SPARKS

Buckeye Randy · Posted: Thu May 14, 2015 1:12 pm Post subject:

Imagine Dragons - Night Visions (2012)

I really like their recent hit "I Bey My Life" so I thought I would give their debut a few spins. Actually...not a far cry from the band Fun (that I like) or even Franz Ferdinand (which I sorta like). Beat oriented and lots of sing-a-long stuff.

Not horrible
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DJ LX · Posted: Tue Jun 02, 2015 6:38 pm Post subject:

Seeing World Party tonight (they're touring as a lean mean three piece - guitar, fiddle and keyboard to accompany the vocals).

On my way home from work tonight I saw the lads smoking fags outside the theater. I was going introduce myself but lost my nerve.

Buckeye Randy · Posted: Tue Jun 02, 2015 8:21 pm Post subject:

DJ LX · Posted: Wed Jun 03, 2015 9:36 am Post subject:

sjadey · Posted: Wed Jun 03, 2015 11:16 am Post subject:

I presume you really mean Karl Wallinger of World Party and Waterboys fame? Wallingford is a town in south Oxfordshire.
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DJ LX · Posted: Wed Jun 03, 2015 11:20 am Post subject:

Yes, thanks. Karl Wallinger.

Buckeye Randy · Posted: Wed Jun 03, 2015 2:35 pm Post subject:

Sounds like a fun show.

Just to clarify, wallabies are in Australia.
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DJ LX · Posted: Wed Jun 03, 2015 6:14 pm Post subject:

Sparky Rickmaniac · Posted: Wed Jun 03, 2015 7:02 pm Post subject:

Wallabies live near me too
Www.derbyshiremammalgroup.com/species_status/wallaby.HTML
Not sure if there are any left, still get the occasional sightings
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sjadey · Posted: Wed Jun 03, 2015 8:47 pm Post subject:

DJ LX · Posted: Wed Jun 10, 2015 9:08 am Post subject:

While I'm (im)patiently waiting for my copy of FFS to arrive I've been listening to Ultrvox's! 1977 debut, which I only recently got. Really great stuff this. I can't wait to hear the other two albums they made with John Foxx on voxx.

Buckeye Randy · Posted: Wed Jun 10, 2015 12:00 pm Post subject:

Local CD shop finally had FFS, they usually get new stuff a few days early so I've been there a few times since last Thursday.

Anyways, while there the first time I finally picked up used copies of Balls & Gratuitous Sax. Yes, there are holes in my collection! People are right about Gratuitous Sex being decent but I doubt I'll listen to Balls much. I will say nice packaging and it comes in different colors, right? I got blue balls....uh...that doesn't sound right.

I also picked up a Made In England by The Adicts. I'll be seeing them open for Reverend Horton Heat in a few months.
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Buckeye Randy · Posted: Wed Jun 24, 2015 1:32 pm Post subject:

J Roddy Walston And The Business
June 23, 2015
Akron, Musica ($20 DOS)

About 18 months ago I was flipping through our cable provider’s tier of music channels and stumbled across a song by J Roddy Walston And The Business. I liked the song “Heavy Bells” enough that I decided to pick up the disc “Essential Tremors”. I liked the disc enough that seeing these guys live seemed like a real good way to spend a Tuesday night.

Musica is a small venue with no seating; just a stage, bar and standing people....lots of standing people. Capacity is listed at 450 but I’m not so sure a fire marshal would agree. Regardless, I will say it is a lot more fun being in a place where there is no wiggle room than a half empty room.

We were early to arrive because we didn’t buy tickets in advance, tough to commit to a Tuesday show. There were only two people ahead of us as they opened the doors so we got to see the grand lady in all her emptiness. It was Mrs. Buckeye’s first visit to Musica so I gave her the grand tour, “There’s the stage, there’s the bar” and as we walked through a doorway, “here is the patio...and there’s J Roddy”. After exchanging pleasantries, J Roddy complimented us on our weather (though I had little to do with it) and that was pretty much the extent of our brush with fame on a Tuesday night.

Opening (on time) was local Roger Hoover and the Hurt. Nice set of dust bowl blues trumped up by his four piece band. Very enjoyable and I wouldn’t walk the other way if I saw him playing again.

J Roddy And The Business have been described as, “What would happen if Queen and Black Oak Arkansas birthed four boys in the backwoods and let them listen to nothing but Cheap Trick and showtunes”. That is a pretty accurate description of their recorded material and their live show has been described as, “Very energetic, makes James Brown look lazy”.

