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Josh Bradley’s Favorite Albums of 2023

I’d be lying if I said that 2023 didn’t feel like a super quick blur, even though I had some pretty excellent adventures in the last 12 months. I got out and explored Tampa Bay more extensively, I made plans to move to the mountains by a certain year, and in terms of full-fledged adventures, I’d need a third hand to collectively count how many times I found myself at Tampa International Airport this year.

Through it all, there was plenty of hype in the new music scene, but this year, there were bigger comebacks on the list than I had seen since probably 2016.

Within a month of each other, Taylor Swift, The Rolling Stones, and *checks notes* The Beatles all released brand-new material. If you take Time Magazine’s Person of the Year out of the scenario, this hasn’t happened since 1969, with the respective releases of Abbey Road and Let It Bleed. But those aren’t my only three favorites, and I hate to say it, but even with one of the names mentioned making my annual top 12 list, I feel like I snubbed so much when writing it out. 

Obviously, both Taylor’s Versions that came out were brilliant, and I already own both of them on wax. But Graham Nash’s Now was on repeat on my drives to Tampa in the fall. Willie Nelson’s I Don’t Know A Thing About Love—made up entirely of Harlan Howard songs—dropped on the same day I saw him live for the first time at the Florida Strawberry Festival. Ed Sheeran’s – (minus) made me tear up while I was waiting in line at Magic Kingdom’s Seven Dwarfs Mine Train, And Meet Me @ The Altar’s debut album Past // Present // Future? Loved it. I blasted it all the way to St. Pete Pride and back.

I’ve also been a fan of The Zombies since high school, and I heard a few tracks from their new Different Game album at a gig in Clearwater in the spring of 2022. I enjoyed what I heard, but I gotta admit that I still haven’t sat down and listened to the full album yet. I still need to check out boygenius’ The Album, and (don’t hate me) the new Foo Fighters album. I’m reading Dave Grohl’s book right now, so maybe that’ll give me a push in the New Year. It looks like Yusuf/Cat Stevens has a new one out too, and I’m more open to giving that one a shot than stomaching The Steve Howe Band—I mean, err, Yes’ Mirror To The Sky.

I can honestly say that I didn’t listen to the vast majority of these until a few months after they were released, as I mainly stuck to my own playlists in 2023. But considering the situations we endure these days, let some new artists in our streaming queues be the scariest change we ever face. It won’t be, but I can dream, right?

Happy New Year, friends. As always, be strong, love big, and don’t back down.

January: We Are Scientists – Lobes

With the deaths of Jeff Beck, Lisa Marie Presley, and David Crosby within a week of each other, it was looking to be a pretty grim year at first. But if there’s anything I’ve learned about We Are Scientists—an indie-rock trio from California—it’s that whatever follows its act is bound to be unforgettable (read: Innings Festival 2022). The band’s eighth album Lobes adds to the trend of reviving ‘80s music, and takes on the sounds of Ultravox and Pet Shop Boys, with plenty of lyrics about expectations, honesty, and even a shout-out to math rock. Hope to see these guys headline Jannus Live at some point in the future.

February: Gracie Abrams – Good Riddance

While I wouldn’t say that J.J. Abrams’ daughter would be a great fit to soundtrack, say, another “Star Trek” film, Gracie Abrams’ sad-girl-indie debut album is surely the kickoff to an illustrious career that already has “opening for Taylor Swift” under its belt. Good Riddance has the minimalism of an early Joni Mitchell record and the lyrical catharsis of a Lana Del Rey record, and should Gracie toy around with other genres on her next album, she might end up starting up one of the biggest followings—be it cult or mainstream—of the decade.

March: Lana Del Rey – Did you know that there’s a tunnel under Ocean Blvd.

After waiting very patiently since my freshman year of high school, I finally got to see Lana Del Rey perform live in Tampa on September 25, and the show was part of a quick run promoting this latest album of hers. Lana has come such a long way since she dropped Born To Die 11 years ago (!), and the collaborations with Jon Batiste and Father John Misty—just to name a few—aren’t even what sticks out about Tunnel. Lana’s life story and beginnings are kept pretty cryptic, but it’s been said that the album—her best one as a whole since Honeymoon, in my opinion—is her most personal. She messes around with gospel, psychedelic, and of course, her standard orchestra-backed laments, all with a little production help from Jack Antonoff and his unmatched studio skills. It’s currently nominated for Album of the Year at the Grammys, and while I’m personally good no matter who wins, it’s about time Miss Lana takes home a Grammy, yeah?

