Concert Memory: Trans Siberian Orchestra - December 13, 2008

I have a confession to make. I have actually fallen asleep at a concert. This is something I never thought would be admitted, but here I am, confessing one of my deepest secrets to all that will read this. It’s not a fact that I am proud of, but at the same time, I’m not ashamed of it either. More than anything, I am surprised that it occurred at all.

My wife is a huge fan of Trans Siberian Orchestra. Every holiday season we are forced to listen to their Christmas albums multiple times. And that’s not a terrible thing; it’s just that they aren’t one of my favorite bands to enjoy at Christmas time (or anytime). I don’t hate their music, there are even a couple of songs that I thoroughly enjoy, but TSO is a band that I can take or leave. And I never had the desire to see them live. That was until I needed to come up with a good surprise for my wife’s birthday.

My wife is a December baby. Those reading this that have birthdays in December know exactly what that means. However, for the rest of you, I will spell it out simply. December babies get screwed when it comes to their birthday. It’s Christmas time. It’s Hanukkah. It’s Kwanza. It’s everything except someone’s birthday. People are busy with the holiday season, decorating, hosting holiday parties, and worrying about end of the year priorities. Birthdays are an afterthought. Even in their own families, December babies get the “combo” gift (this is for your birthday AND Christmas), or they get a birthday gift wrapped in Christmas paper. It’s horrible!

I was always raised to remember that birthdays are special. It’s a magical day meant for just that person and it should not be shared with anyone or anything else---including another holiday. Therefore, I always try to make my wife’s birthday special. A real birthday card. Real birthday wrapping paper. And real birthday surprises.

In 2008, Trans Siberian Orchestra was touring once again. Their annual Winterfest. That particular year TSO was going to perform at a venue in New Jersey (the now defunct IZOD center) on my wife’s birthday. As soon as I learned that, I just knew I had to take our family to that concert so we could celebrate appropriately. It was a matinee show (the band was doing two performances on Saturday, an odd notion that I wish other bands would think about) and that was perfect for our family because my daughter was 11 years old at the time. I would prefer that she saw the early show instead of getting home after midnight.

And thus, I got us tickets and told my wife that we had a big surprise for her birthday but would say nothing more. She would have to wait until that special day to learn what was going on. On the day of her celebrated birth, my wife, daughter, and I hopped into the car with only two of us knowing where we were heading. My daughter and I had a plan and I think it worked out pretty well. As we started driving away from the house, my wife was filled with curious wonder.

“Where are we going?”

“You will see,” would be my only response.

Then about 10 minutes into the drive, my daughter played her part by announcing that she would like to hear some Christmas music.

“Okay,” I said. “I think I have some we can play.” Knowing full well that I had some, because I already had the TSO Christmas album loaded in the car’s CD player before my wife even got to the car. I hit play and the Trans Siberian Orchestra surrounded us in music.

My wife looked quizzically at me. She wanted to say something but stopped. I chuckled inside and we continued on our ride. A few moments later she finally burst out: “Wait! Are we going to see Trans Siberian Orchestra?”

When I confirmed that we were, she literally squealed with delight. It was one of the five happiest times for my wife that I remember from our marriage (so far). She was ecstatic. You would have thought that I told her she just won a million dollars. She was giddy.

And so, to the show we went. We had decent seats in the 100s section with a good view of the stage. It was also only the second or third concert that my daughter had been to, so it was a real treat for her as well, but make no mistake about it; this was my wife’s gift. And the surprise of suddenly realizing that she was at a concert she had wanted to see her entire life must have been overwhelming. She certainly had no idea her day was going to be like that when she woke up in the morning!

When the band came on stage, I thought they were decent. Like I’ve said, TSO is a band that I like but not love. I can take them or leave them. But I watched their set with unbiased eyes and ears. And I enjoyed their stage performance. I enjoyed their music. I enjoyed their antics. Then somewhere about halfway through the concert, things slowed down to a crawl. And that I didn’t enjoy so much.

So why the band was crawling through some excruciating slow number, and my wife and daughter were mesmerized by the stage performers, I found myself closing my eyes. It had been a long day for me. It had been a stressful day for me. Planning and organizing and arranging everything so that it went just right for my wife’s special day. I’m not using that as an excuse, I am just stating the facts. It was a long day and closing my eyes at that moment felt really, really good. So I closed them. And next thing I knew, I was waking up twenty minutes later when the band kicked it into high gear again.

I awoke with a jolt and looked around me. Had anyone noticed? Did anyone see that I was sleeping? Did my wife see that I was sleeping and if she did was that going to ruin her overall experience on her birthday? I quickly assessed the situation and realized that no, she had not seen me fall asleep. She was too engrossed in the show. Score one for the husband who would remain awake for the remainder of the concert.

It would be my only Trans Siberian Orchestra event. I figured if I could not stay awake for their entire show, then this clearly was not a band for me to see live. I fulfilled my wife’s desire to see them live and took her to a show on her birthday which was an extra special treat. I figured if she would like to see them again, she can go with her friends or other family members. Just count me out.

I eventually did come forth and tell my wife that I nodded off. I don’t remember if it was later that night, or another time, but I did admit to it. I told her that the concert just wasn’t for me. She, on the other hand, absolutely loved it and I think to this day it is still one of her top five concert experiences. For me it is probably a bottom five concert experience. And that’s okay. My wife and I don’t always see eye to eye on every concert. I mean, she hated Dave Matthews Band whereas I’ve seen them 21 times and counting. To each their own I suppose. And TSO is clearly not my own.

Concert Review: Dave Matthews Band - November 30, 2012

Shortly after releasing their eight studio album, Away From The World, Dave Matthews Band announced and embarked on a winter tour of North America. Their first stop was two nights at the IZOD Center in New Jersey. As a huge fan of the band I was not missing a Friday and Saturday night with DMB at an arena that close to my home. Naturally I purchased a ticket for each night. I knew the concerts were going to be spectacular and filled with a lot of new music, but I had no idea just how special the first night was going to be.

