The mock two-page black & white Playbills handed out when we entered the Ryman were a foreshadowing. This night, the last of Jenny Lewis’ seven-show, four-city Rabbit Fur Coat 10th Anniversary Tour would dabble in theater: three costume changes, staged choreography, and two set changes and intermissions. But, when it was all said and done, […]
I know I’m not alone in claiming Rick Danko to be my favorite member of The Band. Elvis Costello once said in a magazine interview that Danko was his absolute hero. Forever blessed to have seen The Band live several times in the Seventies, it was always Rick I loved to hear most. Without taking […]
It was “Sweet Sixteen” all the way for New Jersey’s annual series of benefit concerts to raise funds for the fight against Parkinson’s disease. The 16th annual event also happened to be held on the 16th day of the 16th year of the current century. In addition to a number of smaller shows happening around […]
I don’t consider myself a huge Bowie fan. Although I have and love most of his records, I just didn’t follow his career as closely as I probably should have. However, it’s hard to let the news of his recent passing go without comment. What I have been saying is that it’s hard to imagine […]
Five songs into his solo acoustic performance, Steve Earle said “Do you all see I’m doing?” Tipped off by the early set placement of his two best known songs (“Guitar Town” and “Copperhead Road”) yours truly replied in the affirmative. Currently in the process of writing a “memoir,” Earle was cleverly walking through his career […]
The following was overheard above the cries of a teething infant at the Hermitage, TN household of Mr. and Mrs. J. Isbell: “Honey, what do you want to do over the Christmas holidays? Why don’t we drive down to Nashville and play a couple of shows together for our friends down there?” Well, thanks again […]
“As you can see, we split-up already” joked Chris Difford before singing “Cool for Cats.” This was while his on-and-off-again, career-spanning musical collaborator, Glenn Tilbrook left the stage to change out of his pajamas. Chris later made a similar wardrobe change after Glenn returned for a solo piano version of one of Squeeze’s biggest hits, […]
The wheels were set in motion back on June 11, 2013. The crowd for Jason Isbell’s Grimeys in-store appearance were told that our newest local Americana hero would be making his headlining Ryman debut on August 17. Little did we know back then that this would mark what looks to be an ever-expanding annual event. […]
Yesterday’s passing of Allen Toussaint was especially sad after having just read much about this classy gentlemen and musical genius in Elvis Costello’s new memoir, Unfaithful Music and Disappearing Ink. While Allen’s name first hit my musical radar as a result of his work with The Band, it was his Costello connection through their 2006 […]
Despite the attempts of my millennial-generation son to influence me, I have never taking a liking to EDM (“Electronic Dance Music”). The enterprising and well-connected youngster even once comped me along with him to New York City’s Electric Zoo festival. There we saw genre superstar, Skrillex, perform “live” in front of some 80,000 crazed fans […]
Music City Mike 