That Lucky Old Sun

Well, I got my first Christmas present early this year. Brian Wilson and the band were at the Keswick in November, and I got to see the entire show. I also got Brian to sign my guitar along with Jeff, and now the entire band as well as B B KING are on one guitar that is hanging in the music room. I cannot begin to explain my feelings as I listened to the live versions of songs I had been listening to for the last few months after buying the album from Brian's webpage. It brought me back to the years when I was learning how to play guitar in my basement with the BEACH BOYS records on the record player. The songs all remind me of a time when Dennis and Carl along with Al and Mike were at Capitol studios. The harmonies and music are spot on ringers of future days gone past.This album is to me so reminiscent of the old surf sounds put out by the Beach Boys of Brian's youth. I always appreciate the perfection that is displayed in the band that Brian has assembled over the years. It is an honor for me to be in the presence of one of the few musical geniuses in the world today. I have and always will love the music that Brian has given us and will always attempt to see him when he is in the area, as it is for him and him alone, that I began an interest in music all those years ago. I can only hope that I will be able to touch 1/1000th the amount of lives that Brian has. I have posted a photo of the Guitar hanging in the music room

Ken Kewder

Well it was a sad day indeed, when Dawn and I went to see the FINAL ROCK SHOW performance of our friend KEN KEWDER. Done at the TIN ANGEL in center city Phila, it was, as it should have been, a complete sell out show. So much so that they were forced to add a second also sold out show. Ken has been on the local music scene for over 30 yrs. Dawn and I cannot believe that he never made it nationally, but we are learning more about that being of his choice recently. Back to the review. Ken is a consummate performer. He grabs the audience into the palm of his hands and then holds them there by the nap of their necks until he wants to discharge them. He has total control over them and we the audience seem to not only allow it, we beg for more. Ken's satirical humor is best when it is a standard of his that the crowd knows and loves, and will interact with the song during the performance. Attached is a sample of this used with Kens permission. He will be sorely missed on the local front, and would have made a great national performer, that would be recognized in the Hall of Fame, in the likes of Warren Zevon. Dawn and I hope to connect with Ken in the coming weeks for a more in depth interview style meeting, and I will attempt to get more info on this great local musician that will be sorely missed for his energetic performances on the local front.

Will Lee

On Sun, since I had to leave the show Sat nite early, I went back to the Keswick to meet up with Will Lee of the Fab Faux. I met up with my friend T Life and his wife Rene, and together we met up with Will after the show. First on the show, from the Cavern to the Rooftop. This show topped, if possible, the previous nights White Album show. The band is just so meticulous in reproducing perfect sounds for each song. As someone who never saw the Beatles live, to me, this is the next best thing. But I Digress. Meeting up with Will I had the chance to ask a few questions for this blog and here they are. When asked who Will had wished he had had a chance to work with FRANK ZAPPA was the reply even before the question had finished being asked. Then when asked who living he would have like to work with, both Stevie Wonder and Bill Withers names came up. Again for those who don't know Will, not only is he David Letterman's bass player, but quite possibly the only living human to have worked with all four of the original Beatles, along with countless other performers,(Jimi Hendrix, Steve Miller, The Rascals, Motown, Sly & the Family Stone) too many to list here. Will is a consummate bassist and multi instrument player. Guitar, Harmonica, piano, violin, trumpet, and French horn are among his talents. It is nice to know that someone who has basically been "to the top" of the music profession is such a down to earth approachable individual. I hope to someday be included in his list of friends, for he surely is one of mine.

Chili Stu

Tonight in seeing the Absolute Zero's there was this opening act called Chili Stu, that Dawn and I had to wait to finish before our host band, the Zero's, came on. What a pleasant surprise. This trio of Keyboard, bass and drums, was all over the place, in a great way, in their music style. I personally think they are of a jazz fusion blend, but it can be seen in so many other genre's. A little bit soul, funk, reggae, rock, and r&b all thrown in a pot and stirred. We never knew what the next songs style was going to be, which we found to be invigorating. Andrew on drums and Luke on keyboard are classically jazz trained and it shows. Jeff on the 5string bass is the funkmister that blends with the others to produce great melodic mixtures of music. Plus Jeff's vocals are spot on. All together a great mix for a trio that will be hard to top in the coming months to the top of the Philly music scene.

The Absolute Zeros

Well busy busy busy was I on Sat. After the Fab Faux show, I went down to center city and saw a Local band called the Absolute Zeros. They had requested to be my friend on myspace and had asked me to come see them and give them a review, and after a few months of playing tag, the nite finally came. The band consists of the following: Kelvin Cochrane - Vocals, Guitar: Sabu Rex - Bongos, Percussion; Steve La Monica - Bass; "Wild" Bill Rose - Drums: Austin - Lead Guitar. Tonight however there were only 4 members, Sabu was not there. Now I had heard of this band from another local performer, Laura Cheadle (who by the way has been previously written about, check her blog out). Well, Dawn and I were pleasantly surprised, not knowing what we were in for. In my opinion, Kevin's voice is a cross between, Joe Cocker and Jonnie Lang. Steve is a fret running bassist, Austin is a great guitarist, and Bill on drums is a sold essential metronome for the band. Their music is a cross between 60's rock like Joe Cocker, to New Orleans style funk like Jon Cleary. It was well worth the wait to see this band and it is great to have become their friends. I will be catching more of them in the future and I am sure, enjoying watching them grow into a major force to promote the "Philly Sound" of today along with other great up and coming local acts.

The Fab Faux

Sat Nite was a great show at the Keswick, the Fab Faux were in town. Now for those who are not familiar with them, They are quite possibly the best Beatles tribute band (in my opinion) around. They don't try to impersonate the Fab Four in looks or clothing, or even instruments, but what is lacking in appearance is more than made up for in sound. They are perfect recreations of the best music by the best ever band that you will find. Dawn and I have heard them several times here at the Keswick, and just closing your eyes, you would think it was 1970 all over again and John Paul George and Ringo were on stage in front of you performing. The Fab Faux performed the ground breaking WHITE ALBUM in its entirety. They had the Creme Tangerine Strings and The Hogshead Horns along with ERIN HILL and ANDY YORK, and as stated above it was performed perfectly. I will have more on the Fab Faux after seeing the second show tomorrow, as they perform from the Cavern to the Rooftop show.

This coming Weekend

This coming weekend I get to see The Fab Faux and The Absolute Zeros. Getting to see Will Lee again is always a pleasure as he is such a great person and not unreachable to the fan. The band is by far the best Beatles tribute going. I have seen others and they can not compare to Will and the gang in the Fab Faux. They recreate the Beatles to a T. If you closed your eyes, you would think that John Paul George and Ringo were really in front of you performing. As for the Absolute Zeros, It has been a while in the making, but Dawn and I will be seeing them at the Tin Angle Sat night after seeing Will and the Gang at the Keswick. I am looking forward to the show as I have heard their music on their MySpace page and enjoy what I have heard. More to come in the next few weeks up to the great one and only Brian Wilson show, that I have been looking forward to for 2 months.

