Cat Power and Scottish Indie Rockers’ Teenage Fan Club have been added to the line-up of the Starry Nites Festival. The event is set to take place March 18 and 19 at the beautiful Live Oak campgrounds in the majestic Santa Ynez mountain range, just above Santa Barbara. The inaugural festival is being organized by the same promoters who have produced one of the most highly regarded community festivals in California, the Desert Stars Festival, since 2007. Unlike the massive corporate festivals that have taken over the music world, the concept of the community festival is a more toned down approach focusing on a more pleasurable and intimate festival experience. Instead of massive headline acts and huge crowds of people, the community festival concentrates on a lineup of talented acts that may not usually play on the same stage. If there is a theme at the Starry Sites festival, it seems to be a gravitation towards psychedelic rock and jam music.                                              

Longtime Santa Barbara resident Alan Parsons will be headlining with his latest incantation of the Alan Parsons Project. Parsons has rarely played live shows in the new millennium, most of which have been special benefit concerts. But recently he has launched a world tour with precious few dates for his lucky fans to choose. Parsons is a living legend in the music world. At the age of 19, he found himself working as an assistant engineer at Abbey Road studios on the final two Beatles Albums. But it was his musical engineer work on the seminal Pink Floyd album, “The Dark Side of The Moon” that put him on the map in the music world.

In 1975 he met Eric Woolfson and the two joined forces to form the Alan Parsons Project, a very progressive rock band for their time. According to Parson’s website; “The APP’s debut album, Tales Of Mystery And Imagination based on the works of Edgar Allan Poe paved the way for a signing to Clive Davis’ newly launched Arista label and a string of hit albums, namely I Robot (1977), Pyramid (1978), The Turn of a Friendly Card (1980), Eye in the Sky (1982), Ammonia Avenue (1984), Vulture Culture (1985), Stereotomy (1986) and Gaudi (1987).”  The band has sold over 30 million records across the world.

Parsons will be joined by another legendary Psychedelic rock band, Strawberry Alarm Clock, who are celebrating their 50th Anniversary tour. The Los Angeles band had one of the biggest hits of the era, Incense, and Peppermint, and charted five hit songs.

Other headliners at the festival represent different generations but share some of the same experimental traits in their musical approach.  The Kills are an indie rock band formed by American singer Alison Mosshart and British guitarist Jamie Hince, with punk roots. The duo has been a festival staple in the new millennium and is well known for their explosive live shows.

The festival also features the 90’s version of neo-psychedelia with the Portland band The Dandy Warhols and the post-Goth sounds of California band, She Wants Revenge. The festival will employ musicians from the newest generations of neo-psychedelia as well, with and EDM stage and bands like Black Mountain. This Vancouver-based band has been producing their unique sound since 2004. Imagine a band that sounds like a cross between My Morning Jacket and Black Sabbath. A complete list of the bands announced in the first round can be found at the festival website.

The Starry Nites is the first large-scale multi-day music festival in Santa Barbara since the ill-fated West Beach Festival ended its run in 2010. The festival will feature four stages, more than 35 bands, DJ’s, immersive visuals, and camping on site. Ticket prices for the two-day festival start at about the same price for a good seat at most any major concert in Santa Barbara. There are even a few special discount packages available as part of the Jumpstart program for early birds, which can also be found at the festival website:  www.starrynitesfestival.com

The reclusive former member of the Indie music duo Civil Wars, John Paul White has come out of the shadows to perform songs from his new solo album, Beulah. After a short tour, last summer, he is following up with a 15-date tour of the across the United States and England. The tour included a very special stop at the legendary Troubadour club in West Hollywood, on January 11. The club was packed with adulate fans of the dark Americana songwriter. Some of those fans, sitting around the bar before the show began, could be heard exchanging stories involving the minutia of details surrounding the much-publicized breakup with his former musical partner, Joy Williams. The demise of Civil Wars leads White back to his alternative country roots, resulting in the new album.

The show opened with the rockabilly sounds of The Kernal, hailing from Jackson, Tennessee. The Kernal and his band The New Strangers channel the raw energy of Americana music with a nod to country music and rock and roll icons like Johnny Cash and Jerry Lee Lewis. The audience listened politely to the upbeat set.

In contrast, the set by White proved to be a much darker and brooding one, much to the delight of his ardent fans. As the singer-guitarist took the stage solo, with an acoustic guitar, he seemed to be living in the moment, savoring the strong reception from the crowd. He then proceeded to play his new album nearly in its entirety, first as a solo artist, then later joined by a full band of talented musicians.

After each song, White, would stop to banter with the crowd, recounting his personal influences from his life in Alabama. He explained that much of his early musical influence came from his father's country music collections. He was always drawn to the sad darker songs dealing with the struggles of real life. Music icons like Hank Williams, Sr. and Lefty Frizzell left a lasting impression on his writing style. The result has been a successful writing career for the charismatic singer. In addition to his Grammy award-winning songwriting with The Civil Wars, he also co-wrote the hit single “Relentless” for Jason Aldean. In 2015 he contributed the song “Kyrie" as a duet with Emmylou Harris and in 2017, he was a guest on the song "It Ain't Over Yet" with Rodney Crowell and Rosanne Cash.

The audience at the Troubadour seemed entranced by the sad, somber songs early in the set, but the band came alive on a few thunderous numbers like the more upbeat track “The Martyr."  The 90-minute set left the audience shouting for more and a gracious John Paul White thanked them for indulging his songwriting addiction before politely leaving the stage.

A raging storm blew through southern California on a cold and rainy Sunday night, January 22, but that didn’t stop ardent fans from braving the lefts to come out to the Canyon Club for an electrifying concert by Tony Levin’s Stick Men. The band started as a solo project for Levin with the releases of his Stick Man album in 2007. He recorded the album playing on a Chapman Stick, an electric string instrument invented by Emmett Chapman in the 1970s. The Chapman Stick has ten or twelve individually tuned strings and has been used on music recordings to play bass, melody, progressive chords, or textures with a synthesizer attached. Levin, one of the most prodigious progressive rock players alive, having played on over 500 albums, mastered the device. He tours with his band mate of twenty years with King Crimson, drummer Pat Mastelotto, and German master music producer Markus Reuter. Reuter plays his version of a “Stick," which he invented called, the U10 Touch Guitar.

The trio produces a unique progressive rock sound, unlike any other live band. The band sounds at times like an entire classical orchestra and other times, like a hard jam rock trio, producing endless musical variations. Sometimes the band would veer into the realm of Primus territory, and at other times they could be mistaken for a jazz band. Each member of the group introduced various pieces played throughout the night which spanned the decade of the Stick Men material as well as variations of King Crimson classics. The music was so intense and intricate; it had the small audience in the cold, cavernous club deeply entranced. Most music fans listened intently emboldened with a variety of hard liquor from the bar that helped keep the chill in the air at bay.

Moments of levity and personal outreach would come when the members would banter between songs. Mastelotto introduced his mother in the audience who was recovering from a recent stroke. Reuter recounted a story about the first concert he attended in 1982, a Mike Oldfield concert. He went on to explain that the electronic music pioneer Oldfield was a big star in Europe at the time and became his musical hero. In homage, the band covered Oldfield’s Mirage.

The band played an impressive 90-minute set including several King Crimson covers. They also confirmed that there would be a King Crimson tour this year, with an unprecedented eight musicians in the lineup. The band finished the set with a bow before the audience before returning to play an improvisational piece that shook the tables. After the show, the trio of musicians lingered into the night chatting and signing merchandise with most every audience member that approached them. The Stick Men are truly a unique trio of live musicians standing out in a music world muddled with samples from older tunes.

One of the most talented singer-songwriters to come out of the Northeast in a decade, Eric Hutchinson, brought his Indy power pop music and savvy wit to a sold-out performance at the Grammy Museum in Los Angeles. The intimate Clive Davis Theater located inside the museum hosts an ongoing music series of Q&A sessions combined with mini concerts, featuring a multitude of musical genres.

The January 26 appearance by the 36-year-old Hutchinson began with a Q&A hosted by Scott Goldman, Vice President of MusiCares and the Grammy Foundation. Hutchinson spoke at length about his songwriting process and his musical influences. His upbeat, smiling personality and clever wit shone through the entire event, with many humorous moments. The prolific songwriter has released seven recordings since he began producing music back in 2003, including his latest, Easy Street that debuted in 2016. A deluxe edition of the album will be released with eight bonus tracks along with the original version available for the first time on CD and vinyl, March 3. Hutchinson joked that he had brought a few copies that typically cost $28 and he would sell them at the show for $28. The singer who is proficient on guitar and piano relayed that his musical influences were limited to classic songwriters like The Beatles, Stevie Wonder, Cat Stevens and Billy Joel.

The evening took on a more serious not when Hutchinson explained his commitment to fighting Myotonic muscular dystrophy, a disease that has ravaged his father. Eric told a story about how the elder Hutchinson had also been a musician and had a very rare guitar that Eric was forbidden to play. Recently the proud father gave the guitar to the young Hutchinson. Eric donates a portion of the proceeds of his new album to the Myotonic Muscular Dystrophy Foundation.

After answering questions from the audience, Hutchinson gave a seven-song solo performance aided by a percussionist who also sang backing vocals. The first tune highlighted Hutchinson’s soulful vocal prowess, with a riveting performance of Good Rhythm, from the new Easy Street album. He then moved seamlessly to guitar for the next two tunes, Lost In Paradise, also from Easy Street, and Love Like You, from his 2014 album, Pure Fiction.

But it was the next mini set when the golden-throated singer switched to piano for several songs, that his vocals shined. Sounding much like Billy Joel back in that veteran artists’ younger years when he could still hit the high notes, Hutchinson wowed the crowd with his soulful singing and piano playing.

Hutchinson returned to guitar for his last few songs, including his popular hit, Tell the World, before leading the adulate audience into the Grammy Museum for a prolonged autograph and photo opportunity.

A sold-out crowd of avid music fans packed The Roxy Theater on Sunset Strip in Hollywood, on the last day of January, for a very special concert. Starset, who may have created their own musical genre of Heavy Metal Space Rock gave a “demonstration” of their latest live show to adoring fans in the packed little theater.

The show, featured openers, Gemini Syndrome, and was the first in their tour which will crisscross the country between now and early summer. Charismatic lead singer, Aaron Nordstrom lead the alt-metal openers through a well received and musically intense opening set. Gemini Syndrome is a Los Angles based band that has amassed a loyal following in the last seven years and have become a staple on the heavy metal festival circuit. The band played an intense 70-minute set of heavy tunes reminiscent of the band Tool.

The anticipation in the packed audience was akin to a tightly wound spring. A testament to the band's broad appeal, the crowd was indeed all ages. A middle-aged man at the bar relayed his concern for his young thirteen old sons. “He’s been squashed up to the front of the stage with his two ten-year-old cousins for nearly four hours waiting for the show to start. This is his favorite band, but I like them too. ” Apparently, the band has many avid fans. The band has amassed an astounding 700 million YouTube views. The band is the brainchild of lead singer and keyboardist Dustin Bates, who has an impressive resume, including a Ph.D. in electrical engineering, research work for the US Air Force, and a teacher at the International Space University. Bates has taken his fascination with astronomy to heart creating a whole back story to go with his new musical niche. Apparently Starset stays true to their carefully crafted backstory, including, The Starset Society story, whenever interviewed.

Bates first appeared onstage to begin an electronic track, on a keyboard with a massive computer screen facing into the crowd. What followed next was Wow! Sounding a bit like AFI meets Sigur Ross, the band exploded into life in an electronic, heavy rock, multimedia display unique to the group. Bates darted about the stage looking eerily like Bruce Campbell back in the Evil Dead days. His crisp clear vocals were backed by a thundering hard rock trio. Guitarist Brock Richards and bassist Ron DeChant pranced about the stage dressed ass astronauts complete with Space Helmets with lighting synchronized to the music. As the two-played ear, piercing riffs, their surreal appearance would constantly change as the inside of their helmets would light up their faces when they sang powerful backing vocals. Even more surreal was the presence of drummer Adam Gilbert, also wearing an electric spacesuit, playing behind a transparent screen. The drummer would occasionally disappear as the screen would become part of a stunning visual presentation of space inspired images.

When the band appears live, they are joined by a pair of classical musicians including a female violinist and male cellist, dressed strangely in vintage bomber jackets. But it is the awkward juxtaposition of the bow tie wearing Bates that captures most of the crowd's attention with his intense vocals and charismatic stage presence. The initial number, Into the Unknown, was delayed by a bit of technical difficulty as Bates struggled to engage the electronic backing track. But once he locked it in the band never looked back and fired straight into the next tune Back to the Earth, wowing the enthusiastic crowd. Next, they played two of their most popular songs from their debut album, Transmissions, with included Halo and Down With the Fallen.

The band then played much of the material from their new second album, Vessels. The set was full of song titles in keeping with the astronomical theme, including, Antigravity, Ricochet, Telescope, Frequency, and Satellite. The band also played their newest hit single Monster. The band likes to refer to their live shows as “demonstrations.” If their fans reaction at the Roxy show was any indication, the band has indeed demonstrated a bright and star filled future.

There was a multitude of high profile musical gatherings taking place across Hollywood this weekend of the Grammys. Meanwhile, a fascinating musical discussion happened in front of a small, lucky crowd of fans and journalists on Thursday evening, February 9 at the Record Parlour in Hollywood. Amidst the antique jukeboxes and retro pinball machines in the stores Americana Lounge, the truly legendary Jean-Michel Jarre lead a discussion and interview discussing electronic music. The occasion was prompted by the announcement that Jarre’s album Electronica 1: The Time Machine was nominated for a Grammy in the "Best Dance/Electronic Album" category. The French pioneer of electronic music also announced that he was planning his first concert tour of the United States ever. Jarre’s amazing live shows are usually unique events, with huge visual displays that have attracted the largest crowds ever for the live music events. His original presentation on Bastille day in 1979 in the Place de la Concorde, France tower drew over a million people. It was the first entry in the Guinness Book of Records for largest outdoor concert crowd. He topped that phenomenal feat several times, but in 1997 he attracted 3.7 million to a huge concert in Moscow. Jarre is planning his next massive presentation in April in front of the ancient city of Masada in Israel.

The discussion in Hollywood lead by radio personality Nic Harcourt centered around the new double album release of the Electronica album with the second record, Electronica II: The Heart of Noise, featuring a whole new array of collaborators. The discussion featured some of the participants in the new project, including Hans Zimmer, Gary Numan, Moby, Little Boots and Julia Holter. The panel of prominent musical proponents of the electronica genre spanned multiple generations of successful music making. The discussion may have been one of the most insightful ever undertaken in revealing the creative musical process for these brilliant musicians. Besides Jarre and Zimmer, who came from European musical backgrounds, most of the other participants began the musical quest in mediocre punk rock bands before discovering theirs in the world of electronic music.

Jarre, looking more like a fit 40-year-old than the 68-year-old master musician that he is must have found the fountain of youth in his chosen occupation. The incredibly astute discussion revealed his creative process, his musical inspirations and his motivation that lead to this extensive collaboration which has become his most rewarding musical project. All the participants had a fascinating story to tell. Jarre reminded the panel that Moby had been dubbed “the Woody Allen of electronica.” Moby relayed his stumble into the electronic world from his awful punk rock guitar playing in a self-effacing way that endeared him to the audience. He essentially said that he ended up making electronic music because it was too hard to get his band compatriots into one place at any given time. His electronic genius has made him one of the most sought-after collaborators in the modern EDM world.

Singer and multi-instrumentalist Julia Holter has followed in the giant footsteps of experimental artists Like Kate Bush and Laurie Andersen. The Los Angeles singer had a unique enough sound on her self-created recording that she captured the attention of Jarre. In contrast, the 59-year-old German music composer Hans Zimmer claims no inherent musical prowess. “My only musical training was two weeks of piano lessons,” the witty producer revealed. The composer of over 150 major motion picture scores revealed that “instead of trying to get electronic synthesizers to sound like an orchestra he attempts to get a real orchestra to sound like the sounds he develops on the synthesizers.”

English singer Victoria Christina Hesketh, better known by her stage name Little Boots had a much more traditional musical background beginning her piano lessons at age five and canting her musical education into college. Little Boots moved from a moderate successful electronic rock band, Dead Disco, into a successful solo career as a singer-songwriter and DJ. She relayed a story of how she tried to build her first synthesizer from scratch and somehow made it work at a Coachella gig until it fell apart. Another English musician on the panel, the enchanting genius, who helped introduce early electronic dance music to the world, Gary Numan revealed his introduction to the genre. The musician who has mentored and inspired some of the most intense music of the genre including that of Trent Reznor in Nine Inch Nails also began as a punk rock guitarist. Looking for something to set his musical style apart from the masses he revealed “He stumbled upon a Moog synthesizer and just began twisting knobs. I had no idea what I was doing but luckily whoever used the instrument before me left it on the right settings and I got the sounds out of it that inspired me to make my music.”

Check out more photos from the event.

One of the newest and unique multi-genre music festivals in the country is set to take place for the second time in natural forest wetlands just outside the rural town of Okeechobee Florida. Tens of thousands of music lovers will set up camp March 2-5, to enjoy four days of nearly non-stop music in the lush tropical setting.

The astounding Okeechobee Music Festival lineup features headliners like Kings of Leon and Hip Hop Master Usher together with The Roots. EDM stars Bassnectar and Flume lead a huge dance music roster. The massive line up is drenched with headline acts from rock, pop, hip-hop, jazz, EDM and more musical genres.

This year's festival features at least two Santa Barbara additions, including Reggae powerhouse Soja and classic rocker Michael McDonald. The former Doobie Brother singer, McDonald will head up one of the unique aspects of the festival, the POWOW.  According to the festival website “The Okeechobee PoWoW… that once-in-a-lifetime collaborative coming together… that mish-mash of all the best moments… has arrived! MICHAEL MCDONALD, a legendary musical presence for over 4 decades as a staple member of both Steely Dan & The Doobie Brothers, headlines this year’s PoWoW extravaganza. His soulful & distinctive voice will now grace our beautiful Sunshine Grove. He’ll be joined on vocals by powerhouse R&B crooner GALLANT, while GRIZ will lend both his production skills and sax riffs to this ultimate soulful affair. Funk outfit VULFPECK will join Powow Musical Director, and longtime master of funk, ERIC KRASNO (Lettuce/Soulive), to steer this soul ship straight through the portal. Soul singer ANTWAUN STANLEY alongside members of high energy jazz ensemble, SNARKY PUPPY, will make this a collaboration unlike any other.” Special guests are also expected to join the jam. Last year the unannounced guests included Win Butler lead singer of Arcade Fire, Skrillex on electric guitar and most of Mumford and Sons. The POWOW is not the only jam scheduled for the event. Others include the Okeechobee Gospel Soul Experience, featuring the Blind Boys of Alabama, Allen Stone, and others. Slide guitar master Roosevelt Collier is also returning to the festival to lead another very special jam session.

The unique festival features three main areas. The first, The Aquachobee Village is a man-made beach complete with fresh water swimming hole. A music stage features Indie music artists that begin playing early in the day. The village also includes restaurants, bars, a Ferris wheel and an entire village of yoga and meditation activities. The second area, the Jungle 51, is an EDM lovers’ paradise with a DJ stage built into a forest area transformed into a multimedia dreamscape. The music there goes on all night.

Finally, the large central concert area features three huge music stages, dozens of food and beverage stands and the whole area is rimmed with a palm forest perfect for pitching hammocks.

The second installment of the Okeechobee Music Festival is almost sold out with just a few four-day passes remaining.

For more info: http://www.okeechobeefest.com

The original rhythm section of the seminal Swamp Rock pioneer band, Creedence Clearwater Revival, brought to life an arsenal of classic rock and blues tunes, Thursday night, February 23 at the Chumash Casino Resort in Santa Ynez. The packed Samala Showroom burst into a cacophony of light, sound, and multimedia, right on time at 8 pm. It was unusual for the show to begin on schedule, but proved to be a great surprise to the adulate fans, allowing for a full two set of 19 very classic American tunes.

Celebrating the 50th anniversary of the band, original bass player Stu Cook and drummer Doug Clifford have been playing together for 58 years, since when they were only 13 years old, according to the loquacious Cook. A more stoic Clifford rarely spoke letting his drumming skills speak volumes for him. The backbone of the original CCR, long estranged from the original singer, songwriter, and guitarist John Fogerty, have been keeping the music alive with their new incantation of the band since 1995. The current group includes veteran musician multi-instrumentalist Steve Gunner, who fills in all sorts of ambient sounds to augment the driving rock beats. They are currently joined by two talented younger generation players. The lead vocal and rhythm guitar duties have been taken over by Dan McGuinness. The smiling young guitarist has a voice eerily similar to that of a young Fogerty and even looks like a bit like him. Lead guitarist duties now fall to Camarillo, California local, Kurt Griffey, a phenomenal guitarist who easily could give Fogerty a run for his money in six string showdown. Griffey has recorded and toured with other legendary musicians including members of the Eagles, Foreigner, the Moody Blues, Wings, Lynyrd Skynryd, Santana, and Journey.

Griffey displayed phenomenal picking skills throughout the night, but on classic psychedelic, swamp hit like, Suzie Q and I Heard It From The Grapevine, his talent was showcased in incredible extended solos that captivated the crowd. Both of these songs were covered by the original band, bringing their African American Blues root sounds to a wider mainstream pop audience.

The band tore through 19 hit songs from their heyday, with fans on their feet shouting the chorus lines to many of them. By the time the band returned for a two song encore the crowd had swarmed the stage trading high-fives and grinned with the band. Thanks to the band for seeing some truly classic rock music alive.

Just as many Okeechobee festival-goers were returning to their campsites from a long night of EDM dance trance, the sunlit campgrounds in a bright golden burst. Luckily for daytime sleepers, a front moved in quickly covering the sun with a blanket of gray. For a short time, the threatening sky looked like it might break into stormy showers, but soon the front pushed through leaving a pleasant but blustery day in its wake. As a few tents took flight and others were being nailed down by surprised campers, the windy conditions persisted. Long lines of traffic snaked into the festival site swelling the campsites to capacity. Many early birds headed to Aquachobee beach to take advantage of the moderating temperatures and the first music fans trickled into the central Chobeewobee festival area just after noon to hear the first bands play on the three largest stages.

The big story of the day circulating amongst the crowd was the heavy police crackdown on drugs for the festival's second year. There were warning signs on the way into the festival that dogs would be used to search cars for drugs. A pair of veteran photographers were detained because of a dog drug detection in their vehicle and police searched their vehicle for hours trying to locate contraband to no avail. But others weren’t so lucky. One young festival-goer relayed her disturbing tale about driving to the festival from Ohio only to have her boyfriend arrested and hauled off to jail for a half joint in the ashtray. The Okeechobee County sheriff's Office reported 29 arrests, but nearby St Lucie County sheriffs arrested nearly 100 people stopped for driving infractions and found to have contraband. The total arrests associated with the festival including nearby counties was unreported but no doubt a large number. Save concert goers deposited their contraband into amnesty containers before the entered the festival.

As reported on the Okeechobee County Sheriff's Facebook page: “People attending the Okeechobee Music fest 2017 were warned before entering the premises that Law Enforcement K-9s were being utilized to search vehicles for illegal drugs. Amnesty boxes were also strategically placed where the attendees could discard any illegal narcotics before being searched by K-9.

For most festival goers, however, the festival went on in glorious fashion once they arrived and set up camp. The second day was the first full day of music with bands playing until nearly 3 am on the main stages and the expanded Aquaphobia and Jungle 51 area going all night. Even though the festival had expanded ticket sales by more than 10,000, the central Cobeewobee concert area seemed no more crowded than last year. Many festival goers seemed content to hang out at Aquachobee for most the festival. There were so many workshops, activities, and music stages offering up an orgy of events, festival-goers had a plethora of choices.  The crowd was consequently spread evenly across the vast expanses of the lush Palm, and Oak tree lined groves and meadows. Everywhere at the festival site, music fans were claiming prime spots to harness their hammocks, creating a colorful backdrop nestled in the vibrant greenery. Copious amounts of food and drink could be found in numerous vendor stands cutting down the usual festival lines to almost nothing. The popular coffee truck seemed to be the one exception.

It was an eclectic day of music with an emphasis on Hip Hop. Ironically, the drug crackdown didn’t appear to keep the massive cloud of sweet smelling smoke from dissipating over the crowd especially during Rap performances. In fact, many of the young Rappers smoked their blunts and passed them into the crowd during their well-received sets. There were so many good performances on the second day it was hard to single out who excelled the most. But early on. Young New Jersey rapper Russ and even more youthful Chicago EDM duo Louis The Child captured large crowds. This seems to set the pattern for the festival with the most popular acts vacillating between EDM and Rap performers.

While the masses enjoyed these two genres, more eclectic bands, many for the United Kingdom played to smaller crowds, like the moody "Dream Pop" band The Japanese House. One of the many things that set Okeechobee apart as a premiere festival is that almost everyone gets to play a full set. There are none of the mini sets that seem to plague many of today's festivals more intent on producing mass ADD content than concentrating on individual performances. This trend is particularly troubling in a multistage environment. But Okeechobee offers up at least an hour to most everyone scheduled to play the festival. Headliners can take advantage of extended sets also becoming more a rarity at modern festivals. Other eclectic highlights from the second day included a set by the young Canadian jazz band with a name that sounds like a surf punk band, Bad Not Good. The New Orleans veteran Jam band Galactic turned in a riveting performance. California Indie Rockers Young The Giant also turned in a powerful set in front of a small crowd. Charismatic lead singer Sameer Gadhia gave a particularly wild-eyed and frenzied performance.

Many music fans were glued to the largest stage, the Be stage during this time for back to back performances by Rapper Wiz Khalifa and EDM star Flume. The two sets had an enormous frenzied crowd dancing, singing and screaming in a euphoric mass.

While many headed out after that for late night EDM sets in Aquachobee, a few eclectic music fans stuck around for great early morning sets by New York Indie rockers Joywave and Michigan Funk band Vulfpeck. There weren't many people sleeping this second day of Okeechobee music festival 2017.

Day 3 of the Okeechobee Music Festival dawned chilly and breezy. Nonstop partying began taking its toll on festival goers and many took advantage of the cooler temperatures to get some actual sleep. But as high noon approached both Aquachobee beach and center Chobeewobee began to bustle with life again. The cool morning gave way to a sunny windblown day that created havoc in the camping areas, turning some tents into flying kites and stirring a virtual dust storm across the venues.

The musical line up for the third day was the most interesting and ambitious of the four-day gathering. A small enthusiastic crowd of early bird music fans assembled for one of the first sets of the day in center Chobeewobee to hear young New Jersey singer Donna Missal and her band of rockers. The shy petite singer songwriter appeared demure and nervous when speaking with the crowd, but when she began to sing all doubts seemed to melt away. The band and singer playing in a traditional blues rock style seemed to perfectly channel of Janis Joplin with Big Brother and The Holding Company. The band could have been right at home in 1960’s San Francisco but sounded fresh and new on the little Here stage in the middle of Chobeewobee village.

This talented new band was followed on the bigger Now stage by the veteran godfather of funk, George Clinton and his massive posse of talented singers and musicians. Large crowd of young EDM enthusiasts were enraptured by the thunderous beat and gypsy like caravan of endless singers belting out classic dance tunes that stretched back to the early 1980’s, like the classic hit Atomic Dog. Clinton, who on recent tours had been sporting a more tailored look appearing in a well-tailored suit, switched his look to a more festival friendly New Orleans jazz party style. The master maestro continues to lead one of the funkiest jam sessions to be found on the planet.

Speaking of New Orleans, George Clinton’s set was followed up on the main Be stage with a raucous performance by the 7 piece New Orleans jam rockers, The Revivalists. The band worked the large crowd into a dancing frenzy. Lead singer David Shaw leapt about the massive stage like a Gibbon in the rain forest, climbing on speakers and hanging from power chords. At the end of their set the animated singer gashed his head, but kept playing as blood poured down the strands of his long hair.

There was so much diversity in musical style, genre and generation on Saturday it was hard to keep up. Souls singer Galllant laid down Prince like moves and vocals, while young brother and sister duo Tennyson played their own brand of electro pop. The smiling siblings struggled through technical challenges that they resolved themselves as the stage crew seemed to have evaporated for their set. But they soldiered thorough with a unique upbeat sound that endeared them to the young audience.

Sleigh Bells brought some much need hard core to the festival with their sunset appearance. The band tore through intense new material from their latest album as well as from past records. With guitars wailing, animated vocalist Alexis Krauss thrashed about the stage like a whirling Dervish.

As the sun began to set, the trees in the meadow came to life bathed in massive muticolored lights. The EDM crowd came out in free in all manner of costume carrying countless totems and flags. Griz and Snails wowed the dance oriented crowd. Later both would appear in surprise set at the new Incendia stage on the beach in Aquachobee.

The young rap duo Rae Sremmurd brought a massive crowd to life as night fell on the main BE stage. The crowd surfed into a giant mosh pit during the performance of their hit song Black Beatles. Then despite being severely injured last year falling off stage, the fearless Slim Jxmmi leapt into the mosh pit and crowd surfed across the entire front of the stage. It seemed like no one left their spots during the set change for the next act on the Be stage. The only performer to appear both years of the young Okeechobee music festival, Bassnectar assembled the biggest crowd of the 4 days for his ear shattering set. Bass heads swarmed the stage and head banged to the thunderous EDM much like a crowd of speed metal fans.

One of the most special moments of the festival came next with this year’s version of the Pow Wow super jam. The jam is Okeechobee’s own unique version of the popular super jam at Bonnaroo and features an unlikely one time mash up of artists from multiple musical genres and generations. Veteran singer Michael McDonald of the Doobie Brothers fame lead this year’s jam session. The jam included performances by golden throated R&B crooner Gallant, Griz brought his fantastic. Funk outfit Vulfpeck was the musical engine of the night. Eric Krasno of Lettuce and Soulive tied it all together with his amazing guitar riffs. Soul singer Antwuan Stanley also took several turns as the lead singer. While members of the animated jazz ensemble, Snarky Puppy added another layer to the musical smorgasbord. McDonald led the ensemble in a few Doobie Brothers tunes before he was joined onstage by Solange for a masterful rendition of “What a Fool Believes.”  Griz stepped up the energy with covers of Michael Jackson's “P.Y.T.” and Al Green's “Love and Happiness.”

But the best set of the night was yet to come with a two-hour super mash up between Usher and The Roots. The enormous crowd swayed along to to the magical funky beat and sang the chorus of hit songs like “Let It Burn,” “Confessions Pt. 2,” “You Got It Bad,” and the big hits by Usher. Questlove, Black Thought, and the rest of the roots rocked the stage while an animated Usher pranced about like James Brown on steroids.

On the other side of Chobeewobee village, EDM star Porter Robinson closed out the night with a visual set featuring sporadic fireworks lighting up the night sky. Robinson addressed the crowd at the end. “Thank you so much this has been one of the best sets of my life.”

The final day of the 2017 Okeechobee Music Festival dawned cool and breezy with many exhausted music fans passed out all about the festival site. But another day of fantastic music from many genres got people motivated early despite their exhaustion. Even after 4 days of non-stop partying many committed festival goers wore fresh new costumes and sported freshly made totems.

Despite technical difficulties, Manchester singer Bipolar Sunshine opened the festivities in Chobeewobee with sweet pop vocals belying his Jamaican heritage. The Delta Troubadours brought a local blues rock vibe as the opening band on the main Be stage. The Gainesville band got a modest crowd rocking early. At about the same time Knoxville band Cereus Bright brought an American vibe to the smaller Here stage.

By late afternoon a large crowd had gathered in front of the Now stage to hear the only reggae band in the four-day lineup, Soja. The eight-piece rocking reggae band from Virginia is a bit of an anomaly. Veterans of the festival circuit they almost always play as afternoon openers for the headline acts. But they regularly draw some of the biggest crowds at their performances. Their infectious sound always turns the crowd into a sweaty mass of reggae dance trance fans.

The music took an even bigger turn with the next group on the smaller Here stage. The truly legendary Blind Boys of Alabama were led onto the stage to sing their uplifting Gospel music that has garnered them five Grammy awards. The four blind vocalists have been singing together since they met in 1939 at the Alabama Institute for the Negro Blind in Talladega, Alabama. The four singers backed by a veteran blues band had the crowd singing and swaying through the set. They were joined at the end by Washington state should singer Allen Stone for an uplifting Gospel finale.

Charismatic Michigan pop rocker Mike Posner played to a huge crowd just after Soja. As the sun was setting, the impish singer bolted out onto the stage three times only to walk off each time, teasing the crowd into erupting into a furious cheer. Backed by a great rocking band the set was full of energy.

The Growlers brought their California jam rock sounds to a twilight set just as the trees in the forest were lit up for the evening. It was a magical moody set on the smaller Here stage. At the same time on the main Be stage, the New York City band The Bleachers formed by the musical genius Jack Antonoff, rocked for another large crowd. The animated Antonoff raced about the stage playing fierce guitar licks and seemingly making eye contact with nearly ever music fan in the audience. The singer songwriter has produced and written songs for some of the biggest pop stars in America. But he is also a consummate showman himself.

Anderson Paak and his new band The Free Nationals created a near frenzy in the huge crowd assembled in front of the now stage. The American singer, songwriter, rapper, drummer, and record producer from Oxnard, California worked the crowd racing about the stage and chatting up the adulate audience. It is hard to believe that Paak was homeless with his young son and wife after losing his job at a Santa Barbara marijuana farm less than six years ago, now he is at the top of the food chain with tens of thousands of music fans screaming his name at Okeechobee.

Back across the dusty field with lights flashing in the night sky The Lumineers brought their Colorado brand of Americana music to another huge crowd at the Be stage. Exhausted must fans swayed to their music and chanted the chorus to the bands biggest hit songs.

As Anderson Park finished his set on the Now stage many tired festivals goers collapsed in place. At the same time an army of ravers head toward the stage for what would be the most well attended set of the final day. While The Lumineers were over playing their Americana brand of Colorado music, another Colorado native was about to take the Now stage in a different direction. Derek Vincent Smith, better known by his stage name Pretty Lights lit up the night sky with his now famous light and laser show. The veteran festival performer brought several other keyboardists and a drummer with him to the show to produce a rich multi layered EDM soundtrack. The huge crowd loved the music and the light show staying until the end.

The opening day of the inaugural Starry Nites Festival took place on a beautiful sunny day, Saturday, March 18. The festivities unfolded on one of the first days of spring, in the back mountains of Santa Barbara. The eclectic multi-stage music celebration drew a respectable crowd of eager and upbeat music fans but fell short of reaching the 3000-capacity set for the first year.

The spectacular setting was the aptly named Live Oak campground at the top of the San Marcos mountain pass. The campsites stretched along the Santa Ynez river, which was flowing freely for the first time in years after this winter's drought ending rainy season. Campers nestled their tents and hammocks in a meadow of California oak trees, providing a shady canopy from the sun.

Just after noon, the local Santa Barbara band, Afishinsea kicked off the festival on the modest Santa Barbara stage. The moody jam band is well known in the area as an experimental powerhouse of Indie music tunes. Next, to the stage, a tent was set up with a full-service bar and a studio of sorts set up by Roland music. Several different sets of instruments were left to musicians and music fans alike to form impromptu jams throughout the festival. A delicious barbecue stand completed the outside village.

Later in the afternoon, the main Starry Nites village opened complete with two main music stages, several gourmet food trucks and another well stocked full service bar. A large green grassy meadow, exuding the scent of fresh spring flowers, surrounded the outer areas around the stages. Closer to the action, picnic benches carefully placed under the shade of large California oak trees provide seating options for music fans. It was such a relaxing setting; one festival goer could be seen laying on the grass reading a college textbook, well others fell asleep in the tall grass.

The music began on the Cachuma stage, the smaller of the two just after 2 in the afternoon, with only a few people standing in front of the stage in the hot afternoon sun. But by the time the powerful Los Angeles rock band, The Feels took the stage; a small crowd had gathered to hear some great hard rock. In fact, most of the bands, playing at the festival shared an affinity for wailing guitar drenched jams. From the classic 50th anniversary show by one of the first psychedelic rock bands The Strawberry Alarm Clock to the young punk antics of the aptly named Thunderpussy, the show featured multiple generations of incredible musicians.

The lo-fi indie-rock band, Elvis Depressedly made the trek from Asheville, North Carolina, a city similar to Santa Barbara in many ways, to play an engaging sunset performance. This prolific group has produced no less than eight records in the last seven years.  As the sun began to set, the American punkabilly duo The Kolars brought an ever-growing crowd around the stage to life. The married duo of Rob Kolar and tap dancing stand up drummer Lauren Brown bring a persona to their upbeat music, that was first fashioned in their band He's My Brother She’s my sister.

For many, the next band to play was the biggest draw to the festival. As second night headliner Alan Parsons looked on from behind the Cachuma stage, The Strawberry Alarm Clock swarmed the main Starry stage. Remarkably, five of the seven original members of this band formed in 1967, still play the San Francisco style psychedelic rock sound that they helped invent. They were joined by Howie Anderson on rhythm guitar and vocals. Drummer Randy Seol joked that “Howie was the newest member of the band only playing with them since 1986. Randy also joked that the band's other drummer, Gene Gunnels had to leave the group right before their first big hit, Incense, And Peppermints, because his girlfriend gave him an ultimatum to get a real job or she would leave him. The sound crew struggled getting so many instruments microphoned correctly. The set ended up being pushed back 45 minutes behind schedule. But once the band did play, the sound was nearly spot on, and the group was allowed to play their entire 18 song set, delighting the audience including Parsons. The chief architect of the band's music, keyboardist Mark Weitz played with the band for the first time since a near-fatal car crash last August.

As night fell all girl Seattle punk rockers, Thunderpussy had even bigger sound issues on the Cachuma stage. Already behind schedule because of the delayed Strawberry Alarm Clock set, the band had to stop after first losing the minimal lighting on the stage and then half of their microphones, to a generator overload problem. Charismatic lead singer Molly Sides made the best of the situation by prancing about and chatting uptake audience. Once lead guitarist Whitney Petty got her sound working, she broke into a wailing guitar riff sending Sides into a convulsive dance craze and the band never slow down for the rest of their shortened set.

Portland's veteran Indie rock band, The Dandy Warhols turned in the next set of the night, the most intense and angelic of day one. Their moody guitar drenched jams seemed to catch the essence of the festival and played an extended set to the largest crowd of the night. She Wants Revenge from nearby San Fernando Valley brought their somber retro rock sound to the Cachuma stage next, but the minimalist production values of the smaller stage did not suit their style well, and it was an uneventful set.

By the time The Kills played their closing main stage set, well behind schedule, many festival goers had left to negotiate the mountain pass back to the city, or retired to enjoy the serenity of the campground. But the band turned in an energy infused set of intense music that has endeared the band to the likes of musicians like Jack White. While the end of their set just after midnight meant the end of the evening for most attending the festival, several dozen music fans made their way in the dark to the little acoustic stage in the woods. One of the unique aspects of the festival, the acoustic stage featured performances by, the Kolars, enigmatic Los Angeles singer Pearl Charles and Dandy Warhols guitarist Brent Deboer. The soulful performers played tunes until nearly 3 am, while music fans lounged in the meadow, smoking, drinking, dancing and star gazing into the awesome crystal clear mountain sky. It was truly a Starry night.

The second day of the Starry Nites Festival began under cloudy skies on Sunday, March 19. The event took place at Live Oak Campgrounds, which sits high above Santa Barbara, in the immaculate wilderness between the San Raphael and Santa Ynez Mountains. The area has a rich history, once used as a campsite for 19th century cowboys. The cloudy morning made for good morning sleeping weather, blotting out the harsh sunlight, and keeping temperatures moderated with an insulating blanket of moist air.

But shortly after the music began in the afternoon, the sun broke through providing another beautiful day for the festival. By mid-afternoon, a small crowd congregated around the Cachuma stage to hear Stonefield, a band that trekked all the way from rural Australia to take part in the festival. The group is composed of the four Findlay sisters Amy, Sarah, Holly, and Hannah. They are backed up by drummer Andrew Braidner. The band came to play, and they performed some classic glam rock tunes that would have endeared them to most any Hollywood audience. Most odd the sedated crowd chose to take in the tunes from comfortable positions on the picnic benches or in the large grassy meadow.

Asteroid No.4 brought a neo-psychedelic rock sound to the main Starry stage next. The Philadelphia-based band would have fit right in with other 1960’s band in San Francisco. Their music has been described as a cross between Pink Floyd and The Verve, but their performance offered up their distinctive taste on the psychedelic rock genre. Another band of psychedelic rockers played the next set. The cellar doors would also fit right in playing San Francisco, especially since it is their hometown. The two back to back sets offered up some great jam band tunes that seemed to bring the lush campgrounds to light in the late afternoon sun. At the same time, Jesika Von Rabbit was closing out the local Santa Barbara stage. Rabbit is best known as the leader of the Joshua Tree desert rockers Gram Rabbit. Her side project features her singing and playing keyboards with her Gram Rabbit bass player Todd Rutherford. Their odd style is a Desert lounge music mix of multi genres. They ended their set with a political statement playing “Friends in Low Places” while they were joined by a bikini-clad Donald Trump masked dancer.

As the sun set behind them the Vancouver-based jam band, Black Mountain arrived to turn in the most energetic set of the day. The freeform rockers play jam music that sounds like a cross between Black Sabbath and My Morning Jacket. The dreamy vocals of Amber Webber added yet another layer of psychedelic San Francisco sound to the mix. But it is the talented founder of the band, Stephen Gordon McBean, that leads this group of masterful musicians, into heavy jam band territory. An accomplished vocalist and fiery lead guitar player, his onstage charisma makes him a prime candidate to be a veteran rock star.

The perfect band for the twilight hour followed next with a set by the otherworldly San Francisco quintet the Lumerians. The band appeared in sequenced robes with large hoods covering their faces. Red LED lights served as eyes protruding from their masks. The group began with a synthesizer-laden set of classic Space Rock. The two lead synth players then switched up to bass and guitar respectively offering up a more rock based sound. Despite the Devo esque sci-fi look of the band, the music they generated was filled with top-notch jam band rhythms.

As evening fell, the elusive and melancholy singer Cat Power turned in the most unusual set of the festival. The solo singer played a somber set of acoustic guitar, and piano tunes to one of the largest and most adulate crowds of the festival. While most every other band at Starry Nites relied on heavy guitar sounds for their psychedelic jam band performances, Cat Power brought a style more akin to a young Bob Dylan, concentrating on introspective lyrics. Her well documented erratic live performances led the audience not to question frequent song changes in fits and starts. While the singer frequently apologized for her erratic style on stage, fans in the audience reacted with cries of “We Love You," time and again. The performance was a compelling and spontaneous one, which seemed to fit right in with the good vibrations of the unusual festival.

The last band to play the Cachuma stage came all the way from Scotland for the festival. The veteran Indie rock group Teenage Fanclub brought some straightforward rock sounds to the festival with exquisite harmonies, not unlike the golden-throated Canadian band, The Bare Naked Ladies.

By the time headliners, Alan Parsons and his Live Project took the main stage; many festival goers had left for the foggy ride back to Santa Barbara on this work night. But the crowd of hardcore music fans who stayed was treated to full-on rock set, the most musical of the festival. The nine-piece rock orchestra produced some classic Prog rock sounds that may seem dated to a younger more EDM-influenced audience, but no one in attendance denied the sheer talent of these veteran musicians. The band featured an alternating cast of lead singers, each taking their turns with distinctive vocal skills. The truly legendary spent much of the show in the background, playing keyboards and guitar and singing backup vocals. But towards the end, the English rocker who helped invent the Prog rock sound of the 1970’s took center stage as lead singer and guitarist. The long-time Santa Barbara resident has one of the most impressive resumes in rock music history, having worked as a young engineer on the last two Beatles albums. He went on to be in the rock music forefront of progressive music with his band the Alan Parsons Project. The band played a near two hour set of carefully textured music featuring Parsons’ most popular tunes. Longtime collaborator, Santa Barbara guitarist Alastair Greene led the band into some searing guitar drenched jams. At one point Parsons and Greene had a good old fashioned guitar shoot out each taking turns at the lead. As a cold wind rustled the trees, the music seemed to fit the scenario perfectly. Meanwhile, the company responsible for some of the transformative visuals at the massive Coachella festival, Obscura, painted the California Oaks in myriad colors. They also projected live art videos on the nearby mountainside, creating visual eye candy.

For most festival goers, the evening ended with the Parsons set, but several dozen hearty music lovers bundled up and headed up the dark path to the acoustic stage. With the sounds of the Santa Ynez river rushing by and a crystal clear view of a star-laden night, the acoustic stage came alive just after midnight. Two of the members of the psychedelic rock band, My Dallas Teens, played a fitting set of American acoustic music. The two embraced the role of troubadours and told the stories of the classic American musicians whose songs they played. With some of the music dating back to the 1920’s, it was truly an excellent set. Singer Miranda Lee Richards later played some soothing solo vocals that melted into the natural beauty of the mountainside. A group of music fans passed a bottle of Cognac around, while wafts of set smelling smoke mixed with the crisp night air. It was a very special ending to a unique festival.

The music of the Grateful Dead returned to the Ventura Fairgrounds en masse as 48 bands played on three stages for three days, all playing Dead related covers. The Skull and Roses Festival was organized partially to celebrate the legendary concerts by the original Grateful Dead, back in the 1980’s. The band played five concerts in six years between 1982 and 1987 at the venue, before the local political pendulum took a swing away from the communal nature of Dead shows, towards a more mainstream offering of music at the ocean side fairgrounds.

Many in the crowd for the April 7 to 9 festival shared memories of the original Dead shows with a much younger group of Dead fans that made up the communal group of multi-generational music lovers. The music began on a drizzly Friday afternoon, but luckily, one of the stages was inside a fairground building offering respite from the first cold, wet evening. Everyone gathered at the inside expo stage for nearly 10 hours of music. Many of the bands playing the festival were local, including Shaky Feelin’, 9 Mile Skid, Unkle Monkey, Mars Hall, Sheldon & Cunnane, Rachel Sedacca’s Scarlet Fire, the Deal and Greatest Story.

The Saturday festivities began just after dawn with the first set of the morning just after 630 am. A cold brisk wind blew away the rain clouds and left the rest of the weekend bright and sunny. Sleepy campers slowly awoke on the bright sunny Saturday, and a few surfing music fans were treated to consistent head high waves just across the street at the world-famous surfer's point. How many music festivals can boast of their own pumping surfing point just next door? The music Saturday went all day until after midnight, culminating with a 30th birthday party set by Cubensis. The group is one of the most successful Grateful Dead tribute bands, fronted by Jerry Garcia recreator, Craig Marshall, who boasts of surviving over 200 Dead shows.

By Sunday morning the energy of the crowd and the drum circle was beginning to dwindle, but with the most anticipated sets of the festival still to come, many found their second wind. The masterful electric organ player Melvin Seals led a jam-infused early afternoon set by his band JGB. The group continues the legacy that began with Seals playing in the original Jerry Garcia Band. The band played Dead songs and classic American music covers that were part of the Jerry Garcia Band songbook. The high-energy set turned up another notch when the legendary guitarist from the Meters, Leo Nocentelli brought the Funk to the stage. A founding member of the band that was the harbinger of New Orleans Funk music, Nocentelli is truly an American treasure. He led the group in several jaw-dropping jams including a couple of Meters songs, some covered by The Dead years ago.

The final jam of the festival was a fitting tribute to the Grateful Dead, featuring another keyboard legend, Tom Constanten. The keyboardist in the Grateful Dead band from 1968 to 1970, Constanten worked on three pf the most famous albums that the band produced. The experimental keyboardist rooted in jazz training has an incredible musical history. His amazing adventures included a stint in the US army in the 1960s. While he was there working as a computer specialist, he would take LSD and compose music on military mainframe computers, including the IBM 1401. RatDog guitarist Mark Karan joined the master keyboardist. His bandmate, drummer Jay Lane, who also played with the Further band and Primus played thundering rhythms. RatDog ’s bassist Robin Sylvester brought his incredible skills to the mix. Jefferson Starship Guitarist Slick Aguilar rounded out the group with superb vocal and guitar skills. The band played a near two hour set of psychedelic guitars drenched jams that harkened back to early Grateful Dead jams. David Gans even came out to sing a few classic Dead tunes. The set which included some classic Dead covers had the whole crowd singing the chorus lines. A 9-year-old girl and her mother shouted the lyrics near the front of the stage, while a couple of long gray haired men smiled and repeated the words dancing behind them. The magic of the music of the Grateful Dead seems like it will continue to be handed down from generation to generation long after the band has completely gone.

