Tag: Concert Review

CONCERT REVIEW: JANET JACKSON – Together Again Tour

On By EclecticMusicLoverIn Reviews25 Comments

This past Tuesday night, June 4th, I had the pleasure of seeing the living legend that is Janet Jackson live in concert for the very first time. I’ve been a long-time fan of hers since early 1986, when I fell in love with her break out hit “What Have You Done For Me Lately”, but have never seen one of her shows until now. I saw her at Acrisure Arena, the same Coachella Valley venue where I saw the Eagles, Tears for Fears and Stevie Nicks last year. This show kicked off the second leg of her North American Together Again Tour, which includes 35 shows that will conclude July 30th in Phoenix. Named after Jackson’s 1997 hit “Together Again”, the tour is a sequel to her highly successful 2023 tour of the same name. She’ll be following with a run of shows in Europe later in the year.

Photo of Janet Jackson taken from her Facebook account

Over a storied career spanning more than 40 years, Jackson has released eleven albums, seven of which have reached number one, and 70 singles, ten of which have gone to number one, with another 16 reaching the top 10. She has sold over 180 million records and won a plethora of awards, including five Grammy Awards, eleven American Music Awards, ten MTV Video Music Awards, and eleven Billboard Music Awards.

Opening for her on this tour is American rapper, singer-songwriter and actor Nelly (born Cornell Iral Haynes Jr. in Austin, Texas, and raised in St. Louis, Missouri). Now 49, Nelly’s had quite a successful career in his own right, garnering three number one albums and four number one singles during the period of his greatest success between 2000 and 2005. He’s won numerous accolades throughout his career, including three Grammy Awards and nine Billboard Music Awards.

Nelly appeared on stage promptly at 8:00 pm, accompanied by DJ Trife, his half-brother City Spud and four female backup dancers. He wasted no time getting the crowd worked up with his engaging, high-energy stage presence, performing many of his biggest hits, including “Ride Wit Me”, “Country Grammar”, “E.I”, “Dilemma”, and “Hot In Herre”. Between songs, Nelly repeatedly expressed his love and appreciation for his fans, graciously thanking us for following and supporting him over the past 25 years. He closed his 40-minute, eight song set with a rousing performance of fan favorite “Hot In Herre”.

After a 20-minute break, four male dancers in stylish gray suits appeared on stage in front of a huge cylindrical curtain that slowly lifted, revealing Jackson on a raised platform wearing an oversized satin coat resembling a ball gown, as the audience roared with glee. Accompanied by her sexy dancers, she shed the coat and launched into a medley of eight songs starting with “Night” from her 2015 album Unbreakable, followed with a live debut of “2nite” from her 2008 album Discipline. She was backed by a live band who faithfully recreated the superb instrumentation of her many songs. My only complaint, and it’s a minor one, is that the loud, bass-heavy music occasionally overpowered her vocals.

At 58, Jackson looks and sounds as good as ever, effortlessly moving about the stage like someone half her age. The medley of her first set of songs, some of which I did not recognize, ran together in rapid succession until she finally slowed things down with her sultry 1993 hit “That’s the Way Love Goes”. She followed with an electrifying performance of one of my personal favorites “Love Will Never Do (Without You)”, from her massively successful 1989 album Rhythm Nation 1814.

The elaborate sets and creative lighting effects were outstanding, featuring a dramatic array of brightly-colored laser beams that shone across the arena throughout her show.

Halfway through her set, Jackson reappeared in a new costume (she wore a total of four different ones) and sat on a stool in the middle of the stage under a large purplish globe, whereupon she sang a medley of her softer ballads “Take Care”, “Let’s Wait Awhile”, “Again” and “Any Time, Any Place”. She then launched into a medley of some of her most upbeat songs, including “Make Me”, “All For You”, “Alright”, “Escapade” and “Miss You Much”. “Escapade”, from Rhythm Nation 1814, is my all-time favorite song by Jackson, and I’d hoped she would sing in its entirety, however, she truncated the song in the medley, which she followed with “Miss You Much”, another smash hit from the same album. Nevertheless, an enjoyable performance of both songs (notwithstanding a nearby woman loudly singing along).

She continued delivering hit after hit, ending her set with an electrifying performance of one of her signature songs “Rhythm Nation”. Sorry about the person’s hand holding a mobile phone suddenly dominating the video at the end!

At the end of that song’s performance, Jackson profusely thanked the crowd for coming to her show, and she and her dancers left the stage as the lights faded. The audience responded with uproarious cheers and applause, repeatedly shouting for an encore. Jackson and company complied, returning to perform her 2001 hit “Someone To Call My Lover” (which samples the guitar riff from America’s song “Ventura Highway”) and closing with “Together Again”. In all, she sang all or part of 41 songs in a performance lasting one hour and 45 minutes. My husband and I – as well as all other 11,000-plus fans – enjoyed every minute of it!

Tour setlist

  1. Night
  2. 2nite
  3. Slolove
  4. Rock With U
  5. Throb
  6. All Nite (Don’t Stop)
  7. No Sleeep
  8. Got ‘Til It’s Gone
  9. That’s the Way Love Goes
  10. Love Will Never Do (Without You)
  11. What Have You Done For Me Lately
  12. Nasty
  13. The Pleasure Principle
  14. You Want This
  15. When I Think Of You
  16. Diamonds (Herb Alpert cover)
  17. The Best Things in Life Are Free
  18. Control
  19. Son Of A Gun (I Betcha Think This Song Is About You)
  20. Take Care
  21. Let’s Wait Awhile
  22. Again
  23. Any Time, Any Place
  24. I Get Lonely
  25. With U
  26. The Body That Loves You
  27. Make Me
  28. All For You
  29. Alright
  30. Escapade
  31. Miss You Much
  32. Feedback
  33. So Excited
  34. Would You Mind
  35. State Of The World
  36. The Knowledge
  37. If
  38. Scream (Michael Jackson duet)
  39. Rhythm Nation
  40. Someone To Call My Lover
  41. Together Again

CONCERT REVIEW – Portugal. The Man at the Fox Theater, Pomona

On By EclecticMusicLoverIn Reviews17 Comments

On February 3rd, I saw alt-rock band Portugal. The Man at the wonderful art deco Fox Theater in downtown Pomona, California. A mid-sized city located 30 miles east of downtown Los Angeles, Pomona has a thriving art scene, with numerous venues for live music. (I’ve seen local bands play at a couple of smaller clubs, and in 2022, saw Two Feet play at the Glass House.)

I’ve never seen Portugal. The Man in concert before, and when I learned they were playing a show in Pomona, a shorter drive and infinitely more convenient location than L.A., it was a no-brainer for me to buy tickets to see them. They’re one of the few major bands who follow me on Twitter (now X), so I have a special fondness for them. The show I attended was the second night of their nationwide Winter of Summer Luv Tour, which began the previous night in Del Mar, and will end in Washington, D.C. on February 24th. Supporting them on this tour is Philadelphia-based dance funk collective SNACKTIME. (Portugal. The Man are playing two shows in Mexico in mid-March, then on May 1st, embarking on what they’ve dubbed The Knik Country Tour, which will run through July 17.)

