Andy T Band: “Double Strike” (2017) CD Review

The Andy T Band is a cool blues band based in Nashville, with a delicious classic, timeless feel to their music. Their new album, Double Strike, features Alabama Mike on vocals on half the tracks. The band’s previous singer, Nick Nixon, provides vocals on the other tracks. He left the band last year for health reasons, and Andy includes a sweet note regarding his work on the back of the CD case. The CD contains a good mix of covers and original material. The Andy T Band is made of up Andy Talamantez (Andy T) on guitar, Anson Funderburgh on guitar (Funderburgh also co-produced the album with Andy T), Michael A. Benjamin (Alabama Mike) on vocals, Nick Nixon on vocals, Larry van Loon on piano and organ, Mike Flanigan on organ, Johnny Bradley on bass, Jim Klingler on drums and Greg Izor on harmonica. They are joined by the Texas Horns: Kaz Kazanov on tenor sax, John Mills on baritone sax and Al Gomez on trumpet.

They open the album with “I Want You Bad,” some classic rock and roll sounds mixed with blues, the results being totally delicious, and featuring good work on horns. “I want you bad, baby/I don’t want to be alone/I need you so bad, I can’t take it/Got me shook up, and I can’t shake it/Don’t know what I’m doing half the time/I got nothing but you on my mind.” Yup, I know that feeling, and it’s damn good. “I Want You Bad” was written by Tom Hambridge and Richard Fleming. And as you’d expect, this track features some good work on guitar. It’s followed by “Somebody Like You,” which was written by Larry Van Loon.  It’s a love song with a positive feel, and a great soulful vocal performance by Alabama Mike.  “I’ve been a bit rowdy/I’ve been a bit lost/This could be my time/You’ve been lonely too/Oh, I’ve been looking for somebody like you.” We need love songs these days; we need music to bring us together. And this tune features some good work on organ. Check out these lines (which feel just exactly right for these uncertain times): “Today wasn’t promised/And tomorrow’s not sure/But when it’s all over/When we all get through/I’ll be looking for somebody like you.”

“Deep Inside,” written by Andy Talamantez, is the first of the CD’s tracks to feature Nick Nixon on vocals. It’s a different sort of love song, as Nick sings, “I know that you really want me ‘cause I’m deep inside of you.” Hey, quit your bragging, man. Ah, but then he adds “I’m deep inside your heart.” Okay, I misunderstood. This song is fun and playful, and I love Greg Izor’s work on harmonica, which dominates the track. Nick Nixon also sings lead on “Sweet Thing,” which has more of a pop feel at the start, but with plenty of soul. “She wakes me every morning/She’s my sweet thing.” Depends on what time she wakes you, I suppose. “With a hug and kiss from a girl like this, it’s a brighter day.” Ah, to wake up every morning with the love of your life. What could be better? Well, the addition of saxophone certainly doesn’t hurt. Nixon also wrote this song.

Nick Nixon sings lead on a good cover of Chuck Willis’ “I Feel So Bad.” This song has always amused me, with the line “Feel like a ballgame on rainy day.” To follow it, the band chooses another 1950s Chuck Willis number, “Juanita,” and this track is one of my favorites, with its classic R&B sound and that wonderful work on horns. “Things got to get better.” I agree, and this album is certainly helping us in that direction. It’s making me feel better.

“Mudslide” is a catchy, groovy blues instrumental, the only instrumental track of the album, and it features some wonderful work on organ. The organ then leads the band into the next tune, “Sad Times,” an original number with a great, old-time feel. It was written by Nixon but features Alabama Mike on lead vocals. “I’m trying to learn to deal with these sad times that come around.” Aren’t we all? That’s followed by the very playful and totally enjoyable “Doin’ Hard Time,” in which he refers to his woman as his warden. “And you got me doin’ hard time.” I love the way Alabama Mike holds onto the word “hard.” There’s no question what he’s talking about, and those horns are sexy and swinging in support. “I’ll keep on loving you, baby/I’m wrapped up in your chains/I don’t want to be free, no/I’ll suffer with your pain.” Oh yes! The whole band is grooving beautifully on this track, and it’s one of my favorites.

It’s followed by another favorite, a delightful cover of Goree Carter’s “Drunk Or Sober,” with Nick Nixon on vocals. “I love her drunk or sober/And there’s no one to take her place.” And that sax sounds so good. Then “I Was Gonna Leave You” is a fun song about wanting to be the one to initiate a break-up, but being beat to the punch. “The day you left me, I was gonna leave you.” Of course, perhaps he’s just saying that. Either way, this song features more great work on horns. The CD then wraps up with the energetic rock tune “Dream About You” and the wonderful classic-sounding R&B tune, “Where Did Our Love Go Wrong,” which has a delicious Fats Domino vibe.

CD Track List

1. I Want You Bad
2. Somebody Like You
3. Deep Inside
4. Sweet Thing
5. I Feel So Bad
6. Juanita
7. Mudslide
8. Sad Times
9. Doin’ Hard Time
10. Drunk Or Sober
11. I Was Gonna Leave You
12. Dream About You
13. Where Did Our Love Go Wrong 

Double Strike is scheduled to be released on June 16, 2017 through American Showplace Music.

