse arrangements
were designed to showcase the vulnerability of each musician while the songs
themselves challenged the trio to explore new ways to say what has been said
countless times before by the Grateful Dead family of musicians. This act won’t
be seen much this year but would be well worth catching them if they’re
anywhere near where you live.
What shows that you attended this past March was memorable
for you? We would love if you would share your experiences with our audience.
Give us the details in the reply box below.
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#ExperienceHendrix #HootieandtheBlowfish #theMavericks
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Talk about having a tough choice to
make for a show to highlight! This past month I took in performances by Pigeons
Playing Ping Pong, Jake Shimbakuro, Dawes, the Everyone Orchestra performing a
Grateful Dead tribute and the local series Women and…Led Zepplin.
Being blown away by performances at either end of the calendar, I’m highlighting Pigeons Playing Ping Pong on the 5th and the Everyone Orchestra on the 28th, both at the Charleston Pourhouse. Neither are household names but both are extraordinary performers. Pigeons (4P) are from Baltimore, Maryland and have been together for a decade, gaining an ever-larger audience as they constantly tour and move up the lineup at summer festivals. Their music is funk and rock with such an infectious beat and high energy level it makes you dance! They gave the audience two and one-half hours of originals mixed with a few covers- and leave you exhausted but happy. Vocal duties are aptly handled by Greg Durmont and they have an amazing young guitarist, Jeremy Schon. Along with Alex P on drums and Ben Carrey on bass, this quartet is fun to listen to and dance with! Check out their latest album, “Pizazz,” or previous releases, “Pleasure, Psychology and the Funk EP.” All were self-released, including the live album, “The Great Outdoors.” If you hear that they are playing in your town, I would get a ticket before they sell out as they have here in Charleston twice in the last seven months.
Everyone’s Dead at the Charleston Pourhouse, stage leftEveryone’s Dead, stage right
The other show that moved the needle
for me and many of my friends in attendance was the Everyone Orchestra. The
title is given to an ever-changing lineup of musicians selected from the jam
band and funk world and is led by conductor Matt Butler. This is the kind of
show that falls under the radar as the name of the band escapes most
concertgoers. I have seen this tour in Charleston twice in the last two
years and only the conductor/MC remains a constant. Even if they come to your
town next week, chances are the lineup will be somewhat different than it was
the week before. Musicians come and go, but the spirit of improvisational rock
remains the main thread of any performance. On this visit to Charleston, they
decided to give us an evening of Grateful Dead classics on the opening night,
hence the name Everyone Dead. Led by John Kadlicek, former lead guitarist and
vocalist from Furthur, they perform energetic versions of the Dead’s music.
Along for the ride, this night was Aron Magner, keyboardist of the Disco
Biscuits, Jeremy Schon of the 4P (above), George Kekas, bassist of the
Revivalists, Jeff Mosier, electric banjo from the Aquarium Rescue Unit and Matt
Butler on the drums.
When you’ve heard one GD cover band, you want to hear the others, too! For me, the first set highlights were renditions of They Love Each Other, Althea, Bertha, New Minglewood Blues and the set closer Dear Mr. Fantasy>I Know You Rider. During their second high energy set, they gave us Deal, Black Muddy River, Friend of the Devil, Me and my Uncle, He’s Gone and Brown-eyed Women. Rather than an encore, after band introductions, they closed with Franklin’s Tower. If you’re not a Deadhead, the song list won’t matter much. Great performances of favorite tunes have always proved to be the difference between a good and great show. On this Thursday night in an intimate setting, we were treated to a great performance. I highly recommend taking in this troupe if they come to your own in the future. You just might become a fan!
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One of my New Year’s resolutions that has been tough to keep, is to post a review of a favorite show each month. I think the bar is set at 6 monthly reviews. Let’s see if I can top that this year. It’s not for a lack of shows to choose from. No more excuses so here goes.
