rocknrolldad

[rocknrolldad]

WHAT’S A FAN TO DO?

First it was Van Morrison and Eric Clapton. It is bad enough that they turned out to be anti-lockdown, anti-vaxers, but they crossed a line when they took their insanity public. Let’s face it, it is only because of their celebrity that they have the public platform that they do. Using their fame to promote crazy shit is a slap in the face to any fan. Moreover, do they really think the vast majority of their fans want to hear an anti-vax song!

But what’s a fan to do when confronted with a favorite artist who goes off the rails? Van Morrison used to be my answer to the question “if you were stranded on a desert island with the music of only one singer/band, what singer/band would be your choice.” And I made and stuck with that choice for many years despite knowing that, as a person, Van Morrison is a jerk. Being an asshole was not a reason to reject his music. And Clapton was, in my eyes, a rock god. I have had plans for some time now to create a class for the organization where I teach music classes on the best guitarists in rock. I feel some ambivalence now about doing so as it will force me to confront my disdain for Clapton as a person.

Of course, Clapton and Van Morrison could care less about my feelings about them. It will not make any difference to them if I never buy another ticket to their concerts, never buy any merch, never download another album or don’t teach my class about how Clapton is one of the best who ever strapped on an electric guitar.

Then I learned that Joseph Arthur is as deranged as Van Morrison and Clapton, even to the point of writing an anti-vax song. Now, I strongly suspect that most people have no idea who Joseph Arthur is. And that used to be a shame—something that I sought to overcome by including him in my music classes whenever I could. I wanted others to enjoy his music as I did. But when I learned about his anti-vax stance, I found myself debating how to deal with this information.

My solution: I will no longer include his music in my classes and I will no longer go see him in concert. Both of these actions pain me as I think that Arthur is someone whose music is worth knowing and whose concerts were deeply moving. I will continue to listen to the music of his that I have previously downloaded (although the experience will no doubt be negatively impacted by knowledge of his anti-vaxer status). I have no delusions that these decisions will either be apparent to or matter in any way to Arthur. But supporting an artist is a discretionary act and I do believe that an artist must be held accountable in whatever way possible for their irresponsible (and reprehensible) public stances.

As for Clapton and Van Morrison, I will not download or listen to any new material they put out. Again, a purely symbolic gesture, one made easier by the fact that their newer music has been uninspiring of late. In fact, I read an interesting article recently that argued that the rock gods of my youth exhausted their truly creative and best work by their late twenties or early thirties. (It is true that very few of the musicians of my youth have put out any really good music in their twilight years. But that is a subject for another posting).

[rocknrolldad]

“CANCEL CULTURE” and The Night They Drove Ole Dixie Down

I offer this week's video--the live version of The Band's "The Night They Drove Ole Dixie Down" from the Last Waltz--as the focus for consideration of the "cancel culture" debate currently underway in the aftermath of the George Floyd protests. I must admit that I have always been moved by the lament of Virgil Caine in the song. Indeed, it would be difficult not to be affected by the pain and despair brought to the song by the incredible talent of Levon Helm, the drummer and one of the main vocalists in The Band. I never viewed the song as one glorifying the Confederacy, but rather saw it as a story of a man born in the wrong place at the wrong time. The main character is clearly a poor man who never owned a slave, but who lived a hardscrabble life and was forced into the Confederate Army. However, I must admit that the song always left me with a flicker of unease, wondering whether those who glorified the Lost Cause viewed it in the same light that I did. I imagine that there are those who, much like Ronald Reagan did with Springsteen's "Born in the USA," fail to understand the true meaning of the song.

These feelings were reawakened when I read an article about Marcus King, a singer/songwriter who with his band and some guest artists recently performed a tribute to The Last Waltz, playing 15 songs from that famous concert. One of the songs was The Night They Drove Ole Dixie Down, performed by Early James. James rewrote some of the lyrics of the song to explicitly distance the song from any endorsement of the Southern revolt.

Where Helm sang that the fall of the Confederacy was “a time I remember oh so well,” James declared it “a time to bid farewell.” In the chorus, instead of mourning that downfall, he sang, “Tonight, we drive old Dixie down.” And in the final verse, he sang:

"Unlike my father before me, who I will never understand

Unlike the others below me, who took a rebel stand

Depraved and powered to enslave

I think it’s time we laid hate in its grave

I swear by the mud below my feet

That monument won’t stand, no matter how much concrete."

Rewriting the lyrics to make a point is a time-honored tradition. But I would argue that context is everything. The problem with today's world is that context cannot be served up in a sound byte. Instead, everything is (excuse the expression) either black or white.

I offer for your consideration the context as supplied by Robbie Robertson who has explained that the song was inspired after Robbie went to meet Levon Helm’s parents in Arkansas. The opening lines of the song speak of the military campaign of Union general George Stoneman, whose raids behind Confederate lines—and specifically the destruction of the railroad tracks in Danville, Virginia—are given credit for breaking the back of the Confederate army which was starving in the winter of 1965, unable to resupply.

