Rob's Raves and Rants

AC/DC's Black Ice Tour Stop Leaves Winnipeg Fans "Thunderstruck"

2009-08-23T14:57:00.000-07:00

Canad Inns Stadium
Winnipeg, MB
August 22/09

Few bands can put on a stadium show like AC/DC. The Auzzie rocker’s have had 35+ years to hone their craft and have earned an almost God–like status among their fans.

That God–like aura even seemed to extend to the weather last night as AC/DC brought their Black Ice tour before the Canad Inns Stadium to a sold out crowd of 46,000 rabid Winnipeg fans. Just before the band was about to take the stage, a couple of huge lightening bolts lit up the sky, followed by peals of thunder. The crowd dutifully broke into the chant for Thunderstruck, a crowd favourite from 1990’s album Razor’s Edge – just as if nature’s display was simply part of the band’s special effects.

Thankfully, the inclement weather held off. The stadium lights darkened. The crowd roared. The 3 giant jumbotrons lit up the night, flashing video images of AC/DC and a voluptuous entourage aboard a steaming locomotive, hurtling out of control down a railway track line - thus, setting the stage for diminutive Angus Young, clad in his trademark schoolboy uniform, to hammer through the opening power chords of Rock N’ Roll Train, the lead off tracj from their hugely successfully 2008 release Black Ice.

Boasting one of the most expensive stage settings in rock history, the massive stage structure represented stadium rock spectacle at it’s finest. A huge locomotive complete with steaming smokestack, straddled a wall of stacked Marshall amps that stretched nearly the entire length of the stage. A catwalk jutted out from the center of the stage, extending like a huge tongue almost half way across the stadium. Crowning the stage like bookends, were a massive pair of Angus’ trademark schoolboy hats, complete with red devil horns, perched menacingly overtop the jumbotrons, glowing eerily in the night sky.

Anchoring the AC/DC sound are Angus’ brother Malcolm Young on rhythm guitar, Cliff Williams on bass, and Phil Rudd on drums. They keep the groove rock solid while the showmen, Angus and burly singer Brian Johnson, sporting his trademark tweed cap, cut off shirt, and clench jawed, banshee wail, work the crowd into a frenzy.

You would never guess watching Angus thrashing his flaming red Gibson SG mercilessly, sweating buckets, and doing his one legged duck walks from one end of the stage to the other, or from seeing Brian Johnson running the length of the catwalk halfway across the stadium – that the lads are fifty-something and sixty-something respectfully.

The Auzzie bad boys strolled, strutted and sneered their way through their well paced 20 song set list, using material culled from the entire gamut of their thirty-five + year history, including early Bon Scott era hits like Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap and Whole Lotta Rosie to cuts from their landmark album, 1980’s Back in Black such as Hell’s Bells, and You Shook Me All Night Long as well as material from their current smash album Black Ice.

As AC/DC brought the show home, fans were treated to a voluptuous giant size lady of the evening perched atop a steaming locomotive during Whole Lotta Rosie followed by a sizzling extended solo workout from Angus during Let There Be Rock that literally sent sparks flying and left the crowd howling for more.

After a deafening encore, the band returned to wrap the night with Highway to Hell and For Those About to Rock, complete with multiple ear shattering canon explosions and a fireworks display to cap the night, leaving Winnipeg fans “Thunderstruck” in the aftermath.

Irish band the Answer opened the night with a punchy hard rockin’ set.

R L Rheubottom

Set List:
1) Rock n Roll Train
2) Hell Ain’t a Bad Place to Be
3) Back in Black
4) Big Jack
5) Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap
6) Shot Down in Flames
7) Thunderstruck
8) Black Ice
9) The Jack
10) Hells Bells
11) Shoot to Thrill
12) War Machine
13) Dog Eat Dog
14) Anything Goes
15) You Shook Me All Night Long
16) TNT
17) Whole Lotta Rosie
18) Let There Be Rock
19) Highway to Hell
20) For Those About to Rock

Rod Stewart Still “Wears It Well”

2009-08-19T03:02:00.000-07:00

Rod Stewart
August 17, 2009
MTS Centre
Winnipeg, MB Canada

Rod Stewart has always been a showman’s showman. Knowing how to give the crowd a good time has always been his stock and trade, dating way back to his early days with the Faces and Jeff Beck.

So it was, that anticipation ran high in the MTS Centre as the stage lights dimmed and a video clip of Stewart as “The Rodinator,” going back in time to save the world through rock and roll, played out on the Jumbotron.

The stage was tastefully decorated in pure white from floor to curtain, beautifully setting off the stage lighting. Rod’s backup band took the stage and kicked off with the opening bars of Some Guys Have All the Luck. The 9000+ crowd roared as Rod strutted out from behind the curtain in his trademark rooster haircut, decked out in a baby blue lamé suit and gold shoes, accompanied by his 3 backup singers in matching attire.

Given that many Winnipegers were still stinging from the cancellation of the recent Aerosmith/ZZ Top concert due to Steve Tyler broken shoulder, Rod Stewart probably got marks from the Winnipeg crowd just for showing up. Thankfully, Stewart did far more than simply show up and coast.

He immediately gave notice that he wasn’t there to croon the American Songbook, he was there to rock n’ roll.

Age has not withered Rod Stewart, nor made him any more of a shrinking violet. The Rock and Roll Hall of Famer quickly displayed all the hip swivelling, mike swinging, gyrating moves that has made him a top live act for over 4 decades. Though Stewart could easily slide by on his charisma, sex appeal, and showmanship, the superstar has always had the pipes and the songwriting talent to accompany the hoopla and the bombast.

The 64-year-old singer has long had one of the most enviable back catalogues (many of his hits self-penned) in the business.

Recent reviewers who failed to do their homework, have commented that Rod’s voice is not as powerful as it once was. What they didn’t mention, is that in 1999, Stewart was diagnosed with thyroid cancer, and had to undergo surgery. The operation nearly cost him his voice. Rod literally had to re-learn how to sing.

He paces himself differently than 40 years ago, but given what recently happened to Steve Tyler, I’d say that was a smart thing – a plus not a minus.

Given his age and surgery, Stewart’s voice sounds phenomenal. The Grammy Award winner’s natural bluesy rasp and improvisational style just keep getting better with age.

Rod’s 2nd number was the 1978 Bonnie Tyler hit It’s a Heartache. The majority of young people on the Internet (who never heard of Bonnie Tyler) have erroneously credited the song to Rod Stewart for years anyway. This song was made to order for Stewart’s voice and he made it his own.

The Do Ya Think I’m Sexy hitmaker then dipped into his back catalogue and pulled out his 1989 Isley Brother penned hit This Old Heart of Mine. The song gave his tight 8 piece backing band, which features a couple of sexy females on sax and mandolin/violin, a chance to strut their stuff.

Stewart hammed it up for the crowd, winking, nodding and chatting to fans lucky enough to be sitting stage side while the band performed their solos.

Rod followed this with a rousing sing along version of his 1977 Cat Stevens penned hit The First Cut Is the Deepest.

The superstar then got the crowd rocking, going back to his Faces days with the Chuck Berry penned Sweet Little Rock and Roller and the Sam Cooke classic Having a Party.

He kept the hits rolling with his self-penned 1971’s You Wear It Well and the 1991 fan favourite Rhythm Of My Heart. The latter featured some nice scat gospel singing in the final bars, showcasing all 3 of his female backup singers.

The crowd then got treated to an extended version of his 1989 Tom Wait penned hit, Downtown Train, which featured a lengthy drum solo while the Grammy Award winner went for a costume change.

Rod returned, modishly attired in a white suit. Slowing the pace down, he performed 2 of his most famous ballads, 1975’s Tonight’s the Night and 1977’s ode to Stewart’s beloved Celtic F.C soccer team, You're in My Heart, that had the crowd singing misty eyed at the top of their lungs.

The rooster coifed rocker then cranked up the heat with a track from his 1971 album Never A Dull Moment, the Sam Cooke classic - Twistin' the Night Away.

Given a back catalogue as extensive as Rod Stewart’s, I’m sure it’s difficult to decide which songs to use on tour. It’s a tribute to him, that he can get away with omitting such gems as Reason to Believe, Mandolin Wind, Sailin’, Ain’t Love a Bitch, and I Was Only Joking and still deliver a strong setlist.

But certain songs are a must! At this point, Stewart pulled out all the stops and launched into back-to-back crowd favourites, starting with his smash 1978 self-penned disco era hit Do Ya Think I’m Sexy. Sheer pandemonium ensued!

I guess you liked that one, quipped Stewart – who admitted in the introduction that he was impartial to doing the song.

He finished the segment with yet another crowd pleaser, his majestic ode to youth – 1988’s Forever Young.

Stewart then split for yet another costume change while the band pumped through Tina Turner’s version of John Forgerty’s classic Proud Mary.

Rod reappeared, this time in a western flavoured outfit, and crooned the beautiful Van Morrison penned ballad Have I Told You Lately from his 1992 album Unplugged and Seated album.

In yet another ode to his favourite soul singers, Stewart performed a version of the O’Jays’ 1973 hit Love Train. Rod’s always had a flair for choosing material that suited him and this song was no exception. Fans formed a massive human train that worked its away around the arena during the song.

