Billie Joe Armstrong – Photo by Scott Cordaro

Green Day Preaches To The Choir at Blue Cross Arena

By Michelle Picardo

The preacher of punk exulting the gospel of Green, newly sober Billie Joe Armstrong still gets high on rock ‘n’ roll as his adrenaline-fueled performance at the Blue Cross Arena would attest.   “Can I hear another Amen!”

Putting the bottle down hasn’t changed the excitement Green Day can produce live in concert.  Rounding up a mix of choice selections all the way from the early Kerplunk days to the recent ¡Uno!, ¡Dos! ¡Tre! collection, Green Day unleashed hit after hit on the rabid crowd whose winter blues were banished, at least until walking back into the Rochester night.  “Holiday,” Hitchin’ A Ride,” “Longview,” “Minority,” “Boulevard of Broken Dreams,” “When I Come Around” and more, more, more.  This trio has been at it since 1987 and they sound as tight (while loose at the same time) as you’d expect from a band that continues to grow with each new release (personally, I found 2004′s American Idiot to be a near classic).

Never forgetting the DIY aesthetic from their early Berkeley days in what has become traditional at a Green Day show, fans are given license to jump on stage, grab an instrument and jam with their heroes.  It doesn’t matter if they can actually play said instrument, Billie Joe will give necessary instruction including requisite rock stance (guitar slung low, lip curled), informing on the precise moment to kick-jump and when to take a proper stage dive into the crowd.  There were at least four young men whose dreams were made this night and that’s pretty cool to experience before your eyes.

A Green Day show is a chance to fist-pump your brains out and jump around doing punk-rock aerobics cause Billie Joe says so.  Talk about an engaging front man, sure sometimes you might get a little tired of waving your arms in the air on command or shouting another  “Hey, Oh” or counting that old-school punk meter,  “1,2 – 1,2,3,4,” whatever…  Billie Joe knows how to start a rock ‘n’ roll party and finish with you begging for more.

Openers Best Coast found their way to Rochester for the first time, thank God!  Unbeknownst to leader Bethany Costentino, the band’s sophomore album, The Only Place, has basically allowed me to survive this dreadfully cold, harsh and LONG winter.  As  you listen to each track, the sunny pop and heartfelt vocals from Costentino warm you up and give you visions of California surf and sand as she sings in the title track,  “We got the ocean, got the babes, got the sun we’ve got the waves, this is the only place for me.”

While the Blue Cross Arena could have swallowed up this little indie band, the four-piece held their own and then some.  Performing most of the  amazing tracks from their latest release plus the awesome “Boyfriend” from their debut Crazy For You, Best Coast is the perfect mix of great lyrics and surf-pop-Americana leanings with the vocals of Costentino blending just the right amount of girl-group sunshine.  If you were one of the unlucky hundreds waiting in line to get into the show and missed Best Coast, do yourself a favor and check out their new disc.  And let’s hope the cold didn’t scare the band away from returning to Rochester to do some headlining real soon!

The Club at Water Street

Sunday, January 13, 2013

By Scott Miller

James “Midge” Ure, you might not know the name (“Midge” comes from Jim spelled backwards-pronounced Midge-to differentiate him from the other Jim in one of his early bands), can’t quite place the face (is that Patrick Stewart?), maybe you’ve heard of the bands: Visage, Ultravox, even Thin Lizzy – although that was long after the “The Boys Are Back In Town” era. But you definitely know the songs: “Fade To Grey” with Visage, “Vienna,” “Dancing With Tears In My Eyes” and “Reap The Wild Wind” with Ultravox, he covered the Tom Rush classic “No Regrets,” and David Bowie’s “The Man Who Sold The World,” and then there’s a little song called “Do They Know It’s Christmas?” Ure co-wrote that one with Bob Geldof for Band Aid. Which has led to his continued work with Band Aid/Live Aid/ Live 8 and a position as an ambassador with Save the Children that still takes him to impoverished areas around the world. And just to fill out his resume, he was Malcolm Mclaren’s first choice for lead singer of the Sex Pistols.

