U2 Concert Review and Setlist - Minneapolis, US Bank Stadium

I finally saw U2 live.  For somebody that loves music, and loves their music, I have no excuse for missing them to this point.  I was glad to finally check them off my list, which leaves me with just one more band to go (yes, Foo Fighters, I'm talking to you).

I was supposed to be seeing this concert with my sister, which I would have loved more than words could say.  This concert was done featuring an entire performance of the Joshua Tree; arguably their greatest work, and one of my sister's favorites.  I thought about her throughout the concert and wondered a lot of what she might of thought.  Likewise, I felt pretty sorry for myself for missing her company for what was a great performance.

Here is the setlist, to the best of my recollection, with some notes:

Sunday Bloody Sunday - I remember first seeing this song in video during high school back in the 80s.  It still sounded fresh and wonderful.
New Year's Day - 3rd favorite U2 song of all time.  Interesting to see The Edge move between guitar and keyboards.
Bad - An OK version
Pride (In the Name of Love) - Was surprised at how much energy they brought to a song they had to play a million times.  Well done.

The Joshua Tree portion of the concert then started:
Where the Streets Have No Name - When this song started, my mind instantly went to their Super Bowl performance and I got really emotional.  While not as dramatic as their post-9/11 performance, it was still virtuoso:




I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For - I'm just not the biggest fan of this song, which is too bad as it is lyrically one of their strongest.  Still, a good effort.
With or Without You - This one felt a little tired.
Bullet the Blue Sky - My second favorite U2 song of all time.  Unfortunately, I've seen too many incredible versions of this song that their performance left me a little wanting.  Felt a little like they went through the motions.
Running to Stand Still - I have slowly moved this song up my favorite ranks.  Strong performance.
Red Hill Mining Town - The surprise of the night.  Performed in front of a video of a brass band, it sounded incredible.  Maybe their best song of the night.  I'm not kidding.
In God's Country - This one felt like they went through the motions.  Not great.
Trip Through Your Wires - Better than expected.
One Tree Hill - Pretty darned good version.
Exit - Really good version.  It is funny, the end of Joshua Tree is arguably the least popular, but they really seemed to work hard on those songs.  That's one of the reasons why they're so incredible.

Beautiful Day - Great version.  Incorporated portions of "Most Beautiful Girl in the World" at the end, which worked well.
Elevation - Loved this version.  Bono's voice is just incredible
Vertigo - Outstanding version!  So much energy.
Mysterious Ways - Just OK.  Had a fan come up and dance, and that was a touch annoying.
Ultraviolet - This is another favorite song, but was done as a celebration of women.  Nice message, but really?  It's 2017.  Do I need to have a screen flashing with influential women playing in front of me to recognize the importance women play in our society?  Maybe I'm lucky I've had the women I've had in my life.  Wife, mom, sister, many bosses, many other peers, many other coworkers - countless women that have influenced me and made a difference in the world.  Of course Hillary was flashed up and the crowd went nuts.  Are we ever going to move on from that election?  I know they're preachy, but this almost seemed needy.
One - My favorite U2 song of all time. Got choked up again at the end when they lyrics hit:
One love
One blood
One life
You got to do what you should
One life
With each other
Sisters
Brothers
One life
But we're not the same
We get to carry each other

Carry each other

I so missed my sister at this point.  It would have been a hell of a time to share a hug.  Bono tried for a sing along with "Purple Rain" at the end, but the meter of the song is such that it is hard to know when you need to come in, and it was unfortunately an ugly way to finish as the crowd totally botched it.  

Regardless of the finish, the concert in total was outstanding.  It was a great check of the bucket list.

Some last thoughts on U2:

• The Edge is a hell of a guitarist, and while Bono is the soul of the group, The Edge is the circulatory system.
• Hard to believe how relevant this band has been for so long.  Their latest release is currently at #1 on iTunes.  No band of their peer group can boast the same.
• Bono conveyed a genuine appreciation for his lot and that he gets paid so much to do something that he loves so.  This didn't seem rote or canned.  It was really heartening.

Beck opened, and was really strong.  Unfortunately, he focused nearly all of his effort on his oldest (and most popular) work.  That's too bad as he's made some really incredible music of late.  With his tight band, it would have been fun to hear some newer stuff, but I understand that when you're the opener, it's best to feed the limited crowd some red meat.

Beck as well did a hat tip to Prince, which must be obligatory for any band playing Minneapolis for the next decade.  He did a nice little version of Raspberry Beret that actually worked really well.