April: Smokey Robinson – Gasms

I know, I know: We’re lucky to still have this national treasure with us. I’m not ungrateful for a second. But there’s just something slightly distressing about an 83-year-old man singing about sex, or more specifically, eyegasms. I don’t know how much ol’ Smokey watched Chef-era “South Park” while making this record—his first of original material since the late aughts—but at the very least, the latter half is slightly more wholesome, pertaining more to wanting to spend the rest of his days with someone, rather than exclusively thinking about, err, gasming. Luckily, I discovered this one a little later in the year, rather than in its month of release, in which I had my bottom two wisdom teeth removed and finally reunited with my best friend for the first time in five years, for the sake of seeing The Eras Tour.

May: Paul Simon – Seven Psalms

I had Seven Psalms up against Graham Nash’s Now for May, and my struggle to pick between the two is why you’re probably reading this in 2024. In the end, I went with Paul Simon’s thoughts about mortality, which came about after a post-farewell tour dream he had. His vocals have gotten a bit more quivery, but for what it’s worth, his acoustic guitar bits are just as solid and masterful as always. If you try and stream the 7-track album, it’s one giant, half-hour epic, rather than being chopped down to its septet of songs. As much as I’d want to add “Wait” to every playlist I have, perhaps that’s how Paul intended to execute it, so who the hell am I to question my all-time favorite songwriter? Well, about anything other than why on God’s green earth he, a New York kid of over 80 years, decided to move to Texas recently. I’m not expecting a tour behind this album (he said recently that he’d play some shows to bump Psalms, had it not been for COVID-related hearing loss), but if any gigs come about, look out for a review.

June: Rufus Wainwright – Folkocracy

My first man-crush duetting with Chaka Khan on a heavily slowed-down “Cotton-Eyed Joe” was not on my 2023 bingo card, but hey: Now I can confuse the hell out of karaoke bar regulars when I say how great Wainwright’s version is, just to realize that they have no idea who the hell I’m talking about until I mention “Shrek.” Rufus is continually giving the Wainwright clan an exceptional name with the way he can write operas and hypnotize his audiences without any sort of band behind him. It was fascinating but not shocking to see him take on some traditional folk semi-standards with some of the names he deserves to be A-list with (Brandi Carlile, John Legend), as well as a version of Van Dyke Parks’ “Black Gold,” with the guy who co-wrote The Beach Boys’ Smile right beside him. I think that a duet with Joni Mitchell is the only thing that would have made Folkocracy better than it already is, because what gay tenor doesn’t want to work with Joni?

July: Lukas Nelson & Promise of the Real – Sticks and Stones

In a post-Million Dollar Quartet (Elvis, Johnny Cash, Carl Perkins, Jerry Lee Lewis) world, amid an era featuring Jason Aldean and Morgan Wallen, it’s refreshing to see some country music that isn’t heavily manufactured. Alcohol is a recurring theme on Lukas’ eighth studio album (and I have to say, I don’t think I’ve laughed uglier than when I heard the intro to “Alcohallelujah”), but the melodies are catchy, the guitar work is clean, and honestly, it’d be no shock if Lukas spent time with his dad’s besties, The Highwaymen as a kid. He would have utterly exploded in the outlaw country scene during its heyday, had he been around for it. Also, did you know that Promise of the Real was Neil Young’s backing band for a time? Man, what a gig that would have been.

August: Quavo – Rocket Power

I took a listen to this one—the first Migos solo project to emerge after the murder of Takeoff last year—while working on a preview for a Quavo gig to happen at Tampa’s Armature Works. It basically takes you through his navigation process of mourning his bandmate-slash-nephew (who actually appears on this record) and also features guest spots from Young Thug and Future. I’m not gonna pretend that this is wholly my scene, but there’s no doubt in my mind that Migos had to have done a killer concert. Hopefully, there’ll be some unreleased material out soon, or maybe some unreleased Takeoff demos that Quavo and Offset could work on together to morph into new Migos material.