Lindsey Buckingham

Well, Sat night at the Keswick was a night I was looking forward to since I slept thru the Crosby/Nash show eariler in the week. I cannot begin to tell you how disappointed I was in the quality of the show. I had to leave after the 3rd song as the music was just so loud that it was uncomfortable to stay and enjoy the music. I was told that there had been no sound check, and it bothered me that the people working with the band was more concerened about covering the glass partions in the lobby to prevent anyone from looking to the stage (what was that all about) then making the audience happy and acutally lowering the volumn of the music to an acceptable level to prevent a mass exodus. I wish I could have stayed, but I just could not take the assualt on my ears. Very dissapointing night.

The Quarrymen

Well It's been a while but I have a great one for you today. Last week I got to see 3 original members of the Quarrymen. I have a picture of them with a very young John and Paul that I had signed along with the Beatles themed guitar. I have some pics of them and here is one. They sounded great, considering their ages. They played some skiffle and some old rock songs like That will be the Day, Come go with me and Elvis songs along with some of their old original songs done with John and Paul. Enjoy the photo, and remember to support your local venue for classic rock shows.

Peter Tork and the Shoe Suede Blues

This past Fri I had the sad duty to visit with Peter and bassist Arnold Jacks(far right next to the new guys) at a local venue in Philly and relay my condolences for the loss of their band mate and great friend Richard Mikuls. His loss was a great shock to me having just talked with him not long ago on Myspace. I had taken photos and videos of the band in Reading last year and never got around to giving the disk to them. I had emailed Peter and told him I would be visiting them when they came back to town and express my regrets for their loss and also to provide them with the disk of great photos and some video clips for them to watch. I hope they enjoy the effort I put into making the visuals intimate. I was surprised to find that the band had changed up a bit and there is now of course a replacement for Richard on guitar, but also a new drummer. I have taken a photo of them (minus Peter) and will post it later. I hope they continue to make some great music and continue to keep Richards spirit alive with them where ever they go.

Breakfast with the Beatles

Sunday morning Dawn and I went to one of our favorite events, Andre Gardner's remote broadcast of his show Breakfast with the Beatles on the Spirit of Philadelphia. We both look forward to seeing our friend Andre and the remotes are always such a good time. I will say now however, I am a bit disappointed that there was no special guest, as I look forward to getting another Beatles related autograph on the Beatles themed guitar. In the past Andre has always had someone that is somehow related to the Best Band that ever Lived, like May Pang, Pauline Sutcliffe, Denny Laine, and others. But be that as it may the consolation was a limited edition CD filled with interviews Andre has had in the past with guests like Patty Boyd and Olivia Harrison among others. And this time even the food was fantastic. In past cruises, the food left something to desire, but this time it was really good. We brought with us a limited Ringo poster(see Picture) Andre had given us that we had framed and he said he would like to see it. He was giving out more of them on this cruise and wanted to show what it looked like framed. It is always a good time to be with the friends we have made by attending these remotes with Andre and we cant wait till the next one. The only down side of this day was that I received an email from Andre's myspace page the following day that some idiot with no respect for Andre's generosity, actually had placed their free CD up for auction on Ebay. Really no class was used in this cheap action. To think that they had been given a gift and then turned around to try to profit off of it is shameful. We always thought there was a better "class" of people in the crowd the remotes always draws but I guess there is always at least one in every crowd. Hope this is not a sign of the things to come, and that it does not prevent Andre from gracing all the true fans of his work from rewarding us all with more great things in the future. Also see a picture of my long lost brother? that actually sat next to us for the whole cruise.

Robert Cray and Keb-Mo show

Tonight was the Blues show that we had been waiting to see. We have seen both Robert and Keb in the past as opening acts for Buddy Guy and Bonnie Raitt, but never saw them as headliners. We were not disappointed. Both had an hour and a half set that just cooked. Both artists are Grammy winners and neither one let the audience down. There was a duet early in the Robert Cray set that just blew me away. Wish I knew the name of the song. Then later in his set Bob did a song called Twenty which is an anti-war song reminiscent of the protest songs of the 60's. Brought back all the Vietnam memories, but in a good way( as far as protests go ). It struck me half way thru his set, and I told Dawn, Bob at times sounds to me exactly like Marvin Gaye. What a talent. Then Keb came on and sorry to say I missed the first half as I had to take Dawn home, she was not feeling good. I came back and heard great band members join together and make fabulous music for the next hour. All in all, a great night, just wish I could have gotten Bob's autograph, but I did get Keb on the Buddy Guy guitar. This was a great show and I hope they work together again in the near future so we can see them again.

CLARKE - MILLER - WOOTEN

Tonight was the S-M-V Thunder tour of Stanley Clarke, Marcus Miller, and Victor Wooten. What a fantastic trio!!! Their musical lineage alone is worth the price of admission. Combined they have worked with the best in the Music Arena like, Sinatra, Chick Corea, Miles Davis, George Duke, Dave Mathews, Prince, Luther Vandross, Grover Washington, and so many more. They all played together in 2006 at the Bass Player Live concert. and saw that there was enough room for them to work together and not as rivals. Their first album together features them along with George Duke and Chick Corea and all three bassists contribute new work to the album. The album is getting rave reviews and some say it is the Jazz record of the year. We can only hope that come Grammy time, these 3 outstanding musicians get what is rightfully theirs.

This past Friday RipChords and Wink Keziah

Dawn and I went to one of our new favorite places, PUCK in Doylestown and saw our friends the Rip Chords. We were unaware of there being an opening act and were completely surprised to see Wink Keziah and Delux Motel open. They are so dichoticly different from the Rip Chords in musical style that the combination of Honkey Tonk/Southern Rock and Surf Music actually worked really well. We were seated up front in Puck which holds about 100 people, and had clear view of both bands. Wink and his crew, were gracious and friendly to the crowd with a lot of interaction. The band is very talented made up of Ken Keicher on bass, Arda Bagcioglu on lead, and Jason Donaldson on drums, this 4 piece band can tear up a bar with good feelings and great music. Then after their set, they cleared out for The Rip Chords. This is the ++ time we have seen them and they just get better with each appearance. Mitch and Richie were constantly hawkin their new CD and it was comical. They welcomed back Freddy Brog on Guitar and it was good to see him back. They sounded fantastic and their harmonies were right on. Bob and Tony round out the band on bass and drums. The big surprise of the night was when our friend Amy (keyboards and vocals) took the lead on White Rabbit. She just nailed it and blew us away. And after the show we hung with the band for a bit, more on that later - an interview with Richie, we both told Amy that she has nothing to be shy about with her voice. It was great to see our friends again and we look forward to seeing them again soon.


There will be more shows this week not previously announced, but keep coming back to check for new posts.

Coming up

Well I have been a little lax lately (too much work) and so I am just letting everyone know that comin up will be reviews of Peter Tork and his band, Stanley Clark/Marcus MIller/Victor Wooten, Keb Mo and Robert Cray. I am still hoping to get in to see the Absolute Zeros as I have promised them to see them and write a review. It is just that my full time job schedule is so bizarre and its on 3rd shift so I cant get out that much during the week. I will however, be posting some new reviews in the upcoming weeks so keep coming back to see. Also check out BiCoastal Affair on MySpace. Sorry its a cheap plug, I know, but its my sons new band and they are pretty good. Go have a listen and let me know what you think.

