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Concert Reviews

CONCERT REVIEW: Roger Daltrey kicks off five date tour in Clearwater

Rhythm guitarist and brother of Pete, Simon Townshend

If you’re not crazy for British rock legends The Who, but enjoy them for their hits, this is not really the kind of show that would be up your alley.

Longtime, and current, lead singer Roger Daltrey has done solo tours before, but none quite like this. The A Quick Run While Pete’s Away five date tour was announced back in August, and only features Daltrey with members of The Who’s backing band. Pete Townshend is on a yearlong sabbatical from The Who, as the tour name says, but there was still a Townshend onstage – – his little brother, Simon on guitar.

Around 7:30, a somewhat newcomer to the music world, Grammy nominee Leslie Mendelson, opened with selections from her 5+ year career and her new album, Love & Murder. One of these songs were created with help from the Grateful Dead’s own Bob Weir. Really.

“Roger and I go way back. Well, we actually do.” Mendelson bragged halfway through. She once played Baba O’Riley with The Who during a benefit gig for charity. “I was tossed a harmonica, and I said ‘But I don’t play it.’ And they said ‘Well, you do now.'”

“The New York weather is following me around!” she earlier joked while acting surprised about how Florida’s weather has suddenly become cooler. Following her 35 minute set with guitarist Eric Kimock, a brief intermission occurred, as she made her way near the Ruth Eckerd lobby to where two Daltrey shirts were being sold to sell and sign CD copies of Love and Murder. Fans were immensely impressed at this new talent, but at 8:21, the lights went down for the real deal. The Pinball Wizard and company walked out to Clearwater for the first time in eight years.

Following a few jokes of how forgettable the night may be if he forgot the words, the band ripped into the overture from The Who’s legendary 1969 rock opera, Tommy. Immediately following was their smash hit Pinball Wizard, also off of Tommy.

As the songs kept dropping, they got more and more obscure. 1981’s Another Tricky Day was dedicated to Donald Trump. “Nothing to do with me, but I’m sure he’ll relate to this song.” There were also some songs that were obscure enough to have never been played in front of a live audience, be it Who, Townshend, or Daltrey. Athena off of 1982’s It’s Hard, the second most recent Who studio album, hasn’t been played since the tour to promote that album.

But the biggest surprise was the debut, the literal live debut, of The Who’s 1975 album track, How Many Friends, which has never in written history been performed live by the band. “Way back when we recorded this in 1975, you even wondered, and I doubt many of us can, count on our friends.” Daltrey recalled. “I knew people with…millions of friends.”

Just about every song had the audience give at least a standing ovation, from the doo-wop style Daltrey earworm Days Of Light, to the song to thank us fans for being fans (Without Your Love), to the electrifying Baba O’Riley. The latter had every member of the audience frenetically howling out the words, as you would likely expect – – After all, it was The Who’s biggest 1970s hit. (with the possible exception of Who Are You, which was also performed to a standing crowd.)

Two songs from The Who’s 1971 live album, Live At Leeds were performed. In comparison to other Who tunes, Young Man Blues and Summertime Blues have faded away into obscurity, but you know what? Nobody seemed to care.

The night ended with Roger and keyboardist Loren Gold playing Always Heading Home, a brand new song from a “forthcoming album.” Needless to say, it’s never been played anywhere else before, at any time.

Daltrey is very openly involved in the Teenage Cancer Trust charity, which helps out teenagers with cancer. “At least, before they turn eighteen, and get moved in with old farts like me.” Daltrey pointed out. He went on to praise the Tampa Bay area for having three hospitals working together to fight teenage cancer, including Moffitt.

And just keep that in mind. The next time you buy something related to The Who, be it a ticket, a licensed shirt, or Roger’s album when it releases, there’s a good chance that at least a portion of your sale will go to the trust.

Frankly, they deserve it.

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Concert Announcements

YES, it’s true…

 

Once again, I will officially be reviewing Yes featuring Anderson, Rabin, and Wakeman on October 11 at Ruth Eckerd Hall! This will be my second time seeing them and my first time reviewing them over here. I reviewed them for my school paper last year as a sophomore, but needless to say, nobody, even my journalism class director, didn’t really pick up on it. But I thought that perhaps you would. I walked in that venue thinking of Yes as sort of a mediocre band. But I walked out with them in my top 10. Barely edited for accuracy, this was the first concert review I ever wrote last year, following ARW’s first Ruth Eckerd (and second overall) show that I was invited to the night before it happened. And keep in mind that it was mainly directed towards stupid teenagers who probably hadn’t heard of Yes.

