Saturday, August 27th brought the legendary southern rock band Lynyrd Skynyrd to Seneca Niagara Casino In Niagara Falls. To note, the only original member of the band is Gary Rossington who plays guitar, but he was recovering from heart surgery so he was unable to play.
Lynyrd Skynyrd is a rock band formed in Jacksonville, Florida in 1969. The band rose to fame in the 70s with five studio albums and one live album but their career was abruptly halted in 1977 when their chartered airplane crashed, killing three band members and seriously injuring the rest. They reformed in 1987 with their former singer’s brother Johnny Van Zant as singer. They were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2006 and have sold more than 28 million records in the USA.
photo credit- Mike Miller
The show started off with AC/DC’s thunderstruck with a video montage of the band on the large stage screens. Once the whole band walked on the stage the fans went screaming loudly and all stood from their seats with applause. Lynyrd Skynyrd opened their set with “Workin for MCA”. They usually open most shows with this song so fans kind of expect it now.
photo credit- Mike Miller
Some other notable songs in their set (all the fan favorites) were “What’s Your Name,” “That Smell,” “Mississippi Kid”, “Sweet Home Alabama” and of course, “Free Bird” as their encore. This is the only band that you can yell out “Free Bird” and be guaranteed that they will play it and not look at you crazy as it is their most famous song.
photo credit- Mike Miller
Setlist: Workin’ for MCA, What’s Your Name, You Got That Right, The Needle and the Spoon, Whiskey Rock-a-Roller, That Smell, Cry for the Bad Man, Saturday Night Special, Tuesday’s Gone, Mississippi Kid, Red White & Blue, Simple Man, Gimme Three Steps, Call Me the Breeze, Sweet Home Alabama, Free Bird
It’s that time of year for the Seneca Niagara Casino to host their annual outdoor concert series in Niagara Falls. On Friday August 26th, they hosted their first of two this year with Lionel Richie headlining. Richie of course is the American singer, songwriter, musician, and record producer who rose to fame in the 1970s as a songwriter and the co-lead singer of funk band the Commodores.
Photo Credit- Mike Miller
There was no opening act, just Lionel Richie performing. The casino had announced this was their largest attended event ever since they started doing these outdoor concerts many years ago. Almost every seat was filled and the general admission section in the back of the lot was packed as well.
Photo Credit- Mike Miller
It had been a very long time since Lionel Richie has played a show in our area. The last time he played Buffalo was in 2000. The show was scheduled to begin at 8pm but due to a flight delay due to weather in NYC, Lionel was about 80 minutes late arriving. Fans were very eager for the show to start as once they saw his police escort arrive behind the fence, the atmosphere changed and the crowd got louder.
Photo Credit- Mike Miller
Before Lionel took to the stage the band started with “Overture”, it had many older photos of Lionel throughout his history on the large video display wall panel on the stage. He played all of his top hits along with some Commodores tunes. After the second song “Running With The Night”, Lionel told the crowd a story why he was late tonight. He mentioned that the mayor of NYC was behind him at the airport and if he isn’t going anywhere due to the weather, neither is he.
Photo Credit- Mike Miller
Lionel and his band were on fire all night, getting the crowd to sing along to every word. Some other memorable songs in his setlist were “Three Times a Lady”, “Hello” and “Brickhouse”. He closed the night with “All Night Long” as his encore.
In a double bill for the ages, Matador Records label mates Interpol and Spoon joined forces for their first show on the “Lights, Camera, Factions” tour on Thursday, August 25 at The Stone Pony Summer Stage in Asbury Park, NJ.
Paul Banks of Interpol | Photo by Michael Dinger
Post-punk outfit Interpol, formed at New York University in 1997, have recently released their seventh studio album The Other Side of Make-Believe, which was produced by the legendary duo of Flood & Moulder at Battery Studio in London. Indie rockers Spoon, the 1993 brainchild of front man Britt Daniel and drummer Jim Eno (the band’s only consistent members), are touring in support of their latest album Lucifer on the Sofa, recorded in their hometown of Austin, Texas.
Britt Daniel of Spoon | Photo by Michael Dinger
With a glorious sunset sky as the natural background to their set, Spoon took to the stage a few ticks past 7:00 pm. Their opening number was “Held,” a cover by Smog (the alias of enigmatic singer/songwriter Bill Callahan), which also serves as the introductory song to their most recent studio release, the aforementioned Lucifer on the Sofa. Spoon would go on to perform a second cover near the halfway point of their 18-song set, John Lennon’s “Isolation,” taken from his first post-Beatles album released in 1970.