"Virgil Caine is the name, and I served on the Danville train

Till Stoneman’s cavalry came and tore up the tracks again

In the winter of ’65, we were hungry, just barely alive

By May the tenth, Richmond had fell, it’s a time I remember, oh so well."

Robertson specifically addressed the song's Dixie theme in an interview in late 2019. “I’m sitting down at the piano writing a song, and something creeped out of me, and it was a story. And I was writing a movie. I was writing a movie about a Southern family that lost in The Civil War, and from their side, but the story of that family. I was trying to write a song that Levon could sing better than anybody in the world. And that’s all it was. That’s what it meant to me—-this little movie, a perfect thing for him.”

This insight, this ode to the effect of the horror of the Civil War on ordinary people in the South who had no bone in the fight, adds to our humanity. It is not a monument to those who would have destroyed the Union so that they could continue to subjugate others. It is no statue. It should be allowed to stand and to touch our hearts. I only pray that the dynamics of our current national divide can rise above the rancor that is today's version of a Civil War.

(And with that, I dismount from my high horse).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6dDbnwQlCek

Preview YouTube video The Last Waltz (1978) - The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down Scene (5/7) | Movieclips

[rocknrolldad]

WHAT’S GOING ON

I was listening to one of my favorite albums from college last week when I realized that I overlooked the obvious choice for the first video that I sent in the aftermath of the protests of George Floyd's murder. In 1971, Marvin Gaye released an album on Motown Records with a song that asked the question, "what's going on."   As one writer recently put it, "Gaye’s masterwork is assertive but not aggressive. It’s as much pain as anger, as much news broadcast as sermon. Like the best popular music through the decades, it achieves the universal by going personal — addressed to “mother,” “brother,” “father,” “babe.” The song is a call for tolerance, a plea for trust." The song did not originate with Gaye. Rather, it was the work of Motown’s Obie Benson and Al Cleveland. Benson was a founding member and the bass singer of The Four Tops. Benson came up with the song while touring with The Four Tops in San Francisco where he saw police clash with "hippie" protesters. As Benson told Ben Edmonds for the 2001 book, “Marvin Gaye: What’s Going On,” an indispensable account of the song and album:“The police was beatin’ on them, but they weren’t bothering anybody. I saw this and started wondering what the f--- was going on. What is happening here? One question leads to another. Why are they sending kids so far away from their families overseas? Why are they attacking their own children in the streets here?” Benson then worked out the song with Cleveland, a Motown house writer. Benson’s own Four Tops didn’t want the song. He thought it would be perfect for Gaye. Benson offered Gaye co-writing credit as an incentive. According to Benson,  Gaye "added some things that were more ghetto, more natural, which made it seem more like a story than a song. He made it visual.” The song was not well received by Berry Gordy Jr. He thought it was too political and antithetical to Gaye's image as a romantic crooner. Gordy fought against its release, but Gaye ultimately prevailed and it was released in 1971.  It reached No. 1 on the R&B charts and No. 2 on the Hot 100. Gaye was born in DC and briefly attended Springarn High School and transferred to Cardozo. His father, a church minister, was physically abusive, often whipping him. On April 1, 1984, Gaye intervened in a fight between his parents and his father shot him twice, killing him.Like so many others, Gaye was taken way too soon. But he left a remarkable musical legacy. Watch the video. Then listen to the whole album. "What's Going On" remains a revolutionary beacon 50 years later. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o5TmORitlKk Attachments areaPreview YouTube video Marvin Gaye - What's Going On (Official Video 2019)

[rocknrolldad]

Song for Sam Cooke (Here in America)

One of my class sessions on the history of rock ‘n roll is about artists from the 60s and 70s who have remained relevant today. I will cover musicians like Elvis Costello, Randy Newman, David Bowie, David Byrne, and Richard Thompson. I just learned that I am going to have to add another one. His story-line has elements of early rock 'n roll, drug abuse, incredible serendipity, racial discord, racial harmony, and the human spirit. So here's a preview.

HIs name is Dion DiMucci, better known simply as Dion. He was a very popular rock 'n roll singer in the late 50s and early 60s with hits like "The Wanderer" and "Run Around Sue" and in the late 60s with "Abraham, Martin and John," a song that captured the pain and dreams of the 60s. First, some history. Dion was part of the ill-fated "Winter Dance Party" concert tour with Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens, and the Big Bopper in 1959 (he was 18 at the time). When the group decided to charter a plane to go to the next stop after a show in Iowa instead of taking the bus, Dion declined as he thought the $36 for the fare was exorbitant (it was the same amount as his parents paid a month for rent). That plane ride turned out to be the "day the music died" when it crashed. Dion went on to have 39 Top 40 hits in the late 1950s and early 1960s. He was a significant enough figure in rock and roll that he is one of only two rock artists featured on the album cover of Sgt. Peppers' Lonely Heart Club Band (the other was Bob Dylan). However, he turned to two career killers--heroin and evangelical Christian music. Dion was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1989, and continued to release albums and perform live, albeit with modest success. A musical about him and his music (called "The Wanderer") was supposed to open on Broadway last month, but has been postponed due to the pandemic.