Winding the show home, Rod hoofed soccer balls to the waiting crowd during his performance of 1978’s bawdy rocker Hot Legs and proved he’s still a got a good leg on him, planting a few of the balls in the upper tiers

He followed up with his 1981 self-penned hit Young Turks and then donned a cowboy hat to finish the set with his 2006 Still the Same... Great Rock Classics of our Time cover of John Fogerty’s 1970 classic Have You Ever Seen the Rain? - a rather bold choice given Stewart’s catalogue of sure-fire hits

Did choosing to close the set with a cover rather than a tried and true hit dampen the crowd’s reaction to the show or hurt Rod’s chances of receiving an encore? Not in the slightest!

The crowd howled for more and Rod obliged, finishing the night with the number that launched his solo career - his signature song, the 1970 classic - Maggie May.

This was Rod Stewart’s 3rd visit to the MTS Centre arena since 2005. Judging by tonight’s concert, he hasn’t worn out his welcome with Winnipeg fans.

The night was opened by Australian duo The Kin. The band, fronted by brothers Isaac and Thorry Koren, delivered a 45-minute set which featured strong harmony vocals and some funky diggery doo playing.

Rob Rheubottom

Setlist

Some Guys Have All the Luck
It's a Heartache
This Old Heart of Mine
First Cut Is the Deepest (Cat Stevens cover)
Sweet Little Rock and Roller
Having a Party
You Wear It Well
Rhythm Of My Heart
Downtown Train
Tonight’s the Night
You're in My Heart
Twistin' the Night Away
Do Ya Think I’m Sexy
Forever Young
Proud Mary
Have I Told You Lately
Love Train
Hot Legs
Young Turks
Have You Ever Seen the Rain?
Encore:
Maggie May

Elvis Remembered

2009-08-15T18:31:00.000-07:00

Sunday, August 16, will mark the 32nd anniversary of the passing of
rock and roll’s greatest icon - The King – Elvis Presley. Throughout the world, fans gather to celebrate the life and music of the legendary performer.

Thousands of fans make the pilgrimage each year at this time to see Elvis’ former Graceland home in Memphis, Tennessee and join in the annual Elvis Week celebrations.

Others prefer to remember Elvis in more personal ways.

I was a bit too young to appreciate Elvis’ talents when he was at his creative and popular peak in the 50’s and 60’s. When my interest in music began, Elvis was still huge, but the Beatles had become the dominating force on the pop music scene.

Elvis had long since moved away from Sam Phillips and Sun Records to RCA. By this point, he had returned from the army and gone to Hollywood. Colonel Tom Parker had him focused mostly on making movies. He still put out some great records, but a lot of the music he did for his films were filler. Many of the songs tended to be overproduced and lacked much of the raw power of his early records.

As a kid growing up during the height of Beatlemania, Elvis seemed a bit out of step.
Of course, Elvis always went his own way rather than follow the trends of others, but I was too young to appreciate that fact at the time.

But I enjoyed seeing his movies and became more interested in his music when I noticed how many of my British Invasion idols seem to credit Elvis as being one of their main inspirations.

Most of my experience with Elvis’ music had been through the movie soundtracks, heavily orchestrated 60’s pop hits and played to death “oldies” like Don’t Be Cruel and Hound Dog.

Remember, in the 60’s there was no Internet, YouTube, iTunes, VHS, DVDs, MTV or even cable TV available to access an artist’s back catalogue.

But my interest in Elvis gradually began to pique as I listened more carefully to music from his early roots: blues, country, r&b, gospel, and rockabilly. Listening to early Sun records like That’s All Right Mama, Good Rockin’ Tonight, Blue Moon of Kentucky and Mystery Train gave me a much fuller realization of the man’s power, innovativeness, growth and versatility as a performer. I no longer tuned out when one of Elvis’ played to death “oldies” came on the radio. I started to appreciate them for the talent and craftsmanship that went into the songs – as pieces of music history.

The real turning point for me, was watching Elvis’ 1968 Comeback Special, particularly the first half which featured Elvis jamming with his old bandmates from the Sun Record days. Elvis looked great, sounded great and clearly was having a ball. It was at that point, that I finally “got” what Sam Phillips and all the longtime Elvis fans had already known for years.

Watching Elvis belt out Lawdy Miss Clawdy sent chills down my spine. This wasn’t Elvis the actor going through the motions in some B movie role. This was Elvis the performer doing something he loved, putting heart and soul into his performance. This was the Elvis that people saw back in the 50’s. This was the Elvis that took the world by storm, and reshaped musical history.

Elvis shone that day.

I also came to gradually understand Elvis’ human side as opposed to Elvis the movie star or Elvis: The King of Rock and Roll and learned a great deal from studying the man’s experiences in the entertainment industry and his life in general – the good and the bad.

It often happens that people don’t really appreciate an artist’s greatness and impact until after they are gone. I recently had that sad experience when the hugely talented and innovative musician/inventor Les Paul died.

I’m grateful that I came to value Elvis’s remarkable talents before his untimely passing

Thank you Elvis for the great songs, the great movies, the great performances and for the incalculable contribution you’ve made in shaping the music that I’ve come to love.

You’ll always be a part of me.

Rob Rheubottom

Steve Tyler’s Injuries Put Stake in the Heart of the Injury Plagued Tour

2009-08-14T14:47:00.000-07:00

In a move not entirely unexpected to those following the story, Aerosmith has cancelled all remaining dates on their summer tour. The band issued a statement late Thurs (08/13) saying, "it is with great regret" that the band must cancel the remainder of its tour because of injuries that singer Steven Tyler suffered when he fell off the stage during an Aug. 5 concert in Sturgis, SD.

The 61-year-old Tyler fell backwards while dancing on a stage catwalk, breaking his shoulder and gashing his head.

The tour was cancelled on the advice of the singer’s doctors who recommend Tyler take extended time off to thoroughly heal.

Aerosmith guitarist Joe Perry said in the statement, "Words can't express the sadness I feel for having to cancel this tour."

Perry thanked the fans for sticking by them, and hoped that, “we can get the Aerosmith machine up and running again as soon as possible."

Ticket refunds for the remaining Aerosmith tour dates will be available at the place of purchase

The statement closes the curtain on what has to go down as the most injury plagued tour in the history of rock and roll. In a revolving door like fashion, one Aerosmith member after another was put out of action. Joe Perry started the year with a knee injury. Steve Tyler pulled a leg muscle shortly after the tour started. Guitarist Brad Whitford left the tour after suffering a serious concussion. Bassist Tom Hamilton was sidelined due to surgery. When Whitford finally came back to the fold, Tyler suffered the fall that put the stake in the heart of what has proven to be the most cursed rock n’ roll tour since Spinal Tap. Unfortunately, in Aerosmith’s case, the drama was quite real as Steve Tyler and the others band members understood all too painfully well.

No doubt fans are greatly disappointed. But better to heal and live to play another day, than to risk yet another injury that could put Tyler and the band out of action for good.

In the meantime, Aerosmith fans should be able to catch Joe Perry in action soon. Perry has not been sitting at home crying in his beer. He’s been making the rounds, plugging his new album Have Guitar, Will Travel, and has also been putting in some surprise guest appearances. He recently sat in with Jimmy Buffett and with Jane’s Addiction at Lollapalooza recently.

Rob Rheubottom

Future of Boston Bad Boy’s Tour Still Uncertain Says Aerosmith Guitarist Joe Perry

2009-08-12T14:50:00.000-07:00

Aerosmith Guitarist Joe Perry Gives Further Details on Steve Tyler’s Injuries and the Tour’s Future.

Since Aerosmith’s tour postponement following singer Steve Tyler’s injury, guitarist Joe Perry has been giving interviews and working on side projects. In a Detroit radio interview given yesterday, Joe was asked about the state of Steve Tyler.

“The original diagnosis that we heard was that the shoulder was broken in 2 places….

It was like he was in a bad bar fight if somebody had a baseball bat.”

The future of the injury plagued Aerosmith tour still remains uncertain.

"We still don't know if we're going to keep the tour up or what. It's breaking my heart," Perry said.

So far, Ticketmaster has listed the entire Canadian leg of Aerosmith’s tour as officially postponed with the exception of a September 3 date in Toronto, ON. Postponed dates include Winnipeg, MB Fri 08/07, Regina Sun 08/09, Edmonton, AB Tue, 08/11, Calgary, AB Thu, 08/13, Vancouver, BC Sat, 08/15/09. None of the postponed dates have yet been rescheduled.

Perry expressed some of his frustration. “It hasn’t really felt like a tour,” Perry had thought the tour had been going well, and could have been, “the best show and best tour we’ve done in a long time.”

In spite of the multiple health issues that have stricken the band in recent months, Joe Perry remains confident the Boston bad boys will continue to rock for a long time yet.
“There’s no reason why we can’t keep playing until we can’t walk. You have to know that you can’t do certain things anymore.”

In Steve Tyler’s case, dancing on wet stage catwalks should rank high on the singer’s future “things you can’t do” list.

But given Steve Tyler’s age (61) and the severity of his injuries, plus the fact that Aerosmith bassist Tom Hamilton remains sidelined from the tour recovering from surgery, guitarist Brad Whitford, only just recently returned after suffering a serious concussion and even Joe Perry started the year with a knee injury – you have to wonder if this tour was meant to be.

Though it would be a disappointment to fans, it might be better for the band to eat the losses, get their health back and give it another whirl next year.

