I have been a neglectful blogger so to my one follower out there, my apologies but here is how my summer vacation is going (so far).

I attended Stephen Stills at City Winery a couple of weeks ago. It was advertised as a solo show but Stephen did have a band with him. which was a good thing. While I would have gone irregardless, Stephen Stills’  voice is pretty rough and ragged these days and on a bad night he struggles. On this night at City Winery Stephen was in good spirits (except for a few rants about cell phone video) and he was able to hit the high notes as well as he can presently. 

One great thing about a Stephen Stills performance  is that despite the current vocal shortcomings. Stephen Stills’ long history with the audience has everyone in the venue rooting for him; when he hits the difficult note, or comes close, the audience erupts in applause. 

The last time I saw Stills without Crosby and Nash he was with the apparent one-off The Rides with Kenny Wayne Shepherd in Westbury. The Rides was a blues fueled project where Stephen shared the stage somewhat equally with the other players.

Both shows had Stills playing nice renditions of Neil Young’s “Rockin’ in the Free World”.

My “Peaches Records and Tapes” 1978 CSN Walk of Fame T-shirt was a big hit with random people in the City Winery crowd and my daughter said it was the best show we’ve seen at City Winery, which  is high praise indeed.

In June I spent a week at Bolton Landing , New York on Lake George where I finally got to read the Gregg Allman autobiography and Neil Young’s  Waging Heavy Peace. I found both books interesting and worth reading but if I had to choose one, the Neil Young book, which he wrote in his own, was a far more interesting read as Neil jumped back and forth between time periods and topics while keeping the narrative moving forward to provide great incite to his history, creative process, and motivations.

Treetop Flyer

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GQ

i have to admit that when I picked up tickets to see Mudhoney at the Bowery Ballroom it was partly to see the band connected to the 1980’s Seattle music scene that gave us Nirvana, Soundgarden and Pearl Jam, among other acts, but the primary pull was to see them at one of my favorite venues, the Bowery Ballroom.

I had heard of the band but was unfamiliar with the music and did not know even one Mudhoney tune before the show. I was truly a blank slate for this show but I enjoy a new musical experience so I was raring to go. 

Mudhoney rocks. 

The lead singer/ guitarist Mark Arm exudes the best grunge while channeling John Lydon and Iggy Pop’s love child. The songs are intelligent, the band is tight, and the music is loud but clear.

I left the concert wondering how this band did not break out big but I am sure there is an interesting back story that explains that particular question.

Every Good Boy Deserves Fudge

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GQ

Billy Joel was in good voice tonight for his record tying appearance at Madison Square Garden where he broke into a Monkees medley about halfway through the show. 

I’m a Believer

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GQ

The legendary Van Morrison plays Forest Hills Stadium tonight for what is reportedly his only scheduled North American appearance. 

I’ve seen Van Morrison in concert a few times, and I am a huge fan, but a few years ago at Jones Beach Theater the man showed me something I had never seen before. During the concert on the right side of the stage there was a large digital clock with bright red numbers that counted up from zero to an hour and a half exactly when the night’s last song had ended and at which time the eccentric Van walked off stage withnot as much as a goodnight. This still ranks as one of the oddest things I’ve ever seen at a concert. 

Mr. Morrison could not have left the venue faster if the building was on fire. 

Whether the hour and a half performance was what the contract called for or just his own quirky twist on the evening, it left a strange vibe hanging over an audience who were clearly enjoying one of the great artists of our time.

If you do attend tonight’s performance, you can likely set your watch, or I-phone, from the time Van Morrison and his band hit the stage.

In any event, from the looks of it, it will be a marvelous night for a moon dance in Forest Hills tonight.

Real Real Gone

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GQ

I do not consider myself to be a movie reviewer but the film Love and Mercy about Brian Wilson and the Beach Boys is brilliant. The story of Brian Wilson as the tortured musical genius would be hard to believe if it were not true and it makes for a riveting cinematic rock and roll journey worthy of numerous Academy Award considerations. 

