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Sarah Richardson, who plays the viola, sent us this vlog (video blog) about the time she and her fellow musicians spend underneath the Central City Opera stage as members of the Central City Opera Orchestra. I've mentioned in a previous blog post how much I enjoy watching the Orchestra from the balcony. This collection of photos, videos and commentary gives you an insider's view from below as well!
Check out more from our violist on her blog, Beyond Do Re Mi. What do some musicians do when there are a lot of opera performances and not much time to drive back down to the Denver area in between them? According to one blog article, Sarah occasionally spends time at a nearby campground recharging her artistic soul enjoying nature and journaling. We actually have quite a few patrons who go camping while visiting the opera each summer, too. You may have been camping beside one of our orchestra members and not even realized it!
28 Nisan 2012 Cumartesi
Guns N' Roses - Concert Review
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The following Guns N' Roses review was written by TDWenger of Listen Up Denver. I'm posting his review here because, to be completely honest, I didn't stay for the duration of the GNR marathon show. Keep reading and you'll understand why...
The Scene: The scene at the Guns N’ Roses show at the 1st Bank Center was pretty much what I thought it might be. There were plenty of aging metalheads in leather and old tour t-shirts with big haired ladies in tight outfits on their arms and they were rubbing shoulders with well dressed suburban couples in their late 30′s out to relive their glory days with songs like “Welcome To The Jungle” and “Paradise City.” Sure there were some younger folks who came out to catch a glimpse of a fading legend, but the average age in the arena was pushing 40 for sure. It was an interesting crowd to say the least and the variety of people that turned out for a walk down memory lane was a clear testament to the wide reach of GnR’s material in the late 80′s and early 90′s.
Guns N’ Roses: First off, I’ve got to admit that the main reason I headed out on a Sunday night to catch this show was because I didn’t want to miss the opportunity to catch an Axl Rose meltdown. While they do seem to be fewer and farther between than just a few years ago, it’s by no means unheard of these days. For better or worse, Axl didn’t fly off the handle and instead decided to be surprisingly professional. Guns N’ Roses was scheduled to take the stage at 11pm (yes you read that right, 11pm . . . on a freakin’ Sunday) and at the stroke of the hour, the lights went down and the theme song from Dexter came pumping from the PA. Within seconds, the lights came up and guitarist DJ Ashba appeared in silhouette against a giant LED screen emblazoned with a GnR logo. As he launched into the opening riff from “Chinese Democracy,” an array of pyrotechnics exploded around the stadium sized stage, Axl and the rest of the band appeared, and we were off on quite an interesting ride.
Though the opener was a lot less than it could have been, the band followed it up with a trio of tunes from Appetite For Destruction as if to say to the mom’s and dad’s who had to go relieve a babysitter “there, you got what you came for, you can go now.” I’ve got to admit that Rose’s voice sounded pretty impressive on what I thought would be the defacto opener “Welcome To The Jungle,” and as he pushed into “It’s So Easy” and “Mr. Brownstone” I thought we might be in for surprisingly good show.
Unfortunately, what followed was an on again, off again set that was in desperate need of an editor. With solo after gratuitous solo, the band stretched . . . and stretched . . . and stretched the show out to three full hours, not bidding us goodnight until 2am. Axl has publicly bragged about how long the show is on this tour, and I’ve got to say that this is NOT the hit filled powerhouse set that will leave you begging for more in the wee hours of the morning. Rather, there were moments where it was downright boring as the band slogged through track after track from Chinese Democracy, and a slew of poorly chosen teases and covers like ”Baba O’Riley,” “Another Brick In The Wall,” and even “The Theme From The Pink Panther.” What it all added up to was a whole bunch of filler, much of which was totally unnecessary at 1am on a Sunday night. Axl and his band could have put on a polished, and really quite good, 90 minute show that focused on a few tracks from Chinese Democracy and the rest of the hits that people came to hear, rather than forcing us to sit through song after song that should have been left on the cutting room floor. Editing certainly doesn’t seem to be Mr. Rose’s strong suit.
While that lack of editing was a major blow to the musical portion of the night, it served to make the visual side of things very interesting. The stage set up was so big that it could have been left over from GnR’s days of touring stadiums with Metallica. With two levels, five video screens, enough acreage to raise a couple hundred head of cattle, an arsenal of pyrotechnical effects, and a dizzying array of lights hanging overhead, the set-up rivaled any of the biggest bands touring today. Frankly, with a rig like this, I have no idea how the band is going to clear any money from this tour. The small arena might have been two-thirds full and there was plenty of room to move around on the floor or to find a seat to wait out some of the slower moments of the evening.
While there were plenty of those slow moments, songs like “Live And Let Die,” “Sweet Child O’ Mine,” and “November Rain,” delivered just about everything I was hoping for. The three guitarists that are touring with this band in an effort to duplicate the guitar heroics that Slash pulled off on his own, did an admirable job and most of legendary solos were played note for note. There is no lack of talent in this band, and while at times it seemed like we could have been at a Vegas show due to the exorbitant production values, for the most part these guys proved their worth as musicians, as opposed to actors.
The two and half hour set wrapped up with a version of Bob Dylan’s “Knockin’ On Heaven’s Door” that went on for what seemed like an eternity as Axl begged the sparse crowd to sing to him, followed by a high energy take on “Nightrain” which allowed Rose to put his singing prowess on display once again as he hit all the notes and growls in the powerhouse tune. After a brief encore break, the band came back and closed the show with a self indulgent 30 minute mini-set that featured at least 3 drawn out instrumentals that did nothing to advance the show. By the time they got to “Patience” and “Paradise City” much of the crowd was poised to hit the parking lot but Axl had one last surprise in store for us when confetti cannon’s by the soundboard exploded, filling the air with millions of pieces of red paper.
The marathon show was nothing short of over-the-top . . . in every way. From the stage set-up, to the three guitar attack, to the three hour set time, to the 34 song setlist, Axl did it his way, so it was more than fitting that the walk-out music for the evening was Frank Sinatra’s “My Way.” When all was said and done I would say that ended up enjoying about half the show and on the drive home I did my best to figure out how to get that other hour and half of my life back. I have one word for you Axl: “Edit.”
Energy: B-
Sound: C
Musicianship: A-
Stage Presence: A-
Set / Light show: A
Overall: B
The following Guns N' Roses review was written by TDWenger of Listen Up Denver. I'm posting his review here because, to be completely honest, I didn't stay for the duration of the GNR marathon show. Keep reading and you'll understand why...
The Scene: The scene at the Guns N’ Roses show at the 1st Bank Center was pretty much what I thought it might be. There were plenty of aging metalheads in leather and old tour t-shirts with big haired ladies in tight outfits on their arms and they were rubbing shoulders with well dressed suburban couples in their late 30′s out to relive their glory days with songs like “Welcome To The Jungle” and “Paradise City.” Sure there were some younger folks who came out to catch a glimpse of a fading legend, but the average age in the arena was pushing 40 for sure. It was an interesting crowd to say the least and the variety of people that turned out for a walk down memory lane was a clear testament to the wide reach of GnR’s material in the late 80′s and early 90′s.
Guns N’ Roses: First off, I’ve got to admit that the main reason I headed out on a Sunday night to catch this show was because I didn’t want to miss the opportunity to catch an Axl Rose meltdown. While they do seem to be fewer and farther between than just a few years ago, it’s by no means unheard of these days. For better or worse, Axl didn’t fly off the handle and instead decided to be surprisingly professional. Guns N’ Roses was scheduled to take the stage at 11pm (yes you read that right, 11pm . . . on a freakin’ Sunday) and at the stroke of the hour, the lights went down and the theme song from Dexter came pumping from the PA. Within seconds, the lights came up and guitarist DJ Ashba appeared in silhouette against a giant LED screen emblazoned with a GnR logo. As he launched into the opening riff from “Chinese Democracy,” an array of pyrotechnics exploded around the stadium sized stage, Axl and the rest of the band appeared, and we were off on quite an interesting ride.
Though the opener was a lot less than it could have been, the band followed it up with a trio of tunes from Appetite For Destruction as if to say to the mom’s and dad’s who had to go relieve a babysitter “there, you got what you came for, you can go now.” I’ve got to admit that Rose’s voice sounded pretty impressive on what I thought would be the defacto opener “Welcome To The Jungle,” and as he pushed into “It’s So Easy” and “Mr. Brownstone” I thought we might be in for surprisingly good show.
Unfortunately, what followed was an on again, off again set that was in desperate need of an editor. With solo after gratuitous solo, the band stretched . . . and stretched . . . and stretched the show out to three full hours, not bidding us goodnight until 2am. Axl has publicly bragged about how long the show is on this tour, and I’ve got to say that this is NOT the hit filled powerhouse set that will leave you begging for more in the wee hours of the morning. Rather, there were moments where it was downright boring as the band slogged through track after track from Chinese Democracy, and a slew of poorly chosen teases and covers like ”Baba O’Riley,” “Another Brick In The Wall,” and even “The Theme From The Pink Panther.” What it all added up to was a whole bunch of filler, much of which was totally unnecessary at 1am on a Sunday night. Axl and his band could have put on a polished, and really quite good, 90 minute show that focused on a few tracks from Chinese Democracy and the rest of the hits that people came to hear, rather than forcing us to sit through song after song that should have been left on the cutting room floor. Editing certainly doesn’t seem to be Mr. Rose’s strong suit.
While that lack of editing was a major blow to the musical portion of the night, it served to make the visual side of things very interesting. The stage set up was so big that it could have been left over from GnR’s days of touring stadiums with Metallica. With two levels, five video screens, enough acreage to raise a couple hundred head of cattle, an arsenal of pyrotechnical effects, and a dizzying array of lights hanging overhead, the set-up rivaled any of the biggest bands touring today. Frankly, with a rig like this, I have no idea how the band is going to clear any money from this tour. The small arena might have been two-thirds full and there was plenty of room to move around on the floor or to find a seat to wait out some of the slower moments of the evening.While there were plenty of those slow moments, songs like “Live And Let Die,” “Sweet Child O’ Mine,” and “November Rain,” delivered just about everything I was hoping for. The three guitarists that are touring with this band in an effort to duplicate the guitar heroics that Slash pulled off on his own, did an admirable job and most of legendary solos were played note for note. There is no lack of talent in this band, and while at times it seemed like we could have been at a Vegas show due to the exorbitant production values, for the most part these guys proved their worth as musicians, as opposed to actors.
The two and half hour set wrapped up with a version of Bob Dylan’s “Knockin’ On Heaven’s Door” that went on for what seemed like an eternity as Axl begged the sparse crowd to sing to him, followed by a high energy take on “Nightrain” which allowed Rose to put his singing prowess on display once again as he hit all the notes and growls in the powerhouse tune. After a brief encore break, the band came back and closed the show with a self indulgent 30 minute mini-set that featured at least 3 drawn out instrumentals that did nothing to advance the show. By the time they got to “Patience” and “Paradise City” much of the crowd was poised to hit the parking lot but Axl had one last surprise in store for us when confetti cannon’s by the soundboard exploded, filling the air with millions of pieces of red paper.
The marathon show was nothing short of over-the-top . . . in every way. From the stage set-up, to the three guitar attack, to the three hour set time, to the 34 song setlist, Axl did it his way, so it was more than fitting that the walk-out music for the evening was Frank Sinatra’s “My Way.” When all was said and done I would say that ended up enjoying about half the show and on the drive home I did my best to figure out how to get that other hour and half of my life back. I have one word for you Axl: “Edit.”
Energy: B-
Sound: C
Musicianship: A-
Stage Presence: A-
Set / Light show: A
Overall: B
I'm Going Back To School
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The last few weeks have been very busy for me as I interviewed and landed a new job at the School of Rock. I can't begin to describe what a great Holiday gift this is for my family. I could easily detail my months and months (and months) of unemployment, the hundreds of cover letters I wrote and resumes I sent, the dozens of interviews I had (but was never left standing at the end), blah, blah, blah... but I'd much rather look to the future and the work I'll be doing for School of Rock. There are 75+ SOR's across the country including three in Colorado. I'll be working to open new franchises across the country, and eventually internationally. So here's a little breakdown on what the SOR is all about:
We believe the best way to learn music is to play music. We take students from the lesson room to the stage, developing both their confidence and musicianship with programs designed for all skill levels.
School of Rock teaches guitar, bass, vocals, keyboards, drums and combines weekly private music lessons and group band rehearsals to prepare students to take the stage in front of live audiences in an authentic concert setting.
To date our students have played thousands of concerts, to more than 100,000 people, at such legendary venues as CBGB's, The Trocadero, The Knitting Factory, The Whiskey, The Roxy, The Experience Music Project, The Big Easy and BB King's Blues Club in Times Square. We have also had the great fortune to be able to perform at music festivals from Lollapalooza and Austin City Limits, to Zappanale in Bad Doberan, Germany.
We believe the best way to learn music is to play music. We take students from the lesson room to the stage, developing both their confidence and musicianship with programs designed for all skill levels.
School of Rock teaches guitar, bass, vocals, keyboards, drums and combines weekly private music lessons and group band rehearsals to prepare students to take the stage in front of live audiences in an authentic concert setting.
To date our students have played thousands of concerts, to more than 100,000 people, at such legendary venues as CBGB's, The Trocadero, The Knitting Factory, The Whiskey, The Roxy, The Experience Music Project, The Big Easy and BB King's Blues Club in Times Square. We have also had the great fortune to be able to perform at music festivals from Lollapalooza and Austin City Limits, to Zappanale in Bad Doberan, Germany.
