Spillane

Elton John at Mohegan Sun Arena

Sat, 15 Nov 2008 18:27:07 -0500

By SEAN SPILLANE
Staff writer
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: If an artist you like is on tour to promote a greatest-hits album, do not miss that show.
Further proof was provided Friday night when Elton John played the Mohegan Sun Arena on a tour that celebrates the release of his latest hits package, “Rocket Man – Number Ones.”
The concert was everything any Elton John fan could hope for, 26 of his best songs played in a concert that ran for nearly three hours. If all of the songs performed weren’t all actual No. 1 singles, they were at the very least fan favorites.
From the opening notes of “Funeral for a Friends,” the sold-out arena was filled with an electric feeling, not only appreciating what was being played, but wondering how he was going to top himself with his next song. To make the night seem more enjoyable was the fact that Sir Elton looked to be having a blast on stage, smiling broadly and periodically getting out from behind his piano to acknowledge the crowd, making sure to give some love to the fans who bought tickets behind the stage.
One of the two songs I wasn’t too familiar with, “Madman Across the Water,” was well received and Elton used the song to go off on an extended piano solo. Elton and his band did quite a few improvisational jams throughout the concert, with mixed results. After a while, the jams started to seem a little tedious and audience attention seemed to lag.
But even if that were so, Sir Elton would reel the crowd back in with one of his major hits. “Madman Across the Water” was followed by “Tiny Dancer,” which had the fans perked up and singing right along. The night’s only major lull came when the slow song “Believe” was followed by “Take Me to the Pilot,” which started with an extended piano solo before finishing strong.
The next song was “Goodbye Yellow Brick Road” and, again, the fans jumped right back into the spirit of the event.
This is not to say the “jam sessions” were uninteresting, because they were not. Elton drew out the ending of “Levon” and turned it into something resembling an energetic gospel song. And “Rocket Man” found him putting an echo effect to good use, layering his voice to create an almost psychedelic sound.
If I could find one thing to complain about, it would be the Elton either can’t hit the high notes anymore or doesn’t even try. It was missed on decidedly songs such as “Goodbye Yellow Brick Road,” “Daniel,” “Tiny Dancer” and “Bennie and the Jets.”
But I can cut him some slack as he is 61 years old now. He might not be able to do what he did as a younger man – who can? – but he still manages to sing with a passion usually reserved for performers half his age.
The end of the concert was an Elton fan’s dream. After a solo “Candle in the Wind,” the last six songs in his set were all up-tempo hits that had the 10,000 in attendance on their feet and dancing.
And Elton, bless his heart, didn’t linger off-stage too long waiting for the encore, instead choosing to come back out and sign autographs for a lucky 50 or so fans in the front rows.
The encore was a brief two-song set that started with The Who’s “Pinball Wizard,” which was a hit for Elton after his performance in the movie version of “Tommy.” Strangely enough, The Who opened its encore at the Mohegan Sun 17 days before with the same song.
The finale, “Your Song,” was dedicated by Elton to his fans, who he thanked for supporting him and giving him a life in music.
He also promised to be back on tour next year and he said it will be another Face 2 Face tour with Billy Joel. I saw that tour in Hartford in 2002 and I recommend you start saving up for your tickets now.

The set list
Funeral for a Friend/Love Lies Bleeding/The Bitch is Back/Madman Across the Water/Tiny Dancer/Levon/Believe/Take Me to the Pilot/Goodbye Yellow Brick Road/Daniel/Rocket Man/Honky Cat/Sacrifice/Don’t Let the Sun Go Down on Me/All the Young Girls Love Alice/I Guess That’s Why They Call it the Blues/Sorry Seems to Be the Hardest Word/Candle in the Wind/Bennie and the Jets/Sad Songs (Say So Much)/Philadelphia Freedom/I’m Still Standing/Crocodile Rock/Saturday Night’s Alright (For Fighting)
Encore: Pinball Wizard/Your Song