Jimmy Cliff opened both nights and I was curious to see him live. I knew him mostly because of his amazing cover of “I Can See Clearly Now,” and I was obviously looking forward to hearing that song live. I was also interested in seeing the rest of his performance and hopeful that other songs would catch my ear.

And while I really didn’t know any of his other songs, Jimmy Cliff put on a good performance. As expected, “I Can See Clearly Now” was performed, about halfway through his set, and the crowd loved it (as did I). The rest of his performance was decent as well. I was impressed by the time he was done and was looking forward to seeing him open again the next night.

After a short break and stage set up, Dave Matthews Band walked out to the roar of the New Jersey crowd and began the night with “Broken Things” the opening track from Away From The World. It was the first time the band ever performed it live and it brings much joy to know that I am one of the few that got to witness its live debut. “Belly Belly Nice” followed much to my delight. At the time it was my favorite song from Away From The World and I was ecstatic to hear it live. It was nice to see the band open with two songs from the new album, but little did I know they were only getting started.

As the night went on, the band mixed in classics with new songs from the album. “Mercy,” “Out of my Hands,” “Gaucho,” and “Sweet” all got their time in the spotlight. “The Riff” was given an exceptional performance and I could tell the band was still working out the jam for that song. I knew it would progress as the tour went on, but it was fun to witness its infancy performance. After “The Riff” Dave broke out a ukulele and gave a solo performance of “Belly Full.” It was a quiet and intimate performance. And while “Belly Full” is not one of my favorite DMB songs, it was interesting seeing Dave with a ukulele.

“If Only,” “Rooftop,” and “Drunken Soldier” were all played before the end of the set, leaving just one song from the new album unperformed. “All Along The Watchtower” closed the main set and the band disappeared behind the stage to set up for the encore.

The encore opened with “The Space Between” and then the only song left to perform from Away From The World was played. A brilliant version of “Snow Outside” was given to the crowd and I was extremely happy. The band had just subtly performed their new album in its entirety for the opening night of the tour. To my knowledge, this is the only time Dave Matthews Band performed any album in its entirety at a concert. A thrashing “Two Step” would end the evening, but the real treat was already given to us.

Having seats somewhat close to the stage, I waited as the band took their bows and said their goodbyes, because I knew the infamous Carter Beauford drumstick toss was coming. I was hopeful that maybe I would get my hands on a drumstick this time around. As Carter made his way to our side of the stage, I was up, jumping, and waving my arms, as were a few other fans in front of me. Carter pointed at us with the stick and tossed it as far as it would go. I watched the drumstick sail through the air, heading toward me, and my heartbeat quickened. This was it! I was getting a drumstick! As the excitement and euphoria washed over me, I leaned forward with both arms outstretched anticipating my moment of the victorious catch only to watch the drumstick land two rows in front of me. It was promptly swept up by another fan. So close! I was once again forced to leave a show without a drumstick in my collection. Perhaps one day…

Setlist

Broken Things

Belly Belly Nice

Seek Up

Don’t Drink The Water

Mercy

Out Of My Hands

Gaucho

Sweet

Dancing Nancies

Seven

The Riff

Belly Full

Grey Street

If Only

Rooftop

Drunken Soldier

All Along The Watchtower

Encore

The Space Between

Snow Outside

Two Step

Bruce Springsteen & The E-Street Band - May 23, 2009

“Incident On 57th Street.” It was the only song that I wanted to hear heading to the IZOD center in New Jersey on my way to see Bruce Springsteen in concert for the 14th time in my life. Up until that point it was one of the only Bruce songs that I had managed to miss seeing live. It seemed every time Bruce came to the area, Philadelphia would get to hear “Incident” while New Jersey got some other rarities. It got so bad, that at one point, I was contemplating heading down to Philly to see Springsteen live, just so I could hear him perform the song.

There is something special about seeing Bruce Springsteen in an arena setting compared to a stadium setting. While the stadium shows are great, gigantic celebrations filled with rowdy, raucous, rockers; the arena shows are more subtle. There’s an intimacy in the arena shows that can’t be captured in the larger stadium venue.

The intimacy was apparent that warm May evening, when Cathy and I went to witness the greatness of the Boss. From the opening notes of “Badlands” followed by the intense, crowd pleasing, “Spirit In The Night,” we knew it was going to be an amazing night in New Jersey. From the start of the night, Springsteen and company were in fantastic form. This was my first time hearing songs from the recently released Working On A Dream. The live versions did not disappoint. “Outlaw Pete,” “Working On A Dream,” and “Kingdom Of Days,” all sounded better in concert and provided a much deeper appreciation of Springsteen’s craftsmanship.

What makes Springsteen so great and so different from a lot of other performers is his willingness to play just about anything from his vast catalog. Springsteen does not shy away from the music he has created, and any given night, could bring a plethora of surprises. It’s one of the things that make seeing the E-Street band in concert such a tremendous treat.



Although they were a little bit older and a little bit larger since the first time I had seen them, and even though they were without founding member “Phantom” Dan Federici on the organ (he had passed away earlier that year), the E-Street Band was still one of the greatest rock acts to see live in concert. While the members of the band may have aged, their music was ageless. The lyrics to songs like “Thunder Road” still spoke to me with the same power they did when I first heard them as a young, confused, teenage boy from New Jersey.

After a rousing rendition of “The Promised Land,” my one wish came true. For ten years I had been waiting to hear “Incident On 57th Street” Live and finally, Bruce Springsteen heard my plea (or I got lucky) and performed one of the greatest ballads ever written. “Incident” is up there with “Jungleland” in terms of complexity, depth, and beauty. It’s a rare, slow-crafted, gorgeous song that takes time to appreciate. It did not become one of my favorite Springsteen songs until many years after I had been a fan. However, once I was hooked, “Incident” shot up my personal charts. Hearing it live for the first time was a dream come true.

