In Memoriam - David Prowse

Rest In Peace

In Memoriam - Sean Connery

Rest in Peace

In Memoriam - Eddie Van Halen

Rest in Peace

In Memoriam - Chadwick Boseman

                                                             Words fail. Rest in Peace.

                    

#THERISING

In Memoriam - Alan Parker

   One of the most creative directors ever. Directed the great Mississippi Burning, The Commitments and 3 of my all time favorite films, Pink Floyd The Wall, Birdy and Angel Heart. All visually stunning and so original. Thank you for creating movies outside the norm which were also so very relatable.

In Memoriam - Olivia De Havilland

                                                                  Rest in Peace

Southside Johnny & The Asbury Jukes - Monmouth Park Oceanport , NJ

                                                                                             Better Days are coming.

         Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes opened with this more than fitting song from their album Better Days. Southside and the Jukes performed a 19 song set at the first Drive In concert to be held in New Jersey since the start of the current pandemic.

         Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes traditionally play the Stone Pony summer stage over the Fourth of July weekend, but given current circumstances, their show and every other show has been cancelled. 

          This show benefited the Count Basie Theatre and also the New Jersey pandemic relief fund.

          Given this was the first concert done if this format, it went pretty smoothly, and was very well organized. Each car was directed to a specific spot, with one full parking spot between each car. The official rule was that you could have the windows rolled down and you could use the portable restrooms so long as you were wearing a mask.

           Regardless of the rule, people were sitting in chairs on their flatbed trucks, sitting on top of their cars, and standing outside their cars. However, everyone seemed to stay in their spot and not venture off without a mask.

            There were two large screens to either side of the stage and two others in the parking lot. I do think they should have had the screens be a little larger and maybe a couple more located on the sides of the lot.

           The show was simulcast on a FM station which was in sync with the actual performance, as opposed to the slight delay on the broadcast on local station 107.1.

            There were not any cars within 20 feet of the stage, and only the band was without masks. The camera crew had masks on, and even rock photographer Danny Clinch could be seen onstage taken pictures masked. 

            Despite being far away from the stage no matter where you were, and the sight lines never being great, it was still great to be in a crowd of people hearing live music.

             Southside was particularly mushy, or as sentimental as I think he can get, on a couple occasions. He thanked everyone for doing such a great job helping to fight off Covid 19 and mentioned that that the fans have always been there for him. 

             The setlist pretty much stuck with their biggest hits, probably a wise choice for a show where you could not really get that up close crowd response. 

             Instead of loud applause after each song, everyone blared their car horns.. 

             God bless Southside, God bless the Jukes, God bless The Jersey Sound and thank you Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes for doing this. 

              Stay safe. Masks on.

               Here is the setlist: 

    Better Days

    I Played the Fool

    All I Needed Was You

    Spinning

    Love On The Wrong Side Of Town

    Walk Away Renee

    Cross That Line

     Without Love

    Broke Down Piece Of Man

    Fever

    Angel Eyes (Little Steven cover)

    Can't Find My Way Home (Blind Faith cover) Sung by Jeff Kazee

    Forever (Little Steven cover)

    It Ain't The Meat (It's The Motion)

    Passion Street

    Talk To Me

    It's Been a Long Time

    I Don't Want to Go Home

    This Time It's For Real

    Havin' a Party

Stage prior to show

  

In Memoriam - Nick Cordero

                                                              A long fight. Rest in Peace.

In Memoriam - Carl Reiner

                                             
                                       Whittaker Walt. Absolutely brilliant. Rest in Peace.

In Memoriam - Vera Lynn

                                                                 Rest in Peace

   Remarkable times. This is the first time that I can ever recall us not having a President in office.

In Memoriam - Jerry Stiller

                                                               Rest in Peace

In Memoriam - Little Richard

Rest in Peace

Being a patriot sometimes requires a sacrifice,
like not getting what you want, when you want it

In Memoriam - Irrfan Khan

                                                                      Rest in Peace

Thank You

Thank you!

To all the Doctors, Nurses, Hospital Workers, Law Enforcement Officials, EMT's, Fire Fighters

In Memoriam - Bill Withers

                                                                 Ain't No Sunshine.

                                                                   Rest in Peace
                         

In Memoriam - Terrence McNally

                                                                    Rest in Peace

In Memoriam - Kenny Rogers

                                                                        Rest in Peace

 Everyday is a miracle, every day is an unpaid bill
 You've got to sing for your supper, LOVE ONE ANOTHER


                                                                                  David Byrne
             

In Memoriam - Max Von Sydow

Rest in Peace

Ye Old Pie Shoppe

So sad to see this wonderful place close. They have been such a big part of the area for decades. All the best to Tom & Eileen and everyone there.You will be missed.

