Mountain Jam Music Festival
June 5, 2011
Hunter Mountain
Located at Hunter Mountain Ski Resort in the New York Catskills region, Mountain Jam has been growing and evolving since 2005, when it started as a one day festival sponsored by WDST/Radio Woodstock. The common denominator from every year has been the band Gov't Mule and Warren Haynes. Hmmmm, Woodstock and jam bands. Hippies and college kids in tie dye. While this always seemed kind of interesting, especially the setting of it, the line up never intrigued (too 'jammy') me enough to lay out the money for a full weekend. Single day tickets and a pretty cool final day line up (less 'jammy') this year peaked my interest enough to buy tickets. Guess I should have looked at a map because Hunter Mountain is 2 hours from NYC, not 45 minutes as I had thought. My bad!
Bravo for the setting, lay-out, organization and ease of getting around the festival. We parked in a lot on the edge of town just in town for a tour bus pulled up to take us to the main entrance. Mind you, this wasn't any tour bus. This was a tour bus with the best sound system i've ever heard in a tour bus and he was blasting old school Steely Dan. Dropped off at the entrance, no line to get our wrist bands and no line to enter. Pretty sweet. Campgrounds were set up on the slopes on one side of the mountain with 2 stages set up at the base, just below the lodge. The pitch was steep enough so that when you are watching a band, the almost was never anyone in your site lines. Pretty sweet again. The two main stages were set up next to each other so when one band finished the next band started up right away. No down time. Again, pretty sweet. A Jerry Roll to eat (a fried egg roll with cole slaw, veggies and some other goodness) served by a guy that said he "once saw Jesus at a Grateful Dead show" (yawn-wonder how many times he used that line this weekend) then washed it down with a great selection from Ommegang Brewery (Cooperstown NY) and we were ready to go. I could say that the crowd was eclectic, but that would be too simple. After all, it is mostly a jam band festival and we weren't far from Woodstock. I'm sure a lot of these people, including the guy that served us the Jerry Rolls, came here in 1969 and never left. Not that there's anything wrong with it because this just added to the entertainment and everybody was having a great time, including the dude that was running around and dancing with a fly swatter. Really, I can't make this shit up.
So this was all about the music. A threat of weather had us nervous but cloud cover kept the sun away as well as the rain. Here is a breakdown of who we saw in order:
DAWES: I've written about these guys before. Great California 60's sound. They played a bunch of songs from their new release 'Nothing is Wrong' as well as their stellar debut album. The younger folk at this show dug them. The hippies didn't leave their lawn chairs.
EDWARD SHARPE & THE MAGNETIC ZEROS: Surprise of the day. I have their debut album which I absolutely love. I had heard some people say they were just ok live. How wrong they were. Lead singer Alex Ebert is a top notch showman and spent half the show performing in the crowd making this massive setting seem small. An eclectic band of over 8 members added to the spectacle and co-lead singer Jade Castrinos lent her beautiful voice. A fantastic performance.
PRESERVATION HALL JAZZ BAND: Straight from New Orleans. Saw them open for My Morning Jacket last year. It is just classic history on stage and a great band for a festival setting. Jim James from MMJ joined them on stage for a couple songs. Always a fun time. Would love to see them on their home turf sometime.
GRACE POTTER & THE NOCTURNALS: I couldn't stand this band.
MY MORNING JACKET: As expected they played a set pretty heavy focused on their recently released album 'Circuital'. I was super happy to hear them open up with Victory Dance then Circuital. Awesome opening. Also as expected, the new stuff sounded fantastic live and has me listening to the album with a different ear. Preservation Hall Jazz Band joined them on stage adding a bigger bolder sound for the final few songs including a great cover of Al Johnsons 'Carnival Time'
After the show, a short bus ride back to our car, again serenaded by Steely Dan, followed by a speedy drive home (nice work MP). Great day.
Tuesday, June 28, 2011
Wednesday, June 22, 2011
Ravenna Woods
The other day I was listening to KEXP at work and I heard really cool tune coming from the speakers. It sounded like an acoustic TV On The Radio song. There was no ‘song playing’ listed on their site so I quickly pulled up shazam on my iphone which told me that it was the song called ‘Graves’ off the recently released EP ‘Valley of the Headless Men’ by a band called Ravenna Woods. It was such a uniquely cool song that I needed to find out more about this band. A quick google search told me the following:
-They are three piece acoustic/folk band from Seattle.