Check out more photos from Skull and Roses Festival.

The opulent and ornate Orpheum Theater located in the original theater district of downtown Los Angeles played host to a very special concert, Thursday night April 13. The Last Waltz 40 Tour, billed as a celebration of the 40th anniversary of the Last Waltz concert by The Band, was originally meant to only be a one-time tribute concert in New Orleans. But the event garnered so much praise and interest it became a national tour and recently added a second leg of shows.

The show features a nine-piece core band of Southern rock and New Orleans jazz veterans. The band was fronted by Gov’t Mule and Allman Brothers guitarist extraordinaire Warren Haynes and Country rock singer-guitarist Jamey Johnson. The rhythm section was composed of legendary music producer Don Was on bass and New Orleans monster funk drummer Terence Higgins. Gov’t Mule keyboardist, Danny Louis rounded out the five-piece core rock band. They were joined by a four-piece all-star horn section led by Mark Mullins.

The nine-piece jazz-rock powerhouse opened with two of The Bands classic hit songs, Up on Cripple Creek and Stage Fright. The horn section kicked in on the third song, a cover by Hoagy Carmichael, Georgia on My Mind. That would set the pace of the evening's marathon two-set performance. Classic songs by the band would be interspersed with covers played at the original Last Waltz. The final concert by the original Band, became a major documentary film hit. That show featured some of the biggest names in pop music joining the band's swan song performance. The show Thursday featured two more songs by the core band, a cover of Van Morrison’s Caravan and another Band classic It Makes No Difference.

At this point in the show, the first of a long parade of very special guests began to appear on stage. The first guests included two New Orleans legends, Dr. John on piano and Cyril Neville on percussion. Dr. John was one of the original performers joining The Band at their Last Waltz. The raspy-voiced John opened with his original song Such a Night, leading the band with a bright honkytonk piano sound. He followed with another Band classic Down South in New Orleans. Cyril Neville took over lead vocals for the next song, a cover of the Bo Diddley classic, Who Do You Love? Dr. John then retired from the stage far too early for fans of the jazz funk rocker. The core group continued with another Band classic Rag Mama Rag, bringing the crowd in the packed theater to their feet. The master of all music that is Blues, Taj Mahal, took over lead vocals for the next Band cover, The Shape I’m In, which kept the crowd on their feet. The Blues innovator brought his 50 years of musical experience to bear and became the most prolific guest for the rest of the concert, singing, playing guitar and harmonica. Another New Orleans music veteran, singer-guitarist Dave Malone of Radiators fame took over lead vocals, ending the first set with the stirring Southern classic, The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down. As the band took a break, an enthused crowd headed to the bar.

While the first set was superb, the second set proved to be even more magical with more surprise guests and last nearly 30 minutes longer than the scheduled end time. The core group opened with another Band classic and was quickly followed another Band tune with Taj Mahal returning to the stage. Mahal then shared vocals with Dave Malone as they led the group in two very different cover songs, including the old Eric Von Schmidt classic Baby, Let Me Follow You Down and the Crosby, Stills, Nash, and Young rock masterpiece, Helpless. After several more songs, Malone shined on a cover of Little Junior Blue Flames, Mystery Train.

Singer-guitarist Bob Malone joined the jam next, turning in one of the most explosive blues-drenched performances of the concert. The former guitarist for Muddy Waters band, he also played at the Last Waltz and shared fascinating stories with the crowd between songs. He spoke about how Bob Dylan and Keith Richards organizing a jam session back at the hotel after the historic concert that lasted until sunrise. Malone played a stirring cover of Muddy Waters, Mannish Boy, and several other blues classics. At one point, he sang in a screaming blues voice while writhing on the floor of the stage like a possessed James Brown.

Just as the concert seemed to have reached a crescendo of fever-pitched energy, the show took on a whole new meaning and tone as one of the only two surviving members of the original Band, Garth Hudson appeared. It was a bittersweet moment as the long white haired keyboardist looked frail and old shuffling onstage. But once he began to play piano it was clear that his musical magic was intact. A brilliant piano solo segued into the Band classic, The Weight. Hudson has been lauded as one of the best keyboardists ever to play rock music. But it is his mastery of the Lowrey organ that made him an innovator far ahead of his time in electronic music.

The original Band may have been the most influential group in early American rock music. The four Canadians and one American created a traditional American rock sound that is emulated in pop music to this very day. I first saw the Band as a freshman in college in 1974 with Bob Dylan. That concert tour, the first in 8 years for Dylan featured four alternate sets highlighting each groups music and then jamming together. The magical show was made into a two-album live recording featuring the remarkable vocal skills of Dylan and The Band at the time. In 1975 I again was fortunate to see the Band, this time in the third row of the inexplicable less than full Greek Theater in Los Angeles. On a college budget, I had purchased tickets for my girlfriend and myself in the back of the amphitheater, but inexplicably when we picked up the tickets at will call, we were upgraded to third-row tickets. Elton John was sitting in the row in front of us. In past interviews, John has credited Garth Hudson as being one of his biggest musical influences on keyboards.

The group ended the second set of the Orpheum show with a rousing cover of the Bob Dylan hit; I Shall Be Released. After a standing ovation that lasted several minutes, Hudson returned to play a searing solo on his prized Lowrey organ, on the Band classic Chest Fever. Then he was joined by all the players of the evening sans Dr. John and an additional guitarist, Jimmy Vivino. The Los Angeles guitarist led the group including Hudson on a final Band cover of Chest Fever. It was nearly midnight when the band took their final bow at this historic tribute.

One of the oldest music festivals in the United States opened the month-long celebration known as Memphis in May, the first weekend of the month, May 5 to 7. The Beale Street Music Festival has roots dating back to the 1800’s, when African American musicians from across the South would descend on Memphis to perform.

The festival takes place in Tom Lee Park, situated on the edge of the mighty Mississippi river. Memphis has historically been a cultural hub of American civilization due to the proximity of the important waterway. The city also sits at the apex of three converging states, Tennessee, Arkansas, and Mississippi. Outlying areas in all three states offer safe and affordable vacation accommodations for visiting tourists. Tunica Mississippi, about 40 minutes from the park is one nice outlying vacation hub from which to explore Memphis. Located to the south of the city there is very light traffic in the direction of Tunica. The rural Mississippi town has a fascinating history. An actual cotton picking region, it was designated as one of the poorest communities in the country until a series of gambling casinos were approved for the area in the 1990’s. The casinos created an advanced road system and odd one-off Las Vegas like resorts sprouted up across the flat delta cotton fields. Numerous hotel chains moved in offering discount accommodations to bring people to the region. Tunica is also one of the small rural towns that were the birthplace of American blues music. James Cotton called Tunica home.

Some of the best barbecue and local cuisine can be found at the Hollywood Cafe in Tunica. The restaurant has a long, storied past intertwined with the history of blues music. According to the restaurant's website,“The Hollywood Café, both at this site and its original location in Hollywood, Mississippi, earned fame as a Delta dining institution but has also shared in the area's musical history. Pianist Muriel Wilkins performed here for years, and she and the Hollywood were immortalized in the Marc Cohn hit song "Walking in Memphis." Legendary bluesman Son House also performed at this site when the building housed the commissary of the Frank Harbert plantation, where House once resided. The Hollywood Café had neither live music nor a kitchen when Bard Selden opened the business as a bar in the summer of 1969. But over the years the café began to offer dinnertime music as the menu expanded to steak, catfish, and the Hollywood’s signature dish, fried dill pickles (a specialty of Bard’s brother Tait Selden). Muriel Wilkins (1923-1990), an African American schoolteacher from Helena, Arkansas, entertained customers with a wide repertoire ranging from standards to spirituals both at the original Hollywood, seven miles south of Robinsonville just off Highway 61, and at its new location here. After singer-songwriter Marc Cohn joined her in singing “Amazing Grace” and other spirituals here one night in 1985, he wrote about the inspirational experience in “Walking in Memphis,” which became the hit track from his 1991 debut album. In June of 1973 BBC television used the Hollywood as the setting for blues performances on its program "The Friendly Invasion." The BBC filmed a trio from the Clarksdale area, with Robert “Bilbo” Walker (billed at the time as “Chuck Berry Jr.”), Big Jack Johnson, and Sam Carr, and a Memphis group led by Joe Willie Wilkins with Houston Stackhouse, Sonny “Harmonica” Blakes, Melvin Lee, and Homer Jackson. Bob Hall, who purchased the Hollywood from Selden, brought in Muriel Wilkins and also offered music by the Turnrow Cowboys. After the Hollywood was destroyed in a fire on August 27, 1983, the Owen family bought the business from Hall and reopened the Hollywood in Robinsonville. John Almond and Michael Young acquired the Hollywood in 2006. Both Hollywood buildings had originally been plantation commissaries. The first Hollywood was on the Tate Place and had also once been used as an antique store. Delta blues icon Son House was living on the Tate Place at the time of the 1940 census, and also once resided on the Harbert Place. Robinsonville resident Phoebie Taylor recalled that House performed at the B. F. Harbert commissary, as well as at various houses, stores and filling stations in town. The commissary became the new home of the Hollywood Café in 1984. House often played together with guitarist Willie Brown, his closest musical associate, and the local blues circle also included Robert Johnson, Howlin’ Wolf, Fiddlin’ Joe Martin, Leroy Williams, Woodrow Adams, Willie Coffee, and Sol Henderson. Wolf sometimes played at his aunt Lula Prince’s house on the Harbert plantation, according to Taylor. Nolan Struck, a Louisiana-born blues and soul singer, moved to Robinsonville in more recent years. Another blues event of note at the Hollywood was attended by B.B. King and Governor Haley Barbour on November 9, 2007, when AT&T presented a $500,000 donation to the B.B. King Museum and Delta Interpretive Center. Jackson guitarist Jesse Robinson and the young Tupelo blues band Homemade Jamz performed at the ceremony”.

A storm blew into the southeast Wednesday night before the festival threatening to delay the event. High winds, hail and freezing rain swept across the region along with unseasonably cold temperatures. After a horrible day of weather Thursday that caused extensive flooding just across the Mississippi from Tunica and Memphis in Arkansas, the weather finally cleared Friday morning.

DAY 1

By the time the gates opened at the Tom Lee Park at 5 pm, the sun was beaming although it was still chilly and windy. The music Friday began on time at 6 pm.

The Beale Street Music Festival is one of the most eclectic pop music festivals in America and also one of the most affordable. With advance tickets starting at less than $50 a day, the festival is worth the price of admission to see any single act, all of which are afforded full set times by the way. There are none of the 30 minute ADD sets that plague many of the biggest festivals in the country. The festival features three main outdoor stages and a blues tent with chairs. There is also a smaller showcase stage for legendary regional blues performers.

The River stage opened the festival fittingly, with a set by Memphis jam band, Freeworld. The eight-piece group merged jazz, funk, and rock into a great sound that motivated the first arrivals at the festival. The stage went on to feature a set by festival veterans, Charles Bradley, and His Extraordinaires. Bradley began as a James Brown impersonator but has come into his own as a bonified funk master vocalist and performer. His band is a powerhouse of funk rock music. As night fell, the stage changed genres, offering up a blistering set of genuine Bluegrass music, by the Kalamazoo five piece group Greensky Bluegrass. The River stage ended the night with the jam rock regional favorites, Widespread Panic. For many in the large crowd that gathered to hear their extended two plus hour set, they are the consummate Southern rock jam band, heir apparent to the Allman Brothers legacy.

The Blues tent featured three regional blues bands that brought that lit up the house with some phenomenal guitar picking. Classic rock vocalist Peter Wolf, from J. Geils Band fame, closed the tent with a rock laden set.

The second largest Bud Light stage featured bands catering to a younger crowd, with highlights including set by Grouplove and MGMT.  For many young concert goers, the Indie rockers Grouplove were the highlight of the evening with their infectious vocals by singer-keyboardist Hannah Hooper and singer-guitarist Christian Zucconi. The band met in 2009, on the island of Crete, at the Ikarus artist commune in the village of Avdou. The five piece band also features drummer Ryan Rabin, son of veteran rock drummer Trevor Rabin of Yes fame. Trevor was just inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame with Yes and Ryan seems to have inherited much of his talent. American psychedelic Indie darlings MGMT closed the stage with a well-received set. The band came to prominence with their modern rock anthem “Kids."

The largest Fedex stage featured mostly Indie rock bands throughout the night. New York post-punk rockers Taking Back Sunday opened the stage with a spirited set that had the crowd moshing early on. Canadian skate punk rock veterans Sum 41 played a furious set next. The band has headlined Vans Warped tour and played countless festivals for more than 20 years now and always inspires the crowd to move to their music. The next band to take the stage was the Arizona group Jimmy Eat World, who have been around even longer than Sum 41, having formed back in 1993. Their crisp pop-rock sound proved to be another crowd pleaser. By the time they need their set a huge crowd had gathered at the Fedex stage, with many festival-goers arriving late.

The final act on the Fedex stage was a triumphant finale by Hip Hop legend and American icon Snoop Dogg. Along with a crack band, backup singers and dancer, and even a dancer in a dog costume, the hit-making rapper wowed the crowd with his popular music. It was a fitting end to a fantastic night of diverse music.

Day 2 of the Beale Street Music Festival began on a beautiful sun-drenched afternoon with the mighty wind of the days before subsiding. Just after 2 PM, early concert-goers were treated to the first set of the day in the Blues tent by the Daddy Mack Blues Band. The Memphis blues veterans are led by singer-guitarist Daddy Mack Orr, who has been compared to Albert King in sound and style. The band is a fixture on Beale Street and an authentic taste of local blues music. The Blues Tent features its own full-service bar and an IPA beer, and a shot of premium whiskey could be purchased for about the price of a ballpark Budweiser. The tent opens onto the bank of the Mississippi river, and some concertgoers choose to lounge in the sun on the grassy bank. The shelter offers up an impressive view of the shipping traffic along the river and the spectacular bridges connecting the city to Arkansas across the waterway. Next on the Blues tent stage to play was another Memphis treasure, Blind Mississippi Morris, who sings and plays a smoking harmonica.

He was followed by an extraordinary set by Carlos Elliot Jr. and his band. The singer-guitarist who describes his sound as Columbian Hills Blues music has much in common with Carlos Santana in guitar style, but with a Columbian roots music twist. While the band jammed, the animated Elliot would frequently jump into the audience and spend around the crowd even playing on his back. The set sent much of the crowd into a dance frenzy. Virginia-based Corey Harris and his band took over the stage next with an intense blues sound mixed with tinges of Reggae music. Chicago blues prodigy Ronnie Baker Brooks played next. Ronnie is the son of the legendary musician Lonnie Brooks who just passed away a month before the festival. Ronnie showcased his singing and guitar talent and brought out some special guests who appeared on his new album. These included Memphis rapper Al Kapone and rocker Big Head Todd. The awesome set featured Brooks playing his guitar all throughout the tent.

The schedule Saturday featured 26 performances crammed into the five stages, so music fans had to choose which performances to watch, as many of them were conducted simultaneously. The River stage opened with Memphis rockers Dead Soldiers. Their clean southern rock sounds have been compared to rock greats, The Band. In a nod to Cinco de Mayo which was the day before, the next band to play the stage appeared in Mexican ponchos and Sombreros with a bottle of Tequila. The Cape Cod Indie rockers Highly Suspect, played an irreverent and totally fun set jumping into the crowd and crowd surf with abandon. The Los Angeles rockers Silversun Pickups took over the stage at sunset and played a blistering set of guitar-drenched rock, led by charismatic singer-guitarist Brian Aubert. With a vibe not unlike the Smashing Pumpkins, the band is well known for their ferocious live performances and they did not disappoint the Memphis crowd. As night fell the New York Indie rockers, X Ambassadors took over the stage immersed in a stunning light show. The ever-growing crowd surged towards the stage as the talented quartet rocking into the night. The Bellingham Alternative rockers, Death Cab For Cutie closed the stage with a set much more intense than they usually play. The large adulate crowd seemed to be entranced by the vocals of lead singer Ben Gibbard.

The Bud Light stage featured a jam-packed diverse line-up for Saturday. Memphis rapper Lil Wyte opened the stage with an energetic set. The Kongos played next. The group of 4 South African brothers may be the heir parents to the African-tinged pop rock sounds of Johnny Clegg and Savuka. That band brought the unique South African rock music to the world in the late 70’s. The brothers have taken the sound into new territory with a much more sophisticated beat. The only act to cater to EDM fans at the festival played the stage next, with a well-received set by Griz. The experimental sax player played alongside his DJ, who mixed dance-inducing beats to the delight of a young crowd in the afternoon sun. Rap wizard Wiz Khalifa closed the stage in front of a huge crowd with a jaw-dropping set along with a tight band of backing musicians.

The main Fedex stage featured a diverse line up as well throughout the day. Memphis musician Amy Lavere opened with a set tinged with classical music and other incorporated genres. The charismatic John Paul White of Civil Wars fame brought his biting and introspective southern rock lyrics to the stage next. Los Angeles Indie rockers Dawes played a pleasing set next. The Drive-By Truckers brought their Athens southern roots music to the stage as the sun began to set. They were followed by an animated set by The Revivalists. The seven-piece New Orleans band are also music festival veterans who know how to wow the crowd. The Kings of Leon closed the stage with their intense rock sound in front of a large crowd. But for many, the closing sets by Wiz Khalifa and Death Cab For Cutie which was occurring simultaneously on the other stages were much more appealing. The musical choices on Saturday seemed to be overwhelming, but most everyone in the audience seemed to find a niche that they enjoyed.

Day 3 of the Beale Street music festival began under warm sunny skies with calm winds. The near perfect conditions brought crowds into the festival grounds early to lounge in the summer like weather, enjoy the many sumptuous food offerings and imbibe their favorite beverages. One local treat being offered up was a giant portion of boiled crawfish with corn on the cob, potatoes, and peppers. The $10 serving was enough to feed at least two hungry people.

The music schedule for Sunday was a bit more relaxed than the day before with less simultaneous sets going on across the vast festival grounds. But it was also the most exciting and eclectic day of the festival with multiple genres and generations of music on the roster. Los Angeles-based R&B singer Lanita Smith opened the River stage as the first act of the day at the festival. Smith was raised in Memphis, so the show was a homecoming of sorts for the local girl who made the big time. Her new album was produced by the legendary Don Was. Smith began her career as a church choir singer and brought her Gospel influence to the early Sunday afternoon crowd. Smith was backed up by a stellar group of musicians and singers offering up a crowd-pleasing set. A very different act came next on the River stage. The three California blondes that make up the group Bahari provide a stunning visual look while providing pleasant folksy pop music. The band’s sound blends well in the early afternoon sunshine. The music took another turn with Los Angeles soul singer Mayer Hawthorne taking over the stage next. His retro sound and dance moves delighted the crowd. Singer, songwriter and successful actress Jill Scott hailing from Philadelphia closed the River stage mesmerizing a huge crowd with her funky crossover pop R&B sound.

A full day of music in the Blues tent featured singer and pianist Eden Brent, singer blues guitarist Super Chikan and blues guitarist extraordinaire Preston Shannon, all Mississippi natives. New York blues rocker guitarist Papa Chubby played a sweaty sunset set. The living legend Booker T. Jones, a Memphis native closed the blues tent with a smoking blues-drenched set of organ, guitar and harmonica playing. Jones wrote the iconic organ laden hit song Green Onion in 1962 when he was only 18 years old and has been a pop blues powerhouse player ever since.

The Bud Light stage also offered up a diverse line-up for the final day of the Beale Street Music Festival.  Swamp soul singer Marcella and Her Lovers kicked off the stage with a funky set of steamy music. Originally from Louisiana and now hailing from Memphis. The child prodigy melds the sounds of two distinct cultures into her compelling sound. She reflects her childhood influences from her father, two-time Grammy winner and Zydeco music maven, Terrance Simien. Feminist folk rock hero And DiFranco took the music in another direction during the next set, playing her folk anthems with a New Orleans jazz drummer. Her distinctive voice and compelling lyrics made for an enjoyable afternoon set.

The music took an even bigger turn with the next set by Reggae icon Ziggy Marley and his group of exquisite musicians. Playing his hit tunes as well as his father Bob Marley’s anthems, he was the only Reggae star to appear at this year's festival. A large crowd sang and danced along to the well-known tunes calling for peace and equality for all.

Ben Harper & The Innocent Criminals took the music in yet another direction in a beautiful afternoon set bathed in the setting sun. The three-time Grammy-winning California rocker played searing guitar solos on acoustic, electric and slide guitars garnering a tremendous response from an adulating crowd. Recent Grammy winner Sturgill Simpson closed the stage with an innovative country rock music set drenched with guitar solos. The Kentucky native played another real crowd-pleaser.

The main Fedex stage opened the day with a set by young rapper and guitarist Machine Gun Kelly. The animated rapper fronted a strong backup band that fused rock, punk and hip hop music perfectly. The Ohio native even managed to down the better part of a bottle of Jameson whiskey while wildly prancing about the stage. Heavy rockers Alter Bridge took over the stage next. The Orlando band formed in 2004 features several members of the band Creed along with well know singer-guitarist Myles Kennedy. The band rocked the crowd with a charismatic perforce by Kennedy on guitar and screaming vocals.

Veteran Australian rockers Midnight Oil took over the stage for the sunset slot. The band was a regular fixture in the 80s music scene. The group took a ten-year hiatus at the beginning of the 21st century while lead singer Peter Garret pursued a successful career in Australian politics. The newly reunited band played a fierce and compelling set, and their catchy sound stood the test of time well. As evening set in, a wild-eyed British rocker Gavin Rossdale and his band Bush launched into a grunge laden set of pure energy rock. Augmented by a spectacular light show the band played thundering rock riffs while Rossdale leaped about the stage like a young Pete Townshend in The Who.

How lucky were we to catch the closing & triumphant set by Seattle Grunge rockers Soundgarden. The veteran rockers played an extended set exciting the huge crowd to the end. The band was led by the recently deceased singer-guitarist Chris Cornell who was even more animated than Rossdale in the previous set. Sounding at times like Black Sabbath and other times more like a Grunge band, the innovative group was a powerful and fitting closing act for the 40th Beale Street Music Festival.  (RIP Chris Cornell)

Jean Michel Jarre, a French pioneer in electronic music and a true living legend in the world of pop music, gave his first live performance in Los Angeles as part of his first tour of the United States ever, at the Microsoft Theater, Saturday, May 27. Jarre is famous worldwide for his live performances and has drawn the largest crowd ever for a live performance, with an estimated three and a half million in attendance at a Moscow concert. His performances are usually unique events taking place at historical sights, involving massive multimedia synchronizations to the music, including fireworks and state of the art lighting. His outdoor live events across the world usually draw crowds in excess f one million people. His two latest outdoor spectacles included a concert near the ancient fortress of Masada in Israel, as a benefit to help preserve the Dead Sea. He also performed a concert for the opening of the Jubilee year at the Monasterio de Santo Toribio de Liébana, in Spain.

Jarre had only played once before during his 50-year career in the United States as part of the celebration of the 150th anniversary of Texas, and the 25th anniversary of NASA, in 1986. The one and only indoor mini tour of a few select cities in the US made its way to the Microsoft Theater in the massive LA Live complex which also includes the larger Staples Center.

The May 27 show featured a two-hour set of 24 tracks synchronized to one of the most sophisticated light, laser and multimedia show ever imagined. Outside the venue, music fans lingered in the Memorial Day weekend sunshine comparing stories regarding their idol the elusive Jarre. It was evident from the many accents and languages in the cacophony of conversations that the French musical genius has a worldwide following. The concert, coming on the heels of the Manchester bombing also showed signs of a new normal in an apprehensive atmosphere. The main entrance to LA Live was blocked off with traffic being rerouted to the back. I addition to an increased security presence, bomb-sniffing dogs could be seen patrolling the area.

But none of this deterred from the excitement of the unique live event. After an opening 30-minute set by an electronica DJ, the crowd settled in for the spectacle. Inexplicably, there were more than few empty seats in the house, but that did not stop Jarre from presenting a spectacular show. Flanked by two talented musicians, each playing drums, and keyboards, Jare appeared on a platform in front of a myriad of keyboards. Multiple layers of LED light walls began morphing around him creating a multidimensional vision of lights and graphics. Huge lights and myriad colored lasers were also incorporated in the show; all carefully choreographed to the music. The result was a spectacular display that even EDM artist Deadmau5, famous for his live presentations, would acknowledge unprecedented in its unique brilliance. In fact, the giant EDM music festivals, so reliant on massive visual presentations today, owe their evolution directly to Jarre’s original live performance vision. Jarre became known to the pop music world back in 1976 with his breakthrough electronica album, Oxygene. He was a pioneer of the genre along with Giorgio Moroder from Italy and Kraftwerk and Tangerine Dream in Germany. But what made Jarre unique among his peers was his vision of live performances with gigantic state of the art multimedia displays unmatched in the concert world.

At the show May 27, Jarre showcased new music from his two-part LP Electronica and most recent release Oxygene, alongside classic material from breakthrough albums such as Oxygene and Equinoxe. One of the many collaborators on the Electronica album, local Los Angeles transplant, Gary Numan, could be seen beaming in the audience. The most political moment of the night came during the sixth song of the set, Exit, Jarre dedicated the song to his friend Edward Snowden. Large media clips of Snowden were played during the song espousing the public's right to privacy from government oversight. On the eighth song, Conquistador, Jarre broke into an electric guitar solo showcasing his rock talents. Jarre even played an iPad on the song, Immortals, late in the set.

But the most spectacular perforce of the evening came during the last song of the standard set, The Time Machine when Jarre played the Laser Harp.  As large green lasers shot straight into the sky, Jarre donned special gloves and played the rocketing beams like strings on a harp.

Jarre returned to thank the crowd passionately and introduced his two bandmates. The trio then proceeded to play three triumphant encores to the delight of an adoring audience. Let's hope we don't have to wait another 50 years to have the musical genius of Jean Michel-Jarre grace our shores again.

View a video here of JARRE performing his signature laser harp "The Time Machine," the title track of his Grammy-nominated album ("Best Dance/Electronic Album"), ELECTRONICA 1: THE TIME MACHINE

King Crimson brought their latest in a long list of lineups to Los Angeles on the first day of summer 2017. The two-set show on the longest day of the year was held fittingly at the iconic Greek Theatre, a beautiful outdoor amphitheater located on the forested slopes of Griffith Park.

The veteran rock band began their first set just before sunset to a stoic but attentive audience, most of whom arrived early to enjoy the beautiful first day of summer in the open venue. The eight-piece band featured one of the founding members of King Crimson, the progressive rock band that originally formed in 1968. Robert Fripp has been the de facto leader of the group since their founding and is the group's vocalist, lead guitarist, and synthesizer player. Magical Bassist Tony Levin has been a member of King Crimson since 1980, the same year he recorded and toured with Peter Gabriel on Gabriel’s debut solo album. Levin not only plays bass but also bass like synthesizer instruments that he helped invent, called sticks. His side project The Stickmen also features, drummer Pat Mastelotto, who along with drummers Gavin Harrison and Jeremy Stacy make up a unique three drummer line up in the current King Crimson. Keyboardist Bill Rieflin also occasionally percussions throughout the night. He has played with many notable bands since the 1990’s including Ministry, the Revolting Cocks, Lard, KMFDM, Pigface, Swans, Chris Connelly, and Nine Inch Nails. He also toured regularly with R.E.M. following the retirement of Bill Berry in 1997. The current King Crimson band is rounded out by vocalist and guitarist Jakko Jakszyk and Mel Collins playing a multitude of wind instruments.

The first set of the evening featured songs from the band's rich catalog of almost 50 years of recordings. The Greek Theater, being in an upscale residential area of Los Angeles, tends to limit sound levels for the first set of the evening, so the sunset hours of the show felt a bit more mellow than the later set. But the near perfect sound quality made up for the softer volume as the band showed their enormous talents playing the complex music. King Crimson began their rise to fame as a progressive rock band mixing, classical, jazz and heavy rock riffs to create a new genre back in the 1960’s. But the group, in part thanks to radical thinking of bassist Levin has managed to produce relevant experimental electronic rock across five decades. The band played eight tunes in their first set including, Songs such as “Islands” which was played during the current tour the first time since the ’70s. Also in the first set was “Fallen Angel,” and “Red” tracks from 1974’s album “Red” which was seldom heard live before the current tour, and a new song titled “Radical Action III” got a particularly vociferous crowd response.

An intermission ensued between sets and many music fans headed to the multiple bars in the venue. One fan could be heard talking about the nuances of the first set and proceeded to offer up his opinions. “Great set. I had tickets to Roger Waters tonight forgetting I already had tickets to King Crimson. I am so glad I am here and sold my tickets to Waters. This is my favorite band.” As twilight engulfed the venue during intermission, the theater began to light up, and the band returned for a second longer set. The band was lit with a plethora of old-fashioned canned lights so typical of last century rock concert light shows. With nary a LED light in sight, the old-fashioned lights seemed to create an eloquent halo about the band with a certain nostalgic panache. Photography of the concert was prohibited with large signs and video announcements warning the crowd. The obedient crowd obliged, and it was a rare welcome performance in the current selfie age without a single cell phone held aloft during the entire night.

The second set featured nine more songs, old and new. The increased volume was immediately noticeable as the second set began and helped the music take on a harder and more effective edge. It was evident in the second set that the three-drummer approach was a unique aspect of the latest incantation of King Crimson. The trio had several opportunities to battle it out in complimentary and competing rhythms.

The band returned for a three-song encore, which seems to be a staple on the current tour. The group began with an eloquent remake of David Bowie's “Heroes” which appears on a new live EP by the band. The band then played their signature classic rock hit, “The Court of the Crimson King” from the 1969 debut album, In the Court of the Crimson King. The band ended nearly three hours of music with an extended version of their classic hard rock hit “21st Century Schizoid Man”, also from their debut album. Summer Solstice with King Crimson will be a show well remembered by an adulating crowd of music fans.

A few hours before U2 played their first concert as a headline act at an American music festival, guitarist The Edge was honored by the founders of Bonnaroo at a special presentation. The Les Paul Spirit Award was given to the Irish rocker which is printed annually by the Les Paul Foundation, to an individual who exemplifies the spirit of the late, Les Paul through innovation in music and technology. The award was fitting for the master music producer who also spends much of his time involved in fundraising for various charities.

By the time U2 appeared at Bonnaroo at 11 p.m., a massive crowd had gathered in front of the huge What stage. The original set was supposed to be similar to the show the band has been presenting on their current 30th anniversary Joshua Tree tour. The scheduled 90-minute set was scheduled to include The Joshua Tree album in its entirety and a few encores from other albums. But at the last minute, the set was extended to two hours much to the delight of the huge crowd. With all the other ten music and performance venues at Bonnaroo shut down for the duration, most of the estimated 70,000 music fans at this year's festival made their way to the historical performance.

The band began the set with their of their most classic hit songs, including two of their oldest, “Sunday Bloody Sunday” and “New Years Day" The band then tore into the eleven songs from Joshua Tree, celebrating the band's love affair with America. Singer Bono interacted with the crowd throughout the night savoring the moments. He congratulated America for their contributions to the fight against AIDS being serious at one moment and then joked “Thank you for naming the festival after me BONNAROO!”

The band returned for an extended encore including a powerful version of "Beautiful Day." The encore continued with "Elevation." The band then played the song “Vertigo” for the first time on the tour.  Bono dedicated the song to “the great women we know, the women who insisted, resisted and persisted." The two-hour set truly was a unique and historic occasion and yet another feather in the cap for Americas most prestigious music festival. Well done Bonnaroo.

On Thursday, June eighth the Bonnaroo music festival opened the gates to Centeroo, graced with the nicest weather forecast in the events sixteen-year history.  With temperatures topping out in the 70s and much cooler lows in the sleeping hours it was a nearly perfect day. The weather forecast predicted slowly warming temperatures over the four-day festival, below seasonal averages and a near zero chance of rain. In past years temperatures had wreaked havoc on concert goers, even topping the century mark one year. Other years turned the venue into a rain-drenched mud bath.

But it wasn’t only the weather that made for a much more pleasurable experience at this year's Bonnaroo compared to past years. After some missteps, last year when corporate giant Live Nation gained control of the festival, the premiere live music event in the country was in danger of becoming obsolete. Ticket sales for 2016 dropped to an all-time low of less than 46,000. It was excellent news for attendees but not so good news for the promoters of the ambitious project. But with the help of classic rock giants U2 on the bill this year along with a robust and diverse four-day lineup, attendance was closer this year to the annual average of 75,000 people.  With the exponential growth in festivals across the country, it has become increasingly hard to attract music fans from around the country and the globe to a faraway venue, especially one as remote as Manchester Tennessee. But, despite its growing pains Bonnaroo continues to be the music festival that all other US festivals are measured against. While Coachella has become the largest US music gathering, selling out 125,000 tickets for two consecutive weekends, Bonnaroo continues to be the superior immersive experience, with twice as many stages, full sets for all the performers (one of Coachella ’s biggest failures), collaborative jam sessions, and nearly continuous music 24/7.

Since the Live Nation takeover, there have been some lamented departures for the festival lore of Bonnaroo. Gone are the legendary marathon sets like the 6-hour Disco Biscuits set and three plus hour sets by the likes of Pearl Jam, My Morning Jacket, and Widespread Panic. There are less of the individual jam sessions and jam bands that have been the hallmark of Bonnaroo in the past. There are more empty slots in the schedule than previous years when it was nearly impossible to keep up with as many as 10 or 12 performances at the same time. The comedy and cinema offerings were also greatly scaled back this year, consolidating them into a single tent. Rising prices, including a new camping fee, have also raised grumblings among the Bonnaroo veterans.

But the many nostalgic losses to some of the favorite aspects of the festival are outweighed by the vast improvements in the overall Bonnaroo experience. Promoters have invested heavily in the infrastructure of the festival and concert goers no longer have to line up at porta-potties for hours in the hot sun. The plethora of portable toilets has been augmented by extensive genuine sanitation facilities complete with vast rows of flushing toilets and running water. The introduction of real plumbing is no small improvement in an environment where most festival goers live in tents for up to five days. In addition to a separate set of the permanent bathrooms in the campgrounds, other permanent structures have been built for live music presentations, chill sights to escape the heat and interactive projects like the new B-Hive.

The biggest change to the festival grounds, however, this year is a transformation of The Other Tent stage into a large outdoor stage complete with the latest EDM lighting and sound, including a Bass system that even Bassnectar would appreciate. The massive stage has been expanded with a new beach area called the Oasis. Bacardi offered up all sorts of rum drinks while festival goers lounged on the sandy beach or played volleyball, in full view of the new stage. Dedicated solely to EDM and Hip-Hop music, The Other tent became a focal point for the younger generation of music fans.

The opening day of Bonnaroo is traditionally a showcase of new music for the most part and this year was no exception. One of the first performers to open the festival was country rocker Luke Combs, one of the few country acts to appear at this year's festival. Judging by the enormous crowd gathered at This Tent for the performance there was no shortage of country music fans in the audience. Coming on the same weekend as the CMA awards in nearby Nashville it is surprising that there wasn't more cross-pollination between to two events, with Combs being the exception.

But Indie rock was the dominant genre in the first day of the festivals. Welles, a 22-year-old Grunge rocker from the Ozarks and his blazing band, channeled the energy of Nirvana with their unique take on the genre. In a vent, more along the lines of The Bleachers, Indie rockers Hippocampus riled up a large crowd as the summer sun began to set on the first day of Bonnaroo. The Turntan, Stitches, Espo, and Beans made up the quirky quartet that connected with a young audience.

Just after the sun went down, the Toronto band July Talk played what may have been the most intense set of the day. With the energy of Sleigh Bells, the band is led by vocalists Leah Fray and Peter Dreimanis. The pair bounces off each other like a pair Sumo wrestlers, while singing and playing various instruments. Dreimanis’ throaty lyrics are often compared to the vocals of Nic Cave. July Talk is an exciting band to watch. Hailing from Long Island New York, The Lemon Twigs brought a nostalgic 70’s rock sound to the early evening crowd at Bonnaroo. Fronted by the D’Addario brothers, their over the top trip into glam rock is a welcome journey for those witnessing the show by the talented duo. Singer-guitarist Brian brings a Bowie-like persona to the stage while singer and drummer Michael eerily channels Keith Moon in both style and substance. His drumming alone is a reason to catch a live show by this band.

As the evening wore on multiple stages began to simultaneously come alive with new music as festival fans dressed in all manner of proper festival regalia took advantage of the unlimited food and beverage stands that had been expanded to meet any demand. On the tiny New Music On Tap Lounge Brewed By Miller Lite, (yes that is the actual name of the stage), The London band Ten Fe played an astounding set channeling the best of 80’s rock. This tiny stage has presented some legendary performances over the years at the festival, including one-midnight performance several years ago by Capital Cities.

As the night wore on the music turned funky with the appearance of the nine-piece power funk group Turkuaz. The band had fans young and old dancing. But the young dance fans were just beginning in a near all night dance party with a late-night set on The Other Stage, and more intimate sets in the eclectic Snake & Jakes Christmas Club Barn venue and of course, the ever-popular silent disco. As the air cooled to jacket water by the early morning hours, it was clear that many festival goers were on a 24/7 music mission this first day of Bonnaroo 2017.

Even without the historic first headline set at an American music festival by the iconic Irish rock group U2, the second day of Bonnaroo 2017 would have been an incredible success.

beautiful day dawned under cool partly cloudy skies, while young EDM enthusiasts were still straggling back to their campsites from the silent disco and Snake and Jakes Christmas Club dance barn. Temperatures eventually warmed to near 80F, but large fluffy clouds were moving through the area kept a lid on the hot summer sun. By midafternoon all the stages including the two major outdoor, the What and Which stages were in full operation. The alt-country rockers from Canada, The Strumbellas had a large crowd dancing in front of the Which stage early on. At about the same time an even bigger crowd had gathered in front of the biggest What stage for the California pop vocalist Frances and The Lights. His energetic show featured slick dance and acrobatic moves that thrilled the sweaty crowd in the hot afternoon sun. The crowd was particularly thrilled when arguably the most popular single artist at Bonnaroo 2017, Chance the Rapper made a surprise appearance alongside a beaming Frances. The duo played a recently remixed version of Frances tune “May I Have This Dance," featuring Chance and the crowd went wild. Dance has been a de facto fixture at Bonnaroo since his first appearance several years ago and popped up randomly all over the festival grounds. California rockers Cold War Kids also turned in a well-received afternoon set featuring straight forward rock tunes that the band has honed over the years.

As afternoon slowly faded towards sunset the Icelandic Indie rock band Kaleo brought their folksy brand of rock to the main stage. Young girls in tight bikinis techno shorts seemed to swoon at the front of the crowd as lead singer and guitarist Jökull Júlíusson appeared on stage. The band has the same Icelandic feel as the music of Bjork but with a more rock-oriented edge.

Swedish pop sensation Tove Lo has come a long way since her first late night appearance at Bonnaroo inside one of the tent stages the first night of 2015. The young singer has become a bonafide sex symbol with steamy nightclub hits and made her way to the Which stage in front of a huge crowd, just as the setting sun bathed her in golden light. The 29-year-old singer has become a sexy veteran performer with and an endless array of steamy dance moves and antics. Her grungy electropop band creates a rich dark sound that helps set the singer apart from most other pop singers. The set seemed to be a huge hit with young fans at this year's Bonnaroo.

As twilight fell and stars began to appear in the sky, the EDM crowd began to roll out of their tent cities in all manner of festival garb. From astronauts to leprechauns the audience became a living visual feast. The synth-heavy dream pop of The xx from London attracted an EDM following although the band sound is more in the moody rock category. Most of the same crowd migrated to the Which stage for an early evening set by Glass Animals, another English Indie band. Their music takes a more psychedelic look at hard rock music, but the sound seemed to please the young EDM crowd as well. Most all the other stages shut down for the next two hours as U2 played their historic set.

Following the massive main stage spectacle of U2 in concert, the crowded mass migrated to the other side of Centeroo for simultaneous sets of mostly EDM and Jam band music. A huge crowd formed for the visual smorgasbord presented by the EDM sensation Major Lazer. The group is an American electronic music trio composed of record producer Diplo from Jack U fame, Jillionaire, and Walshy Fire. The group mixes multiple genres into a dance-crazed EDM sound that has captured the imagination of the nightclub crowd across the globe. Their show featuring a stage full of rappers, singers, dancers, and musicians includes well-choreographed special effects. Diplo even steals a page from Flaming Lips lead singer Wayne Coyne's antics of crowd surfing in a giant plastic bubble. At the same time as this late-night set that stretched until nearly 3 in the morning, Portugal The Man was playing a jam-laden set of pure jam band rock. The group was joined in a surprise appearance by the charismatic lead singer of Cage The Elephant, Matthew Shultz. Shultz has also been a fixture at Bonnaroo appearing not only with his band over the last several years but also popping up unexpectedly. In 2014 rejoined the Skrillex super jam. Shultz joined Robby Krieger of The Doors for “Break on Through (To the Other Side)”, with Skrillex running around playing guitar. Shultz channeled Jim Morrison during the spellbinding performance. Should sing “Feel It Still” with Portugal The Man and then a cover of the Oasis tune “Don’t Look Back In Anger."  Cage The Elephants guitar master Nice Boczkrath also joined in and helped play a drenched guitar jam of a cover of Pink Floyd’s “The Wall."

EDM and Jam band fans alike were excited by the final live music set of the night which began shortly before 2.30 in the morning. EDM duo Big Gigantic took advantage of the massive new lithe show on the Other stage to wow a crowd of EDM fans. Later members of Trey Anastasio’s Band, Jen Hartswick, and Natalie Cressman brought another layer to the Big Gigantic sound.

By the afternoon of day 3 of Bonnaroo 2017, the festival began to heat up in every way possible. The temperature warmed up to the mid-80s, a more average level for summer in Tennessee, with climbing humidity. Lots of young exposed body parts bronzed in the summer sun as music fans stripped down to the bare essentials and sought relief from the afternoon sun in shady spots and air-conditioned venues like the cinema comedy tent. The beer tent was doing a brisk business selling microbrews from over 3o different breweries. The large bubbling water fountain was a favorite stop for those needing a cooling respite from the heat.

The venues were also heating up with live performances in at least a dozen different places across Centeroo. The young North Carolina band Rainbow Kitten Surprise had the crowd dancing in front of the Which stage by midafternoon, to their pleasurable Indie rock sounds. But an even larger group was forming over on the main stage for New York rapper Jon Bellion. The young hip-hop star had a hot young crowd swaying to his set. Tegan and Sara brought their Canadian Indie pop to the Which stage next. The now veteran singing sisters have been a festival staple for decades but judging from the faces in front of the crowd have a whole new following of young female fans. The American synth pop band from Maryland, Future played the main stage next. Emotive lead singer, Samuel Herring captured the crowd's imagination with his stage antics and rich vocal skills, which could be compared to a young Tom Jones. Back on the Which stage the Seattle-based band The Head And The Heart brought their sultry Indie folk music to a large crowd painted into orange glow of the setting sun. About the same time the California girl band Warpaint was bathing This tent in their psychedelic dream pop.

As twilight turned to darkness the Kentucky rockers Cage The Elephant brought one of the most exciting rock sets of the day to the Which stage. The young rockers have now become veterans after a decade on the festival circuit. Their extended residency in their early days in London left a lasting impact on their sound. Indeed, the band sounds like a young Rolling Stones in the prime at times. Led by charismatic vocalist Matt Shultz, who tore around the stage like a whirling Dervish and lunged into the crowd on several occasions, the band played fierce rock rhythms. This band just keeps getting better every year and have a long future ahead.

Just like the night before when the festival shut down for U2, most of the Centeroo went quiet for the much-anticipated performance by The Red Hot Chili Peppers. The veteran funk rockers have headlined Bonnaroo before, but for most of the young fans at the festival, it was their first experience with the band. The Peppers have always been a moody band performing amazing concerts at times and less so at others. Whether it be from too much partying or sheer exhaustion, the band has been known to play disjointed shows over the years. But for this near two-hour performance the aging rockers were in prime form, fully synchronized and full of energy. While iconic bassist Flea pranced about the massive stage, singer Anthony Kiedis danced his across the huge stage as well, despite some sort of metal brace on his leg. Harkening back to the 80's when the band would sometimes play naked, Kiedis even went shirtless for the second half of the concert. Drummer Chad Smith played like a madman throughout the near two-hour set. Former touring guitarist Josh Klinghoffer played relentless riffs as the band tore through some of their biggest hit songs.

By the time the Peppers ended their extended set many young EDM fans had migrated back to the other side of Centeroo for a late-night set by Australian music producer Flume. The masterful mixer has set himself apart from most EDM DJ’s by creating his music instead of just remixing others tunes. His LED cubicle podium and light show astounded the massive EDM crowd that gathered to hear his set which extends into the early morning hours. About the same time, DJ’s Snails and Marshmellow were performing their grandiose EDM shows over on the Other stage. Also, simultaneously the legendary Superjam was going down in This tent. It was a night of visual and musical overload right until the first light of the final day of Bonnaroo 2017.

Check out more photos from Bonnaroo 2017.

One of the unique aspects of the Bonnaroo music festival is the much anticipated Superjam. The legendary jam has seen some of the most interesting mashups in modern music history over the years, some more than successful than others. Occasionally the sessions have gone on into the first rays of sunshine of the following morning.

Superjam 2017 happened to be one of the shortest jams coming in at just over 90 minutes. However, for what the set lacked in length it more than compensated for with sheer brilliant jams. This year's jam was anchored by The Preservation Hall Jazz Band. The New Orleans funk masters, who at an earlier performance at the festival had received the keys to the nearby town of Manchester from the mayor, were joined by George Porter Jr.  Ask most anyone from New Orleans, and they will tell you Porter is simply the best bass player in contemporary music. Singer and keyboardist Jon Batiste, well known as the band leader on the Late Show with Stephen Colbert, rounded out the core group. The group opened the first of 13 songs in the set with a funky “Bourbon Street” crazed dance tune  C+C Music Factory staple “Gonna Make You Sweat (Everybody Dance Now)”

As is customary at Superjam the night unfolded with a series of announced and surprise guest singers and musicians, playing well-known cover songs. This year's theme was funk-inspired music. Labeled “Soul Shakedown” the set included rousing covers by Jon Batiste, Nicole Atkins, Margo Price, Joseph, Sam Cohen and Jason Huber of Cherub, and female singer Boyfriend. Some highlights included, Boyfriend and her dancers wowing the crowd during Rick James’ “Super Freak” with a mash-up of MC Hammer’s “U Can’t Touch This”). The performance included a sexy dance routine that saw the singer and her dance posse stripping into sleek, sensual outfits.  Lukas Nelson, the talented son of Willie Nelson and Margo Price,  sang a duet, on Al Green’s “Love and Happiness." Portland sister trio Joseph brought a beautiful harmonic TLC’s “Waterfalls” to the set. After riveting performances of TLC's "Waterfalls," Prince's "Little Red Corvette" and Rick James' “Superfreak," Gospel inspired hip hop artist Lecrae rocked the house with a funky cover of A Tribe Called Quest's "Can I Kick It?”).

But the biggest surprise of the night came when the unofficial Mayor of Bonnaroo Chance The Rapper showed up sending the sweaty crowd into a frenzied response. Earlier in the evening, the Chicago Hip Hop artist with an excellent singing voice had amassed one of the largest crowds of Bonnaroo 201 7 for his main stage performance. For many of the several thousand young music fans crammed into This tent for the late-night Jam session, this was the moment they had been waiting for. Chance has a beautiful singing voice and an affinity for jazz, paying homage to the veteran musicians on stage. He was joined by nearly the entire Superjam 2017 line up for a funky dance-crazed cover of Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg's "Nuthin' but a G Thang," and segued into Outkast’s “Hey Ya!”. The chorus line included Nicole Atkins, Boyfriend, and Flint Eastwood just to name a few of the backup singers. It was a finale most in the crowd won’t soon forget.

Check out more photos from Bonnaroo 2017.