Greta Gaines: “Tumbleweed” (2017) CD Review

Greta Gaines seems to be having an interesting career, from snowboard champion to television show host to actor to singer and songwriter. Of course, it’s just the music that we’re interested in here. (She’s also an activist for the legalization of marijuana, but more on that in a bit.) Greta Gaines released her first album in 1999, and has put out several CDs since then (for my fellow Grateful Dead fans, she covered “Sugaree” on her 2003 release, It Was Hot). Her newest, Tumbleweed, is a seven-song EP featuring all original material, written or co-written by Greta Gaines. In addition to lead vocals, Greta plays guitar on these tracks. Playing basically every other instrument is Eric Fritsch, who also mixed the CD, though there are guest musicians (including Bucky Baxter) on a few tracks. Greta Gaines is based in Nashville.

She opens the EP with its title track, “Tumbleweed,” an unusual and compelling song of innocence lost and reclaimed. Well, a desire to reclaim it, at any rate, looking back at an earlier time. “Tumbleweed, roll on back to me/Back to when our world was still sweet.” Ah, yes. I think a lot of us would like to go back to an earlier time, even just to last October. Remember that time, before the nation went sideways? Seems ages ago. There is a lot of passion in Greta’s vocal delivery. “I can’t believe you’re so far away/I miss your company every day.” The guitar at times reminds me of Neil Young with Crazy Horse. Bucky Baxter joins Greta on pedal steel, and Courtney Little provides backing vocals on this track.

“Tumbleweed” is followed by “Leo For Real,” which has kind of a cool, loose vibe, particularly in the drums. It also has something of an early rock style in the vocal line. “You do get higher than an astronaut/You never need to, but I gotta stop/Are you the Sun King or his evil twin?” Then “Only Lonely” has a mellower groove, and some good lyrics. The line that always stands out for me is “I don’t want to fight but I’m so good at it.” And the way she delivers it, her voice bittersweet but with a hint of playful bragging, is wonderful. Bucky Baxter adds some nice work on pedal steel, helping to make this one of my personal favorite tracks. (Bucky Baxter has played pedal steel with Bob Dylan and R.E.M., among others.) “You know you’re not the only lonely one/You know you’re not the only lonely face in the crowd/Singing along/Just want to jive and to belong/To someone.”

At the very beginning of “Begin Again,” Greta Gaines reminds me a bit of Aimee Mann (on the line “Like night and day, my friend”). This song has a raw power that overtakes you, and is another of the disc’s strongest tracks. “This is a temporary madness that you’re in/It feels like it’s over when it’s time to begin/Begin again, begin again.” Then “Sweet William” is more in the folk realm, and is one of my favorites, in part because of Ward Stout’s work on fiddle. But also this might be Greta Gaines’ best vocal performance on this disc. Courtney Little provides backing vocals on this track. This is a song that would feel at home on Dylan’s Desire album, and is one I love more and more.  It’s followed by “Heal Me,” also in the folk realm, and featuring another good vocal performance.

The CD concludes with “Light It Up” (it’s identified as a bonus track on the back of the CD case, but as this is the EP’s first release, I’m not sure how it qualifies as such), and this is where Greta Gaines’ activism in regard to marijuana laws comes in to play. All money raised from downloads of this song will go to the National Organization For The Reform Of Marijuana Laws (NORML), Patients Out Of Time and Tennesseans United. It’s wonderful that we’ve seen quite a bit of progress in recent years regarding marijuana laws, but of course – like everything good about this country – that progress is now in danger because of the current administration. Ah, I certainly enjoyed some marijuana this week – at the Simi Valley Cajun & Blues Music Festival, then at the Dead & Company shows. I need to share this song with some friends. This is closer to rock, and there is certainly some joy in this song’s delivery. This is the one track on the disc that Greta Graines wrote with someone else (L. Altman). “These green leaves helps me remember/What it means to be free/Let it grow/Earth and sky/Roll it up, let’s get so high/Strike a match, raise your cup/Just don’t tell us we can’t light it up.”

CD Track List

1. Tumbleweed
2. Leo For Real
3. Only Lonely
4. Begin Again
5. Sweet William
6. Heal Me
7. Light It Up 

Tumbleweed is scheduled to be released on June 16, 2017 on Big Air Records.

Red Hot: A Memphis Celebration Of Sun Records (2017) CD Review

Red Hot: A Memphis Celebration Of Sun Records is a cool tribute album honoring the famous Sun Records label started by Sam Phillips. It was recorded at Sun Studio and Sam Phillips Recording Studio, and features Luther Dickinson on guitar, John Paul Keith on guitar, Cody Dickinson on drums, Amy LaVere on bass and Rick Steff on keys. Yes, those talented musicians are basically the house band for folks like Valerie June, Bobby Rush, Jimbo Mathus and Alvin Youngblood Hart, who all contribute lead vocals to tracks. The song selections are numbers that were originally recorded on the Sun label (and Phillips International) by folks like Carl Perkins, Charlie Rich and Johnny Cash (with one exception, an original song by Bobby Rush). This CD includes liner notes by Alanna Nash, as well as several photos. By the way, all proceeds from this compilation go to the St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital (if you needed another reason to pick up this CD).

