You are what you is, Frank Zappa said, and you is what you am.
Well, I is, er, I am a baby boomer. So, to me, the best music of my lifetime is that great pop/rock music of the golden 1960s and 1970s, and the equally great (though not so prolific) music from the '80s, '90s and 21st century that still has that great spirit of '60s and '70s music.
And, what spirit is that?
Well, it's a lot of things. Sometimes it has that insanely idealistic and optimistic tone like a lot of the Beatles' best music. Sometimes it's angry and disillusioned like Frank and the Rolling Stones. Sometimes it's depressed like the best of the British blues--and, that would be Peter Green's Fleetwood Mac. In each case, it was unafraid to look at society and at ourselves (us young boomers) and our often self-serving belief systems (us boomers and the larger society, both of them) and to call it by its rightful name. You know, "you got a lotta nerve to say you are my friend," and "all your children are poor unfortunate victims of systems beyond their control, a plague upon your ignorance that keeps the young from the truth they deserve."
And "oh no I don't believe it, you say love is all we need, you say with your love you can change all of the fools, all of the hate, I think you're probably out to lunch." Like that.
And, musically, it's also pushing limits like the Beatles did, and Bob Dylan, and Pink Floyd and Frank and Led Zeppelin and, hey, even Phil Spector and so many others, creating new sounds, new landscapes that quickly became part of the inherited tradition and remain as such right down to today.
But what it's (Boomer Rock is) not is exclusive to the '60s and '70s. What it's not is over. What it's not is dead and gone. It's still here, not just the classics, but new music in that spirit. Sure, it's harder to find. You can't just turn on the radio anymore, you've got to turn over a lot more rocks than that. It's on the Internet, it's on CDs, it's on I-Tunes, it's on You Tube, for sure, but it's even on the TV sometimes (can you say Austin City Limits). It's out there. Talk to your kids and/or maybe your grandkids, they can help you find it. But just because you're not seein' it, just because you've gotten old and lazy and you're not seein' it or (more to the point) hearin' it, that doesn't mean it's not out there. It is.
So if the '60s and '70s were the golden age, what music am I talking about since then?
The 1980s
Well, there was a lot of it in the '80s because so many of the classic rockers were still working--Pink Floyd, Dylan, Springsteen. But there were a lot of new bands and artists who were totally plugged into the rock spirit. Talking Heads, Dire Straits and Mark Knopfler, sometimes Prince, Los Lobos, U2 and so on, just to provide a quick sampling.
But the late '70s and the '80s saw a couple of challenges to boomer rock. Metal or head-banger music was one challenge and punk was another. Both are rock 'n roll, of course, just not boomer rock. Theirs was a different spirit and everybody knew it.
The 1990s
Boomer rock began to become a minority music by the 1990s, though there were some great examples--Leonard Cohen's did the best work of his entire career, and Van Morrison ripped off a bunch of terrific records in the 1990s. And, there was Radiohead and Wilco among the newbies. But grunge was also not a boomer rock genre. Again it had another spirit that appealed to a lot of boomers, to be sure, but originated with and expressed the spirit of Gen X and Y rather than the boomers.
21st Century
If anything, Boomer Rock or "old time rock and roll" has had a resurgence in the 21st century. Just among bands and artists who've emerged since Y2K, you've got Sufjan Stevens, Conor Oberst and/or Bright Eyes, Rufus Wainwright, Ray LaMontagne, The National, The Hold Steady, Zero7, The Shins, Travis, Sarah Borges and many more. Then you've still got old-timers like Leonard Cohen, Bill Frisell, Ry Cooder, Jeff Beck, Steve Earle, Aimee Mann, the Flaming Lips and Larry McMurtry still working. All of 'em capture that spirit and fall into that tradition that I call Boomer Rock.
Sure, you can enjoy and understand and relate to these artists from other perspectives. But there's no way they're incompatible with the spirit of the '60s and '70s.
So anyway, that's where I'm coming from. And for now, enough said. Let's just start blogging.
Wednesday, June 5, 2013
Monday, May 27, 2013
Frank Zappa's Greatest Hits
The Big 10
A lot of these songs--a lot of Zappa songs--have been released in many different versions. I going to talk about the ones that stand out for me, the ones that introduced me to the song, the ones (if any) that superceded the original. There are other versions out there, to be sure, that some of you may be more familiar with. God bless you if you are.
1. Sofa No. 2, from One Size Fits All (1975). "Sofa" is of course a bit of existential Zappa lunacy from what I call his 2nd period. Post-Mothers but still Warner Brothers. The song pimps the philosophical lingo--"I am the heaven, I am the waters," then shifts into German, "Ich bin der chrome dinette"--well, "chrome dinette" is English, isn't it--"Du bist mein sofa." I mean, all this high-falutin' existential mumbo jumbo is German, right?
Live, this was all part of a longer stage bit in which Mark Volman would pretend to be a sofa.
Zappa released at least 10 different versions of the song. On One Size Fits All, "Sofa No. 1" was an instrumental and "Sofa No. 2" included the vocal. Another instrumental version was released the following year on Zappa in New York. The original featured guitar, this 1 featured Mike Brecker on saxophone. On You Can't Do That on Stage Anymore, Vol. 1, "Sofa No. 1" was the vocal and "Sofa No. 2" was the instrumental. It was recorded as "Divan" on Playground Psychotics.
After Zappa's death, Steve Vai played lead on a version of "Sofa" for the tribute album, Zappa's Universe, and won a grammy for that performance. I have always referred to this performance as the Zappa Funeral March though the song is of course not a march at all. It is a waltz, but features an emphatic, squared-off rhythm that suggests a march. The melody is 8 long, languid bars consisting mostly of rising hymn-like lines that, whether sung or played, leave plenty of space for instrumental and vocal filigree.
As much as I admire Vai's version, the original vocal by Flo and Eddie, "Sofa No. 2," remains the standard as far as I am concerned.
2. The Grand Wazoo, from The Grand Wazoo (1973). Amazingly, Frank's 1st 15 album releases all made the Billboard charts, until in 1973 The Grand Wazoo failed to do so. I would attribute this to his fan's preference for his vocal recordings--his social commentary and scatology being what he was best known for, certainly at that time. The Grand Wazoo was, on the other hand, mostly an instrumental record. Previously, his instrumental records had charted on average at around #140 on Billboard, his vocal records around #90 on average. This was also the 2nd consecutive instrumental record. Waka/Jawaka had come out earlier in 1973 and charted at #152. After The Grand Wazoo, Frank returned to making vocal albums and the next 4 charted in the top 50, the next 7 in the top 100.
But seriously, The Grand Wazoo is just a gorgeous record, with impeccably played horn section work and a mix of acoustic and electric guitar--mostly electric, though "Blessed Relief" features a beautiful acoustic solo.
The title song features a 2/4 shuffle rhythm, and opens with an understated guitar solo that quickly gives way to the horn section stating the main melodic themes. The rhythm (Aynsley Dumbar on drums and Alex Dmochowski on bass) begins to punch things up and a much harder-driving guitar solo follows. Then the horns takeover for about 8 minutes of solos--I think thats Bill Byers on trombone and Sal Marquez on trumpet--and, finally, a restatement of the main themes by the section as a whole. A short keyboard solo (I think that's George Duke) and finally another restatement by the horns closes things out.
3. Inca Roads, from One Size Fits All (1975). The lyrics are more of that inspired Zappa lunacy--something about a spaceship landing somewhere in the Andes, perhaps on an airstrip (an "Inca Road") constructed for that purpose. The song is George Duke's primary legacy as a member of Zappa's band. Duke sings and plays a terrific synthesizer solo. Ruth Underwood's marimba is also very prominent, especially on the herky-jerky main rhythm riff, though Frank's electric guitar also stretches out and dominates that second half of the song or thereabouts.
And then there's the fact that while this is 1 of Frank's absolute masterpieces, it's also that exceedingly rare case--maybe the only case--where there's a cover that's better. I could only be referring to Zappa Plays Zappa's incredible version, almost doubling the time from 8:35 to 14:42 mostly by virtue of Dweezil pretty much doubling Frank's guitar solo. Frank's 3-minute excursion was a long solo in its day, but Dweezil ups that to about 6 minutes and 7 or 8 choruses of gradually building intensity.
There is then a return to Frank's arrangement followed by another excursion by pianist by Aaron Arntz (I'm talking of course of the CD and DVD version from ZPZ's initial tour) accompanied by some really stellar bass work by Pete Griffin. After 3 minutes (which also doubles George Duke's minute-and-a-half) the band returns to the original arrangement and Frank's silly closing, "Did a booger-bear come from somewhere out there... Did someone build a place or leave a space for such a thing to land...on Ruth, on Ruth, woo-hoo, that's Ruth."
Dweezil has said he'll never play "Watermelon in Easter Hay" because that is Frank's signature. But this is Dweezil's signature and it is a thing of great beauty.
4. Oh No, from Weasels Ripped My Flesh (1970). This is another 1 that appeared in many different forms during Frank's early years: 1st on the 1968 version of Lumpy Gravy, where it is frankly (pardon the pun) buried in a pastiche of mind-bending music and sound. Then more memorably on Weasels Ripped My Flesh, where the song just seems to have a better platform and is presented more seriously and its message comes through more understandably. This is another of Frank's putdowns of the hippie philosophy of the time--"All you need is love" and all of that. This is in fact Frank's "Positively Fourth Street." But while this version was released in 1970, the song is definitely from the original Mothers era of 1967-68-69.
"Oh, no, I don't believe it/You say that you think you know the meaning of love/You say love is all we need/You say with your love you can change/All of the fools, all of the hate/I think you're probably out to lunch...All your love/Will it save me/All your love/Will it save the world/From what we can't understand?"All with a Ray Collins vocal that is at once soaring and smirking. This is the version most worthy of remembering, though there is a tasty instrumental version from the same period on You Can't Do That on Stage Anymore, Vol. 1.
5. Watermelon in Easter Hay, from Joe's Garage Acts II & III (1979). The conceit is that Joe, voiced on the record by Frank himself, of course, has gone to jail because he dared to play rock 'n roll music after it is outlawed by the government. In jail he is told he must reform himself and repent his sins and abandon his music if he is ever to return to free society. He tries, but continues to play imaginary guitar solos in his head. But finally he is determined to give it up, and he dubs "Watermelon in Easter Hay" his final imaginary guitar solo before changing his ways. It is a slow and a lovely tune that is generally regarded, certainly by Dweezil, as Frank's signature song.
6. Blessed Relief, from The Grand Wazoo (1973). I remember once playing this for a friend who professed that she could not listen to Frank Zappa. She said, "This is nice. Who is it?" A trumpet plays a soft, relaxing melody, then vamps for several courses--I believe that is Sal Marquez. George Duke follows with an understated piano solo. and then gives way to Frank's acoustic guitar, which continues in the same vein. The song closes with the main theme. A very pretty tune and a very tasteful 9 minute performance.
7. Strictly Genteel, from You Can't Do That on Stage Anymore, Vol. 6 (1988). Originally "The Finale" from 200 Motels in 1971, "Strictly Genteel"showed up next on Orchestral Favorites in 1979. The best version is the one mentioned above, but while the CD was released in 1988, the performance is from a 1981 concert at the Palladium in New York with Tommy Mars and Bobby Martin on keyboards. Ed Mann is credited with percussion, which I take to include the marimba which very conspicuously doubles the keyboard melodies. Frank throws in some stately guitar lines, as well as some more modest acoustic guitar melodies. Chad Wackerman on drums and Scott Thunes on bass make you want to get up and march around the room, though like "Sofa," this is not a march but a waltz.
But in any event the soaring keyboards are what make this song great.
Well, that and Frank's outro. Apparently this closed the show. Frank comes on around the 6 minute mark and says, "Thanks for coming to the show tonight. Hope you enjoyed it. Don't throw stuff on the stage."
The song is a modern "Pomp and Circumstance" to me. I can just see bunch of kids marching into and out of their high school graduation to this. That would be totally inspired.
8. Yo' Mama, from Sheik Yerbouti (1979). A pretty standard Zappa putdown. "Maybe you should stay with your mama/She could do your laundry and cook for you/Maybe you should stay with your mama/You're really kinda stupid and ugly too.... You ain't really made for bein' out in the street/Ain't much hope for a fool like you/'Cause if you play the game, you will get beat."
After a big keyboard bridge, Frank spends the next 9 minutes beating on his guitar, hard. I mean, with what sounds to me like real anger. It's mostly solo for about 3 minutes when the bass and drums join in.
"The Grand Wazoo," "Watermelon in Easter Hay,' ":Yo' Mama," these are Frank's 3 best guitar solos.
9. Trouble Every Day, from Freak Out (1966). Here we're talkin' about the original version. Gotta be the original. The disgust with what was goin' on was palpable, and neither Frank nor any other vocalist has ever captured that tone. The music is primitive, but no more so than, say, the Butterfield Blues Band. But its intensity was unquestioned. "Eve of Destruction" was about as intense as protest music got in those days--and it may not be fashionable to say, but "Eve of Destruction" was pretty intense; I think Barry McGuire meant it--but it had nothin' on this. In fact, I had never heard anything as absolutely pissed off as this.
10. Hot Plate Heaven in the Green Hotel, from Broadway the Hard Way (1989). This LP is an unexpected and underrated masterpiece of political commentary and satire. But 1st and foremost, "Hot Plate Heaven" just rocks out something fierce. The horn section is spectacular, and Kurt McGettrick's bari sax in particular just drives it home. Frank then takes off an 4 minutes of free-form anger in a solo that recalls "Yo' Mama."
"Hot Plate Heaven" is, of course, a flop house: "Republicans is fine if you're a multimillionaire/Democrats is fair if all you own is what you wear/But neither of 'em's really right 'cause neither of 'em care/About the hot plate heaven, 'cause they ain't been there."
The Next 10
11. Redunzl, from Studio Tan (1978). Actually it's spelled "Redunzl" on the vinyl LP, "Rdunzl" on the CD. Either way, it's an amusing little instrumental that sounds for all the world like a send-up of insipid TV music. The title seems to be a take-off of Rapunzel from the Grimm Fairy Tale, and maybe it was inspired by some made-for-TV version thereof. I really have no idea. But to my ear, it sounds more like it would accompany "Leave It to Beaver," except it would be a somewhat bent, Zappaesque version of Beaver.
I don't know if it's George Duke or John Berkman--Duke is credited as playing keyboards, Berkman is credited as playing the piano--but there's a terrific piano solo and piano throughout that really carries the song along.
12. Lucille Has Really Messed Up My Mind, from Joe's Garage, Act I (1979). A mid-tempo reggae-style blues number, this was originally recorded by Jeff Simmons on, er, Jeff Simmons, where the writing credit goes to LaMarr Bruister. Ike Willis' vocal is vastly preferred to Simmons,' by the way.
13. Society Pages
14. Heavenly Bank Account
15. Suicide Chump, all from You Are What You Is (1981). I have never been able to decide what is the best song on You Are What You Is, but I do know that You Are What You Is is one of Frank's greatest records and probably is underrated. I mean, I don't hear it mentioned a lot. It peaked at #93 on the Billboard charts, putting it pretty close to the middle of Frank's output, by this time (late 1981) 33 original albums.
You Are What You Is is unique among those 33 LPs in that it is pretty much all pop rock songs with a beginning, a middle and an end and a pause before the next song. Oh, and vocals, mostly by Frank, Ike Willis and Ray White. One source claims that "After several years of beating around the bush (or chipping around the edges) of direct political critique, Zappa, in 1981, unleashed You Are What You Is, his most overt and sustained piece of political writing" in more than a decade. (Kelly Lowe, The Words and Music of Frank Zappa.) I think of You Are What You Is as more social commentary rather than political, but maybe there's no difference there.
Anyway, today I would choose "Society Pages" as the top song on the record. It features a shuffle rhythm built around a bluesy little guitar figure. It lampoons a small-town society matron who takes herself way too seriously.
"Heavenly Bank Account" revisits one of Frank's favorite whipping boys (and why not?), the TV preacher. "He's got 20 million dollars in his heavenly bank account/All from those chumps who was born again/Oh yeah!" All over a hymn-like melody, and filled with "Oh yeahs" that sound a lot like "Amens."
And speaking of chumps, "Nothin's worse than a suicide chump." "You say there ain't no use in livin'/It's all a waste of time/And you wanna throw your life away/Well people that's just fine/Go on and get it over with then/Find you a bridge and take a jump/Just make sure you do it right the first time/'Cause nothin's worse than a suicide chump." In this case, accompanied by an appropriately jaunty sound.
Social or political, whatever you want to call it, You Are What You Is not only zaps a whole bunch of people, but it does so in absolutely hilarious fashion.
16. We Are Not Alone, from The Man from Utopia (1983). A hard-driving little big band tune perhaps better performed by Ed Palermo and His Big Band.