Dion just released a new blues-oriented album, Blues with Friends. Guest artists include Paul Simon, Bruce Springsteen, and Van Morrison. That alone tells you something. The first video for this "class" is from that album. It is the perfect final entry in my trilogy of videos inspired by the Black Lives Matter protests that hopefully indicate that this time is in fact different. It is entitled "Song for Sam Cooke (Here in America)". Here is a sampling of the lyrics: Down the block I saw the people stop and stare You did your best to make a Yankee boy aware I never thought about the color of your skin I never worried 'bout the hotel I was in Here in America Here in America (in America) But the places I could stay They all made you walk away Here in America You were the man who earned the glory and the fame But cowards felt that they could call you any name You were the star, standing in the light That won you nothing on a city street at night Here in America Here in America You were told that we were free This land is made for you and me Here in America.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=geiaNspk5rYThe song is sung by Dion with Paul Simon.

A word about Sam Cooke is in order. Sam and Dion traveled together in the early 60s through the South where Dion observed firsthand what it meant to be black in America.The song captures the dignity of Cooke in the face of racial hostility. Of course, life is not that simple. Cooke was killed in 1964 in LA. The circumstances are somewhat uncertain. He was shot by a hotel manager. He was at the hotel with a woman he had just met who said he was trying to rape her. Cooke's family believes that she was a prostitute who was robbing him. In any event, Cooke, wearing nothing but a sport coat and a shoe, was shot by the manager of the hotel when he attempted to enter the office in an inebriated state, looking for the woman who had stolen his clothes. One of Cooke's biggest hits was "A Change is Gonna Come." It seems like the perfect anthem for what is going on in our country today. So it is the second video of the day. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fPr3yvkHYsE

And finally, let's not forget the joy that music brings us, joy that is exemplified by Dion's song, The Wanderer. (I had to use this video because I found the visuals so incongruous with the song). https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IkoidwsLXCg

Hope you enjoyed today's "lesson."

[rocknrolldad]

When Will We Ever Learn?

When the shutdown began, I had just started teaching "A History of Rock 'n Roll: A Musical Odyssey" at the DC chapter of OLLI (the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute). Creating the course was a labor of love and sadly, I was only able to teach the first of 11 "chapters." Since then, I have sent my class a weekly video with a variety of groups and themes. I thought that the one that I sent this week warranted a posting in these turbulent times. Here it is:

I actually was trying to decide between two videos for this week's offering. However, in light of the tragic upheaval of the past week, neither seemed appropriate. One was "trippy" and the other flat out rocks. I'm saving them for another time. Once I started thinking about what to do, the answer hit me immediately. I know that Bob Dylan was the focus of last week's e-mail. But his song, "Hurricane," seemed like the only possible choice. It tells the tale of Rubin "Hurricane" Carter, a former middleweight boxer who was convicted of murder and who was ultimately vindicated and released from prison. Dylan's song played a role in bringing the injustice of his case to a wide audience. This live version was 45 years ago. For all of the progress we have made in almost a half of a century, we sadly have far to go. I realize that this message is political and that political messages today are particularly fraught with divisiveness. But after all, confronting uncomfortable issues is central to the history of rock 'n roll. I, for one, find that the power of the violin in this song captures the pain, anguish, and anger that we are seeing in the images on the news.

[rocknrolldad]

Last Friday, I presented the first class in my course “A History of Rock ‘n Roll--A Musical Odyssey” at the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI).  Putting this history together has been a true labor of love.  The initial class was on the roots of rock ‘n roll.  The highlight in my humble opinion was introducing the class to Sister Rosetta Tharpe, the godmother of rock ‘n roll.  This woman was simply amazing and the fact that she is not better known is a shame.  To do my part in correcting this injustice, I am including a video of her performing.  When you watch it (and watch it you must), hold onto your socks--otherwise they will be blown off.

[rocknrolldad]

THIS WEEKEND I DIED AND WENT TO ROCK ‘N ROLL HEAVEN

On Saturday night, I thought that I had died and gone to rock ‘n roll heaven.  It turns out that I was actually just in the waiting room. I got into heaven on Sunday.

Saturday night was the Light of Day concert in Philadelphia.  The Light of Day organization raises money for Parkinson’s disease research.  The lineup consisted of three of my favorite performers—Willie Nile, Joe Grushecky and the Houserockers, and James Maddock—plus one who I had heard of but never seen—Joe D’Urso and Stone Caravan.  Whenever I attend a Willie, Joe, or James concert, I walk out with a major spring in my step and unbridled joy in my heart.  So you can imagine how I felt leaving a show with all three. Discovering Joe D’Urso was icing on the cake.  This was an evening of rock ‘n roll at its finest. Willie, Joe and James are not only fabulous performers, but are first-rate songwriters.  “One Guitar,” “Another Life,” “Beautiful Now,” and “More Yesterdays Than Tomorrows” are still reverberating in my soul.