As day 4 of Bonnaroo 2017 dawned warm and humid, four days on nearly nonstop celebration began to take its toll on exhausted concert goers. Some began to pack up their campsites and headed to the exits to get an early start on their long treks homeward. Many others just collapsed in any cool shady spot they could find for a long-delayed sleep.

But by mid-afternoon, thousands of rejuvenated music fans began to come back to life and surge towards the various stages. By late afternoon a large crowd had gathered at the Which stage for Umphrey’s McGee’s second set of the festival. As hardcore jam-band fans chanted “six-hour set” the band went straight to work playing the jam music that has made the band a mainstay of festivals in the jam genre. Meanwhile over on the main stage, an even bigger crowd gathered for the pleasing pop rhythms of the German Indie rock band Milky Chance. The huge crowd pretty much remained in place for the remainder of main stage sets including ones by pop star Lorde and alternative R&B sensation The Weekend. The much-anticipated Lorde set began with a technical misfire. The young New Zealand singer appeared onstage for a few minutes before halting the performance due to technical difficulties. Although announcers assured the crowd the singer would get to play her whole set, the more than 30-minute delay did seem to cut into her show. But her short set nevertheless was well received by the crowd. The Weekend closing perforce also felt about anticlimactic, especially after so many amazing performances on Friday and Saturday. The talented singer sans his trademark dreadlocks played a pleasing and well-received set. But the performance coming in at barely over an hour just didn't seem to compare to the closing sets music fans have come to expect at Bonnaroo. In past years closing sets by Dead and Co., Tom Petty, Elton John, and Widespread Panic, to name a few have stretched to nearly four hours of music. While The Weekend put on a great show, he just doesn't have enough material to perform such a marathon show.

There was plenty of other great music to be had across Centeroo the final evening, however, from multiple genres. Ed Helms held his annual Bluegrass jam featuring a surprise appearance by Bobby Osborne. The set began with bluegrass performances from Nashville-based The Bryan Sutton Band, Helms, Mandolin Orange and festival favorites Greensky Bluegrass. Then Martina McBride took over to play a cover of the Beatles' "Blackbird." Next singer-songwriter Gaby Moreno played a funky bluegrass cover of Prince’s "Kiss." But the biggest surprise of the jam was when the 85-year-old legend Bobby Osborne took the stage with his mandolin, performing three songs. In honor of Tennessee, the group played "Rocky Top,” the Felice and Boudleaux Bryant song first made famous by Osborne and his late brother, Sonny Osborne. The set ended with a heartfelt version of "God Bless the USA”. The Which stage closed out on an entirely different not with a large, enthusiastic crowd gathering for one of the newest bad boys in Hip Hop, Travis Scott. The 25-year-old Texas rapper whipped the crowd into a frenzy and for many music fans may have been the highlight of the closing day of Bonnaroo. All in all, Bonnaroo 2017 was a great success with a phenomenal amount of fantastic music spread across multiple genres and continues to be the festival that all others will be measured against.

Check out more photos from Bonnaroo 2017.

During one of the best evenings of live music in Santa Barbara this summer, three innovative groups of musicians brought their immense talents to the Santa Barbara Bowl. The July 7th concert took place on a sweltering evening with a nearly full moon hanging above the hillside amphitheater.

The show began early with an acoustic set by Exene Cervenka and John Doe. The talented team of singer-songwriters are the heart of the seminal Los Angeles punk rock band X.  Together with Guitarist extraordinaire, the ever-smiling Billy Zoom and drummer DJ Bonebrake, X became a powerhouse band with something to say. The group emerged at the forefront of the West Coast punk rock movement in 1977 and by the 1980’s was a lead innovator of the genre. The pair has experimented with other projects before. This included the band the Knitters, which was a decidedly folksier and countryesque approach to music than the hardcore punk of X. But, at the bowl as an acoustic duo all dressed in black, the pair took on a broad range of musical genres. Doe strummed a guitar, and the two sang haunting duets, including some of the brilliant songs that the two wrote for X.  While most Los Angeles punk bands that were the peers of X, engaged in basic primordial lyrics, Doe and Cervenka wrote increasingly poetic and introspective songs mostly about life in the inner city. The brilliant lyrics were on display at the Bowl show as the band played a set sprinkled with X classics, as well as a nod to Americana, with a George Jones cover and other folksy gems. As is usually the case with a Bowl concert many of the music fans coming to the nearly sold out show had yet to arrive for the opening act, but the fans that were in place responded enthusiastically to the short acoustic set. X played Santa Barbara numerous times in the 1980’s and played their last headline show at the Santa Barbara Bowl over thirty years ago. The band is in the midst of their 40th-anniversary tour with dates across the country through the end of September.

As the hot summer sun began to set, the spectacular view of the Pacific Ocean and the city of Santa Barbara below the amphitheater took on a surreal orange glow. By the time the band Garbage sauntered onto the stage, most of the audience had finally arrived. Fans of the edgy Indie rock band from Madison Wisconsin rushed to the front of the stage, ignoring the usual stodgy crowd at the upscale venue, who regularly chastise enthusiastic music fans to sit in their seats. It was great to see older music fans exhibit such excitement. Garbage was founded in 1993 by drummer Butch Vig, who had already achieved massive success as the producer of two seminal grunge albums, The Smashing Pumpkins’ Gish and Nirvana’s Nevermind. Vig teamed up with young, charismatic Scottish singer Shirley Manson and added American musicians Duke Erikson on bass, rhythm guitar and keyboards, and Steve Marker on lead guitar. The band emerged as innovators in the grunge era with a more sophisticated sound and propelled by the persona of the sexy young vocalist, Manson. Their first album was a surprise hit selling over 4 million albums. The band first appeared in Santa Barbara in the 90’s at the 18 West concert venue, now Dargan's Irish Pub. The venue would roll open a side garage door to cool the audience and allow for a free show for passers-by. Inside, the oversold crowd sweltered waiting for the band, the largest audience for any show at the short-lived venue.

Many of those same fans may have been some of those swarming the stage as Manson, in a shimmering silver dress, broke into her first song of the set. The band opened with a new song, No Horses, but quickly segued into a song from their album, Garbage, entitled, Queer. The band tore through that hit song, as well as all the most popular songs from that debut album during the 15-song set. As the veteran rockers played their intricate tunes, Manson worked the crowd repeatedly reaching out to the adulate fans. The engaging singer gave repeated homage to openers Excene and John Doe and idolizing headliner Blondie in acknowledgements to the headliners.  As evening fell, the band seemed to become larger than life with sound levels increasing to allow for a more intense rock experience. By the time the band played their final song, the crowd in the nearly full venue were mostly on their feet in full dance mode.

As evening fell temperatures finally began to moderate and many in the sweaty crowd headed to the bar. But as Blondie, the legendary punk rock band from New York took the stage, the large crowd rushed back into the venue to swarm the stage. While X was helping to establish the forefront of the punk music explosion on the West Coast, Blondie had already experimented in the genre on the West Coast. By the spring of 1975, singer Deborah Harry and guitarist Chris Stein had established Blondie as a regular fixture at the CBGB nightclub in New York. Stein and Harry added drummer Clem Burke and bass player Gary Valentine. This new Rage and Raptures tour featured three of those original members, Harry, Stein, and Burke. Many other veteran musicians have come and gone from the band in it ’s later years, but the current tour adds Bassist Leigh Foxx who has played with the group since 1997, Matt Katz-Bohen on keyboards, and young guitar master Tommy Kessler. The band opened with a raucous version of one of their biggest hits One Way or Another from their 1978 album Parallel Lines. The band rocked in from of a large LED screen looking a bit like the old Outer Limits television show with a snowy static looking screen. Harry, the iconic lead singer, appeared onstage sporting a giant bumble bee hat, bumble bee shirt, and bumble bee pendant, and launched into crisp, clear vocals instantly. The singers strikingly good looks remain intact, and the blonde sex symbol of the 70’s could pass for a woman half of her 72 plus years or even younger. Her irreverent wit and spirit also seemed to remain intact, sporting a cape that read “Stop Fucking The Planet." The band tore through some of their biggest hit songs in a 13-song set, with visuals ranging from vintage footage of the band to spacey graphics more associated with an EDM concert. Kessler added a fresh layer of explosive guitar playing including acrobatic antics that included an old Hendrix trick of playing the instrument behind the head. He meshed well with the original band who laid down the time-tested rhythms perfectly. The only sour note of the four-hour evening of great music was when an obviously miffed Harry emerged from behind the stage at the end of the set. She used some expletives to describe the silly 10 PM curfew at the Santa Barbara Bowl and then proceeded to launch into the last two songs of the set, including a powerful version of “Heart of Glass.” Checking the tour on the official setlist.fm revealed a sad fact. It seemed that the dreaded curfew cost the fans at the Santa Barbara venue a two-song encore which included the gems, Maria and Dreaming. But all in all, it was a thrilling night of classic tunes.

One of the most well-known American rock singers, Bret Michaels, brought musical fireworks to his fans at the Chumash Casino Resort Santa Ynez on July 4th weekend. It was already a hot night both literally and figuratively at the resort, with summer evening temperatures near 80 F in the beautiful mountain resort town and with nearly every gambling space full in the expanded casino.

Michaels gained fame as the charismatic lead singer of the rock group Poison in the 1980’s and has been a regular fixture in American pop culture ever since, producing his music and appearing in television and movies for decades.

The singer and his band of veteran musicians came onstage locked and loaded for an explosive show at the Samala Showroom. The usual etiquette of remaining seated at the venue until there is a call towards the end of the show to rush up to the stage was immediately abandoned, as Michaels called on the crowd to swarm the stage during the opening song. The group of adulate fans responded immediately rushing forward, and the energy level never waned for the remainder of the show.

Michaels was voted the best heavy metal singer of all time, in 2006, by Hit Parader magazine and the jovial singer connected with the crowd almost immediately. Playing a mix of Poison hits, with southern rock covers of bands like Lynyrd Skynyrd, Michaels, and the band had the crowd singing and swaying throughout the set. Michaels as a seasoned performer has an uncanny ability to make nearly everyone in the crowd feel like he is speaking directly to them, frequently pointing and smiling at individuals all about the venue. The singer often bantered with the crowd, acknowledging the festive July 4th occasion and frequently mentioning his interests in charity organizations from veteran’s affairs to diabetes research. His interests are heartfelt and personal, as his great Uncle was killed in action in World War II and Michaels himself, was diagnosed with Diabetes as a six-year-old child. The iconic singer was careful not to inject any politics into his show, keeping a jovial and positive attitude while inserting the need to support veterans and charity organizations.

The fast-paced set Michaels showcasing his talents, not only as a singer but also as a multi-instrumentalist, playing percussion, guitars and harmonica. The band featured crack veteran rockers, along with some of Michaels road crew invited to play along on various instruments. The show was a huge hit with an ecstatic crowd and a perfect fit for the July 4th weekend.

The California Mid-State Fair in Paso Robles opened its biggest year yet of musical entertainment, on July 19th with performances by classic rockers Blue Oyster Cult and R&B music icon, Lionel Richie. The line up over the 11-day fair includes rockers Matchbox Twenty, Counting Crows, Kid Rock and John Mayer. EDM stars Chainsmokers lit up last weekend with their massive light and sound show. Country music is represented by Zac Brown and Keith Urban, and the fair will culminate with two concerts by country music icon Garth Brooks.

Blue Oyster Cult was the first main act at the fair on the Frontier Stage, free with fair admission. One of the most enduring bands in American rock, the group is celebrating their 45th anniversary this year. The band played two sets, mixing it up a bit with early songs and some from later albums. Both sets culminated with the bands two biggest hits, the classic metal song from their first album, "Cities Aflame With Rock and Roll" and "Godzilla".

The main arena featured an opening night headline set by Richie, with the R&B star playing some of his greatest hits. The concert was the first in several months for the 68-year-old Richie, but from the moment he bolted on stage, the animated performer pranced about with the energy of a teenage artist. Richie launched into a hit parade from his vast catalog of solo hits along with classic songs from his years in the Commodores. With more than 50 years of pop music experience and five Grammys, the R&B legend has no shortage of material. In fact, Richie is known as one of the most famous singers of all time, selling more than 100 million records worldwide. The 15-song set not only showcased Richie’s singing and songwriting prowess but the enormous talent of his band of veteran musicians as well. The group would vacillate from heavy rock beats to R&B funk rhythms with skillful ease, at Richie’s behest.

The singer seemed in good spirits after his extended vacation and jested with the audience frequently. After opening with the hit song Running With The Night, Richie joked about his first trip to Paso Robles, the beautiful agriculture hub nestled in the mountains. “I had a manager, Ken Kragen, who lives here,” Richie quipped. “I came to visit. I decided to walk around in the backyard of this beautiful ranch, and while I was walking around Ken just happened to mention, ‘Watch out Lionel, it’s rattlesnake season.’ I ain’t been back here ever since.” The crowd erupted after that and swarmed the stage, with the entire floor standing for the rest of the show. Richie would also frequently sip a glass of what he said was local red wine, which he called “that good Paso juice." He referred to the pleasing beverage throughout the set. Paso Robles is well known around the world as a harbinger of fine wine.

The 15-song set ended with the classic party song, All Night Long, while a cool breeze blew across the stadium and a beautiful starry night enveloped the large stage. With a slew of beverages available the audience was in a jovial mood and ready to party all night long as well. It was a perfect opening night for one of the most American traditions, a trip to the summer fair.

Paso Robles Mid-State fair runs through July 30 from noon to midnight.

The Summerfest in Milwaukee, Wisconsin celebrated its 50th anniversary this summer. The 11-day festival has been certified by the Guinness Book of World Records as the world's largest music festival. The festival features over a dozen stages large and small of entertainment along the lakefront Henry Maier Festival Park. This years festival saw attendance rise to over 830,000 people over the 11-day run. The festival, which ran from June 28th to July 9th featured headline acts from almost every musical genre including The Chili Peppers, Pink, The Chainsmokers, Zac Brown Band, Bob Dylan, Paul Simon, Big Sean and Migos, Willie Nelson, and an exclusive two night headline set by Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, celebrating their 40th anniversary.

The festival opened June 29th to a squall that threatened to close down the event, with torrential rains, heavy winds, and potential tornado activity. But luckily, as the festival progressed the weather improved and attendance swelled. The festival runs for 11 of 12 summer days, shutting down on July 3rd so that the city can throw their July 4th fireworks spectacle. The festival reopens on July 4th, which is one of the best days to attend the festival. With many surrounding communities having their own July 4th activities, the crowds at the festival are much lighter than usual making it easier to move about and take advantage of all the festival has to offer. Summerfest is unlike any other music festival. The enormous musical offering is a secondary draw for the event, which is more of a beer drinking and food festival. With admission tickets starting at $13 or less with special offers, families arrive with children in toe to eat drink and just hang out at the 75-acre lake front park, which is a bit like a county fair but without the carnival rides and animals. Copious amounts of teenagers hang out to catch some of the music on the more than 12 stages. The day begins at noon with mostly bad cover bands, but by the time night falls headline acts start to appear on multiple stages at the same time. All the venues are free with fair admission except the central American Family Insurance Amphitheater. EDM hit makers The Chainsmokers headlined the Amphitheater on July 4th. But plenty of other good bands also played on July 4th at the other stages.

By late afternoon the Independence Day line up began to heat up. Chicago based R&B singer Jamila Woods had a primarily young crowd standing on the bleachers in front of one of the larger stages. The singer, backed by an energetic R&B band showcased her talents that have made her a favorite collaborator by Chicago Rap star Chance The Rapper. As the late summer sun began to set painting the Milwaukee skyline in an orange glow, DJ Dallas K was laying down dance tracks in the largest venue outside the amphitheater, the impressive open air BMO Harris Pavilion, with a stunning lake and city skyline view. As twilight fell, a far different sound was coming from the Harley Davidson Roadhouse Stage. The indie rockers Klangstof were laying down intricate jams. The band is a Dutch/Norwegian group composed of Koen van de Wardt, Wannes Salome, Jun Christian Villanueva and Jobo Engh. The multinational collaboration has led to an interesting take on Indie jam rock. At the same time on the next stage over another Chance The Rapper collaborator from Chicago, Saba, was riling up a mainly young crowd. Judging by the enthusiasm of the audience, rap music seemed to be the most popular genre of the July 4th line up.

Back at the Pavilion, Third Eye Blind was playing the headline set of the evening, celebrating their 20th anniversary. The now veteran post grunge rockers from Mississippi wowed the large crowd with their catchy hit songs. On the Harley Davidson Roadhouse stage, the Indietronica band from Sweden Mike Snow headlined a hot set of inspiring dance rock. On the other side of the sprawling festival grounds, Canadian pop singer Alessia Cara had amassed a large crowd of young fans for her set of catchy tunes. There were no real fireworks at the festival on July 4th, but there were plenty of musical ones with an incredibly diverse line up that kept stages alive all night long.

It was already going to be an unusual evening in Hollywood which is saying something in a town known for its strange excesses especially in the entertainment world. Sufjan Stevens was set to play his new exotic album Planetarium as part of the summer evening concert series at the Hollywood Forever Cemetery. The series features esoteric artists out of the mainstream of typical pop music. The concerts take place in the lush greens gardens amidst the mausoleums of some of the cities elite list of departed souls. The graveyard is full of Hollywood mover and shakers, including some famous rockers. As thousands of people found a spot to lay out their blankets and picnics for the much-loved event, the sun began to set over the dramatic landscape. The sun bounced off tombstones with the faces of long dead celebrities etched on them.

In a great irony, the July 20th concert happened to fall on the birthday of recently departed rocker Chris Cornell. His fresh grave site was right next to the concert. In an even more bizarre and unnerving twist, Cornell’s good friend Chester Bennington had just followed his friend into oblivion just hours before. The 41-year-old Bennington had helped give the eulogy for Cornell at the same spot just two months ago. There was already a shrine forming at the grave site for the 41-year-old singer of Linkin Park as the summer sun reflected on the spot.

The concert began with an acoustic set by Thousand Oaks singer and songwriter Angelo De Augustine. The 24 year took the stage armed only with an acoustic guitar took the stage and seemed visibly nervous. “I am sorry my voice is shaky. This is by far the largest crowd that I ever played for.” The young folk singer went on to thank Sufjan Stevens who has had a hand in helping produce the new artist. The young singer eventually found his voice, and as his face was painted by the brilliant setting summer sun, he began singing like an angel. Considering the location, the singers soothing songs matched perfectly with the tenor and mood of the evening, and the audience seemed pleased with what they heard.

After a short intermission, Sufjan Stevens and his band took the stage just as twilight began to fall across the cemetery. By this time the crowd had swollen sprawled across the vast green lawns and nestled between mausoleums in all directions. Stevens welcomed the audience and immediately launched into his new project Planetarium. Stevens was joined by the core band on the album including Nico Muhly an American contemporary classical music composer and arranger, from New York. Also in the band were Bryce David Dessner, an American composer, and guitarist based in Paris, best known as a member of the band The National, and James McAlister the long time collaborating drummer for Stevens. The band also featured several classical musicians playing string instruments.

The four began the Planetarium project several years and had just recently released the album which consists of 17 tracks totaling more than 75 minutes of music. The concept album revolves around planets in solar system with an electronic soundtrack to match the personality of the different worlds. The band played the experimental piece in its entirety with a video background that featured quite literally spacey graphics. Led by Stevens who also has an angelic singing voice the band created a soundtrack that sounded a bit like a modern Pink Floyd concert. The concert, with its nearly perfect outdoor summer night setting in the cemetery, was a unique an entering performance that pleased the large crowd and resulted in an extended standing ovation at the finale. It was a melancholy but somehow perfectly fitting evening of music in the heart of Hollywood, with the spirits lingering in the darkness.

The Central Coast of California has become a bit of a no man's land for hard rock and especially heavy metal bands since the dawn of the millennium. Santa Barbara County, home to copious amounts of live pop music has seen very little in the way of hardcore rock as of late. One of the last great heavy metal shows at the Santa Barbara Bowl was by the infamous rock band Tool in 1999. That amazing show landed the group a $50,000 fine for playing after the 10 PM curfew and playing too loud. In fact, a new sound ordinance was put into place after that show, and there hasn't been a particularly loud rock show since.

To the south in Ventura County, an occasional metal act will make it to the relatively small Ventura theater venue. To the North, the tiny SLO Brew venue also hosts an occasional metal show. But for most hardcore rock fans in the Tri Counties a long drive, North or South is the only way to catch a headline head banger band.

The most unlikely of venues, the pristine Vina Robles Amphitheater in Paso Robles, California has set out to change that unfortunate scenario. The gorgeous new amphitheater, in a spectacular rural mountain setting, has joined with Nederlander Concerts to bring big name hard core musical acts to the region. On August 2nd the venue hosted a double bill of hardcore rockers AFI and Circa Survive. The beautiful outdoor venue, which barely holds 3000 people is just big enough to attract headline acts. But virtually every seat in the house is visually and audibly a good one. The venue features wine by the glass or bottle from local vintners, beer from local brewers and gourmet food including wood fired pizzas and organic hamburgers. The affordably priced offerings along with free parking make the venue one of the best concert deals in central California. An 11 PM curfew ensures plenty of time for bands to finish their sets. But the best part of the venue for hard core music fans is the booming sound system. Without another structure in sight, the rural venue can blast the music as loud as they like. The amphitheater is topped with a massive PA high in the sky.

The venue suited hardcore music fans and players alike at the show Wednesday night. Michigan rockers Citizen opened the show with a respectable set while the hot summer sun was still beating down on the venue. Many fans took advantage of the park like setting and retreated to picnic benches or the back lawn to watch the band from afar while eating and drinking copious amounts of goodies. The bands sound carried perfectly even to the very back lawn section. The band tire threw a short set with a respectable reception from the audience.

By the time Post Hardcore rockers Circa Survive sauntered on stage just at dusk, a large crowd had already gathered in the pit area. The Philadelphia rockers are veterans of the music festival circuit and are about to release their sixth album, "The Amulet," next month. Over the last 13 years, the band fronted by charismatic lead singer Anthony Green have developed a loyal following, with many in the audience singing the chorus of the band's most well-known songs. Those with knowledge of the band know that Green and his bandmates are deep thinkers as well as hardcore musicians. The band's first album took inspiration from “The Eternal Sunshine of The Spotless Mind." The album also features a hidden track based on the novel “House of Leaves." Green has incorporated his fights with emotional demons in his music and as a result becomes a whirling dervish of a performer. The animated singer leads his band into hardcore jams that had the crowd roaring its approval.

It seems hard to believe that the hardcore rock band AFI has been around for 26 years, especially since the animated lead singer Davey Havok is still only 41. But it was evident that as many of three generations of bands swarming the stage at the Paso Robles show have been following the band intently. Even before the band took the stage in the hot summer night air at 930 PM, fans began a chant of “We are one through our bleeding” anticipating the traditional show opening song “Strength Through Wounding.” The band did not disappoint opening with that song and proceeding to wow the crowd with a 14 song set that had the audience screaming most every chorus. At one point midway through the show Havoc leaped off the stage and ran to the middle of the amphitheater and sang a song swarmed by music fans. The songs came from most of the bands ten albums including their newest one simply titled “AFI." The setlist included material as far back as 1999’s “Black Sails in the Sunset” and all the way up to the new “AFI” album. Fans responded went wild for some of the band's radio hits including “Girl’s Not Grey,” and “Silver and Cold," “Beautiful Thieves” and “Miss Murder” made up the smoking encore.

It was a great night of hardcore music, and the venue is doing it all over again on Tuesday night August 8th with a show by the legendary band Slayer, one of the Big Four in Heavy Metal and Lamb of God in a blockbuster hardcore double bill.

Heavy Metal madness descended on Paso Robles Tuesday night, August 8th, with a triple header of hard core music at the Vina Robles Amphitheater.

As thousands of black shirted metal fans flocked to the magnificent outdoor venue, the music began early with a sunset appearance by the Polish hardcore metal band Behemoth. The Polish band has been an important mainstay in the hardcore metal scene in Europe since they were founded in 1991. The veteran rockers have ten albums under their belt and have gone from being a traditional black metal band to one of the most hardcore occult metal bands in the world. Controversial lead singer guitarist and actor who goes by the moniker Nergal has had run ins with authorities in his homeland for being “anti-religious." The band arrived with all the accouterments of black metal including, thick make up black leather outfits and even ceremonial incense burners. But the theatrical nature of the group did not make their raw talent as one of the best metal bands Europe. The group was only allowed a short 30 minutes for their opening set, but music fans who arrived early savored every moment of it. Fans in the general admission pit wasted no time getting into a head banging and mosh pit rhythm, and the band left the crowd screaming for more after their short set.

As twilight fell on the Vina Robles Amphitheater, the warm summer air blew across the packed venue and fans swarmed the stage for the second act, Lamb of God. The veteran rock band from Virginia formed in 1994 has helped forge a new wave of heavy metal in the United States. The Grammy nominated band has released eight albums that have sold over two million copies collectively. The band's vocalist Randy Blythe has also been a controversial figure in the past. In 2012 he was arrested by Czech police after pushing a fan off the stage during a concert. The fan hit his head and later died from his injuries. The singer was found civilly but not criminally liable for the fans death. The incident hast stopped the animated vocalist from performing though, and Blythe jumped about the stage like a teenage gymnast, constantly launching off any fixed obstacle on the stage. The band played with intense ferocity and fans loved it even singing the chorus on several songs.

By the time the legendary band Slayer took the stage, the crowd was ready to break into a crazed dance frenzy. Slayer has been one of the most influential bands in Heavy Metal music since their debut in 1981. The California veterans are one of the big four Thrash Metal bands, including Anthrax, Megadeath, and Metallica. Despite controversial lyrics and constant run ins with censors of all kinds, the group has managed to accrue five Grammy awards over the year. The band is fronted by two of the four original members including Bassist and lead vocalist Tom Araya and iconic guitarist Kerry King. Drummer Paul Bostaph has played with the band on and off since 1992. The newest member of the band, guitarist Gary Holt took over for original guitarist Jeff Hanneman, who died in 2013. Slayer launched into a 19 song set of powerful Trash metal songs culled from the groups eight studio albums. The general admission floor of the venue turned into a giant mosh pit as the thunderous sound system inundated the amphitheater with the thunderous rhythms of heavy metal. Occasionally the group would leave Araya on the stage by himself to banter with the crowd and tell anecdotes of the band's history. The group played straight through until near Angel of Death. It was an impressive presentation of hard core metal music, rarely seen in the Tricounty area of California.

Classic rock music fans descended on the Greek Theatre located in the hills above Hollywood, Thursday, August 10th, for a show by veteran rockers Steve Miller and Peter Frampton.

Frampton began the show early at 6:30 PM, while most of the crowd was still struggling to reach the venue in yet another epic summer traffic jam throughout Los Angeles. Framptons' wailing guitar sounds cloud be heard as concert goers lingered in long lines at metal detectors in front of the entrances, a sign of the times. Once inside the venue, fans were treated to a glorious sunset concert by a beaming Frampton. It is hard to believe that the 67-year-old performer has been a successful pop singer since 1966. But with his song in The Herd at the age of 16 and later as a singer guitarist at 18 in the hard rock band Humble Pie, he has been a hit making pop star for more than 50 years.

The beloved singer played a nine song set list much of which came from his mega hit album Frampton Comes Alive, which has sold over 8 million copies since its release in 1976. While Frampton has never seen the level of pop stardom that he achieved since the 70’s, he has settled in as a comfortable elder statesman of blues inspired rock music, completely comfortable in his skin. The flashy guitarist told endearing anecdotes about songs before playing the hits which had most of the crowd standing and singing the chorus lines in unison. Songs introduced early in the set included “Lines On My Face” and a sing along inspiring “Show Me The Way,” complete with his signature vocal effects on the "Talk Box." The singer saved his fiercest guitar solo for a tribute to the recently departed Soundgarden front man Chris Cornell. Against a bad drop of a massive portrait of the late singer, Frampton played an intense version of Soundgarden's biggest hit "Black Hole Sun." Frampton then switched gears and told a story about saving a bird that landed on his balcony before playing a solo version of his latest song release “I Saved A Bird Today.” Next Frampton told a story about writing Vacation in the Bahamas turned into a two-week nonstop fiesta with guitarist Alvin Lee before hunkering down to write two of his biggest hit songs. He then introduced his band of crack musicians before launching into “Baby I Love Your Way” and “Do You Feel Like We Do.” Frampton ended his nine songs set into a standing ovation of fans screaming for more, but he shuffled offstage without an encore, resulting in a unified aww from the crowd when the lights came on.

After intermission, the lights went out and the summer night sky lit up with brilliant stars. Another pop legend, Steve Miller took the stage with his remarkable band. Just like Frampton, Miller has been producing hit songs since 1966. Miller began an 18 song set with “The Stake” from his 1976 album “Book of Dreams.” Much like Frampton, Miller spent much of his time telling endearing anecdotes about his involvement in the musical history of rock and blues music. Miller and the band tore through three more songs including Miller’s first hit “Living In The USA.” That was followed by the crowd-pleasing hit “Take the Money and Run," which saw the crowd rise en masse, most never to take their seats for the remainder of the sold out show.

One of the unique moments of the night occurred next when Frampton emerged with a bright red Gibson guitar to join the band for a three song blues jam. Miller began with a history lesson describing the music the two guitar masters were about to play. They then launched into the jam featuring "K.C. Douglas" “Mercury Blues” from the Mississippi Delta genre and Otis Rush’s “All My Lovin'” from Chicago. As the two master guitarists jammed off of one another, it was apparent that they had become the masterful heir apparent to the blues idols of their youth.

“All aboard the Peter Frampton Express!” Miller shouted out during “Stranger Blues,” the Elmore James song that ended up the blues jam. Then Frampton launched into one last guitar drenched jam before disappearing off stage.

At that point in the show, Miller and his band launched into to a ten song string of hits sprinkled with more Anecdotes. One particularly interesting story dealt with Miller finding his odd 18 string guitar, in a $200 bargain drum in a New York guitar store in the 60's. The set need with a two song sing along encore of “Jungle Love” and “Jet Airliner” played up right to the 11 PM curfew time. More than four solid hours of classic rock topped by an incredible jam of two masters of classic rock. What a brilliant night of music from Nederlander concerts and the Greek Theatre.

The fifth annual Lockn’ Festival on Thursday, August 24th got underway under partly cloudy skies after a cold front moved through the area the night before. The resulting forecast for the four-day nearly non-stop festival is for high temperatures in the low 80’s and lows at night near 60F, a rain free forecast perfect for festival goers. Many festival goers arrived early on Wednesday to set up campsites and were greeted with a much more organized festival than past years. Traffic has been rerouted to back country roads, which resulted in a major improvement in check in efficiency and much shorter wait times to get into the festival grounds. Inside the festival groups there also were significant changes. The main stage was moved to the far side of the field, next to the Blue Ridge Bowl, (Now the Relix stage). The proximity of the two stages will make it much easier to catch the late-night sets on the Relix stage after the main stage close down. The late-night venue out deep in the woods remains but is now called the Terrapin Porch Tent stage in honor of the 40th anniversary of the Grateful Dead’s Terrapin Station album. The stage in Jerry Garcia's Forest has been transformed into a life size Terrapin Station.

Before bands got underway at 7 PM on the main stage, there was a special afternoon showing of the Grateful Dead documentary “The Long Strange Trip." Early festival goers lounged in the empty field while many others enjoyed their campsites in the woods. Some festival goers even took advantage of WaterLOCKN’, which included a bus ride to the Tye River for a good old fashioned southern summer swimming experience.

The festival then opened right at sunset with a heartfelt ceremony led by Lockn’ founders Peter Shapiro and Dave Frey. In what became a theme of the festival, the promoters and musicians throughout the four-day event paid homage to those in nearby Charlottesville who were affected by the terrible events there. Everyone at the festival called for unity and inclusion, denouncing the hate filled message of the far right. The promoters invited an array of police, fire and medical workers onto the stage in front of a giant flag for a stirring rendition of the national anthem. The Mount Zion First African Baptist Choir from Charlottesville led the crowd in an inspiring sing-along. The music then began with a short set by a young local jam band, Kendal Street Company. The band from the nearby University of Virginia got the crowd into a festive mood almost immediately.

The consummate jam band, Umphrey’s McGee, played their first of two sets on the main stage. By the time the band reached a jam on Mantis half way through the set, they had the crowd in a frenzy. The band offers up some of the most diverse sounds of any band from multiple genres of American music. The original Lockn’ concept then kicked in perfectly with a rotating stage revealing The String Cheese Incident playing their first note right as Umphrey’s finished their set. The Colorado band also played the first of two sets. The band was in high spirits as guitarist Bill Nershi returned to the band after recently missing his first show with the band in 24 years after a brief illness.

Umphrey’s then began the second part of the evening with their second set. The band played some of their fans favorite songs including, Wrong Guy, Miss Tinkle’s Overture, and Remind Me. The String Cheese Incident then opened their set with an emotional speech to the audience. With the band standing arms locked in unison, Nershi addressed the crowd. “We want to say to those of us that don’t feel the same hatred toward each other; we need to be united.” The band then inspired the crowd with an explosive second set. The first collaboration of many to come at the festival then took place when Umphrey’s keyboard player Joel Cummins and percussionist Andy Farag joined in on a cover of the Allman Brothers tune Jessica.

The late-night action then shifted to the nearby Relix stage for an after midnight set by The Disco Biscuits. The band known for their lengthy jam infused concerts played well into the early morning hours. A large crowd danced about the stage, transfixed until the band played their last notes. The evening cooled to a pleasant sleeping temperature. It was a nearly perfect opening day.

Check out more photos from day 1 at Lockn' 2017.

It was another beautiful day Friday, August 25th at the Lockn’ music festival. The music began early on this second day of the festival. Most of the 20,000-people attending the festival had arrived by the time the main stage sprang to life just after 4 pm.

Southern rockers Blackberry Smoke opened with a strong set of tunes that had the crowd dancing early in the warm late summer sun. The band played songs from their new album including one that featured Gregg Allman in one of his last recordings. It was a fitting tribute to the original Southern rockers The Allman Brothers who played earlier Lockn’ festivals.

Jim James appeared next in an emotional acoustic set expressing solidarity with Charlottesville and quoting Nelson Mandela. In keeping with the spirit of unity, James played a series of covers including; Frank Sinatra ’s Young at Heart, Woody Guthrie’s Changing World, and Bill Withers’ Lean On Me. James then went into some of his solo material as well as some My Morning Jacket classics. At the end of his set, he was joined by country rocker Brandi Carlile for a cover of the Dylan classic Blowin In The Wind. Then the two were joined by a jovial Joe Russo playing a large drum. The trio led the crowd in a resounding sing along version of Give Peace A Chance.

Carlile played a rock oriented set next, apologizing for canceling her Locks appearance the year before due to illness. The beaming performer played a new song The Mother, in honor of her new child and a rousing cover of Led Zeppelin ’s Going to California. James came back to sit in with Carlile as well.

By then multiple generations of Deadheads, literally from small children to grandparents had gathered en masse for a set by the Godfather of Lockn’ Phil Lesh and The Terrapin Family Band. The band played a 2-hour crowd inspiring set that filled the field in front of the main stage with euphoric fans singing, dancing, or just sitting and smiling in tempo with the music. The set included a guest appearance by Govt. Mule’s Warren Haynes for drenched guitar versions of St. Stephen and New Minglewood Blues. The energy notched up further in the crowd when Bob Weir made a surprise appearance to join Lesh and the band for the final two songs, Jack Straw and Uncle John’s Band.

Warren Haynes returned with his hard rock jam band Gov’t. Mule to rock the next set. The band played a solid two hour set with tunes stretching from early albums to their latest material on Revolution Come Revolution Go. Anne Wilson of Heart fame then joined the band for an intense mini set including covers of Zeppelin Classics Immigrant Song and Black Dog. The band along with Wilson on lead vocals then morphed into a jam of another Zeppelin cover of You Shook Me with the original by Muddy Waters. That was followed by a Janis Joplin classic Cry Baby. Wilson ended her appearance with the band singing the Heart mega-hi Magic Man.

The showcase set of the night came next with Phil Lesh and Bob Weir joining the Terrapin Family Band for a performance of the album that gave them their namesake, Terrapin Station. The 40th-anniversary concert also featured Nicki Bluhm nailing the original vocals by Donna Godchaux. The short set was a perfect ending to the main stage.

But the evening wasn’t over as most of the large crowd at the main stage shifted to the smaller stage for a late-night set by Joe Russo's Almost Dead. The five-piece jam band wowed the crowd before being joined by some surprise guests. Nicole Atkins joined the group for bluesy versions of Little Red Rooster and Cassidy. Jim James then brought the exhausted crowd to life joining the band for Jane's Addiction's Been Caught Stealing, and Grateful Dead’s Brown Eyed Women. It was nearly 3 am when Atkins returned to the stage to join James and the band for a beautiful version of Brokedown Palace. Friday Lockn’ featured more music in a single day than many entire three-day festivals. How could it get any better? Only the next two days of the festival will answer that question.

Check out more photos from Friday @ Lockn' 2017.

The third day of Lockn’ was another beautiful day with warm summer sunshine peeking out occasionally through welcome waves of high clouds. Day three of the festival featured more bands than Friday, with only Widespread Panic and Joe Russo’s Almost Dead playing extended jam sessions. The day started early out in the forest with a 10 am wake-up set by keyboard player Holly Bowling at the Terrapin Station stage.

By the time the music finished up at the Relix stage in the late afternoon, a large crowd had already gathered for the final set by Pigeons Playing Ping Pong. The Baltimore jam band took advantage of an extended set to play some covers like Psycho Killer by The Talking Heads. The extra time came from the only no-show band at the festival this year, The Suffers. The unfortunate Houston based group lived up to their band name stuck in the devastation of Hurricane Harvey.

Many concert goers had already made it to the main stage to set up all manner of chairs umbrellas and beach blankets long before Keller Williams opened there at 4 PM. The main stage played the entire days set from the Relix stage live on the giant LED video monitors and played the sound through the PA so many fans could lounge watching the action without having to move across to the smaller cramped stage. The feed was broadcast live on the web with a link to a charity for those injured in the Charlottesville demonstrations. Williams has become a mainstay of Lockn’, but this was his first year as a main stage act. The one-man band turned in a brilliant 90-minute set. Williams creates live loops of multiple instruments through the performance, drawing from a whole host of musical genres. But he made each song his own with his unique vocals and quirky lyrics.

The music switched to authentic Bluegrass with the next band to play Greensky Bluegrass. The group strummed their way into the hearts of an ever-growing audience, with extraordinary picking skills on multiple jams. By the time the band ended the set with a cover of Bruce Springsteen’s Atlantic City, the whole crowd seemed to be dancing and clapping.

The main stage took a more hard-edged rock turn next when Australian jam rockers, the John Butler Trio took the stage. The raw energy of this band kept the crowd alive as the sun set brilliantly into the passing clouds.

As evening fell, one of the most highly anticipated moments came when John Fogerty took the stage to lead his brilliant band in an extended set full of Creedence Clearwater classics. The 72-year-old rock icon played and sang perfectly, like a man half his age. The set included sing along classics like Who’ll Stop The Rain, Looking Out My Back Door, and The Midnight Special. By the time wrapped up his 20 songs set with Fortunate Son, the crowd basin ecstasy scramming for more. Fogerty obliged with one of the only encores of the night, playing two more Creedence classics Bad Moon Rising and Proud Mary. Perhaps the only let down was that he did not return to jam with anyone else at the festival.

Fogerty shouted out to the final band of the night on the main stage Widespread Panic, a group that he has collaborated with in the past. Widespread turned in a classic two-hour jam set. The band pleased the crowd with the mostly older material. But it was too bad that Fogerty did not sit in with the band like he had done at Lockn' 4 years prior.

J

Just when it looked like it would be a day without collaborations along came the late-night set for the second night in a row by Joe Russo’s Almost Dead on the Relix stage. By the third song, Bob Weir was on stage jamming with the band, with which he is so closely associated. The set included Black Throated Wind, Good Lovin', and Jack Straw. What a way to end the early morning!

Check out more photos from Saturday @ Lockn' 2017.

Clouds rolled into the final day of Lockn’ cooling the summer sun and creating a pleasant last day for the festival. Collaborations abounded on the last day much to the delight of music fans who stuck it out for the nearly none stop four-day musical jam. This year Lockn’s audience was nothing other than exuberant, cheerful and respectful. The multigenerational crowd seemed almost like a giant extended family on a huge holiday picnic. Costumes and clothes included classic 60’s psychedelia all the way up to modern EDM inspired outfits. The nearly perfect weather and easy access to food drinks and facilities also kept the road in high spirits. But it was the unique musical experience of Lockn’ that was the real cause for celebration.

The Remix stage began early with a traditional Gospel inspired set by Keller Williams. It was a decidedly different set than that of his previous main stage set and was a testament to his diverse musical prowess. He was followed by local Virginia band Anthony Rosano and The Conqueroos. The bluesy band features, Rosano on vocals, guitar and mandolin, Jeremy 'JB' Bustillos on harmonica and sax, Paul Warren on bass and Scott Smith on drums. The band got the crowd in a rocking mood early on.

The magic of Lockn' staple player Eric Krasno of Lettuce and Soulive fame was on display next. The master guitarist has played at Lockn’ and across the world in countless impromptu jam bands. This year at Lockn’ he showcased the talents of his new band, with songs from his latest solo album, Blood From A Stone. He also played a killer cover of the Jimi Hendrix classic, Manic Depression.

The music took another turn when the New Orleans veteran jazz group, The Dirty Dozen Brass Band took the stage. Their funky horn driven sound inspired a dance party in front of the stage. It was too bad that none of the main stage artists plugged into their incredible energy and utilized them in collaboration, but the played a great set nonetheless.

The Relix stage closed out in mid-afternoon with classic California rockers Moonalice, with legendary Airplaine/Hot Tuna guitarist, Jorma Kaukonen joining them for some incredible jamming. Last year Kaukonen was on hand at Lockn’ to play two sets. He played one acoustic set with his long-time band mate Jack Casady. Later he led a jam along with Casady of Airplane classics. This year with Moonalice they played some classic covers including a resounding version of “Eight Miles High."

The Record Company opened the main stage in the late afternoon with an explosive rock laden set. Much like the John Butler Trio who played the day before, the mighty Los Angles trio got the crowd swaying and dancing right from the start of their set. Chris Vos, Alex Stiff, and Mark Cazorla blasted through a set of original material and a hair-raising cover of the Beastie Boys' Sabotage. The music switched to southern swamp rock with the appearance of the next band, Florida’s JJ Grey and Mofro. Fronted by the multi-instrumentalist and singer songwriter Grey, the band played a funky set of material from their long playlist.

The music took an entirely different turn with the appearance next of Margo Price and her band. The singer led the group through a set of traditional Nashville country tunes, making for a pleasant afternoon show. New Orleans rockers The Revivalists appeared for an exciting sunset show next. Fronted by animated singer David Shaw, the band played one of the most energetic sets of the festival. The band played much off their 2015 album Men Against Mountains. They ended their set fittingly with a cover of The Beatles' With A Little Help From My Friends, with Shaw signing the vocals much like the gravel voice legend, Joe Cocker.

The Godfather of Lockn’ Phil Lesh made an appearance on the main stage next with jam band moe. Lesh and the band played a set list including moe. tunes, and Dead classics. The performance included a steady list of special guests including, Lesh’s son Grahame Lesh, members of The Revivalists, and finally Bob Weir and Nicki Bluhm. The set took on a very personal note when the musicians revealed that Rob Derhak (moe. bassist) was not at the festival because he was in treatment for cancer. All the special guests wished the bassist well. Ending with several Grateful Dead classics, including Sugar Magnolia, which was a real crowd pleaser.

The final round of the festival featured The Avett Brothers with their take on traditional North Carolina Bluegrass rock music. The band played fiercely for the first hour of their set before inviting Bob Weir to join them for six songs including a two-song encore. Weir took a while to acclimate on stage becoming visibly disturbed by a malfunctioning monitor. After getting little help from the roadies, he ended up in shoving it around out of his sight. But the distraction was soon forgotten, and the iconic guitarist then played flawlessly for the six-song finale.

Check out more photos from Sunday @ Lockn' 2017.

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 Hammond B3 organist, and smoking blues-rock guitarist joined his first rock band, the Spencer Davis Group, in 1963. But he had already been playing organ professionally as a child, playing in a house band at the Birmingham Music Hall. He played in the group which would back performers, who toured back then without their bands. Winwood played with most of the biggest names in American blues music at the time, including Muddy Waters, John Lee Hooker, B.B. King, Howlin Wolf and Ray Charles. Later when he joined The Spencer Davis Group at 14, his vocal skills modeled after Ray Charles became apparent. From there Winwood had a whirlwind career as part of some of the most prestigious English rock bands in the 60’s and 70’s. By the 1980’s the Grammy-winning performer had a successful solo career and had become one of the most prestigious elder statesmen of English rock blues.

A sold-out crowd of silver-haired rock fans many in tie-dyed t-shirts came to hear their favorite songs from Winwood’s storied career, including hits from Traffic and Blind Faith. Winwood opened the set playing the organ alongside his five-piece band of veteran jazz-rock oriented musicians, with the Spencer Davis Group hit I’m A Man. The jazzy jam set the tone for the evening of mostly extended jam versions of some of Winwood’s biggest hit songs. Winwood and the band followed up with the smooth jazz sounds of Fly, and At Times We Do Forget from his 2009 “Nine Lives” studio album. The band then returned to the classics with an extraordinary rendition of Pearly Queen, from the second “Traffic” album. Band member Paul Booth played an inspiring flute solo followed by a mesmerizing organ solo by Winwood. The group played Buddy Miles classic rock and soul fusion song, Them Changes. Band guitarist Jose Pires de Almeida Neto played the classic funky rhythms of the song perfectly.

Much to the delight of many in the crowd, Winwood came out from behind his organ to take center stage on lead guitar for a selection of Blind Faith songs. These included Can't Find My Way Home and Had to Cry Today with an impressive guitar duel between Winwood and Neto.

Winwood then returned to the organ for one of the highlights of the evening an epic Traffic jam of The Low Spark of High Heeled Boys. The song has stood the test of time as one of the pivotal moments in jazz-rock, and the haunting rhythms continue to amaze and inspire musicians and music fans alike. The band handled the extended jam seamlessly with each player taking a solo turn, showcasing their skills.

The extended jam segued into Empty Pages, followed by the rock anthem Light Up or Leave Me Alone. Conga player Edwin Sanz and drummer Richard Bailey faced off for a percussion duel during this song. The set closed with Higher Love, the only song in the evening from Winwood's 1980's solo period.

For the encore, the Chumash Casino followed its tradition of letting music fans leave their seats and swarm the front of the stage. The band played the psychedelic rock classic Dear Mr. Fantasy, and the soul inspired rock classic Gimme Some Lovin.’ Although there were only 11 songs in the set, the extended jams brought the show to a nearly two-hour experience of some of the most classic songs in English rock history.

Four young Nashville based musicians brought their new band, Nightly to an excited crowd of mostly college-age music fans, at Velvet Jones nightclub last week. The group was formed by cousins Jonathan Capeci and Joey Beretta originally from Philadelphia. The pair had early success in a former band “Dinner And A Suit.” The two cousins eventually regrouped and enlisted Stephen Cunsolo and Nicholas Sainato to form Nightly.

The band had early success with the release of a single, “XO." The band's first EP, titled Honest, was later released in 2016. The EP contained four songs, with "XO" being the most significant. "XO" ended up getting over 2 million plates on Spotify, launching the band. The group has been touring extensively in 2017, even landing a much-coveted gig at the prestigious Bonnaroo music festival last June.

The show at Velvet Jones featured songs from the EP as well as new material. Singer Capeci has undeniably appealing vocal skills that seemed to mesmerize the mostly female audience at the club. The music had a retro feel to it almost like an electronic 80’s rock band. The group even had similarities to a young Killers sound. But with Capeci’s distinctive vocals the band had a signature all their own and seemed to connect well with their young fans. The showcase set lasted only an hour, but this young band seems poised to offer a wealth of new music in the future.

