Philadelphia Recording Community

Tonight I went to a meeting with the Philadelphia Recording Community. I went for the purpose of starting to advertise locally this website, and to try to get help in getting paid ads for the site. I mistakenly did not allow enough time to stay for the full meeting, but what part I did get to see, I was totally impressed with. Here is a bunch of individuals, getting together to discuss the business of music. How to promote it, record it, produce it, advertise it, and all in all get it done properly and out to the public to be enjoyed. There are singers , songwriters, producers, lawyers, musicians and more abounding with knowledge and passion for their craft and willing to discuss and disseminate freely hundreds of combined years of experience at the mere answer to a question. I do have a full time job that takes up a lot of my time, and that is another reason I had to leave early, but rest assured, I will plan more time for the next meeting night so I can get to experience more of the wisdom this group of professionals has to offer to those who are willing to attend and simply ask for help. The thing that grabbed me the most tonight was the discussion of Phila schools and the lack of arts programs, and how this group will be moving to fill in that gap from the stupidity of the school board to eliminate the arts in schools. I only wish that the program will be a major success and that it could become a staple in this and everyother city for the education of our children into the world of arts and music.

I had left a ton of business cards and I encourage all attendees to scope out this site and feel free to leavc comments. I strongly suggest that any and all local musicians get involved in this group and make it grow and prosper and become the base for a national reform for keeping the music alive and growing in this country.

Its RAIN ing in here

Well, here is one review that I am happy to write.

Dawn and I are big Beatles fans, I guess you can tell that from previous reviews. We have seen 1964 the tribute and the Fab Faux both several times and have given them both positive marks for their performances, along with the British Invasion Tribute. Each one being unique in their own way. For example, 1964 concentrates on the early group complete with costumes. The Fab Faux concentrate on exact duplication of the music with no costumes. The British Invasion covers not only the Beatles but all the British bands along with their American counterparts, capping off their show with a full album side of a Beatles set. RAIN is a combination of the two complete with multimedia presentation.

Until this past Sunday (thanks Danny got us out of a Superbowl party), my favorite was the Fab Faux because we know Will. Second would be the British Invasion as we know the entire band and they are all great guys. But after seeing RAIN on Sunday, I have to give the tribute award to them.

They put on such a great multimedia presentation of the 4 lads from Liverpool, that the audience is swept into a time tunnel back to the 1960's. Along with the giant displays showing the Beatlemania affected youth of the times, they come out dressed in garb duplicating the Ed Sullivan show clothes, the Sgt Pepper era clothes, the Abbey Road period clothes, and have all the instruments to match. Kudos to the production team that found all the old TV footage, especially the ridiculous commercials I remember seeing as a child. Who remembers DUZ laundry soap and their free stockings, and Fred and Barney hiding from Wilma and Betty hawking WINSTON smokes??? I had forgotten them both and all the other great visuals playing with my memories, and taking me back to a time when I had no cares, or responsibilities.

Being a musician, I am always mindful of the performance of the artist, and in this case I have to admit that these guys are more than consummate musicians with the ability to pull it off. The attention to detail in mannerisms and language is uncanny. From Ringo's floppy head to George's mini skiffle, this group of actors is top notch. As for musicianship, they are second only to the Fab Faux, in my opinion. Mark Beyer is a great add for a copy of Billy Preston and provides keyboard accompaniment when required in all the right places. Ralph must have spent months perfecting his Ringo head flops, and Joe the same on George's dancing while playing lead. Steve has just the right percentage of comedy to take on John and Joey's version of Paul is perfect. Musically, this group is as tight as the original 4 lads were on record, and when closing your eyes, you can just transport to a time and space of comfort and relaxation allowing you to immerse yourself in the thrill of BEATLEMANIA.

My hat is tipped to the band of merriment and nostalgia in helping Dawn and I to, if even so briefly, to relive a part of out lives that was special and meaning full. I strongly recommend if you havent seen the show, that when you can DONT MISS IT.