September: Bruce Springsteen – September 3, 2023, East Rutherford, NJ

I very nearly went with Stephen Sanchez’s Angel Face for September. Olivia Rodrigo’s Guts was great too, of course. But September 3, 2023 was a night I’ll never forget. I flew to New Jersey the day before, just so I could see The Boss in his homestate. It’s like seeing the Pope speak at the Vatican or seeing one of The Beatles perform in Liverpool. I caught Springsteen in Tampa, on opening night of his 2023 tour, and I guess the power of the E Street Band put me in such a frenzy that I was planning my fall venture a few weeks later. And as it turned out, I was right to attend the last date of a three-night stint at MetLife Stadium. I thought I’d have to chase “Jungleland” for years, but sure enough, Bruce’s encore kicked off with just that. “Lonesome Day” was a surprisingly epic opener, and “Spirit In The Night” has to be my favorite pre-Little Steven song of Bruce’s. You can’t find this on streaming services, but if you’re jonesing for some quintessential live Springsteen, do yourself a favor and just spend the $15 on nugs.net. As a guy who has been to nearly 500 live gigs, this was the best one I’ve ever seen, and probably ever will see.

October: The Rolling Stones – Hackney Diamonds

I’m still sad that I never got to see Charlie Watts live (I did buy Stones tickets right before the world shut down in 2020, though), but it’s comforting to know that one of his two contributions to Hackney Diamonds—believed to be his final recordings—happened to be with original bassist Bill Wyman, reuniting the band’s original rhythm section for the first time since 1989’s Steel Wheels. Steve Jordan does a great job on drums both live and on this album—the Stones’ best in decades, in my opinion—and I really admire how Mick, Keith, and Ronnie still manage to maintain their original sound and avoid taking the KISS route, relying solely on merchandise sales and lip-syncing on their fourth farewell tour. Ronnie Wood is now the only long-tenured Stone who has yet to pass his 80th birthday, but considering how solid of a rock album his now-octogenarian friends can make in 2023, something tells me that we haven’t heard the last of the mighty Rolling Stones.

November: Dolly Parton – Rockstar

“Now And Then” wasn’t the only new Beatles lore we got in November, you know. Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr—with Peter Frampton and Mick Fleetwood—were featured on Dolly Parton’s version of “Let It Be,” off of her long-promised, long-awaited rock album, which came about as a result of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame ignoring her request to not be inducted in 2022. Generally, when an artist releases an all-covers rock album, you start to feel like the downhill descent has commenced. But ol’ Dolly’s 30-track collection made up of mostly covers is a hardcore exception to that rule. The songs she chose to tackle for this album were recorded with both original artists (i.e: “Keep On Lovin’ You” with REO Speedwagon’s Kevin Cronin, “Every Breath You Take” with Sting, etc.), or other A-list musicians also willing to pay tribute. She couldn’t get the now-retired Bob Seger, so Chris Stapleton guest stars on “Night Moves,” and instead of a sick guitar section from Jimmy Page on “Stairway To Heaven,” Lizzo plays flute behind Dolly’s vocals. Truthfully, I never thought Dolly would turn to rock, but if you can get Steve Perry to return to the studio, reunite the remaining Beatles, and put respective collaborations with Kid Rock and Stevie Nicks on the same album, why hide away your talents?

December: Peter Gabriel – i/o (In-Side Mix)

Genesis may not have needed Peter Gabriel for its final bow in 2022, but the band’s ex-frontman is finally back after what felt like an eternal hiatus. As it turns out, i/o has been in the works since before I was born and was even partially recorded while he was on tour with Sting in 2016. It’s difficult to dive deep into simple terms regarding this record’s eclectic, modernized sound, but at a point in his life where some artists his age are only revisiting old material and pathetically trying to stay relevant with half-assed new songs (I said “some,” not “all”), Gabriel’s lyrics about struggling with quintessential loss and making peace with how short life is could win him a Grammy in 2025. Oh, and considering the success behind his tour promoting i/o last fall, I’m thinking that a second U.S. leg is going to go down in 2024. This man has never been to Tampa, so the mental preparation for TicketMaster’s verified fan program has officially started on my end.