As I said, as of Saturday night I thought I was in rock ‘n roll heaven.  So what made me realize I was only in the waiting room, I suspect you are asking.  That would be seeing David Bryne’s American Utopia on Broadway.  I had seen Bryne’s American Utopia “concert” in May 2018 at The Anthem.  It was one of the most amazing and unique musical experiences I have had.  In fact, I immediately instructed my son that he must see the show when it came around to San Francisco, which being the dutiful son that he is, he did—pronouncing it one of the best concerts he has ever seen. When I learned that Bryne was taking the show to Broadway, I was not particularly surprised as it is not simply a concert.  I was, however, elated and suggested to one of my rock ‘n roll buddies that we go on a road trip.  One advantage to seeing the show on Broadway is that the theater is much smaller than a typical David Bryne music venue.  I snagged fifth row center seats.  Seeing the performance from that vantage point took the experience to a whole other level.  Describing the show is somewhat difficult.  It is not strictly speaking a concert; nor is it a musical.  The New York Times’ review of the show notes:  “In David Byrne’s American Utopia — an expansive, dazzlingly staged concert — he emerges as an avuncular, off-center shepherd to flocks of fans still groping to find their way. Like him, or the version of himself he presents here, they’re heading into the twilight, wondering why the hell they haven’t grown up yet.  Byrne has some prescriptions for them and, by extension, for a United States that has, to borrow from one of his vintage songs, stopped making sense: Reach out, make a close study of people other than yourself.”  The show compels the audience to make that study. And a fascinating one it is.

There are some minor variations between the Broadway version of American Utopia and the one I saw a year and a half ago.  One of them is absolute genius.  Whereas the non-Broadway version ended on a dark note with Janelle Monáe’s protest song, “Hell You Talmbout,” the Broadway production includes that song, but it is followed by an a cappella version of “One Fine Day,” with its message of hope (“Then before my eyes is standing still, I beheld it there, a city on a hill. I complete my tasks one by one, I remove my masks when I am done. Then a piece of mind fell over me, In these troubled times, I still can see; We can use the stars to guide the way. It is not that far, one fine--One fine day, One fine day...Hope... I have hope..”) and then a rousing encore of “Road to Nowhere”:

Well, we know where we're going

But we don't know where we've been

And we know what we're knowing

But we can't say what we've seen.

[rocknrolldad]

THE YEAR IN REVIEW—2019

  I am happy to report that I did not slow down at all in 2019, matching my record of 43 concerts set in 2018.  With tickets already in hand for 12 shows in 2020, I am setting the stage to shatter that record next year.  And what a year 2020 promises to be.  With any luck, the piece of shit who resides in the White House will be evicted.  But before then, I will have had the pleasure of hearing the likes of Thom Yorke, Saint Motel, Glorious Sons, Josh Ritter, Foals, and the monster single show line-up of Weezer, Fall Out Boy and Green Day! Plus, I will have relived the pure joy of David Byrne’s American Utopia, this time on Broadway, and will have seen three of my favorite performers, Willie Nile, Joe Gruschecky, and Billy Price.

Let’s not overlook the excellent talent that I got to enjoy in 2019.  Panic! at the Disco, Guster, Andrew McMcMahon, Muse, Bad Suns, Foals, The Eels, Nils Lofgren, David Gray, Josh Ritter (twice), Jimmy Eat World, Third Eye Blind, Elvis Costello, Beck, Cage the Elephant (twice), Spoon, Two Door Cinema Club, Black Keys, Modest Mouse, X Ambassadors, Willie Nile, Joe Gruschecky, Pete Yorn, and Joseph Arthur are some of my favorites who I got to see again, many of them for the fourth, fifth and sixth times.  Plus, taking advantage of his move to Baltimore, I got to see Billy Price and his fabulous Charm City Rhythm Band five times this year. And then there were the new bands that I discovered and immediately fell in love with—Des Rocs, July Talk, Samantha Fish, Twin Peaks, and Catfish and the Bottlemen, not to mention two oldies but goodies that I had somehow never seen before—Jackson Browne and Bob Seger.

The 9:30 Club was my most frequented venue (7), followed by The Anthem (5), Jammin’ Java (4), The Lincoln (3), Merriweather Post Pavilion (2), and the Rock and Roll Hotel (2).  17 (or 40%) of the concerts were I.M.P. productions, proving that an independent music promoter can indeed dominate a city’s music scene.

So, make your New Year’s resolution one that is guaranteed to bring you much joy—go listen to live music.

And without further ado here is the line-up from 2019.