The band took the stage and J Roddy asked, “Are we not men”? A reference to Akron natives Devo. The next 80 minutes or so was a testament to what rock n roll can and should be. This would make Little Richard proud.

Where to start...J Roddy jumping back and forth between pounding on his piano and grabbing center stage with impassioned singing, gesturing and a total commitment to his trade. Lots of stomping and swaying with long hair being tossed side to side, back up vocals screamed in tune, crowd knowing every word and actually taking over the vocal duties on a couple quiet songs. I’m not sure if I’ve ever seen anything quite this interactive before. It was primal.

We’ve all seen Wembley singing along with “Radio Ga Ga” in a cutesy choreographed play-a-long with me. What I saw last night was not cut of the same cloth. It wasn’t a group hug with smiles, it was a life death struggle and life won. This is what rock n roll is supposed to be. The outcome is decided nightly.

To put it in perspective, let’s use the goose bump scale. If you like something you keep listening, if you really like something then you smile, if something stirs your soul then you get goosebumps. I’m lucky if I get goosebumps from music three times a year. I had goosebumps three times last night and one was during a song I was hearing for the first time. You do the math.

Currently listening to their disc for the umpteenth time again today. The bar has been set very high for my upcoming summer concerts (Elvis Costello, Steely Dan, Todd Rundgren, Ian Hunter, J Geils, Reverend Horton Heat).

Catch them if you can.
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Conn · Posted: Sun Jun 28, 2015 5:25 pm Post subject:

Was prompted by my post on the vocalists thread - Josh Klinghoffer who played on the HYL tour and now plays in the RHCP has his own band in which he plays guitar/keyboard and sings. I highly recommend:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=efKKoeHUNXI
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KLMQ3rUMJjs
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DJ LX · Posted: Sun Jun 28, 2015 6:19 pm Post subject:

Buckeye Randy · Posted: Fri Jul 31, 2015 11:37 am Post subject:

Steely Dan, Elvis Costello & The Imposters
July 28, 2015
Blossom Music Center (Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio)
Tickets - $93.70 (mid price)

I know what you’re asking. Yes, this is the same Cuyahoga Falls that Akron native Chrissie Hynde (The Pretenders) name checks in the song “My City Was Gone”. It is also the same Cuyahoga Falls where TV evangelist Rex Humbard founded his Cathedral of Tomorrow and I also hear that the Sunday Cathedral Buffet is really good. This is semi essential info if you ever visit north Akron or Cuyahoga Falls.

The other big attraction is the acoustically acclaimed Blossom Music Center which opened in the late ‘60’s and is the summer home of the Cleveland Orchestra. A 5700 seat wooden pavilion with capacity for another 13,000 on the lawn that is nestled in the Cuyahoga Valley National Park. When I say nestled what I mean is a winding two lane road going for miles and miles through a heavily wooded area. This will never be confused with a downtown revival project.

I’ve been stopping at Blossom Music Center every so often since I started going to concerts and have seen some fun shows including Jethro Tull, Todd Rundgren’s Utopia, Aerosmith, Yes, Steve Miller and The Offspring. I have to say there is something about this place that doesn’t sit quite right with me. I think it is the fact that this setting is as far as you can possibly get from a sweaty club. It might be great to lean back on the grassy hill and enjoy a picnic while listening to the Cleveland Orchestra but to do this while rock heroes are blazing. I don’t get it.

OK, this is the first time I’ve seen two HOF inductees on the same bill plus it is two acts I’ve never seen before and in addition it is two acts I actually want to see. The odds of all those things happening are mathematically boggling. Perhaps time to buy a lottery ticket or say goodbye to loved ones, not sure how to read this one.

Something we noticed while in the parking lot, entering the grounds and finally taking our seats. These are some old and boring looking concert goers. Other people can’t possibly see me like this! This wasn’t a crowd dominated by people wearing concert t-shirts (mine was MTH), it was a crowd that generally looked like they were going to a seniors golf outing. This was definitely a Steely Dan crowd. I overheard people talking about Moody Blues and Chicago; not Nick Lowe, Wreckless Eric or Ian Dury.

Elvis and his Imposters took the stage at exactly 7PM and jumped into a spirited 60 minute set that would have any club jumping. The problem is we weren’t in a club. Over half of the pavilion was still empty at the beginning and people trickled in over the next hour without much urgency. Almost sad as you looked around and saw isolated fans standing and dancing, they looked out of place.