And I’m assuming you remember New Wave. All the obvious cliches: synthesizers, drum machines and questionable fashion choices. But on Sunday at The Club at Water Street Midge Ure contradicted all those preconceptions with a solid, surprisingly muscular performance. Ure powered through a 16 song set, all killer-no filler. Hardcore fans may have hoped for more deep cuts and possibly some newer material, but if you were there for a greatest hits package, he delivered. Hitting the stage in a dark suit and shirt with a dark red tie, his head now clean-shaven, the voice a little ragged (online Ure had admitted he had strained it at an earlier show) – the band jumped right into “I See Hope (In The Morning Light)” from his 1991 solo release Pure. The song has a definite “Peter Gabriel appropriated third world rhythm” sound that could have filled a hall more than twice the size.

Backed by his opening act Right The Stars (drummer, bass, two keyboardists who also picked up guitars when needed), the band really gave the nearly 30 year old material a modern feel. This high energy, guitar-based sound worked very well for the first three selections, all mid to up tempo selections.

Taking a break to talk to the audience for the first time Ure showed a good natured and humorous side, obviously at ease with a crowd after decades of performing. He asked if everyone thought he sounded like Shrek with his heavy Scottish accent. (I wasn’t thinking that, but now you mention it, it’s all I can think of.) Recalling the American reaction to his adopted moniker, “I was horrified to learn Midge was a girl’s name. She was Barbie’s friend, right?” and suggested the crowd “talk quietly amongst  themselves” during the ubiquitous acoustic guitar tuning portion of the show. Once he had finished adjusting, a quick “close enough,” and we were off to the next song.

That song, “Breathe,” from his 1996 album of the same name, provided one of the quieter moments of the show.  After that it was back to the “the wall of sound” that was the standard level for the night.  But what worked for the opening numbers seemed to overpower the moodier, ethereal “Fade To Grey.”

More Ure between song banter, “I’ve been in the music business for close to 40 years and I’ve yet to disturb the US charts.” He then prefaced “No Regrets” as “one of those songs I wish I’d written.”

Constant touring must really be a grind especially for a vocalist. But the seasoned pro learns how to deal with it. Ure, with the previously noted strained voice, saved it all up for the first chorus of “Vienna” which was quite powerful and appreciated by the crowd. He then backed off for the second chorus and for the third, wisely handed it over to the audience who responded loudly and enthusiastically.

Ure also showed some unexpected guitar chops, giving a quick solo burst before “Dancing With Tears In My Eyes,” that, coupled with a couple of mini-drum solos that were really not more than extended fills, again ran counter to the old “New Wave” concert expectations.

And a final bit of Midge “One of my pet peeves -  The Encore, specifically, ‘you know, that I know, that you know, that I’m just standing around the corner. Even if I stood in the entryway you as you came in and said ‘Hi, I’m Midge Ure and I’m going to play all the songs you want to hear, but there won’t be an encore.’ At the end of the night you’d still be disappointed.” And although it was a little past its expiration date for 2012, he ended the show with a solo acoustic version of “Do They Know It’s Christmas?” By the chorus most of the audience had joined him.

A decent crowd for a Sunday night. Much of the credit should probably go to local radio personality Jennifer V from WBER’s New Wave Wednesday, as she made it her personal life goal to bring Midge Ure to town. The unseasonably warm weather certainly didn’t hurt either. A mixed group that skewed older, many might have otherwise been home watching Downton Abbey. But enough younger faces to believe there might be some hope for the future, at least the future of live music, played by real musicians.

Kodak Hall at Eastman Theatre

January 11, 2013

By Scott Gudell

When you’re the number one selling instrumentalist in the nation (3 million CDs and counting), you have a lot of work to do to stay on top.  With an outgoing personality and an openness to interacting with his fans, both from the stage, wandering into the audience and (as often as possible) after the show, trumpeter Chris Botti continues to deserve the expansive applause of his supporters.

His Jan 11, 2013 performance with the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra (perceptively conducted by Jeff Tyzik, a trumpet player himself), featured Botti’s long time cast of jazz side men that includes a new guitarist, plus special guests Lisa Fisher on vocals and Arianna Solange Warsaw-Fan on violin. The definition of the sharp dressed man in evening jacket (which came off after a few songs), Botti looked like a Spanish matador taking command of an energized ring topped off with an occasional spotlight washing the stage in red.