The Stone Pony Summer Stage | Photo by Michael DingerJim Eno of Spoon | Photo by Michael Dinger
The remainder of the quintet’s 75-minute set would be split up amongst their celebrated discography, with at least one offering from eight of their ten studio albums. Spoon fans eager to hear their new material in a live setting would also not disappointed, as they were treated to three tracks from Lucifer on the Sofa, including “Wild,” “My Babe” and “The Hardest Cut.” Albeit for some technical difficulties with Daniel’s guitar pedals late in their set, Spoon’s performance was filled with the high energy, crowd-engaging experience that you can always count on them to deliver.
Britt Daniel of Spoon | Photo by Michael Dinger
After a 30-minute turnover of the stage, and nightfall having settled over the beach boardwalk venue, the trio comprised of Paul Banks (lead vocals, guitar), Daniel Kessler (guitar) and Sam Fogarino (drums) unassumingly appeared in the dark shadows of the stage. Accompanied by a touring bassist and keyboardist, the set’s opening number was “Untitled,” taken from 2002’s critically acclaimed debut album Turn On the Bright Lights, written specifically to open the band’s live shows.
Paul Banks of Interpol | Photo by Michael DingerDaniel Kessler of Interpol | Photo by Michael DingerSam Fogarino of Interpol | Photo by Michael Dinger
Sharply attired in tailored suits, the band was often immersed in a deluge of smoke haze, heavily backlit with dramatic strobe lights, which made for a visually stunning experience. Like Spoon before them, Interpol’s 15-song set would also bestow upon their fans a representative sampling of their impressive music catalog, with the exception of 2010’s self-titled release, their fourth album overall.
Paul Banks of Interpol | Photo by Michael DingerDaniel Kessler of Interpol | Photo by Michael Dinger
A third of Interpol’s set was composed of songs from this year’s The Other Side of Make-Believe, namely “Fables,” “Toni,” “Something Changed,” “Gran Hotel” and “Into The Night.” However, the clear highlights of their 70-minute act included “Obstacle 1,” the second single from Turn On the Bright Lights and “Rest My Chemistry,” from 2007’s Our Love to Admire, which would see many of the nearly 3,000 fans light up the night with their raised cell phones to capture this fan favorite. As the show closed shortly after 10:00 pm with another one of Interpol’s biggest hits, “Slow Hands” from their sophomore album Antics (2004), my only regret is that it all happened too quickly.
Paul Banks of Interpol | Photo by Michael Dinger
Interpol and Spoon’s 18-date “Lights, Camera, Factions” tour will conclude mid-September in Portland, Oregon with a pair of shows at Pioneer Courthouse Square.
Spoon Setlist: Held (Smog cover) > The Fitted Shirt > Wild > My Mathematical Mind > Do I Have to Talk You Into It > The Way We Get By > The Underdog > My Babe > I Summon You > Got Nuffin > Isolation (John Lennon cover) > The Hardest Cut > Inside Out > I Turn My Camera On > Don’t You Evah > Do You > Jonathon Fisk > Rent I Pay
Interpol Setlist: Untitled > Narc > Fables > Evil > Pioneer to the Falls > Toni > Something Changed > Obstacle 1 > Gran Hotel > All the Rage Back Home > Rest My Chemistry > Into the Night > The New > The Rover > Slow Hands
Thursday, August 25 marked the debut performance of Joe Russo’s Almost Dead (JRAD) at Saratoga Performing Arts Center (SPAC), a remarkable step for the all-star Grateful Dead tribute act featuring drummer Joe Russo, guitarists Scott Metzger and Tom Hamilton, keyboardist Marco Benevento and bassist Dave Dreiwitz.
photo by Zak Radick
An enthusiastic Saratoga Springs crowd – one that has seen JRAD perform from Brooklyn Bowl to The Palace Theatre and stops across the country – was treated to a fitting opener of George Jones’ “The Race Is On,” followed by an extensive “Shakedown Street” that followed. After “Row Jimmy” (which had a “They Love Each Other” tease at the start), the band shifted into “Dancing In The Street” and then seamlessly into “The Music Never Stopped,” which featured teases of “Dancing” and “Shakedown Street” intertwined throughout, then provided a sharp return to the end before closing the set with “Touch of Grey.”
photo by Zak Radick
After a setbreak full of Tom Petty songs, Russo, wearing a Late Night with Seth Meyers shirt, led the band through a rousing jam that worked its way into “Playing in the Band.” Hinted at by pre-show MoTown songs (and The Chordettes “Lollipop” post show music), JRAD then debuted Smokey Robinson’s “Second That Emotion” after the 20 minute “Playing.” The highlight of the night would arise in “Brown Eyed Women” that found Hamilton, Metzger and Benevento alternating in taking the lead in the jam, each of them finding higher peaks to reach with each passing of the baton. “Let It Grow” and Dylan’s “When I Paint My Masterpiece” followed the scorching “BEW,” and the set was brought to a close with an upbeat “Franklin’s Tower.”
