• Blog,  Concerts

    Great Music & Storytelling: Kevin Costner & Modern West Concert Review

    I saw Kevin Costner & Modern West in concert Saturday night in Corbin, Kentucky.
     
    Very good show.
     
    I’ve been a fan of Kevin as an actor since at least 1991, but until somewhat recently, I was not aware of his music.
     
    I’m glad I discovered it.
     
    He has 5 albums (and I hope a 6th one is coming because many new songs were played at this show).
     
    All the albums are very good. My favorite one is called From Where I Stand.
     
    The show starts off with a montage of many of his movies throughout the years.
     
    Then the band comes on and plays for roughly 90 minutes, maybe a little more.
     
    Such a great time.
     
    I’m glad I can say I got to see another person I’ve admired for many years.
     
    And he is a very good singer and his band is great.
     
    And he’s just a cool guy. He tells a lot of stories.
     
    For example, when he told his Dad he was going to be an actor, his Dad’s head hit the kitchen table and asked him a bunch of questions.
     
    Later on in his career, when Kevin told his Dad that he was going to direct, he said his Dad’s head hit the kitchen table even harder and said Kevin this acting thing is going so well so why screw it up by directing. Great story.
     
    Ultimately, Kevin said regardless of what you do in life, go for it at 90 miles an hour.
     
    Check them out.

    Kevin Costner & Modern West Set List:

    1. Red River
    2. Long Hot Night
    3. Night We Let Go (New Song)
    4. 90 Miles An Hour
    5. Down In Nogales
    6. Chasing The Wind (New Song)
    7. Give A Little Love (New Song)
    8. I Can’t Do This Without You
    9. I Won’t Stop Loving You
    10. Rollin’ (New Song)
    11. Alive In The City
    12. Long Way From Home
    13. Hey Man What About You
    14. When The Angels Came Down
    15. Mr. Tambourine Man

    Photo Gallery (click on thumbnail to view larger image)

    Video Gallery (click on thumbnail to play video)

  • Blog,  Concerts

    Southern Hard Rock and Metal Health: Molly Hatchet/Quiet Riot Concert Review

    I saw another pretty fun concert.
     
    Molly Hatchet and Quiet Riot at Express Live in Columbus, Ohio.
     
    Quiet Riot technically only has one classic member: bassist Chuck Wright, who is actually leaving the band soon in which another classic Quiet Riot bassist Rudy Sarzo will be returning.
     
    And unfortunately classic singer Kevin Dubrow has been dead since 2007 and drummer Frankie Banali passed away last year.
     
    Having said that, the band still sounds great.
     
    Rounding out the band are singer Jizzy Pearl, who also sang for Love/Hate, LA Guns and RATT, and has sung for Quiet Riot a few times since Kevin’s passing.
     
    Also, guitarist Alex Grossi has been in the band since the early 2000s and drummer Johnny Kelly, who has played with Type O Negative and Danzig, and who was chosen by Frankie to fill in for him when he couldn’t play due to his cancer treatments.
     
    It was Frankie’s wish that Quiet Riot carry on and they are.
     
    For what it’s worth, even with all the lineup changes, they sound great. Truly.
     
    Even though he is leaving soon, Chuck is a beast on the bass and can play circles around most bassists.
     
    Jizzy can sing these songs very well.
     
    Alex is a very good guitarist and Johnny is a great drummer.
     
    I’ll certainly go see them again once Rudy returns.
     
    Later, Molly Hatchet came on and rocked.
     
    They’re another band like Quiet Riot who have had MANY lineup changes over the decades.
     
    Aside from the singer, most of this lineup has been there quite awhile though.
     
    Unfortunately all the original members are dead.
     
    The guitarist, Bobby Ingram, who has been in the band since 1987, bought the name many years ago and continues to carry it on.
     
    Rounding out the band is singer Jimmy Elkins, who joined two years ago (Edit:  Jimmy exited in 2023 and Parker Lee became the new singer), keyboardist John Galvin, who has been in the band from 1984-1990 and then from 1995-now, bassist Tim Lindsey who has been there since 2003, and drummer Shawn Beamer, who has been there since 2001.
     
    Again for what it is, it’s a very good band and they sing and play great.
     
    One fan who was able to get onstage and hold the American Flag with the singer has seen Molly Hatchet 392 times.
     
    Normally I would knock stuff like this because of all the changes, but in this instance, I’m ok with it.
     
    And frankly, this is probably the future for music.
     
    The band name and the songs will sell the tickets, not the members.
     
    That sounds disrespectful and I don’t mean it that way.
     