He delivered choice selections from a number of his CDs, including the decades old standard “When I Fall In Love,” the romantic “Prelude in C Minor” by Chopin and after intermission, ”Concierto de Aranjuez,” by Rodrigo, which opens Miles Davis’ Sketches of Spain album.  The first number was enhanced by pianist Billy Childs, while the next two benefited greatly from the strong, lush accompaniment of the orchestra.

At other times, Tyzik and the orchestra intuitively moved to more intimate, hushed sounds to back Botti and his band.  Botti’s instrumental version of Leonard Cohen’s “Hallelujah” was an intimate and compelling moment that mesmerized the audience.  One was repeatedly struck at how Botti’s crystal clear trumpet tones richly draped a theatre that could have swallowed up the musician’s presentation.  He consistently and repeatedly delivered dynamic tones and sounds.  Later, a jam gave each of Botti’s band members a chance to shine as they highlighted the jazz elements of the group beyond their pop sounds.

The closer of the regular show was another Botti standard,  “Nessun Dorma,” the aria (this time sans words) performed by opera singers the world over.  Botti delivered it with the passion it deserves.

By Scott Gudell

It was a violent ocean that would consume you if you dared try to cross. That ocean did not exist off our shores but throughout the land in the mid part of the 20th century, and that divide was the most cancerous the further south you journeyed. White and black people worshipped in separate houses, ate in separate restaurants, visited separate clubs for entertainment. Whether shouted, spoken or whispered, everyone learned the dangers of trying to reach a hand across the divide.

Memphis, The Musical takes place in Memphis, Tennessee in the 1950’s. It tells the fictional but based on facts story of a man and a woman who attempted to cross the divide, and the high price they paid while seeking the dreamed about benefits of a close relationship.

Sure, the play is a musical and is about the parallel rise of a white DJ and a black singer, but the dangerous undercurrents are constantly percolating to the surface trying to bring them down. Huey, the DJ, played by Bryan Fenkart, wanders into an all black nightclub because of his passionate affection for R and B music, and the club owner, as well as all the patrons, reject him. But a chemistry instantly ignites between Huey and the club owner’s sister, rising singer Felicia (played by understudy Kelcy Griffin in the November 27 performance.)

The play tracks Huey’s rise through part time jobs to his eventual number one spot on the airwaves of Memphis as he consistently champions the sound and style of R and B artists. Meanwhile, Felicia has her own aspirations and slowly works her way up from a dreamer to bona fide star.

The story line could have descended into a tangle of clichés but songs come along at the right time with the right message. There are several show stopping songs that rouse the audience and deliver the message (“Colored Woman” and “Memphis Lives in Me”). If an occasional song is too predictable, the collective flow of the songs ultimately unite the overall message. Visuals are creative including a scene where the musical group Huey is playing on the radio appears above him, live, in the center circle of a record. Different and creative.

Huey is an uneducated, backwoods red neck which drags him down while Felicia’s style and panache lift her up from the muddy shores of the Mississippi as she journeys toward a successful music career.

All too many similar stories set decades ago beg the question: is there still a divide in or country and could this still be happening? Unfortunately, you know the answer…

Basses Loaded – Gene Simmons of Kiss (left) and Motley Crue’s Nikki Sixx.

Kiss, Motley Crue Bring Impressive Performance to Darien Lake.
Darien Lake  • 9/15/2012

It was the last concert of the summer, but the upside saw Kiss & Motley Crue put on a very exciting rock show that entertained the sold out crowd.

With the stage as a large stop watch, drummer Tommy Lee appears in silhouette and proceeds to whip the crowd into a frenzy.  As all four of the original members entered the stage you had to wonder how this devilish Crue could still be rocking out in 2012.

With the “Saints of Los Angeles” stage setup you knew that the Crue was going to hit it hard and loud, which, at a punishing volume, is exactly what they did. Most of the set was a blast from the 80′s, with hits like “Girls, Girls, Girls,” the power ballad “Home Sweet Home,” and their signature “Kickstart My Heart.” They did add in their newest single though, entitled “Sex.” Go figure!