Overall, it was a great night.  Go see this band if you have not.  As a music fan, you owe it to yourself to do so

Revelations at the John Mellencamp Concert

Last week I took Mrs. YDP out to see John Mellencamp play here in Green Bay.  First a review of the concert: Mellencamp was outstanding.  His voice has grown more gruff with age (as can clearly be heard on his latest album Plain Spoken), and frankly I was fearful of how he was going to sound.  While it did take a couple of songs for him to warm up, eventually the voice smoothed out and he was in great shape for a number of his usual hits.

Highlights for me were all to be expected - a rousing Small Town, the closing Cherry Bomb, and my sentimental favorite Check it Out.

I last saw Mellencamp in about 1989, and at the time he was absolutely fantastic.  Fast forward (way too fast) 25 years, and he still is an outstanding showman.  He knew how to play the crowd, when to tone things down, and when to crank things up.  It was an outstanding evening of music and memories.

Now the bad part - I was really taken aback by the fact that the concert goers were all old people.  I'm not kidding.  Grey or no hair, paunches, slow gaits, glasses, the whole Mary Ann.  It is the first time in my life in which I was presented with stark evidence of how old my peer group and I are.  And it flat out sucks.

I'm fortunate that in my line of work (digital marketing), it is very much a young person's game.  It is an area that is dominated by millennials and constant technological change, and as such, has enabled me to feel/be a lot more young than my chronological age.  Now that I'm out of work, I miss that engagement, and hope that it doesn't quickly age me.  

I've been to the Mellencamp concert.  I've seen what my age is like.  It ain't pretty. 

Aaron Neville Green Bay Concert Review

Last night Green Bay was treated to one of the finest voices in all of music history, as the incomparable Aaron Neville played an intimate two-man show.  Accompanied by a brilliant keyboardist (I caught the name but was unable to write it down), it was an intimate, beautiful performance.

Unfortunately, it started out rough for this concert-goer.  First, as is common for the area, the cavernous Weidner Center was about 25% full.  Yes, I know it was raining out and the prospect for the weather getting bad was there, but come on.  And I've seen it in too many shows.  This area just does not support concerts, and how we get any acts to stop in the first place is astonishing.  

Second, as I pulled out my phone to start documenting the set list, the old bitty sitting next to my wife smacks my wife on the knee and tells her to tell me that my phone is "distracting."  In the event you happen to be reading this ma'am, despite his multiple genres, Neville's was a ROCK AND ROLL SHOW.  Couldn't you be satisfied that you got the usher to speak to the folks in front of you about their cell phone use?  And last, how the hell old are you, anyway?

There.  That feels better.   

Thus, I don't have a set list for you.  But Neville's concert was a two-hour ramble through multiple genres, from rock to doo wop to country to old R&B and even with his trademark Ave Maria thrown in for good measure.  Many of the songs were shortened versions of early rock standards, and the set list had to be over forty songs long.  It was a wonderful tour de force by a voice that is just not matched by anyone.

And that voice was in fine form for a 73 year old man (who looked 20 years younger than that, by the way).  The pitch was perfect, styling original, and trademark falsetto as high and as strong as ever. 

Highlights of the evening for me were the following:

• "Don't Know Much," made famous by his duet with Linda Rondstadt, it lacked nothing as a solo effort.  In fact, it made it all the more clear how great his voice is when it was not shared with another incomparable voice
• "Under the Boardwalk" was a range display, as Neville handled the low and super-high parts interchangeably with seeming ease.
• "Georgia on My Mind" was arguably better than the Ray Charles' original vocal.  It was truly that good.
• "The Grand Tour," the George Jones classic, was an absolute home run.  
• Randy Newman's "Louisiana 1927" was an emotional hat tip to Aaron's home state.
• "Ave Maria," I imagine, sounded exactly like it does when the angels sing it.  Gorgeous. 

It was a great night by a true American treasure.  Unfortunately, so many people in the area missed it.

Except for one lady.  She could have missed it and we all would have been just fine.       

Bruno Mars - The Best Superbowl Halftime Show Ever?

Yeah, it was a bad football game, and the commercials this year were less than notable.  However, Burno Mars turned in a supremely entertaining halftime show.

From his drumming skills (that caught me off guard), to the dancing (moves that would make James Brown proud), to the ease of how he shared the stage with the Red Hot Chili Peppers, to his singing live (what a concept!), it was a home run performance.




