Glen Burtnick-12/31/1988 Stone Pony

This one is for Dylan's Dad.

Since this is the final day of 2009, I thought I would post about one of the New Years Eve concerts I went to at the Stone Pony ending the year 1988.

I've been fortunate to see a few concerts on New Years Eve: Billy Joel in 1983 at the Garden, Southside Johnny & the Asbury Jukes a couple times at the Count Basie Theatre in Red Bank New Jersey.


For a few years a couple of us would go to the Stone Pony and see John Eddie or Glen Burtnick on New Years Eve. The other day I spoke with one of my best friends, who went to many of these shows. We talked about this particular show, and how great it was. I believe our days of New Years Eve concerts are over, but luckily we saw a few memorable ones. Glad we were able to go to these shows when we did, but not sad to not be going out on New Years Eve anymore. We both have families now, and are looking forward to spending it with them.

Glen really mixed up his setlist and did a bunch of songs he rarely, or ever, did. Highlights were Glen singing an original written for the show called 1989, which had Glen performing as the baby New Year in a diaper.

In order to further accommodate the costume change back to "grownup" clothes, The Day that Your Ship Gets Thru was performed with the instrumental ending first, then Glen came out and performed the main part of the song.

Opening act Joey & the Works added backing vocals to Talk That Talk. Steve Schuffert and Mike Baran from Glens band, the guitarist and bass player, took lead vocals on a couple songs. The other band members at this time were Bobby Gordon on keyboards and Jimmy Clark on drums.

After the New Year rang in, Patty Smyth came out and performed a couple Scandal songs with Glen and his band. They then performed a couple new songs they just wrote, one being Sometimes Love Just Ain't Enough, which became a hit for her a few years later. Ironically, my friend turned to me after they performed the song and said "my prediction is that song will be #1 this time next year". He wasn't too far off. Patty finished with the Led Zeppelin classic Whole Lotta Love.

Overall a great concert, and for me at that time the best way to ring in the New Year. My thanks to Glen for a great show, and to my friends for being there and having the same passion for some great Jersey rock. We still have the same passion for the music, but have much better offers nowadays.


Here's the setlist.


Follow You/Roll Over Beethoven/I Wanna Be Sedated/Not Fade Away
World Tonite
Walls Came Down
Abalene
Glad All Over/Birthday/Pump It Up
Talk That Talk w/Joey & the Works
Slow Down-Steve & Mike Lead Vocals
Auld Lang Syne
1989
Honky Tonk Woman-Steve & Mike Lead Vocals
Day That Your Ship Gets Thru
Love Goes On
Everyday I Fall In Love
Heard It On the Radio
Womans Point of View
Goodbye To You w/Patty Smyth Lead Vocals
The Warrior w/Patty Smyth Lead Vocals
Sometimes Love Just Ain't Enough w/Patty Smyth
Everyone Loves a Hero w/Patty Smyth
Whole Lotta Love w/Patty Smyth Lead Vocals
Replace My Face
Here Comes Sally
Scattered
Long Tall Sally

The Gaslight Anthem-Wellmont Theatre 12/11/2009

I was lucky enough to see The Gaslight Anthem the other night. They are a great band out of New Brunswick New Jersey that consists of Brian Fallon on guitar and lead vocals, Alex Levine on bass and vocals, Benny Horowitz on Drums and Alex Rosamilia on Lead guitar and vocals. This was the first time I was able to see them, however I was fortunate enough to see Brian Fallon at last years Hope Show Benefit at the Count Basie Theatre in Red Bank.
The band played a strong 85 minute set which included all but one song from their latest CD The '59 Sound and great cover of Tom Petty's Refugee.
The concert also brought back something I haven't heard in a while; drunks yelling "Bruce" at the worst possible moments for absolutely no reason. I'm glad to see that time honored Jersey tradition being carried on so well for a new generation.
Here's the setlist:

Old White Lincoln
Wooderson
Wherefore Art Thou, Elvis?
Even Cowgirls Get the Blues
High Lonesome
We Came To Dance
Film Noir
I'da Called You Woody, Joe
Great Expectations
Miles Davis & The Cool
Blue Jeans & White T-Shirts
Meet Me By The River's Edge
Here's Looking At You Kid
The '59 Sound

Casanova, Baby!
1930
Bring It On
The Navesink Banks
Refugee
Say I Won't(Recognize)
We're Getting a Divorce, You Keep the Diner
The Backseat