Merry Christmas

Hope Show V 12/19/2011 Count Basie Theatre

     The fifth semi-annual Hope Show was held tonight at the Count Basie Theatre in Red Bank New Jersey.
     The show, though shorter than previous Hope Shows, included performers from many of the previous 4 shows. Bobby Bandiera's band served as the band for most of the night. Additional musicians drifted on the stage throughout the performance.Bobby once again served as musical director, and this year the beneficiary was the Cancer Institute of New Jersey.
      Here is the set list with notable performers on each song.

           Tim McLoone & The Shirleys

               Happy Holidays
               All Alone on Christmas
               Jesus Was Born on Christmas Day
               Higher & Higher

           Bobby Bandiera & the Jersey Shore Rock N Soul Revue

               It's Now or Never- Nicky Addeo Lead Vocals
               That's Life- Bobby Bandiera Lead Vocals
               Chain of Fools- Layonne Holmes Lead Vocals
               
               Maybe Tonight- Nicole Atkins
               The Way it Is- Nicole Atkins

               What a Wonderful World(Sam Cooke cover)- Brian Fallon & Southside Johnny
               Good Times(Sam Cooke cover)- Brian Fallon & Southside Johnny

               New Orleans- Gary U.S. Bonds
               Quarter to Three- Gary U.S. Bonds

               Bring it on Home to Me(Sam Cooke cover)- Gary U.S. Bonds & Southside Johnny
               (Nightime Is) The Right Time(Ray Charles cover)- Gary U.S. Bonds, Southside Johnny & Layonne Holmes

               This Time It's for Real- Southside Johnny
               Broke Down Piece of Man- Southside Johnny & Bobby Bandiera

               The Letter(Box Tops/Joe Cocker cover)- Jon Bon Jovi w/Nicole Atkins on Backing Vocals
               (Ain't Nothin' But a )House Party(J. Geils Band cover)- Jon Bon Jovi w/Southside Johnny on Harp
               Wanted Dead or Alive- Jon Bon Jovi
               Who Says You Can't Go Home- Jon Bon Jovi
               We Weren't Born To Follow- Jon Bon Jovi

                Blue Christmas- All(Minus Brian Fallon) Jon Bon Jovi & Southside Johnny Lead Vocals
                Run Rudolph Run- All(Minus Brian Fallon) Jon Bon Jovi, Nicole Atkins & Southside Johnny Lead Vocals

                 All You Need is Love(Beatles cover)- All(Minus Jon Bon Jovi & Brian Fallon) Bobby Bandiera Lead Vocals

            

Happy Halloween

Lancaster in October

Hidden Mickey's

A few hidden Mickey's from our trip to Disney World.

10 Years

Pictures from the shore before & after Hurricane Irene

In Memoriam - Clarence Clemons

       Teardrops on the City. At the present time, this may be the one lyric of Bruce's which sums up how we Bruceheads feel.
       It's hard to figure out how exactly to pay tribute to someone who has given you a laundry list of great music and concert memories, as Clarence Clemons did.
       As every obituary and tribute will note, his contribution to the E Street Band and popular music are innumerable. Songs like Badlands, Born to Run, Jungleland, Darlington County, You'll be Comin' Down, Spirit in the Night, Bobby Jean and so many many more, just would not be what they are without his Stax style saxophone playing. But then you would hear  Secret Garden or the live version of If I Should Fall Behind from the Reunion Tour and you could hear that he had a tender and controlled style also.
       As there were many blessings in seeing Bruce and the E Street Band many times, there was also the reality of sometimes taking for granted seeing them so much. Luckily I would try to catch myself on such occasions and try to remember how lucky I actually was.
       Lucky to have seen Mr. Clemons many times, and probably luckier to have met him, he will be sorely missed, and my favorite music will never sound the same again.
       Here is a long list of the moments which stand out as the most memorable in the times I was able to see Mr. Clemons perform.