Joe Perry in the meantime is not sitting at home crying in his beer. He’s been making the rounds, plugging his new album Have Guitar, Will Travel, and has also been putting in some surprise guest appearances. He recently sat in with Jimmy Buffett and with Jane’s Addiction at Lollapalooza recently.

Joe’s not holding his breath waiting for this tour to recommence. In all likelihood, neither should the fans.

Rob Rheubottom

Aerosmith's Western Canada Tour on Ice Along with Steve Tyler's Broken Shoulder

2009-08-10T02:54:00.000-07:00

It appears Aerosmith guitarist Joe Perry’s apprehensive comments have proven to be a much more reliable yardstick than the assurances from promoters that the Canadian leg of the band’s tour would proceed as scheduled. Perry told a Chicago radio station on Friday that the future of the tour was up in the air.

"We still don't know if we're going to keep the tour up or what. It's breaking my heart," Perry said.

Ticketmaster has now listed the entire Canadian leg of Aerosmith’s tour as officially postponed with the exception of a September 3 date in Toronto, ON. Postponed dates include Winnipeg, MB Fri 08/07, Regina Sun 08/09, Edmonton, AB Tue, 08/11, Calgary, AB Thu, 08/13, Vancouver, BC Sat, 08/15/09. None of the postponed dates have been rescheduled.

No word yet on the remaining US dates.
Originally, the promoters said Tyler was only shaken up and just needed a few stitches. The tour was expected to go on as scheduled. But tour news has been changing constantly as more dates are postponed. The singer’s injuries have proven far more serious than initial reports suggested and it appears he may be out for a considerable time.

Steve Tyler’s daughter Mia has made a statement to TMZ.com, confirming that her dad has broken his shoulder but assures fans he’ll be back in action.

The Rush Hour 3 actress told TMZ.com, "The demon of screamin' is not dead. Yes, it's true my dad walked the wrong way and landed on his head. He broke his left shoulder and had to get a few stitches on his noggin.

"He is now at home resting and will be back on his feet just as soon as he can to rock the world once more."

Tyler stumbled backwards while dancing on the stage catwalk at a concert on Wed (08/05), and fell several feet into the crowd. Tyler had been entertaining the crowd at the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally in SD while awaiting the repair of a blown fuse.

But guitarist Joe Perry has hinted the band may not be “Back In The Saddle” anytime soon. After the accident, he immediately began giving interviews to plug his latest solo project and has been working on new music. Perry said he did not know what would happen with the remaining 18 dates of the tour since Steve could be out of action anywhere from 4 weeks to 2 months – maybe longer.

It may well be that the remainder of the current tour could be cancelled to allow Tyler time to recover.

Rob Rheubottom

Tyler Tumble Causes More Aerosmith Cancellations

2009-08-06T19:19:00.000-07:00

Read this and weep Aerosmith fans in Winnipeg.

Aerosmith has officially postponed its opening date of the Western Canada leg of their tour. The band was scheduled to play the Canad Inns Stadium in Winnipeg, MB Friday (08/07) with ZZ Top. But the concert has been delayed due to injuries singer Steve Tyler sustained yesterday from a fall during a performance in Strurgis, South Dakota.

Originally, the promoters said Steve was only shaken up and just needed a few stitches. The tour was expected to go on as scheduled. But doctors have since decided Steve is not ready to return to the stage.

"Earlier today, an announcement was made indicating that the show will go on in Winnipeg as the initial diagnosis of Steven Tyler’s injury was satisfactory," Michelle Szeto of Paquin Entertainment said in a press release. "However, after further medical attention, Aerosmith’s management has informed us that the show will need to be postponed."

No official announcement on the full extent of Tyler's injuries has been made.

Tyler, still on the mend from a recent leg muscle injury, tumbled backwards while dancing on the stage catwalk and fell into the crowd. Tyler had been entertaining the crowd at the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally awaiting the repair of a technical glitch during the performance of “Love in an Elevator.”

Festival security pushed through the record crowd and assisted the shaken singer back to the stage.

Tyler appeared to have sustained injury to his head, neck and shoulder area, but the seriousness is not yet known.

He was helped backstage and the remainder of the show was cancelled.

According to witnesses, Tyler was joking with the doctor and in good fairly good spirits as he was being airlifted to hospital.

The Aerosmith tour has been plagued with bad luck since it began. In a revolving door fashion, Tyler, guitarist Brad Whitford, and most recently bassist Tom Hamilton have been sidelined due to health issues and injuries.

The band had previously been forced to cancel multiple shows on their tour schedule when the 61-year-old Tyler pulled a leg muscle at the outset of the tour.

At this point, only the Winnipeg show has been postponed. But upcoming shows in Edmonton, Calgary and Vancouver over the next week could also be effected. It is expected that the fate of the shows be decided on a day-to-day basis dependent on Tyler’s condition.

No makeup date for the Winnipeg concert has yet been announced.

Yes, I had tickets to the show....sigh!

Rob Rheubottom

“Walk This Way” Singer Takes Wrong Step

2009-08-06T19:13:00.000-07:00

Steve Tyler Injured After Fall From Stage At Aerosmith Concert in SD

Misfortune has once again struck the trouble filled Aerosmith tour. Singer Steven Tyler has been flown to hospital after falling from the stage during a show in South Dakota.

According to an AP report, Tyler, still on the mend from a recent leg muscle injury, tumbled backwards while dancing on the stage catwalk and fell into the crowd. Tyler had been entertaining the crowd at the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally awaiting the repair of a technical glitch during the performance of “Love in an Elevator.”

Festival security pushed through the record crowd and assisted the shaken singer back to the stage.

Tyler appeared to have sustained injury to his head, neck and shoulder area, but the seriousness is not yet known.

He was helped backstage and the remainder of the show was cancelled.

According to witnesses, Tyler was joking with the doctor and in good fairly good spirits as he was being airlifted to hospital.

The Aerosmith tour has been plagued with bad luck since it began. In a revolving door fashion, Tyler, guitarist Brad Whitford, and most recently bassist Tom Hamilton have been sidelined due to health issues and injuries. The band had previously been forced to cancel multiple shows on their tour schedule when the 61-year-old Tyler pulled a leg muscle at the outset of the tour.

Joe Perry had been recovering from a knee injury sustained early in the year. Whitford suffered a head injury after whacking his head while exiting his car, and Hamilton is currently sitting out while recuperating from non-evasive surgery.

The 57-year-old bassist was forced to miss tour dates in 2006 while undergoing a seven-week course of radiation treatment for throat cancer.

Whitford had only just returned to the tour when Hamilton was sidelined.

David Hull, a bassist with the Joe Perry Project, has been sitting in with Aerosmith during Hamilton’s absence.

The band’s next scheduled tour stop is in at the Canad Inns Stadium in Winnipeg, MB Canada on Friday (08/07) – my hometown!

Yes, I have tickets for the show.

The band has been trying to persevere and kudos have to be given to Steve and his bandmates for taking the attitude “the show must go on!”

But fans and organizers are left scratching their heads.
Could this be Aerosmith’s final tour?

There has been no official word whether there will more tour cancellations due to Tyler’s injury.
Hopefully, Steve’s OK and will healthy enough to perform again soon.

Fingers crossed.

Rob Rheubottom

Tarry Trouser Events for August

2009-08-05T17:28:00.000-07:00

Hey Tarry Trouser Fans!

Hope everyone's enjoying there summer. Lots of TT events coming up in August. Look for us at the following great venues: Thurs Aug 6 and Sat 8 Tarry Trousers returns to the Scottish Pavilion at as part of their FOLKORAMA presentation at their new location Glenwood Community Centre -27 Overton. Showtime 11pm.

Fri Aug 14 The Trousered Ones will be part of Celtic-Maritime themed dinner at Bridges Gold Course. For tickets and more info contact Tyler at 735-7000 ext. 204. August 28/09 Join Tarry Trousers at the annual Trouser Birthday Bash at Al & Donna's who live at 38 Sheridan Place (St. Anne's RD just off the corner of Nova Vista). All Trouser Fans and Friends are invited. Fun starts around 8:00pm! It's BYOB and munchies. Tarry Trousers and friends will be providing entertainment. Fun starts around 8:00pmSept 04/09

Tarry Trousers journeys out to Pineridge Hollow in Birdshill, MB to participate Amy and Conor Brennan's wedding. Private engagement. Check out our website for more info on these and other great upcoming TT events at http://www.mts.net/~tarryrob Hope to see you soon!

