Inauguration 2009

On the eve of the Inauguration of our 44th President, Barack Obama, I wanted to write a quick blog to wish all the best for our new President. I can safely say however, that he never has seen nor never will see this blog.
Sadly, President Obama is inheriting a United States that is, in many ways, going through some of its greatest challenges. At the same time I think there is a greater sense of hope among people than I can ever remember.
I also think that the way he is being built up by the media and by Americans, that unless he walks on water, there is no way he can live up to what people think he is capable of doing. I think we need to remember the man is human. He is, however, one of those rare politicians that has created a true sense of optimism when it was greatly needed.
As Americans, we need to expect that our problems, will eventually sort themselves out, but it will not happen overnight. But it is good to know that the person we have elected to our nations highest office, has a gift, and has filled most Americans with a true sense of national pride and optimism for our future, and to help us remember what is best about this country: We are best when we work together, and remember that we have more in common with one another than we have differences.

Hope Concert IV - Count Basie Theatre 12/22/2008

Once again the Count Basie Theatre in Red Bank New Jersey hosted another great benefit concert. For the last 3 years, Bobby Bandiera has assembled a holiday benefit concert which goes by the name of The Hope Concert. The original Hope Concert was a benefit for Bobby's son and was held in April of 2003. In 2006 Bobby put on the Bobby Bandiera All Star Holiday Concert which included Gary U.S. Bonds, Southside Johnny, Jon Bon Jovi and Bruce Springsteen. None of these performers were announced. In 2007 the same musicians minus Springsteen assembled again under the name of the Hope Concert III. My wife and I purchased tickets for the show this year after passing last year.
For the fourth edition the lineup included Tim McCloone & the Shirleys, Brian Fallon, Nicole Atkins, Bobby Bandiera's Jersey Shore Rock N Soul Revue, Gary U.S. Bonds, Southside Johnny and Jon Bon Jovi.
The show followed a virtually identical format to the 2006 show. Each performer did a mini set, but this time the headliners were joined for a song by the next artist to follow. The show flowed very well. It was a typical New Jersey benefit that included up and coming artists, local legends and a couple huge stars. This year Bruce Springsteen joined in again closing the show with a couple Christmas songs, a couple covers and a duet with Jon Bon Jovi.
The show opened with Tim McCloone and the Shirley's, which is basically a condensed version on the Holiday Express. Holiday Express is a local group of musicians that perform several charity concerts throughout the holiday season. They performed a few Christmas favorites and even did two version of White Christmas.
Brian Fallon of Gaslight Anthem followed with 2 acoustic songs. Very Springsteenesque, with a very dark dreamlike feel.
Bobby Bandiera's Rock N Soul Revue followed. They were the backing band for the remaining performers, for the most part. Gary U.S. Bonds & Southside brought out members of their bands for their sets, but also used members of the RNS Revue. The band consists of many local favorites:Ray Anderson & Bob Burger on guitars, Kevin Kavanaugh on organ, Mike Mancini on keyboards, Tony Tino on bass, Mike Mahoney & Joe Bellia on drums. I grew up seeing most of these guys at the Stone Pony back in the 80's. Ray Andersen was in Cats on a Smooth Surface & Ray Andersen & the Fire. He now performs as Mr. Ray. Joe Bellia is in the Asbury Jukes and was in a band called Joey & The Works, and has played with Bobby for quite some time, as has Kevin Kavanaugh. Bob Burger is another person who has played with Bobby many a time and also fronts The Bob Burger Band.
The Revue was first joined by Nicole Atkins who did 2 covers, and then different members of the Revue took turns in the spotlight.
Gary U.S. Bonds followed with his band and then did a duet with Southside Johnny which led into Southside's set. Southside brought along members of the Jukes including keyboardist Jeff Kazee. His set ended with a duet of This Time it's For Real with Jon Bon Jovi.
At the end of Jon's set, he had a surprise for the audience. He announced his surprise wasn't Santa Claus. He said "this is better. Come on Out". Bruce Springsteen walked out and performed the lead guitar work for Run Rudolph Run ,which was performed by Jon Bon Jovi & Bobby Bandiera trading off on the verses.
Bruce then closed his mini set with Jon performing Tenth Avenue Freezeout.
The performers left after that, to return a couple minutes later to perform Havin' a Party. The only performers absent for this were Jon Bon Jovi and Nicole Atkins.
Overall a pretty great show. A great way to start Christmas week and one of the few reasons at this point to still be proud to live in New Jersey. Where else can you see the 2 top grossing concert draws of 2008 performing in a 1400 seat theatre.
The set list follows. A few titles may be incorrect.