I was fortunate to take in six
performances this past month. Among the shows were local faves Forty Mile
Detour, the Traveling McCourys’ and the Jeff Austin Band, Bela Fleck and
Abagail Washburn, Black Jacket Symphony’s performance of Queen’s, Night
at the Opera and Neko Case. This was a month of stellar performances
that are tough to separate. But the best of the best to my soul was Greensky
Bluegrass at the Charleston Music Hall. If you’re not familiar with the band,
here’s what you want to know. The band originates from Kalamazoo, MI, forming
in 2000. They just released their seventh album of original music, “About
the Money.” The band is a prodigious performer, doing up to 175 shows
annually. The lineup includes Michael Bont (banjo and vocals), Anders Beck
(Dobro), Paul Hoffman (mandolin and vocals), Mike Devol (bass and vocals), and
Dave Bruzza (guitar and vocals). It was nice to have a band who can sell out
Red Rocks in Colorado perform in the intimate setting of the Music Hall (965
seats).
The band makes a mighty sound with bluegrass instruments. Yes, they can sound like a bluegrass band at the Grand Ole Opry for a few tunes; then they put the instruments in overdrive and can soar high and wide, as loud as any rock band. The vocals blend well and are enjoyable to listen to. Song titles mean little when introducing a band to a varied audience, but suffice is to say that the songs are well-crafted, the lyrics are fun, and the sound runs the gamut from blue to sonic grass. This band loves to perform and it showed. They gave the sold-out audience two one hour plus performances and an encore! Two and one-half hours of high energy rock and bluegrass is what awaits you. If this band comes to your town, be there…and buckle up!
When I was growing up, Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis were amongst the biggest stars in the entertainment industry. They were stars of music and movies and they had family that wanted to follow in their footsteps. As it turned out, both of Frank Sinatra’s children (Nancy and Frank Jr.) had some success as singers. Dino, Desi and Billy were popular from 1964-1969. Dino was Dean Martin’s son and Desi was the son of Desi Arnez (Ricky Ricardo) and Lucille Ball. Jerry Lewis’s son, Gary had success as Gary Lewis and the Playboys. There were other offspring from major stars that tried to make their mark in the entertainment industry from that time but few had any real success. This brings us to the subject of this blog…
Back in April (2018) I saw Dweezil Zappa in concert here in Charleston. Dweezil is the son of the late Frank Zappa and an accomplished, no, amazing guitarist in his own right. Born in 1969, he learned guitar from Eddie Van Halen and Steve Vai and released his first single at age 12. In the late 1980’s, he was an MTV DJ. He played in various bands along the way and in 2006 he began touring as, “Zappa plays Zappa,” honoring his dad’s music while bringing it to a new generation of fans. Dweezil has appeared several times in the traveling All Star tribute, “Experience Hendrix.” While he’s not a chart topper, he continues to fill halls and clubs honoring the music of his late father and has a loyal and growing following.
This got me to thinking about the offspring of some of rock’s most famous musicians and where they are making their mark in the music and entertainment industry. Today’s blog is not to be all inclusive but I wanted to highlight what some of our favorite musicians’ children are up to these days. I will overlook some out of ignorance and others out of time restraint. However, I would welcome any info you may have that shines the light of the offspring of a favorite musician.
To begin with, John Lennon has two children and both have had some To begin with, John Lennon has two children and both have had some commercial success. In my opinion, his oldest son, Julian, has had more success than half-brother Sean. Julian is the son of Julia Lennon, born in 1963 in Liverpool. He was the inspiration of several Beatles’ tunes including, “Hey, Jude,” and, “Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds.”He began his solo career in 1984 and had a hit with, “Too Late for Goodbye,”where he sounds a lot like his father. His last album came out in 2014. He has had success in business outside of his music. Sean is the son of Yoko and was born in 1975 in NYC. He performed in the Plastic Ono Band with his parents and in a number of little known bands. He has released two albums, “Into the Sun,” (1998) and, “Friendly Fire,” (2006). His most recent project is the Claypool (Les) Lennon Delirium. Last October they released, “South of Reality,” which can be found on most music services.commercial success. In my opinion, his oldest son, Julian, has had more success than half-brother Sean. Julian is the son of Julia Lennon, born in 1963 in Liverpool. He was the inspiration of several Beatles’ tunes including, “Hey, Jude,” and, “Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds.”He began his solo career in 1984 and had a hit with, “Too Late for Goodbye,”where he sounds a lot like his father. His last album came out in 2014. He has had success in business outside of his music. Sean is the son of Yoko and was born in 1975 in NYC. He performed in the Plastic Ono Band with his parents and in a number of little known bands. He has released two albums, “Into the Sun,” (1998) and, “Friendly Fire,” (2006). His most recent project is the Claypool (Les) Lennon Delirium. Last October they released, “South of Reality,” which can be found on most music services.
