SPARKS

[Buckeye Randy]

Here are some recent things I've stumbled upon. It's a great year for music!

Sacrificed by Cannibals at the Bottom of the Stairs to the Church of Blood - Pavid Vermin
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qFk8YGZHHwo
I’m a sucker for this punky/surf sound and these guys morph it with a great arrangement and one of the best song titles ever.

I'm The One - Bobby Rush
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zmH1l5X8jio
Great skip along blues track with a funky groove.

Missing You - Dollyrots
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eep-Kmr8xvI
Such a fun G-rated pop/punk band. They just keep churning out good music.

Cross The Line - The Cold Stares
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ry38935mgeM
British blues revival.

Runaway Blues - Greta Van Fleet
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GipJdzKytQ0
Not a fan of the band but this really is a great blast at just over a minute.

Actual videos.

Devil In Disguise - Rancid
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hsdCQjmlUFE
Rancid has aged as well which seems like a double negative or something. Regardless, good song.

Saturday Night Till' Sunday Morning - Velvet Insane feat. Dregen, Chips Kiesbye & Bonni Pontén
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Wt_I-JIyso
Oh yeah, who says glam is gone? Love this stuff.

Too Good At Raising Hell - The Struts
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PpAJvj0BXEI
Again, who says glam is gone?

Doomer - Thick
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nr_b-am2etE
So intrusive…I’m a little uncomfortable. That’s a good song, right?

When I Drink I Fight - Gas Station Boner Pills
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EJiLxSftQqE
Are you kidding me? I can’t go back to Chuck E Cheese? Hilarious.

White Line Frankenstein - Alice Cooper
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jphkAeGSA78
It goes without saying...

My vote for most artsy video.
The Trench Coat Museum - Yard Act
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7P0YpeMPZ9g

BTW, released today....
End Of World - Public Image Ltd. The album as a whole is pretty darn good. Drones less than others and humor is more apparent than usual.

Thoughts on any of these new releases or something you would like to share.
_________________
Billy, Don't Be A Porter

[Buckeye Randy]

Who: Steve Earle
Where: Kent Stage (Kent, Ohio)
When: August 16, 2023

Are you familiar with Steve Earle? If not, here’s my one paragraph biography by an admittingly casual fan. He started in the 80’s as a country/folk/rock guy and had instant success with the album ‘Guitar Town’ and later with the song “Copperhead Road”. He’s released over 20 albums interrupted by an early 90’s stay in prison for drugs. He’s been sober nearly 30 years and has three Grammys plus is in Nashville Songwriters Hall Of Fame. His songs have been covered by the likes of Johnny Cash, Willie Nelson, Waylon Jennings, Bob Seger, Emmlou Harris and countless others. He has released tribute albums dedicated to his main influences; Townes Van Zandt and Jerry Jeff Walker. He hosts a weekend Sirus radio show on the Outlaw Country channel and he’s recognized as top shelf when it comes to the genre of ‘Americana Troubadour’. That’s the short of it.

Steve Earle’s ‘Alone Again Tour’ started in Paris on June 2 and we are about 50 shows in with about 15 left to go. We find him on this Wednesday evening visiting a sold-out Kent Stage in Kent, Ohio. This is my 7th visit to Kent Stage in the last 17 months which is a 700 seat concert venue that was a movie theater in a former life.

This venue is ideal for intimate sit-down concert experiences like this show but I will add that it’s total crap for rock and roll shows due to the ‘no dancing’ rule. Well, they don’t say ‘no dancing’ but you are instructed before the show that the preferred time to go the restroom is before or after the performance, have respect for your neighbors by not talking during the show and absolutely do not approach the stage during the concert. I remember seeing Ian Hunter here about ten years ago and when the volunteer security started chasing people away from the stage, Ian looked confused. Before the next song Ian told everybody that it’s OK to come and dance and the floodgates were open! Rock on.

Kent is a cozy college town which is great when it comes to plenty of bars and restaurants and lots of quaint (artsy) places to shop plus ample free parking. The only drawback for me is that it takes over 30 minutes to drive there which really is not that big of a drawback. I’m giving a shout out to ‘Bellaria’ which is an Italian place just a couple minute walk from Kent Stage. Mama Mia! Mrs. Buckeye and I love the food from this place! Sure sign of old age is when concert reviews include Wife, food and fee parking. Rock on.

We settle into our worn but comfortable front row theater seats, we listen to our instructions about concert etiquette and wait for the Steve Earle show to begin. Uh…an unadvertised opener! That can be troublesome. Actually, the 30 minute acoustic set by Ben Chapman was listenable and even enjoyable. I actually got a bit of a rush when he started playing his only cover song evening. My all time favorite song by Little Feat, “Willin’”….weed, whites and wine...