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Concert Reviews

CONCERT REVIEW: Steve Martin and Martin Short jab, pluck, and screech during almost-annual comedy routine at Ruth Eckerd Hall

“If you get offended by anything, please just send an email to my team. toughshitnorefunds@gmail.com!” Comedy legend Steve Martin opened yet another sold-out show with mediocre comedian (to him, anyway) Martin Short with.

Were there offensive elements? Sure. But was the show itself a riotous, comedic mess in its own ideal way? Without a doubt.

The superduo released a special on Netflix a year or two ago, entitled An Evening You Will Forget For The Rest Of Your Life. And though this string of dates, properly titled The Funniest Show In Town At The Moment, takes place two years later, there wasn’t really much in the way of material unseen in the special. There was a smidge more commentary during some portions though, which probably explains why the evening was about 45 minutes longer than the Netflix special.

Once a montage of the headlining duo’s best moments in film went black, the original Wild And Crazy Guy came out around 8:15. Almost immediately after his warnings about there being no intermission, and how he doesn’t care if you get offended, he introduced his “lesser-known” sidekick.

“Just because I said thank you doesn’t mean you have to stop applauding!” Marty jabbed almost immediately. A few insults and anti-compliments later, the two burst into song, with Jimmy Kimmel Live! pianist Jeff Babko, admitting that they have over-inflated egos, but were about to kick some serious comedy ass.

First and foremost, some childhood images of the comics were displayed on a big screen that normally magnified the two. “That was the year I was voted ‘Most Likely To Marry A Cousin!’” Marty admitted upon seeing his high school senior photo. “GET THAT OFF THE SCREEN!” Steve hollered, upon coming face-to-face with a picture of the two making out at an AFI event.

Most of the night consisted of roasting each other on how chubby or old they once looked for their age, or how painfully lame and unentertaining each other’s work was. But after teaching three guys from the audience The Three Amigos salute, a sliver of civility finally came out when the two sat in their living room-style chairs, and just reminisced for about twenty-five minutes. They were mainly short anecdotes about their extensive careers, from when Marty actually met Katharine Hepburn, to when Steve told about a time him and Marty went to St. Barts for Christmas, and The National Enquirer shot a rather unflattering photo of the two in the ocean.

“We’re gonna keep doing this until we’re not having fun anymore.” Marty confirmed. Steve responded by standing up and striding offstage. With that, Babko came back out, and Marty carried on with talking about his life, his parents, and auditioning for many a Broadway show. He then presented a snippet of what was said to be his first show, “a nude version of the second best story ever told, Stepbrother To Jesus.” By the end of it, even Babko was in a nude suit, flopping around his hand down by his…never mind. “Come on, Jeff, I’ll show you somethin’ huge!” Marty yelled as Steve shooed the two offstage in utter disgust.

If you didn’t know, Steve has been a prodigious banjo player for over 50 years, claiming to have written over 100 banjo songs. He was even kind enough to explain the difference between the banjo and the guitar. “The guitar can get you laid.” he proclaimed.

He sat down and started plucking away effortlessly on a medley of songs he’s written over the years, joined by critically acclaimed country quintet, The First Ladies Of Bluegrass. Before the quintet alone got fifteen minutes devoted to their twangy tunes, the six onstage rocked out to a newer song, I Can Play The Banjo.Every time a break in the lyrics came, one of the First Ladies would do a solo of some sort on their instruments. Steve would then present a dirty look, as a reminder that this was his moment to shine. Nope, no sign of King Tut anywhere.

Once the group’s set ended, Steve came back out to talk some more about ticket prices, until Marty and crew member Jesse Lundsford interrupted him, both slowly marching out in Scottish regalia. He picked Marty up, who put his thumb to the side of Jesse’s mouth, and while rhythmically kicking his right rainbow-socked foot, non-mournfully ululated Amazing Grace, as if he were Jesse’s personal set of bagpipes.

“I can’t believe you laughed at that.” Steve annoyingly poked.

Next came a “puppet” of Marty’s Jiminy Glick, saluting a time when Steve was supposedly doing ventriloquism. Like in the Netflix special, and in general, the two only did one thing together: Roast the hell out of political figures, and Kim Kardashian.

“This is what she looks like without makeup!” The photo on the screen changed from Kim Kardashian to Steven Tyler. Brilliant. Also, apparently Bernie Sanders looks like a used tissue, and Kim Jong Un looks like a bouncer in a lesbian club.

