A Large Slice of My Favorite Pumpkin Pie

                                                              “Shiny and Oh So Bright“

This type of imagery occurred a lot on stage

On Monday, August 13 my friend and I went to see the rock band, The Smashing Pumpkins at the United Center in Chicago, Illinois. They were touring this year in celebration of their 30th anniversary as a band. There has been so much personal drama surrounding this music group ever since the mid-1990s.

 

Taken in the early 1990’s with D’arcy on the far left

The drummer (Chamberlain) gets fired from them in 1996 because of involvement with drugs and the death of a former keyboard player but then later returns. Their bass player (D’Arcy) is fired and permanently replaced in 2000. But I know one thing is for sure, the music sounds great in the studio and live.

I think Smashing Pumpkins were one of the greatest rock bands of the 1990’s, easily.

Billy Corgan has been one of my favorite guitarists. His work on the studio albums Gish, Siamese Dream and even Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness (1995) is brilliant, layering guitar upon guitar with brilliant riffs and awesome solos.

His lyrics are often depressed and angry, but they show hope and beauty too. Lyrics aren’t usually as important to me as music, but Billy Corgan writes good ones, in my opinion. For a rock star, he surprises me with that kind of songwriting talent.

When I first got into the Pumpkins back in 1991, I didn’t like Billy Corgan’s voice that much, but I grew to really appreciate it. The wall of sound created by Billy Corgan’s guitars combined with his original voice and songwriting is also backed up by the experienced drumming of Jimmy Chamberlain. He used to be in a jazz band apparently, and the guy definitely knows what he’s doing.

James Iha and D’arcy are respectively great rhythm and bass guitarists as well but they are unfortunately known more for their live contributions because Billy tended to prefer taking over in the studio. This was always the one controversial fact about the pumpkins.

But to see them live again for the first time since the fall of 96 was absolutely mind-blowing. This show lasted way past 3 hours but contained about 31 songs that spanned highlights from all of their studio albums. There were montage videos (D’arcy was unfortunately edited from some of the classic videos), bright and shiny lasers and colored spotlights that enhanced the already intense amplified sounds of guitars and drums just charging at you like a rocket!

I was quite satisfied seeing them again. This show was way better than the one I saw over 20 years ago. Much cleaner, tighter and I finally got to hear Jimmy’s fantastic and spot-on drumming since the last time I saw them, he was temporarily replaced by the drummer from the alternative band Filter. Yes there was no D’arcy but I’ll settle for 75% of the band.

Recent photo of the band. Obviously no signs of D’arcy but instead we have Jack Bates on the far right

Even on a Monday night with a wife and kid back at home and with my impending daily job still waiting for me at 8:00 am the next day, the wild and crazy concert was worth it.

A Poem Followed by a “CD/TAPE” Choice

THE DAY AFTER THE DEAD SHOW

madness, i was submerged in it
buses, vans
dancing girls in long brown dresses
starry eyed folks selling shirts
books, shrooms
“fungus?” they’d say
“want some brownies?” he yelled
“Got any blow?” she wandered

Volkswagen vans
tents and balloons
music won’t start for awhile
“the stage collapsed, there was a storm!”
i guess, they said Jerry’s spirit was truly alive!
venue after venue
grill to grill
in the open field

port-a-johns and water bottles
i found the experience
seeing the magic in everyone’s eyes
lots of walking and talking
you’re cool on top of the hill
listening to Robert Hunter off in the distance
reading his poetic words
talking to strangers

it’s the world’s biggest tailgate party
before the show even starts
Dylan packs a punch…he delivers
his raw but honest voice
roaring    piano    guitars
“Hard Rain Gonna Fall”
“Don’t Think Twice It’s Alright”
twisted a bit and thrown out with an edge

powerful sound    truly great

break

time for lemonade and pretzels
mustard and a t shirt purchase

they come out
crowd roars afoot
jamming right into it
as if 30 years never went by
“Let The Good Times Roll”
it begins
jams galore!
“St Stephen…Dark Star…Not Fade Away
The Other Ones”

new and old
two sets
thousands of balloons
crazy drums
“Sugaree” (a big hit)

i left early to beat the crowds
bought a copy of the show later on my computer
it was a soundboard recording of The Dead

then I listened to it
…one more time

 

LIVE “CD/TAPE” CHOICE

I own several of the Grateful Dead Dick’s Picks series, and I must say with most certainty that Volume 8 is my favorite. It was recorded at a little known college in New York in 1970, when they had their best lineup, IMHO. Pigpen was still there in his prime. He was one of their best keyboardists.