The guy is massively talented.  Multiple genres covered, monster charisma, and confidence to actually sing his songs live.  He's a hell of an entertainer.

And he put up arguably the best Super Bowl Halftime show since U2 turned in this gem: 



Bad game?  Yeah.  But it was a great halftime show, and well worth the watch.

China Crisis Concert Review and Set List: Shank Hall Milwaukee

One of my all-time favorite bands is China Crisis.  Their Walter Becker produced album Flaunt the Imperfection is easily within my top 25 albums of all time, and their follow up What Price Paradise, while more hit or miss, was still strong.

Unfortunately, the band never gained a significant following, hence their touring, especially in the US, was limited.  Because of this, and because I'm such a fan, I just about hopped a jet to see them play in Liverpool a couple of years ago.  The economics of the whole deal finally made me come to my senses, but I truly came close to doing so.

So imagine my surprise to find out they were coming to Milwaukee; just two hours to the south of me.  And not only that, but they were playing the intimate Shank Hall, with room for just a couple of hundred.

No, it wasn't a full band effort.  Lead singer Gary Daly was there, and in incredible voice too I might add.  As was guitarist/vocalist Eddie Lundon, who like Daly, looked to be in very good shape.  Armed with another member (I failed to capture his name - I apologize) playing keyboards and digital tracks, and the little band wanted for nothing.

And neither did the audience.

Here is the set list, to the best of my recollection:

The Soul Awakening
Temptation's Big Blue Eyes
Seven Sports for All
Wall of God
You Did Cut Me
The Bigger the Punch I'm Feeling
Black Man Ray
Wishful Thinking
King in a Catholic Style
Working with Fire and Steel
African and White
Here Comes a Rain Cloud
Christian
Thank You
Diary of a Hollow Horse

Yeah, I missed Arizona Sky, but damn, that is still one great set list.

I went with my buddy Mac, and there's a whole other post about our mutual love for China Crisis, and each other, that I'll get into later.  Needless to say, he was as thrilled as I was to attend.  We were even more thrilled with our front row seats, and to meet both Gary and Eddie after the show:

Overall, it was a night of great music, a great band, and great friends.  

For the stop in the States, especially the one in Milwaukee, it seems only appropriate to quote one of the latter songs in their set:

And so I thank you
I do

Summer Wedding and the Five Card Studs

Mrs. YDP and I attended the wedding of a good friend this past weekend in Sheboygan.  It was a fantastic affair.  The reception was held at the John Michael Kohler Art Center, which was a gorgeous facility.  There are many successful businesses in the area, and they definitely believe in giving back to the community.  It was obvious in this building.

How nice was it?  Well, for the most obvious example, here's the men's bathroom:

It wasn't just me considering it nice, either.  This thing was written up as the best bathroom in America:

I kind of hated using it.  But use it I did, as the wine flowed easy in celebration of the happy couple's nuptials.  The food was also outstanding, as was the dinner conversation among the guests.  I'm not one to use the word often, but I can only describe it in one word: lovely.  From start to end.

But the end - ah, that's where things got good.  Entertainment was provided by the Five Card Studs, and it could not have been any better.  Playing a really funky mix of soul, pop, and disco - mostly from the 70's, and mostly more obscure songs - the band had the crowd eating out of their hands.

The band has a unique style and look - part Vegas lounge act, part old-school wedding band, part disco throwback band - but don't let the act fool you.  These are very good musicians and vocalists.  Just note the harmonies they hit on this brief video I snapped last night:

For a better, and longer representation of the band, check out the following:




I can't imagine a better wedding band.  Hell, I can't imagine a better party band, period.  Reminded me a lot of the Twin Cities Johnny Holm.

What a great wedding!  And what a great lead on a party band.  Consider me officially on the lookout for the next Studs' show near us.

Brandi Carlile Green Bay Concert Review and Setlist

It was a night of fantastic music in Green Bay last night, as Brandi Carlile and band rocked the Meyer Theater.  

But before the headliner rocked it, the warm up knocked it out of the park.  

Akin to what the Lumineers did in opening up for Brandi last year in Door County, The Lone Bellow was in-freaking-credible.  Their harmonies were true, voices strong, musicianship and stage presence evident, and their performance memorable.  I fully expect much bigger things from this band, and in the very short term.

Highlight of the opener's set was a song that is currently unreleased - Watch Over Us.  Fortunately, someone snapped a YouTube video of it on a recent tour stop, which I'll share here:


The song had me bawling like a baby, and actually went out between sets as the band was selling their wares, hugged Brian Elmquist (the singer of the tune), and thanked him for stirring me so.  

