Summer Concert Season Is Heating Up This Winter

It may be winter according to the calendar and the weather, but judging by all the ticket sales announcements, it is definitely time for summer! The major festivals have announced their lineups, the major acts have announced their tours, and the tickets have gone on sale. So what tours are the best ones to check out this summer? Let’s take a walk through some of the upcoming summer tours and find out.  

Billy Joel

Technically it’s not a tour. Billy Joel will continue his residency at Madison Square Garden giving his monthly performance that constantly sells out. When he started this residency, Joel stated that he would perform a monthly show as long as the tickets sell. Well, sell they have. All of his performances at the Garden have sold out, although there are a smattering of seats left for the May and June shows as of this writing. He is bound to add July and August dates, so if you plan to visit NYC this summer, this is a show worth checking out.

Ticket Prices: $66 - $129

Tour Dates: June, July, August (1 show per month, July and August have yet to be confirmed)

Dave Matthews and Tim Reynolds

While The Dave Matthews Band announced a hiatus for this year, that apparently doesn’t apply to Dave Matthews himself. He and Tim Reynolds are heading out for a full blown Dave and Tim tour. The Dave and Tim tour is just that---Dave Matthews and Tim Reynolds on stage each with an acoustic guitar playing a multitude of songs. A lot of songs from Dave’s solo album are played during these shows. Tim Reynolds also gets to perform a couple of instrumentals. And while I’ve seen the Dave Matthews Band live 20 times, I’ve never seen Dave and Tim. That’s going to change this summer.

Ticket Prices: $50 - $100

Tour Dates: May 3^rd – June 17^th

Def Leppard, Poison, Tesla

Most fans thought they would never see Poison live again after their last tour. There was a lot of band fighting, Bret Michaels went solo for a couple of years, and the band members didn’t speak to each other. It was pretty evident that the band was done and their performances would only live on in our memories and on the internet. Then Def Leppard announced they were touring again and bringing Poison out on the road with them. Since they are the middle act (Tesla opens the night) I imagine they will have a limited set, but they should perform for almost an hour. And then Def Leppard comes out to close out the night. Tesla, Poison, and Def Leppard. It’s an 80s metal head dream line up!

Ticket Prices: $28 - $138

Tour Dates: April 8^th – June 25^th

Iron Maiden

Up the irons! Iron Maiden is returning to the United States this summer in continued support of their latest masterpiece, The Book Of Souls. If you have never seen the band in concert, I urge you to do so. Iron Maiden is one of the best live bands I’ve ever witnessed and their 2008 concert at the IZOD center (LINK) will most likely be in my top 10 concerts of all time (if I ever get around to writing that post). Their showmanship, dedication to their craft, and overall awesomeness of their music practically makes them a must see.

Ticket Prices: $40 - $125

Tour Dates: June 3^rd – July 21^st

Queen with Adam Lambert

Queen has toured with Adam Lambert before and from what I’ve heard the shows were spectacular. Not many performers can hit the range of Freddy Mercury, but Lambert can and does from what I’ve heard. This summer they will be back on tour again playing arenas all over the U.S. And while John Deacon will not be on tour with the band (due to his retirement), Brian May and Roger Taylor will be. This is the first time the three have toured together since 2014. On their last tour they played nothing but the mega-hits of Queen and there is no reason to expect anything different this time around.

Ticket Prices: $50 - $175

Tour Dates: June 23^rd – August 5^th

Train with O.A.R.

Train has a new album out and it’s pretty good. (LINK) This summer they will be on tour supporting their latest record and they are bringing two well-known acts with them to get the night started. Natasha Bedingfeld and O.A.R. will be the opening acts for Train. The tour consists of mostly amphitheaters and tickets are reasonably priced for an actual seat. Lawn seats are dirt cheap, but you know, you’d have to be on the lawn. I’ve never seen Train live, but I know how great O.A.R. is in concert. This could definitely be a show worth checking out this summer.