I’ve always heard that the sound was better on the lawn, I can’t say because I’ve never sat there. I can say that this pavilion has always had a heavy reverb sound and the further back you sit the heavier it is especially when at less than capacity. We could not understand what Elvis was saying between songs and familiar songs were not instantly recognizable.

All that said, it was pretty good and I would love to see Elvis in a smaller setting playing this “best of” set. The problem is, Elvis doesn’t always do “best of” tours.

Steely Dan took the stage at precisely 8:30. Sunlight was no longer flooding the pavilion and the seats were now all filled. One other difference from the Elvis set was the sound seemed allot better. No longer tinny with echo, it seemed thicker and more lush . I’m hoping it is simply because the acoustics changed when the seats filled up and not skulduggery.

A person didn’t have to own any Steely Dan discs to know 80% of the setlist. This was perfect for a casual fan which is exactly what I am (Mrs. Buckeye owns Steely Dan discs, not me). All the hits plus all the album cuts that were regularly played back in the day. Another nice bonus was seeing a major act without a video screen behind or flanking the band with “special effects”. These guys did it old school with a smoke machine and a lighting crew that knew the material. I love seeing beams of light cutting through a hazy stage. Very appreciated.

Musicianship. Donald Fagen said this was the best band they have ever had. I don’t have anything to compare it with but I’ll believe him. A four piece horn section, three back-up vocalist plus a four piece band behind Fagen and Walter Becker. Album sound was duplicated and expanded on with numerous solos (even a drum solo, yikes!). These guys were spot on.

Earlier I said I never heard a concert at Blossom from the lawn, now I have. During the middle third of Steely Dan’s set Mrs. Buckeye and I took time to mill around the entire facility with the 10.000 people that didn’t have seats. We were beside the pavilion, top of the hill, bottom of the hill, we went everywhere. First of all, the lawn had a few less golf shirts and a few more concert t-shirts. It was a very dancey and fun crowd with a hint of herb in the air. The sound was good but not really pumping. I do understand what people are saying about the lawn sound being good but it isn’t really for me.

Perhaps most interesting for me is my final impression. I thought Steely Dan sounded great with top shelf musicians performing a near perfect set list in front of receptive fans. I enjoyed the show but I enjoyed it just as much walking around listening as sitting in the 40th row listening. Elvis Costello didn’t sound good and played to a mostly unreceptive crowd yet was riveting. Couldn’t take my eyes away from the stage. I went to the show more of an Elvis fan than Steely Dan and that is unchanged.

Final final impression. Whoever thought it was a good idea to let 15,000 people out of a show and onto a two lane winding road through a heavily wooded national park has never sat in gridlock for an hour on a two lane road in a heavily wooded national park.

Elvis & The Imposters Setlist
I Hope You're Happy Now
High Fidelity
Radio Radio
Mystery Dance
Watching the Detectives
Accidents Will Happen
Flutter & Wow
Alison
(I Don't Want to Go To) Chelsea
Bedlam
Everyday I Write the Book
Pump It Up
(What's So Funny 'bout) Peace, Love and Understanding
I Can't Stand Up for Falling Down
(The Angels Wanna Wear My) Red Shoes

Steely Dan Setlist
Cubano Chant (without Becker & Fagen)
Black Cow
Aja
Hey Nineteen
Black Friday
Rikki Don't Lose That Number
Show Biz Kids
Time Out of Mind
Razor Boy (The Danettes on Vocals)
Bodhisattva
Daddy Don't Live in That New York City No More
Babylon Sisters
I Want To (Do Everything for You) - Joe Tex cover
Josie
Peg
My Old School
Reelin' in the Years
Encore:
Kid Charlemagne
The Untouchables (Without Becker and Fagen)
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sjadey · Posted: Wed Aug 05, 2015 3:08 pm Post subject:

Good review. I share your preference for EC; I always found SD very AOR. Fine musicians I'm sure but prefer the post-punk of EC.
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Buckeye Randy · Posted: Mon Sep 07, 2015 12:25 pm Post subject:

Todd Rundgren and the Akron Symphony Orchestra
September 6, 2015
Akron Civic Theater
Ticket - $10

This is the third time in the last six years I’ve spent a night from my Labor Day weekend with Todd at the Akron Civic Theater. The last two times were seeing albums played in their entirety but this evening promised to be something a little different.

