Thursday, November 19, 2015

Book Review: (5-Star): A Carlin Home Companion

Being born into a show business family..Absentee Dad..Trauma..Emotional..Physical..Substance abuse..marriage..divorce..focus..unfocus..life..death..Real life..full circle=A Carlin Home Companion by Kelly Carlin. A real world survivor tells it like it was. EVERYONE can relate!

Monday, August 31, 2015

Dylan Fest AC 2015

CONCERT REVIEW: DYLAN FEST AC August 28, 2015


100.7 ZXL, Formica Brothers Bakery, an Atlantic City Institution in their own right, welcomed a great night of BOB DYLAN music, pop culture and the history of the legendary artist and his original ties to Southern New Jersey!

While it may be common knowledge the former Robert Zimmerman was reared in the northern tundra of Duluth, Minnesota and would later stake his claim..and acclaim as Bob Dylan. you may not be aware that this icon of early folk and electric controversy had intimate ties to South Jersey. This night was a celebration of that connection!

Bob Dylan was first to plug in electric at the Newport Folk Festival in August, 1965. It nearly caused a riot to the accoustic sensibilities of the promoters, performers and fans alike. It would change the idea of the recorded message forever.  Bob would endure ridicule and threats to his person for bucking the system. Turning up the decibels would launch the former Robert Zimmerman into the stratosphere.

Opening Act: Peter Stone Brown, artist, songwriter and composer and a holdover audience member at the Bob Dylan Forest Hills, New York concert in 1965, Bob's first electric offering since plugging in at Newport, performed Bob's opening setlist of that night: This man was channeling Dylan in emotion, looks and sound.
Mr. Tamborine Man was stellar and brought favorable response from a sold out crowd at the intimate Dante Hall, Atlantic City.  Brown was a serious musician and a quiet yet friendly, soft spoken soul. We were thankful for the complete package of Mr. Brown. A

Headliner: The Five Believers led by guitarist-vocalist Jeff Schwachter powered out a full-on Dylan setlist of his best works! From Highway 61 Revisited, the iconic album released August 30, 1965 (50 years ago) to Rainy Day Women #12  & #35 and All Along The Watch Tower, fans really appreciated the trip back into the 1960's time machine!   A++ 

Dante Hall/ What a fantastic venue for special commemorative presentations and performances like Dylan Fest AC 2015. The crowd, a mature mixture of young and old mingled well together and appreciated the Dylan wall art, books and records on display in the foyer as fans entered the showroom. Stephanie Clineman, Executive Director of Entertainment for Stockton University was a delight and welcomed dignitaries such as the President of The University and others. It was a total fun experience for all. A+

Special Presentation: Dylan Fest AC 2015 was as much about Bob Dylan's discovery of a group of musicians playing the local Tony Marts Nightclub in Somers Point as it was about the 50th Anniversary of all things Bob. The Hawks would delight south jersey patrons of The iconic Tony Marts Club by the late 1960's. The Hawks blew the roof off the place to the delight of fans and Bob Dylan himself, who requested these musicians for himself and his road warrior detail. The HAWKS would later transform into THE BAND. Dylan Fest AC would welcome family members of the late great bass player Rick Danko to the stage. Danko niece Danielle Cockburn and son Justin Grafton Danko would accept a commemorative plaque of the Hawks/ The Band influence on our great area. C  
 

Tuesday, May 26, 2015

The WHO hits 50! Concert Review:

The WHO hits 50! 5/22/15 Atlantic City, NJ

Venue: Boardwalk Hall, Atlantic City, NJ

Opening Act: Joan Jett & The Blackhearts

Let's start with openers! Joan Jett & The Blackhearts displayed ageless presence and awesome power with a rockin' eleven song set. Joan played her heart out with forty years worth of her own material dating back to her 1975 debut as a teen in the Runaways. After opening her song Bad Reputation, she launched into Cherry Bomb, my second all time favorite Jett song. My number one all time favorite, Do Ya Wanna Touch followed to my heart's delight. Joan showed total cool featuring her hits including I Love Rock And Roll, her top chart hit (1981). Playing from the heart and with accomplished players behind her, she was the perfect compliment to The WHO. Her new album release is called: Unvarnished. She showcased Soulmates to Stangers off the new disc. My personal faves are Fragile and Bad As We Can Be! Joan Jett also delighted a small group of us backstage before the show with a bright and friendly personality. I give this Rock N Roll Hall Of Famer an A+ in show and "person!"   




The WHO:

Pete Townshend hit 70 on May 19th and The Who showed a sold out boardwalk Hall crowd why they are still going strong after 50 years, Hit after hit after hit had the crowd aged 17-70 rockin out!

A rockin' 22-song set list, The WHO kicked it off with I Can't Explain followed up by staples' like The Seeker and The Kids Are Alright. The 1975 hit Squeeze Box and I Can See For Miles had me frozen in time to a better time and stellar performances from 1971's Who's Next, Behind Blue Eyes, Won't Get Fooled Again and Baba O'Riley made the hairs stand up! My personal all time WHO fave, Love Reign O'er Me featuring accomplished keyboardist John Corey. Pete's brother Simon Townshend is also in this touring band and Ringo's kid Zak Starkey on drums! WOW!  Performance and Showmanship: A+

Stage Effects: GREAT use of jumbotron screens for seeing our heroes up close and storyboard themes and retro artist photos of the band to match the song selection. The widescreen lighted rain was fantastic during Love Reign O'er Me! Pete Townshend's celebrated "windmill" shredding was apparent throughout and Roger Daltrey's vocal prowess was high octane for this performance. These men, all these men can still "bring it" and I would want to believe they will be back for years to come.  A

Audience: Generational, from teens to 70 somethings. It's what legendary players attract. That's why I say, despite comments made by Pete Townshend to retire from touring, he has to understand new generations are discovering this great catalog of songs.  The crowd was vocal BUT a polite, sitting crowd, standing only for periods toward the end of the show.  NO bad behavior evident. B

Overall Grade: A

Unvarnished By Joan Jett & The Blackhearts available>

http://www.amazon.com/Unvarnished-Joan-Jett-Blackhearts/dp/B00EP22QKG/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1432665843&sr=8-1&keywords=unvarnished+joan+jett+%26+the+blackhearts