        1) 8/21/1985 Giants Stadium, East Rutherford, New Jersey:  Seeing Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band for the first time.

         2) 9/19/1988  JFK Stadium, Philadelphia, PA.:  Seeing Bruce & the Band for only my second time. Being mesmerized by an amazingly powerful Jungleland at the Human Rights Now! concert.

         3) 8/11/1989 Garden State Arts Center (now the PNC Bank Arts Center), Holmdel, New Jersey:  Seeing Clarence as part of Ringo Starr's All Starr Band. Beside the thrill of seeing him perform with a Beatle, Clarence's highlights were a beautiful solo during The Weight and performing Friend of Mine with Billy Preston.

         4) 2/9 & 10/ 1990 Stone Pony, Asbury Park, New Jersey: Seeing Clarence and a new version of the Red Bank Rockers. Highlight's were opening with the majestic Summer on Signal Hill and also Paradise By the C. J.T. Bowen guested on Savin' Up and Woman's Got the Power.

         5) 10/20/1990 Brendan Byrne Arena(now the Izod Center), East Rutherford New Jersey:  Seeing Clarence as one of the Asbury Park All Stars, along with Max Weinberg, Gary Tallent and Danny Federici, playing with Southside Johnny & the Jukes as part of a Bill Bradley benefit concert. Highlight was his classic solo on The Fever.

         6) 1/31/1998 Count Basie Theatre, Red Bank New Jersey: Clarence was one of numerous Jersey artists participating in the Patrick King Benefit concert. Some of the many highlights, in a show that was one big highlight, were his entrance during 10th Avenue Freeze Out, a great solo during Rockin' All Over the World, and the best live version of Born to Run that I had heard up to that point. Also great because at the time it was not known if Bruce and the E Street Band would ever play together again, and the bulk of the band played this night. I was so happy that my now wife got to see the bulk of the E Street Band on stage together along with most of Bon Jovi and Southside Johnny & the Asbury Jukes

         7) 3/18/1999 Convention Hall Asbury Park, New Jersey: Bruce and the band perform the first of two rehearsal shows for the Reunion Tour. A beautiful version of If I Should Fall Behind which included the best vocals I have heard from Clarence, and a giant hug to Bruce at the concerts end.

        
         8) 7/18/1999 Continental Airlines Arena(Now the Izod Center) East Rutherford, New Jersey:
Second of 15 shows at the arena. First time ever hearing Clarence do the killer Sherry Darling solo live.

         9) 8/11/1999 Continental Airlines Arena East Rutherford, New Jersey: Night 14 of 15. First ever seeing Night live. First and only time seeing New York City Serenade live. First time seeing the whole band do 4th of July Asbury Park (Sandy) live.


         10) 8/12/1999 Continental Airlines Arena East Rutherford, New Jersey: Final Night of 15 shows at the Meadowlands. After Clarence's classic solo during Badlands, the screens were filled with a beautiful shot of Bruce and Clarence next to each other looking out at the audience. A classic image.

         11) 7/1/2000 Madison Square Garden, New York: Final night of the Reunion Tour. During final song Blood Brothers, Clarence can be seen with tears in his eyes.

         12) 12/17/2000 Convention Hall, Asbury Park, New Jersey: First of 2 Holiday Shows that Bruce will do in Asbury Park with the Max Weinberg 7. During his first performance of Kitty's Back in many many years, Clarence enters the stage as Bruce sings Who's That Coming Down the Alley. The audience went crazy. Another great moment was when Bruce and Clarence came downstage together during So Young and in Love. For a brief moment it was 1978.

         13) 9/2/2001 Stone Pony, Asbury Park, New Jersey: During his final show at the Stone Pony that weekend, he informs the audience that there is a bomb threat and we must exit the Pony Summer Stage. When the show resumes, he performs Sherry Darling. Not so much a great moment as a memorable one.

         14) 10/13/2004 Continental Airlines Arena, East Rutherford, New Jersey: Final stop on the Vote For Change tour. Eddie Vedder of Pearl Jam performs Better Man, and Clarence gets a great solo in.

