Another year has come to an end. 2010 is officially over at 11:59 PM tonight. To me, 2010 was a rough year and I’ll be glad to see it go. Those who follow me on Twitter know how hard I had it at the job this past year and how desperately I am seeking new employment in 2011. I think that will happen relatively early in the coming year. I’ve created a list of 5 companies that I want to work for (my dream companies in the industry).Three of these companies have openings, one of the companies I’ve met with (they want to revisit me in January). The other two I’ve submitted my resume too along with my desire to work for them. I’m hoping for the best. A new job would be a great way to kick start the New Year.
Happy New Year to all my readers! Thank you for coming to my little spot on the web, reading, commenting, e-mailing, and otherwise making me feel like this blog is worth the time it takes to produce. You guys are the best!
Here’s what rocked this week:
A Collection of Best Of, Favorite, and Top Albums Lists
Large Hearted Boy has put together one of the most comprehensive lists compiling all of the year-end music best of 2010 lists from blogs, magazines, newspapers, etc. He has been doing this since 2006 and his lists are a great way to not only see the vast differing of opinions on what was great in music for 2010, but it also helps introduce readers to blogs they may otherwise not have known. This is such a noble deed indeed.
Paramore Breaks Up
Just as the band was starting to achieve some fame and notoriety, the tension in the ranks and dissatisfaction amongst band members caused the band to call it a day. Depending on whose side of the story you believe, there are several ways that you can view this. One thing’s for certain, it is bad news for Paramore fans no matter which side was right.
King Diamond’s Heart Surgery
The bad news is that the man had to go through this procedure. The good news is that King Diamond will live on. All he needs is some rest.
A Look Back At Phish New Year’s Eve Shows
Phish will be performing at Madison Square Garden for 3 sold out shows starting December 30th. Their New Year’s Eve shows have been historic and beloved in the past and I am sure that this year won’t be any different. Over at Jam Bands, they posted a look back on previous Phish New Year’s Eve shows. A very cool read, if you have the time.
For more thoughts, music news, rants, raves, and otherwise poetic musings, you should follow me on twitter. www.twitter.com/ryovie
Friday, December 31, 2010
Wednesday, December 29, 2010
From Good Homes - December 18, 2010
If you’ve never been to the Wellmont Theatre in Montclair, New Jersey, you should really consider paying a visit. This 2500 occupancy venue is a marvel of acoustic amazement. Built in 1922 as an acting theater, the building was converted to a movie theater in 1929. In 2006, the theater closed and was reopened in 2008 for concerts. The cathedral ceilings and large open floor make it an excellent venue for concerts. The acoustics in the building are impeccable. A seated balcony graces the upper level for those that prefer to sit during a performance, although on the night that From Good Homes performed, not much sitting occurred.
It had been a long time since I saw a From Good Homes concert. While they reunited last December (2009) for the first time in a decade, I missed their Wellmont reunion shows. I also missed the sporadic few events they played in 2010. This December was going to be my first opportunity to see the band live since I watched them at Waterloo Village in 1998 and I had a feeling that it was going to be quite a show.
Bassist/Vocalist Brady Rhymer and guitarist/vocalist Todd Sheaffer looked amazing as they made their way to the front of the stage to begin the night. They both appeared vibrant, youthful, and in great shape. Opening with the fan favorite There She Goes, From Good Homes instantly had the crowd in their grasp. The opening jam found the audience more than willing to sing along. The first set focused more on the From Good Homes classics. Songs such as Relationships Are Strange, Suzanna Walker, and If The Wind Blows dominated set one. The band reached deep into their catalog to please the masses. Closing the first set with another fan favorite in Way To Go Pam, the band book ended their set with two magnificent jam sing-alongs.
When their first set ended, just under an hour after it had started, it felt like From Good Homes had played the entire night. Nothing was held back in their set one performance and it had me wondering what would be available for set two. The energy and power the band brought to their performance was astonishing. The band clearly enjoyed performing to their audience, and the audience was grateful for the opportunity to see the band live.
During the set one break, I had an opportunity to talk with some of the fans. From Good Homes fans have a passion and joy for music that isn’t found in most fans. Everyone was friendly, pleasant, and willing to talk, which is a reflection on the band. There wonderful music draws wonderful fans that appreciate one another and are willing to share their experiences and joy.
Most of the fans had come the year before and they all remember the blizzard that the 2009 shows brought. Every fan that attended the blizzard show said it was worth it. After seeing set one, I could understand what they meant.
Back inside the theatre, set two proved to be just as grand as the first, only much more majestic in length and content. Opening set two with Broken Road, From Good Homes let themselves loose upon the New Jersey crowd, blasting us with harmonies, melodies, and amazing riffs that washed over every fiber of our being.
The drum/bongo solo that occurred at the end of Head was a jaw dropping moment during the concert. At first, I was questioning the idea of a drum solo in the middle of a great jam, but further review proved it was the proper course of action to proceed with. Patrick Fitzsimmons on the drums and Danny Sadownick on the bongos were the perfect tandem for a percussion solo. It was amazing to see Fitzsimmons bang out the beat only to have Sadownick match it. Together they created the most special moment during the night. The fans loved it and showed their appreciation with deafening applause.
At some point deep in the second set, a feeling of euphoria overtook me. The power of live From Good Homes songs will do that to a person. The positive message in their music and lyrics is that of hope and celebration. It is music that makes the listener think and imagine what life could really be like if they apply the learning found in the escapism of the entertainment.
It was nearly midnight when the show ended. From Good Homes had played for over 3 hours. Two sets filled with amazing moments. The final song of the night, Maybe We Will was performed with as much rigor and enthusiasm as the opening song of the night had been. Both the performers and the crowd were still going strong, wanting more. With a long, drawn out Maybe We Will that Todd Sheaffer refused to let end (by screaming “Let’s do it again!” after each moment that we thought the band was done), From Good Homes ended on a high note. It’s that magic these guys have together that make them such a fantastic group.
From Good Homes could have been one of the biggest bands in their world, but circumstance and fate didn’t allow that to happen. And to me, that’s all right. It makes the band even better in concert. Where else can you see a band perform a stadium show in the intimacy of a venue like the Wellmont Theatre at an affordable ticket price?
If you haven’t seen From Good Homes on one of their few reunion performances, you should it make it a priority for the next time they come anywhere near your town. As a holdover, the band has released a live DVD of highlights from the 2009 performances at The Wellmont Theatre. You can purchase that in the meantime, but it in no way replaces their actual live show. Travel if you must, it’s worth every mile.
Setlist
SET ONE
There She Goes
If The Wind Blows
Suzanna Walker
Let Go
Dance A Hole
Giving Tree
Wake
Celebrate
Relationships Are Strange
Way To Go Pam
SET TWO
Broken Road
Where Songs Begin
Like A River
Second Red Barn On The Right
Trampled Underfoot (Led Zeppelin Cover)
I Only Want
Ferris Wheel Waltz
Comin’ On Home
Head
Drum/Bongo Solos
I’m Your Man
The Ballad Of Todd And Tracy
Butterfly And The Tree
ENCORE
Atlantic City (Bruce Springsteen Cover)
Maybe We Will
It had been a long time since I saw a From Good Homes concert. While they reunited last December (2009) for the first time in a decade, I missed their Wellmont reunion shows. I also missed the sporadic few events they played in 2010. This December was going to be my first opportunity to see the band live since I watched them at Waterloo Village in 1998 and I had a feeling that it was going to be quite a show.
Bassist/Vocalist Brady Rhymer and guitarist/vocalist Todd Sheaffer looked amazing as they made their way to the front of the stage to begin the night. They both appeared vibrant, youthful, and in great shape. Opening with the fan favorite There She Goes, From Good Homes instantly had the crowd in their grasp. The opening jam found the audience more than willing to sing along. The first set focused more on the From Good Homes classics. Songs such as Relationships Are Strange, Suzanna Walker, and If The Wind Blows dominated set one. The band reached deep into their catalog to please the masses. Closing the first set with another fan favorite in Way To Go Pam, the band book ended their set with two magnificent jam sing-alongs.
When their first set ended, just under an hour after it had started, it felt like From Good Homes had played the entire night. Nothing was held back in their set one performance and it had me wondering what would be available for set two. The energy and power the band brought to their performance was astonishing. The band clearly enjoyed performing to their audience, and the audience was grateful for the opportunity to see the band live.
During the set one break, I had an opportunity to talk with some of the fans. From Good Homes fans have a passion and joy for music that isn’t found in most fans. Everyone was friendly, pleasant, and willing to talk, which is a reflection on the band. There wonderful music draws wonderful fans that appreciate one another and are willing to share their experiences and joy.
Most of the fans had come the year before and they all remember the blizzard that the 2009 shows brought. Every fan that attended the blizzard show said it was worth it. After seeing set one, I could understand what they meant.
Back inside the theatre, set two proved to be just as grand as the first, only much more majestic in length and content. Opening set two with Broken Road, From Good Homes let themselves loose upon the New Jersey crowd, blasting us with harmonies, melodies, and amazing riffs that washed over every fiber of our being.
The drum/bongo solo that occurred at the end of Head was a jaw dropping moment during the concert. At first, I was questioning the idea of a drum solo in the middle of a great jam, but further review proved it was the proper course of action to proceed with. Patrick Fitzsimmons on the drums and Danny Sadownick on the bongos were the perfect tandem for a percussion solo. It was amazing to see Fitzsimmons bang out the beat only to have Sadownick match it. Together they created the most special moment during the night. The fans loved it and showed their appreciation with deafening applause.
At some point deep in the second set, a feeling of euphoria overtook me. The power of live From Good Homes songs will do that to a person. The positive message in their music and lyrics is that of hope and celebration. It is music that makes the listener think and imagine what life could really be like if they apply the learning found in the escapism of the entertainment.
It was nearly midnight when the show ended. From Good Homes had played for over 3 hours. Two sets filled with amazing moments. The final song of the night, Maybe We Will was performed with as much rigor and enthusiasm as the opening song of the night had been. Both the performers and the crowd were still going strong, wanting more. With a long, drawn out Maybe We Will that Todd Sheaffer refused to let end (by screaming “Let’s do it again!” after each moment that we thought the band was done), From Good Homes ended on a high note. It’s that magic these guys have together that make them such a fantastic group.
From Good Homes could have been one of the biggest bands in their world, but circumstance and fate didn’t allow that to happen. And to me, that’s all right. It makes the band even better in concert. Where else can you see a band perform a stadium show in the intimacy of a venue like the Wellmont Theatre at an affordable ticket price?
If you haven’t seen From Good Homes on one of their few reunion performances, you should it make it a priority for the next time they come anywhere near your town. As a holdover, the band has released a live DVD of highlights from the 2009 performances at The Wellmont Theatre. You can purchase that in the meantime, but it in no way replaces their actual live show. Travel if you must, it’s worth every mile.
Setlist
SET ONE
There She Goes
If The Wind Blows
Suzanna Walker
Let Go
Dance A Hole
Giving Tree
Wake
Celebrate
Relationships Are Strange
Way To Go Pam
SET TWO
Broken Road
Where Songs Begin
Like A River
Second Red Barn On The Right
Trampled Underfoot (Led Zeppelin Cover)
I Only Want
Ferris Wheel Waltz
Comin’ On Home
Head
Drum/Bongo Solos
I’m Your Man
The Ballad Of Todd And Tracy
Butterfly And The Tree
ENCORE
Atlantic City (Bruce Springsteen Cover)
Maybe We Will
Monday, December 27, 2010
My 10 Favorite Albums of 2010
It’s that time of year once again. The end of the year, where we pause to reflect on all that has happened over the last 12 months while pondering what the future has in store. And as I look back, it’s particularly nice to know that 2010 was another year filled with vast musical greatness. That’s what makes picking the 10 best albums of the year such a hard one.
After much thought, listening, re-listening, and deep scrutiny, I was finally able to come up with a list of my 10 favorite records. My choices are below. Feel free to leave a comment with what you felt were the best records of 2010.
10. The Movie We Are In – Pete Francis
9. Time – The Rebellion
After much thought, listening, re-listening, and deep scrutiny, I was finally able to come up with a list of my 10 favorite records. My choices are below. Feel free to leave a comment with what you felt were the best records of 2010.
10. The Movie We Are In – Pete Francis
9. Time – The Rebellion
Canadian rockers, The Rebellion, released an exceptional album in Time this year. Blending the styles of Coldplay, U2, and The Fray, The Rebellion is a modern rock act worthy of recognition. Time, which is their debut album, is a showcase of just how grand the band is. With a modern sound worthy of everyday radio, powerful vocals, catchy hooks, and riffs that you will be singing along to, Time is worth seeking out.
8. Sting In The Tail – The Scorpions
In 2010, The Scorpions recorded what is reported to be their final album. The multiple guitar attack of Rudolph Schenker and Matthias Jabs decorates Sting In The Tail with color and style. Their finger picking is at its finest and the shredding solos performed by each of them helps to vibrantly color the record. Sting In The Tail is a fine record that has the The Scorpions going out on a high note. If this truly is the final piece of their legacy, it’s a good one to leave behind.
7. Easy Wonderful – Guster
This past fall, Guster returned to bless us with a new album. I was certainly happy that they did. Filled with the delightful sounds that I’ve come to expect from this band, Easy Wonderful was a breath of fresh air into the music scene. Guster sent us a beautiful piece of art that can be enjoyed for hours on end in Easy Wonderful.
6. 13 Arcane Hymns – The Unravelling 
2 guys. 1 album. Simply amazing. 13 Arcane Hymns by The Unravelling rocks hard and heavy. It’s heavy metal for the new generation. It’s hard to believe that only two guys came up with such an amazing album. If you’re a fan of heavy, dark, rock, than 13 Arcane Hymns is a record you should own. With bold and beautiful music, lyrics that make you think, and lead vocals that range the spectrum like not many can, The Unravelling’s 13 Arcane Hymns is a solid album worth listening to over and over again.