This gig opens up with an awesome acoustic set featuring exquisite versions of some Dead classics that you don’t hear much. (“Don’t Ease Me In”, “I Know You Rider”, “Dire Wolf”, “Black Peter”, and “Deep Elem Blues” are some real treasures here.

For the folks only familiar with popular Dead songs, cool versions of “Friend of the Devil” and “Uncle John’s Band” are included in this fine show. This first set is almost flawless – rarely will you hear the Dead this on-target and synchronized.

There is some tuning issues and bantering but i like it raw. But that’s not all, they come back on the second disc with almost 40 minutes of Cryptical Envelopment which starts off with St. Stephen, some Drums and of course, The Other One and finally concludes with Cosmic Charlie.

They follow that little marathon with the most supreme version of Casey Jones that I have ever heard before. On the third and best disc, Pigpen steals the show with his nice blues-version of a James Brown hit, “It’s A Man’s World.” It goes on for almost ten minutes. A really groovy version of “Morning Dew” follows (but I don’t think I have ever heard a bad version of this song)

The spotlight of this disc and the whole show is the glistening “Viola Lee Blues” that rises to not one, not two, but three peaks in an acid rush sense. Then eases down with a rather lengthy version of “We Bid You Goodnight” – most likely because the crowd just won’t let them leave. But after hearing this show, you’ll understand why.

If you even kinda like the Dead, then I totally suggest you hear this live show. I own lots of Dead, but this one gets played more than any of them. It shows them at their absolute most versatile. This is some of the best music you’ll ever dig. But of course it’s only my opinion.

The Beating Pulse of Music

The Story of My Pulse With Pink Floyd

Well I don’t know where to begin with the babble on Pink Floyd. I absolutely love this band. Ever since I was a kid in the 80’s, I was exposed to them. My dad played the records and I was awakened from whatever slumber I was trapped inside when I listened to their music. I just want to thank my father for opening up my mind to great music. We didn’t always have a lot of common ground but it was the notes coming from David Gilmour’s Fender Stratocaster that could potentially bring us both to tears. Any time the two of us took a drive in his pickup truck, it was almost a certainty that the band Pink Floyd would be emitting from the car stereo. Ever since I was about 10 years old; I UNDERSTOOD this unique, abstract, bizarre, spacey and progressive rock band. I was hooked.

Then just before I went into college, the 2 of us went to Soldier Field in Chicago and saw Pink Floyd perform one of their last live concerts ever! It was quite an awesome experience. In the summer of 1994, my dad surprised me and bought 2 tickets for us to go see Pink Floyd live. It was my first concert ever. I was 18 years old. I was so pumped. The band takes the stage. I am among a crowd of 50,000 people with my dad screaming and shouting. I have never been to a rock show as awesome as that one in my entire life…been chasing that high for 24 years…my dad raised the bar right out of the gate. I still have my ticket stub and I bought a T Shirt.

For me, the band became an obsession of mine. I never could ONLY be a casual observer and listener. “Another Brick In The Wall,” was my first encounter with the Floyd. Mom would take me to the grocery store with her when I was a small boy. I was probably five years old when I kept hearing that song on the radio. My imagination was quite vivid at that age of my youth. Sometimes you like what you are hearing without quite being aware of the meaning or having a complete understanding of its lyrics, structure and relevance to your own life

In high school, my dad bought this awesome Pink Floyd Box Set. When I gazed upon the cover, with nude figures soaring above the water, I surrendered to the abstract art which definitely made an enormous impression on me. 8 compact discs inside the box. A large book with stories, pictures, track listings and lyrics captivated my interest for several weeks. After school homework and on dull weekends as a teenager, I would gravitate towards the magic of Pink Floyd. The 8 cds consisted of 7 albums and a bonus cd from the early days when a man named Syd Barrett was their lead guitarist and singer. The others were chosen as highlights that represented the “FLOYD SOUND.”

