Kansas, one of the most successful American rock bands to come out of the 1970’s, brought their progressive rock jam sounds to the opulent Thousand Oaks Civic Center, Wednesday, September, 13th. The marathon performance featured no less than 24 songs in a nonstop show that stretched nearly three hours into the late summer evening. Kansas… Continue reading Kansas | Thousand Oaks Civic Center
The Bluegrass scene has been exploding over the past few years, and since the Bill Monroe days, south-central PA has been at the heart of it. In the middle of this hotspot of up and coming bluegrass bands, is Mountain Ride, an original bluegrass band that seamlessly comingles both traditional and progressive bluegrass styles. Lead… Continue reading Mountain Ride | Reid's Winery | 9/17/17
On September 15th The Lil Smokies graced the world with their sophomore studio album, “Changing Shades.” For anyone unfamiliar with the Lil Smokies, they are certainly a band on the move. Winners or the 2015 Telluride Bluegrass Band Competition, they have catapulted themselves into the spotlight amongst some of the bluegrass greats. Hailing from Missoula,… Continue reading Lil Smokies | 'Changing Shades' | Review
A true English rock legend brought nearly six decades of rock music history to the Samala Showroom at the Chumash Casino Resort in Santa Ynez California last weekend. Steve Winwood has been a rock star all of his adult life, beginning his musical career as a child prodigy in Birmingham England. The 69-year-old singer-songwriter, master… Continue reading Steve Winwood | Chumash Casino Resort
Michael Franti and Spearhead brought the ‘Love Out Loud’ tour to McMenamins Edgefield Amphitheater in Troutdale, Oregon, on September 9. The show featured positive vibes from the opening acts Choir, Choir, Choir, which had the crowd singing along, and singer-songwriter Ethan Tucker, who played a few acoustic songs, to Franti’s two-hour heart felt performance. The… Continue reading Michael Franti | Troutdale, OR | Review
Of the living legendary Jazz musicians of the 20th century, few perform with such purpose and poise as Mahavishnu John McLaughlin. As the groundbreaking Jazz-fusion originating guitarist has put it in two separate interviews with Grateful Web, it’s all out of love. Love for life, love for the players in his earth-shattering 4th Dimension band,… Continue reading John McLaughlin Live @ Ronnie Scott's
As the sun crested the sky on one of the more perfect afternoons you could ask for in the middle of New York City at the end of August, Phil LeshLesh and his Terrapin Family Band huddled at the side of the stage as the audience hooted and hollered, unable to contain their excitement for… Continue reading Phil Lesh & the Terrapin Family Band | NYC
“Ronnie Scott’s…” mused the boundary-shattering guitarist John McLaughlin, “…where would I be without them?” The venerable London jazz club and its charismatic namesake gave so much to McLaughlin’s career, the roots of which extend as far back as McLaughlin’s stint as a member of the club’s house band in the 1960s. Since then, his pioneering… Continue reading John McLaughlin's "Live @ Ronnie Scott's"
As a music journalist for a decade and a half, I see a lot of live music. But every once in a while, I catch a concert that gives me a special feeling of knowing that I have seen music history and something sonically special. This was one of those moments. A few years ago… Continue reading Father John Mistyfies Red Rocks
Dressed in black, like his collaborator Carlene Carter’s famous dad, Johnny Cash, John Mellencamp wasted no time getting in tune for his second Ravinia performance, surrounded by a smoke machine and a background of scrawled graffiti. The legendary Ravinia may be one of Chicagoland’s most expansive venues, but the 2008 Rock and Roll Hall of Famer quickly… Continue reading John Mellencamp | Ravinia Fest. | Review
