At New Jersey’s PNC Arts Center on a September, 2003 evening I had a seat up close in the left side of the orchestra for Neil Young & Crazy Horse’s performance of “Greendale” (followed by some more familiar tunes). There has probably never been a rock and roll project before, or since, that compares to the Greendale tour which was part concert, part performance art, and parts all things in between. I attended several of the Greendale performances; in New Jersey, I was sitting next to a guy who just did not get it, and I explained to him then that years from now it would be looked back as pure genius. This was most definitely not a “greatest hits” tour, and even many who considered themselves fans of Me. Young left the shows disappointed, or even angry. I loved it as Neil Young, once again, created something completely new and broke through the walls of what might have been anticipated and artistic complacency. Neil Young will reportedly tour outdoor venues in 2024 and according to NYA the details will be coming soon.

Be the Rain

Rock on!

GQ

I tried to narrow down the date for this summer 2003 Chicago concert at the Jones Beach Theatre but was unsuccessful (so far). Just one of many Chicago concerts I have attended with my wife through the years, she being a lifelong fanatic for the band and their music. Our most recent Chicago concert took place in Atlantic City where the band was filming a soon to be released video with assorted special guests; I will have to admit it was one of their best Chicago performances that I have seen to date. The road warriors play the 2024 summer shed circuit with Earth, Wind and Fire making for always their best double bill and a “must see” for anyone looking for a great night out under the stars.

Chicago Greatest Christmas Hits

Rock on!

GQ

The Rolling Stones performed throughout New York tri-state area in October, 2002 and it was a roller coaster ride from start to finish (and beyond). I had a ticket to the Giants Stadium show, but on the night of the Madison Square Garden date I decided last minute to travel into NYC with a plan to attempt and “trade” my Giants Stadium ticket for an MSG ticket. It was getting close to showtime and I made my way into the arena to the interior line at the turnstiles where they check your ticket. It was pretty backed up when the Pretenders were heard hitting the stage and the impatient group awaiting entry rushed forward and just stormed passed the ticket taker into the arena- myself included with only my Giants Stadium ticket in hand. Extraordinarily, I managed to enter the Garden to see the Stones without a ticket, which would be unimaginable in the present day environment. Since I still possessed an untouched Rolling Stones ticket for Giants Stadium, I also attended that concert, although I do not have any specific recollections other than being there in New Jersey. The Hartford Civic Center Rolling Stones concert took place on Saturday, October 5, 2002 and for that road trip I was accompanied by my lifelong buddy Eric. We planned ahead to try and stay out of trouble; rented a hotel room walking distance from the arena with no driving required. We got to Hartford early and we made the most of it, hitting the local taverns nearby the venue. The Stones set list that tour was epic, and we were unbelievably all 21 years younger than today, At some point Eric and I got separated during and after the concert and we reconvened back at the hotel room hours later. The chain of events that occurred from the concert on are legendary, and somewhat infamous, but at the end of the day, despite some unfortunate unforeseen circumstances that transpired, things ultimately worked out for me with a little help from my friends.

The Rolling Stones are back on tour in May, 2024; my wife and I will see them at New Orleans Jazz Fest, my daughter and son in law will catch the event at Gillette Stadium, home of the New England Patriots.

Can’t Find My Way Home

Hackney Diamonds

Rock on!

GQ

I tried to figure out the exact date my wife and I saw Chicago at Caesars Atlantic City in June, 2002 but was unsuccessful; I think they may have performed three nights at the casino hotel this tour. I have seen Chicago in concert so many times through the years, mostly thanks to my wife’s fandom, that I can’t begin to guess the number, but this one in 2002 just might be my favorite. Table seating with waitress service, and an overnight hotel stay, gave this show a Las Vegas vibe. Chicago generally plays the familiar hits, and does not usually stray to far into their deep catalog, but the band always put on a great performance giving fans their money’s worth. We just saw them once again last month in Atlantic City where they were filming a concert video with special guests, and the band is back on tour throughout the summer of 2024 with Earth, Wind and Fire, who are always one of Chicago’s best collaborators on the shed circuit.

Free

Rock on!

GQ

My wife and sister in law sat on the right side of the stage at Madison Square Garden for The Who, with opener Robert Plant, on Sunday, August 4, 2002. The legendary rock and roll road warriors played “The World’s Most Famous Arena” on this night, and while I recall that the seats were great, I have seen both artists so many times through the years I do not have any specific recollection of this concert other than it was an excellent night out. The Who has had a few farewell tours since, and their show at Forest Hills Stadium was one of my favorites most recently. Robert Plant has continued to resist a reunion of sorts for what would surely be a lucrative Led Zeppelin tour and he continues to follow his muse creating new projects with a variety of musicians as true artists will do.
On this night in 2002, two of the greatest acts in the history of rock and roll performed on the same stage in New York City; incredible….

Face Dances

Rock on!

GQ

My buddy Pete hooked up four first row center seats at Westbury Music Fair in the “ half round” for Jason Bonham’s Led Zeppelin Evening on Wednesday, November 29, 2023. After a nice dinner at Frank’s Steakhouse, we drove to the mostly sold out theatre and witnessed a nice recreation of the legendary Led Zeppelin catalog; thankfully devoid of impersonation. Mr. Bonham is a truly likable guy who played with surviving Led Zep members for the “ Celebration Day” concert reunion. Bonham is about to embark on a summer shed tour with Sammy Hagar, Michael Anthony and Joe Satriani, which should include a heavy dose of Van Hagar classics on the set list. Last week’s Bonham and Company concert was a great night of hard rock performed by talented professional players, and what more could an old school rock and roll audience possibly ask for in 2023.