Jiminy ran (yes, ran.) offstage, and out came Marty in his standard suit and tie. Ending the show were eulogies written by each other, for each other, just in case they don’t die together. As you can imagine, Marty’s was full of true sentiment and grief, while Steve’s was just affronting, in his own, perfect, Steve Martin way. “Wow, small turnout. Normally, when the world loses a comedian, everyone’s sad.”

All jokes aside, here’s to many, many more years from the two egomaniacs. We need them immensely, even if their schtick remains more or less the same.

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Concert Reviews

CONCERT REVIEW: Weezer, Pixies unite alt fans in Tampa

Brian Bell and Rivers Cuomo of Weezer

Weezer closing out the second night of their 2018 tour with covers and cuts from Pinkerton
Pat Wilson and Brian Bell of Weezer
Paz Lenchantin of the Pixies
The Pixies warming up Weezer fans with their legend status, and an hour and a half of hits.
Black Francis of the Pixies
Brian Bell and Rivers Cuomo of Weezer
David Lovering and Joey Santiago of the Pixies
Rivers Cuomo of Weezer
Rivers Cuomo and Scott Shriner of Weezer

In the last few years, Tampa has had some insane alternative acts. Scott Stapp of Creed and the Foo Fighters this year, and last year Green Day, Soundgarden, and before its tragic cancellation, Linkin Park. And later this year, we will have the Dave Matthews Band,  The Smashing Pumpkins’ reunion tour, and Snow Patrol opening for Ed Sheeran. But to pump us for all that, there was an insanely special show at Tampa’s Midflorida Credit Union Amphitheatre. Two groups that have played to extensive crowds over the years, and that have jammed together before, but never toured.

Nerd rock quartet Weezer and early alt-rockers the Pixies kicked off their co-headlining summer tour on June 22 in West Palm Beach, and they decided to bring night two of the co-headlining tour to Tampa. Weezer has not been to Tampa since their co-headlining tour with Panic! At The Disco in 2016, and the Pixies haven’t been around for longer. Their last time here was in 2015 to headline what would be the final Big Guava Music Festival, also at the Amp. The sold out show was full of millennials who grew up with, or currently listen to, one or both of the groups. Maybe a few boomers out of the 10,000+ people were present, either just to get out a bit, or to simply rock out.

After opening act The Wombats warmed some folks up, the Pixies came onstage around 8:00, and it was not a Pixies show you’d expect. Their setlist did not feature too many hits, besides Where Is My Mind? However, that didn’t mean that some of the songs played weren’t recognizable. About three songs in, lead singer Black Francis began belting out the lyrics to Cactus, off of Surfer Rosa. I, personally, had heard that song somewhere before. But where? Then as a lifelong David Bowie fan, it hit me. Bowie did a cover of that song on his 2002 Heathen album, and it was in the regular setlist rotation on the last two tours he did in his life.

The Pixies didn’t mess around either. There was no communication with the crowd, outfit/set changes, or anything like that. They just ripped through their 20 song setlist, one song after another. Once the legends had taken their bows, it was already dark, and a black curtain was immediately draped down the center of the stage. Being on the side, I could sorta see what was happening. Only sorta.

Around 9:40, there was not a soul who was away from their seat. Everyone began to rise, as Weezer, fronted by rock’s biggest dork, Rivers Cuomo, opened with their early smash hit, Buddy Holly, immediately followed by tons of hits – – the somewhat rapped hit Beverly Hills, the head-banging Hash Pipe, and the first track from their first album, My Name Is Jonas. Perhaps the highlight of the first half of the show was getting a semi-rarity off the Blue Album, In The Garage, which hasn’t been played in Tampa in 13 years. Oh, and Pinkerton’s El Scorcho was a great touch as well.

Following a cover of The Turtles’ Happy Together (I know your reaction, that’s what I said too.) crossed with Longview by Green Day, Cuomo literally scootered to the audience, dressed in a Hawaiian shirt and a captain’s hat. His destination? Two Palapa umbrellas in the stands. “You’re kicking butt, Tampa!” he called out, to which a millennial-composed roar nearly blew him away. He had his acoustic guitar with him, of which he appropriately strummed an unplugged version of Island In The Sun, which had everyone in the venue belting out the words loud enough to outdo Rivers’ killer vocals. “I’m ready to rock with my acoustic and electric guitar.” he declared after the song ended.