Ticket Prices: $33 - $80

Tour Dates: May 12^th – July 15^th

U2

U2 will be embarking on a stadium tour this summer, but they aren’t going out on just any old tour. This summer the band will be performing their signature album The Joshua Tree in its entirety. It will be their first tour in two years, and their first stadium tour in six years. And while I do enjoy seeing the band in an arena setting, they can also perform stadiums with the best of them. Tickets for most shows have already sold out, but depending on where you live, there are tickets available for the second night on the 2 night stands.

Ticket Prices: $35 - $280

Tour Dates: May 12^th – Aug 1^st

What concerts are you looking forward to this summer?

Concert Review: O.A.R. - December 27, 2016

Three words best describe my most recent concert experience with O.A.R.---Robert Fucking Randolph! Yes, he was the surprise guest that came out for the entire encore. It was an extremely delightful treat for me, a belated Christmas gift that filled my heart with joy. Since the very first time I saw him perform with Dave Matthews Band back in 2005, I have been fascinated with Robert Randolph. The man is a genius on the pedal steel and increases the value of any song that he plays live.

General Admission tickets were purchased for this show at the Wellmont Theatre and our arrival was early enough to secure a location close to the stage. We weren’t on the rail, but almost. It was close enough that we could see all the little nuances happening on stage which sometimes is magical. Fortunately I had the week off from my day job, so I knew if the concert ran late it wasn’t that big of a deal to me. I didn’t need to be up at any specific time the next morning.

Taylor Carson opened the show and like most acts that I’ve seen open for O.A.R. over the years, he gave a decent performance. Carson is someone that I will pay more attention to in the future. His set was short and sweet, but strong and powerful. I enjoyed watching him perform and set the stage for what was to come.

The curse of attracting drunks in the General Admission area haunted me once again that evening. During the brief intermission between performers, I noticed a group of people from the Boston area that had come down to see the show. It was obvious which one wasn’t driving as he immediately engaged me in conversation with two fistfuls of beer. He commented that he liked my Deadpool beanie and asked if I had seen the movie. After a few polite nods and smiles from me, his friends pulled him away and steered him back toward their conversation. Ten minutes later he was standing next to me again proclaiming that he liked my hat. Then he asked if I had seen the movie. I chuckled in response and said that “yes, I had seen the movie.” I didn’t add that I had just told him that a few minutes ago. He seemed harmless enough and he wasn’t going to remember most of the night anyway, so I figured why bother?

O.A.R. came out shortly after the second intervention of the Deadpool lover by his friends and the crowd roared. By this time the General Admission was packed and the balcony seats were filled close to capacity. I could tell that it was going to be an exceptional night of music and fun. The band opened the night with “This Town” and the evening began. “About An Hour Ago” followed and being my favorite song in the O.A.R. catalog, I was overjoyed. I sang it back to them at the top of my lungs along with 90 percent of the crowd.

The setlist was a well-crafted blend of classic and newer hits mixed with deep cuts from the early days. As an avid fan of the entire O.A.R. catalog, this was all right by me. I will admit that I was disappointed that no songs from The Rockville LP were performed, but I understand that in a setlist like this, hard cuts need to be made. Highlights of the evening include the aforementioned “About An Hour Ago,” “Black Rock,” “About Mr. Brown” and “I Go Through” one of two new songs from the greatest hits record.

In addition to the core band members and Michael Paris on keyboards and percussion, O.A.R. continued to have Jon Lampley on trumpet for this tour. Lampley stole the spotlight and was the real treat of the evening. Energized in a way that not many performers are, Lampley had the crowd jumping and screaming from the moment he took his place on stage. He was having fun from the opening note of the night until the end of the concert. Dancing, singing, taking trumpet solos, and just being an animated, happy person, his joy was infectious. Every time I looked at him a big grin appeared on my face. That is what performing on stage should be like. Fun for all, but especially for the entertainer.

