music

The Second 500 shows!

Back in 2019, I published a blog celebrating  having gone to 500 concerts in my lifetime. Now, its 2026 and I am celebrating having been to 1000 concert performances!

It took me 48 years to see 500 concert performances and once I accomplished this goal, it only took me 7 years to see the second 500 performances. How was this possible and how can I definitely make this statement?

Let me take you back to the beginning. In 1971, I was a high school junior when I got the green light from my parents to attend my first concert. The venue was the original Madison Square Garden in midtown Manhattan and the headliner was Alvin Lee and Ten Years After. Six months or so later, I had taken in about 10 concerts. The thought then occurred to me that that I should document them on a list written on good old lined paper. I was enjoying the live music experience and believed that I would want to see many, many more concerts. It wasn’t until many years later when I decided to transfer the list to computer. That move  ensured that there would be a record, saved for perpetuity.

Understand this, I have many friends who have seen many more concerts in their lifetime than I have. The difference is that I documented the show details while the rest have not. I have friends with boxes and baskets of concert tickets to validate their love of live music yet I have never encountered another individual who has documented their journey through modern rock, jazz, country and all of their subsets.

Back in 2019, I was proud to have reached the 500 mark. That averaged out to 10 shows annually. That wasn’t too big of a mountain to climb for a young guy. But through the years, there was a JOB that sometimes interfered with my desire to see a show. Then, there was the matter of raising two children, which was my priority. Some years were lean and a few were bypassed altogether.

In 2015, I was fortunate to be added to the staff at the Charleston Music Hall in downtown Charleston, SC. This theater has nearly 1000 seats and can accommodate up to 1200 for a General Admission show. Initially, I volunteered to work concerts and performances put on at the theater. The staff was able to stay and watch the show after our shift ended. This opened the door to exploring artists, known and unknown. Once we worked ten shows, we were able to request two tickets to an upcoming show. The “comps” were appreciated. Over the years, I took the opportunity to experience new artists and enjoy established performers. Along the way, I documented these shows in a file titled “The Music Never Stopped” which is also a song by the Grateful Dead.

Over the years, I met many people, now friends, who shared the love of live music that I have embraced. When you are surrounded by like minded individuals, you have friends to go to shows with! Concerts are better when you share the experience with others. People started sharing extra tickets that they had for upcoming shows. Friends became travel companions and road trips became a regular occurrence. My family members share the love of live music with me, maybe not to my extent, but they came along for the ride.

Over the nearly 40 years that I have lived in Charleston, SC the music scene has evolved and new venues have been erected, giving life to performance spaces as small as 100 people to open air venues hosting 10-20,000. Not all of the 500 shows that I have been to since 2019 have been here in my adopted hometown, though.

My travels have taken me to seven states and to many iconic venues. In these last few years, I have been fortunate to see shows at Red Rocks (CO), the Ryman Auditorium (TN), Oracle Park in San Francisco, the State Farm Arena in Atlanta and the Sphere in Las Vegas. I’ve also seen shows at various amphitheaters in NC, SC, GA and Florida.

During these last 500 shows, I have seen more than 530 artists as headliners, opening acts and as part of many festival lineups. Of those artists, more than 110 have been seen two or more times in the past seven years. 34 performances were comedians, nearly all of those shows were at the Charleston Music Hall.

The ten artists whom I have seen the most during this stretch find local Grateful Dead tribute band, Reckoning(#1), taking top honors with 16 shows.

2) local Americana band Forty Mile Detour, with 12 performances

3) Dead and Company with 9 performances

4) the Marshgrass Mamas (local all women Bluegrass band led by Cary Ann Hearst) 8 shows

5)Tedeschi Trucks band, 7 concerts

6) Doghouse Road, Local blues band including Eddie Phillips, 7 shows

7) Billy Strings, 6 jamming performances

8) Yonder Mountain String band,6 concerts

9) Shovels and Rope(Cary Ann Hearst and Michael Trent) 6 shows

10) South Carolina Blues Alliance, a local blues band featuring Eddie Phillips, 6 shows

Peruse the list below for all of the last 500 shows. Perhaps we were at the same show? I’d love to hear from you regarding a particular show or performer.

The next 500!

  • An evening with the Terrence Young band…July 6,2019…Music Hall
  • Forty Mile Detour…Coastal Coffee Roasters…July 12
  • SC Blues Alliance featuring Eddie Phillips and Juke Joint Johnny…July 15…Montreux Bar…Summerville
  • Perpetual Groove Acoustic…July 19…Pourhouse
  • Blue Sphere…July 26…Studio 117, Summerville
  • Josh Butler trio…July 28…Music Hall…<Usher>>
  • Wheels of Soul tour …Tedeschi Trucks band/Blackberry Smoke/Shovels and Rope…August 4…Volvo Car Stadium
  • KISS/performance artist David Garabaldi…August 8…NC Coliseum
  • Gavin DeGraw…August 15…Music Hall…<Usher>>
  • Forty Mile Detour/Chance and Circumstance…August17… Studio 117, Summerville
  • Toad the Wet Sprocket/Terra Lightfoot…August 19…Music Hall…<Usher>>
  • An evening with Richard Marx…August 22…Music Hall…<Usher>>
  • Keller Williams…August 30…the Pourhouse
  • The Indigo Girls with Heather McIntyre…. Music Hall…       Sept. 8 <Usher>>
  • Drew Holcomb and the Neighbors/Bird talker…Music Hall… Oct.2 <Usher>>
  • Shovels and Rope/Majic Dust…Music Hall…Oct. 5…<Usher>>
  • ZZ Top 50th Anniversary tour/Cheap Trick/Frankie and the Witch Fingers…Volvo Car Stadium…October 9
  • Chris Botti…Music Hall…Oct.17…<Usher>>
  • Allman Betts Band/Joanne Shaw Taylor/JD Simo…Music Hall…Oct.23…<Usher>>
  • Melvin Seals and the JGB with John Kadlicek… Pourhouse…Oct. 26…with the usual suspects
  • “Dark Side of the Dead”-Cosmic Charlie. The Wizard of Oz with Dark Side of the Moon performed live & sets of Dead & Floyd …Music Hall…November 10
  • The Woodlands Music and Arts festival featuring Umphrey’s McGee/Spafford/The Movement/Robotrio/Voodoo Visionary/Heather Gillis…The Woodlands…Nov.8
  • Wrennstock 2019…Haley Mae Campbell…Lauren Hall…Warrick McZeke…Randall Fowler…Ray Wrenn…                     Ashley Hamilton…James Webber…The Channel at Bowen, Hanahan, SC…November 9
  • Alice Cooper” Old Black Eyes is back” …NC PAC…November 14…Lou Pfeiffer birthday present
  • SC Blues Alliance w/Eddie Phillips and Juke Joint Johnny…Montreux Bar…November 18
  • An evening with Aaron Neville…Music Hall…November 21…<Usher>>
  • Forty Mile Detour…Commonhouse Aleworks, N.C. …November 22
  • Blue Dogs 7th annual Homecoming with Special Guests Jer/y Douglas/Greg Humphreys/David Ezell/Finnagen Bell/Sean Kelly/Mitchell Lee/Fayssoux Starling McLean/Patrick Davis/Jesse Rice…Music Hall…December 29…<Usher>   >   

2020 shows (48 shows)

  • Lettuce/Delvan Lamar Organ Trio…Music Hall…January 4…<Usher>>
  • Grace Potter/Devon Gilfallin…Music Hall…January 8…<Usher>>
  • Forty Mile Detour…Coastal Coffee Roasters…January 10
  • St. Paul and the Broken Bones/She returns from War …Music Hall…January 20…<Usher>>
  • Women and Willie featuring Hazel Ketchum, Lindsay Holler, Jordan Igoe, Crystal Halverson…Music Hall…January 25
  • Kathleen Madagin…Music Hall…February 7… <Usher>>
  • Tesla/Bad Marriage and Red Reign… Music Hall…February 17…<Usher>>
  • An evening with Amy Grant…Music Hall…February 27…<Usher>>
  • Tommy Emanuel/Ida Mae…Music Hall…February 28
  • An evening with Gary Gulman…Music Hall…March 1…<Usher>                                                                                                                                     >                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              
  • Bob Weir and the Wolf Bros/Emmy Lou Harris, Margo Price, Jamey Johnson, Buddy Miller. Russ Pahl, Katey Pruitt, Frankie Ball, Jimmy Hall, Dave Cobb…the Ryman Auditorium, Nashville, Tn…. March 8. fundraiser for Mid-Tenn. Tornado relief fund
  • Sturgill Simpson/Tyler Childers…NC Coliseum…March 10
  • Forty Mile Detour…Coastal Coffee Roasters…March 13…Last show before Coronavirus shelter in place was issued
  • Forty Mile Detour…Holy City Brewery…May15…first show after Coronavirus shelter in place was lifted
  • Midnight City band…the Windjammer…May 25, Memorial Day
  • Reckoning …Chas. Pourhouse deck…May 30
  • Dallas Baker and Friends…Chas. Pourhouse deck…June 20
  • Runaway Gin, a Phish tribute…Chas. Pourhouse deck…July11
  • Reckoning (Jerry Garcia B’day wknd) …Chas. Pourhouse deck…July 31
  • Larry Keel Experience…JG B’day wknd.) …Chas. Pourhouse deck…August 1
  • Forty Mile Detour quartet and friends…Homegrown Brewhouse, Summerville, SC…August 21
  • Reckoning (two shows) …. Chas. Pourhouse deck…August 223
  • Forty Mile Detour…Oak Road Brewery…August 28
  • Fleming Moore presents a House party featuring George ‘Foxy G’ Fox, Eric Barnett and Fleming Moore…Summerville, SC…August 29
  • Schema…Chas. Pourhouse…August 29
  • ROBOTRIO…Chas. Pourhouse…September 5
  • Forty Mile Detour…Oak Road Brewery…September 11
  • Marshgrass Mamas…Charleston Pourhouse…September 19
  • The Grateful Brothers…Charleston Pourhouse…Sept. 25
  • Josh Mitchum…Oak Road Brewery…October 2
  • Yonder Mountain String band…Windjammer Beach stage …October 6
  • SUSTO…the Bend, N. Chas., October 9,2020…<Parking lot>>
  • The Acoustic Syndicate…the Pourhouse…Oct 10
  • Aretha Franklin tribute feat. Black Noyse/Black Diamond… The Bend…October16…<Parking lot>> PL
  • Keller Williams…Charleston Pourhouse…Oct. 17
  • Baysik…the Windjammer…Oct. 23
  • Shovels and Rope at the Bend…Oct.24…<PL>>
  • Marcus King trio at the Bend…Oct. 25…<PL>>
  • St. Paul and the Broken Bones at the Bend…Oct.30…<PL>>
  • St. Paul and the Broken Bones at the Bend…Oct.31…<PL>>
  • Jason Isbell and Amanda Shires at the Bend…Nov. 6…<PL>>
  • The Traveling Kine album release party/Josh Roberts…CMH re-opening…Charleston Music Hall (CMH)…Nov. 12<Usher>>
  • The Traveling McCoury’s ‘Grateful Ball’…Charleston Pourhouse…Nov. 13
  • Jon Reep/XXX YYY…Charleston Music Hall…Nov.20<Usher>>
  • Cosmic Charlie…the Pourhouse…Dec. 4
  • Morantz Christmas show…Charleston Music Hall…Dec. 12<Usher>>
  • Nameless Numberhead Improv Comedy show featuring Walter and Maree…Charleston Music Hall…Dec.16<Usher>>
  • Reckoning all request show…the Pourhouse…Dec. 19      