Of course Bruce’s voice was not going to be able to recreate 1975 when the song was played live at almost every concert. He wouldn’t even be able to channel 80s Bruce where the song got an occasional dusting off for a rare performance. None of that mattered though, because he was still playing it live. It was yet another moment in my life where music transcended me into the heavens and showed me how great life can be. A ten year conquest had finally come to an end, and no, it was not bitter sweet, it was pure satisfaction.



And that moment only marked the halfway point of the evening. Like most Springsteen concerts, that night at the IZOD was a marathon event, with the band pacing the event with deliberate moments of speed filled rockers, followed by mid-tempo beats, and slow and loving ballads. Over the years, Springsteen has learned to pace a show like no other performer before him. Seeing him in concert is seeing a living work of art at the peak of perfection.

Known to happen at a lot of concerts that I attend, there is one particular song that strikes me hard. It is usually a newer song that I had not given much attention to and hits me just right during the course of the concert. On that night, it was “Kingdom Of Days,” that caught my eardrums with joy. After hearing the live version of the song, it immediately rose up my personal favorites charts to become a song that I had to spend more time with.

And from there, the greatness continued. “Lonesome Day,” “The Rising,” and “Born To Run” closed out the main set in style. The encores were packed with superb songs like “Kitty’s Back” and “Glory Days.” The E-Street’s version of “Kitty’s Back” featured Nils, Bruce, and Little Steven just wailing away on the guitar, trading turns for solos. Mix in the horns by Clarence and the piano and organ solos and it was a jam band lover’s dream. I think that Bruce and the band could rival The Dead if they really tried to be the world’s greatest jam band. Instead, they’ve chosen blue collar rock, which has also made them massively successful.

The biggest surprise came on the very last song of the evening. Bruce decided to take a stab on a cover version of “Mony,Mony.” Why he would choose to end the night on a cover song, I will never know. It struck me as odd and very un-Springsteen-like, but who are we to question The Boss? I expected to hear one more song post “Mony,” but it was not to be. The house lights came on and we started fleeing for the exit. It was another fantastic concert event with the one, the only, E---Street---Band!

Setlist
Badlands
Spirit In The Night
Outlaw Pete
Something In The Night
Out In The Street
Working On A Dream
Seeds
Johnny 99
The Ghost Of Tom Joad
Good Lovin’
E Street Shuffle
Cover Me
Thunder Road
Waitin’ On A Sunny Day
The Promised Land
Incident On 57th Street
Kingdom Of Days
Lonesome Day
The Rising
Born To Run
First Encore
Hard Times
Kitty’s Back
Land Of Hopes And Dreams
Second Encore
American Land
Glory Days
Mony Mony

Iron Maiden - March 14, 2008

After finishing their world tour behind A Matter Of Life And Death, Iron Maiden went on hiatus and left their fans wondering what was next. While the album was a beloved one, the tour itself (though well attended) was not well received by the North American fans who did not think that hearing the new album in its entirety was the best plan Maiden had ever come up with.

In 2008, Iron Maiden decided they would make that up to their fans. They announced a world tour with multiple North American dates and a return to nothing but the classics. Dubbed the Somewhere Back In Time tour, Iron Maiden was recreating their world famous (and best known) Powerslave Tour and adding a few hits from the late 80s as well. The tour promised nothing but the songs from 1980-1989 (although they did include Fear of the Dark, which was released in the 90s) and the fans were excited.

Maiden was coming to East Rutherford New Jersey, on a Friday night. I was absolutely not going to miss this concert. I contacted Metal Eddie right away and he was oh so in. For this early part of the tour, Iron Maiden was offering their fans a unique opportunity to be in the documentary they were filming. All you had to do was send an email to the producers on why Iron Maiden meant so much to you. I, of course, filled out an email and sent it right away. If I ever get the ambition to dig it out, that email might be posted someday.

Unfortunately, neither Eddie nor I was selected, but that was all right. We were still going to see the show. We arrived to the parking lot early, did some tailgating, and prepared ourselves to see what was going to be one exceptional heavy metal concert.

The excitement that I felt for this concert was overwhelming. The last (and only) time I saw Iron Maiden in concert they performed all of A Matter Of Life And Death, which left me hungry for more Maiden classics. This tour was going to satiate every desire. I was grinning with giddiness when we entered the arena.

We had spent the extra money for good seats and were sitting in the lower section (127). No nosebleeds on that night. It was a great view of the stage and we were all set to see one of the greatest hard rock acts ever. The night began with the Churchill’s Speech intro made famous on Live After Death and a video screen showing old WWII footage. After the intro, the screens went dark, the first notes of Ace’s High filled the night, the arena went to an ear-splitting roar and Iron Maiden took the stage.

2 Minutes To Midnight was performed next and was followed by one of my favorite Maiden tracks ever, Revelations. It was 1984 all over again and Maiden was kicking ass! Revelations sounded just like it did on Live After Death. Dickinson’s voice had not lost a pinch of power. He still is one of the most amazing singers in rock and roll.




Running all over the stage like a madman, demanding the crowd get on their feet and scream their heads off, Dickinson was a leader in showmanship that a lot of other singers could take lessons from. Dickinson knows how to work the crowd. He’s honed his skills over the years, and is now absolutely perfect at working the crowd and showing them a great time. His energy makes you excited. Its infectious.

That night was all about classic Iron Maiden. The Trooper, Number of the Beast, Run To The Hills, and Fear Of The Dark were all played to perfection. It was a Maiden fan’s dream of a concert. When it came time for Rime Of The Ancient Mariner, Dickinson talked about how they haven’t played that song live in 25 years. The last time it was played was on the Powerslave tour, so a lot of fans had never seen it performed live, myself included.