Tarryrobrep: tarrytrousers

The Great Concert Debate: The Right to Party Versus the Right to Sit and Watch

2009-07-31T21:20:00.000-07:00

I recently paid over 2 hundred dollars a pop for tickets to see Fleetwood Mac. I deliberately purchased seats in the grandstand so I could sit and watch the show, knowing full well fans on the floor would be partying, and would likely stand all the way through the concert .
I ain’t as young as I once was.
I love the band, and don’t mind shelling out the money. But at those prices, I want to actually see and hear the band – not just the crowd.
But such was not the case.
I ended up spending a good portion of the concert toweling myself off, listening to a bunch of loud chatter, and having my sightline constantly blocked by the parade of drunks, pushing through the aisles to make beer runs, immediately following by pee runs, and then followed by more beer runs - ad infinitum.
To add insult to injury , the beer guzzlers were so schwacked, they slopped beer on us - not once - but twice.
When I wasn’t dodging spilt beer, towelling off, or getting my feet stepped on, I got to enjoy the “hey look at me” people standing on their chairs, taking pictures of themselves, waving at their friends while talking non-stop on their cellphones.
Want ever happened to enjoying the music?
You wanna party - no problem - that's why they have festival seating on the floor.
People have a right to have fun. But freedom cuts two way. Paying an admission fee does not mean that anything goes. It does not mean the world is your ashtray.
Maybe it's high time ticket retailers asked customers what their seating needs when they purchase a ticket just like they do in some restaurants - "smoking or non smoking?" They could ask," "dancing or sitting?" or "partier or non-partier" and delegate seats accordingly.
But of course, that will never happen.
The venues make far too money much peddling brew. Plus, Ticketmaster and Live Nation are worried about profits, not customer satisfaction.
It seems everything about the concert experience these days is on the down turn except the music itself. Asides from rude people, you have overpriced ticket prices; service fee gouging by Ticketmaster and Live Nation, overpriced merchandise, inadequate overpriced parking, poor washroom facilities, lousy customer service (just try to get your money back if a band postpones or cancels), overpriced concessions, and outrageous ticket scalping.
If I want to have a lousy time, I can stay home and watch a reality show on TV. At least I’ll avoid beer baths, parking jams, obnoxious drunks, preening ego manics, save myself a few hundred bucks and won’t under any delusion that I might actually enjoy myself.
Ticket sales have been so slow for the the upcoming scheduled appearance of ZZ Top and Aerosmith, Ticketmaster have been forced to slash prices, and are almost giving tickets away in the upper tiers.
Two fine bands – and I think it’s sad. But it’s hardly a surprise.
I think the graffitti is on the wall folks!
Rob Rheubottom

Billy Joel and Elton John Join the Cancellation Trend of Aging Stars like Aerosmith, Fleetwood Mac and Tom Jones

2009-07-27T11:55:00.000-07:00

Billy Joel Cancels A Second Show

Billy Joel and Elton John Join the Cancellation Trend of Aging Stars like Aerosmith, Fleetwood Mac and Tom Jones

Billy Joel and Elton John have cancelled another show in upstate New York. The top-grossing piano men have been forced to postpone Monday’s show after Joel developed flu-like symptoms, according to a Times Union Center press release. A Friday night show at Buffalo’s HSCB Arena was previously cancelled due to Joel’s health.

Promoters are attempting to reschedule both shows.

The duos’ Face 2 Face tour has been the nation’s top-grossing concert tour for the last two months

The postponements are another in a rash of recent cancellations by aging superstars. They join the ranks of baby boomer headliners such as Aerosmith, Fleetwood Mac and Tom Jones who have also been forced to postpone shows due to health concerns.

Aerosmith have recently cancelled numerous shows on their tour schedule as lead singer Steve Tyler, guitarist Brad Whitford, and most recently bass player Tom Hamilton have each undergone health problems. Perry pulled a leg muscle. Whitford and Hamilton have both taken time off due to surgery. The band have found a temporary replacement for Hamilton and will continue touring in his absence.

Welsh crooner Tom Jones has viral bronchitis to blame the postponement of his remaining dates in July. Jones doctors have ordered rest of a “prescribed period of time,” according to an announcement of Jones’ official website. Jones has postponed dates at the Foxwoods Casino in Mashantucket, Boston at the BofA Pavilion July 25: Hyannis, Mass., a the Wolf Trap July 29, Asheville, N.C, at the Biltmore Festival Jul 30, and Atlanta, GA, at Chastain Park July 31.

Fleetwood Mac also cancelled a number of shows throughout the summer due to “band member illness.” The “rumour” was that Stevie Nicks had come down with the flu.

These numerous show cancellations may be a signal that touring days are numbered for many of these aging superstars.

Many have come to take seeing these classic acts for granted, perhaps lulled into complacency by the staying power and regular touring of acts like the legendary Rolling Stones, Bob Dylan, the Eagles and Paul McCartney.

But the sad truth is, most of these acts are now in their sixties and seventies. Time is catching up with them and not all are able to stay as fit and healthy as Sir Paul and Sir Mick.

The recent deaths of Michael Jackson, Peter Waller of Peter and Gordon, and Drake Levin of The Raiders tragically serve to punctuate this point.

My advice is catch them while you can folks.

Rob Rheubottom

Prescription Drugs Abuse and Celebrities: Will Michael Jackson’s Death Be a Wake Up Call?

2009-07-26T10:08:00.000-07:00

It’s becoming fairly clear that prescription drugs will likely have a major role in what killed Michael Jackson. It’s a tale that’s becoming far too familiar among celebrities.

Yet, the general public and Hollywood continually fail to judge those that abuse prescription drugs as harshly as those who are addicted to street drugs. Nor are they willing to acknowledge that the consequences can be just as deadly.

Celebrities have been dying from prescription drug related death for years. Icons like Marilyn Monroe, Elvis, Judy Garland, and most recently Heath Ledger all died under similar circumstances to Michael Jackson. Yet the death toll among celebrities continues and no one seems to be learning any lessons.

In Hollywood, the use and abuse of drugs is a long standing practice. There is great pressure in the industry for the stars to produce. The heat of the spotlight can be extremely difficult to endure. Young stars in particular often have not learned healthy ways of coping with the stress and expectations of stardom and can easily be led to adopt artificial means to relieve the pressure.

Stars like Liza Minelli, and Elizabeth Taylor (both friends of MJ’s interestingly enough) who have struggled with health issues and the pressure of stardom, have turned to prescription drugs with damaging results both to their health and their career.

In Liz’s case, after a year long investigation, the LA County DA’s office failed to press charges against several doctors suspected of over prescribing painkillers to her, even though the DA’s office acknowledged that their methods of prescription, “fell below the accepted standard of medical practice.” Their aura of respectability and public opinion helped get them get off even though these people may well have been no better than common drug pushers.

Liz and Liza, though they played Russian Roulette with their health and lives, are at least still alive. Michael is not.

Unfortunately, there will always be unscrupulous people around, some with doctorates, some who seek to gain influence with the stars, and others who see the them as a cash cow, who will use any means necessary to climb the social ladder, gain confidence, or keep the cash register ringing – including plying them with drugs.

Something must be done. Perhaps there ought to be mandatory drug testing in Hollywood in a manner similar to how it is practiced with athletes during the Olympics.

Obviously, simply sending the stars for a physical examination prior to a production, as they did with Michael Jackson, is not sufficient. Insurance companies are obligated to shell out millions of dollars when concert tours or movie productions are halted due to celebrity death or disablement. Fans, promoters, organizers, behind the scenes people, and the stars themselves all get hurt when this happens.

With millions of dollars at stake, bad habits and practices would change VERY quickly if celebrities were immediately dismissed from productions every time they failed a drug test. But this will never happen until the severity and prevalence of the problem is recognized.

How many more talented people have to die before the public and the industry wake up?

Rob Rheubottom

Aerosmith Cancels Shows Due to Health Problems: Ticket Holders Loss Is Ticketmaster’s Gain

2009-07-24T10:46:00.000-07:00

An article I recently read at Pollstar[1] discussed Aerosmith’s cancellation of numerous shows on their tour schedule due to health problems. In a revolving door fashion, guitarist Brad Whitford, singer Steve Tyler, and most recently bassist Tom Hamilton have been sidelined due to health issues and injuries.

It’s an issue that strikes very close to home. I have tickets for the upcoming Aerosmith/ZZ Top show here in Winnipeg on August 6/09. If the band reschedules, I may or may not be able to attend the rescheduled date.

I bought 2 tickets way back on May 9 at $218.00 a pop, plus a $14.00 per ticket conveniece charge, plus a $4.00 per ticket building facility charge, plus a $3.00 mailing charge, bringing the total to $475.00 of my hard earned money that Ticketmaster is accruing in interest on for a concert I may or may not get to see.

Now this may seem like I’m whining about small potatoes, but please hear me out.

For me, this is history repeating itself. Back in May, I travelled from Winnipeg, MB Canada to Calgary, AB to see Fleetwood Mac. The show was cancelled at the last minute. The reported “rumour” was that Stevie Nicks had come down with the flu. Very disappointing, but I love Stevie and the band and I understand that these things happen.

Here’s where the story gets real interesting. I live in Winnipeg, and I’m already out the time, cost and expense of travelling to Calgary only to have the show cancelled at the last minute. Rescheduling a postponed show in Calgary was not an option. I wanted to be fully reimbursed.

When I was notified by Ticketmaster that the concert was to be cancelled (which I received AFTER I’d already gone to the venue to see the show), no reimbursement options were offered. I contacted Ticketmaster customer service immediately by e-mail. I was assured that I’d be contacted within 24 hours. 3 days later, I still had not been contacted.

Granted, Fleetwood Mac had cancelled a number of shows, and Ticketmaster customer service was probably busy. But Ticketmaster made the claim, and should not have made the assurance if they couldn’t honour it.

After waiting 3 days, I finally phoned the customer service line and waited 55 minutes to speak to a representative. After all this delay, I was told I’d have to mail the voided tickets (faxing the voided tickets is apparently not an option) before my credit card would be reimbursed. In other words, I’d have to wait for weeks for my reimbursement while Ticketmaster enjoyed the interest it was unjustly accumulating on my money. I was already out of pocket thousands of dollars in travel expenses because of this postponement. Having Ticketmaster create further frustration and delay due to it’s conveniently slow customer service and self-interested reimbursement policy was the last straw.

