Heart and Def Leppard Concert (and venue) Review

Heart opened for Def Leppard this past Thursday night at First Midwest Bank Amphitheater.  The venue is a cookie cutter design that is an outdoor music venue, in a south suburb of Tinley Park.  It opened in 1990 - and is pretty beat up.  No - it's a dump.  In the seats and grass combined it can hold about 28,0000.  The seats were fold, and the grass was 2/3 empty.  It was another hot and ssticky night, but we had a slight breeze.  The Wilson sisters were overdressed - Anne in long flowing black dress and boots and Nancy (the hot one) was in skirt and leggings and covered boots.  I could not get over how well Anne's voice sounded.  I was figuring it would be shot.  They did most of their '80's hits in a 75 minute set - but left out my 2 favs: Nothing at All and Who Will You Run To.  Their encore was were two covers: Battle of Evermore and a nice version of the Who's (from QUADROPHENIA) Love Reign O'er me.  Def Leppard opened with a new song.  They got more into it as the show went on.  They (Sav mostly) have now made David Essex's Rock On.  It may have been my last time seeing them.  I love their music and the band, but I can't imagine them doing much more than they already have.  Nancy is never going back to this venue.

Earth Wind & Fire at 40; Founders are 60 - concert review

Earth Wind & Fire - postponed concert was worth the wait.   The concert was perfect.  The show was at a great outdoor venue in Chicago, right on (literally) the shores of our Lake Michigan.  In fact, some boaters can anchor behind the center bleachers and listen to the music while having a floating rock show party on their boats.  EWF is just a pure and simple hit factory.  Every song came blasting out of your past and into your present.  They are a large ensemble, with three main original founding members surrounded by a re-tooled horn section.  I could not tell that the Phenix Horns - which delivered their signature sound for many years - are no longer the band's horn section.  The Phenix Horns are/were Don Myrick, Louis Satterfield, Rahmlee Michael Davis, and Michael Harris.  I saw them on tour supporting Phil Collins, you used, borrowed, or stole them.   On a very warm night, I could not tell if the hot breeze blowing our way was a natural occurrence, of if it was coming from their new and excellent horn section.  My eyes are often drawn to the bass player in bands.  And founder Verdine White, resplendent in all white with fringe-lined white slacks - he was constantly in motion.  This album is called All 'n All - their eighth studio album, released in 1977.  Their best known song on it is Fantasy, which is one my favorite EWF songs.  Earth Wind & Fire IS in the Rock and Roll HOF.

The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band - Symphonion Dream

The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band.  Symphonion Dream.
This is a very cool cover. Most album covers are side entry as we know. This one is a top entry album cover, and in the photo you can see the album cover flap is extended and in the open position. I took the photo of the album cover laid over 90 degrees, then inverted the image on my computer, and cropped the image - in case you are wondering why the photo looks odd. I do know that the "Dirt Band" is cut from true American fabric, in every aspect. I posted a Jerry Jeff Walker recently. He wrote a song that is most well known being recorded by the NGDB, Mr. Bojangles. This record is called Symphonion Dream, it is from 1975. The band were joined by guest musicians Leon Russell and Linda Ronstadt, along with actor Gary Busey, who was credited on the album as "Teddy Jack Eddy," who played percussion - including More Cowbell! I am not sure where it was recorded.

Paul McCartney and Wings - Band on the Run (clue to below NTR)

Paul McCartney and Wings - Band on the Run.  Unfortunately, I will not attending either of his  concerts here in Chicago this coming weekend, well actually - Sunday and Monday nights.  But for those of you lucky to be going, it should be great.  I would really love to see Paul do Silly Love Songs, one of my favorites of his, but I think it's not on the set list.  It's unabashedly pop and sugary, yes - but he lays down such a great bass beat that to me is infectious.  And Paul's current drummer on this tour is the great Abe Laboriel, Jr. - who I got to see play with Eric Clapton and Steve Winwood in the fall of 2009 on their tour.   The highly animated Abe should be perfect for pounding out Paul's songs - and whatever Beatles-era gems Paul will surely do.  Trib rock critic Greg Kot last Sunday gave us his 35-song Fantasy Set List for the Paul's forthcoming Chicago show.  But it was only in the newspaper (print ed.) and I cannot find it posted anywhere.

Name this Record...

Please use the Comments feature to post your answer...thanks!

Welcome to the Canteen

Is there a book out somewhere on Jim Gordon?  I'd read it after the Nicky Hopkins book I just started.  This is a horrendous cover.  But it would have a very sad and tragic ending.  But it would be great to read about all the sessions he's sat in on.  This is a very poor album cover - artistically.  (Is there any other way to evaluate?)  A black and white photo, zero creativity.  I had to do some homework on this record.  It is called Welcome to the Canteen.  Had no idea this is/was actually a Traffic album.  Duh - that makes sense because even thought it may technically be Traffic album, it was released without having the band name anywhere on the record jacket - front or back.  What we see at the the names of the individual musicians who play on the record.  Apparently, the Traffic band logo (did not know they had a logo) appears on the back cover.  So, Welcome to the Canteen turns out to be the fifth album by iconic and ground-breaking English rock band Traffic.  This is a live record, made from concerts at Fairfield Halls, Croydon, and from something called the Oz Benefit Concert, in London, during July 1971 and then released in September of that year.  Wiki told me that "it was recorded during Dave Mason's third stint with the band, which lasted only six performances.  The tracklist includes one song each from the first three Traffic albums; two songs from Mason's first solo album, Alone Together; and "Gimme Some Lovin'" from Steve Winwood's former band, the Spencer Davis Group. (Strangely, Mason's rhythm guitar is conspicuously out of sync with the rest of the band for about a minute of "Gimme Some Lovin'".)

Try: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nska0v86o54

I knew a man, Bojangles and...Jerry Jeff Walker

He wrote Mr. Bojangles.  Jerry Jeff Walker.  I think my favorite versions of the song are done by, first - Sammy Davis, Jr. and then the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band.  Above is a photo of his DLA called A MAn Must Carry On.  It is in poor condition and I could not care less.  It was once owned by WRSE 88.7 FM radio station.  The great Gary P. Nunn plays bass on this live record.  It is said, "Walker has said he was inspired to write the song after an encounter with a street performer in a New Orleans jail and does not refer to the famous stage and movie personality Bill "Bojangles" Robinson. Walker said while in jail for public intoxication in 1965, he met a homeless white man who called himself "Mr. Bojangles" to conceal his true identity from the police. He had been arrested as part of a police sweep of indigent people that was carried out following a high-profile murder. The two men and others in the cell chatted about all manner of things, but when Mr. Bojangles told a story about his dog, the mood in the room turned heavy. Someone else in the cell asked for something to lighten the mood, and Mr. Bojangles obliged with a tap dance.   The song is notated in two aurally equivalent time signatures, 3/4 and 6/8.