Something tells me in a month or two, when this band explodes, I won't ever get another chance to be hugging any of them.

Onto the headliner, where just like the did in Door County last year, Brandi and the Hanseroth twins knocked it out of the park.  Great crowd interaction, great musicianship, and great backing musicians keep the set rolling and ending long before it felt it was due.  

Simply put - it was one hell of a show.  Here's the set list to the best of my recollection (and I know I'm missing a couple):

Hard Way Home
Raise Hell
Dreams
What Can I Say
Keep Your Heart Young
100
A Promise to Keep
The Chain
That Wasn't Me
The Story
In the Morrow
Nothing Compares 2 U
Pride and Joy
Folsom Prison Blues

The highlights of the evening?  The covers, and it was not even close.  The Chain sounded like Fleetwood Mac in their absolute prime, Nothing Compares was truer to the Prince interpretation and was incredible, and the Johnny Cash closer brought the house down to the ground.  Brandi and the twins are extremely talented songwriters, but as show people and as musicians, when they're armed with an incredible song, they can make absolute magic.  That was certainly the case with the covers they chose.  Pure magic.

And that's what we had in spades last night.  From the opener's first song to the headliner's close, it was a magic night of music in Green Bay last night.

What a fantastic concert.

B.B. King Concert Review Appleton PAC

This is going to be a hard one to write.

For the B.B. King concert, the Fox Valley came out and supported a music act in spades tonight.  While not a full house, we were a far cry from the 10% sold for Lyle Lovette at the PAC two years ago.  Good job, Wisconsin:

Unfortunately, we were not witness to a concert.  We were witness to a train wreck, and a long "thank you" session from the audience.  B.B. King is 87 years old.  He's not in good health from a physical standpoint, and given his interactions last night, appeared to be suffering from more than a moderate case of dementia.  From a purely performance standpoint, he should not have been on stage.  He's not well, and it was difficult to watch.

The eight-piece backing band was extremely talented, and tight as hell, which made up for a lot of sins.  They worked their rear ends off, and it was very interesting to see their interplay and the physical and musical cues they'd pass to determine where the song should go.  With B.B. forgetting words, sections, and even entire songs, it was tough duty, and they performed remarkably.

B.B. himself had flashes of greatness.  His voice was much stronger than I expected, but with his failing memory, he'd held back on a lot of singing.  Ditto much of the story-telling that was such a big part of his concerts for decades.  But his guitar playing was still very sound, and there were a couple notes that he needed to drop into sections that were nailed so perfect that they actually gave me chills.  The man, for some instances, still had it.

But the pace, flow, and execution was brutal.  It just was.  The most obvious example?  It took his handlers 20 minutes of really awkward time to get him off the stage at the end, and their body language belied a group that is doing their best with someone that is not well.

This was my fifth time seeing B.B. King live.  The fist time was in 1984 - nearly 30 years ago.  Think about that for a second.  In some ways I regret going to see him tonight.  I hated to see someone I admire so much struggling like he did.  But, if you got a last chance to see Arnold Palmer tee off, or see Gene Hackman act, wouldn't you do it?

And for B.B. King, I'd still do it.  I clearly remember sitting in a buddy's dorm room freshman year and listening to Indianola Mississippi Seeds for the very first time and thinking "where in the hell has this been my whole life?"  That and Sgt. Pepper were the two albums that freaked me out and completely changed the way I'd view and listen to music.  More directly, it changed my life and started a love affair with the blues that continues to this day.

I paid $200 for our two seats tonight.  Any other similar performance would have had me at the ticket window demanding my money back.  But this was B.B. King.  This was the King.  For the five concerts, untold albums, countless listens, and musical epiphany he provided me, it was worth it.  In fact, it was the least I could do.

Thanks, B.B.  Thanks for coming out and playing - I know it is hard on you.  And more than that, thank you for changing my life the way you did.  

Be well, and rest.  You've earned it.

Fleetwood Mac Concert Review and Setlist - New Orleans Jazz Fest

Jazz Fest has been an incredible two days of music, and expect a full report in a future post.  In the meantime, the highlight of the event was Fleetwood Mac's headliner performance at the end of the second Saturday session.

The band looked and sounded great.  Mick Fleetwood still had great energy and kept things moving, with help from his rhythm section mate John McVie.  Stevie Nicks, while unable to hit some of the high notes, still had that smoldering, sexy rasp, although she could have lost the old-lady sunglasses.  But the real thrill was Lindsay Buckingham, whose masterful guitar work delighted the massive crowd.  

