“Can’t believe it’s been, I don’t know, one or two decades since we’ve been able to tour the States extensively… we count our blessings. I can tell already we’ll all have a great time tonight. We know that people have traveled from all around to come here tonight, so we really appreciate that as well. I should tell you that, because we don’t get to come here… because we haven’t been able to come here as much as we would have like – would have loved – we’re going to go the extra mile tonight.” Jim Kerr, front man and vocalist of Simple Minds at the Grand Theatre at Grand Sierra Resort & Casino on Saturday night, before a crowd that was on it’s feet for two full sets from the band. Simple Minds – led by Kerr and co-founder and guitarist Charlie Burchill – have been recording and performing for 40 years. And they show no signs of slowing down (and after seeing them live, I imagine that going “the extra mile” is a way of life for them). Incredible music – old and new – stunning work on guitar by Burchill, and that voice of Kerr’s… still absolutely captivating. The duo have an amazing band and this is one concert I will never forget. Highest recommendation to get out to see this band in a very rare North American tour. It was a transcendent experience.
Garbage (20 Years Paranoid Tour) at Grand Theatre at Grand Sierra Resort & Casino | Reno, Nevada | 10/2/2018 (Concert Review + Photos)
“We’re now going to play another song you’ve probably never heard before. You forgive me though, right?” Shirley Manson of Garbage underlining one of the themes of the night for their “20 Years Paranoid” tour, which made a stop at the Grand Theatre at Grand Sierra Resort & Casino in Reno on Tuesday. The band is celebrating the twentieth anniversary of their second album, Version 2.0, by touring a set list that features them playing the album in its entirety as well as very rare B-sides and just a handful of songs beyond the scope of that period of their career. I’ve seen the band on most of their tours since they reunited and began recording and performing again after a long hiatus, and really it seems like they do something really different each time they come around. Even I was unfamiliar with some of the songs played (many were rarities originally limited to B-side releases in the late ’90s), but I am catching up now with their newly released 20th Anniversary Deluxe Edition / Remastered version of their album. Shirley was pretty chatty and candid with the crowd in-between songs and it felt like quite a special show. I really enjoyed it and it reminded me of what a stellar band they are live, and it provided some additional insights into what makes the band tick and what motivates them as artists. It’s really worth catching up with them on this tour, even for casual fans. One of the most unique bands of my generation, always staying true to themselves and keeping things interesting.
“Revolution 3 Tour” (Stone Temple Pilots, The Cult, Bush) at Ironstone Amphitheatre | Murphys, California | 8/31/2018 (Concert Review + Photos)
“Unbelievable. Nine songs of texting. (laughs from crowd) Yes, I’m here to shame you for that because… (laughs) No seriously, I’m here to validate. We are here to validate you… Thank you for coming out tonight, supporting our little soirée. With our brothers from Stone Temple Pilots and Bush. You want some more? This one’s fun. I’m pretty amped up actually. Pretty rare for me. It’s the altitude. Must be the altitude. There you go, standing up, getting out of your seats… What’s happening? Spontaneous… It’s a spontaneous audience participation. We’re connecting as one. As one group. As one harmonic ecosystem, together. It’s fucking unbelievable. It’s fucking unbelievable!” Ian Astbury of The Cult, with a bit of a stream of consciousness revelation between songs during their set, fixed in the center of the triple headlining tour featuring STP, The Cult, and Bush called “Revolution 3 Tour”. Sometimes multiple headlining shows aren’t quite that, but in this case, after each artist, I wondered how the next could measure up. And I don’t personally follow any of the three bands. Yet somehow, I came away feeling this was the best concert yet as the Ironstone Amphitheatre Summer Concert Series nears it’s end, with just one show left to go. It was three top performances with this concert on Friday night. [Read more…]
Ziggy Marley at Veteran’s Memorial Auditorium | Grass Valley, California | 8/12/2018 (Concert Review + Photos)
“We have to love one another. We can always find a way. We can always find a way”. Ziggy Marley at Veteran’s Memorial Auditorium in Grass Valley on Sunday night, before a crowd of people that seemed to be very receptive to his messages and ideas shared throughout his set. Playing in support of his latest album, Rebellion Rises, Ziggy Marley brought a message that seems to run counter to the general vibe that we encounter day to day in the U.S., which I found both refreshing and timeless. He is all about positivity and the power behind everything that is about, rather than the current climate permeating social media and the news that is more about dividing and judging one another and being intolerant. Personally, I would choose to stand beside Ziggy Marley and celebrate his music and his message of coming together with one another, and I think that would hold true for the fans in attendance at this concert. The show was excellent and I am really enjoying the new music, which mixes together well with his massive catalog of work as well as the handful of covers done in tribute to his father’s work as well. Really a fantastic experience and nice escape from the day to day negativity found out in the “real” (and not so real) world. This is definitely a tour to come out to see if it is headed to a city near you in the next couple of months.
