Paul McCartney - MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford , NJ - 6/16/2022

 Happy Birthday Paul McCartney. 80 years old today. Amazing.

 My daughter and I went to see Mr. McCartney the other night at Met Life Stadium the other night and could not have asked for more. He could have done 10 shows with completely different songs, and each one would be satisfying. 

I've been fortunate to see him 3 times,  not that many to devout Beatles fans, but I never am going to complain. Each time I saw him, I felt so fortunate to have the opportunity. And over and over I would think as each song was played, "he wrote that". So many of his songs have achieved mythic status that you feel as if they have always been around.

His concerts include a great mix of solo songs, Wings songs and, of course, Beatles songs. And to see a Beatle do a Beatles song is something special.

For this pre Birthday show, which was also the final night of the U.S. tour, he brought out Bruce Springsteen to do a couple songs. Bruce performed his song Glory Days, fitting given the occasion, and shared vocals on I Wanna Be Your Man. He also came back for the the guitar trade off during The End. 

 A little later, Jon Bon Jovi came out with a handful of balloons for Paul and led the crowd in Happy Birthday.

 Mr. McCartney's voice is showing signs of age, but got stronger as the night went on. He sounded best during the semi acoustic portion when he did a lot of his older catalog, To hear him do songs like The Quarrymen song In Spite of All the Danger, and Love Me Do were the biggest highlights of a show full of highlights.

His longtime band, Wix Wickens on keyboards/guitar/harmonica, Rusty Anderson on guitar, Brian Ray on Guitar & Bass and Abe Laboriel Jr. on drums were augmented by a 3 piece horn section. An amazing band who I hope back Paul for years to come.

 For all the decades of timeless music and treating us fans to a concert like this one, I thank Paul McCartney.

 Happy Birthday and many many more.

 Here is the setlist:

 Can't Buy Me Love(Beatles song)

 Junior's Farm(Wings song)

 Letting Go(Wings song)

 Got To Get You Into My Life(Beatles song)

 Come On To Me

 Let Me Roll It(Wings song) w/Foxy Lady (Jimi Hendrix cover) Outro

 Getting Better(Beatles song)

 Let 'Em In(Wings song)

 My Valentine

 Nineteen Hundred and Eighty Five(Wings song)

 Maybe I'm Amazed

 I've Just Seen a Face(Beatles song)

 In Spite of All the Danger(Quarrymen song)

 Love Me Do(Beatles Song)

 Dance Tonight

 Blackbird(Beatles song)

 Here Today

 New

 Lady Madonna(Beatles song)

 Fuh You

 Jet(Wings song)

 Being for the Benefit of Mr. Kite(Beatles song)

 Something(Beatles song)

 Ob-La-Di,Ob-La-Da(Beatles song)

 You Never Give Me Your Money/She Came in Through the Bathroom Window(Beatles song)

 Get Back(Beatles Song)

 Band on the Run(Wings song)

 Glory Days(Bruce Springsteen song) w/Bruce Springsteen

 I Wanna Be Your Man(Beatles song) w/Bruce Springsteen

 Let It Be(Beatles song)

 Hey Jude(Beatles song)

 

 I've Got a Feeling(Beatles song) w/video image of John Lennon

 Happy Birthday - Jon Bon Jovi

 Birthday(Beatles song)

 Helter Skelter(Beatles song)

 Golden Slumbers/Carry That Weight/The End(Beatles song) w/Bruce Springsteen

 

Paul & Bruce

Bruce

Paul & Jon

 

Bruce & Brian Ray

 

Ringo Starr & His All Starr Band - Count Basie Theatre, Red Bank, NJ - 6/10/2022

 As fortunate as I felt to be able to see Ringo Starr this tour after a two and a half year wait, I felt even more fortunate having read that the remaining dates of his summer tour have been postponed. 

 First off, I wish Edgar Winter and Steve Lukather a quick recovery as they have been diagnosed with Covid. Hopefully their symptoms will be minimal and the rest of the band can manage to avoid catching it. Mr. Winter was not part of the Red Bank show having tested positive for covid during their run at the Beacon Theatre in New York.

 This time around, The All Starr Band consists of Colin Hay of Men at Work, Steve Lukather of Toto, Hamish Stuart of Average White Band, super drummer Gregg Bissonette and multi instrumentalist Warren Hamm.

 With Edgar Winter not appearing,the setlist was shortened by 3 songs, but was still pretty incredible. For me, getting to see a Beatle perform live is always something to be grateful for, and anything extra is icing on the cake.

 As usual per the All Starr Band shows, Ringo opened the show with a few songs, handed the spotlight over to his fellow band members, and played drums when not standing center stage. He did sing and play drums on both on Boys and I Wanna Be Your Man. However, is is pretty hard to take your eyes off him even when not up front. Endlessly charming with energy to spare, he really does not seem to have aged since the first time I saw him in the late 80's. And, HE'S A BEATLE.

 The band sounded great and each member performed some of the biggest songs from their careers. Mr. Hamm was spotlighted several times on saxophone, flute and shared lead vocals on a couple songs. Mr. Bissonette included a few familiar drum parts during his solo, like The Beatles Ticket to Ride and Led Zeppelin's Rock & Roll.

  A great concert, and so grateful to get the chance to be there.