This collection opens with John Paul Keith covering “Red Cadillac And A Black Moustache,” a fun rockabilly song that Warren Smith recorded back in the day. It’s been covered by Brian Setzer and Bob Dylan, among others. This version by John Paul Keith has a good, relaxed vibe, and features Jim Spate on saxophone. The sound, including the vocals, has a classic Sun feel. It’s followed by Valerie June’s take on “Sure To Fall (In Love With You),” a song written by Carl Perkins, Bill Cantrell and Quinton Claunch, and originally recorded by Carl Perkins (and also done by The Beatles). I absolutely love Valerie June’s vocals on this country tune, and it is her performance that makes this one of my personal favorites of this CD. I also really like Rick Steff’s work on keys. Jimbo Mathus and Amy LaVere provide backing vocals. Valerie June, by the way, was born in Tennessee and is based in Memphis.

Shawn Camp delivers a fun rendition of “Lonely Weekends,” which was written and originally recorded by Charlie Rich (on Phillips International). Lauren Mascitti and John Paul Keith provide backing vocals, and Jim Spate adds some nice touches on saxophone. “Well, I’m makin’ all right/From Monday morning ‘til Friday night/But oh, those lonely weekends.” That’s followed by “Ways Of A Woman In Love,” a country song written by Charlie Rich and Bill Justis and recorded by Johnny Cash, here done by Bryan Hayes. You know, when it started I thought it was describing someone suffering from depression, with lines like “You’ve cut out your dancing, you never see a show/Friends drop by to pick you up, and you hardly ever go.” It turns out the woman in question is in love, the other end of the spectrum. If only I’d been looking at the track list. This is a good rendition, with Emily Barker and Amy LaVere on backing vocals, and some more delicious work on keys.

I don’t really watch television, apart from Red Sox games (I do watch some series, but only after they’re released on DVD), so I wasn’t aware that there was a show titled Sun Records. On this disc, some of the cast of that show sing the CD’s title track, “Red Hot,” a song that now brings to mind Selma Blair dancing in John Waters’ A Dirty Shame (a movie I totally love). The version used in that film is that by Billy Lee Riley And The Little Green Men, which was released on Sun Records. It was previously recorded by Billy “The Kid” Emerson, also on Sun Records (Emerson also wrote the song). I’ve always enjoyed this song, and this rendition by the cast of Sun Records is a lot of fun, especially that work on keys. Featured cast members on this recording include Kevin Fonteyne, Drake Milligan, Christian Lees and Jonah Lees, along with Chuck Mead, the series’ music director. “Well, she walks all night, talks all day/She’s the kind of woman got to have her way.” Ah yes, this track is a perfect party song. Enjoy!

This CD then gets bluesy with Bobby Rush’s “Tough Titty,” the disc’s sole original track (though a song that Bobby has included on other releases, such as Undercover Lover and Chicken Heads: A 50-Year History Of Bobby Rush). The version on this disc is bloody great, with some wonderful stuff on harmonica and a seriously good vocal performance. Things then get swinging with Amy LaVere’s rendition of “Ten Cats Down,” which was written by Bill Cantrell and Quinton Claunch, and recorded by The Miller Sisters on Sun. Amy LaVere delivers a delightful version, featuring Will Sexton on guitar and Emily Barker on backing vocals. This is kind of a goofy tune, but I love what Amy LaVere does with it, and this track ends up being one of the highlights for me. The music gets even more lively with Jimbo Mathus covering Jerry Lee Lewis’ “High School Confidential,” which Lewis wrote with Ron Hargrave for the movie of the same name. It’s hard to get that same energy that Jerry Lee Lewis seemingly has an endless supply of, but Jimbo Mathus is certainly the guy to do it, and this rendition is a lot of fun. “Okay, kiddoes, let’s boogie woogie.”

Alvin Youngblood Hart tackles Johnny Cash’s “Folsom Prison Blues,” and gives us a fantastic version. Oh yes, this is another of my favorites. I don’t think he’s hanging his head and crying at all. That “Woo-hoo” after that line sounds more like a reflection of his own attitude rather than the train whistle. This CD then concludes with a nice, long two-part version of Howlin’ Wolf’s “Moanin’ At Midnight,” a song he recorded on Sun, but which was later released on Chess Records. The version here, which is on two tracks (for a total of more than thirteen minutes), is by Luther Dickinson, with Lightnin’ Malcolm on guitar. I love this bluesy jam, and it is yet another of the disc’s highlights. “Whoa, I wish I had, whoa, my baby in my arms.” By the way, each of the two tracks can stand on its own, as the first one has a definite ending and doesn’t lead straight into the second.