“Anyway, here’s Wonderwall.”

You know what happened. Deep down you know that there were people laughing their butts off, and people who were singing along.

After Rivers changed into a studded leather jacket, a few more non-hits and newer songs off their new album Pacific Daydream, lead guitarist Brian Bell moved over to the synths to tap out that iconic opening to Toto’s Africa. If you didn’t know, right now, Weezer is in the music spotlight in a sense, after a 15 year old fan created a Twitter account to get the band to do a cover of the 1982 Toto hit, which has been an Internet meme of recent years. When Weezer saw the account, they got to work, and five days before it released, they trolled that fan. Another Toto hit, Rosanna, which unfortunately was not played at the show, released out of the blue with only a brief teaser announcement.

After their encore, which finished with Say It Ain’t So, also off the Blue Album, I think it’s safe to say that everyone went home either happy or drunk. Some folks discovered something new and were blown away by an act they didn’t attend for. My concert buddy that night was telling me afterward how he had seen so many shows at the amphitheater since it opened, but had never seen it so full of fans. And this is coming from a guy who saw Nine Inch Nails here a few years ago.

Maybe Weezer will co-headline with them sometime. Maybe they’ll release another request from a Twitter account. Hell, maybe they’ll release the long (and I mean LONG) awaited Black Album. After a brief time supporting the Foo Fighters in Australia, making it back to the Top 100, and touring with some of the godfathers/godmother of alternative this year alone, the future is wide open for those badass nerds.

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Concert Reviews

CONCERT REVIEW: John Fogerty stops the rain with help from ZZ Top

John Fogerty jammed with Billy Gibbons, played his own licks, and fondly recalled Woodstock memories.

The Holy Grail
John Fogerty jammed with Billy Gibbons, played his own licks, and fondly recalled Woodstock memories.
Billy F. Gibbons of ZZ Top
John Fogerty jammed with Billy Gibbons, played his own licks, and fondly recalled Woodstock memories.
ZZ Top, disguised as always, finally made it to Clearwater without rescheduling.
John Fogerty jammed with Billy Gibbons, played his own licks, and fondly recalled Woodstock memories.
Dusty Hill of ZZ Top
Frank Beard of ZZ Top
John Fogerty jammed with Billy Gibbons, played his own licks, and fondly recalled Woodstock memories.
Billy F. Gibbons and Dusty Hill of ZZ Top

“Clearwater. That’s a funny name, now ain’t it?” John Fogerty began.

About 75 percent of the audience at Coachman Park on Saturday night were not only fans of John’s career. It was who he was opening for, ZZ Top, that they were also hyped about. See, the two are co-headlining on the Blues And Bayous Tour together this month. And while it’s a limited run, it’s the show of a lifetime to say the least.

Ten minutes after a 30 minute opening set from country artist Ryan Kinder, Fogerty and company kicked off with the CCR classic Travelin’ Band, followed by a non-transposed version of Hey Tonight. Along with CCR hits came solo songs, such as his recent collaboration with Brad Pitt, Love And War, (“I know there are a lot of vets out here tonight. These veterans are not being treated so well in this country right now.”) the twangy Old Man Down The Road, and of course, Centerfield, of which John literally strummed a baseball bat on. A BASEBALL BAT.

Among those hits that were by CCR included Born On The Bayou, which was complete with a bayou background on the big screen, a crowd-rising, shortened version of Down On The Corner, and Have You Ever Seen The Rain, dedicated to John’s 16 year old daughter (“Kelsey is a rainbow in my life, and this song has a rainbow in it.”) Following a flag-draped Fortunate Son on his plaid electric, John ran (yes. RAN.) back out to play two more songs he knew he couldn’t skip over. The legendary Bad Moon Rising was first, and that had everyone in the park bolting out the words, whether they were there for ZZ, John, or both. Finally came Proud Mary, the highlight of the night to me, which also had every fan exploding into song.

Now, to answer one of John’s questions about eight songs in. “Say, who’s that bearded fella that’s wandering around backstage?”

Why, that would be Billy F. Gibbons himself.