5. Slash – Slash 
Branching out with his first solo record, Slash, fans weren’t sure what to expect. The album is jam packed with guest vocalists (including Fergie, Lemmy, and Ozzy) and a lot of exceptional guitar work. Slash is a solo album done right. While Slash is the obvious centerpiece of this record, the wise decision to bring in multiple guest vocalists help push this disc over the top. It was a very unexpected treat in the 2010 releases.
4. Scream – Ozzy Osbourne
Ozzy Osbourne proves that he still has it and maybe never lost it on his latest record Scream. Released this summer, I had the opportunity to review Scream for Hard Rock Hideout and man was I impressed. I wrote that “Scream is an album that renews faith in the current state of rock and roll and solidifies Ozzy’s status as a rock god.” Those words are still true months later. Scream is an incredible album.
3. Lightning On The Strings, Thunder On The Mic – Gangstagrass
It’s bluegrass. It’s hip-hop. It’s Gangstagrass. One of the most unique records to be released in 2010, Lightning On The Strings, Thunder On The Mic is a magnificent album and a trailblazer for a new musical style. More than just a passing fad, Gangstagrass have pioneered a whole new genre that’s worth listening to. Lightning On The Strings, Thunder On The Mic is a unique experience that everyone will enjoy.
2. Social Code - Rock N Roll
Debuting with their first major label record this year, Social Code showed all the other newcomers how rock was meant to be played. Best described as dirty (or gritty) rock, Rock N Roll is a powerful album. Blending the styles of Hinder, Lynch Mob, and Papa Roach, Social Code is the real deal and Rock N Roll proves it. Bar jamming, foot stomping, good time hard rock is what Rock N Roll is all about. Social Code has my vote for best new band of the year, and Rock N Roll has my vote for best hard rock album of 2010. If you like rock, you need to pick up a copy of this record.
1. The Lucky Ones – Doug Keith
I was blessed with the gift of Doug Keith’s The Lucky Ones very early this year. When I reviewed this album back in February, I stated that if you purchased only one record this year, it had to be The Lucky Ones. That statement is still true in December. By far, the best album I have heard in 2010 (and I’ve heard a lot) is Doug Keith’s The Lucky Ones. A fantastic modern folk record that everyone needs to own and enjoy.
Sunday, December 26, 2010
KIX - December 11, 2010
A BIG shout out to Knucklebone! The boys in their stage crew had tickets to sell and they were kind enough to sell them to Tommy and me. We paid $10 to see Kix with Bang Tango. Definitely one of the most affordable shows I have ever attended. And what a great night it was!
My best friend, Tommy, and I decided to meet at the Starland Ballroom on a Saturday night to see Kix in concert. The hard rocking quintet was performing with Bang Tango and a bunch of bands that I had never heard of. We were excited. I had seen Kix for the first time during the summer at the M3 music festival. Tommy had not seen Kix perform since they opened for Warrant and Poison in 1991. A lot of years have passed since then.
We met in the parking lot just as the doors were opening. Heading to the ticket booth, we were approached by two guys working with one of the opening bands, Knucklebone. They had tickets to sell and were selling them for $10 each. Ten dollars? How in the hell were we going to say no to that? We bought them with no questions asked.
Tommy and I made our way inside, ordered a drink, and reveled in the fact that this concert was only costing us $10. That was extra drinking money in both our pockets. As friends are known to do, we spent the time waiting for the first band by catching up on family life and work. We reminisced about days gone by and speculated about what type of night we were in for.
When the first band took the stage, I knew it was going to be a great night! Not only was the band solid (especially for an opening act), but they were equipped with a lead singer that was hotter than July in the Midwest. This woman was gorgeous. Dressed in tight leather short-shorts that left room for little else, ripped sheer stockings, a black leather bikini top, and a matching cap, the lead singer was turning us on with her voice and her wardrobe. Wow! Unfortunately, I don’t remember the name of the band, or the singer, but I know their music was great and their front-woman was a pure vixen.
Knucklebone was next and they gave a solid performance as well. Knucklebone can best be described as hard rock with modern flair. Their songs were well polished and fun. The band had an edge to them and it showed in their performance. I was quite impressed with their set and their energy. I’ll have to keep this band on my radar for future shows.
Cashmere followed Knucklebone and came out ready to rock. While their music sounded great (especially the power ballad), I didn’t particularly care for their lead singer. It’s not that he couldn’t sing, because he could, but I didn’t like the fact that he took his shirt off after the first song and was swinging his body for all to enjoy. Perhaps the girls liked it, but I would have preferred that his shirt stayed on.
He also tried to emulate Vince Neil way too much. I’m from the school of thought that if you are in an original band, then you need to have an original act. Stealing Vince Neil’s isn’t going to help escalate your band. Other than my griping about the lead singer (who really could sing) Cashmere was a decent band. I could have lived without their closing cover of Rock And Roll All Nite, but that may be due to the fact that I’m a huge Kiss fan and NO ONE can perform Kiss except the masters themselves.
Bang Tango followed next, the last band before Kix would take the stage. I only saw Bang Tango once, at M3, and that was from way in the back of the second stage lot. I don’t know many Bang Tango songs. I remember hearing one or two of their songs in high school, but this was just one of those bands that I never really paid much attention to. After watching them open for Kix, that may change.
Bang Tango gave a blistering performance. They only performed a handful of songs, but their performance was certainly about quality and not quantity. I was mesmerized by how good they sounded. I also enjoyed how lead singer Joe Leste looked so much like Shaun Morgan from Seether. It was eerie how close they resembled one another.
SHAUN MORGAN:
JOE LESTE:
Ending their set with Someone Like You, Bang Tango walked off to a standing ovation. Their set was extremely impressive. I am going to have to seek out some of their discs to add to my collection now. The music was that good.
The headliners of the night were prepared to come out next and before they took the stage, I took a moment to look around. While the Starland Ballroom wasn’t sold out, it was pretty filled. Tommy and I were way in the back, near the bar (of course) where we wouldn’t be smothered by everyone else. I was glad to have the space around me that I did, although I would have liked to see more fans at the show.
Having only seen Kix perform under a tight timeline at M3, I wasn’t sure what to expect from their headlining performance. I knew the hits would be there, and plenty of them, but what deep cuts would they pull out? What rarities? What songs that I had totally forgotten about were Kix going to sneak in?
Prior to the band taking the stage, Eddie Trunk made the introductions. He mentioned how That Metal Show was picked up for a seventh season (very cool) and thanked us for giving him a career (even cooler). For those who don’t know, Eddie Trunk started out as a local NY/NJ DJ that worked his way into the metal scene. He is the authority on all things heavy metal and someone that I’ve enjoyed listening to since junior high. Trunk is the real deal.
With a “please welcome…Kix!” the lights went dark, the curtain dropped, and Kix came out to play. The band walked on the stage and ripped into the first song of the night. It took me a moment to recognize the notes, but once it hit I was all smiles. No More Ring Around Rosie was the opener and it was like a visit from an old friend. Steve Whiteman came whirling and twirling onstage filled with energy and a desire to rock. For someone who has lived the rock lifestyle for as long as he has, it’s unbelievable how great Whiteman looks. His excitement told everyone Kix was here to put on a hell of a show!
I don’t recall the order of the songs, but some massive hits were performed. Girl Money, Hot Wire, Same Jane, Cold Blood, Blow My Fuse, and The Itch just to name a few. Kix still sounds fantastic even after 20 plus years of rocking. Perfectly synched, every member of the band fed off one another to put on a precise performance. Each song sounded better than the last and had me anxious to hear the next. Kix was fantastic.
At the center of it all was lead singer, Steve Whiteman. Endless energy abounded from his skinny little frame. He talked it up with the crowd, brought positive vibes, and turned up the power in the room, leading by example. I was amazed by how much passion he displayed. Jumping, twirling, dancing, leaping, and singing all the while, Whiteman showed how a lead singer should act.
One of the best treats of the night for me was when Kix decided to play a song from the little known 2004 release Thunderground. Fireballs was played with skill and was certainly enjoyed by me. The rest of the crowd seemed to be into the song as well, but that may have been the infectiousness of Steve Whiteman. He has a way of making everyone follow his lead and have a good time, which is exactly what a rock concert is all about.
Still rocking after all these years and packed with a powerful energy that’s second to none in terms of performance, Kix’s live show was one I’ll remember for a long time. Tommy and I had a marvelous time. Kix proved that age doesn’t matter. As long as you still feel powerful, then you can be powerful. It’s all about the state of mind. Rock and roll lives on.
My best friend, Tommy, and I decided to meet at the Starland Ballroom on a Saturday night to see Kix in concert. The hard rocking quintet was performing with Bang Tango and a bunch of bands that I had never heard of. We were excited. I had seen Kix for the first time during the summer at the M3 music festival. Tommy had not seen Kix perform since they opened for Warrant and Poison in 1991. A lot of years have passed since then.
We met in the parking lot just as the doors were opening. Heading to the ticket booth, we were approached by two guys working with one of the opening bands, Knucklebone. They had tickets to sell and were selling them for $10 each. Ten dollars? How in the hell were we going to say no to that? We bought them with no questions asked.
Tommy and I made our way inside, ordered a drink, and reveled in the fact that this concert was only costing us $10. That was extra drinking money in both our pockets. As friends are known to do, we spent the time waiting for the first band by catching up on family life and work. We reminisced about days gone by and speculated about what type of night we were in for.
When the first band took the stage, I knew it was going to be a great night! Not only was the band solid (especially for an opening act), but they were equipped with a lead singer that was hotter than July in the Midwest. This woman was gorgeous. Dressed in tight leather short-shorts that left room for little else, ripped sheer stockings, a black leather bikini top, and a matching cap, the lead singer was turning us on with her voice and her wardrobe. Wow! Unfortunately, I don’t remember the name of the band, or the singer, but I know their music was great and their front-woman was a pure vixen.
Knucklebone was next and they gave a solid performance as well. Knucklebone can best be described as hard rock with modern flair. Their songs were well polished and fun. The band had an edge to them and it showed in their performance. I was quite impressed with their set and their energy. I’ll have to keep this band on my radar for future shows.
Cashmere followed Knucklebone and came out ready to rock. While their music sounded great (especially the power ballad), I didn’t particularly care for their lead singer. It’s not that he couldn’t sing, because he could, but I didn’t like the fact that he took his shirt off after the first song and was swinging his body for all to enjoy. Perhaps the girls liked it, but I would have preferred that his shirt stayed on.
He also tried to emulate Vince Neil way too much. I’m from the school of thought that if you are in an original band, then you need to have an original act. Stealing Vince Neil’s isn’t going to help escalate your band. Other than my griping about the lead singer (who really could sing) Cashmere was a decent band. I could have lived without their closing cover of Rock And Roll All Nite, but that may be due to the fact that I’m a huge Kiss fan and NO ONE can perform Kiss except the masters themselves.
Bang Tango followed next, the last band before Kix would take the stage. I only saw Bang Tango once, at M3, and that was from way in the back of the second stage lot. I don’t know many Bang Tango songs. I remember hearing one or two of their songs in high school, but this was just one of those bands that I never really paid much attention to. After watching them open for Kix, that may change.
Bang Tango gave a blistering performance. They only performed a handful of songs, but their performance was certainly about quality and not quantity. I was mesmerized by how good they sounded. I also enjoyed how lead singer Joe Leste looked so much like Shaun Morgan from Seether. It was eerie how close they resembled one another.
SHAUN MORGAN:
JOE LESTE:Ending their set with Someone Like You, Bang Tango walked off to a standing ovation. Their set was extremely impressive. I am going to have to seek out some of their discs to add to my collection now. The music was that good.
The headliners of the night were prepared to come out next and before they took the stage, I took a moment to look around. While the Starland Ballroom wasn’t sold out, it was pretty filled. Tommy and I were way in the back, near the bar (of course) where we wouldn’t be smothered by everyone else. I was glad to have the space around me that I did, although I would have liked to see more fans at the show.
Having only seen Kix perform under a tight timeline at M3, I wasn’t sure what to expect from their headlining performance. I knew the hits would be there, and plenty of them, but what deep cuts would they pull out? What rarities? What songs that I had totally forgotten about were Kix going to sneak in?
Prior to the band taking the stage, Eddie Trunk made the introductions. He mentioned how That Metal Show was picked up for a seventh season (very cool) and thanked us for giving him a career (even cooler). For those who don’t know, Eddie Trunk started out as a local NY/NJ DJ that worked his way into the metal scene. He is the authority on all things heavy metal and someone that I’ve enjoyed listening to since junior high. Trunk is the real deal.
With a “please welcome…Kix!” the lights went dark, the curtain dropped, and Kix came out to play. The band walked on the stage and ripped into the first song of the night. It took me a moment to recognize the notes, but once it hit I was all smiles. No More Ring Around Rosie was the opener and it was like a visit from an old friend. Steve Whiteman came whirling and twirling onstage filled with energy and a desire to rock. For someone who has lived the rock lifestyle for as long as he has, it’s unbelievable how great Whiteman looks. His excitement told everyone Kix was here to put on a hell of a show!
I don’t recall the order of the songs, but some massive hits were performed. Girl Money, Hot Wire, Same Jane, Cold Blood, Blow My Fuse, and The Itch just to name a few. Kix still sounds fantastic even after 20 plus years of rocking. Perfectly synched, every member of the band fed off one another to put on a precise performance. Each song sounded better than the last and had me anxious to hear the next. Kix was fantastic.
At the center of it all was lead singer, Steve Whiteman. Endless energy abounded from his skinny little frame. He talked it up with the crowd, brought positive vibes, and turned up the power in the room, leading by example. I was amazed by how much passion he displayed. Jumping, twirling, dancing, leaping, and singing all the while, Whiteman showed how a lead singer should act.