Good Vibrations

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GQ

Peter Cetera is one of the founding members of the band Chicago. At some point the bad blood between him and the band got so bad that when Peter Cetera came out with a solo greatest hits collection, Cetera had to re-record his great Chicago hits because the band would not authorize his using the originals for the compilation. Perhaps if the band Chicago gets inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame where they rightfully belong, Petra Cetera and Chicago can reunite for one last go round.

In the meantime, Chicago tours at an extraordinary pace year after year, this summer with Earth, Wind and Fire, and Mr. Cetera plays tonight in the half round at Westbury Music Fair.

Saturday in the Park

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GQ

The Dave Matthews Band plays two sets at the sold out Nikon at Jones Beach Theater and the unofficial start of the rock and roll summer concert season on Long Island begins tonight.

The Best of What’s Around

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GQ

Part if the reason that I attend so many rock concerts is the quest for nights like this one. Every once in awhile something special or unexpected happens; sometimes the audience and the performer connect for an extraordinary confirmation of the power and glory of rock and roll.

Forest Hills Stadium is a unique venue- a medium size amphitheater in the middle of a residential neighborhood that mandates a 10 PM curfew. Opening act Joan Jett & the Blackhearts hit the stage at 7 PM.

This was the last night of the first leg of The Who’s 50th anniversary tour. There was a communal feel to the mostly mature crowd and after Joan  Jett & the Blackhearts finished their 45 minute set in predominate sunshine on a perfect evening, The Who hit the stage and played a greatest hits set that had the crowd on its feet for the entire night. 

The Who last played Forest Hills Stadium in 1971 and there was a buzz in the air that this would not be a run of the mill Saturday evening. While beer vendors wearing Heinekin back packs poured enumerable $9 beers into tiny plastic cups, The Who played hit after hit in front of state of the art video images. Roger Daltry defies age and is in great voice at the moment and Pete Townshend appears to be really enjoying what is advertised to be the band’s last full scale tour.

Due to time restrictions, The Who cut out “A Quick One While He’s Away” from the concert and it seemingly tightened the set up to where there were no lulls in the action. At 10 PM the band looked as if they were enjoying themselves so much that you believed they may have played one more song for the ecstatic audience if not for a curfew; Daltry looked at his wrist watch and said goodnight for the triumphant players.

For me, this was the best Who performance since John Entwhistle passed away 13 years ago. A rollicking good time was had by all and if this was the last go round, what a way to go!

You Better, You Bet

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GQ

The great Ian Hunter & The Rant Band will return to City Winery in New York City tonight. 

Sweet Jane

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GQ

After the last Billy Joel at Madison Square Garden misadventure, my son and I headed back to Manhattan yet again to meet my daughter and see The Franchise continue his soon to be record setting run at The World’s Most Famous Arena.

Mr. Joel opened with “Miami 2017” and ran through many of the hits with a well paced set that included a guest appearance by Felix Cavaliere of The Rascals to play “Good Lovin'” and an odd turn with one of the roadies doing his best Brian Johnson impersonation on AC/DC’s “Highway to Hell” that the packed house seemed to enjoy somehow as comic relief mostly I suppose.

Billy Joel made several passing mentions of his age (66), and an impending child on the way, as he hobbled around the stage when leaving the safety of his revolving piano. 

A Billy Joel show is nothing groundbreaking; it has become like a Long Island high school reunion- an enjoyable night out, a chance to reminisce, then back to work in the morning.

The Billy Joel residency also has a built in audience of new tourists coming through New York City which will likely keep his monthly appearances at Madison Square Garden going for as long as he’s up for it.

The most amazing thing about these shows is that Mr. Joel’s music has seemed to strike a chord with many younger fans who know all of the words and sing along with Billy the Kid; there is a lot of smiling, hugging, and crowd participation throught the performance making for a happy audience by the end of the night.

Billy Joel has concerts scheduled at Madison Square Garden through December, 2015.

 It’s Still Rock and Roll to Me

GQ