Ratdog at The Klein

Tue, 11 Nov 2008 19:33:17 -0500

I’m sure that the people who built The Klein in Bridgeport did not have this in mind when they opened the venue in 1940.
The stately auditorium welcomed about 1,200 Deadheads Sunday night for a Bob Weir & Ratdog show and it was a bit chaotic. They were clogging the aisles, smoking those “special” cigarettes and swilling and spilling gallons of beer. If the symphony crowd could see their beloved home Sunday night, their heads might very well have exploded.
I was a bit surprised because followers of the jam-band scene are usually very respectful of their surroundings. Heck, groups of them even stay an extra day at Seaside Park to clean up after the annual Gathering of the Vibes festival.
My colleague, Bill Paxton, went to the show with me — this after seeing Ratdog twice on Long Island in late October — and he seemed surprised by the antics of a few “idiots” in the crowd. But I guess that it’s human nature to remember the few idiots rather than the majority of the peacefully assembled crowd.
I guess my main concern is that the idiots will ruin it for the rest of us. The Fairfield Theatre Company, which presents the concerts at The Klein, has done a remarkable job bringing interesting acts to the venue and it would be a shame if that ended because of a few disrepectful fools.
Anyway, on to the show.
It was pretty much the standard fare, according to Ratdog fanatic Paxton, who said he’s seen the band 50 or 60 times. Weir led the band through an 80-minute opening set and, following a 25-minute intermission, came back for another 90 minutes.
Admittedly not a Deadhead, though I like the music, I was lost for most of the first set. The only song I knew was “Dire Wolf.” That didn’t detract from my enjoyment, however, because I didn’t mind getting lost in the extended guitar jams of Weir and Mark Karan. It also helped that the obligatory drum solo was mercifully short.
The second set was more to my liking, simply because I knew a few of the songs. You can’t go wrong hearing Weir performing “Mexicali Blues,” “Uncle John’s Band” and “Sugaree.” Also, the band did a great version of the old Buddy Holly chestnut, “Not Fade Away.”
The only problem I had with the second set had nothing to do with Ratdog, but rather with the aformentioned idiots. From where I sat downstairs, the Klein reeked of vomit and pot smoke, not exactly roses and tulips. I’m kind of used to the smell of marijuana at concerts — an occupational hazard, so to speak — but the odor of the vomit was making me want to . . . well, vomit.
The one musical letdown in the set was Ratdog’s cover of Bob Dylan’s “When I Paint My Masterpiece.” I much prefer the version done by The Band, but Weir’s slower version seemed to excite the crowd.
For an encore, Weir and his bandmates ended with an a cappella number, “Attics of My Life.” I don’t know that I’ve ever seen a concert-closer performed a cappella, but I guess, after more than four decades as a working musician, Weir can pretty much do whatever he wants.

First set: Help on the Way/Slipknot!/Minglewood Blues/They Love Each Other/Odessa/Crazy Fingers/Dire Wolf/Cassidy/Big Railroad Blues
Second set: You Win Again/Mexicali Blues/When I Paint My Masterpiece/Uncle John’s Band/Samson and Delilah/Sugaree/2 Djinn/Not Fade Away
Encore: Attics of My Life

J.D. Souther at FTC

Mon, 10 Nov 2008 18:05:15 -0500

After seeing J.D. Souther at the Fairfield Theatre Company’s StageOne Friday night, I ventured out to my favorite local watering hole to see who was around. I ran into a few friends and, after telling them how I spent most of my night, they turned very curious about the show.
Was it fun? Did he sound as good as he used to? Did he sing [insert ’70s hit song here]? It wasn’t all new stuff, was it?
That’s a lot of questions about a man who had just one hit single, “You’re Only Lonely,” and is better known for writing songs made into hits by his Southern California compadres Linda Ronstadt, Bonnie Raitt and, most notably, The Eagles.
So, here are the answers: It was fun, sort of.
No, he didn’t sound as good as he did as a young man.
He did play a few of the songs that other artists made famous
And, yes, there were a few selections from his new record, “If the World Was You,” which is quite good.
Initially, Souther seemed to be a bit aloof, as he opened with the new “I’ll Be Here at Closing Time,” followed by an oldie, “White Rhythm and Blues.” He didn’t really address the audience until soneone’s cell phone started ringing. Though bothered, he let it slide with a little joke.
However, a woman’s constant yapping caused Souther to stop in the middle of “The Border Guard,” a new song, and give her a talking to.
“He Chatty Cathy, shhh,” he said, without raising his voice. “Actually, there’s another show in the parking lot, why don’t you go check it out.”
Those in the audience obviously agreed with Souther, as they gave Souther an ovation for silencing the annoying background noise.
Souther also got louder ovations for his ’70s songs, some (“Jesus in 3/4 Time,” “Prisoner in Disguise”) I was not familiar with. You go for what you know and I had been listening to “If the World Was You” a lot lately, so I was more interested in the new material.
Naturally, Souther received the most applause when he sang two of the megahits he co-wrote for The Eagles — “New Kid in Town” and “Best of My Love.” It was great to him him reminisce about those songs, especially the story of how The Eagles’ record label didn’t want to release “Best of My Love” as a single. Good thing for the band and Souther that they didn’t listen.
I’m not one that demands technical perfection from musicians. Quite the opposite, in fact. I feel that a missed note here and there humanizes the songs. If I wanted to hear the songs exactly as they were recorded, I’d stay home and listen to the record. But Souther, I must admit, tried my patience.
His guitar playing was shaky at times and his piano playing was often amateurish. It might have just been a bad night, but even he admitted, after a rough turn: “That’s why I usually hire really good piano players.” He certainly could have used one Friday.
Souther’s singing was solid, if unspectacular. There were quite a few moments when, if you closed your eyes, he sounded as smooth as he did in his heyday. But he’s in his early 60s now, so to expect anything other than flashes of his old voice is to expect too much.
Still, all things considered, it was a fun night . . . sort of.

