Paul Weller at the House of Blues, Cleveland, Ohio September 7, 2014

     I have listened to Paul Weller's music over the years and looked forward to a chance to see him live. I discovered he was playing in Cleveland while reading a free local publication while in Cleveland in July. I was very happy to be able to attend. I bought a front-row center seat on StubHub.
VENUE: I have been to this venue before for one of the Gospel Brunch session on a Sunday. It is a nice venue, close to much of what is going on in downtown Cleveland with easy access to parking, other attractions, and the highway. The set up for the show was seating down front and in the balcony with standing on the sides and back.
MERCH: Had some nice items -- t-shirts, CDs. I bought a tour t-shirt.
OPENER: The band Chamber Strings opened up. I love these guys and girls! Nice cross between alternative rock and barroom blues. Apparently, they are from Akron, Ohio. Nice set! I hope to see these guys again! Note: the bassist commented on my Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds shirt and we discussed me seeing their show this summer. This shirt has attracted more attention from bands!!
HEADLINER: Paul Weller came out and he and the band flew right into their set. He also nodded at my t-shirt when he came out! Goodness! He was right in front of me on stage. Full band with a great sound -- you can tell they had played these songs together on tour and were in fine form. Solo material, "My Ever Changing Moods" (Style Council), and "Start!" and "Town Called Malice" (the Jam) made up the setlist -- and it was a very nice career retrospective. Mr. Weller was in good voice all night. Excellent energy from the band.
     Paul was dropping guitar picks, not throwing them in the crowd. The first one that dropped near me, I grabbed. Then he kept dropping more. A woman next to me got one, I got one for Ken, and one for the nice guy next to me. Wow!
     The band closed with "Town Called Malice". Excellent show! Of note, the setlist lists "Wild Blue Yonder" and "Whirlpool", but Paul and the band did not play these. At the end of the show, quite a few set lists got handed or snatched by folks. I missed one. I hung around as the crowd thinned. When a noisy woman was rudely asking for one and getting gently prodded to leave by security, I asked Paul's guitar tech "Any more set lists?" and he handed me one that had been beside Paul's keyboard!
     I attended the show with my friend and huge Weller fan, Ken Zakel. We had a wonderful time!
My rating: 4 out of 5 stars!

 Chamber Strings

 Paul Weller's guitar picks

 Paul Weller

 Paul Weller

Setlist (sorry it is blurry) and the guitar pick I kept.

Twenty One Pilots at the LC Pavilion, Columbus, Ohio on September 4, 2014

     I was introduced to Twenty One Pilots by my oldest son, Sam. I have grown to really like their music, appreciate that they are from Central Ohio, and have enjoyed meeting them in the past. I have seen them four times previously: Musica in Akron in 2013, Sweetlife Festival (Maryland) in 2013, Lollapalooza in 2013, and Forecastle Festival (Louisville, KY) in 2014. I have enjoyed all of these shows, whether it was with 300 people in Akron or thousands at the festivals.
     I attended this show at the LC Pavilion with my son Sam and his girlfriend, Ally. We were up in the lawn for the show. It was a very pleasant summer night at the outdoor setup for the LC.
     The band had a voice over called "Nigel" who interacted with the audience and with Tyler Joseph, the lead singer. Although I just saw the band earlier this summer, I had never heard this "Nigel" gimmick. I found it off-putting and distracting from the show. The band normally brings such a caffeinated energy. And the between-song periods were distracting early in the show (and right before the encore) when "Nigel" spoke up. Ugh.
     Early in the show, the band did most of the big hit (by hits I mean with their fans) from their album 'Vessel'. And these were all well done. Tyler was in good voice, the synths and keyboards all sounded good, and Josh rocked out on the drums. The band was engaging and interactive with the audience. They did their normal "dualing drums out in the pit", "Tyler stands on the hands of those in the pit", and "Josh drums out in the pit" -- all really well done and up to their normal standards. In the second half of the show, they did more songs from 'Regional At Best', their earlier material.
     Oddly, late in the show they did a series of brief covers: "All I Do Is Win" by DJ Khalid, "Summertime Sadness" by Lana del Rey, and others. I found it distracting. Sam and much of the audience enjoyed it and sang along. I do not believe I have ever heard them do any sort of cover before. And I LOVE covers -- I make long playlists in iTunes of cover songs.
     One other item: I was surprised that they did no new material. Since that initial show more than 18 months ago, they have been performing material from 'Vessel' and 'Regional At Best'. I had understood they are working on new material. Since this is a "new tour", I hoped for a couple new songs (I had really hoped for that at Forecastle 2014 too). But no new material.
     A note about merch: as usual, Twenty One Pilots have some fun merch -- hats, cool t shirts, hoodies, and other items. A nice item tonight was a cool just-for-this-show poster with their logo over a State of Ohio flag -- cool.
     Sam and Ally really liked the show. It would have been really cool if it was the first time I saw them. But those outstanding Sweetlife 2013 and Forecastle 2014 shows were so good and the band was so "on" at those shows, that I left feeling let-down. If you edited out "Nigel", the covers, and some other fluff, the performances were really good. These guys put on a really great show. This was not one of them. My rating: three out of five stars.