Jerry Gaskill of King's X Suffers Heart Attack
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Details are sketchy at this hour, but Facebook reports are coming in that King's X drummer Jerry Gaskill has suffered a heart attack.
From Dug Pinnick: Jerry had a heart attack last night. He was operated on and is in stable condition at the hospital. Were all waiting for more info. I will keep you posted.
From Russell Arcara: Prayers are needed at this time for my very dear friend Jerry Gaskill He has suffered a heart attack and is in the ICU at this very moment. My FB friends are powerful prayers and he needs our continuous prayer. His family and I would be extremely grateful!!!!!
It goes without saying how much of a talent Jerry is - all KX fans are hoping that this situation isn't life threatening and that he'll make a full recovery. Selfishly, I'd love to see him perform in Denver in two short months, but if I had to put money down I'd say he'll be resting and the tour will either be postponed or a replacement drummer will be brought in to play their upcoming dates.
Get well soon, Jerry!
From Dug Pinnick: Jerry had a heart attack last night. He was operated on and is in stable condition at the hospital. Were all waiting for more info. I will keep you posted.
From Russell Arcara: Prayers are needed at this time for my very dear friend Jerry Gaskill He has suffered a heart attack and is in the ICU at this very moment. My FB friends are powerful prayers and he needs our continuous prayer. His family and I would be extremely grateful!!!!!
It goes without saying how much of a talent Jerry is - all KX fans are hoping that this situation isn't life threatening and that he'll make a full recovery. Selfishly, I'd love to see him perform in Denver in two short months, but if I had to put money down I'd say he'll be resting and the tour will either be postponed or a replacement drummer will be brought in to play their upcoming dates.
Get well soon, Jerry!
DLR: I'm Eddie Van Halen's Biggest Fan
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The 2012 Van Halen tour is only a few shows in and the fan reviews continue to be strong.
VH have been dropping some rarely-played gems in the setlists and mixing things up a little as they settle into the start of the trip.
This week, VH play two nights at Madison Square Garden, and the New York Post caught up with David Lee Roth for an update on the band’s tour in support of “A Different Kind Of Truth.”
“We’re doing a lot of tunes that don’t usually get out of the deck and Edward is more lucid now than any time in my memory,” explains Roth. “I’m his biggest fan. I still remember the first time I saw him playing in a backyard party in Pasadena in high school. He was great then and he’s great now. We’ve come full circle.”
Asked what sets VH apart from other bands, Dave says “We throw a sick party, and if you get invited, you gotta go. For starters, on this tour Kool and the Gang are opening our shows, and that’s full circle for us because we used to play ‘Hollywood Swinging’ in five-sets-a-night-beer-bars. And the first three songs on our new record are thunder-funk. What we’re giving is the best of the old and the new — think of it like watching ‘Dragnet’ on your iPad.”
Roth was asked how the pop world changed since VH started in the 70s.
“These days, I see too much cheerleading and not enough stagecraft, and what I’m seeing isn’t worth cheering for,” replies Roth. “The questions I want to ask most of my colleagues are: Can you even do the whole song from beginning to end? Can you do it onstage like you did it in the studio? Do you float like a butterfly or sting like a pre-recorded bee?”
The 2012 Van Halen tour is only a few shows in and the fan reviews continue to be strong.
VH have been dropping some rarely-played gems in the setlists and mixing things up a little as they settle into the start of the trip.
This week, VH play two nights at Madison Square Garden, and the New York Post caught up with David Lee Roth for an update on the band’s tour in support of “A Different Kind Of Truth.”
“We’re doing a lot of tunes that don’t usually get out of the deck and Edward is more lucid now than any time in my memory,” explains Roth. “I’m his biggest fan. I still remember the first time I saw him playing in a backyard party in Pasadena in high school. He was great then and he’s great now. We’ve come full circle.”
Asked what sets VH apart from other bands, Dave says “We throw a sick party, and if you get invited, you gotta go. For starters, on this tour Kool and the Gang are opening our shows, and that’s full circle for us because we used to play ‘Hollywood Swinging’ in five-sets-a-night-beer-bars. And the first three songs on our new record are thunder-funk. What we’re giving is the best of the old and the new — think of it like watching ‘Dragnet’ on your iPad.”
Roth was asked how the pop world changed since VH started in the 70s.
“These days, I see too much cheerleading and not enough stagecraft, and what I’m seeing isn’t worth cheering for,” replies Roth. “The questions I want to ask most of my colleagues are: Can you even do the whole song from beginning to end? Can you do it onstage like you did it in the studio? Do you float like a butterfly or sting like a pre-recorded bee?”
Aerosmith's New Album Brings "A Little Of 1975 Back"
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Aerosmith say they are bringing "a little of 1975 back" on a long-delayed album of new material to be released this summer to coincide with a U.S. tour.
The band said they were working on finishing up the album - the first of new material since 2001's Just Push Play - ahead of the tour, but kept the title under wraps.
"The camaraderie's there, there's some songs that are new rock, and old rock and middle-of-the-road rock, and blues, piano. Joe Perry singing a couple of songs, I'm playing the drums, Joey sings, just all kinds of stuff," frontman Steven Tyler told Reuters.
Aerosmith, whose previous attempts to make a new album were dogged by a litany of health problems and internal strife, say they have been working with their long-time producer Jack Douglas.
The band will kick off their North American Global Warming Tour on June 16 in Minneapolis, playing 18 cities from Toronto to Oakland, California and Atlanta, Georgia. Tickets go on sale from Friday.
"You're going to get some new songs from the new album and some old songs from the old albums and you're going to get new us and old us, and we're just going to go out and rock your world," Tyler, 64, told Reuters.
The volatile singer and "American Idol" judge was greeted by dozens of fans as the band swept into a Los Angeles news conference in flamboyant fashion - Tyler on a motorbike, drummer Joey Kramer in a white Lamborghini, guitarist Joe Perry in a taxi and bassist Tom Hamilton in a rickshaw. Guitarist Brad Whitford is currently on tour with another band.
"We've been known to set the world on fire with our type of music...so we decided to call this The Global Warming Tour," Tyler told journalists.
But they said playing at home was the biggest thrill.
"Coming back to American fans, that's my favorite part, because being on stage and getting the response that we're going to get hopefully from these new songs from American fans is something I really look forward to and something that has always held us together," said Kramer.
Aerosmith's last North American tour, in 2009, had to be scrapped midway through after Tyler, who had a history of drug addiction, fell off the stage and broke his shoulder. He later entered rehab for addiction to prescription painkillers.
Last year, he fell in the shower during Aerosmith's South American tour after passing out with stomach flu, but was back performing two days later.
"I'm going to be in a sling all night to hold me up!" Tyler joked on Wednesday of the upcoming gigs.
"It's all ludicrous, we've played...almost 5000 times now. I've fallen of the stage four times, so it's alright, it gets a lot of press...I'm just an overactive kid that gets into a lot of trouble. Let's wait to see what happens next," he said.
Tyler's decision in 2010 to join American Idol as a judge ruffled some feathers among his bandmates. But Tyler said his role on the TV singing contest had brought Aerosmith a whole new audience.
"The music that we write, fortunately it's been seductive to all genres of people. There's going to be kids who are going to get introduced to Aerosmith all over again, and there's a bunch of new music that we're taking a risk and putting out. It's kind of futuristic rock, all the way across the board, we're just good for that," said the rocker.
The band said they were working on finishing up the album - the first of new material since 2001's Just Push Play - ahead of the tour, but kept the title under wraps.
"The camaraderie's there, there's some songs that are new rock, and old rock and middle-of-the-road rock, and blues, piano. Joe Perry singing a couple of songs, I'm playing the drums, Joey sings, just all kinds of stuff," frontman Steven Tyler told Reuters.
Aerosmith, whose previous attempts to make a new album were dogged by a litany of health problems and internal strife, say they have been working with their long-time producer Jack Douglas.
The band will kick off their North American Global Warming Tour on June 16 in Minneapolis, playing 18 cities from Toronto to Oakland, California and Atlanta, Georgia. Tickets go on sale from Friday.
"You're going to get some new songs from the new album and some old songs from the old albums and you're going to get new us and old us, and we're just going to go out and rock your world," Tyler, 64, told Reuters.
The volatile singer and "American Idol" judge was greeted by dozens of fans as the band swept into a Los Angeles news conference in flamboyant fashion - Tyler on a motorbike, drummer Joey Kramer in a white Lamborghini, guitarist Joe Perry in a taxi and bassist Tom Hamilton in a rickshaw. Guitarist Brad Whitford is currently on tour with another band.
"We've been known to set the world on fire with our type of music...so we decided to call this The Global Warming Tour," Tyler told journalists.
But they said playing at home was the biggest thrill.
"Coming back to American fans, that's my favorite part, because being on stage and getting the response that we're going to get hopefully from these new songs from American fans is something I really look forward to and something that has always held us together," said Kramer.
Aerosmith's last North American tour, in 2009, had to be scrapped midway through after Tyler, who had a history of drug addiction, fell off the stage and broke his shoulder. He later entered rehab for addiction to prescription painkillers.
Last year, he fell in the shower during Aerosmith's South American tour after passing out with stomach flu, but was back performing two days later.
"I'm going to be in a sling all night to hold me up!" Tyler joked on Wednesday of the upcoming gigs.
"It's all ludicrous, we've played...almost 5000 times now. I've fallen of the stage four times, so it's alright, it gets a lot of press...I'm just an overactive kid that gets into a lot of trouble. Let's wait to see what happens next," he said.
Tyler's decision in 2010 to join American Idol as a judge ruffled some feathers among his bandmates. But Tyler said his role on the TV singing contest had brought Aerosmith a whole new audience.
"The music that we write, fortunately it's been seductive to all genres of people. There's going to be kids who are going to get introduced to Aerosmith all over again, and there's a bunch of new music that we're taking a risk and putting out. It's kind of futuristic rock, all the way across the board, we're just good for that," said the rocker.
Roger Hodgson Says Door 'Closed' On Supertramp Reunion
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Former Supertramp co-frontman Roger Hodgson has taken the long way to his first full-scale U.S. tour, the occupational hazard of being in a "faceless" band better known for its songs than its individual members.
"The name Roger Hodgson is not particularly well-known," Hodgson, in the midst of a massive world tour that stretches into November, told Billboard.com. "When I left the band (in 1983) I hadn't done anything to kind of get an identity for myself; it was really only die-hard fans who knew my name."
Hodgson credits his agent with the tour title, which he says "is working. It connects the dots for people that I was the guy who sang those songs -- 'The Logical Song,' 'Breakfast in America,' 'Take the Long Way Home,' 'Dreamer.' People everywhere know my voice, know the songs, the songs are still played all over the radio, yet you say Roger Hodgson and they say 'Roger who?' That's been the hardest job, to tell the truth."
Hodgson has done some of that work already in Europe and Canada, where he's been touring regularly. The latter also spawned the DVD Take The Long Way Home: Live in Montreal, which Hodgson has also released as a digital album called Classics Live.
"I feel like now people, or at least more people, know the name and associate my songs with the name, which is great. But it's still got a ways to go in America," Hodgson notes. "I'm very fortunate to have a wealth of material now that people that people have a deep relationship with. And the greatest thing for me as an artist is I never get tired of singing these songs. They really do have an evergreen quality. I would never have known they'd stand the best of time so well."
The Breakfast In America tour title, however, should not indicate that Hodgson will be playing that album in its entirety. When Hodgson left Supertramp he and co-founder Rick Davies agreed that they'd not perform each other's material in subsequent performances -- and Hodgson has been openly critical of Davies for violating the understanding.
There were overtures about reuniting in 2010 for the 40th anniversary of Supertramp's first album, but Hodgson says that "unfortunately the door was closed there. Nothing came of it." He adds that "all's quiet on the Western front right now. That was probably the last opportunity for us to do anything together again. And to tell you the truth, I've been very, very happy doing what I do. I feel like I'm able to give what I want to give in my shows, but I know there's certain magic and mystique and a lot of memories connected to the name. I gave it my best shot."
Hodgson -- whose last studio album, Open The Door, came out in 2000 -- continues to write new music as well and says "I always have a backlog of material, 60 or 70 songs." What will happen with them, however, is up in the air. "Unfortunately, I don't have time to make an album nowadays," he says. "I try to get music out by playing it live and create ways for fans to get ahold of it and pass it around. So I'm contemplating what to do with (the songs). There are some really good ones, I think. At some point I'll put them out."
"The name Roger Hodgson is not particularly well-known," Hodgson, in the midst of a massive world tour that stretches into November, told Billboard.com. "When I left the band (in 1983) I hadn't done anything to kind of get an identity for myself; it was really only die-hard fans who knew my name."
Hodgson credits his agent with the tour title, which he says "is working. It connects the dots for people that I was the guy who sang those songs -- 'The Logical Song,' 'Breakfast in America,' 'Take the Long Way Home,' 'Dreamer.' People everywhere know my voice, know the songs, the songs are still played all over the radio, yet you say Roger Hodgson and they say 'Roger who?' That's been the hardest job, to tell the truth."
Hodgson has done some of that work already in Europe and Canada, where he's been touring regularly. The latter also spawned the DVD Take The Long Way Home: Live in Montreal, which Hodgson has also released as a digital album called Classics Live.
"I feel like now people, or at least more people, know the name and associate my songs with the name, which is great. But it's still got a ways to go in America," Hodgson notes. "I'm very fortunate to have a wealth of material now that people that people have a deep relationship with. And the greatest thing for me as an artist is I never get tired of singing these songs. They really do have an evergreen quality. I would never have known they'd stand the best of time so well."
