live music

Greta Van Fleet 2018 World Tour

June 14, 2018 — Leave a comment

Greta Van Fleet’s world tour kicked off yesterday. See the remaining dates below, and get ready for the band’s first full-length record later this year.

  • 6/17 – Pink Pop Festival – Landgraaf, Netherlands
  • 6/18 – Download Festival – Paris, France
  • 6/24 – John Anson Ford Theatre – Hollywood, CA (sold out)
  • 6/29 – Middle of the Map Festival – Kansas City, MO
  • 6/30 – 101 WKQX PIQNIQ, Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre – Tinley Park, IL
  • 7/1 – Summerfest – Milwaukee, WI
  • 7/3 – Armory – Minneapolis, MN (sold out)
  • 7/6 – REBEL – Toronto, ON (sold out)
  • 7/8 – REBEL – Toronto, ON (sold out)
  • 7/9 – Festival d’été de Québec – Quebec City, QC
  • 7/10 – Ottawa Bluesfest – Ottawa, ON
  • 7/18 – Stage AE – Pittsburgh, PA (sold out)
  • 7/20 – 9:30 Club – Washington DC (sold out)
  • 7/21 – The Anthem – Washington DC (sold out)
  • 7/23 – House of Blues – Boston, MA (sold out)
  • 7/24 – House of Blues – Boston, MA (sold out)
  • 7/27 – Floydfest – Floyd, VA
  • 7/29 – Panorama Music and Arts Festival, Randall’s Island Park – New York, NY
  • 7/31 – The Agora Theatre – Cleveland, OH (sold out)
  • 8/1 – The Pageant – St. Louis, MO (sold out)
  • 8/3 – Lollapalooza – Chicago, IL
  • 8/4 – Vic Theatre – Chicago, IL (sold out)
  • 8/18 – Summer Sonic Festival – Osaka-Shi, Japan
  • 8/19 – Summer Sonic Festival – Tokyo, Japan
  • 8/23 – Maui Arts & Cultural Center – Kahului, HI
  • 8/24 – The Republik – Honolulu, HI
  • 9/7 – The Paramount Theatre – Seattle, WA
  • 9/8 – The Paramount Theatre – Seattle, WA
  • 9/9 – Skookum Festival – Vancouver, BC
  • 9/11 – Shaw Conference Centre – Edmonton, AB
  • 9/12 – BMO Centre – Calgary, AB
  • 9/14 – Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall – Portland, OR
  • 9/17 – Fox Theater – Oakland, CA
  • 9/18 – City National Civic – San Jose, CA
  • 9/19 – The Masonic – San Francisco, CA
  • 9/22 – iHeart Radio Festival – Las Vegas, NV
  • 9/23 – The Observatory North Park – San Diego, CA
  • 9/25 – Marquee Theatre – Tempe, AZ
  • 9/26 – Marquee Theatre – Tempe, AZ
  • 9/28 – The Union Event Center – Salt Lake City, UT
  • 9/29 – Fillmore Auditorium – Denver, CO
  • 10/1 – Fillmore Auditorium – Denver, CO
  • 10/5 – Austin City Limits Festival – Austin, TX
  • 10/6 – Cal Jam – San Bernardino, CA
  • 10/11 – The Sylvee – Madison, WI (sold out)
  • 10/26 – Elysee Montmartre – Paris, France
  • 10/27 – Ancienne Belgique – Brussels, Belgium
  • 10/29 – 013 – Tilburg, Netherlands
  • 10/30 – Mehr! Theatre – Hamburg, Germany
  • 11/1 – Palladium – Cologne, Germany
  • 11/4 – Berns Salonger – Stockholm, Sweden
  • 11/5 – Vega – Copenhagen, Denmark
  • 11/7 – Columbiahalle – Berlin, Germany
  • 11/9 – 02 Kentish Town Forum – London, UK
  • 11/11 – 02 Kentish Town Forum – London, UK
  • 11/12 – 02 Kentish Town Forum – London, UK
  • 11/14 – 02 Academy – Birmingham, UK
  • 11/15 – Academy Manchester – Manchester, UK

Three More Tour Announcements! Resurrection Tour + Suspence Fest + Voodoo Festival

June 5, 2018 — Leave a comment

Just wave goodbye to your extra money, concert-goers.