Ill Be Back

Been a While

Well, it has been 2 weeks since I blogged, and I am sorry for that, just busy. This week, Friday Dawn and I will be going back to PUCK in Doylestown to see our friends, THE Rip Chords. I will be interviewing them after the show and posting some more info about them along with a review of the show next week. Then Next week we see Keb Mo and Robert Cray. A great blues night. That will be followed with a Breakfast with the Beatles cruise for 2 hours of great Beatles music and trivia. I will also be tring to get over to see Stanley Clarke/Victor Wooten/Marcus Miller for more autographs. So, have no fear,there will be more blogs to come in the next week, its just been slow and I have been busy.

Comedy Show

Well, this week, Dawn took me to Atlantic City for my birthday. We stayed at the Brogata for two days. She even got tickets to the comedy shown the night of our arrival. That is what this post is about. It was one of the best comedy shows I have ever seen. The talent in the 3 performers was amazing. The first act was Chipps Cooney. His "msgic" act was the best spoof I have ever seen. He did not do one single magic trick, but that did not matter. He had the audience in the palm of his "slight of hand." The second act was Rob Magnotti. This young performer was by in large the best impersonator I have seen since the days of Rich Little and Frank Gorshin. Robs impersonatiions were dead one down to the mannerisms of the likes of John Travolta, Dustin Hoffman, Kramer, and Jerry Sienfeld. Then the headliner came on and that was Richie Minervini. Richie was on "The King of Queens", and his act was outrageous. His comments on the movies in the elevator, Jersey Tolls, the women leaving for the rest room, and the couple pawing each other in the front row were great. This was the best show I have seen and would gladly see it again if given the chance. I will be looking for the three of them to be coming by the Phila area, and if they do I will be first in line for the tickets, although I would hope that this blog would help me to get free tickets. I strongly recommend all who read this to be on the look out for these three to come to your area..

Daryl Hall

Tonight, Dawn and I went to see one of her idol's, Daryl Hall. To see him in a small venue like the Keswick Theater is just about as good as it gets. There were fans waiting for his arrival in the parking lot, when we pulled in. As we got into the theater, the crowd was mostly female, go figure, and many couples. Daryl's music is so soulful it makes me wonder where he got so much soul from. It must be from the fact that Phila. is such a gigantic part of the music business, with so many great acts along with Gamble and Huff, that as a native of the area, it just grew into him.

The band led by T-bone on guitar was note for note perfect. Harmonies were so good I was looking for the females to be hiding in the wings, only to realize there were no female singers on stage. The interaction between Daryl and his audience was to be expected for a native of the area. Personal accounts of growing up in the area, attending Temple and even joking about not doing any "John songs".

I will have to admit though, that I was disappointed in the precision of the "escape plan" for the entire bands departure. It ran like clockwork, and there was absolutely no chance for any contact with any member of the band. I would think that as a home grown boy, There would have been some interaction with the fans for pictures, autographs, but that was not happening at all. It was executed like a presidential arrival, with the band van running interference for the SUV that would carry Daryl.

I was hoping for an autograph on the guitar, but more I was hoping that Dawn would be able to meet and get a picture with Daryl. Too bad it didnt happen.

Widespread Panic

Last night I had the pleasure of doing my first job for Electric Factory Concerts by attending the Widespread Panic show. Having never heard of them in the past, I was unsure of what awaited me. Upon my arrival, I noticed many in the audience looking similar to a Greatful Dead crowd. I was able to see the guitarist Jimmy Herring, in the backstage area before the show. Long hair reminecent of Haight-Asbury days gone by. I was expecting an opening act, but at 805pm 5 min after scheduled opening time, they walked out on stage. I am not aware of the names of any of their music, so I will just list them as song number 1, 2 ,etc. Song number one made me wonder what I had gotten into. It was so very similar to the Dead, Phil Lesh, and other jam bands in that it went on and on for almost a half hour. I thought I was back in the 60's. The crowd was very receptive of the music, and I must admit, I was tapping my foot.

Musically, the band is extra tight. The guitar solos of Jimmy, the running bass lines from the 6 string bass in Dave's hands, the almost Santana sounding percussion coming from Domingo, all blended in to make even a critic like me of jam bands bop his head or tap his foot. After the first song, they broke into what I can only describe as a regular set with a series of songs that were no more than 7 minutes long. That to me is normal.

I was impressed with their harmonies, and by all accounts all of their musical talents. Combined it all led me to hear an almost unforgettable version of Warren Zevon's Lawyers, Guns and Money.

Having never heard of them I now understand why they are in the Pollster top 50 live acts. The crowd was so into the music, they became an extension of the band, reverberating the sound received from the band, back to them in the form of action and movement.

This Weekend

This weekend I will be very busy. Starting Friday night with a review of Widespread Panic for the Electric Factory Concerts people. They were looking for writers and I signed up. 2 tickets to the show and I need to have a review in within 2 days. Pretty Cool. Maybe my luck will be good and this can turn into a paying job with them Then possibly seeing also the Absolute Zero's friday night. Saturday night it is Daryl Hall. Dawn will be with me for that one as he is one of her most favorite artists. Hopefully we will get to meet him after the show and get the guitar signed, and Dawn can finally say she met him. This weekend is also the Great American Guitar show with Rick Derringer appearing. Not too sure if I can make that though as we have a movie date with the granddaughters on Sun and they live in another state. So stay posted by Monday there will be some new posts and pics up on the site to reflect the running around coming up this weekend.

Atlantic City and RINGO

Well, Yesterday was the big day. We started at 9am and left for the granddaughters birthday party where we help babysit so Mommy could get the rest of the preparations completed. Then Half way to the shore I realized I had forgotten the tickets. So I called the Casino box office and they told me to call Ticketmaster. Long end short it was not a problem. The Neal was not able to get me any info on getting an autograph, so That was a disappointment, but then we went forward. Had dinner at the Hard Rock, and then it was show time. Both Dawn and I agree that it is in the top 5 shows that we have ever seen. The talent alone was impeccable, the sound was perfect, and the ambiance was nostalgic to say the least. Every performer had their own solo and then collective with Ringo. Dawn was unaware of the talent that is Edgar Winter. He is a force to be reckoned, with no doubt. Gary Wright was amazing. Billy Squire rocked the house. Colin Hay was note on. And Hamish Stuart has too much soul for a white Scotsman. Alone any one of these performers would have been worth the ticket price, but to have them all and to include Ringo in the mix, well my audience, I could have died and gone to heaven just then. The amount of talent on the stage at one time was unimaginable, and overwhelming, but collectively, they pulled it off with professionalism and so much fun and humor. We are now hooked and God willing there will be another 10 of these tours that we will be in attendance at.