Our first glimpse at ZZ Top was about twenty minutes into Fogerty’s set, when Billy joined him to jam to their upcoming collaboration song, Holy Grail, which officially releases June 8. But around 9:30, Billy came back out, along with his old buddies Dusty Hill and Frank Beard, and kicked off with Got Me Under Pressure.

Most of the fans there that night were in attendance for ZZ. And Fogerty was seen by many as just a nice little addition to the show, which was totally proven wrong many a time. “Let’s hear it again for the great John Fogerty!” Billy called out once or twice during his set. But while neither acts were “nice additions,” like John before them, ZZ’s set was full of wall-to-wall hits such as a frenetic ride through Gimme All Your Lovin’, and a sing-along of I’m Bad, I’m Nationwide. And of course, you can’t forget their signature hits: Y’know, Sharp Dressed Man, Tush, La Grange, Legs. (which featured fluffy guitars. Yes, literally fluffy.) All of those were played, along with a cover of Jailhouse Rock serving as the encore.

We really got lucky this time with ZZ Top. Apparently, their last few shows in the Tampa area have either been postponed or cancelled. But this time, they just wouldn’t have it. And Fogerty hasn’t been to the area since he brought his 1969 Tour to the Amphitheater three years ago.

In rock and roll terms, this tour is the real deal. A man who wrote, played, and sang some of the most beloved songs of the late 60s and early 70s, and a Texas trio who in nearly 50 years have never had a lineup change, or even an added member onstage, excluding one-off special guests. “We’ve been comin’ here for the last…five decades! Same three guys, too.” Billy recalled near the end of his set.

Here’s to another five from both acts.

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Concert Announcements

Journey and Def Leppard coming to Tampa for joint tour

You know them both. Even if you don’t know them by name, you live under a rock if you’ve never heard the karaoke bar classic Don’t Stop Believin’, or Pour Some Sugar On Me, the song that you hear in just about every movie or TV show at least once.

Who knew that you’d hear both of those songs live in one night?

Each of them have differences. Journey just got inducted to the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame this past year, alongside Yes and Pearl Jam. However, the only member who played on the original Escape record that is no longer a member is their legendary original lead singer Steve Perry. As close to a classic lineup as this may be, Def Leppard isn’t in the Hall Of Fame, but their only classic member gone is rhythm guitarist Steve Clark, who died in 1991. Anyways, in the last few years especially, there have been some off-the-chain concert tours by 70s/80s arena rock bands together. Heart with Joan Jett and Cheap Trick, Foreigner with Cheap Trick and Jason Bonham, Alice Cooper with Motley Crue, and Styx with REO Speedwagon and Don Felder, just to name a few. After a brief 2017 tour with Asia, Journey announced a few weeks ago that Def Leppard, (who toured with Poison and Tesla this past summer) will be joining them on the road this year. And somehow, Tampa is one of their stops.

Journey and Def Leppard will co-headline at Amalie Arena on August 18, 2018. Tickets go onsale on LiveNation on February 3. This is not going to be a show you’re going to want to miss out on. Though one is nothing without Steve Perry to some fans, and the other is far overplayed on the radio, this is a once in a lifetime chance for some.

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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 Announcements

Ringo Starr and the All-Starr Band coming to Clearwater, but not the way you think.

Photo source: http://www.thefamouspeople.com/profiles/images/ringo-starr-3.jpg

This week, Sir Paul McCartney made his long awaited stop in Tampa for the first time in 12 years. But the other living Beatle is also headed for the Sunshine State.

Ringo Starr and the All-Starr Band will already be making a stop in Florida this tour, just in Ft. Lauderdale for two nights at the Parker Playhouse. But sometime before or after those shows, he will play Clearwater. But it won’t be a ticketed performance. Ruth Eckerd Hall has a very exclusive “Friends Of Music” club that you must be invited to pay to get in, and only special people who have paid roughly $5,000+ get full access to exclusively private concerts by big name artists that do not take place at Ruth Eckerd Hall. Artists through the years have included Hall & Oates, Foreigner, Styx, and Toby Keith.

Ringo’s last time in Clearwater was in October of 2014 with his beloved All-Starr Band. It probably won’t happen, but in the meantime, here’s hoping that the performance will be made public. If not, maybe Ringo will drop by Tampa for at least one more public show before retiring to his octopus’s garden.

Peace and love.

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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.