CD Track List

1. Red Cadillac And A Black Moustache – John Paul Keith
2. Sure To Fall (In Love With You) – Valerie June
3. Lonely Weekends – Shawn Camp
4. Ways Of A Woman In Love – Bryan Hayes
5. Red Hot – Sun Records Cast
6. Tough Titty – Bobby Rush
7. Ten Cats Down – Amy LaVere
8. High School Confidential – Jimbo Mathus
9. Folsom Prison Blues – Alvin Youngblood Hart
10. Moanin’ At Midnight Part 1 – Luther Dickinson
11. Moanin’ At Midnight Part 2 – Luther Dickinson 

Red Hot: A Memphis Celebration Of Sun Records is scheduled to be released on June 16, 2017 through Americana Music Society.

Andy Hall & Roosevelt Collier: “Let The Steel Play” (2017) CD Review

Wednesday afternoon, before the first of two Dead & Company shows at The Hollywood Bowl, I was looking for something to listen to, you know, to get in the mood. While I was considering some options, this disc by Andy Hall & Roosevelt Collier, Let The Steel Play, arrived in the mail, and the track list included the Grateful Dead’s “Crazy Fingers,” so I popped it in immediately. And it was just exactly what I was looking for – some damn good playing by two talented musicians. The album consists of instrumental tracks of some familiar material and some originals. Andy Hall is of course known as a member of The Infamous Stringdusters, but he’s also played with Phil Lesh. Roosevelt Collier is a member of The Lee Boys, and has also taken part in Grateful Dead tributes, including working with Unlimited Devotion. So perhaps it’s no surprise that they cover a Grateful Dead song on this release, their first album together. The project and the CD’s title come from their mutual love of slide guitar.

They get things off to a fun start with a lively take on “This Little Light Of Mine,” a traditional gospel song. And right away I’m digging the groove and the style and the energy. Life really can be perfect for the length of a song, and this tune ought to do the trick if you’re in need of having your spirits lifted. This song also certainly got me in the right mood to go out to catch some live music. This recording feels live; it has that fresh, immediate vibe, like they got one chance at it, and everything worked out beautifully. And the jam goes in some interesting directions toward the end, where some of the best work of this track is to be found. They follow that with another traditional tune, “Maiden’s Prayer,” which has a sweeter, gentler and friendly country sound. Things get a little more playful with “Singing Steel,” an original composition on which the two musicians deliver some delicious licks.

“Crazy Fingers” is the track that initially sparked my interest in this disc. It’s a song that originally appeared on Grateful Dead’s 1975 record Blues For Allah, and is one of my favorite Dead songs (okay, I guess I can say that about a whole lot of Dead tunes). It has a different feel from much of the Dead’s material, with a gentle reggae groove on the studio version. It also has some wonderful lyrics, the lines that always stand out for me being, “Gone are the days we stopped to decide/Where we should go, we just ride.” And, of course, these lines: “Life may be sweeter for this, I don't know/Feels like it might be all right.” Wonderful! Those lines aren’t in the version on this disc, obviously, but this rendition still retains that vibe, which has always felt very positive and sweet to me. I like this track a lot, and it has an interesting ending. “Rosebud” is an original tune, though it does feel a bit like another Grateful Dead song, “Liberty,” which happens to be the last song I ever saw the Grateful Dead perform. Only a certain section of this song reminds me of “Liberty.” This too has a very positive feel to it, which I appreciate, and a delightful ending.

“Remington,” another original composition, is a lively number with a certain bluesy edge. Though I love the positive, friendly vibes of most of this album, one of my favorite tracks is the more serious-sounding “The Darkest Hour,” also an original song. This one feels like it’s telling us a tale where not all the characters emerge unscathed, and some perhaps don’t emerge at all.  Anders Beck joins them for the CD’s final track, “Colfax Boogie,” a tune to get you smiling, grooving, tapping your feet or whatever it is you like to tap, and leaving us feeling good and satisfied.

CD Track List

1. This Little Light Of Mine
2. Maiden’s Prayer
3. Singing Steel
4. Crazy Fingers
5. Rosebud
6. Reuben’s Train
7. Remington
8. The Darkest Hour
9. Power In The Blood
10. Colfax Boogie

Let The Steel Play is scheduled to be released on June 16, 2017.

Dead & Company at The Hollywood Bowl, 6-1-17 Concert Review

The first of the two Dead & Company shows at the Hollywood Bowl, the one on Wednesday, was really good. But last night’s show was fantastic. It was the best show I’ve seen this band do so far (admittedly, this was only my fifth Dead & Company show). A glance at the set list will tell you that the song selection was excellent, but that’s only part of it. Their playing was remarkable throughout the night (apart from possibly a few minor points in the first set), full of heart, full of joy, and there were several times when I was surprised at the direction a song took (and these are songs I’ve heard countless times). They were jamming basically straight out of the gate, and they really went for it throughout the show, and to a large degree got there.

My friend and I got to the venue much earlier this second night, but for some reason they were late opening the gate, so we ended up getting to our seats at exactly the same time as the night before. It was weird while waiting at the gate, a sort of uneasy vibe. There was a lot of gathering of forces, lots of preparation. And then, seemingly, a standoff, as both groups looked at each other across a thin stretch of pink tape. We were just waiting for someone to yell “Play ball,” I guess. Some folks got a little impatient in line and made stupid comments. But at 5:48 p.m., eighteen minutes later than we were told, the gates did open and we did pass through them.