Cant Wait

Well first let me say that tomorrow is Sat and I want to say Happy Birthday to my Mom. I miss you so much. OK that being said, it is also my granddaughters birthday, and I love you so much. With the mush out of the way, I cant wait and the excitement is building. Dawn and I leave in the morning to head to Atlantic City for a show Sat nite that will be one like we have never seen before. We are taking in the Ringo and his All Star band show. And of course I am taking the guitar, and with the help of a friend Neal, and prayers from Mom, Dawn and I will be lucky enough to get Ringo to autograph the "Beatles" related guitar. I am so looking forward to seeing the show also for the claiber of talent collected on one stage at one time. It will certainly be up there talent wise with the likes of the Jimi Hendrix Tribute we saw last year in mmmmmmmm Atlantic City also. Must be the location. Any way before that show, on Friday night we get to visist with the Absolute Zeros who asked us to come and review them. Looking forward to that show also. And on a side note, I have been asked by Electric Fractory Concerts, to do a review of one of their upcoming shows to which I am totally excited to do. I hope that this can turn into a full time gig (with pay would be nice) between the two of us, but only time will tell. So to recap, Firday Absolute Zeros, Sat Ringo, and soon an Electric Factory show, Daryll Hall and some others coming up. Stay Tuned and dont touch that dial.

B O Z

When I took Dawn to see Boz Scaggs, I was going just to spend time out of the house with my wife, as I was not really that big a fan of his. Well, after the show I have to admit, that I did know way more songs performed then I thought I would, and grew, with each passing song performed, a better appreciation of the talent that is Boz. The performance was almost perfect. The music was tight, the harmonies were never faltering, and the band was so together, it could have been a recording. The background singers were par excellent, and the version of Randy Crawford's "Street Life" was in my opinion, better then the original. Boz has a unique voice and although it was hard for me to determine if natural or falsetto, it was none the less, a calm and soothing melodic instrument that blended right in with the band. Having never seen him in the past I would certainly go see him again given the chance and I highly recommend anyone to take in his show if available in your area.

David Jacobs-Strain

Tonight Dawn and I went to see Boz Scaggs and the opening act was David Jacobs-Strain. Not knowing what to expect, I awaited with open mind. Then David came out to warm up the crowd for Boz. I WAS SO IMPRESSED. David's guitar playing was just short of not possible. He appeared on stage solo and alone, and yet, filled the Keswick with just his miraculous finger picking. Between his 16Th note runs and the amazing slide runs either on the acoustic or the National Dobro, his melodic sounds filled the room. At intermission, Dawn and I went to get his CD and autograph, and we told him that he sounded on a 6 string guitar like Robert Randolph does on a 12 string steel pedal. We were pleasantly shocked by the infectious sounds David put out. On the way in to work after the show, I listened to the CD, and although it is also good, it somehow pales to the actual sheer attack displayed as a solo artist in a hall, with no one else to depend on for making the music sound so good. Keep it coming David and we hope to see you in Nov when you come back to the area.

The trouble with getting things autographed

The trouble with getting the guitar signed tonight was that there are an increasing amount of people coming to get things signed that bring an arm full of albums or 100 pictures and take up a good amount of time with the artist, making it hard for the true collector to get one item signed. In particular, there is a set of brothers that have been increasing prevalent at signings, coming with over 20 records between them. There is no way that they are not doing this as a business and selling the items they get. This is the type of thing that both the artist does not want, and it is what makes it harder for the true fan to simply get the autograph of someone they enjoy. I am a collector for an investment it is true, but it is for way down the road, say 15 years from now, not tomorrow on ebay. I decided to start getting my guitars signed by artists I have enjoyed all my life as an investment for the college fund of my grandchildren. They youngest is going to be 4 this year so I have 13-17 years before I even start to think about selling my guitars. And since I play guitar, I wont even do that till after I sell my 20 long boxes of comics ranging from 1960's to 1990's. I think that seeing people with arm fulls of items to sign is a dead giveaway that they are ebay sellers ( or something similar ) for a profit. Also, another alarming trend I see is that the people getting autographs, are not even attending the show the artist is performing at. They merely show up with a mirage of items and stand out behind the venue and at times demand, most certainly push their way into getting some if not all of their items signed. This is a trend I hope to see get smaller as time goes on and not become more of the norm

John Densmore's Tribaljazz

Saw John Densmore and his Tribaljazz band tonight. Enjoyable eclectic sounds to say the least. "Tribaljazz, the brainchild of legendary Doors drummer John Densmore, blends and fuses improvisational jazz, beats and world music. In the end, what you hear is, truly, Tribaljazz. The band features John Densmore on drums, co-founder Art Ellis on Soprano / Alto Sax and Flute, two master African drummers, an upright bass player, a world- class pianist and a multi-instrumental percussionist. Tribaljazz is an acoustic jazz quartet engine, fuel-injected with the percussion power of several African Master drummers. Tribaljazz brings a provocative and energetic new voice to the Jazz and Jamband world. Tribaljazz is an experience - it's a seductive groove, with driving rhythms, that draws a wide eclectic audience - from Jazz aficionados and Classic rockers, to cutting edge Jamband followers without age or demographic limits."

John was gracious enough to come out before the show and sign things for his fans, which brings me to the next post about autograph seekers.

Summers Coming

Well, summer is coming soon and the Concert Season is kicking off in full bloom. The cost of gas is a concern of mine right now, but I will do the best I can to attend as many as I can. So far the calander is looking full already for Jun with Ringo, Jhon Densmore (Original Doors drummer), Boz Scaggs, Robert Hazard, Cactus, Outlaws with Honeytribe (Greg Allmans son's band) and B J Thomas. Then July has Daryl Hall and Get the Led Out. This of course does not include any of the shore (Wildwood) shows like the Rip-Chords, Jimmy Van Zant and more. So hopefully the price of gas will go down a bit or ill get a payraise to cover it, and bring back more great stories and pics for you all to enjoy

Kansas

Well, unfortunately, I was not able to see Kansas this past Friday. It was a series of events that precluded me. I was working the show, and my jobs on call pager went off. I asked the HM if I could make a call outside and he said yes. Well, I made a few calls, and the opening act was on. I had a hand full of programs, and a cell phone in hand, and Kansas was backstage getting ready to go on. Well I started getting phone calls from my boss at work about the problem that was ongoing and decided that I needed to get home to work on the problem. The issue was not resolved till 1230 in the morning and the Kansas show had been since 1030. I was/am upset that I missed a good show and of course, some more autographs.

New Rascals Reloaded

Well tonight was the DVD shoot for the New Rascals. Dawn and I were not feeling good and really debated on going or not. Finally, at 1:15 this afternoon, we jumped in the car for the hour ride to the club. When we got to Centro, the guys were already inside for the sound check. We listened, and they sounded really great. Then, we asked Bill, and got the guys to sign the guitar for us. Gene is a great guitarist(he mentored Leslie West), Dino was one of the first power drummers and showed it tonight that he still has it. Charlie (Ex Tom Petty bassist) is remarkable, and Bill, is THE GHOST OF ROCK, just all were in fine form tonight. They told us they were going to break, and be back for a full set rehearsal. Dawn and I went to eat, and went back to the club. The set was great and I got many good shots and tons of video's of the band. It was really treat to see the guys after a year. They sounded so good and I had forgotten how great the harmonies of the Rascals were. But everyone there tonight heard the beautiful sounds that are "The New Rascals".