The Breakfast In America tour title, however, should not indicate that Hodgson will be playing that album in its entirety. When Hodgson left Supertramp he and co-founder Rick Davies agreed that they'd not perform each other's material in subsequent performances -- and Hodgson has been openly critical of Davies for violating the understanding.
There were overtures about reuniting in 2010 for the 40th anniversary of Supertramp's first album, but Hodgson says that "unfortunately the door was closed there. Nothing came of it." He adds that "all's quiet on the Western front right now. That was probably the last opportunity for us to do anything together again. And to tell you the truth, I've been very, very happy doing what I do. I feel like I'm able to give what I want to give in my shows, but I know there's certain magic and mystique and a lot of memories connected to the name. I gave it my best shot."
Hodgson -- whose last studio album, Open The Door, came out in 2000 -- continues to write new music as well and says "I always have a backlog of material, 60 or 70 songs." What will happen with them, however, is up in the air. "Unfortunately, I don't have time to make an album nowadays," he says. "I try to get music out by playing it live and create ways for fans to get ahold of it and pass it around. So I'm contemplating what to do with (the songs). There are some really good ones, I think. At some point I'll put them out."
The Grandmothers Of Invention's US Tour To Begin April
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Three former members of the Mothers of Invention are playing a series of selected concerts as The Grandmothers of Invention starting in April. The group recently performed to wildly enthusiastic audiences in Europe and now plan to bring their show to the US shores.
“This is going to be the most exciting tour of my entire career!” Don Prestonsays.
The Grandmothers of Invention, showcasing the talents of Mothers of Invention/Zappa alumni, features Napoleon Murphy Brock (MOI member 1974-1984) on lead vocals, tenor sax, woodwinds and dancing; Don Preston (MOI member 1966-1974) on vocals, keyboards and transformations; and Tom Fowler (MOI member 1973-1978) on bass and chair dancing.
The band also includes Chris Garcia on drums, percussion, marimba and vocals; Miroslav Tadic on electric guitar (from April 24 thru May 2); and Robbie Seahag Mangano on electric guitar (from May 3 thru May 15).
The Grandmothers of Invention indulge audiences with virtuosic playing, bizarre humor and many Zappa/Mothers compositions. Get ready to hear such Zappa penned classics as “I Am The Slime,” “Muffin Man,” “Florentine Pogen,” “Andy,” “Trouble Everyday,” “Village Of The Sun” and many, many more.
“Once again, after all of these years, be able to witness this music preformed as it was intended,” says Napoleon Murphy Brock.
The Grandmothers of Invention tour dates:
Apr-24 – Stubbs – Austin, TX
Apr-26 – Tipitinas @ at French Qrtr – New Orleans, LA
Apr-27 – Smith's – Atlanta, GA
Apr-28 – Cat's Cradle – Carrboro, NC
Apr-30 – Ramshead – Annapolis, MD
May-01 – The Hamilton – Washington, DC
May-02 – Infinity Hall – Norfolk, CT
May-03 – Iridium – New York, NY (2 shows)
May-04 – Iridium – New York, NY (2 shows)
May-05 – World Cafe Live – Wilmington, DE
May-06 – Rex Theater – Pittsburgh, PA
May-08 – Beachland Ballroom, Cleveland, OH
May-09 – Magic Bag – Detroit, MI
May-10 – Martyrs – Chicago, IL
May-11 – Cedar Cultural Center – Minneapolis, MN
May-12 – Bourbon Theater – Lincoln, NE
May-13 – Denver CO or Boulder CO
May-15 – State Room – Salt Lake City, UT
Gathering Of The Vibes: A Grateful Dead Fan's Dream (Almost)
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The surviving four members of the Grateful Dead -- with their solo projects -- will join the Avett Brothers, Primus, Zappa Plays Zappa, Steel Pulse, Sound Tribe Sector 9 and others at the 17th annual Gathering of the Vibes festival, which will take place July 19-22 at Seaside Park in Bridgeport, Conn.
Friday, July 20, will be "pretty much about the Grateful Dead" according to Vibes founder Ken Hays, including performances by bassist Phil Lesh & Friends, guitarist Bob Weir with Bruce Hornsby and Branford Marsalis, and percussionist Bill Kreutzmann with his latest group, 7 Walkers. Percussionist Mickey Hart and his new band -- promoting the "Mysterium Tremendum" album that comes out April 10 -- will appear on Saturday, July 21.
"It's a kindred spirit thing," Hart tells Billboard. "It feels very homey, very warm and fuzzy for us. After Jerry (Garcia) died, these people...didn't want the groove to stop, didn't want the vibe to stop, so they put this (festival) together over the years. The momentum built and now it's quite formidable. We feel a bit of responsibility to carry it on and help them and be a part of it and enjoy it with them. I really do none of the work for it, putting it on and everything, but I do support it, and I always look forward to playing it."
Hays adds that having the Dead members on board in any capacity adds meaning to the festival. "We're keeping the torch alive for them," Hays explains. "As long as they're well and able to perform... we'll always have a place for all the members of the Grateful Dead and whatever they're doing. They are very, very close to my heart and to those of 99 percent of the attendees." But neither Hays nor Hart would commit to the Dead members playing together in any way since they'll all be in attendance.
"You just never know," Hays says. "They're all getting along beautifully together and making incredible music. I think all that we can do is lay out the framework and let the possibilities and their inspiration decide." Hart adds that "everyone's doing what they really want to do and really enjoying it. Everybody's having a good musical life. I'm always up to play with (the others); then the times right, perhaps that'll happen."
In addition to the music, this year's Gathering of the Vibes will feature an assortment of extra attractions. There will be a School of Rock Stage as well as a Kids Corner and Teen Scene; the latter will feature the hands-on technological display of concert sound and lighting equipment that was popular last year. The Silent Disco -- a late-night party at which attendees dance on the Seaside Park beach with headphones rather than listening to a sound system -- will return, as will the World Peace Sanctuary parade and flag ceremony on Sunday morning. There will also be a ferris wheel and a full array of waterfront activities such as jet skis, sailboats, paddle boats and swimming.
"It's consistent with what the Vibes audience has asked for," Hays says. "Last year we had Jane's Addiction and Elvis Costello and people loved it, but I think this is a little bit more back towards the foundation of our roots in terms of the music." The 2011 edition of the Gathering drew about 20,000 fans per day, according to Hays.
It's also the final year of the festival's five-year contract with Seaside Park and the city of Bridgeport. "We'll make some decisions after this year's festival as to the future and where we go from here," Hays says, though the festival has generated goodwill by donating money from previous years that have gone to build a splash pad and a handicapped-accessible playground.
Gathering tickets have already been on sale for awhile, and Hays says the festival is "about one-third of the way sold out." A weekend pass is $185 for general admission, $420 VIP. Single day tickets will be on sale soon at prices to be determined, while Connecticut residents and state employees will receive a 50 percent discount for the festival's final day, and children 15 and under accompanied by parents will be admitted free.
Festival information and updates are available at www.gatheringofthevibes.com.
Hays says he's working on locking in a few more acts he hopes to announce soon, but the festival's current lineup includes:
July 19 -- Dark Star Orchestra, Yonder Mountain String Band, Zach Deputy, Royal Family Ball featuring Soulive and Lettuce
July 20 -- Phil Lesh & Friends, Bob Weir, Bruce Hornsby & Branford Marsalis, 7 Walkers, Greyboy Allstars, Conspirator, Kung Fu
July 21 -- Mickey Hart Band, Primus, Zappa Plays Zappa, Sound Tribe Sector 9, Deep Banana Blackout, Ryan Montbleau Band, Strangefolk, McLovins
July 22 -- Avett Brothers, Steel Pulse, Band Together
Friday, July 20, will be "pretty much about the Grateful Dead" according to Vibes founder Ken Hays, including performances by bassist Phil Lesh & Friends, guitarist Bob Weir with Bruce Hornsby and Branford Marsalis, and percussionist Bill Kreutzmann with his latest group, 7 Walkers. Percussionist Mickey Hart and his new band -- promoting the "Mysterium Tremendum" album that comes out April 10 -- will appear on Saturday, July 21.
"It's a kindred spirit thing," Hart tells Billboard. "It feels very homey, very warm and fuzzy for us. After Jerry (Garcia) died, these people...didn't want the groove to stop, didn't want the vibe to stop, so they put this (festival) together over the years. The momentum built and now it's quite formidable. We feel a bit of responsibility to carry it on and help them and be a part of it and enjoy it with them. I really do none of the work for it, putting it on and everything, but I do support it, and I always look forward to playing it."
Hays adds that having the Dead members on board in any capacity adds meaning to the festival. "We're keeping the torch alive for them," Hays explains. "As long as they're well and able to perform... we'll always have a place for all the members of the Grateful Dead and whatever they're doing. They are very, very close to my heart and to those of 99 percent of the attendees." But neither Hays nor Hart would commit to the Dead members playing together in any way since they'll all be in attendance.
"You just never know," Hays says. "They're all getting along beautifully together and making incredible music. I think all that we can do is lay out the framework and let the possibilities and their inspiration decide." Hart adds that "everyone's doing what they really want to do and really enjoying it. Everybody's having a good musical life. I'm always up to play with (the others); then the times right, perhaps that'll happen."
In addition to the music, this year's Gathering of the Vibes will feature an assortment of extra attractions. There will be a School of Rock Stage as well as a Kids Corner and Teen Scene; the latter will feature the hands-on technological display of concert sound and lighting equipment that was popular last year. The Silent Disco -- a late-night party at which attendees dance on the Seaside Park beach with headphones rather than listening to a sound system -- will return, as will the World Peace Sanctuary parade and flag ceremony on Sunday morning. There will also be a ferris wheel and a full array of waterfront activities such as jet skis, sailboats, paddle boats and swimming.
"It's consistent with what the Vibes audience has asked for," Hays says. "Last year we had Jane's Addiction and Elvis Costello and people loved it, but I think this is a little bit more back towards the foundation of our roots in terms of the music." The 2011 edition of the Gathering drew about 20,000 fans per day, according to Hays.
It's also the final year of the festival's five-year contract with Seaside Park and the city of Bridgeport. "We'll make some decisions after this year's festival as to the future and where we go from here," Hays says, though the festival has generated goodwill by donating money from previous years that have gone to build a splash pad and a handicapped-accessible playground.
Gathering tickets have already been on sale for awhile, and Hays says the festival is "about one-third of the way sold out." A weekend pass is $185 for general admission, $420 VIP. Single day tickets will be on sale soon at prices to be determined, while Connecticut residents and state employees will receive a 50 percent discount for the festival's final day, and children 15 and under accompanied by parents will be admitted free.
Festival information and updates are available at www.gatheringofthevibes.com.
Hays says he's working on locking in a few more acts he hopes to announce soon, but the festival's current lineup includes:
July 19 -- Dark Star Orchestra, Yonder Mountain String Band, Zach Deputy, Royal Family Ball featuring Soulive and Lettuce
July 20 -- Phil Lesh & Friends, Bob Weir, Bruce Hornsby & Branford Marsalis, 7 Walkers, Greyboy Allstars, Conspirator, Kung Fu
July 21 -- Mickey Hart Band, Primus, Zappa Plays Zappa, Sound Tribe Sector 9, Deep Banana Blackout, Ryan Montbleau Band, Strangefolk, McLovins
July 22 -- Avett Brothers, Steel Pulse, Band Together
Pink Floyd's 'The Story Of Wish You Were Here' Coming To DVD, Blu-ray
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On June 26, Eagle Rock releases Pink Floyd's The Story Of Wish You Were Here on DVD and Blu-ray Disc. This is the authorized story of the album made with the full involvement and approval of the members of Pink Floyd.
Wish You Were Here, released in September 1975, was the follow up album to the globally successful The Dark Side Of The Moon and is cited by many fans, as well as band members Richard Wright and David Gilmour, as their favorite Pink Floyd album. On release it went straight to Number One in both the UK and the US and topped the charts in many other countries around the world.
This program tells the story of the making of this landmark release through new interviews with Roger Waters, David Gilmour and Nick Mason and archive interviews with the late Richard Wright. Also featured are sleeve designer Storm Thorgerson, guest vocalist Roy Harper, front cover “burning man” Ronnie Rondell and others involved in the creation of the album. In addition, original recording engineer Brian Humphries revisits the master tapes at Abbey Road Studios to illustrate aspects of the songs’ construction.
The band members discuss the album’s themes of absence, the greed of the music business and former band member Syd Barrett, who is famously celebrated in “Shine On You Crazy Diamond,” which both opens and closes the album. The program also covers the unexpected visit Barrett paid to Abbey Road during the recording, the difficulties of the early recording sessions and how the decision to split “Shine On You Crazy Diamond” into two sections was the catalyst for the album’s successful completion.
the DVD and Blu-ray releases contain additional bonus material not featured in the TV broadcast version, including further interviews with Roger Waters, David Gilmour and Nick Mason plus Roger Waters and David Gilmour performing excerpts from the Wish You Were Here album.
The Story Of Wish You Were Here is a fascinating document and fitting tribute to Pink Floyd’s outstanding achievement in the creation of this masterpiece.
Robbie Robertson 'Saddened' Over Levon Helm Illness
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With news breaking that Levon Helm is in "the final stages of his battle with cancer," he's receiving words of support from a pair of his Band mates.
"Last week I was shocked and so saddened to hear that my old band mate, Levon, was in the final stages of his battle with cancer. It hit me really hard because I thought he had beaten throat cancer and had no idea that he was this ill," Robbie Robertson wrote on Facebook, explaining that he went to see Helm in the hospital over the weekend.