Their execution of the song was flawless. All 13 minutes of the glorious musical masterpiece was played and I was in awe at the stage theatrics that went along with the tune. One of the longest songs in the Iron Maiden catalog, performing Mariner live was an ambitious idea by the band, but they pulled it off without error. I was mesmerized by their ability.




As they came out for the encore, Dickinson mentioned that the band had plans to return in the summer with more monsters and more power than they had already shown. The arena became an eruption of sound as the fans showed their appreciation for the idea of the band returning to the states. Eddie and I looked at each other and we knew that we would be going to see the band again that summer.

The encore included three of the strongest Maiden songs out there. It opened with the intro to Seventh Son Of A Seventh Son which segued right into Moonchild. Seventh Son was the first Maiden album that I really got into (being a child of the 80s), and to hear this live sent me into a frenzy. Chills broke out all over my body and all other thoughts of life were pushed away as I basked in the power of the music and performance. Iron Maiden gave me all of my money’s worth and then some.




The Clairvoyant (which has the best opening bass line in rock and roll history) and an incredible performance of Hallowed Be Thy Name closed out the night and when it was over, I was breathless and weak. Iron Maiden had kicked our ass all night long and proved once again why they are the masters of the stage even at their age. The power in their songs, the joy that they show on stage, and their ability to entertain like no other live band is unbelievable. To Iron Maiden I say thank you for one unforgettable evening. This was one of the 10 best concerts that I ever saw and when I cull the list completely, I know that it will land in the top 3. Thank you Iron Maiden, you are truly an experience like no other.

Setlist
Intro/Churchill’s Speech
Ace’s High
2 Minutes To Midnight
Revelations
The Trooper
Wasted Years
The Number Of The Beast
Can I Play With Madness
Rime Of The Ancient Mariner
Powerslave
Heaven Can Wait
Run to the Hills
Fear Of The Dark
Iron Maiden
Encore
Moonchild
The Clairvoyant
Hallowed Be Thy Name

Dave Matthews Band - November 13, 2007

In mid-October of 2007, Dave Matthews Band announced that they were playing the world’s largest pep rally for one lucky school via a contest held on their website. That school turned out to be West Point Academy in New York. In order to play a proper concert, Dave Matthews Band had to perform a warm up show the night before the concerts at West Point began. They chose the IZOD Center in New Jersey as their place, and I was lucky enough to score tickets.

It would be my second time seeing Dave Matthews in concert, and since my wife loathed the first time we saw them, I asked a friend at work to attend with me instead. She said yes and wanted to bring her friend along as well. It would be the three of us attending the concert on a chilly night in November.

I was so excited for this show. Since the first time that I saw them in concert, I had really gotten into the band. I purchased their back catalog, their live discs, and even ordered some of their Live Trax series. I knew almost all their catalog inside and out and knew how well they performed in concert. I was set for an amazing experience and could not wait for the night to begin.

Robert Randolph and the Family Band was the opening act and I knew what a great band they were, so I certainly wanted to be inside for their opening of the night. I told Val and her friend as much and they were in agreement, mostly because I think that Val wanted to get away from the guys they were hanging out with in the parking lot.

Once inside the IZOD Center, my anticipation grew and that dopey grin that never leaves formed at the corners of my mouth. Robert Randolph and the Family Band came out first and put on a short, tight performance that left me wanting more. Randolph is an incredibly skilled guitar player, and although I didn’t know any of the songs the band played, I knew that he was amazing and the set was excellent. He is someone that I need to become more acquainted with music-wise.

After a quick break and stage change, the lights went down and it was time for the main act. The beautiful horns of One Sweet World filled the air and a scream of excitement ripped through my throat. What an amazing song to open with!

One Sweet World was followed by one of my favorite DMB songs, You Might Die Trying and the night was off and running. With a back to back opener of those two songs, I just knew it was going to be a special night.

The band was also playing a new song that had been popular on Dave Matthews acoustic tour with Tim Reynolds. Corn Bread was performed live with the entire band and the full band version was a hundred times better than the acoustic one. With the added punch of horns, drums, and electric guitars, Corn Bread was an amazing foot stomper that I fell in love with that night.



My favorite songs just continued to be played. #41, Louisiana Bayou, and Jimi Thing made the night more than I could have hoped for, and of course I sang along with every song they played. It was an amazing concert and I was having a thrill to remember.

Robert Randolph came out as a special guest for a rousing rendition of All Along The Watchtower which the band just lit up! They were in perfect synch and on fire as they blistered their way through the Bob Dylan classic. Dave’s voice never sounded better as he shouted out the chorus, and Robert’s amazing talent on the lap guitar was stunning. I was in awe and at the end of that song, my jaw dropped. What could they possible follow that with?

For the encore, Dave came out and performed two acoustic numbers, a new song he had just composed (Round and Round) and Gravedigger from his solo album. Gravedigger sounded excellent live, with just Dave and his acoustic guitar, he worked the crowd and they enjoyed the live performance of that special song.

The band came back to finish off the night with Too Much and the timeless Ants Marching as the last two songs of the encore. Ants Marching had the entire arena screaming along. It was so loud that nothing else could be heard. The perfect blend of the band, the crowd, and the excellent melody of a wonderful song made for an incredible concert moment.




For my second time seeing Dave Matthews in concert, I was beyond impressed. If I had become a true fan after the first time I saw him and the band in concert, I was now a die-hard fan after this performance. I was sold and the Dave Matthews Band was quickly moving up my list of all time favorite bands.

