Phil Ehart (drums), Richard Williams (guitar), Ronnie Platt (vocals, keyboards), Billy Greer (bass, vocals), David Manion (keyboards, vocals) and David Ragsdale (violin, guitar, vocals) are Kansas.
The show benefited United Cerebral Palsy of Berkshire County. The “Life Without Limits” concert replaces UCP’s annual fundraising telethon, which ended last year after more than five decades.
Ms. Brittany Dorwin (pictured here) whom I have known since she was a baby was crowned the Massachusetts Jr. Miss Amazing 2016. She will move on to the Nationals in Chicago very soon. If you are interested in sponsoring her trip to Chicago on June 30TH make your donation here http://www.missamazing2016.com/sponsor-a-queen.
Brittany certainly fits the description of amazing. I have never looked at her as someone with a disability; she is an intelligent, funny, warm, and a loving soul. Thanks to her wonderful parents Pam and Dan and the support of her sister Samantha, she was given every opportunity for a normal and healthy upbringing. The event was very special for her and everyone that knows her. Congratulations Brit we love you!
This was the third time I have seen Kansas and all with different line ups. I would have to say after watching them last night that they are as tight as ever and sounded fantastic! There are two original members left, founder and drummer Phil Ehart and guitarist Richard Williams. Billy Greer has been with the band since 1985 and quickly became one of the foundations of their sound with his bass and strong vocals (He also has been in Seventh Key and Native Window). Ronnie Platt is the most recent addition holding down the lead vocals that I am aware of. He is voice is very strong and reminiscent of the great Steve Walsh the original voice of the band.
Their set was very efficient with very little band to audience exchanges. Kansas is one of the true prog rock innovators and legends that are still performing today. The sound they present is mixture of rock, classical and pop and for the most part remains very complex. It is the kind of music built for improvisation and although they stay true to a planned set list they really stretch out musically much to the delight of their audiences.
David Ragsdale is a multi-talented component offering his distinct violin sounds along with guitar and backing vocals. Phil Earhart is the rock of the band and always was. His drumming is extraordinary and he makes it look so effortless. Watching a superb progressive rock band is a real audio visual treat that you simply cannot forget.
Some of favorites of the night was the opener “Point of Know Return,” “Miracles Out of Nowhere,”“Belexes,” which was a crazy transitioning number that required an enormous amount of talent to perform, and “Portrait (He Knew),” which was inspired by Albert Einstein.
This was a great night for many reasons and one I believe the packed house at The Colonial are going to remember for a long time. Witnessing the raucous applause, hand clapping and whistles from the audience for their encore was proof positive that they still are relevant force in music and their songs are unforgettable. To all of you people that decided your cellphones were more important than what you where there for, you missed a great show!
Venue: The
Centre for Contemporary Arts (CCA) Glasgow
As the title of this review suggests, the gig I attended
on 18th Dec was indeed, The
Prog Before Xmas and highlighted 3 artists, We Are Kin, Tiger Moth Tales
and Abel Ganz. The evening was several months in the planning and the “main
man” behind it all was Dennis Smith, who also happens to be the drummer in Abel
Ganz. Running to a strict time restriction, the bands managed to set up, play
and remove material from the stage like clockwork.
First up were We Are Kin, who in fact were giving us
their very first live performance. Initially the band seemed a little tentative
and apprehensive, but quickly settled and produced a stunning 45 minute set.
The band had released their debut album, Pandora,
on Bad Elephant Records, earlier in 2015. Onstage were 6 musicians, Dan Zambas
(keyboards, guitar), Lee Braddock (bass), Emma Brewin-Caddy (vocals), Nuru
Ramadhan Saadi (vocals), Gary Boast (drums) and Adam McCann (lead guitar), but
due to recent changes only Dan, Gary and Adam remain from the band that
recorded Pandora. Pandora is a 13 track album and 7 of the
tracks were aired during the set. The opening track, “Home Sweet Home” as I
indicated, started a little nervously with several glances passing between the
band members, but as they moved into “The Hard Decision” and further into the
set, the nerves settled and they relaxed into the music and the crowd were
treated to some excellent modern progressive music. Fronted by the two female
vocalists, (Emma and Nuru), having a solid rhythmic foundation (courtesy of Lee
and Gary), some soaring guitar work (Adam) and completed with the majestic
keyboards (Dan), the band received a rousing cheer at the end of the set by the
appreciative audience. It was difficult to believe that this was the debut live
performance, and certainly bodes well for a great future.