For those unaware, Portugal. The Man was formed in 2004 in Wasilla, Alaska by John Gourley, Zach Carothers and three others. They eventually relocated to Portland, Oregon, where the band is still based. Over the years, they’ve experienced several changes in lineup, and now consist of founding members Gourley and Carothers, along with Kyle O’Quin, Eric Howk and Zoe Manville. Additional touring members include Kirk Ohnstad, Redray Frazier and Vincent LiRocchi.

Photo by Maclay Heriot

They’ve released nine studio albums, their latest of which, Chris Black Changed My Life, was released in July 2023. (Inspired by and dedicated to the band’s longtime friend Chris Black, who died in May 2019, the album chronicles the band’s turbulent few years following the runaway success of their monster hit “Feel It Still”, during which time there was a global pandemic, Gourley suffered from a broken jaw, his and Zoe’s daughter Frances was diagnosed with a rare neurodegenerative genetic disease, and Howk, Carothers and O’Quin all battled different addictions.) 

They’ve won numerous awards, including a Grammy in 2018 for Best Pop Duo/Group Performance for their single “Feel It Still”. That song is their biggest hit, reaching #4 on the Billboard Hot 100 and #1 on the Alternative Songs chart, where it spent a record-breaking 20 weeks on top. It’s also my favorite song of 2017, and ranks #6 on my Top 100 Songs of the 2010s list.

Portugal. The Man have engaged in political activism and philanthropy in a variety of forms over the years, supporting environmental, animal rights, social justice and progressive political causes, voting rights, and the needs of Native American and indigenous peoples, among other things. In 2020, they founded the PTM Foundation, a non-profit charitable organization primarily focused on funding causes related to Indigenous peoples’ communities. The organization also aims to work toward the improvement of mental health issues, environmental issues, disability rights, and human rights through advocacy, philanthropy, community involvement, and increased awareness. With that in mind, they had Xochimilca artist and activist Xiuhtezcatl Tonatiuh open the show, performing a few of his songs accompanied by a guitarist.

Philadelphia-based band SNACKTIME took to the stage at around 8:15, whereupon they treated us to their high-energy style of music that’s a happy blend of soul, funk, punk, jazz, hip-hop, and R&B. With their exuberant brass-heavy sound, which includes a trumpet, trombone, two saxophones and a Sousaphone, they’re sort of like Earth, Wind & Fire with a bit of James Brown and Parliament thrown in for good measure. They performed for approximately 40 minutes, and with their engaging, playful delivery, were a lot of fun to watch and hear.

According to their bio, the seven-piece act formed “during the height of the pandemic, and began performing free shows that combined their love of music, food, and togetherness in Philadelphia’s Rittenhouse Square. They quickly amassed huge crowds and became a symbol of positivity and lockdown release, while showcasing the richness of their city’s musical history and community. This progressed to sold-out headlining shows, curation of neighborhood festivals, multiple appearances at Philadelphia 76ers halftime shows, and slots at major music festivals.” Following their tour with Portugal. The Man, SNACKTIME is set to appear at SXSW in Austin, TX, and plans to tour extensively for the remainder of the year.

Portugal. The Man member Eric Howk appeared on stage shortly after 9:00 pm and spoke briefly of his love of playing in the band and recalled some fun times spent performing at other venues in Pomona. He was then joined by the rest of the band, who quickly got down to business with a rousing medley of “Dopesmoker”, “Heart of the Sunrise”, “Heavy Games” and “Bellies Are Full”. Without missing a beat, they immediately launched into “Grim Generation”, from Chris Black Changed My Life. For the next two hours, they played nearly non-stop, without breaks between songs save for one moment when a group of Native Americans from a tribe near San Diego came on stage to perform a sacred song.

Throughout Portugal. The Man’s set, SNACKTIME joined them on a number of songs, adding their lively brass textures and infectious energy to create a truly exhilarating and enjoyable 90slive experience. My only criticism of the show is that the lighting was often dim during Portugal. The Man’s performance, making it difficult at times to see the painfully shy Gourley, who wore both a ball cap and hoodie, and his co-vocalist and wife Zoe Manville, who stood front and center throughout their set. Nevertheless, I was struck by how hard they rock in their live performances, exuding a palpable sense of love and joy. And the sound and production qualities were really outstanding.

After performing 23 songs, they stopped for a touching tribute video for Chris Black and John & Zoe’s twelve-year-old daughter Frances, who’s afflicted with an extremely rare genetic mutation of the DHDDS (Dehydrodolichyl diphosphate synthase) enzyme, which has only been diagnosed in six people worldwide. They then closed the show with spirited renditions of their two biggest hits “Live in the Moment” and “Feel it Still”, both from their 2017 album Woodstock. They quickly exited the stage afterwards, with no encore.

Portugal. The Man Setlist:

  1. Dopesmoker / Heart of the Sunrise / Heavy Games / Bellies Are Full
  2. Grim Generation
  3. Marching With 6
  4. So Young
  5. Creep in a T-Shirt
  6. Modern Jesus
  7. What, Me Worry?
  8. Champ
  9. Easy Tiger
  10. Thunderdome [W.T.A.]
  11. Dummy
  12. Guns & Dogs
  13. Summer of Luv
  14. Ghost Town / New Orleans
  15. Mr Lonely
  16. Keep On
  17. Evil Friends
  18. Plastic Island / Someday Believers
  19. Doubt
  20. So American / Once Was One
  21. People Say
  22. Anxiety:Clarity
  23. Senseless
  24. Live in the Moment
  25. Feel It Still

CONCERT REVIEW – STEVIE NICKS at Acrisure Arena

On By EclecticMusicLoverIn Reviews26 Comments

On December 5th, thanks to the generosity of a neighborhood friend, I was gifted two tickets to see the living legend that is Stevie Nicks at the Acrisure Arena in Palm Desert (the same venue where I saw the Eagles and Tears for Fears/Cold War Kids concerts earlier this year). Though I’ve been a long-time fan of both Nicks and Fleetwood Mac, I sadly have never before seen her nor Fleetwood Mac in concert, so it was a thrill to finally see her perform live. She toured earlier in the year from March through June, then later extended her tour, beginning with a show on October 1st at Madison Square Garden, that will conclude December 15th in San Francisco. She’ll resume her tour in February with a run of eight shows, ending with a rescheduled concert with Billy Joel in Arlington, Texas on March 9th.

On the most recent leg of her tour, Nicks was accompanied by the lovely Nashville-based Country singer-songwriter Ingrid Andress, who opened for her. A successful artist in her own right, Andress has released two albums, Lady Like in 2020 and Good Person in 2022, as well as several singles, two of which – “More Hearts Than Mine” and “Wishful Drinking”, a duet with Sam Hunt – reached the top 10 on the Billboard Country Songs chart. In late 2020, she was nominated for three Grammy Awards, for Best Country Song (“More Hearts Than Mine”), Best Country Album (Lady Like), and Best New Artist.