During the encore of “I Know You Rider,” Hamilton found every peak to take the envigorating jam up another step, as JRAD gave the SPAC crowd an uplifting number on which to end their historic night.
Set 1: The Race Is On, Shakedown Street > Row Jimmy > Dancing In The Street > The Music Never Stopped > Touch Of Grey
Set 2: Playing In The Band, Second That Emotion > Brown-Eyed Women > Let It Grow > Masterpiece > Franklin’s Tower
Nostalgia, Hawaiian shirts, good vibrations and the sounds of Motown were abound in Saratoga Springs on Thursday August 18th, as legendary summer surf rock pioneers The Beach Boys and iconic Motor City hitmakers The Temptations belted out classic after classic at the Saratoga Performing Arts Center (SPAC). Celebrating Sixty Years of The Sounds of Summer, the evening played out like a trip down memory lane, taking the mostly older audience back to a time when, on the surface, things just seemed simpler. Like a snapshot through American history, fans welcomed the chance to hear the songs that provided the soundtrack to so much of their lives.
The Beach Boys took fans at SPAC on a Surfin’ Safari on 8/18/22
From Hitsville USA to the Spa City, the evening kicked off with the Motown soul of The Temptations. Dressed in matching green suites, the dapper looking group was led by original member Otis Williams along with Ron Tyson, Terry Weeks, Tony Grant and Jawan M. Jackson and also included a full orchestra as part of the backing band. With vocals ringing true and like a well-oiled machine, the tightly choregraphed set included fan favorites “Get Ready,” “I’ll be in Trouble, “Just My Imagination (Running Away With Me), “Papa Was a Rollin’ Stone” and “Ain’t Too Proud to Beg.” With the crowd fully engaged and singing along to almost every song, not only were fans having a good time, but it seemed like the members of The Temptations were too, exchanging smiles and high five handshakes that felt genuine and unchoreographed. After a medley of songs paying homage to other Motown greats of the era, The Temptations closed their set with a song everybody knows, their signature hit “My Girl.”
Otis Williams and The Temptations performing at SPAC 8/18/22 – Photo by Zak Radick
After a brief break to clear the stage, the fun-filled evening continued with an elaborate pre-produced video introduction that flashed images and soundbites of The Beach Boys storied career. With the group’s 60th anniversary of their first album, Surfin’ Safari, approaching in October – their impact on American culture through the decades cannot be overstated. Watching the montage of popular television shows and movies the band has been featured in – from Good Morning Vietnam, Cocktail, Look Who’s Talking, and the closing credits of Boogie Nights, to shows like Full House and Friends and their complicated association with the Fab Four, it’s clear not only does this band continue to have a wide-ranging generational appeal, but that their songs have indeed stood the test time.
Have Mercy: A career spanning video montage of The Beach Boys plays moments before showtime on 8/18/22
With a minimal stage setup that simply included some artificial palm trees and a jumbotron LED screen, original Beach Boy Mike Love and longtime member Bruce Johnston walked to the front of the stage and showed their love for the Saratoga crowd by blowing them kisses before launching into the first of many surf rock medleys, kicking the party off with a “Do It Again”>”Surfin’ Safari”>”Catch a Wave” trifecta. Bolstering their iconic sound with help from talented supporting musicians Tim Bonhomme, John Cowsill, Brian “Ike” Eichenberger, Christian Love, Randy Leago, Keith Hubacher and Scott Totten, this incarnation of The Beach Boys both looked and sounded great.
Working their way through all the fan favorites – the surfing songs like “Rockaway Beach,” “Surfin’ USA,” and ” Surfer Girl,” to the cruising anthems like “Little Deuce Coup,””409” and “Little Honda” it was clear The Beach Boys not only welcomed the nostalgia, but thrived in it. With their signature sun-drenched vocal harmonies for days, hearing songs like “Don’t Worry Baby,” “I Get Around, “Wouldn’t it Be Nice” and “Sloop John B” felt truly special and provided some of the biggest ovations of the evening, but perhaps the loudest came on the heels of an emotional rendition of “God Only Knows,” a song many consider to be one of the greatest ever written.