Between acts, I thought about my expectations for the upcoming show. It dawned on me, this is the first time I’ve ever seen a headliner do a solo show. I’ve seen Jake Burns (Stiff Little Fingers) do a solo gig (twice) and it was really good but it was as an opener. Other openers of note, Danny Kroa (on Jack White’s Third Man Records) did a great job when I saw him open for Ian Hunter. Years ago I saw Jonah Koslen (from Micael Stanley Band) put on a memorable solo show. No; Mrs. Buckeye and myself have never sorted out what happened to my t-shirt from that show, I loved that shirt but I digress. Not quite solo but Wreckless Eric (accompanied by Amy Rigby) was pretty entertaining. Mostly though, solo openers have been totally and completely forgettable.

Steve Earle strode on stage at exactly 8:30 and he started the evening covering a song by The Pogues, “If I Should Fall From The Grace Of God”. He commented afterward that he covers it because nobody can understand the words when sung by Shane MacGowan.

The 24 song set list was a career overview custom made for me considering my limited knowledge of Steve’s catalog. Three of the songs were drawn from ‘Guitar Town’ and five from my favorite, 1996’s ‘I Feel Alright’. Take those and a few of his more well known songs mixed with some deep tracks along with a sprinkling of covers and it was near perfect.

One of the nice things about this 'Alone' tour is Steve gets to tell a few stories about the songs. He told us that nobody would know what the 12 string guitar is if it weren't for Lead Belly and we should check him out. He told us that in high school he picked up girls by playing Donovan songs at parties and Steve told us about the times before he was sober and the lows of his drug addiction. This was the introduction of CCKMP (Cocaine Can't Kill My Pain).

Steve also told us about his son dying from cocaine laced with fentanyl. It was at this point the atmosphere turned uncomfortable as a heckler and Steve shouted obscenities at one another. Steve was noticeably rattled for a moment after the exchange before settling back into the performance.

No concert is complete these days without sharing political opinions but congrats to Steve for making some of his known without really ranting or mentioning anybody by name. He added that it's OK to disagree without hating each other which drew applause. Overall, I thought his stories between songs were crisp and not long winded, he kept the show moving.

One thing I did not expect was being wowed by guitar work, I never realized how good of a guitarist he is. Steve played a few different guitars which provided contrast of sounds, he also played mandolin and added harmonica on several songs. I think this really elevated the show and gave songs an individual flavor.

I regret that it took me so long to finally see Steve Earle. Great songs by a great performer. Well Done!

Setlist
1. If I Should Fall From Grace With God
2. The Devil's Right Hand
3. My Old Friend the Blues
4. Someday
5. Guitar Town
6. I Ain't Ever Satisfied
7. Taneytown
8. Now She's Gone
9. Goodbye
10. Sparkle and Shine
11. You're the Best Lover That I Ever Had
12. South Nashville Blues
13. CCKMP
14. Transcendental Blues
15. Angel Is the Devil
16. Feel Alright
17. It's About Blood
18. Mr. Bojangles
19. Harlem River Blues
20. Tell Moses
21. The Galway Girl
22. Copperhead Road
Encore
23. Billy Austin
24. Hard Core Troubadour
_________________
Billy, Don't Be A Porter

[waterloosunset]

Randy, do your reviews get published? If not, they should.
_________________
better drop the requirement that everything be great

[Buckeye Randy]

[Buckeye Randy]

Who: The Offspring, Simple Plan, Sum 41
When: August 22, 2023
Where: Blossom Music Center (Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio)

Blossom Music Center is your basic 20,000 capacity amphitheater located on 800 acres in a national forest (Cuyahoga Valley National Park) with one access road. Is your first thought how beautiful this must be or is it parking must sure be a clusterbunch? Both are true.

An acoustically designed pavilion (6000 seats) projecting to a lawn (14,000 capacity) might be great for the Cleveland Orchestra for which it was designed but it is not ideal for amplified rock acts. Many people that lounge on the lawn would disagree but I’ve never sat on the lawn and have no intention of doing so. I’m a closer is better guy and prefer to be standing when it comes to concerts. I generally try to avoid shows at this place but I’ve been lured in several times over the years by choice headliners; Todd Rundgren, Aerosmith, Jethro Tull, The Offspring, Yes, Steve Miller Band, Steely Dan…maybe others. I’ve seen some dandy openers as well, Elvis Costello, Lit, The Dickies, Eric Johnson, Saga and I apologize to all the openers I can’t remember.

Anyways, my point is that it has to be something special to get me to go. The Offspring for a second time here qualifes as something special. I’ve seen the original pranksters three previous times but by some unlikely series of coincidences, Mrs. Buckeye has never seen them and The Offspring qualify as a bucket list band for her. Book it; Mrs. Buckeye and myself plus our two sons and two of their longtime friends with pit passes, evening planned.