Resurrection Tour ft. Puddle of Mudd and Saliva (with special guests Soil, Tantric, and Shallow Side)

I’m not sure this lineup is playing for the full run, based on what I’ve been seeing. I know The Veer Union will be there for the September stretch. Here are the confirmed dates so far:

  • 8-02-18 St Paul, MN at MYTH LIVE
  • 8-05-18 Lisle, IL at BaseCamp Pub & Eatery
  • 8-08-18 Grand Forks, ND at Alerus Center
  • 8-09-18 Duluth, MN at Clyde Iron Works
  • 8-10-18 Dubuque, IA at Diamond Joe’s Casino (New Date)
  • 8-12-18 Lexington, KY at Manchester Music Hall (New Date)
  • 8-14-18 Cedar Rapids, IA at Club 5 @ U.S. Cellular Center
  • 8-16-18 Akron, OH at Akron Civic Theatre
  • 8-18-18 Reading, PA at Reverb
  • 8-24-18 Angleton, TX – Backroads Rockfest at Gary’s Icehouse (New Date)
  • 8-25-18 Midland, TX at Wagner Noël Performing Arts Center
  • 8-30-18 Newberry, SC at Newberry Opera House (New Dates)
  • 8-31-18 Greenville, SC at The Firmament (New Date)
  • 9-01-18 Concord, VA at Blue Ridge Rock Festival
  • 9-02-18 Daytona Beach, FL at Main Street Station
  • 9-07-18 Salina, KS at Tony’s Pizza Events Center (New Date)
  • 9-08-18 Kansas City, MO at Crossroads KC
  • 9-14-18 Loleta, CA at Bear River Casino & Resort (New Date)
  • 11-02-18 Florence, SC at Florence Center (New Date)

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Suspence Fest ft. Sons of Texas, Aranda, Locust Grove, Suspence, Oddfellas, and More

This rock fest is August 18th at Top o’ Texas Norris Rodeo Pavilion in Pampa, Texas.

Voodoo Festival 2018

Voodoo Fest takes place in New Orleans, October 26 – 28. This year’s lineup includes Mumford & Sons, Childish Gambino, A Perfect Circle, Arctic Monkeys, Marilyn Manson, Third Eye Blind, and more! Check out the event poster.

Alter Bridge Returns to the Iron City

December 2, 2017 — Leave a comment

On their final leg of The Last Hero tour, Alter Bridge made a stop in Birmingham, Alabama, for the first time in ten years. They played at Iron City with opening acts Sons of Texas and All That Remains. As an added bonus, I convinced my parents to go. It was their first Alter Bridge show.

Unfortunately, due to circumstances beyond my control, I missed all of Sons of Texas and most of All That Remains, though I did catch the latter performing their version of “The Thunder Rolls.”

My parents and I found a spot in the balcony and anxiously awaited the start of Alter Bridge’s set. The venue was packed from wall to wall, and everywhere I looked I saw shirts from past tours, most prominent among them Blackbird and The Last Hero.

Just as the excitement boiled over and fans began chanting the band’s name, the lights dimmed. Drummer Scott Phillips settled behind his kit to a soundtrack of cheers. Vocalist/guitarist Myles Kennedy, guitarist Mark Tremonti, and bassist Brian Marshall took the stage without further ado, and we were off.

Alter Bridge opened with “Writing on the Wall” and tore through three more songs before Myles addressed the audience. Every word he spoke was met with ecstatic screams. At one point, the front man acknowledged how long it had been since they’d been to Alabama, and he promised they would never overlook us again.

Alter Bridge’s set spanned their entire career, hitting the high points from each album: “Open Your Eyes” from One Day Remains, “Ties That Bind” and the title track of Blackbird, “Isolation” (AB III), “Cry of Achilles” (Fortress), and “Crows on a Wire” off The Last Hero. Much to our joy, they did “Fortress,” which doesn’t often find its way into their shows. The acoustic portion consisted of Myles playing “Watch Over You” alone, then being joined by Mark for the highlight of my night, “In Loving Memory.” The evening came to a close with “Show Me a Leader” and “Rise Today.”