17. Let's Make the Water Turn Black, from We're Only In It for the Money (1968). Another great melody from Frank's very early days--one that Frank performed and/or released from time to time throughout his career both with vocal and as an instrumental. It is described as a "patter song," "a staple of comic opera" played at a very rapid pace. In any event, it tells the story of Ronnie and Kenny Williams, who were neighbors of Frank's in Palmdale in 1962, and specifically such activities as lighting their farts on fire and peeing into jars and leaving it over time to see what would grow, and fun stuff like that. "The Idiot Bastard Son" is apparently about the Williamses, too.
18. Sharleena, from Chunga's Revenge (1970). A straight love song, or rather a song of unrequited love in the style of late '50s/early '60s too-wop, passionately sung by Flo and Eddie.
19. Montana, from Over-Nite Sensation (1973). More inspired word play. "I might be movin' to Montana soon/Just to raise me up a crop of dental floss." The lyrics are mostly spoken by Frank who is "Gonna be a dental floss tycoon" (later altered to "dental toss flycoon"). On the Over-Nite Sensation, Tina Turner and the Ikettes do the back-up vocals uncredited. In the coda, Tina and the Ikettes repeatedly sing, "Movin' to Montana soon," answered by Kin Vassy singing, "Yippi-Aye-O-Ti-Yay."
"Montana" was a fan favorite and a staple on tour for many years A second favorite version can be seen on You Tube. It is from a 1974 live performance with Napoleon Murphy Brock on backing vocals. At one point Brock inserts one of those wordless doo-wop backup vocal sounds "poo-poo-poo-poo-ta-na-na," which all seems perfectly normal and natural as a back-up vocal. But Frank follows up matter-of-factly speaking the sounds, "And poo-poo-ta-na-na/And poo-poo ta-na-na," which os of course just totally hilarious when expressed in that way.
20. Who Are the Brain Police?, from Freak Out (1966). Way back when, one only heard sound effects and atmospherics, and of course a story about thought control. Later on, played at a higher rate of speed--both by Zappa and by Ed Palermo, often as an instrumental--the song reveals a lovely melody. Still, the lyrics are typical of the time, showing misfit kids trying to survive and find happiness in an oppressive social system: "What will you do if we let you go home/And the plastic's all melted/And so is the chrome/Who are the brain police?," the final line in an ominously descending minor key.
And Rounding Out the Top 25
21. Bolero, from The Best Band You Never Heard in Your Life (1991). This is a fairly straight version of Maurice Ravel's famous orchestra piece but with rock band instruments taking on the melody parts in place of the symphonic instruments. Bruce Fowler's trombone solo is one of many highlights.
22. The Air, from Uncle Meat (1969). More inspired word play: "The air/Escaping from your mouth/The hair escaping from your nose/My heart/Escsaping from the shaping/Of the draping." Ray Collins laconic vocal is just perfect.
23. Stolen Moments, from Broadway the Hard Way (1989). The highest rated song not written by Frank, this is a jazz "standard" written by Oliver Nelson for Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis in 1960. Bruce Fowler plays a pretty trumpet solo, and there's some nice horn section work as well.
24. America Drinks and Goes Home, from Absolutely Free (1967).
25. Hungry Freaks, Daddy, from Freak Out (1966). More hilarity from the early years. In "America Drinks," a womanizer sings (actually it's Ray Collins but in the personna), "I don't regret having met up with a girl who/Breaks hearts like it was nothing it all/I've done it, too, now I know just what it feels like...." Meanwhile, in the background are all the sounds of closing time. Perfect.
"Hungry Freaks" is, of course, more serious business. Once again describing kids in a world of capitalism and Lyndon Johnson, Frank sings, "They won't go for no more/Great midwestern hardware store/Philosophy that turns away/From those who aren't afraid to say what's on their mind/The left behind of the Great Society."
The Second 25/The Top 50
26. You Are What You Is, from the album of the same name (1981). "You is what you am."
27. Cosmik Debris, from Apostrophe' (1974). A great put-down. "'But I got a crystal ball!,' he said."
28. Packard Goose, from Joe's Garage, Act I (1979). "Well fuck all them people/I don't need no excuse/For bein' what I am."
29. Baby Snakes, from Sheik Yerbouti (1979). "Late at night is when they come out."
30. Apostrophe', from the album of the same name (1974). Hard drivin' instrumental with Jack Bruce.
31. Dickie's Such an Asshole, from Broadway the Hard Way (1989). "Used to have 25 tapes/Now I only got 10/Can't remember what happened to the rest/Musta gave 'em to a friend...You know I'm not a crook/I just wanna lie about one more thing right now."
32. Little Green Rosetta, from Joe's Garage, Acts II & III (1979). "A little green rosetta/You'll make a muffin betta."
33. Peaches en Regalia, from Hot Rats (1969). Pretty instrumental.
34. Harder Than Your Husband. "I'll be harder than your husband to get along with."
35. Doreen. "Don't make me wait until tomorrow."
36. Charlie's Enormous Mouth. You don't even wanna know.
37. Goblin Girl. "I been a-hobblin' 'cause of her gobblin'.'"
38. Beauty Knows No Pain, all from You Are What You Is (1981).
39. Mother People, from We're Only In It for the Money (1968). "Do you think that my pants are too tight?/Do you think that I'm creepy.... Better look around before you say you don't care/Shut yer fuckin' mouth about the length of my hair/How could you survive/If you were alive/Shitty little person." Yeah.
40. Outside Now, from Joe's Garage, Acts II and III (1979). "I've got it!/I'll be sullen and withdrawn."
41. A Pound for a Brown on the Bus, from Uncle Meat (1969). Driving instrumental.
42. Brown Shoes Don't Make It, from Absolutely Free (1967). "Be a jerk/Go to work."
43. Murder by Numbers, from Broadway the Hard Way (1989). Sting sings
44. Crew Slut, from Joe's Garage, Act I (1979).
45. Evelyn, a Modified Dog, from One Size Fits All (1975). "'Arf,' she said."
46. Rollo, from Imaginary Diseases (2006).
47. Dinah-Moe Humm, from Overnite Sensation (1974). You don't even wanna know.
48. Eat That Question, from The Grand Wazoo (1973). Driving instrumental. Great piano.
49. My Guitar Wants to Kill Your Mama, from Weasels Ripped My Flesh (1970). Banned in Boston.
50. Tell Me You Love Me, from Chunga's Revenge (1970). Rape fantasy.
And How Could I Not Include... (Honorable Mention)
Absolutely Free (1967)--Call Any Vegetable, Plastic People, Duke of Prunes
We're Only In It for the Money (1968)--Take Your Clothes Off When You Dance, The Idiot Bastard Son, What's the Ugliest Part of Your Body, Concentration Moon
Uncle Meat (1969)--King Kong.
Burnt Weeny Sandwich (1969)--Holiday in Berlin, WPLJ, Valerie
Weasels Ripped My Flesh (1970)--Toads of the Short Forest
Chuga's Revenge (1970)--Twenty Small Cigars, Would You Go All the Way?, Rudy Wants to Buy Yez a Drink
Just Another Band from L.A. (1972)--Billy the Mountain
The Grand Wazoo (1972)--For Cleetus (& His Nest Two Hitch-Hikers)
Overnite Sensation (1973)--I'm the Slime, Dirty Love, Zomby Woof
Apostrophe' (1974)--Stink-Foot, Don't Eat the Yellow Snow, Nanook Rubs It, St. Alphonzo's Pancake Breakfast, Father O'Blivion
One Size Fits All (1975)--Can't Afford No Shoes, Florentine Pogen, Po-Jama People
Zoot Allures (1976)--Black Napkins
Zappa in New York (1978)--Big Leg Emma
Sheik Yerbouti (1979)--Dancin' Fool, Jewish Princess
Joe's Garage, Acts I, II and III (1979)--Joe's Garage, Catholic Girls, Why Does It Hurt When I Pee?, Keep It Greasey
The Best Band You Never Heard in Your Life (1991)--Stairway to Heaven
A lot of these songs--a lot of Zappa songs--have been released in many different versions. I going to talk about the ones that stand out for me, the ones that introduced me to the song, the ones (if any) that superceded the original. There are other versions out there, to be sure, that some of you may be more familiar with. God bless you if you are.
1. Sofa No. 2, from One Size Fits All (1975). "Sofa" is of course a bit of existential Zappa lunacy from what I call his 2nd period. Post-Mothers but still Warner Brothers. The song pimps the philosophical lingo--"I am the heaven, I am the waters," then shifts into German, "Ich bin der chrome dinette"--well, "chrome dinette" is English, isn't it--"Du bist mein sofa." I mean, all this high-falutin' existential mumbo jumbo is German, right?
Live, this was all part of a longer stage bit in which Mark Volman would pretend to be a sofa.
Zappa released at least 10 different versions of the song. On One Size Fits All, "Sofa No. 1" was an instrumental and "Sofa No. 2" included the vocal. Another instrumental version was released the following year on Zappa in New York. The original featured guitar, this 1 featured Mike Brecker on saxophone. On You Can't Do That on Stage Anymore, Vol. 1, "Sofa No. 1" was the vocal and "Sofa No. 2" was the instrumental. It was recorded as "Divan" on Playground Psychotics.
After Zappa's death, Steve Vai played lead on a version of "Sofa" for the tribute album, Zappa's Universe, and won a grammy for that performance. I have always referred to this performance as the Zappa Funeral March though the song is of course not a march at all. It is a waltz, but features an emphatic, squared-off rhythm that suggests a march. The melody is 8 long, languid bars consisting mostly of rising hymn-like lines that, whether sung or played, leave plenty of space for instrumental and vocal filigree.
As much as I admire Vai's version, the original vocal by Flo and Eddie, "Sofa No. 2," remains the standard as far as I am concerned.
2. The Grand Wazoo, from The Grand Wazoo (1973). Amazingly, Frank's 1st 15 album releases all made the Billboard charts, until in 1973 The Grand Wazoo failed to do so. I would attribute this to his fan's preference for his vocal recordings--his social commentary and scatology being what he was best known for, certainly at that time. The Grand Wazoo was, on the other hand, mostly an instrumental record. Previously, his instrumental records had charted on average at around #140 on Billboard, his vocal records around #90 on average. This was also the 2nd consecutive instrumental record. Waka/Jawaka had come out earlier in 1973 and charted at #152. After The Grand Wazoo, Frank returned to making vocal albums and the next 4 charted in the top 50, the next 7 in the top 100.
But seriously, The Grand Wazoo is just a gorgeous record, with impeccably played horn section work and a mix of acoustic and electric guitar--mostly electric, though "Blessed Relief" features a beautiful acoustic solo.
The title song features a 2/4 shuffle rhythm, and opens with an understated guitar solo that quickly gives way to the horn section stating the main melodic themes. The rhythm (Aynsley Dumbar on drums and Alex Dmochowski on bass) begins to punch things up and a much harder-driving guitar solo follows. Then the horns takeover for about 8 minutes of solos--I think thats Bill Byers on trombone and Sal Marquez on trumpet--and, finally, a restatement of the main themes by the section as a whole. A short keyboard solo (I think that's George Duke) and finally another restatement by the horns closes things out.
3. Inca Roads, from One Size Fits All (1975). The lyrics are more of that inspired Zappa lunacy--something about a spaceship landing somewhere in the Andes, perhaps on an airstrip (an "Inca Road") constructed for that purpose. The song is George Duke's primary legacy as a member of Zappa's band. Duke sings and plays a terrific synthesizer solo. Ruth Underwood's marimba is also very prominent, especially on the herky-jerky main rhythm riff, though Frank's electric guitar also stretches out and dominates that second half of the song or thereabouts.
And then there's the fact that while this is 1 of Frank's absolute masterpieces, it's also that exceedingly rare case--maybe the only case--where there's a cover that's better. I could only be referring to Zappa Plays Zappa's incredible version, almost doubling the time from 8:35 to 14:42 mostly by virtue of Dweezil pretty much doubling Frank's guitar solo. Frank's 3-minute excursion was a long solo in its day, but Dweezil ups that to about 6 minutes and 7 or 8 choruses of gradually building intensity.
There is then a return to Frank's arrangement followed by another excursion by pianist by Aaron Arntz (I'm talking of course of the CD and DVD version from ZPZ's initial tour) accompanied by some really stellar bass work by Pete Griffin. After 3 minutes (which also doubles George Duke's minute-and-a-half) the band returns to the original arrangement and Frank's silly closing, "Did a booger-bear come from somewhere out there... Did someone build a place or leave a space for such a thing to land...on Ruth, on Ruth, woo-hoo, that's Ruth."
Dweezil has said he'll never play "Watermelon in Easter Hay" because that is Frank's signature. But this is Dweezil's signature and it is a thing of great beauty.
4. Oh No, from Weasels Ripped My Flesh (1970). This is another 1 that appeared in many different forms during Frank's early years: 1st on the 1968 version of Lumpy Gravy, where it is frankly (pardon the pun) buried in a pastiche of mind-bending music and sound. Then more memorably on Weasels Ripped My Flesh, where the song just seems to have a better platform and is presented more seriously and its message comes through more understandably. This is another of Frank's putdowns of the hippie philosophy of the time--"All you need is love" and all of that. This is in fact Frank's "Positively Fourth Street." But while this version was released in 1970, the song is definitely from the original Mothers era of 1967-68-69.
"Oh, no, I don't believe it/You say that you think you know the meaning of love/You say love is all we need/You say with your love you can change/All of the fools, all of the hate/I think you're probably out to lunch...All your love/Will it save me/All your love/Will it save the world/From what we can't understand?"All with a Ray Collins vocal that is at once soaring and smirking. This is the version most worthy of remembering, though there is a tasty instrumental version from the same period on You Can't Do That on Stage Anymore, Vol. 1.
5. Watermelon in Easter Hay, from Joe's Garage Acts II & III (1979). The conceit is that Joe, voiced on the record by Frank himself, of course, has gone to jail because he dared to play rock 'n roll music after it is outlawed by the government. In jail he is told he must reform himself and repent his sins and abandon his music if he is ever to return to free society. He tries, but continues to play imaginary guitar solos in his head. But finally he is determined to give it up, and he dubs "Watermelon in Easter Hay" his final imaginary guitar solo before changing his ways. It is a slow and a lovely tune that is generally regarded, certainly by Dweezil, as Frank's signature song.
6. Blessed Relief, from The Grand Wazoo (1973). I remember once playing this for a friend who professed that she could not listen to Frank Zappa. She said, "This is nice. Who is it?" A trumpet plays a soft, relaxing melody, then vamps for several courses--I believe that is Sal Marquez. George Duke follows with an understated piano solo. and then gives way to Frank's acoustic guitar, which continues in the same vein. The song closes with the main theme. A very pretty tune and a very tasteful 9 minute performance.
7. Strictly Genteel, from You Can't Do That on Stage Anymore, Vol. 6 (1988). Originally "The Finale" from 200 Motels in 1971, "Strictly Genteel"showed up next on Orchestral Favorites in 1979. The best version is the one mentioned above, but while the CD was released in 1988, the performance is from a 1981 concert at the Palladium in New York with Tommy Mars and Bobby Martin on keyboards. Ed Mann is credited with percussion, which I take to include the marimba which very conspicuously doubles the keyboard melodies. Frank throws in some stately guitar lines, as well as some more modest acoustic guitar melodies. Chad Wackerman on drums and Scott Thunes on bass make you want to get up and march around the room, though like "Sofa," this is not a march but a waltz.
But in any event the soaring keyboards are what make this song great.
Well, that and Frank's outro. Apparently this closed the show. Frank comes on around the 6 minute mark and says, "Thanks for coming to the show tonight. Hope you enjoyed it. Don't throw stuff on the stage."
The song is a modern "Pomp and Circumstance" to me. I can just see bunch of kids marching into and out of their high school graduation to this. That would be totally inspired.
8. Yo' Mama, from Sheik Yerbouti (1979). A pretty standard Zappa putdown. "Maybe you should stay with your mama/She could do your laundry and cook for you/Maybe you should stay with your mama/You're really kinda stupid and ugly too.... You ain't really made for bein' out in the street/Ain't much hope for a fool like you/'Cause if you play the game, you will get beat."
After a big keyboard bridge, Frank spends the next 9 minutes beating on his guitar, hard. I mean, with what sounds to me like real anger. It's mostly solo for about 3 minutes when the bass and drums join in.
"The Grand Wazoo," "Watermelon in Easter Hay,' ":Yo' Mama," these are Frank's 3 best guitar solos.
9. Trouble Every Day, from Freak Out (1966). Here we're talkin' about the original version. Gotta be the original. The disgust with what was goin' on was palpable, and neither Frank nor any other vocalist has ever captured that tone. The music is primitive, but no more so than, say, the Butterfield Blues Band. But its intensity was unquestioned. "Eve of Destruction" was about as intense as protest music got in those days--and it may not be fashionable to say, but "Eve of Destruction" was pretty intense; I think Barry McGuire meant it--but it had nothin' on this. In fact, I had never heard anything as absolutely pissed off as this.
10. Hot Plate Heaven in the Green Hotel, from Broadway the Hard Way (1989). This LP is an unexpected and underrated masterpiece of political commentary and satire. But 1st and foremost, "Hot Plate Heaven" just rocks out something fierce. The horn section is spectacular, and Kurt McGettrick's bari sax in particular just drives it home. Frank then takes off an 4 minutes of free-form anger in a solo that recalls "Yo' Mama."