Musically, the band still has a very explosive rhythm section with Nikki Sixx and Mick Mars, especially Mars as he nailed every guitar part throughout the show.  If you missed the Tommy Lee drum rollercoaster last time out, he took the time to do it again taking a lucky fan for a ride during the song “Love Rollercoaster”.

When headliner Kiss hit the stage at 9:45pm we were treated with a heavy dose of white smoke that overtook everyone in the first 10 rows. That was when the opening notes of the classic “Detroit Rock City” started to play and the band was lowered from a riser with all guns blazing.

The bad thing about co-headline shows is that the second act usually plays a select few songs, invariably leaving out some of the classics.

Not to be outdone though, Kiss had plenty of tricks ready once they hit the stage floor. Delivering hits like “Shout It Out Loud” and “Lick It Up,” Gene Simmons continues to entertain with his tongue and fire breathing while Paul Stanley sends guitar picks flying into the crowd. Drummer Eric Singer was given vocal duties on the hit “Black Diamond,” which for me may have been the highlight of the show.

As usual the band concluded the show with “Rock and Roll All Night,” showering the crowd with confetti. It was an appropriate conclusion to the last show of the summer at Darien Lake.

Go to http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10152060203125623.888652.114803960622&type=3 for more photos from this and other shows.

CMAC Summer 2012

By Justin Gudell

In the summer of 2012, CMAC in Canandaigua hosted a number of popular musicians, including the Dave Matthews Band, Crosby Stills and Nash, Train, Journey and, of course, Mumford and Sons. Summer 2013 promises to be equally as fantastic a season as 2012, with Keith Urban scheduled for August 9th. Typically, there are approximately two dozen concerts a summer. Keep your eye on Freetime Magazine for updates!

Mumford and Sons come to us from England, formed in December of 2007, and offer a unique sound categorized as folk/rock, though their frequent use of the banjo puts an emphasis on folk in their music. Rock is prevalent in other songs, which use rock-jam sections and guitar riffs. Mumford and Sons mixes elements of Bright Eyes and the now-disbanded The Band.

When I arrived at the arena for the Mumford and Sons concert, I could tell that their main demographic is teenagers and young adults. The audience mingled excitedly as the opener took the stage. It was a relaxed, friendly crowd, and everyone expected a great show.

The show started in near-complete darkness, and subtle purple lights slowly came up, accompanying the slow rhythm of a guitar and the distinct, soothing crooning of Marcus Mumford. He serenaded the audience with “Lovers Eyes,” and as the song picked up, so did the audience. At the end of the first song, the band took a moment to judge the crowd’s emotions, and then began to play some of the most famous notes they’ve coerced from their respective instruments. Just a few notes into the song, the crowd exploded, recognizing the opening notes of “Little Lion Man,” a worldwide chart-topping sensation. I reveled in the music overwhelming the arena, and I instantly fell in love with the stylings of Mumford and Sons.

For a brief period of time, maybe a song or two, I ventured to the lawn, which usually has a more “hanging out” vibe, but Mumford and Sons messages resonated throughout the space. For the last few songs and the encore, I managed to squeeze a few friends into the seated section as we listened to the last, perfect show-ending notes: “The Cave,” another well-known chart topper. Many of the audience members climbed as close to the stage as possible, myself included, and jammed as every note echoed into the crowd. When the show ended, I could only think “wow!” I wanted more; I was sad that the show was over. Mumford and Sons had carried my posse and me through an unparalleled experience, and we wanted, maybe even needed, more.

Pat Monahan of Train

“TRAIN ROLLS INTO CMAC”
CMAC 8/24/2012

By Scott Cordaro

The soft pop anthems were in full bloom on Friday night under the shell during Train & Mat Kearney concert. Train’s lead singer Pat Monahan proved he is still a great showman; flirting with the mostly-female crowd and engaging the audience as a whole.

Monahan made sure the crowd got a great show. He danced around the stage, flirted with girls in the crowd, and twice pulled women onto the stage to dance with him during songs. Early in the set, Monahan belted out the group’s first big hit, “Meet Virginia,” then proceeded to woo the females with his soft rendition of the ballad “Marry Me.”

The fun started to skyrocket during “Save Me, San Francisco,” as beach balls were flying around the arena. Then, after a brief drum solo by Scott Underwood, Jimmy Stafford walked on stage with his ukulele for a party-like version of “Hey Soul Sister.”