         15) 10/9/2009 Giants Stadium, East Rutherford, New Jersey: Final time I will see Clarence perform. Last time I will ever see him perform Badlands, Born to Run, Promised Land, Jersey Girl, Spirit in the Night, Bobby Jean, I'm Goin' Down, Long Walk Home, Kitty's Back and many many more.


        I hope the Big Man knows that he gave many people memories that will mean even more to them as each year passes. Rest in Peace.

God Bless the Big Man

Rest in Peace

In Memoriam-Kevin Kavanaugh

Local musician and one of the original members of the Asbury Jukes, Kevin Kavanaugh, passed away on Saturday June 4, 2011.
Although I can not give the historical background of Mr. Kavanaugh's involvement with the New Jersey music scene, I can talk about the many times I was fortunate enough to see him perform. The first time was with Southside Johnny & the Asbury Jukes at Stockton State College back in 1986, and the last time was with Bobby Bandiera's Rock N Soul Revue at the Count Basie Theatre in Red Bank New Jersey where they backed such artists as Gary U.S. Bonds, Jon Bon Jovi, Bruce Springsteen and Southside Johnny.
In between I got to see him perform a few times with Southside and the Jukes, both as a member and a guest, and with Bobby Bandiera's(also a Juke) band. But most memorably was the time I saw him perform at the Stone Pony with the Asbury All Stars. This was a band which I saw with two different line-ups. The first time I saw them the band consisted on Mr. Kavanaugh on organ, Bobby Bandiera on Guitar, Hal Seltzer on bass, and a drummer, whose name escapes me. They played at the Stone Pony over the July 4th weekend in 1987. Glen Burtnick joined them for the second half of the show. The setlist included La Bamba and Baby It's You, both performed by Glen Burtnick, and Under the Sun, a Bandiera original recorded by The Jukes, State Trooper, and many many more.
A couple weeks later on July 20, 1987, the Asbury All Stars played a benefit for the Make a Wish Foundation at the Stone Pony, which also included The Fairlaines, and Glen Burtnick backed by Cats on a Smooth Surface.
For this performance, the All Stars were once again Kevin and Bobby from the Jukes, but this time the rhythm section consisted of Gary Tallent on Bass and Max Weinberg on drums, both from the E Street Band.Their set opened with Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band leading into With a Little Help From My Friends,  and included Manic Depression, Under the Sun, La Bamba, and many more I sadly cannot remember.
The show was amazing and Mr. Kavanaugh, as always, was remarkable.
 I was fortunate enough to get to meet him one time when I worked at the local mall. He was as nice as I could have hoped for.
My heart goes out to his family and friends and I hope he may Rest in Peace.

Happy Mother's Day

          To all the Mom's, especially my angel.

Alejandro Escovedo & Jesse Malin-Count Basie Theatre 5/4/11

                          Alejandro Escovedo & the Sensitive Boys and Jesse Malin & St. Mark Social performed a benefit concert at the Count Basie Theatre in Red Bank New Jersey on Wednesday May 4th. The show was a benefit for the Light of Day charity and also Joan Dancy & PALS.
                          Jesse Malin performed one hour set which included Brian Fallon of Gaslight Anthem joining him for his final 2 songs. Alejandro Escovedo's set was 2 hours & 15 minutes and ended with Jesse Malin & St. Marks Social joining in the encore which consisted primarily of covers, including a version of Whiskeytown's Excuse Me While I Break My Own Heart Tonight which Alejandro originally recorded with them.
                          As usual, a couple song titles are incomplete, and will be noted with question marks.
                          A great concert and I'm sure those who attended were more than satisfied.