Last August I was able to catch Lindsay in a one man show in Green Bay.  And yesterday, I was treated to more of the same - a virtuoso performance by an under-appreciated guitarist.  He was simply on fire.  

Here is the set list for their act:

Second Hand News
The Chain 
Dreams 
Sad Angel
Rhiannon
Not that Funny
Tusk
Sisters of the Moon
Sara
Big Love
Landslide
Never Going Back Again
Without You 
Gypsy
Eyes of the World
Gold Dust Woman
I'm so Afraid
Stand Back
Go Your Own Way
World Turning
Don't Stop
Silver Springs
Say Goodbye

Some highlights:

• The new songs off of the new EP sounded amazing.  I highly suggest checking them out if you have not already
• Big Love was done solo acoustic by Lindsay, and just as he did last summer in Green Bay, he absolutely killed it
• On Rhiannon Stevie avoided the high parts, but her reworked vocal styling made it a really enjoyable treatment.  We didn't miss a thing about the old version
• I'm So Afraid was Lindsay at his finest, and brought the crowd to a boil in the extended guitar solo.  Outstanding
• Don't Stop, while not a personal favorite, had the crowd dancing and singing.  A great way to wrap up

 In all of my decades of concerts, I had never seen Fleetwood Mac.  I feared seeing them at this point in their careers.  I could not have been more wrong.  As their recent EP and their latest performance have shown, they are still dynamic, relevant, creative, and gifted.  What a fantastic show.

Bob Seger Green Bay Concert Review and Setlist

Green Bay's Resch Center was rocked tonight by the Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Bob Seger, and the latest iteration of the Silver Bullet Band.  There are few big names that bother to stop in our little town, and with the Detroit rocker, we were visited by one of the very biggest names around.

In all of my concerts, I had never seen Seger before.  That's quite amazing, since he's one of a handful of artists in which I've owned one album (Night Moves) in four different music formats (8-Track, cassette, CD, digital). 

The concert opened with JD McPherson, whose rockabilly playing started the crowd off.  In fact, their final number got many in the sold out crowd to their feet, and set the stage well for the headliner.

Bob Seger stormed onto the stage, and for a 67 year old man, rocked like he was half his age.  While his voice could no longer hit some of the high notes, it was incredibly strong -surprisingly so - and he sounded and looked wonderful.  If I happen to look like him at a similar age, I'll be a very happy man.

Here's the set list to the best of my recollection:

Detroit Made
Tryin' to Live My Life Without You
Fire Down Below
Mainstreet
Old Time Rock & Roll
All the Roads
Ramblin' Gamblin Man
Nutbush City Limits
Like a Rock
Travelin' Man / Beautiful Loser
Roll Me Away
Come to Poppa
Her Strut
California Stars
We've Got Tonight
Turn the Page
Sunspot Baby
Katmandu
Against the Wind
Hollywood Nights
Night Moves
Rock and Roll Never Forgets

Some notes:

• I loved he included Fire Down Below, but it was way more horn heavy than the studio version.  Not a bad offering, but since it is my favorite Seger song, I was wishing for something more true to the original.  Regardless, I'm way happy he played it.
• Mainstreet literally had people standing and smiling.  It was nostalgia galore, and was really sweet to see the audience reaction
• OTRR was sung an octave lower.  While Seger did opt out of many high notes in the evening, this was one song that really sounded altered.  Regardless, the crowd could not have cared less.  It also was helped along with some incredible sax work by longtime Silver Bullet band member Alto Reed
• Like a Rock was the surprise of the night for me.  It was never one of my favorite songs, but the lyrics rang so true tonight that it was chilling.  It was easily one of my top 25 concert moments of all time.  Seriously.  It was stirring.
• I was surprised with Her Strut - not a classic by  any means.  I still remember the 8-track for Against the Wind where the track changed in the dead middle of Her Strut.  It was at that moment that I knew 8-track as a format was dead.  I could not have been more right. 
• The good news?  Green Bay finally came out and supported a concert.  Resch Center was sold out and loud.  It was a great crowd, and we did our town proud.  Way to go, Green Bay!
• The bad news is that there were at least a dozen people that I ran into that were fall-down drunk.  Really, Green Bay?  If you're over 40 and can't stand up at a concert, you have a serious drinking problem.  It's not cute, it's not healthy, and it's a filthy true stereotype for  our community.  Have a beer.  Heck, have a couple.  But when you have 17 and need your friends to hold you up and you're old enough to have grand kids, fun time is over.  You need help.   It's pathetic.  You're an adult.  Sober up a little and act like one.