"I sat with Levon for a good while, and thought of the incredible and beautiful times we had together," he continued. "Levon is one of the most extraordinary talented people I've ever known and very much like an older brother to me. I am so grateful I got to see him one last time and will miss him and love him forever."
And Garth Hudson, the Band's third surviving member, posted a brief statement on his website:
"I am too sad for words right now," he wrote, linking to an Alexis P. Suter Band performance of "Knockin' on Heaven's Door." "Please continue praying for Levon and family."
"Last week I was shocked and so saddened to hear that my old band mate, Levon, was in the final stages of his battle with cancer. It hit me really hard because I thought he had beaten throat cancer and had no idea that he was this ill," Robbie Robertson wrote on Facebook, explaining that he went to see Helm in the hospital over the weekend.
"I sat with Levon for a good while, and thought of the incredible and beautiful times we had together," he continued. "Levon is one of the most extraordinary talented people I've ever known and very much like an older brother to me. I am so grateful I got to see him one last time and will miss him and love him forever."
And Garth Hudson, the Band's third surviving member, posted a brief statement on his website:
"I am too sad for words right now," he wrote, linking to an Alexis P. Suter Band performance of "Knockin' on Heaven's Door." "Please continue praying for Levon and family."
The Band's Levon Helm Dies At 71
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From msnbc.com
Levon Helm, singer and drummer for the Band, has died in New York of throat cancer. He was 71.
"He passed away peacefully at 1:30 this afternoon surrounded by his friends and bandmates," Helm's longtime guitarist Larry Campbell said. "All his friends were there, and it seemed like Levon was waiting for them. Ten minutes after they left we sat there and he just faded away. He did it with dignity. It was even two days ago they thought it would happen within hours, but he held on. It seems like he was Levon up to the end, doing it the way he wanted to do it. He loved us, we loved him."
In the late Nineties, Helm – whose singing anchored Band classics like "The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down," "Up on Cripple Creek," "Rag Mama Rag," and "The Weight" – was diagnosed with throat cancer and underwent 28 radiation treatments, eventually recovering his voice. In recent weeks, however, Helm had canceled a number of shows, including one at the New Orleans Jazz Fest on April 27th and another in Montclair, New Jersey. A note posted to his website on Tuesday from his daughter Amy and wife Sandy said that Helm was in the "final stages of his battle with cancer. Please send your prayers and love to him as he makes his way through this part of his journey. Thank you fans and music lovers who have made his life so filled with joy and celebration...he has loved nothing more than to play, to fill the room up with music, lay down the back beat, and make the people dance! He did it every time he took the stage."
Born May 26, 1940 in Arkansas, Helm was literally a witness to the birth of rock & roll; as a teenager, he saw Elvis Presley, Little Richard, Johnny Cash and Jerry Lee Lewis in concert and was inspired to play drums after seeing Lewis' drummer, Jimmy Van Eaton. (Helm went on to play mandolin and other stringed instruments as well). In 1960, Helm joined the backup band of rockabilly wildman Ronnie Hawkins – a group that would eventually include Robbie Robertson, Richard Manuel, Rick Danko and Garth Hudson, all future members of the Band.
The musicians broke from Hawkins to form their own group – their names included the Crackers and Levon and the Hawks – but it was their association with Bob Dylan that cemented their reputation. After Dylan saw the group in a club (either in Canada or New Jersey, depending on the source), he invited Helm and guitarist Robertson to join his electric band. "Bob Dylan was unknown to us," Helm wrote in his 1993 memoir This Wheel's on Fire. "I knew he was a folksinger and songwriter whose hero was Woody Guthrie. And that's it." Robertson and Helm were in Dylan's electric band for his controversial, frequently booed show at New York's Forest Hills Tennis Stadium. Afterward, various members of the Band played on Dylan's Blonde on Blonde and toured with him in 1966. (Helm left temporary in 1965, tired of the ongoing hostility from Dylan's folk fans.)
Recuperating in Woodstock after his 1966 motorcycle accident, Dylan again hooked up with the band that would soon be the Band. Before Helm rejoined them, they recorded the landmark Basement Tapes, and the Band's crackling, homespun take on American roots music began to take shape. Rechristening themselves the Band, they signed to Capitol Records and released two classic albums, Music From Big Pink (1968) and The Band (1969). Although Robertson was the Band's principal songwriter, it was Helm's beautifully gruff and ornery voice that brought the Canadian Robertson's mythic Americana songs to life. He was also one of rock's earliest singing drummers.
In 1976, at Robertson's urging, the Band broke up after its farewell concert, known as "The Last Waltz." In meetings before the concert and as recounted in This Wheel's on Fire, Helm was adamantly opposed to the group disbanding. "I didn't want any part of it," he wrote. "I didn't want to break up the band." He begrudgingly went along, but his relationship with Robertson was never the same. After the show, Helm formed his own band, Levon Helm and the RCO All Stars, featuring fellow legends Dr. John, Steve Cropper, and Booker T. Jones, and recorded several solo albums. Helm also ventured into acting with an acclaimed role in 1980's Coal Miner's Daughter, playing Loretta Lynn (Sissy Spacek's) father. But he couldn't leave the Band behind, and with Danko, Manuel, and Hudson, he formed a new version of the Band in the early 80s, recording three new studio albums with them.
The Band continued for a while after Manuel's suicide by hanging in 1986, but Danko's death in 1999 of heart failure ended the Band once and for all. By then, Helm was dealing with throat cancer. After his recovery, he began holding intimate concerts in his combination barn and studio in Woodstock, called the "Midnight Ramble," in part to pay his medical bills. The low-key, woodsy performances became must-see shows and attracted a rock who's who; Elvis Costello, Natalie Merchant, the Grateful Dead's Phil Lesh and Donald Fagen were among the many who joined Helm and his band. The Ramble shows led to two acclaimed Helm solo albums – one of which, 2007's Dirt Farmer, won a Grammy in the Best Traditional Folk category. "This go-round has been a lot more fun," Helm told Rolling Stone in 2009. "Now I know I've got enough voice to do it."
When the Band was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1994, Helm didn't attend, revealing that his feud with Robertson was still on. "I thought Levon was going to show," Robertson told Rolling Stone a few years later. "Then that evening they said he changed his mind and wasn't going to come. And I thought, 'Oh, God, it would have been better if he was here.'"
Helm's throat cancer had taken a toll on his singing voice. On stage and in recent interviews, his voice was sometimes strong but other times was reduced to a low rasp. But at one his last shows, in Ann Arbor on March 19th with a 13-piece band, the audience roared when he sang the Band classic "Ophelia." "I'm not the poster boy of good health," he said in an interview last year. "But I'm not doing too bad. I still got the energy to make music. As long as I can do that, I'm great."
Levon Helm, singer and drummer for the Band, has died in New York of throat cancer. He was 71.
"He passed away peacefully at 1:30 this afternoon surrounded by his friends and bandmates," Helm's longtime guitarist Larry Campbell said. "All his friends were there, and it seemed like Levon was waiting for them. Ten minutes after they left we sat there and he just faded away. He did it with dignity. It was even two days ago they thought it would happen within hours, but he held on. It seems like he was Levon up to the end, doing it the way he wanted to do it. He loved us, we loved him."
In the late Nineties, Helm – whose singing anchored Band classics like "The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down," "Up on Cripple Creek," "Rag Mama Rag," and "The Weight" – was diagnosed with throat cancer and underwent 28 radiation treatments, eventually recovering his voice. In recent weeks, however, Helm had canceled a number of shows, including one at the New Orleans Jazz Fest on April 27th and another in Montclair, New Jersey. A note posted to his website on Tuesday from his daughter Amy and wife Sandy said that Helm was in the "final stages of his battle with cancer. Please send your prayers and love to him as he makes his way through this part of his journey. Thank you fans and music lovers who have made his life so filled with joy and celebration...he has loved nothing more than to play, to fill the room up with music, lay down the back beat, and make the people dance! He did it every time he took the stage."
Born May 26, 1940 in Arkansas, Helm was literally a witness to the birth of rock & roll; as a teenager, he saw Elvis Presley, Little Richard, Johnny Cash and Jerry Lee Lewis in concert and was inspired to play drums after seeing Lewis' drummer, Jimmy Van Eaton. (Helm went on to play mandolin and other stringed instruments as well). In 1960, Helm joined the backup band of rockabilly wildman Ronnie Hawkins – a group that would eventually include Robbie Robertson, Richard Manuel, Rick Danko and Garth Hudson, all future members of the Band.
The musicians broke from Hawkins to form their own group – their names included the Crackers and Levon and the Hawks – but it was their association with Bob Dylan that cemented their reputation. After Dylan saw the group in a club (either in Canada or New Jersey, depending on the source), he invited Helm and guitarist Robertson to join his electric band. "Bob Dylan was unknown to us," Helm wrote in his 1993 memoir This Wheel's on Fire. "I knew he was a folksinger and songwriter whose hero was Woody Guthrie. And that's it." Robertson and Helm were in Dylan's electric band for his controversial, frequently booed show at New York's Forest Hills Tennis Stadium. Afterward, various members of the Band played on Dylan's Blonde on Blonde and toured with him in 1966. (Helm left temporary in 1965, tired of the ongoing hostility from Dylan's folk fans.)
Recuperating in Woodstock after his 1966 motorcycle accident, Dylan again hooked up with the band that would soon be the Band. Before Helm rejoined them, they recorded the landmark Basement Tapes, and the Band's crackling, homespun take on American roots music began to take shape. Rechristening themselves the Band, they signed to Capitol Records and released two classic albums, Music From Big Pink (1968) and The Band (1969). Although Robertson was the Band's principal songwriter, it was Helm's beautifully gruff and ornery voice that brought the Canadian Robertson's mythic Americana songs to life. He was also one of rock's earliest singing drummers.
In 1976, at Robertson's urging, the Band broke up after its farewell concert, known as "The Last Waltz." In meetings before the concert and as recounted in This Wheel's on Fire, Helm was adamantly opposed to the group disbanding. "I didn't want any part of it," he wrote. "I didn't want to break up the band." He begrudgingly went along, but his relationship with Robertson was never the same. After the show, Helm formed his own band, Levon Helm and the RCO All Stars, featuring fellow legends Dr. John, Steve Cropper, and Booker T. Jones, and recorded several solo albums. Helm also ventured into acting with an acclaimed role in 1980's Coal Miner's Daughter, playing Loretta Lynn (Sissy Spacek's) father. But he couldn't leave the Band behind, and with Danko, Manuel, and Hudson, he formed a new version of the Band in the early 80s, recording three new studio albums with them.
The Band continued for a while after Manuel's suicide by hanging in 1986, but Danko's death in 1999 of heart failure ended the Band once and for all. By then, Helm was dealing with throat cancer. After his recovery, he began holding intimate concerts in his combination barn and studio in Woodstock, called the "Midnight Ramble," in part to pay his medical bills. The low-key, woodsy performances became must-see shows and attracted a rock who's who; Elvis Costello, Natalie Merchant, the Grateful Dead's Phil Lesh and Donald Fagen were among the many who joined Helm and his band. The Ramble shows led to two acclaimed Helm solo albums – one of which, 2007's Dirt Farmer, won a Grammy in the Best Traditional Folk category. "This go-round has been a lot more fun," Helm told Rolling Stone in 2009. "Now I know I've got enough voice to do it."
When the Band was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1994, Helm didn't attend, revealing that his feud with Robertson was still on. "I thought Levon was going to show," Robertson told Rolling Stone a few years later. "Then that evening they said he changed his mind and wasn't going to come. And I thought, 'Oh, God, it would have been better if he was here.'"
Helm's throat cancer had taken a toll on his singing voice. On stage and in recent interviews, his voice was sometimes strong but other times was reduced to a low rasp. But at one his last shows, in Ann Arbor on March 19th with a 13-piece band, the audience roared when he sang the Band classic "Ophelia." "I'm not the poster boy of good health," he said in an interview last year. "But I'm not doing too bad. I still got the energy to make music. As long as I can do that, I'm great."
Ted Nugent: Secret Service Meeting 'Could Not Have Gone Better'
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Ted Nugent says he's off the hook after meeting with Secret Service agents about his controversial, violently-worded speech at an NRA convention.
"I met with two fine, professional Secret Service agents in Oklahoma today," the rocker and arch-conservative said Thursday in a post on his website. "Good, solid, professional meeting concluding that I have never made any threats of violence towards anyone. The meeting could not have gone better. I thanked them for their service, we shook hands and went about our business. Godbless the good federal agents wherever they may be."
He added: "By no stretch of the imagination did I threaten anyone's life, or hint at violence or mayhem. Metaphors needn't be explained to educated people."
Nugent had been under scrutiny since last weekend's NRA appearance in St. Louis, where he ranted about the Obama administration, "We need to ride into that battlefield and chop their heads off in November." If President Obama is re-elected, said Nugent, he'd be "dead or in jail by this time next year."
Nugent's incendiary speech attracted the ears of Secret Services, who launched a probe on the musician. He said in an interview on Glenn Beck's radio show that he respected "their duty to investigate," and had meant no real threat by his remarks.
In a statement to The Associated Press, Secret Service spokeperson Brian Leary said: "The issue has been resolved. The Secret Service does not anticipate any further action."
"I met with two fine, professional Secret Service agents in Oklahoma today," the rocker and arch-conservative said Thursday in a post on his website. "Good, solid, professional meeting concluding that I have never made any threats of violence towards anyone. The meeting could not have gone better. I thanked them for their service, we shook hands and went about our business. Godbless the good federal agents wherever they may be."