Setlist
One Sweet World
You Might Die Trying
Grace is Gone
Corn Bread
Eh Hee
Grey Street
A Dream So Real
# 41
Louisiana Bayou
The Dreaming Tree
Jimi Thing
All Along the Watchtower
# 27
Warehouse
Stay
Encore
Round and Round
Gravedigger
Anyone Seen the Bridge?
Too Much
Ants Marching

Dave Matthews Band - April 15, 2009

Tax day - 2009. I was heading to the IZOD Center to see one of my favorite groups perform live, Dave Matthews Band. With the evilness of paying additional taxes behind me, I cut out of work early and my buddy Tim and I headed to the Giants Stadium parking lot for some food and beer before the show.

On the ride over, I put on some Dave, as I like to listen to a band before seeing them in concert. Tim immediately told me to turn it off. I gave him a funny look and asked why I would want to turn off Dave Matthews Band.

“Bad acoustics,” Tim explained.

Of course this left me baffled, so I needed further explanation. Apparently, Tim has a friend who swears by the fact that you do not listen to the band you are about to see on the day you will see them. His reasoning was that if listening to said band, their music will sit in the ear receptors, and it won’t be fresh. If, however, you listen to something totally different, then when you hear the music live that night, it will sound fresh and exciting, better. Hence, bad acoustics.

I wasn’t sure if I agreed with that argument or not, but it was a cool theory to kick around, so I turned off Dave Matthews and threw in some Ryan Adams. We talked for most of the ride to the arena anyway.

When we got to the parking lot, the tailgate fun kicked into high gear and we met up with Tim’s sister and her friends, who were also attending the concert with us. We discussed Dave Matthews Band, favorite songs, what we wanted to hear and how many times we had seen the band live. (It was going to be my third time for those of you keeping score at home). Tim’s sister broke the cardinal rule and put on Dave Matthews and Tim Reynolds Live at Radio City Music Hall and I laughed at Tim and sang along with the entire disc.

We skipped out on the opening act and went in about fifteen minutes before the band was set to take the stage. Although the album was delayed until June, I was interested in hearing the new songs from Big Whisky and the Groo Grux King. I knew they were playing a few of the new songs, and I was curious. I had only heard the lead single, Funny The Way It Is, and that left me hungry to hear more.

The lights went dark, the crowd went nuts, I screamed my head off, and Dave Matthews Band walked onto the stage. The opening notes of Bartender filled the arena and I applauded as loud as I could. Bartender is one of my favorites and I was so happy to hear it live, especially as the opener. The night had begun on a very high note.

Satellite followed, which was a nice surprise and performed well, and then the night really took off. For the third song of the evening, Dave Matthews Band pulled out Granny, a song that I absolutely adore and can’t get enough of. It was the first time that I was hearing it live and it was heaven. This was the type of moment that I lived for. I sang every word with all of my vocal power and had a big grin on my face during the entire performance.

Funny The Way It Is came a little later and was an impressive live performance. It was just as good as the studio version I had been listening to online; a great new song that I really got into that night. It has since become one of my favorites.

And that was only the beginning. Dave and the band went on to own the night. Boyd Tinsley was a genius on the violin. Carter Beauford was as happy as could be behind the drum kit. The addition of Rashawn Ross on trumpet and Tim Reynolds on guitar, added a depth to the music that was not there previously. They both enhance the stage presence and the live performance, rounding it out into a musical masterpiece.

The set list for the night was nothing short of excellent. In addition to Granny, Dave pulled out an astonishing cover of the Talking Heads Burning Down The House, and performed brilliant versions of You Might Die Trying, and Dancing Nancies.

Of course, the pot smoke was not absent from this concert. Once again, my seats were pretty high up, and the one thing I learned on that particular evening is that pot smoke rises. Surrounded by young pot heads and dancing college girls everyone was smoking the ganja and acting like fools. Of course the heavy hitters were seated right next to me, lighting up joints every third song. Midway through the concert, my stomach hurt and my mouth was dry. The joys of a DMB show.

Crush was a nice added surprise that came about midway through the performance. I had never really gotten into that song, but always appreciated it. After seeing it performed live, I appreciate it even more. The long, drawn out, slow groove folded into this song made it all worthwhile. This had to be a 14 minute version of Crush with the long, slow jam extended in the middle. Stefan Lessard’s bass line was kicking it that night, and I was really impressed with the live version of that song.

Corn Bread was excellent. Dave was in rare form, foot stomping around the stage and singing the lyrics in full force and with meaning. Dave made you believe. Tim’s slide guitar solo enhanced the song and was a standout point of the evening. This had always been a song that I admired, but after that concert, it has moved on to become one of my favorite DMB songs ever. Amazing.


Two Step closed out the main set and all I can say is wow! These guys do a phenomenal live version of this classic, and Carter Beauford really pulls it all together on the drums. His timing and rhythm is impeccable and it showed on that cold April night.

After Two Step Dave and the band exited the stage to thunderous applause. There was a long gap between leaving the stage and returning for the encore. I’m not sure what they were discussing backstage, but it took a good 10 minutes to get them back out there.

When they did return, I was disappointed. They chose The Maker as their first song of the encore, and it’s a song that I never liked and never got into. I laughed as the pot smoker next to me shouted, “This is what I waited that long for?” I had to agree with him, it was a poor encore choice.

DMB would make up for it with their next song, All Along The Watchtower. As usual, this was an amazing cover performed with brilliance. It never gets old and never ceases to amaze me how well they can play this song. It was a great way to close out the show and the sold out arena was very pleased. They showed their love with a standing ovation of appreciation for a beautiful performance. The night was amazing and one that wouldn’t be forgotten anytime soon.

Set List
Bartender

Satellite

Granny

Stay Or Leave

Funny The Way It Is

Burning Down The House

You Might Die Trying

Spaceman

When The World Ends

Crush

Recently

Corn Bread

Why I Am

Dancing Nancies

Grey Street

Two Step

Encore

The Maker

All Along The Watchtower

Fleetwood Mac - March 21, 2009

As a Christmas present for my wife, I purchased two tickets to see Fleetwood Mac in concert. My wife is a huge Stevie Nicks fan and also a fan of Fleetwood Mac, so I thought tickets would make for a nice surprise. She was radiant with glee when receiving them on Christmas morning.