I couldn’t find a setlist for her 35-minute long performance, for which she was joined by a guitarist, but she sang eight songs, some while playing piano and some while standing, with a guitar as the only musical accompaniment. While I wasn’t familiar with any of her songs, I enjoyed them a lot, as well as her warm and engaging personality. She joked that all her songs are sad, and also mentioned how honored and thrilled she was to be opening for one of her biggest music idols.

I didn’t film her performing any of her songs, but here’s the video for her beautiful “More Hearts Than Mine”:

After a half-hour long break, Stevie Nicks’ band strolled onto the stage while Tom Petty and the Heartbreaker’s song “Runnin’ Down A Dream” blasted through the speakers. Nicks soon joined them to thunderous applause, upon which she launched into “Outside the Rain” from her hugely successful debut solo album Bella Donna, which was released in 1981.

As with any artist who’s been performing for as long as she has – nearly 50 years – I must admit that I had a bit of trepidation given that she’s now 75. But the moment she began to sing, her distinctive voice sounded as vibrant and strong as ever, albeit a bit huskier and deeper. Wearing a billowing dress that was black on top and silvery gray below, her mic stand festooned with her signature ribbons and beads, the still beautiful Nicks served up some of her best-loved hits with a her bewitching grace and stage presence. The graphics, photos and light displays behind the stage were fantastic, and some of the best I’ve seen at any concert.

Without missing a beat, she and her band immediately segued into “Dreams”, my all-time favorite Fleetwood Mac song, followed by her hit “If Anyone Falls” from her 1983 album The Wild Heart. She then welcomed everyone, thanking us for coming to her show, and reminisced about how she came to record “Stop Draggin’ My Heart Around” with Tom Petty, who wrote and produced the track, which was the lead single from Bella Donna. She admitted that she’d had a bit of a crush on Petty, and spoke about how cool and down to earth he was.

In between songs, Nicks entertained us with both humorous and heartwarming stories and anecdotes from her long career, including her recollection of events that prompted Stephen Stills to pen the Buffalo Springfield classic “For What It’s Worth”; it wasn’t a political protest, but rather a bunch of young people who got too rowdy on Sunset Strip one night, resulting in the police coming to break things up. She sang the song, which she’d recorded a cover of last year (2022). She briefly left the stage after singing “Wild Heart”, then returned wearing the beautiful blue floor-length cape she wore for the album cover photo of Bella Donna. Before singing the title track, she recalled that her mother chided her for spending $3,000 on it at the time (1981), adding that it was worth every cent.

She later sang “Soldier’s Angel”, which she originally wrote for her 2011 album In Your Dreams, but felt it was relevant to the situation in Ukraine, particularly the suffering of Ukrainian troops by the Russian invasion. She ended her set with an electrifying performance of her iconic hit “Edge of Seventeen”. Her backing band and singers are outstanding, as evidenced in the final part of the song which I captured with my mobile phone:

When the song ended, Nicks and her band left the stage, but we knew they’d be back because she hadn’t yet sung one of her most beloved songs. When they reappeared, she performed “Free Fallin'” in a heartwarming tribute to Tom Petty, followed by her Fleetwood Mac song “Rhiannon”. She ended her show with an emotional performance of “Landslide”, dedicated to her fellow Fleetwood Mac member Christine McVie, who passed away last year. Both “Free Fallin'” and “Landslide” were accompanied by numerous photos of the two late musicians, some of them featuring Nicks. She performed for two full hours, showing that age is just a number. As she and her band exited, McVie’s solo song “Got a Hold on Me” wafted over the departing audience on the Arena’s sound system. It was a perfect ending to a beautiful show.

I managed to capture “Landslide” in its entirety with my phone, and other than for the annoying phones of a few people in front of me partially blocking the view, the video I shot turned out pretty well I think.

Stevie Nicks setlist:

  1. Outside the Rain
  2. Dreams (Fleetwood Mac song)
  3. If Anyone Falls
  4. Stop Draggin’ My Heart Around
  5. Fall From Grace
  6. For What It’s Worth (Buffalo Springfield cover)
  7. Gypsy (Fleetwood Mac song)
  8. Wild Heart
  9. Bella Donna
  10. Stand Back
  11. Soldier’s Angel
  12. Gold Dust Woman (Fleetwood Mac song)
  13. I Sing for the Things
  14. Edge of Seventeen

Encore:

  1. Free Fallin’ (Tom Petty cover)
  2. Rhiannon (Fleetwood Mac song)
  3. Landslide (Fleetwood Mac song)

CONCERT REVIEW – Tears for Fears & Cold War Kids at Acrisure Arena

On By EclecticMusicLoverIn Reviews23 Comments

On August 1st, I saw legendary British duo Tears For Fears in concert at the Acrisure Arena in Palm Desert, California (where I saw the Eagles in February), along with their opening act, alternative rock band Cold War Kids. It was a fantastic double bill, as I love them both. It was my second time seeing Tears for Fears (I first saw them on their “Seeds of Love Tour” in 1990), but my first time seeing Cold War Kids. Officially titled the “Tipping Point Tour Part II”, it was the second round of touring by Tears For Fears in support of their 2022 album The Tipping Point, their first full-length record in 17 years. The tour began June 23rd in Atlantic City, New Jersey, and wrapped up on August 2nd at the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles. The show I attended was the second to last of the tour.

Opened in 2022, Acrisure Arena is a multi-purpose facility that’s the home of the Coachella Valley Firebirds hockey team, but also used for large concert events, with seating for 11,000. The arena appeared to be close to full for this concert. Though we had decent seats, we were on the opposite end of the arena from the stage, so the performers were too far away for us to clearly see their faces. And unlike the Eagles concert, there was no jumbotron, so we never got any close-ups of the bands. The sound system, however, was superb.

Cold War Kids made their entrance around 7:40 pm, opening their set with the exuberant “Love is Mystical”, from their 2017 album LA Divine. Based in Long Beach/Los Angeles, the band consists of Nathan Willett (lead vocals, piano, guitar, percussion), Matt Maust (bass), Joe Plummer (drums, percussion), Matthew Schwartz (keyboards, guitar, backing vocals, percussion), and David Quon (guitar, backing vocals), who together play a hard-driving and melodic style of rock, infused with elements of alternative, indie, blues and pop. Though they formed in 2004, I didn’t learn about them until ten years later when I heard their song “First”, which was a huge #1 hit on Alternative radio and charts. I’ve been a fan of theirs ever since, and both “First” and their 2017 single “So Tied Up”, featuring singer-songwriter Bishop Briggs, have topped my own Weekly Top 30. Since 2006, they’ve released nine studio albums, three live albums and numerous singles.

They played a pretty economical set, performing 14 of their songs in quick succession with relatively little banter. Their instrumentation and musicianship were tight, and Nathan Willett’s powerful vocals commanding and clear. Later in their set, Willett said a few words, thanking Tears for Fears for inviting them on their tour, as well as the audience for coming out to see them, and also introduced his fellow band members. Their overall performance sounded great. They closed their set with a rousing performance of their big hit “First”.

