Tag Archives: Live Show

Akron, Country, Folk, Good Times, Live Shows, Music, Music Video, Photography, Review, Rock

The Avett Brothers w/ Special Guest Samantha Crain & the Midnight Shivers – Akron Civic Theatre – 06/19/2009 – Concert Review

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Friday night in downtown Akron was one of those nights to remember for many thanks to The Avett Brothers.  It was one of those nights that anyone who came to the show will think of for years to come with help from their amazing performance.  Intimate at times as well as a full on rock show, everyone who had a ticket to that show left satisfied.

North Carolinian brothers Scott and Seth Avett once used to fill the quaint Kent Stage in Kent, OH but thanks to their success as a folk rock band they needed a bigger place to play.  With help from the Kent Stage crew the boys left that smaller stage for the classy Akron Civic Theatre, a stage I think suited them perfectly.

Having no idea that there was even an opening act, I was thrilled when the curator of the Kent Stage announced that Samantha Crain & The Midnight Shivers were taking the stage.  Having just recently been introduced to the country rock act I found myself even more excited to be at the show.

Samantha Crain and crew took the stage and received a warm welcome just after eight o’clock.  After a few songs in it was clear that the crowd had accepted them into their ears, thanks to her unique singing style and country rock, and were cheering loudly after each song.

During one moment after a song Samantha Crain stated she missed a note and declared “everyone hits a wrong note” and continued on how she is hard on herself for doing so even though she knows it happens.  The crowd all seemed to agree with what she said and not once did I hear any wrong notes played.  Then again I only had heard a couple of songs prior to seeing her set live.

Samantha Crain admitted it was only the second show her and the band had played with The Avett Brothers and thanked them for the opportunity to share the stage.  Admitting she came from a small town in Oklahoma she basically confessed to living the dream.  Seeing her jump around excitedly on stage as she strummed her acoustic guitar just proved how excited she was to be up on that stage.

Shortly before the Avett’s took the stage, die-hard fans started screaming out “Happy Birthday Scott!”  Clearly many of the fans knew that one of the members was celebrating their birthday in Akron that night.

With the curtains still drawn The Avett brothers along with Bob Crawford started their set off with “PGFA”.  Everyone in the house went wild upon hearing the music begin and once the curtains were opened it was clear to everyone how great this band truly is.  With an array of instruments behind the trio everyone’s attention was focused on the amazing folk-rock playing from the banjo, the stand up bass, and acoustic guitar as well as dual signing that had just begun.  To add to the stage’s appeal there was a giant backdrop of a ship that resembled Scott Avett’s art.

While standing in literally the middle of the venue I felt that I had the best place to hangout at for the night while taking in all that The Avett Brothers dished out.  Their songs, as my friend Seth said it best, gave me that feeling that many in the past had to have felt when the Beatles first started playing their music live.  I was heavily sucked into each song they played and had a smile on my face that lasted pretty much until I got home that night and finally fell asleep.

Throughout the set Joe Kwon would join the trio and add cello to some of the songs.  The brothers would share singing duties and seemed to swap out guitars during every song and at times even during some of the songs.  It was really interesting to see Seth Avett swap guitars and narrowly miss continuing the song but he is a pro at what he does and there were no interruptions.

Playing through songs such as “Please Pardon Yourself”, “Die Die Die”, and “It Goes On & On” The Avett Brothers sounded as amazing as I thought they would.  I missed many the opportunity to see this band live in the past and regretted it each time.  Finally though I found myself at one of their live shows feeling privileged to be in their presence.

In between songs fans were screaming out requests to the stage in hopes that their favorite song would be performed spur of the moment but The Avett Brothers thanked them for their requests and continued on.  Seeing them smile up on stage as they performed just proved how great of a time they were having as well.  At one time a fan screamed that she loved them and Seth Avett responded “we love you too.”  The band even played a new song from their upcoming album to be released in September.

That one new song the band played just made my night.  It was titled “I & Love & You” off of their upcoming late summer release I & Love & You.  With Scott Avett taking the drumming duties as well as signing out the I and love and you with his hand as the crowd sang along I found myself getting chills.  It was a great feeling and a great love song.