In Memoriam - Kirk Douglas

                                     103 years old. What a career and what a life. Rest in Peace.

Kobe Bryant - In Memoriam

                         Deepest sympathies on the tragic loss of Kobe Bryant and his daughter Gianna. Both gone way too young.Rest in Peace.

Light of Day 20 - Paramount Theatre, Asbury Park NJ 1/18/2020

 The Light of Day concerts celebrated it 20th anniversary with a week plus of shows throughout New Jersey, New York and Philadelphia.
 As is now tradition, the concert billed as Bob's Birthday Bash, named after Bob Benjamin, was held at the Paramount Theatre the Saturday of the festival's final weekend.
 The majority of the acts who performed were artists who have been part of the shows in previous years, which felt appropriate.
 This years show ran more smoothly than any year that I can recall. The show started a few minutes past the 6:30 start time with DJ's Ton Cunningham and Rich Russo welcoming everyone and introducing Bocci and the Bad Boys.
 Each main stage act played a tight 20 minute set, give or take a few minutes. As in previous years, acoustic acts played between the band performances.
 For the first time since 2015, Bruce Springsteen showed up as an unannounced guest, but it was spread pretty early that he would be there on social media.
Bruce performed with Jesse Malin, the highlight for me, with Willie Nile and with Joe Gruschecky and The Houserockers.
 All in all a very exciting night, for a very worthy cause.

 As usual, if I am unsure of a song title, I will put a question mark.

       Bocci and The Bad Boys

           Shotgun (Junior Walker cover)
           Dreamin'? (George Theiss song)
           Holy Lightning?
           Forever ( Little Steven song)

      Miss Emily

           Sell Her Out?
           No
           Standing Stone

      Dramarama

           Haven't Got a Clue
           Spirit
           Work For Food
           Last Cigarette
           Anything Anything

      Adam Ezra

           Set included The Toast

       Jesse Malin

          Shining Down
          Turn Up the Mains
          She Don't Love Me Now
          Broken Radio w/Bruce Springsteen
          Meet Me At The End of The World w/Bruce Springsteen

      Matt Jaffee

Bocci & The Bad Boys

           Weekend Lover?
           Hellhounds of Alcatraz

       Brian Dunn

           New Tattoo
           If You Want To Stay a While

      The Weeklings

           Friday on My Mind (Easybeats cover)

Miss Emily

           Three
           Little Elvis
           I Am the Walrus (Beatles cover)

       Daniela Cotton

          I Tried

Dramarama

          Let it Ride

      James Maddock

James Maddock

          Beautiful Now
          F***ed Up World
          Another Life
          Where the Sun's Out

      Lisa Bouchelle

Willie Nile

          Take Me To Heaven
          I Believe

      Joe D'Urso & Stone Caravan

         Come Down Tonight (Asbury Park)
         Tell Me Why
         Just Once

Joe Grushecky & The Houserockers & Bruce Springsteen         

         Let It Go
         Noisy Guitars

      Williams Honor

         Rain?
         I Can't Wait To Be Ashamed


     Willie Nile

         This Is Our Time
         The Innocent Ones
         House of 1000 Guitars
         One Guitar w/Bruce Springsteen

     Jill Hennessy

         She Had To Know? 
         No Surrender (Bruce Springsteen cover)

Finale

   Ben Arnold

         That's America?
         When January's Gone
         Hold On w/Joe D'Urso and Vini Lopez

  Joe Grushecky and The Houserockers

        More Yesterday's Than Tomorrow's

   w/ Bruce Springsteen from here on

        Talkin' To The King
        Promised Land
        Pumping Iron
        Atlantic City
        Never Be Enough Time
        Darkness On The Edge Of Town
        Pink Cadillac w/Danny Clinch
        Savin' Up
        Light of Day w/All Artists
        Thunder Road
        Happy Birthday


       

2020 Oscar Nominations

  Tomorrow nominations for the academy Awards are announced.
  These are the films I think will be nominated fr Best Picture.

   
      The Irishman
      Jo Jo Rabbit
      The Joker 
      Knives Out
      Little Women
      Marriage Story
      1917
      Once Upon a Time in Hollywood
      Parasite
      

Happy 2020