The main set ended with a blistering cover of Bruce Springsteen’s “Born To Run.” Marc Roberge asked the crowd to sing it with him if they knew it. Once the opening notes were played, everyone roared. Of course we knew it --- it was Bruce Springsteen in New Jersey! O.A.R.’s rendition of “Born To Run” was fabulous and flawless and I found myself singing it louder than I do at a Springsteen concert. I thought that was going to be the highlight of the entire evening, but I was highly incorrect about that.

As they took the stage for the encore, Roberge talked about how hard it is to have real friends in the music business. He mentioned how O.A.R. was blessed to be friends with the man they were bringing out onstage. They then introduced Mr. Robert Randolph and I went berserk (for all the reasons I stated earlier). The band kicked into “Anyway” with Randolph’s signature pedal steel slide guitar added into the mix and it was just a treat for the ears. An extended jam was performed and Randolph even got to take a solo. It was magnificent.

A cover of Led Zeppelin’s “Fool In The Rain” followed and that too was phenomenal. I was mesmerized and knew that I could sit and watch this band perform with Robert Randolph all night long. I didn’t want it to end, I wanted to watch the master continue to play. Fortunately, the band obliged with one more song---their signature and fan favorite---“That Was A Crazy Game Of Poker.”

Complete with cards being tossed into the air by audience members, “Poker” was given a grand performance. And while I have grown tired of this song over the years, it is never dull when performed live. Add Robert Randolph to the mix and the song was taken to new heights.

Once again O.A.R. put on an exceptional show proving they still have what it takes for a live performance. And while I am hopeful that they will head back to the studio to record a new album I would also welcome the opportunity to see them over the summer. Perhaps the music Gods will be generous and give me both.

Setlist

This Town

About An Hour Ago

On Top The Cage

Black Rock

Dangerous Connection

Shattered

Lay Down

Right On Time

Dareh Meyod

Hold On True

Hey Girl

Heavy Heart

About Mr. Brown

I Go Through

City On Down (First Half)

Delicate Few (Second Half)

Peace

Heaven

Born To Run

Encore

Anyway

Fool In The Rain

That Was A Crazy Game Of Poker

Concert Review: O.A.R. and Phillip Phillips - July 12, 2014

 

I have been an O.A.R. fan for quite a while. I’ve seen them in concert a number of times. I love their music and always pick up their latest releases as soon as they are available. I am also a big fan of Phillip Phillips, whom my wife turned me on to. I love his music as well and listen to his two albums a lot. So, when the opportunity to see Phillip Phillips open for O.A.R. at PNC Bank Arts Center arrived, I was over the moon. I had never seen Phillip Phillips perform live and I knew how grand an O.A.R. show was. Heading to the venue, I kept thinking how this could be the show of my summer.

Our seats weren’t terrible. We were in the 400 section of the amphitheater, which isn’t bad. If you have an actual seat at the Arts Center, the sight lines and acoustics are decent no matter where you sit. As we settled into our seats, I noticed that a lot of fans were there to see Phillip Phillips. Some didn’t even know who O.A.R. were. That surprised and disappointed me. I’ve always felt that O.A.R. was an exceptional band that hasn’t gotten the attention they deserve. Phillip Phillips is well known from his American Idol days, so he has a lot more recognition behind him, which might be why people were there just for him.

Phillips came out first and opened with “Where We Came From” which put a big smile on my face. It’s a great song and a good choice for an opener. There’s no denying that Philips draws a huge influence from Dave Matthews Band and that was extremely evident in his stage show. Long, drawn out jams, stage movements, and the way he worked the crowd were all taken right from the DMB playbook. To me, that was a very good thing, as I love DMB. To others, like my wife, it wasn’t as much of a treat. It all depends on your musical tastes.

“Gone, Gone, Gone” was performed two songs later and I, along with the majority of the crowd, went nuts. I absolutely love that song. I find it to be one of his finest songs recorded to date. Hearing it live was a real treat to the ears. Phillips is a young, hungry performer winning audiences over one show at a time. On that warm summer night in New Jersey he had the audience up and rocking three songs into his set.