Cold War Kids setlist:

  1. Love is Mystical
  2. Complainer
  3. What You Say
  4. Can We Hang On?
  5. Miracle Mile
  6. Audience of One
  7. Hang Me Up to Dry
  8. Restless
  9. Hospital Beds
  10. You Already Know
  11. So Tied Up
  12. Double Life
  13. All This Could Be Yours
  14. First

I trust Tears for Fears needs no introduction, but to summarize, they were formed in Bath, England in 1981 by Roland Orzabal and Curt Smith. Over a six-year period, they released three very successful albums: The Hurting (1983), Songs from the Big Chair (1985) and The Seeds of Love (1989). After completing their “Seeds of Love Tour” in 1990, Smith and Orzabal had an acrimonious split. Orzabal continued to record under the Tears for Fears name as a solo project, releasing the albums Elemental (1993) and Raoul and the Kings of Spain (1995). Thankfully, the two reconciled in 2000 and released an album of new material, Everybody Loves a Happy Ending, in 2004. The duo have toured on a semi-regular basis since then, and released The Tipping Point in 2022, which became their most successful album since The Seeds of Love.

Tears for Fears touring band photo by Emily Orzabal

Tears for Fears appeared on stage around 9 pm, beginning their set with the stirring “No Small Thing”, the first of six songs they played from The Tipping Point. They followed with the title track from the same album, then launched into one of their most-beloved songs, “Everybody Wants to Rule the World”, to thunderous applause. (It’s my favorite of their many great songs, as well as one of my favorite songs of all time.) I thought their set was a bit unimaginative, though in all fairness, the band has never been known for glitzy production values or over the top theatrics, so it was all good.

They played a total of 18 songs, including their biggest hits drawn from eight of their nine albums, focusing most on The Tipping Point, from which they played six tracks, as I mentioned earlier. They played three each from The Hurting, Songs from the Big Chair and The Seeds of Love. While Orzabal and Smith’s vocal aren’t as perfect as they were back in the 80s, they still sounded quite good for two guys in their early 60s. Orzabal and Smith spoke to the audience a fair amount in between songs, telling brief stories about their early days and band experiences, as well as providing insight or background behind some songs. Here’s their magnificent song “Head Over Heels”.

They left the stage following “Head Over Heels/Broken”, then returned a few minutes later, whereupon Smith introduced his fellow touring bandmates. They then surprised us with a fantastic cover of the Radiohead classic “Creep”, followed by a spirited performance of their bombastic anthem “Shout” to end their show, leaving us all in a state of unabashed euphoria. Other than for the two rather intoxicated couples to my left who arrived late, got up and down frequently, then left early, it was a fabulous concert experience.

Tears for Fears setlist:

  1. No Small Thing
  2. The Tipping Point
  3. Everybody Wants to Rule the World
  4. Secret World
  5. Sowing the Seeds of Love
  6. Long, Long, Long Time
  7. Break the Man
  8. My Demons
  9. Rivers of Mercy
  10. Mad World
  11. Suffer the Children
  12. Woman in Chains
  13. Badman’s Song
  14. Pale Shelter
  15. Break It Down Again
  16. Head Over Heels/Broken

Encore:

  1. Creep (Radiohead cover)
  2. Shout

CONCERT REVIEW – lovelytheband, Beach Weather & Ava Maybee at The Novo

On By EclecticMusicLoverIn Reviews17 Comments

On June 7, I made the two-hour drive to Los Angeles to attend a concert at The Novo, featuring two acts I love – lovelytheband and Beach Weather – along with opening act Ava Maybee. Headlined by L.A.-based indie pop-rock band lovelytheband, the tour is officially titled the “if we’re being honest tour” after their new album of the same name, and included supporting acts Beach Weather and Ava Maybee. It was the second night of the tour, and a thrill for me to be able to see both lovelytheband and Beach Weather at the same show. Discovering Ava Maybee was a wonderful surprise and the icing on the cake, so to speak.

Located downtown near the LA Convention Center, Crypto.com arena (home of basketball teams LA Clippers, LA Lakers and LA Sparks, and hockey team LA Kings), Microsoft Theater and Grammy Museum, The Novo is a terrific venue that’s perfect for small to mid-sized concert events. This was my second time seeing a concert there, the first being electro/dream pop band Cannons last September. I like that they have balcony seating, as this old man can no longer tolerate standing for three-plus hours.

The concert kicked off around 7:40 pm when Ava Maybee and her band began their set, immediately getting everyone into a good mood with their soulful brand of indie pop inspired by some of her favorite artists such as Amy Winehouse, Janis Joplin, Sam Cooke, Carole King, Leon Bridges and Adele. I wasn’t previously familiar with Ava or her music, but liked it right from the start. Born Ava Cardoso-Smith and based in Los Angeles, she’s been singing and performing since the age of five. Her father is Chad Smith, drummer for the Red Hot Chili Peppers, and her mother is Trisha Cardoso, currently President and Chief Giving Officer at The Chuck Lorre Family Foundation. Ava has sung the national anthem at Lakers and Dodgers games, and performed at numerous charity events. She was also a contestant on season 20 of American Idol, making it to the top 14 before being eliminated.

Ava Maybee & her band

She’s released a series of great singles since 2020, one of which, “Colors”, has garnered over 7.3 million streams on Spotify alone! Dressed in knee-high white boots and red leggings, Ava exuding the confidence and poise of a seasoned performer as she worked the stage, engaging with the audience between songs and playfully interacting with her back-up band, all of whom were excellent musicians. They played their songs “Lay Low”, “Mood Swings”, “Puke”, “See Me Now” and their newest single “Limerence”, as well as a lively rendition of the Police classic “Roxanne”, then finishing with “Colors”, a portion of which I was able to film. We’ve all been to concerts where we suffered through an opening act we either didn’t care about or enjoy, but Ava Maybee was both terrific and immensely enjoyable.

After a short break, Beach Weather took to the stage around 8:30 pm, opening their set with the sultry “Swoon”, from their 2016 EP What A Drag. Though the alternative pop-rock trio formed in 2015, I didn’t learn about them until last summer when I heard their gorgeous song “Sex, Drugs, Etc.”. The song was originally recorded in 2016, and included on their first EP Chit Chat, but wasn’t released as a single back then, and largely went unnoticed. I loved it at first listen, and they’ve since become one of my favorite bands. I love every single song of theirs, which is not something I can say about very many artists or bands.

Sean Silverman, Nick Santino & Reeve Powers of Beach Weather

After dropping What a Drag and a third EP Basement Sessions, the band went on hiatus at the end of 2017 as the three members – singer/guitarist Nick Santino, bassist Reeve Powers, and guitarist Sean Silverman – relocated to different cities and began focusing on their own careers and families. Fortunately for us, they reunited in late 2021, and recorded their debut album Pineapple Sunrise, which they released this past March. In the meantime, “Sex, Drugs, Etc.” went viral on TikTok and became a huge hit on alternative radio, going all the way to #1 on the Billboard Alternative Airplay chart, where it’s remained in the top 10 for more than 40 weeks. It’s also spent nearly six months on my Weekly Top 30, three of them at #1, and ended up at #3 on my 100 Best Songs of 2022 list. “Trouble With This Bed”, the second single from Pineapple Sunrise, also spent five months on my chart earlier this year, three of them at #1. The title track recently began what I’m sure will be an extended run on my chart.