While Jimmy Stafford wailed on lead guitar, Monahan made sure to flirt with the women in the front row, as the show took a distinctly San Francisco turn. The 90 minute show came to a close with a 3 song encore which included “California 37” and the hit single “Drops of Jupiter”.

It was a genuine performance from a band that had been rock stars in the city of San Francisco long before they were stars anywhere else.

Opening the show was Mat Kearney performing songs off his 2011 album Young Love which included “Hey Mama,” “Ships in the Night,” and “Rochester.” But the highlight of his set was a great version of Springsteen’s “Dancing in the Dark.”

By Frank Imburgia

Note: all links are to shows, sets or songs on archive.org. They are freely distributable.

After a two year, 60 mile detour to the Gelston Castle Estate, the moe.down music festival made a triumphant return to its roots:  Snow Ridge ski area, in Turin, New York. A date change was also in the cards, from the traditional Labor Day weekend to August 10 – 12. Generally, when strolling the festival grounds, the predominant topic of eavesdropped conversations is the music. This weekend however, the buzz was how everyone was soooo happy that we were all back in Turin: ‘home at last’ as some t-shirts proclaimed. GCE was a nice layout for a concert, provided you were in peak physical shape. The problem was the distances that needed to be negotiated – from the car-park to the campsites, from the campsite to the stage; they were better measured in terms of miles than yards. Add to that the fact that the stages were set at the base of one large hill, accessible only after climbing another large hill, and you get the idea; in my review of moe.down XII, I lamented the limited availability of Sherpas.
This year, however, there were no such issues. In reality, the only negative of the weekend was a fickle, at times vindictive, Mother Nature. What is the deal with summer music festivals and rainstorms? There must be a statistical correlation between the gathering of thousands of music lovers in an open area and the production of measurable precipitation. In my fifty plus years on this planet, I’ve yet to attend one of these events that was not marred by a substantial amount of rain. Of course, the inevitable result of 15,000 pairs of feet kneading the turf was an ankle-deep mire the consistency of peanut butter that left the 9,000 festival attendees muddy, but unbowed.

The boys from moe. – guitarists Al Schnier and Chuck Garvey who alternate playing lead, bassist Rob Derhak, drummer Vinnie Amico, and percussionist Jim Loughlin – have been together twenty one years, and have now put on thirteen moe.downs.  moe.down has always striven to be a family-friendly event with planned activities for kids all weekend. The crowd also featured a surprising number of older festival goers; at least a third of the crowd was over forty. moe. has developed a hugely loyal fan base; every show’s ‘Al.nouncements’ mention that it is someone’s 50th, 100th, even 200th anniversary. Perhaps the coolest thing about being a true fan, a genuine moe.ron, is the intimate familiarity with the band’s repertoire, the looks of understanding when we hear something great (or catch a not infrequent screw-up), the moments of recognition as the band segues from one song to another. It is membership in a happy extended ‘famoe.ly’.

Friday

moe.down 13 began Friday with a rainy afternoon, perfect conditions for setting up a campsite. After half a score of trips from the car to the tent, the rain, of course, let up. But it was just in time to catch the first act of the weekend on the Main Stage: Grace Potter and the Nocturnals.  Potter has seemingly boundless energy and great enthusiasm on stage. Add to that a great voice, a tight band, and, dare I say it?, Potter’s undeniable sex-appeal, and it made for a thoroughly entertaining show. The musical highlight of her set was a hauntingly beautiful “Oasis”, which rose to a vibrant crescendo of guitar with Grace adding a wordless vocal accompaniment that had many in the audience swaying, eyes shut, caught up in the magic of the moment.

Between GPN and the first moe. set, the rain came back with a vengeance and our hosts took the stage in a steady, at times lashing rainfall. Rob Derhak, moe.’s bassist, apologized for the weather, which brought a loud cheer from the crowd, and the band broke into a hard-driving “Plane Crash.” After the always appreciated, and audience-sung “Okayallright,” Grace Potter joined the boys for a thoroughly unexpected rendition of “Gimme Shelter,” with Grace belting out the lyrics.
The evening became a test of endurance, one that this reporter sadly failed; after the first moe. set, I crawled into my tent, grateful to peel off sopping wet clothes and crawl into a sleeping bag, hoping for better weather the following day.