He added: "By no stretch of the imagination did I threaten anyone's life, or hint at violence or mayhem. Metaphors needn't be explained to educated people."
Nugent had been under scrutiny since last weekend's NRA appearance in St. Louis, where he ranted about the Obama administration, "We need to ride into that battlefield and chop their heads off in November." If President Obama is re-elected, said Nugent, he'd be "dead or in jail by this time next year."
Nugent's incendiary speech attracted the ears of Secret Services, who launched a probe on the musician. He said in an interview on Glenn Beck's radio show that he respected "their duty to investigate," and had meant no real threat by his remarks.
In a statement to The Associated Press, Secret Service spokeperson Brian Leary said: "The issue has been resolved. The Secret Service does not anticipate any further action."
Robin Gibb's Health Improves
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Robin Gibb's doctors say that the Bee Gees founder is making an astonishing recovery from the grave health problems that he has been battling.
"Only three days ago, I warned Robin’s wife, Dwina, son, Robin John and brother, Barry, that I feared the worst," Gibb's physician and gastroenterologist, Dr. Andrew Thillainayagam, said in a statement released by Gibb's representative. "We felt it was very likely that Robin would succumb to what seemed to be insurmountable obstacles to any form of meaningful recovery. As a team, we were all concerned that we might be approaching the realms of futility."
Thillainayagam explained that Gibb had opted to treat his advanced colorectal cancer with aggressive chemotherapy, and needed two emergency operations within two months. In his weakened condition, he developed brain swelling from liver failure as well as pneumonia and subsequently lost consciousness.
"It is testament to Robin’s extraordinary courage, iron will and deep reserves of physical strength that he has overcome quite incredible odds to get where he is now," Thillainayagam said.
The doctor confirmed that Gibb is now conscious, lucid, and able to speak. Although the singer is being fed intravenously, he is breathing on his own with the help of an oxygen mask.
"The road ahead for Robin remains uncertain but it is a privilege to look after such an extraordinary human being," Thillainayagam said.
"Only three days ago, I warned Robin’s wife, Dwina, son, Robin John and brother, Barry, that I feared the worst," Gibb's physician and gastroenterologist, Dr. Andrew Thillainayagam, said in a statement released by Gibb's representative. "We felt it was very likely that Robin would succumb to what seemed to be insurmountable obstacles to any form of meaningful recovery. As a team, we were all concerned that we might be approaching the realms of futility."
Thillainayagam explained that Gibb had opted to treat his advanced colorectal cancer with aggressive chemotherapy, and needed two emergency operations within two months. In his weakened condition, he developed brain swelling from liver failure as well as pneumonia and subsequently lost consciousness.
"It is testament to Robin’s extraordinary courage, iron will and deep reserves of physical strength that he has overcome quite incredible odds to get where he is now," Thillainayagam said.
The doctor confirmed that Gibb is now conscious, lucid, and able to speak. Although the singer is being fed intravenously, he is breathing on his own with the help of an oxygen mask.
"The road ahead for Robin remains uncertain but it is a privilege to look after such an extraordinary human being," Thillainayagam said.
Bruce Springsteen Shakes, Rattles, Surfs In Los Angeles
To contact us Click HERE
Tracking set lists is a popular pastime of Bruce Springsteen aficionados and the current tour has provided sufficient fodder in that department: In the 18 shows since he started the tour on March 18 in Atlanta, Springsteen has performed 65 different songs, only a dozen of which have made it into the set list every night. When the regulars drop out, such as "Thunder Road" on Thursday night at the Los Angeles Sports Arena, it feels newsworthy in that it made an L.A. show unique.
On the other hand, it provided a good reason to return for night two, the third to last night on the first leg of his U.S. tour. Not that "Thunder Road" was missed -- this was as powerful a show as any Bruce Springsteen has delivered in this city.
What typed up set lists do not convey is how the songs are performed. There may be no greater point to make about the significance of this tour, the first E Street outing without the late saxophonist Clarence Clemons and keyboardist Danny Federici. Springsteen has opted to fill the holes created by their absence with an element no one would have believed was absent, a sweet soulfulness and militaristic percussion. Clemons' brawniness and the wails that evoked moments of isolation and desperation are replaced by a horn section that alters songs moods like lighting, blue on one song, fire-engine red on the next.
Sixteen musicians are now in Springsteen's band, a five-piece horn section that sits out almost as often as it plays and doubles as percussionists, lending a maracas-based wall of sound to "She's the One" and a funeral marching band sound on "Death to My Hometown" and "Easy Money." It opens the bar band opportunities that exist in so many of his songs and he juices them smartly; a tribute to the Temptations ("The Way You Do the Things You Do") and Wilson Pickett ("634-5789") reveals his current soul tastes turning more toward classically tailored love songs rather than the rollicking tales of parties and sex that he covered in his younger days.
Springsteen has elevated the dynamics in so many of his songs, thanks to the presence of a hand drummer, two more backup singers and the horn players. Gone are the rim shots used for exclamation points, the sudden drop-outs of music and a pacing determined solely but the intensity of the songs. Now he's working within songs, using musicians for some sections but not others, and allowing the sounds of instruments to explode on their own rather than en masse. Acoustic numbers are sparingly used, set list a risky journey with few spots for Springsteen to rest his voice.
At the Sports Arena, Springsteen appeared rejuvenated, especially after the "Magic" tour, where the new songs never clicked, feeling half-baked up against classics that had been in the sets for a few years or a few decades. The material from Wrecking Ball - eight of its songs were performed Thursday, a standard at most of his shows to date - has a gravitas that approaches The Rising and in many cases supersedes "Born in the U.S.A's" songs; more lived in than when recorded, the new material is delivered with a compelling vigor, whether it's a soft song such as "Rocky Ground," performed with the singer and rapper Michelle Moore, or the more urgent "Wrecking Ball," one of the songs that takes full advantage of the scope a 16-piece band can provide.
Springsteen's first of two Los Angeles shows had a lot in common with shows elsewhere on the tour.
The dozen songs that have been performed at all 17 shows prior: "We Take Care of Our Own," "Wrecking Ball," "Death to My Hometown," "My City of Ruins," "The Rising," "We Are Alive," "Waitin' on a Sunny Day," Apollo Medley ("The Way You Do The Things You Do"/"634-5789"), "Rocky Ground," "Dancing in the Dark," "Tenth Avenue Freeze-out" and "Born to Run."
He offers two tributes to Clemons, one during "My City of Ruin" that also tipped the hat to Federici, and another during the pivotal second verse of "Tenth Avenue Freeze Out." They are largely silent tributes save for the rapturous applause.
The inclusion of "The Ghost of Tom Joad," "Something in the Night" and the Rivieras' "California Sun" took the list of songs performed only once during the tour up to 18. That was a particular treat for longtime Springsteen observers as he rarely uses the first night in L.A. to deliver anything untested.
He included songs that only had a few plays so far: "E Street Shuffle" (sixth time in a set); "Candy's Room" (third) and "She's the One" (seventh). Tom Morello performed magical guitar lines on three songs, "Death to My Hometown," "Jack of All Trades" and "The Ghost of Tom Joad." It was only the fifth show in which "Badlands" was used the opener; "We Take Care of Our Own" has been the opener elsewhere.
A list of songs, however, cannot convey the thrill that covered Springsteen's face when he brought a young girl onstage to sing "Waitin' on a Sunny Day" or the fact that he sang those soul covers in the middle of the general admission section on the floor and then crowd-surfed his way back to the stage or how he stood on Roy Bittan's piano, held his hand to his ear and pleaded the audience for more applause. These were Springsteen antics from the 1970s and and 1980s, stage maneuvers that had largely been dropped as his material turned increasingly serious and weighty.
He taped another element of that -- the voice of the preacher, detailing where he was going to take an audience for the night. "We came thousands of miles on a long long road to wake you and shake you and take you to a higher place," he shouted while the band played Curtis Mayfield's "People Get Ready." He spoke about the crowd needing the E Street Band as much as the the band needed the audience, pointing to youngsters standing and how crucial they were to the show's success, probably something they'll never hear again in an arena.
He spoke of the joyous power of rock 'n' roll, that it's the E Street Band's job to deliver "the news with a beat," to tell stories about "things that get lost" and "things that remain with us always." Material from Wrecking Ball supplied the news, The Rising was there for the reflection and the rest of it was indeed the joyous power of rock and roll. It sounds a bit different on this E Street Band go-'round, but it's refreshing and invigorating in a way that proves Springsteen never stops reaching for that higher place.
Here's the set list:
Badlands
We Take Care Of Our Own
Wrecking Ball
The Ties That Bind
Death To My Hometown (with Tom Morello)
My City Of Ruins
The E Street Shuffle
Jack Of All Trades (with Tom Morello)
Something in the Night
Candy's Room
She's The One
Easy Money
Waiting On A Sunny Day
The Promised Land
Apollo Medley (The Way You Do The Things You Do/634-5789)
The Ghost of Tom Joad (with Tom Morello)
The Rising
Lonesome Day
We Are Alive
Land Of Hope And Dreams
Rocky Ground (with Michelle Moore)
California Sun
Born To Run
Dancing In The Dark
Tenth Avenue Freeze-Out (with Tom Morello)
Tracking set lists is a popular pastime of Bruce Springsteen aficionados and the current tour has provided sufficient fodder in that department: In the 18 shows since he started the tour on March 18 in Atlanta, Springsteen has performed 65 different songs, only a dozen of which have made it into the set list every night. When the regulars drop out, such as "Thunder Road" on Thursday night at the Los Angeles Sports Arena, it feels newsworthy in that it made an L.A. show unique.
On the other hand, it provided a good reason to return for night two, the third to last night on the first leg of his U.S. tour. Not that "Thunder Road" was missed -- this was as powerful a show as any Bruce Springsteen has delivered in this city.
What typed up set lists do not convey is how the songs are performed. There may be no greater point to make about the significance of this tour, the first E Street outing without the late saxophonist Clarence Clemons and keyboardist Danny Federici. Springsteen has opted to fill the holes created by their absence with an element no one would have believed was absent, a sweet soulfulness and militaristic percussion. Clemons' brawniness and the wails that evoked moments of isolation and desperation are replaced by a horn section that alters songs moods like lighting, blue on one song, fire-engine red on the next.
Sixteen musicians are now in Springsteen's band, a five-piece horn section that sits out almost as often as it plays and doubles as percussionists, lending a maracas-based wall of sound to "She's the One" and a funeral marching band sound on "Death to My Hometown" and "Easy Money." It opens the bar band opportunities that exist in so many of his songs and he juices them smartly; a tribute to the Temptations ("The Way You Do the Things You Do") and Wilson Pickett ("634-5789") reveals his current soul tastes turning more toward classically tailored love songs rather than the rollicking tales of parties and sex that he covered in his younger days.
Springsteen has elevated the dynamics in so many of his songs, thanks to the presence of a hand drummer, two more backup singers and the horn players. Gone are the rim shots used for exclamation points, the sudden drop-outs of music and a pacing determined solely but the intensity of the songs. Now he's working within songs, using musicians for some sections but not others, and allowing the sounds of instruments to explode on their own rather than en masse. Acoustic numbers are sparingly used, set list a risky journey with few spots for Springsteen to rest his voice.
At the Sports Arena, Springsteen appeared rejuvenated, especially after the "Magic" tour, where the new songs never clicked, feeling half-baked up against classics that had been in the sets for a few years or a few decades. The material from Wrecking Ball - eight of its songs were performed Thursday, a standard at most of his shows to date - has a gravitas that approaches The Rising and in many cases supersedes "Born in the U.S.A's" songs; more lived in than when recorded, the new material is delivered with a compelling vigor, whether it's a soft song such as "Rocky Ground," performed with the singer and rapper Michelle Moore, or the more urgent "Wrecking Ball," one of the songs that takes full advantage of the scope a 16-piece band can provide.
Springsteen's first of two Los Angeles shows had a lot in common with shows elsewhere on the tour.
The dozen songs that have been performed at all 17 shows prior: "We Take Care of Our Own," "Wrecking Ball," "Death to My Hometown," "My City of Ruins," "The Rising," "We Are Alive," "Waitin' on a Sunny Day," Apollo Medley ("The Way You Do The Things You Do"/"634-5789"), "Rocky Ground," "Dancing in the Dark," "Tenth Avenue Freeze-out" and "Born to Run."
He offers two tributes to Clemons, one during "My City of Ruin" that also tipped the hat to Federici, and another during the pivotal second verse of "Tenth Avenue Freeze Out." They are largely silent tributes save for the rapturous applause.
The inclusion of "The Ghost of Tom Joad," "Something in the Night" and the Rivieras' "California Sun" took the list of songs performed only once during the tour up to 18. That was a particular treat for longtime Springsteen observers as he rarely uses the first night in L.A. to deliver anything untested.
He included songs that only had a few plays so far: "E Street Shuffle" (sixth time in a set); "Candy's Room" (third) and "She's the One" (seventh). Tom Morello performed magical guitar lines on three songs, "Death to My Hometown," "Jack of All Trades" and "The Ghost of Tom Joad." It was only the fifth show in which "Badlands" was used the opener; "We Take Care of Our Own" has been the opener elsewhere.
A list of songs, however, cannot convey the thrill that covered Springsteen's face when he brought a young girl onstage to sing "Waitin' on a Sunny Day" or the fact that he sang those soul covers in the middle of the general admission section on the floor and then crowd-surfed his way back to the stage or how he stood on Roy Bittan's piano, held his hand to his ear and pleaded the audience for more applause. These were Springsteen antics from the 1970s and and 1980s, stage maneuvers that had largely been dropped as his material turned increasingly serious and weighty.