Despite the idiots, it was a great night of music in Green Bay.  I'm glad I was able to check an amazing artist off of my bucket list, and to do so right in my home town.

Thanks, Bob and band.  We hope you hop across Lake Michigan again sometime soon and come see us again.

Shinedown, Three Days Grace, and P.O.D. Concert Review for Green Bay

Green Bay rock fans were treated to a fantastic triple bill of rock last night, as P.O.D, Three Days Grace, and Shinedown rocked the Resch Center.  Unfortunately, for a nice bill, Green Bay failed to show their support.  The Resch Center was maybe at 50% capacity.  That's likely why our town gets bypassed for so many tours, and it is a real shame.

However, for those that came out, they were treated to a great night of music:

P.O.D

Unfortunately, the band was beset by some really bad mixing, as the drums in general, and the bass drum in particular, were way too amplified.  It washed out the sound of the rest of the band, and while it felt cool to have the drum physically shake through your body, it was way too much.  Despite that, lead singer Sonny Sandoval worked his butt off to get the crowd warmed up.  He climbed onto the railing in front of the stage to sing "Is that all you got?  I'll take your best shot" on "Boom" - the second song of the set.  The crowd did warm, but it took a lot of hard work from Sandoval.  Other highlights from their set were a very nice "Higher," an equally nice "Southdown," and a great sing along moment with "Alive"

Three Days Grace

Rockers Three Days Grace kicked off the middle of the show with a flash, as flame canisters got everyone's attention.  One could actually feel the heat from them when they were deployed.  New singer Matt Walst did a great job covering front man Adam Gontier as the latter recently retired from the band.  The guys didn't appear to miss a step, and Walst was impressive.

Also impressive was the guitar work of Barry Stock, who made lots of equipment changes, but played all of them extremely well.  Overall the band was tight, appeared to be having fun, and put on a great show.

Highlights include a great sing along with "Just Like You," an in-your-face "Chalk Outline," more audience participation with "Pain," the requisite "I Hate Everything About You," and a rocking closer of "Riot."  

Great show by a very strong band.  Well done.

Shinedown

The band executed the surprise of the night, as their set kicked off with drummer Barry Kerch taking the stage and starting to play.  Unbeknownst to the crowd on the floor, the rest of the band had made their way to the sound area and began "Enemies" from there.  It took about 45 seconds for the crowd on the floor to figure out where the band was - as you can see from my picture, even folks standing right there had no idea that the band was right on top of them.

Lead singer Brent Smith was a great front man, and was well complimented on vocals with Zach Meyers on guitar and an occuponymous Eric Bass on bass.  The band was nice and tight, and gave a very strong performance.  Kudos to Kerch on the drum work which was outstanding through the performance.  

Highlights included "Unity," "If You Only Knew," and a rocking "Bully" to close the night.

Overall, it was great night of rock in Green Bay.  It is too bad there weren't more people out there to enjoy it.

Lindsey Buckingham Green Bay Concert Review and Set List

Green Bay was graced with rock royalty last night as the great Lindsey Buckingham, of Fleetwood Mac fame, played the Meyer Theatre in a one-man acoustic show.  Those that know Buckingham know of his incredible guitar prowess (even if Rolling Stone rated him at a way too low 100 in their Top 100 Guitarists of All Time - well behind many lesser players), and that prowess was on display in full force last night. 

His guitar work was masterful, involving both intricate picking as well as complex, and sometimes downright innovative board work.  Multiple times he brought the enthusiastic crowd of the Meyer to its feet, and did so on the back of his virtuoso playing.  He was incredible to watch.