A Saucerful of Secrets, Meddle, Dark Side of the Moon, Wish You Were Here, The Wall, A Momentary Lapse of Reason and Animals were the chosen ones for this box set. My father loved this kind of stuff! He was big into bands like Led Zeppelin, The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, CSNY and many others. But when it came to this artistic and experimental music from these four obscure British musicians, it was a whole new ball of wax. Moods were created. The atmosphere has that imagery of a street alley corner, an abandoned mountain peak, being lost in the desert and being inside a warm room looking outside at the cold neighborhood sort of feeling. Getting lost into that PINK noise.

Sometimes atmospheres and moods are hard to describe in detail. When I hear Roger Waters’ lyrics come to life in these Rock Operas, like THE WALL, I am left speechless because suddenly I have insane images in my head of worms, naked women in bathtubs, hammers marching, kids staring at airplanes up in the sky and getting thrown into a meat grinder by disgruntled teachers. The same holds true to all of their albums.

My dad and I would get into really long philosophical conversations about these guys, the meanings behind their politically charged and surreal lyrics and the imagination that they yielded. We would be working in the yard, painting the family room, or he would be helping me with my homework and have these awesome songs in the background.

While I was in college a couple of noteworthy things took place. One was that my dad met someone online that had a cassette tape of the Chicago performance we were at. It was a bootleg copy but still pretty cool. I swear there’s a part during the encore that I can hear my dad’s voice but one can only imagine. The second thing that happened was on Pay Per View, they were televising a live Pink Floyd concert during that “Pulse” tour. This guy paid for it and then charged everyone 5 bucks to hang out in his dorm room and watch the show. Some folks were tripping and others were stoned but everyone was having a good time.

Then came PULSE the CD in the summer of 1995. This live double disc set had a battery operated blinking light attached to the case to represent a pulse. The artwork on the packaging was stunning. Picture attached. Sound wise, it was a good representation of the music they played on the same tour as when we saw them. The only real difference was the second disc contained all of Dark Side of The Moon (they did not play all of the songs from this album at the show we were at). The encore was the same with “Comfortably Numb” and “Run Like Hell.”

PULSE is definitely on my list of favorite live albums. It takes me back to a memory of that experience where Mr Sight and Mr Sound hung out and played for two hours. They eventually released a DVD set for PULSE complete with special footage and awesome art. While I enjoy the live in Pompeii experience or the numerous other live recordings from the Wish You Were Here tour or even the mighty The Wall one, I still LOVE the PULSE double CD set most because it directly ties me to my experience going to see the band live.

Pink Floyd was always about the concept of Sight and Sound blending together. I think that folks who enjoy SOME of Pink Floyd’s music and not much of the more EXPERIMENTAL stuff should honestly hangout with my dad and I more often. It’s like unraveling a mystery. Solving a puzzle within an enigma. Exploring symbols, metaphors and digging deeper is part of the fun. There’s more to this music than what lies on the surface. Anyways, PULSE is so great because it’s extremely enjoyable and it isn’t really an acquired taste. Once you hear it then it becomes this emotional transposition from just appreciating their works to totally submerging yourself into the true genius behind David and the gang.

I owe it all to my dad! He solidified his coolness with me. Props to you papa! Shine On. I’m glad our special bond is timeless……

C-Note

 

She sure can shred!

I’ve seen a lot of concerts in my life and a few nights ago I saw one of the most amazing shows this year in fact this particular show was the BEST performance of the year 2014. It was a double feature at the historic Chicago Theater. The two bands were Future Islands and St. Vincent. I was quite pleased with the opening act, that being Future Islands. It was very energetic and any of those songs performed could’ve been pop singles. They had kind of an 80s pop, bluesy but yet fast paced moving performances. The lead singer liked to do a very unusual dance where he was kind of gyrating and doing this pelvic twists almost moving around like an animal.