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 is on tour to celebrate the 40th anniversary of their fourth album Leftoverture, originally released in 1976. The album included the groups’ first big hit single “Carry On Wayward Son." The band is celebrating their 44th year of music making, with two of the organ members in the lineup, drummer Phil Ehart, and guitarist Rich Williams. Bassist Billy Greer has been in the band since their reformation in 1985. Violin player David Ragsdale joined the group in 1991. Singer and keyboardist Ronnie Platt took over lead singing duties in 2014 when original lead singer Steve Walsh retired. The band also added a second keyboardist that same year, David Manion. The current band is rounded out with a second guitarist, Zak Rizvi, who produced the band's last studio album, The Prelude Implicit, in 2016.

The group began quietly with a five-song acoustic set sans drummer Ehart. The near-perfect acoustics of the impressive venue was prominently on display during the acoustic set with crisp, clear vocals and guitar sounds filling the theater. The acoustic set included songs mostly from the bands 80’s offerings like 'Hold On" and "Chasing Shadows.”

Then Ehart joined the other six members of the band to create a wall of rocking jam band sounds for the rest of the night. The first electric set included a mix of some of the bands oldest songs like “Dust In The Wind,” with much of their latest album The Prelude Implicit.

Without leaving the stage, the band then launched into the final set of the night featuring the Leftoverture album in its entirety. The crowd then began to stand and sing along with the most well-known songs like “Carry On Wayward Son.”

The band ended the marathon concert with an encore song from the bands 1977 “Point of Know Return” album. The band began their career as an experimental progressive rock band, creating monumental jams during their live concerts. The current Kansas lineup continues the bands legacy with brilliant musicianship and a testament the music has stood the test of time.

Nederlander Concerts has scheduled other great shows at the Thousand Oaks Civic Center, including an upcoming show by Air Supply on September 24th.

Fans lined up well before the gates opened at the Vina Robles Amphitheater as a beautiful fall sunset painted the sky in myriad colors, Sunday, October 15th in Paso Robles. Arguably the best live music venue in California, the new amphitheater holds about 3000 people. There isn’t a bad seat in the house with a lawn section in the back, nearly as popular with patrons as front row tickets. In fact, as music fans funneled in early to the Lindsey Buckingham and Christine McVie concert, those holding general admission lawn tickets were offered free upgrades closer to the stage. But many preferred to stay in the back to lounge on blankets, enjoying the many offerings from the food and beverage bars.

The venue features a full wine bar where delicious local wine can be purchased by the glass or the bottle. The is also a beer bar with local brews on tap, a coffee bar, a full-service bar, snack bar with organic hamburgers, and wood burning pizza oven. The venue also features large areas of picnic tables and benches so patrons can lounge about the site at their leisure.

Most everyone was arriving for the classic rock show, one of the last concerts of the season, in high spirits. There was considerable camaraderie among the crowd with that relaxed small town feeling permeating the venue infecting both employees and patrons with beaming smiles. The security apologized for the extensive screening process introduced after the recent concert disaster in Las Vegas. But fans thanked the those screening them for keeping them safe time and again as they entered the venue.

The show began at twilight with a 30 minute set by Malibu-based band Wilderado. The four-piece band played some enjoyable tunes marked by pleasant harmonies and a classic rock feel in the vein of The Eagles. But it was the classic rock duo of Lindsey Buckingham and Christine McVie that the crowd was patiently waiting to see. The Fleetwood Mac veterans arrived on stage 15 minutes ahead of their scheduled 9 PM set time and proceeded to play a two hour set of 19 songs both from their new album and from the extensive Fleetwood Mac songbook. The duo opened their show with a three-song acoustic set without their band. McVie spent most of the night behind her keyboards but came out later in the evening to sing lead. The animated Buckingham began the night seated with an acoustic guitar, but had pranced about nearly every inch of the stage playing innovative guitar solos by the end of the night. The sound system hung high onto the top of the venue exploded to life with nearly perfect sound all throughout the place. The pair opened with Trouble, a song from Buckingham’s first solo album released in 1982, Law and Order. The crowd leaped to their feet for the next tune, Never Going Back Again, from Fleetwood Mac’s biggest hit album Rumors. That was followed by a lesser-known Fleetwood Mac song, Wish You Were Here, from the 1982 album Mirage, which had never been played live by the band before this year.

The four-man band then emerged to join Buckingham and McVie for a blistering version of Shut us Down from Buckingham’s 2006 solo album Under The Skin. The rest of the evening featured songs from Buckingham and McVie’s self-titled new album, interspersed with Fleetwood Mac classics. The backing band of veteran musicians featured, Neale Heywood on guitars and background vocals, Brett Tuggle on Keyboards, Guitars and background vocals, Frederico Pol on bass guitar and background vocals, and explosive drummer, Jimmy Paxson.

Buckingham did most of the talking during the evening between songs, explaining how the new album and the tour of the duo had come to fruition. “The first surprise happened a few years back, Christine had taken leave of the band Fleetwood Mac for… how long?”

“It was a long time, 15 years,” McVie answered, in one of the few times that McVie chatted with the crowd. “And the second surprise was that as a byproduct of returning to Fleetwood Mac, she began getting back into her creative process and sending me bits of song ideas across the pond from London over to Los Angeles. Of course, me being me, I did what I wanted with them."

The new songs blended perfectly with the Fleetwood Mac classics, and at times it was hard to tell if the band was playing something off the new album or a more obscure Fleetwood Mac song like the aforementioned, Wish You Were Here. But, of course, the crowd was elated to hear the most well-known Fleetwood Mac hits like the thunderous Tusk, with McVie on accordion or the classic jam rock of Go Your Own Way, with Buckingham’s searing guitar solos.

The show ended near 11 pm with a three-song encore also featuring a mix of Fleetwood Mac and new songs. It was a nearly perfect evening, a bottle of Pinot Noir, slice of gourmet pizza and two hours of incredible music under the stars and crisp, clean air of the Vina Robles Amphitheater.

The final concert of the season features Morrissey on November 5th.

Some of the biggest names in Heavy Metal music brought 50,000 people to the sixth annual Aftershock Music Festival in Sacramento. A cold front moved through the region days before the event began, blowing away the smokey skies that had engulfed Sacramento from the devastating fires in the nearby wine country. The cold front gave way to nearly perfect weather for the two-day festival, with warm sunny days and cool nights prevailing. The event takes place in the beautiful tree lines Discovery Park on the edge of the Sacramento River.

Aftershock began as a single day festival, with a modest main stage headlined by the Stone Temple Pilots with Scott Weiland and a tiny second platform, with relatively unknown bands at the time like the Hollywood Undead. This year’s festival featured a massive two-day lineup, headlined by Nine Inch Nails and Ozzy Osbourne, on two massive main stages and one smaller one.

The festival grounds also featured dozens of food and beverage stands, gourmet food trucks, and artisan stalls. By early afternoon on the first day, Heavy metal hitmakers were already performing on the main stages. “Nothing More” brought their high energy show to an already burgeoning crowd, fronted by Jonny Hawkins on lead vocals and additional percussions. Hawkins had a giant hydraulic drum kit that he would ride, like a contraption from a mad max movie. The crowd loved the performance surging towards the stage. The crowd on the first day was most older adult music fans, probably due to a line up with veteran alternative metal bands like “Nine Inch Nails” and “A Perfect Circle.”

“The Eagles of Death Metal” played an emotionally inspiring show, endearing themselves to the crowd early on. Lead singer and guitarist Jesse Hughes rode onstage on a tiny bicycle to kick things off.  The desert rockers opened their set with a blistering version of Magic with a guest appearance by Mastodon guitarist Brent Hinds. Gojira brought their French version of hardcore heavy metal to the stage next in a blaring afternoon sun. The sweaty crowd screamed their approval as the band played some of their most intense songs including, Flying Whales and Only Pain. Drummer Mario Duplantier showed the audience why he deserved the Loudwire award as the best Heavy metal drummer of the year. Georgia based heavy metal rockers Mastodon also played a blistering mid-afternoon set. The band have become music festival veterans and always deliver a robust set.

As the sun dipped below the horizon and the park was painted in a beautiful orange afterglow, the music switched to Hip Hop as Run The Jewels took the stage. The fiesta rappers, Killer Mike and El-P, drew a huge crowd. The band played the hit songs that have made them so famous like Stay Gold and Legend Has It.

As evening fell and temperatures cooled to jacket weather, A Perfect Circle exploded to life in a cacophony of moody metal sound and stroking backlight. As usual, the enigmatic lead singer Maynard Keenan, lingered mostly in the shadows in the back of the stage, while guitarist Billy Howerdel and bassist Matt McJunkins maniacally raced about the front of the stage. Guitarist James Iha and drummer Jeff Friedl round out the alternative metal powerhouse.

The first day ended with a dramatic evening set by one of the most intense hardcore bands in music Nine Inch Nails. Since 1988 Trent Reznor has brought his dark vision of hardcore industrial metal music to life. The current incarnation of the group is one of the most intense and melodic at the same time, from the many lineups that Reznor has organized over the years. With over two dozen former members. Reznor has drawn on many talents to produce the sounds of NIN. The massive show at Aftershock featured blinding lights, immense fog machines, and an enormous sound system, blaring the extreme noise across the park. Reznor tore through some of his most significant hit songs and new material including Wish, March of the Pigs, and Something I Can Never Have.

The crowd for day two of the festival was even bigger than the first day. The audience also appeared to be significantly younger the second day, possibly drawn by the many new waves of metal bands on the second-day roster. Despite an early afternoon set in the blaring sun, the Space metal band Starset produced an eye-popping show full of special effects. The innovative group sounding like a cross between Arcade Fire and Metallica, featured creative video, giant smoke volleys, led spacesuits synched to the music and more, to produce a fascinating Sci-Fi version of metal. The band played music from their themed new album including "Into the Unknown," "Satellite," and “Telescope."

Suicidal Tendencies brought the only real hardcore punk music to the festival next. The band fronted by lead singer Mike Muir, the only original member of the Venice California skate punk band formed in 1980. The group unleashed an explosion of crowd surfing and mosh pit dancing fans that persisted through the rest of the afternoon.

The Los Angeles based Butcher Babies had the next set which was cut short by technical difficulties. But that didn’t keep the group led by Heidi Shepherd and Carla Harvey from performing an explosive headbanging set that had the sweltering crowd moshing and crowd surfing en masse. The band was one of many the second day highlighting a strong showing by female metal rockers taking the lead role.

In late afternoon the Hollywood Undead played an explosive main stage set with a much more massive crowd than their performance at the festival six years earlier. The audience responded well to this year's show with thousands surging towards the stage. Moshing and crowd surfing seemed to reach a fever pitch as the band tore through their triumphant set.

The next set featured Halestorm, fronted by another charismatic female singer, Lzzy Hale. When the band won their first Grammy in 2012 for best hard rock/metal performance for Love Bites (So Do I), Lzzy became the female to earn a Grammy in that category. Since then the talented singer has transformed herself into a powerhouse rocker on the cutting edge of new metal music. Combining elements reminiscent of Pat Benatar and Neil Giraldo classic hard rock with modern speed metal, the band produces a rich musical soundtrack that wowed the crowd in Discovery Park.

Another charismatic female vocalist led the next set by the metal band In This Moment. The Goth metal band put on the most intricate and intriguing show of the day, with all members of the group in full gothic makeup and costumes. Lead singer Maria Brink began the show emerging from a red tent topped by a white cross. Her with like persona was worshiped by a pair of masked female minions. The show featured all sorts of ritual happenstance and special effects. But the impressive metal sound and competent vocals are what made the show so compelling. The only downside was that the performance took place in late afternoon, bleaching out many of the special effects in harsh sunlight.

The next band to play the main stage was the Dallas based hardcore metal band Power Trip. The band just won the Loudwire music awards Metal song of the year, with “Executioner’s Tax.” The group played straightforward metal music without a lot of special effects, garnishing a massive mosh pit response from the enormous crowd. Thrash metal band Five Finger Death Punch played the next set as the sun set on the park. It was evident that the cocky Las Vegas band was the main reason many of the youngest fans had come to the second day of Aftershock. As the rambunctious group riled up the crowd with their antics, young fans surged towards the stage in mass. Security guards could be seen pulling some exhausted concert goers from the oppressive crowd.

As twilight engulfed the venue, the godfather of heavy metal music, Ozzy Osbourne arrived onstage to play the final set of the festival. One of the hardest working singers in show business, the lead singer of Black Sabbath, recently finished a nearly four-year-long final world tour with the legendary metal band. But he is already back on the road with his band, featuring the return of Zak Wylde on guitar for the first time in a decade. Ozzy opened the 75-minute set with Bark at the Moon. The set contained the singers biggest solo hits, as well as some Sabbath classics, including Crazy Train, Mr. Crowley, and I Don’t Know. It was a fitting end to California’s premier metal festival.

FestForums returns to Santa Barbara for a three-day conference at the Fess Parker Doubletree Resort, November 16-18th. The event is described as “a festival conference for food, beverage, music, and film festival industry leaders. Addressing cutting-edge technology, talent, ticketing, sponsorships, scheduling, merchandising, operations, sustainability, charitable work, innovation, and safety, FestForums® brings together festivals and events of all sizes for collaboration and professional development.”

But what the conference which takes place in New York and Santa Barbara every year, really strive to be is a think tank for new ideas and innovations in the organization of festivals of all kinds. Whether attendees are young students looking to get into the industry or veteran promoters looking to expand their productions, the festival has seminars of interest to all.

In addition to the many seminars, attendees will be treated to a multimedia extravaganza, including the Cinetransformer. “Attendees will relax and enjoy this one of a kind cinematic experience with complimentary movie theater snacks in an ultramodern “cinema on wheels." Cinetransformer was recently recognized by the Golden Trade Leaders in Paris with a Golden Trophy in Technology and has partnered with leaders in the film industry such as Warner Brothers, Paramount, Universal, and Disney XD.”

The festival will also present a screening of the film, American Epic with a Q&A featuring the producer and director. The film was executive produced by Jack White, T. Bone Burnett and Robert Redford and examines forgotten American musical history and reconnects it with some of today's musical pop stars. The event, situated in the Fess Parker resort on the edge of the Pacific Ocean will also feature plenty of time for networking and socializing with gourmet meals, happy hours and entertainment scheduled for the three-day conference.

Some of the most prominent stars of Heavy Metal and Hard Rock music descended on the Novo theater in the LA Live entertainment complex, for the Loudwire music awards and concert. The first annual event replaces the former Golden God awards show that used to take place in the same venue, formerly known as the Nokia club. After a several year hiatus, the show is back under their new moniker.

The festivities began early on one of the hottest days of the year in Los Angeles, which happened to be the first day of the World Series of Baseball at nearby Dodger Stadium. By the time the first musicians arrived to stroll down the black carpet in mid-afternoon the temperature had soared to 103 degrees. As the long line of presenters and performers swelled on the carpet, veteran rockers mingled with the newest performers on the Heavy Metal charts in a sweltering mass. Bright lights and camera flashes engulfed the tightly packed group of musicians, who desperately tried to maintain a rose persona while chatting with the gauntlet of reporters.

Inside the Novo, the theater was a much more pleasant environment, with the plush air-conditioned venue offering up multi-level full bars, a VIP lounge, and state of the art light and sound for the event. The show began with a live performance by the legendary lead singer of Judas Priest, Rob Halford going the new Goth metal band In This Moment. Halford sang a dark duet with the charismatic lead singer of the group Maria Brink, parodying Billy Idol’s song White Wedding. The groups take on the song changed the lyrics to Black Wedding. In This Moment is known for preforming in a dark gothic style complete with all sorts of theatrical accouterments. The explosive opening song was one of the highlights of the long evening of music and awards and set the pattern of performances featuring veteran rockers joining newer bands from hardcore genres. The band also played a song from their latest album Ritual.

Host Chris Jericho opened the awards part of the show next. The feisty Jericho wears two hats, one as a professional wrestler, the other as the lead singer of the hard rock group Fozzy. The evening dialogue was chock full of irreverent and sophomoric humor belying a hardcore rock event. But the mostly irrelevant chatter was punctuated with heartfelt tributes and uplifting speeches. Members of Steel Panthers and Eddie Money teamed up to present the first award to Zakk Wylde for best guitarist.

The next music set featured Ice T leading his genre-bending breakthrough band Body Count in the new song No Lives Matter from their new album Bloodlust. The architect of Megadeath, Dave Mustaine was a significant contributor to the new album, and fittingly he appeared to play with the band on their second song from the new album, Civil War. The song opens the new album featuring Mustaine’s voice and exquisite guitar riffs.

More awards followed including an exceptional courage award to the godfather of heavy metal guitar, Tony Iommi of Black Sabbath. Iommi was the hand model for the awards trophy a cast of his hand with the iconic “Hand of Doom” heavy metal salute. A short video examined the process of making the trophy and the story behind the award. Iommi had worked in a factory in England before becoming a musician and had his hand mangled by a machine. The determined musician rehabilitated himself becoming the premier metal guitarist in the world.

Texas rockers Nothing More played the next set just returning from their triumphant performance at this year's Aftershock Festival in Sacramento. The band led singer Jonny Hawkins, opened with Go to War which morphed into a Skrillex tune, First of The Year. Skrillex began his music career as a punk rock guitarist before becoming an EDM star and probably would have enjoyed the Nothing More version of his song. Hawkins then rode his giant hydraulic percussion machine that looked like a device found in a Mad Max movie. The band ended the night with a salute to Chris Cornell playing the Audioslave tune, Show Me How to Live. The group was joined by singer Aaron Pauley from Of Mice And Men for the intriguing cover song.

More awards followed for veteran rockers including Rob Halford, who received the Lemmy Lifetime Achievement Award. Sporting a Lemmy T-shirt, Halford honored the former lead singer of Motorhead, who passed away in 2015. Halford also thanked the fans for being the “lifeblood of what we do.”

Space rockers Starset played the next set, performing songs from their Vessels album. The innovative group brought their unique performance to Los Angeles, also just back from an impressive Aftershock appearance. The creative band was sounding like a cross between Arcade Fire and Metallica, featured innovative video, giant smoke volleys, led spacesuits synched to the music and more, to produce a fascinating Si Fi version of metal.

After another round of awards, the new hardcore band Power Trip took the stage to perform a high energy set. The band had just won the award for the best new metal song, “Executioner’s Tax (Swing of the Axe),” which they opened with. The band was joined by Hatebreed’s Jamey Jasta for an explosive cover of Motorhead’s We Are The Road Crew.

Lzzy Hale of Halestorm gave the most emotional speech of the evening next while accepting the Best Vocalist award for Chester Bennington of Linkin Park. Hale, who wrote a song about the beloved singer who recently committed suicide, tearfully injected, "All of us, we have terrible beasts and demons and vices that we battle daily. And as humans, we have a responsibility to everybody, to each other to lift each other up. We are in this fight together.” Sammy Hagar then received the Humanitarian Award for his volunteer efforts that have raised nearly 4 million dollars for multiple charities. The good-natured Hagar urged music fans to volunteer and help others. Hagar shouted out to the Grateful Web fans on the Black Carpet. The singer wanted to honor Jerry Garcia's 75th birthday and can be seen in the new Grateful Dead documentary, "The Other One: The Long Strange Trip of Bob Weir."

Halestorm then took the stage for the most uplifting set of the night, beginning with a cover of Soundgarden’s Fell On Black Days, in honor of Chris Cornell, who also committed suicide this summer. Then lead singer Hale, who is the new face of female hard rock, welcomed iconic veteran female rocker Lita Ford, as well as New Years Day's Ash Costello, Huntress' Jill Janus, Pearl's Pearl Aday, Sick Puppies' Emma Anzai, Stitched Up Heart's Mixi Demner and Butcher Babies' Carla Harvey and Heidi Shepherd, all to sing with the band. The band launched into The Runaways classic, Cherry Bomb, honoring Ford and her groundbreaking band.

After another flurry of awards New York’s speed metal veterans, Anthrax took the stage for a blistering mini set. The band opened with their classic Caught in a Mosh, that launched the crowd into a mosh pit frenzy. The band then surprised everyone with a classic rock cover of Carry On My Wayward Son, by progressive rockers Kansas.

Following the final awards segment, the band many young fans came to see, Avenged Sevenfold performed a blistering four-song set. Avenged had just won both the Metal Artist of the year and Metal Album of the year awards and were clearly the crowd favorites. The band played “The Stage,” ”Nightmare,” “God Damn” and “Hail to the King,” ending the marathon evening of music and awards on a high note.

Courage Award (Presented by Ultimate Classic Rock) - Tony Iommi

Lemmy Lifetime Achievement Award (Presented by Eagle Rock) - Rob Halford

Humanitarian Award (Presented by AXS TV) - Sammy Hagar

Hard Rock Artist of the Year (Presented by Frontiers Records) - Stone Sour

Metal Artist of the Year (Presented by BlackCraft) - Avenged Sevenfold

Hard Rock Album of the Year (Presented by The Music Experience) - Stone Sour, Hydrograd

Metal Album of the Year – (Presented by Razor & Tie) - Avenged Sevenfold, The Stage

Best Guitarist (Presented by PRS Guitars) - Zakk Wylde (Solo, Zakk Sabbath)

Breakthrough Band of the Year (Presented by Apple Music) - Beartooth

Best Bassist (Presented by Indigo Hotels) - Steve Harris (Iron Maiden)

Metal Song of the Year (Presented by Apple Music) - Power Trip’s “Executioner’s Tax”

Hard Rock Song of the Year (Presented by Apple Music) - I Prevail’s “Alone”

Best Live Band (Presented by eOne) - Iron Maiden

Best Vocalist (Presented by Fearless Records) - Chester Bennington (Linkin Park)

Best Drummer (Presented by Rockin’ Roastin’ Coffee) - Mario Duplantier (Gojira)

Best New Artist (Presented by Century Media) - Greta Van Fleet

Most Dedicated Fans (Presented by BMG/RISE) - Babymetal

Stephen and Ziggy Marley came to the Orpheum Theater in downtown Los Angeles on November 1, to perform a unique concert celebrating the 40th anniversary of their fathers classic Reggae album, Exodus.  The ornate venue in the heart of the original theater district of America’s movie capital was slow to fill up on this sultry night. It was the final night of the World Series of Baseball, just several miles away at Dodger Stadium and the band delayed the show for nearly an hour. As sports fans in nearby bars huddled around televisions, it became apparent early on that the hometown favorites were destined to lose. The theater finally began to fill to capacity, and the show got underway.

The evening began with the core band onstage under demure lighting. Stephen and Ziggy traded vocals on a three-song set of Bob Marley classics that were not from the Exodus album. The legendary music producer Don Was sat barefoot and crossed legged on the stage playing bass. New Orleans veteran drummer Terence Higgins from the Dirty Dozen Brass Band and the fellow New Orleans legend Cyril Neville played percussions. A pair of guitarists and keyboard players also made up the house band.  The core group played the three Marley classics, Could You Be Loved, Small Axe and Redemption Song, before launching into Exodus.

The classic Bob Marley masterpiece has recently been reworked and re-released by Ziggy to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the iconic album. As the stage lights came up and a litany of pop stars lined up to join the action, the sold-out audience leaped to their feet, beginning a Reggae danceathon that lasted until the final note was played. Stephen Marley took over lead vocals on the first song, So Much Things to Say followed by Cyril Neville taking the microphone on Guiltiness.

Then the impressive lineup of guest musicians appeared one by one to take over as frontmen for a song or two. Citizen Cope came out next sing a blue-eyed soul version of The Heathen. Stephen Marley again took the lead after that, on a dance inspiring version of Jammin. Lead vocals next went to R&B master Aloe Blacc playing a soulful version of Wait in Vain. The musical composition took another big turn on the next song when the lead singer of My Morning Jacket, Jim James came out to play an almost psychedelic mini set. First, he sang vocals on Turn Your Lights Down Low.  Then Aloe Black returned to the stage and did an intriguing duet with James on Three Little Birds. James later joined in the jam playing a trippy fuzzed out guitar.

Then the Marley brothers took over the vocals for a duet sing along, that had the audience erupting in harmony on the universally known, One Love/People Get Ready. Then the energy reached a fever pitch as the massive chandeliers hanging from the ceilings were shaken by the intense guitar riffs of Tom Morello. The guitar legend and political activist played a wailing guitar solo, Stephen Marley sang Exodus. Morello got a roar from the crowd as he flipped his guitar over revealing a Fuck Trump sticker on the back at the height of his solo. It was a fitting finale to the set and one of the only real political moments of the night.

After a short break, the band returned for an encore of other Bob Marley classics. The group led by both Marley’s began with All Day, All Night. Then blues guitar master Gary Clark Jr. joined them to sing and play a wailing guitar on No Woman, No Crime. Later Tom Morello returned to the stage joining Gary Clarke Jr. on dueling guitars while Ziggy sang I Shot the Sheriff.  The stage was then engulfed with all the musicians who had performed throughout the evening for a final sing-along finale of, “Get Up, Stand Up,” as the audience sang and danced.

It was an inspiring night of music organized by Blackbird Presents, the same company that, earlier this year, held tribute concerts for The Band’s “The Last Waltz 40th Anniversary” and before that Little Feat’s “Waiting For Columbus.” The show was a testament to the genius of Bob Marley and the timeless music that he left for generations of music lovers.

The former Fess Parker resort hotel hosted a very unusual gathering of music, film, food and beverage festival heavy hitting organizers, at the three-day Fest Forums convention. The event, held annually in Santa Barbara, opened at the oceanfront resort, Thursday, November 16th, on one of the first drizzly days of the fall season. The festivities kicked off the night before, with a pre-party sponsored by TOURtech. The company is celebrating their 15th anniversary as one of the leading providers of network solutions for special events and productions. The third-floor suite with a spectacular view of the Santa Barbara coastline, became an informal meeting place for convention attendees over the next few days, offering up an all day and late night open bar. The unusual gathering was rendered even more surreal by the massive ongoing hotel remodeling project being undertaken by the resort. The entire lobby and reception areas have been gutted and boarded up. The back-service alleys usually never seen by hotel guest have become the walkways connecting the various parts of the hotel still open to the public. The remodeling project is scheduled to be completed next May, and it sounds like the name will sadly no longer include the affection moniker, The Fess Parker. That name, which so many locals have come to know the grand hotel by, will be replaced with the new name Santa Barbara Hilton Beachfront Resort.

The convention, which opened early on Thursday with coffee, pastries, fresh fruit and a large exhibit hall, was unlike most any other conference. With nearly as many celebrities and speakers in attendance as there were audience members, participants quickly realized their unique opportunity of unprecedented access to most everyone involved. For new festival planners, promoters and pure fans of the arts it was a valuable opportunity to engage in meaningful dialogue.

The festival featured two simultaneous lecture halls as well as the bustling exhibit hall. In addition to the lectures, the Cinematransformer situated in the hotel parking lot featured ongoing film presentations. The showings came complete with QandA sessions with the directors of the films. As the name implies, the Cinetransformer is a mobile, state of the art movie theater.

The festival lectures began with opening remarks by Elizabeth Mackay, delegate for the Québec Government Office in Los Angeles and the Québec Trade Office in Silicon Valley. The representative of the government of Quebec shared the regions affinity for all types of festivals, big and small, and the government's commitment to developing the arts in a business-friendly environment. The first panel then took the stage for the opening discussion, "PURPOSEFUL FESTIVALS AND THE ADAPTING FESTIVAL CULTURE." The discussion centered around an idea that eventually became the universal theme of the three-day convention, that a festival, regardless of what genre, should have a meaningful and purposeful theme and direction. The overwhelming message offered up by speakers at the convention seemed to be a call to social awareness through the medium of festivals. The first panel was moderated by Kevin Lyman, the maverick promoter that has brought more young bands and music fans together than any other promoter, through his revolutionary music festival, The Warped Tour. The music festival was founded in 1995 and is the longest running traveling festival in North America. The festival has been the first exposure to live music for generations of young music lovers, with affordable ticket prices and venues and bands geared towards a young audience. The festival also creates an unprecedented communal environment, that enabled a huge number of bands to participate, that normally would not have the opportunity to reach such large and enthusiastic crowds. The event works much like a traveling carnival, and all band members from openers to headliners are expected to take turns cooking and feeding the massive staff, creating a gigantic family atmosphere. Lyman just announced that 2018 will be the final year of the hugely successful Warped Tour. Much to the delight of local music fans he also revealed that the festival would be returning to Ventura County Fairgrounds for the first time in several years. The Fairgrounds are an easy Amtrak train ride for music lovers in Santa Barbara. The last train returns from Ventura just as the festival ends at dusk making it a perfect fit for inspired festival goers. Lyman emphasized during the discussion that it is important “To make your festival stand for something.” Members of the panel also included John Trumble who is the managing director of the New York City Wine and Food Festival. The massive annual four-day event raises money for various food charities, according to Trumble, with 100% of the money raised going to help feed those in need. Veronica Amador brought her years of experience freelancing for the biggest festivals in the country including Coachella to the discussion. Her love of the festival experience has led her to form her own company, which produces unique immersive events like the One Love Festival in Lake Perris. Also on the panel was C R Capers, the Founder of Revolution Media, which is a “new media” company that “leverages social media and large-scale events to change the narrative." C R is referred to as a "new media socialite.” She is the founder of the Hip Hop Film Festival, named “BEST OF THE FESTS” for 2016. She talked about the importance of creating a social media buzz and using tools like free apps to get the message out and create a buzz for an event. Young promoter, David Beame also shared his expertise. The Event Director at the Global Poverty Project, a non-profit organization, working towards ending extreme poverty by 2030, he added insight into the importance of social media in creating a community.  According to Fest Forums “In his role, David oversees the major events for the Global Citizen brand including event and broadcast production of the Global Citizen Festival, an annual 60,000-person festival on the Great Lawn, Central Park that coincides with the United Nations General Assembly and features the world’s most popular artists, celebrities and world leaders.” The final member of the panel included, Zach Tetreault, the drummer and sax player of electronic art rock band Hundred Waters. He is also the Co-Founder of FORM Arcosanti festival. The event is held annually in Arizona. Now in its fifth year, FORM has challenged the model of modern music festivals with its unusual application process and minimal impact initiatives.

While this fascinating lecture was taking place, a separate talk was happening simultaneously, with the organizers of the Glastonbury festival. The Commercial Director of the iconic festival, Robert Richards chatted with the CEO of See tickets, Rob Wilmshurst discussing the process of selling the cherished tickets for the event. The template of modern day music festivals, Glastonbury sells out each year in less than 15 minutes. The pair discussed the evolution of the ticketing process and how they now have a pre-registration database, where fans must submit photos to register, providing more security for the festival and ticketing process.

Lectures continued all throughout the day including music festival discussions, a celebrity chef book signing and review and an insightful interview with actress and activist Frances Fisher. There were so many intellectually stimulating conversations going on the first day of the event it was almost an overwhelming experience for festival attendees. Many welcomed the happy hour and after hours open bar to unwind.

A cloudy morning gave way to a spectacular sunny day on the Santa Barbara coastline as the second day of the Fest Forums conference opened at the new Santa Barbara Hilton Beachfront Resort, formerly known as the Fess Parker hotel. The schedule was overflowing with fascinating lectures, intriguing films, delicious food breaks, and was capped off with some excellent music from iconic keyboardist Chuck Leavell.

One particularly insightful lecture took place in early afternoon entitled, “Solving Special Challenges of Smaller/niche Film Festivals.” Shawn Guthrie, the manager for the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, suggested upcoming event organizers, “Know their festival," and can articulate their vision of what the event is supposed to encapsulate. Carl Spence, the founder of the College of Creative Studies, suggested to “be prepared as anything can go wrong. Take care of your people. Word of mouth is the most important advertisement.” He also suggested using APPS like Slack. Slack is a cloud-based set of team collaboration tools and services. Director Michael Nash shared his experiences working with celebrities. He suggested taking special care of these high-profile guests as they may have half a million followers or more on social media and can spread the word about your project much more efficiently than advertising. Nash shared a story where an intern had watched one of the films coming to a small-town film festival. The intern noticed that the Governor appeared in the film and suggested the festival contact the Governers office asking him if he would attend the festival. The statesman agreed to come and introduce the film, and the whole town turned out for the relatively small festival. CR Capers, creator of the Hip Hop Film Festival, among other things was all over the conference again on Friday. In this lecture, she suggested, “Try to think outside the box. For example, don’t spend five thousand dollars on a walkie-talkie communication system if the event is on a tight budget. Instead use whatever social media works, Facebook, Twitter, or Snapchat on cell phones. Don’t worry about appearances. Don’t worry about keeping up with the Joneses.”

There were many other great conversations throughout the second day of the festival including a distinguished panel of successful women in the arts, discussing how to make a difference in the entertainment industry. The universal theme of Fest Forums of giving back to the community in one form or another was stressed by all the prominent people on this panel.

For music fans, the highlight of day two came during the keynote lecture, by Chuck Leavell, which turned into a performance and storytelling session. The master keyboardist flew in from Europe where he has been touring with The Rolling Stones. A singer and songwriter, as well as the go-to keyboardist for some of the biggest names in classic rock, Leavell told endearing anecdotes about his career in rock. The stories were punctuated with performances of songs representing the different periods of his music from his rise to fame with The Allman Brothers Band to his work with “The world’s greatest rock and roll band," The Rolling Stones. Leavell revealed that he had learned to play piano from lessons that his mother Frances gave him as a child. At a young age, he announced to her that “When I grow up I want to be a musician. She answered back, son you can’t do both.” In addition to his stories and songs from days in The Alman Brothers and The Stones, he also shared memories and songs from his collaborations with Sea Level, Eric Clapton, George Harrison and Roger Waters, among others. In keeping with the theme of Fest Forums, Leavell also shared his other passion, Tree farming, and conservation. Leavell became a tree farmer when his wife inherited land in Georgia. Together they created Charlane Plantation, now a 2500-acre award-winning Tree Farm.

The evening ended with another happy hour and open bar as well as a celebrity chef dinner outside in the hotel courtyard on a beautiful fall night.

On the third and final day of this year's Fest Forums in Santa Barbara a small army of celebrities turned up for the celebration. It was a full day of films, lectures, food, wine tasting, and great live music. The morning got off to a sleepy start as vendors began closing the exhibit hall and the early birds to the convention sipped coffee and ate fresh fruit and pastries.

There were only a few dozen attendees in their seats when the first lecture of the day started in mid-morning. But by the time the two elder statesman of music festivals finished their conversation entitled Glastonbury versus Woodstock, the meeting room was nearly full. Robert Richards, the commercial director for Glastonbury and iconic music festival promoter, Michael Lang, the co-founder of Woodstock engaged in a riveting conversation about the history of the two legendary festivals. The exchange was moderated by Elliot Lefko, the president of Golden Voice/AEG. The combined company is responsible for some of the most successful festivals n the country, including the prestigious Coachella festival. While Lang grew up in Brooklyn, Richards hailed from London. But when the young English boy was only 12 years old he flew across the pond to attend the original Woodstock concert in 1969. Lang was wavy enough to realize that making a documentary film of the event was important, which launched Woodstock into international notoriety. He had worked on a documentary the year before at the 1968 Miami pop music festival. Richards shared the history of Glastonbury 47 years ago, which started as a money-losing venture. But promoters were convinced that music festivals were a very British thing and that only they were the only ones that would put up with the rainy, muddy conditions that are most common in Great Britan. Richards quipped “The 40th anniversary of the festival in 2010 was the only year it didn’t rain, and fans hated it.” Apparently, it was a record-breaking heat wave, and festival fans preferred the rain and the mud. Lefko reminds the pair of promoters that both their festivals initially failed financially, as did the first Coachella fans. But they were such a hit with music fans they built a loyal base of followers, that eventually translated into profitable ventures. Lang also shared the news that there will be a 50th anniversary Woodstock festival in 2019. Richards shared many stories of Glastonbury including how the founder got T Rex to play the first festival at the last minute when The Kinks pulled out. The farm owner and would be music producer paid T Rex from the profits in the milk from the cows on the farm every two weeks until he had paid the performer back. Now the festival makes a profit of about 2 million pounds a year. Richards joked “yeah about two million dollars,” alluding to the dropping pound. All the profits are donated to Greenpeace and 750 local charities. Lang talked about how they had to set up a water purification system at Woodstock, and the lake level dropped about three feet.

One of the most popular lectures of the day featured a discussion on cannabis and its commercial incorporation into the festival world. One event offered wine and pot pairings to sample different flavors. But the closing keynote lecture was the one that filled the lecture hall with celebrities and convention-goers alike. Multi-talented musician and music producer T Bone Burnett was interviewed about his life’s accomplishments by the film impresarios, the Cohen brothers. As Jeff Bridges and other film and music stars looked on, the brothers coaxed anecdotes out of Burnett about his undertakings, including his collaborations with the Cohens. There was a discussion of how Burnett and the Cohens have not embraced the transition from analog to digital technology in their respective mediums. “Recorded music is a petrochemical process. Vinyl is the best medium and lasts the longest,” Burnett offered. The music master also shared some projects on his wish list including two historic American musical groups that have focused his attention of late. The first, The Fisk Jubilee Singers are an African-American a cappella singing group, consisting of students from Fisk University. The group was organized in 1871 to help raise funds for college for young former slaves and their children. Their early repertoire consisted mostly of traditional spirituals but also included some Stephen Foster songs. Burnett also mentioned that when the band toured England and played for the Queen in the 19th century, the Queen asked where the soulful singers had originated. When they told her they were from Nashville, she apparently gave the Tennessee town, the moniker Music City, which has endured. Burnett also revealed that he was inspired to pursue the work of “the father” of American music Stephen Foster. The songwriter who wrote over 200 songs, some of which are the most popular in American music, started a music school in Nashville in 1932. The school produced some of the most influential music writers in American music including Woody Guthrie.

The convention ended on a high note with an awards ceremony outside in the hotel courtyard followed by a concert by local pop star Kenny Loggins and English singer Judith Owen. The festival awards honored winners in nine categories and included actress Frances Fisher, T Bone Burnett, Chuck Leavell and Kenny Loggins. Local actor and musician, Jeff Bridges was the presenter of some of the awards. Earlier, in the day director Susan Kucera showed a preview of her new film “Living in The Futures Past.” The beautifully filmed nature film and a documentary on the philosophy of energy consumption were narrated by Bridges. The academy award winning actor has engaged in a number of social causes and charities. He spoke at length about his shared passions when introducing the awards for Loggins and Burnett, both well known for their tireless work on behalf of multiple charity and fund-raising events. Both Loggins and Bridges are well known in the Santa Barbara area for their social work especially providing food banks for needy residents.

As a spectacular sunset painted the oceanfront courtyard in myriad colors, Kenny Loggins played a very special concert consisting of some of his biggest hit songs. Convention attendees sampled wines from across California while Loggins serenaded them. Tourists passing through the open courtyard were astounded to see the pop star playing for the intimate gathering and took copious selfies. Loggins told an endearing anecdote about his hit song, “House at Pooh Corner.” He had written the song, but Disney didn’t want his band at the time (Nitty Gritty Dirt Band) to record it as they had acquired the rights to the Winnie The Pooh story. I was going out on a date one night, and I mentioned the song to my girlfriend, "I'm bummed tonight because I thought I had my first song recorded, and it's not gonna happen. The Disney lawyers put the kibosh on it." She looked at him and said, "Disney lawyers? Let me talk to my daddy about that." I did not know that I was dating the daughter of the CEO of the Disney corporation Loggins shared gleefully.

Welsh singer-songwriter Judith Owen, fresh off a tour opening for Brian Ferry, closed the convention with a haunting set of tunes, combining elements of jazz, pop and blues music. Now hailing from New Orleans, the influences of the Big Easy could be heard in her music. The singer-keyboardist was backed up by a talented percussionist and three-piece string section that gave an intriguing dimension to her performance.

David Cassidy a pop music icon of the 1970s, died November 21, in a Florida hospital near his home. The singer, guitarist, and actor was only 67 and had been hospitalized for several days with organ failure. At the height of his career, the teen idol had a number one hit song; I Think I Love You and toured stadiums and arenas worldwide. His success sprang from his appearance on the television show, The Partridge Family, which was hugely successful for four years. The show debuted in 1970 and followed a musical family struggling to survive as a family rock band.

After his mercurial success, the life as a teen idol took a toll on young Cassidy, and he began developing substances use issues and suffered from depression. His depression worsened after a 1974 incident. During a concert at London's White City Stadium on May 26, 1974, nearly 800 people were injured in a stampede at the front of the stage. Thirty were taken to the hospital, and one 14-year-old year old died.

Cassidy reinvented himself in later years as a Broadway singing star, a Las Vegas performer, and finally as a touring pop musician on the nostalgia circuit. Cassidy was once asked what his favorite song was and he indicated The Thrill is Gone by B.B. King. But in reality, he never lost the thrill of performing. Early this year the singer announced he had early onset Dementia. But that did not stop him from playing at the B.B. King Blues Club in New York in March. The singer not only chatted about his Dementia but also revealed that arthritis was making it hard for him to play guitar. But the consummate performer soldiered on to the end, endearing him to his loyal fans.

He had been hospitalized for several days with organ failure. Cassidy announced his diagnosis with dementia in early 2017. He performed at the B.B. King Blues Club & Grill in New York in March, talking about his dementia, and said his arthritis made playing guitar an ordeal.

The Jerry Douglas Band brought their innovative new music to the prestigious Troubadour nightclub in Los Angeles on November 13. The band is on a national tour promoting their new album, “What If.” The band was led by one of the most well-known veteran resonator and lap steel slide guitar players in American music. The singer-songwriter and master guitarist has recorded 14 albums and won 14 Grammys. But his work has appeared on more than 1,600 albums by many of pop music’s' biggest stars. Although Douglas is well known for his country and bluegrass Americana musical roots, he has led his latest band of masterful musicians into the realm of jazz, rock, and blues.

The show at the Troubadour showcased much of the band's new album. The band launched into jazz drenched jams that were more akin to the music of the Mahavishnu Orchestra than to that of their Nashville roots. Douglas told compelling anecdotes between songs about his illustrious career on the road. The band would then launch into songs off the new album like a cover of the Billy Roberts song Hey Joe, which was made famous in the rock world by Jimi Hendrix. In addition to the lead vocals and searing guitar skills on display by Douglas, the backing band offered up exquisite jams and solos of their own. The impressive group included Doug Belote on drums, Daniel Kimbro on electric and upright bass, Mike Seal on explosive guitar, Christian Sedelmyer on violin, Vance Thomspon on trumpet and Jamel Mitchell on saxophone. The band tore through 14 jam laden tunes in a performance that would impress most any jazz, blues rock or bluegrass fan.

Check out more photos from the show.

The longtime bass player of the Eagles, Timothy B. Schmit, headlined a classic rock marathon at the ornate Saban Theatre in Beverly Hills, California. Just getting to the event was a chore for music fans, as the entire block of Wilshire Boulevard directly in front of the teapot has been shut down for a massive construction project. The shutdown of the highly traveled road, one of the main arteries through the area, created traffic gridlock and limited parking in an area already notorious for limited parking options. But music fans managed to nearly fill the house anyway, by the time classic rocker Richie Furay opened the show. The singer-guitarist and acclaimed songwriter brought tunes from his solo career, and his former rock collaborations in Poco and Buffalo Springfield, to a 45-minute opening acoustic set.

The 73-year-old Rock and Roll Hall of Famer and his daughter Jesse, and guitarist Scott Sellen performed an 11-song acoustic set complete with Poco, Buffalo Springfield, and solo tunes. In a triumphant return, Furay joined Stephen Stills and Neil Young a few years ago to repairs Buffalo Springfield. Many critics at the time lauded Furay for providing the most robust vocals in the classic rock band. At the Saban on December 3rd, his exquisite vocal skills were on exhibit in the acoustically pleasing old theater. Furay began with two Poco classics Let's Dance Tonight and Pickin' Up the Pieces before playing one of Buffalo Springfield’s biggest hit songs, Kind Woman.

Furay then switched up to a festive holiday cover of The Band's Christmas Must Be Tonight. Then he switched gears again playing solo material including, We Were The Dreamers, from his 2015 album Hand In Hand.  Furay shared with the audience that the song was about Poco when he and Schmit were both members. The set ended with four more songs from Buffalo Springfield's first two albums. These included, Neil Young's Flying On The Ground Is Wrong, Do I Have To Come Right Out And Say It, and Nowadays Clancy Can't Even Sing. The set ended with Sad Memory from the 1967 album Buffalo Springfield Again.

Schmit took over the stage to play the main set of the night, and the angelic-voiced multi-instrumentalist launched into a marathon set, typical of his Eagles roots, last nearly two and half hours.  The set included four songs from his latest album Leap Of Faith. The bulk of the set, however, included eight songs from his 2009 solo album, Expando. Schmit brought a core band of veteran performers, including Hank Linderman on guitar, Chris Farmer on keyboards and bass, and Herman Matthews on drums. The group also included Bobby Carlos, a long-time roadie for The Eagles. He intermittently played bass, guitar, and ukulele. There was also a surprise guest, The Doobie Brothers' John McFee who would also periodically wander on and off the stage, playing guitar, pedal steel, and violin.The band was also joined by three backing vocalists later in the set, Marlena Jeter, Lynn Fidmont and Mortinette Jenkins, adding a layer of soulful harmonies to the mix.

Schmit played acoustic guitar for most of the evening but picked up his trademark bass on occasion. He also played a well-worn Telecaster and harmonica during the extended set. After playing Red Dirt Road, Schmit spoke about how great it was to have his old bandmate, Richie Furay open for him. Then Schmit launched into "Ella Jean," a song Schmit said he wrote when his wife went to Hawaii for an extended stay, while he was in the studio. He followed up with "White Boy From Sacramento," which featured the trio of soulful backup singers humorously pointing the beaming singer out during the choruses.

Halfway through the show, Schmit brought out Furay to join the band in a couple of tunes. These included Just Me And You from the 2007 Schmit album Feed The Fire and Keep On Tryin from the1975 Poco album, Head Over Heels with Richie Furay. The latter was played gospel style with the band standing shoulder to shoulder at the front of the stage.

Lead guitarist, Linderman shined throughout the night on several solos including an impressive guitar duel with McFee on “Parachute" and the Eagles' "I Can't Tell You Why.  Schmit next dedicated "Peaceful, Easy Feeling" to his former Eagles bandmate, Glen Frey. Ironically, The Eagles are preparing to launch one of their biggest tours ever next year. Schmit then lightened the mood with some feel-good Poco songs including, I Can See Everything, from the 1972 album of the same name, and followed that with Keep On Tryin' from the 1975 Head Over Heels album. Schmit then welcomed Furay back to the stage to join in the song, and that brought the crowd to their feet for much of the rest of the show. Schmit then told the audience that it only made sense that they close with Poco's A Good Feelin' To Know.

Just before the flames and smoke of the massive Thomas fire put a damper on the Christmas spirit in Santa Barbara County, pop singer Jewel brought her real-life musical family to the Chumash Casino. The special Christmas concert featured the veteran performer singing traditional Christmas songs as well as some of her biggest hits. The set for the show featured a massive Christmas scene complete with a snowy backdrop and featured the usually perfect sound and lighting that visitors to the resort in the Santa Ynez mountains have come to expect.

The show began with an opening set by her real-life family from the hit reality television show, “Alaska: The Last Frontier.” The trio, consisting of her father Atz Kilcher and her brothers Atz Lee and Nikos Kilcher, played an extended set, each taking turns telling stories of their musical roots and life in Alaska and performing their original tunes. Jewels’ grandmother, Ruth, was an aspiring opera singer in pre-world war II Germany before she fled to Alaska to marry Jewels’ grandfather Yule Kilcher. Ruth was responsible for teaching all of her eight children, including Jewel’s father Atz, to sing and play instruments. Jewel and her father began playing music as a duo when she was just eight years old.

After a short intermission Jewel came onstage wearing a bright red Christmas dress followed shortly by her band. The five-piece group consisted of a guitarist, bassist, drummer, keyboard player, and a multi-instrumentalist who played the violin, cello, and mandolin. The tour entitled “The Handmade Holiday Tour,” featured an opening set of traditional Christmas songs. Channeling the spirit of her grandmother Ruth, Jewel belted out the classic songs in true operatic fashion, including a miraculous version of a song that she seldom sings on her current tour, “Ave Maria.” She opened with “Joy to the World” and played a wide variety of holiday classics.

The charismatic singer shifted gears after the opening set and played several solo acoustic songs from her vast collection of hits. She also spent a considerable amount of time recounting her roots as a homeless street musician in Los Angeles before being discovered. She also would frequently pause and ask the audience to shout out requests for their favorite songs, trying to find some of the less played gems to add to the unique setting for the adoring crowd at the Chumash Resort. Then the band returned for an inspiring rock drenched finale to the extraordinary concert which also featured the return of her father and brothers to jam with the group. It was a joyous night of musical Christmas spirit and a literal calm before the coming storm of the still ongoing firefight in the Santa Ynez mountains.