-Their debut album, ‘Demons & Lakes’ was released early 2010 and was voted one of the top 90 albums by KEXP listeners.
-Seattle Magazine voted them as the “best new acoustic band of 2010”
-Seattlesubsonic.com says: “If you were in a cult and you wanted a soundtrack for your seaside bonfire and kool-aid party, I would recommend you hire Ravenna Woods. Only don’t pay them in punch, we are going to want them around for a while”
The Seattlesubsonic.com quote had me really intrigued so I downloaded their critically praised debut album and have been listening to it non-stop since. Their sound is dark, trippy, somewhat haunting yet fresh and weird at the same time. Its as if TV on the Radio set out to make an all acoustic album that sounded like Fleet Foxes if they had been listening to a lot of Yeasayer. Go ahead. Drink the kool-aid. Give a listen/watch:
Graves:
A Devil's Coming:
Ghosts:
-They are three piece acoustic/folk band from Seattle.
-Their debut album, ‘Demons & Lakes’ was released early 2010 and was voted one of the top 90 albums by KEXP listeners.
-Seattle Magazine voted them as the “best new acoustic band of 2010”
-Seattlesubsonic.com says: “If you were in a cult and you wanted a soundtrack for your seaside bonfire and kool-aid party, I would recommend you hire Ravenna Woods. Only don’t pay them in punch, we are going to want them around for a while”
The Seattlesubsonic.com quote had me really intrigued so I downloaded their critically praised debut album and have been listening to it non-stop since. Their sound is dark, trippy, somewhat haunting yet fresh and weird at the same time. Its as if TV on the Radio set out to make an all acoustic album that sounded like Fleet Foxes if they had been listening to a lot of Yeasayer. Go ahead. Drink the kool-aid. Give a listen/watch:
Graves:
A Devil's Coming:
Ghosts:
Friday, June 3, 2011
My Morning Jacket-Circuital
Very high on my anticipation list, My Morning Jackets sixth studio CIRCUITAL was released this week with much hype and fanfare. I've heard a handful of these tunes both in concert and thru early leaks by the band so I was somewhat familiar with some of the parts but not the sum of the album. Early reports are that this album would see a return to an earlier MMJ sound after a departure on their last album EVIL URGES although after a few early spins, I feel CIRCUITAL continues to stray--->sometimes good and sometimes not so good.
Great:
VICTORY DANCE -- One of the better album openers in recent memory. It is mezmerizing and hopefully it will be an opener on their upcoming tough. Great tune.
CIRCUITAL -- When I listen to this I think of early The Who. It is over seven minutes long and rolls over peaks and valley's. Instant classic.
WONDERFUL (THE WAY I FEEL) -- Mellow. Sweet. Loving. Beautiful. Could be their new 'Golden'
HOLDIN' ON TO BLACK METAL -- When I first heard this song I thought to myself "on no! what the hell are they doing" After 3 listens I was in love with it. The female chorus and blaring horns backed by some fuzzy guitars. Definitely a try it your like it song.
Good-Potential With More Listens:
THE DAY IS COMING -- Can't put my finger on this but this reminds me of something. Possibly from the 80's. Maybe a George Michael mellow vibe?
OUTTA MY SYSTEM -- Another tune with a vibe of The Who but it never seems to really take off. The way it starts out and its name, I really thought this would end with the band losing their shit but it never happens. Bummer
FIRST LIGHT -- Similar feeling as OUTTA MY SYSTEM. Never seems to really take off although with their horns etc., I bet this will be one of those songs that is awesome live.
YOU WANNA FREAK OUT -- Jim sounds like Paul McCartney on this tune. This song is almost like a lie. Yes, I wanna freak out but you are not giving me the chance!
Not So Good:
SLOW SLOW TUNE & MOVIN' AWAY -- Not sure what they were thinking here. They almost don't even sounds like Jim is the singer. I'll just leave it at that.