Saturday nite and the Fudge

Well, this is the first of this years posts and it starts off with a great night with Vanilla Fudge. I must say that it came as a total surprise to me that Tim Bogart had retired and is not touring with the VF any more. I was looking forward to his Jeykel/Hyde transformation pre and post show. Having met Tim several times, I can tell you he runs the gamet of moods before during and after a show. Pre show, he is all laid back, relaxed, almost semi-comotose, then the curtain call comes and out comes this MAD man running around, literally beating the hell out of his Fender bass, and hitting those magnificiant high notes, then post show again the laid back guy appears. Tim has been replaced by Pete Bremy on bass. Pete did a remarkable job and seems to have Tim's spirit down pat. Then there is the power behind the band in Carmine. Carmine has not changed at all, all this time I have known him. He is a true showman in every sense of the word. Great on the vocals, and untouchable on the drum solos, Carmine is truely the driving force for the band. Next comes the Vinny, in my opinion, highly underrated as a guitarist. Vinny is such a great guy both on and off the stage. Very approachable and down to earth. Doesnt let the 40 yrs in the business define him and will spend time to talk to a fan. His guitar playing does nothing but get better everytime I see him. And lastly we come to Mark. I have only met Mark once, I know his replacment better, Bill, but I have to admit that I was disappointed in both his vocals tonight, along with his refusal to join in the band meet and greet after their set. I was hoping for an autograph from the whole band and was only able to get the other three, as Mark never came out to sign anything or meet with anyone. Also, there did seem to be some tension between Mark and Vinny after a comment that Mark made referring to himself as a founding member of the Fudge. From where I stood, is seemed that Vinny took exception to that statement and gave the response of there are other founding members on this stage. Of all the songs on the set list, the stand out tonight were "You keep me hangin on" "Shotgun", and my all time favorite VF song, "People get ready". The harmonies the band has and the execution of the song, make this in my opinion the bands best song ever. It was, this time, for me, a bit different without Tim's great harmony, but still in my humble opinion their best song. It is my understanding that this performance is still part of the "Farwell Tour" and it will be a sad day in Music history when we can no longer hear that great driving beat of Carmine, fabulous guitar riffs of Vinny, and the magnificent harmonies of the first Pyschedelic Band this country ever had.

2012 A new year and more efforts to keep current

Welcome to my Blog. Happy new year to you all and with a new year comes the commitment to keep on top of this site more. I have people looking into helping me maintain this site and also will have some contributing writers and their opinions. I have some other people who are helping me to get some corporate sponsorship and some paid advertising for this site since I am reaching the 20 million mark. This year will not be like the last one and a half, that had little to no input. There are a few shows coming up in the next two months I will be working, as well as the last two years worth of shows not reported on. There is a new Beatlefest coming up in Mar that Dawn and I will be attending, and if all goes right and the show is not too far from home, a Beach Boys reunion show that I will be attending and reporting on. So Here is to a new year, a new renewal of comittment, and hopefully a lot of new readers and comments.

Hang in there you all, its going to be a great ride this year.

The British Invasion Tribute

Well, Lee and Robert, I will do my best. First let me say that I had done an interview with the band after their show at the theater where the BLOB was filmed, but I lost the paperwork. So I will do the best I can to recreate it. OK here we go. The band is made up of 4 talented and extremely pleasant musicians. Lee on lead guitar, Robert on bass, Mick on keyboards and Jeff on drums. They all enjoy the music of the period of the British Invasion, but did not want to become another Beatle tribute band. They instead decided to pay homage to all the great bands of the era. And let me say they do it dead on. They run the gamut from Moody Blues, Animals, Stones, Gerry and the Pacemakers, Kinks and more. All members of the band were influenced by the Beatles, and to honor them, they did their last set by playing the entire Sgt Pepper album non-stop. Musically, they perform note for note, and vocally, they manage, for the most part, 4 part harmony that is a pleasure to hear. But if this were not enough, they also do a set paying homage to all the US bands of the same era. Beach Boys, Simon and Garfunkel, Tommy James, Turtles, Monkeys, and more. The entire show is like stepping into Mr. Peabody's time machine and stepping out into 1969 all over again. Having been there in person the first time, this writer will attest that the band has all the music of the time down pat and performs each song with the reverence it deserves. I strongly recommend this band to anyone who likes classic rock music and has not seen them. Visit their website, http://thebritishinvasiontribute.com, and find out where they are playing near you and go and see them. But be warned, be prepared to be taken back to a time when music was really meaningful and true, and times were not so bad as they are today. The British Invasion Tribute, has the ability to transport us all to a much simpler time, even if for only a few hours.