It had been a while since the Mrs. and I were tailgating in a field with beers before a show. It’s one of those things that comes pretty easy when you’re hanging around a couple of guys in their 20’s. The pre gig partying ‘almost’ makes you forget the inevitable gridlock/anxiety that will be upon us in five hours trying to leave this god forsaken pasture.

This was my first time at a Blossom show that included a pit in front of the stage. The pit area was not huge, maybe 500 people. I sort of feel bad for the people with front row seats behind the barrier a few feet behind us. No way they can see unless they stand. I suppose standing is a given at a show like this and in that respect, they win because they paid $40 less and have guaranteed personal space which can be at a premium in a pit setting.

I am not a big fan of early 00’s emo pop/punk. My enthusiasm for Sum 41 and Simple Plan was low but I’ll give anybody a shot to impress in a live setting. Blossom is notorious for late arriving crowds filling the pavilion during the opener, not on this night. The crowd was in full force and highly enthusiastic for both these bands shouting out lyrics throughout the performances. The stage effects were minimum for Sum 41 while Simple Plan was permitted to use some of their own lighting and fog/steam effects. I’ll give the nod to Sum 41 for me personally but both had good high energy performances and good crowd interaction.

Hats off to The Offspring for pairing themselves with decent openers. Last night might have been a notch down for me but clearly both bands can bring it live. Other openers I’ve seen for The Offspring are Lit, The Dickies, All American Rejects and Dropkick Murphys (2). It makes for a mini festival atmosphere.

I’ll start by saying that the three shows I saw by The Offspring between 1999 and 2009 were near perfect with energy and presentation. I expected the same and that is bad on me because not all bands age the same. Especially one that is toeing the line of being a part time band with limited touring and only 3 studio releases the last 19 years. The part time status is mostly due to vocalist/guitarist Dexter Holland getting his PhD in molecular biology and doing AIDS research. He’s also a licensed pilot and did a 10 day solo flight around the world. Dexter has some business ventures going on as well so his time as a premier punk rocker has been at least partially compromised. Does all this matter? Maybe.

The 20 minutes before show time had a light atmosphere with cameras on the audience that were shown on the big screens (one screen behind, two flanking the stage). The crowd was prompted into kissing, booty shakin’ and general buffoonery.

The Offspring took the stage with their 1994 breakthrough song, “Come Out And Play” (gotta keep them separated). I want to start by saying that I’m not familiar with many songs by Sum 41 and Simple Plan but the sound, crispness and energy were spot on for those two bands. There was a bit of…casualness…with The Offspring.

Songs were fired in rapid fashion at the beginning of the set, a little sloppiness forgiven. As the show went on the breaks between the songs became frequent and filled with what I perceived as patronizing of the crowd. I go to a fair number of shows, I know much of the stage banter is a nightly occurrence and I’m OK with that. I do not like hearing that we are the best crowd ever. Really? I ain’t buying. There were several things they said that made me shake my head. C’mon guys, just play some kick ass music!

The middle of the show was filled with instrumental cover versions while Dexter left the stage. I’ll admit it was sort of cool hearing abbreviated versions of Iron Man, The Trooper, Sweet Child O Mine. They followed that with a full blown version of Blitzkrieg Bop.

The overall stage show was adequate, not amazing. There was a mostly continuous haze on the stage and the video backdrop inside an arch of lights usually had closeups of either Dexter or Noodles. At one point there were a dozen beach balls being bounced around from the stage to the crowd. A couple times there were streamers and confetti coming down from the rafters.

A piano was rolled out on stage for “Gone Away” and they implied that it was something ‘special’ they were doing on this night. Really? I saw this 14 years ago only it was cooler then because the piano came up through the stage! Am I to believe they haven’t done this at nearly every show the last 14 years?

After this, the heavy hitters were rolled out and the crowd was responsive with singing along. The Offspring really do have a ton of good songs. “Why Don’t You Get A Job”, “Pretty Fly”, “The Kids Aren’t Alright” closed the set and “Self Esteem” was the last song of the encore.

Sooo….this is my 4th time seeing The Offspring and it is also my oldest son’s 4th time seeing them with three of those shows being shared experiences. He turned to me and Mrs. Buckeye after the encore and said, “That was great”! He’s a bigger fan than me and he thought it was great. I’m guessing that most the crowd who stood for the entire show would agree with him. Mrs. Buckeye’s first words after the show, “That was a little disappointing”. I agreed with her not only because agreeing with the Wife is always good for business but in this instance I really did agree.

It was not a bad night of family and music but the performance by The Offspring could have been better. All n all, I would do it again.