Our seats were in a different section last night, N3, closer to the audience left side (or stage right side), and slightly closer to the stage. We could see the Hollywood sign from our seats, nestled between two hills. And then there was the fun of getting to know our neighbors. There’s always a brief moment of question or doubt. Is that guy in that hat going to be obnoxious? I had a great couple to my right. They’re doing much of the tour, but have to miss at least one show to go their granddaughter’s wedding. Personally, I would choose a concert over a wedding, and maybe they ultimately will too. Who knows? The woman was sweet. She said to my friend, “Did anyone ever tell you you look like somebody?” My friend responded, “All the time.” She continued, “I don’t know who, but somebody.” And holy moly, it’s a workout getting to the loo on this side of the venue. You’ve got to struggle up the steepest hill, through the woods, past a campsite, and so on. Shit, just walking up the stairs to get to the path was a workout. And these edibles got right on top of me, erasing the reality I’m not facing. You know? Hard to remember what’s supposed to be there anymore. But talk was about how good Bob sounded the previous night, and everything seemed right.

The first night they started at 7:08 p.m., so at 7:13 p.m., I got a little nervous, thinking that perhaps something has gone wrong. It can be so easy to leap to the worst these days. But a few minutes later, at 7:16 p.m., the band took the stage and launched into “Hell In A Bucket.” It’s interesting how excited everyone is for this song nowadays. I always loved this tune, but I recall that love not being shared by everyone in, say, the late 1980s, when the band played it often. Bob sounded excellent, and things were off to a great start. They then went into “Next Time You See Me,” a song that had been in my head often the previous several days. John Mayer sang lead on this one, and delivered some wonderful stuff on guitar. They followed that with “West L.A. Fadeaway.” Hey, did it get almost eerily quiet at one point in this one, just before bursting back into the chorus? The group is doing good stuff with this song, and this was a superb rendition.

But it was with “Mississippi Half-Step Uptown Toodeloo” that the first set really became something special. And everyone could feel it immediately. All the folks around me were singing along. And I dig that echoing of the vocals they do with this song these days, sort of like in the round. This was a wonderful rendition. After that, there was a bit of a pause before the band went into a very bluesy and delicious “Little Red Rooster.” There was a little pause after that song too, during which we attempted to determine what the next tune would be. Whatever guesses I had were all wrong, as the band surprised me with “Uncle John’s Band,” and this was where the jamming got even more interesting. That led straight into “New Speedway Boogie,” which a lot of us guessed would be the last song of the first set. But they surprised us again by going straight into “U.S. Blues.” At this point, the whole country has the U.S. blues, right? The first set ended at 8:34 p.m. (that is, if I recall correctly; I meant to write it down, but sometimes I will think something and not write it but believe that I have written it; such was the case often last night).

Spirits were very high in my area during the set break, and that guy in the hat had settled down. During the break I went to the bathroom on the opposite side of the venue, figuring I’d rather go the distance than struggle up the steepest incline this side of Devil’s Tower to get to a toilet. At 9:14 p.m., the band returned for the second set. And as good as the first set was – and it was fucking great – the second set was where the real magic was.  They kicked it off with “Estimated Prophet,” a song my friend had been eager to hear. Bob’s in the habit of tossing in long pauses between lines in a few songs these days, eh? Listen to him growl, “Might and glory gonna be my name” indeed. This is when things started getting good and weird, and the band tossed in a bit of “Eleanor Rigby” at the end. When they started “St. Stephen,” the crowd went nuts. Certainly this song was a highlight of an already-fantastic show, and the jam here was great. They kept things going in the right direction with “Terrapin Station.” The jam became delicate and soft for a bit, and was wonderful. It eased so subtly into “Dark Star” that it took some folks a moment to recognize it. Interestingly, after jamming a bit on it, they essentially did an instrumental version, with John Mayer’s guitar doing the vocal line, and then after that actually kicked into the song. As that slid into drums, I realized they’d only done the first verse.

“Drums” quickly established a great rhythm, and just got better and better from there. This was a seriously fun “Drums,” the energy kept high by the presence of a guest drummer up there with Bill and Mickey, Jason Hann (who also sat in with the band last year at the show in Irvine). In a second set that was delicious from beginning to end, this “Drums” was actually one of the highlights. Soon we got into some Mickey weirdness, which led into “Space” and then back into “Dark Star,” with Bob repeating “nightfall.” This was an excellent and unusual version of “Dark Star,” and it led into a stellar rendition of “Morning Dew.” Yes, it was an otherworldly set, and “Morning Dew” was the perfect conclusion. The band then lifted us up and brought us together with the encore of “Not Fade Away.” The show ended at 10:55 p.m. As we made our way back to the shuttle bus, I heard over and over different people saying what a fantastic show it was. Absolutely.

Set List

Set I

1. Hell In A Bucket
2. Next Time You See Me
3. West L.A. Fadeaway
4. Mississippi Half-Step Uptown Toodeloo
5. Little Red Rooster
6. Uncle John’s Band >
7. New Speedway Boogie >
8. U.S. Blues

Set II

1. Estimated Prophet
2. St. Stephen >
3. Terrapin Station
4. Dark Star >
5. Drums >
6. Space >
7. Dark Star >
8. Morning Dew

Encore

1. Not Fade Away

Dead & Company next head up north to Mountain View for a couple of shows at Shoreline.