St. Vincent was a completely different experience yet also interesting and strange. St. Vincent is the name of the band created by a woman named Annie Clark who comes from New York. She is a singer songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and beautiful singer. Her voice is angelic yet her brilliant guitar playing is raw and vibrant. In fact quite honestly I will say that Annie Clark (St. Vincent) is the most amazing female guitar player that I have ever witnessed in front of a stage audience in my entire life. She certainly is more avant-garde bazaar strange. Also she’s a recent pupil of David Byrne who is best known for his work with the Talking Heads. But she brings something new to this generation of music. She brings back the arts, the intensity, the performance that makes you stand up and cheer, that it breaks the mold. It’s not your everyday rock performance, it’s a dramatic show on stage. She moves and acts like a robot on stage on purpose but once that guitar is strapped to her body and her hands move around the strings plucking and sliding up and down the neck it’s like something monstrous has been unleashed and she just explodes all over the place as if you wonder “is this the same person who was just singing a sweet ballad only moments earlier?”

She is young, she is beautiful, her engagement with the crowd at a few times was very real and down-to-earth and then suddenly the lights go out and the strobe lights come on and the drums start pounding and it’s like she just goes right back into character. What kind of character? It’s hard to describe. Like an alien robot one minute and then the next minute just a normal New Yorker gal. Its more than a rock show, it’s art. She went so crazy at one point that she tumbled off the stage, climbed onto an audience members’ back and started to roam around the crowd while still jamming on her guitar. I snapped a photo of that moment. (see above) Go see her live! In the meantime, I have included a video that really demonstrates her awesomeness!!!

A Dreamy night at The Vic

I really love indie rock music! Something moody and hypnotic is pleasant on my ears.

Intricate guitar jams mixed with a steady drumbeat and angelic female voices in harmony are the essence of what my wife and I experienced last night

WARPAINT is the name of the band that I truly enjoy following. Four young ladies from Los Angeles make up this dream pop group. Their style of music melodies calm my nerves on any day. Sunday night at the Vic Theater was no exception to that mellow feeling.

Strobe lights, stage lighting, lots and lots of lights were draped on the stage & certainly giving off calm red and blue colors. A shadowy collage of the four ladies were on display on the backdrop cloth. Fog set a gloomy atmosphere allowing unique shadows to be cast.

This vaudeville theater had spectacular acoustics. Perfect setting for this band. The keyboards and synthesizers blended well with the chill vibe among the 1,000 of us spectators. Vocals were ran through real cool echoey distortion pedals that had a deep distinct 80’s sound.

They engaged the crowd and jumped around the stage at times. I was reminded of The Cure with female vocals and I fell madly in love with my wife all over again. Everything was in its right place last night with some Angry Orchard Cider by my side and breathtaking trip rock in my brain in Chi Town.

Katy Restored My Innocence

Enormous stadium
Blasting
pounding
music

Thousands of flashlights
Emitting from smartphones
Gigantic colorful balloons
Glitter everywhere
Fireworks

Clapping hands
Dancing in place by our seats
Jumping up and down
Like giddy children

Wild outfits
Little girls with wings
Pizza and Abe Lincoln?
What’s Gluten?

Shiny guitar strumming

Glamorous costume changes
Everything is a prism
Camera phones
Coca cola
Intimacy
Love of her crowd

Told us how she went
For a bike ride around
“Our city of Chicago”

Selfies with Katy and the crowd
Birthday party with a member of the audience

Egyptian feel
Kitty cats
Glow in the dark
3D glasses
Moms & Daughters
Doing the WAVE
Chanting “Katy! Katy! Katy!”
Screaming
10 year old girls’
energy all over
me

“But What’s Gluten?”

Brightly connected
A thrill ride
Awesome sauce

Got home at 1:00 a.m.
And was
Still WIDE AWAKE!!!

I was stabbed by a pitchfork festival

It began with a car ride
Into the city
On a warm and pleasant
Friday afternoon

Water bottles
Blanket
And a backpack

Don’t leave the ticket on the dashboard
Time to go for a hike
Through the concrete jungle
Then stand in line
Before the Pitchfork gates

Is this the right line?

The music vibrates in the background
As bags are checked for cannabis
Paraphernalia and weapons
Bar codes are scanned

“That’s a really colorful looking blanket,” the old man says

Port-O-Johns are everywhere
Some serious shit is about to start!