He taped another element of that -- the voice of the preacher, detailing where he was going to take an audience for the night. "We came thousands of miles on a long long road to wake you and shake you and take you to a higher place," he shouted while the band played Curtis Mayfield's "People Get Ready." He spoke about the crowd needing the E Street Band as much as the the band needed the audience, pointing to youngsters standing and how crucial they were to the show's success, probably something they'll never hear again in an arena.
He spoke of the joyous power of rock 'n' roll, that it's the E Street Band's job to deliver "the news with a beat," to tell stories about "things that get lost" and "things that remain with us always." Material from Wrecking Ball supplied the news, The Rising was there for the reflection and the rest of it was indeed the joyous power of rock and roll. It sounds a bit different on this E Street Band go-'round, but it's refreshing and invigorating in a way that proves Springsteen never stops reaching for that higher place.
Here's the set list:
Badlands
We Take Care Of Our Own
Wrecking Ball
The Ties That Bind
Death To My Hometown (with Tom Morello)
My City Of Ruins
The E Street Shuffle
Jack Of All Trades (with Tom Morello)
Something in the Night
Candy's Room
She's The One
Easy Money
Waiting On A Sunny Day
The Promised Land
Apollo Medley (The Way You Do The Things You Do/634-5789)
The Ghost of Tom Joad (with Tom Morello)
The Rising
Lonesome Day
We Are Alive
Land Of Hope And Dreams
Rocky Ground (with Michelle Moore)
California Sun
Born To Run
Dancing In The Dark
Tenth Avenue Freeze-Out (with Tom Morello)
27 Nisan 2012 Cuma
From the Pit: An Opera Company's "Unsung Heroes"
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Sarah Richardson, who plays the viola, sent us this vlog (video blog) about the time she and her fellow musicians spend underneath the Central City Opera stage as members of the Central City Opera Orchestra. I've mentioned in a previous blog post how much I enjoy watching the Orchestra from the balcony. This collection of photos, videos and commentary gives you an insider's view from below as well!
Check out more from our violist on her blog, Beyond Do Re Mi. What do some musicians do when there are a lot of opera performances and not much time to drive back down to the Denver area in between them? According to one blog article, Sarah occasionally spends time at a nearby campground recharging her artistic soul enjoying nature and journaling. We actually have quite a few patrons who go camping while visiting the opera each summer, too. You may have been camping beside one of our orchestra members and not even realized it!
Check out more from our violist on her blog, Beyond Do Re Mi. What do some musicians do when there are a lot of opera performances and not much time to drive back down to the Denver area in between them? According to one blog article, Sarah occasionally spends time at a nearby campground recharging her artistic soul enjoying nature and journaling. We actually have quite a few patrons who go camping while visiting the opera each summer, too. You may have been camping beside one of our orchestra members and not even realized it!
Guns N' Roses - Concert Review
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The following Guns N' Roses review was written by TDWenger of Listen Up Denver. I'm posting his review here because, to be completely honest, I didn't stay for the duration of the GNR marathon show. Keep reading and you'll understand why...
The Scene: The scene at the Guns N’ Roses show at the 1st Bank Center was pretty much what I thought it might be. There were plenty of aging metalheads in leather and old tour t-shirts with big haired ladies in tight outfits on their arms and they were rubbing shoulders with well dressed suburban couples in their late 30′s out to relive their glory days with songs like “Welcome To The Jungle” and “Paradise City.” Sure there were some younger folks who came out to catch a glimpse of a fading legend, but the average age in the arena was pushing 40 for sure. It was an interesting crowd to say the least and the variety of people that turned out for a walk down memory lane was a clear testament to the wide reach of GnR’s material in the late 80′s and early 90′s.
Guns N’ Roses: First off, I’ve got to admit that the main reason I headed out on a Sunday night to catch this show was because I didn’t want to miss the opportunity to catch an Axl Rose meltdown. While they do seem to be fewer and farther between than just a few years ago, it’s by no means unheard of these days. For better or worse, Axl didn’t fly off the handle and instead decided to be surprisingly professional. Guns N’ Roses was scheduled to take the stage at 11pm (yes you read that right, 11pm . . . on a freakin’ Sunday) and at the stroke of the hour, the lights went down and the theme song from Dexter came pumping from the PA. Within seconds, the lights came up and guitarist DJ Ashba appeared in silhouette against a giant LED screen emblazoned with a GnR logo. As he launched into the opening riff from “Chinese Democracy,” an array of pyrotechnics exploded around the stadium sized stage, Axl and the rest of the band appeared, and we were off on quite an interesting ride.
Though the opener was a lot less than it could have been, the band followed it up with a trio of tunes from Appetite For Destruction as if to say to the mom’s and dad’s who had to go relieve a babysitter “there, you got what you came for, you can go now.” I’ve got to admit that Rose’s voice sounded pretty impressive on what I thought would be the defacto opener “Welcome To The Jungle,” and as he pushed into “It’s So Easy” and “Mr. Brownstone” I thought we might be in for surprisingly good show.
Unfortunately, what followed was an on again, off again set that was in desperate need of an editor. With solo after gratuitous solo, the band stretched . . . and stretched . . . and stretched the show out to three full hours, not bidding us goodnight until 2am. Axl has publicly bragged about how long the show is on this tour, and I’ve got to say that this is NOT the hit filled powerhouse set that will leave you begging for more in the wee hours of the morning. Rather, there were moments where it was downright boring as the band slogged through track after track from Chinese Democracy, and a slew of poorly chosen teases and covers like ”Baba O’Riley,” “Another Brick In The Wall,” and even “The Theme From The Pink Panther.” What it all added up to was a whole bunch of filler, much of which was totally unnecessary at 1am on a Sunday night. Axl and his band could have put on a polished, and really quite good, 90 minute show that focused on a few tracks from Chinese Democracy and the rest of the hits that people came to hear, rather than forcing us to sit through song after song that should have been left on the cutting room floor. Editing certainly doesn’t seem to be Mr. Rose’s strong suit.
While that lack of editing was a major blow to the musical portion of the night, it served to make the visual side of things very interesting. The stage set up was so big that it could have been left over from GnR’s days of touring stadiums with Metallica. With two levels, five video screens, enough acreage to raise a couple hundred head of cattle, an arsenal of pyrotechnical effects, and a dizzying array of lights hanging overhead, the set-up rivaled any of the biggest bands touring today. Frankly, with a rig like this, I have no idea how the band is going to clear any money from this tour. The small arena might have been two-thirds full and there was plenty of room to move around on the floor or to find a seat to wait out some of the slower moments of the evening.
While there were plenty of those slow moments, songs like “Live And Let Die,” “Sweet Child O’ Mine,” and “November Rain,” delivered just about everything I was hoping for. The three guitarists that are touring with this band in an effort to duplicate the guitar heroics that Slash pulled off on his own, did an admirable job and most of legendary solos were played note for note. There is no lack of talent in this band, and while at times it seemed like we could have been at a Vegas show due to the exorbitant production values, for the most part these guys proved their worth as musicians, as opposed to actors.
The two and half hour set wrapped up with a version of Bob Dylan’s “Knockin’ On Heaven’s Door” that went on for what seemed like an eternity as Axl begged the sparse crowd to sing to him, followed by a high energy take on “Nightrain” which allowed Rose to put his singing prowess on display once again as he hit all the notes and growls in the powerhouse tune. After a brief encore break, the band came back and closed the show with a self indulgent 30 minute mini-set that featured at least 3 drawn out instrumentals that did nothing to advance the show. By the time they got to “Patience” and “Paradise City” much of the crowd was poised to hit the parking lot but Axl had one last surprise in store for us when confetti cannon’s by the soundboard exploded, filling the air with millions of pieces of red paper.
The marathon show was nothing short of over-the-top . . . in every way. From the stage set-up, to the three guitar attack, to the three hour set time, to the 34 song setlist, Axl did it his way, so it was more than fitting that the walk-out music for the evening was Frank Sinatra’s “My Way.” When all was said and done I would say that ended up enjoying about half the show and on the drive home I did my best to figure out how to get that other hour and half of my life back. I have one word for you Axl: “Edit.”
Energy: B-
Sound: C
Musicianship: A-
Stage Presence: A-
Set / Light show: A
Overall: B
The following Guns N' Roses review was written by TDWenger of Listen Up Denver. I'm posting his review here because, to be completely honest, I didn't stay for the duration of the GNR marathon show. Keep reading and you'll understand why...
The Scene: The scene at the Guns N’ Roses show at the 1st Bank Center was pretty much what I thought it might be. There were plenty of aging metalheads in leather and old tour t-shirts with big haired ladies in tight outfits on their arms and they were rubbing shoulders with well dressed suburban couples in their late 30′s out to relive their glory days with songs like “Welcome To The Jungle” and “Paradise City.” Sure there were some younger folks who came out to catch a glimpse of a fading legend, but the average age in the arena was pushing 40 for sure. It was an interesting crowd to say the least and the variety of people that turned out for a walk down memory lane was a clear testament to the wide reach of GnR’s material in the late 80′s and early 90′s.
Guns N’ Roses: First off, I’ve got to admit that the main reason I headed out on a Sunday night to catch this show was because I didn’t want to miss the opportunity to catch an Axl Rose meltdown. While they do seem to be fewer and farther between than just a few years ago, it’s by no means unheard of these days. For better or worse, Axl didn’t fly off the handle and instead decided to be surprisingly professional. Guns N’ Roses was scheduled to take the stage at 11pm (yes you read that right, 11pm . . . on a freakin’ Sunday) and at the stroke of the hour, the lights went down and the theme song from Dexter came pumping from the PA. Within seconds, the lights came up and guitarist DJ Ashba appeared in silhouette against a giant LED screen emblazoned with a GnR logo. As he launched into the opening riff from “Chinese Democracy,” an array of pyrotechnics exploded around the stadium sized stage, Axl and the rest of the band appeared, and we were off on quite an interesting ride.
Though the opener was a lot less than it could have been, the band followed it up with a trio of tunes from Appetite For Destruction as if to say to the mom’s and dad’s who had to go relieve a babysitter “there, you got what you came for, you can go now.” I’ve got to admit that Rose’s voice sounded pretty impressive on what I thought would be the defacto opener “Welcome To The Jungle,” and as he pushed into “It’s So Easy” and “Mr. Brownstone” I thought we might be in for surprisingly good show.
Unfortunately, what followed was an on again, off again set that was in desperate need of an editor. With solo after gratuitous solo, the band stretched . . . and stretched . . . and stretched the show out to three full hours, not bidding us goodnight until 2am. Axl has publicly bragged about how long the show is on this tour, and I’ve got to say that this is NOT the hit filled powerhouse set that will leave you begging for more in the wee hours of the morning. Rather, there were moments where it was downright boring as the band slogged through track after track from Chinese Democracy, and a slew of poorly chosen teases and covers like ”Baba O’Riley,” “Another Brick In The Wall,” and even “The Theme From The Pink Panther.” What it all added up to was a whole bunch of filler, much of which was totally unnecessary at 1am on a Sunday night. Axl and his band could have put on a polished, and really quite good, 90 minute show that focused on a few tracks from Chinese Democracy and the rest of the hits that people came to hear, rather than forcing us to sit through song after song that should have been left on the cutting room floor. Editing certainly doesn’t seem to be Mr. Rose’s strong suit.
While that lack of editing was a major blow to the musical portion of the night, it served to make the visual side of things very interesting. The stage set up was so big that it could have been left over from GnR’s days of touring stadiums with Metallica. With two levels, five video screens, enough acreage to raise a couple hundred head of cattle, an arsenal of pyrotechnical effects, and a dizzying array of lights hanging overhead, the set-up rivaled any of the biggest bands touring today. Frankly, with a rig like this, I have no idea how the band is going to clear any money from this tour. The small arena might have been two-thirds full and there was plenty of room to move around on the floor or to find a seat to wait out some of the slower moments of the evening.While there were plenty of those slow moments, songs like “Live And Let Die,” “Sweet Child O’ Mine,” and “November Rain,” delivered just about everything I was hoping for. The three guitarists that are touring with this band in an effort to duplicate the guitar heroics that Slash pulled off on his own, did an admirable job and most of legendary solos were played note for note. There is no lack of talent in this band, and while at times it seemed like we could have been at a Vegas show due to the exorbitant production values, for the most part these guys proved their worth as musicians, as opposed to actors.
The two and half hour set wrapped up with a version of Bob Dylan’s “Knockin’ On Heaven’s Door” that went on for what seemed like an eternity as Axl begged the sparse crowd to sing to him, followed by a high energy take on “Nightrain” which allowed Rose to put his singing prowess on display once again as he hit all the notes and growls in the powerhouse tune. After a brief encore break, the band came back and closed the show with a self indulgent 30 minute mini-set that featured at least 3 drawn out instrumentals that did nothing to advance the show. By the time they got to “Patience” and “Paradise City” much of the crowd was poised to hit the parking lot but Axl had one last surprise in store for us when confetti cannon’s by the soundboard exploded, filling the air with millions of pieces of red paper.
The marathon show was nothing short of over-the-top . . . in every way. From the stage set-up, to the three guitar attack, to the three hour set time, to the 34 song setlist, Axl did it his way, so it was more than fitting that the walk-out music for the evening was Frank Sinatra’s “My Way.” When all was said and done I would say that ended up enjoying about half the show and on the drive home I did my best to figure out how to get that other hour and half of my life back. I have one word for you Axl: “Edit.”