This was my fifth Alter Bridge show, and the quartet again not only met but surpassed my expectations. Musically brilliant and high on crowd participation, they delivered the kind of performance concert-goers dream about. I was on cloud 9. My mom, who has been listening to Alter Bridge since 2004, was over the moon. And my dad… Well, he doesn’t like a lot of recent artists/bands, but he seemed suitably impressed, especially when Mark and Myles had their guitar duel and showcased that they are, in fact, the two most talented men in the business.

For the fourth consecutive review, I am ending with a personal anecdote. My parents and I went to where the buses were parked and were soon graced by the presence of Mark, Myles, and Scott. Perhaps my favorite part of the night was Dad introducing himself to Mark. I added “That’s my dad,” and Mark smiled and said “Hi, Dad!” It was so endearing. The guitarist also found it humorous that my mom made him squat for a picture, attempting to get him closer to my height (I’m barely under 5′ and Mark is 6’1″). He did so without protest, and he is grinning in the photo.

I love this band. They are my happy place.

Concert Review: Alter Bridge at The Tabernacle (Jan. 22, 2017)

January 26, 2017 — Leave a comment

Alter Bridge’s The Last Hero tour made a stop in Atlanta, Georgia, this past Sunday. Coincidentally, this was the same night as the NFC Championship game. The Atlanta Falcons rose up in the Georgia Dome; Alter Bridge brought down The Tabernacle.

With an audience that consisted of many exhilarated Falcons fans, the atmosphere was electric. Monster Truck, who opened for Alter Bridge the last time they played The Tabernacle, was definitely on point. Energetic and insanely talented, these Canada natives set the bar high. They exited the stage and the room was literally buzzing with adrenaline and excitement.

When the lights dimmed, the roar of the crowd was astounding. Tension mounted with each passing second and then, Alter Bridge stepped into view: vocalist/guitarist Myles Kennedy, drummer Scott Phillips, bassist Brian Marshall, and guitarist Mark Tremonti. Before the noise had even begun to die down, the band ripped into the second track from The Last Hero, “Writing on the Wall.”

Each song was met with enthusiasm from a mass of fans who clearly adored Alter Bridge. The setlist included such songs as “Come to Life,” “Addicted to Pain,” “Blackbird,” and “Isolation.” They played my personal favorites, “Waters Rising” and “Watch Over You.” As an added bonus, they performed “The Last Hero” for the first time stateside.

The set ended with “Open Your Eyes” and the accompanying sing-along. This was followed by a marriage proposal (she said yes), and after congratulating the happy couple, Myles picked out the intro to “Show Me a Leader.” The final song of the evening was none other than “Rise Today.”

I have now seen Alter Bridge four times, and I can honestly say they get better with each show. Maybe it was the fans sharing the experience with me, maybe it was the fact that the music was so wonderful and my heart was filled with total joy, but this was one of the best concerts I’ve ever attended.

Of course, I close this review with my own personal story from the show. My brother and I once again circled the venue and waited by the buses. I can’t explain it; however, I knew this was the night I would finally meet Myles Kennedy.

And I did.

Myles was the first member of Alter Bridge to emerge from The Tabernacle. He came straight over to where I was standing, signed the band itinerary a security guard had given me, and posed for a picture. He hugged me and thanked us for being there before moving away to talk to the others gathered around us.

Mark was the next one out. I introduced myself this time, which made him chuckle. We then spoke to Brian and last, but certainly not least, Scott (who brought up college football in response to my Alabama Crimson Tide jacket).

I cannot stress enough how exceptional these four men are. Not only are they brilliant musicians, they are kind and sweet and appreciate their fans. I will never stop encouraging others to listen to them and, if possible, to go to an Alter Bridge concert. There is no way you will be disappointed.

Here are two of my favorite pictures from the night. The rest can be found HERE.

Concert Review: An Amazing Night With Alter Bridge

October 11, 2016 — 1 Comment

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On Wednesday, October 5th, my brother Rick and I drove up to the War Memorial Auditorium in Nashville to see Alter Bridge. The other two bands on the bill were 3 Pill Morning and Adelita’s Way. I was very excited because I love all three acts, and I can tell you honestly that they did not disappoint. 3 Pill Morning was energetic and seemed to thrive off of audience participation, while Adelita’s Way focused more upon the music and less upon sing-alongs.