After the band played “Skin & Bones” they exited the stage.  Fans screamed and applauded the amazing performance while at the same time were still hungry for more.  Luckily the Avett’s were not quite done yet and returned to the stage moments later with a couple of extra helpers, Kent’s very own folk star Jessica Lea Mayfield and her bearded brother David.  It was the perfect end to an amazing evening.

The Avett Brother’s live show turned me into a bigger fan than I already was.  I really think the live experience just intensified their talent.  While leaving the historic Akron Civic Theatre I heard no complaints at all and everyone was just in a great mood.  I do not think I have ever attended a show quite like the one I did on that warm Friday night.  I can not wait till the next time these boys come back to a city near me.  I know I will be there in a heartbeat.

The Avett Brothers Setlist (as taken from the band’s web forum):
PGFA
Solomon
Paranoia
Please Pardon Yourself
Die Die Die
PGFR
Down With The Glistening Shine
Gift For Melody Ann
Song Of The Dying Sailor
Greensboro Woman
Salina
It Goes On & On
I & Love & You
At The Beach
Murder In The City
Swept Away
Talk Of Indolence
Matrimony
Skin & Bones

Encore (with Jessica Lea & David Mayfield)
Talk Of
Will You Return

Cleveland, Good Times, Live Shows, Music, Music Video, Punk, Review

Rancid, Rise Against, Riverboat Gamblers – Tower City Amphitheater – Cleveland, OH – 06/15/2009 – Concert Review

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This is not a review.  I repeat, this is not a review.  OK, I am lying, the more I write about it the more it sounds like a review.  Oh well…

Let’s face it, Bonnaroo drained me.  The trip to and from along with the actual four days at the festival took everything I had out of me.  When I returned home I napped for a mere hour and then hopped in the car to go see punk rock legends Rancid with Rise Against and Riverboat Gamblers down at the Tower City Amphitheater.

I was a zombie of sorts.  Only having ingested some terrible Hardee’s in Bowling Green, KY, the arrow in my stomach was pointing to empty.  Luckily my buddy Fatty who was driving owes me big for when we went to see the Bouncing Souls and make me turn my car around on Route 8 because he forgot his ticket.

I could not tell him that I forgot my ticket because I did not have one so I just asked him to stop at Taco Bell for a snack.

I did not have a ticket because someone wonderful got me on the list for Rancid complete with a VIP pass.

We arrived to the venue with the Riverboat Gamblers already playing.  The Austin, TX punk rockers really enthralled me so I made sure to pick up their latest release on LP entitled Underneath The Owl.  I have yet to listen to it but I do know they played a few songs off their new album and it sounded good.  They are one of those bands I never really gave a chance before but will now thanks to their great performance.

Once it looked like the stage was set up for Rancid I headed backstage to get a better view of the band.  I hung out behind the scenes and peered at the from the side.  As pissed as I was that they were not headlining the show I was still pleased with their almost one hour set including classic songs such as “Ruby Soho” and “Olympia”.  They also played some new tracks from their recent release Let The Dominoes Fall… such as “Last One To Die” and “New Orleans”.

They sounded really good live and jumped around youthfully as if they were playing 15 years ago.  Many times I hear that people think Tim Armstrong might not be playing all of the songs but I was right there and it sure as hell looked like he was beating the crap out of his guitar playing to the huge crowd.  Matt Freemon was hammering his bass and killed it during “Tenderloin” and of course Lars Frederickson was doing what he does best, entertain.

Great set by one of my favorite punk bands of all time.

Rancid Setlist:
Radio
Last One To Die
Journey to the End of the East Bay
Roots Radicals
Nihilism
Olympia WA.
Salvation
Bloodclot
New Orleans
Fall Back Down
The Way I Feel
Time Bomb
Tenderloin
East Bay Night
Maxwell Murder
Ruby Soho

Rise Against took stage as the sun said goodbye to the day.  I am a fan of the first three Rise Against albums but their last two releases have not done too much for me.  I stayed afar from the stage and checked them out while I chatted with a couple of my friends who were only there to see Rancid.