One of the best treats of the night for me was when Kix decided to play a song from the little known 2004 release Thunderground. Fireballs was played with skill and was certainly enjoyed by me. The rest of the crowd seemed to be into the song as well, but that may have been the infectiousness of Steve Whiteman. He has a way of making everyone follow his lead and have a good time, which is exactly what a rock concert is all about.
Still rocking after all these years and packed with a powerful energy that’s second to none in terms of performance, Kix’s live show was one I’ll remember for a long time. Tommy and I had a marvelous time. Kix proved that age doesn’t matter. As long as you still feel powerful, then you can be powerful. It’s all about the state of mind. Rock and roll lives on.
Saturday, December 25, 2010
MERRY CHRISTMAS
Merry Christmas to all! Your Cousin Ryo hopes that you got everything you wanted under your Christmas tree! Looking forward to a wonderful, productive, and all around amazing 2011!
Friday, December 24, 2010
Yule Log - Happy Christmas Eve!
It’s Christmas Eve and your cousin Ryo is visiting with family, heading to church, and preparing for Santa to come down the chimney with lots of nice little presents for my baby and me.
In anticipation of this wonderful holiday, I thought it would be nice to go old school. Enjoy the classic Yule Log and have a very Merry Christmas!
In anticipation of this wonderful holiday, I thought it would be nice to go old school. Enjoy the classic Yule Log and have a very Merry Christmas!
Wednesday, December 22, 2010
The Ultimate Concert Experience
As those of you who read my financial literacy post know, your cousin Ryo is a frugal person. Yet, I’ve always wanted to experience “the ultimate concert night,” one that would cost much more money than I currently have to spend on it. So, I’ve started a savings account that will allow me to have this experience once the fund is sufficiently padded. It may take some time to get the amount of cash I’ll need, but in the meantime, it will be a lot of fun exploring what would be involved in this experience. Let’s dig in and find out!
The Band
Obviously, the most important component to all of this is the band I would see perform. It has to be a huge band, or a band that I love a lot. Kiss immediately comes to mind, but I would like to take my wife along for this experience, and she’s not a big Kiss fan. Okay, she’s not a Kiss fan at all. That rules out Dave Matthews Band as well. U2 would fit well into this scenario. If the original Led Zeppelin were to reunite, that might work. Bruce Springsteen & the E-Street Band would be a winner for sure. For the sake of argument we’ll narrow it down to U2 or Bruce Springsteen, depending on who is playing when the money is finally there.
The Venue
To me, the greatest venue in the world is Madison Square Garden, hands down. So, the show would have to take place there. An exception can be made for Bruce at the IZOD Center, but only in that building.
The Tickets
Premium floor seats that would most likely have to be purchased through an online scalper are the type of tickets I am looking at for this show. Seats in the first 5 rows are what I’d be aiming for, but I’d accept anything in the first 10.
Transportation
A limo, fully stocked with beer, wine, food, and tunes. Arrive and return in style.
After Concert Activities
Back stage passes to meet with the band and possibly conduct an interview for The Rock and Roll Guru. That would really be the best part of the whole experience. I’d be seeing the dressing rooms, learning about everything that goes on behind the scenes and backstage after a concert – getting a better understanding of the rock star life – that would define the ultimate concert experience.
And there it is – your cousin Ryo’s ultimate fantasy concert experience. Now all I need is a few thousand dollars to pull it all together…
What’s your ultimate concert dream? Comments are open. Feel free to post some.
The Band
Obviously, the most important component to all of this is the band I would see perform. It has to be a huge band, or a band that I love a lot. Kiss immediately comes to mind, but I would like to take my wife along for this experience, and she’s not a big Kiss fan. Okay, she’s not a Kiss fan at all. That rules out Dave Matthews Band as well. U2 would fit well into this scenario. If the original Led Zeppelin were to reunite, that might work. Bruce Springsteen & the E-Street Band would be a winner for sure. For the sake of argument we’ll narrow it down to U2 or Bruce Springsteen, depending on who is playing when the money is finally there.
The Venue
To me, the greatest venue in the world is Madison Square Garden, hands down. So, the show would have to take place there. An exception can be made for Bruce at the IZOD Center, but only in that building.
The Tickets
Premium floor seats that would most likely have to be purchased through an online scalper are the type of tickets I am looking at for this show. Seats in the first 5 rows are what I’d be aiming for, but I’d accept anything in the first 10.
Transportation
A limo, fully stocked with beer, wine, food, and tunes. Arrive and return in style.
After Concert Activities
Back stage passes to meet with the band and possibly conduct an interview for The Rock and Roll Guru. That would really be the best part of the whole experience. I’d be seeing the dressing rooms, learning about everything that goes on behind the scenes and backstage after a concert – getting a better understanding of the rock star life – that would define the ultimate concert experience.
And there it is – your cousin Ryo’s ultimate fantasy concert experience. Now all I need is a few thousand dollars to pull it all together…
What’s your ultimate concert dream? Comments are open. Feel free to post some.
Monday, December 20, 2010
Who Says They Don't Buy Records Anymore?
Here’s a trend that I’ve noticed lately – concert ticket prices go up and the promoters blame it on the lack of CD sales. Record company executives no longer offer big money recording contracts because they claim that music doesn’t sell. Magazines are plastered with interviews stating that profitable music is dead. Music executives are endlessly announcing that nobody buys music anymore; all they do is steal it online.
Here are some facts to counter those thoughts:
Eminem’s Recovery has sold more than 2 million records in 2010 (that includes downloads of the full album and physical CDs purchased).
Lady Antebellum’s Need You Now has also sold over 2 million copies.
Justin Bieber’s My World 2.0 has sold 1.6 million copies.
Taylor Swift’s Speak Now sold over 1 million copies in its first week of release.
Sade’s Soldier of Love has gone over the 1 million mark (which surprises the hell out of me).
Susan Boyle’s The Gift has sold over 500,000 copies.
Ozzy Osbourne’s Scream has sold close to 200,000 copies.
Lady Gaga’s The Fame has sold 1.3 million copies this year. Keep in mind this album came out in 2009.
21 records have gone gold in 2010 (selling over 500,000 copies). 6 albums have gone platinum (selling over 1,000,000 copies).
To the greedy music executives who are used to calling all the shots, I say this: “The game has changed!” People have a vast array of choices and ways they can hear new music now. Back in the day, you got on radio (or MTV), had a hit, and your record sold. It no longer works that way, but it doesn’t mean that people aren’t buying records.
Out of the top 100 best selling albums of 2010, I have never heard of 20 of them (and I am someone who writes about music on a regular basis). Records can be discovered through a vast array of choices now. And with more choices comes more options. Not everybody is buying the CD that the DJ on the radio tells them to buy. People are forming their own opinion on everything they hear. And while there may not be as many runaway hit bands going platinum, overall record sales are still strong.
Now I won’t be naïve and say that no one is stealing music, because that would be foolish. I know there are plenty of people who illegally download music and there are some people that have hard drives and hard drives full of illegally gotten music. But, yes, there are those who still actually pay for their music. There are people who still obtain their music legally (this author included). The music executives will continue to whine, because they are never going to make money like they did in the 80s and 90s. And perhaps that’s a good thing. Maybe now, we can get a reasonable price on a new release. Maybe one day, all CDs will be $5 - $8 each. Think how much my collection would grow then.
Comments are open. Feel free to post some.
Here are some facts to counter those thoughts:
Eminem’s Recovery has sold more than 2 million records in 2010 (that includes downloads of the full album and physical CDs purchased).
Lady Antebellum’s Need You Now has also sold over 2 million copies.
Justin Bieber’s My World 2.0 has sold 1.6 million copies.
Taylor Swift’s Speak Now sold over 1 million copies in its first week of release.
Sade’s Soldier of Love has gone over the 1 million mark (which surprises the hell out of me).
Susan Boyle’s The Gift has sold over 500,000 copies.
Ozzy Osbourne’s Scream has sold close to 200,000 copies.
Lady Gaga’s The Fame has sold 1.3 million copies this year. Keep in mind this album came out in 2009.
21 records have gone gold in 2010 (selling over 500,000 copies). 6 albums have gone platinum (selling over 1,000,000 copies).
To the greedy music executives who are used to calling all the shots, I say this: “The game has changed!” People have a vast array of choices and ways they can hear new music now. Back in the day, you got on radio (or MTV), had a hit, and your record sold. It no longer works that way, but it doesn’t mean that people aren’t buying records.
Out of the top 100 best selling albums of 2010, I have never heard of 20 of them (and I am someone who writes about music on a regular basis). Records can be discovered through a vast array of choices now. And with more choices comes more options. Not everybody is buying the CD that the DJ on the radio tells them to buy. People are forming their own opinion on everything they hear. And while there may not be as many runaway hit bands going platinum, overall record sales are still strong.
Now I won’t be naïve and say that no one is stealing music, because that would be foolish. I know there are plenty of people who illegally download music and there are some people that have hard drives and hard drives full of illegally gotten music. But, yes, there are those who still actually pay for their music. There are people who still obtain their music legally (this author included). The music executives will continue to whine, because they are never going to make money like they did in the 80s and 90s. And perhaps that’s a good thing. Maybe now, we can get a reasonable price on a new release. Maybe one day, all CDs will be $5 - $8 each. Think how much my collection would grow then.
Comments are open. Feel free to post some.
Sunday, December 19, 2010
Hinder - All American Nightmare
Just when it appears that all of the great albums have been released for 2010, Hinder comes around and drops a record that is so intense it makes everyone reconsider their best of list.
Hinder’s third release was recently unleashed on the head banging masses in the form of All American Nightmare. All I can say is Holy Hell, what a record! Hinder has put out two solid records prior, nothing groundbreaking or ear shattering, but nothing to slouch at either. Both their debut album, Extreme Behavior, and their sophomore follow up, Take It To The Limit were strong recordings centered on fun rock and roll. Their latest album is so much more. Between the end of the Take It To The Limit tour and the release of All American Nightmare, something happened to this band. They evolved. All American Nightmare could possibly be the best album I’ve listened to in 2010.
Leading off with 2 Sides Of Me the band immediately sets the tone that this is not your previous Hinder record. Heavier on guitar, darker in theme, and much more polished in production, this album is one for the collection. 2 Sides Of Me is a hard rocking anthem to bipolarity brought on by excess booze. I suppose it happens to the best of us.
All American Nightmare, the song, keeps the rock going strong. Opening with a quick strum of the guitar, All American Nightmare explodes into a wave of hard rock music with Austin Winkler’s voice sounding better than ever. Another ode to sleaze, good times, and loving the ladies, All American Nightmare is the Hinder music that we know and love.
Ballads of the album are plentiful and include: What Ya Gonna Do, The Life, and Red Tail Lights. What Ya Gonna Do is a sonnet to stop using alcohol as a medication and trying to make yourself a better person. The Life is all about reflection. Winkler sings of working so hard to get somewhere in life, only to arrive and find that it’s actually not so marvelous. Red Tail Lights is my favorite song on the album (I’ve already played it 22 times (according to the stats on my iPod). A power ballad that is certain to be a smash single for Hinder, Red Tail Lights is a song about trying to save a relationship that is certain to be destroyed due to suspicions, doubt, and uncertainty. Winkler sings the pain and the listener feels it. This is a powerful song.
The closing number on the album, Put That Record On, is homage to the music that Hinder grew up listening to. Packed with references to their favorite bands and songs, Put That Record On is a fun song and a great way to end a fantastic album.
Lyrically, All American Nightmare shows both sides of a writer. There are flashes of brilliance and originality in some lines, while others are littered in clichés. Lines that stand out (as good) include: red tail lights in the pouring rain (it conjures such an image); I’ll be your prom king early/your Mr. Clean charming your momma at your front door (from 2 Sides Of Me); and I live a life of no regrets, they’re on their way but ain’t here yet (from What Ya Gonna Do). The last is an amazing line. It’s a simple combination of words that are always used touching on a theme that’s been played to death, yet Hinder gives it originality by twisting the lyrics ever so slightly. Yes, outside writers contributed to this record, but the heart of the lyrics belong to Hinder.
All American Nightmare has taken Hinder to the cusp of greatness. While the weak spots on the record prevent them from going over the top and being the greatest rock band of the new millennium, they are as close as can be. The tour behind this record will push Hinder into the next stratosphere and by this summer you will be hearing one of the 3 power ballads (most likely Red Tail Lights) all over every radio station. All American Nightmare is Hinder’s breakthrough album, the one that takes them to the next level, much like All The Right Reasons did for Nickelback and Scars and Souvenirs did for Theory of a Deadman. Hinder is a summer tour away from taking over the world and All American Nightmare is the album they will take it over with.
Ryo’s Rating: 8.5 (out of 10)
Track Listing
2 Sides Of Me
All American Nightmare
What Ya Gonna Do
Hey Ho
The Life
Waking Up The Devil
Red Tail Lights
Striptease
Everybody’s Wrong
Put That Record On
Hinder’s third release was recently unleashed on the head banging masses in the form of All American Nightmare. All I can say is Holy Hell, what a record! Hinder has put out two solid records prior, nothing groundbreaking or ear shattering, but nothing to slouch at either. Both their debut album, Extreme Behavior, and their sophomore follow up, Take It To The Limit were strong recordings centered on fun rock and roll. Their latest album is so much more. Between the end of the Take It To The Limit tour and the release of All American Nightmare, something happened to this band. They evolved. All American Nightmare could possibly be the best album I’ve listened to in 2010.
Leading off with 2 Sides Of Me the band immediately sets the tone that this is not your previous Hinder record. Heavier on guitar, darker in theme, and much more polished in production, this album is one for the collection. 2 Sides Of Me is a hard rocking anthem to bipolarity brought on by excess booze. I suppose it happens to the best of us.
All American Nightmare, the song, keeps the rock going strong. Opening with a quick strum of the guitar, All American Nightmare explodes into a wave of hard rock music with Austin Winkler’s voice sounding better than ever. Another ode to sleaze, good times, and loving the ladies, All American Nightmare is the Hinder music that we know and love.