Here’s a partial set list from Friday night. There are three songs I couldn’t figure out and I couldn’t even track down on the Internet. Sorry.
I’ll Be Here at Closing Time/White Rhythm and Blues/Jesus in 3/4 Time/(Unknown)/A Chorus of Your Own/Silver Blue/The Border Guard/Baby Come Home/Rain/Faithless Love/New Kid in Town/In My Arms Tonight/Journey Down the Nile/Talking to the Moon/(Unknown)/Last in Love/All I Want/You’re Only Lonely/Best of My Love
Encore: The Secret Handshake of Fate/Prisoner in Disguise/(Unknown)

The Who at Mohegan Sun Arena

Wed, 29 Oct 2008 17:52:22 -0500

After seeing The Who twice on the group’s 2006 tour, the worry was that Tuesday night’s concert at the Mohegan Sun Arena would feature the same set list, equally as heavy on the classics as on material from the latest record, “Endless Wire.”
And through the first seven songs, it just about was.
Sure, “The Relay” was substituted for “Anyway, Anyhow, Anywhere,” but the other six songs were in the same running order as the group’s Madison Square Garden show of 2006. Not that this is a complaint, because the opening one-two punch of “I Can’t Explain” and “The Seeker” still caused goosebumps the third time around, even though the band seemed to be a little off to start the show. And how can any self-respecting fan of The Who whine about hearing “Who Are You” and Behind Blue Eyes” again?
Still, I wanted to see and hear the band mix in a few different tunes into the two-hour show.
I was soon rewarded with songs that weren’t played two years ago. An unexpected “Sister Disco” led into the must-play “Baba O’Riley,” which still elicits the most reaction from the crowds. “Getting in Tune” preceded “Eminence Front,” another concert staple that’s always well-received.
Fans of The Who’s “Quadrophenia” were then treated to the back-to-back hits “5:15” and “Love Reign O’er Me” from that album, also both absent in 2006.
The set ended with two more Who standards, “My Generation” and a terrific version of “Won’t Get Fooled Again,” complete with Roger Daltrey’s trademark scream and Pete Townshend’s trademark windmill guitar playing.
The encore was the same as my previous Who concerts, heavy on songs from the “Tommy” record. “Pinball Wizard” was followed by the medley of “Amazing Journey” and “Sparks,” which Townshend used to show off his considerable skills as a guitar hero.
The concert concluded with “Tea and Theatre” from the “Endless Wire” record. I didn’t like the decidedly low-key ending the first two times I saw it and my opinion hasn’t changed.
This is The Who, for Pete’s sake. Send the fans home riding the wave of an up-tempo rock song, not an insignificant acoustic trifle.
On the whole, it was another great evening spent with Townshend and Daltrey and their backing musicians — guitarist-singer Simon Townshend (Pete’s brother), drummer Zak Starkey (Ringo Starr’s son), bassist Pino Palladino (a member of The John Mayer Trio) and longtime keyboardist John Bundrick (who missed much of the 2006 tour to be with his dying wife).
The band was tight, as can be expected, and that allowed Townshend many opportunities to go off on a few musical tangents. He really is one of the most underrated guitarists, never quite getting the respect afforded peers such as Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck and Keith Richards. But Who fans know the deal.
Townshend was terrific Tuesday, as was Daltrey. Now both in their 60s, they provided more evidence — as if any were needed — of why The Who is such a special band and why they have earned the dedication of their fans.

