Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Concert Night 2

Night 2 started out much the same as Night 1. Tom Hanks then Jerry Lee Lewis (this time doing Great Balls of Fire).

Aretha Frankin was, well Aretha Franklin. It was ok for me but nothing special. Annie Lennox and Lenny Kravitz were her guests and ended up being the least interesting pairings. In fact they didn't mesh well at all.

Baby I Love You
Don't Play That Song
Make Them Hear You
Chain of Fools (with Annie Lennox)
New York, New York
Think (with Lenny Kravitz)
Respect

Jeff Beck is a genius. There are not enough adjectives to describe his playing. His set was a clinic on how to play guitar and I loved it. I do think Clapton would have gone over better with the crowd as the material is more familiar. Buddy Guy was really good, but Billy Gibbons song choice was...odd to say the least. Rough Boy is just about the worst ZZ Top song ever. Puzzling. Everything ended with Jeff's version of A Day In The Life. Stunning.

Drown In My Own Tears
People Get Ready (with Sting)
Freeway Jam
Cause We've Ended Up as Lovers
Let Me Love You (Buddy Guy)
Big Block
Rice Pudding
Rough Boy (Billy Gibbons)
Foxey Lady (Billy Gibbons)
A Day In The Life

James Hetfield: "We're Metallica and this is what we do". For Whom the Bell Tolls.

That pretty much says it all. Metallica were great last night. Touring all year has them playing like a well oiled machine. Lou Reed looked confused. Ozzy was Ozzy and Ray Davies was great. All in all an excellent set.

For Whom the Bell Tolls
One
Turn The Page
Sweet Jane (Lou Reed)
White Light White Heat (Lou Reed)
Iron Man (Ozzy)
Paranoid (Ozzy)
You Reall Got Me (Ray Davies)
All Day and All of the Night (Ray Daivies)
Stone Cold Crazy
Enter Sandman

U2 hits the stage at around 11:45. No tape backing, just them which was cool. If there is such a thing as look key U2 this was it. Bruce Springsteen and Patti Smith join them for Because the Night. The Black Eyed Peas come out for one (not familiar with their stuff....they came out during Mysterious Ways) and stay. Gimmie Shelter starts and Fergie is dancing and singing the chick intro and out comes...Mick Jagger. The Garden goes ape shit. Mick sticks around for another with U2 and after Beautiful Day it's all over. Just an hour long, but is was a great hour.

Vertigo

Magnificent

Because The Night (Bruce & Patti Smith)

I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For (With Springsteen)

Mysterious Ways > Where Is The Love > One (with Black Eyed Peas)
Gimmie Shelter (With Mick Jagger & Fergie)

Stuck Inside a Moment

Beautiful Day

The show was about 2 hours shorter than Thursday and in many ways Night 1 was a better show, at least for me. However the highlights last night were BIG. All in all it was two amazing nights of music. I'm glad I live in NY.

Gov't Mule with Joe Bonamassa

Two of my favorites tearing up the Albert King classic. The second clip is from the same show jamming out on a Mule instumental "ScoMule".

Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Concert Night 1

The first of two Rock & Roll Hall of Fame concerts lived up to most of my expectations last night. The evening started off promptly at 7:30 with a video montage & Tom Hanks blathering on about the power of Rock & Roll...typical boomer bullshit (and I am 47). This was followed by Jerry Lee Lewis doing "Whole Lotta Shakin" solo at the piano.

Crosby, Stills & Nash were not great in my opinion. Stephen Stills is a little rough vocally now and they just weren't great. Of the guests I will say that Bonnie Raiit sounded as good as always as did Jackson Browne who played one of my favorites (The Pretender).

Woodstock
Marakesh Express
Almost Cut My Hair
Love Has No Pride (Bonnie Raitt)
Midnight Rider (with Bonnie Raitt)
The Pretender (Jackson Browne)
Mexico (James Taylor)
Love The One You're With (with James Taylor)
Rock & Roll Woman
Teach Your Children (with all 3 guests)

I have been waiting to see Simon & Garfunkel for most of my life and I want to say right off that I didn't need anything else for this poriton of the show. That said I really do enjoy Paul Simon's solo work so that was a treat. Dion and Little Anthony and the Imperials were fine. When Art finally joined him on stage it was highlight time. If hearing them, even after all of these years, singing the Boxer and Bridge Over Troubled Waters doesn't give you a little goosebumps there must be something seriously wrong with you. Tremendous.