It felt like I was being treated like a perpetrator and a dupe instead of a victim and a valued customer. A reimbursement option should have been immediately been offered – not placed as an option made available only after a date was rescheduled (who knows when that might be). That is, , if the event gets rescheduled.

In my opinion, they added insult to injury and lined their pockets at a valued customer’s expense.

This is what happens when a company has a monopoly. The customer is left with few options other than to foregoe their favorite attractions or get up at the break of dawn to stand in line – which for me is no longer a realistic option.

God help event goers if Tickemaster wins their bid to merger with Live Nation.

Understandably, I’m biting my nails while following Aerosmith’s ongoing medical problems, praying that Winnipeg doesn’t get cancelled or rescheduled.

The thought of dealing with Ticketmaster customer service yet again is driving my blood pressure through the roof.

On a brighter note, Fleetwood Mac did eventually reschedule their Calgary concert and, as luck had it, in the interim, they scheduled a Winnipeg concert. So I finallly had the chance to see Fleetwood Mac afterall. They were worth the wait.

Rob Rheubottom

[1] Aerosmith Health Report: Bassist Tom Hamilton Sitting Out Shows. Sarah Marie Pittman. Pollstar. retrieved on 2009-07-24.

Plenty of Life Left in The Zombies

2009-07-17T23:36:00.000-07:00

The Zombies
Club Regent Casino
Winnipeg, MB Canada
July 17/09

Concert Review: Plenty of Life Left in The Zombies

I’ve had the good fortune of seeing many of the premiere groups of the sixties’ British Invasion perform live over the years, including The Rolling Stones, The Who, Eric Burdon & the Animals as well as influential solo artists such as Eric Clapton and Paul McCartney. However, one British Invasion band high on my “must see before I die” shortlist had long eluded me until now - The Zombies.

The group, fronted by Rod Argent on keyboards, and Colin Blunstone on lead vocals may be well have been the most underrated band to come out of the original British Invasion period. Bolstered by the song writing talents of Argent and bassist Chris White, The Zombies scored three hits in the US and Canada with She’s Not There, Tell Her No, and Time of the Season.

The album that spawned the smash single Time of the Season, 1968’s Odessey and Oracle, was largely ignored in its time, and the group had already disbanded prior to the album’s release. It is now regarded as one of the best albums of its era. Rolling Stone magazine ranks it No 80 on their 500 Greatest Albums of All Time and its No. 32 on New Music Express’ list.

The members went their separate ways and had varying levels of success in their solo careers with Rod Argent scoring the greatest degree of commercial recognition with his band Argent. Though there were a couple of brief Zombies reunions in 1991 and 1997, it wasn’t until 2004 that Argent and Blunstone reclaimed the name and began touring again under The Zombies’ banner.

The Zombies opened with “I Love You,” a single written in 1965 by Zombie bass player Chris White that - in keeping with the group’s legacy of performing and writing hit songs which were largely ignored during their original release - was a North American cover hit 3 years later for a group called People. The sell out audience gave the band a rousing reception, leaving little question in Winnipeg’s mind who ought to have had the hit version. The song was made to order for Blunstone’s breathy vocal style and its quirky minor key feel fit in perfectly with the Zombies’ song canon.

The band immediately set a pattern of presenting hits like the Argent penned 1964 smash Tell Her No which they followed with newer original material such as Argent’s I’m Mystified and I Do Believe, topped with a sprinkling of solid r&b covers such as Ray Charles’ classic Sticks and Stones.

To set the record straight, The Zombies are not simply an oldies act, reliving past glories by churning out tired versions of their old hits. One need only watch and listen to Argent madly attacking each solo with seeming life or death urgency, or hear Blunstone nail the high notes in the bridge of Tell Her No, to realize that you were standing in the presence of some serious musicianship. Nor were there any slouches in their formidable backup group, consisting of session guitarist Keith Airey, ex-Argent/Kinks bassist Jim Rodford and his son Steve on drums. All songs featured tight arrangements, meticulously crafted harmonies and skilled musicianship.

One of the highlights of the show was a mini presentation of songs from their acclaimed album Odessey and Oracle album. Tracks performed included: Rose for Emily, Care of Cell 44, Beechwood Park, This Will Be Our Year, I Want Her She Wants Me (featuring Rod Argent on vocals), and the magnificent Time of the Season.

The band also performed a couple of songs from Argent’s successful solo career including the 1972 top 5 crowd pleaser Hold Your Head Up from Argent’s All Together Now album (complete with extended keyboard solo), that had the audience on their feet.

They wrapped the night with their 1964 Canadian/US Top 2 smash She’s Not There and encored with the Argent rock anthem God Gave Rock and Roll to You.

The Zombies proved beyond a shadow of a doubt that they have plenty of life left in them yet.

Rob Rheubottom

Michael Jackson on the Shelf

2009-07-12T06:54:00.000-07:00

In an Associated Press article I was reading this morning, LeToya Jackson makes the accusation that brother Michael was murdered for his money and claims that she knows who did it, though she conveniently stops short of naming names.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090712/ap_en_mu/eu_britain_michael_jackson

Her assertions are a bit premature I suspect, given that that the coroner's office have still not released the results of MJ's autopsy toxicolgy reports.

I suppose like Elvis, Jimi Hendrix, and Marilyn Monroe and other high profile celebrities who died under mysterious circumstance before him, conspiracy theorists will be coming out of the woodwork with ideas on how Michael Jackson really died. There will MJ sightings splattered all over the ragmags, and accustations aimed at lawyers, handlers, backers, family members, friends, business asscociates, rival artists, doctors, crackpots and vigilantes.

But like many of those dead legends who passed on before him, although drugs will almostly certainly be found to have played a role in his demise whether by accident, misadventure, or by foul play, I suspect the public will never learn the truth.

Doubtless, as LeToya states, Michael was worth more dead than alive to certain interested parties. His untimely death as with his sensational but troubled life, have provided the media with a seemingly unending source of news fodder for gossip hungry readers. Those who hated him seem as equally fascinated as those who loved him. Jackson's CDs and DVDs are flying off the shelf, feeding the coffers of Michael's Estate while LeToya and other Jackson family members, long absent from the spotlight, are enjoying renewed celebrity from his death.

Jackson certainly went out with a bang and the reverberations will continue long after he's turned to dust. But it's unfortunate that only a small portion of that interest will be on his musical legacy and fatherless children rather than his questionable business and personal affairs.

MJ once shelled out huge bucks to buy the bones of the Elephant Man. I wonder if one day same publicity hungry pop star with time and money on their hands might pay to have his bones sitting on the mantle. I'm sure tons of longterm revenue could be made off of fans and curiosity seekers who'd make the pilgrimage and shell out bucks to see them.

Michael might even approve! It somehow seems to fit in a twisted kind of way.

I just shake my head.

MACCA in Halifax

2009-07-11T13:51:00.000-07:00

Fans are lining up in Halifax early today in order to catch the only Canadian tour stop by ex- Beatle, Sir Paul McCartney. I had made plans to attend his concert this weekend, but my daughter decided she'd prefer attending summer school rather than going along on the trip - so my plans were sadly waylaid.

I was too young to see the Beatles when they made a brief stopover at Winnipeg Airport back in the 60s and I was on the road gigging the one and only time McCartney performed in Winnipeg. But finally, in July 2008, I was able to attend Macca's concert in Quebec City where he put on an electrifying performance for an estimated 300,000 fans in the Plains of Abraham as part of Quebec City's 400 birthday celebration.

It's the closet I'll ever come to the feeling of being at Woodstock or of seeing the Beatles play live - a once in a lifetime experience. Here's a review I did of the concert for those of you - like me - who will not be seeing Sir Paul don the festival stage tonight in Halifax. Enjoy!
_____________
Paul McCartney
Plains of Abraham: Quebec City, QB
July 20/08

McCartney Magnifique!– 5 out of 5

The second I heard the announcement that Paul McCartney would be performing a free concert in Quebec City (his first ever in Quebec City and his only North American concert appearance in 2008), I pounced on the phone to make hotel reservations.

I’m a rabid Beatles fan and seeing the legendary Sir Paul is about as close as anyone can now come to getting a sense of what is was like to experience the Fabs live. And what better way to get a sense of Beatlemania than in the company of an estimated 300,000 people?

My friends and I drove for 2 days from Winnipeg to Quebec City and arrived Sat evening. We barely had time to appreciate the history and beauty of the city as we essentially hopped into bed and arose early to stand in line to get the best seats possible for the concert.

McCartney mania was in the air! The local radio stations were playing Beatle and McCartney songs and the media had Sir Paul’s face plastered everywhere. Getting directions from a hotel clerk (thankfully, most everyone in Quebec City speaks at least some English), we hopped a bus to the festival site. It wasn’t that hard to find as streams of people could be seen snaking there way to the site and “Band on the Run” could be heard blaring from the speakers of a local radio station who had set up at the site. Even though we got there extremely early, thousands had already arrived ahead of us. Some had camped out days in advance to snag primo spots, had come from as far away as South America to groove with the ex-Beatle.

They finally opened the gates in the late afternoon and we bumped and prodded our way to the catchment area, toward the Plains of Abraham concert site. We didn’t get as close to the stage as I’d hoped, but we were still close enough to clearly see the forms and faces of the musicians without the need of the jumbotron. All the announcements were strictly in French and je parle francais en peu (I speak very little French). So I did not catch the names of the local opening acts. But they were quite good and the crowd seem to enjoy them, as did I.