Zappa plays Zappa

Ahhh FRANK. To say that Frank was a great musician, is like saying that an eagle is a bird. Frank was so far ahead of his time, surrounded himself with world class musicians, and took on the role of teacher of music from the beginning. And following in his fathers footsteps, Dweezil does not disappoint. From the time I saw him on USA network with his brother Ahmet, I new what a fantastic guitarist he was. Does his father proud he does. The Zappa plays Zappa show has been in the Phila area before, but I could never get to it. Then as luck would have it, it came to the Keswick, and I was lucky enough to work the show. First let me state that the choice of Ben Thomas as lead singer is a stroke of genius. He does, from a distance, look like Frank, but also has a similar vocal sound as Frank that is errie. The band is as talanted as any that Frank himself would be in, with most members being multi-instrumentlists. Then there is Dweezil. In my opinion, an underrated guitarist. The band played the entire Apostrophe album and Yellow Snow brought me back to the old days. After the show was over, I managed to get Ben, Saxophonist Scheila Gonzalez and Dweezil to sign a set list. I highly recommend seeing this show as it is a testement to the genius of Frank

Jimi tribute

Sat nite Dawn and I attended the Jimi Hendrix Tribute in Atlantic City. WOW what a show. Guests included, Brad Whitford, Jonny Lang, Kenny Wanye Shepard, Billy Cox, Eric Johnson, Mato Nanji, Members of Double Trouble (SRV band) and more. It was truely an experienced event. Being a parttime guitarist, I could appreciate the talent on stage perhaps a bit more than the non musician. The ability to do some of the things I witnessed, would have made Jimi proud. Of course, Jonny is Dawns favorite guitarist but after witnessing KW Sheppard, she could possibly be correct in the statement that he is better than Jonny. I would tend to agree, but i have to take into account the differences in their playing styles, and that point alone makes me wonder who would win in a play off. But I digress/. The show was infused with both charted hits and back room rarities from the Holy One himself, which was great to hear. The diveristy and the genius of the Legend of Jimi Hendrix was not forgotten for one moment during the show. Some talked of his company, while others commented on his influence. It was good to see all players get their chance to showcase their affection thru their solo's, which for the most part, were spot on to the originial, while some were, as strange as it may sound, BETTER. A new found respect for both KW Sheppard, and Eric Johnson and their talant. All in all a great night where after the show, we got to meet Billy and have the pleasure of getting to chat with him, an autograph and a picture. And to think, Dawn didn't really want to go when I first got the tickets. Now its one of the many great shows we have seen, that will not be forgotten very soon.

Rock and Roll Fantasy Camp

Today I had my singing debut on WMGK in Phila, in a contest to win a weekend at the PHILA Rock and ROll Fantasy Camp weekend at the end of Oct 2010. The day started out good with me getting up and working from home before going to the radio station. Then I hit traffic on the way to the station, and the shows producer must have called me 10 times in 15 min. I was being told I was risking being disqualified for not showing up on time. I did finally make it to the station with seconds to spare. You can hear DeBella mention that on the clip. I was the first contestant for the contest. I had no time for any rehersal with the intern drummer, or to go over the song. Good thing I practiced yesterday. Any, as heard on the clip, I get introduced, asked if we rehearsed, then its off to the song. Please text MGKMGK and cast a vote for Rick Sutcliffe to win. Im am attempting to attach a clip of the song to this post.