A quick removal of much stage equipment and soon the
stage was set for the second set, provided by Tiger Moth Tales, which is the
name of the creative vehicle for Peter Jones. Peter has been in the music
industry for many years, winning the junior final of BBC TV’s Song For Christmas (1988), being a
finalist on BBC’s Star For A Night
(2001) and also on ITV’s The X Factor
(2004) as well as touring with The X
Factor Tour in 2005. Since Peter has moved into the progressive music area,
he has released 2 full length albums, Cocoon
(2014) and Storytellers Vol 1 (2015),
as well as some live material EPs. Tiger Moth Tales is simply Peter sitting at
a keyboard with a guitar fixed horizontally above and across the top of the
keyboard. As soon as Peter started, the crowd realized that this was something
very special and the conversations in the crowd, that sometimes permeate
performances, simply stopped. Peter gave a superb selection of music, mainly
from the Cocoon album (“Tigers in The
Butter,” “Don’t Let Go..Feels Alright,” “The Merry Vicar,” “A Visit To Chigwick”)
one track from Storytellers Vol 1 and
2 covers from one of his favorite bands, Genesis, in the form of “More Fool Me”
and “Harold The Barrel.” The audience laughed away as Peter explained how he
would shout out at concerts asking Genesis tribute bands to play “Harold” and
he realized it had become an obsession when he shouted out the same request at
a Steve Hackett concert. The set was excellent from start to finish with music
of the highest quality, as Peter is a very accomplished musician with a voice
that is so powerful and clear, and the humor he injected by including “The
Merry Vicar” and “A Visit To Chigwick” made this 45+ minutes a majestic and
mesmerizing part of the evening. (Although not aware at that moment, Peter
would make another appearance later in the night).
With another relatively quick period of dismantling,
removal and replacing stage equipment, the stage was set for the arrival of
Abel Ganz. Abel Ganz are a Glasgow band, and 2015 certainly seems to have been
the year of the “breakthrough” and this Prog
Before Xmas concert was to celebrate a return to the Centre For
Contemporary Arts, where the year had started way back in January. The band was
originally put together all the way back in 1980 by Hew Montgomery (keyboards)
and Hugh Carter (multi-instrumentalist) and has undergone several personnel
changes over the years as well as releasing 6 studio albums along the way. The
band on stage comprised Denis Smith (drums), Steven Donnelly (bass), Davie
Mitchell (lead guitar), Iain Sloan (guitar), Jack Webb (keyboards) and Mick
McFarlane (vocals and guitar), but also present in the audience were those 2
founding members of the band, Hew and Hugh. Launching into “Rain” from the Danger of Strangers album (1988), the
band soon had the audience eating out of their hand. This opener was followed
by “Ventura” from the album, Shooting
Albatross (2008) which was received as raucously as the opener and then the
band moved onto the latest release, simply called Abel Ganz, from 2014. First up was the 5 part suite from the album,
clocking in at well over 20 minutes, “Obsolescence Pt 1-5”, and a stunning live
interpretation which led on to “Recuardos,” a much gentler paced track which
fitted the proceedings like a glove. The music was cranked up a little for the
rousing “Unconditional” and unbelievably that was the set almost complete. The
crowd had been treated to a stunning 60+ minute set of progressive music,
veering from powerful driving rock to the gentle acoustic moments and showed
their appreciation by demanding the band return to the stage. Several moments
later, the cheer that erupted ushered the band back on stage. The first piece
of music they moved into was “Thank You,” from the Abel Ganz album, one of the
gentler pieces of music with stunning guitar work and a nice little Gaelic
verse thrown in for good measure. This piece of music also had a personal
meaning as it was the piece chosen to finish my wedding ceremony in April 2015,
and it made for a special moment as The Landlady (my wife) was also at the gig.
There is no praise high enough to use to describe the overall evening with the
band hitting the bulls-eye right from the off.