Tim McLoone & the Shirleys
Happy Holiday-Maureen McCrink Lead Vocal
All Alone At Christmas
It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year-Tim McCloone Lead Vocal
You're a Mean One Mr. Grinch-Tim McCloone Lead Vocal
Holly Jolly Christmas-Amy Brozza Lead Vocal
White Christmas-Delores Holmes Lead Vocal
White Christmas-Layonne Holmes Lead Vocal
Higher & Higher-Tim McCloone Lead Vocal

Brian Fallon
Great Expectations
The 59 Sound

The Jersey Shore Rock N Soul Revue
Be My Baby-Nicole Atkins Lead Vocal
Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree-Nicole Atkins Lead Vocal
Listen To The Music-Maureen McCrink Lead Vocal
Monday Monday-Bob Burger Lead Vocal
Touch Me-Ray Andersen Lead Vocal
White Rabbit-Lisa Bouchelle Lead Vocal
Somebody To Love-Layonne Holmes Lead Vocal
C'mon Caroline-Bobby Bandiera Lead Vocal/Southside Johnny Backing Vocals


Gary U.S. Bonds
Action in the Streets
Your Love is Gonna Let You Down
We Wish You a Merry Christmas
This Little Girl

Southside Johnny
You Dont' Know w/Gary U.S. Bonds
Down,Down,Down
Santa Claus is Back in Town
I Don't Want To Go Home
This Time It's For Real w/Jon Bon Jovi

Jon Bon Jovi
Lost Highway w/Lorenza Ponce on Violin
Blue Christmas
Who Say's You Can't Go Home w/Lorenza Ponce on Violin
Run Rudolph Run w/Bobby Bandiera & Bruce Springsteen on Lead Guitar

Bruce Springsteen
Merry Christmas Baby w/Nicole Atkins Backing Vocals
Santa Claus is Coming to Town w/Southside Johnny & Nicole Atkins Backing Vocals
634-5789 w/Nicole Atkins Backing Vocals
Tenth Avenue Freezeout w/Jon Bon Jovi, Nicole Atkins Backing Vocals

Finale
Havin' a Party-Minus Jon Bon Jovi & Nicole Atkins

Bon Jovi - Count Basie Theatre 12/20/1993

Christmas is the best time of the year. There is still something magical about the season and how it makes people feel. As my Father use to say, "It's the one time of the year that you believe miracles can happen".
There are so many things that are representative of the season:the food, the movies, the T.V. Specials, seeing old friends and family, and probably more than anything else, the music. I've been very lucky to see some great Christmas concerts: Bruce Springsteen in Asbury Park, The Holiday Express in Red Bank, Glen Burtnik's Christmas concerts, and Bon Jovi.
Bon Jovi started doing Christmas benefit concerts at the Count Basie Theatre in Red Bank in 1990. The first couple years they mixed their standard fare with Christmas songs and rare tracks and covers. The first year I went was 1992. Keep the Faith had just been released and they were gearing up for a tour. In an Asbury Park Press article Jon did say that the Christmas show would not be a tour warm up. I was excited about what would be my second time seeing them, after seeing them play the Fastlane in Asbury Park the previous October.
Well, the show wound up being a slightly shorter version of their Keep the Faith shows. I was pretty disappointed. Aside from throwing in I Wish Everyday Could Be Like Christmas and Please Come Home For Christmas, it was pretty standard setlist. So the next year when my future Wife and her Mother and I got tickets for the now Annual Christmas benefit, I was looking forward too it, but not expecting too much.
I am happy to say that I was more than pleasantly surprised. The show was excellent. It was everything you could hope for from a show by a huge band in an intimate setting. After the opening one two punch of Help and With A Little Help From My Friends, they did Bad Medicine, a song usually relegated to the encores. From there on the show got better and the band played with their usual energy and showed they are best in a concert setting. Both Jon and Richie Sambora performed some of their solo songs, and both keyboardist David Bryan and drummer Tico Torres got to come center stage. The band was augmented by a horn section for a few of the songs. Lasting 3 hours, it is still one of my favorite Bon Jovi concerts and one that my Wife and I still talk about from time to time.
The setlist follows.