OK, now back to the show! Beach Weather played a total of 10 songs, two from Chit Chat, two from What A Drag, and six from Pineapple Sunrise (though “Sex, Drugs, Etc.” is featured on both Chit Chat and Pineapple Sunrise). They had a simple stage setup, with two orange curtains as backdrops and round orange rugs for each of the three band members. They were also joined by a keyboardist and drummer, whose names I unfortunately can’t recall. The guys exuded a cool, casual demeanor on stage; Nick was engaging and playful, while an animated Sean made theatric gestures with his guitar and Reeve exuded a sexy, low-key swagger as he played bass. They sounded great, and I would have loved for them to play 10 more songs!

Here’s their performance of “Trouble With This Bed”:

Beach Weather Setlist:

  1. Swoon
  2. Chit Chat
  3. Unlovable
  4. Pineapple Sunrise
  5. High and Driving
  6. Silent Type
  7. Hard Feelings
  8. Rebel Sun
  9. Trouble With This Bed
  10. Sex, Drugs, Etc.

After Ava Maybee and Beach Weather’s sets and before lovelytheband took the stage, I went over to their merchandise booths and briefly met Ava, telling her how much I enjoyed her set. Her father Chad was standing nearby talking with some people but, unfortunately, I didn’t get a chance to meet him. I did, however meet Beach Weather bassist Reeve Powers, who I ran into again the following morning in the lobby of our hotel, where both I and Beach Weather were staying.

After a more lengthy intermission, headline act lovelytheband appeared on stage to thunderous applause, opening their set with “if we’re being honest”, the title track of their latest album. For a bit of background, the Los Angeles-based band formed in 2016, and consists of vocalist Mitchy Collins, guitarist Jordan Greenwald, and drummer Sam Price. They’re best known for their 2018 debut single and monster hit “broken”, which spent nine weeks at #1 on Billboard‘s Alternative chart, as well as reaching #1 on the Adult Top 40 chart and #29 on the Hot 100. It ended up as the #1 song of 2018 on the Alternative chart, and was my favorite song that year as well.

They’ve released three studio albums – finding it hard to smile in 2018, conversations with myself about you in 2020, and if we’re being honest, which dropped June 2nd – as well as numerous singles and EPs. (The titles of all their songs and albums, as well as their band name, are in lower case.) As evidenced by their album titles, a lot of their songs touch on relationship issues, heartache, depression and anxiety, though many are presented in a pleasing, rather upbeat manner.

Sam Price, Mitchy Collins & Jordan Greenwald of lovelytheband

The engaging frontman Mitchy Collins, wearing his signature sleeveless shirt and shorts, proceeded to acknowledge Beach Weather and Ava Maybee, and introduce his bandmates. They were joined on stage by another guitarist, who’s name I didn’t catch.

Throughout their set, which included 16 songs from their three albums, he frequently spoke to the audience, sharing his thoughts on some of their songs as well as his struggles with mental health and depression. Two thirds of the way into their set, he appeared alone on stage to give a deeply moving acoustic performance of their heart-wrenching “i should be happy”, which speaks to feeling unhappy and dissatisfied, despite achieving all the things he’d hoped for. The song strongly resonated with me, as I’ve sadly experienced similar feelings myself throughout my life.

They finished their set with “i can’t love”, then walked off stage, though we knew they’d be back, because they hadn’t yet played their signature song “broken”. Sure enough, they returned to play the lively “make you feel pretty”, from finding it hard to smile, then closed with a rousing performance of “broken”. It was a great finish to a spectacular performance and concert.

lovelytheband Setlist:

  1. if we’re being honest
  2. always been you
  3. buzzcut
  4. coachella
  5. make me wanna die
  6. i’m sorry
  7. sad goodbyes
  8. loneliness for love
  9. superfly
  10. these are my friends
  11. i should be happy (Mitchy Collins solo)
  12. 2 drinks away
  13. sail away
  14. i can’t love

Encore:

  1. make you feel pretty
  2. broken

The tour continues through the end of June. Click here for more tour info and tickets.

CONCERT REVIEW: THE EAGLES – Hotel California Tour

On By EclecticMusicLoverIn Reviews40 Comments
A recent photo of the band by Ron Koch

Last Saturday night, February 25th, I saw the Eagles at the Acrisure Arena in Palm Desert, California. (It’s a brand new multi-use arena that serves both as the home of the newly-created Coachella Valley Firebirds hockey team – yes, we now have a hockey team in the desert! – and as a major venue for music concerts and other large events.) I had the good fortune to be gifted a ticket to the sold-out show by a neighbor who had an extra, and believe it or not, it was my very first time seeing the legendary folk-rock band. As a legacy act who’s been around more than 50 years, seeing them live at this point comes with a bit of trepidation, as we wonder how well they’ll perform and sound, given their ages. Well, I needn’t have worried, as they sounded fantastic! There was no opening act, just them, who played for three hours.

The Eagles, who now consist of founding member Don Henley, Timothy B. Schmit, Joe Walsh and Vince Gill, along with former member Deacon Frey (Glenn’s son), who rejoined the group for this tour, actually began what has been dubbed their “Hotel California Tour” back in 2020. But as Wren Graves sardonically noted in Consequence Sound, the Eagles are “lurching closer to the self-fulfilling prophecy that while they might be able to check out any time they like, they can never leave“, as they keep extending the tour by adding more dates. The most recent leg of their tour began in Portland, Oregon on February 19th, and includes shows in 11 cities, wrapping up on April 7th in Newark, New Jersey. (You can book tickets for remaining shows, if they’re even available, here.) Interestingly, they played two nights here in Palm Desert, the second of which I attended. 

The show was divided into two parts, the first of which was their performance of the entire Hotel California album. The proceedings began with a rather odd bit of theatrics involving a very old-looking man walking slowly across the stage holding a vinyl copy of Hotel California, then placing it on a turntable and dropping the needle, whereupon the band began playing the title track. (The album’s flip side was later handled by a sexy blonde woman in a slinky black dress. The meaning or symbolism of these two characters wasn’t clear to me, but perhaps the woman represented the woman alluded to in the title track.)

The Eagles, along with a cadre of supporting musicians, including another back-up drummer Scott Crago, who Henley cheekily noted “helped keep him from having cardiac arrest“, played each song in the same order as they appear on the album. To faithfully recreate the lusher moments of “Wasted Time,” “Pretty Maids All in a Row,” and “Last Resort”, they enlisted members of a couple of Southern California orchestras, as well as a choir from Cal State Fullerton (if my memory serves me correctly).

After a short intermission, they returned to play, as Henley put it, “everything we know.” And did they ever! After beginning their second set with “Seven Bridges Road”, Henley then welcomed Deacon Frey to the stage (Deacon joined the Eagles after the death of his father in 2016 but left the group last year in order to focus on his solo career). To riotous cheers, he launched into a rousing rendition of “Take It Easy”, one of Glenn’s signature songs. (Both Deacon and Vince Gill handled the songs formerly sung by Frey.)

