Friday, July 19, 2024

Pat Benatar & Neil Giraldo - Count Basie Theatre 7/7/2024

     Rock and Roll Hall of Famers Pat Benatar & Neil Giraldo came to the Count Basie Theatre in Red Bank New Jersey this past Fourth of July weekend. A little late with this post. 
     Both, still sounding better than, ever delivered a hits filled set, along with a few deeper cuts and a couple covers. 
     I believe the tour started the previous night in Atlantic City with a slightly different, and shorter, set list. 
   
    Ohio band The Vindy's opened the show with a 30 minute set which included Don't Tall Me, Just Love Me and Want Your Heart.
     Here is the setlist.

  All Fired Up
  We Live For Love
  Invincible
  Promises in the Dark
  My Clone Sleeps Alone
  In the Heat of the Night
  Strawberry Wine
  We Belong
  Ties That Bind
  Shadows of the Night
  Hell is For Children
  You Better Run
  Love is a Battlefield

     Encore

 Everybody Lay Down
 War(Edwin Starr cover)/Disconnected
 Heartbreaker/Ring of Fire(Johnny Cash cover)





The Vindys






 
    
     
 

Sunday, July 7, 2024

Justin Hayward & Christopher Cross - Count Basie Theatre, Red Bank, NJ 7/3/2024

                                                    
   







Justin Hayward and Christopher Cross are co headlining a short tour which made its way to The Count Basie Theatre the other night. 
Justin Hayward is the lead singer and guitarist of the Moody Blues and has a 3 piece band with him, Guitarist Mike Dawes; who performs a short set leading right into Justin Hayward's set, Julie Ragins; who toured with the Moody Blues, on keyboard and vocals, and Karmen Gould who plays flute and also provided backing vocals. 
    The setlist was heavy on Moody Blues classics and deep cuts as well as Justin Hayward solo songs. 
    Although 77 years old, his voice still sounds great and his guitar playing was impressive. He performed a medley of lesser known Moody Blues songs, and a solo song, a few songs in.  

   Christopher Cross played a hits filled 70 minute set with his great backing band. His voice still sounds really good and was best on the stripped down song Light The World and on the final song Think of Laura, backed only by piano. 

    I was hoping that the two of the would share the stage for a song or two, but that did not materialize. I am not sure what they would have done together, but it would have been fun to see them share the stage together.
    Here are the setlists: 

          Justin Hayward

   Tuesday Afternoon(Moody Blues song)
   Driftwood
   Living for Love
   The Day We Meet Again(Moody Blues song)/One Lonely Room/Out & In(Moody Blues song)/In My World(Moody Blues song)/Meanwhile(Moody Blues song)
   Voices in the Sky(Moody Blues song)
   The Voice(Moody Blues song)
   Forever Autumn(from War of the Worlds)
   Never Comes the Day(Moody Blues song)
   Your Wildest Dreams(Moody Blues song)
   Question(Moody Blues song)
   Nights in White Satin(Moody Blues song)
   
             Encore

    Story in Your Eyes(Moody Blues song)
    I Know Your Out There Somewhere(Moody Blues song)

           Christopher Cross

    All Right
    Never Be the Same
    I Really Don't Know Anymore
    Sailing
    Dreamers
    Arthur's Theme(Best That You Can Do)
    Say You'll Be Mine
    Light the World
    The Light Is On
    No Time For Talking
    Ride Like the Wind
    Think of Laura



Justin Hayward

Karmen Gould and Justin Hayward


Christopher Cross