CONCERTS 2019

1.         Billy Price and the Charm City Band—January 18, 2019—Pearl Street Warehouse

2.         Panic! at the Disco—January 20, 2019—Capital One Arena

3.         Capitol Lab Bank—January 22, 2019—Mr. Henry’s

4.         Guster—January 26, 2019—9:30 Club

5.         Billy Price and the Charm City Band—February 2, 2019—Hill Country Barbeque

6.         Andrew McMahon—February 13, 2019—9:30 Club

7.         Grandson/Des Rocs—March 20, 2019—Rock and Roll Hotel

8.         Muse—April 2, 2019—Capital One Arena

9.         Jeff Tweedy—April 10, 2019—Lincoln Theater

10.       Jimmy Webb—April 11, 2019—City Winery

11.       Bad Suns—April 15, 2019—9:30 Club

12.       Foals—April 16, 2019—9:30 Club

13.       Willie Nile—April 20, 2019—Hamilton

14.       Joe Grushecky and the Houserockers—April 27, 2019—Jammin’ Java

15.       The Eels—May 14, 2019—Crest Theater (Sacramento)

16.       Josh Ritter—May 17, 2019—Lincoln Theater

17.       The Blasters—May 18, 2019—City Winery

18.       Billy Price and the Charm City Band—May 20, 2019—Westminster Presbyterian Church

19.       Nils Lofgren—May 21, 2019—The Birchmere

20.       Bob Seger and the Silver Bullet Band—May 25, 2019—Jiffy Lube Live

21.       David Gray—May 30, 2019—The Anthem

22.       Craig Finn—June 15, 2019—Rock and Roll Hotel

23.       Josh Ritter—June 28, 2019—Fox Theater (Oakland)

24.       Jackson Browne—July 3, 2019—Wolf Trap

25.       Jimmy Eat World/Third Eye Blind—July 19, 2019—Merriweather Post Pavilion

26.       Elvis Costello/Blondie—July 26, 2019—The Anthem

27.       Billy Price and the Charm City Band—August 2, 2019—Pearl Street Warehouse

28.       Beck/Cage the Elephant/Spoon—August 22, 2019—Merriweather Post Pavilion

29.       Two Door Cinema Club—September 9, 2019—9:30 Club

30.       Catfish and the Bottlemen/July Talk—September 29, 2019—The Anthem

31.       Black Keys/Modest Mouse—October 12, 2019—The Anthem

32.       AMP Trio—October 25, 2019—Ivy City Smokehouse

33.       X Ambassadors—October 29, 2019—Lincoln Theater

34.       Jukebox the Ghost—October 31, 2019—9:30 Club

35.       Joseph Arthur—November 2, 2019—Jammin’ Java

36.       Pete Yorn—November 4, 2019—Union Stage

37.       Willie Nile—November 24, 2019—Jammin’ Java

38.       Cage the Elephant—December 3, 2019—The Anthem

39.       Chadwick Stokes—December 8, 2019—Sixth and I

40.       Twin Peaks—December 11, 2019—Black Cat

41.       Samantha Fish—December 17, 2019—9:30 Club

42.       Sharon Clark—December 21, 2019—Sandbox

43.       Billy Price and the Charm City Band—December 29, 2019—Jammin’ Java

[rocknrolldad]

NEVER STOP LISTENING

Do not take my failure to post recently as a sign that I am slowing down in the concert department. In fact, I have seen plenty of fabulous shows this year and while I may not beat last year’s record of 43 concerts, I will see at least 36. There are a number of reasons that I have not posted much.  The main one is probably that I look for a significant theme that justifies writing about it the experience.  I don’t write just to write.  I need something that I feel needs to be said.

Well, last night that theme smacked me upside the head.  There was no mistaking it; I knew I would be writing about the show from the moment I heard the opening riff from the opening band.  The band—July Talk.  Who, you may ask.  That was certainly my reaction when I learned that July Talk was opening for Catfish and the Bottlemen.  As I usually do before going to a concert with an opening act with whom I am unfamiliar, I listened to a couple of songs on YouTube.  And I liked what I heard—enough so that I immediately downloaded the band’s two albums.  But even that did not prepare me for actually experiencing them live.  My buddy and I hadn’t heard more than the first couple of bars of the first song when we looked at each other and went “Wow!”  

July Talk is a Canadian band with two singers—Peter Dreimanis and Leah Fay. His voice is a bit of a cross between Tom Waits and Al Barr of the Dropkick Murphys and she reminded me a little of Florence Welch. Together, they are not only unique, but absolutely compelling.  All I can say is that you MUST MUST MUST go see them.

And there is an important lesson to be learned here.  The only reason that I got to experience the sonic splendor of July Talk is that I wanted to see Catfish and the Bottlemen.  And although Catfish has been around since 2007, I only started listening to them in the past two years and then only because of something that I read about them.  So here I am, at age 67, discovering two talented groups that I would not have known about if I was not open to and actively seeking new artists.  The lesson—never stop listening.  You just might hear a band that takes you on that special sonic journey through the cosmos that you can only get through live music.