Phillips was touring behind his recently released second album, Behind The Light. As great as his debut record was, his sophomore effort was even better. Behind The Light improved upon all the greatness of this performer and cemented him as a brilliant recording artist. After two albums and one concert performance, I considered myself a huge fan of Phillip Phillips.

Phillips performed a good mix of songs from both of his releases and even included a cover of Billy Joel’s “Movin’ Out (Anthony’s Song).” It was a well done rendition enjoyed by all the fans in attendance. Other notable performances included “Lead On,” “Raging Fire” and show closer “Home.” The last song was particularly amazing as Phillips was really able to work the crowd for a sing along and put his all into the live performance. By the end of the song, the entire Arts Center was on their feet singing back to Phillips. His three mile smile showed just how happy he was to be playing live music.

When his set finished, I was stunned, amazed, and sweating. I knew that I would have to see him perform again and as often as I could. Sadly, I have not had the opportunity to see Phillips live since that night, but I am keeping my eyes open for tour dates.

O.A.R. was supporting a new album, The Rockville LP, which contained some of their finest work in years. This would be my first opportunity to hear the new songs live. I was anxious and excited. Unfortunately, this was not the same sentiment amongst some of the other fans in attendance. After Phillip Phillips finished his set, people were leaving the Arts Center. What was going on? I even overheard one woman state “Wait, there’s another band coming on? Why?” That shocked me. Was Phillips that good, or was O.A.R. that unknown? Either way, it was disappointing to watch people leave before O.A.R. took the stage. Ultimately, it was their loss, but it also started to show that O.A.R. did not have the staying power I thought. In 2015 they would perform to a half empty Arts Center and in 2016 they didn’t perform the Arts Center at all.

Being the professionals they are, O.A.R. came out and tore up the stage from the opening number, “One Shot.” The band always mixes up their sets from one night to the next, so the audience never knows what to expect. On this evening we were treated to some exceptional classics, brilliant new music, and a couple of grand covers. “Love and Memories,” and “Dareh Meyod” followed the opening number and I just knew it was going to be a rewarding evening.

The first new song followed, “Two Hands Up,” and it was magnificent. It was every bit as good live as I had hoped it would be. The band was tighter than ever and the new songs resonated. It was obvious that O.A.R. enjoyed playing them and those that stayed were well versed in the new material (myself included). There were plenty of sing-alongs on the new material, which made me smile.

A rarely performed gem was pulled out on that evening. The band played “The Fallout” which caused me to scream with jubilance. “The Fallout” is one of my favorite O.A.R. songs and to see it live covered my body with chills of excitement. The live version was breathtaking and one of my favorite moments at an O.A.R. concert.

The always played “That Was A Crazy Game Of Poker” was performed to the delight of the crowd. I personally think that it’s time to hang this song up for a while, or move it to a different spot in the setlist, but 99% of O.A.R. fans would probably disagree with me. The night ended on two covers: “No Woman, No Cry” and “While My Guitar Gently Weeps.” And while I am not a fan of ending your concert on a cover song, O.A.R. seems to do it well. This night was no exception. Everyone came out for the last song, including Phillip Phillips and to see both bands on stage for “While My Guitar Gently Weeps” with Marc Roberge and Phillip Phillips trading verses was a moment in my concert history that will stay with me for a long, long time. It was a terrific ending to a terrific summer night of magnificent music and it made me yearn for the opportunity when I could see either of those bands again.

Phillip Phillips Setlist

Where We Came From

Unpack Your Heart

Gone, Gone, Gone

Man On The Moon

Thicket

Get Up Get Down

Movin’ Out (Anthony’s Song)

Lead On

Raging Fire

Fool For You

Fly

Home

O.A.R. Setlist

One Shot

Love And Memories

Dareh Meyod

Two Hands Up

Shattered (Turn The Car Around)

Anyway

Rude

Wonderful Day

The Fallout

Heaven

Favorite Song

City On Down

Untitled

We’ll Pick Up Where We Left Off

Nasim Joon

Hey Girl

Peace

That Was A Crazy Game Of Poker

No Woman No Cry

While My Guitar Gently Weeps