"Hot Plate Heaven" is, of course, a flop house: "Republicans is fine if you're a multimillionaire/Democrats is fair if all you own is what you wear/But neither of 'em's really right 'cause neither of 'em care/About the hot plate heaven, 'cause they ain't been there."
The Next 10
11. Redunzl, from Studio Tan (1978). Actually it's spelled "Redunzl" on the vinyl LP, "Rdunzl" on the CD. Either way, it's an amusing little instrumental that sounds for all the world like a send-up of insipid TV music. The title seems to be a take-off of Rapunzel from the Grimm Fairy Tale, and maybe it was inspired by some made-for-TV version thereof. I really have no idea. But to my ear, it sounds more like it would accompany "Leave It to Beaver," except it would be a somewhat bent, Zappaesque version of Beaver.
I don't know if it's George Duke or John Berkman--Duke is credited as playing keyboards, Berkman is credited as playing the piano--but there's a terrific piano solo and piano throughout that really carries the song along.
12. Lucille Has Really Messed Up My Mind, from Joe's Garage, Act I (1979). A mid-tempo reggae-style blues number, this was originally recorded by Jeff Simmons on, er, Jeff Simmons, where the writing credit goes to LaMarr Bruister. Ike Willis' vocal is vastly preferred to Simmons,' by the way.
13. Society Pages
14. Heavenly Bank Account
15. Suicide Chump, all from You Are What You Is (1981). I have never been able to decide what is the best song on You Are What You Is, but I do know that You Are What You Is is one of Frank's greatest records and probably is underrated. I mean, I don't hear it mentioned a lot. It peaked at #93 on the Billboard charts, putting it pretty close to the middle of Frank's output, by this time (late 1981) 33 original albums.
You Are What You Is is unique among those 33 LPs in that it is pretty much all pop rock songs with a beginning, a middle and an end and a pause before the next song. Oh, and vocals, mostly by Frank, Ike Willis and Ray White. One source claims that "After several years of beating around the bush (or chipping around the edges) of direct political critique, Zappa, in 1981, unleashed You Are What You Is, his most overt and sustained piece of political writing" in more than a decade. (Kelly Lowe, The Words and Music of Frank Zappa.) I think of You Are What You Is as more social commentary rather than political, but maybe there's no difference there.
Anyway, today I would choose "Society Pages" as the top song on the record. It features a shuffle rhythm built around a bluesy little guitar figure. It lampoons a small-town society matron who takes herself way too seriously.
"Heavenly Bank Account" revisits one of Frank's favorite whipping boys (and why not?), the TV preacher. "He's got 20 million dollars in his heavenly bank account/All from those chumps who was born again/Oh yeah!" All over a hymn-like melody, and filled with "Oh yeahs" that sound a lot like "Amens."
And speaking of chumps, "Nothin's worse than a suicide chump." "You say there ain't no use in livin'/It's all a waste of time/And you wanna throw your life away/Well people that's just fine/Go on and get it over with then/Find you a bridge and take a jump/Just make sure you do it right the first time/'Cause nothin's worse than a suicide chump." In this case, accompanied by an appropriately jaunty sound.
Social or political, whatever you want to call it, You Are What You Is not only zaps a whole bunch of people, but it does so in absolutely hilarious fashion.
16. We Are Not Alone, from The Man from Utopia (1983). A hard-driving little big band tune perhaps better performed by Ed Palermo and His Big Band.
17. Let's Make the Water Turn Black, from We're Only In It for the Money (1968). Another great melody from Frank's very early days--one that Frank performed and/or released from time to time throughout his career both with vocal and as an instrumental. It is described as a "patter song," "a staple of comic opera" played at a very rapid pace. In any event, it tells the story of Ronnie and Kenny Williams, who were neighbors of Frank's in Palmdale in 1962, and specifically such activities as lighting their farts on fire and peeing into jars and leaving it over time to see what would grow, and fun stuff like that. "The Idiot Bastard Son" is apparently about the Williamses, too.
18. Sharleena, from Chunga's Revenge (1970). A straight love song, or rather a song of unrequited love in the style of late '50s/early '60s too-wop, passionately sung by Flo and Eddie.
19. Montana, from Over-Nite Sensation (1973). More inspired word play. "I might be movin' to Montana soon/Just to raise me up a crop of dental floss." The lyrics are mostly spoken by Frank who is "Gonna be a dental floss tycoon" (later altered to "dental toss flycoon"). On the Over-Nite Sensation, Tina Turner and the Ikettes do the back-up vocals uncredited. In the coda, Tina and the Ikettes repeatedly sing, "Movin' to Montana soon," answered by Kin Vassy singing, "Yippi-Aye-O-Ti-Yay."
"Montana" was a fan favorite and a staple on tour for many years A second favorite version can be seen on You Tube. It is from a 1974 live performance with Napoleon Murphy Brock on backing vocals. At one point Brock inserts one of those wordless doo-wop backup vocal sounds "poo-poo-poo-poo-ta-na-na," which all seems perfectly normal and natural as a back-up vocal. But Frank follows up matter-of-factly speaking the sounds, "And poo-poo-ta-na-na/And poo-poo ta-na-na," which os of course just totally hilarious when expressed in that way.
20. Who Are the Brain Police?, from Freak Out (1966). Way back when, one only heard sound effects and atmospherics, and of course a story about thought control. Later on, played at a higher rate of speed--both by Zappa and by Ed Palermo, often as an instrumental--the song reveals a lovely melody. Still, the lyrics are typical of the time, showing misfit kids trying to survive and find happiness in an oppressive social system: "What will you do if we let you go home/And the plastic's all melted/And so is the chrome/Who are the brain police?," the final line in an ominously descending minor key.
And Rounding Out the Top 25
21. Bolero, from The Best Band You Never Heard in Your Life (1991). This is a fairly straight version of Maurice Ravel's famous orchestra piece but with rock band instruments taking on the melody parts in place of the symphonic instruments. Bruce Fowler's trombone solo is one of many highlights.
22. The Air, from Uncle Meat (1969). More inspired word play: "The air/Escaping from your mouth/The hair escaping from your nose/My heart/Escsaping from the shaping/Of the draping." Ray Collins laconic vocal is just perfect.
23. Stolen Moments, from Broadway the Hard Way (1989). The highest rated song not written by Frank, this is a jazz "standard" written by Oliver Nelson for Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis in 1960. Bruce Fowler plays a pretty trumpet solo, and there's some nice horn section work as well.
24. America Drinks and Goes Home, from Absolutely Free (1967).
25. Hungry Freaks, Daddy, from Freak Out (1966). More hilarity from the early years. In "America Drinks," a womanizer sings (actually it's Ray Collins but in the personna), "I don't regret having met up with a girl who/Breaks hearts like it was nothing it all/I've done it, too, now I know just what it feels like...." Meanwhile, in the background are all the sounds of closing time. Perfect.
"Hungry Freaks" is, of course, more serious business. Once again describing kids in a world of capitalism and Lyndon Johnson, Frank sings, "They won't go for no more/Great midwestern hardware store/Philosophy that turns away/From those who aren't afraid to say what's on their mind/The left behind of the Great Society."
The Second 25/The Top 50
26. You Are What You Is, from the album of the same name (1981). "You is what you am."
27. Cosmik Debris, from Apostrophe' (1974). A great put-down. "'But I got a crystal ball!,' he said."
28. Packard Goose, from Joe's Garage, Act I (1979). "Well fuck all them people/I don't need no excuse/For bein' what I am."
29. Baby Snakes, from Sheik Yerbouti (1979). "Late at night is when they come out."
30. Apostrophe', from the album of the same name (1974). Hard drivin' instrumental with Jack Bruce.
31. Dickie's Such an Asshole, from Broadway the Hard Way (1989). "Used to have 25 tapes/Now I only got 10/Can't remember what happened to the rest/Musta gave 'em to a friend...You know I'm not a crook/I just wanna lie about one more thing right now."
32. Little Green Rosetta, from Joe's Garage, Acts II & III (1979). "A little green rosetta/You'll make a muffin betta."
33. Peaches en Regalia, from Hot Rats (1969). Pretty instrumental.
34. Harder Than Your Husband. "I'll be harder than your husband to get along with."
35. Doreen. "Don't make me wait until tomorrow."
36. Charlie's Enormous Mouth. You don't even wanna know.
37. Goblin Girl. "I been a-hobblin' 'cause of her gobblin'.'"
38. Beauty Knows No Pain, all from You Are What You Is (1981).
39. Mother People, from We're Only In It for the Money (1968). "Do you think that my pants are too tight?/Do you think that I'm creepy.... Better look around before you say you don't care/Shut yer fuckin' mouth about the length of my hair/How could you survive/If you were alive/Shitty little person." Yeah.
40. Outside Now, from Joe's Garage, Acts II and III (1979). "I've got it!/I'll be sullen and withdrawn."
41. A Pound for a Brown on the Bus, from Uncle Meat (1969). Driving instrumental.
42. Brown Shoes Don't Make It, from Absolutely Free (1967). "Be a jerk/Go to work."
43. Murder by Numbers, from Broadway the Hard Way (1989). Sting sings
44. Crew Slut, from Joe's Garage, Act I (1979).
45. Evelyn, a Modified Dog, from One Size Fits All (1975). "'Arf,' she said."
46. Rollo, from Imaginary Diseases (2006).
47. Dinah-Moe Humm, from Overnite Sensation (1974). You don't even wanna know.
48. Eat That Question, from The Grand Wazoo (1973). Driving instrumental. Great piano.
49. My Guitar Wants to Kill Your Mama, from Weasels Ripped My Flesh (1970). Banned in Boston.
50. Tell Me You Love Me, from Chunga's Revenge (1970). Rape fantasy.
And How Could I Not Include... (Honorable Mention)
Absolutely Free (1967)--Call Any Vegetable, Plastic People, Duke of Prunes
We're Only In It for the Money (1968)--Take Your Clothes Off When You Dance, The Idiot Bastard Son, What's the Ugliest Part of Your Body, Concentration Moon
Uncle Meat (1969)--King Kong.
Burnt Weeny Sandwich (1969)--Holiday in Berlin, WPLJ, Valerie
Weasels Ripped My Flesh (1970)--Toads of the Short Forest
Chuga's Revenge (1970)--Twenty Small Cigars, Would You Go All the Way?, Rudy Wants to Buy Yez a Drink
Just Another Band from L.A. (1972)--Billy the Mountain
The Grand Wazoo (1972)--For Cleetus (& His Nest Two Hitch-Hikers)
Overnite Sensation (1973)--I'm the Slime, Dirty Love, Zomby Woof
Apostrophe' (1974)--Stink-Foot, Don't Eat the Yellow Snow, Nanook Rubs It, St. Alphonzo's Pancake Breakfast, Father O'Blivion
One Size Fits All (1975)--Can't Afford No Shoes, Florentine Pogen, Po-Jama People
Zoot Allures (1976)--Black Napkins
Zappa in New York (1978)--Big Leg Emma
Sheik Yerbouti (1979)--Dancin' Fool, Jewish Princess
Joe's Garage, Acts I, II and III (1979)--Joe's Garage, Catholic Girls, Why Does It Hurt When I Pee?, Keep It Greasey
The Best Band You Never Heard in Your Life (1991)--Stairway to Heaven
Monday, April 1, 2013
Best Concerts 1980s-1990s
I didn't see so many concerts in the 1980s and 1990s. Probably saw more 1969-1975 than 1976-1999 but who knows. Here in any event are the best concerts I can remember seeing 1980-1999. I don't have a complete list, so I'm missing some. All concerts were in Minneapolis-St. Paul unless otherwise indicated.
1. Paul Simon, Target Center, 1991. This would be the Rhythm of the Saints tour as opposed to the Graceland tour, but it was still in his "African" period. But what was truly remarkable was the incredibly intricate arrangements and the incredible sound quality. There were about 20 musicians on stage and you could hear every single instrument through the mix, including Simon's acoustic guitar. The songs were of course from both records and putting it all together, this was a truly monumental achievement, the songs, the arrangements, the musicianship, the cohesiveness, the sound, everything. I said at the time that it was the greatest concert I had ever heard.
2. Iris DeMent, the Fine Line, 1997. We had Iris' 3rd record, The Way I Should, and really loved it. Still, we didn't know what to expect. What we didn't expect was that she would deliver such incredible heart-felt vocals that made you feel every emotion in every song. Merle Haggard once said that Iris is the best singer he has ever heard. I don't know if I would go that far, but she is incredible.
3. Dire Straits, St. Paul Civic Theater, 1985. This was right after Brothers in Arms. And combine Knopfler's wonderful songs, his incredible guitar arrangements and execution, and the really terrific ensemble playing, and this was an all-timer. They finished up with Coming Home from Local Hero, what a beautiful, powerful song.
4. Bela Fleck and the Acoustic Sessions, Orpheum Theater, 1999. I love Bela Fleck's more or less "straight" bluegrass/new grass playing best of all, but of course it's not "straight" bluegrass or new grass at all. It is always wonderfully bent. This tour came on the heels of his Bluegrass Sessions: Tales from the Acoustic Planet, Vol. 2, and featured most of the players and many of the songs from that record. Jerry Douglas was there, of course. Sam Bush. Mark Schatz. Stuart Duncan. Not quite Strength in Numbers, but probably Bela's 2nd best supporting cast ever. Terrific performances all around.
5. Steve Forbert, the Union Bar, 1980. This was Forbert's rock 'n roll period. Little Stevie Orbit had just come out. Shayne Fontayne played guitar. And they rocked out. I ain't no human vein,' I'm an automobile. The Visitor. Get Well Soon. When Stevie bent his harmonica reeds too hard and they blew out, he threw it into the crowd, and I caught it. My buddy took a photo of Steve and the band and sent it off to him for an autograph. Best of luck and all, it said. I still have it, framed, above my CD shelves.
6. Neil Finn with Tim Finn, the Orpheum Theater, 1991. It wasn't Crowded House, it was Crowded House-plus. Tim Finn singing backup to little brother Neil. And trust me, they sang the most beautiful vocal harmonies I have ever heard. And the music was mostly from the 1987 album (Something So Strong, The World Where You Live, Now We're Getting Somewhere) and 1988's Temple of Low Men (When You Come, Into Temptation). Great songs, greater vocals.
7. Prince, St. Paul Civic Center, 1984. He played about a 20 minute version of Purple Rain with an incredible extended guitar solo. That on top of everything else. He more than lived up to the hype.
8. Pat Metheny Group, Orpheum Theater, 1982. I remember it was about 90 degrees, just hotter than hell in the hall. But this band was hotter yet, and so incredibly tight, and so original, so inventive. Across the Heartland. The Search. Do You Want to Go With Me? I miss that Pat Metheny.
9. Bruce Cockburn, Guthrie Theater, 1988. The Guthrie had fallen into disuse as a rock/pop music hall. This may have been my 1st Guthrie concert in 13 years. For a moment, it was like the good old days and Cockburn basically did his greatest hits, well, except by this time he had way too many of them for just 1 show.
10. Steve Goodman, Orpheum Theater. I'm not sure when this was but I have to tell you that after Frank Zappa I mourned Steve Goodman's untimely death as much as anybody's, and given all of the fallen rock stars, that's saying something. But I loved Steve Goodman's humor. I mean, the guy was hilarious. Chicken Cordon Blues, Watching Joey Glow, Where's the Party, Talk Backwards. But more than that, even, was his sensitivity. Spoon River, The Dutchman, The One That Got Away. And then there's this: I miss my old man tonight, I can almost see his face. He was always trying to watch his weight, but his heart only made it to 58. For the first time since he died, late last night I cried. I wondered when I was gonna do that, for my old man.
11. David Grisman (and group), Ordway Theater, 1986, and the Minnesota Zoo, sometime in the '90s. 1st time it was more or less a straight bluegrass band, though they didn't play straight bluegrass. Not as bent as Bela Fleck's, but pretty creative stuff. The 2nd time it was his Latin band. Both times, pure poetry, without the words.
12. Los Lobos. We've seen Los Lobos maybe 5-6 times: 1st time was at First Avenue, then there were at least a couple maybe 3 at the Minnesota Zoo, and we saw them at the Ordway, and I'm sure there was somebody else. The only problem is that with a repertoire of several hundred songs, the likelihood that I'm going to hear my particular favorites is pretty small. Please play something from Will the Wolf Survive! Please play Mas y Mas! Please, play any damn thing you want, just play!
13. Little Village, Orpheum Theater, 1992. I saw Ry Cooder! I saw Ry Cooder! I had figured I would never get the chance, but he came to town with this temporary ensemble including John Hiatt, Nick Lowe and Jim Keltner. I remember that they pretty much played the Little Village disk, including the slightly bent blues Don't Think About Her When You're Trying to Drive. Thank goodness, I saw Ry Cooder!
