Face it, birthdays are celebrated in so many ways. Some ignore them and some have over the top celebrations that may spill over several days! The older people get, the more likely it is that they downplay or even ignore their birthdays. You can have your cake, stripper-grams and well wishes. For me, it’s going to a concert on or near my birthday that puts the cherry on top of the sundae! But it’s not as easy as it may seem.

It all started when I was in college. I celebrated my 19^th birthday with the first of 5 birthday shows over the last 40+ years. On February 24, 1974 I saw Yes (Rock-n-Roll Hall of Fame 2017) at Barton Hall on the campus of Cornell University in Ithaca, NY. It was a memorable show for a myriad of reasons that have nothing to do with the theme of this blog. This began a short run of birthday shows that fell on my birthday.

Next up the following year, on February 24, 1975, I was able to see Jethro Tull at the Syracuse War Memorial, NY. Ian Anderson and company were at the height of their popularity back in the ‘70’s. The following year, on February 24, 1976 I took in Joni Mitchell (RnR HoF 1997) with Tom Scott and the LA Express at the same venue. Tom Scott not only was the opening act, his was the back-up band for Joni Mitchell! This was the last of three birthday shows, in a row.

Fast forward 15 years and the stars aligned for another birthday show. This time it was acoustic guitar virtuoso Tommy Emanuel in my first show at the Charleston Music Hall on February 24,2012! If you have never seen Tommy live, his performance would be enjoyed by anyone who likes popular music. He is a virtuoso on the guitar and admired by musicians and fans the world over! Chet Atkins referred to Tommy as a complete guitar player…quite a compliment coming from a master of the guitar.

Five years hence, on Feb. 24, 2017, I brought 20 of my friends to the Music Hall for a local production, “Women and the Rolling Stones”. Local ladies have been producing this series for the last four years as they interpret the music of various artists. Women and the Stones did not disappoint!

There has to be a time limit to when to call one a birthday show.  For me, it was always up to three days either side of my birthday. Using this as my guide, my first near birthday show was the Boss, Bruce Springsteen (RnR HoF 1997), at the Omni in Atlanta, February 23, 1981. A great show (when has Bruce ever done a bad show?)! It was then six years later when a show that I wanted to see was scheduled near my birthday. It was February 26, 1987 back at the Omni during my second stint living in Atlanta. Genesis (RnR HoF 2010), with Phil Collins singing lead and playing the drums, put on one hell of a show that night.

On February 25, 2015 I got to celebrate my birthday with the Tedeschi –Trucks Band at the North Charleston Performing Arts Center. Susan Tedeschi and Derek Trucks front an 11-piece band that never fails to deliver a great performance. The following year, on February 25, 2016 I enjoyed ‘Experience Hendrix’ at the Gaillard Center in Charleston. Experience Hendrix is a variety show bringing together a wide and varied assembly of great rock musicians and guitar wizards. This year, on February 27, 2018, I added Eric Johnson as his original band celebrated the 40^th anniversary of Au via Musicom with a performance at the Charleston Music Hall.

If you have similar interests, I would love to hear about memorable birthday shows! Getting a show that you want to see fall on or near your birthday is not an easy feat if you don’t live in or near a major city. As my tally demonstrates, it’s only happened to me five times on my birthday and five more near my birthday in forty-seven years! How about you?   #Do you believe in Magic? #YES #TommyEmanuel #CharlestonMusicHall #JethroTull

 
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When I first concocted the idea of a monthly concert for the blog, I saw it as a way to highlight an artist whose performance moved me. It should be easy to recognize a concert as being a cut above the rest. Looking back at January, I have concluded that spotlighting one show was not going to do justice to the two other gems I saw this past month. Let me elaborate. Continue reading →

This past year I made two resolutions for 2017…lose ten pounds and see 52 performances in 52 weeks. Mission accomplished on both parts. If you will indulge me for a few minutes, I would like to look back on this past year’s 53 performances and reflect on some of the most memorable.  Lists such as this are very subjective, based on the musical taste of the individual. Why not give me your feedback on shows you saw that left a great impression on you? Do You Believe in Magic? Continue reading →

Imagine going to a concert to see the original Beatles, Lynard Skynard or Stevie Ray Vaughn perform with live musicians and holograms of the deceased. How would it feel to capture the magic that many of us never got to experience the first time around? You may be able to answer this question very soon. Continue reading →

The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame has announced the slate of nominees for induction in 2018. Everyday fans  like us can vote to reward deserving artists with this award.