2021 shows (55 shows)

  • The Grateful Brothers…the Pourhouse…Jan.16
  • Downtown Abbey and the Echoes…Montreux Bar…               Fleming Moore…Homegrown Brewhouse…Jan. 22
  • Perpetual Groove…the Pourhouse…Feb. 13
  • Cosmic Charlie…the Pourhouse…Feb. 19
  • Charleton Singleton quintet playing R&B and Jazz… The Charleston Music Hall…Feb.25…<Usher>>
  • Rumours~the Fleetwood Mac tribute…Charleston MusicHall…March 5…<Usher>>
  • Same as it ever Was…the Pourhouse…March 19
  • Grass in the Hall featuring The Lowhills, Chatham Rabbits and Boonie Bevins…Charleston Music Hall…March 20…<Usher>>
  • Billy Strings…St. Augustine Ampitheatre, Fl…March 21
  • Charleton Singleton quintet featuring Mark Sternbach, Quinton Baxter, Ferd Berfle and Mad Max…Charleston Music Hale. March 24…<Usher>>
  • Gimme Hendrix tribute…the Pourhouse…March 27
  • Big Something…the Pourhouse…April 9
  • Robert Earl Kean/Waylon Payne…Around the Bend, N.Chas. …April 10…<Parking lot crew>>
  • Ranky Tanky/Demetrius Doctor Trio featuring the Wives… Around the Bend, N.Chas., April 11…<Parking lot crew>>
  • Reggae night featuring Mystic Vibrations, Dubplates and Super Reggae man…Around the Bend, N. Chas., April 17…<Parking lot crew>>
  • The Infamous Stringdusters…Pourhouse parking lot…Charleston…April 25
  • Charleton Singleton does the 70’s…Around the Bend, N. Chas., May 11…<Parking lot crew>>
  • BRANDON “Taz” Neiderour Funk Revue…Pourhouse Main stage…May 27
  • Fitz and the Tantrums/Bree Kennedy…Around the Bend…May 29…<Parking lot crew>>
  • The Steeldriver/Blue Stone Ramblers duo…Around the Bend N. Chas…June 5…<Parking lot crew>>
  • Midnight North with Phil Lesh sitting in for four song encores …the Pourhouse…June 4…with Karen, Lou & Chrissy Pfeiffer, Chris White and Jim Garvey
  • Amethyst Kine/XXXXX…Charleston Music Hall…June 16…>>Usher>>
  • Tedeschi-Trucks band…The Bend…June 24…<Parking lot crew>>
  • Tedeschi-Trucks band…The Bend…June 25…with John Oechsner, Steve Morse, Michael Turner and Brian Reed
  • Shred is Dead (Marcus Rezaks, John Kimock, John Colman and Scott Hannay) …the Pourhouse…July 4
  • Avett Brothers/Langhorne Slim…Red Rocks Amphitheater, CO. …July 11
  • The String Cheese Incident…Red Rocks Amphitheatre, Co. … July 16
  • Leftover Salmon…the Windjammer, IOP…July 25
  • Reckoning’s Jerry Birthday celebration…the Pourhouse…July 31
  • Dead and Company…Walnut Creek Amphitheatre, Raleigh, N.C…August 16
  • Andy Falco and Travis Book of the Infamous Stringdusters play Jerry Garcia…Charleston Pourhouse…August 26
  • Everyone’s Dead…Charleston Pourhouse…Sept. 4
  • Everyone Orchestra featuring members of Pigeons playing Ping Pong, Papadosio, Dopapod and Bluegrass Underground …Charleston Pourhouse…September 4
  • Nitty Gritty Dirt band/ Dee Nelson…Charleston Music Hall… September 16
  • Tommy Emannuel/Yasmin Williams…Charleston Music Hall…September 19
  • Steely Dead…Charleston Pourhouse…Sept. 26
  • Marcus King trio/Myron Elkins band/Leah Blevens …Charleston Music Hall…Sept. 27…<Usher>>
  • Marcus King band/Myron Elkins band/Leah Blevens… Charleston Music Hall…Sept. 28…<Usher>>
  • Black Jacket Symphony preforms Pink Floyd’s “The Wall” … Charleston Music Hall…October 7
  • Moxie…the Windjammer…October 9
  • Dave Mc Murray’s Grateful Deadications…Charleston Pourhouse…October 10
  • Dead and Company…Charlotte Amphitheatre…October 11
  • Beatles vs. Stones the musical…Charleston Music Hall…October 17…<Usher>>
  • Melissa Ethridge…Charleston Music Hall…October 20… <Usher>>
  • Drew Lynch…Charleston Music Hall…November 6…<Usher>>
  • Rainbow full of Sound plays Europe 72, May 4 in Paris…Charleston Pourhouse…November 7
  • Shakey Graves/Sun June…Charleston Music Hall…November 9…<Scanner>>…
  • Galactica/Eric Lindell and Chris Fitts…Charleston Music Hall…November 10
  • Eric Church…Thompson-Boling Arena, U of Tenn., Knoxville, TN. November12
  • James Taylor/Jackson Browne…NC Coliseum…November 17
  • The Carolina Waltz, a Last Waltz tribute from Josh Daniel and friends with Bobby Houck of the Blue Dogs…Charleston Pourhouse…Nov. 19
  • George Thorogood/Nick Schnebelen Trio…Charleston Music Hall…December 5
  • Breaking Benjamin…Charleston Music Hall…December 8…<Usher>>
  • Blue Dogs Howliday Homecoming show featuring Zandrina Dunning, Danielle Howe, Finnegan Bell and Mayor John Tecklenberg…Charleston Music Hall…December 29…<Scanner>>
  • Andy Frasco and the UN/Yam-Yam/Paul McDonald…Charleston Pourhouse…December 30

                                                                             2022 shows (85 shows)