14. Bonnie Raitt, Northrop Auditorium, 1989. We saw Bonnie probably 4, maybe 5 times, but this is the one that I am sure about in terms of where and when. It was the Nick of Time tour. They said she had made a comeback. From where? Bonnie Raitt was never away as far as I was concerned. Still the #1 female rock/pop musician...OK, still the #2 remale rock/pop musician of my lifetime (after Aimee Mann).
15. k.d. lang, Orpheum Theater, 1992. Great, great singer, though her increasingly histrionic approach wore out much earlier than it should have.
16. Chris Whitley, Guthrie Theater, 1991. The mercurial Chris Whitley. He must have made 4-5 CDs so somebody was listening. But based on what I think of as his 1st CD, Living with the Law, in 1991, I thought he was going to be the biggest thing since, well, I dunno, Springsteen? The guy was totally original but well within the blues tradition and performed with huge intensity. Phone Call from Leavenworth: They hold me here much longer, probably go mad all by myself. Now I really need somebody, said I really need somebody's help. Why does the man up in the judgment chair, got his ass and God's right arm in some double pair, all right.
16. Bela Fleck and the Flecktones, the Minnesota Zoo. Not sure exactly when this was, but mainly I remember Jeff Coffin just rippin' it up something fierce.
17. John Prine. I've seen John Prine twice. The 1st time, Steve Goodman opened for him and Steve Goodman was so much better than John Prine it was just silly. I heard later that Prine had a problem with alcohol and that he had played drunk. That might explain it. The 2nd time, Prine opened for the Cowboy Junkies, and he was much better than the Cowboy Junkies. This was at the time of the LP Lost Dogs and Mixed Blessings, which is a real masterpiece.
18. Alison Krauss and Union Station, O'Shaughnessy Auditorium, 1996.
19. Phil Collins, Northrop Auditorium, 1981? This was at the time of In the Air Tonight. He put on a pretty good show.
20. Neil Young. We saw Neil Young twice in a period of about 4 months, probably in 1990 and 1991. 1st at Target Center with Crazy Horse and, frankly, the sound was so bad that it spoiled it. I remember Crime in the City was the highlight and that the song was more or less new at the time. The 2nd was probably at the Orpheum, and it was a 1 man show. Harvest Moon was one of the highlights. Pretty good the 2nd time.
21. Willie & the Bees, Mears Park, 1983. It was a summer outdoor concert and Supermarket was the big feature. Great band.
22. Ladysmith Black Mambazo, Northrop Auditorium. This was after Graceland but before Rhythm of the Saints, so perhaps 1988 or 1989. It was certainly a unique experience.
23. Shawn Colvin, O'Shaughnessy Auditorium, 1998.
24. Gillian Welch, Fitzgerald Theater. Might have been 1999 but it might have been after Y2K.
25. Ray Charles. I don't remember when or where I saw Ray but I know I saw him and it was a little underwhelming.
26. Marshall Crenshaw, First Avenue, 1982. His 1st record was new at the time. Great songs but not a great live performer, at least not at that time.
27. Jerry Jeff Walker, the Fine Line. Probably around 1994 or 1995. I remember that he had a really great lead guitarist.
28. Willie Nelson, Minnesota State Fair. Probably in the early 1980s. Kind of a mess.
29. Stray Cats, Orpheum Theater. Early 1980s.
30. Cowboy Junkies, Orpheum Theater. Early 1990s. A little too laid back.
During this period we also saw Springsteen again, Zappa again, Gordon Lightfoot and Bonnie Raitt again, Dylan again...but their earlier concerts had been so far and away the better ones that I frankly don't remember the rest well at all, and so they're not included in this list.
The Worst
Actually the worst concert was Dylan and the Grateful Dead at the Metrodome, I have no idea what year that was. But the sound was so bad that I didn't know what songs the artists had played until I read some of them in the newspaper the next day.
Best Band
That would pretty much mirror Best Concert but not entirely. Dire Straits, Bela Fleck and the Acoustic Sessions, Paul Simon's band, Pat Metheny Group, Los Lobos, Union Station, Little Village, David Grisman's band(s), Bela Fleck and the Flecktones, Willie and the Bees.
Best Artist
Paul Simon, Iris DeMent, Mark Knopfler, Bela Fleck, Prince, Pat Metheny, Steve Goodman, Bonnie Raitt, Bruce Cockburn, Chris Whitley.
Best Vocals
Iris DeMent, Neil and Tim Finn, k.d. lang, Ray Charles, Bonnie Raitt, Alison Krauss, Prince, John Hiatt, Ladysmith Black Mambazo, Steve Forbert.
Best Guitar
Mark Knopfler, Pat Metheny, Prince, David Hidalgo and Cesar Rosas, Ron Block, Ray Phiri, Shayne Fontayne, Bonnie Raitt, Steve Goodman, Chris Whitley.
Best Keyboards
Lyle Mays, Alan Clark, Ray Charles, Willie Murphy.
Best Rhythm
Conrad Lozano and Louis Perez, Steve Rodby and Paul Wertico, Victor Wootten and Future Man, Baghiti and Vusi Khumalo, John Illsley, Mark Schatz, Barry Bales, Nick Lowe and Jim Keltner.
Best Other Instrument
Bela Fleck (banjo), Jerry Douglas (dobro), David Grisman (mandolin), Sam Bush (mandolin), Stuart Duncan (fiddle), Jeff Coffin (saxophone).
Best Songs
Paul Simon, Neil Young, Iris DeMent, Bruce Cockburn, Steve Goodman, John Prine, David Hidalgo, Prince, Shawn Colvin, Steve Forbert.
1. Paul Simon, Target Center, 1991. This would be the Rhythm of the Saints tour as opposed to the Graceland tour, but it was still in his "African" period. But what was truly remarkable was the incredibly intricate arrangements and the incredible sound quality. There were about 20 musicians on stage and you could hear every single instrument through the mix, including Simon's acoustic guitar. The songs were of course from both records and putting it all together, this was a truly monumental achievement, the songs, the arrangements, the musicianship, the cohesiveness, the sound, everything. I said at the time that it was the greatest concert I had ever heard.
2. Iris DeMent, the Fine Line, 1997. We had Iris' 3rd record, The Way I Should, and really loved it. Still, we didn't know what to expect. What we didn't expect was that she would deliver such incredible heart-felt vocals that made you feel every emotion in every song. Merle Haggard once said that Iris is the best singer he has ever heard. I don't know if I would go that far, but she is incredible.
3. Dire Straits, St. Paul Civic Theater, 1985. This was right after Brothers in Arms. And combine Knopfler's wonderful songs, his incredible guitar arrangements and execution, and the really terrific ensemble playing, and this was an all-timer. They finished up with Coming Home from Local Hero, what a beautiful, powerful song.
4. Bela Fleck and the Acoustic Sessions, Orpheum Theater, 1999. I love Bela Fleck's more or less "straight" bluegrass/new grass playing best of all, but of course it's not "straight" bluegrass or new grass at all. It is always wonderfully bent. This tour came on the heels of his Bluegrass Sessions: Tales from the Acoustic Planet, Vol. 2, and featured most of the players and many of the songs from that record. Jerry Douglas was there, of course. Sam Bush. Mark Schatz. Stuart Duncan. Not quite Strength in Numbers, but probably Bela's 2nd best supporting cast ever. Terrific performances all around.
5. Steve Forbert, the Union Bar, 1980. This was Forbert's rock 'n roll period. Little Stevie Orbit had just come out. Shayne Fontayne played guitar. And they rocked out. I ain't no human vein,' I'm an automobile. The Visitor. Get Well Soon. When Stevie bent his harmonica reeds too hard and they blew out, he threw it into the crowd, and I caught it. My buddy took a photo of Steve and the band and sent it off to him for an autograph. Best of luck and all, it said. I still have it, framed, above my CD shelves.
6. Neil Finn with Tim Finn, the Orpheum Theater, 1991. It wasn't Crowded House, it was Crowded House-plus. Tim Finn singing backup to little brother Neil. And trust me, they sang the most beautiful vocal harmonies I have ever heard. And the music was mostly from the 1987 album (Something So Strong, The World Where You Live, Now We're Getting Somewhere) and 1988's Temple of Low Men (When You Come, Into Temptation). Great songs, greater vocals.
7. Prince, St. Paul Civic Center, 1984. He played about a 20 minute version of Purple Rain with an incredible extended guitar solo. That on top of everything else. He more than lived up to the hype.
8. Pat Metheny Group, Orpheum Theater, 1982. I remember it was about 90 degrees, just hotter than hell in the hall. But this band was hotter yet, and so incredibly tight, and so original, so inventive. Across the Heartland. The Search. Do You Want to Go With Me? I miss that Pat Metheny.
9. Bruce Cockburn, Guthrie Theater, 1988. The Guthrie had fallen into disuse as a rock/pop music hall. This may have been my 1st Guthrie concert in 13 years. For a moment, it was like the good old days and Cockburn basically did his greatest hits, well, except by this time he had way too many of them for just 1 show.
10. Steve Goodman, Orpheum Theater. I'm not sure when this was but I have to tell you that after Frank Zappa I mourned Steve Goodman's untimely death as much as anybody's, and given all of the fallen rock stars, that's saying something. But I loved Steve Goodman's humor. I mean, the guy was hilarious. Chicken Cordon Blues, Watching Joey Glow, Where's the Party, Talk Backwards. But more than that, even, was his sensitivity. Spoon River, The Dutchman, The One That Got Away. And then there's this: I miss my old man tonight, I can almost see his face. He was always trying to watch his weight, but his heart only made it to 58. For the first time since he died, late last night I cried. I wondered when I was gonna do that, for my old man.
11. David Grisman (and group), Ordway Theater, 1986, and the Minnesota Zoo, sometime in the '90s. 1st time it was more or less a straight bluegrass band, though they didn't play straight bluegrass. Not as bent as Bela Fleck's, but pretty creative stuff. The 2nd time it was his Latin band. Both times, pure poetry, without the words.
12. Los Lobos. We've seen Los Lobos maybe 5-6 times: 1st time was at First Avenue, then there were at least a couple maybe 3 at the Minnesota Zoo, and we saw them at the Ordway, and I'm sure there was somebody else. The only problem is that with a repertoire of several hundred songs, the likelihood that I'm going to hear my particular favorites is pretty small. Please play something from Will the Wolf Survive! Please play Mas y Mas! Please, play any damn thing you want, just play!
13. Little Village, Orpheum Theater, 1992. I saw Ry Cooder! I saw Ry Cooder! I had figured I would never get the chance, but he came to town with this temporary ensemble including John Hiatt, Nick Lowe and Jim Keltner. I remember that they pretty much played the Little Village disk, including the slightly bent blues Don't Think About Her When You're Trying to Drive. Thank goodness, I saw Ry Cooder!
14. Bonnie Raitt, Northrop Auditorium, 1989. We saw Bonnie probably 4, maybe 5 times, but this is the one that I am sure about in terms of where and when. It was the Nick of Time tour. They said she had made a comeback. From where? Bonnie Raitt was never away as far as I was concerned. Still the #1 female rock/pop musician...OK, still the #2 remale rock/pop musician of my lifetime (after Aimee Mann).
15. k.d. lang, Orpheum Theater, 1992. Great, great singer, though her increasingly histrionic approach wore out much earlier than it should have.
16. Chris Whitley, Guthrie Theater, 1991. The mercurial Chris Whitley. He must have made 4-5 CDs so somebody was listening. But based on what I think of as his 1st CD, Living with the Law, in 1991, I thought he was going to be the biggest thing since, well, I dunno, Springsteen? The guy was totally original but well within the blues tradition and performed with huge intensity. Phone Call from Leavenworth: They hold me here much longer, probably go mad all by myself. Now I really need somebody, said I really need somebody's help. Why does the man up in the judgment chair, got his ass and God's right arm in some double pair, all right.
16. Bela Fleck and the Flecktones, the Minnesota Zoo. Not sure exactly when this was, but mainly I remember Jeff Coffin just rippin' it up something fierce.
17. John Prine. I've seen John Prine twice. The 1st time, Steve Goodman opened for him and Steve Goodman was so much better than John Prine it was just silly. I heard later that Prine had a problem with alcohol and that he had played drunk. That might explain it. The 2nd time, Prine opened for the Cowboy Junkies, and he was much better than the Cowboy Junkies. This was at the time of the LP Lost Dogs and Mixed Blessings, which is a real masterpiece.
18. Alison Krauss and Union Station, O'Shaughnessy Auditorium, 1996.
19. Phil Collins, Northrop Auditorium, 1981? This was at the time of In the Air Tonight. He put on a pretty good show.
20. Neil Young. We saw Neil Young twice in a period of about 4 months, probably in 1990 and 1991. 1st at Target Center with Crazy Horse and, frankly, the sound was so bad that it spoiled it. I remember Crime in the City was the highlight and that the song was more or less new at the time. The 2nd was probably at the Orpheum, and it was a 1 man show. Harvest Moon was one of the highlights. Pretty good the 2nd time.
21. Willie & the Bees, Mears Park, 1983. It was a summer outdoor concert and Supermarket was the big feature. Great band.
22. Ladysmith Black Mambazo, Northrop Auditorium. This was after Graceland but before Rhythm of the Saints, so perhaps 1988 or 1989. It was certainly a unique experience.
23. Shawn Colvin, O'Shaughnessy Auditorium, 1998.
24. Gillian Welch, Fitzgerald Theater. Might have been 1999 but it might have been after Y2K.
25. Ray Charles. I don't remember when or where I saw Ray but I know I saw him and it was a little underwhelming.
26. Marshall Crenshaw, First Avenue, 1982. His 1st record was new at the time. Great songs but not a great live performer, at least not at that time.
27. Jerry Jeff Walker, the Fine Line. Probably around 1994 or 1995. I remember that he had a really great lead guitarist.
28. Willie Nelson, Minnesota State Fair. Probably in the early 1980s. Kind of a mess.
29. Stray Cats, Orpheum Theater. Early 1980s.
30. Cowboy Junkies, Orpheum Theater. Early 1990s. A little too laid back.
During this period we also saw Springsteen again, Zappa again, Gordon Lightfoot and Bonnie Raitt again, Dylan again...but their earlier concerts had been so far and away the better ones that I frankly don't remember the rest well at all, and so they're not included in this list.
The Worst
Actually the worst concert was Dylan and the Grateful Dead at the Metrodome, I have no idea what year that was. But the sound was so bad that I didn't know what songs the artists had played until I read some of them in the newspaper the next day.
Best Band
That would pretty much mirror Best Concert but not entirely. Dire Straits, Bela Fleck and the Acoustic Sessions, Paul Simon's band, Pat Metheny Group, Los Lobos, Union Station, Little Village, David Grisman's band(s), Bela Fleck and the Flecktones, Willie and the Bees.
Best Artist
Paul Simon, Iris DeMent, Mark Knopfler, Bela Fleck, Prince, Pat Metheny, Steve Goodman, Bonnie Raitt, Bruce Cockburn, Chris Whitley.
Best Vocals
Iris DeMent, Neil and Tim Finn, k.d. lang, Ray Charles, Bonnie Raitt, Alison Krauss, Prince, John Hiatt, Ladysmith Black Mambazo, Steve Forbert.
Best Guitar
Mark Knopfler, Pat Metheny, Prince, David Hidalgo and Cesar Rosas, Ron Block, Ray Phiri, Shayne Fontayne, Bonnie Raitt, Steve Goodman, Chris Whitley.
Best Keyboards
Lyle Mays, Alan Clark, Ray Charles, Willie Murphy.
Best Rhythm
Conrad Lozano and Louis Perez, Steve Rodby and Paul Wertico, Victor Wootten and Future Man, Baghiti and Vusi Khumalo, John Illsley, Mark Schatz, Barry Bales, Nick Lowe and Jim Keltner.
Best Other Instrument
Bela Fleck (banjo), Jerry Douglas (dobro), David Grisman (mandolin), Sam Bush (mandolin), Stuart Duncan (fiddle), Jeff Coffin (saxophone).
Best Songs
Paul Simon, Neil Young, Iris DeMent, Bruce Cockburn, Steve Goodman, John Prine, David Hidalgo, Prince, Shawn Colvin, Steve Forbert.
Sunday, March 31, 2013
Best Concerts of the 1970s
I started going to music concerts, rock 'n roll concerts in earnest in 1969 and the golden age of rock 'n roll concerts (and rock 'n roll generally) was the 1970s. I went to a lot of concerts in the 1970s. After that, not so many, as working and other responsibilities crowded them out to some extent.
The other day I just happened across a list of the best concerts of 1969 and then of the 1970s. There were some there I would not have remembered if I had concocted a new list. So here's what's on the list. And when I say Best Concerts of the 1970s, I mean 1969-1979.
Best Concerts 1969-1979
1A. Bruce Springsteen, Guthrie Theater, Minneapolis, 1975. For those of you who don't know, the Guthrie Theater is (or was) about a 1,500 seat theater, home to one of the best theatrical troupes in America. It's where people go for their Shakespeare fix and Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf and stuff like that. From the late 1960s to the mid-1970s, they also routinely had the greatest emerging acts in rock 'n pop music there, and as you read through the following list, see how many of the best concerts of the 1970s were there. Lots of 'em. Most of 'em. It's a remarkable list. We were so incredibly lucky to have it/them.