This weekend

This is a big weekend for us as we get to see old friends. First on Friday, I work the KANSAS show at the Keswick. Looking forward to some great music and hoping that I can get all the guys to sign the guitar after the show. Also hope that it is not raining afterwords, as it tends to smear the signatures. Then on Sat at noon, we leave for upper New Jersey and hang with the New RASCLES for their DVD shoot. It has been a year since we saw the guys in Fl and Dawn and I are really looking forward to connecting with them all again. Bill and Charlie are just great guys, and Gene and Dino are the best. All of them are accomadating to their fans and not head strong, I AM A STAR, that one tends to think. It will be fun hanging with them all afternoon and then for the show at night. It makes for a long day before mothers day, but thats what friendship is all about.

More reports on both shows next week.

Chyna

Here is a picture of Chyna from the Dag walk on Sun. She was not too happy about puttin her mug in the hole of the cutout and almost knocked it over 3x's. Finally Dawn was able to get her in. Doesn't she look so happy to be there??? She was good most of the time but towards the end of the visit, she stated to get a bit rammy and went after 2 or 3 smaller dogs. We left immediately after a friend of Dawn's came to say hi after 2 yrs apart and Chyna almost had her dog for lunch. She is not usually like that around other dogs (at least in the Past dog walks) and it may have to do with her hyper sister Spatz being hard to handle all day. We really do need to work on both of them being out and about more.

This weekend

This weekend was the WMGK Dog Walk. Of course Dawn and I went with Chyna and Spatz. We always enjoy attending WMGK's events, for they are always so much fun. We got to talk to Ray, Andre, John all DJ's we listen to everyday. Also got to talk to GO GO (aka Rich Russo). I asked Andre if he could help me to get Ringo's autograph on the Beatles related guitar when we see him next month in AC, and he told me that he could not. But he did know who I would have to see, and he told me if he sees her (Ringo's manager) that he would put a word in for me, which is great. This coming Friday I will be seeing Kansas at the Keswick, and then we are off on Sun to see our friends Bill and Charlie, and the New Rascals for their DVD shoot. So remember to keep coming back and checking the blog for new reviews. Also I will be moving the site soon to a new domain I have purchased. When I get that set up I will let you all know how to get to it.

James Cotton and his blues band

Well, Dawn and I got to see the Legend himself Friday nite in Sellersville. His band is incredibly tight. The band consists of Slam Allen, guitar, vocals; Tom Holland, guitar, vocals; Noel Neal, bass; Kenny Neal, Jr., drums, and of course SUPERHARP - James Cotton. This has got to be one of the top 10 shows I have seen in the past 6 years, because the band was so tight. They went from song to song with non-stop action. Everyone got to solo on several songs, and My Lord, the bass player is just a madman. He has to be in the top 20 of all time. Just incredible. The vocals were always on point, and of course, Mr. Cotton, was just fantastic. He certainly lived up to his reputation that night. After the show we got to meet Mr. Cotton and he signed not only the guitar, but also a harmonica I bought just for this evening. He asked Dawn if she could play it. She replied, Hell no, I don't play and I would not attempt to play it in your presence, SIR. This put a big smile on his face, and he proceeded to sign it for us.

Friday nite blues

This Friday I see James Cotton in Sellersville. It should be a great blues show and I am looking forward to it. I didn't know that he had toured with Janis Joplin in the 60's while trying to start a solo career. He has played with Howlin Wolf and Muddy Waters in addition to his solo work. I respect a harmonica player as it is not the type of instrument you can see what your doing. I will have a full report on the show over the weekend and updates on more shows to come this summer.

Talk about a GREAT show

Last night I got to witness an incredible show. Even though I was working it, it was astounding. To see ETTA JAMES live is to witness a legend. She was remarkable. Her voice never faltered, and the band is so tight. To think that she is 70 and has pneumonia, closing your eyes you would think she was 35 and in perfect health. Her show is similar to that of B B King, in that she will talk and tell stories in between songs, but lets face it, she has paid her dues and is entitled to truly entertain the paying audience. I find shows of this nature more entertaining then non-stop music in that it shows the human side of the performer. Etta is also a smart business woman in that her manager is her husband and her two sons are in the band, so it is truly a family affair. I was graced with her autograph on the guitar after the show and will be posting some new pictures later in the week.

MoonAlice

Well, just got back from seeing G E Smith, Jack Cassidy and others in MoonAlice in Sellersville. Let me just say that all the musicians must be in the top ten in their respective field( guitar, bass drums, keyboards, etc). I went into the show not knowing really what to expect, and was so pleasantly surprised at what I heard. Their blend of Blues, folk (even protest songs) was great to hear in a time reminiscent of the mid 60's. G. E. is just hands down a great guitarist. Jack has got to be in the top 5 bassist in the world of rock. Combined with the rest of the band it was a great show. Then to see their hospitality afterwards in greeting their fans and signing autographs in the lobby was invigorating. I was lucky enough to get them all to sign my guitar and even a poster for my co-worker. So glad I went, looking forward to seeing them again in the area. I was even lucky enough to get a copy of the set list, and the only copy of the legend of moonalice, that was read off of during the show. Great night, now to go to work at my real job for the rest of the night psyched.

Why I choose Pay per Post

When I first heard about Pay per Post, I thought it was too good to be true. A co-worker had told me that you could get paid to blog for various products with different dollar amounts paid for the blog. I thought this is the lamest scam yet. Then I signed up for it to try. >http://payperpost.com/advertisers/marketplace.html">drive traffic Well, I started doing articles about different concerts I have been to and what I thought of them. Some include stories of how I met various artists, or if I thought they might just be in it for the money and greed. Some may include whether or not I think they should even still be performing, but bottom line is I now feel like a real entertainment correspondent. My wife and I have been to over 700 shows in the last 7 years, so I have plenty of foods for thought. So this is not going to be that hard a project.
Then I find out that I will have to opportunity to become a critic on Pay per Post, and voice my opinion on a bevy of products and services, and that someone will actually take my view in helping them to decide on getting the service or product. WOW!! is that a rush. And I will get paid for doing it at the same time. Who could ask for more. Needless to say that low and behold, I have no been approved and am now a believer in Pay per Post. I look forward to a career in the blogging business that is profitable to both the product and/or service and to family and myself. This sounds like the perfect part time job for both me and my wife where we can earn money to pay off bills, take vacations, get a new car, and most of all build a nest egg for retirement. So with these thoughts in mind I will not be taking this opportunity lightly and will endeavor to become a guru at it, and hopefully both the product/services and myself I write about will be no worse for the wear.

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G E Smith

I will be going to see G E Smith this week. I always enjoyed his playing when he was the Music Director for Sat Nite Live. He will be playing with Moonalice which is a band made up of Jack Casady, Barry Sless, Pete Sears, Ann adn Roger McNamee, and others. But the caliber of musicians in this band is amazing. I am looking forward to hearing the final sounds by such an eclectic group of musicians. I will not be taking Dawn this time as it is on a weeknight so I will be taking my friend that used to play guitar with me in the old days. I am also looking forward to his impression of these great musicians. More to come on this show by weeks end.

