Chicago Concert - July 2, 2016

 

Had the opportunity to see Chicago this 4th of July weekend.  I had been wanting to see Chicago live for many years and it finally happened, but it wasn't what I expected.

The Production:  The bowl is my favorite concert venue for a reason, as nothing beats a warm summer night outdoors listening to music with a large crowd. The production of the show was quite professional, which included the LA Philharmonic.  Nevertheless, the fireworks after the show were the best part of the show, and I'll briefly state why.... 

 

The Performance: The concert started with the LA Philharmonic, playing some nice orchestral music.  When Chicago finally came on-stage, my anticipation was running pretty high.  They started with mostly instrumental pieces, featuring their brass players playing along with the LA Phil.  It took about 30 minutes for fans of Chicago to finally get to hear some of their songs, and in the end, they only played about 7 of their songs.  With tickets at about $50 dollars a piece for me, this almost averaged about $10 per song, which is not what I had hoped for.  Though the concert was smooth and held in a great outdoor venue, nothing about the performance stood out in particular.  The songs drawing the loudest response were "You're the Inspiration" and "Saturday in the Park".  Chicago has a total of 4 songs on my 1001 Best Rock Songs of All-Time list.

 

 

Rock Blog - Foreigner (Head Games)

Artist: Foreigner
Song:  Head Games

Video:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mFQG6OOQmh8

Quick Thoughts:  Along with bands like Journey, REO Speedwagon and Styx, Foreigner was one of the rock acts from the 1970's that was able to transform and survive in the 1980's. Before their cheezy 80's ballads as a quartet (which I must admit I still liked), these guys rocked as a sextet.  Head Games was released in1979 on Foreigner's third studio album.  The album is highly known also for featuring actress and former child model, Lisanne Falk, of "Heathers" fame.

Ranking from Original "Top 1000" List:  886
Added to my Personal List?  YES
Total Songs Added to Final List: 55

For upcoming concerts: http://www.foreigneronline.com/tourdates.html

Having grown up listening to mostly hip-hop, R&B, some alternative, and all sorts of music in Spanish, I decided it was time to give myself a personal survey of Rock music.  My friend BJ Swanner compiled a "Top 1000 Rock Song List", aggregated from several "Top Lists".  As I go through all 1,000 songs, I'll be creating my own list, sharing a brief post like this for all the songs that will make my final list.   I will not be ranking the songs that make it to my final list.....for now.

Twitter: @jimmythelion

John Fogerty Concert - October 10, 2013

I gathered my girlfriend, her family and a couple friends and to see John Fogerty at the Nokia Theater last night.  Here are some thoughts on a great night.

The Venue and Production:  This was all of our first times at the Nokia Theater and I was impressed how open the feel of the venue is.  The sound system was a bit louder than I was expecting, but the structure is designed to provide a great view of stage from every angle, even for those of us sitting close to the side aisle.  There are two giant screen to each side of the stage, which is also a nice touch. 

The Performance: John Fogerty has been around for more than 40 years and apparently his energy level is showing no signs of slowing down.  At 68 years of age, I was most impressed with his stamina, as he performed for approximately two and a half hours of non-stop music spanning his entire career. It seemed to me like he played about 30 songs! There were some impressive solos of keyboard and guitar play.  Forgerty's son, who is said to have his own band, played along for a good part of the show and provided some nice father-son guitar playing moments.  Fogerty's voice may not be what it once was, but his skill and energy is still astonishing after all these years.  

Rock Blog - Have You Ever Seen the Rain (Creedence Clearwater Revival)

Artist: Creedence Clearwater Revival
Song:  Have You Ever Seen the Rain

Video:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gu2pVPWGYMQ

Quick Thoughts:  An American rock band popular in the late 1960s and early '70s.Over the years, there's been a great deal of speculation about the song's meaning, with some drawing links to Vietnam, the idealism of the 1960's, and events such as the Kent State shootings.  However, Fogerty himself has said that the song is about rising tension within the band and the imminent departure of his brother Tom from the band.  I love the poetry of this song, and the voice of John Fogerty is entirely unforgettable.  This is a great song, and not surprisingly, it's been featured in numerous films and tv shows over the years.