On a chilly Saturday afternoon in March, we set out to see the show at the IZOD center in East Rutherford, New Jersey. Fleetwood Mac performed two nights earlier at Madison Square Garden and I had read some of the reviews knowing they were playing a lot of hits on this tour. There was no new disc to support, so the band could perform any song they preferred from their vast catalog. The reviews were good and the anticipation of seeing them live was raised.

We got inside the arena approximately 20 minutes before the show was scheduled to start, which meant there was more than 40 minutes before the band would really take the stage. There was no opening act, so Cathy and I sat, people watched, observed the stage set up, and waited for the band to arrive. This is always my favorite part of any concert, that moment of anticipation when you are wondering when the band will take the stage. What will they open with? How will they sound? I love sitting there with heightened anxiety, just waiting for those lights to go dark and the roar of the crowd.

Just before 8:30 a loud, cricket-like noise filled the arena, the house lights dimmed (but didn’t go out) and we all knew something was about to happen. When the cricket buzz got to the stage of annoyance, the house lights darkened, and the band emerged onto the stage. Mick Fleetwood, John McVie, Stevie Nicks, and Lindsey Buckingham - hello Fleetwood Mac!

I had never seen Fleetwood Mac before, and was looking forward to their performance. I was a little disappointed that they were without Christie McVie, but understand her decision to not tour anymore, choosing to do different things with her life.

My father was a huge Fleetwood Mac fan and the one person that really got me into the band. Rumors is one of the 10 albums that changed my life, thanks to my Dad, and so I knew this was going to be an emotional evening for me. My father never saw Fleetwood Mac before he passed away, and it is one band that I always associate with his memory. Whenever I hear their songs, I pause and think of my Dad, who went to the grave much too early.

Cathy and I had a standing bet on what Fleetwood Mac would open their show with. I guessed Rhiannon, and she guessed The Chain. They opened with Monday Morning, so neither of us were correct. Reflecting on it now, it makes sense that they would choose that song as the opener – first song, first album (with the current and most famous lineup).

Lindsey Buckingham is amazing on the guitar. I gained another whole level of appreciation after seeing him perform live. First off, he plays without a pick. It’s all finger work he does on that guitar and he makes it sing the likes of the great ones. Think Hendrix. I knew that Lindsey was a good guitar player, but never realized that he was a phenomenal guitar player. He goes up there with the elite.

Stevie Nicks looked horrible. I know, some of you may shout blasphemy and want to maul me when reading that statement, but remember, I am a true fan. Stevie Nicks was one of the first famous women that I had a crush on when I was a youngster. She was hot, hot, hot! I know she’s aged, but she also looked heavy, sounded winded, and for the beginning of the show, her voice was raspy and weak. As the night went on, her voice would get stronger, but she still lacked the punch that she had back in the day.

John McVie was the quiet one in the background. Strumming the bass guitar all night long, there was not much to say about him, except that he looked old, very old. Like 90.

Mick Fleetwood, the character of the group, stole the spotlight in several different ways. First off, he’s an amazing drummer. I never realized how accomplished he is behind the kit. He has a glowing personality and a great sense of humor. Cracking jokes, telling stories, and thanking the fans, Mick Fleetwood did it all. He also brought along two drum kits, the main one which was used during most of the night and a smaller one that went in front of his main kit for songs like Tusk.

Tusk was an incredible performance with great drum work by Mick and insane guitar by Lindsey. It was followed by an acoustic Big Love with just Lindsey on the stage and he certainly worked it for all it was worth. He played the hell out of that guitar and had the crowd roaring.

The crowd itself was pleasant, but I noticed that the arena was not completely full. The show did not sell out and I have to believe a lot of that is due to the ticket prices. Tickets were not cheap, and if it wasn’t for the fact that these were a gift for my wife, I wouldn’t have gone to that show. Looking around and seeing empty seats was disappointing to me, as Fleetwood Mac is a band that should be able to sell out the IZOD center on a Saturday night, but perhaps that sends a message – lower your ticket prices.

For the end of the night, Fleetwood Mac performed Go Your Own Way and that’s the song that finally got me. I thought about my dad and me jamming to this song when I was a teenager, driving around town with the music full blast, singing and loving it. I got choked up for this and had to close my eyes and take a few breaths. It’s hard to lose a parent and unfortunately, the feeling never goes away, it just dulls itself until moments like this, when it spikes. I got through it, told my Dad that I hoped he was enjoying the show, and then sang the rest of it as loud as I could in his memory.

The encore was not as strong as I thought it could have been. They returned with World Turning, which is a good enough song, but not an encore song. They would have been better off playing that earlier in the night and moving a bigger song to the encore, like Tusk.

Don’t Stop was one we knew was coming, because they hadn’t played it yet and since it’s the biggest hit they have, it was obvious. I thought that was the last song of the evening, but I was pleasantly surprised to hear one more. Silver Springs was the encore closer, and by now, Stevie’s voice sounded a lot better. She sang a great version and the band performed album perfect. It was a nice way to end the show and a good, strong, memory to go out on.

Would I see this band again? Not for the price I paid. While the concert was certainly enjoyable and I was glad that we attended, I wouldn’t pay that much money for them again. It was good fun while it lasted, but not worth all the cash. However, my wife was extremely happy, and considering she’s endured Dave Matthews concerts and Kiss concerts (two bands that she does not like), I’m glad that she liked the show so much.