In the wake of California’s largest wildfire in modern history, Carpinteria’s own Dishwalla played a sold-out concert at the Alcazar Theatre. Formerly known as the Carpinteria Plaza Playhouse Theater, the gem of a venue, with accidental perfect acoustics has returned to its original name, Alcazar Theatre. Carpinteria Community Theatre Inc. who runs the venue renamed the theater based on its regional name. The 200-seat theater was initially opened in 1928 by Oliver Prickett and became a popular getaway destination for Hollywood elite. The Alcazar will celebrate its 90th anniversary on April 27, 2018.

Dishwalla made a national name for themselves in the mid 90’s, beginning with their hit album, “Pet Your Friends.” After a five-year hiatus, the band returned with a new lead singer. The band has been touring the world relentlessly over the last year promoting their new album recorded in Joshua Tree, “Juniper Road.” The band opened for Tears For Fears at the Santa Barbara Bowl last summer. According to many fans in attendance, the hometown group stole the show, as the veteran English duo suffered from a shared case of laryngitis from their grueling world tour.

The concert at the Alcazar was one of many local efforts to raise money for victims of the devastating Thomas fire. The entire city of Carpinteria was in danger of burning to the ground and was only saved by an army of firefighters risking their lives to save the town. Nearby Ventura was not so lucky with over 500 homes destroyed the first day of the fire.

Dishwalla played a pleasing set full of their hit songs as well as their new material. The veteran rockers led by the phenomenal guitarist, Rodney Browning Cravens tore through the blues-laden post-grunge rock that is their signature sound. The band’s latest singer Justin Fox has been with the group long enough now that his vocals have become seamless with the music and has allowed the band to evolve into new territory. The band has had success in scoring music for television. In 1995 the song "Counting Blue Cars" was featured in the movie Empire Records. "Pretty Babies" can be found on the Blast From The Past soundtrack. In 1998 the bands "Truth Serum" appeared in the movie The Avengers; in 1999, the song "Stay Awake" was used in the movie Stir of Echoes and the song "Find Your Way Back Home" was featured in the movie American Pie. In 2002 the song "Home" was in the movie The Banger Sisters.

The band played a near two hour set adoring fans in their hometown of Carpinteria. Guitarist Cravens noted that the band had only played Carpinteria 3 times in their 22-year history. “The first time was at the city’s annual Avocado festival” note the beaming Cravens. The band also played an extended acoustic set employing some of their many local musician friends from the audience. It was a great start to 2018 for Carpinterians favorite band and the new old Alcazar theater, and all for a noble cause.

The NAMM show held each year in Anaheim, California always brings a multitude of rock veterans to the area who end up playing at various venues across the county. The first night of this year's show was no exception with concerts cropping up all across the region. But the sold-out show at The Observatory in Santa Ana featured the most impressive lineup of veteran rockers, coming together for the annual Dimebash. The tribute concert in honor of Darrell Lance Abbott (Dimebag), the former guitarist of Pantera, who was murdered onstage in 2004. The show will benefit the Ronnie James Dio Stand Up And Shout Cancer Fund, Kitten Rescue LA, and KYNG's GoFundMe campaign set up to help recover stolen gear and transportation.

The master of ceremonies for this year's festivities was Sirius radio personality Jose Mangin, who also doubled as a respectable lead singer on a couple of rock jams during the night. The evening began with an explosive rock and wrapped drenched set by the new group Powerflo, led by Cypress Hill rapper Sen Dog (Senen Reyes). The group also includes William "Billy" Graziadei, the lead vocalist, rhythm guitarist, and founding member of Biohazard, Belgian bassist Christian Olde Wolbers, lead guitarist and backing vocalist Rogelio "Roy" Lozano, and drummer Fernando Schaefer. The band is reminiscent of the sounds of Ice T and Body Count, with a bit more rock vent. A sea of black shirt clad metal fans screamed their approval while pumping their fists in the air.

The rest of the evening featured an ever-changing landscape of veteran rockers playing short sets, adding up to a four-hour marathon of music. Members of a multitude of rock bands made appearances, including various players from PANTERA, SUICIDAL TENDENCIES, ROB ZOMBIE, ALICE COOPER, FEAR FACTORY, ARMORED SAINT, KING'S X, ACE FREHLEY, KYNG, CYPRESS HILL, BIOHAZARD, POWERFLO, FIREBALL MINISTRY, PRONG, ACT OF DEFIANCE and KORN.

One set included veteran drummer Gene Hoglan (Strapping Young Lad, Death, Fear Factory, Testament, Dethklok, etc.) He was joined by Tony Campos, Courtney Cox and other musicians for some Pantera covers of “Cemetery Gates” and “Domination.” The guitar highlights of the evening came with a set by Rob Zombie’s brilliant lead guitarist, John 5. The extraordinary guitarist has just released his live album, It’s Alive, on January 25th and will begin a US tour shortly. The metal master led his solo band in an extended medley including riffs from many of the best rock songs of the last 25 years. The crowd went wild responding to every riff change with a roar.

The jam sessions continued with covers of classic songs from Black Sabbath, Ted Nugent, Iron Maiden, Thin Lizzy, and of course Pantera hits, performed by several metal veterans, including Doug Pinnick (Kings X), Mike Muir (Suicidal Tendencies). The band Kyng tore through a searing rendition of Van Halen’s “Hot for Teacher.”

The evening ended on a high note with a surprise appearance by Korn’s lead singer Jonathan Davis, for a heavy metal version the Pink Floyd classic “Another Brick in the Wall.” The song included a special appearance on bass by Rex Brown, the only member of Pantera to appear for the evening. The band continued with the song “Fucking Hostile,” with vocals being taken over by Luis Delgado from Pantera tribute band, Trendkill Revolution. The show ended with Brown still on bass for “Walk,” this time with Mangin on vocals. After the show, Dimebag’s wife Rita appeared on stage with Brown to thank the crowd for their enthusiastic response. Long live the music of Dimebag.

Longtime Santa Barbara County resident Alan Parsons brought his latest incarnation of The Alan Parsons Project to a full house of adoring fans in the Samala showroom of the Chumash Casino Resort, the last weekend of January. Parsons, a legendary music producer and one of the most potent forces in the progressive rock movement of the 1970’s has only recently returned to more extensive touring.

Local audiences got a chance to see his new band last year at the Starry Nites festival held in the nearby Live Oaks Campgrounds. The group features six of the same masterful musicians that played with Parsons the previous year, plus a new guitarist replacing local guitarist Alastair Greene.

The show was part of the scheduled 40th anniversary I Robot tour featuring the music from that groundbreaking album. But the show became even more special when Parsons recently announced on Twitter that he was donating all proceeds of the show to first responders and local organizations helping the Thomas fire and flood victims.

The Chumash show featured a 25 song setlist spanning nearly five decades of music that Parsons has produced. After an 11-song opening set featuring old and new material, Parsons announced that the band would play the first side of the I Robot in its entirety. The announcement was met with a standing ovation.

The band featured an alternating cast of lead singers, each taking their turns with unique vocal skills. Parsons spent much of the show in the background, playing keyboards and guitar and singing backup vocals. But towards the end, the English rocker who helped invent the Prog rock sound of the 1970’s took center stage as lead singer and guitarist. A Santa Barbara resident for the last 17 years, the Englishman has one of the most impressive resumes in rock music history, having worked as a young engineer on the last two Beatles albums. He went on to be in the rock music forefront of progressive music with his band the Alan Parsons Project. The band played a near two hours set of carefully textured music featuring the block of I Robot material. The venue with its consistently impressive lighting and sound added to the precise musical presentation of classic progressive rock music.

The second set ended with the traditional mobbing of the front of the stage by an appreciative crowd as the band played two songs from The Eye In The Sky album.

Parsons and the band returned to play two encores for the screaming fans including, (The System of) Dr. Tarr and Professor Fether and Games People Play. For Prog rock fans it was a magic night of perfectly played music.

It was apparent looking out over the sea of silver-haired music fans at the sold-out Engelbert Humperdinck concert, that it would be a night of nostalgia, February 9th, at the Chumash Casino Resort. The show in the Samala showroom did begin as very much a walk down memory lane, with a film clip from the 1960’s of Dean Martin introducing a young Humperdinck to his television audience. But from the moment the six-piece band of young musicians began to play in a full contemporary rock concert mode, it was clear that the 81-year-old Humperdinck was going to put on a show more relevant to 2018. The band along with a pair of sexy, soulful backup singers laid down the music with sizzling flair and a few solos that would fit right in with any modern rock band.

Humperdinck, who sauntered onstage almost immediately after the band hit their first notes seemed gleeful and happy, living in the moment. The octogenarian began with a cover tune from his new album; the Willie Nelson tunes Crazy. The show featured no autotune or overdubbing just the singer's real voice on lead vocals. The first few songs were a little rough, with the singer struggling with a few notes. Judging from the array of drinks on his table, he may have been fighting off a cold. But the consummate performer sweats it out and by the time he was several songs into his set hit his stride, singing notes that would be a stretch for any singer less than half his age. The lively singer was also a good storyteller and stand-up comedian; skills no doubt he acquired in his decades of Las Vegas performances. Early on he parodied Tom Jones, joking about stuffing his pants and joked about Dean Martin, before covering Martins Everybody Loves Somebody.

But the biggest surprise of Humperdinck's 50th-anniversary show came with the performance of songs from his new album. The bad boy gospel-infused Prodigal Son showcased his astounding vocal skills and put him on a mercurial stride for the rest of the show. A particularly moving moment came next when Humperdinck sang a duet with his nine-year-old granddaughter Olivia via a video clip on the massive video screens at the Samala Showroom. Before the original tune from the new album, I’m Glad I Danced With You, Humperdinck dedicated the song to his longtime wife who is suffering from Parkinson’s disease. He told the story of how he met her when she was a young 17-year-old dancer, and they have been together ever since. The video interspersed photos of the couple over the years with the duet by their granddaughter. Humperdink showed his love for country music playing. You're the Best Thing That Ever Happened to Me and Jim Reeves’ Welcome to My World. The confident singer then belted out a bluesy version of I Can't Stop Loving You, including a great guitar solo from his young lead guitarist. Back to storytelling, the well-traveled singer told a story of meeting a young five-year-old fan in Hawaii who sang for him. Humperdinck told the child that he would be a big star someday. True to his prediction the young Bruno Mars has become the hottest pop singer in the world and Humperdinck played a rousing cover of Mars’ Just The Way You Are, also found on the new album. That brought the first extended standing ovation of the night.

Humperdinck then launched into an extension medley of his biggest hits, again showcasing the jam band talents of his crack backing band. By the time Humperdinck launched into his encore, 17 songs and one long medley into his set, the crowd at the Chumash Casino had swarmed the stage in a triumphant end to a fantastic show.

The legendary Troubadour nightclub was buzzing early on a cold Valentine’s day evening in Beverly Hills. A seemingly endless line of enthusiastic music fans stretched around the block for the sold-out concert. But this wasn’t the likes of Guns N Roses or Depeche Mode, both of which recently played much-hyped gigs at the tiny nightclub. This was a young new band, the Vista Kicks, joyfully kicking off a whirlwind national tour at the prestigious venue.

Ever since the four young musicians in the band moved from their hometown of Sacramento to a tiny apartment in Hollywood in 2015, Vista Kicks have been making a name for themselves in the local music scene. The young long-haired musicians have a very retro almost Beatlesque sound. The band's youthful good looks and the sheer musicality of their endeavors have led to a loyal following of excited young fans. As members of the group came onstage periodically through the night to announce the opening acts, there would be a flurry of screaming young females adding an even more retro feel to the show.

Speaking of retro music, the opening act, Tom Kenny & The Hi-Seas from Los Angeles, brought the ‘50s and ’60s Rock, Soul, and R&B dance party sound to the venue. The band had the sold-out crowd dancing early on with their big band sound. The festive atmosphere counted with the next act, The Jacks. The four young rockers played a set drenched with a heavy influence from the British Invasion of the 1960s and 70s. The band connected well with the young audience.

By the time the Vista Kicks made it to the stage, the excited crowd had surged and pressed against every available space on the floor in front of the stage. The charismatic foursome arrived onstage amidst a sea of screaming young women. The band features Derek Thomas on guitar, keyboards, and vocals, Sam Plecker on guitars and vocals, Trevor Sutton on bass and vocals and Nolan Le Vine on drums and vocals. The band immediately launched into a very retro sounding set of music mostly culled from their new debut album, Booty Shakers Ball. The groups infectious sound mesmerized the crowd and had them dancing and shouting during the entire set. The band has more in common with the pop music of the 60’s and 70’s than most of the other groups in the Indie pop world today. But in their case that is a compliment as the band producers are rich pop sound not unlike that of the Raspberries did back in their day. But somehow the band portrays their retro drenched music as fresh and new, and the young crowd responded accordingly.  The group employed a guest guitarist and guest female singer halfway into their set that kept the cement of surprise alive until the end. All together it was a great night of Indie pop music fun at the much-revered Troubadour nightclub. The band continues their mini-tour for another month in select cities across the country.

Rock and Roll Hall of Fame member, Chris Hillman brought his latest tour to a sold-out audience at the historic Lobero Theater in Santa Barbara, Friday, February 16th. The current tour is in support of his highly praised new album Bidin’ My Time, produced by the late Tom Petty. Hillman fronted an acoustic foursome, featuring two of his longtime collaborators, Herb Pedersen and John Jorgenson, both of whom appear on the new album.

I first saw the iconic Hillman perform a solo concert at the Roxy Theater in 1975, the first concert I ever attended in California. Even then, as a young music fan, I knew of Hillman's contribution to the pop music world as a founding member of The Byrds. But the master songwriter, singer, and musician had a groundbreaking career long before the folk-rock days of the Byrds. He began his professional music career at the age of 15, back in 1960, playing in a series of successful country and bluegrass bands, while mastering the mandolin.  Along with another music legend, Gram Parsons brought some of the earliest country-rock cross over tunes into The Byrds musical catalog. After The Byrds, Hillman contributed to several successful crossover bands, including The Flying Burritos, Stephen Stills Manassas, and the Desert Rose Band.

During a brilliant performance at the Lobero Theater, the foursome played a 22-song list culled from all of these great bands, the group's new album and more. Before Hillman introduced his band at the beginning of the show, he reiterated that the show had become a benefit concert with all proceeds donated to charities in support of the recent Thomas Fire and Mudslide victims. Hillman has long been a nearby Ventura resident; the city hit hardest early on by the Thomas Fire. With tears in his eyes, he explained how he had the fire consume part of his garage, but due to the heroic actions of firefighters, his home was saved. He personally thanked Ventura County Fire Fighter Lance Austin, who was assigned to his residence during the fire and helped protect his home.

Then the group launched into the extension setlist. Hillman played guitar at the beginning of the evening, before switching to his beloved mandolin for most of the night. Jorgenson was the most musical member of the group switching between various string instruments and keyboards. During an especially inspiring version of The Byrds classic hit Eight Miles High, Jorgenson leads the group into jam band territory with an aspiring guitar solo. Pedersen meanwhile wowed the crowd with some of his tunes, going back to his involvement in the early 60s Bluegrass band The Dillards and including songs from The Desert Rose Band.

The most exciting moment came early in the set when local Santa Barbara County resident David Crosby made a surprise appearance onstage to lend his harmonies to an inspiring rendition of The Byrds classic, Turn Turn Turn. The tune brought the entire audience to their feet for an extended ovation.

Hillman introduced some of the exciting new tunes from the latest album, with anecdotal stories of working with Tom Petty in his studio. The fact that the record was one of Petty’s last projects before his untimely passing made the album even more special.

The evening was a brilliant walk through pop music history including innovative crossover tunes mixing early Bluegrass, Country, Folk and rock music to form the roots of the Americana music that we hear today. Hillman can genuinely be called a living legend of American pop music, all be it a reluctantly humble one.

HILLMAN/PEDERSEN/JORGENSON SET LIST

1. BELLS OF RHYMNEY---D

2.BIDIN’ MY TIME---G

3. LOVE REUNITED—-E

4. GIVEN ALL I CAN SEE---A

5. TURN, TURN, TURN—D

6. WIN YOUR LOVE—G

7. WALK RIGHT BACK—D

8. SIN CITY-E/WHEELS-G

9.SHE DON’T CARE ABOUT TIME—D

10. EIGHT MILES HIGH—Am

11. SET YOU FREE—A/JOHN

12. WHEN I GET A LITTLE MONEY—E

13. HYMNS OUT OF TUNE—F/HERB

14. DIFFERENT RIVERS—D/JOHN PIANO

15. WILDFLOWERE—E ?

16. RESTLESS—G/JOHN PIANO

17. HEY BOYS---D

18. TOGETHER AGAIN--C

19. SUCH IS THE WORLD--C

20. WAIT A MINUTE--A

21. HERE SHE COMES AGAIN---C

Extras ***RANK STRANGER-

One of Americas most enduring rock groups, Chicago had begun a brand-new tour in 2018, with a new line up and new set list concentrating on the bands most classic tunes from their first two albums.

The band took a break from their current month-long residency at the Venetian hotel in Las Vegas, to do a whirlwind tour of California. The mini-tour included a stop at the luxurious Fred Kavli Theater in the Thousand Oaks Civic Arts Plaza on Sunday, February 18th. According to the band's website, the tour features the group's second album in its entirety during the first set. That was followed by “the world’s longest encore", with a second set full of the band’s greatest hits. The new tour features a new line up for the band. The changes include Walfredo Reyes Jr. who has been touring with Chicago for many years as the percussionist, taking over as the group's new drummer. Replacing Wally on percussion is his talented brother Danny. Canadian Neil Donell, who has appeared as a guest vocalist with Chicago on several occasions has taken over lead tenor vocals. Brett Simons who has toured and recorded with numerous musical legends has taken over Bass duties. The trio joins the seven other current members of the band including the three original members, Lee Loughnane on trumpet, James Pankow on trombone, and singer and keyboardist Robert Lamm.

Chicago began their innovative chart-topping musical rise in 1969, with the debut of their double first album Chicago Transit Authority. The album, nominated for a Grammy for “Best New Artist of The Year” went platinum. The album was followed by another incredible work, Chicago II, also a double album. As advertised, the show in Thousand Oaks began with this album in its entirety. The first two Chicago albums were innovative rock jazz masterpieces, led by the incredible guitar work of Terry Kath. When Chicago opened for Jimi Hendrix back in 1968, Hendrix was quoted, “Jeez, your horn players are like one set of lungs and your guitar player is better than me.” After Kath’s untimely death in 1978, Chicago’s sound switched to a softer more pop-oriented sound. By the 1990’s, after producing dozens of albums, the bands live shows had become a stale shallow shadow of the former avant-garde rock shows.

But the latest incarnation of Chicago has returned to the band's rock roots, not just in material but style as well and their new tour may be their best in decades. Guitarist Keith Howland seemed to channel Kath’s raw energy on classic songs from Chicago II, like 25 or 6 to 4. Original member, Lamm sang lead on many songs and occasionally would play a keytar. Original trumpet player, Loughnane never missed a note dancing his way through the night. Ray Herrmann raged on the saxophone and also played many wind instruments, adding a whole new jazz sound to the music. Keyboardist Lou Pardini also would take turns as lead vocalist during the night. The band tore through the album amidst a spectacular multimedia show. The show featured images of the turbulent times that inspired the songs from the first two Chicago album. The production values of the prestigious Southern California venue were in line with the Las Vegas style presentation, including massive sound and lighting as well as the impressive multimedia show.

After intermission, the band returned with renewed energy and launched into the greatest hits set, thankfully dominated by the bands best work, their debut album. Every member of the band seemed to be genuinely enjoying living in the moment, especially the groups three original members. Trombone player Pankow was especially animated throughout the evening, sometimes looking like a dancer from a mime troupe.  The second set featured the Reyes brothers playing an intense percussion jam. The extended solo saw the brothers change places as drummer and percussionist without missing a beat.

The band almost apologized for slowing down the beat mid-set to play a few of the crooning pop songs that became hits in the 1980’s. But thankfully the group skipped songs from most of their 36-album catalog went right back into a medley of older Chicago classics. The band ended an explosive second set nearly three hours and 30 songs after they started. The impressive new Chicago band will be playing dates across the country throughout the year including some arena dates co-headlining with REO Speedwagon.

One of the biggest parties in Santa Barbara history took place for more than twelve hours on Sunday, February 25. The marathon concert and fair took place at Ursula and Patrick Nesbitt’s pristine Bella Vista Ranch and Polo Club in Summerland, a town just to the south of Montecito, California. The event was organized to thank first responders for their efforts to save local communities from the disastrous Thomas fire and accompanying mudslides. Over 1500 tickets were distributed local first responders and their families. The event featured a day of incredible live music, carnival rides, and an incredible spread of free gourmet and drinks. Exhibits showcasing local response agencies showed off the latest equipment from helicopters to new fire engines. More than a thousand residents paid for the event by purchasing tickets for the main event from $250 to thousands of dollars for special VIP tickets. The event raised over two million dollars, with all the money going to the Santa Barbara Firefighters Alliance.

Much of the crowd brought their families, primarily to enjoy the sumptuous food, and endless pours of local wine and local micro-brewed beer. Their children were treated to free ice cream and lots of kid-friendly activities like a meet and greet with Disney television stars, Molly Jackson, Emily Skinner and Luke Mullen. But the real attraction to the event was the unique musical line up, anchored by famous area pop stars and celebrities alike. The festival was divided into two parts. The main event took place from noon until 6 pm. The after show, which was scheduled until 10 pm ended up stretching until nearly midnight.

The main event got under right at noon, with copious amounts of free food and drinks greeting guests as soon as they arrived. The event began with some emotional speeches and patriotic tunes. The first singer on stage was 14-year old Lauren Cantin, who sang “God Bless America.” The Santa Barbara Middle School ninth-grader sang alongside her Santa Barbara Youth Ensemble choir at Sunday’s gathering. It was later revealed that she was the young girl that was pulled from the mud in her Montecito home. Her father was killed in the mudslide, and her brother is one of two still missing.  She was later joined onstage by the two firefighters who rescued her, Ben Hauser and Andy Rupp.  Another emotional moment followed when the very pregnant Ashley Iverson, the widow of San Diego County firefighter Cory Iverson, who was killed Dec. 14 while fighting the Thomas Fire in Ventura County, came onstage and announced her intention to create a foundation to help first responders communicate their trauma. The mood then turned more festive when resident Dennis Miller came onstage to MC the event. A pattern was established with famous area residents either appearing onstage or via video to lend their support and thank responders, followed by a musical act. American Idol singer Katharine McPhee sang next in a brief performance of Somewhere Over The Rainbow.

The biggest surprise of the day came early when pop star Katy Perry arrived onstage to get the music going. The Santa Barbara native was emotional talking about her brief time living in Montecito. Then she lightened the atmosphere by quipping, “Okay so I am really from Goleta.” The reference was an attempt at local humor, as Goleta, just to the north of Santa Barbara, where Perry grew up is a very blue-collar town. Montecito is one of the wealthiest communities in the country and is perceived as such, but many of the speakers and performers of the day pointed out that a significant portion of residents are blue collar working folks. Perry launched into a four-song mini set backed by two acoustic guitars players. The pop sensation first apologized that she was getting over a cold and hadn’t been able to sing for a week. But that didn’t keep her from belting out the four tunes with surprising accuracy. In this stripped-down emotional performance, without all the grandiose pop trappings, a passionate Perry seemed to perform in an almost blues-like style that showcased her vocal abilities. The 33-year-old singer appears to have become a more mature vocalist with a more dynamic vocal range than in her younger years. After the performance, Perry met with a group of spellbound young girls from the audience and posed for photos and signed autographs. Here sincere and heartfelt thank you to the firefighter set the emotional tone for the day.

Carpinteria, the next town south of Summerland was also walloped by the Thomas fire and mudslides. The city is also home to famous musicians including Dishwalla who played the next set. The group appeared as a scaled down trio doing an acoustic set including, guitarist Rodney Cravens, lead singer Justin Fox, and drummer George Pendergast. The band opened with their biggest hit, Counting Blue Cars. The crowd who had just settled back into their seats after the Katy Perry set, instantly leaped to their feet and clapped and sang along to the four-song set.

Resident and iconic actor Jane Seymour came onstage to thank the first responders and introduced the next group, the Sisterhood. The band featured a country rock duo comprised of Ruby Stewart (Rod Stewart’s daughter) and Alyssa Bonagura, backed by Alan Parsons band, acting as the house band for the day. The charismatic duo led the veteran rock band in a country-tinged five-song set full of exquisite vocals. The group was joined by a choir of young local singers.

Another Montecito resident, Ellen DeGeneres was the next host surprising the crowd with her heartfelt thanks for their work saving the community. She introduced Santa Barbara singer, guitarist and songwriter Glen Phillips, who is best known nationally as the founder of the band Toad The Wet Sprocket. Phillips is well known locally, participating in all sorts of charity events over the years. It is not unusual to find the low-key musician practicing in local alleys or street corners.  The prolific songwriter has released four solo studio albums and some live recordings. Phillips played a short set with his current collaborators, Sean and Sara Watkins, from the Nickel Creek band. The trio played five songs to an appreciative crowd full of familiar faces to the much-revered Phillips. Toad The Wet Sprocket, reunited to make their first album in 16 years and toured last summer. They have one date scheduled this year at the Libby Bowl in Ojai California on July 20th.

Actor and resident Don Johnson took over the MC activities to announce the next set by the electrifying guitarist Steve Vai. Vai was the former lead guitarist for Frank Zappa’s band and played with him at the Arlington Theater in Santa Barbara on December 8th, 1980, the night John Lennon died. Backed by Alan Parson’s group, Vai lived up to the monks of the 10th greatest guitarist of all time, which was bestowed on him by Guitar World magazine. The short set featured a guitar duel with the newest member of the Alan Parsons group, guitarist Jeff Kollman. Kollman held his own against Vai in a jaw-dropping and ear-shattering guitar jam.

Another resident, former tennis star Jimmy Connors cam onstage to introduce the next act, Richard Marx. Marx, the singer-songwriter, and actor, played a short set including some of his biggest hits that helped him sell 30 million records. The next act to take the stage blended the folky atmosphere of the earlier acoustic acts with some classic rock. The Wilson Phillips group consisting of Carnie Wilson, Wendy Wilson, and Chynna Phillips, the daughters, respectively, of Brian Wilson of The Beach Boys and John and Michelle Phillips of The Mamas and the Papas, brought their own rock band to the Kick As Bash. The group, whose debut album sold over 10 million copies back in 1990, played a six-song show. The set included, Hold On, Release Me, You’re in Love, Impulsive, and The Dream is Still Alive. The band was joined onstage for their final by the children’s choir that had performed earlier, in an inspiring cover of California Dreaming. The song had the whole audience singing along.

As the winter darkness quickly replaced the twilight on the Bella Vista Ranch and Polo Club in Summerland, local DJ’s Suzanne X, Matty Matt, Gavin Roy and Zeke took over the music at the Kick Ash After Bash. Much of the crowd, especially those with children departed from the day-long event. But they were quickly replaced by a whole new crowd of the after-show ticket holders. Concert-goers were greeted with a continued supply of complimentary food and beverages that kept everyone in a festive mood in the cold evening air.

The After Bash took on a different tone than the earlier all-star Kick Ash Bash. There were fewer performers than there were earlier in the day, but the audience was treated to extended sets from these groups. Another resident, actor Michael Keaton took over MC duties with his young baby in his arms. He announced the next act a real classic rock legend. Nearby resident David Crosby took the stage with his veteran group of musicians the Sky Trails, named after his latest album. Crosby and the band launched into some tracks from the new release as well as some of the classic rock tunes that have made him an iconic figure in rock music history. The 75-year-old Crosby wowed the crowd with his trademark vocals, while his band of veteran rockers including his son on lead guitar took the songs into jam band territory.

The next group to take the stage continued the genuinely legendary rock sounds with the iconic guitarist from The Doors, Robbie Krieger leading the band. His group features another rock legend on bass, Phil Chen and his son Waylon singing lead vocals. The band eerily channeled The Doors playing classic overs of the band into the cold night air, mesmerizing the tightly packed crowd. Midway through the set, Krieger announced that Pablo the son of his former bandmate Ray Manzarek would be sitting in on drums. The band was then joined by Krieger’s longtime friend Tommy Thayer, guitarist from Kiss fame. The pair laid down a blues-rock drenched guitar jam that sent shivers through the crowd and blasted through their assigned set time.

The most contemporary act of the day appeared next, as the reggae-rock hitmakers, Iration took the stage. The band is composed of Hawaiian musicians who came together in Santa Barbara to form the hugely popular group. In their ten years together, the band has recorded three EP’s and five full-length albums. The band has become a favorite festival act with their feel-good mix of Reggae, Rock and Dub music. The band played past the scheduled 10 PM curfew much to the delight of the late-night crowd.

Even though the curfew had passed, authorities allowed the fundraiser to continue for another half hour so that young southern California rockers The Feal could play a final few songs.

The Celebrating David Bowie concert tour made a stop in downtown Los Angeles, February 28 at the historic Wiltern Theater. The show features a core band of veteran rockers many of who performed and recorded over the years with David Bowie. The 2018 tour, which is in the middle of its run, offers a unique concert at every city it visits, by employing famous pop singers who live nearby. Obviously, there was no shortage of talent to choose from in the Los Angeles area, and seven well-known singers showed up to share in the celebration, which featured 26 Bowie classics.

The Wiltern is one of the most elegant venues in Los Angeles with ticket and bar prices to match. The theater, built in 1931, was designed by architect Stiles O. Clements of Morgan, Walls & Clements, the city's oldest architectural firm. The Wiltern was initially envisioned as a vaudeville theater and first opened as the Warner Brothers Western Theater, the flagship location for the theater chain. The Los Angeles chapter of the American Theater Organ Enthusiasts worked to restore the theater’s magnificent Kimball pipe organ, one the largest one in Los Angeles. The theater was abandoned in the 1970’s and was slated for demolition before a group of local preservationists worked to save it. The 2,300-capacity theater was packed for the February 28th show, with many fans lining up hours before the doors open to enter the theater early. With 55-dollar valet parking and 17-dollar beers at the bar, a night at the Wiltern can be an expensive venture. But the fans of David Bowie’s music filled the theater despite the expense for a unique evening full of classic tunes.

The core touring band featured veteran musicians. Mike Garson, an American pianist, who has worked with David Bowie, Nine Inch Nails, Billy Corgan and The Smashing Pumpkins, among others, was the first to take the stage. He acted as the master of ceremonies for most of the night introducing the various performers and even taking on lead vocal duties on occasion. The animated guitarist Earl Slick brought a hard rock vibe to the show. Slick is perhaps best known for his collaborations with David Bowie, John Lennon, Yoko Ono, and Robert Smith. Gerry Leonard was equally impressive on lead guitar, even if not as emotive as Slick. Leonard, an Irish guitarist is best known for his longtime collaboration with David Bowie. Bassist Carmine Rojas, who also collaborated with Bowie, brought an R&B/funk, and jazz vibe to the mix. Earl Slick’s son, Lee Madeloni played drums for the band. Gaby Moreno, a Guatemalan singer-songwriter, and guitarist sang backing vocals and brought a blues, jazz, soul and R&B influence to the group.

Regular singers on and off the tour included; Bernard Fowler, Joe Sumner, Mr. Hudson, Corey Glover and Sass Jordan. Fowler has been a backup singer on a seemingly endless list of classic rock albums. Sumner is the singing prodigy of Sting. Mr. Hudson, a British musician from Birmingham, England, is a well-known contemporary vocalist Sass Jordan, a British-born Canadian rock singer from Montreal, was the sole female lead singer to appear at the Wiltern show. Corey Glover from In Living Colour has also been a regular on tour. If there wasn’t already enough vocal talent on the bill, there were two surprise guest singers for the evening. Perry Farrell, lead singer of Janes Addiction, made an inspiring appearance. Also, Fantastic Negrito, an African-American singer-songwriter whose music includes blues, R&B, and roots music was a surprise guest.

As the singers took turns belting out David Bowie’s biggest hits, the crowd became more enthusiastic throughout the night, and most spent the second half of the set singing and dancing on their feet. By the time the group played a five-song encore, nearly everyone in the audience had no doubt had heard a rendition of their favorite Bowie song.

On a cold and sleepy Sunday night the veteran Punk and New Wave band, The Psychedelic Furs brought nearly 2,500 people to the Canyon Club in Agoura, California. The standing room only show featured decades of hit music from the veteran English rockers.

The band featuring original members, brothers Tim Butler on bass guitar and Richard Butler on lead vocals began the set with songs from their post-punk roots before moving into the New Wave and motion picture soundtrack hits that have made the band a mainstay in pop music.

The band formed in 1977 and released their first album in 1980. The punk-inspired edge of their debut album was dulled for the group's second release, 1981's Talk Talk Talk, which included the original version of the song "Pretty in Pink," which later became part of the soundtrack of the movie of the same name. They cracked the U.S. Top 40 with "Love My Way" in 1982, and followed up with songs like "Heaven," "The Ghost in You" and "Heartbreak Beat." The band broke up for most of the 90s before the Butler brothers reunited to return the band to touring. The current group also features saxophone player Mars Williams, who joined the band in 1986, Drummer Paul Garisto, who also participated in 1986, keyboardist Amanda Kramer who joined the group in 2003 and guitarist Rich Good the newest member of the band since 2006.

The 16 song setlist, including an encore, featured some of the bands most well-known hits over the decades. The band has a loyal following and fans could be heard singing along to nearly every word throughout the cavernous venue.

The band celebrated their 40th-anniversary last year and showed no signs of slowing down, with an extensive US and European tour planned this year until at least August. Lead singer Tim Butler was inspired to start a band, after attending a Sex Pistols concert he attended as a teenager. The charismatic singer connected well with the audience at the Agoura show with veteran dance moves and intelligent banter between songs. The group has become a tightly knit jam band, playing innovative and extended versions of their hit songs. The packed crowd responded enthusiastically after every song.

While the band has a reputation as an 80s new wave synth band like Depeche Mode, their live show is more akin to their roots as a post-punk band. But as the group has evolved over the decades, they have become a rock band, experimenting in heady jam band territory with pleasing results. The Psychedelic Furs in 2018 is a serious live band well worth a trip to one of their shows.

One of the biggest rock festivals of the year is set to take place in Jacksonville Florida, April 27-29. The massive three-day festival will feature some of the biggest names in rock on three stages for the entire three days. Headliners include heavy metal generational bookends Avenge Sevenfold and Ozzy Osbourne, hard rockers Foo Fighters and Queens of The Stone Age and even veteran punk rocker Billy Idol. The massive lineup features crowd favorites from nearly every genre of rock music.

The festival may be the last chance for many to see the legendary lead singer of Black Sabbath perform as he is in the middle of what he purports to be his final tour. The set times were released today on the official website, welcometorockvillefestival.com

There are still limited tickets available for the three-day festival, including single day tickets. The festival also features a carnival atmosphere surrounding the live music. Copious amounts of food and drink will keep fans satiated throughout the festival grounds. Nearly 30 gourmet food stands will feature all manner of munchies and beer, and whiskey will be easy to find to wash all the goodies down.

Spring has arrived in Southern California and with the new season comes the beginning of music festival season. The West coasts most prestigious musical gathering, the Coachella Music and Arts Festival is set to take place over the weekends of April 13-15 and 20-22. The festival is celebrating its 19th year, with a claim of being bigger and better than ever. Last year ticket sales were increased to 125,00 per year versus 90,000 the year before. The festival also added an eighth stage as well, the Sonora stage.

The festival has moved increasingly towards mainstream pop, for its headline acts. This year Beyonce, Eminem and The Weekend top the bill. For the first time, there is no headline rock act at the event. Coachella has continued one tradition. However, that has set it apart for other musical gatherings since its beginning. Farther down the vast line up of the 2018 festival, several prominent names in world music can be found. Coachella has always prided itself in bringing great music across the globe to their young audience mostly unfamiliar with the bands.

Two names stand out at this year’s Coachella in the world music vein. French electronic music pioneer Jean Michel Jarre will be bringing his spectacular multimedia music extravaganza to the polo fields in Indio. The 69-year-old Jarre had his first mainstream success with the release of the breakthrough electronic music album, Oxygen, in 1976. But the French composer is perhaps better known as the most prominent live music star in the world. His rare and unique one-off multimedia concerts have attracted audiences of a million or more people. In fact, Jarre holds the world record for the largest attendance ever, drawing 3.5 million to a 1997 concert in Moscow. Last year Jarre launched his first mini-tour of the US ever, with a futuristic multimedia light and laser show tailored to indoor arenas. Jarre will be bringing the spectacle to Coachella over the two weekends.

Although there are no headline rock acts at this year’s Coachella, there are some excellent rockers on the bill. Making a rare appearance in the United States, the hard rock band X Japan will appear both weekends at the festival. The veteran group has been rocking their homeland since 1982. X Japan has released five studio albums, six live albums, and 21 singles and sold over 30 million records. The band sings mostly in Japanese but is working on their first all English album, scheduled to be released shortly. Grateful Web had an opportunity to speak with co-founder of the band, Yoshiki.

GW: Hi Yoshiki first let me ask you about your health. I know you had a serious operation last year. How are you feeling?

Yoshiki: Yes, last May I had an artificial disc replacement in my neck. I think it’s okay. It feels still weird. The doctor told me to be careful when I play drums. He didn’t give me the green light to play just sort of a yellow one. I have to change my style how I play. I used to do a lot of head banging, and that’s how I wore out my neck. But I think I am okay. I want to play as hard as I can still just no more headbanging.

GW: You have been playing a long time. You started your first band when you were 11?

Yoshiki: Yes, I started playing drums when I was 10. Then I started my first band at 11 in 1976.

GW: The name of your band formed in 1982, was originally X before you changed it to X Japan. Did you know there was a band in the United States named X at the same time?

Yoshiki: I completely found out when I moved to Los Angeles 25 years ago, about the American X. I really like them. I am a big fan of the band now, really cool punk rock.

GW: Who were your musical influences? Your music has changed over the years from early punk rock sounds to what sounds like to me a strong Iron Maiden influence. Your more recent ballads on the piano reminded me of the rock group Kansas.

Yoshiki: Yes, I was influenced by Iron Maiden a lot. Early on we did a lot of cover songs of bands like Led Zeppelin and Iron Maiden. I love Iron Maiden. Also, at the same time, we were influenced by punk rock too like the Sex Pistols. Also, David Bowie. When we formed X when I was 14 we played mainly Iron Maiden covers

GW: You mentioned David Bowie. Your visual style is unique and an integral part of your live performance. How much of your influence was English Glam rock and how much of the technique is influenced by Japanese Kabuki?

Yoshiki: I liked punk rock a lot. I used to have all spiked hair. I was also influenced by David Bowie and Kiss. I am Japanese so definitely Kabuki style also.

GW: Fashion is an integral part of your live show. You were actually on the cover of Vogue magazine and had your own clothing line, don’t you?

Yoshiki: Yes, I created a special Japanese Kimono. My parents used to own a Kimono shop in Japan. Usually in tradition oldest son takes over the family business but I became a musician. Several years ago, I decided to create a rock and roll Kimono.

GW: In 2016 the documentary film We Are X was released worldwide to excellent reviews. Is that a good place to start for people curious about your band that doesn’t really knows your music?

Yoshiki:  I think so. It was really hard to make. Our band story is almost too crazy and painful to be true. I lost my father when I was 10. Our guitar player passed away. Then our vocalist got brainwashed by a cult and was away for almost ten years. Then our bass player committed suicide, so there is a lot of tragedy in our history. But somehow, we are still here. We are physically a five-member band now, but in the heart, there are still seven of us.

GW: You are working on your first English album?

Yoshiki: Yes, our first English album after all those years.  It’s almost done. I just have to mix the songs. It’s about 99 percent done, and hopefully, we can release in several months.

GW: So, X Japan is coming to play Coachella?

Yoshiki: Yes, playing Coachella is like a dream come true for us. At the same time, I am a bit nervous because Coachella is not like a rock festival. It's more mixed music. When people try to categorize our music, they say hard rock. But we do have a lot of differs styles as well. I am a classical music pianist as well. I played Carnegie Hall last year. Hopefully, the audience at Coachella will be open to our music.

The second annual Skull and Roses Festival brought Deadheads from all over California, to the Ventura Fairgrounds, for three days of music inspired by The Grateful Dead. The campground area was nearly full by the time the music started early on Friday afternoon, April 6th. Festival publicist Dennis McNally, who was the publicist for the Grateful Dead from 1984-95 choose the spot because of its significance in the history of the Dead. The iconic band played the Ventura fairgrounds 11 times from 1982-87, making it one of their most regular stops in Southern California during that period. The festival began under cloudy skies with chilly blustery winds blowing dust across the venue. But much like most of the storms to approach southern California this year, the threat of rain proved uneventful. Music fans were in good spirits swarming the concert area by the time David Gans played a solo sunset set. Gans, who wrote a book on The Grateful Dead, brought his original tunes and a few Dead covers to an appreciative crowd.

By the time sunset gave way to twilight, the clouds had begun to part and a starry night sky appeared. The classic Dead cover band Cubensis proceed two extended sets. The main stage featured a replica of The Wall of Sound, the famous speaker stack that the Dead toured with in the 70’s. Lit with led and laser lights, it created a spectacular backdrop for the extended jam. The band played until nearly midnight, but the tunes continued in the campground on impromptu stages until early Saturday morning.

Day two of the festival dawned brightly with beautiful high clouds rolling across the nearby mountains. The fairgrounds are poised on Ventura point, one of the most popular surf spots in Southern California. Many concert-goers brought their surfboards and other watercraft and were treated to a fun wind swell, followed by a building groundswell the final afternoon. The music started early on the second day.  By early afternoon the venue was full of multiple generations of music fans dancing and lounging in the sun. Miami pedal steel guitar jammer legend, Roosevelt Collier, turned up the heat with a smoking set of blues-drenched Dead covers and even a Rolling Stones gem was thrown in for good measure. The master musician is well known in the Miami area playing with a host of jam bands and made a big splash at the Okeechobee music festival.

Circles Around The Sun played what was probably the most intense set of the festival next. The band led by guitar veteran Neal Casal, from the Chris Robinson Brother band, is a consummate jam band. The group was created to produce a soundtrack for the intermission of the Fare Thee Well final tour of The Grateful Dead. The set featured some of the most brilliant jam band music to be found today.

Stu Allen, another veteran of the JGB group, brought his band Mars Hotel to the festival for two extended sets to close Saturday evening. The band is a mainstay at Dead head festivals and channels the spirit of the band perfectly.

Sunday morning brought a beautiful spring day to the festival grounds. The strong winds subsided and the sun shined brightly. From the grandstands, a spectacular view surrounded the festival. A 360-degree vista offered up a view of the surrounding mountains turning green for the first time since the devastating fires of last December. The mountains ran all the way to the Pacific Ocean, glistening in the sun, with frothy white waves rolling in.

Another veteran of the original Jerry Garcia Band, Melvin Seals brought his current version of the JGB band to the festival for the second year in a row. The band played classic covers of Aint’t No Bread in the Breadbox and Lay Down Sally that got the sleepy crowd dancing. The master musician, with dual Leslie speakers attached to his keyboards, led the band through a bluesy dance inspiring set.

The festival ended with yet another dual set of jam tunes by the Golden Gate Wingmen. The band features players from side projects of Dead members that are still touring. The band opened with a psychedelic jam. That was followed by It Takes a Lot to Laugh, a Dylan tune that The Grateful Dead liked to cover. The band also played another Dylan tune, Queen Jane Approximately. But it was the Dead tunes that got the crowd most excited including, Sugaree, Mexicali Blues, Lazy River Road, Cassidy, Dark Star, Terrapin Station, Ripple, and Brokedown Palace. The festival ended on a beautiful upbeat Sunday afternoon and hopefully will become an annual Mecca for Deadheads young and old.

Check out more photos from 2018 Skull & Roses Festival | Friday | Saturday | Sunday

The first day of Coachella 2018 began as a frustrating experience for many. The biggest Coachella ever suffered from growing pains that taxed every corner of the infrastructure. Hour-long lines greeted people at will call. Another 90-minute wait to get on the shuttle followed. Then a 30 plus minute trek through security before finally entering the massively expanded festival grounds. Once inside there were long lines for bathrooms, food, drinks and even identification checks to buy drinks. Most everyone at the festival looked dazzling, dressed in their fashion best festival ware. It is amazing how many high school and for that matter, junior high school kids have the 500 bucks it cost just for a ticket to Coachella. Then there are lines for 12-dollar craft beers, 14-dollar dumplings and 15-dollar hamburgers. Coachella 2018 resembles a theme park like Disneyland during a holiday weekend more than the Coachella of past years. In fact, that is the best way to describe what Coachella has become, a theme park of music festivals. Even a 62-year-old music fan could marvel at the infrastructure from a quiet corner in the beer garden sucking on a 16-dollar top shelf whiskey. There was a perfect view of the Sahara electronic music stage. The former tent stage has been transformed into a massive metal orb, complete with state of the art multimedia visuals. The main stage continues to expand, looking more like the one-off Desert Trip festival that Coachella’s promoters produced in 2016 and purported to be the most massive stage ever assembled for a concert. The massive sound system stretches for nearly a mile from front to back of the main stage. As dusk falls, the gargantuan stages lit up with multimedia, surrounded by colossal art installations creating a surreal electronic city. The gleaming festival sits on polo fields, surrounded by the spectacular mountains and palm trees of the California desert, painted in soft hues by the desert sunset.

Despite mainstream pop, headline acts installed to lure the masses, the one constant of nearly twenty years of Coachella is the quality of the live music. With almost 300 performers stretched across eight stages over three days, the lineup was chock full of Indy music acts from across the globe sure to offer up something for nearly every musical taste.

Fridays Coachella line up full of quality music. Coachella always attracts a large contingent of music fans from Mexico, so it was fitting that the first band to play the main stage was one of Mexico’s most famous music groups, Los Angeles Azules. The 18-strong musical ensemble performs traditional Latin cambia music. The music took a rock turn when the traditional band was joined by surprise guests including the electro-pop band Kinky and glam rocker Jay De La Cueva from Moderato. The latter led the group in the final song draped in a Mexican flag, triumphantly sounding a bit like Spanish pop superstar Manu Chao.

Some of The Best Bands at Coachella That Almost Nobody Saw:

The beauty of Coachella has always been discovering new bands and, even with 125,000 fans moving in a multitude of directions, music fans could walk right up to the front of the stages of performers going up against the more well-known headline acts. PVRIUS rocked an early set in the Gobi tent to a minimal crowd. The Massachusetts Indy rockers fronted by lead singer Lynn Gun played a rock drenched set, rare at this year’s Coachella, for the lucky few.

The newest and smallest venue at Coachella the Sonora tent became an Indy music sanctuary in every sense of the world. The air-conditioned enclosure is kept pitch black except for the stage and offers a great place to escape the desert sun. With a lineup of exciting new Indy bands, the venue offered up great tunes throughout the day into early evening. The venue never got crowded because of the lack of headline acts, which suited all who relaxed inside sprawled across the floor.  The Marias, a Los Angeles “psychedelic-soul” played a well-received early afternoon set fronted by charming lead singer, Maria. According to their Facebook page, “This time last year we were playing at a pizza parlor. And yesterday we played at Coachella!”

Greta Van Fleet was one of the few rock bands to garner a big crowd at Coachella 2018. While most of the Millenia crowd gravitated to EDM and Hip-Hop artists, the young Michigan rock band attracted the masses. The band boosted by multiple mentions from Led Zeppelin icon Robert Plant, does have some striking similarities in sound and style to that legendary band.

Swedish singer Leon attracted a much smaller crowd in the Gobi tent, as the sensual 24-year-old performer came up against a brilliant desert sunset that seemed to attract the masses to the outdoor art installations.

Early evening saw one of the few hip-hop shows not swarmed by Millennials when French rap duo The Blaze played the Gobi tent. They had the misfortune of going up against California rapper Vince Staples on the main stage. Staples was joined by the first Pulitzer Prize-winning rapper Kendrick Lamar, wowing a massive crowd.

