Fall/Winter Concert Chronicles

[alantig]

Decided to start a new thread since it's not really summer any more. And let's make it anticipation and aftermath.

After the Brian's event on Friday, I drove to Red Bank, NJ to hit Jay & Silent Bob's Secret Stash and Jack's Music Shoppe. I'd also planned to hit a deli there, but it's closed now. That sucked - we were looking forward to it enough that I'd packed the stuff I'd need to bring a sammich home for my son. When I decided to do the Brian's trip, I knew the Red Bank visit was pretty much certain - it only added about an hour or so to the drive.

What I hadn't realized, and didn't commit to until Thursday, was that I could add a concert to the itinerary. Once I scheduled the time off, I check the dates for the Mike Keneally & Beer For Dolphins East Coast tour. I'd looked at them before, but only in terms of whether it was close enough to get to a show. It wasn't - until the trip. I figured an extra night at a hotel followed by a 4 AM wake up to drive the 5 hours home to referee this afternoon was worth it. As it turned out, it was a 2 PM show (seriously? Yes.), so I ended up driving home after the show. 18 hours (counting food breaks) in the van - whee.

Anyway, the tour is Mike on guitar/keys/vocals, Bryan Beller on bass/vocals, and Joe Travers on drums/vocals. These guys have played together at various times for years. They're all incredible musicians. This was my first time to see this lineup, and they did not disappoint. Tons of stuff from all of Mike's career, from "hat." to "Scambot 2". The new material went over extremely well and was dynamite live. Got to hear a couple old classics. If you get a chance to see these guys, it's well worth it.

 

[alantig]

Coming up this week, Craig Ferguson, the Rush documentary in theaters, and Dweezil Zappa. After that, things slow down for the rest of the year - Lewis Black and Jim Jefferies are the only sure things, with the possibility of Reverend Horton Heat, Peter Wolf, Carcass (!!!), John Cleese and maybe another couple.

After the first of the year, Davy Knowles! And they just announced Buddy Guy for March.

 

[Dusty Chalk]

I missed Mike Keneally and BFD when they came through town recently (work). I was really looking forward to it, as a weekly DJ that I listen to interviewed him recently. He's great live.

Craig Ferguson is hilarious. I shall have to check to see if he's hitting anywhere here, I would want to see him.

My upcoming: Lindsey Sterling (violinist), John Wesley (Saturday @ 9:30 Club, DC), missed Zappa (was tonight), Swallow the Sun in a week in Silver Spring (with Sonata Arctica and Leaves' Eyes, whom I've seen before and love)...

...and I might have to go to that Pet Shop Boys show. They supposedly always put on one spectacle-laden show.

 

[bodia]

On the slow for me right now. Just Trans Siberian Orchestra in December. The only other thing I have tickets for is UFO/Saxon in March and Hamilton in February.

 

[BrianC]

On the slow for me right now. Just Trans Siberian Orchestra in December. The only other thing I have tickets for is UFO/Saxon in March and Hamilton in February.

Also going to that same UFO show in March!!

 

[bodia]

Also going to that same UFO show in March!!

Nice! I suggest a pre-show beverage!

 

[Michael_DK]

Just came back from Opeth in Copenhagen. Awesome concert!

 

[Big Mard]

Saw Tab Benoit with Anthony Rosano this past Saturday in VA Beach.. Samantha Fish Band in 2 weeks and I have tickets for Firehouse in Feb.

 

[Berten]

yesterday I attended a concert of Alter Bridge. it was awesome, a lot of new songs in the set, but also the fan favourites (although I found on setlist.fm they also played water rising on earlier dates. kinda sucks the show was cut short due to curfew). honestly, the guitars on stage were stunning. myles' voice the first song wasn't all that, but with the second song the soundguys found the sweet spot. the guitartone of mark was thunderous. it was great to see they were having a lot of fun on stage. can't wait to see them again in London in a couple of weeks

as a special guest, they brought along living colour, which I only knew by name. it was a very nice surprise. the guitarist was sporting a gold starla, but with a Floyd. the sounds he produced were mind blowing.



next up tomorrow: kadavar + blues pills

 

[Berten]

yesterday I went to see Volbeat (with Airbourne and Crobot), in a couple of days it will be Opeth and next week Alter Bridge (with Volbeat, Gojira and Like a Storm). great days ahead!

 

[goat-n-gitter]

Steven Wilson in Atlanta this Thursday - I'll be there. Sold out show. John Wesley opening.

 

[alantig]

Coming up this week, Craig Ferguson, the Rush documentary in theaters, and Dweezil Zappa. After that, things slow down for the rest of the year - Lewis Black and Jim Jefferies are the only sure things, with the possibility of Reverend Horton Heat, Peter Wolf, Carcass (!!!), John Cleese and maybe another couple.

After the first of the year, Davy Knowles! And they just announced Buddy Guy for March.

Well, some things didn't work out as planned...

Craig Ferguson got rescheduled to March. Lewis Black was canceled with no new date announced yet - there's an orchestra strike and he is honoring the picket line (Brian Regan and Elvis Costello both canceled shows for the same reason; Regan has announced his makeup show will be a free show).

The Rush doc was dynamite. Dweezil's show was outstanding - the new vocalists are awesome, and they played a few songs that were surprises to me, including "Yo Mama", "You Are What You Is", and "Watermelon In Easter Hay". We had the soundcheck package, so we got to see them run through a handful of songs before the show - "Watermelon" was in that batch. Brendon Small saw an earlier show and referred to "Watermelon" as "the forbidden song". Very cool to hear.

 

[Dusty Chalk]

Gojira are one of my favorite live acts.
Saw Iliza Shlesinger, hilarious .
Helloween are apparently announcing tour dates, with past and current members.

 

[bodia]

Saw Iliza Shlesinger, hilarious .
Helloween are apparently announcing tour dates, with past and current members.

Hilarious and hawt!

Saw Helloween with Gamma Ray opening in 2007 or 2008. Great show

 

[alantig]

Gojira are one of my favorite live acts.
Saw Iliza Shlesinger, hilarious .
Helloween are apparently announcing tour dates, with past and current members.

Saw Iliza in an Improv earlier this year. Very funny - got to say hey afterwards. Glad we went - I just saw that she's not doing the full-scale meet & greets anymore because she gets sick too often. Limited to 50 people now, determined by sending pics to her on social media.

 

[Dusty Chalk]

Saw Iliza in an Improv earlier this year. Very funny - got to say hey afterwards. Glad we went - I just saw that she's not doing the full-scale meet & greets anymore because she gets sick too often. Limited to 50 people now, determined by sending pics to her on social media.

So, funny story, she ends show, I have to pee, so I urge my friend to get moving, but it's crowded, so it's slow going. I know precisely shortest route, so once there's enough room, I take the lead. Part of the path is through the lobby, and as soon as I round the corner, there she is. I do a double-take, ask, "did you run?" ("No.") Then proceed on my way. On my way back by, it's too crowded, so that's her entire impression of me. Oh, well...it really was a great show, she threw in a lot of little DC references. It was my first comedy show, so I was a little worried, but I had multiple guffaws.

 

[goat-n-gitter]

Steven Wilson put on a great show Thursday. 3 hours less a 20 minute intermission. Dave Kilminster played his butt off!
I just scored really good seats for Neal Morse band February 4.

 

[tiboy]

Brian Setzer's Christmas show Monday night.

 

[bodia]

Brian Setzer's Christmas show Monday night.

Those are always a blast! Have fun!

 

[László]

Speaking of tours, my son's band Partybaby are on tour in the UK this month.