  • Grateful Brothers…Charleston Pourhouse…January 14
  • Little Feat…Charleston Music Hall…January 20
  • Tab Benoit/Allister Greene with Tab on drums and Tab’s bass player…Charleston Music Hall…January25
  • ZOSO…Charleston Music Hall…January 28…<Scanner>>
  • Ashley McBride…Charleston Music Hall…January 29… <Scanner>>
  • Alan Parsons Project…Charleston Music Hall…February 2…<Scanner>>
  • Marshgrass Mamas…Charleston Pourhouse, Feb. 11
  • Dumpstafunk/George Porter, Jr. and his Runnin’ Pardners/ Free Radio…Charleston Pourhouse…February 12
  • Pat Metheny trio…Charleston Music Hall…February 14
  • Drew and Ellie Holcomb…Charleston Music Hall…February 15…<Usher>>
  • Kenny Wayne Shepherd/Ally Venable…Charleston Music Hall…February 19…<Usher>>
  • Aaron Lewis/Ira Dean Acoustic performance…Charleston Music Hall…March 5…<Usher>>
  • Graham Nash…Charleston Music Hall…March 8
  • Grey Boy All Stars featuring Karl Denson…Charleston Pourhouse…March 10
  • Charleston Bluegrass Festival featuring Town Mountain, Wilson Springs Hotel, New Ghost Town and Southern Flavor band…the Woodlands Nature Preserve…March 18
  • Charleston Bluegrass Festival featuring Greensky Bluegrass, Yonder Mountain String band, Larry Keel, Wolfpen Branch, Randy Steele, Pierce Edens, Boonie and Lauren Bevins family band, Pluff Mud String band, West King String band, Dallas Baker…the Woodlands Nature Preserve…March 19
  • Chris Botti…Charleston Music Hall…March 24…<Usher>>
  • Bob Dylan “Rough and Rowdy Ways” tour…No. Chas. PAC… March 27
  • Forty Mile Detour/Hutchison Square…Flowertown Festival, Summerville, SC …April 2
  • Brian Regan/Joe Zimmerman…Charleston Music Hall…April 7…<Usher>>
  • Acoustic Syndicate…Charleston Pourhouse…April 8…Joyous Wolf/Classless Act/Dorothy< DNS…Charleston Music Hall <Usher>>
  • Lewis Black/Jeff Slotnik…Charleston Music Hall…April 10…<Usher>>
  • Music Farm Grand opening party featuring Charlton Singleton and Quianna Parler and Eleven-piece band along with members of the Blue Dogs, Jump Little Children, Jupiter Coyote and Edwin McCain…April 14
  • The Wallflowers featuring Jacob Dylan…Riviera Theater, Charleston…first time …April 15
  • Samantha Fish/Django…Music Farm…April 18…<Usher>>
  • Twiddle/ThreeSound…Music Farm…April 19
  • High Water Festival-My Morning Jacket, Caamp, Modest Mouse, Bahamas, Local Natives, Delta Spirit, Drew Holcomb and the Neighbors…Riverfront Park… April 23
  • High Water Festival- Jack White, Shovels and Rope, Black Pumas, Sharon Van Etten, Old Crow Medicine Show, Jade Bird, Mavis Staples, Shannon and the Clams, Amythyst Kiah… Riverfront Park…April 24
  • Colin Hay…Charleston Music Hall…April 27…<Usher>>
  • Goose…Firefly Distillery…April 28
  • Pigeons Playing Ping Pong…Charleston Pourhouse…April 29
  • Melvin Seals and the JGB with Ron Holloway…Charleston Pourhouse…April 30
  • Beth Hart/Joe BlowXXX…Charleston Music Hall…May 3…<Usher>>
  • An evening with Kenny G…Charleston Music Hall…May 17…<Usher>>
  • Dark Star Orchestra…Charleston Music Hall…May 19
  • Paul McCartney…Truist Field at Wake Forest Univ., Winston-Salem, NC…May 21…with Connor
  • Bela Fleck’s “My Bluegrass Heart” ensemble…Charleston Music Hall…May 26
  • Brandon “Taz” Niederauer…Charleston Pourhouse…May 27… with Connor and Eric E.
  •   Phish…Credit One Stadium/Charleston…May 31
  • Phish…Credit One Stadium/Charleston…June 1
  • Dave Matthews band…Credit One Stadium…June 3
  • “Happy Together tour” with the Turtles/Gary Puckett and the Union Gap/The Association/The Buckinghams/The Vogues/The Cowsills…Charleston Music Hall…June 8…<Usher>>
  • Grass in the Hall featuring Southern Flavor band, Asheville Cats, the Bevin Sisters…the Music Farm…June 11
  • Summerville 175th Anniversary celebration featuring BritBeat, Carolina Drive with Boonie Bevins, Southern Flavor band and Fleming Moore…Hutchinson Square…June18
  • Dwight Yoakum/Dalton Davis…Charleston Music Hall…June 23…<Usher>>
  • Amos Lee/Neil Francis…Charleston Music Hall…June 24…<Usher>>
  • An evening with Joe Jackson…Charleston Music Hall…June 25…<Usher>>
  • Drivin’ and Cryin’…Windjammer beach stage…July 3
  • Keon Masters’ Talking Shit Heads/The Fritz…Charleston Pourhouse…July 8
  • Wildflowers, a tribute to Tom Petty…Charleston Music Hall…July 23…<Usher>>
  • Herb Alpert and Lani Ham…Charleston Music Hall…July 24
  • The Infamous Stringdusters…Charleston Pourhouse back lot…July 29
  • Cosmic Charlie…Jerry Garcia birthday show… Charleston Pourhouse…July 30
  • Judy Collins…Charleston Music Hall…August 5…<Usher>>
  • John Hiatt and the Goners featuring Sonny Landreth …Charleston Music Hall…August 9
  • Trouble No More featuring Taz Neiderauer, Daniel Donoto, Roosevelt Collier, Peter Lavin, Nikki Glaspie, Dylan Niederauer, Jack Ryan, Lamar Williams. /Lureto featuring Wallace Mullinax and Mike Quinn, … The Refinery debut…August 13
  • Roger Waters’ “This is not a drill” tour…State Farm Arena, Atlanta, Ga., August 20…with John O
  • An evening with Trombone Shorty…Charleston Music Hall…August 22<Usher>>
  • An evening with Santana…Credit One Stadium, Charleston, SC…August 23
  • Government Mule/Trombone Shorty…Township Auditorium, Columbia, SC…August 27    
  • An evening with Thundercat…Charleston Music Hall…August 28…<Usher>>
  • Everyone’s Dead/the Reckoning…Charleston Pourhouse…September 3
  • Wanda Johnson and band featuring Eddie Phillips/Big Daddy Cane and band…Bowens Island…September 4
  • Black Jacket Symphony performs VH’s 1984album… Charleston Music Hall…September 8…<Usher>>
  • Willie Nelson’s Outlaw Music Festival featuring Willie with Lucas and Micah Nelson, Nathaniel Ratliff and the Night Sweats/Billy Strings/Charley Crockett…PNC Amphitheatre, Charlotte, NC…September 10…with Steve Morse
  • An Evening with Amanda Shire/Honey Harper…   Music Farm… September 23
  • An Evening with Government Mule…Charleston Music Hall…September 24
  • Ani DeFranco/Bitch…Charleston Music Hall…October 4…<Usher>>
  • Steve Kimock quartet…Charleston Pourhouse…October 9
  • Ralph Stanley II and the Clinch Mountain Boys…Charleston Pourhouse…October 14
  • An Evening with Jim Messina…Music Hall…October 16
  • The Flaming Lips…Firefly Distillery…October 17
  • Stevie Nicks/Vanessa Carlton…Credit 1 Stadium…October 19
  • AEW Steve Vai…Music Hall…October 22…<Usher>>
  • Todd Schaefer (Railroad Earth) and Chris Thompson duo… Pourhouse…October 29
  • Tim Cavanaugh comedian…Coastal Carolina Fair, Nov. 1
  • Nitty Gritty Dirt band…Charleston Music Hall…Nov. 5… <Usher>>
  • The Carolina Waltz/Adam Knight’s Buried Treasure … Pourhouse…Nov.18
  • The Mavericks…Charleston Music Hall…November 19
  • Boney James…Charleston Music Hall…November 25
  • Al Schnier & friends with Jim Loughlin (.moe), Aron Magner (Disco Biscuits), Allie Kral (Yonder Mtn.), Wallace Mullinax & Bobby Hogg (Reckoning)…December 2…Pourhouse
  • Margo Price/Kam Franklin…Music Farm…December 3
  • The Bucket List Tour with Steve O…Music Hall…December 7…<Usher>>
  • The Marshgrass Mamas Christmas show with She Returns from War, Admiral Radio and the Yum Yum Boys…Pourhouse…December 9
  • Andy Frasco and the UN/Lucero…Pourhouse…December 29

2023 (88 performances)

  • 54 Bicycles, a Widespread Panic tribute…Music Farm…January 6…<Usher>>
  • Grateful Brothers/Shane Pruitt…Pourhouse…January 7
  • Same as it ever was…Pourhouse…January 14
  • Indigo Girls/Jac Thompson… Music Hall…January 15…<Usher>>
  • Dave Mason/Thunderstorm Artis…Music Hall…January 21…
  • Dave Chapelle/Chris Rock…N. Charleston Coliseum…Jan. 27
  • The Last Waltz Ensemble…Pourhouse, Jan. 28
  • Bob Weir and the Wolf Brothers featuring the Wolfpack…NC PAC…February 2
  • Black Jacket Symphony performing Nirvana’s XXX and Pearl Jam’s XXX… Music Hall…February 3 …<Usher>>
  • Keb Mo/Anthony D’Amato…Music Hall…February 8…<Usher>>
  • Big Something/Abby and the Echoes…Pourhouse…February9
  • Sugar Lime Blue…Commonhouse Ale Works…February 17
  • Floggin Molly/Anti-Flag/Skinny Lister…Music Hall, February 21
  • Jorma Kaukonen/David Bromberg Quintet…Music Hall…February 22
  • Grateful Shred…Pourhouse…February 24
  • TOTO…Music Hall…February 27
  • Marshgrass Mamas/Admiral Radio…Pourhouse…March 5
  • Doghouse Road…Montreux bar…, Summerville …March 6
  • Jerry Cantrell (Alice in Chains)/Thunderpussy…Music Hall…March 8…<Usher>>
  • A.E. with Dailey and Vincent…Music Hall…March 10
  • Billy Strings…NC Coliseum…March 11
  • A.E with They Might be Giants…Music Hall…March 12…<Usher>>
  • A. E with. moe…Music Hall…March 15
  • Charleston Bluegrasss Festival featuring Mollie Tuttle and Golden Highway/the Wilson Springs Hotel band/Fireside Marshgrass Collective/Clay Street Unit/Palmyra/Jackson Grimm/Heehaw Junction…Woodlands Nature Preserve…March 24
  • Charleston Bluegrass Festival featuring Leftover Salmon/ Keller and the Keels/Kyle Tuttle and his Awesome Friends/Randy Steele and High Cold Wind/Armchair Boogie/Reedy River String Band/New Ghost Town/Admiral Radio/Dallas Baker…Woodlands Nature Preserve…March 25
  • A.E. with The High Kings…Music Farm…March 28…Usher
  • Elise Testone and the E. T. Collective…Pourhouse…March 31
  •   
  • Andrew Bird Trio/Dan Poor…Music Hall…April 1…<Usher>>
  • Chris O’Leary quintet…Montreux Bar and Grill…April 3
  • The Reckoning…Pourhouse Deck show…April 19 with the Kelly’s
  • Diane Reeves quartet@ Charleston Jazz Festival…Music Hall… April 22…<Usher>>
  • Umphrey’s McGee… the Windjammer Beach stage…April 27
  • Little Feat/ Miko Marks…Music Hall…April 30…<Usher>>
  • Cotton Blue Band @ Blues Monday…Montreux Bar…May 1
  • Widespread Panic/Doom Flamingo…Credit One Stadium…May 5
  • Kathleen Madigan/Aaron Weber…Music Hall…May 6
  • Railroad Earth…Windjammer…May 11…VFW Freebie!
  • Jazz is Dead…Music Hall…May 14
  • Hunter Hayes/Loren Grey…Music Hall…May 16
  • Karl Denson’s Tiny Universe/Ivan Neville/Electrolust… Pourhouse…May 19
  • Dead and Company…Lakewood Amphitheatre…May 28… with John and Ed
  • Dead and Company…PNC Pavillion, Charlotte, NC…May 30… with Connor and Madison, Michael Turner
  • Los Lobos, Taj Mahal, N. Mississippi All-Stars…The Refinery …N. Charleston, SC… June 3
  • Disco Biscuits…the Windjammer…June 7
  • Toad the Wet Sprocket/Marcy Playground (didn’t see) … Charleston Music Hall…June 11<Scanner>>
  • Eric Gales/Terrence Young (didn’t see) …Music Hall…June 16 …<Scanner>>
  • The Motown Throwdown…Pourhouse…Father’s Day, June 18
  • Ziggy Marley…Music Hall…June 21
  • Margaret Cho/Daniel Webb…Music Hall…June 23… <Usher>>
  • Pigeons Playing Ping Pong/Joe Hertl and the Rainbow Seekers/Sam Fribush Organ Trio…Charleston Pourhouse…July 1
  • The Struts/Mac Saturn…Music Hall…July 5…<Usher>>
  • Killer Mike and the Midnight Revival: The High and Holy Tour/Trackstar the DJ…Music Hall…July 11<Usher>>
  • Dead and Company, Oracle Park, San Fran., CA…July 15
  • Dead and Company, Oracle Park, San Fran., CA…July 16, final show
  • Back in Black: The Ultimate AC/DC experience…Music Hall, July 22…<Usher>>
  • Circles around the Sun/the Dan Horne band/George Fetner & the Strays…Pourhouse…July 29
  • Reckoning/IMOWIMO for the Garcia Gathering…Pourhouse and The Wildflowers, a Tom Petty tribute…Music Hall…August 5…<Usher
  • Mary Chapin Carpenter/Brandy Clark…Music Hall…August 9
  • Government Mule’s Dark Side of the Mule/Jason Bonham’s Led Zeppelin experience…Charlotte NC Amphitheatre…August 11
  • Everyone’s Dead {Wallace Mullinax, Allie Kral, Ross Bogan, Matt Butler, Mark Brownstein, Jeremy Schon} Pourhouse…August 26
  • Doghouse Road Blues band…Montreux bar…Sept.4
  • AEW with Bruce Hornsby and the Noisemakers…Music Hall Sept. 6…<Usher>>…
  • Brian Regan/Gary Brightwell…Music Hall Sept. 8…<Usher>>
  • Willie Nelson’s Outlaw Music festival featuring Willie Nelson/Tedeschi-Trucks band/String Cheese Incident/Los Lobos/Waylon Purdy…PNC Amphitheatre, Charlotte, NC…Sept. 9
  • Willie Nelson’s Outlaw Music Festival featuring Willie Nelson/ Bob Weir and the Wolf Bros. featuring the Wolfpack/Waylon Purdy… Heritage Park Amphitheatre, Simpsonville, SC…September 12
  • Daniel Tosh/? Joe Blow? /? Harry Vederche? Music Hall … September 14…<Usher>>
  • Yonder Mountain String band/ Railroad Earth/ Keller and the Keels…The Refinery, Chas., SC…September 21
  • Tegan and Sarah/Carlie Hanson…Music Hall… September 27 <Usher>>
  • Drive-by Truckers/American Aquarium…Music Hall…October 4
  • YES/ Roger Dean multimedia presentation…Music Hall…October 6…<usher>>
  • Sun Room/Sports Team…Music Hall…October 13…<Usher>>
  • St. Paul and the Broken Bones/Y La Bamba…Music Hall…October 14…<Usher>>
  • Steve Hackett…Music Hall…October 26
  • John Waite/Michelle Malone…Music Hall…November 2…comp
  • Marcus King/Joshua Ray Walker…Music Hall. November 3…<Usher>>
  • Chris Isaak” It’s almost Christmas tour…” November 5…Music Hall… November 5
  • Tower of Power…Music Hall…November 7…<Usher>>
  • The Garcia Project…Pourhouse deck…November 11
  • Spafford…the Pourhouse…November 16
  • Floyd Nation…Music Hall…November 19…<Usher>>
  • The Last Waltz Ensemble…the Pourhouse…November 24
  • Crowder/Christian Paul…Music Hall…December 5…<Usher>>
  • Wood Brothers/Watson Twins…Music Hall…December 8
  • EGGY/Wilson Springs Hotel…the Pourhouse…December 15
  • The Marshgrass Mamas Christmas show … Pourhouse…December 16
  • The sounds of Charleston Christmas program…December 17…Circular Congregational Church, Charleston, SC
  • The Blue Dogs/guests included Charlton Singleton, Finnegan Bell, Big Stoner Creek, Zandrina Venning among others…Music Hall…December 29<Usher>>
  • Futurebirds/Carl Broemel…Music Hall…December 30…<Usher>>