         Jesse Malin & St. Marks Social

                 Burning the Bowery
                 Hotel Columbia
                 Scars of Love
                 Wendy
                 Solitaire
                 Mona Lisa
                 Lucinda
                 Riding on the Subway
                 Black Boombox
                 All the Way from Moscow
                 Black Haired Girl
                 Brooklyn w/Brian Fallon
                 Instant Karma(John Lennon Cover) w/Brian Fallon

     Alejandro Escovedo & the Sensitive Boys

                 This Bed is Getting Crowded
                 Anchor
                 Tender Heart
                 Chelsea Hotel '78
                 ???See What You See???
                 Down in the Bowery
                 Pissed Off 2 A.M.
                 Fort Worth Blue
                 Five Hearts Breaking
                 Faith
                 Nuns Song
                 Sister Lost Soul
                 Castanets
                 Always a Friend
                 ????????????????

                     -Encore-

                 Sex Beat
                 Like a Hurricane(Neil Young Cover) w/Derek Cruz from St. Marks Social
                 Excuse Me While I Break My Own Heart Tonight(Whiskeytown Cover) w/Jesse Malin & St. Marks Social
                 You Can't Put Your Arm Around a Memory(Johnny Thunder Cover) w/Jesse & St. Marks
                  Miss You(Rolling Stones Cover) w/Jesse & St. Marks
                  It Makes No Difference(Band Cover)
                                  
        

My Favorite Lyrics Part 5

                   Singles remind me of kisses
                   Albums remind me of plans

                                    If I Didn't Love You-Squeeze

Colin Hay-Jack's Music Shoppe Red Bank, NJ 4/16/11

                           Colin Hay performed a brief solo set at Jack's Music Shoppe in Red Bank New Jersey today. He was performing at Monmouth University at night, and took time to do short set at Jack's and then sign some CD's & Records and take some photos. His appearance coincided with Record Store Day.

                           Colin Hay is the former front man and chief songwriter for Men at Work. Men at Work's most popular songs were incredibly catchy, quirky pop songs. Mr. Hay's solo work is more introspective but still beautifully melodic. His short set at Jack's included 4 solo pieces, one Men at Work Song and a cover of Bruce Springsteen's Tougher Than the Rest. After performing Tougher, Mr. Hay stated "I wish I had written that one". At the same time, I wonder how many people wish they could write a song as beautiful as Send Somebody from his most recent CD Gathering Mercury.

                            Here is the setlist.

                            Overkill
                            Send Somebody
                            Invisible
                            Beautiful World
                            Tougher Than the Rest (Bruce Springsteen Cover)
                            Waiting For My Real Life to Begin
                        
                         

Imagination Movers-Red Bank New Jersey 4/12/11

              We took our little angel to her first concert to see the Imagination Movers at the Count Basie Theatre in Red Bank New Jersey.
               Choo Choo Soul opened the show and performed for about 15 minutes leading the kids right into the Imagination Movers "In a Big Warehouse Tour" set. The Movers brought along Nina, Warehouse Mouse and Eddie the monster from their television show.
                The show featured songs from the Imagination Movers television show plus a few covers and snippets of classic rock songs, for the parents benefit. However, I don't think any of the parents at the performance would have complained if all the songs were from the Movers catalog.
                 The Movers also made several references to local legend Bruce Springsteen, including drummer Kyles take on the chorus of Dancing in the Dark.
                 Opening act Choo Choo Soul joined the Movers for Bounce from the most recent Movers CD, In a Big Warehouse.

                 The amazing thing about the performance, was that no matter where you were seated, at some point the performers would be near you. They all made their way into the audience on more than one occasion.
                 The setlist included:
                       Imagination Movers Theme Song
                       On Your Mark,Get Set,Go
                       ????? New Song ???????
                       Rollin'
                       Nina's Song-w/Nina
                       On My Way Home(Hawaiian Lullaby)-w/Nina
                       Buckets & Cans w/snippet of Panama(Van Halen Cover)-w/Nina
                       Cheese-w/Warehouse Mouse & Nina
                       Friendly Guy
                       Getting Stronger
                       Brainstorming
                       Mover Music/Jump Up

                       Rock & Roll All Night(Kiss Cover)
                       I Gotta Feeling(Black Eyed Peas Cover)/Bad(U2 Cover)
                       Bounce w/Choo Choo Soul & Nina
                       Put Your Hands Up w/Choo Choo Soul, Nina, Warehouse Mouse

                  I definitely missed a couple songs, but this is the bulk of it.