Most of the massive crowd stayed put in front of the main stage as a delayed set by SZA also included a collaboration with Lamar as well as Tennessee rapper Isaiah Rashad. SZA was catapulted to fame when the Neo Soul singer was nominated for Best New Artist at last year’s Grammys and with her collaboration with Lamar. The crowd pretty much stayed in place in front of the main stage all the way through to the final act, The Weekend. While the golden-throated innovative singer performed with massive multimedia backdrops, the set felt a bit anticlimactic. The performer has played Coachella before and nearly every other music festival, relentlessly touring after the last several years. Playing his hits early and brining out no special guests like the previous performers, many in the crowd headed for the exits by the second half of the set.

Not surprisingly, the hidden gems of Coachella's Friday line up could be found scattered about the festival during the main stage closing Hip Hop marathon.  Almost no one saw the fascinating set of Dreams in the Mohave tent. The band had the distinction of being the first band ever to play Coachella without ever having released any recorded music. The band is a collaboration of Australian musician Luke Steele famous for his work in Empire of The Sun and Australian rocker Daniel Johns most well-known from the band Silverchair. The view from the front of the stage was that of a few hundred-people watching the show in awe of the glam rock performance. The set included neo-psychedelic visuals, sparkling parachute pants, fur coats and bare skin. The flamboyant performers seemed to be giving the nod to the large LGBTQ community in nearby Palm Springs. The festival has wisely continued the tradition of booking bands prevalent in the gay community, offering up yet another layer of diversity in the multi-musical and culture palette of the Coachella Music and Arts Festival.

Another LGBTQ friendly performance was being presented to a small crow in the Gobi tent while the Hip Hop Marathon continued on the main stage. Seattle based art rocker Mike Hadreas, better known by his stage name Perfume Genius turned in a charismatic performance. About 200 people watched, wearing special glasses provided by the band that created an aura around the performers and turned light sources into glowing hearts. A brilliant Indy band backed the young performer with multi layered rock sounds. The flamboyant singer turned in an excellent set marked by bombastic dance and vocal changes creating an electrifying performance.

The incredible performance of the first night of Coachella 2018 was another set that almost no one at the festival saw. AS the masses pressed towards the main stage for The Weekend, the final set of the night on the Outdoor stage featured one of the godfathers of electronic music Jean Michel Jarre.  As the set began in the chilly desert night, music fans could walk to the very front rail of the second largest stage at the festival. Jarre may be the most significant live music star in the world, garnering crowds of over a million people for his legendary performances. The show was essentially the same one he assembled for his first mini out of the United States last year. But the unique multimedia presentation created by Jarre looks all the more remarkable in the open desert air. While his set began with a small audience, that did not stop Jarre from presenting a spectacular show. Flanked by two talented musicians, each playing drums, and keyboards, Jarre appeared on a platform in front of a myriad of keyboards. Multiple layers of LED light walls began morphing around him creating a multidimensional vision of lights and graphics. Huge lights and myriad colored lasers were also incorporated in the show; all carefully choreographed to the music. The result was a spectacular display that rivaled anything seen in the massive EDM installation in the Sahara venue. In fact, the giant EDM music festivals, so reliant on large-scale visual presentations today, owe their evolution directly to Jarre’s original live performance vision. Jarre became known to the pop music world back in 1976 with his breakthrough electronica album, Oxygene. He was a pioneer of the genre along with Giorgio Moroder from Italy and Kraftwerk and Tangerine Dream in Germany. But what made Jarre unique among his peers was his vision of live performances with gigantic state of the art multimedia displays unmatched in the concert world.

Jarre showcased new music from his two-part LP Electronica and most recent release Oxygene, alongside classic material from breakthrough albums such as Oxygene and Equinoxe. One of the only political moments of the first night of Coachella came during the song, Exit.  Jarre dedicated the song to his friend Edward Snowden. Large media clips of Snowden were played during the song espousing the public's right to privacy from government oversight. Later in the set on the song, Conquistador, Jarre broke into an electric guitar solo showcasing his rock talents. Jarre even played an iPad on the song, Immortals, late in the set.

But the most spectacular performance of the evening came during the last song of the standard set, The Time Machine when Jarre played the Laser Harp.  As large green lasers shot straight into the desert night sky, Jarre donned special gloves and played the rocketing beams like strings on a harp.

Weekend two of Coachella begins Friday, April 20th perhaps more people will catch Jarre’s magnificent set.

The second day of Coachella 2018 began much more pleasant and organized than the first. An armada of buses awaited festival goers at each of the myriad bus stops in contrast to a shortage of transportation the first day. A small of army of security personnel sorted through the personal belongings of the masses efficiently, getting people through the gates as quickly as possible.

By early afternoon temperatures hovered in the mid 80’s, and the dreaded dusty desert winds subsided. A large crowd gathered at the main stage for a well-received set by Nile Rodgers and Chic. From some of the most significant hits in the disco era to a recent hit with EDM masters Daft Punk, Rodgers and the band educated the Millennial crowd with a parade of historical greatest hits. The set brought on an infectious dance fever that spread through the crowd. The 65-year-old Rodgers is a national treasure. He began a professional music career with his former partner Bernard Edwards back in 1976 and together, they formed Chic, one of the most successful dance music bands of the disco era. But it was Rodgers work as a music producer, that has brought him the most significant success, producing hit after hit for over 40 years. The list of pop music stars that have worked with and revere him include, Sister Sledge, Diana Ross, Sheena Easton, David Bowie, Bryan Ferry, Madonna, INXS, Britney Spears, Spoons, and more recently, Daft Punk, Pharrell Williams, Avicii, Disclosure, Sam Smith, Pitbull, Lady Gaga, Kylie Minogue, Nervo, Laura Mvula, Keith Urban and Duran Duran.

Beaming widely from the minute he took the stage, Rodgers was living in the moment during his afternoon set at the Coachella main stage. He led the band straight into some Chic classics to begin his hour-long set and pranced around each member of the veteran group, making eye contact and leading them into a dance groove. The disco classics included Good Times; I Want Your Love, and Le Freak. Shortly into the set, Rodgers took the time to tell his story of discovering that he had life-threatening cancer, eight years ago. His doctor told him to get his affairs in order. For Rodgers, that translated into trying to write as many songs as he could. Five years later he finds himself in the California desert sunshine declaring himself cancer-free and happy to be playing Coachella and still producing hit songs. The set continued with some of Rodgers’ greatest songwriting and producing hits from Diana Ross’ I’m Coming Out and Upside Down and Madonna’s Like a Virgin to David Bowie’s Let’s Dance and Sister Sledge’s We Are Family. The music sent the crowd into a dancing frenzy. The biggest cheers came for his hit song Get Lucky with Daft Punk and the David Bowie classic Let’s Dance. But the real dance party broke out during the Chic, classic Good Times.

Over in the dark, air-conditioned Sonora tent, a small audience seeking refuge from the afternoon sun caught a rousing set by Cheery Glazer. The Los Angeles Indy rock band formed in 2012, features guitarist and lead vocalist Clementine Creevy, bassist Devin O'Brien and drummer Tabor Allen. The trio belted out some fresh rock tunes.

Innovative veteran new wave rocker David Byrne was another one of the surprise sets where fans could walk to the very front of the Outdoor Stage. The crowd of several hundred-people continued to grow as the master creator of the Talking Heads got into some of his more classic hits. The sunset show was up against a favorite EDM act Louis The Child, attracting the bulk of the crowd to the Sahara stage. Rapper Tyler The Creator stole the rest of the crowd over on the main stage as Byrne’s set drew to a close. His band featured a large contingent of dancing musicians, sounding much like a school marching band. In fact, much of his set sounded like one extended jam of the song Tusk by Fleetwood Mac. The reinterpretations of Talking Heads classics were the biggest audience pleasers.

Young singer-guitarist Benjamin Booker kept the Blues alive with an ear piercing early evening set in the Gobi tent. The master guiltiest who sights influences as diverse as Blind Willie Johnson and T. Rex. Unfortunately, only a minimal crowd witnessed his guitar magic as Tyler The Creator sucked the masses towards the main stage. At the same time the hardcore Los Angeles band, The Bronx, was keeping punk music alive for an even smaller crowd in the Sonora tent. A handful of happy slam dancers reveled in the band's intense music.

Over in the Mohave tent Canadian Indy rockers, Alvvays were also struggling to attract an audience while The Fleet Foxes and Haim were pulling the bulk of the crowd to the main stages. The small crowd seemed enamored by the bands ethereal sound. The band consists of eloquent vocalist Molly Rankin, keyboardist Kerri MacLellan, guitarist Alec O'Hanley, bassist Brian Murphy, and drummer Sheridan Riley. The music had a subtle retro rock feel. Their debut album, Alvvays, was released in 2014, peaking at number one on the US college charts. The band also played tunes from their latest album, Antisocialites.

Meanwhile back in the Gobi tent, steamy British singer Jorja Smith was holding the torch for R&B music with some sultry numbers that were also going unnoticed by most festival goers.

As most of the Millennial crowd crammed into the Sahara Orb for well-known rapper Post Malones set, one of the best sets of Saturday night went almost unnoticed. Jungle, a modern English soul musical collective based in London performed a spellbinding set in the Mohave set to a tiny audience. They were followed in the same venue by X Japan, who also played one of the best sets of the night to a nearly nonexistent audience. This veteran group has been rocking their homeland since 1982. X Japan has released five studio albums, six live albums, and 21 singles and sold over 30 million albums. The band sings mostly in Japanese but is working on their first all English album, scheduled to be released shortly. Their show started with clips of the band playing worldwide to massive audiences, which made the tiny audience appear all the more astonishing. The show began with the band's originator Yoshi appearing above his drum kit, his arms raised in an X. Fans in the crowd responded emulating the gesture. Then with pyrotechnics exploding around them, the hard rock band broke into a series of tunes that sounded much like the heavy metal English rockers Iron Maiden. Yoshi later switched to classical piano and wowed the crowds with his skills.

There was, of course, a reason that most people missed this historic set and that was another historic set on the MainStage by pop superstar Beyonce. Critics are calling the hit-making sirens set possibly the best ever at Coachella. That moniker more precisely may go to one of the classic rock performers who played extended set for well over three hours, over the years at Coachella. That would include Prince’s set featuring Shiela E and The Time, Roger Waters two set spectacle of Pink Floyd songs and Paul McCartney 37 song list of Beatles classics.

But it is pointless to compare the different years of Coachella as each has its own place in the history of music festivals. Indeed Beyonce's two-hour set was the most impressive of Coachella 2018. The stage was organized to look like the bleachers at a school football stadium. Behind Beyonce, an army of cheerleader clad dancers swarmed the stands. Interspersed was a full marching band which provided the musical background for most of the night. Much like the David Byrne set earlier in the evening, the resulting music sounded again like one extended jam of the song Tusk by Fleetwood Mac. But the massive young crowd was mesmerized by the visual perforce including excessive dance moves that captured the crowd's rapt attention. Beyonce brought out a craven of special guests including, her sister Solange. The pair had a stylish dance-off during their duet. The most significant surprise of the night was a reunion of Destinys Child. Beyonce was joined by Kelly Rowland and Michelle Williams for “Lose My Breath” “Say My Name” and“Soldier.” The reunion of the R&B supergroup was another historic moment for Coachella. By the time her husband, superstar rapper Jay Z made a not so surprise appearance, the moment felt almost anticlimactic. The pair gave a preview of the super tour they are about to embark on in stadiums across the country.

Day 3 of Coachella felt a bit lighter on crowds than the previous two days, but most of the masses did turn up for veteran Rapper Eminem’s closing set. There were some intense rock sets Sunday including A Perfect Circle, an American rock supergroup formed in 1999 by guitarist Billy Howerdel and reclusive Tool vocalist Maynard James Keenan. Their extraordinary set seemed to overwhelm exhausted festival goers. Earlier, Portugal The Man brought their brand of psychedelic rock to Coachella.

The bands set began with a mashup of Metallica’s “For Whom the Bell Tolls” and Pink Floyd’s “Another Brick in the Wall (Part 2).” The band ended the set with “Hey Jude.” The band seemed to know their Coachella history, paying homage to past performances by Roger Waters and Paul McCartney. At the same time, Kendrick Lamar's masterful sax player Kamasi Washington brought his veteran jazz-rock band to play an intense set of intricate music to a lucky few.

As evening set in, one of the few EDM acts to play the main stage at this year’s Coachella appeared to a roaring crowd. The Washington based electronic duo Odesza wowed the crowd, turning the main stage into a giant rave complete with a swarm of drones lighting up the sky in the shape of the band's logo. The duo paraded a couple of guests on stage, including Naomi Wild for their recent single “Higher Ground” and Leon Bridges for “Across The Room.”

A very pregnant Cardi B played a short 30-minute set. But the set was full of crowd-pleasing hit songs. She was also joined by surprise guests G-Eazy for “No Limit,” Kehlani for “Ring” and Chance The Rapper for “Best Life” and other guest performances.

Veteran super rapper Eminem closed Coachella with an intense rock-tinged set of his biggest hits. He was joined in a rare appearance by Dr. Dre and 50 Cent, while Bebe Rexha took over for Rihanna — singing “The Monster,” a song that she originally wrote. The large crowd stayed on the field to the end, a testament to the powerful music of the hooded veteran hip-hop star.

Rock guitar legends Dave Navarro and Billy Morrison assembled a small army of some of their most iconic rock acquaintances for a benefit concert at the Belasco Theater in Los Angeles, April 16. The pair organized the Above Ground concert to raise funds and awareness for MusiCares foundation, which provides support and community services to musicians in need of medical, personal & financial assistance. The event and its moniker were, in part, inspired by the recent loss of rockers Chris Cornell and Chester Bennington to suicide. Navarro and Morrison decided to organize the event to help get the word out that it is okay to ask for help when struggling with depression and addiction issues.

The concert was held in the ornate Belasco theater which housed just over 1000 lucky rock music fans for the events. The theater is reminiscent of the Haunted Mansion at Disneyland, with dark, gaudy decor, including chairs hanging from walls and spooky chandeliers. The downtown theater has a rich history, founded and 1906 by Frederic and Edward Belasco and finally completed in 1926. The theater became a popular Burlesque venue early on. The art deco building survived a myriad of uses, even as a church for awhile, before returning to a performance venue. In 2011, the Belasco unveiled a spectacular $12 million restoration. The result was a 40,000 sq. Ft. reimagining of the Belasco, including a central theatre, ballroom, basement lounge, and two restaurants.

The venue was the perfect setting for the concert which may go down as a footnote in outrageous rock history. The show featured a rock and roll Burlesque extravaganza that included two sets of music and a raucous halftime auction. The two distinctive sets featured presentations of the Velvet Underground's 1967 album, The Velvet Underground & Nico and Adam and the Ants' 1980 record, Kings of the Wild Frontier. The lobby art and stage featured art installations designed by ЯEVOLVER Gallery. ЯEVOLVER is a Los Angeles art gallery with a single program focusing on the life and work of pop artist, Andy Warhol. With over 200 original prints and paintings in its collection, Revolver Gallery has the most extensive “gallery-owned” Warhol collection worldwide.

Before the concert began, Jane's Addiction drummer Stephen Perkins led a drum circle in the middle of the theater to get a tribal vibe going for the event.

The show began with Navarro and Morrison bookending a core band, playing the Adam Ant album. While Warhol film clips flashed behind them on multiple screens, the rockers tore into the material like it was their own. After nearly every song there was a lineup change, with guest singers moving in and out, as well as different backing musicians. The transitions were astonishingly roughly seamless, considering the sheer volume of participants. Early on a girl could be seen swinging above the band suspended by wires. On careful inspection, it became evident that she was attached by hooks to her bare skin in a ritual suspension. Scantily clad burlesque dancers would also move on and off the stage periodically, caressing the musicians. Navarro, looking youthful and fit as always, may be drinking blood or some other magical concoction, as the 50-year-old looks half his age despite his rock and roll lifestyle. He and Morrison remained constant on the stage as the historic jam unfolded. Musical guests included, (in alphabetical order): Billy Duffy (The Cult), Billy Howerdel (A Perfect Circle), Billy Idol, Chris Chaney (Jane’s Addiction), Corey Taylor (Slipknot, Stone Sour), Courtney Love (Hole), Dave Kushner (Velvet Revolver), Donovan Leitch, Erik Eldenius (Billy Idol), Franky Perez, Jenny Vee (Eagles of Death Metal), Jerry Harrison (Talking Heads, The Modern Lovers), Jesse Hughes (Eagles of Death Metal), Josh Freese (The Vandals, Devo, A Perfect Circle, Nine Inch Nails), Lili Haydn, Marco Pirroni (Adam and The Ants), Mark McGrath (Sugar Ray), Macy Gray, Paul Trudeau (Billy Idol), Siobhan Fahey (Bananarama), Steve Isaacs (The Panic Channel), and Steve Stevens (Billy Idol).

Billy Idol took control of the stage early on with several charismatic performances during the first set. Corey Taylor also shined with some intense vocal performances. A smiling Jesse Hughes dressed in a flashy red suit seemed to be frolicking in the moment and having a great time onstage. Later, he reappeared with his Eagles of Death Metal bandmates Franky Perez and Jenny Vee. The most soulful moment of the first set came with a stunning perforce by sultry singer Macy Gray. The R&B veteran singer seemed right at home in the swirl of rock around her. A poignant moment came when Adam and The Ants guitarist Marci Pirroni joined the jam to offer some authentic guitar licks on several songs from the classic album. Navarro credits the Adam and The Ants album with heavily influencing the early music of Jane's Addiction. His bandmate Stephen Perkins added, “Jane’s Addiction was heavily influenced by Kings of the Wild Frontier. All of that tribal-sounding drumming comes across, certainly on our first and second album.” Morrison was also a big fan of the groundbreaking album Morrison adds, "How great would it be if someone comes to the show and learns about Adam & the Ants. Kings of the Wild Frontier was a seminal album. I would love to see someone who never heard that album go buy it.” The sold-out crowd certainly seemed to be enjoying every minute of it.

If the atmosphere wasn’t already electrified enough with outrageous rock presentation during the first set, the half time auction brought the bizarre event to a new level. The intermission between album performances featured speeches from Dr. Drew and Bob Forrest, speaking on behalf of the mental health field, and a memorabilia auction hosted by Steve-O. Ever the showman Steve-O first lit his hair on fire while a fire breather used it to light a blow torch of flames from his mouth. Later the master of the macabre stunts stripped to his underwear, swung his junk between his legs and dropped his pants.

As bizarre as the half time set was, the second set of music reached an even more surreal level. The presentation of the Velvet Underground's 1967 album, The Velvet Underground & Nico featured most of the earlier performers, plus many additional appearances. Steve Stevens, Billy Duffy, and Dave Kushner added various dimensions of intense guitar work to the mix. But an extreme new level of metal came when Billy Howerdel from (A Perfect Circle) joined the mix. Courtney Love sang several sultry tunes that suited her gritty rock and roll voice, and her appearance added an almost mystical feeling to the extravaganza. Billy Idol returned for some stunning vocals appearing with most all of his band in the mix, including Steve Stevens. Macy Gray returned to the stage, in a complete costume change, offering up some sultry blues-drenched vocals. At one point Navarro appeared onstage playing a drum, then as Morrison took over vocals,  a shirtless Navarro was hoisted into the sky and began swinging wildly over the stage during several songs. Yes, the near-mythic guitarist was attached by hooks into his skin, also engaging in the swinging ritual. Morrison also became shirtless, and crowd surfed into the crowd. Later he stuck his microphone in his pants and was fondled by dancing girls. Billy Idol returned for another song also swarmed by dancing girls stroking him. Violinist extraordinaire Lili Haydn could be seen wildly fiddling in the back between the dual drummers, before taking a turn as lead vocalist.

Things got even more bizarre when Siobhan Fahey of (Bananarama) took over lead vocals. During her song, a dominatrix performed onstage being serviced by a scantily clad female subordinate. Veteran keyboardist Jerry Harrison (Talking Heads), was one of the last special guests to take over lead vocal duties while playing keyboards and other electronic devices. Later he joined Steve Stevens on guitar backing other guitarists for the finale of the set. The band performed an encore of another Velvet Underground song, joined by nearly all the participants onstage. Billy Morrison took the lead vocal duties before collapsing onstage engulfed by burlesque dancing girls. The concert ended a little less five hours after it started leaving an incredulous and adulate audience in complete awe. Long live Rock and Roll.

It was another gorgeous spring afternoon in Jacksonville on Saturday, April 28, the second day of 2018 Welcome to Rockville Music Festival. A bigger audience than the day before flowed into the festival early on. By the time the Swedish heavy metal band Avatar hit the main stage in the early afternoon, a large crowd had already formed. One of the only groups on the roster from Europe, these colorful musicians have been keeping Glam rock alive in their unique way, since 2001. As the band's guitarist Jonas “Kungen” Jarlsby emerged on a throne, it was apparent that he was the king of the Avatar world. The band proceeded to bring a Heavy Metal Rock circus to the sweaty Florida fans. The audience responded with mass approval.

Meanwhile, California was well represented by Joyous Wolf on the smallest of the three stages. The stage featured some of the most exciting music of the day and was the most pleasant to hang around. Unlike the main stage venue, which was primarily a giant parking lot, the smaller stage featured a grassy hill, lined with trees and bordering a Jacksonville waterway. The area had it’s own underutilized food court and bars and simply was the most pleasant place to be at the festival. The young California band played some classic Blues-rock, helping to keep the genre alive and vital.

The smaller stage continued to rock throughout the day with some of the most inspiring sets for Saturday. The Butcher Babies from Los Angeles played one of the most intense hardcore metal sets of the day. With a welcome infusion of female vocals, the band is led by hair whipping singers Heidi Shepherd and Carla Harvey and features an ear-shattering trio of balls out rockers in the band, including guitarist Henry Flury, bassist Jason Klein, and drummer Chase Brickenden. The group had the crowd screaming, jumping, crowd surfing and moshing all during their short 30-minute set. At one-point Shepard lunged into the crowd, during the song Pomona (Shit Happens), and made her way into the middle of the mosh pit, while Sheperd barked throaty lyrics and swung her long braids wildly.

Another Californian closed the stage Saturday night with a fiery set of party rock. Andrew WK led a fantastic group of musicians through an inspiring set full of great rock riffs. The performer has faced various legal troubles over the years and may be one of the most underappreciated rockers in the country. But an adoring crowd helped him close the small stage at Rockville in grand style.

The main stages featured a group of relatively new alternative metal bands. Black Veil Brides from Hollywood, California brought their toned down Glam rock set to Rockville in the early afternoon. The band still looked a bit goth but seems to have toned down their Glam image in favor of concentrating on their music. The group initially formed in 2006 in Ohio. But the band seems much more at home in Hollywood, continuing in the hard rock tradition of Motley Crue or Kiss.

Hollywood Undead, another California band from Los Angeles, garnered a massive audience in the afternoon. The group which formed in 2005, plays a rap metal that endears them to a millennial crowd raised on hip-hop. All of the band members have pseudonyms and wear their own unique hockey masks before unmasking halfway through their sets. Their set was the sweatiest at the main stage on Saturday.

Across the field on the other big stage, rock veterans Stone Temple Pilots were playing a riveting set about the same time. STP is a rock band from San Diego that was initially fronted by charismatic singer Scott Weiland, brothers Robert and Dean DeLeo on bass and guitar respectively, and drummer Eric Kretz. Since the band's formation in 1989, its line-up remained unchanged until the firing of Weiland in 2013. Chester Bennington of Linkin Park then joined the group as lead singer. In November 2015, Bennington left the band to return to work with Linkin Park. On December 3, 2015, Weiland was found dead on his tour bus before a performance with his band The Wildabouts. In 2016, the band launched an online audition for a new lead vocalist. On July 20, 2017, Bennington committed suicide by hanging. On November 14, 2017, Jeff Gutt became the new singer of the band. The history of adversity has seemed to cement the group as one of the tightest nit hard rock acts in the country. The band played an intense set full of their hit songs.

Stone Sour closed the same stage as evening began to set in with a nearly full moon. The band formed in Des Moines, Iowa in 1992, performing for five years, before disbanding in 1997. They reunited in 2000, and since 2006, the group has consisted of lead vocalist and guitarist Corey Taylor from Slipknot fame, Guitarist Josh Rand, and drummer Roy Mayorga. Stone Sour earned the group two Grammy nominations, both for Best Metal Performance, for the singles “Get Inside," in 2003, and "Inhale, in 2004. From their 2006 album, Come What(ever) May, the group received another Grammy Award nomination for Best Metal. Taylor led the band in an intense set that saw fans crowd surfing and moshing en masse.

As evening set in and fireworks lit the sky most of the vast crowd at the festival moved to the main stage parking lot for the final set of the day by Avenge Sevenfold. The band is an America heavy metal group from Southern California, formed in 1999. The band's current lineup includes lead vocalist M. Shadows, rhythm guitarist and backing vocalist Zacky Vengeance, lead guitarist and backing vocalist Synyster Gates, bassist and backing vocalist Johnny Christ, and drummer Brooks Wackerman. The band has gone through some hard rock musical phases creating a vast palette of music to choose from, including postpone, heavy metal, and most recently more traditional blues rock.

The band has a history of adversity including the tragic death of their original drummer.  James The Rev Sullivan was found dead at his home at the age of 28, in 2010.  The cause of death was revealed to have been an "acute polydrug intoxication due to combined effects of Oxycodone, Oxymorphone, Diazepam/Nordiazepam and ethanol." The band considered disbanding, but with the help of drummer Mike Portnoy from Dream Theater regrouped and continued to make hit records.

Now with drummer Wackerman, the group has embarked on their End of the World tour, with a beautiful set designed by the creators of Cirque de Soliel. The show in Jacksonville was to be full of drama and diversity much like the band's history. The evening seemed to begin well with the group blasting two songs into the audience that whipped the adulate crowd into a mass crowd surfing mega mosh pit frenzy. But then singer Shadows announced that he had been ill for over a weak, and his voice was suffering badly. Instead of canceling the show he soldiered on but continued to struggle throughout the night, aided by other members of the band as backup singers.  Just as things seem to be going okay, with a riveting performance musically by the group and fascinating visuals, the band had to pause for a medical emergency. Apparently, an elated crowd surfer was launched into the mosh pit by enthusiastic music fans, but nobody caught him, and he landed on the parking lot pavement. The show had to be stopped and a passageway cleared into the massive crowd to extract the severely injured man. The nearly 30-minute delay at into the bands allowed set time, and the group was only able to perform 11 of the 17 sings on their current tour set list. It was a bit of a sour ending to an otherwise action-packed day of phenomenal metal music.

Temperatures rose into the high 80’s on the final day of Rockville 2018 in Jacksonville Florida as veteran rock bands dominated the roster. The Foo Fighters turned in the best set of the festival stretching more than two hours, past the official festival. Billy Idol and his band also turned in a set of classic rock hits.

But earlier in the day the large crowd was treated to a diverse line up of newer acts. California thrash punk band Fever 333 had the energized smaller stage early on with a sound eerily similar to Rage Against The Machine. The band whipped the small but enthusiastic crowd into a sweat-drenched frenzy, encouraging a large mosh pit to form. The lead singer preached a message of inclusion while whipping up the crowd to dance.

Now calling Portland Oregon their home, the band Red Fang, brought their brand of metal to the main stage in the early afternoon. The band has earned their moniker, stoner rock, by reinterpreting the riffs of bands like Black Sabbath and Metallica much to the delight of the Florida crowd. They were followed by a young Michigan band garnering a lot of interest by the music media lately. Greta Van Fleet from Frankenmuth, first formed in 2012 and has quickly made a name for themselves based mainly on their live performances. Vocalist Josh Kizka has been compared in style to legendary Led Zeppelin lead vocalist, Robert Plant. Even Plant, himself has expressed admiration for the band. His brothers, Jake and Sam, play guitar and bass, respectively. The group also feature drummer Danny Wagner, who is a multi-instrumentalist wizard. The band is working on their first album, but so far is working off a single EP, Black Smoke Rising. The band's heavy rock sound is influenced by the work of Led Zeppelin and many other rock and blues acts. This fact did not go unnoticed by the large crowd that formed to hear them play. Whispers of Led Zeppelin could be heard through the mazed crowd. But many of the songs sound a bit more like classic rock blues of Janis Joplin with Big Brother and The Holding Company. The group claims to have gotten their sound by listening to their parent's classic blues rock and old American black blues and soul albums. However, they developed, the group may be one of the best blues-rock acts to come along in decades. In the millennial world ruled by hip-hop and EDM, this young group may be one of the saviors of the entire Blues rock genre.

From young performers playing classic rock to Classic rock performers themselves, the MainStage had a definite nostalgic feel to it on the last day of the festival.

Billy Idol and his veteran band of punkabilly inspired rockers wowed the crowds on the main stage with their well-known sound. The band has been part of mainstream American culture since they dominated MTV beginning in 1982. The phenomenal rock band led by the dueling guitars of Billy Morrison and Steve Stevens is simply one of the best bands in rock. The group had the crowd singing their rock anthems all through their 50-minute set, including hits like White Wedding and Rebel Yell. Idol himself, is a fireball racing about the stage, snarling out his lyrics and engaging the crowd and band members regularly. As he left the stage saluting the massive crowd, everyone cried for more music, and in the end, they would not be disappointed.

Over on the other large stage, The Queens of The Stone Age brought a sweltering sunset performance of their desert rock to a big crowd. The band from Palm Desert California brought their intense guitar driven sound to the appreciative audience on the final day of Rockville.

The final set of Rockville 2018 was 23 years in the making. During their closing set, lead singer, and guitarist for The Foo Fighters, Dave Grohl asked the crowd, “Have we ever played Jacksonville before? I don’t think we ever played here before.” Sure enough, it was the first time that the mega rock act had been to a city rooted in rock history. The band made up for the lapse with an intense 2-hour set, the longest and most interesting of the entire festival. They blew through their curfew time and except, for a few instances where Grohl stopped to banter to the audience, the songs were piggybacked on top of each other like one long, intense jam session. The legendary Grohl, who formed the band shortly after the demise of Nirvana, sounded a bit hoarse through the show, but for what quality he may have lacked vocally he more than made up for in pure adrenalin infused performance. The singer screamed and shouted for two solid hours while flailing about the stage. In fact, the entire band seemed to be playing with some new-found passion, like they were a young up and coming band with something to prove.

The band tore through many of their most significant hit songs before dropping a few surprises on the crowd. The first surprise was an odd one that seemed to delight the huge audience. Apparently, actor John Travolta had been watching from backstage. Travolta had recently wrapped up filming the Fred Durst-directed film Moose. About halfway through the set, the band covered Travolta and Olivia-Newton John’s classic song from the movie Grease, “You’re the One That I Want," and Grohl called Travolta on stage to give him a bear hug.

Later there was an even better surprise when Billy Idol came out to lead the band in a rousing cover of John Lennon’s Gimmie Some Truth. The massive crowd sang along, and most everyone stayed for the entire 2-hour set, a testament to the allure of this classic American rock band, The Foo Fighters. While there was good music throughout the full three days of the festival, it seemed that the final day offered up the most crowd-pleasing complete day of music, a fitting end to the biggest Rockville yet.

Faithful fans of one of the first American jazz-rock fusion bands, the Dixie Dregs, were packed like sweaty sardines into the Canyon Club in Agoura California, on a balmy late spring evening.

The original band that recorded their first album, “The Great Spectacular,” back in 1975 has just reunited for a concert tour. Rod Morgenstein, Andy West, Allen Sloan, Steve Davidowski and Steve Morse reunited for their tour with a short press release announcing their first dates. "Hello, everyone! We are starting back at the beginning—with the band as it was in 1975 when we were touring the South and trying to get a record deal. Together we recorded our first commercially produced album, Free Fall. We are reincarnating the band and will announce 2018 tour dates soon. Welcome to the return of the Dixie Dregs!”

The sold-out crowd was chock full of self-proclaimed Dregheads, experts of the band, eagerly sharing the tiniest of details of past shows that had been witnessed. The group began playing just after 9pm, led by the mercurial guitar playing of Steve Morse. Morse had been the longtime guitarist of the latest incarnation of Deep Purple and was voted "Best Overall Guitarist" by Guitar Player magazine for five years in a row. But every member of the Dregs is a masterful musicians musician, equally matched in their musical prowess. The band plays their own unique fusion of jazz-rock mixed with rock, prog rock, country, bluegrass and classical riffs. The show at the Canyon Club featured two full sets of the band's classic jam tunes, plus two encores after multiple standing ovations. For the first time in 40 years, fans of the Dregs were able to hear guitarist Morse, bassist West, violinist Sloan, keyboardist  Davidowski and drummer Morgenstein perform their magic together.

Much to the delight of the crowd, the band played music from their first six albums released between 1975 and 1983. The first set included the songs “Divided We Stand,” “Free Fall” and “Holiday” and the more experimental “What If.” The first set also included the Americana flavored “Country House Shuffle” and the psychedelic  jam “Odyssey.”

A euphoric crowd swarmed the canyon Club bars during intermission, espousing their approval with the first set. The second began the moody violin solo “Rachel,” followed by the acoustic version of “Northern Lights” and an almost Bluesy version of “Go For Baroque.” The band then launched into some of their most elaborate jams like “Refried Funky Chicken.”

After a nonstop standing ovation, the group ended with a sweat-drenched double encore, including a Bluesy cover of the Robert Johnson classic “Cross Road Blues.” Most every Dreghead in attendance seemed to scream their approval as the doors of the venue open into the early morning darkness.

The 17th annual Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival kicked off amidst gorgeous late spring weather conditions, in the rural Manchester Tennessee countryside, on June 7th. The unique festival has struggled to maintain its distinctive identity in a world smothered with ever increasing cookie cutter festivals. This year's festival felt like it had turned the corner in providing a unique experience to its participants while maintaining its relevance in an ever-changing pop music demographic and landscape. The festival drew the largest crowd in several years, an estimated 80,000 plus music lovers.

Much like the country as a whole, Bonnaroo has increasingly become more of a tribal experience, with music fans gravitating to specific musical genres and their respective social circles. To this end, Bonnaroo has wisely expanded their festival experience to reach into nearly every corner of the campgrounds, as well as the main Centeroo festival grounds.

In recent years festival promoters have worked hard to improve every aspect of the Bonnaroo camping experience. Using the knowledge garnered from tracking festival-goers movement via their electronic wristbands, developers were able to determine that as much as a third of the patrons were hanging in the campgrounds on a regular basis. Permanent showers and bathrooms were installed across the vast expanses of the camping area and in Center itself. This year a full-service laundry faculty was even added. The Launderoo allowed concert goers to maintain a clean wardrobe throughout the festival. But the most significant change has been the commitment to offer a wide range of food, art, entertainment, and facilities across the nine distinct plazas that make up the general campground area. At Plaza 3 a barn was transformed into the House of Yes housing a nightclub and performance space. Events included day and night activities featuring, a circus, DJ dance parties, and a cinema. One of the most significant changes in Centeroo this year was the removal of the comedy and cinema tent, with those activities moving to the campgrounds.

Bonnaroo veteran Matt Shultz, the animated lead singer of Cage The Elephant was given a free hand at Plaza 9 to create his own multimedia presentation featuring interactive art and live performances. In fact, on this first day of Roo 2018, Cage The Elephant played a not so publicized set to 700 lucky concertgoers who squeezed into the venue. The comprehensive Bonnaroo app listed all the special events at the Plazas in great detail, but it took some studios research to find all the secretive information. Shultz was a masterful performer, as usual, leading the crowd in sing-alongs of the bands hit songs like, "Come a Little Closer" & "Shake Me Down." Later in the evening, the venue featured a set by the new Bowling Green, Kentucky quartet Dan Luke and the Raid. The band was fronted by Daniel Shultz who is the younger brother to Matt and Cage guitarist Brad Shultz.

Other Plazas offered individual experiences throughout the 4-day festival, catering to the different tribal tastes of this year's festival attendees. Plaza 7 was known as The Ville, curated by the Nashville Convention and Visitors Corp. The venue featured local Nashville artists and musicians, with a distinctive Americana flare. The Plaza also featured a nighttime karaoke bar. Plaza 2 featured The Love Shack restaurant, a tequila bar, and a public grilling area. There was also late-night music at the venue. Plaza 6 featured a New Age chill zone, complete with Yoga instructors, meditation centers, craft booths and vegetarian food.  At night the venue featured the ambient electronic beats of Tonalism. Plaza 4 featured a place for festival-goers to leave their mark on the history of Bonnaroo, with a Yearbook, Sketchbook project, and the Bonnaroo Census.

But of course, Bonnaroo is mostly about the music and this year's festival did not disappoint. The first day of the celebration, in many ways is always the most interesting. With the two main stages shut down and many festival goers establishing their campsites and getting their bearings, the five musical stages are readily accessible to eager music fans. The bands on the first day are a collection of unique up and coming new artists, world music and obscure acts that cater to open-minded music lovers. Local Nashville country music singer turned Hip-Hop star Ernest K. kicked off Roo 2018 on Thursday afternoon. Also, from Nashville, Blank Range brought some country-tinged rock to Centeroo. The former frontman for the band Toy Soldier from Philadelphia, Ron Gallo played a spirited Indie set. Frenship, a Los Angeles pop duo brought some fancy dance moves to their high energy set just before sunset.

The girls graced the first day of Roo 2018 with diverse sets including Lissie. The barefooted Iowa based indy folk singer wowed the crowd with her vocal prowess. Young pop siren CYN from Michigan played a well-received set. Her fresh young voice captured the attention of Katy Perry, who signed her to Perry’s new record label. The Other stage, which evolved into an all EDM mega stage last year has become the most sophisticated multimedia stage, and EDM fans were treated to some spectacular sets on an opening day. Representing the girls, DJ, CloZee brought her own take “Glitch hop” to an adulating crowd.  The young DJ is a 21-year-old student from Toulouse, France, majoring in Sound Engineering. She brought all her skills to bear in an impressive set. Finally, representing the girls, up and coming female synth-pop star Elohim, from California played a late-night set that had the whole tent dancing to her catchy songs like “Fuck Your Money.”

For those who love traditional soul music, there was plenty to celebrate on the first day of Roo 2018. Both the Spencer Lee Band and Durand Jones and The Indications brought new interpretations to the genre, much to the delight of soul music aficionados. R.Lum.R from Florida played some excellent neo R&B music. No Roo would be complete without Jam bands, and Arizona’s Spafford and Baltimore’s Pigeons Playing Ping Pong brought well received late night sets to the faithful.

Popular DJ’s like Space Jesus kept up a multimedia assault on EDM fans until 3 am on The Other stage. But for the hardcore EDM fans, the music didn’t stop there. Snake and Jakes Christmas Barn and the silent Disco both returned offering up dance music until dawn. But the real late-night action happened at the Kalliope. The multimedia EDM stage returned after a hiatus last year and offered up guest DJ sets and with pulsating beats, lights and video until well after sunrise. By the end of the first day, it was already a non-stop 24-hour party for many hardy young and very enthusiastic concertgoers.

Check out more photos from Bonnaroo 2018.

Friday, June 8th was the first full day of Bonnaroo 2018. While hardcore EDM fans were just beginning to take a nap in the hot morning sunshine, early bird music fans were waking up to a full day of activities. Centeroo exploded with life expanding massively with the opening of the main stage area.

Everywhere, festival goers seemed to be enjoying their experiences and approaching the festival in the spirit that the promoters have always envisioned with Bonnaroo. A sort of Woodstock vibe permeated the crowd, with most in some sort of sexy or comical festival ware. Beaming smiles and enthusiastic high fives seemed to be the order of the day. Most festival goers seemed to be prepared for the warmer temperatures and developed all manner for keeping cool. The Centeroo fountain was ground zero for those wanting to spend the day wet and wild. Copious amounts of beverages both alcoholic and non-alcoholic were readily available across the festival site, with little waiting compared to past years. In fact, there were so many food and beverage options across the festival grounds this year it was hard to make a choice what to eat and drink.

The music choices were also too numerous even for an ADD generation with track shoes to fully engage in. Muse was the first of the three headline acts to appear at the festival on this day. The trio played a well-received set of rock with an eye-popping multimedia presentation. The band offers up a modern version of the power rock trio, in the grand tradition of Cream or The Police. The group employed a multitude of guitars and electronic instruments, that featured several with their own built-in LED light displays. But while many music fans enjoyed the bands set, many thousands more opted to swarm the other main stage waiting for the midnight set by hardcore EDM artist Bassnectar. Thousands of Bass heads stood infant of the massive bass amps, to headbang like music fans at a hardcore metal festival. In fact, the headline acts at Bonnaroo are almost becoming irrelevant to the experience as a whole. While in past years Bonnaroo always tried to get at least one legacy act that was not touring, for a unique extended set, the headline acts in recent years are the same playing multiple summer festivals. The explosion of new festivals has led to the simple reality that no one offers up an exclusive set anymore and the headline acts at Bonnaroo end up just playing another replicated set, which seems increasingly perfunctory in today's corporate music world.

In fact, the only set that lasted over two hours at this year's Roo was the one that makes the festival so unique and continues to keep it relevant as a groundbreaking live music event. That would be the Superjam. The late-night extravaganza was one of the most excellent jams in the festival's history. “The Great Wide Open” billed as a tribute to the music of Tom Petty was curated by the drummer of My Morning Jacket, Patrick Hallahan and guitarist Craig Pfunder from the band VHS or Beta. The core band also included Wilco guitarist Pat Sansone, MMJ bassist Tom Blankenship, Mark Heideger of Vandaveer, Daniel Creamer of The Texas Gentlemen and The Watson Twins on backing vocals. A revolving door of guest singers and musicians, including some special surprises then took the stage to perform their favorite Tom Petty songs. Paramore’s Hayley Williams sang an animated version of  "Into the Great Wide Open,” to get things rolling.  A beaming Sheryl Crow, who had early played the main stage set that included a duet with a poster pulled from the crowd with Tom Petty on it, tore through a guitar-drenched version of "American Girl.”  Sylvan Esso's Amelia Meath and Bon Iver's Justin Vernon, who was a surprise guest, offered a reiteration of Stevie Nicks' and Petty's roles on "Stop Draggin' My Heart Around.” Rayland Baxter joined his father, pedal steel player Bucky Baxter, to cover "Here Comes My Girl.” Soul singer Jalen N’Gonda reinterpreted “You Got Lucky" into a beautiful genuinely soulful rendition.

One of the most exciting moments of the evening came when Matt Shultz appeared with his lead guitarist from Cage The Elephant, Nick Bockrath in tow. The band featuring four guitarists played a searing ear-piercing version of “Breakdown,” while Shultz pranced about the stage, jumped on amplifiers and launched into the crow. Shultz has become a regular fixture in the super jam having appeared several times. Several years ago, he eerily channeled Jim Morrison during a cover of The Doors, in a super jam featuring a guitar jam with Robbie Krieger and a guitar-wielding Skrillex. Vanessa Carlton, another surprise guest, sang “Learning to Fly.” The Wild Feathers played “I Won’t Back Down.” Lead singer of The Revivalists, David Shaw, sang “Mary Jane’s Last Dance.” He was joined by guitarist Audrey Freed, and music photographer Danny Clinch on harmonica, to augment the core band.

There were so many other guests, music journalists covering the event were unable to keep track of all the songs they played. Just some of the other performers included Sameer Gadhia, lead singer of Young The Giant, Frenship, Moon Taxi, Langhorne Slim, Japanese Breakfast, Durand Jones, Larkin Poe and others. After finishing a two-hour set, most of the evening's performers flooded the stage for a two-set encore of Traveling Wilburys songs. It was indeed a once in a lifetime performance for the lucky late-night music fans crammed into the venue.

Earlier in the day, there was a plethora of great music across the festival featuring multiple genres of pop music. Sheryl Crow’s Mainstage set seemed to surprise even her with the fervor of the young audience. Crow exclaimed, “These songs were written before you were born how do you know the words?” This in response to the crowd singing along to her biggest hits en masse. Paramore also turned in a set that wowed the mainstage crowd. Hayley Williams looking a bit like one of the replicants in the original Blade Runner movie danced maniacally across the massive stage and launched into the group on several occasions. Manchester Orchestra played a particularly intense rock set in the midday sun. Sturgill Simpson played a birthday set in the early evening on the MainStage featuring his incredible guitar skills. The Revivalists played a riveting set as usual led by the animated Shaw. R&B singer Khalid played an excellent evening set full of great dance moves amidst a multimedia extravaganza.

For EDM fans The Other stage offered up an all day and night lineup of top DJs that kept young dance fans torn from staying at the stage or exploring other dance music sets. Bassnectar offered up the midnight set that was was the highlight of the festival for many young EDM fans on the Wish stage and Chromeo offered up their own brand of EDM in a late-night set at That Tent during the Superjam. It was a great day of music and a home run for festival promoters on day 2 of Bonnaroo 2018.

Check out more photos from Bonnaroo 2018.

Saturday, June 9th, the third day of Bonnaroo 2018 dawned warm and sunny. As the morning sunshine transformed into sweltering afternoon concertgoers flocked to shady spots and the Centeroo fountain to cool down any way they could. The hottest day of the festival was also the most crowded, with cars full of new festival goers pouring in all day long. Despite two days of nonstop partying many in the crowd were still in an eager and festive mood and most of the entertainment venues began to fill up by the afternoon.

There were so many activities to choose from including music on five main stages and three smaller ones. There were no less than four other dance music venues and then, of course, all sorts of entertainment in the nine plazas out in the campgrounds. In the heat of the afternoon sun, tree-lined areas became some of the most popular areas to light. Many other festival goers just stayed wet anyway they could to cope with the 90-degree peak temperatures. The biggest surprise of the afternoon was a much-rumored unannounced performance by Chance The Rapper. Since his debut, late night performance in 2014, the much-adored Hip Hop star has appeared at ever Bonnaroo since, mostly as an announced pop up guest performer. This year was no exception, with a mid-afternoon appearance during the set by fellow Chicagoan Knox Fortune. The duo performed the hit “All Night” much to the delight of the audience. His arrival sparked an entire day of rumpus that he may appear again. He was spotted all around the festival for the rest of the day but opted to be a fan instead of a performer. Perhaps the only downer on Saturday was the cancellation of the late-night set by Texas group Brockhampton. The cancellation, the only one at this year’s festival, led to a rumor that Chance would take over the late-night slot. Despite repeated denials by the stage manager, hundreds of oblivious fans waited in vain for hours for the non-existent set. 

Many other hip-hop fans were hoping that Chance would join headliner, Mr. Slim Shady himself, Eminem.  That, sadly also did not happen, but there were a few minor surprise guests for Eminem's set, including Skylar Gray and a succinct appearance by Royce da 5’ 9’.’ It was the veteran rappers second appearance at Bonnaroo. The setlist was much the same as his 2011 headline set but somehow didn’t have quite the same energy. It was obvious that the revered hip-hop star was the biggest draw of this year's festival, with a massive crowd forming in front of the main stage. The show was a multimedia extravaganza, including loud explosions that rattled some in the crowd in this modern age of gun terror. A full band and a small orchestra kept the live music fresh and original. But the mystique of the performance wasn’t the same as the 2011 show. That appearance was a rare one for the rapper at a festival. But, this year Eminem has appeared or will appear at multiple festivals with pretty much the same 29 song set list. It was amazing that he could get through so many songs in an hour and forty-five minutes. Just like his Coachella performance in April, the rapper appeared covered in a hoodie during the set which seemed to insulate him from the crowd a bit. He also looked like he was enjoying himself much less than his smiley set back in 2011. Unlike the much-publicized set at Coachella and an appearance the week before at the Governors Ball in New York, he was not joined by 50 cents and the legendary Dr. Dre. While droves of music fans stood mesmerized by the performance that included a firework show, it just felt a bit hollow and reinforced the idea that Bonnaroo is no longer defined by its headline acts.

The music as a whole on Day 3 was phenomenal, and just as in the previous days the majority of the crowd seemed to be grasping the spirit of Bonnaroo. The music truly spanned multiple genres and generations. From the main stage appearance by 16-year-old Billie Eilish to the third appearance by civil rights icon and R&B master vocalist Mavis Staples. The main stage also saw sets by the young Los Angeles pop group Lany, as well as a brilliant afternoon dance, crazed set by musical genius Nile Rodgers and Chic. Rodgers educated the young audience first with his infectious disco hits and then the unprecedented string of hits he wrote for some of the world’s biggest pop stars, right up to today's EDM stars Daft Punk. The entire crowd was dancing furiously by the end of the set.