The set list
I Can’t Explain/The Seeker/The Relay/Fragments/Who Are You/Behind Blue Eyes/Real Good Looking Boy/Sister Disco/Baba O’Riley/Getting in Tune/Eminence Front/5:15/Love Reign O’er Me/My Generation/Won’t Get Fooled Again
Encore: Pinball Wizard/Amazing Journey/Sparks/See Me, Feel Me/Tea and Theatre

Chris Isaak at The Klein

Fri, 29 Aug 2008 03:55:43 -0500

Last Sunday night’s Chris Isaak concert at The Klein in Bridgeport had been circled on my calendar since the day it was announced. In fact, I was probably setting myself up for a letdown with my anticipation of the concert.
Thankfully, Isaak and his veteran band were incredibly entertaining and the 800 or so people at The Klein were treated to a wonderful evening of live music.
Isaak’s voice was strong throughout, whether hitting the soaring high notes or growling out his bluesier numbers, he made it all seem so effortless. He has long been compared to Roy Orbison, both for his voice and for his songs of the lonely, broken lover. He even did a solid cover of Orbison’s “Only the Lonely,” which showed the comparisons weren’t far off base.
What sets a Chris Isaak concert apart, however, is the humor he displays on and off the stage. By the show’s third song, Isaak was walking among the crowd as he sang Elvis Presley’s “Love Me Tender.” He’d sing a verse, stop and talk to some people, sing another verse, flirt with a woman, all without missing a beat of the song or his comic timing.
Isaak also was off-the-wall funny in the interactions with his band members, who doubled as comic foils throughout the concert. It was also amusing when Isaak would lay on the self-deprecating humor, especially when it came to his blue Western outfit, complete with sequins.
For the encore, he dressed even more outrageously, wearing a suit made up almost entirely of little rectangular mirrors. He looked like a cross between Talking Heads’ David Byrne in the big suit from “Stop Making Sense” and a disco ball.
Opening act was British R&B performer James Hunter, who sounded just as good as he does on his striking new album, “The Hard Way.” Hunter, in fact, had his own fans in attendance, including one couple that came just to see him and planned to leave early in Isaak’s set.
I don’t know why anyone would do that, but if they actually did depart, it was their loss. Especially when their favorite, Hunter, and his two sax players joined Isaak and his band in the encore for a version of Wilbert Harrison’s classic “Kansas City.”

Chris Isaak’s set list
Lonely with a Broken Heart/Somebody’s Crying/Love Me Tender/All I Want is Your Love/We Let Her Down/Speak of the Devil/Mr. Lonely Man/Wicked Game/Best I Ever Had/I Want You to Want Me/Worked It Out Wrong/All the Way/Two Hearts/Take My Heart/Don’t Leave Me On My Own/I’ll Go Crazy/Sweet Leilani/Western Stars/Dancin’/Only the Lonely/ Baby Did a Bad Bad Thing
Encore: American Boy/Kansas City/San Francisco Days/Notice the Ring/Move Along/Blues Stay Away from Me/Forever Blue