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In today’s generation, a typical teenager enjoys rap and autotune, and a lot of them don’t know of some amazing music of the past. I’m the only one without a silver head at the concerts I go to, because I have an odd taste in music. This year, with the passings of David Bowie, Glenn Frey of the Eagles, and Prince, a load of people, including myself, have learned to never take anybody for granted, and this is why now is the best time to see some rock legends live before they pass away. Friday night, however, in Ruth Eckerd Hall, stood three gentlemen, two in their 60s and one in his 70s, playing a reunion concert. And you know what? The gentlemen sounded just like they did since the beginning.

The former members of the progressive rock band YES, Jon Anderson, Trevor Rabin, and Rick Wakeman have embarked on a world tour as ARW. Anderson still has his truly soprano voice, Rabin still shreds out the guitar solos like a master, and Wakeman played more than five keyboards and a keytar that night, sometimes two at once. They decided to kick off the tour in Orlando on Wednesday night, and were scheduled to play a show in Hollywood, FL, but had to cancel because of Hurricane Matthew. Rabin and Wakeman opened with the iconic Cinema from Yes’ 1983 album, 90125, as Anderson came running out with his Mickey Mouse gloves. The new reunion band gave its audience of about 2,000 people an electric ride through songs such as Hold On and the classic Rhythm of Love. About three quarters of the way through, as Rabin walked offstage for about two minutes, Anderson and Wakeman played a four minute song from when they were a part of a different incarnation of former members of Yes in the late 80s, which featured both of them, as well as guitarist Steve Howe and original drummer Bill Bruford. The piano accompanied song, The Meeting, which was written “at midnight, under the stars” according to Anderson. The band wrapped up the evening with their nearly 20-minute epic, Awaken, from their 1977 album Going For The One, and perhaps their most iconic song, Owner of a Lonely Heart, along with an encore of Roundabout.

“You’ll never hear a finer show,” lifelong fan Rodney Wademan stated at the end of the show. Concerts are always amazing to attend, especially if they’re somebody who has aged and still has energy and talent, because thirty years from now, if the artist has passed on, you’d have a bit of a bragging right, because you will have experienced something that your children, and possibly even your peers, unfortunately, never will get to. But with the way that all three members of ARW look and sound, even after almost 50 years, they could stay alive for another 50.

 

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Concert Announcements

Roger Daltrey coming to Ruth Eckerd Hall

On April 15, 2015, one of the most popular British Invasion bands kicked off the US leg of their 50th anniversary/farewell tour (whatever) in Tampa. The Who’s two surviving original members, guitarist Pete Townshend and lead vocalist Roger Daltrey have been on the road nearly all their lives, be it solo or together. But following the 1979 death of drummer Keith Moon, they’ve seemed to make every tour since then a farewell tour, yet they always came back. It was a close call for them in 2002, though when bassist John Entwistle died only a day before the second leg of that year’s tour began. The Who was on the road a little bit this year, playing few cities in the US, and holding a nearly three-week long residency at Caesar’s Palace in Las Vegas. Later this year, however, along with some shows in South America with Def Leppard and Guns N’ Roses, the two will (hopefully) temporarily go their separate ways to fulfill solo projects. Townshend will be doing a short Classic Quadrophenia tour with Billy Idol next month.

Daltrey will also be doing a solo tour of about five different cities. And Clearwater just got lucky.

Roger Daltrey will play Clearwater’s Ruth Eckerd Hall on Monday, October 30. The show will be opened by Grammy-nominated singer/songwriter Leslie Mendelson at promptly 7:30. While Townshend will not be there, other touring members of The Who – – including drummer Zak Starkey – – will be. Tickets go on sale this Saturday, starting at $63.50.

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Concert Reviews

CONCERT REVIEW: Foreigner, Cheap Trick, and Jason Bonham celebrate different events

Original guitarist of Foreigner Mick Jones shredding a Les Paul.
Current Foreigner frontman Kelly Hansen, who strongly imitates Steven Tyler.
Blake High School choir singing backup on I Want To Know What Love Is
Original drummer of Foreigner Dennis Elliott made a surprise appearance
Original lead singer of Cheap Trick, Robin Zander
Original guitarist of Cheap Trick, Rick Nielsen
Rick Nielsen, son Daxx, and Robin Zander of Cheap Trick
Original bassist of Cheap Trick, Tom Petersson
Jason Bonham, son of Led Zeppelin drummer, the late John Bonham

Unless it’s one that loves it, there’s usually a reason behind why a band, or two, or three, will go out on tour. This year, Paul McCartney and Billy Joel don’t have a reason – – They’re touring just because they love it. But then, there are some that have a reason. Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers are celebrating forty years this year. So is Foreigner, who decided to bring an all-American band that was around at the same time as them.