A truly wonderful evening of music provided by 3
excellent artists and it wasn’t quite finished. When “Thank You” finished to
huge applause, there was a flurry of activity at one side of the stage and
joining Abel Ganz on stage appeared Tiger Moth Tales himself, Peter Jones,
clutching his trusty recorder. The final piece of music “Run With The Fox,” originally
released just prior to Christmas 1981 by Chris Squire and Alan White, was the
perfect ending to a perfect evening.
To sum up the evening is simple as it was just a
magnificent night of superb music from 3 artists who, in turn, each provided
excellent entertainment and for the crowd, made sure that Christmas arrived a
week early.
5/5
Stars
Tracks: We Are Kin (from the album Pandora)
Home Sweet Home The Hard Decision Without Them Tides Of Midnite Weight Of The World The End The Door
Tiger Moth Tales ( * from the album Cocoon)
Tigers In The Butter * Storytellers Don’t Let Go…Feels Alright * More Fool Me Harold The Barrel The Merry Vicar * A Visit To Chigwick * The Wassail Song
Abel Ganz
Rain (from the album Danger of Strangers) Ventura (from the album Shooting Albatross) Obsolescence 1-5 (from the album Abel Ganz) Recuardos “ Unconditional “ Thank You “ Run WithThe Fox (featuring Tiger Moth Tales)
Venue: The Centre for Contemporary Arts (CCA) Glasgow
As the title of this review suggests, the gig I attended on 18th Dec was indeed, The Prog Before Xmas and highlighted 3 artists, We Are Kin, Tiger Moth Tales and Abel Ganz. The evening was several months in the planning and the “main man” behind it all was Dennis Smith, who also happens to be the drummer in Abel Ganz. Running to a strict time restriction, the bands managed to set up, play and remove material from the stage like clockwork.
First up were We Are Kin, who in fact were giving us their very first live performance. Initially the band seemed a little tentative and apprehensive, but quickly settled and produced a stunning 45 minute set. The band had released their debut album, Pandora, on Bad Elephant Records, earlier in 2015. Onstage were 6 musicians, Dan Zambas (keyboards, guitar), Lee Braddock (bass), Emma Brewin-Caddy (vocals), Nuru Ramadhan Saadi (vocals), Gary Boast (drums) and Adam McCann (lead guitar), but due to recent changes only Dan, Gary and Adam remain from the band that recorded Pandora. Pandora is a 13 track album and 7 of the tracks were aired during the set. The opening track, “Home Sweet Home” as I indicated, started a little nervously with several glances passing between the band members, but as they moved into “The Hard Decision” and further into the set, the nerves settled and they relaxed into the music and the crowd were treated to some excellent modern progressive music. Fronted by the two female vocalists, (Emma and Nuru), having a solid rhythmic foundation (courtesy of Lee and Gary), some soaring guitar work (Adam) and completed with the majestic keyboards (Dan), the band received a rousing cheer at the end of the set by the appreciative audience. It was difficult to believe that this was the debut live performance, and certainly bodes well for a great future.
A quick removal of much stage equipment and soon the stage was set for the second set, provided by Tiger Moth Tales, which is the name of the creative vehicle for Peter Jones. Peter has been in the music industry for many years, winning the junior final of BBC TV’s Song For Christmas (1988), being a finalist on BBC’s Star For A Night(2001) and also on ITV’s The X Factor(2004) as well as touring with The X Factor Tour in 2005. Since Peter has moved into the progressive music area, he has released 2 full length albums, Cocoon(2014) and Storytellers Vol 1 (2015), as well as some live material EPs. Tiger Moth Tales is simply Peter sitting at a keyboard with a guitar fixed horizontally above and across the top of the keyboard. As soon as Peter started, the crowd realized that this was something very special and the conversations in the crowd, that sometimes permeate performances, simply stopped. Peter gave a superb selection of music, mainly from the Cocoon album (“Tigers in The Butter,” “Don’t Let Go..Feels Alright,” “The Merry Vicar,” “A Visit To Chigwick”) one track from Storytellers Vol 1 and 2 covers from one of his favorite bands, Genesis, in the form of “More Fool Me” and “Harold The Barrel.” The audience laughed away as Peter explained how he would shout out at concerts asking Genesis tribute bands to play “Harold” and he realized it had become an obsession when he shouted out the same request at a Steve Hackett concert. The set was excellent from start to finish with music of the highest quality, as Peter is a very accomplished musician with a voice that is so powerful and clear, and the humor he injected by including “The Merry Vicar” and “A Visit To Chigwick” made this 45+ minutes a majestic and mesmerizing part of the evening. (Although not aware at that moment, Peter would make another appearance later in the night).