 Twenty One Pilots

 Twenty One Pilots

 Twenty One Pilots

 Twenty One Pilots

Twenty One Pilots

The Goo Goo Dolls, Daughtry, and the Plain White T's at the LC Pavilion, Columbus, Ohio August 25, 2014

     My wife Grace and I have seen the Goo Goo Dolls a number of times before. I discovered them as the "next Replacements" in their garage phase and my wife loves their mid to late adult contemporary phase. For my wife's 50th birthday, I bought her a Meet & Greet Package with the Goo Goo Dolls for this show. We were both excited about the show!
VENUE: Outdoors at the LC Pavilion on a lovely summer evening.
MERCH: The merch table was selling for $20 each a signed (by John Rzeznik and Robby Takac) setlist for this Columbus show! Love it! I picked one up along with a Goo Goo Dolls 2014 Tour t shirt for another $30. In addition, as part of our VIP package, we had previously received in the mail: sunglasses, an afghan, VIP commemorative pass, and a signed (and John and Robby) tour poster.
HOW THE EVENING WENT: We arrived early to pick up our official VIP passes at the box office. We were able to get a good position in the pit area down in front to watch the Plain White T's. I had seem them open up for Snow Patrol indoors at the LC a few years back. I think they put on a good show: upbeat pop rock with good sing along potential. This show was no exception. They played about  8 songs, including their top hits. Nice opening act.
     We then were led inside of the LC to meet, greet, and have our picture taken with John and Robby. There were probably 25-30 people total there for the meet and greet, including quite a few who had met them before.

John Rzeznik, Grace, me, and Robby Takac

Grace told both of them she was there celebrating her 50th birthday. It was great getting to meet them and have the picture taken with them.

     We then went outside again to take in the Daughtry part of the show that had just begun. Daughtry was in good voice and his band (I realize he AND the band are "Daughtry") was sounding good. He played the hits and puts on a good show. Enjoyable!

     At the end of Daughtry's set, we were joined by two other couples to get seated on the stage. It was part of our VIP package. We were in the back behind the keyboardist. The staff of the LC and the Goo Goo Dolls tour folks were great and really help make it a great experience. The sound was good from where we were sitting. John, Robby, the keyboardist, and drummer all interacted with us during the show -- Robby came over a couple times and smiled. The Goo Goo Dolls put on a good show that night. The setlist included an excellent mix of their more contemporary songs. At the end of the night, we each received a signed setlist (!) and one of Robby's bass guitar picks. Grace also had received a guitar pick from the keyboardist/saxophonist/guitarist. Grace very much enjoyed the night -- and it was especially for her.

My rating of the overall show and experience: a 4 out of 5.