Ballads of the album are plentiful and include: What Ya Gonna Do, The Life, and Red Tail Lights. What Ya Gonna Do is a sonnet to stop using alcohol as a medication and trying to make yourself a better person. The Life is all about reflection. Winkler sings of working so hard to get somewhere in life, only to arrive and find that it’s actually not so marvelous. Red Tail Lights is my favorite song on the album (I’ve already played it 22 times (according to the stats on my iPod). A power ballad that is certain to be a smash single for Hinder, Red Tail Lights is a song about trying to save a relationship that is certain to be destroyed due to suspicions, doubt, and uncertainty. Winkler sings the pain and the listener feels it. This is a powerful song.
The closing number on the album, Put That Record On, is homage to the music that Hinder grew up listening to. Packed with references to their favorite bands and songs, Put That Record On is a fun song and a great way to end a fantastic album.
Lyrically, All American Nightmare shows both sides of a writer. There are flashes of brilliance and originality in some lines, while others are littered in clichés. Lines that stand out (as good) include: red tail lights in the pouring rain (it conjures such an image); I’ll be your prom king early/your Mr. Clean charming your momma at your front door (from 2 Sides Of Me); and I live a life of no regrets, they’re on their way but ain’t here yet (from What Ya Gonna Do). The last is an amazing line. It’s a simple combination of words that are always used touching on a theme that’s been played to death, yet Hinder gives it originality by twisting the lyrics ever so slightly. Yes, outside writers contributed to this record, but the heart of the lyrics belong to Hinder.
All American Nightmare has taken Hinder to the cusp of greatness. While the weak spots on the record prevent them from going over the top and being the greatest rock band of the new millennium, they are as close as can be. The tour behind this record will push Hinder into the next stratosphere and by this summer you will be hearing one of the 3 power ballads (most likely Red Tail Lights) all over every radio station. All American Nightmare is Hinder’s breakthrough album, the one that takes them to the next level, much like All The Right Reasons did for Nickelback and Scars and Souvenirs did for Theory of a Deadman. Hinder is a summer tour away from taking over the world and All American Nightmare is the album they will take it over with.
Ryo’s Rating: 8.5 (out of 10)
Track Listing
2 Sides Of Me
All American Nightmare
What Ya Gonna Do
Hey Ho
The Life
Waking Up The Devil
Red Tail Lights
Striptease
Everybody’s Wrong
Put That Record On
Friday, December 17, 2010
Friday's Rockin' Roundup - Last Weekend Of Shopping Edition
This is it. This weekend is the last weekend to shop before Christmas is upon us. Another year has passed. Where does the time go? I will be spending this weekend finishing my Christmas shopping and seeing From Good Homes live. Not a bad weekend as long as I really can get the rest of my shopping done. Christmas shopping is not one of my favorite pastimes and I always end up getting things for myself that I don’t necessarily need. Hopefully I can restrain from buying for me this weekend and focus on buying for the people on my list.
I’m wishing to see Keith Richards’ Autobiography under my tree this year, as well as the latest from Stephen King, Tom Petty’s Damn The Torpedoes reissue, a new set of headphones for my iPod, and maybe a Bose system. That last one is doubtful, but you never know. Christmas miracles are known to happen. What’s on your wishlist?
Here’s what rocked this week:
Billboard’s Top 10 Albums Of The Year
The best of 2010 lists have already started to arrive. While mine won’t be posted until the last week of December, Billboard already has theirs out. Shamefully, I don’t know most of the albums on the list. I also don’t agree with the ones that I do know.
Rolling Stone Magazine’s Best of The Year
Rolling Stone has released their best of music list for 2010 as well. Their list has 30 albums and I knew a lot more of them. I still can’t believe what they missed though. Well, I guess that gives you a reason to read my top 10 albums of 2010 list when it comes out.
Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame – Class of 2011
Alice Cooper and Neil Diamond made the hall…finally. While I still can’t believe there is no Kiss, no Rush, and no a lot of other bands that deserve to be in, I am ecstatic to see Neil and Alice make it in. It adds a little more class to the hall. I’m particularly looking to the concert. Seeing Neil Diamond and Alice Cooper perform on stage together will be a real treat.
Pearl Jam To Headline Their Own Festival
Rumors abound that Pearl Jam will be heading up their own festival in 2011. Not much more information is available, but 2011 is the year of the Pearl Jam, so I expect to see a lot from this band next year. Will I go to this festival? It all depends on who else is performing.
Duff McKagan Strips For PETA
Along with his gorgeous wife, Susan, Duff McKagan has bared it all for a PETA advertisement. All I can say is that his wife is beautiful. Wow!
For more thoughts, spur of the moment rants, ramblings, music updates, and happy musings, you should follow me on twitter. www.twitter.com/ryovie
I’m wishing to see Keith Richards’ Autobiography under my tree this year, as well as the latest from Stephen King, Tom Petty’s Damn The Torpedoes reissue, a new set of headphones for my iPod, and maybe a Bose system. That last one is doubtful, but you never know. Christmas miracles are known to happen. What’s on your wishlist?
Here’s what rocked this week:
Billboard’s Top 10 Albums Of The Year
The best of 2010 lists have already started to arrive. While mine won’t be posted until the last week of December, Billboard already has theirs out. Shamefully, I don’t know most of the albums on the list. I also don’t agree with the ones that I do know.
Rolling Stone Magazine’s Best of The Year
Rolling Stone has released their best of music list for 2010 as well. Their list has 30 albums and I knew a lot more of them. I still can’t believe what they missed though. Well, I guess that gives you a reason to read my top 10 albums of 2010 list when it comes out.
Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame – Class of 2011
Alice Cooper and Neil Diamond made the hall…finally. While I still can’t believe there is no Kiss, no Rush, and no a lot of other bands that deserve to be in, I am ecstatic to see Neil and Alice make it in. It adds a little more class to the hall. I’m particularly looking to the concert. Seeing Neil Diamond and Alice Cooper perform on stage together will be a real treat.
Pearl Jam To Headline Their Own Festival
Rumors abound that Pearl Jam will be heading up their own festival in 2011. Not much more information is available, but 2011 is the year of the Pearl Jam, so I expect to see a lot from this band next year. Will I go to this festival? It all depends on who else is performing.
Duff McKagan Strips For PETA
Along with his gorgeous wife, Susan, Duff McKagan has bared it all for a PETA advertisement. All I can say is that his wife is beautiful. Wow!
For more thoughts, spur of the moment rants, ramblings, music updates, and happy musings, you should follow me on twitter. www.twitter.com/ryovie
Wednesday, December 15, 2010
Ticket Prices Are On The Rise
It’s still happening. Artists are still way out of touch with their fan base. In some cases, they’ve signed a contract and have been given a ton of money, so they have little to no control over ticket prices. It’s the new record industry. Now it’s up to the corporate suits to determine the price of a concert, not the band and certainly not the fans.
One of the reasons that fans started stealing albums online was because of price. They couldn’t afford to pay $13 - $19 per album. I’m not saying that’s right, I’m saying that’s why it happened. And now, the same thing is happening with concerts. Only, the fans aren’t stealing concert tickets, they’ve just decided to not attend the shows. Who is hurt the most in the end? The artist is going to take the blame. The fans will hold them responsible justly or not. It’s their name on the marquee, not Live Nation’s. This results in fewer sold out shows, fewer performances in each city, and an overall general distaste in the minds of the fans.
Here’s a perfect example. I am a huge Bon Jovi fan. I love the band, love their songs, love them in concert. They are currently touring (starting in February) behind a greatest hits record. That means the tour is going to be chock full of nothing but the best songs! And the greatest hits album has 4 brand new songs on it. This is a disc that should already be in my collection. But it’s not. Because when I saw the ticket prices for their local concerts ($55 - $154) I told myself there was no way I was going to attend that show. And since I wasn’t going to the concert, there was no need for me to purchase their greatest hits album. Now the band just lost two sales – all due to corporate greed.
Yes, I know there are seats available at $30. That’s the joke. There’s only a few hundred of them (if that many), and they are not good seats. If I want a halfway decent seat to a good seat, I have to pay $55 to $300. Three hundred dollars? Are you serious? I can remember when all the ticket prices were the same and everyone had an equally fair shot of getting floor seats. I also remember standing in line to get those tickets. Times have changed and the internet has really changed the way ticket business is done. But $300 for a floor seat is ridiculous. And if you are worried about the scalpers buying them and selling them at that price anyway, then only offer Will Call for the floor seats. Or offer them to fan club members only. Or do something that will deter the scalpers in the first place.
Unfortunately, that will never happen. Not as long as greedy pigs like Irving Azoff are still in the picture. Their bottom line is money. Screw the fans! To me, that’s good news for the clubs like Starland Ballroom and the Wellmont Theatre. Tickets to shows at those venues are still affordable. Here is a list of some recent tours and their ticket prices. Note ALL of these prices are prior to any fees (which can add an additional $25 - $35 per ticket).
Prince – ranges between $27 - $173 with most tickets costing $111 or higher
Bon Jovi – ranges between $29.50 - $304.50 with most seats falling between $55 - $154
U2 – ranges between $30 - $250 with very few seats available at $30
John Mellencamp - $61, $148
Carrie Underwood - $45 - $67
Furthur - $50 - $70
Phish - $70
Kings Of Leon - $71
Hinder - $30
Notice the affordability of the Hinder tickets? That’s because they are touring clubs and haven’t been swooned by the corporate promoters yet. Give it time. The more popular Hinder becomes, the more likely they are to get a million dollar contract offer. And I couldn’t blame them for taking it. That would just mean I wouldn’t be seeing them in concert anymore. That’s the sad fact of the current ticket pricing structure. Corporate greed has hurt the music fan again. I see it every time I notice OAR ticket prices creeping up. Every year, the prices are a few dollars higher than the year before. Eventually, they will be another band off my list. It’s a shame and the ticket brokers ought to be ashamed.
Comments are open. Feel free to post some.
One of the reasons that fans started stealing albums online was because of price. They couldn’t afford to pay $13 - $19 per album. I’m not saying that’s right, I’m saying that’s why it happened. And now, the same thing is happening with concerts. Only, the fans aren’t stealing concert tickets, they’ve just decided to not attend the shows. Who is hurt the most in the end? The artist is going to take the blame. The fans will hold them responsible justly or not. It’s their name on the marquee, not Live Nation’s. This results in fewer sold out shows, fewer performances in each city, and an overall general distaste in the minds of the fans.
Here’s a perfect example. I am a huge Bon Jovi fan. I love the band, love their songs, love them in concert. They are currently touring (starting in February) behind a greatest hits record. That means the tour is going to be chock full of nothing but the best songs! And the greatest hits album has 4 brand new songs on it. This is a disc that should already be in my collection. But it’s not. Because when I saw the ticket prices for their local concerts ($55 - $154) I told myself there was no way I was going to attend that show. And since I wasn’t going to the concert, there was no need for me to purchase their greatest hits album. Now the band just lost two sales – all due to corporate greed.
Yes, I know there are seats available at $30. That’s the joke. There’s only a few hundred of them (if that many), and they are not good seats. If I want a halfway decent seat to a good seat, I have to pay $55 to $300. Three hundred dollars? Are you serious? I can remember when all the ticket prices were the same and everyone had an equally fair shot of getting floor seats. I also remember standing in line to get those tickets. Times have changed and the internet has really changed the way ticket business is done. But $300 for a floor seat is ridiculous. And if you are worried about the scalpers buying them and selling them at that price anyway, then only offer Will Call for the floor seats. Or offer them to fan club members only. Or do something that will deter the scalpers in the first place.
Unfortunately, that will never happen. Not as long as greedy pigs like Irving Azoff are still in the picture. Their bottom line is money. Screw the fans! To me, that’s good news for the clubs like Starland Ballroom and the Wellmont Theatre. Tickets to shows at those venues are still affordable. Here is a list of some recent tours and their ticket prices. Note ALL of these prices are prior to any fees (which can add an additional $25 - $35 per ticket).
Prince – ranges between $27 - $173 with most tickets costing $111 or higher
Bon Jovi – ranges between $29.50 - $304.50 with most seats falling between $55 - $154
U2 – ranges between $30 - $250 with very few seats available at $30
John Mellencamp - $61, $148
Carrie Underwood - $45 - $67
Furthur - $50 - $70
Phish - $70
Kings Of Leon - $71
Hinder - $30
Notice the affordability of the Hinder tickets? That’s because they are touring clubs and haven’t been swooned by the corporate promoters yet. Give it time. The more popular Hinder becomes, the more likely they are to get a million dollar contract offer. And I couldn’t blame them for taking it. That would just mean I wouldn’t be seeing them in concert anymore. That’s the sad fact of the current ticket pricing structure. Corporate greed has hurt the music fan again. I see it every time I notice OAR ticket prices creeping up. Every year, the prices are a few dollars higher than the year before. Eventually, they will be another band off my list. It’s a shame and the ticket brokers ought to be ashamed.
Comments are open. Feel free to post some.
Monday, December 13, 2010
A Fond Farewell To 2010
This is a guest post from Metal Eddie. Previously the metal one shared his experience at the Nickelback/Three Days Grace/Buckcherry concert.
With 2010 coming to an end I am done attending shows this year. I have to admit I missed a lot of bands on tour. I didn’t go to that many shows. Two missed shows that stick out are Iron Maiden and Alice in Chains. From what I am told by my dear friend Cousin Ryo, Maiden was outstanding and put on a wonderful performance. I heard from a few friends at work that Alice in Chains didn’t miss it beat. They mentioned that it was kind of creepy to hear them because William DuVall sounds just like Layne Staley. So I missed the boat on these shows but we always have 2011 right?