Anyway, the best concert I ever saw there was Bruce. It was the opening night of the Born to Run Tour. He was just breaking in a big way. You know, cover of Time, cover of Newsweek. I had had his 1st 2 LPs and especially loved Greetings from Asbury Park and It's Hard to Be a Saint in the City. Still I had no clue what we (me and my girlfriend at the time, now my wife) were in for. Bruce blew everybody completely away with that powerful voice and then on top of that there was Clarence and the E Street Band and of course they played for hours. Totally awesome. My girlfriend (we had been together, well, probably a whole year by that time) thought I must be the coolest guy ever to have known about such a concert and to have gotten us there to see and hear it.
1B. Bruce Springsteen, Toledo Sports Arena, 1977. 2 years later we were living in Bowling Green, OH, where I went to graduate school, and we saw Bruce again in Toledo. We were like 10th row main floor and she was working as a reporter/photographer. Bruce came down into the audience and was not 5 feet away and she got some great photos which are still framed and on display in our house. Oh, and the music was great, again, too.
2. Frank Zappa and the Mothers of Invention, Circle Star Theater, San Carlos, CA, 1974. My wife (to be) and I traveled to California to visit some friends. We had only been dating for a couple of months at this point. And we were lucky enough that Frank Zappa was playing in the vicinity of San Jose, where her college roommate had settled down for the time being. But not only that, he was at the Circle Star Theater, which featured a circular rotating stage. I kid you not. The stage rotated. So here came Frank, moving into view clockwise from the right. Then there he went out of view off to the left or, well, out to where you'd see his backside and other band members came into view in the foreground. And, then, here comes Frank again. And on top of all of that, this was his best band ever, IMHO. Napoleon Murphy Brock on vocals, George Duke on keys and vocals, Tom Fowler and Chester Thompson and Ruth Underwood on rhythm and percussion. And this fellow we'd never heard of opened. Tom Waits! What a night.
3. Steely Dan, St. Paul Civic Center, 1974. This was my wife (to be) and my 1st date. Steely Dan headlined a 3-band show. Dr. Hook was 1 and I've forgotten who the other band was. But I loved Steely Dan's 1st 2 records, which were out at this time. Reelin' in the Years, Change of the Guard. Eventually I loved all their records. And they did not disappoint, great, great show.
4. Jethro Tull, Guthrie Theater, 1971. Aqualung had just come out, and just imagine hearing pretty much the entire record in a 1,500 seat theater. Incredible.
5. Allman Brothers Band, Labor Temple, 1970. The Labor Temple was a small hall in Minneapolis with open seating, you would just go in and sit on the floor or stand and dance or whatever. There were Sunday night shows there pretty much weekly for a couple of years during my 1st and 2nd or maybe 2nd and 3rd years of college. The Allman Brothers 1st record had just come out like a week before, and nobody knew much about them except that there was a terrific buzz. But the concert was the Sunday after New Year's Day, school was still out, and I went to the 2nd show. There was hardly anybody there--maybe 50 people. And basically the band played their 1st record through from start to finish and then went into some jams like Mountain Jam. Just blew everybody away. I mean, the 2 drummers. The 2 guitars. The singing, the playing. Just awesome. We left thinking this was the greatest band ever and I'm not sure today that that wasn't right.
6. Yes, Berkeley Municipal Theater, 1972. I was visiting friends in the San Francisco area in 1972 and Yes happened to be in town. I loved their atmospherics but wasn't convinced they could pull it off in concert. But they did, recreating the most incredibly intricate music on stage pretty much note for note. And no, I don't mean that it was cold or lacking in soul or anything. It was bee-you-ti-ful.
7. Bob Dylan, Centennial Hall, University of Toledo, 1978. I like Dylan's records but I've never been much for his live concerts or live records. I remember seeing him live one time and finding out what songs he played by reading about them in the newspaper the next day. Seriously. But this was different. This was the Live at Budokan band and tour, and these were by far the best arrangements and the best execution live that Dylan has ever achieved. And we saw it.
8. Gordon Lightfoot, Guthrie Theater, 1971. I know that Gordo is regarded as hopelessly passé, as not just lightfoot but decidedly lightweight. His biggest hit ever was probably If You Could Read My Mind and, yeah, it's a little bit sappy. But listen to his '60s stuff before you right him off. And his early '70s stuff is really terrific, too. The Minstrel of the Dawn and Sit Down, Young Stranger are as good a reflection of how it felt to be alive in the early '70s as the best Joni Mitchell or Paul Simon. I also remember that a buddy of mine had tickets for this concert and then couldn't use 'em. He stopped over at my house, which I shared with 5 of my closest friends, to offer them. I wasn't home and my roommates all wanted to go, so they put everybody's name in a bag and pulled out a pair of winners. Then somebody got a conscience and said, hey, we should call Sunny and ask him if he wants to be in. So they did. I said, sure. So they waved off the 1st drawing, held another, and I won.
9. Led Zeppelin, Milwaukee Pop Festival, 1969.
10. Blind Faith, Milwaukee Pop Festival, 1969.
A bunch of us guys drove from Minneapolis to Milwaukee to see, get this, Blind Faith close the Friday night show, Led Zeppelin closed on Saturday night, and Johnny Winter on Sunday at the height of Winter-mania. Well, I don't need to tell you how that worked out, the results are right there up above. Zeppelin blew everybody away, never seen anything like it. Plant and Page. Who was wailing harder and hotter? Dazed and Confused. You Shook Me. Squeeze my lemon til the juice runs down my leg. My gawd.
Blind Faith was just the opposite. The epitome of cool. Clapton and Winwood, together. Fulfilling many a youthful dream. But still, cool. Not hot. Not super engaging. Not as good as Zep.
As we were leaving the grounds Sunday night, people were there handing out handbills for another festival that was coming up out in New York. Something called...oh, yeah, Woodstock? What's that?
11. The Who, Guthrie Theater, 1969. It was in the spring of 1969, my girlfriend at the time had just moved up to the Twin Cities and I was in heaven. I took her to see the Who at the Guthrie. Tommy had just come out, and they played the entire thing. I had never seen Townsend's windmills or Daltrey swinging his microphone around or Keith Moon just being Keith Moon. Incredible. Still something wasn't right. It should have been the most incredible night of my life. But, no. My girlfriend dumped me the next week.
12. The Rolling Stones, the Met Center, 1972. I was always a Beatles guy and you couldn't be both a Beatles guy and a Stones guy, just like you couldn't be a Ford guy and a Chevy guy or a Coke and a Pepsi guy. I was a Beatles guy. Still I couldn't pass up on a chance to see The Greatest Rock 'n Roll Band in the World at the peak of their powers in 1972. And it was good.
13A and 13B. Jethro Tull, the Met Center 1972 and 1973. They were never ever gonna be as good as doing Aqualung at the Guthrie, but still they were terrific doing Thick As A Brick and then A Passion Play at the Met Center the following 2 years. The Met Center was the North Stars hockey arena, it was huge and the sound wasn't great. Tull made the most of it.
14. Frank Zappa and the Mothers of Invention, St. Paul Civic Center, 1975 and 1976. I think it was right around Thanksgiving both years and they billed it as the Turkey Trot.
15. The Beach Boys, St. Paul Civic Center, 1975. Yeah, I know, passé, lightweight. Wrong. Before the Beatles and during the early hey days of the Beatles, the Beach Boys did the most sophisticated music this side of Broadway. But youthful, heartfelt, inspiring. But then Brian Wilson had that breakdown and you wouldn't see them live. But wait, here they come, with Brian in tow. He only sang 1 or 2 songs, but everybody else was there, the spirit was alive and it was a real rave-up.
16. The Band, Guthrie Theater, 1970. At the peak of their powers the Band came to the mecca for Twin Cities rock 'n roll and put on a memorable show. Now here of course is a band that indeed seems passé today, just over the top with all the keyboard histrionics and the faux historicism and all. But thre was a time when they were hot, or cool, and that is when we saw them.
17A and B. Joe Cocker and the Grease Band, the Prison and the Milwaukee Pop Festival, both 1969. Talk about over the top, this took the cake for overstatement of every kind, not least of all of course Joe Cocker's twitchy but soulful singing. Overrated at the time but absolutely a sign of the times.
18. Wings, St. Paul Civic Center, 1976. OK, they were a little light in their loafers. But, hey, it was Paul McCartney! And they put on a good show. And you know, Band on the Run had some good songs.
19A & 19B. Allman Brothers Band, Midway Stadium, 1971 and Berkeley Theater, 1972. The fire had already kinda gone out in the summer of 1971 and then it had really gone out by the summer of 1972, after Duane died in October 1971. I mean, yeah, they were still better than most but compared to that 1st show in 1970, the spark just wasn't there. I guess there was just no way they could live up to my expectations at that point.
20. Elton John, Guthrie Theater, 1970. His 1st record had just come out and he put on just a very high energy show. And of course he had the benefit of playing in the best venue anywhere.
21. Bonzo Dog Doo Dah Band, Guthrie Theater, 1969. Opened for the Steve Miller Band and just totally stole the show. If you don't know, they played the original Death Cab for Cutie. The put on an energetic vaudeville type show and were absolutely hilarious. Much better at this stage than Frank and the Mothers, who I saw at this same venue this same year.
22. Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, St. Paul Civic Theater, 1973. Not to be confused with the Civic Center or the Civic Center Arena, where Wings and the Beach Boys and Steely Dan played, the Theater was a terrific little venue where an outfit called Stone Bleu put on a series of shows for a year or two. This was their best. I will never forget a lovely harmonica lead on an instrumental version of I Wish I Knew How It Would Feel to Be Free. I think this show included Black Oak Arkansas and Jesse Colin Young.
23. Mark-Almond, St. Paul Civic Theater, also 1973. Mark-Almond played the most heartbreaking songs and played them so beautifully. What Am I Living For?, indeed. Mark was Jon Mark, who had played with John Mayall. A fabulous band.
24. Bonnie Raitt and Dave Ray, St. Cloud, MN, 1976. This was in the old movie theater, I don't know that it had a name or anything, but the artists were up on this high stage way up above our heads. Dave Ray had produced Bonnie's 1st record, and now he opened for her. This was probably the 1st time we saw Bonnie, whom we eventually saw maybe 5 times. She matured well as a performer, she was so shy and a little tentative at this time. But still the voice was there, it was so sweet. Later she learned to growl and stuff. And Dave Ray, a Minnesota boys who was one of the great white blues singers ever, just had an incredible feel for the music and this terrific blues voice.
25. Emerson Lake and Palmer, Guthrie Theater, 1971. I always wished I had seen the original King Crimson. In the Court of the Crimson King, 20th Century Schizoid Man. Well, this had to be the 2nd best thing. Greg Lake was of course the bassist and singer for both, and Keith Emerson was the heaviest keyboard dude this side of Rick Wakeman. Heavy, man.
26A, B, C. Gordon Lightfoot. We saw Gordon at least 3 more times, maybe running into the 1980s. He used to play Northrop Auditorium at the U of M pretty much every year and was always terrific. But the only time (after the Guthrie in 1971) that I'm positive about when and where was actually O'Shaughnessy Auditorium at St. Thomas University in 1972.
27. Frank Zappa and the Mothers of Invention, Guthrie Theater, 1969. This was not Frank at his best. I remember Jimmy Carl Black and I think this band was about to break up. Still, it was my 1st time to see Frank. Alice Cooper opened.
28. Santana, Magoo's, 1969. Magoo's was just a little dance club where you'd see local acts, but very briefly they brought in some national acts and this was the highlight of that. Their 1st record had just come out and they played it with great energy and passion.
29. Pacific Gas & Electric, Milwaukee Pop Festival, 1969. The best act at the Fest not named Led Zep or Blind Faith or Joe Cocker. I don't remember anything about them other than that they were terrific.
30. Blodwyn Pig, the Depot, 1969. The Depot later became First Avenue. Blodwyn Pig was the band of Jethro Tull's 1st and former guitarist Mick Abrahams, who teamed with saxophonist Jack Lancaster, whose claim to fame was playing 2 saxes at the same time. Big big sound and really straight-ahead, kick-ass rock 'n roll.
31. Cat Stevens, Guthrie Theater, 1971. I'm a little embarrassed about this but people forget just how hot Cat Stevens was in the FM radio world at the time. We dug him.
32. Mahavishnu Orchestra, Guthrie Theater, 1973. Intense. Loud and intense.
33. Pink Floyd, Cleveland Municipal Stadium, 1977. OK, I'm a little embarrassed about this one, too. But the concert just fell flat. My expectations were probably just too high. But Cleveland Stadium held like 80,000 people and it was like watching a movie or a TV show or something. It hardly seemed like there were actually musicians way way way way way down there actually playing live music. Also, it was the Animals tour and that was never one of my favorite records of theirs.
34. Linda Ronstadt and Jackson Browne, Guthrie Theater, 1974. I admired both of these artists but the concert came off a little bit soulless to me.
35A, B, C. Tom Waits, Circle Star Theater, 1974, and Hole Coffeehouse, 1974 and 1975. First saw Tom in San Carlos, CA (see Zappa review above in #3), then came home and told all our friends about him. A few months later he showed up in the Hole Coffeehouse at the University of Minnesota, and again the following year. We took a big group of friends out to see him and I remember people being pretty impressed.
36. Bob Seger and the Silver Bullet Band, Anderson Arena, Bowling Green State U, 1977. Don't remember much about this, dunno why. It was at the peak of his popularity and just down the road apiece from his hometown. He was basically God at the time. I don't remember him being bad, I just don't remember him being great.
37. Yes, St. Paul Civic Center, 1976. Another one where I guess it's just never as good as the 1st time.
38. Darryl Hall and John Oates, Toledo Sports Arena, 1976. Another one from our Ohio days. We had always loved Abandoned Luncheonette. They were good, not great.
39. Al Stewart, Halenbeck Hall, St. Cloud State U, 1975. We loved Al's moody records and his band was solid, especially guitarist Tim Renwick.
40. Asleep at the Wheel, Halenbeck Hall, St. Cloud State U, 1976. We were so ignorant, we didn't even know that the Wheel was basically schlepping Bob Wills and His Texas Playboys stuff, but we enjoyed it then and we enjoy it now.
41. Randy Newman, Guthrie Theater, 1971. Let's drop the big one, and see what happens.
42. The Moody Blues, Met Center, 1972. I'm sure they woulda blown me away a couple years earlier. By now they were passé. Still, that mellotron was one of rock's signature sounds.
43. Little Feat, St. Paul Civic Center, 1975. Opened for Frank Zappa, believe it or not, and I hadn't yet come to appreciate Little Feat appropriately.
44. Murray McLauchlan, Hole Coffeehouse, 1975. A vastly underappreciated artist. Sweeping the Spotlight Away (album) was a masterpiece.
45. The Band, Midway Stadium, 1971. Already becoming passé.
46. Johnny Winter, Milwaukee Pop Festival, 1969, and the Labor Temple, 1970. Always a let-down, he was just plain overrated.
47. John Hammond, Labor Temple, 1970. Underrated, underappreciated but, still, he was just one guy with a very loud foot.
48. Steve Miller Band, Guthrie Theater, 1969. Boz Scaggs and Jim Peterman had just left the band and they were newly a trio, so they really couldn't replicate the sound of their records. And they were vastly overshadowed by the Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band.
49. Miles Davis, Guthrie Theater, 1970. Didn't understand a word.
50. Argent, Guthrie Theater, 1972. Not great unless you're talking about Rod Argent on the keyboard.
Honorable Mention
Koerner Ray and Glover
Buffy St. Marie
Paul Butterfield Blues Band
Podipto
Poco
John Sebastien
John Baldry
Steve Wonder
Leon Russell
Jesse Colin Young
Muddy Waters
Let Down
MC5
Steppenwolf
Faces
It's A Beautiful Day
Mott the Hoople
Little Richard
Delaney & Bonnie & Friends
Al Kooper
Edgar Winter
Savoy Brown
Jerry Lee Lewis
Melissa Manchester
Charlie Daniels Band
Southside Johnny & the Asbury Jukes
Buddy Rich Orcheestra
Crow
The Worst
Fleetwood Mac. I adored Peter Green's Fleetwood Mac. But by the time I saw Fleetwood Mac, Peter Green had left. Their manager put together a Fleetwood Mac band that was a total fraud and that was the band that I saw. After Peter Green. Before Lindsay Buckingham and Stevie Nicks. Fleetwood Fraud.
Best Band
That would pretty much mirror Best Concert but not entirely. So Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band was #1 but Jethro Tull, the Allman Brothers, Led Zeppelin, the Who and the Rolling Stones follow. With some of the others, their high ranking is due to things like great songs, great vocals, a great show, and so on. Still, rounding out the top 10 would be Zappa and the Mothers (circa 1974), Steely Dan, Dylan's 1978 touring band (Live at Budokan) and Yes.
Best Artist
Bruce Springsteen, Ian Anderson, Frank Zappa, Bob Dylan, Jimmy Page, Gordon Lightfoot, Duane Allman, Paul McCartney, Bonnie Raitt, Robert Plant.