Rock Con

Well its my birthday and as a gift to myself, Dawn and I attended the Rock Con in the Meadowlands in New Jersey. We started the day off in Dorney Park with our friends from WMGK and then headed up to the Rock Con. It was billed as the place to go to hang out with your favorite Rock stars, chat, get autographs, screen movies, listen to jamsessions and visit the worlds largest rock and rock memoriabila flea market. Well, since we all know that I collect autographs, you know I was in heaven. Friday show was to start at 5, (we got the VIP package with 1 hr advance for all sessions), but since I forgot the damn tickets, I didnt get in till close to 6 the normal time. I took a guitar into the meet and greet room, and the first person I see is Billy Hiche from Dino, Desi, and Billy. We chat for a min, and I ask for an autograph to which Billy replies, Sure, $10. WHAT THE $&*)????? I had no clue that there was going to be a charge for autographs, and had I known, I would not have brought so many guitars (7 total). With a supposed 100 artists in attendance, that comes to $1000. Then I asked if I could take a picture to which Billy replies, Sure $10. WTF???? I am using my own camera and he wants me to pay him. Well, all this money has put an instant damper on my fun for the weekend.

Devon Allman and Honeytribe

Another great evening was had at The North Star in Fairmont section of Philly, when Devon was in town to perform. His band is tight and although now down to a trio, still has the roughness and brute force of days gone by with 5 members(as when he played the Kewsick opening for Dad). He did 4 new songs on the forcoming album, and a few others. He covered Dad's Midnight Rider which is always a thrill to hear. For an encore, he teased the crowd with snippets of 15 classic rock songs, before settleing in on another cover from Dad. The gamet of choices were from Led Zepplin Stairway to Heaven to Iron Butterfly InAGaddadeVida.

Ringo Starr All Star Band

Had the please of seeing our second Ringo All Star show this year at lancaster American Music Theater a mere day before his birthday. I must say that seeiing this show always amazes me in that these are just like seeing 8 concerts in one. This year the inclusion of Rick Derringer along with Gary Wright, and the rest, was a welcome sight indeed. Edgar Winter once again did not fail as the musical director, and his talent as a musician was again clearly evident and unparralled. Rick Derringer graced the crowd with the lost verse of Hang on Sloopy, which was a real treat. Edgar of course was great on Frankenstein. This year also there were Richard Page from Mister Mister who sang Broken Wings and Kyrie. Such an amazing voice, it sent chills up my spine. Then there was Wally Palmer from the Romantics singing What I like about You. A great performance with the talanted back up band. Rick Derringer's guitar solo at the end of Rock and Roll Hootiche Koo was electrifying and all of 3 min long if not longer. Gary Wright of course did Dream Weaver which I love, and then there were several Beatles songs. Rounding out the night was the man himself, Ringo, doing some of his classics along with some off his new CD. All in all another stellar performance by the "funny one", and another memorable evening to be enjoyed in future reflections.