A basketball court
Is a social one?
With vendors
Giant Twinkie Man dancing around
Long line for a free shirt
Silk screened
Cool graphic arts
Ice cream
Cupcakes
Video games

All of this enjoyed without spending
A single dime

Guy waving a NICE big flag
Handing out granola bars
Saving the wallet from depletion

A couch made out of green grass
They’re giving away sweat bands and bandannas
Stickers
Free codes to download
Local tunes

If you want to drink beer
Buy tickets
Get a bracelet

Big pretzel
Sitting on a pool
Of Wisconsin beer cheese
Johnny Appleseed
Made some hard cider
Yummy

Hipsters with beards
Gothic girls in black
Tight leather pants (in the humidity)
Wild colorful hair
Tattoos galore!

A young man reciting poetry
At a tent
Extremely long line
To fill up your empty bottle
With some pure water

It’s a festival for three days
Positive vibes are promoted
Comfortable atmosphere
Many fun experiences
There are maps
Helping everyone figure out
Where to go
Or get lost at a record show
With over a dozen vendors
Selling their wax covered goodies

Three stages
Over forty artists and acts
Tons of music

There are unique and rare finds
Treasures
Its for the music lovers
Getting exposed to some really cool stuff

Who is this band?

Neneh Cherry…did you know she’s related to Eagle Eye? She’s only played in the U.S. one other time? That’s crazy! She played her nostalgic tune “Buffalo Stance” from the late 80’s in a very modern rhythmic way. But she also promoted her first album in 18 years that is really funky, smooth, jazzy, soulful and kind of trip-hop. By the way…I met her and got her autograph. It was cool.

Sharon Van Etten…her music is gloomy especially for this summer fest. But you know what? Who cares! She was awesome!! I totally dig her albums! ARE WE THERE and TRAMP where worth showcasing? She has a pretty voice and plays the guitar rather well. AWESOME!

Avey Tare’s Slasher Flicks…weird music side project of the band Animal Collective!

Circulatory System…really heady music and psychedelic stuff in a Beatles dipped in an acid bath sorta way. But good.

Beck…hushed melancholy of new and then jacked up energy of his wacky old hits! (it worked!) I’m a loser Beck so why don’t you THRILL me?

Cloud Nothings…I dig thier stuff, just a little boring for me….live anyway.

tUnE-yArDs….nothing like I ever heard before! British girl named Merrill Garbus. When she’s performing her art live, Garbus creates trippy drum loops on the spot, and combines these with the ukuleleas well as vocals, in addition to electric bass. But its really tribal sounding. Like Jamaican or African sounding but also really poppy!

Hundred Waters….similar to Sigur Ros but more feminine and its like dream pop and relaxing.

Factory Floor….definitley sounds really acid housey and some audience members decided to participate in the fun! Check out this clip: http://youtu.be/C2pEmFzW3Ik

Giorgio Moroder….he’s a living Italian legend. Godfather of EDM and synth disco! He mixed up some cool Donna Summers and Daft Punk tunes! The crowd went wild for him!

BUT NOW…..THE ONE….THE ONLY……ST. VINCENT!!!! Holy crap is she freaking awesome!!! Annie Clark is the best guitar player I have heard in more than a decade. She is such an actress on stage freaking out acting like a robot princess and then collapses on stage, drops her guitar, gets pissed off and then gets happy when a new guitar is presented to her. Lots of smoke, colors and thrashing on those fuzzy wuzzy guitars that she mechanically plays with such a rocking smooth attitude! She invents brand new sounds that most guitar noises don’t make. Best live show I have seen. Pink Floyd at soldier field 20 years ago is the only other show that was as good as this. And she only played for an hour. She’s a singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist. On stage she just had 2 other people: a drummer and co-guitarist/synth player to back up her wild and crazy show! My words cannot possibly do her justice. She WAS the reason I went to the Pitchfork Music Festival. Loved it!

 

Then I fell apart from my brain exploding
And then I shattered mentally
A night drive home with Syd Barrett tunes to comfort me
To sleep off the intense buzz
with memories of blissfulness
In my head……

Punk Girls From England….Shredded It!!!