2024 81 shows

  • Greensky Bluegrass/Duane Betts and Palmetto Hotel… Music Hall…January 17…<Usher>>
  • Susto et Muerto featuring Lucero as opening act and backup band…the Pourhouse…January 20
  • Chris O’Leary band…Montreux B&G…January 22 *
  • The Mavericks…Music Hall…January 26…<Usher>>*
  • Hot Club of Charleston#, Jared Petteys and the Headliners#, the Fresh Canned Mountain band@…#Commonhouse Aleworks/@Wind and Waves Brewery…January 27…*
  • Same As It Ever Was…Pourhouse…Feb. 2*
  • AJ Croce…Croce plays Croce…Music Hall… Feb. 4…<Usher>>
  • The Gipsy Kings…Music Hall…Feb. 7…<Usher>>
  • Joe Russo’s Almost Dead…The Fillmore, Charlotte, z…February 8…with Garvey, Dave, Matt
  • Robert Cray…Music Hall…February 10…<Usher>>
  • Drew and Ellie Holcomb…Music Hall…February 17…<Usher>>
  • Cat Powers sings Bob Dylan @Royal Albert Hall 1966…Music Hall…February 23…*
  • Marc Broussard/Joe Stark…Music Hall…February 28
  • SC Blues Alliance~ Blues Monday (Eddie Phillips, Ross Bon, John Picard and Wes Powers) …Montreux… March 4*
  • Chatham County Line/Maya Divertry…the Pourhouse…Doghouse Road blues band…James Island VFW…March 8, with Steve Morse
  • Dawes and Lucius, the Tag Team tour…Music Hall…March 9*
  • Scott Snapp/Everrocke…Music Hall…March 12…<Usher>>
  • AEW Spyro Gyra…Music Hall…March 14…<Usher>>
  • House Concert featuring Danielle Howle/Kim Ware…Fleming Moore’s home…March 15…*
  • Jimmy Carr…Music Hall…March 20…<Usher>>
  • Andy Falco and Travis Book…Pourhouse…March 22*
  • Joe Satriani/Steve Vai…NC PAC…March 29
  • Billy Strings…Enmarket Arena…Savannah, GA. April 17
  • AEW Cowboy Junkies…Music Hall…April 18…<Usher>>
  • Umphrey’s McGee…Windjammer, IOP…April 19
  • Dixie Dregs/Steve Morse band…Music Hall…April 22…<Usher>>
  • Rodrigo Y Gabriela/Okan…Music Hall…April 23
  • Andy Frasco and the UN/Dogs in a Pile/Arkansauce… the Pourhouse…April 27
  • Matteo Bocelli… Music Hall…April 30…<Usher>>
  • Silversun Pickups/Hello Mary…May 1…Music Hall…<Usher>>
  • Marshgrass Mamas/Sally & George…the Pourhouse. May 4*
  • Johnny Burgin and Bon Scot Blues Monday ..Montreux…May 6*
  • Leonid and Friends…Music Hall…May 8…<Usher>>
  • Bonnie Raitt/Maia Sharp… NC PAC…May 9*
  • Allman Betts band/JD Simo…Music Hall…May 16…<Usher>>
  • A.E.W. Todd Rundgren…Music Hall…May 18…<Usher>>
  • Circles around the Sun and Grateful Shred… Pourhouse…May 26
  • The Reckoning… Pourhouse…May 29…with family
  • John Fogerty/George Thorogood and the Destroyers/Hearty Har…Credit One Stadium…June 4…with John, Frankie, Carlynne and Bob Woodburn
  • Fully Loaded Comedy Festival featuring Bert Kreischer/ Chad Daniels/Big Jay Oakerson/Kelsey Cook/Kevin Hart/Dan Soder/Dave Atell/MC Cipha Sounds with special guest Jellyroll… June 13…with Connor
  • SC Blues Alliance (Eddie Phillips/Ross Bon/Wes Powers/McDonald…Tail Race Tavern…June 14*
  • Willie Nelson’s Outlaw Music Festival with Lukas Newlon and the family band/ Bob Dylan/Alison Kraus and Robert Plant/Celisse…PNC Music Pavillion, Charlotte, NC…June 22*
  • Perpetual Groove…Pourhouse…June 28
  • Dead and Company…the Sphere, Las Vegas, Nevada…July 5*
  • Space Armadillo/the Ain’t Sisters…Pourhouse…July 19
  • The New Pornographers/Gustav…The Music Farm…July 28
  • Cosmic Charlie performs at Jerry Garcia birthday party…the Pourhouse…August1
  •     Adam Knight’s Buried Alive Phish tribute…Pourhouse…August 9
  • Queen Flash(tribute)…Music Hall…August 11…Usher
  • Joe Bonomaso…No. Chas. PAC…August 14*  
  • Rush Tribute band…Music Hall…August 17…<Usher>>
  • Leo Kotkee/Julian Lage…Music Hall…August 20
  • Pigeons playing Ping Pong…Pourhouse…August 28
  • Yonder Mtn. String band/Sam Grisman Project featuring Peter Rowen…the Refinery…August 29
  • Wanda Johnson with Eddie Phillips, lead guitar/Smoky Weiner and the Hot Links…Bowen Island Dock room…Sept. 1*
  • Dweezil Zappa…the Eastern, Atlanta, GA…September 7
  •     My Morning Jacket/Nathaniel Rateliff and the Night Sweats…Credit One Stadium…September 12
  • Mac McAnally with special sit-in by Caroline Jones…Music Hall…September 13…<Usher>   >   
  •     Oteil Burbage and friends featuring   Steve Kimock, Jason Crosby, Johnny Kimock, Tom Guarna and Lamar Williams,               Jr…Pourhouse…September 20*
  • Here comes the Mummies/Post Sex Nachos…Music Hall…September 22…<Usher>>
  • Aew Amy Grant…Music Hall…September 24*
  • BEAT (Adrain Belew/Tony Levin with Steve Vai and Danny Carey of Tool) perform 80’s King Crimson…Music Hall…September 29…<Usher>>
  • Aew Violent Femmes…Music Hall…October 1…<Usher>>
  • The Reckoning…the Pourhouse…October 2*
  • Shovels and Rope/Al Olender…the Music Farm…October 4*
  • Riverfront Revival night One featuring the Tedeschi Trucks band, Paul Cauthen, the Revivalists, Southall/ Grace Bowers… missed July Moon…Riverfront Park, N. Charleston… October11…with Michael Turner and Steve Morse
  • Riverfront Revival night Two featuring Hootie and the Blowfish/Collective Soul/ Jamey Johnson/Arrested Development…Hailey Whitters…missed Sister Hazel/Shane Profitt/Gritty Flyright/Brady Smith/Elizabeth Covington…Riverfront Park, N. Charleston…October 12…with same
  • Railroad Earth/Big Richard…Music Hall…October 16
  • Edisto Backwater Boogie Music Festival featuring Forty Mile Detour/Droze and the Drift/the Mike Freund band/Big Stoner Creek/Lafaye…missed Elise Testone/Sol Driven Train… Givhans Ferry State Park, Ridgeville, SC… October 19*…
  • Aew Gillian Welch and Dave Rawlings…Music Hall…October 21…<Usher>>
  • Shrimp City Slim…Montreux Bar’s Blues Monday…November 4*
  • The Garcia Project…Pourhouse Deck…November 9*
  • Blues Traveler…Music Hall…November 10…<Usher>>
  • Morgan Wade/Clover Country…Music Hall…November 12…<Usher>>
  • Alan Price & the Modern Day/Joshua Jarmin…Tiki Taco, Summerville…November 15*
  • Aew Bruce Cockburn…Music Hall…November 18…
  • Floyd Nation…Music Hall…November 24…<Usher>>
  • Blues Monday with SC Blues Alliance (Eddie Phillips, Brad Henty, Jerome Griffin and John Picard…Montreux Bar…December 2
  • Robert Lighthouse/ Fleming Moore…House concert in Summerville, SC…December 8
  • GOOSEmas…NC Coliseum…December 13
  • Marshgrass Mamas annual Christmas show…Pourhouse…December 21
  • 2025 78 shows