In My Time of Dying

Rock on!

GQ

Bob Dylan is still on the road and he performs at the sold out Kings Theatre in Brooklyn tonight and tomorrow, then the Beacon Theatre on Thursday. I will be heading to Brooklyn tonight and then the recently added date at the Beacon on Thursday. What can you say about Bob Dylan that has not already been said?; his “newer” music is incredible and he just recently did an unannounced Farm Aid set with the Heartbreakers where he he played guitar on several older tunes. I’m looking forward to the concert tonight, which will be a “cell phone free” experience, even though getting there on a weekday night from Long Island will not be an easy task (but quest for legendary live music never ends).

Maybe I will run into Steve Earle again; you never know……

Tough Mama

Rock on!

GQ

While my Aunt Pat had given me “Meet the Beatles” as a youth when it was first released, and my father bought me the Moody Blues’ “Every Good Boy Deserves Favour” after a post office picnic mishap and for my love of the “The Story in Your Eyes” single, the first album that I purchased for myself was Jethro Tull’s “Warchild”. Tull was my favorite rock band in freshman year in high school long before my obsession with Yes, and then Neil Young, took hold. I first saw the band at Madison Square Garden when opening act Livingston Taylor was famously chased off the stage by thrown objects from an impatient Jethro Tull crowd. More recently on the Thick as a Brick 2 tour, Anderson had a young protege handling much of the vocals that evening which left me thinking his voice might have been shot. On this latest “Seven Decades” tour, Anderson snd the band defied expectations and blew me away with an energetic multimedia extravaganza.. Ian Anderson sounded and looked great, bouncing around the Beacon stage like a performer half his age. He was not content with just playing “the hits” (although they did end the show with “Aqualung” and “Locomotive Breathe”) but they did pull out many more obscure tunes from the group’s extraordinary catalog and with numerous flute solos interspersed through the performance. The show started promptly at 8, with an intermission during which the bathroom lines for this nature audience far exceeded the beer lines. Jethro Tull is amazingly on a lengthy tour with Ian Anderson proving, once again, that he is a true original and one of the all time great rock and rollers.

Jethro Tull should be in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame; let’s get them in while they are still around to enjoy the recognition and the ceremony.

Jack-in-the-Green

Rock on!

GQ

I have neglected my rock and roll blog posts for a bit but have remained very busy rocking and rolling through the summer and into the fall of 2023. Summer highlights included Santana in Boston at the MGM Fenway venue, Styx with Joe Bonamassa and Don Felder at Northwell at Jones Beach Theatre, Chicago at NYCB Westbury Music Fair, and of course the Newport Folk Festival. My solo trip to Los Angelo’s to catch two Neil Young solo performances at the intimate outdoor Ford Theatre was awesome, as was hanging outside the iconic Hollywood Bowl as The Beach Boys celebrated the Fourth of July weekend. Since then I have attended two Peter Gabriel concerts at TD Garden and Madison Square Garden, Yes performing at NYCB at Westbury Music Fair, Tedeschi Trucks Band for one of two “garden party” dates at MSG, and then a New York Jets trip to Denver with my son where we saw Goose at Red Rocks Amphitheater snd Jason Aldean at the Ball Arena which is home to the NBA champion Denver Nuggets. Just last week, my wife and I caught the North Mississippi Allstars at the intimate Landmark Theatre in Port Washington (which was a very cool small venue). On the upcoming concert schedule for me is Morrissey at the Kings Theatre in Brooklyn on Wednesday, Jethro Tull at the Beacon Theatre on November 1st and, oh yea, Bob Dylan in Boston and Brooklyn next month.
WHEW…….

I may have missed something but I will elaborate on my various rock and roll exploits in more detail at a later time; I am still living the dream, chasing the rock and roll music and grabbing every opportunity to see my heroes, and the occasional new artist, perform live whenever, and wherever, the opportunity presents itself.

The Road Goes On Forever indeed

Rock on!

GQ

I am sitting in the Jet Blue Terminal at JFK Airport for my flight to Los Angeles to catch Neil Young’s long awaited solo Coastal Tour for two of the four nights at the Ford Theatre in the Hollywood Hills. I was planning to catch an Angels baseball game tomorrow afternoon and just found out The Beach Boys are playing the Hollywood Bowl tomorrow night, so I will hit that also before seeing Neil again on Monday and returning on the Fourth of July.
I have attended over ninety Neil Young performances since Rust Never Sleeps in 1978 and I am always thinking that “this one” could be the final tour. After Neil sold half his catalogue and Covid shut everything down, with the success of the Archives website, release of reissues, compilations, and rediscovered, formerly scrapped album projects, I was starting to believe we had seen the last of Young in concert. Neil has not done Farm Aid in a couple of years, but after the Willie Nelson birthday bash and the Stephen Stills “Light Up the Blues” benefit show, Young apparently found the urge to perform in front of an audience again. For now, the tour is only on the west coast, so rather than take the chance he does not make his way east any time soon, I am flying out for the beginning of the tour that started last night.

Chrome Dreams

Rock on!

GQ