Journey, Heart, Cheap Trick at Mohegan Sun

Tue, 19 Aug 2008 07:30:40 -0500

Three bands into their third decades of existence – Cheap Trick, Heart and Journey – have gotten together for a summer tour that included Sunday night’s concert at the Mohegan Sun Arena.
All three groups have had their highs and lows and all three groups could have easily sold out venues like this on their own in the late ’70s and ’80s. But this is a tour in 2008 and it’s helpful to package these bands to guarantee respectable ticket sales. It is doubtful that Cheap Trick or Heart can sell 10,000 tickets per show. Headliner Journey seems to have the best chance of filling arenas on its own.
Journey was the main attraction for most of the crowd and, accordingly, got the most time on stage during the four-hour event, about 90 minutes. Journey also was the least appealing to me going into the concert and, alas, coming out.
It’s not that I hate or even dislike Journey. It’s a fine band with talented musicians and enough hits to fill a three-hour set. It just seems that that band can be a little overwhelming as every song goes over the top. Again, before the Journey followers write in to tell me what an idiot I am, it’s just my opinion and one that I’ve held for a long time.
To each his own, right?
Of the three acts, Journey also was the only one promoting a new album, Revelation, a two-CD, one-DVD set available exclusively through Wal-Mart. A new album meant Journey would play new songs with its new singer, Arnel Pineda.
The new material sounded fine and blended in nicely with the older tunes, but maybe that was the problem. They seem to have been copied from some kind of Journey song template with little variation from past successes.
As for Pineda, discovered on YouTube singing Journey songs in his native Philippines, he was a bundle of endless energy on stage and he copied former singer Steve Perry’s every vocal inflection. He sounded every bit the same as Perry, which seemed to be what the crowd craved.
Guitarist Neal Schon was in fine form and had a touching moment when he dedicated the instrumental “Skylight” to his uncle, who had just passed away. Schon and bandmate Jonathan Cain also played a fun instrumental later in the show with Cain wailing away on harmonica.
Of course, Journey played a lot of its hits, as well as some more obscure older tracks that could have been replaced by the hits that weren’t played: “Who’s Crying Now,” “Lovin,’ Touchin,’ Squeezin’” “Girl Can't Help It” and “Send Her My Love.”
Heart was the middle band and stuck to playing its classic-rock treasures and also threw in a couple of inspired cover versions of songs by The Who (“Love, Reign O’er Me”) and Led Zeppelin (“Going to California”). It was nice to see sisters Ann and Nancy Wilson together, as I know in the past Nancy has sat out tours.
Heart’s hour-long set was hugely entertaining, but it started out a little rough as the guitar playing of Craig Bartok on “Wild Child” and “Magic Man” even drowned out the powerhouse vocals of Ann Wilson. I didn’t think that possible.
I was actually interested to hear if Ann Wilson could still bring it. I recently viewed Heart’s DVD in the “Soundstage” series and her voice sounded a little raspy. It must have been an off night when that was filmed as she still can belt ’em out with the best of them.
Nancy Wilson also sounded strong when she sang the lead on the hit “These Dreams,” with Ann singing the harmonies. That’s when Heart really sounds its best: when the two sisters harmonize.
Leading off the concert was Cheap Trick and, if the full house needed any reminding on what decade these bands got their start, the band began with a version of Big Star’s “In the Street,” which most people know as the theme song to the former Fox sitcom “That ’70s Show.”
The power-pop pioneers – the only band that has the same members it started with – only got 45 minutes on stage, but made the most of them. Singer Robin Zander sounded amazingly strong and guitarist Rick Nielsen is still the embodiment of quirky charisma.
At one point, Nielsen called Journey’s Deen Castronovo on stage to wish him a happy birthday. Perhaps sensing the drummer was enjoying the applause a little too much, Nielsen good-naturedly rushed him off stage.
It was also interesting checking out Nielsen’s assortment of guitars: a square one, a round one, one that was a complete head-to-toe caricature of himself, one that had five necks, etc.
Cheap Trick sounded amazingly good, like it just walked onto the stage at Budokan in Tokyo in the ’70s. Time hasn’t diminished Zander’s voice, Nielsen’s guitar playing or the tight rhythm section of bassist Tom Petersson and drummer Bun E. Carlos. At least, I think it was Bun E. Carlos as he stayed well in the background and never came to the front of the stage.

Cheap Trick
In the Street/California Man/If You Want My Love/Come On, Come On/I Want You to Want Me/I Can’t Take It/The Flame/Surrender/Goodnight/Dream Police
Heart
Wild Child/Magic Man/Never/Straight On/These Dreams/Alone/Love, Reign O’er Me/Barracuda/Going to California/Crazy On You
Journey
Never Walk Away/Only the Young/Skylight/Stone in Love/Change for the Better/Ask the Lonely/After All These Years/Wheel in the Sky/Lights/Open Arms/Escape/Faithfully/La Do Da/Dead or Alive/Don’t Stop Believin’/Separate Ways (Worlds Apart)/Be Good to Yourself/Any Way You Want It

Peter Frampton at The Klein

Mon, 18 Aug 2008 03:27:46 -0500

MEA CULPA: Sorry if this isn’t very timely. I wrote it Friday, Aug. 15, but I must have not hit the right button to get it on the blog.