More oldies acts

After meeting the Rip-Chords. Dawn and i had the pleasure of being their guests in Reading for an oldies show. Not once but twice. We got to meet a lot of acts from the 60's on these nights. We got the guitar signed by all of the following: Mitch Ryder, Lou Christie, Gary U.S. Bonds, Ron Dante(the Archies, 1910Fruitgum Company. It was great to see these acts as it brought back many memories of my band in the 60's playing all the "newest hits" at school dances, and VFW's. Hard to believe that the songs by the original artist still sound like the records I bought over 35 years ago. AAAAAHHHHH Memories.

BRE Presents

Just got an email from BRE Presents with multiple shows listed. They seem to be getting bigger headliners coming into town, so I was curious and sent them an email to see if I can get a job there. I feel I know a great deal about classic rock acts, and have been to more than my share of shows, and feel I could be of help to the organization. It would be a giant plus to actually get employed with a booking agent where I could get access to the shows and begin a photo journal of all the great music that comes thru the Philly area. I would love to become a photographer for one of the venues in the area to start a collection of public photos to add to the immense collection of personal pictures I have. Imagine doing something you like and getting paid for it. I will let you all know the progress on this attempt when I get some answers.

My Space

Well, I have a MySpace page that is made up mostly of musicians. I have emailed some that I have seen coming to town to request an autograph on the guitar, and for the most part they reply favorably. Some have offered me to come backstage with them and others I have taken live pictures and/or videos. I am just bad about sending them the finished product. I still owe two the final results. I have just been working too much Overtime at work. Anyway here is my MySpace link

http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendid=129114115&MyToken=62d1b8a8-c3ce-4c27-9fff-9c5fbe34cbbe

Please check it out

Upcoming Shows

Well, the season has begun, and this is to update on the upcoming shows scheduled so far for this spring. There is a show with Moonalice, (G E Smith and friends) in two weeks. Then there are shows with Boz Scaggs, Tower of Power, Average White Band, Etta James, Kansas, James Cotton, And Ringo's All Star Band. Will probably sign up for some more shows at the Keswick and will keep on looking for more good shows to go to all season and try to get more and more autographs. And dont forget the New Rascals DVD Shoot in May. Also check out my MySpace page fro some more pics of signings.(http://home.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user&MyToken=100642d8-d954-43da-8fa4-9aa446aa5067)

The Rip-Chords

I first met the Rip-Chords at a Brian Wilson show. They were seated behind the soundboard, and Mitch and Ritchie were very hospitable. Then they invited Dawn and I to a show they were doing in Reading with a bunch of classic rock artists. We gladly went as their guests, and got to meet the entire band. We hung out backstage with them all night and have seen them 2times since. As a result of meeting Mitch and Richie, Dawn and I got to meet many other artists and that will be a story for another day. I just wanted to say that as far as bands go, many more bands could learn from the humility of the Rip-Chords. They are not so above the rest of humanity that they do not appreciate their fans and the measures fans go to to attend one of their shows. They are truly humble and thankful for their fans and that is something that is getting rare in the music world. Dawn and I cant wait to see them this summer at one of their shows.

Blues night

Just found out that 2 blues legends are coming to the Keswick. I bought tickets for the show already that seem to be selling fast. The acts are the Robert Cray band and Keb-mo. Dawn and I have seen both of them before, as an opening act for Bonnie Raitt. It will be great to see them both as headliners in their own right. Of course, I will try to get the guitar signed, and having seats upfront wont hurt. Next week its G E Smith and friends in Sellersville. Again looking forward to that show also.

Please keep coming back for more updates, and if possible, start leaving comments.

Andrew Dice Clay

The Dice man was at the Keswick last week. His opening act was unknown to me, but he was ok. Not fall on the floor laughing but no one got up and walked away either. Then came the Dice man. He has gotten a bit grayer and thinner on the scalp and added a few pounds, but none the less still the Dice man. He seemed like he had not been away at all. Still irreverant towards women, children and life in general. It was good to see him, I am just glad I didnt pay for the ticket. My step-son also saw the show and said it was excellent.

Entertainment

How I met the Entertainment Director for TRUMP Casino.

As we passed a picture of a guitar to pick up our "will call" tickets, I mentioned to Dawn that it was a Paul Reed Smith guitar. After picking up out tickets, I was approached by a man in a suit with a name tag, who said that he could not help but overhear me stating Paul Reed Smith. He introduced himself as the Entertainment Director, and informed me that the sign had been there for years and he has never heard anyone mention the brand of guitar. We began to talk and found that we had much in common. He also has a collection of autographs (I am sure it is much better then mine), and of course I asked how to get a job with him. He smiled and said its not like that way anymore. Well, I tried. We spoke of the Ringo All Star show coming and he said that it was always a good show. When we got home from the comedy show I surprised Dawn with tickets to see Ringo. Now the 2 of us cannot wait to see the show.

Greg Giraldo

Went to Atlantic City this past weekend for a show that Dawn had won tickets to. It was a comedy show and I was not looking forward to the drive. When we got there, as we were walking into the club, above in the hallway was a picture of a guitar. More on this later. We got out tickets and were shown our seats which were very good location wise. The opening act was different then advertised, but funny none the less. Then came Greg. He started off slow, and then proceeded to pounce on a person who was shouting out at him. From then on the show was great. Idiot man in the crowd would shout out some innane garbage and Greg would just question where that remark came from and continue with his show. He was timely and funny but after a while the heckler began to get everyone irratated. Aside from the heckler, I would recommend seeing his show if he comes to your town.

Rosanne Cash

Saw Rosanne twice in one year. Once at the Free at Noon show for XPN and once at my local venue. At the free at noon show, she surprised me and sounded good, and not too country, I am not a big fan of country. She was nice outside and siged for fans. But at the Keswick, she was distant and aloof, and seemed to not want to be bothered by fans. I did get her to sign the guitar at the free show so I was not trying the second show. She does remind me of her father when she sings.

Johnny Rivers

When I heard that Johnny Rivers was to play a local venue, I had to go see him. I grew up with him and his version of Secret Agent Man was required learning in my first band. I got tickets and traveled an hour to the venue and was not disappointed in the show. Johnny looked great, sounded even better and was gracious enough to sign my guitar in the lobby after the show. I was lucky in that I am somewhat aware of when the line will form for autographs and was 3rd in line. I say that because, shortly after me, he would only sign something that was bought that night in merchandise.

Mark Hudson

Let me start by saying that Mark Hudson is an extremely entertaining and funny man. My wife and I saw him Friday night at PUCKS and are still talking about his stories. His show consists of stories and songs from his career. From the Hudson Brothers TV show to the wok with Ringo's allstar tour, he has great and funny stories. Some from when he was the band leader on the Joan Rivers show are particularlly funny.

Yes I did inquire from Mark on MySpace is he would be willing to sign my guitar and he instantly said yes, so I was looking forward to meeting him. I knew a bit about him from his myspace page plus what I already know of him. My wife on the other hand did not know him but for his TV show and was leary of going. She has had a 180 degree turn around in hew opinion of Mark and now the two of us cannot wait till he comes bck to the area again. Next time we will sit much closer and probably laugh much harder.