After telling a short story about the time he ran into The Beatles in India, Mike Love would sing an original song called “Pisces Brothers”, before the band would string together another series of love songs (“Darlin,” Then I Kissed Her,” Help Me Rhonda”) that saw some of the elderly couples embrace in sentimental overload. Picking the tempo back up, possibly out of fear of being too mushy, “Dance, Dance Dance, ”Do You Wanna Dance?” and a cover of Chuck Berry’s “Rock and Roll Music” came next, followed by everyone’s favorite a luau anthem ”Kokomo,” which had everyone on the SPAC lawn singing and smiling, making the final song of the set, “Good Vibrations,” very fitting. The Beach Boys would return to the stage for a two song encore, “Barbara Ann” and “Fun, Fun,Fun,” sending the audience home satisfied and happy.
After more then six decades of performing, both The Beach Boys and The Temptations have proven they still have what it takes to entertain at a high level and that there is still an audience hungry to see them. With an astounding catalog of songs that have become engrained in American culture and themes that remain universal – teenage love and angst, rebelling against authority, driving fast and having fun in the sun, hearing them played live can feel almost surreal at times. It didn’t seem to matter the original members of each group were few and few between, it was all about being there in the moment, singing the songs you grew up on, and rediscovering a piece of your own youth. A great night of ‘Greatest Hits,” have mercy on me for saying it, but even Jess and the Rippers would have found this show satisfying.
If you missed the stop in Saratoga Springs, don’t worry baby, New Yorkers still have a few more chances to catch the Sixty Years of The Sounds of Summer Tour. The Beach Boys and The Temptations play Bethel Woods on August 25th, the Chautauqua Amphitheater on August 26th, and swing by Wildwood, NJ on August 27th.
The Beach Boys | August 18, 2022 | Saratoga Springs, NY | SPAC
Setlist: Do It Again, Surfin’ Safari, Catch a Wave, Hawaii, Little Honda, Rockaway Beach, Surfin’ USA, Surfer Girl, Don’t Worry Baby, Little Deuce Coupe, 409, Shut Down, I Get Around, Be True to Your School, Getcha Back, You’re So Good to Me, Darlin’, God Only Knows, Pisces Brothers, California Girls, Sloop John B, Wouldn’t It Be Nice, Then I Kissed Here, Help Me, Rhonda, Do You Wanna Dance, Kokomo, Good Vibrations
Encore: Barbara Ann, Fun, Fun, Fun
The Temptations | August 18, 2022 | Saratoga Springs, NY | SPAC
Setlist: Get Ready, Girl (Why You Wanna Make Me Blue), The Girl’s Alright With Me, Beauty is Only Skin Deep, I’ll Be In Trouble, The Way You Do The Things You Do, Ain’t Too Proud to Beg, Ball of Confusion (That’s What the World is Today), I Wish It Would Rain, Just My Imagination (Running Away With Me), Papa Was A Rollin’ Stone, I Can’t Get Next to You, Is It Gonna Be Yes or No, Get Up (I Feel like Being a Sex Machine / I Want to Take You Higher / Let’s Get It On, Treat Her Like a Lady / Ain’t No Stoppin’ Us Now, My Girl
Logic and Wiz Khalifa co-headlined at Saratoga Performing Arts Center on Tuesday, August 23. The Vinyl Verse Tour features 24kGoldn, Fedd the God, DJ Drama, and C Dot Castro. Within the nearly full amphitheater, the group of artists performed ongoing acts without missing a single beat.
DJ Bonics warmed up the audience to upbeat popular hip hop songs before C Dot Castro hit the stage. Settling in on stage, Castro rapped effortlessly to a fast beat entertaining the large crowd. For some in the audience, it was their first time hearing his music, and this didn’t stop them from dancing and chanting the lyrics right back.
DJ Drama kept the beats rolling for Pittsburg native, Fedd the God. Fedd instantly gave his full energy while performing original songs. Near the end of Fedd’s set, he jumped into the crowd and continued rapping without hesitation.
24kGoldn performed his hit songs “Valentino,” and “Mood,” while many in the crowd sang along, and danced without any encouragement needed.
The lights dimmed and Multi-platinum GRAMMY® Award-nominated Logic, nurtured the crowds excitement as he jumped on stage and performed songs including “Everyday,” “1-800-273-8255,” and more. Logic’s sound projects the same as it does on recordings and he comfortably delivered his lyrics at a rapid pace while walking from side-to-side on the stage.
Following Logic, the lights dimmed one more time for Grammy and Golden Globe nominee, Wiz Khalifa. Khalifa stood on a tall platform and opened with classic hip-hop record “Black and Yellow.” The standing audience waved their arms up and down to the beat of each song; there were a select few that jumped.