I must admit that I’ve never owned a copy of Peter Frampton’s monumental 1976 two-record set “Frampton Comes Alive!” Not on cassette, LP, CD or even 8-track.
Practically everybody that was into rock ’n’ roll in the ’70s has a copy, but it just never came into my orbit. My older brother had it, but I don’t recall that being one of the albums that I would sneak out of his room to put on my turntable.
Of course, I heard a lot of the singles on Top 40 and rock radio and I liked them. I just never got caught up in Frampton-mania.
So it was with no expectations that I went to The Klein in Bridgeport Thursday night to see Frampton. I figured it would be a good way to spend a Thursday night and that’s about it. I’m happy to report it was much more than killing time. It was time well spent.
Not knowing what to expect – for the most part – I was a little thrown off when Frampton started the concert with a couple of Motown Era songs, Junior Walker and the All-Stars’ “Shotgun” and Stevie Wonder’s “Signed, Sealed, Delivered (I’m Yours).”
He knew what the thousand or so people at the venue wanted and soon enough he was playing songs from “Frampton Comes Alive!,” including a top-notch version of “Show Me the Way,” complete with the talk box he made famous.
Frampton showcased his guitar licks throughout the concert and played several instrumentals. In lesser hands, these can be momentum-killers in concert, but the raucous crowd lapped it up. His instrumental cover of Soundgarden’s “Black Hole Sun,” especially, stood out, garnering the 58-year-old one of his many standing ovations.
He followed that with three straight standout tunes: “Baby, I Love Your Way,” “I’ll Give You Money” and “Do You Feel Like We Do.”
On the last of these songs, many in the crowd made their way to the front of the stage, giving The Klein the feel of a true rock arena. That's not an easy task for a venue traditionally thought of as the home of the Greater Bridgeport Symphony.
During the extended “Do You Feel Like We Do,” Frampton and Rob Arthur engaged in a little musical call-and-response with Frampton’s guitar and Arthur’s keyboards. At one point in the song, Frampton used the talk box to poke fun at his recent television commercial for car insurance.
“Do you have GEICO Insurance?,” he asked, before quickly adding, “Neither do I.” That drew a big laugh from the audience.
Frampton also used the mid-song break to introduce the rest of his band and said his drummer, Dan Wojciechowski, is from Bridgeport. On Frampton’s Web site, however, he is listed as having grown up in Warren, Mich., so maybe he lives here now. Anybody know his connection to the Park City?
Early in the show, Frampton dedicated a song to “Beatle George,” his longtime friend George Harrison – he played on Harrison’s “All Things Must Pass – and during the encore he performed Harrison’s “While My Guitar Gently Weeps.”
The performance closed with a song from Frampton’s early band, Humble Pie’s “I Don’t Need No Doctor,” that was a rousing finish to a very entertaining evening.

KT Tunstall at The Klein

Fri, 08 Aug 2008 06:51:06 -0500

I have been to my share of concerts this year, but I can’t think of one better than KT Tunstall’s show at The Klein in Bridgeport Thursday night. Maybe Wilco or Los Lobos at the Shubert in New Haven can match it, or possibly The English Beat or Tom Tom Club at Fairfield Theatre Company. But so far, none can top Tunstall.
The Klein itself is OK, but nothing great. It lacks the warmth of the Shubert or the Palaces of Stamford and Waterbury and it doesn’t have the intimacy of FTC. Thursday night, however, it felt like the center of the universe.
Tunstall was into the show from the start and the crowd fed off of her energy, clapping along in rhythm on her upbeat numbers and even doing the wave by her request.
In an interview for the feature story that ran in Thursday’s Post, Tunstall said she wasn’t a fan of the recording studio and much preferred the stage. It showed.
This in no way is meant to belittle her two proper studio albums, her 2006 debut “Eye to the Telescope” and the 2007 follow-up “Drastic Fantastic,” which are both great. This is meant to stress how good Tunstall is as a performer. From the rockers to the slower songs, she nailed them all.
And what a voice on the wee Scottish lass. It is one of the most distinctive voices you’ll ever hear and she has quite a range. She can catch you with a growl on one song, only to surprise you by hitting a soaring high note on the next.
For her breakthrough song, “Black Horse and the Cherry Tree,” Tunstall went solo, with a little technological assistance. It was interesting to watch as she looped her thumping on the wood of the guitar, along with a tambourine, a guitar riff and the song’s catchy “woo-hoos.” She created her own little backing band on the loop before she tore into the song.
Naturally, the crowd was just as into it, with everyone on their feet almost from the first chords of the song. Truly a magical moment.
Her second big hit, “Suddenly I See,” was another pleaser, and she ended her set with it, again with the audience on its feet. Tunstall closed the concert with a two-song encore, wrapping things up with another rocker, “I Don’t Want You Now.”
Martha Wainwright opened the show with a 40-minute set that didn’t really register with me. Wainwright – sister of Rufus and daughter of Loudon III and Kate McGarrigle – was actually joined by her mother on piano and backing vocals for most of her set and that’s when things picked up slightly.

