Other Rock Bands

2000-07-28 Burt Bacharach

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Mann Center

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Burt’s music has been with me (and on my piano) since growing up with it in the 60s.

Before this show I had recorded the "One Special Night" TV broadcast that included a wide range of artists as well as Burt himself. This was a fun show, Burt told a lot of stories and kept the crowd amused.

Fans of Elvis Costello knew that Elvis had a strong affinity for Bacharach songs for a long time and had covered a few. I was happy to learn that Elvis and Burt were working together before "Painted by Memory" came out (and their appearance together in the first Austin Powers movie). That album is among the darkest and moodiest of all those that I like a lot, but its one I listened to quite a lot.

2001-03-13 Joe Jackson

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Tower Theater

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An eclectic and very fine performance by Joe Jackson and his band as configured at the time. I think the only other band that used a Cello in a rock concert I’ve seen was Psychedlic Furs. I had purchased the double CD compilation of his music and was digging deeper into some of the stuff I wasn't already familiar with. Many years later I found myself standing next to Joe while trying to order a drink at the bar of the Beacon Theatre during a Steely Dan show.

2001-04-26 Mark Knofler

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Tower Theater

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The year after I moved to the Philadelphia area, Mark Knoffler put out an album called "Sailing to Philadelphia," which seemed to be a huge coincidence. I mean, why would a British rock star be writing about Philadelphia, anyway? I learned only later that it was a reference to a novel about Charles Mason and Jeremiah Dixon, the English surveyors who established the border that became known as the Mason-Dixon line, one separating the southern and northern portions of the United States.

2006-10-18 Bonnie Raitt (John Hall for Congress Benefit)

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Tarrytown Music Hall

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Although I was a Tarrytown resident for some years I had missed a few shows that I really wanted to see there, like Levon Helm Band. I didn't want to miss this benefit concert. I managed to get second row center seats for it. The poster for this event, with Bonnie's signature, is still hung in the back of the theatre. This was a benefit concert to support John Hall's bid to replace a longtime Republican congressperson representing part of the lower Hudson Valley. John was a musician who had founded the band "Orleans" in the 1970s. One of their hits was the song "Still the One." When George W. Bush attempted to use that song for his reelection campaign in 2004, Orleans demanded that the use be discontinued.

Bonnie Raitt performed with her band at this show and John joined them on guitar for awhile.

A couple of weeks after this show, Stephen Colbert did a hilarious segment in which he interviewed John for one of his "Better Know a District" spots. Colbert's segment aired on 11-6-06 and can still be seen on Comedy Central's website. Colbert hilariously pretended to confuse John Hall with one of the members of Hall and Oats (one is named "John," but its the other, Darryl Hall, whose last name is "Hall"), he expressed bewilderment at why Bush would not "still be the one," and asked whether John had written a number of specific songs from the 70s which were obviously written by other artists. This was one of the funniest Colbert shows I have ever seen.

John Hall ended up winning the election. Below is a news photo clipping showing him being sworn in for Congress (and at the lower right of the frame is one of the Orleans albums on which he graced the cover).

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A poster for this event, signed by Bonnie, on display at Tarrytown Music Hall.

A poster for this event, signed by Bonnie, on display at Tarrytown Music Hall.

2009-08-23 Hot Tuna / Little Feat

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Capitol One Bank Theater at Westbury

 

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What was long known to me as "Westbury Music Hall" (maybe because its in Westbury, NY) had become the “Capitol One Theatre at Westbury” until North Fork bought Capitol One. Then it became the "North Fork Theatre" (due to sponsorship by North Fork Bank - since Westbury is not on the "North Fork" of Long Island), and had now taken on this new name. Aaaaanyway, here was two of my all-time favorite bands playing on the same bill in an intimate venue. Its really a unique place - every seat in the house is very close to the stage, but the seats in the lower half are incredible because they place you so close, and the rise from stage level is steep so you have this feeling like you are hovering over the band.

2010-02-14 Dr. John / The Neville Brothers

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Ridgefield Theater

 

I’m a little disappointed I only got to see the good doctor one time. This was a great show, I enjoyed very much seeing two bands at the core of the New Orleans jazz and funk music that’s been such a big influence on the bands and musicians covered in this concert blog.

I was glad Dr. John played several selections from the Duke Elegant album, a tribute album covering music by Duke Ellington - and one of my favorites albums of this era. Just a little while later Joe Jackson would cover the same territory with his “Duke” album, equally outstanding material to students and fans of the great master of American jazz, the Duke.

Below: excerpts from the program.