Saturday

Saturday did turn out bright and sunny, much to the relief of the residents of the tent city of moe.ville. The day’s music began with Aqueous, a Buffalo quartet who put out a set of surprisingly (surprising only because the band members look barely old enough to shave) sophisticated and complex guitar driven jam-rock.

First up on the Main Stage Saturday was SOJA, who played their solid, if somewhat preachy, DC-based reggae. They were followed by the Wood Brothers. Whatever quality it is that sets apart the competent from the truly great, the kind of talent that wins Grammy Awards (ok, maybe that’s not the best example), the Wood Brothers have it. Chris Wood (of Modeski Martin & Wood) and his brother Oliver have lately added Zac Brown Band percussionist Clay Cook to their act to form a trio. With Oliver’s high, reedy voice, Chris’ upright bass fiddle, and vocal harmonies that seem lifted directly from the hollows of West Virginia, their 75 minute roots-rock set was a thing of musical beauty, which inspired much admiring buzz among the crowd.
Aside from our weekend hosts, there were two acts that most jam-music fans counted as must-see. The first, Galactic, played Saturday evening. New Orleans based

Galactic has been a fixture on the jam circuit for almost twenty years now. This weekend, the band added Corey Clover, of Living Color fame, on vocals. One way to gauge the success of a band’s set is to look around and observe the percentage of people in the crowd who are not merely swaying to the music, but actually dancing. By that (and any other) standard, Galactic’s set was a rousing success. I have only one thing to say about Corey Glover’s voice: Holy shit! The man has a range that seems impossible, and the ability to drop four octaves from a high scream to a deep bass almost without effort. On several occasions during his part of Galactic’s performance, my daughter and I locked eyes and just shook our heads in wordless amazement.

moe.’s Saturday night was good, not great, but definitely did have its moments. Highlight of the first show was a lovely set-closing “Faker” -> “Moth,” which was the predominate topic of conversation in the 30 minute queue for a Sunday morning shower. The second set featured a band switch with Galactic. Cripple Creek as the opening salvo and then Galactic stayed on stage for “How Many More Years?”  moe. followed with a very nice “George.” The evenings climax, “Recreational Chemistry” was a bit of a disappointment, with the band wandering off in unpredictable, but not necessarily pleasing, directions. “Rec Chem” is one of those songs that can leave you in a state of stunned amazement or scratching your head. Saturday’s was the latter

Sunday

Sticking to the weather theme, Sunday alternated between blazing sun and drenching rain. Ponchos went on, were peeled off in relief, thrown back on in disgust. The music for the day began with the North Mississippi All Star Duo of Luther and Cody Dickinson. Until hearing these guys, I’d never have believed that a mere two people could produce such a huge and complete sound. Luther plays a bass line on the E string of his guitar, rhythm and lead with the remaining five, while Cody beats out a vibrant percussion. Check out “Shake What Your Mama Gave You” to get an idea of the versatility of this band. At one point, Cody played an electrified washboard on “Psychedelic Sex Machine” that produced a simply astonishing range of sounds. All in all, it was one of the weekend’s best sets.

moe. always plays an afternoon set so the kids can get up on stage and participate, and Sunday was the day. It was also moe.’s finest day of music. Right before the kids came up, the boys played a constantly shifting “Downward Facing Dog”, which is the featured song on the band’s website. But the best moe.ment of the entire festival came at the close of the afternoon set with the two perennial favorites “Spine of a Dog” which flowed into a wonderful “Buster”.

The festival’s second must-see band, Umphrey’s McGee played Sunday evening. What more can be said about UM? They are one of the top five acts in the jam-music world; attract a huge, loyal following; play ever-changing, shifting music; and almost never disappoint. Their best offering came when they got on stage with the guys from moe, to play Pink Floyd’s monster “Time.”  moe. then left the stage and Umphrey’s went into “Breathe,” another Dark Side of the Moon classic.
As moe. took the stage for their festival-closing set, the moe.rons in the audience knew what was coming: we were owed a “Rebubula” and some “Meat,” and the boys paid that debt in epic fashion. The hot and sizzling “Meat” ran close to twenty five minutes and featured some simply amazing guitar lead by Al.