Best Vocals
Bruce Springsteen, Gordon Lightfoot, Bonnie Raitt, Robert Plant, Beach Boys, Napoleon Murphy Brock, Dave Ray, Linda Ronstadt, Joe Cocker, Paul McCartney.
Best Guitar
Duane Allman, Jimmy Page, Eric Clapton, Keith Richards and Ron Wood, Dickie Betts, David Gilmour, Steve Howe, Carlos Santana, John McLaughlin.
Best Keyboards
Rick Wakeman, Garth Hudson, Rod Argent, George Duke, Roy Bittan and Danny Federici, Chris Stainton, Keith Jarrett, Randy Newman, Elton John, Greg Rolie.
Best Bass Guitar
Jon Entwhistle, Chris Squire, John Paul Jones, Wolfgang Melz, Berry Oakley, Gary Tallent, Tom Fowler, Paul McCartney, Lonnie Turner, Rick Danko,
Best Drums
Ginger Baker, Jack DeJohnette, Keith Moon, Dannie Richmond, John Bonham, Chester Thompson, Charlie Watts, Buddy Rich, Butch Trucks, Max Weinberg.
Best Other Instrument
Clarence Cleamons (saxophone), Ian Anderson (flute), Miles Davis (trumpet), David Mansfield (violin), Paul Butterfield (harmonica), Jack Lancaster (saxophones), Ruth Underwood (vibraphone), Johnny Almond (saxophone), David LaFlamme (violin).
Best Songs
Bruce Springsteen, Gordon Ligthtfoot, Frank Zappa, Jon Mark, Bob Dylan, Elton John, Walter Becker-Donald Fagen, Jimmy Page-Robert Plant, Brian Wilson, Tom Waits.
The other day I just happened across a list of the best concerts of 1969 and then of the 1970s. There were some there I would not have remembered if I had concocted a new list. So here's what's on the list. And when I say Best Concerts of the 1970s, I mean 1969-1979.
Best Concerts 1969-1979
1A. Bruce Springsteen, Guthrie Theater, Minneapolis, 1975. For those of you who don't know, the Guthrie Theater is (or was) about a 1,500 seat theater, home to one of the best theatrical troupes in America. It's where people go for their Shakespeare fix and Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf and stuff like that. From the late 1960s to the mid-1970s, they also routinely had the greatest emerging acts in rock 'n pop music there, and as you read through the following list, see how many of the best concerts of the 1970s were there. Lots of 'em. Most of 'em. It's a remarkable list. We were so incredibly lucky to have it/them.
Anyway, the best concert I ever saw there was Bruce. It was the opening night of the Born to Run Tour. He was just breaking in a big way. You know, cover of Time, cover of Newsweek. I had had his 1st 2 LPs and especially loved Greetings from Asbury Park and It's Hard to Be a Saint in the City. Still I had no clue what we (me and my girlfriend at the time, now my wife) were in for. Bruce blew everybody completely away with that powerful voice and then on top of that there was Clarence and the E Street Band and of course they played for hours. Totally awesome. My girlfriend (we had been together, well, probably a whole year by that time) thought I must be the coolest guy ever to have known about such a concert and to have gotten us there to see and hear it.
1B. Bruce Springsteen, Toledo Sports Arena, 1977. 2 years later we were living in Bowling Green, OH, where I went to graduate school, and we saw Bruce again in Toledo. We were like 10th row main floor and she was working as a reporter/photographer. Bruce came down into the audience and was not 5 feet away and she got some great photos which are still framed and on display in our house. Oh, and the music was great, again, too.
2. Frank Zappa and the Mothers of Invention, Circle Star Theater, San Carlos, CA, 1974. My wife (to be) and I traveled to California to visit some friends. We had only been dating for a couple of months at this point. And we were lucky enough that Frank Zappa was playing in the vicinity of San Jose, where her college roommate had settled down for the time being. But not only that, he was at the Circle Star Theater, which featured a circular rotating stage. I kid you not. The stage rotated. So here came Frank, moving into view clockwise from the right. Then there he went out of view off to the left or, well, out to where you'd see his backside and other band members came into view in the foreground. And, then, here comes Frank again. And on top of all of that, this was his best band ever, IMHO. Napoleon Murphy Brock on vocals, George Duke on keys and vocals, Tom Fowler and Chester Thompson and Ruth Underwood on rhythm and percussion. And this fellow we'd never heard of opened. Tom Waits! What a night.
3. Steely Dan, St. Paul Civic Center, 1974. This was my wife (to be) and my 1st date. Steely Dan headlined a 3-band show. Dr. Hook was 1 and I've forgotten who the other band was. But I loved Steely Dan's 1st 2 records, which were out at this time. Reelin' in the Years, Change of the Guard. Eventually I loved all their records. And they did not disappoint, great, great show.
4. Jethro Tull, Guthrie Theater, 1971. Aqualung had just come out, and just imagine hearing pretty much the entire record in a 1,500 seat theater. Incredible.
5. Allman Brothers Band, Labor Temple, 1970. The Labor Temple was a small hall in Minneapolis with open seating, you would just go in and sit on the floor or stand and dance or whatever. There were Sunday night shows there pretty much weekly for a couple of years during my 1st and 2nd or maybe 2nd and 3rd years of college. The Allman Brothers 1st record had just come out like a week before, and nobody knew much about them except that there was a terrific buzz. But the concert was the Sunday after New Year's Day, school was still out, and I went to the 2nd show. There was hardly anybody there--maybe 50 people. And basically the band played their 1st record through from start to finish and then went into some jams like Mountain Jam. Just blew everybody away. I mean, the 2 drummers. The 2 guitars. The singing, the playing. Just awesome. We left thinking this was the greatest band ever and I'm not sure today that that wasn't right.
6. Yes, Berkeley Municipal Theater, 1972. I was visiting friends in the San Francisco area in 1972 and Yes happened to be in town. I loved their atmospherics but wasn't convinced they could pull it off in concert. But they did, recreating the most incredibly intricate music on stage pretty much note for note. And no, I don't mean that it was cold or lacking in soul or anything. It was bee-you-ti-ful.
7. Bob Dylan, Centennial Hall, University of Toledo, 1978. I like Dylan's records but I've never been much for his live concerts or live records. I remember seeing him live one time and finding out what songs he played by reading about them in the newspaper the next day. Seriously. But this was different. This was the Live at Budokan band and tour, and these were by far the best arrangements and the best execution live that Dylan has ever achieved. And we saw it.
8. Gordon Lightfoot, Guthrie Theater, 1971. I know that Gordo is regarded as hopelessly passé, as not just lightfoot but decidedly lightweight. His biggest hit ever was probably If You Could Read My Mind and, yeah, it's a little bit sappy. But listen to his '60s stuff before you right him off. And his early '70s stuff is really terrific, too. The Minstrel of the Dawn and Sit Down, Young Stranger are as good a reflection of how it felt to be alive in the early '70s as the best Joni Mitchell or Paul Simon. I also remember that a buddy of mine had tickets for this concert and then couldn't use 'em. He stopped over at my house, which I shared with 5 of my closest friends, to offer them. I wasn't home and my roommates all wanted to go, so they put everybody's name in a bag and pulled out a pair of winners. Then somebody got a conscience and said, hey, we should call Sunny and ask him if he wants to be in. So they did. I said, sure. So they waved off the 1st drawing, held another, and I won.
9. Led Zeppelin, Milwaukee Pop Festival, 1969.
10. Blind Faith, Milwaukee Pop Festival, 1969.
A bunch of us guys drove from Minneapolis to Milwaukee to see, get this, Blind Faith close the Friday night show, Led Zeppelin closed on Saturday night, and Johnny Winter on Sunday at the height of Winter-mania. Well, I don't need to tell you how that worked out, the results are right there up above. Zeppelin blew everybody away, never seen anything like it. Plant and Page. Who was wailing harder and hotter? Dazed and Confused. You Shook Me. Squeeze my lemon til the juice runs down my leg. My gawd.
Blind Faith was just the opposite. The epitome of cool. Clapton and Winwood, together. Fulfilling many a youthful dream. But still, cool. Not hot. Not super engaging. Not as good as Zep.
As we were leaving the grounds Sunday night, people were there handing out handbills for another festival that was coming up out in New York. Something called...oh, yeah, Woodstock? What's that?
11. The Who, Guthrie Theater, 1969. It was in the spring of 1969, my girlfriend at the time had just moved up to the Twin Cities and I was in heaven. I took her to see the Who at the Guthrie. Tommy had just come out, and they played the entire thing. I had never seen Townsend's windmills or Daltrey swinging his microphone around or Keith Moon just being Keith Moon. Incredible. Still something wasn't right. It should have been the most incredible night of my life. But, no. My girlfriend dumped me the next week.
12. The Rolling Stones, the Met Center, 1972. I was always a Beatles guy and you couldn't be both a Beatles guy and a Stones guy, just like you couldn't be a Ford guy and a Chevy guy or a Coke and a Pepsi guy. I was a Beatles guy. Still I couldn't pass up on a chance to see The Greatest Rock 'n Roll Band in the World at the peak of their powers in 1972. And it was good.
13A and 13B. Jethro Tull, the Met Center 1972 and 1973. They were never ever gonna be as good as doing Aqualung at the Guthrie, but still they were terrific doing Thick As A Brick and then A Passion Play at the Met Center the following 2 years. The Met Center was the North Stars hockey arena, it was huge and the sound wasn't great. Tull made the most of it.
14. Frank Zappa and the Mothers of Invention, St. Paul Civic Center, 1975 and 1976. I think it was right around Thanksgiving both years and they billed it as the Turkey Trot.
15. The Beach Boys, St. Paul Civic Center, 1975. Yeah, I know, passé, lightweight. Wrong. Before the Beatles and during the early hey days of the Beatles, the Beach Boys did the most sophisticated music this side of Broadway. But youthful, heartfelt, inspiring. But then Brian Wilson had that breakdown and you wouldn't see them live. But wait, here they come, with Brian in tow. He only sang 1 or 2 songs, but everybody else was there, the spirit was alive and it was a real rave-up.
16. The Band, Guthrie Theater, 1970. At the peak of their powers the Band came to the mecca for Twin Cities rock 'n roll and put on a memorable show. Now here of course is a band that indeed seems passé today, just over the top with all the keyboard histrionics and the faux historicism and all. But thre was a time when they were hot, or cool, and that is when we saw them.
17A and B. Joe Cocker and the Grease Band, the Prison and the Milwaukee Pop Festival, both 1969. Talk about over the top, this took the cake for overstatement of every kind, not least of all of course Joe Cocker's twitchy but soulful singing. Overrated at the time but absolutely a sign of the times.
18. Wings, St. Paul Civic Center, 1976. OK, they were a little light in their loafers. But, hey, it was Paul McCartney! And they put on a good show. And you know, Band on the Run had some good songs.
19A & 19B. Allman Brothers Band, Midway Stadium, 1971 and Berkeley Theater, 1972. The fire had already kinda gone out in the summer of 1971 and then it had really gone out by the summer of 1972, after Duane died in October 1971. I mean, yeah, they were still better than most but compared to that 1st show in 1970, the spark just wasn't there. I guess there was just no way they could live up to my expectations at that point.
20. Elton John, Guthrie Theater, 1970. His 1st record had just come out and he put on just a very high energy show. And of course he had the benefit of playing in the best venue anywhere.
21. Bonzo Dog Doo Dah Band, Guthrie Theater, 1969. Opened for the Steve Miller Band and just totally stole the show. If you don't know, they played the original Death Cab for Cutie. The put on an energetic vaudeville type show and were absolutely hilarious. Much better at this stage than Frank and the Mothers, who I saw at this same venue this same year.
22. Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, St. Paul Civic Theater, 1973. Not to be confused with the Civic Center or the Civic Center Arena, where Wings and the Beach Boys and Steely Dan played, the Theater was a terrific little venue where an outfit called Stone Bleu put on a series of shows for a year or two. This was their best. I will never forget a lovely harmonica lead on an instrumental version of I Wish I Knew How It Would Feel to Be Free. I think this show included Black Oak Arkansas and Jesse Colin Young.
23. Mark-Almond, St. Paul Civic Theater, also 1973. Mark-Almond played the most heartbreaking songs and played them so beautifully. What Am I Living For?, indeed. Mark was Jon Mark, who had played with John Mayall. A fabulous band.
24. Bonnie Raitt and Dave Ray, St. Cloud, MN, 1976. This was in the old movie theater, I don't know that it had a name or anything, but the artists were up on this high stage way up above our heads. Dave Ray had produced Bonnie's 1st record, and now he opened for her. This was probably the 1st time we saw Bonnie, whom we eventually saw maybe 5 times. She matured well as a performer, she was so shy and a little tentative at this time. But still the voice was there, it was so sweet. Later she learned to growl and stuff. And Dave Ray, a Minnesota boys who was one of the great white blues singers ever, just had an incredible feel for the music and this terrific blues voice.
25. Emerson Lake and Palmer, Guthrie Theater, 1971. I always wished I had seen the original King Crimson. In the Court of the Crimson King, 20th Century Schizoid Man. Well, this had to be the 2nd best thing. Greg Lake was of course the bassist and singer for both, and Keith Emerson was the heaviest keyboard dude this side of Rick Wakeman. Heavy, man.
26A, B, C. Gordon Lightfoot. We saw Gordon at least 3 more times, maybe running into the 1980s. He used to play Northrop Auditorium at the U of M pretty much every year and was always terrific. But the only time (after the Guthrie in 1971) that I'm positive about when and where was actually O'Shaughnessy Auditorium at St. Thomas University in 1972.
27. Frank Zappa and the Mothers of Invention, Guthrie Theater, 1969. This was not Frank at his best. I remember Jimmy Carl Black and I think this band was about to break up. Still, it was my 1st time to see Frank. Alice Cooper opened.
28. Santana, Magoo's, 1969. Magoo's was just a little dance club where you'd see local acts, but very briefly they brought in some national acts and this was the highlight of that. Their 1st record had just come out and they played it with great energy and passion.
30. Blodwyn Pig, the Depot, 1969. The Depot later became First Avenue. Blodwyn Pig was the band of Jethro Tull's 1st and former guitarist Mick Abrahams, who teamed with saxophonist Jack Lancaster, whose claim to fame was playing 2 saxes at the same time. Big big sound and really straight-ahead, kick-ass rock 'n roll.
31. Cat Stevens, Guthrie Theater, 1971. I'm a little embarrassed about this but people forget just how hot Cat Stevens was in the FM radio world at the time. We dug him.
32. Mahavishnu Orchestra, Guthrie Theater, 1973. Intense. Loud and intense.
33. Pink Floyd, Cleveland Municipal Stadium, 1977. OK, I'm a little embarrassed about this one, too. But the concert just fell flat. My expectations were probably just too high. But Cleveland Stadium held like 80,000 people and it was like watching a movie or a TV show or something. It hardly seemed like there were actually musicians way way way way way down there actually playing live music. Also, it was the Animals tour and that was never one of my favorite records of theirs.
34. Linda Ronstadt and Jackson Browne, Guthrie Theater, 1974. I admired both of these artists but the concert came off a little bit soulless to me.
35A, B, C. Tom Waits, Circle Star Theater, 1974, and Hole Coffeehouse, 1974 and 1975. First saw Tom in San Carlos, CA (see Zappa review above in #3), then came home and told all our friends about him. A few months later he showed up in the Hole Coffeehouse at the University of Minnesota, and again the following year. We took a big group of friends out to see him and I remember people being pretty impressed.
36. Bob Seger and the Silver Bullet Band, Anderson Arena, Bowling Green State U, 1977. Don't remember much about this, dunno why. It was at the peak of his popularity and just down the road apiece from his hometown. He was basically God at the time. I don't remember him being bad, I just don't remember him being great.
37. Yes, St. Paul Civic Center, 1976. Another one where I guess it's just never as good as the 1st time.
38. Darryl Hall and John Oates, Toledo Sports Arena, 1976. Another one from our Ohio days. We had always loved Abandoned Luncheonette. They were good, not great.
39. Al Stewart, Halenbeck Hall, St. Cloud State U, 1975. We loved Al's moody records and his band was solid, especially guitarist Tim Renwick.
40. Asleep at the Wheel, Halenbeck Hall, St. Cloud State U, 1976. We were so ignorant, we didn't even know that the Wheel was basically schlepping Bob Wills and His Texas Playboys stuff, but we enjoyed it then and we enjoy it now.
41. Randy Newman, Guthrie Theater, 1971. Let's drop the big one, and see what happens.
42. The Moody Blues, Met Center, 1972. I'm sure they woulda blown me away a couple years earlier. By now they were passé. Still, that mellotron was one of rock's signature sounds.
43. Little Feat, St. Paul Civic Center, 1975. Opened for Frank Zappa, believe it or not, and I hadn't yet come to appreciate Little Feat appropriately.
44. Murray McLauchlan, Hole Coffeehouse, 1975. A vastly underappreciated artist. Sweeping the Spotlight Away (album) was a masterpiece.