Filming videos of any portion of the concert was strictly forbidden, however, I managed to record part of the song without getting caught. But moments after I stopped filming with my smart phone, an usher instructed the man sitting in front of me to cease his own filming. I uploaded my video to YouTube, but after hearing and reading about people having their videos taken down and even being banned from YouTube altogether (I don’t know whether or not it’s true, but I read somewhere that Henley employs a staff of 60 people assigned to scour the internet for unauthorized content), I deleted my video.

Frey followed with the beautiful “Peaceful Easy Feeling”, which has long been one of my personal favorite Eagles songs, then the band played the dark and mysterious classics “One of These Nights” and “Witchy Woman” two more favorites of mine. Joe Walsh then took center stage for the first of his songs “In the City”. While a few of the people I went to the concert with thought his songs were the weakest part of the show, I loved every minute of them. Not only is he an incredible guitarist, he’s also a terrific showman with a great sense of humor. He made us all laugh when he quipped “I loved my 20s in the 70s, but my 70s in the 20s, not so much.”

I found this assessment of Walsh by Robert Ham in his review of the Portland concert for Consequence Sound that’s so on point, I’ll simply quote it in its entirety: “The 75-year-old’s pact with Satan, which has helped him survive all manner of chemical dependencies and much personal turmoil, seems very much in place. His face was still an amoebic mass, warping and distending in response to his aqueous guitar solos and his own vocals, but what came out of it was lucid and strong. Walsh took an impressive amount of the spotlight, knocking out his Hotel California song, “In the City,” and a trio of tunes from his life outside Eagles with a supremely joyful countenance. If, at times, it looked like he was pulling it all out from deep within his core as he sang “Life’s Been Good” and “Rocky Mountain Way,” his performance never diminished.”

And just look at his gorgeous red guitar!

Vince Gill was a pleasant surprise for me. I’ve never much followed his country music career, though I’ve liked what I heard by him. But his vocal style fits the Eagles’ sound very well, and wow, what an amazing guitarist he is!

The hits kept on coming, with even Henley’s great solo song “The Boys of Summer” making an appearance. The guys wrapped up with “Heartache Tonight”, then left the stage to thunderous applause, only to return for a four-song encore that began with a blistering performance by Walsh of his classic “Rocky Mountain Way”. I loved the special visual effects for his performance, which showed him encased in flames:

They concluded their encore set with “Desperado”, “Already Gone”, and a heartfelt performance of “The Best of My Love”, which Henley and the band dedicated to America in this time of bitter divisiveness and discord. It was a fitting and emotional end to a magnificent show, where the feelings of love for the Eagles by everyone there were strongly palpable.

I apologize for the shitty quality of my photos. My smart phone takes decent videos, but lousy photos when the lighting’s poor.

Setlist

Set 1 (Hotel California)

  1. Hotel California
  2. New Kid in Town
  3. Life in the Fast Lane
  4. Wasted Time
  5. Wasted Time (Reprise)
  6. Victim of Love
  7. Pretty Maids All in a Row
  8. Try and Love Again
  9. The Last Resort

Set 2 (Greatest Hits)

  1. Seven Bridges Road (Steve Young cover)
  2. Take It Easy (with Deacon Frey)
  3. Peaceful Easy Feeling (with Deacon Frey)
  4. One of These Nights
  5. Take It to the Limit
  6. Witchy Woman
  7. In the City (Joe Walsh song)
  8. I Can’t Tell You Why
  9. Tequila Sunrise
  10. Lyin’ Eyes
  11. Life’s Been Good (Joe Walsh song)
  12. The Boys of Summer (Don Henley song)
  13. Funk #49 (James Gang song)
  14. Heartache Tonight

Encore

  1. Rocky Mountain Way (Joe Walsh song)
  2. Desperado
  3. Already Gone (Jack Tempchin cover) (with Deacon Frey)
  4. The Best of My Love (with Deacon Frey)

CONCERT REVIEW – Young the Giant, Fitz and the Tantrums & COIN at the LA Forum

On By EclecticMusicLoverIn Reviews8 Comments

I don’t attend all that many concerts, as I live in a desert – both literally and culturally. Despite the fact I live in the Coachella Valley – home to one of the most important music festivals on the planet – in order to see most musical acts under the age of 60, I must travel to Los Angeles. So, when I do see a concert, it’s a pretty big deal for me. On Saturday, August 10, I made the two and a half hour drive to West Los Angeles to see a fantastic lineup of bands at the historic Forum. (Former home of the L.A. Lakers, the Forum opened in 1967 but is already listed on the National Register of Historic Places, due to its groundbreaking engineering and structural design.)

It was a great double bill consisting of Young the Giant and Fitz and the Tantrums, with COIN opening. I’d long wanted to see Fitz and the Tantrums in concert, but had never gotten around to it, so when I saw they were performing with another of my favorites Young the Giant, I wasted no time getting tickets. The Forum seats approximately 17,500, and this show appeared to be nearly sold out.

LA Forum
The Los Angeles Forum

The concert started promptly at 7:00 pm when COIN took to the stage and immediately got the audience revved up with their high-energy alternative pop/rock. I wasn’t very familiar with their music, but when I saw in advance they were the opening act, I checked out several of their songs and really liked their sound. Based in Nashville, COIN formed in 2012, and currently consists of Chase Lawrence on lead vocals & synthesizers, Ryan Winnen on drums, and Joe Memmel on lead guitar & backing vocals. Since 2018, they’ve been joined on their tours by bassist Matt Martin.

The stage was set up with a series of vertical panels upon which various graphics and light displays were projected for all three acts. COIN’s visuals were simple, consisting only of the word “@coin” that would appear one line at a time on five of the panels, as if repeatedly typed on a keyboard and displayed on a computer screen. Once all five panels were filled with @coin, the words would disappear, then the process was repeated over and over. It was kind of interesting at first, but eventually grew rather tiresome.

COIN-Forum
COIN

COIN’s music and performance, however, were anything but, as their catchy, upbeat music and lively on-stage personas were quite entertaining, especially their animated front man Chase Lawrence, who bounded about the stage as he sang. They started their set with their dance-pop hit “Growing Pains”, then followed with “Simple Romance”, “Boyfriend”, and their latest single “Crash My Car” – all terrific songs. Lawrence engaged the audience a bit between songs and they continued with “Cemetery”, “I Want it All” and their big hit “Talk Too Much”, finally ending with “Fingers Crossed”. Here’s their exuberant performance of “Boyfriend” that I managed to film most of:

After a brief intermission, Fitz and the Tantrums made their entrance onto the stage to thunderous applause, and quickly got the crowd’s blood pumping with the foot-stomping “Get Right Back”, one of the tracks from their third self-titled album Fitz and the Tantrums. Before I get into their performance, I’ll provide a bit of background and personal perspective.