Kris Kristofferson

Coming into work tonight I had the pleasure of listening to Janis Joplin and "Me and Bobby Mcgee". It made me think back to the time that Kris Kristofferson played my local venue. Having enjoyed his music for over 30 yrs, and seeing him in a few movies(Blade and others), I knew I was in for a good night. He did a great job on all of his hits and a few that were more obscure, and then when I heard, "Bobby Mcgee" I of course thought of Janis. I managed to find out where Kris was staying that night and went to the hotel the next morning and waited 2 hrs for them to come out to the tour bus, but I was successful in getting his autograph, I think I was the only one that got one from him this time around. Great music from and Icon in the business.

Time Off

Well, it must be age and the 20 hrs work days, but I had to take some time off. I am back now and ready to continue this blog. I checked my MySpace page today and found that Laura Chedley has posted a pic of her signing my guitar. Well, Not to be out done I will be posting my own pic of the signing in the next few days. (Sorry, Laura, but the wife has the camera to show off at work). Then on Friday this week, Its up to Doylestown to see Mark Hudson. He and his brothers had a TV show in the 70's and the Mark went on to be successful as a writer/producer for acts such as Aerosmith and Ringo Starr. He is the next name to add to the current guitar. More on that night over the weekend.

Laura Cheadle

Well, imagine this. I received a request on MySpace several months ago for someone named Laura Cheadle to be added to my friend list. I searched her page and found that she was a local lass whose family is tied to the music business for years. I totally enjoyed her music clips on her page and decided to add her. SMART MOVE. Then I find that she is playing in the North Star this month. I told her I would like to meet her and get her to sign the guitar, and also talk with her about a proposed charity concert idea I have. Well last night, I got to meet Laura. She is a talented young lady with a great level head on her shoulders. We got the guitar signing out of the way immediately, then proceeded to talk about the concert idea. This is going to be one great ride for both of us. Not only is she willing to work on the idea with my partner and I but she is also willing to suggest some more bands that she thinks would be willing to participate in the event. More on this later, but 5 Kudos going out to Laura. We will be speaking more in the future and dont worry, I have the picture, Ill post it in a few days.

Finally met them all

Well I finally got to meet all 4 original members of Vanilla Fudge. In the past I had met Carmine, Tim and Vince, several times both at my local venue and out in Reading. But the orignial Keyboard player was never with them. But tonight, I got to finally meet Mark. When I arrived at Sellersville theater, and was shown backstage pre-show, Mark was the first one to extend his hand and say Hello. Of course, there was not a lot of time, but I said Hi to Tim and Vince, also, and then spoke to Carmine about taking some pics for the band. I was disappointed to hear that he was not aware of all the pics I took for them at the Reading show with Iron Butterfly, but Ill just include them in with this batch I took tonight when I mail them all to him next week. It was good to hear Ticket to Ride, People get Ready, Shotgun, You keep me hangin... along with their versions of some Zepplin songs off their new CD> All in all a good night. Now I gotta run and get Carmine's stuff ready for early shipment. Come back tomorrow for another update on a local girl, Laura Chedly (?)

Tomorrow Night for FUDGE

Well, Tomorrow I will be heading to Sellersville, PA for the reunion of the original 4 members of Vanilla Fudge. I have met all of them in the past save for the original Keyboard player. I hope to get along with him as well as I get along with his replacement. Carmine is always fun to be around and watch as he powers his way thru the drum set, Vince is just so soft spoken and Tim. Well, Tim is like Jeckle and Hyde, in that pre show he is just zoning for the gig, and very placid, but once on stage, he explodes into this powerhouse of energy, bouncing all over the stage. Then on thursday nite I get to see Laura Chedley at the North Star bar in Philly. Looking forward to meeting her and discussing my concert idea with her, and of course, getting her to sign a guitar. More to come.

Yellow Submarine complete

Went to see Ron Campbell on Friday at the opening of WMGK's Rock Art show and met Ron Campbell for the second time. He graced me with autographs on everything I brought to him. # of the McFarland Yellow Submarine figures, one copy of the Yellow Submarine DVD and best of all he took my animation cell of the Sea of Holes, and on the back he drew two figures of John Lennon. One from the Beatles cartoon show and one from the Yellow Submarine movie itself and dedicated it my wife Dawn. Also was lucky enough to get a concert poster of the Doors, personalized to Dawn from the artist Scott C. I love the Rock art show, as there is always such an array of art form Rock artists along with hadnwritten lyrics, signed instruments, classic posters, and more. It is always a good time and I look forward to returning for the Breakfast with the Beatles show that always takes place on a Sun before the Art show ends.

Ron Campbell Pt2

Went to the opening of WMGK's Rock Art Show and was lucky enough to get Ron Campbell to aoutgraph all the items I had brought for him. They include 3 Yellow Submarine McFarland figures, a copy of the Yellow submarine DVD in which he drew a Blue Meanine complete with machine gun, and the final one is a cell of the Sea of Holes fromt he acutal movie The Yellow Submarine where he drew both the cartoon show and the movie version of John on the back and dedicated it to my wife Dawn.

Ron Campbell

Well later this morning I will be visiting with Ron Campbell, the animator for the Beatles, Yellow Submarine movie. I met him 2 years ago at the Rock Art show and Auction in Philly, where he signed my guitar and drew a "Blue Meannie" on it for me. Nice Austrailian chap, and this time around I am hopeing that he will sign a few of the McFarland Yellow Submarine figures along with an animation cell from the actual movie, Yellow Submarine. I will also be checking out art show as I have done now for the past 7 years on Opening Day with Debbi Calton of WMGK. It is always a pleasure to see all the artwork from the various Rock Stars, and chat with Debbi. Plus you never know who is going to show up during the course of time your there. I then turn my attention to next week when it is the original 4 members of Vanilla Fudge and also Laura Cheadle. Then the following week it is Mark Hudson. BUSY BUSY BUSY. And dont forget to check back often as more new blogs will be posted on a more frequent manner, now that I see I have an interest.

Sara Bareilles

Saw Sara Bareilles this weekend and Have to say I did not know the name. However when she played Love Song and Gravity, I recognized the songs. Then it hit me, she is in a TV Commercial. Also, I had heard her on VH1. Back to the show. She was just GREAT. Her playing style is similar to that of Alicia Keys, and her music is R&B/Funk/Rock style. She tends to speak her mind inbetween songs, which was refreshing, and all in all I really enjoyed her portion of the show. She was opening for James Blount. I left after his first song. Just something about his voice bothers me. But for Sara, I strongly recommend seein her show if possible, even though she said it was the next to last gig on the current tour.

Busy weekend

Well, this weekend I will be busy. I am seeing B B King on Friday and Michael Blunt on Sat. Now I have seen B B about 6 times in the past and have even been on his tour bus chatting with him for 30 min. He is a gentle giant of a man and very humble to his fans. I expect the show on Fri to be just about the same and the ones I have seen in the past. One thing about B B is he doesnt change up too much. If it aint broke dont fix it I guess is his thought. Then on Sat I will see M. Blunt. I am not really a fan and just really want his autograph, but I will be back in a few days to let you all know what the night was like. I hope to be able to enjoy the two shows and until next time

The Rascals DVD Shoot

The New Rascals are coming to New Jersey in May to shoot a live DVD concert. They are asking for fans to show up. Information can be found on their MYSpace page . The shoot is "LIVE DVD filming at CENTRO South Amboy, NJ" May 10th at 9pm. Bet you butt that Dawn and I will be there most of the day hanging with the guys and taking more and more pics and video. Its been too long since we saw them all last and it will be good to see them again and spend some time with them. Also, coming to the area soon is Fast Fred and the Ghostriders. They are coming to NY in a few months and hopefully Danw and I will be able to meet up with them also. It looks like a busy spring for us. More later.