    But I think it’s true.
     
    But again, this was a fun show.
     
    I enjoyed both bands thoroughly and I would go again.
     
    So if you want to have a good time, go see both of these bands.

    Molly Hatchet Band Members:

    Quiet Riot Band Members:

    Molly Hatchet Set List:

    1. Whiskey Man
    2. Bounty Hunter
    3. Gator Country
    4. It’s All Over Now
    5. One Mans Pleasure
    6. Devils Canyon
    7. Drum Solo
    8. Beatin’ The Odds
    9. I’m Gonna Live ‘Til I Die
    10. In The Darkness Of The Night
    11. Fall Of The Peacemakers
    12. Jukin’ City
    13. Layla (Ending)
    14. Dreams I’ll Never See
    15. Encore:  Flirtin’ With Disaster

    Quiet Riot Set List:

    1. Run For Cover
    2. Slick Black Cadillac
    3. Sign Of The Times
    4. Love’s A Bitch
    5. Condition Critical
    6. Thunderbird
    7. Blackout In The Red Room (Love/Hate cover, Jizzy’s band)
    8. The Wild And The Young
    9. Let’s Get Crazy (includes Alex Guitar Solo)
    10. Cum On Feel The Noize
    11. Bang Your Head (Metal Health)

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  • Blog,  Concerts

    Alice & Space Ace: Alice Cooper/Ace Frehley Concert Review

    Dream concert bill: Alice Cooper and Ace Frehley
     
    Two of my heroes.
     
    I went with my girlfriend Mariah Startzman to see these two legends at The Rose The Rose Music Center At The Heights in Huber Heights, Ohio.
     
    Ace started off with a short but rocking set.
     
    My only complaint is that his set is not long enough but it was great to see him again.
     
    His band kicks butt and Ace is still amazing.
     
    He’s still making great albums too.
     
    Then Alice and his band came on roughly 30 minutes after Ace and did another classic performance.
     
    There is no such thing as a bad Alice show.
     
    Lots of different songs added to the set, and a awesome stage set too.
     
    I’m glad I saw Alice again. He’s forever awesome.
     
    Still making great albums also.
     
    And I’m glad I was able to show my girlfriend this amazing concert.
     
    I’ve converted her into being a big Alice and Ace fan.

    Alice Cooper Band Members:

    Ace Frehley Band Members:

    Alice Cooper Set List:

    1. Feed My Frankenstein
    2. No More Mr. Nice Guy
    3. Bed Of Nails
    4. Rock And Roll (The Velvet Underground cover)
    5. Fallen In Love
    6. Go Man Go
    7. Under My Wheels
    8. He’s Back (The Man Behind The Mask)
    9. Social Debris
    10. I’m Eighteen
    11. Poison
    12. Nita Strauss Guitar Solo
    13. Billion Dollar Babies
    14. Roses On White Lace
    15. My Stars
    16. Devils Food
    17. Black Widow (Band Jam/Drum Solo)
    18. Steven
    19. Dead Babies
    20. I Love The Dead
    21. Escape
    22. Teenage Frankenstein
    23. School’s Out

    Ace Frehley Set List:

    1. Rocket Ride
    2. Parasite
    3. Strutter
    4. Rip It Out
    5. Never In My Life (Mountain cover-some of it)
    6. Good Times Bad Times (Led Zeppelin cover)
    7. Detroit Rock City
    8. New York Groove
    9. Shock Me
    10. Ace Guitar Solo (included bits of the James Bond Theme, The Beatles’ Day Tripper, ZZ Top’s La Grange)
    11. Deuce

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    Video Gallery (click on thumbnail to play video)

  • Blog,  Concerts

    Slowhand & a Thunderbird: Eric Clapton/Jimmie Vaughan Concert Review

    I never thought I could say this but I FINALLY saw Eric Clapton in concert.
     
    He played at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tennessee.
     
    Jimmie Vaughan (Stevie Ray Vaughan’s older brother and also a member of The Fabulous Thunderbirds) opened the show with a very rocking set of songs.
     
    He and his band really cook.  Fun set.
     
    Then came Slowhand himself.
     
    Regardless of the controversy of his opinion of vaccines these days, which I highly disagree with him on, I still think he is a phenomenal talent and he lets the music do the talking.
     
    His band is great (Paul Carrack, ex singer of Mike And The Mechanics, Squeeze, and Ace as well as a solo artist) is one of his keyboard players and sings lead on the last song of the set.) and he lets everyone in the band shine.
     
    He played hits, blues songs, an acoustic set, and jammed a lot.
     