Cheap Trick.

About a handful of 70s arena rock bands that are still together have all, or most of their original members, Cheap Trick being one of them. On the other hand, groups like Journey, Asia, and Chicago are still rocking, but most of their original members are gone. Foreigner is one of those groups, but in my mind, Foreigner is one of those few groups that whether or not you’re a fan of them, you’ll do whatever it takes to see them live. Lou Gramm may not be with them anymore, but Kelly Hansen takes his place better than most second front men in rock do, or have.

Jason Bonham, son of the late Led Zeppelin drummer John Bonham, is also tagging along, and as you can probably imagine, he’s just celebrating Led Zeppelin in general with his Led Zeppelin Experience. Zeppelin’s formation will be turning 50 in two years, so maybe Jason Bonham will be on the road with some other people then. They were up first on the stage at, as the ticket stub promised, 7:00 sharp. Lead vocalist James Dylan and Bonzo Jr. took Tampa on an electric ride through ten of Led Zeppelin’s greatest hits, (Whole Lotta Love, Over The Hills And Far Away) somehow excluding the sing-along Stairway To Heaven. “We’ll be back here in Tampa sometime later this year,” Bonham announced at the end of his set. The LZE will not return to Florida this year as of now, but Bonham himself will be playing drums with former Van Halen bassist Michael Anthony, and Vic Johnson in VH singer Sammy Hagar‘s supergroup, The Circle in Coachman Park on September 17.

At 8:00, “the best f*cking rock band you’ve ever seen, Cheap Trick,” was introduced to Tampa, and the Amphitheatre for the second time in two years. Their last show in Tampa was last September when they opened for Heart and Joan Jett & The Blackhearts on the Rock Hall Three For All tour. The Hall Of Famers, walking out in their regular hat and glasses disguises, opened their set with their trademark intro song, Hello There, followed by a cover of Day Tripper by The Beatles. Robin Zander, wearing all white, as usual, wailed out the hits created with original guitarist Rick Nielsen (California Man, The Flame, Dream Police, to which Robin literally fell onto his knees for near the end) and also some tracks from their new album We’re All Alright!, which released in June. The set came to what seemed like a premature end when Zander brought out his daughter Robin-Sailor, and some friends of hers, to wrap up the show with the iconic Surrender.

The clock struck 9:27, and literally everyone not seated began rushing back to their seats. The theater was loud, yet unenergetic during the first two bands. Now, it was time for the real deal. The black curtains fell and revealed the modern incarnation of Foreigner, along with guitarist Mick Jones, the only remaining original member of the group. “I’m not sure if all of you aware of this, but this year is Foreigner’s 40th anniversary.” frontman Kelly Hansen bragged, to which the roar of the crowd was the received response. The entire set was nothing but wall-to-wall hits, (Cold As Ice, Feels Like The First Time, Urgent) with Hansen strutting around in white tights, giving a Steven Tyler sort of vibe to the show itself.

Original guitarist Mick Jones with special guest, original drummer Dennis Elliott.

And if you were wondering, yes: Juke Box Hero was performed at the end of the main set, and it was truly epic.

Hansen left the stage during the intro, and a minute later, appeared out of nowhere on a rising pole in the crowd, singing the first verse of the rock classic. Except they didn’t just rip through it. At what would be the 4:18 mark of the original 4:18 album version of the song, the first verse was just concluded. Juke Box Hero was not just a performance like the other songs that night – – it was a complete rock and roll odyssey. But they were just getting us warmed up for what was to come.

An encore of the 80s smash hit I Want To Know What Love Is was given along with Tampa’s Blake High School choir, and once the eight-minute rendition of the song had come to an end, the crowd was pretty confident that it was over. That Foreigner had brought 40 years of rock and roll to Tampa, but frankly, I really feel bad for whoever left early. “Is there anything you wanna say to ’em, Mick? Maybe any special friends you wanna bring on out?”

Who else walks out but original drummer Dennis Elliott?

Denny got up to current drummer Chris Frazier‘s kit and smashed out the beats of Long Way From Home, and of course, Foreigner’s other signature song, Hot Blooded. As unexpectedly mind-blowing this was, it wasn’t the first reunion this tour. Last month in New York, Mick Jones brought up Lou Gramm, along with original members Ian McDonald and Al Greenwood for the first time since 1979.

I’m pretty confident in saying that everybody went home either happy or drunk. But hey, whether you felt like the flame, or needed cooling, or were as cold as ice that night, Foreigner proved that even without Lou Gramm, they still bring stars to people’s eyes, jukebox hero or not.