With another relatively quick period of dismantling, removal and replacing stage equipment, the stage was set for the arrival of Abel Ganz. Abel Ganz are a Glasgow band, and 2015 certainly seems to have been the year of the “breakthrough” and this Prog Before Xmas concert was to celebrate a return to the Centre For Contemporary Arts, where the year had started way back in January. The band was originally put together all the way back in 1980 by Hew Montgomery (keyboards) and Hugh Carter (multi-instrumentalist) and has undergone several personnel changes over the years as well as releasing 6 studio albums along the way. The band on stage comprised Denis Smith (drums), Steven Donnelly (bass), Davie Mitchell (lead guitar), Iain Sloan (guitar), Jack Webb (keyboards) and Mick McFarlane (vocals and guitar), but also present in the audience were those 2 founding members of the band, Hew and Hugh. Launching into “Rain” from the Danger of Strangers album (1988), the band soon had the audience eating out of their hand. This opener was followed by “Ventura” from the album, Shooting Albatross (2008) which was received as raucously as the opener and then the band moved onto the latest release, simply called Abel Ganz, from 2014. First up was the 5 part suite from the album, clocking in at well over 20 minutes, “Obsolescence Pt 1-5”, and a stunning live interpretation which led on to “Recuardos,” a much gentler paced track which fitted the proceedings like a glove. The music was cranked up a little for the rousing “Unconditional” and unbelievably that was the set almost complete. The crowd had been treated to a stunning 60+ minute set of progressive music, veering from powerful driving rock to the gentle acoustic moments and showed their appreciation by demanding the band return to the stage. Several moments later, the cheer that erupted ushered the band back on stage. The first piece of music they moved into was “Thank You,” from the Abel Ganz album, one of the gentler pieces of music with stunning guitar work and a nice little Gaelic verse thrown in for good measure. This piece of music also had a personal meaning as it was the piece chosen to finish my wedding ceremony in April 2015, and it made for a special moment as The Landlady (my wife) was also at the gig. There is no praise high enough to use to describe the overall evening with the band hitting the bulls-eye right from the off.
A truly wonderful evening of music provided by 3 excellent artists and it wasn’t quite finished. When “Thank You” finished to huge applause, there was a flurry of activity at one side of the stage and joining Abel Ganz on stage appeared Tiger Moth Tales himself, Peter Jones, clutching his trusty recorder. The final piece of music “Run With The Fox,” originally released just prior to Christmas 1981 by Chris Squire and Alan White, was the perfect ending to a perfect evening.
To sum up the evening is simple as it was just a magnificent night of superb music from 3 artists who, in turn, each provided excellent entertainment and for the crowd, made sure that Christmas arrived a week early.
5/5 Stars
Tracks: We Are Kin (from the album Pandora)
Home Sweet Home The Hard Decision Without Them Tides Of Midnite Weight Of The World The End The Door
Tiger Moth Tales ( * from the album Cocoon)
Tigers In The Butter * Storytellers Don’t Let Go…Feels Alright * More Fool Me Harold The Barrel The Merry Vicar * A Visit To Chigwick * The Wassail Song
Abel Ganz
Rain (from the album Danger of Strangers) Ventura (from the album Shooting Albatross) Obsolescence 1-5 (from the album Abel Ganz) Recuardos “ Unconditional “ Thank You “ Run WithThe Fox (featuring Tiger Moth Tales)
With old man winter quickly approaching, the Colonial
Theater in Pittsfield, Massachusetts was warmed up by the sounds of The Weight.
Featuring former members of The Band, Levon Helm Band and Rick Danko Group, the
legendary sounds of that fondly remembered band called “The Band” come shining
through with this all-star cast of players. Their namesake is after one of
their more famous tracks and they represent this classic music most
appropriately.