[rocknrolldad]

THE BIRTH OF LOUD

This book is not to be missed if you are a fan of rock and roll.  It tells the tale of the invention of the electric guitar and how it took popular music to a whole other level.  The story unfolds chronologically with alternating vignettes of the initial collaboration and ultimate competition between Leo Fender, the inventor of the Fender line of electric guitars, and Les Paul, the performer who worked with Gibson Guitars to develop its lineup of instruments.  A fascinating sidebar describes how crucial Fender’s development of an electric bass guitar was to modern rock.  Prior to the electric bass, the instrument was relegated to the deep recesses of a song, a stand-alone sound that was only vaguely noticeable. With the power of amplification, the bass became the significant link between the beat of the drum with which it shared the rhythm and the melody which it was now able to play as well. Particularly fascinating is the way the author weaves into the timeline what musicians used what brand of guitar and how consumers were constantly swayed by their hero’s choice.  For example, I bet you did not know that Keith Richards’ then girlfriend played a major role in promoting Jimmy Hendrix who, prior to her involvement, was relegated to supporting roles.  In addition, she basically stole one of Richards’ Fender Stratocaster guitars and gave it to Hendrix who then took it to a whole other level.  The insights and stories about Brian Wilson and the Beach Boys, the Beatles, Eric Clapton, Buddy Holly, and Dick Dale (the godfather of “surf rock” whose song “Misirlou” will be instantly recognized by any fan of Pulp Fiction and who just died at age 81) and many others are priceless.

Read this book and it will change the way you hear your favorite artists and songs.

[rocknrolldad]

THE SILVER LINING IN THE CLOUD THAT WAS 2018

To categorize the horrors inflicted on the American people in 2018 by the Asshole-In-Chief and the spineless lemmings in the Republican Party as a “cloud” is without a doubt the understatement of year. I use the term solely to highlight the silver lining.  I don’t think it would work as well if the phrase was every “shitstorm” has a silver lining.  However, in order to avoid raising my blood pressure to dangerous levels, I want to focus on the silver lining that was my record-breaking concert attendance this year.

Previously, my record was achieved during my son’s junior year of high school when he and I went to 39 shows.  I shattered that record with 43 concerts in 2018.  And it was not just a matter of quantity as the quality of the performers and performances would be extremely difficult to beat. Any year that begins with “Springsteen on Broadway” sets an awfully high bar.  2018 had two trio of shows that were perfect.  In the span of 33 days from late April to late May, I saw Beck, David Byrne, and Jack White.  That is about as fine a lineup as one could want.  But interspersed in those 33 days were shows by Andrew McMahon, Max Weinberg, Graham Parker, and Jukebox the Ghost.  Plus Billy Joe Armstrong’s side-group, The Longshot AT THE BLACK CAT! Then in a mere two week period in late October to early November there was another trio of shows—Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, Elvis Costello and Richard Thompson.  And bookending that trio of concerts was Florence and the Machine, Jukebox the Ghost with Dirty Heads, Death Cab for Cutie, Hippo Campus, John Sebastian, 21 Pilots, and Justin Courtney Pierre.  The rest of the year included three Billy Price shows, Thom Yorke, The Killers, Walk the Moon, Joe Grushecky and the Houserockers, Noel Gallagher, X Ambassadors, Portugal. The Man, Justin Timberlake, New Politics, two Willie Nile performances, Franz Ferdinand, Jesse Colin Young, The Eels, The Blasters, Alejandro Escovedo and Joe Ely, Nils Lofgren, Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes—and let’s face it, all of a sudden the year looks a lot sunnier. Music is forever.  Trump, fortunately, is not.

And 2019 looks promising (although I can’t imagine ever having a year as good as 2018)—I already have tickets in hand for Panic! at the Disco, Guster, Billy Price, Muse,  Andrew McMahon, grandson, Jimmy Webb, Willie Nile, David Gray, and the Rolling Stones!  That’s 10 concerts and it isn’t even 2019 yet.

So without further ado, here is the full line-up for 2018.