                 A great, fun show and one that was more than worth the price of admission
                     


                                                    

Happy Birthday

           For my little angel.

I believe a light that shines on you
Will shine on you forever
And though I can't guarantee
There's nothing scary hiding under your bed
I'm gonna stand guard like a postcard
of a Golden Retriever
And never leave till I leave you
With a sweet dream in your bed

I'm gonna watch you shine
Gonna watch you grow
Gonna paint a sign
So you'll always know
As long as one and one is two
There could never be a father who loved
His daughter more than I love you
               

                               Father and Daughter-Paul Simon

My Favorite Lyrics Part 4

               I still go back there every now and then just to walk around
               I can't get caught up in them memories, I'm afraid I'll drown

                                                     All Night Long-Southside Johnny & the Asbury Jukes

My Favorite Lyrics Part 3

    When we can last for days on a loving night
    Or for hours at least on a warm whisper given

                      Flying Colours-Jethro Tull

My Favorite Lyrics Part 2

Sleep in our eyes, her and me at the breakfast table

Barely awake, I let precious time go by
Then when she's gone theres that odd melancholy feeling
And a sense of guilt I can't deny

What happened to the wonderful adventures
The places I had planned for us to go
Well, some of that we did but most we didn't
And why I just don't know

               Slipping Through My Fingers-ABBA

My Favorite Lyrics Part 1

          I  got a new suit of clothes
          A pretty red rose
          And a woman I can call my friend

                          Better Days-Bruce Springsteen

      
          Well now on a summer night in a dusky room
          Come a little piece of the Lord's undying light
          Crying like he swallowed the fiery moon
          In his mother's arms it was all the beauty I could take
          Like the missing words to some prayer that I could never make
          In a world so hard and dirty so fouled and confused
          Searching for a little bit of God's mercy
          I found living proof
                       
                          Living Proof-Bruce Springsteen

    

2011 Academy Award Nominations

            This coming Tuesday, January 25th, the nominations will be announced for the 83rd annual Academy Awards.
            This year the 10 Best Picture nominees seem a little more obvious than last year. Here are my predictions.

                    127 Hours
                    Black Swan
                    The Fighter
                    Inception
                    The Kids Are All Right
                    The King's Speech
                    The Social Network
                    The Town
                    Toy Story 3
                    True Grit

            Dark horse possibility in place of True Grit or The Town:

                    Winters Bone

                 
 
                   

Light of Day 11-Paramount Theatre- 1/15/2011

      The 11th Annual Light of Day Concerts were held Friday January 14th through Sunday January 16th in Asbury Park New Jersey. Once again a series of concerts and songwriter showcases were held in various venues throughout the city. From the start, the concerts have been set up to raise awareness for Parkinson's Disease and possible treatments and family support. The founder of the concerts is Bob Benjamin, a music manager who has been living with Parkinson's Disease since 1996.
       The flagship concert was held at the Paramount Theatre once again on Saturday January 15. The show featured a good mix of younger and veteran acts. It was a rare show where everyone brought their "A" game.
       Each performer was well received. As in previous years, the time in between the main stage acts featured solo acoustic performances by many of New Jersey and New Yorks best songwriters/performers.
       Light of Day regulars Jesse Malin, Willie Nile, Joe Grushecky & the Houserockers, Garland Jeffreys & Joe D'Urso & Stone Caravan were joined by newcomer Quincy Mumford and his band The Reason Why. The Rock and Roll Chorus started the show off with a 20 minute set of choral versions of some rock and pop hits.
       As in 7 of the previous 10 years, Bruce Springsteen made an appearance, joining several of the musicians and playing the final slot with Joe Gruschecky & the Houserockers. The set, as usual, consisted of Springsteen songs, Gruschecky songs, and songs they co-wrote together. The Houserockers are a great band and could easily back Bruce tour. Bruce is obviously very comfortable with them having performed with them many times over the years.
       For me, highlights were the recently released One Way Street, Adam Raised a Cain, and Talking to the King. Jesse Malin's set was pretty amazing, as was Alejandro Escovedo's acoustic set. He was joined by David Pulkingham from his band, the Sensitive Boys. Following 5 bands which had the crowd on their feet for most of night, with an acoustic set could have been tough, but Mr. Escovedo was in top form and had the crowd's attention from beginning to end. His set ended with an appearance by Bruce on Mr. Escovedo's song Always a Friend.
       The show ended with Twist and Shout which featured all the evenings performers, and few words from Bob Benjamin himself. After Mr. Benjamin's remarks, Bruce finished with a solo version of Thunder Road.