I will give the abbreviated rundown of the lineup
provided right from the band’s website.
Jim Weider is a former member of the legendary group, The
Band. From 1985 to 2000, Jim replaced Robbie Robertson as their lead
guitarist.
Randy Ciarlante was a member of the second incarnation of
The Band. Up until Levon's passing, he double-drummed in Levon Helm's Midnight
Ramble Band.
Brian Mitchell is a current member of Levon Helm's Midnight
Ramble Band and is well-known within the circles of the music industry and
beyond for his solo career and his high-profile collaborations.
Byron Isaacs is a current member of Levon Helm's Midnight
Ramble Band, The Dirt Farmer Band and Ollabelle.
Marty Grebb played with The Rick Danko Band, The Garth
Hudson Band, wrote songs with Richard Manuel, and also wrote for and recorded
with Eric Clapton, Leon Russell, Etta James, Marty also wrote songs, and played
for The Band appearing on the Jericho CD.
Now you have to admit that each member of The Weight has
an impressive resume. They would prove throughout the night their fine musical
pedigree would be consistent. I would classify their music as eclectic at the
very least, an enticing mixture of rock, blues, Americana, roots, honky tonk
and ragtime. That is a literal musical stew to be sure. There are also hints of
a New Orleans spicy flavor to their sound as well particularly when Brain
Mitchell picked up the accordion (otherwise known as the organ from hell).
This is one talent laden band. Every member can sing and plays
like the polished professionals I anticipated seeing. A highlight of the night was
the multitude of instruments Marty Greeb played which included keyboards,
guitar and saxophones. They are all very talented however it was not hard to recognize
how many different things this man did.
The night started at 8pm sharp, as all shows do at the
Colonial and there was no warm up band. As we found out very quickly we did not
any other lineup to warm our souls. Some songs just speak for themselves and
their history carries a heavy responsibility in presenting them as originally
intended. I assure you this was accomplished…just like laying down a royal
flush on the card table.
Some of the songs that really spoke to the audience in
attendance were “Across The Great Divide” and Springsteen’s “Atlantic City.”
You knew instantly it was Springsteen’s song even though this music is quite
different from the catalog of “The Boss.” “Cripple Creek” got some hoots and
hollers of course as did “The Weight,” as both are signature tunes. For these
ears the highlight of the entire evening was “Life’s A Carnival.” Everything
about that song featured this band at their best and it bleeds and sweats The
Band. They also mentioned former members of The Band during the course of the
night paying respect to their legacy and importance to the music they were
playing.
It does not get much better than this. Sometimes you have
to go see a cover band to enjoy music you loved because the band has long since
dissolved or members have passed away. You need not worry, every one of these
members is connected with The Band and now they bring this original and unique
blend of music to the stage. I am grateful for the opportunity to have
witnessed it and would not hesitate to do it again. If you are looking for a
great evening of music that will spice up your life and put a smile in your soul
make sure you check out The Weight.
Keith “MuzikMan” Hannaleck-Founder of Write A Music
Review, Prog Rock Music Talk, MuzikMan.net, MuzikMan Reviews, New Age Music
Reviews, Rate The Tracks
It has been two years since I have had the opportunity to see The Winery Dogs in concert. The band consists of Mike Portnoy (drums, vocals), Billy Sheehan (bass, vocals) and Richie Kotzen (lead vocals, guitar and keyboards). They are a true super group and they just released their second studio album Hot Streak.
To kick off their Double Down World Tour 2015/2016 they chosethe charming town of Ridgefield, Connecticut. The venue was the Ridgefield Playhouse, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit performing arts center with a capacity of 500. As soon as I got there it was a reminder that I was there once before in 2005 to cover Mountain and Rick Derringer. 10 years has past so quickly! This time I am going to keep an eye on who is playing there so I can go back.
Before the stars of the evening took the stage a three piece called Kicking Harold warmed up the crowd. The band is Michael Odabashian (drums/vocals), Tim David Kelly (vocals, guitar) and Julia Lage (bass, vocals). They are hard edged and heavy with influences of metal and punk in their presentation. I hear influences like The Ramones, Black Sabbath and others. They did a few covers like “Born To Be Wild” and “Working Man” and their original material stood up well. I never place any expectations for an opening act but they were one of the better bands I have seen in that slot.