1.         The Killers                              January 10, 2018                     The Anthem

2.         Walk the Moon                       January 12, 2018                     The Anthem

3.         Joe Grushecky                        January 27, 2018                     Jammin’ Java

4.         Bruce Springsteen                   January 31, 2018                     Walter Kerr Theater

5.         Noel Gallagher                        February 12, 2018                   The Anthem

6.         X Ambassadors                      February 19, 2018                   9:30 Club

7.         Portugal. The Man                  February 24, 2018                   The Anthem

8.         Justin Timberlake                   March 18, 2018                      Capitol One Arena

9.         New Politics/Dreamers           March 26, 2018                      Fillmore

10.       Willie Nile                              April 6, 2018                                    The Hamilton

11.       Franz Ferdinand                      April 11, 2018                                  9:30 Club

12.       Andrew McMahon                 April 26, 2018                                  9:30 Club

13.       Beck                                        April 27, 2018                                  The Anthem

14.       Max Weinberg                        May 5, 2018                                    The Barns at Wolf Trap

15.       Graham Parker                        May 8, 2018                                    City Winery

16.       David Byrne                           May 12, 2018                                  The Anthem

17.       Jukebox the Ghost                  May 17, 2018                                  9:30 Club

18.       The Longview                         May 25, 2018                                  Black Cat

19.       Jack White                              May 29, 2018                                  The Anthem

20.       Jesse Colin Young                  June 7, 2018                                    Bethesda Jazz & Blues

21.       The Eels                                  June 12, 2018                                  The Lincoln

22.       Billy Price                               June 23, 2018                                  City Winery

23.       Arctic Monkeys                      July 29, 2018                                  The Anthem

24.       Dudley Music/Andy Jenkins            August 3, 2018                        Sofar Sounds

25.       The Blasters                            August 18, 2018                      Hill Country

26.       Alejandro Escovedo/Joe Ely            August 21, 2018                      City Winery

27.       Bill Price                                 August 27, 2018                      Westminster Presbyterian

28.       Nils Lofgren                            September 14, 2018                Birchmere

29.       Future Thieves/Boss

            Country                                   September 23, 2018                Sofar Sounds

30.       Florence and the Machine            October 6, 2018                      The Anthem

31.       Jukebox the Ghost/

            Dirty Heads                             October 16, 2018                    Fillmore

32.       Death Cab for Cutie                October 17, 2018                    The Anthem

33.       Hippo Campus                        October 24, 2018                    9:30 Club

34.       Nick Cave and the

            Bad Seeds                               October 25, 2018                    The Anthem

35.       John Sebastian                         October 28, 2018                    City Winery

36.       21 Pilots                                  October 31, 2018                    Capitol One Arena

37.       Elvis Costello                         November 4, 2018                  DAR Constitution Hall

38.       Richard Thompson                 November 8, 2018                  The Lincoln

39.       Justin Pierre                            November 9, 2018                  U Street Music Hall

40.       Willie Nile                              November 23, 2018                Jammin’ Java

41.       Thom Yorke                           November 30, 2018                Kennedy Center

42.       Southside Johnny                    December 15, 2018                 Birchmere

43.       Billy Price                               December 26, 2018                 Jammin’ Jav

 Interesting note.  The Anthem led the pack of venues with 25% (11) of the shows, followed by 9:30 Club and City Winery (4 each) and Jammin’ Java (3)—that is one-half of this year’s shows at just 4 venues.

[rocknrolldad]

LIKE FATHER, LIKE SON

Justin Courtney Pierre and me (in DC) and Sam (in SF)

[rocknrolldad]

YOUR BAD:  THREE SHOWS THAT YOU PROBABLY MISSED

I have been going to concerts at such an incredible clip that I have not had time to post about them—10 shows in the past 6 weeks.  Three of these showcased artists about whom I have previously written—all in exemplary terms. Seeing them live within weeks of one another, it struck me that they all share certain characteristics.  They are older performers (69, 64 and 61 years old). They are not known for “hit” songs. Their concerts go beyond merely playing songs—they are true performances. Plus, in the words of one of my favorite tee shirts, they are clearly not too old to play young.  The bottom line is that if you don’t go to see them next time they are touring you are hopeless.

The first is Richard Thompson.  Even though he is of the vintage of me and my friends, virtually none of them know who he is. Now I have seen Eric Clapton and Nils Lofgren, two of the finest guitar players around.  Richard Thompson is easily their equal.  His guitar solos are absolutely riveting.  He uses a technique known as the "pick and fingers" technique, playing bass notes and rhythm with a pick between his first finger and thumb, and adding melody and punctuation by plucking the treble strings with his fingers. The effect is sublime.  Plus, his songwriting is first-rate. An added bonus that I only recently learned is that he has played with two other of my favorite performers—Willie Nile and David Byrne.

I was particularly struck by the fact that the audience for Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds was remarkably populated by a significant number of younger (20s, 30s, and 40s) fans.  Cave’s concerts are much more than just music; they are incredibly theatrical.  His music incorporates a number of genres from gospel and blues to rock and punk.  As one critic has said, "With the Bad Seeds, Cave continued to explore his obsessions with religion, death, love, America, and violence with a bizarre, sometimes self-consciously eclectic hybrid of blues, gospel, rock, and arty post-punk."  And when performing his songs, he assumes personas to match the mood. I have never ever seen an artist interact physically with his audience as much as Nick Cave does.  Plus, the man is downright prolific, having released 16 albums with the Bad Seeds.

And then there is Elvis. Like Cave, Elvis Costello’s music encompasses a number of genres.  There are ballads (Alison and Suspect My Tears from his new album), gorgeous gospel (Blood and Hot Sauce), new wave (Watching the Detectives and Pump It Up), and flat-out rock ((What’s So Funny ‘Bout) Peace, Love & Understanding). Neither Elvis nor Nick Cave is the greatest singer in the world, but their style fits their music and their message. The only negative about the Elvis Costello concert is the fact that there were several pockets of empty seats at DAR Constitution Hall—a venue with a capacity of 3,700.  It was most definitely your loss for not being there.