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Concert Reviews

CONCERT REVIEW: Paul Simon and friends shower St. Augustine with hits

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Paul Simon playing for a sold-out crowd of old and young at the St. Augustine Amphitheater.

Paul Simon hasn’t played Florida since his 2014 tour with Sting, and he hasn’t been as a solo artist since late 2011. It seems like an eternity ago to some fans such as myself. Last year when he announced that there would be a massive US tour promoting a new album Stranger To Stranger, he totally snubbed Florida. The lowest in the southeast Paul played in was Atlanta. I would have gone, and still would go to Georgia for certain artists, Paul Simon topping that list, had my leg not been cooped up in a cast.

But in March, we Floridians learned of a miracle: The Kodachrome singer would be doing a summer tour, and where else would he start but St. Augustine, FL?

On Thursday night, the St. Augustine Amphitheater doors opened at promptly 6:00, and members of the sold-out crowd began to worry that one of Florida’s famous rainstorms from a few hours prior would start up again. The worst that happened was the show being postponed by ten minutes. “The rain came, and the rain…cooled us off!” Paul observed early on.

The turnout was enormous, quite like a class act you see at a sports stadium or arena. And this was not just a bunch of old folks who were fans of Simon’s days recording with his former partner, Art Garfunkel: There were actually quite a lot of fans who enjoyed his solo works, like his 1986 Grammy Album Of The Year winner, the South-African inspired “Graceland.” Most of those fans were in their thirties or forties. I’m fifteen, which is a bit young to have Paul Simon in your top 10, top 5, and top 3 these days, and I saw other people there that were my age – Most of them had been dragged there by their parents because they were just trying to be totally awesome parents. I mean, how many of today’s children will get the chance to say that they experienced this man live? But no matter, I was probably the only much younger fan who actually understood that this was Paul Simon for God’s sake, a twice Rock and Roll Hall Of Famer, a Songwriter’s Hall Of Famer, and the first recipient of the Gershwin Prize For Popular Song.

The theater itself filled relatively quickly with over 4,000 fans, and at 7:40, Paul’s backing band came out and played a breathtaking instrumental version of Gumboots off of Graceland. Three minutes later, their boss walked out onstage waving in a grey t-shirt with a dark blue overcoat. His ecstatic audience had an unusual but great amount of energy; more people were cheering than just plain applauding. Within seconds, he picked up one of his many acoustic guitars and ripped into Graceland’s exhilarating opening track, The Boy in the Bubble. Through the night, Paul really mixed up some of the songs by either changing their keys, giving them new rhythms during certain parts, or simply adding in more time for his band to play solos. He gave his fans two and a half hours of almost the entire first side of Graceland, some of his greatest hits old and new, and some deep cuts, including One Man’s Ceiling Is Another Man’s Floor.

Six songs from his days in Simon & Garfunkel were played as well, most notably an instrumental edition of El Condor Pasa (If I Could), Mrs. Robinson, a song that has been played only once per tour since 2009, and a tear jerking version of The Boxer. And that wasn’t an exaggeration. I never cry at concerts, but when Paul strummed the first chord of The Boxer, I just lost my goddamn mind. I bawled my eyes out for the first time in a very long time.

Early on, Paul gave a brief but amped up cover of Mystery Train, and later, during Me and Julio Down by the Schoolyard, the entire audience actually got up and danced, clapped, or at least sang along, because apparently, it is a much bigger hit than most of the songs he played before. Paul’s backing band was much larger than a typical rock and roll backing band. It was about the size of Brian Wilson’s backing band – about eight other gentlemen onstage, one of which performed on Graceland in 1986. Guitarist Vincent Nguini even stepped up to Paul’s microphone to introduce The Cool, Cool River, “a very powerful tune that we haven’t done in a very, very long time,” of which they actually started playing again on the 2016 tour.

He wrapped up his main set with back to back songs from Graceland, starting with a beautiful rendition of Diamonds on the Soles of Her Shoes, and ending with a frenetic ride through You Can Call Me Al, which also had everybody standing up and dancing. After his band took a bow, they came back out for two generous encores, and then after everybody was offstage and it was just Paul and his guitar, he strummed the recognizable chords, and sang the magic words:

“Hello, darkness my old friend.”

Paul mentioned many times how all of the profits from this tour would be donated to the E.O Wilson Biodiversity Foundation, which is involved in saving the Earth and the human species. In fact, he’s so dedicated to it, the book that inspired him to do it was for sale at his merchandise stands, entitled Half-Earth: Our Planet’s Fight For Life by Edward Wilson.

But you know, regardless of what charity Paul chose, he sure as heck would continue to save at least the music world, long as he keeps playing those sold out shows for years to come.