Rise Against, I can say, has major stage charisma.  Lead singer Tim McIlrath was running all over the stage singing his heart out to his diehard fans.  Where the band did play a lot of newer songs I was happy to hear some older ones from their first three albums.  I was shocked the band did not play “Swing Life Away” when Tim McIlrath came to stage with an acoustic guitar in hand but I guess they have played that song enough times and perhaps it was time for them to give it a rest.

It was great to see Rise Against headline a show and you knew the band was grateful for the oppertunity as they thanked Rancid as well as named off some of the venues in Cleveland they once played before such as the Agora as well as the Tower City parking lot by the stairs where years ago they were just an intro band to the Vans Warped Tour.  Times have change indeed for Rise Against, I was just glad to hear them admit it.

It was a good night for punk rock in Cleveland thanks to the three bands that took over Tower City that night.  As if the show itself was not good enough right as Rise Against was finishing up their set fireworks started going off over the Progressive Field as the Cleveland Indians game had just finished up.

I had yet to find a setlist for Rise Against or Riverboat Gamblers but when I do I will post it here.

Contest, Festival, Good Times, Live Shows, Music, Photography

Bonnaroo 2009 – Day 2 In Review

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I’ll still hanging in there kids.  I will tell you though that I am tired of the patchouli smell that seems to be getting stronger day by day.  Seeing dudes in dresses with nappy hair is a novelty for only so long.  More on that in a moment.

I stayed up late night to post a hopefully composite music review on Blogcritics.Org:

Concert Review: Bonnaroo 2009 – 06/12/2009 – Day 2

Mind you I finished writing that around 5am so if it does not make sense my apologies.  I think I could have left out my actual travel patterns and all but I wanted to just tell everyone what I saw from my eyes and if that included naming off every stage on the grounds then so be it.

One of the highlights of the day was getting searched by the local Drug Task Force.  They said it was a random check and asked me to pull my car over to the side so they could search it.  I was threatened if I did not fess up to my weapons and drugs and told if I lied they would throw me in jail.

I laughed the entire time they looked in my car looking for nothing.  When they were just about finished one of the elder officers asked to look in my CD cases because, and I quote, “that is where they hide the weed.”

Who in hell would hide weed in a CD case?  And why was my car pulled over and searched as at least fifteen stoners drove past me with glazed eyes and smiles that seemed to thank me for letting them in with their eight pound bag of weed without getting caught.

That right there pissed me off.  I am drug free and for the time being alcohol free.  Why me?  Random my ass.  I think Tennessee sees Ohio as a drug lord state and thought they hit the big one.  Sorry boys, better luck next time.

So after that time delaying stop we made it to the day lot, parked the car, and started our second day.

The second day was actually the first full blown day of the festival with much more folk inside Centeroo.  People from all directions were walking to and from checking out everything they possibly could.  There was just so much to see and literally not enough time to see it all.

The three of us, yes Matt actually joined us, walked around for a moment and decided on what our plans were for the day.  Shockingly Matt wanted a map and shade.  He had his own plans for the day and was not too thrilled about many of the afternoon acts and wanted to just hang out.  We would not see him until midnight.

I think Matt has something against hardcore hippies. I do too.  I have had enough patchouli stink to last me a lifetime.  When you are surrounded by a sea of people and that smell seems to get stronger and stronger it just gets plain annoying.  I am also tired of hearing “hey bro!” screamed from one stoner to the next.

I have realized that I am getting old.  There is no doubt about that.  I think I am tired too, this is an angry, grumpy, tired post.

I have nothing against everyone having a good time and popping as many pills as they can fit into the palm of their hands.  Let them be free, let them smoke weed, just stay the hell away from me and for the love of god quit asking me if I have have green!  I was even asked by some girl “where can I find Molly?”  With a confused face I looked at here and asked her what in the hell she was talking about.

She ran away.  Ha.

The second day of Bonnaroo not only was the first day of Bonnaroo for Matt but really the start to the festival with more artists playing throughout the day.  The rain stayed away and the sun shone making for the perfect festival atmosphere.

One of the surprise acts of the day would have to be the Belleville Outfit.  The jazzy cabaret folk act was just the type of band I was looking to discover and made a note to check them out some more once I returned home.