P.S.  I have to add a postscript to this posting.  Reading my comments on the various concerts about which I have written you probably are thinking that I don’t have a critical bone in my body.  In fact one friend of mine has said that as best he can tell I have never gone to a concert that wasn’t fabulous. Unfortunately, that is not true.  I went to the Arctic Monkeys show this summer. They had just released a new album that was very different from their previous ones.  I was not particularly enamored with the album prior to the concert.  But that is not unusual.  In fact, I often find that hearing the new work live adds a dimension to the songs so that after the concert, my view of the album improves greatly. That did not happen this time. The concert made me hate the new album even more.  Oh well. There are plenty more fish in the sea.

[rocknrolldad]

MEET THE ARTIST

Both Jukebox the Ghost and John Sebastian recently had the good fortune to meet an up and coming artist and banjo player.  While it was a first for John Sebastian, Jukebox the Ghost has met this talented musician numerous times before as he has been to 13 of their concerts.

[rocknrolldad]

THAT’S MY BOY, PART 2

Text from me to Sam, May 12, 2018.

“U must see David Byrne in SF August 22.  Just saw him at The Anthem.  OMG.”

Text from Sam to me, August 22, 2018.

“david byrne show was one of the best concerts I’ve ever seen.  got a shirt and a signed book.”

[rocknrolldad]

TIME TRAVELER

In the past month, I have traveled through time twice—once to the 60s and once to the late 80s, early 90s. My visit to the 60s took place at the Bethesda Jazz and Blues Club, a venue to which I had not previously been. The artist was Jesse Colin Young. I love the album, Song for Julie, and the Youngbloods’ hit, Get Together, certainly takes on a special meaning in these divisive times. Young spoke about how he had basically retired from the music business for the past 10 years.  Then, he went to his son’s graduation from Berklee College of Music, heard some amazing music from some young artists, gathered those artists into a new band, and voilá, he is back performing.  And it was a romping good time with a solo acoustic set to start and then onto wonderful versions of Ridgetop, Sanctuary, Light Shine, Get Together, and a foot-stompin’ rendition of T-Bone Shuffle.  By the end of the show, the only way that you knew that you were not stuck in the 60s is that Young now looks like this

as opposed to this:  

The trip to the late 80s, early 90s was even more amazing.  Billy Joe Armstrong dropped an album with a new side project, The Longshot. The album sounds straight out of the heyday of Green Day.  And Billy Joe was positively energized by the project.  What truly created the time warp, however, was the fact that he was playing in a venue with a capacity of 700.  The result was that the audience was transported back to the beginning of the California punk scene. The performance had the energy of the times—not perfect, but raw.  Billy Joe hardly seemed to be 46 years old.  He was more like this:

While he sang about how Love is for Losers, the Green Day lovers in attendance were certainly winners.

[rocknrolldad]

TRIPLE CROWN AT THE ANTHEM

I.M.P. Productions recently hosted its version of the Triple Crown at The Anthem.  Within a span of a mere 30 days—Beck, David Byrne and Jack White!

Talk about a sure bet and winning the jackpot.

First up was Beck.  It’s hard to know what you are going to get with Beck.  From the grunge rap rock of Loser to the Beatlesque Dear Life to the folk rock of Blue Moon, Beck is as eclectic as they come.  But backed by a tight 7 piece band, Beck rocked even when performing his solo acoustic set.  His set covered 10 of his 13 studio albums.  But it did not feel like an attempt to offer a little something to make sure that everyone left satisfied.  Instead, the set stood as a testament to an innovative and talented songwriter and performer.

And speaking of innovation. David Bryne is the epitome of innovation.  At 66, he is not stopping.  His show was like nothing you’ve ever seen.  Nothing on the stage—except the musicians.  They all carried their instruments with them, including mini-drum sets hung from their necks.  No amps, no microphone stands.  Just 12 musicians, dressed in the same grey suit with grey shirts and no shoes or socks. Playing for two hours in a dizzying choreographed march/dance.  Over one-third of the setlist consisted of Talking Heads songs, including Slippery People, Once in a Lifetime, and Burning Down the House. And another third was from his terrific new album, America Utopia.  As soon as I got home after the concert, I texted my son and told him that he absolutely must go see this show in August. It is not to be missed.

And then there was Jack. Make no mistake about it.  Jack White is the God of Rock.  When you are at a Jack White concert, you feel like you have taken a stairway to heaven.  I mean, Jack out zeppelins Led Zeppelin.  Every note of every song, even when he slows and quiets it down for We’re Going to be Friends, pulsates through every bone in your body.  As I have noted in this blog before, I am not a religious man.  But listening to the cosmic blues of Connected by Love morph into a gospel riff, you cannot help but feel connected to something.  And that, my friends, is what live music is all about. And Jack White does it better than anyone else.