Not obsessive! This is my 15th time seeing Todd but this is the first time I’ve seen him since the 2010 performance of the albums Todd and Healing. I simply haven’t been on board with his recent endeavors and I can always catch him the next time around. That’s my thinking because he seems to play Northeast Ohio at least four times a year. Too much of anything no matter how good is not healthy for you. The proof is the conversation I had with my random concert neighbor seeing Todd for the 47th time and his telling me about his acid trips from the ‘70’s. Mrs. Buckeye claims my FM (Freak Magnet) signal was on high last night. Why do these guys always talk to me? I guess I really don’t mind, it’s better than most conversations while waiting in line at the grocery store.

My expectations. I’ve only seen a rock band with an orchestra once before. I saw Yes 15 years ago or so and it was not enjoyable except for the Chris Squire bass solo. I have a DVD of Ian Hunter with an orchestra that hasn’t been watched for years and I’ve seen countless others on television get orched. I think the problem is that artists feel obligated to play their most popular material at these types of shows. Just because something was popular in a rock format does not mean the song lends itself to an orchestral arrangement. The plus side of Todd doing this orchestra thing is that he never feels obligated to play anything, he’ll play whatever he wants. Safe to say I’m not an orchestra guy but I couldn’t pass up Todd for $10 in the most beautiful theater in America.

Pre –concert festivities included a restaurant rendezvous with a Rundgren messageboarder and watching hundreds of Todd fans wandering on the sidewalks of Akron’s Main Street. The attire for the evening ranged from formal to concert t-shirts to nearly Halloween like, lots of fun being had by all.

Lights dim and the evening starts with “Flamingo” from AWATS, absolutely perfect blend of rock band, orchestra and sound effects to start the evening. Besides the Akron Sympathy Orchestra, Todd was backed by some trusted regulars; Kasim Sultan – bass, Greg Hawkes – keys, Jesse Gress – guitar, Kevin Ellman – drums and ‘I think’ the back-up vocalist were the wives of Todd and Jesse. The musicians stayed mostly stationary on the crowded stage with Todd pacing back and forth at the front in a white spotlight. Everything else was washed in color by a lighted backdrop that was the equivalent of a really big lava lamp.

Highlights from the first set for me were “The Verb To Love”, “It Wouldn’t Have Made Any Difference”, “The Last Ride”, “Compassion” and the surprise song was “Bag Lady”. I think Todd nailed it going with quieter songs. The band and orchestra never competed against one another.

The first set was really good but I felt the second set was even stronger. The second set had everything from anthems to rarities to Utopia plus a personal favorite, all that was good but it wasn’t the best. The highlight started with Todd saying he was going to do a song he hadn’t rehearsed. Now, he says this on the heels of what I felt was the shakiest song (Can We Still Be Friends) of the evening. I’m guessing that if that song was rehearsed I should probably be a little fearful of hearing something unrehearsed. Fear not, what came next was the most riveting vocal performance I’ve ever heard on “Pretending to Care”. When I say ‘ever’, I mean ‘EVER’! Outstanding, well done, bravo.

Well, he did it again. Every time I return from an extended break of Todd concerts he delivers a knockout. It won’t be another five years until the next Todd show.

First Set:
“Flamingo”
“Change Myself”
“The Meaning Of The Verb To Love”
“Hideaway”
“It Wouldn't Have Made Any Difference”
“Bag Lady”
“Mated”
“The Last Ride”
“Compassion”
“Can't Stop Running”

Second Set:
“Wailing Wall”
“Dream Goes On Forever”
“Rock Love”
“Can We Still Be Friends”
“Pretending to Care”
“Love is the Answer”
“Worldwide Epiphany”
“Fade Away”

Encore
“Just One Victory”
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Billy, Don't Be A Porter

Buckeye Randy · Posted: Fri Sep 11, 2015 3:51 pm Post subject:

J Geils Band
September 10, 2015
Rocksino - Hard Rock Live, Northfield Ohio
Tickets - $83 (semi cheap seats)

It is almost unexplainable how in all my years of concert going this is my first time seeing The J Geils Band. Absolute legends on Cleveland radio in the ‘70’s and a favorite of Mrs. Buckeye as well. Like I said, almost unexplainable except when factoring in that they broke up 30 years ago and appearances since have been very few and far between.

What’s better than seeing a concert you want to see? Giving the tickets as a B-Day present and then going to a concert you want to see. Two birds with one stone; a concert AND concert sex. Happy Birthday Mrs. Buckeye.

My first time seeing J Geils is also my first visit to the 2200 seat Rocksino – Hard Rock Live. The tickets were nearly sold out during the pre-sale and the remaining tickets gone within days. Resale tickets were going for nearly double face value. Clearly, I am the beneficiary of a promoter underpricing the tickets! I’m in the back of the room but in the first row of the raised seating, nearly ideal considering.