Fitz & the Tantrums-Forum
Fitz and the Tantrums

The Los Angeles-based band consists of front man/vocalist Michael “Fitz” Fitzpatrick, the lovely and talented Noelle Scaggs (vocals & percussion), saxophonist extraordinaire James King, as well as Joseph Karnes (bass), Jeremy Ruzumna (keyboards), and John Wicks (drums). They formed in 2008, but the first time I learned about them was in late summer 2013, when I heard their fantastic synth-pop ear worm “Out of My League”. I quickly fell head over heels in love with it, becoming an instant fan of theirs, and caught myself up on their back catalog of songs that were included on their debut album Pickin’ Up the Pieces, as well as purchasing their second album More Than Just a Dream, which I played nearly to death for the next several months.

Their early songs were described as neo soul, somewhat of a modern twist on the classic Motown sound, but with indie and jazz overtones that gave their music a distinctive sound. A particularly noteworthy aspect of their music is that they have no guitarist! Their sound took on more of a pop sensibility on More Than Just a Dream, generating a little backlash from some of their earliest die-hard fans. But overall, it’s an outstanding album containing some great songs like “Out of My League” and “The Walker”, both of which reached #1 on the Billboard Alternative Chart, as well as some other standouts like the soulful “6am” and “Break the Walls”, both of which prominently feature Noelle’s wonderful vocals.

In early 2016, they released “Hand Clap”, the lead single from their self-titled third album, and I was immediately underwhelmed. The song was too poppy and formula for my taste, and I was somewhat disappointed in the new direction their sound was taking. Also, Noelle’s vocals were not being utilized nearly enough. My feelings about the third album are mixed, but there are a few gems like the aforementioned “Get Right Back” and “Burn It Down”. I’ve softened a bit on “Hand Clap”, as it’s so damned catchy, but I still think it’s a mediocre song. OK, now back to the show!

Fitz and the Tantrums kept the energy flowing as they launched into the hard-rocking “Spark” from More Than Just a Dream, then sang one of their earliest songs “Don’t Gotta Work it Out”, which they followed with “Out of My League”, still one of my personal favorites. In between songs, Fitz was very engaging, sharing his thoughts and providing tidbits of background about the band and the songs they performed. He’s now 49 years old, but exudes a more youthful demeanor on stage.

Fitz & the Tantrums
Fitz and the Tantrums

The vertical panels that previously displayed @coin during their set now displayed colorful, rapidly-changing imagery and graphics. Fitz and the Tantrums played for more than an hour, performing 18 songs, including crowd favorite “Moneygrabber”, five from More Than Just a Dream, five from Fitz and the Tantrums, and six from their upcoming fourth album All the Feels, due out in September. One of the tracks they performed from that album was the lead single “123456”, which I didn’t much care for when I first heard it, but it sounded better live. In fact, I found that many of their more recent songs sounded much better live, which is perhaps a testament to their engaging on-stage personalities and musicality. At the very least, those attributes certainly make for a highly entertaining and enjoyable live performance, and I loved every second of theirs!

They closed with a rousing performance of the deliriously catchy “The Walker”. I loved how the home town crowd cheered when Fitz sang the line “I wake up to the City of Angels“.

The intermission following Fitz and the Tantrums’ performance was longer, giving us ample time to use the restroom, get some obscenely overpriced adult beverages, and for our excitement to build in anticipation of seeing the headliners Young the Giant. When they finally appeared on stage, the crowd roared and cheered with delight. They opened their set with “Oblivion” from their fourth and most recent album Mirror Master, then performed one of my favorites “Something to Believe In”, from their critically acclaimed 2016 third album Home of the Strange. Next up was their current single “Heat of the Summer”, another terrific song from Mirror Master.

Young the Giant
Young the Giant

Young the Giant started out in 2004 as a band called The Jakes, with two of the current founding members guitarist Jacob Tilley and vocalist Sameer Gadhia, when they were high school students in Irvine, California. They changed their name in 2010 to Young the Giant while recording their debut album of the same name, and have never looked back. In addition to Tilley and Gadhia, the current lineup includes Eric Cannata (guitar), Payam Doostzadeh (bass), and Francois Comtois (drums). They’re an amazing and talented collective of musicians with a totally unique sound unlike no other, thanks to their exquisite instrumentation and also Gadhia’s gorgeous and distinctive vocal style.

He’s also a strikingly handsome man, with a charismatic on-stage persona. His athletic and sometimes even flamboyant body movements were at times quirky, but always riveting. He appeared on stage wearing a long saffron-colored jacket over dark trousers, and danced about the stage, his jacket flowing about him as he sang. They continued with the beautiful track “Apartment” from their first album Young the Giant, then followed with four tracks from Home of the Strange – “Amerika”, “Nothing’s Over”, “Home of the Strange” and “Titus Was Born”. Next up was the lovely “Firelight” from Mind Over Matter, followed by one of their signature songs and crowd favorite “Cough Syrup”.

They performed three more songs, then said ‘Goodnight’ and walked off stage. They still had not performed some of their biggest hits, so I knew (hoped) they’d return for an encore. They soon reappeared, Gadhia now wearing a sparkly dark blue cape as they sang the song I’d been dying to hear them perform, the beautiful “Superposition.” They followed with the bouncy dance number “Tightrope”, then the sexy “Silvertongue” before closing their set with an electrifying performance of their hard-hitting first single “My Body”, at which point the crowd went wild.

I found it interesting that they performed six songs from each of their two most recent albums, but only three from Young the Giant and two from Mind Over Matter. I was a little disappointed they didn’t perform one of my favorite songs of theirs, the hard-rocking “It’s About Time”. That said, I loved hearing all the songs they did perform, and enjoyed their set immensely. In fact, I love them and their music even more after seeing them live, which is something I think most, if not all, of us feel when seeing artists and bands we like in concert. It’s a special thing to see our favorite artists and bands play their music live, giving us a greater connection to them and their music.

CONCERT REVIEW – THE HOLLYWOOD VAMPIRES

On By EclecticMusicLoverIn Reviews12 Comments

I hate to admit it, but I really didn’t know much about supergroup Hollywood Vampires until a few days ago, when a friend asked me if I wanted to go with her to see them perform at one of the local casinos. I knew that Alice Cooper and Johnny Depp were in the band, but not much else. I’m so glad I went, because they put on a fantastic show!

Hollywood_Vampires

For those as unaware as I was, Hollywood Vampires was formed in 2015 by rock legends Alice Cooper and Joe Perry (lead guitarist of Aerosmith), and actor Johnny Depp to honor the music of the rock stars who died from excessive lifestyles in the 1970s. The band name comes from the drinking club called The Hollywood Vampires that was created by Cooper in the early 1970s. The club, which besides Cooper included such rock legends as Elton John, John Lennon, Ringo Starr, Keith Moon, Harry Nilsson and Mickey Dolenz of the Monkees, used to meet at the famed Rainbow Bar & Grill on the Sunset Strip in West Hollywood. Their main objective was to drink until no one could stand up. Thankfully, Cooper and the other surviving members eventually cleaned up their act and are alive and well today.