Setlist
Monday Morning
The Chain
Dreams
I Know You’re Wrong
Gypsy
Go Insane
Rhiannon
Second Hand News
Tusk
Sara
Big Love
Landslide
Never Going Back Again
Storms
Say You Love Me
Gold Dust Woman
Oh Well
I’m So Afraid
Stand Back
Go Your Own Way
Encore
World Turning
Don’t Stop
Silver Springs

Iron Maiden - October 13, 2006

Steve Harris, Bruce Dickinson, Nicko McBrian, and the heavy threesome of guitarists were playing the Continental Airlines Arena on a Friday Night in October to the delight of their New Jersey fans. Metal Eddie and I had tickets. It was one of Maiden’s few US stops, and I was going to see one of my favorite bands perform live for the very first time. I was seeking an experience that would never be forgotten.

Touring in support of A Matter of Life and Death, Iron Maiden opened in the US for the first time ever. Their CD had sold well in America. It debuted at #9 on the Billboard 100, the highest US debut in their history. That helped to fuel their decision to open in the states.

Eleven days prior to our concert, Iron Maiden performed their opening night in Hartford, Connecticut. Thanks to the modern technology of the Internet, we were able to locate the setlist in a matter of minutes the next day. After reading what they were playing, I was a little nervous and very disappointed. The band had decided to perform A Matter of Life and Death in its entirety and then close the show with five classics.

My first time seeing the band was going to be a bust! I didn’t want to hear the entire new disc. Sure, the songs were great, but 5 of them would be enough. I wanted the classics. I never saw the boys before! This was not going to be the experience that was so hoped for when purchasing tickets. I was distraught and upset.

The week leading up to the concert found me listening to the new CD like I was cramming for a big exam in school. While the album was terrific, I still didn’t pay to hear the whole thing live. I rationalized that it was going to be a good show regardless; it’s Iron Maiden on a Friday night. There was plenty of incredible music on this CD and hearing it live was going to be an unforgettable experience. As much as I told myself this, I still had trouble convincing myself.

Bullet For My Valentine was the opening act, and while Metal Eddie loved them and told me more than a few times that they were really a great band, I thought they sucked. I couldn’t understand a word that was being sung, the guitars seemed out of tune and obnoxious, and the band didn’t seem to put much into their performance. Get these clowns off the stage and bring on the Maiden!

Sitting in the arena and seeing the lights go down had us on our feet and chanting for the band to appear. We wanted Maiden and we wanted them now! The opening notes to A Different World were fired out and the night began. This was one of the songs that I was stoked to hear live and it was not a disappointment.

Bruce sprinted onstage like a madman with a mission. Still unheralded and still underrated, Bruce Dickinson is one of the best frontmen in the business. He works the crowd, talks to the audience, tells interesting little stories, and demands the most of his fans, who respectfully deliver all they can in response to his massive energy. Bruce is up there with Eddie Vedder, Bono, and the other Bruce (Springsteen), as one of the greatest bandleaders of my generation.

What we all knew, Bruce announced anyway after the band finished playing The Pilgrim. Iron Maiden was going to be playing their new album in its entirety. He was proud of the fact they had cracked the top 10 on the US album charts. It was an honor to the band that so many people were enjoying the new music.

Knowing the entire setlist beforehand may have taken away the surprise factor, but it also raised the anticipation level of what was to come. Listening to each new song as they performed it, I was intrigued to see how it compared live and what else they had up their sleeves in the way of stage props and costumes.

On the floor, most of the audience sang along, word for word, with the songs from the new disc. They pumped their fists and went wild, singing along with Bruce. For The Greater Good of God, one of the highlights from the new material was performed to album perfection and the crowd sing-along was loud and proud. An intense arena rocker, that song was written for audience participation.

The moment of the night came when Iron Maiden took the stage to play their final song from A Matter of Life and Death. We all knew it was the last song, which meant the classics were on deck. The acoustic intro and the three guitar arrangement set this song up perfectly. The Legacy is a beautiful composition that I had not paid much attention to prior to this concert. However, seeing it performed live changed that, and this has since become one of my favorite Maiden songs ever. The live version was a turbo-charged, kick in the ass experience.

On the final notes of The Legacy the buzz and tension in the air were enormous. Everyone knew that the classics were next and everyone held their breath anxiously awaiting the moment when Bruce would announce it. With a wicked grin he stood on the catwalk behind Nicko’s drum kit and unleashed a growl. “Fear! Of! The! Dark….!”

The deafening roar that followed was immense. The excitement that coursed through my body was indescribable. I was going to hear Fear live for the very first time after witnessing it the DVD version on numerous occasions. These were moments in life that I lived for.

Along with the rest of the arena, I was on my feet and practically leaping in the air. Singing along, high fiving Metal Eddie and grinning with pure happiness. Fear sounded as good as I had imagined and Bruce worked the crowd like a master puppeteer. When he commanded us to rise, we rose. When he commanded us to shout, we shouted. When he wanted us to sing, we sang, and we sang loud. The audience chorus of Fear of the Dark is eerie, haunting, and memorable, just like the band themselves.

The best song of the night came next as the main set closer. The band’s signature song, Iron Maiden. From the opening line I was jumping up and down, unable to contain myself. I felt like I was 12 again and hearing this song for the very first time. The chills that ran through my body and the euphoric wave of utter giddiness that enveloped me were astounding. Bruce’s voice was high and mighty, Nicko’s pounding drums were perfect, Steve was a lunatic on the bass guitar, and the triple guitar threat off Adrian, Dave, and Janick only added to the quality of this song.

Toward the end of the song, Bruce asked “Who would you like to see?” He knew the answer. The mascot to end all mascots, the one and only Eddie himself. From behind Nicko’s drum set, a large tank rose and Eddie emerged through the top, looking out to the crowd below. We went nuts and I almost exploded with nervous energy. There he was, Eddie!