 

 Here is the setlist:

 Matchbox (Beatles song / Carl Perkins cover) - Ringo

 It Don't Come Easy - Ringo

 What Goes On ( Beatles song)

 Rosanna (Toto song) - Steve Lukather & Warren Hamm

 Pick Up The Pieces  (Average White Band song) - Hamish Stuart

 Down Under ( Men at Work song) - Colin Hay

 Boys (Beatles song / Shirelles cover) - Ringo

 I'm The Greatest - Ringo

 Yellow Submarine (Beatles song) - Ringo

 Cut The Cake (Average White Band song) - Hamish Stuart, no Ringo, Gregg Bissonette drum solo

 Octopus's Garden (Beatles song) - Ringo

 Back Off Boogaloo - Ringo

 Overkill (Men at Work song) - Colin Hay

 Africa (Toto song) - Steve Lukather & Colin Hay

 Work to Do (Average White Band song) - Hamish Stuart

 I Wanna Be Your Man (Beatles song) - Ringo

 Who Can It Be Now (Men at Work song) - Colin Hay

 Hold The Line (Toto song) - Steve Lukather

 Photograph - Ringo

 Act Naturally (Beatles Song / Johnny Russell cover) - Ringo

 With a Little Help From My Friends (Beatles song) / Give Peace a Chance (Plastic Ono Band cover) - Ringo

    

 

 

Warren Hamm, Steve Lukather, Ringo Starr, Hamish Stuart, Gregg Bissonette, Colin Hay

In Memoriam - Alec John Such

                                                              Rest in Peace

 

Light of Day - Count Basie Theatre Red Bank, NJ 3/12/2022

  The Light of Day concert series returned to in person performances this week with a series of shows which featured new and established performers. 

   The main event is titled Bob's Birthday Bash, in honor of Bob Benjamin who suffers from Parkinson's Disease. All proceeds from the concerts goes to research for Parkinson's Disease and ALS. The main event had been held at The Paramount Theatre in Asbury Park for the last decade plus, but was moved to Red Bank since the Paramount is not able to host any events for the foreseeable future.

   This years event had many of the artists who have been performing for years return for this live in person performance.

   Here are the performers and their setlists. Any title I am unsure of, and there are many,  is followed with a ?.

       Joe Bonanno

       Rip It Up (Little Richard cover)

       Walked Into the Room

       Down Lisa's Daddy's Place

       Joe D'Urso & Stone Caravan

       Don't Go Home

       Love Like This

       Come Down Tonight(Asbury Park)

        Let It Go

       Noisy Guitars

      Williams Honor w/Bobby Mahoney

       Ashamed

       Get Out Again?

      James Maddock

      F**ked Up World

      My Old Neighborhood

      Chance

      More Than Just a Refugee?

      When The Suns Out

      Linda Chorney

      When I Sing

       Bored

      Remember Jones

      I'll Take You There (Staples Singers cover)

      Ha Ha Bitch

      Let Em Go?

      Radio Says She Loved Me / Cult of Personality(Living Color cover)

      People Watching People

      All Revved Up With No Place To Go(Meat Loaf cover)

      Anthony D'Amato

      Come on Armageddon?

      Passing Through?

      Weeklings

      Baby You're a Rich Man( Beatles cover)

      I Want You Again

      In The Moment

      3

      While My Guitar Gently Weeps (Beatles cover)

      Little Elvis

     Tony Pelligossi & Joe D'Durso - Speech

      Jesse Malin

     Dance With The System

     Shining Down

     Wendy

     She Don't Love Me Now

     Before You Go

     The Way We Used To Roll

     Meet Me At The End of the World Again

     Miss Emily

     Sometimes It's Better To Lose

     Shaken?

     Willie Nile

     Forever Wild

     Far Off Place?

     The Innocent Ones

     Day the Earth Stood Still

     Run Free

     One Guitar

     Guy Davis

     Early In The Morning

     Long Gone Riley Brown

     Joe D'Urso, James Maddock, Guy Davis & Rob Dye

     Hold On

     Joe Grushecky

     What Did You Do In The War?

     Pumpin' Iron

     Never Be Enough Time

    Gimme Shelter (Rolling Stones cover) w/Williams Honor & Danny Clinch

     Down The Road Apiece w/Williams Honor & Danny Clinch

     Light of Day - Finale

Joe D'Urso & Stone Caravan

Williams Honor & Bobby Mahoney

      

James Maddock

Remember Jones

The Weeklings

Jesse Malin

Joe Grushecky w/Williams Honor & Danny Clinch

     

        

     

       

In Memoriam - William Hurt

                                                                   Rest in Peace

In Memoriam - Ronnie Spector

                                 The first weeks of 2022 have not been kind. Rest in Peace.

In Memoriam - Sidney Poitier

                   

       More than a legend, an icon. A pioneer.

       In the 90's, my wife and I were exiting Carnegie Hall after seeing a concert, and we saw Mr. Poitier walking down the stairs. He looked like royalty. He was royalty. As I got outside I had lost my wife. A few moments later she is walking out with Mr. Potier holding her arm. I walked over and all I could say was "I love you". He nodded his head and thanked me. He made this incredibly awkward person feel cool and calm. I don't doubt that his whole life was filled with moments that his fans, admirers and anyone who was able to share a space with him can looks back and treasure.

     When God made you, he broke the mold.  Rest in Peace.