Santigold put on quite the show with their mix of rock and hip hop.  Al Green was one of those experiences I am glad I did not pass up.  I still can not believe I saw the Rev. Al Green live.  I have always been a fan of his older material since I was a kid so seeing him live was pretty damn outstanding.

The Beastie Boys owned the main stage Friday night pushing through a long set full of classic material as well as playing a brand new song with special guest NAS.  It was great to see the B-Boys again on the big stage doing their thing.  Mix Master Mike also put on quite the show scratching the hell out of vinyl and creating some truly unique sounds.

Justin Townes Earl was another act that I randomly walked up to having no idea what to expect.  I was blown away by his indie country mix and complete politeness to all who came to see him.  I even went so far as to grabbing one of his Midnight At The Movies LPs after the show.

French act put on one of my favorite sets on Friday with their French indie / electronica / rock display.  Having first heard of them on the Lost In Translation soundtrack I did not even realize they were playing Bonnaroo.  We all watched the whole set and I know I enjoyed every single song performed.

Public Enemy was another huge highlight of the day.  Seeing the twenty-plus year old band take the stage was something I was not sure would ever happen again.  They played strong and looked good.  The act even busted out their 1988 classic It Takes A Nation Of Millions To Hold Us Back from start to finish.  Wow.

I can say that I am ready for today.  I got some sleep, ate some delicious Shoney’s and am now ready to tackle day three of the Bonnaroo.

Until then, here are some more photos:

Tonight is going to be a long night mainly because of NIN playing a early morning set from 1am till 3am.  That is going to be amazing yet will drain what little energy I will have left in me but I am ok with that.

70's, Cleveland, Live Shows, Music, Music Video, Punk

Detroit’s The Dogs Are Making A Comeback!

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Mark your calendars all you aging punk rockers.  Detroit’s original punk rock act The Dogs are coming to Cleveland!

What’s that?  You have never heard of The Dogs?

Well according to their MySpace Page:

Formed in 1969 in Lansing, Michigan, the trio of “Loren Dog” Molinare (guitar and vocals), Mary Dryer (bass), and Ron Wood (drums), channeled the pummeling power of Detroit rock and Chuck Berry inspired riffs into tough tunes with a pissed off social conscience.

Raging out of the legendary Motor City rock scene of the ’70s, which spawned such musical touchstones as the Stooges, MC5, Amboy Dukes, Up, and other lesser known but equally ferocious proto-punk acts, The Dogs packed all the feral energy and cultural angst of that era into their live shows and an enduring set of recordings.

The Dogs opened for such acts as the MC5, Ramones, Television, Dictators, AC/ DC, Kiss, and Van Halen, and became one of the seminal LA punk bands of the era after locating there in the mid ’70s following a stint in New York

They disbanded soon after returning from a ’78-’79 tour of England, finding that hair metal had taken over the scene and punk had fallen out of favor.

With the 2001 release of the ‘Fed Up’ compilation on Dionysus Records, which they answered in 2003 with a set of new material entitled ‘Suburban Nightmare,’ The Dogs were encouraged to hit the stage once again. 2007 saw the release of ‘The Dogs Tribute… Doggy Style,’ a 26-band, 2-CD package from Future Now Records that also features several historic, unreleased tracks from The Dogs.

A live DVD, ‘Purity Not Perfection,’ has been released in Mar 09, and a new CD and live dates in the US, Europe, and Japan are slated for 2009 — the year that will mark The Dogs’ 40th anniversary.

So if you find yourself a fan of the original punk rock, the classic punk rock, or even some good rock n roll perhaps it would be in your best interest to head up to the Beachland to cheek these guys out!  I know I am highly considering making it out there if I can.

John Rock and Roll Sinclair

YoU Can”t caTch ME”

Festival, Live Shows

How To Build Your Bonnaroo Ticket

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I can not believe that Bonnaroo is in 2 weeks!!!  Before I know it I’ll be en route to Nashville on June 10th to check out the city then it is off to Manchester for the big event.

I’ll be blogging as much as I can about it.

My ticket should be coming in the mail any day now.  Today I received an email with a video.  For some reason me thinks I will NOT be doing this… Still, it’s a pretty interesting idea.

Bonnaroo or bust!