    He still kicks butt.
     
    I’m glad I finally saw him.
     
    Jimmie Vaughan and even Marcus King (a young star on the rise) jammed with Eric and his band at the end.
     
    Again, I never thought I would ever see Eric because he hasn’t really toured, aside from doing a handful of shows, in the last several years.  So I figured I better make the drive to Nashville (roughly 6 hours from my house).  Well worth it.
     
    My next concert is Alice Cooper and Ace Frehley next Tuesday.
     
    More to come.

    Eric Clapton Band Members:

    Eric Clapton Set List:

    1. Pretending
    2. Key To The Highway
    3. Hoochie Koochie Man
    4. I Shot The Sheriff
    5. Driftin’ (Acoustic)
    6. Man Of The World (Acoustic)
    7. Nobody Knows You When You’re Down And Out (Acoustic)
    8. Tears In Heaven (Acoustic)
    9. Layla (Acoustic)
    10. Got To Get Better In A Little While
    11. Wonderful Tonight
    12. Little Queen Of Spades
    13. Cocaine
    14. Encore:  High Time We Went (sung by Paul Carrack and Jimmie Vaughan returned to play guitar and Marcus King played guitar too)

    Jimmie Vaughan Set List:

    1. D/FW
    2. The Pleasure’s All Mine
    3. Roll Roll Roll
    4. Texas Flood
    5. I Ain’t Never
    6. Baby Scratch My Back
    7. Baby Please Come Home
    8. You Can’t Sit Down
    9. Boom Bapa Boom

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  • Blog,  Concerts

    Rage & Empire: Geoff Tate Concert Review

    For the first time since 2003, I saw original Queensryche singer Geoff Tate
     
    He is performing all the songs from the classic Queensryche albums Rage For Order and Empire.
     
    Contrary to what some people say, he still sings phenomenal and his band play the songs great.
     
    Geoff is one of my favorite singers and always will be.
     
    He is the main reason why I became a Queensryche fan and I’m a fan of the work he still does and will continue to do.
     
    If you read this Geoff, thank you for the albums.
     
    Just the song Hard Times alone from Dedicated To Chaos has really helped me in times of struggle.
     
    Thank you!

    Geoff Tate Set Lists:

    Set 1:  Rage For Order Album

    1. Walk In The Shadows
    2. I Dream In Infrared
    3. The Whisper
    4. Gonna Get Close To You
    5. The Killing Words
    6. Surgical Strike
    7. Neue Regel
    8. Chemical Youth (We Are Rebellion)
    9. London
    10. Screaming In Digital
    11. I Will Remember

    Set 2:  Empire Album

    1. Best I Can
    2. The Thin Line
    3. Jet City Woman
    4. Della Brown
    5. Another Rainy Night
    6. Empire
    7. Resistance
    8. Silent Lucidity
    9. Hand On Heart
    10. One And Only
    11. Anybody Listening?
    12. Encore:  Last Time In Paris
    13. Take Hold Of The Flame

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  • Blog,  Concerts

    It’s My Life: Billy Joel Concert Review

    I finally saw Billy Joel in concert!!
     
    He played at the Great American Ballpark in Cincinnati.
     
    He played many songs, told funny stories, and basically just put on one heck of a show.
     
    This was a HUGE concert for me, having grown up on his music.
     
    He still sings and plays amazing.
     
    His band is great.
     
    And of course his songs are timeless.

    Billy Joel Set List:

    1. Movin’ Out
    2. Pressure
    3. The Entertainer
    4. Vienna (audience choice between that and Just The Way You Are)
    5. Zanzibar
    6. Don’t Ask Me Why
    7. A Whiter Shade Of Pale bit (he told a funny story about opening for Procul Haram at the Cincinnati Gardens in the early 70s)
    8. The Downeaster Alexa (audience choice between that and The Ballad Of Billy The Kid)
    9. NY State Of Mind (9/11 dedication)
    10. Allentown
    11. Say Goodbye To Hollywood (audience choice between it and I Go To Extremes)
    12. Always A Woman To Me
    13. My Life
    14. Only The Good Die Young
    15. Sometimes A Fantasy
    16. River Of Dreams (included Honky Tonk Women)
    17. Nessun Dorma (sung by one of his band, Billy plays piano only)
    18. Italian Restaurant
    19. Piano Man
    20. We Didn’t Start The Fire
    21. Uptown Girl
    22. It’s Still Rock N Roll To Me
    23. Brown Sugar (Charlie Watts Tribute)
    24. Big Shot
    25. You May Be Right

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  • Blog,  Concerts

    Shining On!!-Grand Funk Railroad Concert Review

    For the first time since 2005, I saw Grand Funk Railroad. I last saw them when I worked Summer Motion in Ashland, Kentucky and this time I saw them at Portsmouth River Days in Portsmouth, Ohio.
     