Opening is some bloke named Ian Hunter and his Rant Band. I must admit that seeing Ian for my 15th time as an opener does not create the same buzz as the previous 14 times. The only other time seeing Ian as an opener was in 1980 for Heart and that seems like a long time ago.

Ten minutes before show time, the buzz sets in and I’m finally pumped. Ian plays a nice 10 song, 45 minute set but…it wasn’t a set list I would have picked out. Once Bitten, All The Way from Memphis and All The Young Dudes were good and had the crowd up on their feet. I wasn’t crazy about Ian toying around with the piano riff in ATWFM. This is something you do in front of the regulars, not when opening. He did play the best version of Cleveland Rocks I’ve heard since the Ronson years, I wasn’t prepared for this and the crowd loved it. The Rant band version of Sweet Jane went over fairly well but it certainly isn’t the Mott The Hoople version. I struggle to see how this song is a better choice than about 15 other MTH songs other than concert goers have a general familiarity with this cover song.

Continuing with the theme of general familiarity (or not)…the other half of the 10 song show were three songs from his 2012 release (When I’m President) and two songs from the mostly obscure late ‘90’s release Artful Dodger. This is when the audience would quickly sit and grow quiet. This was the 8th show of this tour so I doubt this was a surprise or something new to Ian. Overall, nice show but I prefer seeing Ian headlining the smaller places.

As well received as Ian was with the entire place standing for ATYD there was zero question who people were here to see once J Geils took the stage. The place erupted into what would be a nearly two hour house party. I’ve been going to concerts for a while now and only twice have I seen people remain standing the entire concert in a venue with reserved seating. J Geils joins Alice Cooper on this short list.

Just a general observation. This show was the third and final installment of my 2015 Geritol Summer Concert Series (Steely Dan, Todd Rundgren, J Geils). Besides seeing three headliners from a bygone era I got to see fans from yesteryear trying to sneak a sip from the fountain of youth. Some fans age better than others and I have to say that the J Geils fans are hands down winners when it comes to the number of knee and hip replacements. It was inspiring in a way, these people are soldiers.

Question: Do you need J.Geils to still call yourself the J Geils Band?
Answer: No, you just need original band members Peter Wolf, Magic Dick, Danny Klein and Seth Justman flanked with a few quality musicians and back-up vocalists.

Great energy, great show, great setlist. The band did a good job dropping in songs from their ‘popular’ era with the rabble rousing anthems from earlier in their career. I could complain about not hearing every single song I wanted but there wasn’t anything I would get rid of. A very strong performance by a band firing on all cylinders.

Peter Wolf is a treat to watch, just riveting with all that energy. He has a good time with the between song banter, you get the feeling it isn’t the same every night. He talked Cleveland nostalgia mentioning “The Buzzard” (WMMS) and getting a big break from Belkin Productions. I appreciate when a show doesn’t feel like a cookie cutter, I like it personalized a little.

Magic Dick was nearly as riveting as he blew on what Peter Wolf describes as his “Mississippi Saxophone”. Sometimes you can watch a musician and say it doesn’t get better than that. Well, that’s Magic Dick.

Highlights-O-Plenty but my favorite moments were from the unexpected songs. I went in knowing I would like Nothin’ But A House Party, Must Have Got Lost and Give It To Me. I didn’t expect Sanctuary or Night Time to be so good, just perfect.

This band has been nominated a few times for the RnR HOF but denied induction. They might never make that HOF but they are certainly in the Randyland HOF. Well done, guys.
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Spyke · Posted: Sat Sep 12, 2015 4:43 pm Post subject:

I've been listening to quite a bit of Tears For Fears lately. Their first album - The Hurting, from 1983 - mixes angsty lyrics with memorable synth tunes. The Hurting was both a critical and commercial hit, leading to the bigger, more confident sound of their follow-up album. Songs From The Big Chair is more varied than The Hurting, and contains their best song, in my view - Head Over Heels.
I've never really got into their 1989 album - The Seeds Of Love - apart from the great lead single. Smith and Orzabal had an acrimonious split in the 1990s. Both released fairly good solo albums, with Orzabal keeping the Tears For Fears name.
Thankfully, they patched things up, and 2004's reunion album Everybody Loves A Happy Ending was a real return to form. Their skill with melodies is still there, and all the songs are full of energy and imagination. These days, they seem to be based in America, and are apparently working on another album.
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