This year’s nominees are: Bon Jovi,Kate Bush,The Cars, Depeche Mode,Dire Straits,Eurythmics, J. Geils band, Judas Priest , LL Cool J, the MC 5, the Meters, Moody Blues, Radiohead, Rage Against the Machine , Rufus featuring Chaka Khan, Nina Simone, Sister Rosetta Tharpe, Link Wray and the Zombies. Go to rockhall.com to vote for those you find deserving! You can vote one time daily until they close the voting…exercise your right!!

Guitar Slinger Warren Haynes completed his 2000^th show with his band, Government Mule, earlier this summer. That would be a milestone in most any musician’s career, but Gov’t. Mule is just one component of a career that has included nearly 25 years with the Allman Brothers Band, tours with members of the Grateful Dead and slots on many summer time festival stages. Warren has played with SO MANY artists from all walks of the musical universe and yet his name and his stellar reputation may not be known to all…until now!

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If you’re over 40, you know the song…it’s a one hit wonder from 1969. In fact, Rolling Stone readers voted it the #3 greatest One Hit Wonder of the Rock Era! You’ve heard it countless times on the radio and you may have also heard it as part of a movie soundtrack since the late 80’s. But do you that it’s one of the most played tunes at funerals for Baby boomers and people of faith? Step inside and read about the story behind the song.

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Has this happened to you? It’s announced that one of your favorite performers is coming to town and tickets will go on sale in a few days. You make note of it in your calendar but something prevents you from being in front of your computer at the assigned time. You log in an hour later or the next day, only to find that seats are at least twice the cost that they were originally advertised. What the hell just happened? Continue reading →

The summer music festival season took flight this weekend with Wanee in Florida, Sweetwater 420 in Atlanta, Georgia and the inaugural High Water in Charleston, South Carolina, among others. Over the years, music festivals have gone main  stream and became big business. Any similarity to the Woodstock Music and Arts Festival is purely coincidental.

How did we get here? Let’s take a look at the music festival history for some perspective. While many may believe Woodstock started it all, I believe the Newport (RI) Jazz Festival (1954) was the first to offer music by multiple artists on consecutive days, all in one location. In 1959, the Newport Folk Festival was begun as a companion to the Jazz Festival. Although the festivals have moved their locations over the years (they haven’t always been in Newport, R.I.), they still continue to this day. In 1967, the Monterey Pop Festival (there will be a 50^th Anniversary show June 16-18 this year) left an indelible mark on Rock and Roll history; and then in 1969, Woodstock birthed a whole new generation of musicians and fans. The world was never the same after that.

These early festivals and the stadium shows which they gave way to scared many of the communities where they were hosted. It became tougher for promoters to secure large enough locations for the rabid throngs that could fill these venues. Logistics were a nightmare for many of these shows. Promoters went to work to create a viable model to showcase the musical talent of the day, please the communities that hosted them, and of course, satisfy the fans. There was money to be made on these large stadium shows and weekend festivals, if they did it right.

Among the successes of the modern era of festivals are Lollapalooza (Chicago 1991), Coachella (Indio, California 1999), Bonnaroo (Manchester, Tennessee 2002) and Lock’en (Southern Virginia, 2013). There are festivals weekly from coast to coast from now through October. Charleston has hosted Zac Brown Band’s Southern Ground Music Festival for five years. So what is the draw and why are these festivals accepted and successful?

To begin with, they are generally well run affairs with multiple stages offering music that adheres to the schedule. When one band ends on one stage, the band on the next stage strikes their first chords and gives it their all for their allotted time. There’s camping of all styles at many of these locations, lots of food and beverage options and adequate facilities to handle the crowds. You will find lots of creature comforts that you can take advantage of; every festival offers a VIP experience for those who have the funds for that! The fans get a great mix of artists and genres to satisfy most peoples’ taste. Big name acts draw the numbers and expose their fans to musicians and artists they might never otherwise get to see. Considering what you pay for a ticket, it can be a great value if you take in many of these artists.

Depending on where you live across the country, there’s a festival nearby that you can take in this summer. We would love to hear about your favorite festival experiences, learn more about the ones you love and hate and why! We will share this feedback with our readers in an effort to help everyone in their pursuit of a real good time! You can leave a comment and tell us what you like and hate and why!

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“The magic is in the music and the music is in me” John Sebastian 1965

**The photo in the article is an aerial view of the Woodstock Music and Arts Festival. Organizers had expected a crowd of 50,000 but 400,000 showed up. Oh, and 1 stage…Houston, we have a problem…**