Plain White T's

Daughtry

Back stage pass

Robby Takac

John Rzeznik

Curtis MacIntyre

Boston and Scotty Bratcher at the LC Pavilion, Columbus, Ohio on August 20, 2014

    The band Boston brings back lots of "arena rock" memories of junior high school and high school. Their greatest hits were definitely part of the soundtrack for my teen years. I had not seen them previously. I consider them one part of many Guilty Pleasures from the 70's and 80's: talented, catchy bands with a sound built for rocking out in arenas. Note to the intoxicated guy down in front who left after his even drunker friend was kicked out (thanks security!): bragging about seeing the band Styx eight times (8 times!) makes me sad for you. Those are guilty pleasures -- we don't speak of them in this way.
     Some facts I learned when reading online before the show: 1. Their original lead singer, Brad Delp, committed suicide. May you rest in peace, Mr. Delp. 2. Tom Scholz, their leader, is from Toledo, Ohio. He and Ric Ocasek of Cars, two of the top three "bands outta Boston" in the 70's (Aerosmith being #1) are originally from the state of Ohio. 3. The new lead singer of Boston, Tommy DeCarlo,  was found after he posted online videos of him covering Boston songs.
THE VENUE: The LC Pavilion in Columbus can be used for indoor shows (capacity 1200) or outdoors (capacity 4000). The show last night was outdoors and it may have been a sell out based on the crowd I saw. The LC is right in the midst of the Arena District in Columbus, close to restaurants, parking, and other attractions. It is a favorite of mine. I was right down in the pit about 2-3 people back from center stage and the front barrier.
THE OPENER: Scotty Bratcher is a singer/guitarist backed by a drummer and bassist. Scotty was quite talented on the guitar, playing a few of his own songs then closing with covers of "Funk 49" and "Voodoo Chile". I was impressed. Quite enjoyable.
THE HEADLINER: Boston does what they do quite well: big arena rock sound, play the hits, and nice stage show with videos on the big screen behind the band. Tom Scholz, the founder/guitarist/keyboardist/writer for the band, is the only original member. However, the band has found able replacements. I was impressed with Gary Pihl (guitar and backing vocals), Tracy Ferrie (bass), and especially Tommy DeCarlo (lead vocalist). I had reservations about the vocals before the show but the first song with Tommy belting out the song eased my mind -- well done! Tom Scholz was sporting an Ohio State University shirt which the crowd appreciated. Tom Scholz did an excellent job on the guitar and keyboards. I was happy to have had a chance to see him play.
     Boston played all the hits I wanted them to play: Foreplay/Long Time, More Than A Feeling, Peace of Mind, Rock 'n' Roll Band, and so many others. The crowd seemed very pleased with the songs played.
     I was interested that the band is touring with two female members: Siobhan Magnus (from American Idol Season 9) on vocals and Kimberly Dahme on guitar and vocals. Both had a good stage presence and fit in well. Siobhan is apparently from Massachusetts, the home state of the band.
My rating for the show: 3 out of 5 stars. Really nice show!

 Scotty Bratcher

 Scotty Bratcher -- note the bullets on the guitar strap.

 Tommy DeCarlo, Terry Ferrie, and Gary Pihl of Boston

Tom Scholz of Boston with Kimberly Dahme in the background. 

Tom Scholz and Gary Pihl of Boston 

Siobhan Magnus and Tommy DeCarlo 

 Siobhan Magnus

Gary Pihl of Boston

Buddy Guy and Jonny Lang at the Fraze Pavilion (Kettering, OH) 8-15-14

     I had never seen the blues legend and Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee Buddy Guy and was very much looking forward to this show. I was fortunate enough to see Jonny Lang live at the 2010 Cincinnati, Ohio "Experience Hendrix" show, where he performed with many other blues and rock artists.
VENUE: The Fraze Pavilion in Kettering, Ohio (a Dayton, Ohio suburb) is a favorite of mine. It is in a lovely park, parking in the park is free, access to I-675 is easy, and the set-up of seats is nice. I often have good luck buying good seats online through their website right when tickets go on sale. The Fraze is about 75 minutes from our home -- I used to spend more than that 75 minutes stuck in the Germaine/Polaris Amphitheater parking lot!
OPENER: Jonny Lang came onto stage energetic and rocking the blues right away. He had a really solid backing band with rhythm guitar, bassist, drummer, and organist. He played with skill and enthusiasm for about an hour. Jonny's voice and guitar playing were excellent throughout the set.
HEADLINER: Buddy Guy has a reputation for interacting with the audience, changing course during sets (no set lists here!), and alternating from playing and singing softly to rocking the blues with a loud volume. This show was no exception. Buddy roamed the stage, interacted with the crowd, and showed he can play ANYTHING on the guitar. He played many covers of guitar legends that came after him -- Hendrix, Clapton, and many more. This 78 year old has quite the salty tongue -- I have heard less cussing at punk rock shows!
     Buddy was backed by a talented second guitarist, a bassist, a drummer, and organist. They provided quite a few highlights, including some excellent organ playing and guitar runs. Mr. Guy deserves an excellent backing group and these guys fit the bill.
     Buddy threw more things into the crowd then anyone I have ever seen -- including the Marilyn Manson show I attended where a nearly endless supply of stuff came out into the audience. Buddy threw a broken guitar string (Buddy arrived on stage, picked up the guitar, and the string broke -- I am sure the guitar tech got an earful), towels, and probably 15-20 guitar picks. I was in the 5th row on stage right. Buddy threw one right at me. It hit my hand and it fell to the ground. A gentleman my age and I jockeyed for possession of it briefly and he had it in his hand. I need to practice my pick catching!
My rating: 4 out of 5 stars.

 Buddy Guy

 Buddy Guy

Buddy Guy teaches us about feedback.

Buddy Guy plays the guitar behind his back.

 Jonny Lang and his band.