Dead & Company at The Hollywood Bowl, 5-31-17 Concert Review

Dead & Company kicked off their summer tour a few nights ago in Las Vegas, and last night I caught the first of a two-night run at The Hollywood Bowl. Parking at that venue is a nightmare, so we parked at a lot on Ventura and took a shuttle over the hill. It costs $6 round trip. Not bad. A boy of like twelve or thirteen years gave us instructions on how to find our particular bus on the way home. No way any of us was going to remember that, but we all nodded and said we’d do our best. I was just glad they got an adult to drive the bus. I worried for a moment that this boy was going to get behind the wheel. There were metal detectors on the way into the venue, so the line moved rather slowly. I don’t recall seeing those the last time I was here. When was that? Three years ago? Five? Eight? No idea. “How many of you are there?” the woman at the metal detector asked me. How many of me? One, I hope. “One, I hope,” I said. But my friend, answered, “Two – me and him.” Oh yes, one of me, one of him. We put our keys and phones together in a little grey plastic dish, and a moment later were inside the venue, looking at the T-shirts for sale (a bit too expensive for me), and then heading to the bathroom. There was a bit of confusion, as the guy in the stall next to me in the loo said to some other guy, “Turn a blind cheek,” which made me smile. A moment later he asked, “Is that it?”

At 7:08 p.m. (by my phone anyway; my friend’s phone said 7:09 p.m. – aren’t these things run by satellites?), Dead & Company took the stage and got things going with “Shakedown Street.” A disco ball was shown on the screen behind the stage at the beginning, embracing what some folks have always said about this song. And the way Bobby delivered “You gotta poke around” that one time, I felt I had no option but to start poking. Then suddenly John Mayer was singing, “Shake it down, shake it down, shake it down now.” Is that new? Did I hear that right? The band got into a good, relaxed kind of jam to groove to. Then for a moment it was unclear what song they were starting. Where is this going? There was a collective sigh and cheer when they launched into “Cold Rain And Snow.” The music came in waves, and I could feel it in my teeth. “Ain’t gonna be treated this a-way.” I had to remind myself to look at the guys on stage, not the guys on screen. Stick with reality, man whichever bits are handy or available.

A nice “Black-Throated Wind” led straight into “Ramble On Rose.” Was there a bit of crackling in the speakers at a few moments in the last couple of songs, or was that just me? “Ramble On Rose” contained a good jam, with nice stuff on keys. The energy was feeling right. And don’t worry, Bob, none of us can remember all the lines to that song. At moments during “Cumberland Blues,” their voices sounded perfect together, like on the word “mine” at the end of one of the line “Gotta get down to the mine.” There was more good stuff on keys. Ooo-wee! And what was Mickey Hart banging together? On the screen, it looked like a pair of old wooden Dutch clogs. The word is that John Mayer loves “Althea.” Well, so do I, and I was happy to hear it last night. I always appreciate that Hamlet verse. They then wrapped up the first set with Chuck Berry’s “The Promised Land.” The first set ended at 8:16 p.m. (though probably 8:17 on my friend's phone).

During the set break, the bathroom line wasn’t very long. Some long pink hair halfway to the stage was bright in the venue lighting. The child to my right was wearing a KISS sweatshirt. The feeling in the place was mellow and good, relaxed, happy. The band returned to the stage at 9:04 p.m., and kicked off the second set with a jam that led into “Truckin’,” and then after another jam eased into “He’s Gone.” I enjoyed the vocal jam at the end of the song. But then afterward, some people came on stage, and suddenly everyone was gone and the lights went out on stage. And then the lights around the stage also went out. This was just before 9:30 p.m. After a few minutes, a lot of us sat down. We’re old. The world has gotten so fucking weird, and people were surmising maybe something was tossed onto the stage – a rose or a joint, most likely – or perhaps there was a bomb scare. Hey, what kind of talk is that? People are tripping around you, for fuck’s sake, don’t mention a bomb. Bloody hell, our world is so fucked up that it’s even hitting us here. A Dead show was always a haven from that sort of thing. Someone said he saw dogs being led across the stage. I don’t know. At 9:36 p.m., someone on stage (I think it was Bob) said, “All clear, kinda.” And the band oddly went back into “He’s Gone,” starting with the line “Like a steam locomotive rolling down the track.”

The band then played “Help On The Way,” leading into “Slipknot!” and then into “Franklin’s Tower.” It was during “Slipknot!” that the band delivered some interesting jamming. During “Franklin’s Tower,” it hit me again that I’m still not entirely sold on John Mayer’s voice, but this was a fun, bouncy version of the song. It led into “Drums,” which had a steady electronic beat, a pulse, and after a while I felt like I was at the Dead’s version of a club. Then suddenly that beat broke in order to venture into stranger terrain and then they transitioned smoothly into “Space.” Some of the sound seemed to be coming from behind me, enveloping me until I was part of the sound, if only briefly. It began like a great hum behind me, but then it was a giant engine on the stage gaining power, and all the sound shifted. But the sound soon became gentle, as we touched down lightly into “Stella Blue,” one of my favorite songs. Ah, some really nice vocals from Bob Weir. There wasn’t much power on the “Dust off those rusty strings just one more time” part, but it was still a really good version. They concluded the second set with “Sugar Magnolia.” A minute later they returned for the encore. When my friend saw John Mayer with an acoustic guitar, he said to me, “You might get ‘Ripple.’” And indeed, they finished the show with my all-time favorite song, “Ripple.” Perfect. The show ended at 10:47 p.m.