                                             *Cosmic Charlie…Pourhouse…January 17

                 *Dweezil Zappa…Music Hall…January 20…<Usher>

         *Dave Attell…Music Hall…January 26…<Usher>

*Hot Tuna…Music Hall… January 30…Comp

                  *Drive-By Truckers…Music Hall…February 6<Usher>

                                           *Drew and Ellie Holcomb…Music Hall…Feb. 20

                                          *Little Feat/Jim Lauderdale …Music Hall, Feb.23 <Usher>

                                          *Tribute to Dicky Betts featuring Duane Betts,                                                                             Warren Haynes, Derek Trucks, Susan Tedeschi, Oteil Burbage, Chuck Leavell, Jimmy Hall, Devon Allman and others…Macon Auditorium…February 28

                                           *Face to Face Tribute show of Elton John/Billy Joel tours…Music            Hall…March 9…<Usher>

                                              *An evening with. moe…Music Hall…March 10

                                              *Wilder Woods/Haffway…Music Hall…March 16>Usher>

                                              *Dead on the Deck with Reckoning…the Pourhouse…March 19…   with Bob and Eileen Kupperstein and Karen      

                                               *Marc Maron…the Music Hall…March 22. <Usher

                                               *Charleston Bluegrass festival with the Kitchen Dwellers/Susto String Band/Arkansauce/Tan and Sober Gentlemen/Liam Purcell and Cane Mill Road/AC Scar featuring Loren Griste/Holler Choir/The Well Drinkers /Dallas Baker and friends/The Hillclimbers/Boonie Bevins and Carolina Drive/Sawgrass…The Woodlands…March 29  

                                                *     Trey Anastasio acoustic with Jeff Tanski, piano…The    Gaillard auditorium…March 30 with Michael T, Brian R, Steve Chris W and Lou P

                                              *Brian Regan/Steven Rogers…Music Hall…April   3, <Usher>

                                              *Ranky Tanky…. Music Hall… April 4

                                             *Experience Hendrix featuring Kenny Wayne Shepherd/Zakk Wylde/Eric Johnson/Christopher “Kingfish” Ingram/Devon Allman/Samantha Fish/Henri Brown/Kevin Mc Cormick/Dylan Triplett/Mathias Lattin/Artur Menezes/Tony Beard/Orlando Wright…NC PAC…April 8 with Jim Garvey

                                             *Billy Strings…Enmarket Arena, Savannah, GA…April 12

                                            *Aristocrats…Music Farm…April 13…with John Autwaeter

                                           *Sierra Hull/Mason Via…Pourhouse…April 17*

                                           *A.e.w. Asleep at the Wheel…Music Hall…April 19*

                                           *Doghouse Road…American Legion Hall, James Island…April 26*                                                                   *                                         *Stavros Halkias/Daniel Simonsen…Music Hall…April 28…<Usher>

                                           * The Traveling Troubadours-Dan Reilly, Elise Testone and Stephen   Clair-Summerville Public Works Art Center…May 1

                                           *Yonder Mtn. String band…Windjammer, IOP…May 2… with    Derek Andressan

  • Blues Monday with Doghouse Road…Montreux …May 5
  •   *     Donna the Buffalo…May 8…Music Farm
  •   
  •     *     Anjelah Johnson-Reyes…Music Hall…May 9…<Usher>>

                                              *Dead and Company, the Sphere, Las Vegas, NV…

                                               May 15, with Karen, Connor, Madison, Camille, Steve M

  • Dead and Company…the Sphere, Las Vegas, NV…May 17…with K, C, M, C and John O
  • Umphrey’s McGee…the Windjammer…Isle of Palms…May 22
  • Sturgill Simpson…Credit One Stadium, Charleston …May 23
  • Red Baratt (Spoletto Festival) …Music Hall…May 27…<Usher>>
  • Dark Star Orchestra…the Refinery…June 1
  • The Kronos Quartet (Spoleto)…Music Hall…June 2…Usher>>
  • Patti Smith (Spoleto)…the Cistern…June 2
  • Vince Gill and band…NC PAC…June 6*
  • Lucinda Williams (Spoletto)…June 7*
  •                                 *     Dispatch/John Butler band/ G. Love and Special Sauce with Donovan Frankenreiter… June 13…Firefly     Distillery, Charleston…with Chris White
  • Slightly Stoopid/Iration…Credit One Stadium…June 15…Father’s Day show with Connor and Camille
  •   . moe/Reckoning…Pourhouse…June 18
  • Aimee Mann/Jonathan Coulton…Music Hall…June 21…<Usher>>
  • Melvin Seals and the JGB, featuring John Kadlisek… Pourhouse…June 29
  • SC Blues Alliance {Eddie, Ross, Jerome, John} …Montreux…July 7
  • Phish…N.C. Coliseum…July 12
  • Hatebreed*/Fugitive*/Gridiron/Snuffed on Sight/Slackjaw/Incite (*did not see or hear) …Music Hall…July 22…<Usher>>
  • Todd Rundgren…Music Hall…July 25…<Usher>>
  • Henry’s Pocket (members of the Marcus King band) … Pourhouse…August 23…
  • Howard Jones/ Haircut 100…Music Hall…September 7…<Usher>>
  • Southern Songwriters Festival featuring Soul-R Fusion Duo, Joe Sanguedolce, John Eggers, Ron Daniel, Alex Barringtom.Mikey Brannon…Short Central Stage, Summerville…September 11
  • Mo Lowda and the Humble/Trash Panda…Music Hall…September 12…<Usher>>
  • Southern Songwriters Festival featuring Don Merckle, Pressley Laton, Eric Richard, Doug Walters, Kevin Cheek, Kurt Sauer…Short Central stage, Summerville…September 13
  • AEW Robert Cray…Music Hall… September 15…<Usher>>
  • James McMurtry/Betty Loo…Pourhouse…September 23
  • Alison Kraus and Union Station featuring Jerry Douglas/Willie Watson…September 24…Credit One Stadium
  • John Cleese and the 50th anniversary of Monty Python and the Holy Grail viewing…Music Hall…October 2…<Usher>>
  • Blues Monday featuring the Chris O’Leary quintet…Montreux bar…October 6*
  • Oteil and friends featuring Melvin Seals, Steve Kimock, Jason Crosby, John Morgan Kimock, Tom Guarna. Lamar Williams, Jr…. the Refinery…October 9
  • Buena Vista Orchestra…Music Hall…October 10…<Usher>>
  • Everclear/Local H/Sponge…Music Hall…October 14…<Usher>>
  • A.E.W the Steep Canyon Rangers…the Music Hall…October 17*
  • Reckoning…Commomhouse Aleworks Shakedown Street Festival…October 19*
  • A.E.W. YES featuring Steve Howe…Music Hall…October 22<Usher>>
  • A.E.W.   the Tedeschi-Trucks band…St. Augustine Ampitheatre, FL…Oct. 22… tour close
  • Hippie Sabotage…Music Hall…October 29…<Usher>>
  • Blues Monday with Doghouse Road…Montreux Bar…November 3*
  • The Garcia Project (1991 show) …Pourhouse Deck…Nov. 7
  • Edisto Blackwater Boogie Festival featuring Sol Driven Train/Gritty Flyright and the Music Family/Big Stoner Creek/Dallas Baker and Friends/Dan Riley and the Marvelous Misfits/Forty Mile Detour/Rooks and Raven/     Sam Rae/Sill Crow/Sean Keefer/ Mike Freund Band…Givhans Ferry State Park…November 8
  • Bearly Dead/Pourhouse Deck November 14*
  • Rome/the Corporation…Music Farm…November 19
  • Marshall Tucker band/Hunter Flynn…Music Hall…December 5…<Usher>>
  • Everyone Orchestra with Matt Butler/Ander Beck of Greensky Bluegrass/Aron Magner of Disco Biscuits/Luke Black of Mountain Grass Unit/Torrin Daniels of Kitchen Dwellers/Cris Jacobs/Elise Testone /Mike Healey and Rob McConnell of Papadosio…Pourhouse…December 5
  • Marshgrass Mamas 8th annual Christmas show with Admiral Radio/Yee Haw Junction and friends… Pourhouse…December 6*
  • Reckoning All request show…Pourhouse…December 12
  • Morantz   Christmas show…Music Hall…December 14…<Usher>>
  • Futurebirds/Tounds…Music Hall…December 30*