Talking with Nazz

Talked last week with Stewkey from Nazz. You all remember them as the originators of the hit "Hello, its Me", with Todd Rudgren. Well, they played in Sellersville last week and I got to speak with Stewkey about a concert Idea, my partner and I have. He told me it was a tremendous undertaking, but If we could pull it off that we should contact him and if and when the time drew near, we would exchange phone numbers, to get it together. My partner and I want to have a concert of local acts, up to 10 total, play a charity show. We would need the artists to donate their time, and in return, we would be donating parts of the proceeds to two charities. We would like to have something like Hippiefest for charity eventually, but I have been told by some of my friends in the business, that starting locally first would help. To date I have a commitment of 2 bands, Nazz, being the possible 3rd, and next month I have to meet with Laura Cheadle at the North Star Bar to talk to her and see if she is in. This is truely a monumentous task and will take the better part of this year to try to pull it off. More on Laura next month. Now to get ready for B B king this weekend. Then Rock art shows, James Cotton, Mark Hudson, The Rascals dvd shoot and more. more to come

Peter Tork and The Blue Suede Shoes

Imagine actually getting to meet one of the Monkees. I was lucky enuf to have that happen to me. I found out they were playin in a local venue and I contacted them to see if they wanted some new pics for their website, as I have been fortunate in shooting about 10 bands now. I met them thur Richard Mikuls and have to say that I was impressed with Peter's talent. I only had known him as a bass player from NY, but to find him playing keyboard, guitar, was news to me. Their set included a Monkee song or two, and some other pop/rock, but mostly it was blues and it was refreshing to hear. Getting to Meet Peter and the rest of the band was great. I shot a lot of photos and some video for the band and (I still owe them the video) and even got all their autographs on my guitar. Peter Noone was also on the bill and I got him to resign another guitar(already signed one). Peter Tork is an honest and sincere man who seems to care about his audience and in todays world that is something to be proud of.

The Moody Blues

Saw the Moody Blues at the Tower Theater in Philly, and the show was great. Not being a big Moody fan, I was leary of attending, but had to please my wife. I was suprised at how many of their songs I really knew, and enjoyed. They are professionals in that one of them was ill but gave it their all just the same. I came away with a new respect for the music of the Moody Blues, and had a great time with my wife at the show.

Why I choose Pay per Post

When I first heard about Pay per Post, I thought it was too good to be true. A co-worker had told me that you could get paid to blog for various products with different dollar amounts paid for the blog. I thought this is the lamest scam yet. Then I signed up for it to try. >http://payperpost.com/advertisers/marketplace.html">drive traffic Well, I started doing articles about different concerts I have been to and what I thought of them. Some include stories of how I met various artists, or if I thought they might just be in it for the money and greed. Some may include whether or not I think they should even still be performing, but bottom line is I now feel like a real entertainment correspondent. My wife and I have been to over 700 shows in the last 7 years, so I have plenty of foods for thought. So this is not going to be that hard a project.
Then I find out that I will have to opportunity to become a critic on Pay per Post, and voice my opinion on a bevy of products and services, and that someone will actually take my view in helping them to decide on getting the service or product. WOW!! is that a rush. And I will get paid for doing it at the same time. Who could ask for more. Needless to say that low and behold, I have no been approved and am now a believer in Pay per Post. I look forward to a career in the blogging business that is profitable to both the product and/or service and to family and myself. This sounds like the perfect part time job for both me and my wife where we can earn money to pay off bills, take vacations, get a new car, and most of all build a nest egg for retirement. So with these thoughts in mind I will not be taking this opportunity lightly and will endeavor to become a guru at it, and hopefully both the product/services and myself I write about will be no worse for the wear.

how to time lapse your child on film

Here is a trick for all parents who would like to record their child's growth. If you take a baby and place the baby on a flat surface, (sofa, bed, etc.) and film it with a video camera for just 30 seconds a day, buy the end of the tape, you will have over 2 years growth recorded. The camera must have a flying erase head to prevent jumps in the visual, or it must be digital. Imagine, sitting down with your child and just watching them grow before your eyes in a time lapse video. Then when the child gets to be too big to lay on the bed (approx 2 yrs of age), simply move to the tape measure in the door frame. Place a tape measure on a door frame and have the child stand next to it and repeat the 30 second shoot. We now have the growth to over the age of 4. Depending on how long you want to document their growth is the only obstacle that you have on this simple measuring trick.

The Wanderer

I met Dion (http://www.diondimucci.com/main.html) at the World Cafe in Philly after his set for the Free at Noon concert series for WXPN. His solo act was to promote his new blues album, and I have to say it was great. He covered the Allmans "statesboro blues" and did a terrific job. I was upset that he did not do any (except for the Wanderer) of his old songs. But then after the show I got to meet him and knew he was coming to my local venue, and asked him if I could expect to hear the older music there. He assured me I would and he did not let me down. Months passed and when he finally came around again, I was not disappointed. Hearing " Abraham, Martin and John" in person, meant a lot to me since I grew up during those trying times. Either of the two shows would have been enough, but the two together in one year was so much better.

Flow and Eddie

Seeing the Turtles (http://theturtles.com/) last week for our Anniversary worked out well. We were supposed to see them back in November, as a birthday gift to my wife, but they had to cancel due to health reasons. But the rescheduled date was just as good as an anniversary gift. Mark and Howard, (Flow and Eddie) performed all of their hits from the 60's and even threw in one from the Zappa years. Learning they did music for some of the biggest cartoons of the 70-80's was a surprise. They sounded great, and kept the audience entertained with their humor. I can see them in a casino atmosphere. I can only hope now that they can get booked at my local venue so I can get to meet them, since we could only get the guitar signed last week without meeting them. One can only hope

MItch Ryder

Ahhhh Mitch Ryder, how you corrupted my generation. When you sang, "everytime you kiss me, hits me like a puck!", when the adults heard that line, they all thought you were saying something else. I think that may actually have lead to a boom in record sales for you as the kids all wanted to have "Sock it to Me" in their collection, so their parents would get upset. You did however have some great music for the time and it was good to see you last year and see that you still sound the same and can deliver an energy packed set to your audience.

John Kay

Getting to see John Kay with Steppenwolf last year was a real thrill for me. After all it was one of his songs that got my parents to pay more attention to me and let me get into music. Every time my mother heard me playing GODDAMN the PUSHER MAN, she would holler at me to not listen to such bad things on the record player. What would she have said of todays music verses, I wonder. Hearing that song in Easy Rider in the sequence it was in was brilliant. John still has the voice from the 60's and the Rickenbacker guitar that he used. He looked great on the stage but it bothered me a bit when he announced that he was going to be retiring in the next year or two. May he enjoy the Magic Carpet Ride, as much as I have enjoyed the music he has given to me.