From Phil Lesh to Courtney Barnett and everyone in between, by all measures it’s been the most successful summer yet for the new-ish big outdoor venue in central New York, Beak and Skiff Apple Orchards. The apples are starting to ripen, almost ready for picking, so the loud thumps of live music will have to make way for the low rumble of tractors. But there was time for one more big show to thrill the hungry ears of Syracuse and beyond, and alt-country heroes Wilco came to provide the fans with one last blowout to finish the season.
With an expansive concert field with great sight lines, sound that is crisp but not too loud, absurdly punctual start and finish times, friendly organized staff, quality reasonably priced food and their own line of fabulous ciders, Beak and Skiff is quite the comfortable place to take in some live music on a nice summer evening. Wilco fit well with the vibe and provided comforts of their own.
Touring behind their 2022 Cruel Country release, they promptly opened the show with the album’s first two tracks, “I Am My Mother” and the title track. The new songs blended together superbly with their more well-worn material. Being a double album, they had plenty of new material to pull from, but it seems like they’ve already plucked some live favorites. Later “Story To Tell” saw Nels Cline on a haunting lap steel, while “Bird Without a Tail / Base of My Skull” rolled along slowly before building behind Glenn Kotche’s brilliant drumming to a rollicking two-guitar workout.
Wilco served up more comfort for the ears with their oldies but goodies. The reliable bass groove laid down by John Stirratt on “Handshake Drugs” paved the way for a three-guitar assault behind more fantastic work from Kotche. “At Least That’s What You Said” was an unsurprisingly excellent rock out, like sitting with an old friend. The unadulterated shredding by Nels Cline on “Impossible Germany” slid into the ears with ease. “Jesus Etc.” said it best, “You can rely on me honey.”
The most surprising moment from the show came at a juncture of the old and new. “Via Chicago” was blasting along on it’s usual reliable path, Kotche thrilling with his typical drum freakouts. It all fizzled out into a nice slow developing segment snagged from a piece of “Many Worlds.” Pat Sansone and Cline’s guitars swirled around each other as it extended further and deeper, reaching a southern rock style fever pitch.
The encore saw further blending of old and new. “Falling Apart (Right Now)” a country romp featuring a detuning guitar solo from Sansone preceded “Box Full of Letters” off of their debut album, A.M. Tweedy sent the song out to the people who bought the early album. When that was met with a huge roar, he responded: “No way, I’d have nicer clothes if that was true.” The show ended though with more comfortable Wilco classics, “The Late Greats” and “I Got You (At the End of the Century)” with the crowd appropriately singing along, singing back to the band: “Got you and it’s all I need / I got you / I got you and I still believe / That you’re all that I’ll ever need.” The fans got what they came for, Wilco delivered a reliably stellar rock show like only they know how.
On the flip side, opener Kamikaze Palm Tree reveled in the uncomfortable. The art rock quartet is led by Cole Berliner on drums and vocals and Dylan Hadley on guitars, and were joined by bass and keys players. Experimental and avant-garde, the music took wild left turns and wasn’t for passive listening. Deadpan singing, unexpected rhythm shifts, slow languid moments bursting into grungy rock; it was difficult to keep up but once you got on board it was an exciting ride.
Their intent came into better focus the closer you got to the band. The visual aspects married with the audio output provided the full experience of Kamikaze Palm Tree as they played material off their brand new release Mint Chip. Hadley had heavy red eye makeup, wore a purple tux, and moved like an animatronic character in a haunted house, staring deeply into the crowd. Berliner’s singing, sometimes behind the kit, sometimes in front, was joined by dramatic motions and expressions. A nice discovery and rewarding listen for the open-minded listeners in the audience.
Wilco Setlist: I Am My Mother, Cruel Country, I Am Trying to Break Your Heart, Hints, Handshake Drugs, Story to Tell, Either Way, War On War, If I Ever Was a Child, Via Chicago / Many Worlds, Hummingbird, At Least That’s What You Said, Bird Without a Tail / Base of My Skull, Jesus Etc., Impossible Germany, Love Is Everywhere (Beware), California Stars, A Lifetime to Find, Heavy Metal Drummer, Spiders (Kidsmoke)
Encore: Falling Apart (Right Now), Box Full of Letters, The Late Greats, I Got You (At the End of the Century)
Indie legends Sharon Van Etten, Angel Olsen, and Julien Baker joined together for The Wild Hearts Tour, a mostly outdoor-focused concert series. Angel and Sharon released the cathartic and joyful song, “Like I Used To” together last year, to critical acclaim. Julien Baker’s latest album, Little Oblivions also received widespread praise when it was released last year. Given the triple-headliner lineup on The Wild Hearts Tour, it quickly became one of the most highly anticipated acts in the indie music scene. After hitting roughly 20 stops in the United States, the tour concluded with two incredible nights at Central Park SummerStage during the weekend of August 21, with support from Quinn Christopherson.