Here is the set list to the best of my recollection:

• Cast Away Dreams
• Bleed to Love Her
• Not Too Late
• Stephanie
• Come
• Shut Us Down
• Go Insane
• Never Going Back Again
• Big Love
• I'm So Afraid
• Go Your Own Way
• Trouble
• Seeds We Sow

Some random thoughts on the evening:

• For me, the highlight of the show was Come.  Lindsey really put a lot into the song, and it showed through.  Quiet and loud, confrontational and recoiling, the presentation was a brilliant dichotomy and added depth to an already powerful song.
• The guitar solo on I'm So Afraid is Buckingham's shining moment on the stage, and he did not disappoint.  Prowling the stage in an almost threatening way and ultimately beating his fist against the guitar, it was as physical as it was musical.
• Go Insane was a reworked, quiet version, and the offering added a lot of depth to an already very good song
• Guitar changes occurred with every song, but in no way did it interrupt the pace of the show.  Likewise, the tuning and acoustics were very strong.
• While he's 62, you saw none of those years in Buckingham's voice.  It was still strong, even in the most quiet notes.  Likewise, all the high notes were still there.  He sounded like it was 1987 all over again.
• My only complaint, and it is a small one, is that the show felt short.  Buckingham played for less than an hour and a half, and given his huge library of work, he could have played for three times what he played and not had to worry about lesser material.  Despite this, in no way do I feel slighted.  I saw an incredible guitarist play his butt off for 13 songs, blow me away with his performance, and leave me smiling.  $40 very, very well spent.

It takes a lot to awe me.  Celebrities don't impress me.  They never have.  But tonight, I was awed.  Hearing Buckingham's screams above the mic made me realize that this was Lindsey Buckingham in our little town.  Lindsey Buckingham!  The man that wrote all of those songs, produced all of those albums, and cranked out what has turned out to be a soundtrack that has played in the background for a good chunk of my life. Wow.

He's a genius at his craft.  His accomplishments are rivaled only by a handful.  He's a Rock and Roll Hall of Fame performer.  And tonight, he brought the goods to little Green Bay. 

I hope he comes back again soon.

Coldplay St. Paul Concert Review, Second Night

We attended the second of two back-to-back nights for Coldplay in St. Paul, and if they were bored in any way with the lack of change in venue, it did not show.  The concert was simply outstanding.

Notes from the evening:

• Chris Martin is a front man in every sense of the word.  Showman, band leader, crowd pleaser, and lunch pail mentality all rolled into one.  While he's no Springsteen, he's Springsteen-like in approach to his work and his audience.  He flew around the stage, working his butt off, and had the crowd eating out of his hands.  Simply a great lead singer.
• The show was a visual spectacle.  Confetti cannons, laser lights, balloons, and these lighted bracelets made the event one for the eyes a much as the ears.  Really impressive.

• As they had done the last time we saw them, the band came off the main stage and set up an impromptu stage in the crowd.  And, just like the last time, we were really close to them.  15 feet close.  Here's a good shot:

• The set list was fairly standard, with the only big miss for me was Talk was not performed.  It is a personal favorite for me and holds a lot of meaning, so I missed it a lot.  That being said, the rest of the set was very sold and quite enjoyable.
• The opening acts were absolutely brutal.  Charlie XCX and Marianna & the Diamonds were both horrible in stage presence, way too pop oriented, limited in vocal ability, and just not very good.  Both were the worst musical acts I've seen in many years.  However, both had strong percussion, which salvaged their respective sets.  Avoid these guys at all costs.

Coldplay is a really great band.  Their musicianship, work ethic, and joy were on display in full force tonight.  It resulted in a great band delivering a great show.

Sammy Hagar Concert Review and Set List Greenville WI

I am a big fan of Sammy Hagar, but have never seen him live.  That was rectified with last night's show in Greenville, WI as Sammy and the Wabos got on stage and cranked it out. 

The set was a bit of a mess and Sammy kind of unorganized.  I guess that was to be expected, as he's just coming off of playing with Chickenfoot and had not played with the Wabos in a while.  Despite the organizational issues, the concert was a blast. 

Here is the set list to the best of my recollection:

I Can't Drive 55

There's Only One Way to Rock

Why Can't This Be Love

Next Time Around

Bad Motor Scooter

Standing On Top of the World I

've Done Everything for You

I'll Fall in Love Again

Your Love

Three Lock Box

Right Now

Finish What You Started

Heavy Metal

Mas Tequila

How Do I Know When It's

Love Summertime Blues/Fight for Your Right

Three things stood out for me from the concert:

1. Hagar is an awesome showman.  He was getting the crowd way into the show, interactive, energetic, and just a lot of damn fun.  As stated earlier in these pages, Sammy is better than David Lee Roth, but just based on stage presence tonight, Sammy takes back seat to nobody. 
2. Sammy's guitar playing was excellent.  While I knew he played, I didn't exactly know to what level.  Really impressive playing. 
3. Sammy's voice is fantastic.  Like Robert Plant or Paul Rodgers, Hagar's voice was made for rock.  Big range, pitched well (even on the screams), and still hitting high notes.  For somebody that was having such a great time on stage, his vocal craft was nothing less than completely professional. 