        I have included the setlist, as best as I can put together. My apologies for any incorrect song titles. If the song title is not definite, it is followed by a question mark.
        For more information, visit http://www.lightofday.org/

                        Rock and Roll Chorus
                        Steal My Kisses
                        That's What You Get
                        Vida La Vida
                        Medley - Free Ride/Ain't Too Proud to Beg/Without Love
                        Thank You(Boyz II Men song)

                         Melissa Chill
                         Tick Tock?
                         Baby Come Home?

                         Quincy Mumford & The Reason Why
                         Full Tank of Gas
                         Can't Break Free
                         My Friend
                         Lifted
                         Helmet Man
                         Feel the Music

                         Danny White
                         When You Want to Win?
                         Some Say

                         Joe D'Urso & Stone Caravan
                         Hold On
                         ???????????
                         Welcome Home
                         Waiting on a Train
                         Never Missed You More
                         Let it Go
                         Noisy Guitars

                         Rob Dye
                         2 Song Set included Precious One

                         Garland Jeffreys
                         Wild in the Street
                         35 Millimeter Dreams
                         Thanks Alot?
                         96 Tears
                         Hail Hail Rock & Roll

                         Lisa Bianco
                         2 Song set

                         Jesse Malin & the St. Marks Social
                         Burning the Bowery
                         Hotel Columbia
                         Burn the Bridge
                         ?????????????
                         Wendy
                         All the Way From Moscow
                         Brooklyn
                         Broken Radio w/Bruce Springsteen
                         Modern World

                         Bruce Tunkel
                         2 Song set
   
                         Willie Nile
                         Runaway With Me Tonight?
                         Cell Phones Ringing in the Pockets of the Dead
                         One Guitar w/Joe D'Urso, Jesse Malin
                         You Gotta be a Buddah in a Place Like This
                         People Who Died(Jim Carroll cover)
                         Heaven Help the Lonely w/Bruce Springsteen

                         Anthony D'Amato
                         Songbirds
                         Ballad of an Underachiever?

                         Alejandro Escovedo w/David Pulkingham
                         Anchor
                         Everybody Loves Me
                         (Instrumental)
                         Rosalie
                         Down in the Bowery
                         Faith w/Danny Clinch
                         Always a Friend w/Bruce Springsteen

                         Bobby Strange
                         2 Song set

                         Bruce Springsteen
                         Your Own Worst Enemy
                         This Hard Land

                         Joe Grushecky & the Houserockers w/Bruce Springsteen
                         Another Thin Line
                         Atlantic City
                         Never Be Enough Time
                         Adam Raised a Cain
                         One Way Street
                         I'm Not Sleeping
                         Save My Love
                         Talking to the King
                         Pink Cadillac w/Danny Clinch
                         Darkness on the Edge of Town
                         The Promised Land
                         Light of Day w/Willie Nile
                         Twist & Shout w/All performers

                          Bruce Springsteen
                          Thunder Road