Ranking from Original "Top 1000" List:  887
Added to my Personal List?  YES
Total Songs Added to Final List: 54

For upcoming concerts: http://www.johnfogerty.com/events/

Having grown up listening to mostly hip-hop, R&B, some alternative, and all sorts of music in Spanish, I decided it was time to give myself a personal survey of Rock music.  My friend BJ Swanner compiled a "Top 1000 Rock Song List", aggregated from several "Top Lists".  As I go through all 1,000 songs, I'll be creating my own list, sharing a brief post like this for all the songs that will make my final list.   I will not be ranking the songs that make it to my final list.....for now.

Twitter: @jimmythelion

Rock Blog - Basket Case (Green Day)

Artist: Green Day
Song:  Basket Case

 Video:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NUTGr5t3MoY

Quick Thoughts:  The band most visible band member is lead vocalist and guitarist Billie Joe Armstrong.  The band's name derived from their fondness for marijuana.  Having sold over 75 million albums worldwide, they are one of the world's best selling groups of all-time.  According to Armstrong, Basket Case is about his struggle with anxiety.  Nearly 20 years since the song was released in 1994, many of us will never forget the music video to this song, which I now understand was first shot in black and white and then filled in with color.  This explains the unique trippy look it had!

Ranking from Original "Top 1000" List:  894
Added to my Personal List?  YES
Total Songs Added to Final List: 53

For upcoming concerts: http://www.greenday.com/tour

Having grown up listening to mostly hip-hop, R&B, some alternative, and all sorts of music in Spanish, I decided it was time to give myself a personal survey of Rock music.  My friend BJ Swanner compiled a "Top 1000 Rock Song List", aggregated from several "Top Lists".  As I go through all 1,000 songs, I'll be creating my own list, sharing a brief post like this for all the songs that will make my final list.   I will not be ranking the songs that make it to my final list.....for now.

Twitter: @jimmythelion

Rock Blog - Show Me the Way (Peter Frampton)

Artist: Peter Frampton
Song:  Show Me the Way

Video:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Al9WmowJ3bQ

Quick Thoughts:  Another staple of classic-rock radio.  Peter Frampton is one of those musical prodigies that taught himself to play guitar and piano at the age of seven and was learning classical music by time he was eight.  Here's a guy who paid his dues during his childhood and teenage years for more than a decade before hitting super stardom in the mid 1970's with the best selling live album Frampton Comes Alive of all time (up until that time).  Due to it's wild success, his subsequent efforts were overshadowed by his live album and his career gradually seemed to drift away before making a comeback in the mid 1980's. He's been touring ever since.  Relative to other rock legends, Peter Frampton is under-rated.  "Show Me the Way" was one of the first songs to feature his famous talk box sound.  Originally released on his 1975 album Frampton as a single, it gained its highest popularity as a song from his 1976 live album Frampton Comes Alive!

Ranking from Original "Top 1000" List:  895
Added to my Personal List?  YES
Total Songs Added to Final List: 52

For upcoming concerts: http://www.frampton.com/live/

Having grown up listening to mostly hip-hop, R&B, some alternative, and all sorts of music in Spanish, I decided it was time to give myself a personal survey of Rock music.  My friend BJ Swanner compiled a "Top 1000 Rock Song List", aggregated from several "Top Lists".  As I go through all 1,000 songs, I'll be creating my own list, sharing a brief post like this for all the songs that will make my final list.   I will not be ranking the songs that make it to my final list.....for now.

Twitter: @jimmythelion

Rock Blog - The Chain (Fleetwood Mac)

Artist: Fleetwood Mac
Song:  The Chain

 Video:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kfUPL5KQuiE

Quick Thoughts:  A British-American rock band formed in 1967 in London, Fleetwood Mac was blessed with the voice of Stevie Nicks, known by some as the "The Reigning Queen of Rock and Roll".  Assembled from different rejected songs, "The Chain" is one of only a few Fleetwood Mac songs credited to all the then-band members. Great drums, great guitar, and oh yes, I gotta say I absolutely love the voice of Stevie Nicks.

Ranking from Original "Top 1000" List:  897
Added to my Personal List?  YES
Total Songs Added to Final List: 51

For upcoming concerts: http://www.fleetwoodmac.com/events

Having grown up listening to mostly hip-hop, R&B, some alternative, and all sorts of music in Spanish, I decided it was time to give myself a personal survey of Rock music.  My friend BJ Swanner compiled a "Top 1000 Rock Song List", aggregated from several "Top Lists".  As I go through all 1,000 songs, I'll be creating my own list, sharing a brief post like this for all the songs that will make my final list.   I will not be ranking the songs that make it to my final list.....for now.

Twitter: @jimmythelion