2026

  •   Reckoning tribute to Bob Weir…Pourhouse Deck… January 14
  • Yonder Mountain String Band/Reedy River String Band…Pourhouse…January 17
  • Black Jacket Symphony performs ‘Stop Making Sense’ and other hits of Talking Heads…Music Hall…January 18…<Usher>>
  • Tom Papa…Music Hall…January 30 <Usher>>
  • Big Something…Pourhouse…January 30
  • Blues Deluxe…Montreux…February 2
  • Jump…the Van Halen tribute…Music Hall…February 4…<Usher>>
  • Nick Horn and Jon Picard…Montreux…February 9
  • Joe Russo’s Almost Dead…Columbia.Town.Hall February 13
  • Leftover Salmon….Music Hall…February 19*
  • Shovels and Rope…Pourhouse…February 20
  • Drew and Ellie Holcomb and the Neighbors…Music Hall…February 22…<Usher>>
  • Doghouse Road…Montreux Bar…March 2*
  • Robert Jon and the Wreck…Pourhouse…March 3
  • Evan Honer/Harf…Music Hall…March 6…<Usher>>
  • Reckoning/Tounds…Palmetto Is,Cty.Park…March 8*
  • Marshgrass Mamas…Rickhouse@Cannon Distillery… March 14*
  • Robert Earl Keen/Olivia Wolf…Music Hall…March 18…<Usher>>
  • Paul Reiser &Vance Gilbert…Music Hall…March 20…<Usher>>
  • Mike Gordon & band…Music Hall…March 22…<Usher>>
  • Bradford Station…American Legion Post…March 28*
  • The Orchestra(ELO)/Seth Ricker…Music Hall…April 1…<Usher>>
  • Bearly Dead…Pourhouse…April 2*
  • All Star tribute to Bob Dylan featuring Wes Powers, Dallas Baker. Ward Buckeaster,Jeff Kazelsky,Paul Joliet,Nolan Tecklenberg, Tom Crowley, Maislin Battin,Jeff Caldwell,Campbell Brown,Danny May,Anna Crosby,, Nate Evans, Layton Meechem,Ben Whitley,John Heinson,Tom Leonchek,Dan Latti and more…Music Hall,,,April 3…*
  • Government Mule…The Refinery…April 10
  • Billy Strings…Enmark Arena,Savannah…April 11
  • Taj Mahal and the Phanthom band…Music Hall…April 13…<Usher>>
  • Kenny Wayne Shepherd.Music Hall.April 16.<Usher>>
  • High Water Festivalfeaturing Alabama Shakes/Maren Morris/My Morning Jacket/Jensen McRae/Lake Street Dive/ArcyDrive/Watchhouse/theRunarounds/Trousdale/Winyah…Riverfront Park…April 18
  • High Water Festival featuring Caamp/Peach Pit/Sheryl Crow/Bruce Hornsby and the Boilermakers/Jesse Welles/John Vincent III,Richy Mitch and the Coalminers/ Hey,Nothing/Penny &Sparrow/Alice Phoebe Lou…Riverfront Park…April 19
  • AEW Leonid and Friends…Music Hall…April 21…<Usher>>
  • Trey Kennedy/Lucas O’Neil…Music Hall…May 8…<Usher>>
  • AEW Dark Star Orchestra…the Refinery…May 14
  • Akaash Singh/Matt McCoy…Music Hall…May 15…<Usher>>
  • Harmonica Romp in the swamp   Blues Fundraiser(Eddie Phillips ,Brad Henty,Mitch Wyman/Chris Grant on bass, Cesar on drums and vocals, Juke Joint Johnny and Smokey Weiner harmonica/ several other great local musicians…Bowens Island Dock House…May 24
  • Buckethead…Music Farm…May 30…w/Brian R and Michael T #1000!
  • Aew Emmylou Harris…the Cistern,C of C, June 5…or was this #1000?!
  • An acoustic evening with Brandi Carlisle, …the Cistern,C of C ,June 7

If you’ve read this far, many thanks for indulging me!  Now the question is how long it will take enjoy the next 500 shows. I’ve averaged 70 shows a year for the last seven years but am unsure if I can keep up that pace. My goal is to reach 1500 within the next 10 years. One can only dream…and rock and smile, smile, smile!

Rock and Roll Jesus: The Spiritual songs of Van Morrison

George Ivan “Van” Morrison was born on August 31, 1945 in Belfast, No. Ireland at the end of World War II. His father was a Protestant and his mother was a Jehovah’s Witness.  Van was raised as a Protestant. Northern Ireland was divided along religious lines during this time, known as the Troubles. with the Protestants fighting with the Catholics for control of the country. The fighting between Protestants and Catholics lasted from 1960-1998,approximately.The Protestants were seen as Pro-Great Britain while the Catholics wanted independence from Britain and desired unification with Ireland.

When Van was fourteen, he convinced his father to buy him a saxophone and he devoted most of his time to mastering the instrument. By the time he was 15, he left school and began playing guitar, harmonica, keyboards and saxophone in local bands. At this time in Ireland, if you weren’t cut out for school, you were expected to follow in your father’s footsteps and become a laborer. His first job was as a window washer. He commemorated that time in his life with the song, Cleaning Windows, released in 1981 on the album Beautiful Vision.

His musical journey begins

Van first toured Europe at 17 as a member of the “Monarchs”. But he got his big break with Gloria, when he fronted the band THEM from 1964 to 1966. He began his solo career in 1967, releasing his first big hit, Brown Eyed Girl. at the age of 22.

Throughout his career, one can find a random song with a spiritual twist or outright profession of a spiritual nature in the albums he released. Van was not embracing traditional religion but emphasizing feelings regarding his spiritual side. He once told an interviewer, that he wouldn’t touch religion with a ten-foot pole. He held the conviction that religion can mean anything from soup to nuts, but generally it meant organization with someone else calling the shots. To him, spirituality has a deeper meaning for each individual.

Discography:

If you research his discography, you will find an early spiritual bent on If I ever needed someone, from the album His Band and Street Choir (1970).https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3wO31lI-IW0&list=RD3wO31lI-IW0&start_radio=1

In 1977, he recorded Kingdom Hall, an homage to his mother, on the album Wavelength and Joyous Sound from A Period of Transition.

In 1982, he recorded the album Beautiful Vision which featured the songs She gives me Religion, Across the Bridge where Angels dwell and the title track Beautiful Vision.

The next year saw the release of Higher than the World from the album Inarticulate Speech of the Heart. In the liner notes, he dedicated the album to L. Ron Hubbard, the leader of Scientology. Van flirted with Scientology as a distant, pampered celebrity. The interest didn’t last long.

His greatest years recording and releasing Christian/Spiritual music was from 1985-1991 on four different albums.

In 1985, from the album A Sense of Wonder came the Masters Eyes, By His Grace and A Sense of Wonder

1986 Van released No Guru, No Method, No Teacher offering Someone Like You.

In 1989 came Avalon Sunset which included Whenever God shines his Light(with Cliff Richards), Have I told You Lately (that I love You), Contacting my Angel, When will I ever learn to Live in God, These are the Days and When the Saints come Marching In.

Then in 1991 the album Hymns for the Silence included I can’t stop Loving You, and See Me Through, Part II/ Just a Closer walk with You( https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_uQyWq2eTP0&list=RD_uQyWq2eTP0&start_radio=1)This album included classic Protestant hymns Be Thou my Vision and Just a Closer Walk with You in honor of his upbringing.

Here are the lyrics and the YouTube link to one such song, Whenever God shines his Life:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=–XE4CYGRSY

Whenever God shines his light on me
Opens up my eyes so I can see
When I look up in the darkest night
Then I know everything’s going to be alright
In deep confusion, in great despair
When I reach out for him, he is there
When I am lonely as I can be
I know that God shines his light on me

Reach out for him, he’ll be there
With him your troubles you can share
If you live the life you love
You get the blessing from above
He heals the sick and he heals the lame
Says you can do it too in Jesus name

He’ll lift you up and he turns you around
And he puts your feet back on higher ground

Reach out for him, he’ll be there
With him your troubles you can share
You can use his higher power
In every day and any hour
He heals the sick and he heals the lame
And he says you can heal them too in Jesus name

He’ll lift you up and he turns you around
Puts your feet back on higher ground

When he shines his light
Whenever God shines his light
On you, on you
He is the way
He is the truth
He is the light
Oh

Van Morrison continues to make new music and occasionally does a few live performances. I have not yet explored the later albums since 1991, at this time. Van earned the ability to produce his own records and refuse the pressures from the record companies to give them hits. The hits came in spite of the pressure from “the suits”.

In 2020, during the worldwide COVID pandemic, Van Morrison and Eric Clapton were contrarians to the prevailing demands that everyone get vaccinated. The two of them garnered their share of enemies from the worldwide music community but it didn’t stop them from standing on their principles and beliefs.

I encourage you to listen to the songs that I have highlighted and see what new ones you may find. I welcome your comments regarding new tunes that you discover which would fit well with the Rock and Roll Jesus theme.

This new blog is the sixth in the series Rock and Roll Jesus, which turns the spotlight on songs of a spiritual nature from a contemporary artist who is not considered part of the New Christian Artist world of music. Each blog can be found at Substack as well as here in Do You Believe In Magic.

My only live experience seeing Van perform was back in Sept. 2019 when I saw him perform as part of the Willie Nelson Outlaw Music touring festival. My friend Steve Morse and I caught them at the Pavillion at Montage Mountain in Scranton,PA. His set was sandwiched between sets by the Tedeschi Trucks band and Willie Nelson and friends. Van did not disappoint!

You are encouraged to explore all of my previous blogs at DoYouBelieveInMagic.Blog. Your thoughts and opinions are always welcome. Please share your thoughts on any of the songs or any personal experiences you may have with Morrison’s music.

Remembering Bob Weir: the end of an era

On January 10, I was making dinner at home when I received a text from my friend Jim, who wrote,” Just saw Bobby didn’t make it”. That caught me off guard and by surprise. I turned to social media for more information and I read a post from Bob Weir’s account announcing the tragic news that he died from underlying lung issues after courageously battling cancer. I was floored, this hit hard. It felt the way it would hearing that a friend had suddenly and unexpectedly died. I got emotional and then broke the news to my wife, a fellow Deadhead. She looked at me incredulously as she tried to process the news. After that, I began receiving text messages from friends, near and far, offering condolences to me, knowing how much I loved Bob and the Grateful Dead. This news hit me as a personal loss, something that would affect me.

That night, I spent hours by myself, listening to Sirius’s Grateful Dead channel. There an impromptu show was broadcasted featuring the long-time hosts of the weekly talk show,” the Golden Road” along with long time roadie Big Steve Parrish. For three hours, I listened to the show while reading parts of a novel. I needed some time to process this terrible news. One comment that struck me as sage advice to those of us who were mourning,” Don’t cry because it’s over, Smile because it happened. ” I’m working on this.