Paul Simon:
Diamonds on the Soles of Her Shoes
Me & Julio Down By the School Yard
You Can Call Me Al
The Wanderer (Dion)
Late in the Evening
Two People in the World (Little Anthony & the Imperials)

Enter Art Garfunkel:
Sounds of Silence
Mrs. Robinson > Not Fade Away > Mrs. Robinson
The Boxer
Bridge Over Troubled Waters
Cecilia

I felt awful for Stevie Wonder...tons of sound issues for his set. Having never seen him before all I can say is WOW. What a fantastic talent, you knew that on record but live...just amazing. Lots of guests and a killer set.

Uptight(Everything's Alright)
I Was Made To Love You
For Once In My Life
Signed, Sealed, Delivered, I'm Yours
Boogie On Reggae Woman
Tracks of My Tears (Smokey Robinson)
Mercy Mercy Me (John Legend)
The Way You Make Me Feel (with John Legend)
The Thrill is Gone (B.B. King)
Living for the City
Higher Ground > Roxanne > Higher Ground (with Sting)
Superstition (with Jeff Beck)

The highlight of the evening was Bruce's set. The E. Street Band probably could have been the house band all night. They were TIGHT. Sam Moore was just fantastic as was Darlene Love. John Fogerty was really good (although a little predictable). Tom Joad was incendiary with Tom Morello and the evening ended with a surprise guest...Billy Joel. What a great, loooooong night (6 hours). Can't wait for tonight.

Tenth Avenue Freeze Out
Hold On, I'm Comin' (Sam Moore)
Soul Man (Sam Moore)
The Ghost of Tom Joad (Tom Morello)
Fortunate Son (John Fogerty)
Proud Mary (John Fogerty)
Oh, Pretty Woman (with John Fogerty)
Jungleland
A Fine Fine Boy (Darlene Love)
De Doo Ron Ron (Darlenes Love)
London Calling (With Tom Morello)
Badlands (with Tom Morello)
You May Be Right (Billy Joel)
Only The Good Die Young (with Billy Joel)
New York State of Mind (with Billy Joel)
Born To Run (with Billy Joel)
(Your Love Keeps Lifting Me)Higher & Higher (all Bruce guests + Peter Wolf & Jackson Browne)

The show was really long. I had to jump at the end of Born to Run to make sure I didn't miss the train (after 1:30 the next was at 3:10) but all in all a great night of music. First half was a little heavy on the Adult Contemporary side but the second half was rockin'. Tonight should even more. I am really looking forward to what U2 will be doing and with whom.

Gov't Mule - By A Thread

I'm a fan so I'll spare you all the adjectives that I want to describe this band with. Love 'em. Been on the band wagon since 1997 and haven't looked back. The thing is each studio album takes me some time to grow to love. It's kind of weird. What at first seems a let down almost always turns out to be a keeper. I guess it's because I have heard so many songs live for so long that the recorded versions seem just a bit off. It usually goes away after a few listenings.

I have been playing By a Thread for a couple of weeks now and at first I thought it was good, but not great. I will say it is improving quickly to the point where I am really enjoying it now. In fact it might be my favorite album track for track since Life Before Insanity.

It grooves, it slams, it pummels, it jams, in a phase it is an "ass-kicking". Makes me really look forward to the Beacon run. Check it out.

Eric Clapton To Miss Hall of Fame Concerts

From Where's Eric...

Eric Clapton - Hall of Fame Concert Appearance Cancelled

Published: 22 October 2009

Unfortunately Eric Clapton has cancelled his performance for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame concert next week to undergo a minor medical procedure for gall stones. He will spend time recuperating at home in the UK and is very sorry to disappoint the fans and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. He remains committed to his 2010 concert schedule. Spokespeople for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame said today that they wish Eric Clapton all the best and they will announce a replacement for Eric’s part of the show shortly.

Needless to say I am bummed. The thought of Clapton/Beck/Guy jamming was almost too good. Let's see who they replace him with. May I suggest...

Paul McCartney
Neil Young
Mick & Keef
Pete & Roger