Sharon Van Etten performing at Central Park SummerStage, photography by David Reichmann
The final night at Central Park’s SummerStage began with light cloud cover and mild heat. Fans lounged on picnic blankets and enjoyed the afternoon sun with a beer or a snack. Quinn Christopherson opened the show with driving guitar progressions and passionate vocals. His set also included a handful of tear-jerking and quieter moments. The crowd was well warmed up by the time Quinn’s set finished, and the onstage crew turned over for Julien’s set in what seemed like just a few minutes.
Quinn Christopherson performing at Central Park SummerStage, photography by David Reichmann
Julien Baker took the stage as the sun began to dip and the air cooled. The crowd swelled as she began playing her hard rock set. Julien leapt up and down the stage, flipped her hair, and held her guitar above her head at moments. She also sprinkled in a number of quiet and sorrowful moments throughout her set, displaying the great range her musical catalog is known for. Julien thanked the audience and joked with them occasionally between songs. She mentioned how special this tour had been. As her set neared an hour in length as the sun entered into golden hour, she thanked the crowd one last time before walking off to great applause.
Julien Baker performing at Central Park SummerStage, photography by David Reichmann
Angel Olsen’s set began at the very last moments of daylight. The stage lights took over as the atmosphere in the venue turned stark and dramatic. She walked onstage under a glowing orange spotlight and thanked the crowd. She played a number of tracks from her latest full-length record, Big Time as well as a number of deep cuts and fan favorites. She ended her set with the rousing lead single, “All The Good Times.” Angel thanked the audience one last time, told them how special this tour had been, and walked off as the crowd’s excitement peaked in anticipation of the final set of the evening and the tour.
Angel Olsen performing at Central Park SummerStage, photography by David Reichmann
Sharon Van Etten took the stage as the final headliner in The Wild Hearts Tour. Her latest album, We’ve Been Going About This All Wrong, was released earlier this year and was a smash hit. Her performance featured intimidating and powerful vocalizations and dancing. She frequently singled out audience members to lock eyes with and single directly towards. Sharon’s dynamic movements and passionate vocals created an all-encompassing stage presence which took over the crowd.
Sharon Van Etten performing at Central Park SummerStage for The Wild Hearts Tour, photography by David Reichmann
Sharon paused occasionally between songs to share sentimental moments with the audience. She said towards the end of her set, “I came up in New York City,” and mentioned how great it was to be able to end this tour “where it all started.” She talked briefly about the 40 or so people working on the tour, the hardships of touring in a post-pandemic world, and urged the New York City crowd to embrace kindness and acceptance. She also shared a few anecdotes of her first times meeting Julien, Angel, and later Quinn. “These people have become my family…Thank you so much for coming out.”
Sharon closed out her main set with her hit track “Seventeen.” She walked off stage briefly, only to return a few moments to answer the cheers demanding an encore. She began her encore with a solo rendition of “Darkish.” For the final track of her set, Sharon invited Angel Olsen onstage to perform their sensational single, “Like I Used To.” She talked about writing this track of Angel, saying how she had been a fan of hers and wanted to work on something together. Then she invited Julien, her bandmates, and Angel’s bandmates to join Sharon onstage for the final song of The Wild Hearts Tour. Sharon thanked the crowd one last time and the band played as the artists slowly walked off.
Now concluded, The Wild Hearts Tour was surely a one-of-a-kind event. You can follow Sharon Van Etten’s ongoing world tour here, and listen to her music here. Angel Olsen’s tour has a few remaining stops in the US before she heads overseas, and her catalog can be found here. Julien Baker has one upcoming show scheduled for November in Atlanta, and her catalog can be found here. Quinn Christopherson’s music can be streamed here.
After multiple cancellations and postponements, the indie-folk legends out of indie-folk heaven (aka Portland, Oregon), The Decemberists finally made it out for a proper summer tour. They arose from the bunkers, as it were. The tour brought them around to Beak and Skiff Apple Orchards in LaFayette, NY, which has emerged as a bit of an indie-folk heaven of its own this summer.
In a pre-tour tweet, lead singer Colin Meloy threatened to not end their show with “Mariner’s Revenge Song” as they had done countless times over countless years. Indeed, they did not play it this night, nor have they all tour. Three years off the road with no album to promote brought forth quite a varied set list.