It has been said many times; there is nothing like a Grateful Dead show and they were right. One could attend consecutive shows and not hear a song repeated. The community that the Grateful Dead organically grew is a tight group of characters. The feeling at their shows is like a family reunion with folks meeting up with old time and long, lost friends. People react to others in a gentler manner than one would expect. But the biggest and best part of it all is the music, where no song is ever played the same way. The Grateful Dead played more concerts than any other band in the US or UK. Following the Grateful Dead put you in touch with a culture of living, loving and dancing!

Through all of this the steady influence was Bob Weir. In 1963, he joined Jerry Garcia in a jug band called the Mother McCree’s Uptown Jug Champions. They later became the Warlocks and in 1965 adopted the moniker the Grateful Dead. For the next 30 years, they toured extensively, much more than most performers of the day.

In 1972, I was a 17-year-old just getting into the live music scene. Friends and I were attending an Allman Brothers band concert in the Bronx, NY on an August afternoon. The band was coming out for their encore when a stage roadie announced to the sound booth that particular microphones would be used by Jerry Garcia and Bob Weir. With Dead drummer Bill Kruetzman joining the mix, the Allmans and the member of the Dead delved into a 45-minute rendition of “Mountain Jam”, a take on the 1967 Donovan tune, There is a mountain. I was hooked and that performance burned in my memory to this day.

In 1974, I saw my first Grateful Dead concert at Roosevelt Stadium in Jersey City, NJ. It was a Wall of Sound show, something the Dead attempted for that year only. Over the years, I saw the Grateful Dead 14 times, including the Cornell, NY show on May 8, 1977. My last Grateful Dead show was in Atlanta, Ga on March 27, 1995.During this 21-year run, I also saw the Jerry Garcia band six times but only saw one Bob Weir led band, Kingfish, at the Beacon Theatre in NYC.

After Jerry died, Bobby along with bassist Phil Lesh carried on the legacy of the band they gave life to. Together and separately, they kept the music alive. They toured the country, encountering Deadheads at every turn. The music was well received and kept the camaraderie going. I caught Bob Weir and RatDog five times, Phil Lesh and friends three times and Billy Kreutzman’s BK3 once.  In the early 2000’s they toured as the Dead, with Warren Haynes and Jimmy Herring on lead guitar. I saw them twice. In 2009, Phil and Bobby joined forces as Furthur, a nod to the destination posted on the front end of the Merry Pranksters/Ken Kesey traveling bus. For two years, in 2012 and ’13, I saw the Weir/Lesh led Furthur six times! I usually wound up going two nights in row during a weekend. Then, in 2015, I was in attendance for the Grateful Dead’s 50th anniversary celebrations at Chicago’s Soldier Field.

After the 50th anniversary shows in Chicago, Bob announced that he and original band drummer Billy Kreutzman along with longtime drummer Micky Hart, had formed a new band they called Dead and Company. Along with John Mayer on lead guitar, former Allman Brother Oteil Burbage on bass and Bob’s long bandmate Jeff Chimenti on keyboards, they toured from the fall of 2015 until the 60th anniversary show, last August 2025 in San Francisco. During this run of concerts, I saw the band 15 times in 10 years,including the final shows in 2023 in San Francisco and three shows at the Sphere,Las Vegas in 2024 and ’25.

Why did I detail my ventures seeing Bob Weir and his bandmates? When you have consistently been listening to the music and seeing the shows for more than 50 years, you form a bond on different levels. That is why this one really hurt.

Adding it all up it was 69 shows in 52 years. The music that this band created was the soundtrack of my life. Nary a day would go by where the music of the Dead wasn’t played. I loved being a Deadhead and wore it like a badge of pride all these years. Phil Lesh passed away on October 25, 2024 at the age of 84. Fifteen months later, Bobby joined him, Jerry, Pig Pen, Keith and Donna, Brent Mydland and Vince Welnick, hopefully to make beautiful music once again.

The music will go on with artists that will honor the legacy of the Grateful Dead. However, the era of a Dead bandmate leading a group of talented musicians to pay homage to the Grateful Dead is now gone.  When someone brings you such happiness for over 50 years, losing them unexpectedly is hard to take. Sure, I’ll press on, but a huge part of my life is gone and “he’s ain’t coming back”.

May the four winds blow you safely home, Bobby

HARK: You ain’t heard nothing like this before…a Christmas record review

I realize that this post is being published after Christmas in 2025 but it has been a busy time of year. Many of you may not see this for months, any way!

Recently I was listening to holiday music on Sirius XM satellite radio when I came across a most unusual version of The Little Drummer Boy. It was a familiar Christmas tune but what made it unique was the Beatles influence that wrapped itself around this tune. I had to learn more about the artists behind this tune. This led me to discover the Fab Four, a Beatles tribute band.

The Fab Four was founded in 1997 in Orange County, CA by Ron McNeil, Rolo Sandoval, Ardavan Sarraf and David Brighton. The musicians played their own instruments and lent their vocals to the Beatles catalogue. Over nearly 30 years, they have performed their Beatles tribute worldwide and have been recognized as one of the best recreators of their songs. Over the years there have been more than 30 members who have been part of the Fab Four. Surprisingly, the current lineup includes two original members McNeil (Lennon) and Sarraf (McCartney) and they are currently joined by Gavin Pring (Harrison) and Erik Fidel (Starr). In 2012,the band won an Emmy for their 2012 PBS TV special.

The song that caught my attention came from a 2012 album HARK. This is a compilation of two previously released albums A Fab Four Christmas and Have yourself a FAB-ulous Little Christmas, both released in 2002. I took a complete listen to the compilation and am listing the songs and their Beatles influence for your appreciation.

1)Rudolph, the Red Nosed Reindeer based on I Saw Her Standing There          

2)Joy to the World based on Please, Please Me and Little Child                          

3) Feliz Navidad based on And I Love Her                                               

4) Hark! The Herald Angels Sing based on Help

5)Away in a Manger based on You’ve Got to Hide your Love Away

6)Good King Wenceslas based on Tell Me What You See                                            

7)It Came Upon a Midnight Clear based on Baby’s in Black                                   

8) Winter Wonderland based on Honey Don’t

9)Frosty the Snowman based on Mr. Moonlight

10) Let it Snow! Let it Snow! based on Eight Days a Week

11) Silent Night based on Norwegian Wood

12) The Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire) based on Here, There and Everywhere

13) God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen based on Within You, Without You

14) Santa Claus Is Coming to Town based on When I’m 64 and Honey Don’t

15) What Child Is This based on While My Guitar Gently Weeps

16) Blue Christmas based on Revolution 1

17) Dear Santa based on Oh! Darling

18) The Little Drummer Boy based on Sun King

19) Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree based on Got to Get You into My Life

20) Jingle Bells based on Tomorrow Never knows

21) Sleigh Ride based on Lady Madonna

22) The First Noel based on Let it Be

All of these songs should be easily found on your favorite streaming device. I initially found them on YouTube and listened to the album on Spotify.

Give this a listen and then slip this music on at your next holiday gathering. Beatles fans will want to add this to their Holiday song repertoire. It will be interesting to capture the impressions of your guests. Please give us your feedback regarding these tunes, you may find that you want to include these songs for next year’s Christmas season.

#Hark #theFabFour #theBeatles

Patti Smith and Lucinda Williams: Highlights, Twilights and Sunsets

 Every year, Charleston, SC hosts a 17-day Music and Arts festival, lovingly called the Spoleto Festival. During this stretch yearly, the organizers seek to bring to their audience performers of renown. Be it the theatre, ballet, orchestral music, dance or the visual arts, there is something to capture the attention of nearly everyone who travel near and far to revel in the cultural wonders presented.

Amongst this year’s performers in the live music category were two ladies whom I have longed to see perform, but which opportunity has escaped me. Not this year. The lineup of artists who were to descend on the stage at the Cistern, on the campus of the College of Charleston, was impressive. Among the performers were the Band of Horses, a solo performance by Jeff Tweedy of Wilco, Yo La Tango, Patti Smith and Lucinda Williams. I was fortunate to see Patti Smith and Lucinda Williams, separated by 5 days. One feature that made these outdoor shows so special was the setting of the Cistern, a walled space graced by magnificently mature live oak trees, complete with outdoor lights and comfortable chairs.

The Cistern deserves some special recognition for the climate it creates. This space gets use at graduation for a few days and serves the College for varied purposes throughout the year. But for nearly two weeks each year, it is transformed into an intimate, outdoor space for great performances.

Truth be told, I have never seen either artist throughout the careers. I wanted to experience the Queen of Punk Rock, Patti Smith and the Country/Folk/Rock artistry of Lucinda Williams. Both performances went on without the weather limiting the time we could spend with these artists.

For those who may not be unfamiliar with either artist, let me make the introduction.

Patti Smith is the mother of Punk Rock, hailing from S. Jersey. She’s been at it for over 50 years and laid the path for so many female rock/folk artists to come. She made famous her version of Bruce Springsteen’s, “Fire” and her biggest hit is a protest anthem, “People have the Power”. She puts her activist feelings into note and verse. Her voice is still strong and her energy level is exemplary for someone in their late 70s.

Lucinda Williams has been captivating audiences for more than 40 years. The singer songwriter hails from Lake Charles, LA. Her songwriting, whether for herself or another artist, is well crafted and begs for your attention. One of her best received albums was 1998’s Car Wheels on a Gravel Road, which won a Grammy for Best Contemporary Folk Album that year. Over the years she has gathered seventeen Grammy nominations. She wrote The Night’s Too Long for Patti Loveless in 1990, Passionate Kisses for Mary Chapin Carpenter in 1992 and Crescent City for Emmylou Harris in 1993.She has been adored by concert goers for as long as I can remember. In November, 2020 she suffered a stroke which affected the left side of her body. She was discovered with a blood clot on the right side of her brain. She underwent extensive rehabilitation and she has made a remarkable comeback, judging by her performance this month in Charleston.

As the last verses of Lucinda Williams set closer, Rockin’ in the Free World by Neil Young, got us out of our seats, I couldn’t help but think of what I had witnessed these nights in early June.

Keep up the good work, ladies!

#pattismith #lucindawilliams #thecistern #doyoubelieveinmagic #spolettofestival2025

SHUT UP AND LISTEN!!

Since when did being in the audience at a rock, country or metal performance become a noisy lounge atmosphere where mindless chatter replaces the focus on the performance and appreciating why you came there in the first place?