Set List

Set I

1. Shakedown Street
2. Cold Rain And Snow
3. Black-Throated Wind >
4. Ramble On Rose
5. Cumberland Blues
6. Althea
7. Promised Land 

Set II

1. Truckin’ >
2. He’s Gone
3. He’s Gone (reprise)
4. Help On The Way >
5. Slipknot! >
6. Frankin’s Tower >
7. Drums >
8. Space >
9. Stella Blue >
10. Sugar Magnolia

Encore

1. Ripple

Dead & Company’s tour continues tonight with the second Hollywood Bowl show.

June 2017 Concert Calendar

I started this blog to let people know about all the good music that's out there. I only review CDs that I like. The rest I leave to everyone else. In addition, I try to keep track of where those artists are performing. So here is a list of a few concerts you might be interested in for the month of June, 2017. This concert calendar might seem slightly shorter than some of the ones I posted last year. That is because I am not including any concerts taking place in any state that voted for Donald Trump.

June 1, 2017  (Thursday)
Dead And Company  -   Hollywood Bowl, Los Angeles, CA
Ruthie Foster  -  Posten, Odense, Denmark
Gaelic Storm  -  Daryl's House Club, Pawling, NY
Colin Hay  -   Empire Theatre, Toowoomba, Australia
Otis Taylor  -   Dazzle Restaurant And Lounge, Denver, CO

June 2, 2017  (Friday)
Dan Bern  -  Club Passim, Cambridge, MA  -  8 p.m.
Ruthie Foster  -   Train, Aarhus, Denmark
Gaelic Storm  -   South Orange PAC, South Orange, NJ
Lulu  -  The Bull Run, Shirley, MA
Otis Taylor  -   Dazzle Restaurant And Lounge, Denver, CO

June 3, 2017  (Saturday)
Dead And Company  -   Shoreline Amphitheatre, Mountain View, CA
Gaelic Storm  -   Annapolis Irish Fest, Crownsville, MD
Vance Gilbert  -   Center For Spiritual Living, 331 Mt. Kemble Ave., Morristown, NJ
Jim's Big Ego  -  Kiva House Concerts, Billerica, MA  -  8 p.m.
Ellis Paul  -  Folk Music Society of Huntington, 30 Washington Drive, Centerport, NY -  7:30 p.m.

June 4, 2017  (Sunday)
Dead And Company  -   Shoreline Amphitheatre, Mountain View, CA
Ruthie Foster  -   Grolsch Blues Festival, Schoppingen, Germany
Gaelic Storm  -   YMCA Boulton Center, Bay Shore, NY
Vance Gilbert  -   State Theatre, New Brunswick, NJ
Amy Speace  -  Club Passim, Cambridge, MA  -  8 p.m.

June 5, 2017  (Monday)
Ruthie Foster  -   Ronnie Scott's, London, UK
Gaelic Storm  -   Highline Ballroom, New York, NY

June 6, 2017  (Tuesday)
Ruthie Foster  -   Ronnie Scott's, London, UK

June 7, 2017  (Wednesday)
Gaelic Storm  -   The Wilbur Theatre, Boston, MA
John Mayall  -  The Bull Run, Shirley, MA

June 8, 2017  (Thursday)
Donna The Buffalo  -  The Bull Run, Shirley, MA
Gaelic Storm  -   The Opera House At Boothbay Harbor, Harbor, ME

June 9, 2017  (Friday)
Bombadil  -  Hotel Cafe, Los Angeles, CA
Dead And Company  -   Folsom Field, Boulder, CO
Gaelic Storm  -   Flying Monkey, Plymouth, NH

June 10, 2017  (Saturday)
Bombadil  -   Sophia's Thai Kitchen, Davis, CA
Dead And Company  -   Folsom Field, Boulder, CO
Gaelic Storm  -   Infinity Hall, Norfolk, CT
Josh Lederman And The Cambridge-Somerville All-Stars  -  Plough And Stars, Cambridge, MA  -  4 p.m.
Odin  -  The Slidebar Rock 'N' Roll Kitchen, Fullerton, CA  -  4 p.m.
Ozomatli  -   Revolution Hall, Portland, OR
Ellis Paul  -  SPACE, 1245 Chicago Ave., Evanston, IL  -  7 p.m.
Steve Poltz  -  The Carleton Music Bar And Grill, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada

June 11, 2017  (Sunday)
Bombadil  -   Cafe Du Nord, San Francisco, CA
Gaelic Storm  -   Fairfield Theatre, Fairfield, CT
John Gorka  -  Club Passim, Cambridge, MA  -  5 p.m.
John Gorka  -  Club Passim, Cambridge, MA  -  8 p.m.
Steve Poltz  -  The Carleton Music Bar And Grill, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada

June 12, 2017  (Monday)
Otis Taylor  -    Millennium Park Music Series, Chicago, IL

June 13, 2017  (Tuesday)
Bombadil  -   Doug Fir Lounge, Portland, OR

June 14, 2017  (Wednesday)

June 15, 2017  (Thursday)
Bombadil  -   Fremont Abbey, Seattle, WA
Gaelic Storm  -   Riviera Theatre, North Tonawanda, NY
Mississippi Heat  -  Shaw's Crab House, Chicago, IL

June 16, 2017  (Friday)
Bombadil  -   Edgefield Winery, Troutdale, OR
Mississippi Heat  -  Madam's Organ Blues Bar, Washington, D.C.
Josh Ritter  -  Tupelo Music Hall, Derry, NH

June 17, 2017  (Saturday)
Bombadil  -   Wildwood Hotel, Willamina, OR
Dead And Company  -   Fenway Park, Boston, MA
I See Hawks In L.A.  -   Anaheim Downtown Community Center, Anaheim, CA
Mississippi Heat  -  Madam's Organ Blues Bar, Washington, D.C.
Willie Nile  -   The Wonder Bar, Asbury Park, NJ
Ozomatli  -   Live Oak Music Festival, San Luis Obispo, CA
Ellis Paul  -  Iron Horse Music Hall, Northampton, MA

June 18, 2017  (Sunday)
Bombadil  -   Fort George Brewery, Astoria, OR
Dead And Company  -   Fenway Park, Boston, MA
Paul Thorn  -   Live Oak Music Festival, Santa Barbara, CA

June 19, 2017  (Monday)
Aimee Mann -  SOPAC, South Orange, NJ

June 20, 2017  (Tuesday)
Dead And Company  -  Saratoga Performing Arts Center, Saratoga Springs, NY
Huey Lewis And The News  -  House Of Blues, Boston, MA  -  8 p.m.
Aimee Mann -   Landmark On Main St., Port Washington, NY
Paul Thorn  -   Strummer's, Fresno, CA

June 21, 2017  (Wednesday)
Bombadil  -   Globe Hall, Denver, CO
Aimee Mann -   Rams Head On Stage, Annapolis, MD

June 22, 2017  (Thursday)
Dave Alvin And Phil Alvin  -  The Sinclair, Cambridge, MA
Dead And Company  -  Jiffy Lube Live, Bristow, VA
Willie Nile  -   Long Beach Island Foundation, Long Beach Township, NJ
Paul Thorn  -  The Freight And Salvage Coffeehouse, Berkeley, CA

June 23, 2017  (Friday)
Aimee Mann -   Birchmere, Alexandria, VA
Willie Nile  -   Tarrytown Music Hall, Tarrytown, NY
Paul Thorn  -   Rio Theatre, Santa Cruz, CA

June 24, 2017  (Saturday)
Dead And Company  -  CITI Field, Flushing, NY
Steve Forbert  -   Rockland-Bergen Music Festival, Tappan, NY
Josh Lederman And The Cambridge-Somerville All-Stars  -  Plough And Stars, Cambridge, MA  -  4 p.m.
Aimee Mann -   Tarrytown Music Hall, Tarrytown, NY
Paul Thorn  -   Kate Wolf Music Festival, Laytonville, CA

June 25, 2017  (Sunday)
Air Traffic Controller  -  The Sinclair, Cambridge, MA
Dead And Company  -  BBT Pavilion, Camden, NJ
I See Hawks In L.A.  -   Coffee Gallery Backstage, Altadena, CA
Aimee Mann -   Westhampton Beach Performing Arts Center, Westhampton Beach, NY
Paul Thorn  -   Kate Wolf Music Festival, Laytonville, CA

June 26, 2017  (Monday)
Cloud Cult  -  The Sinclair, Cambridge, MA
Aimee Mann - Music Hall Of Williamsburg, Brooklyn, NY

June 27, 2017  (Tuesday)
Yonder Mountain String Band  -   Prescott Park, Portsmouth, NH

June 28, 2017  (Wednesday)
Austin Lounge Lizards  -  The Freight And Salvage Coffeehouse, Berkeley, CA
Aimee Mann - Martha's Vineyard Performing Arts Center, Vineyard Haven, MA
Yonder Mountain String Band  -   Beak And Skiff Orchards, Lafayette, NY

June 29, 2017  (Thursday)
Aimee Mann - Columbus Theatre, Providence, RI

June 30, 2017  (Friday)
Dead And Company  -  Wrigley Field, Chicago, IL
Tim Gearan Band  -  Atwood's Tavern, Cambridge, MA
Hot Club Of Cowtown  -  The Bull Run, Shirley, MA
Aimee Mann -   Prescott Park, Portsmouth, NH
Ellis Paul  -  Stone Mountain Arts Center, 695 Dugway Rd., Brownfield, ME  -  8 p.m.
Yonder Mountain String Band  -  The Frendly Gathering, Waitsfield, VT