Savages? Who are they? Four women from London, aka British chicks. They rule. I did blog about them not so long ago. I saw a great show two nights ago at the Metro Club in Chicago. This is a great venue. Basically its across from Wrigley Field on Clark Street. For me its sort of enemy territory because I am a White Sox fan and not a Cubs one, sorry. This street however extends for a couple of miles filled with bars and bars and bars. There are some restaurants and Tapas too. T Shirt shops and record shops, you know? Lots of college age appeal on Clark Street in Chicago’s north side near Lincoln Park. It’s a party community. Lovely I tell you.

Yet, I would have never imagined a band like Savages would be playing there. I only really discovered them about five months ago. I haven’t been a longtime fan. Although I believe they only formed about 2 years ago. I think this 4 piece “all female band” put out an EP and they played several gigs in their homeland until their first LP, “Silence Yourself” which was released this past May. I can’t remember how I came across them. Kind of a stumbling upon sort of accident. Must have been flipping through the internet. Cruising through random sites and sampling a few tracks and such. It was almost like the universe suggested this record to me and that I will see them live, someday.

For about a year, recently I was on a kick listening to bands like: The Who, Japandroids, Siouxsie and the Banshees, Joy Division, Husker Du and other Post-Punk groups. So I was digging the late 70’s and early 80’s music for awhile. Perhaps because I was spinning these records and doing random searches; I came across Savages. I started to notice some striking connections to the above mentioned rock bands. It really is an amalgamation of that kind of music. Their inspiration comes from a lot of places as well. But I only initially read that information without listening. Blind faith brought me to them. I initially listened to them at work with my iPhone shoved in my pocket and earbuds tucked in my music-hungry earlobes while signing in several packages on the dock.I was struck by this obscure dialogue from a film introducing the album about listening and communicating from youth to elders, I think. All while sorting through packages in the mailroom.Then the bass guitar started ripping through very crisp and aggressively. It was loud but clear. Somehow it was silently loud and then the drums and guitar join in at a pleasurable pace. It really oozed out punk style but not too fast. A nice pace, for sure.

The band, Fugazi comes to mind whenever I hear these opening riffs.Its good to hear this kind of sound coming back in this day and age. It requires bravery to step out of your comfort zone and tell it like it is. What do I mean? Man, I don’t know how to describe these girls. Its very tight musicianship. That’s for sure. All four members are amazing. At times I can hear the New-Wave style of guitar playing too. I tend to be reminded of early R.E.M. sounds, I don’t know why, I just do. Jenny Beth, our frontwoman has quite a stage presence. Somehow, I convinced my wife to go with me.I should probably backtrack again because I’m all over the place.

The allure and excitement of hearing this hypnotic, gothic, post-punk, aggressive and this British politically charged music was enough to make me shiver with enthusiasm. I definitely listened to these girls obsessively all summer long. It has an addictive sound. I knew all along that I wanted to see Savages, somehow. A small club like Metro would be an awesome place. Never thought that I would get a chance to see them either, it was just sort of out of my mind. Then about 6 weeks ago I found out that they were. So I was like, OMG! I jumped on that opportunity right away!

I purchased 2 tickets because, you never know. I guess I had some expectations that somebody would tag along with me but I just couldn’t find anyone. So what was I gonna do with the other ticket? I wasn’t trying to force anyone to go with me. Yet, Denielle, my wife said that she would go with me and be a good sport. She didn’t have to, especially since she was feeling a little “under the weather.” Perhaps she didn’t want me to be alone or whatever. She’s a great backup buddy at live shows. She’s an awesome lady! Not entirely her cup of tea but she kept me company. No guilt trips! She was a trooper.

We drove through the congested gauntlet of Interstate 294, the merges and the one way streets of Chi-Town in order to reach “the venue.” It was worth the rush hour traffic. It was a 9:00 pm show on a Monday night. Talk about dedication man! We have no kids and I strategically planned a half day off the following morning so that I wouldn’t be all crabby at work the next day. It’s good to sleep in when you get home a quarter after midnight.I could sleep longer, stretch, shower, eat breakfast and most importantly not rush off to work until the afternoon. Standing outside on the sidewalk and waiting to get inside while the Autumn air is chilly and crisp and I am keeping my wife safe and warm putting my arm around her. People watching and chatting with others can be a fun time. Its cool and you’re hanging with other devoted fans, all there for the same purpose. To ROCK! I made sure that we bee-lined it for the mighty “chairs” upstairs by the balcony so we can sit down and not crank our necks all night or get cramps in our feet from standing all night while tilting our heads up either.