Help- Jon & Richie Sambora Lead Vocals
With A Little Help From My Friends- w/Horns
Bad Medicine
Let It Bleed- w/Horns & David Bryan Lead Vocals
Keep the Faith
Tom Trauberts Blues(Waltzing Matilda) - Tico Torres Lead Vocals
Love For Sale- w/Horns
Stranger in This Town- w/Horns & Richie Sambora Lead Vocals
Blood Money- Jon solo
Blaze of Glory
Dry County
Lay Your Hands on Me
I'll Sleep When I'm Dead/Jumpin' Jack Flash
Livin' on a Prayer

-ENCORE-

The Answer- Richie Sambora Lead Vocals w/David Bryan & Alec John Such
Wanted Dead or Alive
Blood on Blood

You Give Love a Bad Name
Born to Be My Baby

Just Like a Woman- Jon solo
Bed of Roses
I Wish Everyday Could Be Like Christmas

It's Only Rock n' Roll(But I Like It) - w/Horns Jon & Richie Sambora Lead Vocals
Never Say Goodbye

Election Day 2008

This Election Day, more than any other in my lifetime, has the feeling of being a day which will be a turning point in our history. Whichever side wins, history is guaranteed. Whether it's the first African American President or the first female Vice President, history will be made. But aside from that, it truly is an important election. I believe there is something more important than the sex or race of our new elected leaders. And although that is something which is monumental, make no mistake, I think and hope that people in this country are ready for a change. That maybe we should think outside of what is only good for Americans. Of course we should care and should be concerned over how our fellow citizens are treated and how they are getting along. But we should never forget that there is a whole world out there and we are part of a global community.
I love this country and a day like today makes me so proud, that it's easy to get choked up when you arrive at the voting station and know that you at least can cast your ballot for who you think will best help reach your idea of what America is and what it can be. I hope to never take this for granted.
After several years of seeing a country truly divided as to what America means and what it means to be an American, lets hope that after tomorrow we all can accept whatever the outcome is and show what is best about this country and being an American.
Lets remember that no matter what, it will take a lot for it to be worse than the last 8 years. I truly hope America is ready to try something new and show why we are still a country filled with hope for everyone.

VOTE

Madonna - Izod Center 10/04/2008

I have a short list of performers I am yet to see, that I would love to see given the chance. Allison Krauss & Union Station, Mark Knopfler,Loretta Lynn, and Prince are a few of the musicians on that list. Madonna is another. I have wanted to see her for some time, but never had the chance. I finally had the opportunity this past weekend, and it was worth the wait.
I've never thought that Madonna had the best voice, or a really good one for that matter. I do like a lot of her music and think she is a great performer. Her performances from Live 8 and Live Earth cemented my desire to see her. I thought for only having a couple songs to perform at those benefit concerts, she gave memorable performances.
I know that she is a performer whose concerts tend to lean heavy on new material. That's fine by me. I'd rather see someone doing something new, and not living off of what they once were. Well, she actually did perform a healthy amount of past hits, but many were reworked to blend with her newer material.
The choreography, the staging, the sets were all pretty impressive. It was a rare concert where I found certain moments truly exciting. I don't mean great, or fun, but exciting.
I'm not actually into dance music, but I find her songs pretty catchy and usually very atmospheric. The choreography never substituted for actual performance. The bulk of the songs were choreographed, but some like Borderline,Human Nature and Ray of Light had Madonna fronting her band and "playing" guitar.
The show was broken into 4 parts with an interlude in between the sections to make way for costume and set changes.
The final interlude continued the "tick tock" theme which was present throughout the show, from beginning to end. Sadly the video image for this included a pretty sophomoric political stab at John McCain.
Understand, I have no problem with musicians who make political statements. I'll either agree or disagree, but I can handle it. I'm an adult and I do believe everyone has a right to their political views. Maybe if a performer spent a whole show politicizing instead of singing, I might feel differently. But to make a couple statements ,whether I agree or not, will not wound me. Having said that, I pretty much agreed with the environmental and humanitarian issues Madonna addressed in the video montage, but to associate John McCain with Hitler and Robert Mugabe, is pretty simplistic. No, I do not agree with Mr. McCain, but to associate him with two of the most horrendous public figures ever is a little simplistic. I'm not sure if the message was McCain is as evil as they were/are, or if Hitler and Mugabe were really terrible environmentalists. But it's her concert and it's her opinion.
When Madonna tours again I hope to see her and hope she can top what I saw the other night, it will not be easy.
Below is the setlist from the show with some notes specific to each song.


