Concerts thread: Best/Worst/Next/Last one you attended?

In Stephen Davis's recent Stevie Nicks bio - as uneven as it is - Mick Fleetwood, who he had written about previously, comes across as a guy who is perennially broke.

 

October 12: Burton Cummings of Guess Who fame at sold out Grey Eagle Casino in Calgary. It took a couple of songs to warm the pipes but he was in full roar during a v good concert, only marred by his incessant 3 minute verbal intros to every song. It was just under 2 hours and he played maybe 16 songs. Compared to McCartneys 39 song 3 hour blowout of 2 weeks ago it was a letdown. The music was great with 5 or 6 classic Guess Who numbers and his own catalogue is good also but waiting 3 or 4 minutes between songs is BS.
He’s put on weight and he might have athsma or COPD because he was wheezing badly. He was in a bad car wreck in LA this spring and supposedly hurt badly. Nonetheless he has a unique voice that I have listened to and loved for over 50 years so enjoyed the show. Saw Randy Bachman earlier this year so it’s as good as my GW experience will be since I never saw them live. IMHO a truly underrated band that better represent what great rock and roll bands are all about than most of the recent HOF inductees. Cummings’ voice and keyboards, great guitars and solid backend were hallmarks of their strong rock and roll stuff. Their softer music was first rate, too. “Undun” is just one example of how good the writing was. Still one of the best voices from 60s and 70s.

 

It was another wild Saturday night for the BTExpress and wife, listening to the oldies. Last night's treat: Music from the time of Blackbeard.

Carolina Pro Musica

 

One of my wife's former co-workers had a friend who has seen Cummings well over 100 times, all over Canada. That's a bit much but he is one of the great, great rock vocalists ever. Not crazy about his solos stuff but the Guess Who's catalogue is very solid, as evidenced by the two-CD Track record compilation which is stellar.

 

I saw Cat Power in Atlanta last night and she was spectacular. Such an incredible voice.

 

Happy to report FATM was fabulous Friday night in Boston. Flo make you her bitch in such a polite way (when she asks people to put their cellphones away), but I would not want to be one of her security guys - she is so deep among people in the pit you cannot see her, but you sure hear her, and she doesn't miss a thing. And the Machine is pure tribal thunder.

 

Nice description.

 

October 27: Canadian rock legends 54-40 at Deerfoot Inn and Casino in Calgary. They may have not had much spin time on US radio but this Vancouver band is still first rate after 37 years, starting as a punk rock band and gradually becoming a riff based rock and roll juggernaut, especially in Western Canada. The Chrome Room is a bit dated as a concert venue but it’s intimate with good sound and when the band is cranking, like they were last night, it makes for a memorable show. It’s a room where they can make eye contact with everyone in the audience, might seat just over 400. I’ve seen a number of first rate concerts there and bands love the size and energy of the place. Likely everyone has been to this kind of concert, great band really putting out and the crowd going crazy in a controlled way. Anybody wanting a taste of them can download Radio Love Songs, or just some singles. Lies to Me, Ocean Pearl, One Day, SheLa, Love You All....take your pick. You’ll become fans. Not to be missed as a live act.

 

Best: My Morning Jacket. Other contenders: Audra McDonald, Girl Talk, Yellowman, New Pornographers
Worst: Alan Jackson (most mailed in performance by a name musician I've ever seen, nothing even close)
Last: Rye (had the place rocking for one song, the rest meh)
Next: Shannon and the Clams. Though I must say I am more looking forward to the show I have coming up after that, Heron Oblivion.

 

Never seen them live but a criminally underrated band. Loads of killer songs. My fave: "One Gun".

 

Huggy, I think you are from Toronto area so you might like to know 54-40 is playing Horseshoe Tavern Dec 6,7,8. Yes, “One Gun “ is great and they have so many they couldn’t play them all at the show. There’s probably no way they, the Guess Who or the Hip will ever be in the RR HOF but we know they are worthy and that’s all that matters. They are great live.

 

Holy shit, I did not know that. I am indeed in the Toronto area and the 'Shoe isn't too far from where I work. I might need to check this out. Thanks for the heads up!