Set List:

1. Come Out and Play
2. All I Want
3. Want You Bad
4. Let the Bad Times Roll
5. Staring at the Sun
6. Original Prankster
7. Hammerhead
8. Bad Habit
9. Iron Man / The Trooper / Sweet Child o' Mine / In the Hall of the Mountain King
10. Blitzkrieg Bop
11. Gotta Get Away
12. Gone Away
13. Why Don't You Get a Job?
14. (Can't Get My) Head Around You
15. Pretty Fly (for a White Guy)
16. The Kids Aren't Alright
Encore
17. You're Gonna Go Far, Kid
18. Self Esteem
_________________
Billy, Don't Be A Porter

[Eric Murray]

Funny how music is in your life - I was ( and am ) a Gary Glitter fan
Tonight I listened to his first Album on YouTube ( I have an original copy as well )
Full of cover versions but a Great album in my opinion

[Buckeye Randy]

Attention DEVO fans....DEVOtional 2023 is here.

https://www.devo-obsesso.com/html/news_pgs/devotional2023-promo.html

It's a maybe for me...
_________________
Billy, Don't Be A Porter

[Buckeye Randy]

Released Today...
...best day in a while

Willie Nelson - Bluegrass
The title is a spoiler alert and included are bluegrass versions of classics including songs by Waylon and Kinky.
EF (early favorite): Bloody Mary Morning

Brian Setzer - The Devil Collects
Brian Setzer with the Stray Cats, his orchestra or on solo albums usually has a G-Rated sock hop feel. Not here, this release has the irreverent vibe of Reverend Horton Heat with a splash of The Cramps. The oddball track is a fairly faithful cover of Rockpile's "Play That Fast Thing (One More Time)".
EF: Girl On The Billboard
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XssJazX2JRc

Danko Jones - Electric Sounds
Macho juvenile rock served up on steroids. Try the album opener "Guess Who's Back" instead of a cup of coffee to start your day.
EF: Get High
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ppIccJNlojA

Non album songs…
Margo Price – Mind Travel
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O29jMQ5fAko
The Muster Point Project – I Did What I Did
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lZicuaJXqjg
The Dictators – Thank You And Have A Nice Day
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GuHWP8rFhMs
_________________
Billy, Don't Be A Porter

[Buckeye Randy]

File under old artist, new music...

Paul Rodgers has a new album today, Midnight Rose.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GwM74Ag4mhc
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GJSykCGb5aE

From the upcoming Foghat album that's getting some good early reviews. I gotta tell you, what I've heard so far is better than what I heard live last year when this line-up was just getting started.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qMuzPkPCafk

Newer artists, newer music...

Coach Party - What's The Point Of Life
This reminds me of Buzzcocks. I think this video is from a few months ago but the album is listed as being released today.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V9bHTXj3pWs

Bleachers - Modern Girl
Loose music by a really tight band that always has a great melody and great sax. This video shot in the studio is infectious and Fun. Yes, that was intentional. Jack Antonoff was formerly in the band Fun..
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6HbrymTIbyg
_________________
Billy, Don't Be A Porter

[Toughest Girl In Town]

I have so much respect for those who (just like you) can stay up-to-date musically, and still be interested in new stuff being released today.
I often struggle with modernity :)

You keep posting new things here and I think it's really refreshing (even if I don't enjoy everything you mention lol), I appreciate that, well done!

[Buckeye Randy]

Are you a fan of Queen? Are you a fan of Spanish rockers?

If you checked one of those boxes, it might be a good day for you. If you checked both those boxes then it's possibly a great day, mi amigo.

Title: Queen Reimagined
Artist: Various Artists
Released: 2023

Sooo...what we have is Queen's first album in its entirety redone by Spanish artists. The album cover uses the album art from Queen's first album with a slightly different font and 'REIMAGINED" in small print under 'Queen'. There is also a description in the lower lefthand corner, "A Spanish rock tribute to the greatest band ever".

At first glance, I've never heard any of the artists contributing. I was hoping Bull Y Los Bufalos was included but only because he's my lone reference to a rocking Spainard.

In general, the songs are not drastically reinvented but are simply reinterpreted by different artists in a semi faithful fashion. When there are differences, it is on the hazy side and not raw rock. I would have liked some songs in Spanish but apparently that didn't fit the concept. Amazingly, the original album and this redux are both 38 minutes but arrive there in different ways.

For a Queen fan, the differences between songs can be the most interesting thing. "Doing All Right" by Havalina is perhaps the most different; it is over two minutes longer than the original and has a very dreamy feel. It does not include the raw guitar attack of the original but has a four-minute outro that builds in intensity until the end.

Messura's "Liar" starts very different before the recognizable riff appears and even then it is an interpretation and not a dead ringer of Brian May's original work. Missing from this abbreviated version is Freddie's percussion heavy descent into Hell.

"Modern Times Rock n Roll" by Ezpalak is probably the most faithful along with "My Fairy King" by Los Estanques/Anni B Sweet.