Jonny Lang

Jonny Lang

Steely Dan at the Palace Theater, Columbus, Ohio 8-13-14

     One of my all time favorite bands is Steely Dan. I did not see them in concert until 8-10 years ago at the Schott. It was great. And I was really looking forward to seeing them at the Palace Theater in Columbus, Ohio tonight.
VENUE: The Palace has held many shows over the years. Nice layout, good acoustics, and easy access downtown make this a nice place to see a show.
     I could not help but think of Robin Williams, who died this week. My wife and I saw him there twice doing stand up comedy. The first time, within 5 minutes I wanted to leave. Why? Because I was laughing so hard that my stomach felt like someone had punched me in the gut. I did not think I could take it anymore. He was that hilarious. RIP, Mr. Williams.
OPENER: The trio Bobby Brew Organization opened the show. Bobby Brew plays an accomplished guitar and he was accompanied by a Hammond B3 organist and a drummer. Nice uptempo covers of songs were included in the too brief set. Nice opener!
HEADLINER: The band minus leaders Donald Fagen and Walter Becker came out to play an Afro-Cuban rhythm section driven interlude. Then Misters Fagen and Becker joined the band for "Black Cow". And the show was off and running. Hit after hit, played with top skill. "Josie", "Rikki Don't Lose That Number", "My Old School", "Kid Charlemagne" and many others were played with a great combination of precision and funkiness that is rarely achieved. I was impressed by Donald's vocals. I have seen him twice with the Dukes of September, once before with Steeely Dan, and this is the best he  has sounded. Mr. Fagen is famous for being…ah….misanthropic. And there was none of that tonight. "Sit back and enjoy!" he said. "You are in for a great night of music!" -- he was right.
     The backing band makes the Steely Dan show -- so many great songs that the set list matters less. And this band is great. John Harrington on lead and rhythm guitar was phenomenal. Drummer Keith Carlock's playing was a highlight song after song. The back up singers sounded great. Freddy Washington was solid on bass. And the 4 man horn section was outstanding. Besides a Lyle Lovett show where His Big Band featured so many amazing musicians and the many times I have seen Bruce Springsteen, this is one of the best backing bands I have had the pleasure to see and hear.
MY RATING: Five out of five. This is why I go to concerts. Outstanding! One of the top 10 shows I have seen in the last 10 years.

Steely Dan at the Palace Theater

Strand of Oaks at Beachland Tavern, Cleveland, Ohio on July 31, 2014

     I recently discovered Strand of Oaks after hearing the amazing "Goshen '97" from his new Heal album. I was lucky enough to catch the band on this tour while visiting Cleveland for the 2014 National Sports Collectors Convention. I was excited to be checking out a new venue and to see the band live.
VENUE: The Beachland Tavern is a near East side Cleveland venue that I have heard of but never experienced. It is a fairly small space in the tavern with a stage in the back of the room, a long bar down the right side, a few tables against the wall on the left, and a decent open space in the middle. They have a nice selection of alcoholic beverages and they have a limited food menu. I was lucky enough to sit at a bar stool next to the stage.
OPENER: Ryley Walker was the opener. I was not familiar with Ryley before the show. Ryley did a solo acoustic set with his guitar. He did about a half hour of interesting songs, including a Tim Hardin cover. Pretty good.
HEADLINER: Strand of Oaks is a four person band featuring Tim Showalter. Tim grew up in Goshen, IN before moving to Philadelphia where the band is now located. Tim sings and plays electric guitar. The touring band is rounded out with Lizzie on keyboards and backing vocals, a bassist, and drummer -- sadly, I missed out on Lizzie's last name and the names of the rhythm section.
     Tim and the band played for about an hour and a half. Their versions of "Goshen '97" and "J.M." and others from Heal were top notch. Tim's vocals, his guitar work, and the rest of the band sounded good through out. Tim and Lizzie did a couple quieter songs before bringing back the rhythm section to  rock out some more.
     Tim pointed out that the producer was "sitting over there" (pointing to the guys next to me) during the show -- the producer is from Akron, Ohio and Tim spoke of his love of the Northeast Ohio area (he used the word "magic" about the area). He promised he be back to play in the area again.
MEETING THE BAND: I LOVE meeting bands! Lizzie was manning the merch table and I bought a CD copy of Heal as well as a pre-signed (that day, according to Lizzie) tour poster. Lizzie signed the CD cover. She was very sweet. Then I waited for a few others to talk with Tim Showalter. Tim and I spoke of small town Midwestern life, how great the new album and the show are, and then he signed the CD cover. Tim complimented me on my Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds tour shirt. We discussed how intense Nick Cave is in concert. I thanked him for the great show, told him how much I loved "Goshen '97", and left the show VERY happy. Tim, Lizzie, and the band are great! If you get a chance to see them, catch a live show!
My rating of the show: 4 out of 5 stars.

Tim Showalter

Strand of Oaks

Strand of Oaks

Signed Heal CD.

Ryley Walker