The set list
Little Favours/Miniature Disasters/Other Side of the World/Hold On/Someday Soon/Funny Man/The Hidden Heart/Black Horse and the Cherry Tree/Ashes/Hopeless/Under the Weather/Beauty of Uncertainty/Another Place to Fall/If Only/Saving My Face/Suddenly I See
Encore: Stoppin’ the Love/I Don’t Want You Now

Tripleheader at the Chevy

Thu, 07 Aug 2008 06:35:25 -0500

Why am I doing this?
That was what I was asking myself on the way to the Chevrolet Theatre in Wallingford Wednesday night to see three bands that had their heydays in the ’90s – Blues Traveler, Collective Soul and Live. Three bands, I should add, that don’t really interest me that much. Separately, I wouldn’t have made the trek to see any of these bands, but three groups in one concert, there had to be some good music to be found.
For the most part, there was.
Blues Traveler was up first and it is the only band of the three that I have seen perform live before and the only one on the bill with an album in my CD collection – a two-disc live album from 1996, “Live from the Fall.”
I was interested in seeing Blues Traveler again because the other time I saw the band was at Toad’s Place in New Haven and that wasn’t very enjoyable. The music was fine, but we were packed into the club like sardines on a steamy summer evening.
The band played for about an hour and was very tight. Singer John Popper, who attended Stamford Catholic High School, may have shed a lot of weight since his gastric bypass surgery a few years ago, but he still has a big voice. His harmonica playing was inspired, too.
Blues Traveler played a couple of songs – “How You Remember It” and “You, Me and Everything” – from the forthcoming album “North Hollywood Shootout,” due out Aug. 26 and they sounded fine. But I, like most of the crowd of about 4,000, wanted the hits. They were delivered with excellent renditions of “Run-Around” and “Hook.”
Up next was Collective Soul, which was easily the most disappointing of the three acts. I walked into the venue not being a huge fan of the band and, sadly, I left the same way. The band had some catchy grunge-lite tunes that became major hits back in the day, so I figured it would at least be an entertaining set. I figured wrong.
Most of the blame for this can be laid at the feet of the people working the soundboard. Were they the only ones in the building who couldn’t tell that the vocals were washed out by the overly loud guitars? Believe me, I love loud guitars, but I also love to hear what the heck the singer is singing. That wasn’t an option Wednesday night.
I could make out some of the songs – such as “Heavy,” “December” and “The World I Know” – and, of course, the smash “Shine.” For that song, they were joined by young singer Hana Pestle, who apparently did an opening set before the 7 p.m. start of the show.
Where Collective Soul turned ridiculous was when they left the stage and came back for an encore. The second act on the bill coming out for an encore? Idiotic. Just play your set and make way for the next band. To top that off, the band came back and played two songs I never heard before. . . . At least, I think I never heard them before. They never did correct the vocal mix, so I couldn’t readily decipher what Ed Roland was singing.
Luckily, the concert ended on a high note. Live sounded really solid and singer Ed Kowalczyk was obviously having fun on stage. The positive energy was reciprocated by the crowd, making for an electrifying set.
The group was on stage the longest, logging around 90 minutes, but unfortunately I had to leave a little past 11, missing the last 20 minutes or so.
I’m sure I missed the hits “Lightning Crashes” and “I Alone,” but I did get to see the band play “All Over You,” “Selling the Drama” and 10 or 11 other songs, including a killer cover of Johnny Cash’s “I Walk the Line.” I wouldn’t have thought that song was open to interpretation, but Live’s atmospheric take on the song was a winner.

2008 Vibes - Sunday, 9:30 p.m.

Sun, 03 Aug 2008 21:30:17 -0500

It’s over and I’m drained.
I really don’t know how people can function each day after partying hard every night, but the Vibe Tribe are no ordinary people, I guess.
The Neville Brothers put on a great show to wrap things up and I was kind of surprised by how many people were still there. I figured that some of the more diehard Deadheads would have hit the road earlier today after Saturday’s shows by Phil Lesh & Friends, New Riders of the Purple Sage and The Bill Kreutzmann Trio.
But they were still there in abundance to see the so-call “Soul Roots Blues” Sunday featuring bluegrass star Sam Bush, Derek Trucks and Susan Tedeschi’s Soul Stew Revival, jam band Umphrey’s McGee and, of course, the pride of New Orleans, The Neville Brothers.
All in all, another great festival staged by owner Ken Hays and his colleagues at Terrapin Presents of Bridgeport.