The album starts of with some pretty killer tunes but ends with a thud. I know a few of the middle songs will sound awesome live but songs like 'Slow Slow Tune' and 'Movin Away' are just bad. I'm curious to know what the band was thinking ending this album with these two songs. They are at their peak in popularity and have pure gems on this album while challenging their fans (new and old), in a good way, to appreciate songs like 'Black Metal', 'Freak Out', 'Outta My System', 'Day is Coming' and 'First Light'. You only have 10 songs on the album, why make these two of the ten? For a while they have been playing a fantastic song called 'Friends Again'. I would have been extremely happy to have a nine song album with this included and the last two dropped.
I think having a song on CIRCUITAL titled 'you wanna freak out' is appropriate. This album is filled with songs that leaves you on the brink. Yes, I wanna freak the fuck out! I want Patrick Hallahan, your drummer, to freak out as well. He is one of the best drummers out there and I bet he only used one drum stick while recording this album. Release the hounds. Where is this albums 'Anytime' or 'One Big Holiday'? I appreciate the continual evolution of the sound of this band and never putting out the same album, but I feel a little let down. A lot of people felt that way with their last album EVIL URGES, which I thought was fantastic from top to bottom. On CIRCUITAL they have some of the best songs in MMJ's catalog and also some of the worst. Over the years we have been spoiled MMJ fans as they have always give us more than we expected. Here is looking to seeing them on tour. They never let you down there.
***Update***-I went to Mountain Jam music festival this past weekend to catch the last day which included Dawes, Edward Sharpe & Magnetic Zeros, Preservation Hall Jazz Band, Grace Potter and My Morning Jacket. I'll write my review at a later date. MMJ closed out the night with a stirring 2 1/2 hour set that included 8 of the 10 songs from this album. As expected, they all kicked ass, even Slow Slow Tune which I was pretty harsh on in the review above. Seeing these songs performed live has me listening to this album with a completely different ear. This is the mark of a great band and why I list them as one of my favorites of all time.
CIRCUITAL (from VH1 Storytellers):
WONDERFUL:
FIRST LIGHT:
Great:
VICTORY DANCE -- One of the better album openers in recent memory. It is mezmerizing and hopefully it will be an opener on their upcoming tough. Great tune.
CIRCUITAL -- When I listen to this I think of early The Who. It is over seven minutes long and rolls over peaks and valley's. Instant classic.
WONDERFUL (THE WAY I FEEL) -- Mellow. Sweet. Loving. Beautiful. Could be their new 'Golden'
HOLDIN' ON TO BLACK METAL -- When I first heard this song I thought to myself "on no! what the hell are they doing" After 3 listens I was in love with it. The female chorus and blaring horns backed by some fuzzy guitars. Definitely a try it your like it song.
Good-Potential With More Listens:
THE DAY IS COMING -- Can't put my finger on this but this reminds me of something. Possibly from the 80's. Maybe a George Michael mellow vibe?
OUTTA MY SYSTEM -- Another tune with a vibe of The Who but it never seems to really take off. The way it starts out and its name, I really thought this would end with the band losing their shit but it never happens. Bummer
FIRST LIGHT -- Similar feeling as OUTTA MY SYSTEM. Never seems to really take off although with their horns etc., I bet this will be one of those songs that is awesome live.
YOU WANNA FREAK OUT -- Jim sounds like Paul McCartney on this tune. This song is almost like a lie. Yes, I wanna freak out but you are not giving me the chance!
Not So Good:
SLOW SLOW TUNE & MOVIN' AWAY -- Not sure what they were thinking here. They almost don't even sounds like Jim is the singer. I'll just leave it at that.
The album starts of with some pretty killer tunes but ends with a thud. I know a few of the middle songs will sound awesome live but songs like 'Slow Slow Tune' and 'Movin Away' are just bad. I'm curious to know what the band was thinking ending this album with these two songs. They are at their peak in popularity and have pure gems on this album while challenging their fans (new and old), in a good way, to appreciate songs like 'Black Metal', 'Freak Out', 'Outta My System', 'Day is Coming' and 'First Light'. You only have 10 songs on the album, why make these two of the ten? For a while they have been playing a fantastic song called 'Friends Again'. I would have been extremely happy to have a nine song album with this included and the last two dropped.