Once Adelita’s Way left the stage, anticipation became a practically tangible emotion in the air: any second now, Alter Bridge would be up there. Excited chatter filled the venue and when the lights dimmed, expectation reached its breaking point. There were several yells and delighted shrieks. Alter Bridge drummer Scott Phillips climbed behind his set, throwing his hands into the air and eliciting cheers from the eager crowd. In rapid succession, bassist Brian Marshall, guitarist Mark Tremonti, and vocalist/guitarist Myles Kennedy emerged from backstage. The band tore into “Come to Life” without preamble.

The set list had (almost) every track an Alter Bridge fan could want, including “Ties That Bind,” “Blackbird,” “Isolation,” “Watch Over You,” and the band’s latest song of encouragement, “My Champion.” As per usual, the set was concluded with “Open Your Eyes.”

But of course, no one moved. With chants of “Alter Bridge” echoing loudly, the quartet returned for two encores. The moment had come. It was a highlight for many as the band began the first single off their upcoming record, “Show Me a Leader.” Watching Myles Kennedy play the intro, I literally had chills.

Their second encore was the much loved “Rise Today.” Myles invited us to sing the chorus near the end, and we accepted with gusto. That will always be one of my favorite parts of an Alter Bridge concert.

The show was perfect. I have no other way to describe it. I have seen Alter Bridge three times, and this performance and set list were the best. If you love bands who get up there and play and don’t bother with props or appearances, then you need to hit an AB concert. It’s nothing fancy; just four extremely talented musicians doing what they do best.

After taking a bow and many thank-yous, the band filed off the stage. The lights came on and crew members went to work breaking everything down. The satisfied audience spilled from the venue, talking and laughing and, in some cases, lamenting the long drive home. However, my and my brother’s night was not over.

Together, Rick and I circled the venue and joined a cluster of fans by the bus. It paid off. We soon were meeting Brian Marshall. Our patience and determination kept us there for another forty-five minutes — long enough for Mark Tremonti to emerge. And this is when my review gets personal.

Rick has been a fan of Mark’s since roughly 1997. He saw Creed with Finger Eleven and Sevendust many moons ago. He accepted Myles Kennedy without question and has loved Alter Bridge from day one. But he had never met any of them until this night. (I met Mark in Birmingham last year, when Tremonti opened for Black Stone Cherry.) Rick and Mark talked guitars, then Rick told Mark that he was his idol. It was…beautiful.

Mark was quickly followed by Scott Phillips, who was good-humored and who, after Rick stated that Alter Bridge were his heroes, said we were the band’s heroes. And with that, we left, both in high spirits. The fact that we were about to spend over two hours on the road didn’t even matter.

So worth it ❤

 

 

Concert Review: We Spent the Night With Alice Cooper

August 18, 2016 — Leave a comment

As much as I want this to be strictly a review, I can’t leave out the personal angle. See, my dad has been a fan of Alice Cooper since he was eighteen-ish. He actually saw them in ’75 on the Welcome to My Nightmare tour. When I heard that Alice Cooper was coming to Huntsville, my first thought was that my dad had to go, but I knew he wouldn’t buy a ticket for himself. He would have to have some kind of incentive. So I asked him to take me for my birthday–and he did.

Dad and I arrived at the Von Braun Center at 7:30 p.m. We found our seats and sat there, staring at the blue-lit backdrop (featuring Alice Cooper’s eyes) in anticipation. Nearly half an hour later, the arena darkened and a roar came from the crowd as the backdrop glowed red. We were off.

And this is where I switch to review mode…

Alice Cooper opened the set with “The Black Widow,” straight into “No More Mr. Nice Guy.” The band played for a solid hour and a half with barely a pause. They did all of the songs one would expect, including “I’m Eighteen,” “Billion Dollar Babies,” and “School’s Out.” Alice himself stepped back a few times to permit his band to show off their talents. The moments that really stood out were the solos from guitarist Nita Strauss and drummer Glen Sobel.