I want to share a few things on some of the shows I did see in 2010. The three most surprising acts were Three Days Grace, Five Finger Death Punch and Shinedown. I was blown away by all three. They are stupendous and a must see live! The most disappointing bands that I saw this year were Buckcherry, Godsmack and the Scorpions. Now I have already reviewed Buckcherry, so let me speak about Godsmack. They are my second favorite band with Kiss still holding the number one spot (more to come on that). Godsmack has been around for over a decade and I have seen them dozens of times. I thought they sounded great. The only problem is that they had way too may fillers. What I mean is guitar solos and just jamming that, to me, was a waste of time. The band has a big enough catalog to play for ninety minutes.
Let me move on to the Scorpions for a farewell tour it was weak at best. They sounded awful and played too many ballads however the drum solo was aces! Now to defend Klaus and the boys, Klaus was sick and didn’t want to cancel the show so I commend him on that.
I would like to speak about Ryo’s post about DMB possibly moving to his number one spot and overthrowing Kiss. My take on it goes something like this. I love Kiss. I have since the first grade and I’m now 41 years old. Do I listen to Kiss every day. No, I do not. Do I have to listen to Kiss everyday for them to be my favorite band? I think not!
We all go through phases of bands that we are into. For example I have been playing Five Finger Death Punch day in and day out for over a month now and I love that band but that doesn’t mean I love Kiss any less. I just saw Shinedown this past Friday (11/19/10), so guess what? I have been playing them more and more. So what I’m saying is your favorite band usually will always be your favorite band no matter what. Just keep rocking out and share your love and knowledge of Rock N Roll to the youth so when we are gone the music will still be here.
I would also like to personally thank Ryo for allowing me to post on The Rock And Roll Guru this year. It was a huge honor for me. I would also like to wish everyone a safe and health holiday season! I will post again soon.
Ryo’s Note: I personally don’t think The Scorpions played enough ballads, but that’s just me! And I would have gotten rid of the drum solo for one or two songs to be performed instead.
With 2010 coming to an end I am done attending shows this year. I have to admit I missed a lot of bands on tour. I didn’t go to that many shows. Two missed shows that stick out are Iron Maiden and Alice in Chains. From what I am told by my dear friend Cousin Ryo, Maiden was outstanding and put on a wonderful performance. I heard from a few friends at work that Alice in Chains didn’t miss it beat. They mentioned that it was kind of creepy to hear them because William DuVall sounds just like Layne Staley. So I missed the boat on these shows but we always have 2011 right?
I want to share a few things on some of the shows I did see in 2010. The three most surprising acts were Three Days Grace, Five Finger Death Punch and Shinedown. I was blown away by all three. They are stupendous and a must see live! The most disappointing bands that I saw this year were Buckcherry, Godsmack and the Scorpions. Now I have already reviewed Buckcherry, so let me speak about Godsmack. They are my second favorite band with Kiss still holding the number one spot (more to come on that). Godsmack has been around for over a decade and I have seen them dozens of times. I thought they sounded great. The only problem is that they had way too may fillers. What I mean is guitar solos and just jamming that, to me, was a waste of time. The band has a big enough catalog to play for ninety minutes.
Let me move on to the Scorpions for a farewell tour it was weak at best. They sounded awful and played too many ballads however the drum solo was aces! Now to defend Klaus and the boys, Klaus was sick and didn’t want to cancel the show so I commend him on that.
I would like to speak about Ryo’s post about DMB possibly moving to his number one spot and overthrowing Kiss. My take on it goes something like this. I love Kiss. I have since the first grade and I’m now 41 years old. Do I listen to Kiss every day. No, I do not. Do I have to listen to Kiss everyday for them to be my favorite band? I think not!
We all go through phases of bands that we are into. For example I have been playing Five Finger Death Punch day in and day out for over a month now and I love that band but that doesn’t mean I love Kiss any less. I just saw Shinedown this past Friday (11/19/10), so guess what? I have been playing them more and more. So what I’m saying is your favorite band usually will always be your favorite band no matter what. Just keep rocking out and share your love and knowledge of Rock N Roll to the youth so when we are gone the music will still be here.
I would also like to personally thank Ryo for allowing me to post on The Rock And Roll Guru this year. It was a huge honor for me. I would also like to wish everyone a safe and health holiday season! I will post again soon.
Ryo’s Note: I personally don’t think The Scorpions played enough ballads, but that’s just me! And I would have gotten rid of the drum solo for one or two songs to be performed instead.
Saturday, December 11, 2010
Bruce Springsteen & The E-Street Band - August 31, 2003
Show 6 of 6
It was the final night of the band’s historic ten-night, sold out run at Giants Stadium in support of The Rising. For their last New Jersey show, Springsteen and the band pulled out all the stops. They played rarities, classics, unexpected crowd pleasers and more. This was one of Bruce’s finest moments in New Jersey and I was a proud member of the audience.
On the final night of the Giants Stadium leg of The Rising tour, Cathy and I spent time tailgating in the parking lot with her co-worker and her co-worker’s husband, drinking and talking Bruce Springsteen. The husband, ironically named Bruce, had attended close to 50 shows at that point. I was impressed as it would only be my 12th Springsteen concert. Bruce had travelled all over to see Springsteen in concert and was a huge fan.
Cathy laughed as it was only her 2nd time seeing Bruce (both of them with me). With excitement surrounding everyone, we finished our drinks, said our goodbyes to Cathy’s friends, and made our way to the seats. We were pretty high up for this concert, but I was just happy to be there. Bring on the band!
Anytime that Bruce Springsteen opens a show with a rare treat like Cynthia, well, you just know that it is going to be a grand night. Such was the case at the end of the summer in 2003.From the opening notes of the opening song, the entire audience knew that this show was going to be special. Cynthia filled the stadium, and as this was the first time I ever heard the song live, I loved every moment of it. It was one of the greatest ways to kick off the night, and shattered my expectations for what type of show we were in for.
The next two songs were standard, and that was to be expected. Two more rare treats were next – Night, which was nice to hear, followed by Lucky Town, which was totally unexpected. I am one of the minority fans that loves the 90s solo Bruce albums. Lucky Town and Human Touch are two strong albums, in my opinion, and anytime Bruce performs them in concert with the E-Street band makes me very happy. 5 songs in and Bruce had already thrown us 2 rarities. We were going to have fun on that night!
A couple more “standards” were played then a rousing rendition of Spirit In The Night, followed by a blistering Because The Night, graced our ears. Springsteen’s guitar was on fire for the performance of that song, and Max was mighty on the drums, keeping perfect time and slapping the skins with a mission. The band was tight, together, and on tempo, performing with ferocity.
After another hard rocking performance of Mary’s Place, which found Bruce Springsteen once again preaching to the crowd about a house of love built by members of the E-Street band (including their individual introductions), things got really heated. Lost In The Flood was trotted out, and the insane live version left jaws hanging open. Just when the crowd thought that Springsteen might think about coasting to the end of the show, he pulled out a rarity from the first album. A song that doesn’t get many live performances, Lost In The Flood was much appreciated, and the crowd roar emphasized that fact.
Oh, but the fun (and the rarities) didn’t end there. The first encore found the E-Street Band delving into their second album with a ten-plus-minute performance of Kitty’s Back. Springsteen, Steve Van Zandt, and Nils Lofgren, all took turns with the solos and Roy Bittan and Danny Federici dueled on the piano and organ respectively. By the time Bruce took the microphone for the chanting of “Kitties back in town!!!” the entire crowd was singing and grooving along. The whole stadium was swinging and jiving.
As with most (if not all) Springsteen concerts, the energy didn’t end there. Glory Days and a show stopping Born To Run were up next and the crowd found a new surge of energy to sing, clap, and dance along. Bruce practically demanded that everyone be standing and jumping in the aisles. The New Jersey fans were more than happy to oblige.
The biggest and best treat, however, came on the very last song of the evening. If Cynthia was an unexpected opener, and Lost In The Flood and Kitty’s Back were deep cut rarities that we never expected to hear, then what did that make the show closer? Bruce pulled out his always fine version of Jersey Girl for the last song at Giants Stadium that year. Hands immediately went up in the air and all the guys grabbed their girls (me included) to sway in time and sing about how we were in love with a Jersey girl. It didn’t even matter that my wife was raised in New York. On that night, she, along with every other female in the audience, was definitely a Jersey girl – stamped with Bruce Springsteen’s approval.
For the final night of an excellent New Jersey Run, Bruce Springsteen and the E-Street band gave a brilliant performance. No one walked away disappointed. It would have been impossible to.
Setlist
Cynthia
The Rising
Lonesome Day
Night
Lucky Town
Empty Sky
Waitin’ On A Sunny Day
Spirit In The Night
Because The Night
Badlands
Two Hearts
No Surrender
Mary’s Place
Lost In The Flood
Into The Fire
The Promised Land
First Encore
Kitty’s Back
Glory Days
Born To Run
Second Encore
My City Of Ruins
Land Of Hope And Dreams
Rosalita
Dancing In The Dark
Jersey Girl
It was the final night of the band’s historic ten-night, sold out run at Giants Stadium in support of The Rising. For their last New Jersey show, Springsteen and the band pulled out all the stops. They played rarities, classics, unexpected crowd pleasers and more. This was one of Bruce’s finest moments in New Jersey and I was a proud member of the audience.
On the final night of the Giants Stadium leg of The Rising tour, Cathy and I spent time tailgating in the parking lot with her co-worker and her co-worker’s husband, drinking and talking Bruce Springsteen. The husband, ironically named Bruce, had attended close to 50 shows at that point. I was impressed as it would only be my 12th Springsteen concert. Bruce had travelled all over to see Springsteen in concert and was a huge fan.
Cathy laughed as it was only her 2nd time seeing Bruce (both of them with me). With excitement surrounding everyone, we finished our drinks, said our goodbyes to Cathy’s friends, and made our way to the seats. We were pretty high up for this concert, but I was just happy to be there. Bring on the band!
Anytime that Bruce Springsteen opens a show with a rare treat like Cynthia, well, you just know that it is going to be a grand night. Such was the case at the end of the summer in 2003.From the opening notes of the opening song, the entire audience knew that this show was going to be special. Cynthia filled the stadium, and as this was the first time I ever heard the song live, I loved every moment of it. It was one of the greatest ways to kick off the night, and shattered my expectations for what type of show we were in for.
The next two songs were standard, and that was to be expected. Two more rare treats were next – Night, which was nice to hear, followed by Lucky Town, which was totally unexpected. I am one of the minority fans that loves the 90s solo Bruce albums. Lucky Town and Human Touch are two strong albums, in my opinion, and anytime Bruce performs them in concert with the E-Street band makes me very happy. 5 songs in and Bruce had already thrown us 2 rarities. We were going to have fun on that night!
A couple more “standards” were played then a rousing rendition of Spirit In The Night, followed by a blistering Because The Night, graced our ears. Springsteen’s guitar was on fire for the performance of that song, and Max was mighty on the drums, keeping perfect time and slapping the skins with a mission. The band was tight, together, and on tempo, performing with ferocity.
After another hard rocking performance of Mary’s Place, which found Bruce Springsteen once again preaching to the crowd about a house of love built by members of the E-Street band (including their individual introductions), things got really heated. Lost In The Flood was trotted out, and the insane live version left jaws hanging open. Just when the crowd thought that Springsteen might think about coasting to the end of the show, he pulled out a rarity from the first album. A song that doesn’t get many live performances, Lost In The Flood was much appreciated, and the crowd roar emphasized that fact.
Oh, but the fun (and the rarities) didn’t end there. The first encore found the E-Street Band delving into their second album with a ten-plus-minute performance of Kitty’s Back. Springsteen, Steve Van Zandt, and Nils Lofgren, all took turns with the solos and Roy Bittan and Danny Federici dueled on the piano and organ respectively. By the time Bruce took the microphone for the chanting of “Kitties back in town!!!” the entire crowd was singing and grooving along. The whole stadium was swinging and jiving.
As with most (if not all) Springsteen concerts, the energy didn’t end there. Glory Days and a show stopping Born To Run were up next and the crowd found a new surge of energy to sing, clap, and dance along. Bruce practically demanded that everyone be standing and jumping in the aisles. The New Jersey fans were more than happy to oblige.
The biggest and best treat, however, came on the very last song of the evening. If Cynthia was an unexpected opener, and Lost In The Flood and Kitty’s Back were deep cut rarities that we never expected to hear, then what did that make the show closer? Bruce pulled out his always fine version of Jersey Girl for the last song at Giants Stadium that year. Hands immediately went up in the air and all the guys grabbed their girls (me included) to sway in time and sing about how we were in love with a Jersey girl. It didn’t even matter that my wife was raised in New York. On that night, she, along with every other female in the audience, was definitely a Jersey girl – stamped with Bruce Springsteen’s approval.
For the final night of an excellent New Jersey Run, Bruce Springsteen and the E-Street band gave a brilliant performance. No one walked away disappointed. It would have been impossible to.
Setlist
Cynthia
The Rising
Lonesome Day
Night
Lucky Town
Empty Sky
Waitin’ On A Sunny Day
Spirit In The Night
Because The Night
Badlands
Two Hearts
No Surrender
Mary’s Place
Lost In The Flood
Into The Fire
The Promised Land
First Encore
Kitty’s Back
Glory Days
Born To Run
Second Encore
My City Of Ruins
Land Of Hope And Dreams
Rosalita
Dancing In The Dark
Jersey Girl
Friday, December 10, 2010
Bruce Springsteen & The E-Street Band - July 26, 2003
Show 5 of 6
Night five of my six night run with Bruce Springsteen and the E-Street Band at Giants Stadium found some set changes, unexpected gifts, and a pretty solid setlist overall. While this was one of the shortest performances I witnessed during this run, it made up for the lack of quantity with plenty of quality. It never ceases to amaze me how brilliant a performer Bruce Springsteen can be.