I think having a song on CIRCUITAL titled 'you wanna freak out' is appropriate. This album is filled with songs that leaves you on the brink. Yes, I wanna freak the fuck out! I want Patrick Hallahan, your drummer, to freak out as well. He is one of the best drummers out there and I bet he only used one drum stick while recording this album. Release the hounds. Where is this albums 'Anytime' or 'One Big Holiday'? I appreciate the continual evolution of the sound of this band and never putting out the same album, but I feel a little let down. A lot of people felt that way with their last album EVIL URGES, which I thought was fantastic from top to bottom. On CIRCUITAL they have some of the best songs in MMJ's catalog and also some of the worst. Over the years we have been spoiled MMJ fans as they have always give us more than we expected. Here is looking to seeing them on tour. They never let you down there.
***Update***-I went to Mountain Jam music festival this past weekend to catch the last day which included Dawes, Edward Sharpe & Magnetic Zeros, Preservation Hall Jazz Band, Grace Potter and My Morning Jacket. I'll write my review at a later date. MMJ closed out the night with a stirring 2 1/2 hour set that included 8 of the 10 songs from this album. As expected, they all kicked ass, even Slow Slow Tune which I was pretty harsh on in the review above. Seeing these songs performed live has me listening to this album with a completely different ear. This is the mark of a great band and why I list them as one of my favorites of all time.
CIRCUITAL (from VH1 Storytellers):
WONDERFUL:
FIRST LIGHT:
Wednesday, May 25, 2011
Screams for the Stones
I'm currently reading Keith Richards book 'Life' and I am at a part in the book when he talks about, early in their career, how loud the girls would scream when they performed. This classic video is probably what he is talking about. Great in so many ways.
Fleet Foxes-Helplessness Blues
The month of May sees the release of four albums I have been looking forward to for some time. With the Fleet Foxes and Beastie Boys at the beginning of the month and My Morning Jacket and The Vaccines at the end, it's a great month for new music. Lets kick it off with my review of Fleet Foxes.
When I first heard the song Mykonos from Fleet Foxes EP titled Sun Giant a few years back, I knew there was something special about this new band. Not long after that, they released their self titled full length album, which ironically was recorded before Sun Giant, I knew this was the beginning of a long loving relationship I would have with this band. There is something so familiar about Fleet Foxes yet there is also something new, exciting and fresh. Their lush harmonies lend easy comparisons to Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young, The Beach Boys, Simon & Garfunkel with an added dash of Van Morrison. Those harmonies with the beautiful voice of lead singer Robin Pecknold is something you can easily get lost in.
There is no sophomore slump with their latest release, Helplessness Blues. Over three years in the making, they have created a timeless classic that was truly worth the wait. With Helplessness Blues, Fleet Foxes have found a way to stretch their sound yet not really seem to make stray too far from their core. What really makes this album great is that it is just that, an album, filled with twelve outstanding tracks. In an age when peoples ipods are filled with singles, this album can be played from 1-12, 12-1 or shuffle and each time leaving you with the feeling that you just found your new favorite song. 'Montezuma' starts out with Pecknold questioning the type of man he used to be over 'ooohs and ahhhhs' reminiscent of monks chanting. 'Sim Sala Bim, yeah sing that ten times real fast. In 'Blue Spotted Tail', Pecknold whispers questions of why that could easily have been on the soundtrack for The Graduate. 'Grown Ocean' and 'Battery Kinzie' chug along like a freight trains, while 'Lorelai' has a waltz like feel. The epic 'The Shrine/An Argument', at over 8 minutes, is a roller coaster of a song pulling in all aspects of the Foxes sounds while adding a new sound by testing your ear drums with a screeching clarinet.
Every song on this album deserves your time. Each one oozes an honesty from Robin Pecknold's lyrics built around outstanding harmonies and sonic sounds. While Fleet Foxes generate comparisons to bands well before their time, this is not a retro album rather an album from a band that is just way ahead of the curve.