The Winery Dogs set started off with one of their new tracks “Oblivion.” The packed house were treated to all the new songs as well as cuts from the first album which it made it a very diverse set.This is a band that is hard to categorize, they cover rock, pop, progressive, blues, everything it seems. Ritchie Kotzen is the multi-talented centerpiece of the band. This of course takes nothing from Portnoy and Sheehan who both are incredibly talented musicians. I have seen Portnoy play with Dream Theater 8 times and now with one of his newer bands twice. Portnoy amazes me; he is part of many bands and has helped so many other bands get some much needed exposure. His importance in the music community goes beyond words at this point.
Kotzen just oozes with soul and emotion when he plays and sings and Sheehan and Portnoy are perpetual motion machines that are a joy to watch.Kotzen is equally talented with his vocal delivery, guitar and keyboards. He is also the consummate showman pulling the crowd in like a large magnet. We witnessed this when he took the stage by himself and sang “Fire” with his acoustic guitar. I also found his apparel interesting; he looked as though he was ready to take the stage with Blackmore’s Night (another one of my favorite performers).
So as this super group made their way through their set many things were going on all at once. With so much talent on one stage it’s like spontaneous combustion and the chemistry these three men have just sparkle and shines all night long.
One my favorites is “Time Machine”from their first album. It provides a showcase for everyone’s talent in the band. They really know how to stretch it out on this one out and rock the house. What I continue to find a wonder is how Kotzen plays his guitars without a pick. Not many professionals do it that way particularly with an electric and in their style of music.
If you happen to be looking for a concert to attend that features some of the best musicians in the world on the same stage I would encourage you to go see The Winery Dogs. I guarantee you will walk away stunned at how good they are. They are not main stream so they are still a bit under the wire but just watch as their following continues to grow. Get out there and support live music, buy their CDs and swag at the merchandise table. Doing those things will keep the music alive and make it worthwhile for these folks to continue to entertain us.
It has been two years since I have had the opportunity to
see The Winery Dogs in concert. The band consists of Mike Portnoy (drums,
vocals), Billy Sheehan (bass, vocals) and Richie Kotzen (lead vocals, guitar
and keyboards). They are a true super group and they just released their second
studio album Hot Streak.
To kick off their Double
Down World Tour 2015/2016 they chosethe charming town of
Ridgefield, Connecticut. The venue was the
Ridgefield Playhouse, a 501(c)(3)
nonprofit performing arts center with a capacity of 500. As soon as I
got there it was a reminder that I was there once before in 2005 to cover
Mountain and Rick Derringer. 10 years has past so quickly! This time I am going
to keep an eye on who is playing there so I can go back.
Before
the stars of the evening took the stage a three piece called Kicking Harold
warmed up the crowd. The band is Michael Odabashian (drums/vocals), Tim David
Kelly (vocals, guitar) and Julia Lage (bass, vocals). They are hard edged and
heavy with influences of metal and punk in their presentation. I hear
influences like The Ramones, Black Sabbath and others. They did a few covers
like “Born To Be Wild” and “Working Man” and their original material stood up
well. I never place any expectations for an opening act but they were one of
the better bands I have seen in that slot.
The Winery Dogs set started off with one of their new
tracks “Oblivion.” The packed house were treated to all the new songs as well
as cuts from the first album which it made it a very diverse set.This is a band that is hard to categorize,
they cover rock, pop, progressive, blues, everything it seems. Ritchie Kotzen
is the multi-talented centerpiece of the band. This of course takes nothing
from Portnoy and Sheehan who both are incredibly talented musicians. I have
seen Portnoy play with Dream Theater 8 times and now with one of his newer
bands twice. Portnoy amazes me; he is part of many bands and has helped so many
other bands get some much needed exposure. His importance in the music
community goes beyond words at this point.
Kotzen just oozes with soul and emotion when he plays and
sings and Sheehan and Portnoy are perpetual motion machines that are a joy to
watch.Kotzen is equally talented with
his vocal delivery, guitar and keyboards. He is also the consummate showman
pulling the crowd in like a large magnet. We witnessed this when he took the
stage by himself and sang “Fire” with his acoustic guitar. I also found his
apparel interesting; he looked as though he was ready to take the stage with
Blackmore’s Night (another one of my favorite performers).