My early favorite is "Son and Daughter" covered by Harmana Furia and she delivers blistering vocals over the hardest rocking guitar on the album. Well done!

Overall, it's a novelty release for Queen fans. That's good enough for me on a new music Friday.

Enjoy!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2-IembyEYcQ&list=OLAK5uy_nSVWDoS7avJvsgZdwhmCwa7qqa0eeoaps
_________________
Billy, Don't Be A Porter

[Buckeye Randy]

Who: KISS
When: Rocktober 22, 2023
Where: Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse (Cleveland, Ohio)

Well, I never thought this would happen. I guess being sentimental has finally surpassed having discerning taste in choosing concerts and my reasonably high level of self-respect. I say this half joking and I can easily pass this off as field research or even in the guilty pleasure category.

I’m of the age that can remember KISS before they were an arena band and were sort of a quirky oddity. I remember KISS albums being included when I was borrowing my neighbor’s albums which included Queen, Mott The Hoople, Sparks and Alice Cooper. These albums were my introduction to cool and were to become my musical DNA. The KISS albums never stuck for some reason but even without a true connection I did like many of the songs. I think part of the reason I wasn’t on board had to do with knowing several people that were KISS fans. They were sooo annoying! This was only reinforced in the coming years, don’t tell me a KISS show is better than a Queen show, puhleeze!

Fast forward nearly 50 years and my brain has softened and there is something warm and nostalgic about KISS. In my defense, this is the ‘Final Final Farewell Finally Tour’ (officially: End Of The Road Tour) and as I already said, I’m sentimental. In my defense pt. II; it’s getting harder and harder to cobble up pieces from my youth and I might as well do it when possible and ask questions later.

I felt somewhat safe when Mrs. Buckeye and I bought tix. She would be my comforting cohort as we descended into this self deprecating damnation. Well…it turns out through no fault of my own that Mrs. Buckeye was able to defer, detour and deflect so I’ll be going with my oldest son. This is actually fine; we’ve been to many shows together and it’s great catching up on life plus I’ll have a designated driver. The thought of alcohol provides solace.

A skip and a jump and we arrive in Cleveland and park on the top level of a parking garage next to Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse (love the corporate naming rights). The place has been open for 30 years, holds 19,000 people, houses professional basketball and hockey and we are on the third name since opening (Gund Arena, Quicken Loans Arena and Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse). I’ve been here several times over the years for basketball and hockey but this is only my second concert with the other being Queen + Paul Rodgers. The Queen/KISS connection is not lost on me.

We stop at a watering hole next to the venue which is overflowing with concert goers of all ages and sizes. One of the things I like about concerts is seeing all the different bands represented on t-shirts by concert goers. Not so much on this evening, only one band was represented except for my son and I. I wore a Starz t-shirt, Starz are a band I really like that happened to open for KISS in the ‘70’s. My son wore a t-shirt featuring the Road Warriors which are a professional wrestling tag team that wear face paint. All other t-shirts were KISS from various tours and plenty of people wearing make-up. The KISS Army indeed.

Are you familiar with the phrase, ‘nose bleed seats’? That’s what we had because I was not on board with ponying up large dollars for good seats. That said, we had an unobstructed view from our perch high above the arena floor.

Opening up was Amber Wild who happen to be the band fronted by Paul Stanley’s son. Their first EP was released last week and the 30 minute set was OK. It was actually cute when Evan thanked his Dad for the opportunity. The band would benefit from a club setting because they looked a little lost on the huge stage but nothing embarrassing. Time for the headliner…

Lights dim, the song “Rock n Roll” by Led Zep is cranked. Anticipation builds and finally the stage explodes with flashes of lights, fire and sonic booms. Three 10’ circular platforms appear in the rafters and lower toward the stage carrying Gene Simmons, Paul Stanley and Tommy Thayer, Eric Singer is already planted on stage behind his drums. An electric beginning as the band starts the evening with “Detroit Rock City”.

The stage is flanked by three video screens, a huge screen behind and one on each side. The side screens feature close-ups of the action on stage. The larger screen alternates between live action, vintage performances from yesteryear and graphics to complement each song. There were also a dozen or so small circular screens hovering above the stage that could move about.

Fan favorites were rolled out one after another; “Shout It Out Loud”, “Deuce” and ”Heaven’s On Fire”. This was followed by “I Love It Loud” which featured Gene and his iconic fire breathing. Fans on the floor were energized and on their feet the entire show.

A couple months ago I felt patronized by The Offspring who repeatedly said we were the best audience ever and they were doing special things just for us. KISS was not guilty of this. Paul name checked every venue they ever played in Cleveland over their 27 appearances plus mentioned a couple places they partied at. He thanked Cleveland between nearly every song and said they always enjoyed Cleveland. Obviously, much of the banter is the same night to night while inserting a different city but at no point did I feel my intelligence was being insulted. It actually seemed like they are totally enjoying and appreciative during the last 20 or so shows of this final tour.