My friend Kerry was returning to New Jersey after many years of living out west. When I found out that she was coming home around the same time Bruce Springsteen and the E-Street Band were performing at Giants Stadium, well, I had to get us tickets. Kerry and I attended one of the best Springsteen concerts I ever saw back in 1993, and I knew what a huge fan she was. What would be a better way to say “welcome back” to a dear old friend other than to get tickets for one of the shows?
Our concert fell on a Saturday, which meant no work that day. We got to the parking lot early and settled in. A little grilling, a little drinking, and a whole lot of fun was what we were looking for. It’s also what we had. We reminisced about the 93 concert, shocked by the fact that 10 years had gone by since then (and now you can add another 7). Where does the time go?
The band walked on stage to the usual Summer Wind backdrop and the humongous roar of the New Jersey crowd. It was Saturday night, it was summertime, and it was Bruce Springsteen, the future of rock and roll! The band lit into an opening number of Adam Raised A Cain and Kerry’s face lit up. I had mixed emotions. It’s not that I dislike Adam Raised A Cain, because I don’t. I think it’s a fantastic song; it’s just not one of my favorites. I was hoping for more of a rarity to open the show, but that would have to wait until August.
Standards came next in The Rising and Lonesome Day. A blistering The Ties That Bind followed by a very smooth Atlantic City had the night off and running. Good evening New Jersey! Saturday night in The Garden State! Bruce appeared to be happy about Saturday night, but something about his performance suggested otherwise. He was less playful that evening, more focused. It almost seemed that he came on that night to do his job as an entertainer, instead of allowing himself to have fun. The performance was still stellar, but the seriousness was a different approach that I had not witnessed so far during that tour.
Rarities included Darlington County, Two Hearts, and My Hometown. The latter of those songs holds a very special place in my heart, so to hear it live was an enormous treat. When I was 18 and living next door to my dad in Florida, he used to sometimes blast that song all night. Over and over and over again Dad would play My Hometown and think about New Jersey. He had left the state many years prior and was not planning to return. However, he missed his hometown and Bruce’s song would transport him back there, albeit for a few minutes at a time.
The first encore opened with an amazing version of Tenth Avenue Freeze-Out that had the whole stadium on their feet and screaming as loud as they could. Forever a classic, Tenth Avenue Freeze-Out was so much fun to dance along to. The rest of the encore was pretty standard for that summer run and left me slightly befuddled. I wouldn’t say that it was a bad performance, but it was definitely not a strong Bruce Springsteen and the E-Street Band performance. As previously mentioned, the Boss had a certain tone to him that evening. He was serious. He had work to do and he wanted to do it and move on. With that being said, even serious Bruce is a darned good concert. Out of the 6 nights that I saw the band that summer, this was by far the weakest of the nights. That doesn’t make it a bad show, just below expectations. And since Bruce always sets the bar sky high, expectations are way above average to begin with. I wouldn’t see the band perform for another month, but when I did, they would make up for this performance in more ways than I could imagine and take future expectations to an even higher level of greatness.
Setlist
Adam Raised A Cain
The Rising
Lonesome Day
The Ties That Bind
Atlantic City
Empty Sky
Waitin’ On A Sunny Day
Darlington County
Worlds Apart
Badlands
Two Hearts
No Surrender
Mary’s Place
My Hometown
Into The Fire
The Promised Land
First Encore
Tenth Avenue Freeze-Out
Glory Days
Born To Run
Second Encore
My City Of Ruins
Land Of Hopes And Dreams
Rosalita
Dancing In The Dark
Night five of my six night run with Bruce Springsteen and the E-Street Band at Giants Stadium found some set changes, unexpected gifts, and a pretty solid setlist overall. While this was one of the shortest performances I witnessed during this run, it made up for the lack of quantity with plenty of quality. It never ceases to amaze me how brilliant a performer Bruce Springsteen can be.
My friend Kerry was returning to New Jersey after many years of living out west. When I found out that she was coming home around the same time Bruce Springsteen and the E-Street Band were performing at Giants Stadium, well, I had to get us tickets. Kerry and I attended one of the best Springsteen concerts I ever saw back in 1993, and I knew what a huge fan she was. What would be a better way to say “welcome back” to a dear old friend other than to get tickets for one of the shows?
Our concert fell on a Saturday, which meant no work that day. We got to the parking lot early and settled in. A little grilling, a little drinking, and a whole lot of fun was what we were looking for. It’s also what we had. We reminisced about the 93 concert, shocked by the fact that 10 years had gone by since then (and now you can add another 7). Where does the time go?
The band walked on stage to the usual Summer Wind backdrop and the humongous roar of the New Jersey crowd. It was Saturday night, it was summertime, and it was Bruce Springsteen, the future of rock and roll! The band lit into an opening number of Adam Raised A Cain and Kerry’s face lit up. I had mixed emotions. It’s not that I dislike Adam Raised A Cain, because I don’t. I think it’s a fantastic song; it’s just not one of my favorites. I was hoping for more of a rarity to open the show, but that would have to wait until August.
Standards came next in The Rising and Lonesome Day. A blistering The Ties That Bind followed by a very smooth Atlantic City had the night off and running. Good evening New Jersey! Saturday night in The Garden State! Bruce appeared to be happy about Saturday night, but something about his performance suggested otherwise. He was less playful that evening, more focused. It almost seemed that he came on that night to do his job as an entertainer, instead of allowing himself to have fun. The performance was still stellar, but the seriousness was a different approach that I had not witnessed so far during that tour.
Rarities included Darlington County, Two Hearts, and My Hometown. The latter of those songs holds a very special place in my heart, so to hear it live was an enormous treat. When I was 18 and living next door to my dad in Florida, he used to sometimes blast that song all night. Over and over and over again Dad would play My Hometown and think about New Jersey. He had left the state many years prior and was not planning to return. However, he missed his hometown and Bruce’s song would transport him back there, albeit for a few minutes at a time.
The first encore opened with an amazing version of Tenth Avenue Freeze-Out that had the whole stadium on their feet and screaming as loud as they could. Forever a classic, Tenth Avenue Freeze-Out was so much fun to dance along to. The rest of the encore was pretty standard for that summer run and left me slightly befuddled. I wouldn’t say that it was a bad performance, but it was definitely not a strong Bruce Springsteen and the E-Street Band performance. As previously mentioned, the Boss had a certain tone to him that evening. He was serious. He had work to do and he wanted to do it and move on. With that being said, even serious Bruce is a darned good concert. Out of the 6 nights that I saw the band that summer, this was by far the weakest of the nights. That doesn’t make it a bad show, just below expectations. And since Bruce always sets the bar sky high, expectations are way above average to begin with. I wouldn’t see the band perform for another month, but when I did, they would make up for this performance in more ways than I could imagine and take future expectations to an even higher level of greatness.
Setlist
Adam Raised A Cain
The Rising
Lonesome Day
The Ties That Bind
Atlantic City
Empty Sky
Waitin’ On A Sunny Day
Darlington County
Worlds Apart
Badlands
Two Hearts
No Surrender
Mary’s Place
My Hometown
Into The Fire
The Promised Land
First Encore
Tenth Avenue Freeze-Out
Glory Days
Born To Run
Second Encore
My City Of Ruins
Land Of Hopes And Dreams
Rosalita
Dancing In The Dark
Thursday, December 9, 2010
Bruce Springsteen & The E-Street Band - July 24, 2003
Show 4 of 6
My fourth show found Bruce and the band in top form. This concert would compete with July 18th for the best of the 6 that I attended. Packed with power, Bruce Springsteen & The E-Street Band gave a blistering, hot performance, on a cool, dry New Jersey Night.
A dry Thursday evening in July found me sitting in the stands of Giants Stadium for the 4th of 6 Bruce Springsteen & The E-Street Band performances that I would be attending. I went to my 4th Springsteen show of that Giants Stadium summer run with my ex-wife, Nancy. By the time that concert rolled around, I was pretty well versed in the Bruce Springsteen stadium concerts. I had a good idea of what to expect and what the bulk of the show would contain. That made the small surprises even grander.
Our seats were way up in nosebleed land, not quite as bad as night 2, but still high up and nowhere near as good as show 1 or 3. We waited in anticipation, speculating what song Bruce and the band would open with, what rarities we would hear that night, and what songs we looked forward to the most. We also reminisced about the 1999 arena shows.
The band walked onto the stage with the Clint Eastwood Spaghetti Western theme from The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly playing over the house PA. That was a fun way to kick off the event. Without saying a word, they took the stage, grabbed their instruments, and kicked into The Promised Land to launch the night. What a spectacular choice for an opener! Just like that, night 4 was off and running.
The setlist was exceptional for that Thursday evening, and the first few songs of the night proved it. The Promised Land gave way to The Rising, which fed into Lonesome Day. The first rarity of the evening came with a brilliant, jaw dropping performance of Streets of Fire. The band sounded amazing and Nils, Bruce, and Steven’s guitar work was exceptional! I was blown away and we were only 4 songs into the set. I knew this was going to be an amazing evening.
My favorite song from Tracks came next (My Love Will Not Let You Down) and we were off and running from there. The blistering setlist never stopped with hit after hit after hit. Empty Sky was the only slow and quiet moment out of the first 13 songs. Bruce and the band were executing at a blistering pace and having an incredible time while doing it. Perhaps it was the weather (the first dry night in 3 shows), or maybe it was the atmosphere, or maybe it’s because cousin Ryo was in the audience – whatever the case, this was a solid performance. I was coming off the stupendous marathon rain concert from July 18th that was going to be hard to top. However, The E-Street Band was up for the task and trying their hardest to give a better performance than that one.
When a very special Meeting Across The River was segued into Jungleland, I got goosebumps up and down my spine. This was a moment in live Springsteen history that I had been waiting years for. To finally see it unfold before my eyes left me speechless and tingly. The band didn’t stop there though. They continued into a stunning rendition of Into The Fire that left the audience slack jawed. How was Springsteen bringing so much energy on that night?
The main set closed out with a fine version of No Surrender, and the audience was left to catch their breath while the band walked offstage. We needed every moment of the break to do so. Springsteen had us sweaty, rocking, and enjoying the fine summer night.
The encores were where things really got intense. The first song of the first encore was none other than the classic 4th of July, Asbury Park (Sandy). How’s that for a show stopper? It rolled right into a boogie-woogie, piano driven, roadhouse rendition of Ramrod that found the band dancing all over the stage and even walking off to leave Professor Roy Bittain to do a little piano solo of his own. The E-Street Band then waltzed back onstage to finish with fire. But Bruce wasn’t done. Born To Run kicked off and while I thought it would be impossible, the crowd got louder. They had to hear us in New York City by that time.
The evening would finish off with the standard encore songs that were played during that Giants Stadium trip, which were fantastic, but not as powerful as the rare beauties that Springsteen had performed for us that evening. The fourth concert of my series was running a very close race with the third concert for best performance of the group. Springsteen and company brought their all and delivered another amazing performance. It only made me yearn for Saturday night when I would be back for my fifth show of the tour.
Setlist
The Promised Land
The Rising
Lonesome Day
Streets Of Fire
My Love Will Not Let You Down
Prove It All Night
Empty Sky
Waitin’ On A Sunny Day
Working On The Highway
Worlds Apart
Badlands
She’s The One
Mary’s Place
Meeting Across The River
Jungleland
Into The Fire
No Surrender
Encore 1
4th of July, Asbury Park (Sandy)
Ramrod
Born To Run
My City of Ruins
Encore 2
Land Of Hopes And Dreams
Rosalita
Dancing In The Dark
My fourth show found Bruce and the band in top form. This concert would compete with July 18th for the best of the 6 that I attended. Packed with power, Bruce Springsteen & The E-Street Band gave a blistering, hot performance, on a cool, dry New Jersey Night.
A dry Thursday evening in July found me sitting in the stands of Giants Stadium for the 4th of 6 Bruce Springsteen & The E-Street Band performances that I would be attending. I went to my 4th Springsteen show of that Giants Stadium summer run with my ex-wife, Nancy. By the time that concert rolled around, I was pretty well versed in the Bruce Springsteen stadium concerts. I had a good idea of what to expect and what the bulk of the show would contain. That made the small surprises even grander.
Our seats were way up in nosebleed land, not quite as bad as night 2, but still high up and nowhere near as good as show 1 or 3. We waited in anticipation, speculating what song Bruce and the band would open with, what rarities we would hear that night, and what songs we looked forward to the most. We also reminisced about the 1999 arena shows.
The band walked onto the stage with the Clint Eastwood Spaghetti Western theme from The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly playing over the house PA. That was a fun way to kick off the event. Without saying a word, they took the stage, grabbed their instruments, and kicked into The Promised Land to launch the night. What a spectacular choice for an opener! Just like that, night 4 was off and running.
The setlist was exceptional for that Thursday evening, and the first few songs of the night proved it. The Promised Land gave way to The Rising, which fed into Lonesome Day. The first rarity of the evening came with a brilliant, jaw dropping performance of Streets of Fire. The band sounded amazing and Nils, Bruce, and Steven’s guitar work was exceptional! I was blown away and we were only 4 songs into the set. I knew this was going to be an amazing evening.
My favorite song from Tracks came next (My Love Will Not Let You Down) and we were off and running from there. The blistering setlist never stopped with hit after hit after hit. Empty Sky was the only slow and quiet moment out of the first 13 songs. Bruce and the band were executing at a blistering pace and having an incredible time while doing it. Perhaps it was the weather (the first dry night in 3 shows), or maybe it was the atmosphere, or maybe it’s because cousin Ryo was in the audience – whatever the case, this was a solid performance. I was coming off the stupendous marathon rain concert from July 18th that was going to be hard to top. However, The E-Street Band was up for the task and trying their hardest to give a better performance than that one.
When a very special Meeting Across The River was segued into Jungleland, I got goosebumps up and down my spine. This was a moment in live Springsteen history that I had been waiting years for. To finally see it unfold before my eyes left me speechless and tingly. The band didn’t stop there though. They continued into a stunning rendition of Into The Fire that left the audience slack jawed. How was Springsteen bringing so much energy on that night?