Some others notes from the evening:  

• The Wabos were outstanding. Vic Johnson handled some of the Van Halen guitar work like a pro, and Mona Gnader's bass and high harmonies made one nearly forget about the great Michael Anthony. 
• Highlight song for me was Heavy Metal.  Part sing-along, part cranking rocker, and full on butt kicker.  Great song. 
• Sammy appeared to forget the words to Fight for Your Right, and instead worked in the first verse of Summertime Blues, which worked incredibly well.  After an extended guitar solo Mona picked up the second verse of the Beastie's song and brought it all to a close.  While it was likely not how the play was drawn up, it ended up going for a touchdown anyway. 

Overall, it was a great concert by a great band and a great front man.  Simply put, Sammy rocks. 

You canclick here for the concert review of Ace Frehley.

Ace Frehley Concert Review and Set List Greenville WI

The last time I saw Ace Frehley, it was with Kiss in 1997 for their first "Farewell Tour," (there would be many farewells to follow).  During Shout it Out Loud Ace screamed out, "St. Louis!" which would have been great, but seeing as we were in St. Paul, it was kind of an issue.  Gene and Paul made up for it by mentioning St. Paul 83 more times during the rest of song, but it was just part of a tough night for Ace. 

Fast forward 15 years. 

Ace is older, heavier, sober, and more solid.  He put on a great show, and frankly surprised the hell out of me. 

Here is the set list to my recollection:

Rip it Out

Parasite

Sister

Snowblind

a portion of I Want You

Rock Soldiers

Lover Her All I Can

2000 Man

She

Hard Times

New York Groove

Blues riff while stalling for bass guitar to get fixed

Flaming Youth

Rocket Ride

Shock Me

Shout it Out Loud

Deuce

Cold Gin

end of Black Diamond 

Some notes on the evening:

• Ace's guitar playing was simply outstanding.  He sounded wonderful. 
• The backing band was very solid.  On the Kiss songs, both the drummer and bass player did a good job with Gene's vocals, and the guys picked up some of the Kiss stage moves as well.  Fun to watch them get into it. 
• Rock Soldiers in particular was a monster, and was much better live than I could have imagined. 
• The guitar solo at the end of Shock Me was also incredible. 

Overall, Ace put on a really solid show.  For those folks that knew him from back in the day, he did not disappoint.  For those that just came out for Sammy (you can find the full Sammy Hagar concert review and set list here), they had to be pleasantly surprised. 

Ace said it best in Rock Soldiers - "Ace is back and he told you so." 

Back indeed.

Brandi Carlile Door County Concert Review - Fish Creek

Last night I attended the Brandi Carlile show at the wonderful Door County Auditorium in Fish Creek. To sum it up, it was a fantastic night of surprises.

The first surprise was the venue. The Door County Auditorium is a gem. Nestled in the heart of Door County, the theater is everything a big city theater is, and then some.  The acoustics and sight lines were excellent, and the building could not have been done any better.  For those that live or vacation in the area or for those that travel up from Green Bayor beyond, it is a delightful venue.  I guarantee that I will be back.  And given the talent the venue attracts, it should be an easy guarantee for me to fulfill. 

The second surprise was the opening act of The Lumineers, pictured above.  They played a simple brand of folk-indy, but played it with such passion, talent, and joy that the crowd fell in love. While their crowd interaction needed some tuning – the obligatory opening act mention of the headliner fell a little flat and the band didn’t take as much credit for a raucous Ho Hey as they should have – everything else they did was impeccable.  This is very talented band, folks, and one that I predict will have a big future in front of it.  

The next surprise was the talent shown by Brandi and the Hanseroth twins.  Brandi's talent is evident on her recorded material, and her distinct vocals create a tapestry of sound her fans have enjoyed for nearly ten years now.  What was lost on me was the depth of her musicianship, and how big of a role Phil and Tim Hanseroth are in the music.  Combined they really are a three-headed monster, despite the billing on the marquee.  This was evidenced on multiple numbers throughout the night, with some of the standouts being Before it Breaks and That Wasn't Me - the latter being an underscore example of their beautiful harmonies. 

The final surprise of the night was a rousing rendition of Bohemian Rhapsody.  The Queen classic is nearly un-coverable, but the feisty band pulled it off with such success that it brought the sold-out crowd to its feet.  It was a real treat, and the Door County cherry on top of an outstanding, and surprising evening.