Florence + the Machine at Harvey’s Outdoor Arena | Stateline, Nevada | 8/9/2018 (Concert Review + Photos)
“Thank you so much for having us back; this is the first night of the “High As Hope Tour”. This next song is from… oh you guys flustered me! This next song is from High As Hope and I wrote it about the place that I was born which is south London, which has a lot less trees than this…” Florence Welch of Florence + the Machine at Harvey’s Outdoor Arena in South Lake Tahoe on Thursday night, kicking off her latest tour in support of her amazing new album. “I’m with you… I’m with you like… at the moment my heart, it hurts a lot of the time and I just want to say I want you all to hold hands because I really believe in you and I believe in the power of change. And I believe in love and I want you to hold hands for this song because if we connect, I really think amazing things can happen”. A lot of performing artists say things about connecting with their audience, and say those things from the stage, and the audience watch from below as they perform. With Florence, it is not just words. Toward the end of her set, into the song “Delilah”, Florence came off of the stage and ran deep into the audience while she sang, literally connecting with fans in the crowd. Then she actually came running across (barefoot of course) the seat in the row I was in, and I got to witness first hand something unlike anything I’d ever seen at a concert. Florence was engaging with fans one at a time, one on one. In many instances she was grabbing their faces and pressing her forehead against theirs, as if she was forming a mystical bond with them. She was right in front of me for a good length of time, and it was kind of surreal to hear her voice singing directly from her, not just through the sound system. It’s actually been years since I uploaded concert footage to my YouTube channel, but it was such an incredible experience, I thought this would be the best reason ever to share a snippet of this amazing concert moment (iPhone quality, unedited): LINK Really, it takes a lot to put me at a loss for words, but this concert really transcended what anyone might expect from a live show. For some fans, I think it was a near religious experience. Currently tied for my favorite concert of the year. Definitely the best tour of 2018 I am guessing. And since this was the first show on this tour, everyone has time to try to get out to make one of the upcoming dates.
Ziggy Marley: Rebellion Rises 2018 Tour Comes to North America in August and September
Supporting the release of his seventh solo studio album, Rebellion Rises, Eight-time GRAMMY® award winning musician and reggae icon Ziggy Marley will be touring North America throughout August and September, starting with eight concerts across California. [Read more…]
Foreigner at Ironstone Amphitheatre | Murphys, California | 7/28/2018 (Concert Review + Photos)
“Foreigner has just passed our 40th anniversary… Four zero… that’s a big deal!” Kelly Hansen at Ironstone Amphitheatre in Murphys on Sunday night, the third lead singer of Foreigner over the course of the past four decades. The evening served as a celebration of a wide variety of music and genres, with performances by Foreigner, Jason Bonham’s Led Zeppelin Evening, and Queensrÿche. [Read more…]
Florence + the Machine North America Tour Kicks Off in Lake Tahoe Next Month; World Tour Dates Thru 2019
Florence + the Machine’s latest album – High As Hope – is out now on Republic Records… all in advance of the upcoming 23-city tour in North America this fall. [Read more…]
Psychedelic Furs 2018 North American Tour Kicks Off This Weekend
The new tour for 2018 with Psychedelic Furs launches tomorrow at the Pleasantville Music Festival in New York, and then heads west with shows in Arizona, California, Oregon, Washington and Utah through the rest of July. The English post punk/New Wave band is one of my favorite live acts, and they did not disappoint with their Singles Tour last year. Definitely one of the tours to catch up with in 2018. [Read more…]
Counting Crows at Ironstone Amphitheatre | Murphys, California | 7/3/2018 (Concert Review + Photos)
“I wanted to write a song about that… I wanted to reflect the idea of the country, and the sense of the country…” Adam Duritz of Counting Crows brought a mix of concert and storytelling to Ironstone Amphitheatre at Ironstone Vineyards on Tuesday night, as part of the band’s “25 Years And Counting Tour”. He shared some stories about the origins and inspirations behind the songs that are so familiar to their fans, in a sprawling set approaching two hours. In addition, the crowd also enjoyed a lengthy set from the band Live as well as younger act Boom Forest. It was a beautiful night in Murphys and the mix of musical styles and genres entertained the massive crowd in attendance. [Read more…]