The local country music scene was well represented by the animated Nashville band, Old Crow Medicine Show. The group appeared at the very first Bonnaroo in 2002 and is considered a significant torchbearer of the traditional Nashville sound. Drummer and Hip-Hop singer, Anderson Paak brought his own high energy set to the main stage with his impressive group of musicians, The Free Nationals. The Other stage offered up 12 hours of sets by some of the most well-known names in EDM, including Kaskade and The Glitch Mob. Many young EDM fans never left this area and danced furiously during each of the eight performances.

Santa Barbara’s Rebelution brought one of the only Reggae sets to the festival, much to the delight of a large crowd of Reggae music fans gathered for their evening set. Columbian American R&B singer Kali Uchis turned in an afternoon set steamy in every way possible. It was so hot the sensual performer had fans to cool her onstage. Much to the delight of the crowd, the fans kept blowing her short skirt into the air. The excited crowd was literally drenched with sweat in the tight confines of the tented venue in the searing midday sun.  Although the Friday Superjam was technically the only set to last more than two hours, The Folktronica band Bon Iver actually performed for two and a half hours over two sets. Both sets drew a massive crowd in the cooling late night temperatures. The first, before Eminem's set, featured five trombonists joining the band. The hour-long concert included old and new songs from the band's extensive library. The second set after Eminem drew an even bigger crowd, and the hour and the forty-five-minute show was a perfect late night break from the more intense music offered out throughout the day. Justin Vernon, who appeared at the Superjam the night before in a duet with Sylvan Esso’s Amelia Meath, held his own mini jam during the set. He invited both members of Sylvan Esso, members of Francis and The Lights and Spank Rock to jam with the band. Parkland survivor Aalayah Eastmond appeared onstage to give a brief speech to encourage gun control. There was a bit of irony that the address came after the controversial explosions in the Eminem perforce interpreted by some as gunshots.

For those still looking to dance furiously, there were late night sets by EDM star DJ Kaskade and the Livetronica sounds of the experimental rock group STS9. For those with the energy to keep going DJ’s counted playing at the Kalliope, The Christmas Barn, and The Silent Disco until dawn. It was another fantastic day of entertainment at Bonnaroo defined more by the unique experience than the actual performances, with a lot of smiling but exhausted festival goers heading to their tents in high spirits.

Check out more photos from Bonnaroo 2018.

The final day of Bonnaroo 2018 began with an intense morning thunderstorm. Loud thunder booms and cracking lightning strikes gave way to short, intense downpours over several hours. Nervous concertgoers took shelter anywhere they could find, many in their cars. Exhausted by three non-stop days of intense partying many others began heading home. But by afternoon the sun came out painting the high clouds in multiple colors, and the festival resumed almost entirely on schedule.

While there is always an expected crowd depreciation by the final shortened day of Bonnaroo, an enthusiastic majority of concert-goers stuck it out to the end of this year's festival. Some of the endurance could be attributed to the upgraded facilities and entertainment options in the plazas around the campgrounds. But a surprisingly diverse final day of music in Centeroo also helped keep the attention of exhausted music fans. By late afternoon most of the main stages were packed with excited young fans eager to dance their way out of the last day of Roo.

The English neo-soul dance band Jungle was the perfect catalyst for a crowd eager to get in one last dance in the Tennessee sunshine. The band sounded a bit like a cross between Nile Rodgers’, Chic (who wowed the young main stage crowd with their infectious dance grooves the day before), and the Bee Gees featuring the high-pitched vocals of lead players, Tom McFarland and Josh Lloyd-Watson. Meanwhile, Alabama’s St. Paul and The Broken Bones brought a different kind of soul music, a southern version, to the other side of the festival. The tent venue felt a little bit like an old time Sunday revival, led by animated singer Paul Janeway. The lead vocalist pranced about like a Baptist preacher, while the band complete with a horn section played their energetic version of southern soul. The large crowd danced in a sweaty frenzy throughout the set.

Shortly before sunset, young English neo R&B pop singer (and professional model), Dua Lipa brought a polished set to the MainStage. The fast-rising star was part of the new music showcase at last year’s Bonnaroo. The gorgeous singer led a great band and troupe of sexy dancers through a steamy and sultry set complete with spot-on choreography. The singer seems poised to become a headline act in the very near future.

Across Centeroo at the other outdoor MainStage, the Nashville based Moon Taxi kept the jam band vibe alive with a brilliant sunset set that had a large crowd of neo-hippies blissfully dancing.

As twilight gave way to a beautiful starry sky, Atlanta native Future brought his hit-making hip-hop skills to bear on the biggest and most excited crowd on the final day of the 17th annual Bonnaroo festival. Like Dua Lipa’s show before him, the set was a polished multimedia extravaganza complete with a crack backup band and eloquent dancers in precise choreography. The rapper wowed the crowd with his many hit songs that are so popular in most any American dance club, like “Bugatti” “Low Life” and “Jumpman.” Even Bonnaroos’ favorite rapper, Chance, could be seen dancing backstage. The crowd danced wildly through the entire set.

While the rest of Bonnaroo was infected with dance fever all across Centeroo young EDM fans continued their own dance trance for a 4th straight day with 6 consecutive sets of veteran DJ’s at The Other stage.

A very different but no less intense dance jam closed out That tent venue across from the EDM stage. The annual Bluegrass jam led by Ed Helms was replaced, for the first time this year, by a historic live broadcast of a country music superjam on the legendary Grand Ole Opry radio broadcast. Opry members Old Crow Medicine Show, (whose set the day before included receiving the key to the city of Manchester), opened the show. Their frontman Ketch Secor co-hosted the jam with veteran announcer Bill Cody.  They were followed by bluegrass master Del McCoury, pop-country singer Maggie Rose, and country-rock band Lanco. Special moments included Country Music Hall of Fame Member Bobby Bare, whose classic "Marie Laveaux" put the crowd into a euphoric dance mood, and vintage singer Joshua Hedley, paying tribute to Glen Campbell with the classic "Wichita Lineman." During the closing set by Old Crow, Cody exclaimed “Yesterday we got the keys to the city, and today we are on the Grand Ole Opry live from Bonnaroo. What could be better?” The show was an important lesson in true Americana music and ended with a traditional cast sing-along of "Will the Circle Be Unbroken.”

English rockers Alt-J closed out the Which stage with an engaging and moody early evening set. The band is eerily reminiscent of the group Radiohead, due in large part to the band’s stage lighting choices and to the high-pitched voice of singer-guitarist Joe Newman.

A surprisingly large crowd of millennials stuck around for the closing set of The Killers. The mainstream pop band delighted the crowd by opening with their biggest hit “Mr. Brightside.”  But the succinct set seemed anticlimactic, especially compared to the marathon jams of many of the past legacy acts that closed Bonnaroo over the years. Despite being a millennial group formed in 2001, the band has a more of a pop sound harkening back to the 80’s. While the band produces plenty of pure pop hits, there is little that is original in their throwback sound. But the group did keep the dance fever alive, which seemed to be the underlying theme that held the many tribes united on this final day of Roo. Dance fever ruled the entire day.

It is apparent that the headline acts at Bonnaroo like at many of the plethora of new music festivals across the country are becoming increasingly irrelevant. The relevancy of Bonnaroo as a gathering of eager young festival goers is defined by the unique experience it offers its participants. Much like the Burning Man festival in Nevada, Bonnaroo has become a rite of passage for many seeking a communal experience unlike any other, and in this pursuit, the Bonnaroo festival has surpassed even its own wildest expectations. Judging by the exuberance and commitment to complete participation by this year's Roo audience, the tribes will be gathering on the Tennessee farm for many years to come.

Check out more photos from Bonnaroo 2018.

The second annual Arroyo Seco Music Festival took place on the third longest day of the year, Saturday, June 23rd, bringing in the summer concert season in grand style. The two-day festival was organized by Goldenvoice, the same organization responsible for the most auspicious festival in the country, Coachella. The Arroyo Seco festival was held in a beautiful tree-lined meadow, just outside the Rose Bowl, in the affluent suburbs of Pasadena. The event seems to be modeled after the one-off mega concert, Desert Trip, which was held in 2016 at the Coachella festival site. That concert which featured six of the biggest acts in classic rock, was one of the most sophisticated festival events in history, featuring a massive stage, sound system, and media screens. The festival offered up copious amounts of high-end beverages and gourmet food for sale. The Arroyo Seco event features three stages much more modest than the gargantuan one in the desert, but all with quality sound. The food and beverage stands were similar, with dozens of gourmet restaurants represented and various bars offering up a variety of spirits. Food and drinks were expensive but not outrages at least by California standards. There were so many booths offering up the goodies spread across the sprawling festival grounds, there always seemed to be a spot to grab food or drink without a line.

The event was reconfigured this year to make it more comfortable to move about and find a good spot to watch the action. Large walkways were cordoned off and patrolled by a large security force to allow easy access to the facilities as well as the music stages. An area in front of each stage was designated standing room, while tree-lined and the hilly regions in the back were reserved for concert goers to lounge on blankets and chairs. The result was a festival that felt much like a giant summer picnic with about 25,000 of your closest friends.  In many ways, the event felt like a throwback to the 70’s style music festival. While much of the crowd was older than a typical festival crowd, the event really was a family affair with many couples pushing baby carriages, followed by grandparents reliving their former concert-attending days. Most every other generation was also in attendance. The music was an eclectic mix of classic rock, modern rock, and jazz, representing multiple generations and genres. What most of the bands shared at the two-day music extravaganza was an amazingly high level of musicianship.

By the time a true legend of free-form jazz, the 77-year-old saxophonist Pharaoh Sanders, took the smaller Willow stage, the tented venue was nearly full of seemingly passionate jazz lovers. The experimental sax master has been recording music since 1964 and began playing with the illustrious John Coltrane a year later. The tented stage became a steamy sauna in the midday sun, further heated by sweaty gyrating bodies and the incredible musical offerings of Sanders and his band of jazz masters. Meanwhile, the veteran Delta blues-rock band, North Mississippi Allstars, were bringing their own fiery brand of music to a large crowd in front of the Sycamore stage. The stage was flanked by a line of booths featuring local charities and even a coffee stand which offered up free iced and hot coffee all throughout the festival. The main Oaks stage came alive just a little bit later, with the inspiring music of Brazilian guitarist and singer Seu Jorge and his band of world music masters. The group even featured a backing rap beat artist, which was the closest the festival came to actual hip-hop offerings.

Back in the Willow Tent, actor and musician Jeff Goldblum and The Mildred Snitzer Orchestra were running late due to technical issues. But that didn’t stop Goldblum from coming onstage and entertaining the crowd. He started with a mime routine. Then after finally getting handed a working microphone, he broke into a 10-minute standup comedy routine which had the crowd screaming their approval. At one point he asked everyone to sing their respective national anthems at the same time. Later he asked everyone to sing their favorite Beatles song all at the same time. His comedy routine continued into his set of respectable jazz while leading a talented band. He played piano, sang and chatted up the crowd much to their delight. The Sycamore stage featured a set by the Austin Americana music maven Shakey Graves. He began his set in his one-man band persona before being joined by his backup band. He had a large crowd dancing in the mid-afternoon sun. Saxophone player Kamasi Washington brought another great jazz band to the festival, including a special guest on Clarinet, his father, Rickey. While Pharaoh Sanders brought his Septuagenarian knowledge of jazz to the event, Washington offers up a fresh new take on experimental jazz, that had music fans dancing en masse at the Oaks stage.

The Milk Carton Kids brought a much mellower vibe to late afternoon festival loungers. The young folk duo has released 4 albums since 2011, the first two for free. The crisp vocals are reminiscent of 60’s and 70’s folk-rock bands like Crosby Stills and Nash. It was a perfect setting to sit and sip a beverage or eat a gourmet bite.

It was a much more hectic scene in front of the main Oaks stage as a huge crowd passed towards the front to hear Chrissie Hynde and the rock band The Pretenders. The group that started as a punk rock band in 1979 produced a string of hit songs mostly in the 80’s. Hynde and her trademark voice are intact, and although she wasn’t as animated and confrontational as in the old punk days, she turned in a brilliant performance. It was also good to see the original drummer, Martin Chambers back in the band, the only other surviving member of the original band. The band played classics like “Thumbelina,” Hynde sported a shirt that said “Don’t Pet Me I’m Working,” in line with her firebrand image. The crowd responded enthusiastically, singing along to many of the songs.

Scottish rocker Belle and Sebastian and their entourage brought a mellower beat indie rock sound as the brilliant summer sun began to set. It was a perfect vibe for a relaxing sit-down show, with music fans swarming the surrounding hills on chairs and blankets. Back at the main Oaks stage, the crowd swelled again for the sunset performance by guitar wizard Jack White. It was nice to see White in the warm embrace of the setting sun. His current “Blue” tour usually takes place at night under an eerie unchanging blue lightscape that creates more mood than visual substance. White began with wailing guitar, playing songs from his relatively obscure new album “Boarding House Reach.” The crowd came alive at the end of the set when White ended with the more familiar “Seven Nation Army” and “Steady as She Goes.”

As evening fell the English Ska music pioneers, The Specials played a dance-infused set, full of political diatribes. The jabs at Trump weren’t surprising coming from a band that helped break racial barriers back in England. Although the bands' members have aged considerably, their set sounded timeless and as the most fun to dance to the entire first day.

Neil Young, who has been rumored to be retiring soon, played the final set of the evening, with his latest touring band, The Promise of The Real. It was no surprise that the rock icon granted the biggest crowd of the day. He began the set with a monumental guitar jam, opening with a 20-minute version of “Like an Inca,” from the 1982 album “Trans.” Young struggled with some technical issues but soldiered on.  “It’s a banner night for playing songs in the wrong key,” he said, before giving up on one song mid-tune. “My God, I can see the reviews,” he lamented. He eventually got back on track and turned in a two-hour set full of classic songs. He even let band member Lukas Nelson take over lead duties and sing one of his tunes from The Promise of The Real catalog. The son of Willie Nelson, Lukas is a great singer and a guitar wizard in his own right. His brother Micah, who is also in the band took a turn as lead singer before Young took back the reins. The set list included fan favorites like “Rockin' In The Free World," "Hey Hey, My My (Into the Black)" and "Powderfinger."  He also played a gem from Buffalo Springfield’s catalog, “I Am a Child,” dedicating it to the “Families that we really do care about.” A double encore featured the fiery protest song "Ohio" and an extended guitar drenched version of "The River. "Many exhausted fans didn’t make it back to their cars until nearly midnight, with less than 12 hours left to the first sets of day 2.

Check out more photos from Saturday, June 23rd at Arroyo Seco Weekend.

It was a spectacular early summer day in Southern California as day 2 of the Arroyo Seco Weekend unfolded on June 24th. Temperatures in the low 80’s and soft breezes created a perfect environment for the giant picnic attended by 25,000 concertgoers. Many music fans arrived early to lounge about the sprawling meadow encompassing the three musical stages. Multiple selections of gourmet food and beverages kept many in good spirits, while free coffee from Don Francisco and free Bai soft drinks created the only long lines at the festival.

The music started early, and by the time The Revolution took the stage, just after 2 pm, a large crowd had gathered. One of the most popular funk bands of the 80s, Prince’s backing band came to worldwide prominence after the 1984 Purple Rain album and motion picture. The five original members recently reunited to bring the early Prince classics to a funk-loving crowd of Prince fans. While no one can fill the void of the mercurial wizard of the funk the great Prince, it was a nice dose of nostalgia to hear this phenomenal five-piece band play the classics. The Violent Femmes turned in their usual set of irreverent and raucous Indie rock. The band some quirky new music but the weird anthems that made the band famous are what the crowd was waiting for. The trio backed by a saxophone player obliged them, playing Blister In The Sun, American Music and Kiss Off. Early on the band played I Hate The TV, chasing one of the chorus lines to “I hate the president,” resonating well with a liberal California audience.

The next round of sets featured a nostalgic set by the all-girl pioneer rockers, The Bangles. It was the first time that original bassist Annette Zalinskas played with all the other original members since 1983, so the show was a genuine reunion. The group came out of the gates with a fiery version of one of their biggest hits, the cover of Simon and Garfunkel’s A Hazy Shade of Winter. The band seemed to be playing with a renewed passion, and their vocals and musicianship popped inspiring the large crowd to dance and sing along to the well-received set. From the 80’s New Wave of The Bangles on the Sycamore stage, droves of music fans migrated back to the main Oaks stage to hear the 90’s post-grunge girl rocker, Alanis Morissette. The Canadian singer placated the vast crowd with many of the songs from her hit 1995 album, “Jagged Little Pill.” The set was short but full of energy, with the charismatic singer, playing harmonica guitar and racing about the stage, taunting her band of hard rockers.

The next round of sets began with Chicano rock veterans, Los Lobos. Much like Jack White and Neil Young the day before, the band opened their Arroyo Seco set with a scoring extended guitar jam. The group, first formed in 1973 then launched into their more well-known songs drawing from the Tex Mex, R&B, zydeco, soul and other musical genres that created their own Latin-tinged rock. Their version of “La Bamba” had the crowd dancing en masse. There was another guitar driven set taking place across the meadow at the main stage, with blues guitar wizard Gary Clark Jr. leading his fantastic group of musicians into jazz-rock fusion territory.

As the sun lingered in the late afternoon summer sky, the Los Angeles synth-pop dancing duo, Capital Cities brought their latest band to the Pasadena meadow. The group was not only one of the youngest act to appear, but it was also the only act to draw from the world of EDM in the two days Arroyo Seco line up.  Although most of the crowd around the Sycamore stage probably knew little about the group, except for their hit single, Safe and Sound, the dancing duo seemed to inspire the crowd with their infectious rhythms, and their talented band kept the attention of an appreciative audience. It was odd to see so many baby boomers with kids in tow, dancing to the electronic beats. A very different sound was about to unfold across the meadow at the main stage as the late summer sun grew closer to a setting.

Rock legend Robert Plant and his Sensational Space Shifters appeared onstage in the orange glow of the setting sun. The biggest crowd of the festival packed tightly around the front of the stag. It was not surprising that the 69-year-old iconic rock singer opened with a Led Zeppelin tune, much to the delight of the adulating crowd. What was surprising was how many times that the band touched on Zeppelin material through the set, and how strong Plants vocals rang out. In recent years, the famous wailing frontman of one of English rocks most famous bands has been content at being more of a blues singer, avoiding to trademark wails that defined the Zeppelin sound. But on Sunday at Arroyo Seco, Plant seemed to have recovered the mercurial singing skills of his youth, hitting haunting notes that he hasn’t sung in a very long while. Plant led the band straight into the Led Zeppelin classic, “The Lemon Song” as the opening number. The crowd surged towards the stage in a fervor not seen for any other act at the festival. Later in the set, someone threw a lemon on the stage, and the bemused pop star took a minute to juggle the memento and quipped to the crowd “After all these years, and this is my reward? A piece of citrus?” Whether it was his excellent mood or some unknown health tonic, Plant proceeded to lay down astounding vocals on Zeppelin classics as well as world music inspired tunes from his experimental music of the last decade. The band played songs from their new album, but it was the Zeppelin classics that had the crowd in a euphoric mood. I addition to The Lemon Song, Plant served up Zep classics, "Going to California," "Gallows Pole," and an eerie "Babe I’m Gonna Leave You," complete with an impressive wail reminiscent of the glory days of classic rock.

A modest crowd found their way over to the Willow tent for two American music legends that predated the Led Zeppelin era. The evening at that stage ned with back to back sets by two masters of New Orleans jazz music. First the “Soul Queen of New Orleans,” Irma Thomas took the stage with a group of R&B masters. The 77-year-old Grammy-winning blues singer wowed the crowd with her vocal skills. Next R&B hitmaker Aaron Neville played a mystical evening set, mesmerizing the audience with his Angelic singing voice. The 77-year-old New Orleans icon brought his chart-topping hits to the stage including “Chain Gang” and “Stand By Me,” a Bob Marley medley of “Three Little Birds” and “Stir It Up,” a cover of Leonard Cohen’s “Bird On The Wire,”  “A Change Is Gonna Come,”  “Tell It Like It Is,” “Down By The Riverside” and “When The Saints Go Marching In.”

The San Francisco post-grunge band Third Eye Blind played a riveting set closing out the Sycamore stage in the early evening. Original lead singer and guitarist Stephen Jenkins led the current incarnation of the band through a loud and fast-paced set. Jenkins looked and sounded a bit like the third long lost brother of the Gallagher brothers from Oasis. Original drummer Brad Hargreaves played a thundering rhythm and the band followed with an intense rock vibe. Whether it was the much-heard lament by baby boomers heading to the exits with their strollers that “We have to work tomorrow” or an early escape to avoid traffic jams, it was apparent that the final set of the night would not keep the attention of much of the crowd. By the time Kings of Leon began their closing set, at least half the audience had already bailed. Although the Nashville rockers formed back in 1999, it wasn’t until 2008 and the hit song Sex on Fire that the band became a mainstream sensation. Whether it was the withering crowd or the impressive lineup of earlier acts, the final set felt a bit anticlimactic. Lead singer Caleb Followill seemed distracted as the set began and didn’t really to connect with the audience. The band also made concertgoers willing to stick it out to hear the biggest hits wait an excruciatingly long time. Use Somebody didn’t come until l halfway into the set and die-hard fans had to wait until the end to hear the mega-hit Sex on Fire. But taken as a whole, the second day of Arroyo Seco 2018 was another day of incredibly inspiring music and a beautiful first Sunday of the summer.

Check out more photos from Sunday @ Arroyo Seco Weekend.

The California Mid State fair was in full swing Sunday, July 22nd featuring a concert by pop star Demi Lovato and Australian Hip Hop sensation, Iggy Azalea. Warm temperatures in the mid 90’s enveloped the packed fairgrounds, and copious amounts of alcohol as well as non-alcoholic beverages were being consumed along with all manner of good, fair food. While farmers displayed their prized domestic animals, screaming teens rode the carnival rides like the Zipper. Live music could be heard throughout the sprawling fairgrounds. But it was the featured concert in the main arena that attracted the biggest crowd.

As the hot summer sun began to set, Iggy Azalea sauntered onto the stage with a group of back up dancers and played a short but spirited set of 6 songs. Azalea sang, danced and shook her most famous asset to the tunes of her DJ, Whizz Kid. Fans danced and sang along to nightclub hits like “Fancy” and “Work.”  Amazingly, Azalea joined The Beatles as the only two acts to rank number one and two simultaneously, with their first two Hot 100 submissions. Azalea left the stage after a short 35-minute set that had the crowd screaming for more.

The sun faded during the intermission leaving the vast stage to be lit fantastically with a massive light show. Singing sensation Demi Lovato hit the stage just as dusk began to descend on the fair. A clear night sky lit up with stars as Lovato led a full band and full chorus line of dancers through an intense 2-hour set featuring 20 songs. The singer was apparently in good spirits as her set was several songs longer than most of the shows she has been doing on the current tour. Lovato has become a bonified singing Diva with an astounding vocal range and a storied career beginning as a child actress and multi-instrumentalist by the age of 10. Lovato has cited Christine Aguilera as one of her primary influences, and her vocals share many of the unusual characteristics of her role model. She even covered one of Aguilera’s songs, “Fall In Line.”

Lovato opened with some of her biggest nightclub dance hits including, “Heart Attack” and “Cool For The Summer.” Then she moved on to songs from her latest album, Tell Me You Love Me, also the name of her latest tour which began at the beginning of the year. The singer fully clothed from head to toe turned in a sweat-drenched performance, adding dance moves to almost every tune. Lovato seemed to be reveling in the moment, often bantering throughout the show with her adulate fans responding enthusiastically.  The singer with partial Mexican heritage dating back to Civil War times even did a song in Spanish.  She sang “Échame La Culpa,” a song she released last year as a duet with Latin singer, Luis Fonsi.

Lovato also sang songs from her new album dealing with her struggles with sobriety, including the haunting and prophetic, “Sober.” The show ended on a high note with Lovato’s new hit song “Sorry Not Sorry.” Sadly, two days later Lovato was found unresponsive from an overdose, in her Los Angeles home and rushed to the hospital. Her current tour has now been suspended as she recovers. The singer has suffered from a string of personal challenges that were bravely revealed in a documentary last year. She was the executive-producer for the film called Beyond Silence, which follows three individuals and their experiences with mental illnesses, including bipolar disorder. Lovato discussed her struggles with eating disorders, substance abuse and being diagnosed with bipolar disorder. Fans and music stars alike have been posting their support for the singer on social media. The fans that saw her perform on Sunday are most assuredly thankful that the troubled pop star will survive to continue her amazingly storied life.

Classic rock music fans turned out on a beautiful summer night, Sunday, August 12th, to see legendary rock singer Roger Daltrey of The Who perform with his solo project band. Warm, dry winds buffeted the small amphitheater adjacent to the Vina Robles winery, perhaps the most beautiful outdoor venue in all of California. Fans arrived early to savor snacks like wood-fired pizza and homemade brownies.  Five separate bars served gourmet California wine by the glass or bottle, freshly brewed microbrew beers, all manner of coffee drinks and designer cocktails. The recent fires far to the north cast an orange shade, creating a spectacular sunset over the surrounding mountains.

The show opens with a soothing set by modern day folk singer Leslie Mendelson. The New York singer-songwriter, along with an accompanying acoustic guitarist and backup singer sang songs from her first album in 8 years, Love and Murder. The singer's soothing voice is reminiscent of a different time in pop history when singers like Carly Simon and Carole King ruled the airwaves. Mendelson also played a song that she recorded with Bob Weir, Roy Orbison’s “Blue Bayou.” The nine-song set seemed to soothe fans happily waiting to see a rock legend.

Roger Daltrey and his band sauntered onstage at 845, just as summer twilight set in and the Perseid meteor shower began to appear in the crystal-clear skies above the Paso Robles countryside. Unlike an early tour with an orchestra featuring mostly songs from the Tommy album, this extraordinary concert featured several songs from Daltrey's new solo album but also mostly Who songs not generally in the band live set list.

The band consisted of 4 core members of The Who’s regular touring group. Joining vocalist Daltrey were Simon Townshend (Pete’s Brother) on vocals and guitar. Longtime Who musical director Frank Simes moved out front to take Pet Townshend place as lead guitar. Keyboardist Loren Gold has been playing with The Who since 2012. They were joined by a veteran rhythm section bass and drummer.

Daltrey and the band immediately launched into a pair of Tommy classics including, “Overture” and “Pinball Wizard,” igniting a dance frenzy on the floor section of the amphitheater. The 74-year-old Daltrey has struggled to maintain his voice over the six decades he has been singing. In 2010 he had surgery on his vocal chords and had an allergic reaction to pot smoke, sometimes stopping concerts. But despite complaining about the smoke from the California fires giving him a raspy throat, his voice boomed magnificently through the 18 song setlist. The personable singer endeared himself to the crowd with frequent banter between songs. He mentions the fact that he had played a little much festival nearby 50 years before. That would have been the iconic Monterey Pop festival. When he asked if anyone had been there in the crowd, more than a few shouted out an affirmation. The set flowed nicely with a few solo tunes, big Who hits like “Who Are You,” and classic gems rarely played like the Mose Allison cover “Young Man Blues,” from The Who's Live at Leeds. Daltrey prefaced the song with a reminiscence on working as a blue-collar factory employee, working for the weekend. Explaining,“These were some of the happiest days of my life hanging with my mates for that glorious 48 hours of the weekend.” Then he launched into an intense version of “Young Man Blues,” with the two guitarists launching a guitar war, while Daltrey swung his microphone in trademark fashion just like in his teenage years with The Who. The 18-song set lasted just over 2 hours and left exhausted fans screaming for more. As fans exited the amphitheater, the Perseid meteor intensified in the night sky giving the show a spectacular send-off.

The sixth annual Lockn' Festival got underway, Thursday, August 24th, with astonishingly perfect weather conditions. After weeks of torrential rains that caused evacuations in nearby Lynchburg because of flooding fears, the skies cleared with pleasantly warm temperatures and a chilly night creating a perfect backdrop for the festivals first day. The weather was all the more of a surprise following the cancellation of a three-day Phish music festival, held often in upstate New York, scheduled the weekend before Lockn'. That festival was scuttled by dirty water from torrential rains the previous Thursday, with health officials denying a permit just as the jam band was about to take the stage.

A flurry of last-minute activity was taking place in the Lockn' festival grounds with forklifts and roadies racing about just before the opening. The campground had filled the night before, and hordes of music fans waited to rush through the gates just after 3.30pm. Festival goers were greeted to a Lockn' set up like last year, that moved the main stage to the Infinity Downs field next to the smaller Relix stage. The musical format was revised this year as well with all the bands scheduled playing the main stage except the midnight jam on the Relix stage. The late-night sets in the forest were also scrapped in favor of moving the action into the main festival grounds. Perhaps the most significant change this year was the expansion of the festival to a nearby hill overlooking the concert site. The hill featured the central food court full of gourmet food stands, its own extended bar, picnic tables and a delayed sound system offering up perfect audio from the main stage far away. The first day crowds were light on the hill, but as festival fans discovered the strategic spot, many began using it as their main base setting up blankets and chairs to enjoy the excellent view. The hill also featured the Hamageddon mechanical pig that breathes fire. The pig roaster is well known to festival goers at Bonnaroo, belching out spectacular flames periodically into the night air.

The music on the main stage began with a set by DJ Jerrbrother, playing some jam band music. Fans packed the front of the stage early for the first band to play Lockn this year, Firecracker Jam. The group from nearby Lynchburg played a well-received 30-minute set of southern-tinged jam band music. The band is fronted by lead singer Billy Berger who sings and plays an electric mandolin like a rock guitarist. The band merges elements of jazz, funk, and R&B which made it a perfect opening to this year's funk-laden line up at Lockn'. The group ended with a Phish tune, Sparkle, much to the delight of the crowd.

Lockn' festival gets its name from the swiveling stage that rotates out a band and rotates in the next with no downtime. On this first day of the festival, the system worked flawlessly with each next act ready to play as they appeared to the crowd. As the crowd said goodbye to the openers, they said hello to Erin and The Wildflower from nearby Charlottesville, Virginia (Yes that Charlottesville). The six-piece soul/funk band also played a surprisingly funky jam band set for 30 minutes. They were followed by, yet another Virginia based band, Butcher Brown. The keyboardist of Lettuce, Nigel Hall joined the group for a 30-minute set of jazz drenched funk. The band danced their way off as the stage rotated to reveal jam band stalwarts for the first of two sets, Lettuce. The New York-based band began an hour set playing into the late summer sunset, offering up psychedelic jams ending with one of their signature songs, Madison Square.

Consummate jam band and Thursday headliners, Umphrey’s McGee rolled into view for the first of their two sets just as the sun began to fade on the festival grounds and crisp, fresh air filled the evening sky. The band began with There’s No Crying in Mexico and a guitar-drenched Higgins. The surging crowd seemed enraptured by the set. Lead singer Brendan Bayliss took a moment to dedicate the song Seasons “to the weather gods,” as a beautiful twilight engulfed the surrounding farmlands. The band completed their 75-minute set with a version of Hurt Bird Bath. The group gave the stage back to Lettuce for their second set as night fell on Lockn festival. The second set was a more funk-laden hour of dance-inspiring music that had the audience dancing from the front of the stage to the far corners of the festival. The set included band staples like Lettsanity. Umph was joined near the end of the set by members of Butcher Brown adding to the horn section. Collaborations are a vital part of what makes the Lockn' festival so unique and exciting. The band along with its extended horn section ended the set with a funky Do It Like You Do and finally a cover of Herbie Hancock’s Hang Up Your Hang Ups.

Lockn' is famous for its many collaborations over the years and what happened next on this year’s first night of Lockn' was a perfect example. As the stage began to rotate Lettuce out, while they were still playing their final song, it stopped halfway, and the crowd could see Umphrey’s McGee begin to play the same song on the other side. Then as the stage finished its full rotation members of Lettuce crossed over and played with Umphrey’s for the remainder of the song completing a perfect handoff. “Gotta love it when a plan work’s out” Bayliss quipped as the band launched into their final set.

Just as the band finished their set, the smaller Relix stage came alive with the late-night jam by Joe Russo’s Almost Dead. A late-night staple at the festival, it was evident by the vast crowd gathered bundled in blankets in the cold early morning air that this band is a highlight for many festival goers. The band opened with Grateful Dead classics such as Row Jimmy and Estimated Prophet. The traditional collaborations continued with a surprise appearance by Chris Harford for a cover of Neil Young’s Hippie Dream. Judging by the smiles on everyone's faces it was a nearly perfect opening to Lockn' festival 2018.

Check out more photos from the festival.

On a beautiful end of the summer evening, August 29th classic rock music fans gathered en masse to hear members of the veteran rock band Yes perform at the Greek Theater in Los Angeles. Fans arrived early to lounge in the afternoon sun at the bars and restaurants inside the Amphitheater complex. The show was billed as Quintessential YES: The 50th Anniversary Tour. Yes has gone through enormous personnel changes in its long and storied history. Earlier this year, a different group featuring 70’s member's guitarist Steve Howe and drummer Alan White toured with another version of the band to mixed reviews. This version of Yes at the Greek theater show featured original singer Jon Anderson, 70s master keyboardist Rick Wakeman, and 80’s guitarist-singer Trevor Rabin

The 13-song set began about 7.45 and lasted about two hours and fifteen minutes into the clear evening air. The set drew material from all the most important periods of the bands 50 years of music. The songs included obscure cuts like "Rhythm of Love' (from 1987's Big Generator) and "Lift Me Up" (from 1991's Union) to classics 70’s tracks like "I've Seen All Good People," "Perpetual Change" and "Heart of the Sunrise.” The band also played "Awaken," from 1977's Going for the One album and a cover of Cream’s Sunshine of Your Love.

The 73-year-old singer Jon Anderson is the only member of Yes still touring that can trace his roots back to the beginning of the band. The Englishman who now calls Santa Barbara, California home has maintained an uncanny ability to continue to hit the high notes so characteristic of the Yes sound. The personable singer endeared himself to the crowd throughout the set, telling numerous anecdotes about the band's history. Trevor Rabin brought a new more rock-oriented sound to the classical-tinged band in the 80s and is credited with the band's resurgence in that decade. The Grammy-winning group has accumulated a dozen gold and platinum albums over their long run. Although Rick Wakeman is not the original keyboardist of Yes, his stint in the band beginning in the 70’s is probably the most successful in the group's career. The masterful keyboardist appearing in his trademark sequence cape maintained his astounding musical abilities playing multiple keyboards and synthesizers sometimes simultaneously.

The only downside to the fascinating Greek theater show was the rhythm section. Sessions drummer Lou Molio III and bassist Lee Pomeroy did a respectable job, but by accident or by design their contributions were turned down and lost in the mix overshadowed by the three frontmen. Certainly, they have tough shoes to fill, a bit like replacing Keith Moon and John Entwistle of The Who. Drummer Bill Bruford and later Alan White were thundering masters of the classic rock genre. But the saddest missing link is the loss of Chris Squire, who passed away 3 years ago. The founding bassist of Yes was not only a spectacular bass player, but a brilliant vocalist as well, who helped record some of the groups most magnificent harmonies. But the show was still an awesome presentation of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame band, ending with an encore of the classic Yes song Roundabout sending the crowd into a dancing ovation.

Check out more photos from the show.

Crowds of people flooded into the campgrounds and festival the second day of Lockn’ music festival 2018. By early afternoon a sea of color was visible as far as the eye could see. The event was indeed a multigenerational magnet composed of six decades of jazz, funk, blues and rock jam music. Grandparents dressed in tie-dyed Grateful Dead shirts joined their offspring many in Phish tie-dyes. Whole families brought their children, grandchildren and maybe even a few grandchildren creating a festive carnival-like atmosphere. All manner of totems added to the brilliant splashes of color contrasted against the bright green rolling hills of the Virginia countryside.

The second day was enveloped in another nearly perfect summer day, and many people walked into the festival grounds early to eat, drink and shop in the many crafts booths. The music started early on the main stage as well with bands playing from noon until after midnight, and then the action switched to the late night Relix stage. By 3 pm, Chris Harford’s Band of Changes took the main stage, and a huge crowd gathered for the remainder of the day’s sets. Harford had joined Joe Russo’s Almost Dead the night before on the Relix stage, and Russo returned the favor playing in Harford’s band along with Scott Metzger and Dave Dreiwitz. The jam band was followed by New York funk band Turkuaz, in Lockn style spinning into view while Band of Changes played themselves off the stage. The nine members of Turkuaz dressed in fantastically brilliant colors played their own brand of jam funk to an appreciative crowd. The highlight was a Sly and The Family Stone medley that had the whole main stage crowd in a dance trance. They were followed by another jam band stalwart of late, Moon Taxi. The young Nashville band is fronted by the charismatic Trevor Terndrup on lead vocals and guitar and played a guitar-drenched jam band set. In addition to performing their hit song Two High, the band played a pair of well-received covers, including Tears For Fears Everybody, Wants to Rule The World and Rage Against The Machine’s Sleep Now In The Fire.

The next set brought a unique pairing of old school music to the stage. The set began with the genuinely iconic Jamaican Reggae band Toots and The Maytals. The appearance at Lockn was extraordinary for many reasons. In May 2013, lead singer Toots Hibbert was struck in the head by a vodka bottle thrown from the audience while performing onstage at a concert in nearby Richmond. His injuries resulted in a severe concussion and treatment required six staples in his head. After the incident, the singer canceled all performances, citing fear of the audience and no longer feeling safe. It took several years for the band to resume performing and this was his first Virginia appearance since the incident. The band began and ended their set with their 1968 hit song Do The Reggay. The song was so iconic it was actually the first time the word Reggae was used, consequently naming the genre for the first time. If the set was not already memorable enough, things got really interesting when the band was joined by another icon, Blues legend Taj Mahal. The 76-year-old singer-guitarist joined the younger 75-year-old Toots and his band for a pair of songs, singing and playing a ukulele. The unique collaboration included the perfectly appropriate John Denver classic, Take Me Home Country Roads and a Toots and The Maytals classic Monkey Man.

Umphrey’s McGee took the stage next for a 90-minute set just as the sun began to set. The bands third set in two days also proved to be an extraordinary collaboration. The group opened with 45 minutes of original jam laden material. As twilight began to set in and the massive MainStage was splashed in a mammoth light show full of myriad colors, guest drummer Jason Bonham joined the band. The collaboration began with more Umphrey’s material including, Conduit. That was followed by a much-anticipated mini set of Led Zeppelin classics, including Good Times Bad Times, Dancing Days and The Song Remains The Same. Another surprise came when American Idol star Taylor Hicks, joined the jam to sing and play harmonica on more Zep classics When The Levee Breaks and The Rain Song. The set got even more intense when guitar master Derek Trucks joined in on “Whole Lotta Love,” this time sung by Umphrey’s drummer Kris Myers.

The music then took a glorious left turn with the next set by the funk master himself George Clinton. Clinton along with his massive posse laid down classic rock, hip-hop and 70’s disco funk in a dance orgy that captured the imagination of much of the Lockn’ audience. The show was part of Clinton’s final tour with P Funk before retiring. Classic dance songs like We Want The Funk and Atomic Dog wowed the crowd, punctuated by drenched guitar jams in classic P Funk style.

Lockn’ festival staple headliners, Widespread Panic closed out the main stage with a two-hour set of classic southern jam band music. The band was joined 90 minutes into their set by modern country music sensation Margo Price. The Nashville native brought a whole new dimension to the jam band with her exquisite vocal skills. The singer apparently tweeted the next day that she had wandered about the Lockn’ festival on Hallucinogenic drugs. It was not clear whether she was tripping while performing but she performed passionately in any case. The collaboration featured covers of some of Price’s role models including, Aretha Franklin’s Rock Steady and Janis Joplin’s Piece of My Heart. The horn section from the Tedeschi Trucks band snuck onstage to add yet another fantastic dimension to the collaboration.

Just after midnight, Joe Russo's Almost Dead began their second late night set of the festival and played some Dead classics to the massive crowd gathered around the intimate Relix stage. The set included Jerry Garcia’s Cats Under the Stars, and Hunter/Pigpen's Mr. Charlie, followed by St. Stephen>The Eleven. The band played for two hours into the crisp early morning air.

Check out more photos from Lockn' 2018.

One of the largest audiences to ever attend Lockn’ poured into the festival grounds on Saturday, August 25th for a historic day of multi-generational jam band music. By mid-afternoon when the North Carolina band BIG Something took the main stage, five bands had already played, and a huge crowd filled the field and surrounding hills. The six-piece modern jam band fuses elements of jazz, funk, rock, and electronica into hypnotic dance trance music. Their hour-long set featured collaborations with DJ Logic and members of the band Spiritual Rez and had much of the audience dancing the entire time that they played.

Musical chameleon and Lockn' staple Keller Williams played next in a trio he calls The Keels. The group played bluegrass versions of Keller originals as well as an eclectic mix of covers, including the ButtHole Surfers song Pepper, The Eagles' Seven Bridges Road, Marcy Playground’s Sex and Candy and Pink Floyd’s Another Brick in the Wall. The crowd responded like kids around a summer camp campfire, singing along to the well-known tunes.

The funky guitar-laden music of Baltimore’s Pigeons Playing Ping Pongs filled the festival next, bringing a dance vibe back to the large sweaty audience camped in front of the main stage. The young bands spirited set was a perfect segue into the next set of historic proportions. Billed as the Foundation of Funk, the next band featured two members of the iconic New Orleans funk band The Meters. Drummer Zigaboo Modeliste and Bassist George Porter Jr. have been the go-to rhythm section for almost every major New Orleans musician at one time or another for over 50 years. They were joined by most of the members of a next generation New Orleans funk band Dumpstaphunk. The players included that bands founder keyboardist Ivan Neville, son of former Meters member Aaron Neville, guitarist Ian Neville, nephew of Aaron Neville and bassist Tony Hall. That would have been enough players to create a monumental New Orleans jazzy funk jam. But the set turned into a historic collaboration with more musicians added throughout the extended jam. The band played some of The Meters classics including, The Same Old Thing, Just Kissed My Baby and Cissy Strut. The group was eventually joined by one of the original Neville brothers, singer Cyril. A huge roar went out across the crowd when festival-goers realized who was entering the jam for the second half. Modeliste quietly quipped, “The world is full of surprises and today is no different.” Then out walked Bob Weir, Bill Kreutzmann, Mickey Hart and John Mayer. Dead and Co. members then finished out the set with their New Orleans jam mates. The entourage first launched into Hey Pocky Way, followed by Iko Iko. After an extended jam, the band wrapped up with The Meters Fire on the Bayou and Ain’t No Use.

A beautiful sunset painted the high clouds just as the rotating stage turned to reveal the next band. It would be hard pressed for any band to follow up such a historic jam as the audience had just witnessed. But if any group could do it with style and passion, it would be the next band Tedeschi Trucks Band, playing their first of two sets at this year's festival. The band has also become a staple of Lockn' over the years, taking the baton from The Allman Brothers Band. Slide guitar master Derek Trucks, who played in both of these incredible groups could be the best living American guitarist of his genre. The band began their set with a tribute to Aretha Franklin, playing I Never Loved a Man The Way I Loved You. The song was a perfect vehicle for lead singer Susan Tedeschi to display her exquisite vocal skills. The band offered up their original material for over two hours with each of the 12 members showcasing their talents. They were joined for a couple of raging guitar jams by Ian Neville. The band ended the set with a tribute to one of the original Lockn' jam bands, with a searing version of The Allman Brothers' Whipping Post.

As the stage went dark, one of the first pauses in the music took place as an extended set change for Dead and Co. lasted for nearly forty-five minutes. But the band still played both of their scheduled back to back sets in their entirety by shortening their break and extend their second set for over a half hour. It is always a surreal experience attending a Dead concert with true Deadheads. The chatter all throughout the festival centered on which songs would be played. Not only can the fans identify the song titles from a seemingly endless catalog of songs that the band plays live, but many times they know what song will follow based on past concert history. The knowledge is all the more remarkable considering the band never plays the same set twice. A euphoric mood gripped the crowd as the Lockn' main stage came to life with a massive light, and video show and the band began their first set with Hell In A Bucket. The video included terrific high definition live video from multiple angles edited into trippy computer graphics, seemingly synched to every song in the extensive set list. The band continued with Dead classics for over an hour before taking a short break. The second set lasted over ninety minutes with another unique presentation of Dead songs. The band ended with a two-song encore featuring a classic cover of The Band's The Weight and another Dead classic a guitar-laden version of One More Saturday Night.

The members of Lettuce along with Eric Krasno had been patiently waiting on the Relix stage for over half an hour to begin their late-night tribute to the Jerry Garcia Band. The band was rewarded for their wait, first by an appearance by Dead and Co. bassist Oteil Burbridge, who was still celebrating his birthday from the day before. Then later the group was joined by John Mayer and Bob Weir exhibiting a roar from the large crowd gathered around the tiny stage. Many festival-goers kept their comfortable spots in front of the main stage and on the food court hill overlooking the festival. Thanks to a delayed sound system and live video music fans could watch the late-night set from nearly everywhere on site. Burbridge for his part in the jam sang lead on a cover of Peter Tosh’s Stop That Train. Then Mayer slid onstage for a blues-drenched guitar-driven cover of JJ Cale’s After Midnight. Then Weir joined the group for a super guitar drenched foursome version of Sugaree. The modified band continued with covers of Tangled Up In Blue and How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved By You). The set stretched two hours into the early morning hours with the adulating crowd swarming the stage until the very end.

Check out more photos from Lockn' 2018.

The final day of Lockn’ 2018 dawned hot and sweaty and ended in spectacular fashion with two sets by Dead and Co., joined by master saxophone player Branford Marsalis. A cloudy sky kept the atmosphere steamy until the afternoon when the hot summer sun broke through. Keller Williams got the MainStage started just after noon with a different entourage in tow than from the day before. This time he appeared with a group he calls the Grateful Gospel. The idea was to play music in the spirit of Jerry Garcia in the tune of Black Gospel music. The concept was born at Lockn’. According to William’s website he says “I pitched the idea of this project as a Sunday morning set to the Lockn’ festival in 2013, and they went with it, so I rallied my Richmond “More than a Little” crew, added two more female singers and convinced John Kadlecik, from Furthur, to join us on guitar and Grateful Gospel was immaculately conceived. It’s the gospel of Jerry. Awe man. WARNING: this is not a Christian act.” The act has now moved to the main stage and was a brilliant way to start the historic day that ended with the last Dead and Co. sets of 2018. The local Virginia band, the Judy Chops, rotated onto the stage next for a short set of music blending elements of swing, blues, rockabilly, classic country and western.

The Arizona jam band Spafford gave a powerful 60-minute performance next, blending genres of rock, funk, jazz, reggae, ska, and electro-pop into a dance-inducing soup of fresh new sounds. The music took a turn toward more traditional reggae with the appearance of Matisyahu and his band. Matthew Paul Miller better known by his Hebrew and stage name, is a Jewish singer that is known for blending Orthodox Jewish themes with reggae, rock and hip-hop sounds. His storied past is too long to condense in a few sentences, but the singer has evolved to a worldlier less dogmatic singer in recent years. He must have felt right at home at Lockn having been a self-proclaimed PhishHead in his inebriated youth. His music resonates well with the festival crowd, and he had an appreciative crowd dancing through his hour-long set. Eric Krasno could be seen beaming backstage, but sadly he didn’t collaborate with Matisyahu although he did come out later for a jam with Tedeschi Trucks Band.

The music took another turn literally as the stage rotated the reggae out and the veteran Blues-rock band Blues Traveler into view. The New Jersey band led by the iconic singer and harmonica player John Popper tore through 75 minutes of their classic Blues repertoire.

They were followed by a bonified American rock star, Sheryl Crow and her band of veteran rockers. The nine-time Grammy-winning singer-guitarist has sold over 50 million records in her career. The 56-year-old singer has been having a successful tour of late including a main stage stop at this year’s Bonnaroo festival. The singer tore through some of her biggest hit songs including, All I Wanna Do, If it Makes You Happy and My Favorite Mistake. The crowd seemed to love the 75-minute set singing along to the most well-known songs. It was too bad there were no surprise collaborations up to this point on the last day of Lockn', but it was a great run of multiple genres of rock infused music.