“Cold Gin” from their first album was probably my favorite which was followed by an extend guitar solo with excerpts from Led Zep’s “Whole Lotta Love”. More hits with “Lick It Up” and “Calling Dr. Love”. A drum solo was mixed in with partial versions of “Psycho Circus” and “100,000 Years”. At several points there were audience shout abouts seeing which section was loudest. A genuine party atmosphere.

A bass solo morphed into “God Of Thunder” that featured Gene spitting out blood which could be viewed in great detail via the big screens. This was followed by Paul Stanley (with the aid of a harness!) flying from the main stage to a small stage behind the soundboard and performing “Love Gun”.

This all sounds great as I recall the events. However, in many ways it really was a flashback to when I first listened to KISS. There was something that didn’t connect, a realization that I was not filled with the same energy as the 19,000 members of KISS Army. The pain of being stuck on the 5th floor of a parking deck started weighing against the pleasure I would get from an encore. My son and I picked up on each other’s vibe and gave the nod. We dashed as the band performed their disco laden “I Was Made For Loving You”.

Within minutes we were in the car and heading out of the parking garage and toward the highway and had to battle zero traffic. Sure, I wish I could have heard the encore which included “Do You Love Me” and “Rock and Roll All Nite” which really are two of my favorites but as I tell the story…I have no regrets, I’m OK. First time for everything.

I won’t bother getting philosophical and writing more into this than needs to be. All I can say is the show was good but not good enough to stay. Maybe I would feel differently if I had a better seat but maybe it doesn’t matter because I just don’t connect. I’m glad I went but probably won’t go see them again on the next farewell tour (smiling)
_________________
Billy, Don't Be A Porter

[Toughest Girl In Town]

Wow, you're just so lucky, I absolutely love them!!! And this time it seems to be their real final tour, never had the chance to see them live myself, your review definitely makes me feel like I've missed out!
Now this being said:

Yes you DO have good taste
No, not all Kiss fans are annoying :)

[PETER RAWCLIFFE]

[Buckeye Randy]

Two worthy cover versions today and couple other recent ones worth hearing.

Can't Get It Out Of My Head - Juliana Hatfield
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zqrt8U68OmA

Saturday Night's Alright For Fighting - Kenny Wayne Shepherd
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZDnADN_BsYM

Mercury Blues - Joanna Conner
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WosH8wAO3hY

Moonage Daydream - Clay Coughlin
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=12MtBuHUXx8&list=OLAK5uy_muDbI_AfySoPSqoLWqALUDIhg4JlQZVMA&index=2
_________________
Billy, Don't Be A Porter

[KaelMael]

Daryl Hall and The Daryl's House Band with special guest Todd Rundgren

Sumida Triphony Hall, Tokyo
November 19, 2023

I must say, I had a time of my life.

I'm a huge Todd Rundgren fan but had never seen him live, until this night. I knew it's going to be the highlight of my year. The only downside was that he was merely an opening act for Daryl Hall, or so I heard. Nevertheless, with The Daryl's House Band on his back, he did a great performance for about an hour. Mostly songs from '70s but more recent ones were played, too. Neatly compiled "the best of Todd Rundgren", so to speak. "Unloved Children" from Nearly Human worked surprisingly well with the band and his voice was much more strong and stable than I expected. Half way through the set, he picked up his iconic green guitar which, he told us, was born in Japan. He asked us if we mind him making "some noise" and off he went, the raging guitar sound of "Black Maria". To my slight disappointment, the medley from "A Wizard / A True Star" was cut in half (only "I'm So Proud" and "Ooh Baby Baby") and "I Want You" by Marvin Gaye was added. "The Want of a Nail" was the last song to be played. I was hoping Todd & Daryl does this together, since it is a duet song. Sadly, it never happened.

I'm sure I was the most visibly excited person in the audience throughout his performance. I wished it to last longer but remember, the man of the show had yet to come...

After 20 minutes break, Daryl Hall hit the stage with "Dreamtime" and the audience went WILD. The whole atmosphere in the hall had completely changed at this moment. Even the people in front row who had been quiet during the first hour now cheering gleefully, abandoning their seats (Todd was only a guest, but...).

More solo songs and Hall & Oates hits followed. "Babs and Babs" from his first solo album, produced by none other than Robert Fripp, was the song I was waiting for. Fripp was a guest for the latest episode of Live From Daryl's House (web series) at the time of the concert. He expressed his gratitude to Fripp before he started to play.
What stood out the most was his beautiful rendition of "Here Comes The Rain Again" by Eurythmics, which he had performed with Dave Stewart on LFDH a while ago. I'm not a fan of the original song but his slow, emotional version was simply outstanding. Overall, he seemed to have a bit of trouble hitting high notes, but still it was brilliant. Every member of the band were amazing, too. Especially Charles DeChant, a guy who played saxophone in Hall & Oates songs, most notably "Maneater". Hats off to Charles.