Energy: B-
Sound: C
Musicianship: A-
Stage Presence: A-
Set / Light show: A
Overall: B
I'm Going Back To School
To contact us Click HERE
The last few weeks have been very busy for me as I interviewed and landed a new job at the School of Rock. I can't begin to describe what a great Holiday gift this is for my family. I could easily detail my months and months (and months) of unemployment, the hundreds of cover letters I wrote and resumes I sent, the dozens of interviews I had (but was never left standing at the end), blah, blah, blah... but I'd much rather look to the future and the work I'll be doing for School of Rock. There are 75+ SOR's across the country including three in Colorado. I'll be working to open new franchises across the country, and eventually internationally. So here's a little breakdown on what the SOR is all about:
We believe the best way to learn music is to play music. We take students from the lesson room to the stage, developing both their confidence and musicianship with programs designed for all skill levels.
School of Rock teaches guitar, bass, vocals, keyboards, drums and combines weekly private music lessons and group band rehearsals to prepare students to take the stage in front of live audiences in an authentic concert setting.
To date our students have played thousands of concerts, to more than 100,000 people, at such legendary venues as CBGB's, The Trocadero, The Knitting Factory, The Whiskey, The Roxy, The Experience Music Project, The Big Easy and BB King's Blues Club in Times Square. We have also had the great fortune to be able to perform at music festivals from Lollapalooza and Austin City Limits, to Zappanale in Bad Doberan, Germany.
We believe the best way to learn music is to play music. We take students from the lesson room to the stage, developing both their confidence and musicianship with programs designed for all skill levels.
School of Rock teaches guitar, bass, vocals, keyboards, drums and combines weekly private music lessons and group band rehearsals to prepare students to take the stage in front of live audiences in an authentic concert setting.
To date our students have played thousands of concerts, to more than 100,000 people, at such legendary venues as CBGB's, The Trocadero, The Knitting Factory, The Whiskey, The Roxy, The Experience Music Project, The Big Easy and BB King's Blues Club in Times Square. We have also had the great fortune to be able to perform at music festivals from Lollapalooza and Austin City Limits, to Zappanale in Bad Doberan, Germany.
Jerry Gaskill of King's X Suffers Heart Attack
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Details are sketchy at this hour, but Facebook reports are coming in that King's X drummer Jerry Gaskill has suffered a heart attack.
From Dug Pinnick: Jerry had a heart attack last night. He was operated on and is in stable condition at the hospital. Were all waiting for more info. I will keep you posted.
From Russell Arcara: Prayers are needed at this time for my very dear friend Jerry Gaskill He has suffered a heart attack and is in the ICU at this very moment. My FB friends are powerful prayers and he needs our continuous prayer. His family and I would be extremely grateful!!!!!
It goes without saying how much of a talent Jerry is - all KX fans are hoping that this situation isn't life threatening and that he'll make a full recovery. Selfishly, I'd love to see him perform in Denver in two short months, but if I had to put money down I'd say he'll be resting and the tour will either be postponed or a replacement drummer will be brought in to play their upcoming dates.
Get well soon, Jerry!
From Dug Pinnick: Jerry had a heart attack last night. He was operated on and is in stable condition at the hospital. Were all waiting for more info. I will keep you posted.
From Russell Arcara: Prayers are needed at this time for my very dear friend Jerry Gaskill He has suffered a heart attack and is in the ICU at this very moment. My FB friends are powerful prayers and he needs our continuous prayer. His family and I would be extremely grateful!!!!!
It goes without saying how much of a talent Jerry is - all KX fans are hoping that this situation isn't life threatening and that he'll make a full recovery. Selfishly, I'd love to see him perform in Denver in two short months, but if I had to put money down I'd say he'll be resting and the tour will either be postponed or a replacement drummer will be brought in to play their upcoming dates.
Get well soon, Jerry!
DLR: I'm Eddie Van Halen's Biggest Fan
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The 2012 Van Halen tour is only a few shows in and the fan reviews continue to be strong.
VH have been dropping some rarely-played gems in the setlists and mixing things up a little as they settle into the start of the trip.
This week, VH play two nights at Madison Square Garden, and the New York Post caught up with David Lee Roth for an update on the band’s tour in support of “A Different Kind Of Truth.”
“We’re doing a lot of tunes that don’t usually get out of the deck and Edward is more lucid now than any time in my memory,” explains Roth. “I’m his biggest fan. I still remember the first time I saw him playing in a backyard party in Pasadena in high school. He was great then and he’s great now. We’ve come full circle.”
Asked what sets VH apart from other bands, Dave says “We throw a sick party, and if you get invited, you gotta go. For starters, on this tour Kool and the Gang are opening our shows, and that’s full circle for us because we used to play ‘Hollywood Swinging’ in five-sets-a-night-beer-bars. And the first three songs on our new record are thunder-funk. What we’re giving is the best of the old and the new — think of it like watching ‘Dragnet’ on your iPad.”
Roth was asked how the pop world changed since VH started in the 70s.
“These days, I see too much cheerleading and not enough stagecraft, and what I’m seeing isn’t worth cheering for,” replies Roth. “The questions I want to ask most of my colleagues are: Can you even do the whole song from beginning to end? Can you do it onstage like you did it in the studio? Do you float like a butterfly or sting like a pre-recorded bee?”
The 2012 Van Halen tour is only a few shows in and the fan reviews continue to be strong.
VH have been dropping some rarely-played gems in the setlists and mixing things up a little as they settle into the start of the trip.
This week, VH play two nights at Madison Square Garden, and the New York Post caught up with David Lee Roth for an update on the band’s tour in support of “A Different Kind Of Truth.”
“We’re doing a lot of tunes that don’t usually get out of the deck and Edward is more lucid now than any time in my memory,” explains Roth. “I’m his biggest fan. I still remember the first time I saw him playing in a backyard party in Pasadena in high school. He was great then and he’s great now. We’ve come full circle.”
Asked what sets VH apart from other bands, Dave says “We throw a sick party, and if you get invited, you gotta go. For starters, on this tour Kool and the Gang are opening our shows, and that’s full circle for us because we used to play ‘Hollywood Swinging’ in five-sets-a-night-beer-bars. And the first three songs on our new record are thunder-funk. What we’re giving is the best of the old and the new — think of it like watching ‘Dragnet’ on your iPad.”
Roth was asked how the pop world changed since VH started in the 70s.
“These days, I see too much cheerleading and not enough stagecraft, and what I’m seeing isn’t worth cheering for,” replies Roth. “The questions I want to ask most of my colleagues are: Can you even do the whole song from beginning to end? Can you do it onstage like you did it in the studio? Do you float like a butterfly or sting like a pre-recorded bee?”
Aerosmith's New Album Brings "A Little Of 1975 Back"
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Aerosmith say they are bringing "a little of 1975 back" on a long-delayed album of new material to be released this summer to coincide with a U.S. tour.
The band said they were working on finishing up the album - the first of new material since 2001's Just Push Play - ahead of the tour, but kept the title under wraps.
"The camaraderie's there, there's some songs that are new rock, and old rock and middle-of-the-road rock, and blues, piano. Joe Perry singing a couple of songs, I'm playing the drums, Joey sings, just all kinds of stuff," frontman Steven Tyler told Reuters.
Aerosmith, whose previous attempts to make a new album were dogged by a litany of health problems and internal strife, say they have been working with their long-time producer Jack Douglas.
The band will kick off their North American Global Warming Tour on June 16 in Minneapolis, playing 18 cities from Toronto to Oakland, California and Atlanta, Georgia. Tickets go on sale from Friday.
"You're going to get some new songs from the new album and some old songs from the old albums and you're going to get new us and old us, and we're just going to go out and rock your world," Tyler, 64, told Reuters.
The volatile singer and "American Idol" judge was greeted by dozens of fans as the band swept into a Los Angeles news conference in flamboyant fashion - Tyler on a motorbike, drummer Joey Kramer in a white Lamborghini, guitarist Joe Perry in a taxi and bassist Tom Hamilton in a rickshaw. Guitarist Brad Whitford is currently on tour with another band.
"We've been known to set the world on fire with our type of music...so we decided to call this The Global Warming Tour," Tyler told journalists.
But they said playing at home was the biggest thrill.
"Coming back to American fans, that's my favorite part, because being on stage and getting the response that we're going to get hopefully from these new songs from American fans is something I really look forward to and something that has always held us together," said Kramer.
Aerosmith's last North American tour, in 2009, had to be scrapped midway through after Tyler, who had a history of drug addiction, fell off the stage and broke his shoulder. He later entered rehab for addiction to prescription painkillers.
Last year, he fell in the shower during Aerosmith's South American tour after passing out with stomach flu, but was back performing two days later.
"I'm going to be in a sling all night to hold me up!" Tyler joked on Wednesday of the upcoming gigs.
"It's all ludicrous, we've played...almost 5000 times now. I've fallen of the stage four times, so it's alright, it gets a lot of press...I'm just an overactive kid that gets into a lot of trouble. Let's wait to see what happens next," he said.
Tyler's decision in 2010 to join American Idol as a judge ruffled some feathers among his bandmates. But Tyler said his role on the TV singing contest had brought Aerosmith a whole new audience.
"The music that we write, fortunately it's been seductive to all genres of people. There's going to be kids who are going to get introduced to Aerosmith all over again, and there's a bunch of new music that we're taking a risk and putting out. It's kind of futuristic rock, all the way across the board, we're just good for that," said the rocker.
The band said they were working on finishing up the album - the first of new material since 2001's Just Push Play - ahead of the tour, but kept the title under wraps.
"The camaraderie's there, there's some songs that are new rock, and old rock and middle-of-the-road rock, and blues, piano. Joe Perry singing a couple of songs, I'm playing the drums, Joey sings, just all kinds of stuff," frontman Steven Tyler told Reuters.
Aerosmith, whose previous attempts to make a new album were dogged by a litany of health problems and internal strife, say they have been working with their long-time producer Jack Douglas.
The band will kick off their North American Global Warming Tour on June 16 in Minneapolis, playing 18 cities from Toronto to Oakland, California and Atlanta, Georgia. Tickets go on sale from Friday.
"You're going to get some new songs from the new album and some old songs from the old albums and you're going to get new us and old us, and we're just going to go out and rock your world," Tyler, 64, told Reuters.
The volatile singer and "American Idol" judge was greeted by dozens of fans as the band swept into a Los Angeles news conference in flamboyant fashion - Tyler on a motorbike, drummer Joey Kramer in a white Lamborghini, guitarist Joe Perry in a taxi and bassist Tom Hamilton in a rickshaw. Guitarist Brad Whitford is currently on tour with another band.
"We've been known to set the world on fire with our type of music...so we decided to call this The Global Warming Tour," Tyler told journalists.
But they said playing at home was the biggest thrill.
"Coming back to American fans, that's my favorite part, because being on stage and getting the response that we're going to get hopefully from these new songs from American fans is something I really look forward to and something that has always held us together," said Kramer.
Aerosmith's last North American tour, in 2009, had to be scrapped midway through after Tyler, who had a history of drug addiction, fell off the stage and broke his shoulder. He later entered rehab for addiction to prescription painkillers.
Last year, he fell in the shower during Aerosmith's South American tour after passing out with stomach flu, but was back performing two days later.
"I'm going to be in a sling all night to hold me up!" Tyler joked on Wednesday of the upcoming gigs.
"It's all ludicrous, we've played...almost 5000 times now. I've fallen of the stage four times, so it's alright, it gets a lot of press...I'm just an overactive kid that gets into a lot of trouble. Let's wait to see what happens next," he said.
Tyler's decision in 2010 to join American Idol as a judge ruffled some feathers among his bandmates. But Tyler said his role on the TV singing contest had brought Aerosmith a whole new audience.
"The music that we write, fortunately it's been seductive to all genres of people. There's going to be kids who are going to get introduced to Aerosmith all over again, and there's a bunch of new music that we're taking a risk and putting out. It's kind of futuristic rock, all the way across the board, we're just good for that," said the rocker.
Roger Hodgson Says Door 'Closed' On Supertramp Reunion
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Former Supertramp co-frontman Roger Hodgson has taken the long way to his first full-scale U.S. tour, the occupational hazard of being in a "faceless" band better known for its songs than its individual members.
"The name Roger Hodgson is not particularly well-known," Hodgson, in the midst of a massive world tour that stretches into November, told Billboard.com. "When I left the band (in 1983) I hadn't done anything to kind of get an identity for myself; it was really only die-hard fans who knew my name."
Hodgson credits his agent with the tour title, which he says "is working. It connects the dots for people that I was the guy who sang those songs -- 'The Logical Song,' 'Breakfast in America,' 'Take the Long Way Home,' 'Dreamer.' People everywhere know my voice, know the songs, the songs are still played all over the radio, yet you say Roger Hodgson and they say 'Roger who?' That's been the hardest job, to tell the truth."
Hodgson has done some of that work already in Europe and Canada, where he's been touring regularly. The latter also spawned the DVD Take The Long Way Home: Live in Montreal, which Hodgson has also released as a digital album called Classics Live.
"I feel like now people, or at least more people, know the name and associate my songs with the name, which is great. But it's still got a ways to go in America," Hodgson notes. "I'm very fortunate to have a wealth of material now that people that people have a deep relationship with. And the greatest thing for me as an artist is I never get tired of singing these songs. They really do have an evergreen quality. I would never have known they'd stand the best of time so well."