The Doors in Atlantic City review on Ticketmaster.com

Here is a copy of my reivew as posted on Ticketmaster.com


Ray and Robby do the DoorsAtlantic City Hilton @ - Atlantic City @ , NJ @ - Sat, Jun 5, 2010 @ Opening act(s): none @ Posted 06/06/2010 by ric568 This Fan's ReviewsLocation: willow grove paFirst let me say that The Doors are one of Dawns most favorite bands. Jim Morrison was instrumental in the popularity of the band, and we both had our doubts as to the way the music would sound without his powerful vocals. Also the fact that John was not with them (and will probably never be again) all led us to be very nervous as to the quality of the sound we were going to hear.When we got to the Hilton, we noticed that the first row of seating was reserved for the big casino cardholders. We did manage to snag third row seating and it was looking up. But then the reality of the mosh pit standing section in front of the seated area led us to be a bit concerned for viewing ability once the show started. This was due in part to the fact that Dawn is short in statue and if taller individuals sat in front of us, she would have to stand on her seat to get a good view. I asked one of the security people about the possibility of us moving up to the first row if they were not filled with card holders and we were lucky enough to be able to move up before the show started. So far the visibility factor has been resolved. Then the lights dimmed, and the show began.Out came Ray and Robby, along with Milijenko Matijevic dressed as we would imagine Jim would have been, black leather pants and an open buttoned white shirt. Along with them were Ty Dennis on Drums and Phil Chen on Bass. Collectively these five musicians managed to recreate the original sound of the Doors from the 60's in a most surreal fashion. Mili (as he is called) seemed all night to be a perfect reincarnation of Jim for the entire show. His mannerisms, and posture/gestures were reminiscent of seeing Jim with Ray and Robby. Mili's vocals were dead on duplications of the homage to Jim in one of the most true to the original replacements I have ever seen. Ty and Phil are class act musicians, and complimented the two Doors members as if they were there in the 60's. All the songs were done with perfection, and brought back all the memories we had hoped of in wanting to recreate seeing a band that neither Dawn nor I had seen in our youth. The show was nothing short of spectular, and I would highly recommend this show to anyone who loves the sound and the music of the Doors. To miss this show, especially with Mili doing the vocals, is to miss Jim Morrison reincarnated for a killer 2-hour show.Atlantic City Hilton @ - Atlantic City @ , NJ @ - Sat, Jun 5, 2010 @ Opening act(s): none @

Ray and Robby do the DoorsAtlantic City

Ray and Robby do the DoorsAtlantic City Hilton @ - Atlantic City @ , NJ @ - Sat, Jun 5, 2010 @ Opening act(s): none @ Posted 06/06/2010 by ric568

THIS REVIEW WAS POSTED ON TICKETMASTER

First let me say that The Doors are one of Dawns most favorite bands. Jim Morrison was instrumental in the popularity of the band, and we both had our doubts as to the way the music would sound without his powerful vocals. Also the fact that John was not with them (and will probably never be again) all led us to be very nervous as to the quality of the sound we were going to hear.When we got to the Hilton, we noticed that the first row of seating was reserved for the big casino cardholders. We did manage to snag third row seating and it was looking up. But then the reality of the mosh pit standing section in front of the seated area led us to be a bit concerned for viewing ability once the show started. This was due in part to the fact that Dawn is short in statue and if taller individuals sat in front of us, she would have to stand on her seat to get a good view. I asked one of the security people about the possibility of us moving up to the first row if they were not filled with card holders and we were lucky enough to be able to move up before the show started. So far the visibility factor has been resolved. Then the lights dimmed, and the show began.Out came Ray and Robby, along with Milijenko Matijevic dressed as we would imagine Jim would have been, black leather pants and an open buttoned white shirt. Along with them were Ty Dennis on Drums and Phil Chen on Bass. Collectively these five musicians managed to recreate the original sound of the Doors from the 60's in a most surreal fashion. Mili (as he is called) seemed all night to be a perfect reincarnation of Jim for the entire show. His mannerisms, and posture/gestures were reminiscent of seeing Jim with Ray and Robby. Mili's vocals were dead on duplications of the homage to Jim in one of the most true to the original replacements I have ever seen. Ty and Phil are class act musicians, and complimented the two Doors members as if they were there in the 60's. All the songs were done with perfection, and brought back all the memories we had hoped of in wanting to recreate seeing a band that neither Dawn nor I had seen in our youth. The show was nothing short of spectular, and I would highly recommend this show to anyone who loves the sound and the music of the Doors. To miss this show, especially with Mili doing the vocals, is to miss Jim Morrison reincarnated for a killer 2-hour show.