45. The Band, Midway Stadium, 1971. Already becoming passé.
46. Johnny Winter, Milwaukee Pop Festival, 1969, and the Labor Temple, 1970. Always a let-down, he was just plain overrated.
47. John Hammond, Labor Temple, 1970. Underrated, underappreciated but, still, he was just one guy with a very loud foot.
48. Steve Miller Band, Guthrie Theater, 1969. Boz Scaggs and Jim Peterman had just left the band and they were newly a trio, so they really couldn't replicate the sound of their records. And they were vastly overshadowed by the Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band.
49. Miles Davis, Guthrie Theater, 1970. Didn't understand a word.
50. Argent, Guthrie Theater, 1972. Not great unless you're talking about Rod Argent on the keyboard.
Honorable Mention
Koerner Ray and Glover
Buffy St. Marie
Paul Butterfield Blues Band
Podipto
Poco
John Sebastien
John Baldry
Steve Wonder
Leon Russell
Jesse Colin Young
Muddy Waters
Let Down
MC5
Steppenwolf
Faces
It's A Beautiful Day
Mott the Hoople
Little Richard
Delaney & Bonnie & Friends
Al Kooper
Edgar Winter
Savoy Brown
Jerry Lee Lewis
Melissa Manchester
Charlie Daniels Band
Southside Johnny & the Asbury Jukes
Buddy Rich Orcheestra
Crow
The Worst
Fleetwood Mac. I adored Peter Green's Fleetwood Mac. But by the time I saw Fleetwood Mac, Peter Green had left. Their manager put together a Fleetwood Mac band that was a total fraud and that was the band that I saw. After Peter Green. Before Lindsay Buckingham and Stevie Nicks. Fleetwood Fraud.
Best Band
That would pretty much mirror Best Concert but not entirely. So Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band was #1 but Jethro Tull, the Allman Brothers, Led Zeppelin, the Who and the Rolling Stones follow. With some of the others, their high ranking is due to things like great songs, great vocals, a great show, and so on. Still, rounding out the top 10 would be Zappa and the Mothers (circa 1974), Steely Dan, Dylan's 1978 touring band (Live at Budokan) and Yes.
Best Artist
Bruce Springsteen, Ian Anderson, Frank Zappa, Bob Dylan, Jimmy Page, Gordon Lightfoot, Duane Allman, Paul McCartney, Bonnie Raitt, Robert Plant.
Best Vocals
Bruce Springsteen, Gordon Lightfoot, Bonnie Raitt, Robert Plant, Beach Boys, Napoleon Murphy Brock, Dave Ray, Linda Ronstadt, Joe Cocker, Paul McCartney.
Best Guitar
Duane Allman, Jimmy Page, Eric Clapton, Keith Richards and Ron Wood, Dickie Betts, David Gilmour, Steve Howe, Carlos Santana, John McLaughlin.
Best Keyboards
Rick Wakeman, Garth Hudson, Rod Argent, George Duke, Roy Bittan and Danny Federici, Chris Stainton, Keith Jarrett, Randy Newman, Elton John, Greg Rolie.
Best Bass Guitar
Jon Entwhistle, Chris Squire, John Paul Jones, Wolfgang Melz, Berry Oakley, Gary Tallent, Tom Fowler, Paul McCartney, Lonnie Turner, Rick Danko,
Best Drums
Ginger Baker, Jack DeJohnette, Keith Moon, Dannie Richmond, John Bonham, Chester Thompson, Charlie Watts, Buddy Rich, Butch Trucks, Max Weinberg.
Best Other Instrument
Clarence Cleamons (saxophone), Ian Anderson (flute), Miles Davis (trumpet), David Mansfield (violin), Paul Butterfield (harmonica), Jack Lancaster (saxophones), Ruth Underwood (vibraphone), Johnny Almond (saxophone), David LaFlamme (violin).
Best Songs
Bruce Springsteen, Gordon Ligthtfoot, Frank Zappa, Jon Mark, Bob Dylan, Elton John, Walter Becker-Donald Fagen, Jimmy Page-Robert Plant, Brian Wilson, Tom Waits.
Tuesday, March 12, 2013
Top 50 Boomer Rock Artists of the 21st Century (So Far)
Top 50 Artists of the 21C So Far
Updated April 23, 2012
Updated May 12, 2012 new #17
Updated June 6, 2012
Updated Septembert 7, 2012
1. Arcade Fire--3 fabulous records and 10 years worth of kick-ass live shows--not rated in my top 45 until now, they've arrived with a bang, you could say. See my review of Arcade Fire on this blog.
2. Sufjan Stevens--fun, unexpected, a true original
3. Jerry Douglas--reinforces the point that rock and country/bluegrass overlap more than not; Best Kept Secret is an all-timer
4. Rufus Wainwright--4 great records and 2 superb concert performances (that I saw), a real gem
5. Bill Frisell--too prolific, lots of flotsam, but his best (Good Dog Happy Man, The Willies, All We Are Saying) are just too gorgeous for words
6. Aimee Mann--several great records and 2, well, so-so, concerts. Concerts are not her thing. Really smart songs are her thing.
7. Tift Merritt--3 great records, 1 pretty good record (this year's Traveling Alone) and solid concert performances; her songwriting is just terrific and she sings 'em just so, kind of a country-fied Aimee Mann
8. Hem--a poppy band with a nostalgic, old-timey, throwback appeal; beautiful songs, terrific instrumental arrangements, and superbly sung by Sally Ellyson. This is the golden age of women singers, btw.
9. Auto Body Experience--a local Twin Cities (Minnesota) band; Zappaesque; funny, totally original; Scott Yoho is a genius
10. Leonard Cohen--hasn't recorded anything near his best LPs, but each one tends to contain 1 or 2 instant classics, a la "Alexandra Leaving" and "We Will Go No More a-Roving," and his concert was an all-timer
11. Ry Cooder--Cohen and Cooder have had better decades but, seriously, their 21C output would be a career for most artists,
12. Zappa Plays Zappa--Dweezil is a genius, too, on the guitar--he's made himself a better guitarist than his daddy, though he would probably disagree
13. Sarah Borges--great singer-songwriterwith lots of energy, and she put on a great live show
14. Natalie MacMaster--terrific fiddler, has a great recorded output from trad to modern; live she's modern all the way with rock band instrumentation and very high energy
15. Black Keys--prolific and with El Camino you have to say that their best stuff is, well, among the best music of their time
16. Alison Krauss & Union Station including the incomparable Jerry Douglas
17. Los Lobos--keep plugging along. Their performance of "Mas y Mas" on Clapton's Crossroads is classic.
18. James McMurtry--"We Can't Make It Here Anymore" is probably the greatest political/social commentary of the 21C so far
19. Ray LaMontagne--his best stuff is totally gorgeuous, i.e. "Trouble" and "Shelter"
20. Travis--3 great LPs
21. Jeff Beck--also stellar on Clapton's Crossroads Guitar Fest
22. Bruce Springsteen--just keeps pluggin' along, broke the mold with The Seeger Sessions and "We Are Alive" is an all-timer
23. The Hold Steady/Craig Finn--as much as I love(d) Hold Steady, Finn's solo is just as good--different, but good
25. Bright Eyes/Conor Oberst--I'm Wide Awake, It's Morning is one of the top 3 or 4 LPs of the 21C
26. Steve Earle--his LP with Del McCoury Band is his best work ever
42. Bon Iver
43. Whiskeytown
46. The Flaming Lips
47. Kathleen Edwards
48. Halloween Alaska
49. The Lumineers
50. Jolie Holland
Best Vocals--Sally Ellison (Hem), Ray LaMontagne, Alison Krauss, Raul Malo (The Mavericks), Tift Merritt, Rufus Wainwright, Win Butler (Arcade Fire), Aimee Mann, Iris DeMent, Sarah Borges, Tina Dico (solo and with Zero7), Dwight Yoakum, Vince Gill, Nate Reuss (fun.), Glenn Healey (Travis), Eliza Gilkyson
Best Instrumentalist--Jerry Douglas, Bill Frisell, Natalie MacMaster, Dan Auerbach (Black Keys), Jeff Beck, Aly Bain, Ry Cooder, Dweezil Zappa, Bela Fleck, Robert Cray, Pat Donahue, Ron Block (Union Station), Vince Gill, Alison Brown, Sonny Landreth
Best Songs--Win Butler and Arcade Fire, Sufjan Stevens, Aimee Mann, Tift Merritt, Ry Cooder, Steve Earle, James McMurtry, Rufus Wainwright, Ray LaMontagne, Leonard Cohen, Conor Oberst, James Mercer (The Shins), Sarah Borges, Jeff Tweedy, David Hidalgo and Cesar Rosas (Los Lobos)
Top "Artists" redefined as individuals (no groups)--Win Butler, Sufjan Stevens, Rufus Wainwright, Jerry Douglas, Bill Frisell, Aimee Mann, Tift Merritt, Ry Cooder, Dweezil Zappa, Sarah Borges, Ray LaMontagne, Alison Krauss, Natalie MacMaster, Craig Finn, James McMurtry
Updated April 23, 2012
Updated May 12, 2012 new #17
Updated June 6, 2012
Updated Septembert 7, 2012
1. Arcade Fire--3 fabulous records and 10 years worth of kick-ass live shows--not rated in my top 45 until now, they've arrived with a bang, you could say. See my review of Arcade Fire on this blog.
2. Sufjan Stevens--fun, unexpected, a true original
3. Jerry Douglas--reinforces the point that rock and country/bluegrass overlap more than not; Best Kept Secret is an all-timer
4. Rufus Wainwright--4 great records and 2 superb concert performances (that I saw), a real gem
5. Bill Frisell--too prolific, lots of flotsam, but his best (Good Dog Happy Man, The Willies, All We Are Saying) are just too gorgeous for words
6. Aimee Mann--several great records and 2, well, so-so, concerts. Concerts are not her thing. Really smart songs are her thing.
7. Tift Merritt--3 great records, 1 pretty good record (this year's Traveling Alone) and solid concert performances; her songwriting is just terrific and she sings 'em just so, kind of a country-fied Aimee Mann
8. Hem--a poppy band with a nostalgic, old-timey, throwback appeal; beautiful songs, terrific instrumental arrangements, and superbly sung by Sally Ellyson. This is the golden age of women singers, btw.
9. Auto Body Experience--a local Twin Cities (Minnesota) band; Zappaesque; funny, totally original; Scott Yoho is a genius
11. Ry Cooder--Cohen and Cooder have had better decades but, seriously, their 21C output would be a career for most artists,
12. Zappa Plays Zappa--Dweezil is a genius, too, on the guitar--he's made himself a better guitarist than his daddy, though he would probably disagree
13. Sarah Borges--great singer-songwriterwith lots of energy, and she put on a great live show
14. Natalie MacMaster--terrific fiddler, has a great recorded output from trad to modern; live she's modern all the way with rock band instrumentation and very high energy
15. Black Keys--prolific and with El Camino you have to say that their best stuff is, well, among the best music of their time
16. Alison Krauss & Union Station including the incomparable Jerry Douglas
17. Los Lobos--keep plugging along. Their performance of "Mas y Mas" on Clapton's Crossroads is classic.
18. James McMurtry--"We Can't Make It Here Anymore" is probably the greatest political/social commentary of the 21C so far
19. Ray LaMontagne--his best stuff is totally gorgeuous, i.e. "Trouble" and "Shelter"
20. Travis--3 great LPs
21. Jeff Beck--also stellar on Clapton's Crossroads Guitar Fest
22. Bruce Springsteen--just keeps pluggin' along, broke the mold with The Seeger Sessions and "We Are Alive" is an all-timer
23. The Hold Steady/Craig Finn--as much as I love(d) Hold Steady, Finn's solo is just as good--different, but good
24. Zero7
26. Steve Earle--his LP with Del McCoury Band is his best work ever
27. Aly Bain
28. The National
29. The Shins
28. The National
29. The Shins
30. Calexico
31. Iris DeMent
32. Fantastic Merlins
33. The Gourds
34. Kings of Leon
35. Bob Dylan
38. Dwight Yoakum
39. Shawn Colvin
31. Iris DeMent
32. Fantastic Merlins
33. The Gourds
34. Kings of Leon
35. Bob Dylan
36. Kasey Chambers
37. Vince Gill38. Dwight Yoakum
39. Shawn Colvin
40. fun.
41. Wilco42. Bon Iver
43. Whiskeytown
44. Alison Brown
45. Pat Donahue46. The Flaming Lips
47. Kathleen Edwards
48. Halloween Alaska
49. The Lumineers
50. Jolie Holland
Best Vocals--Sally Ellison (Hem), Ray LaMontagne, Alison Krauss, Raul Malo (The Mavericks), Tift Merritt, Rufus Wainwright, Win Butler (Arcade Fire), Aimee Mann, Iris DeMent, Sarah Borges, Tina Dico (solo and with Zero7), Dwight Yoakum, Vince Gill, Nate Reuss (fun.), Glenn Healey (Travis), Eliza Gilkyson
Best Instrumentalist--Jerry Douglas, Bill Frisell, Natalie MacMaster, Dan Auerbach (Black Keys), Jeff Beck, Aly Bain, Ry Cooder, Dweezil Zappa, Bela Fleck, Robert Cray, Pat Donahue, Ron Block (Union Station), Vince Gill, Alison Brown, Sonny Landreth
Best Songs--Win Butler and Arcade Fire, Sufjan Stevens, Aimee Mann, Tift Merritt, Ry Cooder, Steve Earle, James McMurtry, Rufus Wainwright, Ray LaMontagne, Leonard Cohen, Conor Oberst, James Mercer (The Shins), Sarah Borges, Jeff Tweedy, David Hidalgo and Cesar Rosas (Los Lobos)
Top "Artists" redefined as individuals (no groups)--Win Butler, Sufjan Stevens, Rufus Wainwright, Jerry Douglas, Bill Frisell, Aimee Mann, Tift Merritt, Ry Cooder, Dweezil Zappa, Sarah Borges, Ray LaMontagne, Alison Krauss, Natalie MacMaster, Craig Finn, James McMurtry
Wednesday, January 30, 2013
A fun. time at Roy Wilkins Auditorium, St. Paul, January 23, 2013.
fun. rehearsed for 5 days at Paisley Park, Prince's home-studio, we were told, then played what vocalist Nate Reuss said was "the biggest hall we've ever played in our lives." That would be the Roy Wilkins Auditorium in St. Paul, MN, on Wednesday night, January 23, 2013.
And they were, well, fun.
And seeing them live, the paradox was resolved.
fun. opened the proceedings with "Out on the Town," which I happen to think is their best song, and "One Foot," both from the current LP Some Nights; "All the Pretty Girls," a great song from Aim and Ignite; and "Why Am I the One," also from Some Nights. This was all arena-pop at its very best. Simple, direct. You could hear and understand the vocals. You could sing along, easily, and the crowd sang along, loudly.
Then came the most perfect fun. song title, if not song: "At Least I'm Not As Sad (As I Used to Be"! This is fun?
The show lagged a bit through the middle sections, frankly. Many of their songs are mid-tempo and slower, but more than that Reuss' voice started getting lost in the mix. At his best, at their best, they are a vocal band, the music is supportive, almost incidental. And he came through loud and clear in the early going. But these songs give Reuss a workout, and maybe his voice got tired. The vocal chord is a muscle, and muscles get tired from strenous use. Or maybe the band got a little louder as time went by.
But this is hair-splitting. In the end, fun. came back to its strongest material and closed strong with "All Alright," then "Some Nights" and "Stars" as an encore.
And don't get me wrong about the music. It was solid. Andrew Dost stepped forward and played some engaging piano leads, while Jack Antonoff did the same with some occasional Van Halen guitar. But the music was background, accompaniment, meant to show off the vocals, and that's what they do.
Multi-instrumentalist Emily Moore stood out on the occasional vocal duet and on saxophone on "One Foot," but mostly contributed guitar and keyboards. As you know, fun. likes the drums far forward in the mix; now and again on Some Nights it sounds like there's an army of drummers. Will Noon successfully played the whole damn army. Bassist Nate Harold, well, played bass. I can't ever remember actually noticing what he was doing.
fun. promises their fans fun music, a fun time. And they deliver with bright, cheery, upbeat, energetic music, and they delivered Wednesday night with a bright, cheery, upbeat, energetic show. Their fans, who filled the 5,000 seat auditorium to the rafters--and you can trust me on this, because I was in the rafters--seemed to have a good time. (Understatement alert.)
But, then there's their lyrics. There's enough angst there to stop a fan in his or her tracks. This feeling that they sing about, I've had it, and it ain't fun. "Why am I the one/Always packing up my stuff?" Why don't my relationships last? "There's nothing left inside of my chest/But it's all alright." That's alright? Whoa. "There's no one to keep me warm." I'm starting to see a pattern here.
But seeing them live, it came to me. "We Are Young," they sang. Of course they're uncertain. Of course they don't know what they want. They don't know whether they've done right, whether they're on the path to happiness, or not. They're young. But they're not gonna let it get them down. They're still gonna manage to have, well, fun. They're gonna be "all alright."