It’s no surprise the stage show was incredible! A dancing nurse, a broken windup doll, and the monster stomping around growling the chorus of “Feed My Frankenstein” were only the beginning. I mean, how often do you see a rock star get beheaded in the middle of his set?

Roughly halfway through, there was a tribute to other artists we have lost. Alice Cooper covered songs from The Who (in honor of Keith Moon), Jimi Hendrix, David Bowie, and Motorhead (in honor of Lemmy Kilmister). In case anyone reading is going to be at a show during this tour, I will not list which tracks they played. I was pleasantly surprised, and I wouldn’t want to take that away from you.

Following “School’s Out,” the band left the stage. They returned within seconds to loud cheers and closed the show with “Elected.” Alice thanked his audience and after a few bows and showering the fans with picks and drumsticks, he and his mates exited for the final time.

I am very glad I convinced my dad to attend this concert. My only complaint would be that the show wasn’t long enough. Otherwise, it was perfect. Alice Cooper is a true entertainer. The Godfather of Shock Rock’s reign continues.

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Night Out

May 27, 2016 — Leave a comment

This is more or less a review of Shallow Side’s show in Madison last Friday, but it is also a personal post. I’ve been absent from the local music scene for a while and it was absolutely wonderful being back.

Unfortunately, I missed most of the opening act, a band called By All Means. What I did see, however, was really good. If you like hard rock/heavy metal, you might want to check them out.

I have been to four or five Shallow Side shows previously. I always enjoy them. An energetic performance coupled with amazing originals–and some odd but very fun covers–makes for one hell of a night. Shallow Side is better than anyone at getting an audience on its feet, except perhaps Almost Kings.

Friday was no different. The band’s set included originals such as “Stand Up,” “Out of Reach,” and “My Addiction.” I have to admit, though, that one of my favorite parts was their version of Bruno Mars’s “Uptown Funk,” with which they concluded their show. Front man Eric Boatright definitely did the track justice. It was just…magnificent. 🙂

20fyio0From left to right: drummer Heath Fields, vocalist Eric Boatright, guitarist Seth Trimble, and bassist Cody Hampton.

33xvgojBunny ears, courtesy of Seth…

2rr49l3Seth got me twice. Lol.

153ogv62zgge3nLooks like Seth tried to get me three times.

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Concert Review: Black Jacket Symphony Does Pink Floyd

May 15, 2016 — Leave a comment

Last Saturday night, I went to see The Black Jacket Symphony perform Pink Floyd’s Dark Side of the Moon with my parents and cousin. The BJS has made a name for itself by recreating entire albums as exact as possible. Their past performances include Prince’s Purple Rain and Led Zeppelin’s IV.

The musicians in The Black Jacket Symphony rotate; that is to say, the band is not always made up of the same group of artists. For this performance, the band included Huntsville’s own Dave Anderson (guitar/vocals), as well as Aaron Branson on bass, Allen Barlow on guitar, Blair Breitreiter handling both keyboards and saxophone, Brad Wolfe on guitar, Mark Lanter on drums, Jackie Roche on vocals, and Peyton Grant on keys and backing vocals.

The Black Jacket Symphony did not disappoint. Pink Floyd is one of my all-time favorite bands, so believe me when I say I held them to a high standard. The musicians were superb, but it was the vocal talent on that stage that blew me away. Jackie Roche absolutely nailed “The Great Gig in the Sky” (see below). She received a much deserved standing ovation.

After the conclusion of Dark Side of the Moon, there was an intermission then the band returned to play a few of Pink Floyd’s greatest hits. They started with “Shine On You Crazy Diamond” and ended with “Comfortably Numb.” There were the obvious ones, such as “Another Brick in the Wall Pt. II” and “Wish You Were Here.” I was surprised and very pleased when they included both “Empty Spaces” and “Young Lust.”

It was a spectacular night, filled with so much talent and an enthusiastic audience who clearly appreciated that talent. I would highly recommend attending a Black Jacket Symphony show if the chance ever presents itself.

“The Great Gig in the Sky”

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Me with Dave Anderson and Jackie Roche

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