The Neville Brothers

Well, last night was Mardi Gras night at my venue. The opening act was Dr. John in all his Hammond B-3 glory complete with the Skull and Candle on top. He of course got up several times during his set and showed off his infamous (Nu Orlons style) strut, complete with the dropped shoulder. His set was a great pre-cursor for the main act of the 4 Neville Brothers.



Having never seen the Brothers before, I could only go by what I had been told by my fellow ushers. I knew they were a good musical family, but most of my personal knowledge was of Aaron. Imagine my delight when they came on and far exceeded my expectations. To showcase that much talent in one family is a rarity.



Cyril Neville has a tremendous voice and is an exceptional percussionist, coupled with his New Orleans/Reggae twist on presentation, made his performance stellar. I was impressed that he did more lead singing then Aaron. Next up was Charles. What a talent on the SAXophone. From low to high, soft to N.O. funky/gritty, Charles can and did it all. Also joining his brothers in vocals and cowbell, his voice helped to forge the 4 part harmony we all enjoyed so much. Then there is Art. Hands down one of the top Hammond B-3 players I have had the pleasure to hear/see in person. His mastery of the ivories leaves nothing to be desired. Also joining his brothers in vocals and taking the lead on some, the blend again was completed. And Finally there is Aaron. What else is there to say. I did not have the honor of hearing his "Tell it like it is" signature song, but how shocked was I to hear him doing "Sara Smile". With all 4 talented brothers, the slightly less then capacity crowd was magically transported to New Orleans' French Quarter and the fabulous Funk/Jazz that only comes from there, if only for a brief moment, But it was moment enough to remember forever.

FreddyB

Well, this past Sat night Dawn and I had a choice to make. She had gotten an email offering free tickets to see J Geils Band at Atlantic City, or we could honor our commitment to go see FreddyB locally. Well, since she has not been feeling well for a few days, we opted to stay home. We went to a local country club for a fabulous dinner and were entertained by the strands of classic rock tunes performed by the one and only Freddie B. Now I must admit that I am giving a slanted review of Freddy B as not only is he a performer, but he is also the surgeon that saved my life. He will also be operating on Dawn in Oct. He is a multi talented performer. His guitar playing is great (one would expect from a surgeon), and his music is not overbearing. He even did an Italian song in honor of his mother. He ran the gamut from Billy Joel, Beatles, Stones, Jimmy Buffet, Loggins and Messina, to mention a few. All together it was a great evening out with Dawn and the crowd was one big happy family.

The Rock Royalty Tour

Went to a show at the Keswick that was truely very well named. The Rock Royalty Tour had probably 3 of the main British Invasion bands together in one show. First act was The Spencer Davis Group. Spencer was in great form with his voice still sounding like it did 40 years ago. He was an extremely gracious individual in that after his set, he hung out in the lobby of the Keswick for the remainder of the evening, chatting with fans and signing autographs. The next act were The Yardbirds. The have a talent for getting some great guitarist (past being, Clapton, Beck, and Page) and now Ben King is no exception. Ben is a fantastic guitarist and will help the band in the future. The songs were are done great with a lot of interplay between band members. And the final act were The Zombies. I have to admit that Colin's voice was in rare form and sounding better than ever. Rod was of course on the keyboards, and together they sounded great. I totally enjoyed the entire night, but still cant figure out how, an Iconic song such as "Gimme some Lovin" that is played probably every night of the tour, HOW can the keyboard player mess up the organ intro?????????? Other than that bad note incident, the memories flooded back to the days of my youth and being in a band.

It Snowed last Friday Nite

Dawn and I have been patiently waiting for the Snow to arrive and last Friday it finally did. We took the drive, after a rock start with demands from my job on call pager going off, to the Berks Jazz Fest in Reading PA and walked in on one of the best Snow falls we ever saw. Phoebe Snow was last seen by us as a walk on guest of Bonnie Raitt at the Mann Music Center a few years back, and we both wondered if we would ever get the chance to see her solo. Well lo and behold, she appears as a performer for the Jazz Fest, and I had gotten tickets for Dawn for a Valentines Gift. Even though we were late for the beginning of the show, what we did see was by far, one of the top 10 shows in my opinion we have seen in a looooonnnnngggg time.