Both Daryl & Todd appeared for the encore. They did three songs, "Wait For Me", "Can We Still Be Friends?" and The Delfonics cover "Didn't I". I could tell they were enjoying performing together. There were fist bumps here and there. It made me smile.
Todd bid farewell to the audience and the show came to a finale with "Private Eyes". This was a surprise because it wasn't on the previous setlists. Nearly everybody stood up and we clapped hands at the chorus. Boy, that was fun!

I have to admit that although I always liked Daryl Hall I wouldn't have gone to see him if it wasn't for Todd. I'm glad I did. At the age of 77, Daryl still entertains us with his top-notch performance. Wow. If he ever come back to Japan I would go again for sure. Preferably Hall & Oates, but given the circumstances they are in right now, I don't think they would make my dream come true.
_________________
My resume is dull and it's gray

[Buckeye Randy]

[Buckeye Randy]

Artist: Peter Hammill
Title: In A Foreign Town/Out Of Water 2023
Released: 12/01/23

I’m not a copy/paste guy unless I find something essential while gathering particulars before sharing my own thoughts. The following is an excerpt from the promo by Cherry Red Records.

‘In a Foreign Town / Out of Water 2023’ is a new project by Peter Hammill. which features new reworkings of two of Peter’s landmark albums originally released in 1988 and 1990 respectively.

The uncertainty surrounding the rights of both these original albums prompted Hammill to revisit both works in the studio, reworking and re-recording whilst also using elements of the original material to stunning effect. The finished results are remarkable and demonstrate the strength of the original compositions. No longer destined to be viewed as “a product of their time”, these new 2023 reworkings of ‘In a Foreign Town’ and ‘Out of Water’ can be seen as vital recordings in Peter Hammill’s extensive body of work.

I first was introduced to Peter Hammill through all-night college radio (WKSU). The programming was heavy into progressive artists including Robert Fripp, Brian Eno, Gong, Van Der Graaf Generator, Henry Cow, Ken Nordine, Gentle Giant, Tangerine Dream or King Crimson. That list barely scratches the surface and I will add that they would occasionally blast some Sex Pistols or Sparks to keep you on your toes.

Peter Hammill was one of my favorites and I picked up a a 1978 album titled ‘Vision’ which was a best of that included Peter’s solo work and I think a song or two by VDGG. This album barely exists in discographies but can be found at Discogs for under $20.

The radio programming at WKSU changed and by the early ‘80’s the once progressive format was barely recognizable and then it vanished. An overview if you are interested. http://xerographicoppossum.blogspot.com/2010/05/fresh-air-archives.html

Once this station disappeared so did my access to these bands. I would still give late night listening’s to the albums I had bought but they were a snapshot in time, I did not pursue new releases. My musical taste was changing as time passed and these albums received fewer and fewer listens except for Peter Hammill. He was the lone torch bearer from my late-night progressive years.

With the evolution of the Internet, all things lost can seek you out. Through some sort of AI unbeknownst to me I received notification that one of my favorite artists had a new release, Peter Hammill,

Peter Hammill had never fallen off my radar and he has several tracks on my playlists. However, as much as I enjoy the ‘70’s material I was not as receptive to his releases over the last five years which is probably more a testament to my attention span than the quality of the music.

The original releases of ‘In A Foreign Town’ and ‘Out Of Water’ fall into the window (’88 – ’90) where I had no easy access to hearing new progressive material. The reviews from ’88 are mostly negative but checking the Billboard charts from ’88 tells us that the soundtrack to ‘Dirty Dancing’ and ‘Faith’ by George Michael were the most popular album of the year (both 11 weeks #1). I still have not listened to the original releases in their entirety but I have listened to this new updated release several times and I like it.

Looking at the two discs individually, ‘In A Foreign Town’ is crisper and edgier and more closely resembles Peter’s music in the ‘70’s. The music sticks with you both lyically and musically. ‘Out Of Water’ is not as focused with some tracks rambling like VDGG had a tendency to do. Other tracks sound like they are trying to be relevant with the times and sounding like poor man’s Peter Gabriel. Things could certainly be worse!

If you liked Peter Hammill back in the day, I recommend giving a listen.

Well Done!
_________________
Billy, Don't Be A Porter

[Buckeye Randy]

Band: Thee K-Otics

What's wrong with this? Absolutely nothing!
Perfect start to a new release Friday.