Wednesday night they were better than all right. They were terrific. I can easily imagine that many in the crowd, which probably averaged under 20 years of age and ranged down to 6 and 7 years of age, thought this was the best concert they'd ever seen. A fun. time.
And they were, well, fun.
And seeing them live, the paradox was resolved.
fun. opened the proceedings with "Out on the Town," which I happen to think is their best song, and "One Foot," both from the current LP Some Nights; "All the Pretty Girls," a great song from Aim and Ignite; and "Why Am I the One," also from Some Nights. This was all arena-pop at its very best. Simple, direct. You could hear and understand the vocals. You could sing along, easily, and the crowd sang along, loudly.
Then came the most perfect fun. song title, if not song: "At Least I'm Not As Sad (As I Used to Be"! This is fun?
The show lagged a bit through the middle sections, frankly. Many of their songs are mid-tempo and slower, but more than that Reuss' voice started getting lost in the mix. At his best, at their best, they are a vocal band, the music is supportive, almost incidental. And he came through loud and clear in the early going. But these songs give Reuss a workout, and maybe his voice got tired. The vocal chord is a muscle, and muscles get tired from strenous use. Or maybe the band got a little louder as time went by.
But this is hair-splitting. In the end, fun. came back to its strongest material and closed strong with "All Alright," then "Some Nights" and "Stars" as an encore.
And don't get me wrong about the music. It was solid. Andrew Dost stepped forward and played some engaging piano leads, while Jack Antonoff did the same with some occasional Van Halen guitar. But the music was background, accompaniment, meant to show off the vocals, and that's what they do.
Multi-instrumentalist Emily Moore stood out on the occasional vocal duet and on saxophone on "One Foot," but mostly contributed guitar and keyboards. As you know, fun. likes the drums far forward in the mix; now and again on Some Nights it sounds like there's an army of drummers. Will Noon successfully played the whole damn army. Bassist Nate Harold, well, played bass. I can't ever remember actually noticing what he was doing.
fun. promises their fans fun music, a fun time. And they deliver with bright, cheery, upbeat, energetic music, and they delivered Wednesday night with a bright, cheery, upbeat, energetic show. Their fans, who filled the 5,000 seat auditorium to the rafters--and you can trust me on this, because I was in the rafters--seemed to have a good time. (Understatement alert.)
But, then there's their lyrics. There's enough angst there to stop a fan in his or her tracks. This feeling that they sing about, I've had it, and it ain't fun. "Why am I the one/Always packing up my stuff?" Why don't my relationships last? "There's nothing left inside of my chest/But it's all alright." That's alright? Whoa. "There's no one to keep me warm." I'm starting to see a pattern here.
But seeing them live, it came to me. "We Are Young," they sang. Of course they're uncertain. Of course they don't know what they want. They don't know whether they've done right, whether they're on the path to happiness, or not. They're young. But they're not gonna let it get them down. They're still gonna manage to have, well, fun. They're gonna be "all alright."
Wednesday night they were better than all right. They were terrific. I can easily imagine that many in the crowd, which probably averaged under 20 years of age and ranged down to 6 and 7 years of age, thought this was the best concert they'd ever seen. A fun. time.
Tuesday, January 29, 2013
Best Concerts of the 21st Century UPDATE October 2016
I vaguely remember seeing Zappa (about 5 times?), Springsteen, Steely Dan, Jethro Tull, Led Zeppelin. Those would be among the best concerts I've ever seen. But they were all 25 years ago or more. I may try to list the best concerts someday but it won't be easy.
Even the past 12 years is tough enough. But with memory at least a little fresher I'm going to give the best concerts of the 21st century a go. Most were seen in the Minneapolis-St. Paul area, unless otherwise noted.
NOTE: Edited September 2016.
1. Leonard Cohen, Orpheum, 2009. I've written about this elsewhere (a post titled Songs of Love and Hate).
2. The Mavericks, Minnesota State Fair, Summer 2012; and Pantages Theatre, 2014. A great, great live show featuring Raul Malo's amazing vocals. But more than that, this is a crack band with a clever lead guitarist in Eddie Gomez and a great little (2-man) horn section.
3. Rufus Wainwright, Orpheum, 2008. Charismatic, with strong vocals and a piano that filled the auditorium as surely as a full band. Opened with "The Art Teacher." In other words, tossed off his best song as if it were but an hors d'oeuvre.
4. Zappa Plays Zappa, Orpheum, 2006. The video, though not shot in Minneapolis, documents what we saw, which was nothing less than spectacularly wonderful.
5. Dracula, Philip Glass and the Kronos Quartet, 2000. This was on Halloween night with Glass and Kronos playing live accompaniment to the 1930s version of the film.
6. Rufus Wainwright, Minnesota Zoo, Summer 2012. Actually there's a separate review of this.
7. Iris DeMent, Cedar Cultural Center, 2013. On the heels of Sing the Delta, her 1st record of new material in 16 years, an older Iris. Didn't hit the high notes so hard, but still rips out every ounce of emotion from what are already very emotional songs. Still electrifying.
8. Blood on the Tracks, Orpheum, 2004. A bunch of Minneapolis session men (Billy Berg, Greg Inhofer, Jimmy Johnson, Cris Webber and others) played on Dylan's Blood on the Tracks without credit. Here they reunited with a variety of guest vocalists to recreate each song from that terrific record.
9. Sarah Borges, The Turf Club, 2007. We were among a dozen or so people to catch the show but Borges just totally ripped it up as if playing before tens of thousands. Fabulous.
10. Natalie MacMaster, Cambridge Center for the Performing Arts, 2005. Great fiddler, great entertainer, great show.
11. Auto Body Experience, here and there, 2007-2012. Since discovering this Twin Cities band in 2007, we have now seen them at least 8 times, maybe more. True originals.
12. Charlie Haden's Liberation Music Orchestra, 2016. At Chicago's Millennium Park. There's a separate review of 2016 concerts.
13. The Mavericks, 2015. Pantages Theater, Minneapolis.
14. Marty Stuart, 2016. At the Minnesota State Fair.
15. Jeff Beck, Orpheum, 2009(?). I had forgotten about this one. It was great and also a little disappointing. He blew me away so totally with his set on Eric Clapton's Crossroads Guitar Fest, this wasn't quite that great. No Vinnie Colauita, no Tal Wilkenfeld, for 2 reasons. Still it was very much worth seeing. Hey, I saw Jeff Beck!
16. Vince Gill, Paramount Theatre, Cedar Rapids, IA, 2016. I had forgotten how poppy his big hits were but since his singles run appears to be over, he's been more free to sing more traditional types of songs--both actual chestnuts and originals with that old-time, George Jones-type of feel. This had its high points, to be sure, but overall it was too much pop and not enough old-time country music.
17. Alison Krauss, O'Shaghnessy Auditorium, 2000. We've seen her maybe 3 times, this was just the most recent, and we expect to see her later in 2012. Great vocalist, of course, but what stands out even more is this incredible band of hers including the great Jerry Douglas.
18. Hem, Varsity Theater, 2006. Great songs, nice singer in Sally Elkyson, a little laid back.
19. Los Lobos, Minnesota Zoo, 2012. Los Lobos played too briefly and did not play anything from Will the Wolf Survive.
20. Tift Merritt, Fine Line, 2005. Great songwriter, excellent singer.
21. Mark Knopfler, Orpheum, 2001. Great great artist.
22. fun. Roy Wilkins Auditorium, January 2013, at their peak, a few weeks before their appearance on the Grammies. And they were fun.
23. Roger Waters, Xcel Energy Center, 2007. I dunno, a creature of another time.
24. New Standards Holiday Show, 2015.
25. Richard Thompson and Bonnie Raitt, 2016. At Ravinia Park near Chicago.
26. Bill Frisell, Cedar Cultural Center, 2000. Trio with Tony Scherer and Kenny Wolleson, I think.
27. Robben Ford, Mears Park, 2013. Great showman, great guitarist, surprisingly good vocals.
28. The Butanes, Shaw's Bar, Minneapolis, 2014. A local 4-piece band with a Hammond B3 and Leslie speaker. A great blues band who did Booker T's "Time Is Tight" better than Booker T did it a year-and-a-half later. Then they brought up the great Twin Cities vocalist Maurice Jacox who totally knocked "When Something Is Wrong With My Baby" out of the park.
28. Aimee Mann. We've seen her twice and, frankly, she's not a great live performer. She seems uncomfortable on stage. But great voice, great songs, great career.
29. Alison Krauss with Union Station featuring Jerry Douglas, Biltmore, Asheville, NC, Summer 2012.
30. The Gourds, Cedar Cultural Center, 2012. Overshadowed the guy we went to see, James McMurtry. Great energetic show, very entertaining.
31. Polka Floyd, Octoberfest, downtown Toledo, OH, September 2013. Pink Floyd cover/tribute band with more schtick than you can shake a...well, never mind. They play 'em polka style. Very highly recommended.
32. Zappa Plays Zappa, First Avenue. Maybe 2009? Way funkier than the 2006 show.
33. The New Standards, Mears Park, Summer 2014; Paradise Center for the Arts, Faribault, MN, winter 2015. A fiendishly original and clever band consisting of just acoustic piano, vibraphone and stand-up bass. Great covers of rock "standards."
34. Pat Donahue, The Fitzgerald Theater, 2007.
35. Benny Golson, Chicago, 2016. Legendary jazz saxophone.
36. Steve Earle, Minnesota Zoo, 2012. I love Steve Earle but it was 95 degrees and just not a great setting.
37. Blood on the Tracks, 2013 and 2015 (?). Local Twin Cities musicians paying tribute to Bob Dylan.
38. Booker T. and the MGs, 2016, Mears Park.
39. Michael Nesmith, Fitzgerald Theater, 2013. Not great, but solid. The guy has had more of a career than you think.
40. C.J. Chenier, Mears Park, St. Paul, 2013. OK, it was rainin' and it was freezin' cold. These guys would rate higher under better circumstances. But seriously, you could hear that there was something special goin' on.
41. James McMurtry, 400 Bar, 2008; Cedar Cultural Center, 2012. A little disappointing.
42. Wilco, Orpheum, 2002. Disappointing.
43. Buckwheat Zydeco, 2014, Minnesota State Fair. Totally disappointing.
44. Jolie Holland, Varsity Theater, 2007. Totally underwhelming compared to her great record, Springtime Can Kill You.
45. Halloween Alaska, 400 Bar, 2007. Very disappointing.
46. The Shins, Orpheum Theater, 2012. Very disappointing.
Even the past 12 years is tough enough. But with memory at least a little fresher I'm going to give the best concerts of the 21st century a go. Most were seen in the Minneapolis-St. Paul area, unless otherwise noted.
NOTE: Edited September 2016.
1. Leonard Cohen, Orpheum, 2009. I've written about this elsewhere (a post titled Songs of Love and Hate).
2. The Mavericks, Minnesota State Fair, Summer 2012; and Pantages Theatre, 2014. A great, great live show featuring Raul Malo's amazing vocals. But more than that, this is a crack band with a clever lead guitarist in Eddie Gomez and a great little (2-man) horn section.
4. Zappa Plays Zappa, Orpheum, 2006. The video, though not shot in Minneapolis, documents what we saw, which was nothing less than spectacularly wonderful.
5. Dracula, Philip Glass and the Kronos Quartet, 2000. This was on Halloween night with Glass and Kronos playing live accompaniment to the 1930s version of the film.
6. Rufus Wainwright, Minnesota Zoo, Summer 2012. Actually there's a separate review of this.
7. Iris DeMent, Cedar Cultural Center, 2013. On the heels of Sing the Delta, her 1st record of new material in 16 years, an older Iris. Didn't hit the high notes so hard, but still rips out every ounce of emotion from what are already very emotional songs. Still electrifying.
8. Blood on the Tracks, Orpheum, 2004. A bunch of Minneapolis session men (Billy Berg, Greg Inhofer, Jimmy Johnson, Cris Webber and others) played on Dylan's Blood on the Tracks without credit. Here they reunited with a variety of guest vocalists to recreate each song from that terrific record.
9. Sarah Borges, The Turf Club, 2007. We were among a dozen or so people to catch the show but Borges just totally ripped it up as if playing before tens of thousands. Fabulous.
10. Natalie MacMaster, Cambridge Center for the Performing Arts, 2005. Great fiddler, great entertainer, great show.
11. Auto Body Experience, here and there, 2007-2012. Since discovering this Twin Cities band in 2007, we have now seen them at least 8 times, maybe more. True originals.
12. Charlie Haden's Liberation Music Orchestra, 2016. At Chicago's Millennium Park. There's a separate review of 2016 concerts.
13. The Mavericks, 2015. Pantages Theater, Minneapolis.
14. Marty Stuart, 2016. At the Minnesota State Fair.
15. Jeff Beck, Orpheum, 2009(?). I had forgotten about this one. It was great and also a little disappointing. He blew me away so totally with his set on Eric Clapton's Crossroads Guitar Fest, this wasn't quite that great. No Vinnie Colauita, no Tal Wilkenfeld, for 2 reasons. Still it was very much worth seeing. Hey, I saw Jeff Beck!
16. Vince Gill, Paramount Theatre, Cedar Rapids, IA, 2016. I had forgotten how poppy his big hits were but since his singles run appears to be over, he's been more free to sing more traditional types of songs--both actual chestnuts and originals with that old-time, George Jones-type of feel. This had its high points, to be sure, but overall it was too much pop and not enough old-time country music.
17. Alison Krauss, O'Shaghnessy Auditorium, 2000. We've seen her maybe 3 times, this was just the most recent, and we expect to see her later in 2012. Great vocalist, of course, but what stands out even more is this incredible band of hers including the great Jerry Douglas.
18. Hem, Varsity Theater, 2006. Great songs, nice singer in Sally Elkyson, a little laid back.
19. Los Lobos, Minnesota Zoo, 2012. Los Lobos played too briefly and did not play anything from Will the Wolf Survive.
20. Tift Merritt, Fine Line, 2005. Great songwriter, excellent singer.
21. Mark Knopfler, Orpheum, 2001. Great great artist.
22. fun. Roy Wilkins Auditorium, January 2013, at their peak, a few weeks before their appearance on the Grammies. And they were fun.
23. Roger Waters, Xcel Energy Center, 2007. I dunno, a creature of another time.
25. Richard Thompson and Bonnie Raitt, 2016. At Ravinia Park near Chicago.
26. Bill Frisell, Cedar Cultural Center, 2000. Trio with Tony Scherer and Kenny Wolleson, I think.
28. The Butanes, Shaw's Bar, Minneapolis, 2014. A local 4-piece band with a Hammond B3 and Leslie speaker. A great blues band who did Booker T's "Time Is Tight" better than Booker T did it a year-and-a-half later. Then they brought up the great Twin Cities vocalist Maurice Jacox who totally knocked "When Something Is Wrong With My Baby" out of the park.
28. Aimee Mann. We've seen her twice and, frankly, she's not a great live performer. She seems uncomfortable on stage. But great voice, great songs, great career.
29. Alison Krauss with Union Station featuring Jerry Douglas, Biltmore, Asheville, NC, Summer 2012.
30. The Gourds, Cedar Cultural Center, 2012. Overshadowed the guy we went to see, James McMurtry. Great energetic show, very entertaining.
31. Polka Floyd, Octoberfest, downtown Toledo, OH, September 2013. Pink Floyd cover/tribute band with more schtick than you can shake a...well, never mind. They play 'em polka style. Very highly recommended.
32. Zappa Plays Zappa, First Avenue. Maybe 2009? Way funkier than the 2006 show.
33. The New Standards, Mears Park, Summer 2014; Paradise Center for the Arts, Faribault, MN, winter 2015. A fiendishly original and clever band consisting of just acoustic piano, vibraphone and stand-up bass. Great covers of rock "standards."
34. Pat Donahue, The Fitzgerald Theater, 2007.
35. Benny Golson, Chicago, 2016. Legendary jazz saxophone.
36. Steve Earle, Minnesota Zoo, 2012. I love Steve Earle but it was 95 degrees and just not a great setting.
37. Blood on the Tracks, 2013 and 2015 (?). Local Twin Cities musicians paying tribute to Bob Dylan.
38. Booker T. and the MGs, 2016, Mears Park.
39. Michael Nesmith, Fitzgerald Theater, 2013. Not great, but solid. The guy has had more of a career than you think.
40. C.J. Chenier, Mears Park, St. Paul, 2013. OK, it was rainin' and it was freezin' cold. These guys would rate higher under better circumstances. But seriously, you could hear that there was something special goin' on.
41. James McMurtry, 400 Bar, 2008; Cedar Cultural Center, 2012. A little disappointing.
42. Wilco, Orpheum, 2002. Disappointing.
43. Buckwheat Zydeco, 2014, Minnesota State Fair. Totally disappointing.
44. Jolie Holland, Varsity Theater, 2007. Totally underwhelming compared to her great record, Springtime Can Kill You.
45. Halloween Alaska, 400 Bar, 2007. Very disappointing.
46. The Shins, Orpheum Theater, 2012. Very disappointing.
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