Firstly, Phoebe is a funny woman. She, as she put it, "shamelessly promoted" her new album all night. Imagine our disappointment when after the show there was no merchandise available in the lobby. But "shamelessly promote" she did and mostly in a comical way. Next, she is a great story teller. But Most of All, she is a one of a kind vocalist. At 57, to still have control over her 4 octave voice is a feat mastered by only a God-given few. She has such great control over her legatos, as she effortlessly ran through her 4 octave range. Her ability to hold a note is amazing. Rarely, have I seen someone hold a note as long as she did on one song. Then, she has a rare ability, in that when she covered Janis Joplin's "Piece of My Heart", she paid her respect to Janis, all the while making the song truly hers.

The Band was tight as could be. Just drums, guitar bass and keyboard. Phoebe played guitar on one song, but it was her vocals alone, that had the crowd in a frenzy all night long.

We loved the show and will most certainly be picking up the "shamelessly promoted" album for continued enjoyment of this rare and wonderful songbird that is Phoebe Snow.

2009 Beatlefest

Well, gotta tell you, that Dawn and I had a great time this past weekend. We went to our first Beatlefest. We got all the information from my buddy Geno, and decided that we needed to get away and what better place to do so. We had no idea what to expect, even after being told by Geno how things go at these events. We stayed at the Main hotel, which was convenient, but the hotel itself left much to be desired. Even before we checked in I was getting autographs from people like Earl Slick, and Sid Bernstein. The was a sign to us of a great upcoming weekend. We were not disappointed. The only bad thing besides the hotel was that, like an idiot, I left the fest tickets at home. That proved luckily to be only a delay in the festivities. There was a great flea market open all day everyday, a daily puppet show(which was great), seminars with musicians related somehow to the Beatles, and a Sat nite dance. There were people hanging in the lobby(although I swear some of them just lived there) for the entire weekend just playing and singing Beatles songs. There were autograph sessions with all the event guests, including Greg Hawkes from the CARS, Mark and Brett Hudson, Ronnie Spector, various authors and photographers. There was live music going on somewhere and everywhere in the hotel for the entire time we were there. Dawn commented that never before or again will there be a band that has affected so many people that they warrant their own festival on a yearly basis that takes place several times a year in different locations. Not even Elvis or Frank Sinatra could command this type of event on a yearly basis for over 35 years as this one has. We are hooked and will attend again.

WHAT HAPPENED

Well, I would hope that some of you are wondering, "WHAT HAPPENED". There has not been any new activity for a while. Been going thru some stuff, and now there is upcoming major surgery later in Apr. For not maintaining this site, I ask for forgiveness. However I am back and hope to be with a vengeance up to the surgery date of 4/22 and resume again in May. I would however like to start this resurgence with some up coming shows. There will be some more local acts to see this month. I will be seeing both The Absolute Zeros, and Jim Boggia this month. Possibly the Cryers with Chad and Jermey, and upcoming show will include The Legends of Rock live in Asbury Park and possibly STYX (very hopeful on this one). Things will start poppin again as Spring and Summer are approaching and this is building up to be a great concert season yet again this year. Keep coming back for more updates

SUPER BOWL TIME

This weekend is the ever popular SUPERBOWL weekend. We are having the standard gathering of friends coming over to devour a dinning room table full of food along with all the kitchen counterspace being covered as well. I will be blogging during the show as I am not into football. I will update the blog site with reviews of Brian Wilson, Gregg Allman and his son Devon, as well as Igor's egg opening for Project Object, and possibly some others. I will also be talking about the upcoming Beatlefest in Mar in NJ. Dawn and I have never been to one and we are looking forward to it.

Here's hoping you all have a safe and fun Superbowl party and be sure to check out the updates by next week. I will do better at keeping this more current, as I am dealing better with the new work hours.