The main set closed out with a fine version of No Surrender, and the audience was left to catch their breath while the band walked offstage. We needed every moment of the break to do so. Springsteen had us sweaty, rocking, and enjoying the fine summer night.
The encores were where things really got intense. The first song of the first encore was none other than the classic 4th of July, Asbury Park (Sandy). How’s that for a show stopper? It rolled right into a boogie-woogie, piano driven, roadhouse rendition of Ramrod that found the band dancing all over the stage and even walking off to leave Professor Roy Bittain to do a little piano solo of his own. The E-Street Band then waltzed back onstage to finish with fire. But Bruce wasn’t done. Born To Run kicked off and while I thought it would be impossible, the crowd got louder. They had to hear us in New York City by that time.
The evening would finish off with the standard encore songs that were played during that Giants Stadium trip, which were fantastic, but not as powerful as the rare beauties that Springsteen had performed for us that evening. The fourth concert of my series was running a very close race with the third concert for best performance of the group. Springsteen and company brought their all and delivered another amazing performance. It only made me yearn for Saturday night when I would be back for my fifth show of the tour.
Setlist
The Promised Land
The Rising
Lonesome Day
Streets Of Fire
My Love Will Not Let You Down
Prove It All Night
Empty Sky
Waitin’ On A Sunny Day
Working On The Highway
Worlds Apart
Badlands
She’s The One
Mary’s Place
Meeting Across The River
Jungleland
Into The Fire
No Surrender
Encore 1
4th of July, Asbury Park (Sandy)
Ramrod
Born To Run
My City of Ruins
Encore 2
Land Of Hopes And Dreams
Rosalita
Dancing In The Dark
Wednesday, December 8, 2010
Bruce Springsteen & The E-Street Band - July 18, 2003
Show 3 of 6
The third night of Bruce’s historic ten night run at Giants Stadium found me once again sitting in the audience, this time with my girlfriend (who became my wife), Cathy. It was her first ever Springsteen concert. She couldn’t have picked a better one. And on a rainy Friday night in Jersey, Cathy and I truly fell in love, Bruce and the band performed one of their most amazing concerts ever, and I made some new friends (even if it was just for one night).
The third night of Bruce’s historic ten night run at Giants Stadium found me once again sitting in the audience, this time with my girlfriend (who became my wife), Cathy. It was her first ever Springsteen concert. She couldn’t have picked a better one. And on a rainy Friday night in Jersey, Cathy and I truly fell in love, Bruce and the band performed one of their most amazing concerts ever, and I made some new friends (even if it was just for one night).
Excellent seats. That’s the first thing that comes to mind whenever I think of the third night that I saw Bruce Springsteen and the E-Street Band on their 2003 Giants Stadium summer run. The seats that we had that night were simply amazing. No, they weren’t on the field, but they were 3rd row, dead center in the lower bowl. End Zone seats, if you will. And for the Bruce concert they were simply outstanding.
The second thing that comes to mind when reminiscing about that night is the weather. We got rained on pretty much all night long, and we really didn’t care. Once a certain level of wetness is achieved, all you can say is “bring it on!” The weather obliged, but Cathy and I survived.
The third thing that comes to mind regarding that night (and the first thing Cathy always mentions) is the gentleman who fell in love with me. A happy drunk concert attendee who sat next to Cathy and I professed his love for me on more than one occasion. At one point, we were even singing with our arms around each other like we’d been friends for years. It was one of the most surreal moments in my concert history, but pretty awesome none the less.
When we arrived at the stadium, the clouds were filling in and it was only a matter of time before the rain would start. To me, that was good and bad. Rain meant that The E-Street Band was most likely going to perform a cover of Who’ll Stop The Rain. That was terrific, because it was a song that I had never seen the band perform in concert. The downside of the rain was that, well, we were going to get seriously wet. Neither Cathy nor I had brought a raincoat or a poncho, and it was inevitable that we would just have to soak it up.
We settled into our seats and waited for the band to make their grand entrance. Cathy and I had only been dating for three months, so our relationship was still exciting and new. We could sit there and stare at each other, not having to say anything and the moment was perfect. We talked a little, but mostly we just enjoyed one another’s company.
The sounds of Frank Sinatra’s Summer Wind filled the stadium and we all knew what that meant. It was time for some Springsteen. The band casually strolled to the stage to the Summer Wind and took their positions. Bruce and Clarence came out together (last) and a colossal roar broke out from the crowd. Once Bruce and the Big Man were in position, the opening notes of none other than Who’ll Stop The Rain filled the air, and I knew that this was going to be a magical night.
Who’ll Stop The Rain led into The Rising and was followed by Lonesome Day; The Ties That Bind; and My Love Will Not Let You Down. During those songs, the seats filled to capacity and the man who would become my best buddy for the night took his seat next to us. We sang along to the first 5 songs overjoyed. A Springsteen concert has the tendency to do that to people.
Bruce addressed the crowd for the first time after My Love Will Not Let You Down and joked about the rain. The band then broke into Something In The Night and I screamed my head off. Anytime that any song from Darkness On The Edge Of Town or Born To Run is performed, it’s just fantastic. To me, those have always been the two greatest Springsteen albums ever produced. Hearing Something In The Night live was a rare treat for me and I sang every word of the song.
Later in the concert, the band would perform Racing In The Street, to which I would once again go nuts and sing every lyric of the song. It was at that point that my new found friend, who had been casually talking to Cathy and I between songs, professed his love. “I ;ove this guy!” he exclaimed, putting his arm around me. “He knows every word to ever song! Now that’s a true fan!”
Cathy was laughing and found it quite amusing that this guy was almost hitting on me. I smiled and laughed too. It felt nice to be recognized for being the die-hard fan that I was (and still am). It made an impression on my new buddy, and that made an impression on my new girlfriend (Cathy and I had only been dating for a little over 3 months at that point). It was a fun way to spend a Friday night.
Special songs from that night were plenty. In addition to the two aforementioned Darkness songs, Cadillac Ranch showed up as the first song of the first encore. My new buddy was to my right and my girlfriend was to my left and I had my arms around both of them. We sang and danced to Cadillac Ranch as the rain continued to fall on us. We lifted our heads to the sky and let it rain right on our faces. We didn’t have a care in the world.
As usual, Bruce and the band continued to play, looking like they were never going to stop. Cathy could not believe how long the concert went on for and I enjoyed every second of it, hoping that the night would never end. But, like all grand concerts, this one too came to a close. Dancing In The Dark finished the night off and as the rain finally started to taper off, Cathy and I sat, waiting for the crowd to push out of the way before we made our exit. We sat in our seats holding each other and basked in the glory of what we had just witnessed and participated in. It was a magical night that we would remember forever.
For Cathy, it was her first Bruce concert and it made her a true, die-hard fan. From that moment on, she was a Springsteen fanatic and would attend every concert of his that I would go to in the future. For me, I fell in love with Cathy. She was so happy, so genuine, and so radiant with joy, that there was no way you couldn’t fall in love with her. The two of us strongly bonded that night, and it’s a memory that we will share forever.
Setlist
Who’ll Stop The Rain
The Rising
Lonesome Day
The Ties That Bind
My Love Will Not Let You Down
Something In The Night
Empty Sky
Waitin’ On A Sunny Day
You Can Look (But You’d Better Not Touch)
Worlds Apart
Badlands
She’s The One
Mary’s Place
Racing In The Street
Into The Fire
No Surrender
First Encore
Cadillac Ranch
96 Tears
Bobby Jean
Glory Days
Devil With The Blue Dress/Good Golly Miss Molly
Born To Run
Second Encore
My City Of Ruins
Land Of Hopes And Dreams
Rosalita (Come Out Tonight)
Dancing In The Dark
Tuesday, December 7, 2010
Bruce Springsteen & The E-Street Band - July 17, 2003
Show 2 of 6
A standard performance for night two left me slightly disappointed. While it was still a Bruce Springsteen concert, which meant it was great, it lacked the depth that all of the other shows carried. Out of the 6 nights I saw that summer, this one was by far the weakest.
Following the amazing performance given by the band on opening night, I came to Giants Stadium for night two with high expectations. This time around I was attending the show with quite a different crowd from opening night. My colleagues Stephanie and Robin, along with my ex-wife, Nancy attended this concert with me.
Our seats were quite different from opening night as well. While on the first night I was in the low section with a good view, for night two, I was about as high up as you could get. I was literally the second to last row from the top – all the way up, section 325, row 31. I could touch the moon.
Although the ticket listed the start time at 7:30, it wasn’t until almost 8:30 that the sounds of Frank Sinatra’s Summer Wind filled the stadium and the band slowly made their way on stage. I knew from attending the first show that this would probably be the case. I also knew that we were in for a long night of exceptional entertainment.
The band wasted no time and launched right into The Rising, forgoing the acoustic version of Born In The USA this time around. With the title track of the latest album hitting the airwaves, we were underway. Lonesome Day followed and the new album was two for two. The first rarity of the evening was performed next in the form of Night. It was an excellent version that put a smile on my face.
One of the drawbacks of sitting on the moon at a stadium concert is the acoustics. While the sound carried well from the stage throughout the stadium, it was a little hard to hear all the way at the top. It was near impossible to know what Bruce was saying when he spoke to the crowd, and the softer songs were very quiet all the way up there. Although we still enjoyed ourselves, I would be hesitant to sit that high up for another concert.
Classics were hard to come by that evening. While we did get the aforementioned Night, a stunning Candy’s Room, and the timeless Growin’ Up, the rest of the setlist was pretty standard for that Giants Stadium run. The expected songs from the new album were all performed, and the encore was standard fare, with the exception of Hungry Heart.
Don’t get me wrong, it was still an incredible evening, but it lacked the power that the other Bruce shows had during that run. The second night at Giants Stadium wasn’t anywhere near as grand as the opening night. However, I expected there to be some night two letdown. I just didn’t expect that the drop off would be so severe.
Not that there was much to complain about, it was still Bruce Springsteen & The E-Street Band after all. And the following night would be a stunning concert that would blow me and my girlfriend away – a concert that may end up in the top ten of all time. That Thursday night’s performance was unfortunately the sandwich show in between the killer opening night, and the soon-to-be-legendary night three.
Setlist
The Rising
Lonesome Day
Night
Candy’s Room
Prove It All Night
Empty Sky
You’re Missing
Waitin’ On A Sunny Day
Growin’ Up
Worlds Apart
Badlands
Out In The Streets
Mary’s Place
Jungleland
Into The Fire
No Surrender
First Encore
Thunder Road
Hungry Heart
Ramrod
Born To Run
My City Of Ruins
Second Encore
Land Of Hopes And Dreams
Rosalita
Dancing In The Dark
A standard performance for night two left me slightly disappointed. While it was still a Bruce Springsteen concert, which meant it was great, it lacked the depth that all of the other shows carried. Out of the 6 nights I saw that summer, this one was by far the weakest.
Following the amazing performance given by the band on opening night, I came to Giants Stadium for night two with high expectations. This time around I was attending the show with quite a different crowd from opening night. My colleagues Stephanie and Robin, along with my ex-wife, Nancy attended this concert with me.
Our seats were quite different from opening night as well. While on the first night I was in the low section with a good view, for night two, I was about as high up as you could get. I was literally the second to last row from the top – all the way up, section 325, row 31. I could touch the moon.
Although the ticket listed the start time at 7:30, it wasn’t until almost 8:30 that the sounds of Frank Sinatra’s Summer Wind filled the stadium and the band slowly made their way on stage. I knew from attending the first show that this would probably be the case. I also knew that we were in for a long night of exceptional entertainment.
The band wasted no time and launched right into The Rising, forgoing the acoustic version of Born In The USA this time around. With the title track of the latest album hitting the airwaves, we were underway. Lonesome Day followed and the new album was two for two. The first rarity of the evening was performed next in the form of Night. It was an excellent version that put a smile on my face.
One of the drawbacks of sitting on the moon at a stadium concert is the acoustics. While the sound carried well from the stage throughout the stadium, it was a little hard to hear all the way at the top. It was near impossible to know what Bruce was saying when he spoke to the crowd, and the softer songs were very quiet all the way up there. Although we still enjoyed ourselves, I would be hesitant to sit that high up for another concert.
Classics were hard to come by that evening. While we did get the aforementioned Night, a stunning Candy’s Room, and the timeless Growin’ Up, the rest of the setlist was pretty standard for that Giants Stadium run. The expected songs from the new album were all performed, and the encore was standard fare, with the exception of Hungry Heart.
Don’t get me wrong, it was still an incredible evening, but it lacked the power that the other Bruce shows had during that run. The second night at Giants Stadium wasn’t anywhere near as grand as the opening night. However, I expected there to be some night two letdown. I just didn’t expect that the drop off would be so severe.
Not that there was much to complain about, it was still Bruce Springsteen & The E-Street Band after all. And the following night would be a stunning concert that would blow me and my girlfriend away – a concert that may end up in the top ten of all time. That Thursday night’s performance was unfortunately the sandwich show in between the killer opening night, and the soon-to-be-legendary night three.
Setlist
The Rising
Lonesome Day
Night
Candy’s Room
Prove It All Night
Empty Sky
You’re Missing
Waitin’ On A Sunny Day
Growin’ Up
Worlds Apart
Badlands
Out In The Streets
Mary’s Place
Jungleland
Into The Fire
No Surrender
First Encore
Thunder Road
Hungry Heart
Ramrod
Born To Run
My City Of Ruins
Second Encore
Land Of Hopes And Dreams
Rosalita
Dancing In The Dark
Monday, December 6, 2010
Bruce Springsteen & The E-Street Band - July 15, 2003
Show 1 of 6
This was opening night of the North American leg of The Rising Tour. I had amazing seats, attended the show with family, and would see one hell of a performance from Bruce and the band. Opening night set the bar very high for the remaining five concerts that I would attend.