We ordered a couple of sodas and satisfied our thirsts. The waitress brings the drinks right to our tiny and cozy little table. It was nice and refreshing. It was a blistering performance that night.The stage handlers and roadies were going at it ferociously on the stage setting everything up and making sure the lighting, the sounds and plugs were all hooked up. Crossing the T’s and dotting the I’s. Strumming the guitars, banging the drums and making sure the mics picked everything up. They even laid out the ladies water bottles out precisely. These girls were certainly getting the royal treatment.

The vamping music is always a fun treat. At any concert, especially big acts like NIN or Pink Floyd…the really good concerts, you just hear that echoing kind of like electronica that feels like that of an anticipating crowd. It feels like…..WE ARE READY! You….sitting there…watching it all…and you
are staring in anticipation to the point where your blood’s almost boiling and rising because you’re like OMG I am here….and then…….the lights go off and everybody is cheering and stomping their feet saying OH YEA! Fog machine kicks in, spotlights dim and the 4 ladies come onto the stage and grace us with their presence all dressed in black.

They just busted out right into it man! I love all of the instrumentation and all of the musicians but sometimes my eyes tend to gravitate towards the drummer because she’s really technical and really knows when to crash the cymbals, the high hats, the bass drum and the snares and all of it when precision. It was amazing watching Fay Milton twirl the sticks in her hands and her technical delivery. Brilliant! Then there’s Ayse Hassan, the bassist. Doing an in place kind of dance swaying back and forth but really into a rhythm with her head titled down bobbing her head a little bit and wailing away on that 4 stringed instrument.

The lead guitarist, Gemma Thompson, again she’s all over the place. She keeps walking back and forth towards the large amp and back out to the stage. She was doing all kinds of cool effects; sliding, screeching and thumping. Effects with feedback and twangs and tweaking and just making a lot of cool noise. She really busted out into some really standard rock n roll guitar riffs. Really versatile. Finally our lady front and center, Jenny Beth, knew how to work that mic. She has her high pitches and her low pitches. She has her dialect. Sometimes she will narrate part of the lyrics and tell stories of mystery and wonder. She spoke out against using your phones during the performance and not being so distracted which I thought was a nice brave statement. ( I only snuck a couple during the encore) All she wanted for us was to immerse ourselves within this musical experience and that’s what we surely did.

That night they exceeded my expectations. I was blown away by the performance. I was treated to a wonderful night at Metro. It was invigorating and lively. Just plain Awesome! Thank you and good night.

Watching the MAN at Work!

Saturday night in Chicago was terrific! Denielle and I met up with some close friends in the Lincoln Park area to catch an intimate show at Park West. It’s a small auditorium that is host to many top act performances. I didn’t mind standing outside along the sidewalk waiting for the doors to open. Good people and good conversations to distract us from what we were about to experience. Ever hear of the 1980’s band, Men at Work? Well a very special man named Colin Hay, who was the lead singer, guitarist and principle song writer of that group was the performer of the evening.

You have to hear him play, in order to understand why I think he’s so incredible. Sure you might be familiar with songs like “Who Can It Be Now?” or “Down Under.” But he has really matured as a fine solo artist after his record label let him go back in 1991. He figured it was a good thing they did, because if he’s not welcomed anymore than why would he want to hang around with them. He has written and performed wonderful songs accompanying himself on acoustic guitar.

That is what he did at Park West. He stood there on stage holding his guitar, playing, singing and talking. He even told a lot of jokes at times. Colin Hay is really funny. The audience was just rip roaring at his anecdotes, his old tales from back in the day and just telling us about some funny run ins with some of his oddball fans. Mistaken identities in restaurants and people thinking he wrote some song about a goat. I was just surprised how many times I was laughing.

All joking aside, he had like 5 guitars on stage which he tuned himself, live in front of us. It’s just so special to be in a place this small with this living legend on stage jamming away for us. It’s like storytellers from way back when tv stations like VH1 used to air these precious live shows with little tales about the songs being performed. Colin is a regular guy from Scotland and Australia. He tells it like it is but he’s just so damn good playing the guitar. It is fascinating to watch him strum, tune, his wincing facial expressions and the beauty of his vocals.