Song: Lovin' Kinda Rocket
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-05QtqG8Hzw
_________________
Billy, Don't Be A Porter

[Buckeye Randy]

2023 Top 10 (mine goes to 11)

1. Can’t Stop Letting You Down by The Pink Spiders: I won’t deny that I have a big gooey music crush on The Pink Spiders and their latest album ‘Freakazoid’ which totally blew me away. That said, this is perhaps the best ‘70’s power pop song ever and the fact it is from 2023 is simply amazing. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tTgVlpJANf8

2. Deathwish by Samantha Fish & Jeff Dayton: Two contemporary blues artists collaborate on what is the greatest groove of the year. Totally infectious. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kdHJmnd338o

3. Devil In Disguise by Rancid: This song goes down like warm milk and fits in perfectly with the best material Rancid has done over the last 30 years of kicking ass. The great ones make it seem effortless. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hsdCQjmlUFE

4. Glamdemic Blues by Ricky Bird: Former Blackheart struts his glam roots while doing some free and easy reminiscing. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ii8G72DBXjs

5. Sacrificed By Cannibals At The Bottom Of The Stairs To The Church Of Blood by Pavid Vermin: The best song title of the year presented in a dreamy surf haze of energy. Perfect breakdown complete with chirping birds. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qFk8YGZHHwo

6. Step by The Midnight Callers: It’s early ‘70’s UK glam served up from New York City with a bit of a street tough delivery that lands them tougher than The Sweet and more melodic than the N.Y. Dolls. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6i3BaxQrJLM

7. Been To The Mountain by Margo Price: Certainly my most played song of 2023, the lyrics are riveting. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OoxGsS4PMd8

8. First Sight by The Prize: A new band yet to release their first album and I will be first in line to hear it. The song has a bit of a demo quality but that’s part of the charm. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F96pwVKOz9w

9. Uncle Gilbert by Ghoul Lewis & The Boos: It’s creepy cabaret served up ala Alex Harvey meets Screamin’ Jay Hawkins directed by Ann Magnuson. You can draw your own conclusion. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CWq8q2T-bes

10. Come And Get Some Me by SUSU: This track from their debut album is dancy and punky and totally sexy. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UaknAzww50k

11. I Did What I Did by The Muster Point Project: OK, any list by me would be incomplete without at least one ‘dumb guy’ song because not only do I love dumb guy humor I am in fact a dumb guy. The surprise here is that this song was not by The Dictators. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lZicuaJXqjg

Most of the next 30 some songs or so could have easily been shuffled into the top 10.

Love Gun – V Sparks
Bogus Operandi - The Hives
Look Ma, No Brains! - Green Day
Saturday Night Till Sunday Morning - Velvet Insane
Too Good At Raising Hell - The Struts
We Want Action - Fever Dog
White Line Frankenstein - Alice Cooper (Tom Morello)
Edging - Blink 182
I Just Wanna Play Dead – The Dollyrots
Trouble – Olivia Jean
The Mona Lisa’s Packing, Leaving Late Tonight – Sparks
Animator’s Survival Kit – Tomato Soup
Shannon’s Song – The Bouncing Souls
Fortunate One – Joe Perry (Chris Robinson)
Estranged Fruit – Fishbone, NOFX
If You’re Blue – Joan Jett & the Blackhearts
Lookin’ Thru Glass – Mozart Estate
I Feel The Love – The Heavy
Move Me – The Delta Bombers
Death Cabaret (Voodoo Burlesque) – Killer Tone Jones
It’s Hard But It’s Fair – Joe Bonamassa
Victory Or Death – Anti-Flag
I Won’t Ever Be Happy Again – Bright Eyes
Little Magic – Natural Child
I’ll Give You All Night To Stop – Nick Lowe
Let’s Get Wild – Buckcherry
Stay A Little Longer – Wolfmother
Defiance – Ian Hunter (Slash, Robert Trujillo)
When I Drink I Fight – Gas Station Boner Pills
Steh aufm Dach – Falschgeld
I’m The One – Bobby Rush
Fast Lane – Vixen77
Thank You And Have A Next Day – The Dictators


Best Cover Versions 2023

Moonage Daydream (David Bowie)– Clay Coughlin
I Hate Myself For Loving You (Joan Jett) – Dolly Parton and Joan Jett
You’re The Only One That I Want (Grease Soundtrack) – Punk Rock Factory
Son And Daughter (Queen) – Hermana Furia
Come Together (The Beatles) – Romano Nervoso
You Shook Me All Night Long (AC/DC) – The Queers
Hanging On The Telephone (Blondie) – Spiders
See No Evil (Television) - Ghost
Oh Bondage, Up Yours (X-Ray Spex) – Cliffdiver
Crazy Horses (Osmonds) – The Dictators
Don’t You Want Me (The Human League) – Smoking Popes
_________________
Billy, Don't Be A Porter