2022

 A year where all I can do is thank my beautiful wife and beautiful daughter for all they do for me.

Assassins Pre show

Andre De Shields final performance

In Memoriam - Pele

                                                                          Rest in Peace

 

Morrissey - NJPAC, Newark, NJ 12/1/2022

 From the epic opener How Soon is Now? to the majestic Everyday is Like Sunday to the "hug him if you can" closing song Sweet and Tender Hooligan, this was an amazing concert by an amazing performer. Morrissey is that grumpy guy you can't help but love. There was not a moment that felt disingenuous. I wanted more, but did not feel cheated at any point. 

 I can only hope he returns soon so I can see him again. 

  The setlist was made up mostly of solo songs, including a couple new songs which were really good, and a few songs from his time with The Smiths.

 Here is the setlist: 

 

How Soon is Now? (The Smiths song)

 First of the Gang to Die

 We Hate it When Our Friends Become Successful

Our Frank

Rebels Without Applause

I Am Veronica

The Bullfighter Dies

Jim Jim Falls

Girlfriend in a Coma (The Smiths song)

The Loop

Stop Me If You Think You've Heard This One Before (The Smiths song)

Sure Enough, the Telephone Rings

Irish Blood, English Heart

Half a Person (The Smiths song)

Everyday is Like Sunday

Knockabout World

Saint in a Stained Glass Window

Please, Please, Please Let Me Get What I Want (The Smiths song)

Jack the Ripper

  *Encore*

Sweet and Tender Hooligan (The Smiths song)

  

 

In Memoriam - Christine McVie

                                                               Rest in Peace

 

Richard Marx - Count Basie Theatre, Red Bank, NJ 11/1/2022

 Richard Marx's The Songwriters Tour made its way to The Count Basie Theatre in Red Bank New Jersey this week.

 The tour has Mr. Marx performing many(all) of his hits alongside a couple new songs and songs he has written for other artists. Many of the songs benefitted from the stripped down arrangements. There were 3 songs where a backing track was added, the most notable being When You Loved Me, which included a prerecorded video of his 3 sons performing along with him.

Vocally, I think he sounds as good now as he did 35 years ago. He switched between guitar and piano effortlessly while telling stories prior to each song.

Audience requests were encouraged, but it always amazes me that people will yell out for the songs he is most likely to do; Satisfied, Endless Summer Nights or one of the other numerous hits he is known for. 

 Here is the setlist: 

Believe In Me

Front Row Seat

Too Late To Say Goodbye

Keep Coming Back

The Way She Loves Me

Same Heartbreak, Different Day

Hazard

When You Loved Me

Fly Me To The Moon(Kaye Ballard cover)

Always

Endless Summer Nights

Satisfied

Hold On To The Night

Now & Forever

Don't Mean Nothing

**Encore**

Angelia

Should've Known Better

Right Here Waiting

 

In Memoriam - Jerry Lee Lewis

The Killer. Rest in Peace.

 

In Memoriam - Angela Lansbury

A true legend. The original Mrs. Lovett. Rest in Peace.

 

In Memoriam - Loretta Lynn

                                        

                                                 The Queen of Country. Rest in Peace.
 

The Killers - Wells Fargo Center, Philadelphia, PA 9/27/2022

The Killers delayed Imploding the Mirage tour reached Philadelphia this past week.

 I was fortunate to see Brandon Flowers years ago at the Stone Pony in Asbury Park New Jersey, and had only seen The Killers once when they performed an excellent version of Tom Petty's American Girl at the 2018 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Induction, and loved both performances. 

Despite knowing how good they are and liking a lot of their music, I really had no idea what the expect from their full concerts. It was amazing. From the opening song to the final one, it was one of the best concerts I have ever seen. Musically, they are a great band and could hold their own on a empty stage with no visual assistance. What was impressive was that the staging and visual accompaniment were stunning, but did not overtake the musicianship at any time. The visuals only enhanced the songs, but did not overtake them.

 Opening the show was Johnny Marr of The Smiths who gave a great, albeit too short, set and joined The Killers for the final two songs of their set. His set consisted of some of his solo songs and songs from The Smiths and Electronic. He could have played for 90 minutes and it would have been welcome.

  Here are the setlists: 

    Johnny Marr

    Armatopia

    Panic(The Smiths song)

    Night and Day

    Spirit Power and Soul

    Getting Away With It(Electonic song)

    Easy Money

    There Is a Light That Never Goes Out(The Smiths song)

    How Soon Is Now?(The Smiths song)

    The Killers

     My Own Soul's Warning

     Enterlude

     When You Were Young

     Jenny Was a Friend of Mine

     Smile Like You Mean It

     Shot at the Night

     Running Towards a Place

     Human

     Somebody Told Me

     Fire in Bone

     Boy

     For Reasons Unknown

     A Dustland Fairytale

    The First Tome Ever I Saw Your Face(Roberta Flack cover)

    Runaways

    Read My Mind

    Dying Breed

    Caution

    All These Things That I've Done

   Encore

   Spaceman

   This Charming Man(The Smiths cover) w/Johnny Marr

   Mr. Brightside w/Johnny Marr

Johnny Marr

The Killers

Johnny Marr and The Killers

 

 

In Memoriam - Olivia Newton-John

                                                                Rest in Peace
 

Roger Waters - Wells Fargo Center Philadelphia, PA 8/6/2022

 Easily one of the most visually striking concerts I have ever seen, Roger Waters This Is Not a Drill tour came to Philadelphia this weekend.
From what I can gather, Roger Waters is very up front about his politics in the concert setting and always has been, and even gives a tongue in cheek warning at the beginning on the concert, so don't say you weren't warned.

  I am definitely more of a Pink Floyd fan than a fan of his solo work, but can honestly say I am not very familiar with his solo work outside of Radio KAOS. There are a few songs on that album I really like, but doubt they would have fit in well with the theme of this concert, outside of The Powers That Be which was played early in the first set..

  The highlights of the concert were the powerful opening of Comfortably Numb, the classic Have a Cigar, the opening of the second half when Roger entered to In The Flesh, and Two Suns in The Sunset before the last song.

  Here is the setlist: 

 Comfortably Numb(Pink Floyd song)

The Happiest Days of Our Lives(Pink Floyd song)

 Another Brick in The Wall Part 2(Pink Floyd song)

 Another Brick in The Wall Part 3(Pink Floyd song)

 The Powers That Be

 The Bravery of Being Out of Range

 The Bar

 Have a Cigar(Pink Floyd song)

 Wish You Were Here(Pink Floyd song)

 Shine On You Crazy Diamond(Parts VI-IX) (Pink Floyd song)

 Sheep(Pink Floyd song)

       Intermission

In The Flesh(Pink Floyd song)

Run Like Hell(Pink Floyd song)

Deja Vu

Is That The Life We Really Want

Money(Pink Floyd song)

Us & Them(Pink Floyd song)

Any Colour You Like(Pink Floyd song)

Brain Damage / Eclipse(Pink Floyd song)

Two Suns In The Sunset(Pink Floyd song)

The Bar(Reprise)/Outside The Wall(Pink Floyd song)

Confortably Numb

Sheep

Run Like Hell

Eclipse/Brain Damage

Outside The Wall - Band Introductions