Bob Dylan’s most famous family member has to be son, Jacob, who was born in 1969. He had critical and commercial success with The Wallflowers in 1992 with the hit, “One Headlight,” and other tunes from the album, “Bringing Down the House.” Here’s hoping that we hear more from him and that his voice doesn’t degenerate as his father’s has.
Fans of the Allman Brothers have a trio of the band’s
offspring who have embraced their fathers’ legacies and are making their mark
in the business. Devon Allman, son of Greg, was born in 1972. He is a
multi-instrumentalist and has a fine singing voice. He toured for years with Devon
Allman’s Honeytribe and is currently touring with Dickey Betts’ son, Duane, who
was born in 1983. Their band, the Devon Allman Project, appear to have a bright
future as musicians. Recently, they have welcomed Berry Oakley, Jr. (1973), son
of original bassist Berry Oakley, on the stage to play with them. Stay tuned
for what they have to offer lovers of live music.
The brightest light in the Allman Brothers’ universe belongs to Derek Trucks, nephew of original ABB drummer Butch Trucks. Derek was born in 1979 and impressed the Rock and Roll world as a teenager, sitting in with numerous artists and bands, he joined the Allman Brothers Band in 1999 and remained with them until the band called it quits in 2014. He started the Tedeschi-Trucks Band in 2010 with his wife Susan Tedeschi. She is an accomplished singer and guitar player. Their big band of 10 or more is a staple of the summer festival circuit. Their debut album, “Revelator,” won a Grammy award for Best Blues Album in 2012. Theirs’ is a performance not to be missed.
If you’re an Eagles fan, you have to be excited about the next generation. On their recent tour the band unveiled two new Eagles, Vince Gill and Deacon Frye. If the names are familiar, Deacon is the son of the late Glenn Frye. Born in 1993, he joined the band in 2017 and has been getting critical acclaim for his guitar playing and his voice. Check out a YouTube video of, “Peaceful Easy Feeling.” During the most recent tour, Will Henley, Don’s 20 year-old-son, played guitar out of the spotlight while waiting to enroll in college.
Another rising star is Lukas Nelson, son of American treasure, Willie Nelson. Born in 1989, he has toured with his father’s band as well as his own band, the Promise of the Real (POTR). On this summers’ traveling Outlaw Music Festival, Lukas played with his dad’s band as well as his own. He and POTR are also serving as the back-up band for Neil Young on his latest album and tour dates. Willie’s youngest son, Micah, born in 1990, has his own band Particle Kid. While Lukas is more in the vein of his father’s country roots, Micah is a visual artist with more of a jazzy, folk-a-delic edge to his music. Particle Kid released their latest album, “Everything is Bullshit,” in 2017.
The Grateful Dead family has two rising stars in music and
entertainment. Phil Lesh, the oldest member of the band, turns 79 in March. His
son, Grahame, plays lead and rhythm guitar in his own band Midnight North and
as part of the Terrapin Family Band (his dad’s band). He was born in 1987 in
the latter days of the Grateful Dead. The Terrapin Family Band is the house
band at Terrapin Crossroads, father Phil’s music venue in Marin County, Ca.
Justin Kreutzman is the son of GD drummer Bill Kreutzman. Born in 1970, he ran
around backstage during the heyday of the band’s rise to legendary status.
Justin took a different path in life, embracing the art of movie making. As a
filmmaker and documentarian, his credits include Executive Producer of, “The
Other One: The Long Straight Trip of Bob Weir,” and co-producer with Martin
Scorsese of the Grateful Dead documentary, “Long Straight Trip.” He has also
been behind the camera for reality shows, “The Bachelor,” and, “The
Bachelorette,” as well as many rock documentaries.
Now that you have reached the end of this blog chapter, it is my hope that you are saying, “How could he have left out…..?” I would love to hear about other siblings worth noting. Just let me know who I should research. This subject has the possibility of an encore.
Do You Believe in Magic 