Hollywood Vampires just completed a brief Spring Tour, which began in Las Vegas on May 10, and ended last night (Saturday, May 18) at the Fantasy Springs Resort & Casino in Indio, California (30 miles SE of Palm Springs). They were the only act on the bill, so we didn’t have to sit through any opening acts. They appeared on stage around 8:15 pm and played their asses off for nearly two hours, proving that age is only a number (Cooper is 71, Perry 68 and Depp will turn 56 in June). It was nice seeing a band where most of the members are older than me for a change LOL!

20190518_213819 (2)

Along with Cooper, Perry and Depp, the other touring band members included Chris Wyse on bass, Tommy Henriksen on rhythm guitar, Buck Johnson on keyboards and Glen Sobel on drums. They’re all seasoned musicians who played as a tight unit, and clearly enjoyed themselves on stage. Their infectious energy easily transferred to the audience.

They played a mix of classic songs and covers, original songs from their 2015 debut album Hollywood Vampires, and five new songs from their forthcoming second album Rise (set for release on June 21st), opening with “I Want My Now” from the new album. They followed with the head-banging “Raise the Dead” from their 2015 album, and now had the audience nicely worked up. Even though I wasn’t familiar with those first two songs, I was really digging them big time!

20190518_210657
Alice Cooper in action

20190518_203705 (2)
Joe Perry working his magic

20190518_212746
Is there anything Johnny Depp cannot do?

Cooper was very engaging, and talked with the audience a bit between songs, doing a bit of reminiscing as he introduced some of the old songs. Some of the highlights for me were their covers of the Doors’ “Break on Through (to the other side)”, Aerosmiths’ “Sweet Emotion”, The Who’s “Baba O’Riley” (during which drummer Glen Sobel blew us away with a phenomenal drum solo), and David Bowie’s “Heroes”, in which Johnny Depp did great justice to Bowie’s memory by doing a fantastic job singing lead vocals. He’s really a fine vocalist; I loved his singing in the film musical “Sweeney Todd”, and I think he’s also pretty good at singing rock too.

Here’s a terrific video of the band performing “Heroes” that was shot by Joe Schaeffer, a photographer/videographer who also happened to be at the concert, and has graciously allowed me to include it in this review.

And here’s some footage of the band performing “Baba O’Riley”, showcasing Sobel’s amazing drum solo. I apologize for the poor quality of the sound on my video.

Among the other new songs they performed from Rise was “The Boogieman Surprise” a great, hard-driving track. Here’s the official video of the band performing the song at another show:

The guys kept playing song after song with scarcely a break, finally ending with their cover of Tiny Bradshaw’s “The Train Kept A-Rollin'”, then walked off stage. The crowd applauded wildly and repeatedly yelled “oncore!” To our collective delight, the band returned to finish off with another new song “We Gotta Rise”, and a rousing medley of the crowd-pleasing Cooper classic “School’s Out” and Pink Floyd’s “Another Brick in the Wall”. It was an awesome show, and we all left happy.

Set List
1.  I Want My Now
2.  Raise the Dead
3.  As Bad As I Am
4.  Five to One / Break On Through (to the Other Side) (The Doors cover)
5.  The Jack (AC/DC cover)
6.  Who’s Laughing Now
7.  The Boogieman Surprise
8.  You Can’t Put Your Arms Around a Memory (Johnny Thunders cover)
9.  My Dead Drunk Friends
10. Baba O’Riley (The Who cover)
11. Sweet Emotion (Aerosmith cover)
12. Heroes (David Bowie cover)
13. Git From Round Me
14. I’m Eighteen (Alice Cooper cover)
15. People Who Died (The Jim Carroll Band cover)
16. The Train Kept A-Rollin’ (Tiny Bradshaw cover)

Encore:
17. We Gotta Rise
18. School’s Out / Another Brick in the Wall

Concert Review: ADELITAS WAY & DISCIPLES OF BABYLON – Jan. 27, 2017

On By EclecticMusicLoverIn Reviews6 Comments

I recently had the pleasure of seeing two bands that I love in concert on the same bill, at The Slidebar in Fullerton, California. LA band Disciples of Babylon, whose debut EP Welcome to Babylon I reviewed a year ago (which you can read here), opened for Las Vegas band Adelitas Way. (Varna was the other opening band, but I missed part of their set so am not including them in this review.) Adelitas Way played several gigs up and down California in late January, including at The Slidebar on January 27, and will resume touring throughout the Western U.S. in early March.

The Slidebar is a pretty small venue with no seating, so everyone stands to watch artists perform. I would guess the room held no more than 200 people, so it was quite intimate, and great to be able to see the bands up close and personal. Unbelievably, the concert was free! Disciples of Babylon, a four -man rock band consisting of Eric Knight on lead vocals, Ramon Blanco on lead guitar, Gui Bodi on bass, and Chris Toeller on drums, were first to perform.

disciples-of-babylon

The guys look a bit tough in their promotional photo, but in reality are kind, generous and funny, with a great appreciation for their fans. This was their second gig I’ve attended, and they deliver 100 percent. Their set, which lasted approximately 40 minutes, included a number of new songs that will be featured on their upcoming full-length album, currently being mastered and planned for release in early Spring. They also sang their fantastic hit song “KARMA” and “The Great Pretend” off their debut EP, as well as an awesome cover of the David Bowie classic “Fame.” I filmed a portion of that song but, unfortunately, the sound quality isn’t very good (the music and bass were extremely loud in the small venue, so the sound is distorted in the audio recorded by my phone). Still, one gets a good feel for their dynamic sound and stage presence.

Adelitas Way came on stage around 10 pm, and by that time the room was filled to capacity, with anticipation running high. The band’s current line-up includes lead vocalist Rick DeJesus, Tre Stafford on drums, Robert Zakaryan on lead guitar and backing vocals, and Andrew Cushing on bass. The guys put on an exhilarating live show, and DeJesus is a crazy man on stage! He’s a big guy, and stalks the stage like a lion, his charisma and incredible energy charging up his audience.

They played many of their hits, including “Criticize,” “Bad Reputation,” “Sick,” “Getaway,” “Invincible,” and “The Collapse,” as well as their new song “Ready for War (Pray for Peace)” that will appear on their upcoming fifth studio album. In between songs, DeJesus engaged the audience and spoke about the band, their music and future plans. It was obvious Adelitas Way has a large, loyal base of fans, and a few people in the audience had seen them five or six times. At the end of their set, the band members circulated among the crowd, shaking hands and posing for selfies with fans. I was impressed by the amount of time and effort DeJesus put forth in meeting and greeting his fans, and his interest in them was completely genuine.

Here’s a snippet of their performance of “Bad Reputation” and once again I apologize for the poor sound quality.

Adelitas Way kicks off their Ready For War Tour 2017 on March 2 in Las Vegas, joined by opening act Letters from the Fire. If you haven’t seen them live, I highly recommend you make the effort to see them on this tour.

adelitas-way-concerts

To learn more about Adelitas Way, follow them on Facebook and Twitter, and stream their music on Spotify. Likewise, follow Disciples of Babylon on Facebook and Twitter, and stream their music on Spotify.