Here are Fleet Foxes performing on Later With Jools Holland:
Grown Ocean:
When I first heard the song Mykonos from Fleet Foxes EP titled Sun Giant a few years back, I knew there was something special about this new band. Not long after that, they released their self titled full length album, which ironically was recorded before Sun Giant, I knew this was the beginning of a long loving relationship I would have with this band. There is something so familiar about Fleet Foxes yet there is also something new, exciting and fresh. Their lush harmonies lend easy comparisons to Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young, The Beach Boys, Simon & Garfunkel with an added dash of Van Morrison. Those harmonies with the beautiful voice of lead singer Robin Pecknold is something you can easily get lost in.
There is no sophomore slump with their latest release, Helplessness Blues. Over three years in the making, they have created a timeless classic that was truly worth the wait. With Helplessness Blues, Fleet Foxes have found a way to stretch their sound yet not really seem to make stray too far from their core. What really makes this album great is that it is just that, an album, filled with twelve outstanding tracks. In an age when peoples ipods are filled with singles, this album can be played from 1-12, 12-1 or shuffle and each time leaving you with the feeling that you just found your new favorite song. 'Montezuma' starts out with Pecknold questioning the type of man he used to be over 'ooohs and ahhhhs' reminiscent of monks chanting. 'Sim Sala Bim, yeah sing that ten times real fast. In 'Blue Spotted Tail', Pecknold whispers questions of why that could easily have been on the soundtrack for The Graduate. 'Grown Ocean' and 'Battery Kinzie' chug along like a freight trains, while 'Lorelai' has a waltz like feel. The epic 'The Shrine/An Argument', at over 8 minutes, is a roller coaster of a song pulling in all aspects of the Foxes sounds while adding a new sound by testing your ear drums with a screeching clarinet.
Every song on this album deserves your time. Each one oozes an honesty from Robin Pecknold's lyrics built around outstanding harmonies and sonic sounds. While Fleet Foxes generate comparisons to bands well before their time, this is not a retro album rather an album from a band that is just way ahead of the curve.
Here are Fleet Foxes performing on Later With Jools Holland:
Grown Ocean:
Tuesday, May 3, 2011
LAUNCH Music Conference 2011
DANA ALEXANDRA, SLIMFIT, DEAD 50's
April 22nd
THE CHAMELEON CLUB, LANCASTER PA
Heading home for Easter weekend, I was happy to find out that the 3rd Annual LAUNCH Music Conference would be going on the same time. LAUNCH is slowly becoming one of the best places to launch your career in music be it on the business side or as an artist. It is a place where industry people can mingle and unsigned bands can get heard. This year there were over 200 bands performing on 18 stages spanning 12 venues. Not bad for this small central Pennsylvania town.
On this night I was heading down to the Chameleon Club, a twenty five year old venue with a knack for showcasing top national acts as they roll between major local cities like Philadelphia, DC and NYC. While it started out as just a stop over, the Chameleon has become a destination point for bands to say that graced the stage of this legendary venue. I could go on and on for days about great shows I have seen here but I've forgotten more than I can remember. Tonight I was there to see local band SLIMFIT and there would be twelve other bands playing between both stages.
We got their just before local DANA ALEXANDRA hit the stage. Like pretty much every band playing the conference, Dana is an unsigned artist. She has a singer/songwriter with a poppy vibe and tonight she was performing with a full band. Her debut album will be coming out later this spring and from what I was told it was recorded in Nashville with some top musicians. She has some crafty tunes with fun lyrics that a lot of the younger attendees seemed to already know. Her music is radio friendly and I could see her gaining major attention in the near future.
Next up, SLIMFIT. I've seen these guys on numerous occasions as I have known their drummer, Tony, for over 25 years and he has been so generous to give me their last two solid releases 'The Path' and 'Make it Worse'. It's always scary when you know someone that says they started a band and you should come see them. What happens if they suck? Do you lie and smile thru clenched teeth telling them they were really good? What happens if they ask you to come see them again? Do you make up another lie as to why you can't go? How many lies can you come up with? Well that hasn't been the case with either of the bands Tony has been in and SLIMFIT is even a band that I am telling people to go see. With a rebellious mix of rock & roll & alt-country blending classic Son Volt with Drive By Truckers, SLIMFIT is what seeing live music is all about. The two lead singers swap guitars and take turns leading the charge thru songs that make you want to stomp your feet and pump your fist. Their energy is infectious and continues to build with each song. With so many bands playing tonight, they only had 30 minutes to play, so when they told they crowd they only had one more to play, you got the feeling they were just getting warmed up. But that is what LAUNCH is all about. Introduce yourself. Let them know about you. Wet their whistle and hope they tell their friends about you. SLIMFIT's sound is ready for bigger things. Playing their legendary local venue should be a springboard to bigger venues in bigger cities like the other bands that come thru here on a regular basis. That's what LAUNCH is all about right?