Although I’ve been to some large concerts in my time, I’ve never attended anything of this magnitude. Regardless of where I looked, from my vantage point all that could be seen was an endless sea of people. The massive crowd, though many were clearly wasted, was incredibly well behaved. In fact, I witnessed not one fight or altercation of any sort the entire time – amazing for a gathering of that size!

By the time Sir Paul was to appear, it was getting dark and the excitement of the crowd was palpable. A deafening roar erupted as McCartney strolled on stage dressed smartly in a dark double breasted suit and his Vox Beatle bass slung across his shoulder.

Any animosity that may have been harboured by French separatists who were angered that an Anglophone headliner had been chosen over a French act to perform for the opening ceremonies instantly vanished as Paul greeted the crowd with “Bonsoir toute le gang!” as the band broke into the instantly familiar opening notes of McCartney’s 1973 Band on the Run smash single “Jet.”

Paul did not disappoint. His voice in recent times has been occasionally suspect, but the billion dollar pipes were in excellent form on this evening and they grew stronger as the night progressed. The sound system was superb and any fears that Beatles’ songs might take a back seat to Paul’s contemporary solo material vanished as Paul followed his opener with the Beatles classic “Baby You Can Drive My Car!” It was quite a spectacle seeing hundreds of thousands of kids – many of whom weren’t even born when the Fabs ruled the airwaves – and many who didn’t even understand English – singing along. Macca did an exceptional job weaving back and forth, interspersing songs like his 2007’s Memory Almost Full track “Only Mama Knows” followed by the Beatles’ “All My Lovin’” and 1997’s Flaming Pie followed by The Beatle’s “Revolver” album track “Got to Get You Into My Life.” He also threw in not often played chestnuts such as Band on the Run’s “Let Me Roll It” and “Mrs. Vanderbilt” as well as the 1971’s Ram track “Too Many People” which segued into The Beatle’s Abbey Road track “She Came Into the Bathroom Window.”

Highlights of the night were his heartfelt dedication to his deceased first wife Linda, “My Love,” made even more poignant after his recent high profile divorce from second wife Heather Mills. The bi-lingual Beatles’ classic “Michelle” which of course met with roars of approval from the French audience. A tribute to Beatle band mate George Harrison that showcased George’s Abbey Road masterpiece “Something” which Paul played on ukulele and a performance of “Give Peace A Chance” and “A Day in the Life” tributes to his former song writing partner John Lennon. There was hardly a dry eye in the house.

It’s hard to explain to someone who didn’t grow in the 60’s the impact that the Beatles had on my generation. The Beatles and Paul, John, George and Ringo as solo artists wrote the soundtrack to my life. No other group before or since has had such a profound impact on the life and culture of a generation. The experience of hearing these songs played live in the midst of hundreds of thousands of people was an almost transcendental experience. I cannot express in words what an emotionally moving experience it was – both for myself – and judging by those around me – thousands of others.

It would have been easy enough for a living legend such as Paul McCartney to coast in and out on the gig with an hour and half minute set of his greatest hits and doubtless everyone would have been completely satisfied. Given his advancing age, nobody would hold it against him. But Paul turned in a set that could have rivalled Bruce Springsteen in his younger days, putting in a performance that clocked in at nearly 3 hours that included plenty of electrifying hard rockers such as The Beatle’s White Album track “Birthday,” (which he dedicated to the Quebec City), and “I Saw Her Standing There.”

Back home in Winnipeg, our 11:00 pm noise curfew would likely have put the kibosh on Sir Paul’s performance far earlier. But nobody in Quebec City was putting a muzzle on Macca this night. He was still punching out songs well after midnight. In fact, the show went so late, we actually began to fear we would miss our last bus home and might have to walk the numerous miles back to our hotel rooms (no hope of a cab). But thankfully this did not happen. Paul closed the set with 5 back to back Beatle classics: “Let It Be,” “Hey Jude,” “Lady Madonna,” “Get Back,” and “I Saw Her Standing There.” And after being given one of the longest loudest most enthusiastic encore calls I’ve ever heard, Paul came back by himself and performed “Yesterday” and then wound up the night with the title track of arguably the greatest album of all-time “Sergeant Pepper’s Lonely Heart’s Club Band.”

McCartney was magnificent, or as the Quebecers would say “Magnifique!”

Rob Rheubottom
Winnipeg, MB Canada
tarryrob@yahoo.ca

Paul’s Quebec City Setlist

JetDrive My CarOnly Mama KnowsAll My LovingFlaming PieGot To Get You Into My LifeLet Me Roll It C MoonMy Love Let Em InFine LineThe Long And Winding Road Dance TonightBlackbirdCalico SkiesFollow The SunMichelleMrs VanderbiltEleanor RigbySomethingA Day In A Life / Give Peace a ChanceGood Day SunshineToo Many People / Bathroom WindowPenny LaneBand On The RunBirthday Back In The USSRI Got A Feeling Live And Let DieLet It BeHey JudeLady Madonna Get Back I Saw Her Standing There YesterdaySgt. Peppers

Welcome to Rob's Rant!

2009-07-11T02:44:00.000-07:00

As a teacher, musician, writer, and former editor my articles are plastered ALL over the Internet on other people's websites. After numerous enquiries and requests from friends and fans (I had one here somewhere!), I decided it was time to step into the 21st century and get a blog and website of my very own to share daily thoughts, comments and ideas.

I plan to post ongoingly on a diverse range of topics ranging from concert reviews, CD reviews, film and DVD reviews, to current events, pet peeves, or whatever might pop into my heated little brain at any given moment. Hopefully readers will find my blogs informative, engaging and entertaining. Minimally, it'll act as a minor distraction while waiting for coffee breaks or while mindlessly surfing the net for porn or the latest Hollywood celeb dirt - for me at least !

Reader feedback and suggestions will be most welcome. You can post queries to: tarryrob@yahoo.caNuff said for now dear reader -let the adventure begin!

Have a great one!

(Tarry) Rob Rheubottom
tarryrob@yahoo.ca

Bachman-Cummings: “Guess Who’s Back Together – Bachman Cummings Overdrive?”

2009-07-11T02:27:00.000-07:00

Bachman-Cummings
MTS Centre
Winnipeg, MB, Canada
June 30/09

Randy Bachman and Burton Cummings have had their share of ups, downs and personal fallouts over the years. As fellow members of the Guess Who, they co-wrote numerous hits, such as These Eyes, Laughing, No Time, peaking with their smash 1970 No. 1 - American Women. But at the pinnacle of the Guess Who’s career, personal differences caused lead guitarist Randy Bachman to leave the group.

Lead singer/pianist Cummings remained with the Guess Who after Randy’s departure. He continued to produce albums and help pen hits for the Guess Who such as Share the Land, Rain Dance and Clap for the Wolfman.

Bachman eventually went on to form Bachman Turner Overdrive in 1973 and began racking up gold and platinum success. Randy continued writing hit songs while expanding his duties from lead guitarist to lead vocalist on BTO hits such as Taking Care of Business, Hey You, and Baby You Ain’t Seen Nothing Yet.

Cummings eventually became disenchanted with the Guess Who and in 1975, he began a successful solo career, pumping out hits such as Stand Tall, My Own Way to Rock, and You Saved My Soul.

By 1977, slumping sales and solo ambitions led Bachman to part company with BTO.

In 1983, Randy and Burton put aside differences with each and their former Guess Who band mates to stage a successful reunion tour and a live album. But the reunion was short lived and both soon returned to their solo careers.

Bachman and Cummings reunited with the Guess Who twice more, once in May 1997 to help raise funds during Winnipeg’s Flood of the Century, and again in August 1999 at the request of Winnipeg Premier Gary Doer to have the band play the closing ceremonies of the Pan Am Games. The last show led to a successful cross Canada and US tour in 2000 as well as a live CD and DVD release. They did several more tours with the group that culminated in a warmly received set before an estimated crowd of 450,000 at the Toronto SARS benefit concert. The show was the largest outdoor ticketed event in Canadian history.

However, an underlying problem was overshadowing the band’s renewed success. Due to a legal glitch, Bachman and Cummings, the creative heart and spirit of the Guess Who, the guys who wrote and sang the band’s hits, had lost the rights to the name The Guess Who. It had been scooped out from under them by the former Guess Who bass player Jim Kale who was sitting at home collecting a sizable percentage of the tour profits.

Finally, in July 2003, Bachman and Cummings left the Guess Who name behind for good.

Eager to capitalize, Kale hired former Guess Who drummer Gary Peterson and a rotating group of Bachman/Cummings sound a likes and began doing shows under the banner The Guess Who in the US where the missing stars’ faces would be less conspicuous while carefully avoiding shows in Canada.

Burton and Randy got the brainstorm to unite their talents under the banner Bachman-Cummings. The primary forces behind the Guess Who and Bachman Turner Overdrive, joined forces and hit the road, showcasing their enviable back catalogue of songs which encompasses their 40 plus years in music.

With their songs having been rerecorded by artists ranging from Junior Walker and the All Stars to Lenny Kravitz, there are few people on the planet who haven’t been exposed to the songs of Bachman and Cummings. They are legends in Canada and well known international stars. But in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Randy and Burton’s hometown, they enjoy a near godlike status. So when the announcement leaked that the two would be making a Winnipeg stop as part of their 2009 tour, I was “Johnny at the rathole” to grab tickets.