    Founding member/singer/songwriter/guitarist Mark Farner is not in the band anymore (solo artist), but founding drummer/singer/songwriter Don Brewer and founding bassist Mel Schacher are still in the band.
     
    The band also includes singer/guitarist Max Carl, keyboardist Tim Cashion, and last but not least, lead guitarist Bruce Kulick formerly of KISS Blackjack, Union, Meat Loaf, solo artist, and more.
     
    They played a rocking 75-80 minute set, playing all their hits like We’re An American Band, Some Kind Of Wonderful, their version of The Loco-Motion, I’m Your Captain/Closer To Home, and more.
     
    They even had a drum solo and guitar solo (Bruce played The Star Spangled Banner!!!!!).
     
    This band was one of the most popular bands of the 70s. They even sold out Shea Stadium in NYC faster than The Beatles did.
     
    Hopefully someday the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame will finally induct them.
     
    I miss Mark but they still kick butt and they’re all awesome!
     
    And being a big KISS fan, I love that Bruce is in the band.
     
    He did spot me (I was wearing a KISS Hot In The Shade album shirt, which is from his era of the band), and he threw me a guitar pick. Thank you Bruce!!!!!
     
    What a fun show.
     
    Opening the show was Moving In Stereo, a The Cars tribute band.
     
    They were very good too.
     
    It’s concerts like this and concerts in general that truly make me happy and feel alive.
     
    I hate my life most of the time but when I’m at a concert, I’m free.
     
    Hopefully more shows to come soon.
     
    I love Grand Funk and I love you Bruce!!!
     
    My girlfriend Mariah Startzman is seeing you guys tomorrow.

    Grand Funk Railroad Band Members:

    Grand Funk Railroad Set List:

    1. Rock And Roll Soul
    2. Footstompin’ Music
    3. Shinin’ On
    4. The Loco-Motion
    5. Walk Like A Man
    6. Second Chance
    7. Drum Solo
    8. Star Spangled Banner (Bruce Guitar Solo)
    9. Inside Looking Out
    10. Some Kind Of Wonderful
    11. I’m Your Captain/Closer To Home
    12. We’re An American Band

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    Video Gallery (click on thumbnail to play video)

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    We Are The Last In Line: Last In Line Concert Review

    I saw a PHENOMENAL rock concert Saturday night in Columbus, Ohio.
     
    I saw Last In Line at The KING of CLUBS
     
    Great venue. Great sound.
     
    Last In Line consists of Vivian Campbell on guitar, Vinny Appice on drums, Phil Soussan on bass, and Andrew Freeman on vocals.
     
    They have done two very good albums (Heavy Crown and Last In Line II) and they have a third one on the way (Edit:  Third album called Jericho was later released).
     
    It started off as a series of jam sessions with 3 ex Dio band members (Vivian, Vinny, and bassist Jimmy Bain), just to have some fun.
     
    They got Andrew Freeman (Lynch Mob, The Offspring, Hurricane) to be the singer and then it became a series of shows just playing the stuff they did on the first 3 Dio albums (Holy Diver, The Last In Line, and Sacred Heart) but they had so much fun and got a great response from fans that they decided to make new music and that’s what they’ve done ever since when they have time because Vivian in particular has been one of Def Leppard’s guitarists since the early 90s and he’s busy, but still LIL is a band on its own too.
     
    Unfortunately Jimmy Bain passed away while they were playing on the Def Leppard Cruise, but he is on the first LIL album.
     
    They then recruited Phil Soussan, who is known as the bassist for Ozzy Osbourne on his album The Ultimate Sin and the tour for that album.
     
    And he wrote the song Shot In The Dark from that album.
     
    Anyway, all phenomenal musicians and Andrew Freeman is a phenomenal singer and he does the Dio songs justice.
     
    They played Dio songs and songs from their two albums.
     
    Phenomenal show.
     
    They sounded great.
     
    They had fun.
     
    And the audience had fun.
     
    My next concert (if the world doesn’t shut down again) is KISS September 2 in Dayton, Ohio.  (Edit:  this show ultimately happened in 2022.)
     
    And I have more events after that, if the world doesn’t shut down again.
     