This past March (2025) I was in the audience for a solo acoustic performance by Trey Anastasio, lead guitarist and vocalist for Phish. The setting was the Gaillard Auditorium in Charleston, SC. The facility was built for such an intimate performance to an audience of less than 2000 fans. The acoustics are great for orchestras, Théâtre performances and intimate shows like the one we saw. What nearly ruined the evening was a run in with a loud and obnoxious patron who insisted in carrying on a non-stop conversation, oblivious to the amazing show Trey was delivering. I was far enough removed that I didn’t hear it but one member of our group was and confronted the patron.

Of course, they didn’t recognize that they were negatively affecting other people’s ability to enjoy the show. Nor did they appear to be concerned that good money was spent for tickets and drinks. And, shockingly, they didn’t apologize. Instead, they decided to take it up a notch and let my friend have a piece of what might be their mind.

I describe the above illustration to ask what is going on in audiences, small and large? I am not alone in my frustration regarding the behavior of the audiences that I have witnessed in the last 10 to 20 years. Rather than focusing on the reason we are there, so many in the audience are

talking, oblivious to the artist on stage.  It doesn’t matter if we are in a small club or a 20,000-seat indoor facility, people all around are talking to others and ignoring the performance. Why don’t they go to a bar where a jukebox is playing, instead?

Why do people insist on talking during a performance? Not being a psychologist, I’m unsure how to fully answer that question. Is it an age issue?  Let’s dig a bit and see what we can figure out.

Artists know all too well that many in the audience are distracted and not giving their full attention to what is going on at the stage. I’ve experienced numerous instances where an artist implores the audience to pay more attention to what’s happening on the stage and ignore those around them or what’s on their phone.

As today’s prices for concert tickets continue to rise, you would think that people would pay more attention to the   artist that they have laid down good money to see. My experience is that this doesn’t seem to affect many in the audience. Do most of the chattering crowd buy their own tickets or is someone else footing the bill?  How many have some “skin in the game”?

Have concerts become more of a social setting and not a special occasion to witness musical genius? Do many of the audience have enough knowledge of an artist’s body of work to maintain their attention on the main event?   In some situations, could it be that they are all too familiar with the artists’ performance and therefore treat the show as background noise for the more important personal interaction? Is there a cultural or generational difference that clouds peoples’ actions and make them oblivious to what is going on around them?

Blocking out the noise is a tough task. I find it frustrating to hear people competing with the artists we are there to see.  How do you get people to be respectful of you for the reason we are all there? If you have some good, proven suggestions, we’re all ears…for now.

#shutupandlisten #treyanastasio  #gaillardauditorium #doyoubelieveinmagic

Remembering 2024’s Lost Musicians and Artists

In 2022,2023 and now for 2024, I publish my list of musicians and artists who passed away that year. As we age, many contemporary artists who we have enjoyed their artistry have died and many get overlooked by the masses. It is my hope that this monthly abbreviated obituary will bring back good memories of great times we enjoyed listening to these artists. Following the calendar:

JANUARY:

*Joyce Randolph (15) 99 years~ Played Trixie, Ed Norton’s wife on the Honeymooners

*May Weiss (19) 75 years Lead singer of the Shangri-Las, whose biggest hit was Leader of the Pack

*Melanie Safka (23) 76 years ~Huge in the 60’s and early 70’s. Was known simply as Melanie and her biggest hit were Brand new key and Lay Down (candles in the rain)

*Chita Rivera (30) 91 years~- actress and dancer, two-time Tony Award winner

FEBRUARY:

*Wayne Kramer (2) 75 years ~co-founder of MC5, a Punk rock band

Toby Keith (5) 62 years-country artist best know for Red Solo Cup and more than 20 top Country tunes. Never smoke weed with Willie again along with great patriotic tunes are part of his legacy.

*Mojo Nixon-(7) 66 years- Singer/Songwriter and Sirius XM DJ. Famous for “Elvis is everywhere“.

*Jimmy Van Eaton (9) 86 years. Drummer on early Sun Records, playing for Jerry Lee Lewis amongst others.

MARCH:

*Brit Turner (3) 57 years ~drummer for Blackberry Smoke

*Steve Lawrence (7) 88 years ~Pop crooner very popular in the 50s to the 70s. Married to singer Eydie Gorme.

*Eric Carmen (9) 74 years ~ lead singer of the Raspberries

*Byron Janis (14) 95 years ~classic pianist who toured Russia in the 1960s as part of a cultural exchange

*Steve Harley (17) 73 years ~lead singer of the 70s glam rock band, “Cockney Rebels”

APRIL:

Casey Benjamin (2) 45 years ~Jazz saxophonist

*Clarence ‘Frogman’ Henry (7) 87 years ~R&B singer, famous for “Ain’t got no home’

*Ben Eldridge (14) 85 years ~Banjo player and founder of folk band Seldom Scene

*Dickey Betts (18) 80 years ~original Allman Bros. band guitarist and singer

*Mandisa Lynn Hundley (18) 47 years ~Grammy award winning Christian music artist

*Nick Daniels III (27) 68 years ~bass player with Dumpstafunk

*Duane Eddy (30) 86 year ~ Rock and Roll Hall of Famer, famous for the lead guitar on ‘Peter Gunn’

MAY:

*Jim Mills (3)57 years ~Banjo player with Ricky Skaggs and vintage instrument trader

*Steve Albini (7) 61 years ~producer for Nirvana, Pixies, PJ Harvey. Front man for Big Black and Shellac

*Bill Walton (27) 71 years ~College Basketball (UCLA) and NBA Champion (Portland and Boston) and the world’s biggest Deadhead

JUNE:

*Kinky Freidman (27) 79 years ~Singer, songwriter and irreverent self-proclaimed Texas Jew boy

*Martin Mull (27) 80 years ~Comedian and actor

JULY:

*Joe Egan (6) 77 years ~member of Steelers Wheel, ‘Stuck in the middle with you’

*Joe Bonsall (7) 76 years ~Oak ridge Boys singer

*Bob Newhart (18) 94 years ~Comedian and actor

*John Mayall (22) 90 years ~English Blues legend and band leader

AUGUST:

*Shaun Martin (3) 45 years ~keyboards for Snarky Puppy

*Maurice Williams (6) 86 years ~singer of Stay and other Motown hits

*Greg Kihn (13) 75 years ~top 20 hit maker including the Breakup song and Our Loves in Jeopardy

*Gena Rowlands (14) 94 years ~Four time Emmy Award actress and two-time Golden Globe winner

*Peter Marshall (15) 98 years ~ Hollywood Squares TV game host

*Steve Silberman (29) 66 years ~studied under Alan Ginsberg, wrote for Wired magazine, inside access to the Grateful Dead and CSNY

SEPTEMBER:

*Sergio Mendes (5) 83 years ~leader of Brazil 64&66. Innovator of the Bossa Nova sound

*James Earl Jones (9) 93 years ~Actor and character voice in many movies

*Tito Jackson (16) 70 years ~brother and member of the Jackson 5

*John David ‘JD’ Souther (17) 78 years ~singer, songwriter and member of the Eagles

*Kris Kristofferson (28) 88 years ~Singer, songwriter, actor and Rhodes Scholar

OCTOBER:

*Johnny Neal (6) 78 years ~played keyboards and harmonica for the Allman Brothers and the Dickey Betts band

*Cissy Houston (7) 91 years ~2-time Grammy award winning gospel singer, mother of Whitney Houston

*Liam Payne (16) 31 years ~former member of One Direction

*Phil Lesh (25) 84 years ~Bassist for the Grateful Dead, the Dead, the Other Ones, Furthur, Phil and Friends and the Terrapin Family band

NOVEMBER:

*Quincy Jones (3) 91 years ~record producer and musical influencer

*Blake Rhea (6) 48 years ~ Bassist for Southern Avenue…murdered in a Memphis bar

*Lou Donaldson (9) 98 years ~Jazz and Bebop musician and innovator

DECEMBER:

*Zakir Hussain (15) 73 years ~Indian Tabla virtuoso, performed with Mickey Hart’s Planet Drum

Likely, I missed someone in the music and entertainment business this past year. Let me know who passed by under my radar in 2024 that touched your heart. My list is purely subjective.

January Concert review: not what you expect

This past January, I saw five performances in Charleston, SC. Among the artists were Greensky Bluegrass, Susto en Muerto (plays the Dead), the Chris O’ Leary band, the Mavericks and local musicians performing original music at homegrown breweries. I have seen Greensky Bluegrass, the Mavericks and the Chris O’ Leary band several times before this month and every show was memorable for the level of artistry that each brought to the stage. But since I have to choose one, the Chris O’Leary band takes the spotlight as the best concert I saw in January.

Why, you ask? Who is Chris O’Leary and why is his performance worthy of being at the top of the heap in January? To begin, Chris was the lead singer and front man for Levon Helm’s band the Barnburners, for six years back in the 2000’s. Chris continued his association with Levon during his Barn Jam days. Chris’s talents have been on display with a variety of artists that included Bobby Keys, the Fabulous Thunderbirds, Jimmy Vivino, Jeff Healey, Dan Akroyd, Albert Lee, Dave Edmunds and James Cotton, amongst others. Chris sings and plays blues harmonica with genuine emotion. Through the years, his voice, harp and stage presence has thrilled crowds all over the country.

On this particular night at Montreux, a local bar in my hometown, Chris brought his quartet to the cozy confines of this bar. The band features Chuck Cotton on drums, Pete Kanaras on bass, Mike Lynch on lead guitar and Brooks Milgate on piano. For nearly three hours, they had the capacity crowd in the palm of their hands, grooving to their classic blues tunes and hard driving rock and roll. Chris’s bandmates are top notch and really complement his vocals and harmonica. The band paid homage to Levon Helm, led Zepplin, many of the greats of the Blues and offered up a good dose of his original music. What impressed me was the crowd. This was Chris’ third visit to Montreaux in the past two years and the word has gotten out about this band. We showed up a half hour before the show and the bar was full. The crowd consisted of folks 50 and older, on average, and they were into it! They loved the show, bought his merch and stayed till the end of his show. If this band comes to your town, run, don’t walk, to their performance. Check out chrisolearyband.net for show schedules and everything you need to know about this band! #chrisolearyband #montreauxbar #summerville