So as this super group made their way through their set
many things were going on all at once. With so much talent on one stage it’s
like spontaneous combustion and the chemistry these three men have just sparkle
and shines all night long.
One my favorites is “Time Machine”
from their first album. It provides a showcase for everyone’s talent in the
band. They really know how to stretch it out on this one out and rock
the house. What I continue to find a wonder is how Kotzen plays his guitars
without a pick. Not many professionals do it that way particularly with an
electric and in their style of music.
If you happen to be looking for a concert to attend that
features some of the best musicians in the world on the same stage I would
encourage you to go see The Winery Dogs. I guarantee you will walk away stunned
at how good they are. They are not main stream so they are still a bit under
the wire but just watch as their following continues to grow. Get out there and
support live music, buy their CDs and swag at the merchandise table. Doing
those things will keep the music alive and make it worthwhile for these folks
to continue to entertain us.
The
unseasonable weather did not stop people from filling the grounds at Tanglewood
in Lenox Massachusetts on a Sunday afternoon when Huey Lewis and his band
arrived.
But before the main act hit the stage a local native
named Jamie Kent entertained us. Living in Nashville now, Kent grew up in
Northampton Mass. He was thrilled to be on stage and he and his partner Reese Williams
performed a fine opening set. Williams played a standup bass with energy and
style while Kent strummed his guitar and belted out songs like his was born to
be there entertaining us all.
After Kent did his set he left the stage and we took a
walk for the break. We saw he was walking around and stopped to speak to him,
which many others did as well. He invited us to the merch tent to pick up his
CD Embers & Ashes. He was very
kind and signed the CD as well as many others for folks that were patiently
waiting for him there. Along the way to the tent he told me that he got his
website URL www.jamiekent.com
when was in seventh grade. He must have known he would be using it at some
point.
Jamie Kent is a very talented singer/songwriter that is
gracious and humble. I can understand why everyone loves him and wants to be
around him. If you want to catch him live go to the Northampton Summer Concert
Series (Old Courthouse Lawn) on July 17th to get a taste of his
folk, Americana rock music. He is currently working on his new album in
Nashville.
I
had never had the opportunity to see Huey Lewis live before but I certainly
remember how he was pumping out all the hits back in the 80s when I was
actually living in the Bay Area from whence he came. He was one of many artists
that took advantage of the popular MTV to help make his music reach a worldwide
audience via videos. Today of course he is a household name. The current tour
is titled While We Were Young, after
the new song they recorded. They did play the song and everyone loved it.
Huey sounds as good as ever and his band is so tight! The
brass section really adds a touch of class to everything and gives the music
another layer that helps to drive home each song with more impact.
Huey and his band are rooted in the blues and they know
how to lay down a number with emotion and endless energy. They kicked off the
proceedings with “The Heart of Rock & Roll” one of their big hits from the
early days. After that the crowd was under his spell as Huey and his band
rolled out the hits, a few acapella numbers as well as some tasty covers like
“Um, Um, Um, Um, Um, Um, Um” and “But It's Alright.”
After
about an hour it was time to say goodbye but we knew it wasn’t over yet, after
about 5 minutes of applauding, whistling, hooting and hollering they came back
out on stage and gave us four more great songs to complete the set.
Huey assured us he would return to Lenox so I hope to see
him back next year; I would not hesitate to go again.
Keith “MuzikMan” Hannaleck-Founder of Write A Music
Review, MuzikMan.net, Prog Rock Music Talk, Rate The Tracks and New Age Music
Reviews
Set
List:
The Heart
of Rock & Roll
If This Is
It
I Want A
New Drug
He Don't
Know
The Rhythm
Ranch
Back in
Time
Um, Um, Um,
Um, Um, Um, Um
(Major Lance cover)
Little
Bitty Pretty One
(Bobby Day
cover)
While We're
Young
Heart and
Soul
(Exile
cover)
But It's
Alright
(J.J.
Jackson cover)
We're Not
Here for a Long Time (We're Here for a Good Time)