The Breakfast In America tour title, however, should not indicate that Hodgson will be playing that album in its entirety. When Hodgson left Supertramp he and co-founder Rick Davies agreed that they'd not perform each other's material in subsequent performances -- and Hodgson has been openly critical of Davies for violating the understanding.
There were overtures about reuniting in 2010 for the 40th anniversary of Supertramp's first album, but Hodgson says that "unfortunately the door was closed there. Nothing came of it." He adds that "all's quiet on the Western front right now. That was probably the last opportunity for us to do anything together again. And to tell you the truth, I've been very, very happy doing what I do. I feel like I'm able to give what I want to give in my shows, but I know there's certain magic and mystique and a lot of memories connected to the name. I gave it my best shot."
Hodgson -- whose last studio album, Open The Door, came out in 2000 -- continues to write new music as well and says "I always have a backlog of material, 60 or 70 songs." What will happen with them, however, is up in the air. "Unfortunately, I don't have time to make an album nowadays," he says. "I try to get music out by playing it live and create ways for fans to get ahold of it and pass it around. So I'm contemplating what to do with (the songs). There are some really good ones, I think. At some point I'll put them out."
"The name Roger Hodgson is not particularly well-known," Hodgson, in the midst of a massive world tour that stretches into November, told Billboard.com. "When I left the band (in 1983) I hadn't done anything to kind of get an identity for myself; it was really only die-hard fans who knew my name."
Hodgson credits his agent with the tour title, which he says "is working. It connects the dots for people that I was the guy who sang those songs -- 'The Logical Song,' 'Breakfast in America,' 'Take the Long Way Home,' 'Dreamer.' People everywhere know my voice, know the songs, the songs are still played all over the radio, yet you say Roger Hodgson and they say 'Roger who?' That's been the hardest job, to tell the truth."
Hodgson has done some of that work already in Europe and Canada, where he's been touring regularly. The latter also spawned the DVD Take The Long Way Home: Live in Montreal, which Hodgson has also released as a digital album called Classics Live.
"I feel like now people, or at least more people, know the name and associate my songs with the name, which is great. But it's still got a ways to go in America," Hodgson notes. "I'm very fortunate to have a wealth of material now that people that people have a deep relationship with. And the greatest thing for me as an artist is I never get tired of singing these songs. They really do have an evergreen quality. I would never have known they'd stand the best of time so well."
The Breakfast In America tour title, however, should not indicate that Hodgson will be playing that album in its entirety. When Hodgson left Supertramp he and co-founder Rick Davies agreed that they'd not perform each other's material in subsequent performances -- and Hodgson has been openly critical of Davies for violating the understanding.
There were overtures about reuniting in 2010 for the 40th anniversary of Supertramp's first album, but Hodgson says that "unfortunately the door was closed there. Nothing came of it." He adds that "all's quiet on the Western front right now. That was probably the last opportunity for us to do anything together again. And to tell you the truth, I've been very, very happy doing what I do. I feel like I'm able to give what I want to give in my shows, but I know there's certain magic and mystique and a lot of memories connected to the name. I gave it my best shot."
Hodgson -- whose last studio album, Open The Door, came out in 2000 -- continues to write new music as well and says "I always have a backlog of material, 60 or 70 songs." What will happen with them, however, is up in the air. "Unfortunately, I don't have time to make an album nowadays," he says. "I try to get music out by playing it live and create ways for fans to get ahold of it and pass it around. So I'm contemplating what to do with (the songs). There are some really good ones, I think. At some point I'll put them out."
The Grandmothers Of Invention's US Tour To Begin April
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Three former members of the Mothers of Invention are playing a series of selected concerts as The Grandmothers of Invention starting in April. The group recently performed to wildly enthusiastic audiences in Europe and now plan to bring their show to the US shores.
“This is going to be the most exciting tour of my entire career!” Don Prestonsays.
The Grandmothers of Invention, showcasing the talents of Mothers of Invention/Zappa alumni, features Napoleon Murphy Brock (MOI member 1974-1984) on lead vocals, tenor sax, woodwinds and dancing; Don Preston (MOI member 1966-1974) on vocals, keyboards and transformations; and Tom Fowler (MOI member 1973-1978) on bass and chair dancing.
The band also includes Chris Garcia on drums, percussion, marimba and vocals; Miroslav Tadic on electric guitar (from April 24 thru May 2); and Robbie Seahag Mangano on electric guitar (from May 3 thru May 15).
The Grandmothers of Invention indulge audiences with virtuosic playing, bizarre humor and many Zappa/Mothers compositions. Get ready to hear such Zappa penned classics as “I Am The Slime,” “Muffin Man,” “Florentine Pogen,” “Andy,” “Trouble Everyday,” “Village Of The Sun” and many, many more.
“Once again, after all of these years, be able to witness this music preformed as it was intended,” says Napoleon Murphy Brock.
The Grandmothers of Invention tour dates:
Apr-24 – Stubbs – Austin, TX
Apr-26 – Tipitinas @ at French Qrtr – New Orleans, LA
Apr-27 – Smith's – Atlanta, GA
Apr-28 – Cat's Cradle – Carrboro, NC
Apr-30 – Ramshead – Annapolis, MD
May-01 – The Hamilton – Washington, DC
May-02 – Infinity Hall – Norfolk, CT
May-03 – Iridium – New York, NY (2 shows)
May-04 – Iridium – New York, NY (2 shows)
May-05 – World Cafe Live – Wilmington, DE
May-06 – Rex Theater – Pittsburgh, PA
May-08 – Beachland Ballroom, Cleveland, OH
May-09 – Magic Bag – Detroit, MI
May-10 – Martyrs – Chicago, IL
May-11 – Cedar Cultural Center – Minneapolis, MN
May-12 – Bourbon Theater – Lincoln, NE
May-13 – Denver CO or Boulder CO
May-15 – State Room – Salt Lake City, UT
Gathering Of The Vibes: A Grateful Dead Fan's Dream (Almost)
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The surviving four members of the Grateful Dead -- with their solo projects -- will join the Avett Brothers, Primus, Zappa Plays Zappa, Steel Pulse, Sound Tribe Sector 9 and others at the 17th annual Gathering of the Vibes festival, which will take place July 19-22 at Seaside Park in Bridgeport, Conn.
Friday, July 20, will be "pretty much about the Grateful Dead" according to Vibes founder Ken Hays, including performances by bassist Phil Lesh & Friends, guitarist Bob Weir with Bruce Hornsby and Branford Marsalis, and percussionist Bill Kreutzmann with his latest group, 7 Walkers. Percussionist Mickey Hart and his new band -- promoting the "Mysterium Tremendum" album that comes out April 10 -- will appear on Saturday, July 21.
"It's a kindred spirit thing," Hart tells Billboard. "It feels very homey, very warm and fuzzy for us. After Jerry (Garcia) died, these people...didn't want the groove to stop, didn't want the vibe to stop, so they put this (festival) together over the years. The momentum built and now it's quite formidable. We feel a bit of responsibility to carry it on and help them and be a part of it and enjoy it with them. I really do none of the work for it, putting it on and everything, but I do support it, and I always look forward to playing it."
Hays adds that having the Dead members on board in any capacity adds meaning to the festival. "We're keeping the torch alive for them," Hays explains. "As long as they're well and able to perform... we'll always have a place for all the members of the Grateful Dead and whatever they're doing. They are very, very close to my heart and to those of 99 percent of the attendees." But neither Hays nor Hart would commit to the Dead members playing together in any way since they'll all be in attendance.
"You just never know," Hays says. "They're all getting along beautifully together and making incredible music. I think all that we can do is lay out the framework and let the possibilities and their inspiration decide." Hart adds that "everyone's doing what they really want to do and really enjoying it. Everybody's having a good musical life. I'm always up to play with (the others); then the times right, perhaps that'll happen."
In addition to the music, this year's Gathering of the Vibes will feature an assortment of extra attractions. There will be a School of Rock Stage as well as a Kids Corner and Teen Scene; the latter will feature the hands-on technological display of concert sound and lighting equipment that was popular last year. The Silent Disco -- a late-night party at which attendees dance on the Seaside Park beach with headphones rather than listening to a sound system -- will return, as will the World Peace Sanctuary parade and flag ceremony on Sunday morning. There will also be a ferris wheel and a full array of waterfront activities such as jet skis, sailboats, paddle boats and swimming.
"It's consistent with what the Vibes audience has asked for," Hays says. "Last year we had Jane's Addiction and Elvis Costello and people loved it, but I think this is a little bit more back towards the foundation of our roots in terms of the music." The 2011 edition of the Gathering drew about 20,000 fans per day, according to Hays.
It's also the final year of the festival's five-year contract with Seaside Park and the city of Bridgeport. "We'll make some decisions after this year's festival as to the future and where we go from here," Hays says, though the festival has generated goodwill by donating money from previous years that have gone to build a splash pad and a handicapped-accessible playground.
Gathering tickets have already been on sale for awhile, and Hays says the festival is "about one-third of the way sold out." A weekend pass is $185 for general admission, $420 VIP. Single day tickets will be on sale soon at prices to be determined, while Connecticut residents and state employees will receive a 50 percent discount for the festival's final day, and children 15 and under accompanied by parents will be admitted free.
Festival information and updates are available at www.gatheringofthevibes.com.
Hays says he's working on locking in a few more acts he hopes to announce soon, but the festival's current lineup includes:
July 19 -- Dark Star Orchestra, Yonder Mountain String Band, Zach Deputy, Royal Family Ball featuring Soulive and Lettuce
July 20 -- Phil Lesh & Friends, Bob Weir, Bruce Hornsby & Branford Marsalis, 7 Walkers, Greyboy Allstars, Conspirator, Kung Fu
July 21 -- Mickey Hart Band, Primus, Zappa Plays Zappa, Sound Tribe Sector 9, Deep Banana Blackout, Ryan Montbleau Band, Strangefolk, McLovins
July 22 -- Avett Brothers, Steel Pulse, Band Together
Friday, July 20, will be "pretty much about the Grateful Dead" according to Vibes founder Ken Hays, including performances by bassist Phil Lesh & Friends, guitarist Bob Weir with Bruce Hornsby and Branford Marsalis, and percussionist Bill Kreutzmann with his latest group, 7 Walkers. Percussionist Mickey Hart and his new band -- promoting the "Mysterium Tremendum" album that comes out April 10 -- will appear on Saturday, July 21.
"It's a kindred spirit thing," Hart tells Billboard. "It feels very homey, very warm and fuzzy for us. After Jerry (Garcia) died, these people...didn't want the groove to stop, didn't want the vibe to stop, so they put this (festival) together over the years. The momentum built and now it's quite formidable. We feel a bit of responsibility to carry it on and help them and be a part of it and enjoy it with them. I really do none of the work for it, putting it on and everything, but I do support it, and I always look forward to playing it."
Hays adds that having the Dead members on board in any capacity adds meaning to the festival. "We're keeping the torch alive for them," Hays explains. "As long as they're well and able to perform... we'll always have a place for all the members of the Grateful Dead and whatever they're doing. They are very, very close to my heart and to those of 99 percent of the attendees." But neither Hays nor Hart would commit to the Dead members playing together in any way since they'll all be in attendance.
"You just never know," Hays says. "They're all getting along beautifully together and making incredible music. I think all that we can do is lay out the framework and let the possibilities and their inspiration decide." Hart adds that "everyone's doing what they really want to do and really enjoying it. Everybody's having a good musical life. I'm always up to play with (the others); then the times right, perhaps that'll happen."
In addition to the music, this year's Gathering of the Vibes will feature an assortment of extra attractions. There will be a School of Rock Stage as well as a Kids Corner and Teen Scene; the latter will feature the hands-on technological display of concert sound and lighting equipment that was popular last year. The Silent Disco -- a late-night party at which attendees dance on the Seaside Park beach with headphones rather than listening to a sound system -- will return, as will the World Peace Sanctuary parade and flag ceremony on Sunday morning. There will also be a ferris wheel and a full array of waterfront activities such as jet skis, sailboats, paddle boats and swimming.
"It's consistent with what the Vibes audience has asked for," Hays says. "Last year we had Jane's Addiction and Elvis Costello and people loved it, but I think this is a little bit more back towards the foundation of our roots in terms of the music." The 2011 edition of the Gathering drew about 20,000 fans per day, according to Hays.
It's also the final year of the festival's five-year contract with Seaside Park and the city of Bridgeport. "We'll make some decisions after this year's festival as to the future and where we go from here," Hays says, though the festival has generated goodwill by donating money from previous years that have gone to build a splash pad and a handicapped-accessible playground.
Gathering tickets have already been on sale for awhile, and Hays says the festival is "about one-third of the way sold out." A weekend pass is $185 for general admission, $420 VIP. Single day tickets will be on sale soon at prices to be determined, while Connecticut residents and state employees will receive a 50 percent discount for the festival's final day, and children 15 and under accompanied by parents will be admitted free.
Festival information and updates are available at www.gatheringofthevibes.com.
Hays says he's working on locking in a few more acts he hopes to announce soon, but the festival's current lineup includes:
July 19 -- Dark Star Orchestra, Yonder Mountain String Band, Zach Deputy, Royal Family Ball featuring Soulive and Lettuce
July 20 -- Phil Lesh & Friends, Bob Weir, Bruce Hornsby & Branford Marsalis, 7 Walkers, Greyboy Allstars, Conspirator, Kung Fu
July 21 -- Mickey Hart Band, Primus, Zappa Plays Zappa, Sound Tribe Sector 9, Deep Banana Blackout, Ryan Montbleau Band, Strangefolk, McLovins
July 22 -- Avett Brothers, Steel Pulse, Band Together
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