I’m glad we went. Here is a sample from the show. It happens to be “our song” when we were planning our wedding and beyond. Thank you Colin Hay for an awesome experience!

Friday Night’s Hidden Music

What is the hideout? A small venue is located in Chicago, one of many. But this one is unique. More unusual than you might think. It’s a place for the average dude or chick. A dive bar that “rocks.” It’s in the middle of an industrial area with a lot of garbage trucks and warehouses nearby. An obscure location. Cash Only. Since the Al Capone days, the Hideout has been around. Lots of events and small concerts actually happen here. I tend to dig places that are off the beaten path. Have you been to a bar this this? One that holds random bingo nights, charity events, live shows with a lot of beer that keeps on coming. Cheap drinks. The hideout isn’t flashy. It’s ordinary, small and a wonderful little gem that many people don’t know anything about. Plus there’s cool outdoor seating in the summer time. Which brings me to the next question.

They hold a Block Party? Whats this all about? Well it takes places annually around Labor Day. In September; on the streets outside of the bar, this fun and laid back party is full of music, food, drinks and various hipsters hanging out. But there’s no hype or much talk about it. Unlike events, such as Lollapalooza or Pitchfork, this is kind of a secret. But let me tell you, there’s a lot of heart and soul in this party. Low stress, family friendly festival. There’s even valet bicycle parking. The smell of garbage dumpster juice blowing around in the cool Friday night windy air is awesome! Ahhhh! Parking is free but you have to walk at least 6 blocks. That’s what my wife and I did on Friday, September 6th.

Now for the bands we saw as we stood around drinking our green tea, chomping on BBQ sandwiches and pasties.

First we got treated by banjos, fiddles and various acoustic guitars jamming quite excitably loud and making everyone clap and cheer. This group I speak of is called “Trampled By Turtles.” They’re from Minnesota. It’s folk. It’s bluegrass. Think Bob Dylan and Neil Young with a touch of country. The two of us were nicely entertained by this catchy band.

Intermission time. Bathroom break! Lets grab a coke!

Next up? A living legend. We are now in the midst of the one and only Mavis Staples. Se been around since the civil rights movement. Rhythm and Blues mixed with Gospel is her style. She was the front runner of the classic group The Staple Sisters. Remember the hits, “I’ll Take You There” and “Respect Yourself?” We’ll she’s been recording some new stuff with Jeff Tweedy (Wilco) creating gospel albums of the 21st century. Spectacular voice and a great band with backup singers. Mavis is 74 years old and still really packs a punch! You go girl!

Last break before the final act. Our headliner for this evening is Neko Case. We situated ourselves up front to the left of the stage and leaned against the cold steel rails in anticipation for one of my favorite artists to take the microphone. This now marks my fifth time seeing Neko live. Today, September 8th, is her birthday. So HAPPY BIRTHDAY Neko Case! Just thought I’d mention that. So, who is she? Why do I like her so much? She has the voice of an angel. Much revival enthusiasm with arresting beauty.

Her inspiration comes from respected artists like, Loretta Lynne, Hank Williams and Tom Waits. She’s embraced country music but truly influenced by David Lynch Films and unusual noir styles. She’s incorporated dreamy imagery of the rights of animals, love, loss and what it means to live in America.

So the blue spotlights flicker on
We hear the noises of Submarine sonar pings
Fog fills of the stage
The crowd goes wild
Much applause
Our red-headed hero is ready to jam
She’s ready to expose her soul
Her melancholy mixed with humor
It’s just her way of entertaining
Aggressive guitars
Yet laid back

Her stuff is truly a nice blend of Indie, Alternative, Rock and Country.
One of the most stunning moments was a gorgeous acapella done by her and co-singer Kelly Hogan. Shocking language and just their two pleasant voices in this abstract location just made me realize why I love her so much. No fear to express her and dear friend’s voice in an honest and real way.

It was another night to remember at the Hideout.

Thanks for the inspiration Neko and everyone else.

Peace out
C-Note