'Afraid to Fail' from their latest release THE PATH:
'The Path' from THE PATH:
We decided to stick around for the next band, the DEAD 50's, and I'm glad we did. A punk trio that are more pop than classic punk with whitty vocals reminiscent of Blink 182. There will always be a fan base for this regardless if they are old or new. I'm more of a classic punk fan but these guys were pretty good. Not being able to leave we caught one song from another local band called The SKETTIES. Kind of had a Moudest Mouse vibe to them. Wish we could have stayed longer. It is so great hearing fresh bands...
April 22nd
THE CHAMELEON CLUB, LANCASTER PA
Heading home for Easter weekend, I was happy to find out that the 3rd Annual LAUNCH Music Conference would be going on the same time. LAUNCH is slowly becoming one of the best places to launch your career in music be it on the business side or as an artist. It is a place where industry people can mingle and unsigned bands can get heard. This year there were over 200 bands performing on 18 stages spanning 12 venues. Not bad for this small central Pennsylvania town.
On this night I was heading down to the Chameleon Club, a twenty five year old venue with a knack for showcasing top national acts as they roll between major local cities like Philadelphia, DC and NYC. While it started out as just a stop over, the Chameleon has become a destination point for bands to say that graced the stage of this legendary venue. I could go on and on for days about great shows I have seen here but I've forgotten more than I can remember. Tonight I was there to see local band SLIMFIT and there would be twelve other bands playing between both stages.
We got their just before local DANA ALEXANDRA hit the stage. Like pretty much every band playing the conference, Dana is an unsigned artist. She has a singer/songwriter with a poppy vibe and tonight she was performing with a full band. Her debut album will be coming out later this spring and from what I was told it was recorded in Nashville with some top musicians. She has some crafty tunes with fun lyrics that a lot of the younger attendees seemed to already know. Her music is radio friendly and I could see her gaining major attention in the near future.
Next up, SLIMFIT. I've seen these guys on numerous occasions as I have known their drummer, Tony, for over 25 years and he has been so generous to give me their last two solid releases 'The Path' and 'Make it Worse'. It's always scary when you know someone that says they started a band and you should come see them. What happens if they suck? Do you lie and smile thru clenched teeth telling them they were really good? What happens if they ask you to come see them again? Do you make up another lie as to why you can't go? How many lies can you come up with? Well that hasn't been the case with either of the bands Tony has been in and SLIMFIT is even a band that I am telling people to go see. With a rebellious mix of rock & roll & alt-country blending classic Son Volt with Drive By Truckers, SLIMFIT is what seeing live music is all about. The two lead singers swap guitars and take turns leading the charge thru songs that make you want to stomp your feet and pump your fist. Their energy is infectious and continues to build with each song. With so many bands playing tonight, they only had 30 minutes to play, so when they told they crowd they only had one more to play, you got the feeling they were just getting warmed up. But that is what LAUNCH is all about. Introduce yourself. Let them know about you. Wet their whistle and hope they tell their friends about you. SLIMFIT's sound is ready for bigger things. Playing their legendary local venue should be a springboard to bigger venues in bigger cities like the other bands that come thru here on a regular basis. That's what LAUNCH is all about right?
'Afraid to Fail' from their latest release THE PATH:
'The Path' from THE PATH:
We decided to stick around for the next band, the DEAD 50's, and I'm glad we did. A punk trio that are more pop than classic punk with whitty vocals reminiscent of Blink 182. There will always be a fan base for this regardless if they are old or new. I'm more of a classic punk fan but these guys were pretty good. Not being able to leave we caught one song from another local band called The SKETTIES. Kind of had a Moudest Mouse vibe to them. Wish we could have stayed longer. It is so great hearing fresh bands...