    Last In Line Set List:

    1. Landslide
    2. Stand Up & Shout
    3. Straight Through The Heart
    4. Year Of The Gun
    5. Holy Diver
    6. Blackout The Sun
    7. Last In Line
    8. Starmaker
    9. Electrified
    10. Egypt (The Chains Are On)
    11. Rainbow In The Dark
    12. Don’t Talk To Strangers
    13. Devil In Me
    14. We Rock

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  • Blog,  Concerts

    Concert of the Year: Mammoth WVH w/Plush Concert Review

    My pick em for my concert of the year (yes I have more awesome ones to see this year as long as the world doesn’t shut down), but this is how awesome this show was.
     
    With my friend Kevin Montavon, I saw the third ever headline date of Wolfgang Van Halen’s Mammoth WVH.
     
    They rocked the House of Blues Cleveland.
     
    He’s currently on tour opening for Guns N Roses, but he’s also doing some headline dates.
     
    Again, this was headline show number three.
     
    He and the band received an incredible response, and they delivered!!!
     
    They played most of Wolfgang’s debut album, called Mammoth WVH, it’s Japan bonus track, and an unreleased song.
     
    Wolfgang is the real deal.
     
    He joined his Dad’s band, Van Halen, at 16 years old (he’s 30 now) as the bass player.
     
    Well let me tell you, he can play bass, guitar, drums, keyboards, writes great songs, and is a PHENOMENAL singer.
     
    His album is probably going to be my album of the year.
     
    I love every song on it, and the bonus track and unreleased song are both great too.
     
    Even though he has a great band, his album is solely performed by him.
     
    Again, he can do it all, and regardless of who he is related to, he deserves all the success that comes to him.
     
    I can’t wait to buy more albums from him in the future and to see him in concert again someday.
     
    Rock on Wolfgang!!!!
     
    More shows to come.
     
    Oh and the opening band Plush, an all girl band, are very good too and I look forward to their debut album (Edit:  I did buy it and it’s very good).
     
    They played mostly original songs and a Heart cover (Barracuda).
     
    Check Plush out too.  They are also the real deal.

    Mammoth WVH Set List:

    1. Don’t Back Down
    2. Horribly Right
    3. Mammoth
    4. Mr. Ed
    5. Resolve
    6. Talk & Walk
    7. Think It Over
    8. You’re To Blame
    9. The Big Picture
    10. Circles
    11. Feel
    12. Stone
    13. Encore: Distance
    14. Epiphany
    15. As Long As You’re Not You

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    Sweet Baby James & The Pretender: James Taylor/Jackson Browne Concert Review

    I saw another really fun concert.
     
    This time near where I work, in Charleston, WV.
     
    Jackson played an hour set of hits and three songs from his great new album Downhill From Everywhere.
     
    This was the second time I saw Jackson in concert.
     
    Great both times. He still sings phenomenally well and his band is great.
     
    James even came out and sang/played the song The Pretender with Jackson!!
     
    After roughly a 30 minute change over, James Taylor and his great band came on and played roughly an hour and 40/hour and 45 minutes.
     
    My first time seeing James.
     
    Lots of classics. Jackson returned the favor and came on and did Take It Easy with James, as well as the final song of the night.
     
    Great show.
     
    James has a very good sense of humor and everyone was having fun.
     
    His saxophone player was in The Blues Brothers!!
     
    One of his backing singers used to work with Michael Jackson and Whitney Houston.
     
    Another backing singer has worked with Phil Collins for decades.
     
    And another backing singer is one of James’ sons.
     
    Again, both sets were great.
    Fun night.
     
    My next concert is today in Cleveland.
     
    I’m going to see Mammoth WVH with my friend Kevin Montavon.
     
    More to come.
     
    My Aunt Kim Keffer and Barry Gillum were there too!
     

    Jackson Browne Set List:

    1. I’m Alive
    2. The Long Way Around
    3. Fountain Of Sorrow
    4. Downhill From Everywhere
    5. My Cleveland Heart
    6. Until Justice Is Real
    7. Doctor My Eyes
    8. Late For The Sky
    9. The Pretender (w/James Taylor)
    10. Running On Empty

    James Taylor Set List:

    1. Country Road
    2. That’s Why I’m Here
    3. Never Die Young
    4. Copperline
    5. Mexico
    6. You Make It Easy
    7. Line Em Up
    8. Chili Dog/Steamroller
    9. As Easy As Rolling Off A Log
    10. Sweet Baby James
    11. Fire And Rain
    12. Carolina In My Mind
    13. Shower The People
    14. How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved By You)
    15. Encore:  Shed A Little Light
    16. Take It Easy (w/Jackson Browne)
    17. You’ve Got A Friend

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