2008 Vibes - Sunday, 4:45 p.m.

Sun, 03 Aug 2008 16:45:26 -0500

The husband-and-wife team of Derek Trucks and Susan Tedeschi led their Soul Stew Revival onto the Main Stage and they nailed it. Then again, how could they miss?
Trucks is a wonder on the guitar and worth the price of admission anytime he comes around. Add in the powerhouse vocals of Tedeschi and you have a must-see event.
Adding his vocals to the band was Mike Mattison, the singer for The Derek Trucks Band and with his other project, Scrapomatic.
That band performed earlier on the Solar Stage and will return to the area for a show at the Fairfield Theatre Company on Aug. 16. Tickets ($22, $17 for FTC members) are available by calling 259-1036 or visiting www.fairfieldtheatre.com.

2008 Vibes - Saturday, 9 p.m.

Sat, 02 Aug 2008 21:07:03 -0500

The Taj Mahal Trio just finished up and made the festival worthwhile for me -- all the walking, all the sweating and all the sitting around in the media tent. Taj Mahal was the artist I most wanted to see and he didn’t disappoint.
Whether it was straight blues, African-influenced world music or wailing away on a banjo, this performance has so far been my highlight . . . maybe of the last two Vibes I attended.
Mahal displayed a lot of energy for a 66-year-old man and the crowd ate it up. Proof that the Vibes isn’t just for “hippie music.” There’s blues, New Orleans funk, bluegrass, funk-rock and a few other genres in addition to the jam bands.
Taj Mahal obviously was pleased with what he saw from his vantage-point on stage.
“City of Bridgeport, you deserve a medal for this,” he exclaimed at the end of his show. “That’s what I’m saying. Bridgeport deserves a medal.”
Phil Lesh & Friends is up next and is scheduled to do two sets with a break in between. Do you think he can wrap up his show in less than four hours? There is a 1 a.m. curfew for music here at the Vibes.

Vibes 2008 - Saturday, 7:45 p.m.

Sat, 02 Aug 2008 19:42:17 -0500

Former Phish bassist Mike Gordon just finished up his set, which sounded a lot better than I expected. I'm not a big fan of Phish, but it was obvious that a lot of people here love the band.
The Taj Mahal Trio is going up on stage now, the show I most wanted to see ever since the lineup was announced several months ago. Got to run.

2008 Vibes - Saturday, 7:30 p.m.

Sat, 02 Aug 2008 19:38:10 -0500

Jen Durkin is all over the Vibes – on and off stage – which isn’t much of a shock considering she’s performed at all 13 previous festivals.
The singer has her own backstage tent at Seaside Park where she has been conducting interviews for Radio Vibes on WPKN-FM 89.5 and for future Webcast.
“I’m piecing together audio clips for Sirius-XM [satellite radio] to see if I can get my own show,” said Durkin, a Stratford resident who made a name for herself as the singer for Deep Banana Blackout. “It’s something I’ve been thinking of, this idea for a radio show. ”
“It will have another element, not just music. We’re going to just try and roll with it.”
Durkin also found plenty of time to strut her stuff on the Vibes’ two stages. She reunited with her Deep Banana Blackout colleagues for a show Friday night and performed with her new project, The Durkins, Saturday night on the Solar Stage.
The Durkins is “a revolving cast with about nine people in the band, including my brother Johnny,” she said. “We’ll do some things from this new jazz-samba solo record I’m releasing in the fall, called Equinox.
“And, of course, we do some funky party tunes, as well.”
Durkin also said she is starting her own record label, Lotus Soundworks, and plans to use it to release records by her friends on the local music scene.

Vibes 2008 - Saturday, 5:30 p.m.

Sat, 02 Aug 2008 17:32:47 -0500

After a four-hour rain delay, the Vibes is up and running again as of 4:20 p.m., when New Riders of the Purple Sage hit the Main Stage. Former Grateful Dead drummer Bill Kreutzmann and his trio is up now, with most of the acts paring down their sets as organizers try to get to Phil Lesh & Friends close to the planned 9 p.m. start.
Strangefolk is the only Main Stage act that's been dropped from the lineup.
It was brutally hot for a while, but now the skies are darkening again. Maybe my decision to wear long pants will pay off after all.