What if, and just stick with me here, what if we *didn’t* play Mariner’s Revenge Song
They dug back to their first album for set opener “Leslie Anne Levine,” a ghostly tale brightened by a beautiful acoustic mix of upright bass, accordion and pedal steel. From there they jumped straight ahead to “Sucker’s Prayer” off of their latest release, 2018’s I’ll Be Your Girl. There was no “Mariner,” but “Leslie” and the “Sucker” set the stage for a show full of other characters, both real and imagined, like only Meloy and the Decemberists can present.
“Song for Myla Goldberg” brought to life the novelist in song, including the site-appropriate refrain, “I know New York, I need New York, I know I need unique New York.” Sure it’s meant to be the City but what’s more unique than a concert in an apple orchard in upstate New York? Later the Lin-Manuel Miranda penned “Ben Franklin’s Song” explored the historical U.S. figure in hilariously vulgar fashion, “Do you know who the fuck I am? I am Poor-Richard’s-Almanack-writing Benjamin Fuckin’ Franklin!”
Amidst the clever lyrics, musical highlights were abound. Jenny Conlee and Chris Funk squeezed tasty piano and guitar licks into every nook and cranny of “Down By the River.” Newest touring member Lizzy Ellison filled in a lot of gaps on keys, guitar, banjo and vocals. She also brought the house down with hauntingly incredible singing on “The Wanting Comes in Waves.” Funk once again shined bright, as the LEDs seemed to pierce right through him, with some all-out shredding on “Severed.” The full power of the band came together nicely on the plodding and beautiful “California One” which extended with a nice mellow groove that morphed it’s way to set closer “Youth and Beauty Brigade.”
It seems impossible for artists to abstain from including the surrounding apple trees into their shows when playing Beak and Skiff, and indeed Meloy picked “June Hymn” to kick off the encore for its orchard-appropriateness, singing: “A barony of ivy in the trees / Expanding out its empire by degrees / And all the branches burst abloom / In the boom.” But perhaps even more appropriate was the line: “We’ll fill our mouths with cinnamon from the show closing “Sons and Daughters.” The show ended with the whole crowd singing and swaying along to “Here all the bombs, fade away.” And the night faded away, at the early hour of 9:30pm.
Georgian folk singer Jake Xerxes Fussell set out on the seemingly impossible task: opening for The Decemberists in a large field on a large stage, a man, his voice and his guitar, the short brim on his askew hat no match for the setting sun beaming directly into his eyes. But from the opening notes of “Jump For Joy,” his uniquely folksy voice and uniquely intricate finger picking on his six-string Fender, zoned the gathering crowd to attention. He pulled songs from relative obscurity and made them his own, like the Georgia Sea Island Singers’ “Raggy Levy” and Jean Richie’s “Swing and Twirl Jubilee.” The only problem with the set was it’s length, just as it got going it was over. With the concert over at 9:30pm it seems there was plenty of time for more.
On the 53rd anniversary week of his career-making performance at Woodstock, Carlos Santana was back at the original site of the 1969 festival, the muddy field of happenstance hippie production transformed into the remarkably well-oiled and gorgeously appointed concert venue/museum now known as Bethel Woods. Once again, the Latin blues and jazz-inflected guitarist demonstrated that his passion for music, and his mission to use it to impart a message of love, peace and unity has not cooled one degree.
Photo: Kevin Ferguson/Bethel Woods
I have had the pleasure of seeing Santana live on at least five occasions. The first two were in the early and mid-‘70s respectively, shortly before and then after his embrace of guru Sri Chimnoy and his legendary guitar battles with another Chimnoy acolyte, jazz fusion great John McLaughlin. My third live experience was when he was even deeper into his jazz phase, a 1988 performance at the Saratoga Jazz Festival with a band co-led by Miles Davis and Weather Report saxman Wayne Shorter. The fourth was also at Bethel Woods, in the summer before Covid-19 descended to darken stages and our lives. Each and every time, Santana would rise to the occasion and spit with his guitar “sapphire bullets of pure love,” quoting McLaughlin. As always, he was again backed by an ace band that served up the crowd-pleasing hits and a few surprises.
The show Sunday, August 21 at Bethel Woods was made even better by the staggering 90-minute plus opening set by Earth, Wind & Fire. Though they are enshrined in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and have earned a boatload of Grammy Awards and other honors, Earth Wind & Fire just don’t seem to get the respect they truly deserve. They are one of the most successful acts in history, selling over 90 million albums, with a litany of Billboard charting singles that betters most acts of their era. These are songs that have lived on as samples powering hits by new generations of artists, from Drake to A Tribe Called Quest to Bjork. Even without the presence of their founder and leader, the late Maurice White, the 12-piece band put on a staggeringly energetic and hit-packed show. The focal points are the three founding members still performing today – the always smiling bassist Verdine White, percussionist and vocalist Ralph Johnson and the extraordinary lead vocalist Phillip Bailey.