My first Bruce Springsteen & The E-Street Band concert at Giants Stadium was also the first time I had seen the band live in over three years. In late 2002, Bruce and the band held a marathon city tour and only scheduled one night in New Jersey (two if you count the rehearsal night, but that was special invitation only). Needless to say that night sold out so fast the ticketing system crashed. There would be no Springsteen concert for me.
Luckily, The Rising tour was one that would last a long time. In the summer of 2003, Bruce made it up to his Jersey fans by performing an unprecedented 10 shows at Giants Stadium. All of these concerts would sell out, but due to the abundance of tickets, no shows were sold out to me. I attended opening night with my Uncle Steve, Aunt Lorna, my cousin Jane, her husband Greg, and my mother. Mom was my date for that concert, and to this day, I am so glad that I took her to see Bruce at Giants Stadium.
We got to the stadium, found our seats, and settled in. I couldn’t believe how good the seats were and how great the stage looked from where we were sitting. Our tickets were for the lower tier, section 118, with a clear line of vision to the stage. These wouldn’t be the best seats I sat in for the run (those would come on Friday night), but they were pretty close. 4 of the 6 nights found me upstairs in the nosebleeds, but for opening night, I was sitting in style.
We waited and waited, wondering exactly when the band was going to take the stage. The tickets listed 7:30, and while we knew the concert wasn’t going to start at that time, I thought that 8:10 was a safe guess. I was wrong. At 8:25, Bruce sauntered onto the stage with an acoustic guitar and performed a stripped down solo rendition of Born in The USA. It was an interesting way to open the night.
From there, the band came onstage and the rock and roll kicked in. New songs The Rising and Lonesome Day were performed prior to the band ripping into a hard rocking version of The Promised Land. This was followed by an incredible My Love Will Not Let You Down from Tracks, and the crowd pleasing Darkness On The Edge Of Town. All of these songs were played before Bruce even addressed the audience.
With a rousing “Good evening New Jersey!” Bruce finally did address the crowd. He talked about how the band had been around the world and now it was good to be back home. Even though he no longer makes his home in New Jersey (having moved to California in the 90s) the crowd ate it up. A couple of slow songs from the new album were next, and then the E-Street Band really cut loose with a true classic.
Sherry Darling was pulled out and this was the only time I’ve ever seen this song performed live. I was so glad to be there on opening night for it. Sherry Darling is one of those timeless Springsteen songs that you just can’t help but tap your feet to. It’s a feel good song for sure and it felt good to hear it.
Other highlights of the night included an extra long, band introducing version of Mary’s Place, a beautiful The River, and a show stopping Into The Fire. As this was the first time I was hearing The Rising songs performed live, I paid special attention to them, and Into The Fire was without a doubt my favorite new song of the night. A haunting, dark, poetic song, Bruce and the band did it justice in the live setting.
A cover song showed up in the encore, but in typical Springsteen fashion, it was a cool cover song. It was also a song that I had never heard before anywhere. Seven Nights To Rock was a cover of a very stylish, bar band song that the E-Street Band strengthened up and delivered with passion. Everyone in the stadium was in awe and fanatics were frantically scratching their heads to figure out what song Bruce was performing. How could he have pulled out one that they did not know, or know about? This rockabilly bar song was a real crowd pleaser and I enjoyed every second of it.
The big hits were yet to come. After My City Of Ruins and Land of Hopes And Dreams kicked off the second encore, Bruce pulled out his biggest gun of the night. The opening chords to Rosalita were picked on the guitar and Giants Stadium erupted with a roar so loud it hurt. The epic, rags to riches, get your girl, Springsteen story in a song is beloved by Springsteen fans worldwide, but none more than in the Garden State. It was a moment of pure enjoyment for us all.
After Rosalita, I was sure that Springsteen was done. What did he have left to pull out? They played Rosalita, they played two encores, it was a wrap. I was wrong. Bruce and the band decided that we needed to hear one more. They pulled out Dancing In The Dark and did a fine rocking version of it. I was very impressed.
That ended the night, and seeing as how it was near midnight on a work evening, I was glad to be heading home. I would hurt the next day, and I would hurt for days to come (due to the number of concerts I attended), but it was worth it. To this day, I couldn’t tell you what the hell I did at work that week (I don’t even work for that company anymore) but I can still tell you what the stadium smelled like moments before Bruce took the stage. That is the power of music. That is the power of concerts. That is why I attend and will continue to attend. That is why I love concerts.
Setlist
Born In The USA (Acoustic)
The Rising
Lonesome Day
The Promised Land
My Love Will Not Let You Down
Darkness On The Edge Of Town
Empty Sky
You’re Missing
Waitin’ On A Sunny Day
Sherry Darling
Worlds Apart
Badlands
Out In The Street
Mary’s Place
The River
Into The Fire
No Surrender
Encore
Bobby Jean
Ramrod
Born To Run
Seven Nights To Rock
2nd Encore
My City Of Ruins
Land Of Hopes And Dreams
Rosalita
Dancing In The Dark
This was opening night of the North American leg of The Rising Tour. I had amazing seats, attended the show with family, and would see one hell of a performance from Bruce and the band. Opening night set the bar very high for the remaining five concerts that I would attend.
My first Bruce Springsteen & The E-Street Band concert at Giants Stadium was also the first time I had seen the band live in over three years. In late 2002, Bruce and the band held a marathon city tour and only scheduled one night in New Jersey (two if you count the rehearsal night, but that was special invitation only). Needless to say that night sold out so fast the ticketing system crashed. There would be no Springsteen concert for me.
Luckily, The Rising tour was one that would last a long time. In the summer of 2003, Bruce made it up to his Jersey fans by performing an unprecedented 10 shows at Giants Stadium. All of these concerts would sell out, but due to the abundance of tickets, no shows were sold out to me. I attended opening night with my Uncle Steve, Aunt Lorna, my cousin Jane, her husband Greg, and my mother. Mom was my date for that concert, and to this day, I am so glad that I took her to see Bruce at Giants Stadium.
We got to the stadium, found our seats, and settled in. I couldn’t believe how good the seats were and how great the stage looked from where we were sitting. Our tickets were for the lower tier, section 118, with a clear line of vision to the stage. These wouldn’t be the best seats I sat in for the run (those would come on Friday night), but they were pretty close. 4 of the 6 nights found me upstairs in the nosebleeds, but for opening night, I was sitting in style.
We waited and waited, wondering exactly when the band was going to take the stage. The tickets listed 7:30, and while we knew the concert wasn’t going to start at that time, I thought that 8:10 was a safe guess. I was wrong. At 8:25, Bruce sauntered onto the stage with an acoustic guitar and performed a stripped down solo rendition of Born in The USA. It was an interesting way to open the night.
From there, the band came onstage and the rock and roll kicked in. New songs The Rising and Lonesome Day were performed prior to the band ripping into a hard rocking version of The Promised Land. This was followed by an incredible My Love Will Not Let You Down from Tracks, and the crowd pleasing Darkness On The Edge Of Town. All of these songs were played before Bruce even addressed the audience.
With a rousing “Good evening New Jersey!” Bruce finally did address the crowd. He talked about how the band had been around the world and now it was good to be back home. Even though he no longer makes his home in New Jersey (having moved to California in the 90s) the crowd ate it up. A couple of slow songs from the new album were next, and then the E-Street Band really cut loose with a true classic.
Sherry Darling was pulled out and this was the only time I’ve ever seen this song performed live. I was so glad to be there on opening night for it. Sherry Darling is one of those timeless Springsteen songs that you just can’t help but tap your feet to. It’s a feel good song for sure and it felt good to hear it.
Other highlights of the night included an extra long, band introducing version of Mary’s Place, a beautiful The River, and a show stopping Into The Fire. As this was the first time I was hearing The Rising songs performed live, I paid special attention to them, and Into The Fire was without a doubt my favorite new song of the night. A haunting, dark, poetic song, Bruce and the band did it justice in the live setting.
A cover song showed up in the encore, but in typical Springsteen fashion, it was a cool cover song. It was also a song that I had never heard before anywhere. Seven Nights To Rock was a cover of a very stylish, bar band song that the E-Street Band strengthened up and delivered with passion. Everyone in the stadium was in awe and fanatics were frantically scratching their heads to figure out what song Bruce was performing. How could he have pulled out one that they did not know, or know about? This rockabilly bar song was a real crowd pleaser and I enjoyed every second of it.
The big hits were yet to come. After My City Of Ruins and Land of Hopes And Dreams kicked off the second encore, Bruce pulled out his biggest gun of the night. The opening chords to Rosalita were picked on the guitar and Giants Stadium erupted with a roar so loud it hurt. The epic, rags to riches, get your girl, Springsteen story in a song is beloved by Springsteen fans worldwide, but none more than in the Garden State. It was a moment of pure enjoyment for us all.
After Rosalita, I was sure that Springsteen was done. What did he have left to pull out? They played Rosalita, they played two encores, it was a wrap. I was wrong. Bruce and the band decided that we needed to hear one more. They pulled out Dancing In The Dark and did a fine rocking version of it. I was very impressed.
That ended the night, and seeing as how it was near midnight on a work evening, I was glad to be heading home. I would hurt the next day, and I would hurt for days to come (due to the number of concerts I attended), but it was worth it. To this day, I couldn’t tell you what the hell I did at work that week (I don’t even work for that company anymore) but I can still tell you what the stadium smelled like moments before Bruce took the stage. That is the power of music. That is the power of concerts. That is why I attend and will continue to attend. That is why I love concerts.
Setlist
Born In The USA (Acoustic)
The Rising
Lonesome Day
The Promised Land
My Love Will Not Let You Down
Darkness On The Edge Of Town
Empty Sky
You’re Missing
Waitin’ On A Sunny Day
Sherry Darling
Worlds Apart
Badlands
Out In The Street
Mary’s Place
The River
Into The Fire
No Surrender
Encore
Bobby Jean
Ramrod
Born To Run
Seven Nights To Rock
2nd Encore
My City Of Ruins
Land Of Hopes And Dreams
Rosalita
Dancing In The Dark
Sunday, December 5, 2010
Bruce Springsteen & The E-Street Band - Summer 2003
In 2003, Bruce Springsteen & The E-Street Band went on an extensive stadium tour, their first in several years. The 1999 Reunion tour was arenas only, so this was their first time the band would perform at stadiums in quite a number of years. During the New Jersey leg of the run, Springsteen and the band scheduled (and sold out) an unprecedented 10 shows at Giants Stadium. These shows were split into two portions, with 7 happening in mid-July, and the final three occurring at the end of August.
Your cousin Ryo was fortunate enough to secure tickets for 6 of these 10 shows. With a little bit of effort, I probably could have attended all 10, but at $85/ticket plus parking and other amenities, it was a little hard to justify the cost. I settled on 6 shows and was joyous with that.
Each show I attended was its own unique experience. Every show was attended with different friends (although Cathy did see 2 out of the 6 with me), Bruce and the band performed a different concert every night, and each evening was a special event of its own. That’s the beauty of a Springsteen concert, every single show is different. If you see him perform 12 nights in a row, you will see 12 different concerts. That’s part of his magic and part of the reason why the man is such an amazing entertainer.
The 2003 Giants Stadium shows hold a very special place in my heart and in my concert history. I will never be able to recapture the experience I had that summer, no matter how many concerts I attend. The summer of 2003 was a special one for me personally and spiritually. I had just turned 30, I had just started dating an amazing woman who would eventually become my wife, and I had just started to understand the bigger picture that life had to offer. The 6 nights at Giants Stadium with Bruce Springsteen & The E-Street Band helped me explore myself and feel alive in a way that is near indescribable. They were special nights. They were magical nights. They were E-Street nights.
This week at The Rock And Roll Guru, I am going to be posting a review for each of the 6 concerts I attended that summer. If you are a fan of Springsteen, you’re going to love this week. If you’re a Springsteen hater, I invite you to return next week, when The Guru will be back its regularly scheduled programming. In the meantime, strap in, relax, and prepare to time travel with cousin Ryo. We’re going back 7 years to the summer of 2003. Memory lane with Bruce Springsteen and the E-Street Band, here we come.
Tomorrow: July 15, 2003: the first of 6 Springsteen shows.
Your cousin Ryo was fortunate enough to secure tickets for 6 of these 10 shows. With a little bit of effort, I probably could have attended all 10, but at $85/ticket plus parking and other amenities, it was a little hard to justify the cost. I settled on 6 shows and was joyous with that.
Each show I attended was its own unique experience. Every show was attended with different friends (although Cathy did see 2 out of the 6 with me), Bruce and the band performed a different concert every night, and each evening was a special event of its own. That’s the beauty of a Springsteen concert, every single show is different. If you see him perform 12 nights in a row, you will see 12 different concerts. That’s part of his magic and part of the reason why the man is such an amazing entertainer.
The 2003 Giants Stadium shows hold a very special place in my heart and in my concert history. I will never be able to recapture the experience I had that summer, no matter how many concerts I attend. The summer of 2003 was a special one for me personally and spiritually. I had just turned 30, I had just started dating an amazing woman who would eventually become my wife, and I had just started to understand the bigger picture that life had to offer. The 6 nights at Giants Stadium with Bruce Springsteen & The E-Street Band helped me explore myself and feel alive in a way that is near indescribable. They were special nights. They were magical nights. They were E-Street nights.
This week at The Rock And Roll Guru, I am going to be posting a review for each of the 6 concerts I attended that summer. If you are a fan of Springsteen, you’re going to love this week. If you’re a Springsteen hater, I invite you to return next week, when The Guru will be back its regularly scheduled programming. In the meantime, strap in, relax, and prepare to time travel with cousin Ryo. We’re going back 7 years to the summer of 2003. Memory lane with Bruce Springsteen and the E-Street Band, here we come.
Tomorrow: July 15, 2003: the first of 6 Springsteen shows.
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