The “hometown boys made good” entered to a thunderous standing ovation, and immediately staked their claim on the Guess Who legacy, opening the pre-Canada Day concert with their Canadian flag-waver Running Back to Saskatoon, followed by the rollicking Albert Flasher
.
“It’s good to be home,” declared Burton, attired from head to toe in black and sporting a Jimi Hendrix t-shirt under his open shirt.

Flexing their versatile hit making muscle, Randy then took over lead vocal duties and belted out his BTO smash You Ain’t Seen Nothing Yet! Randy was in strong voice, and looked positively svelte (he’d lost a good 150 pounds). His voice was a bit thin when he occasionally took on the lines of former BTO vocalist Fred Turner, but strong harmonies from their tight 5 piece back up band, and his scorching lead guitar solo’s more than made up for it.

Burton then had the audience clapping in time to the 1974 Guess Who hit dedicated to the late great DJ - Wolfman Jack - Clap for the Wolfman.

Bachman then exited while Cummings covered the title track from his latest CD entitled Above the Ground and Randy followed suit with a cut from his latest solo CD Jazz Thing II.

Then it was back to the hits, with a song Randy noted, “prevented them from wearing the tag One Hit Wonders,” – their 1969 top 10 Guess Who hit Laughing.

The guys did a great job of making Winnipeg feel special. Bachman announced that they’d thrown away the set list in honour of playing at home. Winnipeg was fortunate to hear many songs that had not been used on the tour thus far. These included My Own Backyard (Cummings at his rockin’ best hammering on his piano like a young Jerry Lee Lewis), Timeless Love (which Burton dedicated to his mother who was in the audience - both these songs were from Burton Cummings’ solo career), and The Guess Who’s Glamour Boy as well as their first US top 10 hit These Eyes which Cummings claimed they had only played sporadically on the tour because “he could no longer sing it like he could when he was 20.”

Cummings has one of the most distinctive voices in the business. His pipes have weathered remarkably well and he can still belt out throat tearing high notes such as the ending notes of Bachman’s pop/jazz masterpiece Undun with incredible power.

After Burton finished nailing These Eyes, Randy joked, “Ladies and gentlemen a 20 year old Burton Cummings – I guess that makes me 24.”

Burton’s 62 and Randy’s 66.

Bachman and Cummings rocked with authority for nearly 2 and ½ hours and could easily have given many young twenty-something bands a hard run for their money.

Throughout the night, they shared many entertaining stories about how they wrote some of their hits songs. Randy told an amusing tale from his BTO days about confronting a trucker, “who was as big as a Volkswagen with a head screwed on top” who had deliberately boxed in the band’s van with the help of 2 other truckers for a practical joke. Instead of tearing Randy’s head off, the trucker simply said, “let it ride, son” that resulted in Randy penning BTO’s 1974 breakout hit “Let It Ride.”

Randy showed off his finesse and diversity moving from his jazz flavoured songs such as Looking Out for No 1 to the hard rocking BTO hits like “Hey You” which Cummings introduced with a smirk as being “ a song that Randy wrote when he didn’t like me.”

Although performing a few well-received tunes from individual solo albums (mostly Burton’s) such as Bachman’s Prairie Town and Cummings My Own Way to Rock, the boys primarily stuck with the tried and true Guess Who/BTO classic rock hits. The spotlight rotated back and forth between Burton and Randy as they rotated between Guess Who tracks like No Sugar Tonight/New Mother Nature, BTO’s Let It Roll and then partnering to do what they each do best on smash hits like American Woman which had the entire crowd on their feet, punching their fists in the air.

They boys brought the night home with a tip of the hat to former Guess Who band mate, the late Kurt Winter, performing his ode to the working man – Bus Rider and finished the set with a searing version of their US Billboard top 5 hit - No Time.

After a lengthy well deserved standing ovation, they returned to finish the night with The Guess Who’s 1970 peace anthem Share the Land and closed with Randy’s BTO party hearty rock classic, Taking Care of Business – something Bachman and Cummings proved they could do extremely well.

Guess who’s in The Guess Who? From here on in, they’ll be no need to guess. Randy Bachman and Burton Cummings are the real deal! Case closed.

4 out 5 stars

Rob Rheubottom
Winnipeg, MB Canada
tarryrob@yahoo.ca

David Clayton Thomas: Still Making Crowds “So Very Happy”

2009-07-11T02:26:00.000-07:00

David Clayton Thomas
Red River Exhibition Park
Winnipeg, MB, Canada
June 17/09

David Clayton Thomas tours only sporadically these days. As lead vocalist./songwriter extraordinaire for Blood, Sweat and Tears back in the glory days when they ruled the charts with classics such as Spinning Wheel, When I Die and You Made Me So Very Happy, he has long ranked high on my “Catch Him While You Still Can” list of must see performers. So when news leaked out that he’d be making a rare appearance here in Winnipeg, I was overjoyed.

My dad was huge fan of swing jazz. So as a child, I was teethed on big band 78 rpm recordings of Glen Miller, the Dorsey Brothers, Benny Goodman, Count Basie and Stan Kenton until the Beatles came along obliterating everything and forever changing my world. But in 1969, Beatlemania did not stop me from taking notice of the most powerful jazz fusion sounds ever to explode onto the pop airwaves, and note especially, the gritty, powerhouse lead vocalist whose voice thundered overtop that popping brass and rhythm section. That unique voice belonged to a fellow Canadian, David Clayton Thomas.

Blood, Sweat and Tears 1969 self titled album won 3 Grammy Awards, beating out the Beatles Abbey Road at the Grammy Awards for Album of the Year and earned the band 3 US Billboard Top 2 singles including Clayton Thomas’ own self penned smash Spinning Wheel. Clayton Thomas has since gone on to sell 40 million records worldwide and was inducted into Canada’s Music Hall of Fame in 1996.

Though David has slowed down his live performance schedule, he’s still been hard at work writing, and has recorded a brand new CD called Spectrum.

Though the sky threatened rain, a good size crowd was on hand at Central Stage in the Exhibition grounds to welcome the group. They opened the night with a solid rendition of the Laura Nyro classic When I Die from the 1969 B,S&T self-titled album.

If anyone thought that David’s new backup group might not be up to B,S&T standards, their fears were quickly allayed. Having retired from B,S&T in 2004, he now tours with a slick 10 piece orchestra from Toronto billed under his own name.

Clayton Thomas looked professional in a dark suit and blue open collar dress shirt, and he quickly proved he still had the pipes. His voice was perhaps slightly more husky and raw than the old days, but this worked to his advantage given his bluesy style. The songs lacked none of the trademark power and emotion. His only concession to his senior citizen status, was a stool he used occasionally while allowing the band members to solo.

He quickly followed with another track from the same album, his self-penned smash hit Spinning Wheel.

David talked freely and easily to the primarily middle age crowd, apologizing for not having visited Winnipeg for over 30 plus years.

He next introduced a selection from his new CD Spectrum that featured a fine baritone sax solo from the sole female musician in the band, Colleen Allen. Though the band now bears his name, David wisely gave his musicians plenty of time in the spotlight.

Ever the consummate entertainer, Clayton Thomas introduced a local high school marching band who were to perform a couple of his songs in an upcoming European band tournament. As a tip of the hat to them, he performed the songs back to back and revealed the inspirations behind the two songs. “This song was written about a bad ass woman I met in a motel in Brandon, MB.” The song was the B,S&T hit Lucretia McEvil, followed by Go Down Gambling, a song he explained was inspired from at time he, “lost his ass in Vegas.”

Slowing down the pace, he next performed the beautiful ballad You’re the One, a song he wrote for his former wife. He then picked things up again with the funky and raucous Gimme Dat Wine (one of my fav songs of the night) followed by the slightly self indulgent 40,000 Headmen from BS&T 3.

Commenting wryly that he wanted to let the Winnipeg crowd get home “before it snowed,” David wrapped up with B,S&T’s classic hit ~ You Made Me So Very Happy. After a well deserved standing ovation, he returned and finished with his stirring reading of Billie Holliday’s God Bless the Child.

What the show lacked in length (performing only an hour and 15 minutes of an expected 1 ½ hour performance) Clayton Thomas and the band certainly made up for it in quality and content. He made the crowd and this reviewer VERY happy. Don’t wait another 30 years to bring your band back David!

4 out of 5

Rob Rheubottom
Winnipeg, MB Canada
tarryrob@yahoo.ca

Setlist

When I Die
Spinning Wheel
Morning Blues
Stormy Monday
Lucretia McEvil
Go Down Gambling
You’re the One
Gimme Dat Wine
40,000 Headmen
You Made Me So Very Happy
God Bless The Child

The Searchers Go the Extra Mile

2009-07-11T02:24:00.000-07:00

The Searchers
McPillips Street Station Casino
Winnipeg, MB, Canada
June 15/09

Being a fan of British Invasion music, I try to catch any UK band from the period that rolls through. Given that most of the original band members from that period are now collecting social insurance, the opportunities are getting progressively fewer. So it was that I eagerly sat front row centre for The Searchers show at McPhillips Street Station casino.