The band gave the obligatory, “Thank you and goodnight!” before leaving the stage. We knew they were coming back for an encore, but I was thankful for the quick break, as it was going to give me a moment to catch my breath.

Moments later, to the roaring chants of “Maiden! Maiden!” the band reappeared and launched into 2 Minutes To Midnight. They followed this up with The Evil That Men Do from one of their best albums ever, 7th Son of a 7th Son.

During The Evil That Men Do, Eddie made his second appearance of the night. A 10ft tall robotic figure walked out onto the stage, dressed in battle fatigues. He slowly worked the stage, turned looked at the audience and fired a gun. He then walked a little further down the stage and repeated this process. Very cool effects indeed! This is what I remembered as a boy of 12 when we talked about Iron Maiden in concert. We all knew that it had to be one of the coolest shows ever, and it was because of reasons like this.

Eddie returned to from whence he came, and the band launched into the opening chimes of what would be their final song of the night, Hallowed Be Thy Name. Bruce brought as much energy to that song as he did to the opener, and he was still running around like a madman, orchestrating the crowd, dancing, surfing, singing, and leading the band. He was simply amazing.

When Hallowed Be Thy Name ended, the band received an enormous standing ovation from the capacity crowd who were pleased and delighted at the amazing performers that are Iron Maiden. Even I was thoroughly impressed and while I had wanted to hear more classics and less new material, I still had witnessed the awesome power of Iron Maiden and they mesmerized me with their ability. It was a big risk for the band to go out on tour and play their entire new album, but Maiden was able to pull it off. For a first concert experience, it was an incredible one. Maiden had conquered and when they would come back to my town, I would be seeing them again.



Setlist
A Different World
These Colours Don’t Run
Brighter Than A Thousand Suns
The Pilgrim
The Longest Day
Out of the Shadows
The Reincarnation of Benjamin Breeg
For the Greater Good of God
Lord of Light
The Legacy
Fear of the Dark
Iron Maiden
Encore
2 Minutes to Midnight
The Evil That Men Do
Hallowed Be Thy Name

Nickelback - March 5, 2007

As a Christmas present to my stepdaughter, my wife and I bought tickets for a spring concert at the Continental Airlines Arena (now the IZOD Center) to see Nickelback with Three Days Grace and Breaking Benjamin. On a cold Monday evening in March, we trudged forth to see the show.

I had never heard of Breaking Benjamin and I only knew a couple of Three Days Grace songs, but I was curious to see what these bands in front of Nickelback were going to be able to do. I didn’t have high expectations for Nickelback. I thought they would put on a decent show, but nothing that was going to blow me away. This wasn’t going to be a Kiss or Iron Maiden extravaganza.

Breaking Benjamin opened and proceeded to stun. Their performance was tight and well rehearsed. Their songs were audible and rocking. A lot of times the opening band(s) has trouble being heard or understood as the microphones and instruments are being tuned and tweaked. Kudos to the sound guys on this tour, because Breaking Benjamin sounded stellar from the opening notes of their 30-minute performance. The band did so well that I went out and got a copy of their latest at the time, Phobia.

Three Days Grace was next, and I missed most of their set due to my stepdaughter’s desire to walk around the arena. She had never been there before and she wanted a souvenir. Then we ran into a friend who was celebrating her birthday, so of course we had to stop and chat (and buy her a birthday beer).

By the time we got back inside, Three Days Grace was in the middle of Pain and they only had two more songs after that. From what little I saw of them, they seemed impressive. Heavy, moody, alternative rock.

Nickelback took the stage promptly at 8:45 pm. They opened with Animals and the concert was off and running from that point forward. Nickelback was supporting All The Right Reasons, which had sold over 5 million copies by then. They were in the midst of a rather long world tour, and this was the home stretch.


The band sounded incredible. The months of touring had their show honed to a science. Every note was clean, every lyric crisp. These guys knew their set inside and out and put on an amazing performance for their New Jersey fans.

Chad Kroeger is actually a great front man. He interacts with the crowd, tells some funny stories, teases a bit, and even brought beer for everyone. At one point during their show, a wagon full of beer cups was bought out onto the stage and individual beers were handed (or thrown) into the audience that was sitting close to the stage. I was very amused by this and thought it was a neat trick.

Nickelback played nothing but hits from their three major label released albums. Photograph, Someday, Too Bad, How You Remind Me, Far Away, and Rockstar were all present and accounted for. The ballads they played went over well and were mixed in with the heavier songs at just the right pace.

Halfway through their set, they got ready to sing Side of a Bullet and dedicated it to the late, great, Dimebag Darrell, who Chad was close with. He described his emotions after he had heard the news, and he told the audience what Dimebag meant to him and the band. It was a touching moment and the live performance of Side of a Bullet was a nice one.

The band closed the night with Figured You Out and received a well deserved, strong, roaring ovation from the crowd. The sold-out show was an amazing one. Nickelback more than impressed me, I was humbled. They were able to compete with the likes of Iron Maiden and Kiss. They weren’t quite at that level yet, but they were climbing fast and holding their own.

Most critics dismiss them as “corporate rock,” but to me, a band’s biggest strength is their ability to connect with their fans. Nickelback, due in part to the charm of front man Chad Kroeger, were able to do that effortlessly. They went heavy on the hits, knew them inside and out, and performed them with a purpose – win more fans over. It worked. I went and got the one Nickelback disc that I didn’t own after this concert (the next day, I believe).

Giving an amazing performance that impressed the whole family, Nickelback was certainly well liked in our house. And the chances that we will see them again are high.

Setlist
Animals
Woke Up This Morning
Photograph
Because Of You
Far Away
Saturday Night’s Alright For Fighting (Elton John cover)
If Everyone Cared
Never Again
Savin’ Me
Someday
Side Of A Bullet
Flat On The Floor
How You Remind Me
Too Bad
Encore:
Rockstar
Figured You Out