Candy Shop -Great entrance seated on a throne.
Beat Goes On-Kanye West on video
Human Nature-Playing guitar, Britney Spears in video montage.
Vogue

*Interlude* Die Another Day remix

Get Into the Groove-Keith Haring artwork on video.
Heartbeat
Borderline-Rock version fronting band, playing guitar.
She's Not Me-4 old school Madonna's on small stage center arena.
Music

*Interlude* Here Comes the Rain Again remix

Devil Wouldn't Recognize You
Spanish Lesson
La Isla Bonita-with Kolpakov Trio
Kolpakov Trio song
You Must Love Me-with Kolpakov Trio

*Interlude* Get Stupid

4 Minutes- Justin Timberlake on video.
Like a Prayer
Ray of Light-Fronting band, playing guitar.
Open Your Heart-One verse with audience
Hung Up
Give it to Me

Glen Burtnick-Stone Pony 09/03/1988

As I had mentioned in an earlier post, I wound up seeing Jersey musician Glen Burtnick (later Burtnik) many times in the late 80's through early 90's. The place I saw him the most was the Stone Pony in Asbury Park N.J. I did get to see him in a few other venues, but the Pony was always my favorite. The setlist for this show was a pretty standard one for him. Heavy on Heroes and Zeros material, with some covers and some earlier material and newly written songs.
It did include an early performance of World Tonite, which he would later record with Styx. It was featured on their reunion album, Edge of the Century.
Here's the setlist.


Scattered
Walls Came Down
Heard It On the Radio
We're Alright
For Your Love/Spinning My Wheels
Love Goes On
World Tonite
Everyday I Fall In Love
Hole In My Pocket
Abalene
Stupid Boys
Talking In Code/Perfect World
Replace My Face
Little Red House
Follow You/Not Fade Away

This Boy(Beatles Cover)
Talk That Talk
Here Comes Sally
Day That Your Ship Gets Thru

Mariza - Carnegie Hall 10/07/2005

Sometimes you find magic in the places you least expect it.
A few years back a friend at work lent me one of her Mariza CD's. We were talking about Fado singers and Mariza was the one that was bringing Fado to a new generation in Portugal. Fado is a music form that is uniquely Portuguese. Fado means fate, it is the Portuguese blues. The most famous Fado singer was Amália Rodrigues. She is the one that all others are compared to. She is Sinatra, Edith Piaf, Caruso, Bob Dylan, The Beatles. She is the one all others aspire to be, and are inevitably compared to.

Mariza is taking Fado to a new place. Unlike many Fado singers that sing from the past catalog of Fado songs, Mariza also performs songs that contain elements of not only Fado but also of African and Brazilian music. Mariza also knows that to perform this classic, beautiful music in larger concert halls, a bit of theatricality is needed. Her dresses, her hair, her movements, are not traditional Fado. But you need those sort of artists to shake the foundation every once in a while. Think what Savion Glover has done for tap, or what Michael Flatley has done for Irish step dancing.
Back on October of 2007, I had tickets to go see Mariza at Carnegie Hall. My wife and I had great seats, and I was looking very forward to it. Unfortunately my wife was not . Two things she hates. Rainy weather and New York. Well, we got them both. She was a sport and did not complain. We got into New York and got to Carnegie Hall pretty quickly. As soon as they opened the Hall, we got in.
I felt bad, but figured she might like the show. She's Portuguese, and liked Fado, so there was a chance. About 2 songs into the show, she leaned over and said "she's really good". It was one of the happiest moments in my concert going life. For once I dragged my Wife to a show she was actually enjoying. It didn't make up the the times I took her to see the Grateful Dead, but it was a step in the right direction
But beyond that, Mariza WAS great. Her voice, her connection with the audience. I may not have understood everything she sang, but she sang with real emotion. It never felt forced or manufactured. She has a beautiful voice and the musicians were amazing. I almost screamed out "yes" when started to perform Barco Negro, my favorite Fado song. I knew the Amália Rodrigues version, but did not know Mariza performed it also.
During the encores she spoke of how she was honored to be playing Carnegie Hall and how she looked at the photos on the walls of past performers, and felt small in their shadow. I'm sure one day, the same will be said about her. She offered a condensed version of New York State of Mind saying how New York is her favorite city in the world.
We were lucky to see Mariza a year and half later when she came to our neighboring town. But that first time seeing her, with the person most important to me, will always hold a special place in my heart.

I will include the main set list and musicians below.

Luis Guerreiro-Portuguese Guitar
Antonio Neto-Classical Guitar
Vasco Sousa-Bass Guitar
Antonio Barbosa-Violin
Ricardo Mateus-Viola
Paulo Moreira-Cello
Joao Pedro Ruela-Percussion


Loucoura
Quando Me Sinto So
Maria Lisboa
Montras
Ha Uma Musica Do Povo
Barco Negro
Meu Fado Meu
Instrumental
Duas Lagrimas
Cavaleiro Monge
Recusa
Transparente
Feira de Castro
Oiça Lá Ó Senhor Vinho
Primavera