Photo: Kevin Ferguson/Bethel Woods
They hit the ground running at Bethel with an uninterrupted string of eight high-energy hits including “Shining Star,” “Getaway,” “Serpentine Fire,” “Sing A Song” and “Got to Get You Into My Life.” The most striking aspect of an EW&F performance is the undiminished state of Phillip Bailey’s soaring falsetto voice. Even at 71, Bailey hits all the high notes, probably the highest of high notes in all of music, at least since they stopped cranking out operatic castratos in the 17th Century! His son, Phillip Bailey Jr., shares both the lead duties and otherworldly vocal instrument of his father.
The entire band is as tight “as a mosquitoes’ tweeter” to quote another great musician, Nina Simone. The whole affair seems largely directed by the powerful centerstage presence and thumping bass of Verdine White. The band then cooled things down by serving up some of their hit ballads including “Head to the Sky,” “That’s the Way of the World” and “After The Love Has Gone,” before upshifting to more high-energy favorites – “Boogie Wonderland,” “Let’s Groove” and the set closer “September.”
Photo: Kevin Ferguson/Bethel Woods
Santana’s performance began with a throwback to Woodstock ’69, with video of the famous rain chant segueing into a shortened but nonetheless powerful performance of “Soul Sacrifice,” one driven by Santana’s super talented drummer wife Cindy Blackman. The band then performed more early classics, “Jingo,” “Evil Ways,” “Black Magic Woman/Gypsy Queen” and “Oye Como Va.” With his jazz improviser’s heart, Carlos evolved his approach to these well-worn songs, providing bluesy B.B. King-like lines darting around the vocals, a quote from Steely Dan’s “Do It Again” in “Evil Ways” and Wes Montgomery-like octave runs on “Black Magic Woman.”
Photo: Kevin Ferguson/Bethel Woods
Santana then shifted the mood with his fantastic ballad, “Europa.” It boasted a delightfully hesitant rendering of the soaring melody and unexpected avenues in his solo, when he rolled the treble off his guitar giving it what Clapton called “the woman tone.” On this and every number, Santana was supported by a first-rate row of players including longtime bassist and former Miles Davis sideman Benny Rietveld, keyboardist David K. Mathews, percussionists Karl Perazzo and Paoli Mejias and vocalists Andy Vargas and Ray Greene.
After “Europa,” Carlos went into a long rap about Woodstock ’69. He humorously reminisced about praying to God to help him keep it together during the performance, one he played while high on L.S.D. given to him by Jerry Garcia, with a guitar whose neck was turning into a snake! Making jest of the old adage that “if you were high at Woodstock, you probably wouldn’t remember it,” he said: “If you were as high as I was, you would never forget it!” He added: “What I think we need is more of that Woodstock spirit in the world today, something to help get rid of the fear and division that is destroying society.”
Photo: Kevin Ferguson/Bethel Woods
Santana really hit his electric stride on “(De La) Yaleo” from his career-revitalizing disc Supernatural and the lovely acoustic ballad from the same album, “Put Your Lights On,” the latter sung here admirably by the band’s second guitarist Tommy Anthony, who swapped in for Carlos on several numbers. Santana again saluted Woodstock ’69, with video clips from the fest of now deceased performers like Jimi Hendrix, Johnny Winter, Joe Cocker, Richie Havens, Alvin Lee and organizer Michael Lang, during a soulful reading of the Youngbloods’ hit, “Get Together.”
The band finished out their lengthy set with some the latter-day highpoints from Santana’s discography, including “Corazon Espinado,” “Maria, Maria” and “Smooth.” After a fiery drum solo from Blackman and an introduction of Michael Carrabello, the original Santana conguero who is now back touring with the band, they closed out the evening with a seamless medley including bits of the James Bond Theme, The Doors’ “Roadhouse Blues,” The Chambers Brothers “Love Peace & Happiness” and Sly’s “I Want To Take You Higher.” In keeping with the spiritual nature of this and every Santana concert I have attended, he ended with a positive message, urging the audience to take on a new job: “We all need to become weapons. Weapons of mass compassion.”
Sal Cataldi is a musician, writer and publicist living in New York City and the Hudson Valley,. He is President of Cataldi PR and leader of the band Spaghetti Eastern Music and member of the duos Guitars A Go and Vapor Vespers.