As a regular concert attendee, seeing “oldies” acts can be a hit or miss affair. Often, few - if any – of the original group members still tour. Worst yet, key members such as lead singers or lead instrumentalist have often long since departed

Happily, The Searcher’s line up is still relatively intact. Although vocalist Mike Pinder departed the group back in 1981, founding lead guitarist/vocalist John McNally still mans the lead guitar duties and provides that wonderful jangly Searchers’ sound along with bassist Frank Allen who shares vocal duties and very capably fronts the group. Former First Class (their big hit was Beach Baby) vocalist/guitarist Spencer James is a formidable replacement for Pinder and the line up is rounded out by Eddie Rothe on drums.

The band kicked off with its first 1963 UK hit Sweets for My Sweet. One of the things that surprised me was the sheer number of hits The Searchers had in such a short period. Although I was well of aware of a few of their hits such as Needles and Pins, Love Potion No 9, Don’t Throw Your Love Away and When You Walk in the Room, I was taken aback when I also instantly recognized many of their UK hits such as Sweets for My Sweet, Sugar and Spice and What Have They Done to the Rain which did not chart as successfully in Canada. Of course, maybe that’s just my grey hair showing.

The hits were performed pretty much verbatim. Allen was the consummate entertainer cracking jokes, encouraging audience response and telling interesting stories about how some The Searchers big hits came about.

Some album and cover songs worked better than others. Three pleasant surprises were their cover of Spencer’s hit Beach Baby, and killer covers of Bette Midler’s The Rose and of Gary Puckett and the Union Gap’s Young Girl (with special kudos going to the harmony work and Spencer’s lead vocal performance) They also included a nod to the resident Canucks by including a cover of Ian and Sylvia’s Four Strong Winds which was well performed and well received. But covers such as Da Do Ron Ron and Twist and Shout, though decent party songs, should probably have been left off the set list.

After attending high priced shows ($200.00 plus) for merely “OK” seats at the MTS Centre for classic rock acts such as Fleetwood Mac and The Eagles, it was great to be able to sit close enough to count nose hairs and watch one of the founding father groups of the British Invasion strut their stuff for under forty dollars.

The sound was great and the band played all the hits, evoking plenty of audience participation and making it a fun night for all. They wrapped up the initial with their smash hits Needles and Pins followed bv When You Walk in the Room. For their first encore they performed a cover of John Fogerty’s Rockin’ All Over the World followed by a fine medley reprise of all their hits. For their final encore, they had the crowd swaying and waving cell phones to Gerry Marsden’s Liverpool soccer anthem Never Walk Alone.

The Searchers topped off the night by doing a “meet and greet” immediately after the show to sign autographs and merchandise which was included in the price of the ticket. No extra charge. Usually bands charge hundreds of extra dollars for this privilege at arena shows and festival. It’s gestures like this, that make it easy to understand why The Searchers have lasted so long. They value their fans and deliver bang for the buck. Well done lads!

3 1/2 out of 5

Rob Rheubottom
Winnipeg, MB Canada
tarryrob@yahoo.ca

“The Old Man Down the Road” Still Has Plenty of Miles on Him

2009-07-11T02:22:00.000-07:00

John Fogerty
MTS Centre: Winnipeg, MB Canada
June 1/09

“I ain’t here to talk, I’m here to rock n’ roll. Hand me my guitar!” John Fogerty was true to his word, punching out a 2 hour plus concert to the crowd at the MTS Centre.
Few artists have such an instantly recognizable voice. Fewer yet have crafted such a huge back catalogue of classics songs with equally recognizable guitar licks. John paraded them out one by one last night, much to the delight of the Winnipeg crowd.

There was no warm up act, no jumbotrons nor a lot of stage trappings. Fogerty likes his stage setting simple and the focus kept on the music, allowing his infectious brand of bayou, blues, and country infused rock n’ roll to speak for him.

John opened with Rockin’ All Over the World and immediately followed with Bad Moon Rising, which earned him an immediate and sustained standing ovation from those on the floor. They never sat down again for the rest of the show.

Though Fogerty recently celebrated his 64th birthday (slyly shuffling through a few bars of the Lennon/McCartney Sgt Pepper classic When I’m 64 and quipping that “the good part of being a senior was that he could get into movies real cheap”), he played, sang and put out more energy than a good many musicians half his age. His voice has lost none of its range or power. His

In fact, he still looks only half his age. Perhaps that can be attributed to a happy family life that seems to nicely balance his life on the road. John is clearly a family man. He dedicated a song to his wife, and even trotted out a picture his son drew for him of Scooby Doo, proudly braying “Ain’t that the best darn picture of Scooby Doo you ever saw?” before launching into a song he declared his personal favorite of all the songs he’d written - Have You Ever Seen the Rain?

Though the crowd came to see Fogerty, John made a point of introducing his entire backing group during the course of the evening. The six piece unit was tight both musically and vocally. Particular kudos go to his rhythm section and fiddle – mandolin player.

Although Fogerty included some well received newer material, including tracks from his acclaimed 2007 CD Revival, it was the vintage Creedence Clearwater Revival material and tracks from his 1985 platinum selling solo album Centerfield that the crowd primarily came to hear and John did not disappoint them, punching out classics like Green River, Looking Out My Back Door, Midnight Special, Born on the Bayou, Centerfield, Keep on Chooglin’, Down on the Corner, Rock N’ Roll Girls, and The Old Man Down the Road.

Fogerty changes his song list up regularly, so the crowd never quite knows exactly what they might hear. It is a testament to the power of his back catalogue that he can elect to eschew such crowd pleasers as Lodi, Run Through the Jungle, Travelling Band, Long As I Can See the Light, Heard It Through the Grapevine, Who’ll Stop the Rain, or Suzie Q (to name just a few) and still deliver a powerful hit filled set.

Of course, some songs are a must. John wrapped up the evening with a blistering version of the CCR classic, Fortunate Son and encored with, Up Around the Bend and Proud Mary, a song as vintage and timeless as Fogerty himself. Keep on rolling John!

4 1/2 out 5

Rob Rheubottom
Winnipeg, MB Canada
tarryrob@yahoo.ca

Eric Burdon Delivers Comfort in the Cold

2009-07-11T02:19:00.000-07:00

Eric Burdon & The Animals
McPhillips Street Station Casino
Winnipeg, MB, Canada
Jan 22/09

I’m HUGE British Invasion fan and The Animals, featuring Eric Burdon’s dark powerful voice, was among the five best bands of the era. I missed Burdon’s band when they performed last summer at the Red River Exhibition, so I was not about to miss them this time. I was Johnny At the Rathole when tickets became available online and scooped seats at a front row centre table. It was a good thing I hustled, because the event sold out.

As luck would have it, an unforeseen turn of events and cold blustery winter weather caused me to arrive at the concert late. I missed the opening numbers, tracks from Eric’s 2006 CD “Soul of Man.” When I walked in, the band was punching out the familiar “shave and haircut – two bits” rhythm of “Hey, Bo Diddley,” a tribute to the recently deceased rock and roll legend at whose funeral Burdon was guest of honour.

Shrugging off the cold and the frustration, I sat down at my table and stared at the elf like man standing onstage in front of me. Given the huge sound of his voice, his short stature surprised me. Eric was modishly attired all in black with a white tie. Although his hair is grey these days, he still has youthful energy and clearly enjoys himself onstage. Pulling off his jacket, and taking a sip from his ever present bottle of water (a reminder of the many radical lifestyle changes he’s made from his hard partying Animal days), he quipped, “Here’s a song I wrote when I was young, so I could sing it when I was old.” This was his tongue in cheek cue for the band to launch into the psychedelic era hit, “When I Was Young.”

Eric’s band, consisting of keyboardist Red Young, guitarist Rick Hirsch, drummer John Bryant, and bassist Ed Freidland were up to the task, providing the familiar amplifier feedback, sitar like guitar riffs, and pulsating groove that were the hallmark of the song, propelling Burdon’s menacing vocals.

Eric picked up a cowbell as Bryant then launched into the funky opening keyboard riff of Eric Burdon and War’s 1970 hit “Spill the Wine,” which had the largely baby boomer crowd grooving in their seats.

Next came the riff laden 1965 Animals’ hit “It’s My Life,” followed by an interesting though not totally successful retinkered reggae version of Nina Simone’s “Don’t Let Me Be Misunderstood.” I prefer The Animal’s original arrangement myself, but as far as Eric’s concerned “It’s my life and I do what I want.” Gotta respect him for that!

Eric pulled out the stops at this point, as Ed Freiland pumped out the instantly recognizable opening bass line of the Animals’ 1965 smash “We Gotta Get Out of This Place.” The song left no doubt that Eric still had his vocal chops. Starting low and bluesy, steadily building the song dynamically to it’s frenzied chorus “Work Work Work Work – We Gotta Get Out of This Place!” Eric belted out the chorus, easily overpowering the entire audience who were singing at the top of their lungs right along with him.

The lights dimmed, Eric pulled out a chair, and the crowd roared their approval as Rick Hirsch ran through the signature Am Cmaj Dmaj Emaj guitar chord progression that marks the Animals biggest smash hit of all - 1964’s “House of the Rising Sun.”

After a well deserved standing ovation, Burdon returned and finished the night with a superb rendition of his 1968 anti-war anthem “Sky Pilot” complete with extended psychedelic guitar jam (no bagpipes – but ya can’t have everything!). The crowd waved their cell phones, sang arm in arm during the chorus while Eric filled their hearts and minds with warm memories to help them face the cold wintry drive home.

4 out 5

Rob Rheubottom
Winnipeg, MB Canada
tarryrob@yahoo.ca