RUSH-Time Machine Tour 2011
RUSH
April 8, 2011
GIANT CENTER, HERSHEY PA
If you ever get an email saying, 'I just got offered 2 tickets to see Rush with VIP parking and seats in a private box. Do you want to go with me?' Reply 'YES' immediately and be thankful you have such good friends. I was on the receiving end of such an email and consider myself a lucky person. RUSH have always been one of those bands that I always liked but for some reason was never a huge fan. Like many people, I own a copy of their compilation 'Chronicles' and every so often I listen to it and always find myself thinking I should listen to this Rush more often. I was a teenager in the mid 80's and if you listened to rock or so called classic rock stations back then, you were never far from a Rush song. This tour was a walk down memory lane with an emphasis on their classic album 'Moving Pictures'.
Now, I'm not one for paying big money to watch old geezers sleep walk thru an abbreviated greatest hits set in a massive arena. Tonight is a different story. The price was right and even though this band formed before I was born, their set lists proves their is no sleepwalking involved.
Fueled By Moosehead:
On this rainy night in early April, we drove to show in a custom van from the 80's, got warmed up on cold Moosehead's and chased them down with Canadian Club. Classic Rock Canadian style! Two sets made up the show with hilarious intro videos to each set called 'The Real History of Rush'. A total of 26 songs that stretched the show over 3 1/2 hours. Like I said, they may be old but these dudes aren't geezers. Geddy Lee on bass and lead vocal, Alex Lifeson on lead guitar and Neil Pert on drums are rock gods. Geddy looked and sounded half his age and while Alex and Pert have filled out a bit over the years, their is no slow down in their game as was evident in their extended guitar and drum solos (yes it was a classic rock show). Perts drum kit is a monster that probably needs its own tractor trailer to transport it to the next venue.
First set stand outs were 'Time Stand Still', 'Free Will' and 'Subdivisions'. The special of the second set was a song for song playing of 'Moving Pictures', which is listed as one of the 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die. Any band would be so lucky to have four songs as good as 'Tom Sawyer', 'Red Barchetta', 'YYZ' and 'Limelight'. These just happen to be the first four songs from this album. This should give you an idea of just how great the night was.
To say this show was amazing would not be doing them justice. Here's hoping you get and email from a friend like I did and when you go, keep an eye out for air drummers. They are everywhere and it is a little added bonus to the show.
'The Spirt of Radio' started off the show:
April 8, 2011
GIANT CENTER, HERSHEY PA
If you ever get an email saying, 'I just got offered 2 tickets to see Rush with VIP parking and seats in a private box. Do you want to go with me?' Reply 'YES' immediately and be thankful you have such good friends. I was on the receiving end of such an email and consider myself a lucky person. RUSH have always been one of those bands that I always liked but for some reason was never a huge fan. Like many people, I own a copy of their compilation 'Chronicles' and every so often I listen to it and always find myself thinking I should listen to this Rush more often. I was a teenager in the mid 80's and if you listened to rock or so called classic rock stations back then, you were never far from a Rush song. This tour was a walk down memory lane with an emphasis on their classic album 'Moving Pictures'.
Now, I'm not one for paying big money to watch old geezers sleep walk thru an abbreviated greatest hits set in a massive arena. Tonight is a different story. The price was right and even though this band formed before I was born, their set lists proves their is no sleepwalking involved.
Fueled By Moosehead:
First set stand outs were 'Time Stand Still', 'Free Will' and 'Subdivisions'. The special of the second set was a song for song playing of 'Moving Pictures', which is listed as one of the 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die. Any band would be so lucky to have four songs as good as 'Tom Sawyer', 'Red Barchetta', 'YYZ' and 'Limelight'. These just happen to be the first four songs from this album. This should give you an idea of just how great the night was.
To say this show was amazing would not be doing them justice. Here's hoping you get and email from a friend like I did and when you go, keep an eye out for air drummers. They are everywhere and it is a little added bonus to the show.
'The Spirt of Radio' started off the show:
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