Overall, moe.down 13 was a great musical experience. As we headed out for home after the fireworks show, my 20 year old daughter gushed “Wow. That was SO good. I’m hooked.”, one more new member of our extended famoe.ly.

By Scott Cordaro

For those who think the 80′s revival is over, tell that to the 10,000 people who showed up CMAC last Wednesday night to rock out with Journey, Pat Benatar and Loverboy. If you remember slow dancing to “ Open Arms,”  or driving down the highway cranking “ Stone In Love,” then you were in for ride down memory lane.

With Journey as the main attraction, people gathered to hear the new singer Arnel Pineda sing some of the classics. As he hit the stage with original members Neal Schon, Ross Valory and longtime keyboardist Johnathan Cain, the group ripped through a strong 90 minute set that included “ Wheel In The Sky,” “Anyway You Want It “ and “Lights.”

The night really belonged to the new kid Arnel Pineda, the You Tube sensation with his youthful energy dancing around the stage. When Pineda slowed things down and sang the opening notes to “Faithfully,” you could just tell he had won the crowd over. His vocals were as close as you could get to the original and at times seemed like the record.

Journey ended strong with some of their biggest hits “ Don’t Stop Believin,” “Lovin, Touchin, Squeezin’” and “Separate Ways.”

Opening act Pat Benatar proved once again that you don’t need a large production to deliver an outstanding show. With a voice as strong as I’ve heard in a long time and a guitar wizard husband, Benatar killed it  playing one hit after another. Finishing the show with the crowd pleasing “Hit Me With Your Best Shot” really had the crowd in a frenzy.

The night started with Loverboy, and sadly I was caught in traffic and was only able to catch the last two numbers. I will say that Mike Reno sounded very strong on the hit song “Working for the Weekend”.

With nearly four solid hours of hits by some of the greatest bands of the 80′s – Loverboy, Pat Benatar and Journey – this show left you with plenty of “ I Remember” moments.

“The Dukes of September” – Donald Fagen, Michael McDonald and Boz Scaggs

 The Dukes of September supergroup is a crowd-pleaser

CMAC – August 11, 2012

By Michelle Picardo

An excited crowd at CMAC was not let down by the supergroup trio of Donald Fagen, Michael McDonald and Boz Scaggs as their latest successful endeavor, The Dukes of September treated the audience to an interesting mix of hits from their respective bands and favorite tunes made famous by other artists.

If you didn’t read your ticket and notice the line below “The Dukes of September” moniker you would still have figured out that this was a “Rhythm Revue” and not a Steely/Doobies/Boz Greatest Hits show.  Featuring a band of top-notch rhythm players, an energetic horn section and a couple soulful female vocalists, the three stars were ably backed.  With Steely Dan’s Donald Fagen acting as the evening’s emcee, he introduced his compatriots throughout the show, including Doobie Brothers’ Michael “White Lightening” McDonald, who roused the audience with spot-on versions of “I Keep Forgettin,” “What a Fool Believes” and “Takin’ it To the Streets.”  The first Steely Dan track came about five songs in (a little too long for some) in the guise of “Kid Charlemagne” and ignited the crowd.

Tunes by the likes of Buck Owens, Willie Dixon and Chuck Berry kept things fresh while back-up singer, Catherine Russell tore through Janis Joplin’s classic “Piece of My Heart.”  While Russell and Carolyn Leonhart were more than capable of busting out the soulful pipes, perhaps the show relied too much on them while the three superstars on stage were doling out their hits in a pretty selective and sparing fashion.  Alas, again, this was a revue and thus must be appreciated as such.  That said, when Boz Scaggs finally got around to “Lowdown” and “Lido Shuffle,” everyone was on their feet and thrilled to hear these hits.  Fagen kept his end of the bargain with a few more Steely Dan tracks including “Hey Nineteen,” “Reelin’ in the Years” and “Peg.”

All in all, when you have stellar musicians with pedigrees like Fagen, McDonald and Scaggs, you’ll pretty much appreciate whatever these three Dukes decide to play!  And the audience at CMAC certainly did.