Tedeschi Trucks Band took the stage for the next set; they're second of the festival. The band played a brilliant two-hour jam infused set of mostly classic rock covers. The band opened with an Allman Brothers Band classic, Statesboro Blues (actually a Blind Willie McTell cover). Branford Marsalis sat in playing some fantastic saxophone on two songs and even dueling with the band's saxophonist. Eric Krasno joined them at the end of the set for a guitar duel with Derek Tucks.

Dead and Co. again stalled their first set, like the night before probably waiting for the twilight to fade so that their massive multimedia presentation would be more effective. Again, they made up for it by playing later than scheduled well past midnight. The band’s first set featured 7 songs ending with a stirring version of Sugar Magnolia. The second set included 8 more songs and featured Saxophonist Branford Marsalis joining in for the entire set including the expected but well-played Eyes of the World. Branford always brings the best out of these guys and tonight was no exception.

Check out more photos from Lockn' 2018.

The KAABOO music festival opened Friday, September 14th with an estimated 40,000 fans selling out the event for the first time in its 4-year history. The event, which takes place at the upscale Del Mar Racetrack just north of San Diego, took advantage of the last beautifully sunny weekend of summer. The festival grounds back up to the edge of the Pacific Ocean and surfers were actually visible, catching waves on nearby Del Mar beach. With 30 miles of coastline nearby offering up some of the best surfing in southern California, the festival is an ideal vacation destination for ocean-loving travelers.

Music fans could catch some great waves at nearby Swamis reef in Solana beach, have an early lunch and still arrive in time for the opening sets around noon time. Like most music festivals, early bird concertgoers were treated to some great opening acts at nearly empty stages, for the first few hours. The lineup at this year’s KAABOO was one of the most eclectic of any festival in 2018, loaded with headliners and classic rock music icons. The crowd featured almost every demographic and age group but seemed to draw a surprisingly older audience with the promise of upscale facilities and gourmet food and drink offerings. The Del Mar Racetrack and Fairgrounds was the perfect place to stage the event. Numerous bathrooms, open-air bars, grassy knolls, and countless shady seating areas made for comfortable places to lounge across the vast expanses. The two main stages bookended the festival, nearly a mile apart. In between were two more live music stages, a large air-conditioned comedy auditorium, with top national acts, a huge art show in an air-conditioned building complete with its own food and bars and much more. In addition to a smorgasbord of gourmet food trucks, food stands and bars everywhere, there were also spa treatments, hair stylists and other freebies. One two-story bar featured, palm tree-lined couches, free charging stations for phones, and a pair of acrobatic girls spinning on ropes. There was even a disco which transformed into a late-night silent disco with music into the early morning hours.

But the big draw was the live music and day one did not disappoint. By late afternoon crowds swelled and one of the two smaller venues, the Encinitas Trestles stage had a large group gathered for classic English rockers The Zombies. The band featuring two of the original members, lead singer Colin Blunstone and keyboardist and guitarist Rod Argent, has been around almost as long as the Beatles. Argent began jamming as far back as 1958, and the band had their first hit song back in 1964. The band played their hits including, those from Argent’s solo band to an enthusiastic audience that sang along to the chorus lines.

The MGM Resorts Grandview main stage was dominated by a day of hip-hop, featuring rappers Nelly, Gucci Mane, and new pop sensation Post Malone. St Louis rapper Nelly got things started playing some of his hit songs accumulated in his nearly two decades as a solo Rap star. Trap music pioneer Gucci Mane took the Hip Hop energy up a notch with his well-received afternoon performance. But it was clear that many of the youngest fans at Fridays KAABOO were there to see Grandview stage headliner Post Malone. Thousands of screaming young girls lined the front of the stage as Malone began his spirited set full of hit songs. For anyone visiting a dance club in the last year almost anywhere in the nation, it is hard not to have heard one of Malone’s recent dance hits. The young rapper may arguably be one of the fastest rising stars in the pop music world. The personable rapper seems to have a kinship with disaffected youth and always seems to offer up a bit of hopeful optimism while bantering with the crowd during his shows. His KAABOO performance paid homage to young rapper Mac Miller who recently died of a suspected overdose.

Back on the Encinitas stage another groundbreaking legacy act, the Tower of Power had an adulating crowd singing along to their hits. It is hard to believe that this Oakland based R&B crossover band has been making music since 1968. The band, one of the pioneers of horn-based pop music, has probably employed more musicians over the years than any other pop band in existence.  Judging by the crowd's reaction the music remains timeless.

The Grandview stage took a break from Rap music at sunset with a riveting performance by alternative rockers Incubus. The Calabasas California band has been performing since 1991 and is well known as one of the most intense live acts in modern rock music. Charismatic lead singer Brandon Boyd pranced about like a madman, painted in an orange glow by the intense setting sun. The band's intricate music weaved a fierce web of highs and lows that had an exhausted audience dancing in unison.

The Encinitas stage closed out with a headline set by rock veterans Blondie. A huge crowd of mostly older music fans swarmed the stage as lead singer Debbie Harry encouraged the crowd to sing along to the chorus lines. The band tore through some of their biggest hits and played well-received songs from their new album Pollinator. Sadly, original guitarist Chris Stein did not perform with the group. Harry dedicated the final two songs of the set to him, two of the band’s biggest hits, Heart of Glass and Dreaming.

While Blondie finished up to a big crowd and Post Malone was playing to a massive one at the Grandview stage, The Foo Fighters prepared to play the headline set on the Rolling Stones Sunset Cliff main stage. Even with much of the young crowd siphoned to the other side of the venue, the Foo Fighters managed to garnish the biggest crowd of the entire three-day festival. A huge roar went up as the stage exploded in a gargantuan light show and the band led by the mercurial Dave Grohl bolted onstage. After an entire summer of touring and screaming his lungs out night after night for two hours, one might think that Grohl’s vocal abilities and energy levels may have subsided. But the explosive KAABOO performance could easily have been mistaken as opening night, with Grohl racing about the stage maniacally singing and playing guitar all throughout the set. The veteran rockers laid down an intense wall of sound, a perfect backdrop for the impish Grohl to bounce off of. The show featured Grohl's usual musings with the audience. He toyed with the crowd when he said it’s the first time we played here in 27 years. Although he didn't mention them by name he was referring to a show, he did with Nirvana back in 1991. The band, along with Pearl Jam opened for the Chili Peppers at the fairgrounds. While the Food Fighters have played San Diego, it was the first time that Grohl and former Nirvana bandmate Pat Smear had been back to the venue. The band also played their usual teasers of random classic rock covers, including an awesome cover of the Alice Cooper early classic, "Under My Wheels," sung by the usually stoic guitarist, Chris Shiflett. The band has developed into of the best live acts in rock music today. It was a fitting end to what has become one of the most exciting events in the crowded world of national music festivals.

Day 2 of the 2018 KAABOO Del Mar Festival began as another gorgeous San Diego beach day. Head high waves had surfers up and down the coast flocking to the area beaches. Meanwhile, the music started early at the Del Mar Fairgrounds with bands playing before noon. By early afternoon Minnesota rockers Soul Asylum were lighting up the Grandview main stage with their high energy music. The Grammy-winning band was one of the first bands to be labeled alternative rock back in 1981. The band has had many famous members over the years including fellow Minnesota resident and former drummer for Prince, Michael Bland. But the one constant in the group has been lead vocalist Dave Pirner. Many older music fans in the crowd grew up with the band's music embedded in their culture, primarily due to Pirner’s friendship with filmmaker Kevin Smith. Soul Asylum contributed music to three Kevin Smith films, Clerks, Clerks II, and the 1997 film Chasing Amy. Smith, a fan of the band even directed the music video for the song "Can't Even Tell," which was featured on the Clerks soundtrack. The group turned in a crowd-pleasing high energy performance.

Young electronic rockers Oblivion Her Majesty were playing at the same time on the smallest of the four stages, the Virgin Tourmaline stage. The small stage was one of the most relaxing places to hang out at KAABOO. A grassy courtyard surrounded by high buildings was a perfect place to lay in the sun while listening to the music. In the back, a full bar, with seating inside and out, offered a view of the stage sheltered from the sun. As the band played a trio of acrobats on stilts dressed as giant parrots wandered through the crowd. There were also similar stilt creatures like African animals roaming about, a pair of glistening silver mimes, roller skating acrobats and other street performers mingled all throughout the venue.

On the main Sunset Cliffs stage, the Oakland based surf punk band SWMRS played a high-spirited set well received by a young crowd huddled around the stage in the hot early afternoon sun. At the same time, the Encinitas Trestles stage featured a different generation of post-grunge music from New Orleans rockers, Better Than Ezra. The band played a high energy set which included their hit song “Good” which helped push their 1993 album Deluxe to platinum status. The uplifting set had an older generation of fans dancing and singing in the hot sunshine.

As the afternoon heated up, a large crowd gathered on the main stage for a set by New York singer Bebe Rexha. With her bushy blonde hair and good looks, the singer looks much younger than her 29 years, but the singer has already become a veteran music producer and songwriter as well as a pop sensation. Here music has been recorded by a variety of pop stars in an eclectic mix of musical genres. Country stars Florida Georgia Line, Rap master Eminem, pop sensation Selena Gomez and EDM star David Guetta are just a few of the perfumers who have had hit songs penned by Rexha. The performer launched her own singing career in 2015 and has garnered several hits. Backed by a band of young rockers, the singer danced, pranced and writhed her way through covers of her biggest hit songs of other performers as well as her solo material. A young audience responded enthusiastically to the popular set list.

Meanwhile, nearly a mile away on the other main stage, the Sunset Cliffs stage, EDM sensation Robert DeLong was playing his own unique brand of upbeat dance music. The young performer is the modern equivalent of a one-man band, singing and playing multiple instruments. Beginning his musical career as a drummer, electronic percussions are the center of his presentation, but they are augmented with keyboards, scratch pads, and even items scavenged from video games, like an oversized joystick and a Wii remote. Combined with a strong singing voice the talented performer truly put on a one-man pop performance catering to the crowd's imagination. Occasionally the singer would also pick up traditional instruments like an electric guitar and be joined by a bass and guitar player on several songs. DeLong appears much more youthful than his 32 years and is already a veteran performer.

But another young musician was giving him a run for his money over on the laid-back Tourmaline stage, the smallest and most comfortable of the four live music stages. Ray Goren was performing a set of original neo Blues material. The teenage singer, songwriter and yes, another multi-instrumentalist was playing a searing blues-drenched set to a small but enraptured crowd assembled in the green grassy courtyard. The young teenager, a child musical prodigy had already garnered an impressive library of recorded material going back nearly a decade. The young phenom has been invited to play with countless veteran blues artists as they make their way through the Los Angeles area on tour. Goren has a magnificent voice, a searing guitar style and an ability to incorporate modern electronic sounds into traditional Blues music. The result was one of the best sets of the day, another example of the unique musical juxtapositions found at KAABOO.

Back on the Grandview mainstage, the young crowd assembled for Bebe Rexha stuck around for the next hip-hop act. But they were also augmented by an older crowd, curious to see the veteran rapper, Big Boi. The singer, songwriter, actor and music producer is best known as one half of the hip-hop super-group Outkast. The rap master played solo material as well as Outkast classics like “Ms. Jackson.” A large crowd swarmed the massive stage singing along to the well-known hits.

A very different set was about to take place across the festival grounds at the main Sunset Cliffs stage. San Diego hometown heroes and veteran grunge rockers Stone Temple Pilots took the stage for a late afternoon explosion of intense live rock. The band featured the original powerhouse trio that worked as the heavy rock engine of the group, including guitarist Dean DeLeo, his brother bassist Robert DeLeo, and drummer Eric Kretz. All through the 90’s STP was one of the most popular Grunge bands in the world selling over 18 million records. Popular well into the 21st century the group had the misfortune of losing two famous lead singers, Scott Weiland, and Chester Bennington. The charismatic original singer Weiland was fired from the band and later died of an overdose on a tour bus with another band. He was replaced by the enigmatic lead singer of Linkin Park fame, Chester Bennington. After Bennington left the group, he was found dead of an apparent suicide. Jeff Gutt of X Factor fame became the bands new lead singer last year, and the spirited performer did his best to step into the shoes of his legendary predecessors. The band tore through their set of well-known hits with ear piercing precision. The veteran performers appeared animated and in good spirits, bouncing off one another and engaging with the crowd. Gutt jumped off the massive stage several times and dived into the enormous audience, delighting music fans while horrifying security guards. The band's thunderous beats sounded fresh and timeless exhibiting a true rock spirit.

While STP turned in the best Grunge rock set of the day, the nod for the best of 80’s rock went to the next act on the Grandview stage, Billy Idol. The iconic rocker lead his band of veteran classic rockers through a sing-along set of the groups biggest hits. While the well-known Idol is a larger than life true rock icon, his current band features some of the best musicians of their genre. Original Guitarist Steve Stevens is book-ended by veteran rock guitarist Billy Morrison. The two rockers regularly dueled throughout the set, while a sweaty Idol enraptured the crowd with his performance bathed in the orange glow of the setting sun. At one point the surly singer removed the shirt under his leather jacket, invoking squeals of delight from teenage girls packed tightly at the front of the stage.

A completely different but no less engaging set was taking place at the smaller Encinitas Trestles stage. Veteran singer Melissa Etheridge tore through a set of classic rock sets, displaying her trademark bluesy vocals and guitar prowess. Her band of veteran rockers created a perfect blend of classic rock enveloping the personable singer. A large crowd of older music fans packed the stage tightly as Etheridge displayed surprising dexterity, moving between songs from her newer albums and some of her most classic hit songs from her 30-year career. In addition to drums and lead guitar, the musical maven played a mean harmonica, an acoustic 12 string Ovation guitar, and an electric 12 string Jerry Jones guitar. The backing musicians and backup singers all displayed exceptional musical skills. But it was former Fugees bassist and producer Jerry "Wonda'' Duplessis, who stood out most in the band with his funky bass rhythms.

As the sunset faded, the Indy folk band, The National Parks delighted a crowd lounging in the courtyard in front of the Tourmaline stage. The young Utah band dressed in matching park ranger outfits played a very musical set of original material. A very different genre of music drew a massive crowd to the main Sunset Cliffs stage for a twilight set by rap-rockers N.E.R.D. The band formed back in 1999 featuring rappers Pharrell Williams, Shay Haley and Chad Hugo. The group disbanded for a while, and Pharrell went on to a hugely successful mainstream pop solo career. But the band is back together and true to their roots, their live performance at KAABOO had more in common with Rage Against The Machine, than the pop machinations of Pharrell hits like “Happy.” The group opened with an intense rock drenched info and progressed with Pharrell going on an extended rant berating the crowd. He endlessly urged the crowd to “Open Up” admonishing the packed audience for not allowing enough room to dance. He also scolded the masses for holding up their cell phones. Eventually, he dove deep into the audience creating a dance craze that delighted fans and creating a large mosh pit.

The Grandview main stage ended the evening with a huge dance party featuring musical pioneers, Earth, Wind & Fire. Beginning in 1969 the Chicago band merged R&B, soul, funk, jazz, disco, pop, rock, Latin, and Afro-pop into some of the biggest dance hits of the 70’s and even into the 80’s. The band featured three of the original members, percussionist, and singer Philip Bailey, bassist, and singer Verdine White and drummer and singer Ralph Johnson.  The six-time Grammy-winning band played their biggest dance hits whiles thousands of mostly older festival goers danced like they were in a 70’s disco. The nearby bars were packed, and the dance video was truly delightful.

Meanwhile, the closing set by the mainstream Utah rockers, Imagine Dragons garnered a no less enthusiastic but much younger audience en masse. Best known for their big hit song “Radioactive,” the band also currently holds the No. 1. 2 and 3 hits on the Hot Rock songs chart. The band of Mormon rockers is well known for their uplifting music full of positive messaging. Their recent HBO documentary “Believer,” featured the band taking on the Mormon church and how they treat the LGBTQ community. The group opened their set with all members playing percussion, silhouetted by a massive multimedia presentation behind them. Then the band members exploded to life in an animated live performance loaded with beaming smiles and constant eye contact with the audience. But it was the shirtless lead singer, Dan Reynolds that towered literally and figuratively at the front of the stage. The charismatic singer danced about the stage bouncing off other band members and frequently ventured into the crowd. At one point he borrowed a pair of rainbow flags form the audience and draped himself in them exhibiting a roar from the audience. At another time he held up a banner that said: “Destigmatize mental health.” The set included all the bands biggest hits and a cover of The Police’s “Every Breath You Take.” It was a bookend of feel-good music on the two main stages as the second night of KAABOO came to a dramatic close.

The final day of KAABOO Del Mar 2018 began early on Sunday, September 16th under balmy southern California skies.  Early bird concert goers again were greeted by light crowds and some great sets of music. By 1 PM an energetic young crowd had gathered in the courtyard in front of the chill Tourmaline stage. The Los Angeles based Vista Kicks treated the gathering to a spirited set. Ever since the four young musicians in the band moved from their hometown of Sacramento to a tiny apartment in Hollywood in 2015, Vista Kicks have been making a name for themselves in the southern California music scene. The young long-haired musicians have a very retro almost Beatlesque sound. The band's youthful good looks and the sheer musicality of their endeavors have led to a loyal following of excited young fans. The group features Derek Thomas on guitar, keyboards, and vocals, Sam Plecker on guitars and vocals, Trevor Sutton on bass and vocals and Nolan Le Vine on drums and vocals. The band immediately launched into a very retro sounding set of music mostly culled from their new album, Twenty Something Nightmare and their debut album from last year, Booty Shakers Ball. The band definitely has more in common with the pop music of the 60’s and 70’s, than most of the other bands in the Indie pop world today. But in their case, that is a compliment as the band producers a rich pop sound not unlike that of the Raspberries. But somehow the band portrays their retro drenched music as fresh and new, and the young crowd at KAABOO responded accordingly.

Nearby at the Encinitas Trestles stage a true blues-rock icon, representing the other end of the generational spectrum from Vista Kicks, played a set for a much older audience. The 75-year-old Chicago blues guitar master, Elvin Bishop, led a trio through a crowd-pleasing set of classic Blues rock. Bishop has played in many bands, but it was his participation in the Paul Butterfield Blues Band that garnered him an induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2015. Bishop played his beloved Gibson ES-345 "Red Dog,” guitar with the trio, pulling most of the setlist from his newest album, the 2017 Elvin Bishop's Big Fun Trio. The set included a hilarious song from the album, “Something Smells Funky Round Here.” The song, a not so subtle swipe at the current president featured bandmates Willy Jordan and Bob Welsh on lead vocals and lead guitar respectively.

On the main Sunset Cliffs stage, Drew Holcomb and The Neighbors brought their folksy, feel-good sound from Memphis to a sweaty crowd sweltering in the early afternoon sun. Meanwhile, on the far side of the venue, Detroit rapper Quin XCII was playing a very different set of his own unique mix of hip-hop, reggae and EDM music to a delighted young audience.

Back on the Sunset Cliffs yet another utterly different genre could be heard as the 90s supergroup TLC took the stage. The R&B trio dominated that decade with nine top 10 hits on the Billboard 100. TLC was actually the second most successful girl group in history, selling over 65 million records. Only the Spice Girls have topped that feat. The band initially featured the singing trio of "Chilli" Thomas, Tionne "T-Boz" Watkins, and Lisa "Left Eye" Lopes.  After the untimely death of Lopes in a car crash, the group took a hiatus. But they returned as a duo in 2015 and later released a new album, TLC with the help of Kickstart in 2017. The duo backed by a rocking R&B band wowed a large crowd in the afternoon San Diego sunshine. The pair traded vocals and joined a troupe of dancers for numerous dance routines as they belted out old and new hit songs.

Over on the Encinitas Trestles stage, the first hard rock band of the day was belting out some great Post Grunge material. The Seattle band Candlebox featuring original lead singer Kevin Martin was another 90’s phenom forming at the beginning of that heady decade for hard rock. The band played material from their 2016 album Disappearing in Airports as well as classic hits from their early platinum-selling albums like their most significant songs “Far Behind” and “You.”

That set opened the door to a train of multi-generational hard rock acts. On the Grandview stage, the All American Rejects played a sweltering set in the late afternoon sun. The Oklahoma Alternative rockers came on the music scene a decade after Candlebox, but arrived with no less veracity and have sold over 10 million records since their self-titled debut album in 2003. The band featured the animated bass player and lead vocalist, Tyson Ritter who guided the band through a big energy crowd-pleasing set.

Back across the vast venue on the Sunset Cliffs main stage, one of the most anticipated sets of the day offered up some of the best hard rock of the festival. Iconic guitar player Slash joined Myles Kennedy and The Conspirators for an ear-piercing guitar drenched orgy of rock. The band, which initially formed for Slash’s solo project have stayed together touring while Slash was back with Guns N Roses. The group is a powerhouse of live hard rock on their own. Adding Slash to the mix creates another dimension resulting in a wall of pure hard rock sound that few bands can match. Kennedy once jammed with members of Led Zeppelin and was considered as a replacement for Robert Plant on a possible tour. The full-throated singer beamed a wild smile through most of the set at KAABOO Sunday afternoon, as did the other members of the band. Even the usually stoic Slash cracked an occasional smile, seeming to enjoy the jam rock atmosphere to the fullest. The massive crowd of mostly young music fans waiting to hear rapper Wiz Khalifa and pop star Katy Perry seemed to be in awe of the explosive live performance by the band. The Conspirators bounced off each other and Slash as Kennedy stoked the crowd into a sweaty late afternoon frenzy.

Over on the Grandview main stage Seattle rockers, Alice N' Chains were playing a no less intense heavy metal set. The band that formed back in 1987 was at the forefront of Grunge rock and probably the heaviest version of that genre of rock. The band featured lead singer and rhythm guitarist William DuVall who joined the veteran rockers over a decade ago after the untimely death of original lead singer Layne Staley in 2002. DuVall has come into his own in the group and brought the intensity of the band to a new level. The show featured a blaring backdrop of lights that looked like the headlights from a convoy of trucks. Guitarist Jerry Cantrell lead the veteran rockers through a 15 song setlist ending with the band’s biggest hit “Rooster.”

An entirely different generation of music fans was crowding around the smaller Encinitas Trestles stage for a set full of well-known hit songs by the rock band War. The band initially organized by 60’s rock star Eric Burdon in 1969, was one of the first rock bands to mix genres including elements of rock, funk, jazz, Latin, rhythm and blues, and reggae. The set at KAABOO was full of classic sing-along hits featuring the only official original member of the band is singer and keyboardist Leroy "Lonnie" Jordan. But in a surprise appearance, original harmonica player Lee Oskar joined the band for this special set. The 70-year-old Danish harp player was an essential element of War and hadn’t played with the group officially since 1994. With the harp master in the fold, the band wowed the crowd with 8 of their biggest hit songs, leaving the packed audience screaming for more.

As the sun painted the Sunset Cliffs stage in an orange hue contemporary hip-hop star, Wiz Khalifa led a rock-infused funky band through an explosive set leaving tens of thousands of screaming young fans in a frenzy. The beaming rapper played his biggest hits bouncing all about the stage. At one point he displayed his trademark move lighting up what appeared to be a huge joint. The impish rapper took a few puffs then flicked it into a roaring crowd. A staple in dance clubs across the country Khalifa’s biggest hits were well known to young dance music fans, and the young audience seemed enraptured by the charismatic rapper.

Speaking of charismatic, folk rock sensation Jewel was capturing the imagination of a large crowd back over on the Encinitas Trestles stage. The singer with the voice of an angel has sold over 30 million records since her recording debut back in 1995. The 44-year-old singer-songwriter has produced a dozen full-length albums since them chock full of hit songs. The masterful performer is known to pick her songs randomly often asking the audience what they want to hear during a live performance. The KAABOO set included a 16 song setlist featuring several covers. The encore finale featured a stirring cover of the Led Zeppelin classic “Whole Lotta Love,” in a tribute to headliner Robert Plant who was yet to play.

As the sun faded on KAABOO 2018, an interesting dichotomy began to occur as the two final headliners prepared to play. On the one hand, thousands of mostly very young music fans gathered at the Sunset Cliffs stage for Katy Perry’s final performance of her Witness world tour, which began over a year ago. Meantime thousands of mostly older rock music fans assembled in front of the Grandview stage to hear rock icon Robert Plant perform with his band the Sensational Space Shifters. Perry delighted legions of glitter wearing tweens with her massive fairy tale set, emerging from a spaceship dressed in a Catwoman like outfit. With her crack band, a multitude of dancers, countless costume and set changes she awed the young crowd.

Meanwhile, on a stark stage across the venue, Plant replaced style with substance performing music from his latest album with his band of veteran rockers and occasionally veering into Led Zeppelin material capturing the nostalgic imagination of the massive crowd. Bemused parents could be seen all across the venue sending their prodigy off to watch Perry as they gravitated to Plants enrapturing set. Plant came out firing Zeppelin hits straight at the KAABOO crowd opening with “Good Times Bad Times” and “The Lemon Song.” In fact, more than half of the 15 song setlist featured Zeppelin classics pleasing the crowd to no end. At the same time, Perry tore through a 20-song set list including all of her biggest hits, giving parents enough time to walk back over and collect their kids after Plants set ended. It was sheer genius planning by KAABOO organizers and a triumphant end to an incredibly diverse three-day musical orgy.

The Gin Blossoms, an alternative rock band from Tempe Arizona, brought the upbeat tempos that made them famous on the radio in the 90s, to the Discovery in Ventura California for a sold-out performance. The Discovery is a live music venue featuring a general admission stage area, an elevated restaurant overlooking the stage, a long bar, outside dining patio and a bonafide bowling alley. The restaurant features a variety of tasty treats mostly in the realm of California cuisine. The service is a bit slow especially when the show is sold out, so dining visitors should arrive early. The restaurant requires reservations, but the bar area and outside patio offer open seating. The bowling alley features nine lanes with fluorescent balls and pins, and yes people bowl all throughout the live music sets.

The show began with the Los Angeles-based but Milwaukee natives, power pop rockers Big Mother Gig. The group just reunited in 2017 after a 20-year hiatus. The band played music from their library of alternative 90’s music and songs from their new EP, “Almost Primed.” The group which initially formed in 1992 in Milwaukee, played an intense set of punk-inspired alternative rock and was well received by the crowd.

Like Big Mother Gig, The Gin Blossoms made a name for themselves back in the early 90’s. The band hit it big with the release of their first album, “New Miserable Experience” in 1992. The album included the hit song “Hey Jealousy” and went multi-platinum. Sadly, the bands lead guitarist and author of their biggest hit song, Doug Hopkins committed suicide in 1993. The band continued to make hit songs until their break up in 1997.  After a five-year hiatus, the band reunited in 2002. The group celebrated the 25th anniversary of their first album last year. The band recently released a new album “Mixed Reality.” The band played a set that had the packed audience singing the well-known chorus lines. The group sometimes sounds eerily similar to REM, with haunting rhythms and upbeat tempos. Lead singer and guitarist Robin Wilson endeared himself to the crowd sharing anecdotes about the band and commenting on the bowling alley. “I don’t think we ever played a bowling alley before. Pretty cool. Are they really bowling over there?” Just then a bowler sent his ball careening into some pins with an explosive crack. The band played songs from their new album, including “Angels FlyMega Pawn King” and “Break.” Then the group played their biggest hit songs including; “Hey Jealousy" and "Found Out About You.” The band returned for a two-song encore including a sing-along cover of The Rolling Stones “Wild Horses” and their last big hit song, “Follow You Down.” The 17-song list included most everyone in the audience’s favorites, and the crowd departed with beaming smiles.

The English rock band The The brought their melancholy music to Hollywood California during their first U.S. tour in 18 years, the Comeback Special Tour. The group, which was the brainchild of Matt Johnson was one of the first English post-punk rock bands to emerge from the New Wave Movement. The 57-year-old Johnson grew up in East London hanging out at The Two Puddings Pub, which his family owned. The young music lover experimented with a wide range of sounds, producing volumes of music, some of which were funneled into albums that were never released. Although he could and did play all the instruments necessary to make his own rock album, the moody singer was also a sort of Svengali of music employing countless musicians over the year to collaborate with him. Many of these other musicians were famous in their own rite like guitarist Johnny Marr who is also currently on tour. Throughout the 80s and 90s, Johnson released six distinctive albums under the moniker, The The. The brilliant musical composer then went on a 14-year concert hiatus, successfully recording a variety of musical soundtracks all across Europe. The The which was a widely popular band especially in England, with 15 charting singles in their heyday, returned with a 2017 recording, “We Can’t Stop What’s Coming,” which again featured guitarist Johnny Marr.

The rare concert tour by Johnson with his latest version of the band made two stops in Hollywood, fittingly ushering in the fall season in tinsel town. The first was a sold-out show at the John Anson Ford Amphitheater, followed by the show at the larger Palladium.  The evening began with a truly eerie set by the Danish singer and keyboardist from Berlin, Agnes Caroline Thaarup Obel. The singer ushered in visions of the singing sirens of Ulysses fame, with her high pitched classically tinged vocals. Obel fronted a quartet featuring a pair of cello and double bass violin players and a rock-oriented drummer. It was a fitting opening for the haunting sounds to come from The The.

Johnson opened his setlist with “Global Eyes,” from the 2000 album “Naked Self,” the last album from the band before Johnson’s film scoring hiatus. In addition to Johnson, the current band features, Barrie Cadogan on lead guitar, Earl Harvin on drums, DC Collard on keyboards, and James Eller on bass. Next came "Sweet Bird of Truth,” from the bands most successful album “Infected,” released in 1986.  Johnson noted that “the song was more relevant than ever,” since it was about war in the Middle East, although it was released years before the first Gulf War. The stoic Johnson bantered with the crowd throughout the set, commenting on Los Angeles, “I see they have torn down many of the ornate old buildings, leaving giant holes in the cityscape.” “They want to build larger ones. We are doing the same thing to old London.” There are several colossal reconstruction projects surrounding the old Palladium on Sunset Boulevard. The Palladium itself has survived, an art deco building erected in 1940 as a dancehall. The dingy 4000 seat theater has seen nearly every major pop music star of the last 7 decades perform there at one time or another.

The dark cavernous venue with its ornate decor seemed a fitting backdrop to the dark tone of The The as they careened through decades of musical laments. The band ended their set of 15 songs with a Hank Williams cover, “I Saw The Light,” followed by “Helpline Operator” from the 1993 album “Dusk.”

After the raucous crowd created a thunderous roar for an encore, the band reemerged to play a six-song encore featuring many of the group’s biggest hits. The crowd was elated.

The second leg of A Bowie Celebration, the David Bowie Alumni tour made its way to the Majestic Ventura Theater in Ventura, California, for a 22-song marathon concert of David Bowie classics. The show featured a core band of Bowie collaborators including, keyboardist Mike Garson who was Bowie's longest and most frequent band member. Garson played on more than 20 Bowie albums and performed more than 1000 live shows with him. Also, in the band was lead guitarist extraordinaire Earl Slick, who performed with Bowie during some of his most successful early years and again in the new millennium. Bassist Carmine Rojas played on several Bowie multi-platinum hits like "Let's Dance," "China Girl," “Modern Love” and toured on the Blue Jean on the Serious Moonlight and Glass Spider tours. Rhythm guitarist Mark Plati worked as a music producer and musical director for Bowie over several projects. Lee John, the son of Earl Slick, played drums. He is a multi-instrumentalist songwriter and producer from Los Angeles.

The singers for this stop on the tour included Gaby Moreno from Guatemala. She is a Latin Grammy-winning singer-songwriter. Also taking a turn as lead singer was Englishman Joe Sumner, a singer-songwriter and bassist for the rock band Fiction Plane. Finally, singer Bernard Fowler held down the lion’s share of lead vocals at the Ventura show. He is a singer and songwriter known for his work with The Rolling Stones for more than 30 years. His exquisite vocals have appeared on literally hundreds of albums including some by Herbie Hancock, Ryuichi Sakamoto, John Mayer, Rod Stewart, Robert Plant, Duran Duran, Philip Glass, Bootsy Collins, and many others.

New York-based Mike Garson acted as the MC for the evening and addressed the Ventura crowd at the beginning of the 2 hour and fifteen-minute concert with an explanation about the opening song. The show began quietly with just Garson on piano joined by vocalist Bernard Fowler.

The dynamic Bernard Fowler was utilized for two classics at the beginning of the show, “Rebel Rebel” and “Fame,” as the full band took the stage and turned the concert into an ear-piercing rock and roll show. Vocalists Sumner and Moreno sang back up voices and played acoustic instruments until it was their turn to rotate to lead vocals. Sumner sang the songs with the high notes while Moreno sang in a more soulful style. But Fowler proved to be the most effective vocalist, with plenty of eye contact and interaction with the crowd and an authentic rock star vibe. Slick pranced around the stage like one of the whirling dervishes. His relentless guitar riffs kept the show in true rock mode. Garson played some fantastic piano solos bordering on jazz territory. The audience responded excitedly dancing and singing most of the well-known chorus lines. The band tore through 22 Bowie classics in a nostalgic night and a fitting tribute to the musical genius of one of the greatest rock chameleons in rock history.

Just over four hundred lucky music fans filled the historic Lobero Theatre in Santa Barbara to hear Graham Nash perform on a sleepy October Tuesday night. The iconic singer-songwriter is currently touring in support of his latest musical release, Over The Years. The 30 song compilation features over 50 years of hit songs from Nash’s illustrious career, as well as 15 demo tracks, 12 of which have never been released.

It is hard to believe that the singer who retains his angelic tenor singing voice at the age of 76, was born during World War II. Most famous for his role in Crosby Stills Nash and Young, Nash is no stranger to Santa Barbara. The British singer who became an American citizen  in 1978 has played in the city numerous times. Nash has appeared with Crosby Stills Nash and Young. Then he performed over the decades with the group sans Young, again as a duo with Crosby and as a solo artist. David Crosby, a resident of Nearby Santa Ynez, will also be playing at the Lobero Theater next month. Neil Young played in the little theater in June in a secret show for his fans, to warm up for his headline performance at the massive Arroyo Seco Music Festival in Pasadena. Nash was joined at the Lobero by longtime collaborator and former Sting guitarist Shane Fontayne on guitars and backing vocals and longtime Crosby Stills and Nash keyboardist and vocalist Todd Caldwell. In a bit of irony, the sold-out show at the Lobero happened to take place the same night that Sting was scheduled to appear at the much larger Santa Barbara Bowl. But that concert was canceled due to a lingering illness that forced Sting to cancel several shows on his tour. It is worth reiterating that the historic Lobero Theater is the oldest continuously operating performance hall in the State of California.

Nash led his trio through two sets of magical sounds from his long and storied career. The stories he told about how he came to write many of his biggest hits were as enthralling as the music itself, and at times you could hear a pin drop in the packed theater. Graham’s stories included how an encounter at the US-Canadian border at the end of a Crosby Stills Nash and Young tour had led him to write “Immigration Man,” and how his drug dealer in Hawaii had once bet him that he couldn’t write a song before heading to the airport for a flight to Los Angeles. Graham won the bet by quickly writing “Just A Song Before I Go.”  The song became one of the bands biggest hits. Other songs in the first set included his hit “Military Madness,” which seems just as relevant today as it was when it was written back in the 70’s. He ended the first set with a cover of The Beatles “A Day In The Life,” which really showcased the exquisite musical skills of the trio working in unison to produce a jam of orchestral proportions.

After an intermission allowing the audience to sample some fine beverages while enjoying the fall evening in the courtyard, the trio returned for an even longer second set. Nash reached deep into his catalog to play songs like the Hollies "Bus Stop," and later tracks like Crosby, Stills & Nash and Young’s “Lady of the Island," Marrakesh Express" and "Teach Your Children.” Nash recently made a new video version of the latter song dedicating it to the Parkland survivors. It was a long night full of extraordinary music by one of rock music’s greatest storytellers.

One of Hollywood's most iconic hometown guitarists, Slash, played a sold-out concert at the Palladium. Slash joined his longtime solo group Myles Kennedy and The Conspirators for the performance which also featured an opening set by his son London's band Classless Act.

The show Tuesday night, October 16 was packed with friends of both bands as well as adulate fans. The Palladium gig was the final show of a sold-out nationwide tour for the Conspirators. The group invited the Tuesday night fans to be part of their new music video by capturing the event on their cell phones and uploading their homemade videos to be added to a montage. Fans also received a free download of the bands brand new album "Living The Dream," included with the purchase of their ticket. The band's third album has just been released amidst great accolades by rock music critics across the nation.

The evening began with a short-spirited set by young rockers Classless Act. The band was founded in 2016 by childhood friend’s drummer London Hudson and lead guitarist Nico Tsangaris, who are now both 16. The Southern California band also features Derek Day on lead vocals, Dane Pieper on rhythm guitar and Franco Gravante on bass. It was the first time that Hudson shared the bill with his iconic father, Slash. The animated young group played a 30-minute set of original songs. Hudson, who is also apparently an accomplished skateboarder, played thunderous drums while Day pranced all across the stage like a madman. In the meantime, Tsangaris played piercing lead guitar riffs also thrashing about like a man possessed. Gravante and Pieper were the more grounded members of the band, stoically pumping out fierce rhythms while the rest of the band writhed about full of explosive energy. The young group may have a bright future keeping rock music alive for a new generation.

After a short intermission, Slash and the Conspirators took the stage two minutes ahead of their scheduled set time, an unusual occurrence for a rock band, underscoring their eagerness to play for the hometown crowd. It is worth repeating that Myles Kennedy and The Conspirators are a powerhouse live hard rock act on their own. Adding Slash to the mix creates another dimension resulting in a wall of pure hard rock sound that few bands can match. Kennedy once jammed with members of Led Zeppelin and was considered as a replacement for Robert Plant on a possible tour. The Conspirators also feature, Frank Sidoris on rhythm guitar, Todd Kerns on bass and Brent Fitz on drums. This fantastic group of musicians created a wall of sound, surrounding the relentless guitar assault on the Palladium by Slash. The band hit the stage rocking, opening with a trio of original songs, "The Call Of The Wild," "Halo," and "Standing In The Sun." The evening featured a two-hour, 23 song setlist that featured mostly original songs from the Conspirators, some Slash solo tunes, a Velvet Revolver song, and a few much-anticipated Guns N' Roses songs. Kennedy took the lead on most songs exhibiting the vocal skills that piqued the imagination of Jimmy Page. But later in the set, Kennedy took a break, and bassist Todd Kerns took over as lead singer and brought a whole new sound to the Palladium crowd. Singing in a throaty rock tinged wail, he led the band in bluesy versions of  "We're All Gonna Die" and "Doctor Alibi."

Halfway through the set, the band played the first of two Guns N' Roses songs, "Rocket Queen." Slash launched into an extended solo midway through the song showcasing his immense talent as a musician. The 10-minute guitar onslaught was nothing short of brilliant putting the top-hatted Slash in the realm of rock guitars greatest live moments. Visions of Alvin Lee jamming with Ten Years After, Marc Bolan ripping with T. Rex or Jeff Beck slashing with The Yardbirds came to mind as Hollywood's hometown hero astonished the crowd.

The band returned for a three-song encore at the end of the night opening with their second Guns N Roses song, “It's So Easy." "I recognize so many of my friends in the audience," Slash exclaimed as he returned to the stage. "One of my friends who just happened to be nearby is going to come up and play with us on this song, my friend Duff McKagan." The crowd erupted as the bassist for Guns N Roses joined the band for the classic rock hit. It was a perfect night of rock and roll better than any fictional Hollywood ending.

A diverse group of musicians brought their skills to the Alcazar Theater in Carpinteria, CA, Saturday night November 4th. The intimate acoustic evening was organized by Ones To Watch Productions, the musical promoters who have brought a wealth of Americana music to local venues in Southern California. The historic 200 seat non-profit Alcazar Theater, which was recently remodeled boasts accidentally perfect acoustics, due to its architecture. The tiny movie theater which doubles as a live performance hall has been a community treasure in the small town of Carpinteria since it first opened nearly 90 years ago. Volunteers served donated locally brewed beer and wine for $5 a glass and took bids on silent auction items like a surfboard and other surf related items.

The concert featured four diverse singer-songwriters playing original songs on acoustic guitar. The event was organized by Surfrider Foundation spokesman Tim Curran. The former pro surfer and local resident opened the acoustic evening with some deeply personal music. The singer-guitarist played songs from his three albums and one EP of original music as well as some newer songs. The shy understated performer is actually a master songwriter creating an extensive library of very personal songs. Curran jokingly apologized for his last performance at the theater, when he forgot the lyrics to one of his songs. But the personable singer captured the crowd's attention with songs like the one about his grandfather that was dying in the hospital but still flirting with his grandmother.

Johnny Two Bags, best known as the longtime guitarist for the iconic California punk band Social Distortion, took the stage next playing a set of mostly original Americana roots music. The personable singer-guitarist played songs from his solo album Salvation Town and new songs. The performer seemed to enjoy the intimacy of the theater noting that he had played there before. It was a quite a contrast with his performance the weekend prior with Social Distortion. That appearance at a punk music festival in Orange County attracted a crowd of over 40,000 people. The songwriter credits his father who used to sing and play guitar in bars as his inspiration for his solo work. On his Facebook page the performer wrote about the benefit concert, “I haven’t played a solo gig in over a year, so I’m really looking forward to this. It’ll just be me and my old J45 on this one!” He ended his set with a duet alongside singer-songwriter Jaime Wyatt.

Wyatt returned to play her own set after a short break. The California alt Country performer blends Americana roots music into a pleasing folk sound that showcases her singing and songwriting skills. According to her website bio “Wyatt is a striking figure with an old soul and a voice like a force of nature. Regardless of genre, the Los Angeles-based Wyatt is a dynamic performer, who sails naturally between vintage ‘60s and ‘70s country/rock ’n’ soul anthems and heartfelt country ballads of love and corruption. Country radio station 95.3 The Bear recently named her, alongside Sturgill Simpson and Margo Price, as “one of the country artists you may not have heard of, but need to hear.” The singer-guitarist showed a personable style at the benefit concert offering up anecdotes about being on the road and expressing gratitude about being home in California. The singer, who embraced the harmonica on several songs, as well as her guitar, is actually reminiscent of folk singers from the past sometimes sounding eerily like folk singer Tracy Chapman.

The show closed with a headline set by Foo Fighters guitarist and local resident Chris Shiflett. The guitarist has just begun a solo tour after coming off a massive Foo Fighters tour which sold out arenas and music festivals across the country. Shiflett played a carefully crafted set of 16 songs around an Americana theme. The singer-guitarist played songs from his solo recordings including his country-tinged side project the Dead Peasants. He even threw in a few classic American covers including songs by Merle Haggard and Buck Owens. It was a magical night of original songwriting mixed with vintage Americana, perfect acoustics and a warm hometown crowd.

David Crosby may call the nearby mountain town of Santa Ynez home these days, but it is Santa Barbara where he began his musical career and spent much of his youth. “The first time I sang in this theater I was 17,” quipped the 77-year-old two times Rock and Roll Hall of Fame recipient and founding member of The Byrds and Crosby Stills and Nash. He was referring to the Lobero Theater in downtown Santa Barbara, the oldest continuously running performance hall in California. The sold-out theater was packed with the iconic singer's friends and family as well as longtime local fans. Later he shared another memory. “There used to be a coffee shop in the alley next door. I would wash dishes there so I could sing with the house band.”

Crosby attended the Crane Country Day School in Montecito, Laguna Blanca School in Santa Barbara and Cate School in Carpinteria. He also went to Santa Barbara City College for a while before dropping out to become a nearly instant rock star going on to sell 35 million records. “We had instant success with our band getting a hit early on, maybe too quickly,” Crosby quipped about first band, The Byrds. He then went on to share a story about The Byrds first tour in England. “We had Beatle haircuts, Beatle suits, Beatle instruments. We wanted to be the Beatles.  One night we were playing in a broken-down dive club, and I looked out and thought oh f—k that’s John Lennon sitting next to Mick Jagger who is sitting next to George Harrison.” He went on to explain how The Byrds got invited to party with their rock heroes and Crosby became good friends with Harrison. “I had a Ravi Shankar record in my suitcase, and I turned him on to it.” The rest was Beatle history, which Crosby explained later lead to a song he wrote about questioning those who propose to have all the answers.

The two-part 18 song set at the Lobero featured material from Crosby’s new band the Lighthouse Band. Besides Crosby, the quartet features three-time Grammy-winning Michael League of Snarky Puppy, New York’s Becca Stevens and Canadian singer Michelle Willis. Stevens is a singer, songwriter, and guitarist who blends elements of jazz, chamber-pop, indie-rock, and folk in her music. Michelle Willis is a Canadian singer, songwriter and keyboard player. League is an American composer, producer, arranger, vocalist, and multi-instrumentalist. The band blends rich harmonies in a folk style harkening back to the 60’s. The group has just released their second album and are in the middle of a tour that will wrap up December 8th.

In addition to the new material the band played songs from other Crosby solo projects as well as CSN classics and a Joni Mitchell cover of “Woodstock.” The Septuagenarian Crosby can still sing uncanny harmonies like a teenager, and his juvenile humor is intact, constantly flirting with band members and fans in the crowd. But he singled out his wife in the audience later for a heartfelt thank you for literally keeping him alive and in love and dedicating one of his most beloved hit songs "Guinnevere" to her.  At times the intimate theater felt like Crosby’s living room with the singer acknowledging friends in the crowd throughout the extended performance. It was just over a week ago that Graham Nash played a riveting solo concert at the same theater. Although it is unlikely the pair will be teaming up again anytime soon, their fans can take solace in the fact that two legendary singers are still making magic in the studio and on the road.

Check out more photos from the show.

Vintage Trouble came home to Hollywood to rock a sold-out crowd of adulate fans at the Troubadour nightclub. Lead singer Ty Taylor sang and danced like the ghost of James Brown, while guitarist Nalle Colt, bassist Rick Barrio Dill, and drummer Richard Danielson jammed blues rock like ZZ Top. Well, that might be a stretch, but not much of one and you get the idea. The band features a retro sound full of classic R&B, Soul and Blues rock riffs.

Fans packed the venue early on, mostly longtime fans that have been following the group's 7-year career. The band that has been mainly under the radar of radio play despite three solid albums and a brand-new EP. But the group has cemented their fan base with relentless global touring presenting a dynamic live show. Three generations of golden-haired English women sat at the bar chatting before the show. One of them offered her take on the band. “This is a fantastic group. I saw them in Hyde Park in a festival with the Rolling Stones. The singer is amazing he usually jumps all about into the crowd singing and dancing. I don’t know if he will do it here it is such a compact venue.” The band's personal photographer standing up in the second level balcony had more to share about the band. “Yes, the crowd seems older tonight. But in other places like Asia, they have a much younger audience. They seem to appeal to multiple generations of fans.”

The band hit the stage right on schedule opening with what appeared to be a spiritual bonding, gathering in a huddle with their hands clasped together. Then the group tore into their blues laden retro rock music, augmented by a pair of backup singers and a keyboard player. Taylor led the group like a cheerleader, bouncing off the musicians and prancing about the stage before breaking into classic dance moves reminiscent of James Brown himself. Each member of the power rock trio took their turns as solo performers, and the crowd responded with wild applause.

True to the English fan’s prediction, Taylor began diving into the crowd urging everyone to dance, at one point dragging a fan onstage to dance with him. During the next song, the animated singer crawled all about the club even climbing between to two upper story seating areas and hanging precariously from the balcony, much to the chagrin of the security guards.

Later the band was joined by singer Countre Black, who is also featured in a video for “The BattlesEnd.”  The song is a call to activism and is featured on their new EP Chapter II EP 1. Black sang several duets with Taylor before the singers took a break and allowed the band to show off their jam rock skills. Taylor returned to the stage to close out the nearly two hour set with a searing finale that wowed the hometown crowd.

Check out more photos from the show.

The young Michigan rock band Greta Van Fleet has been making a splash in the music world over the last few years after extensive festival appearances across the nation and around the world. But the band is on the verge of becoming a household name bolstered by their new album “Anthem Of The Peaceful Army” and an upcoming guest appearance on the Saturday Night Live show.

The band formed in Frankenmuth Michigan in 2012 and has quickly made a name for themselves based mainly on their live performances. Vocalist Josh Kizka has been compared in style to legendary Led Zeppelin lead vocalist, Robert Plant. Even Plant, himself has expressed admiration for the band. His brothers, Jake and Sam, play guitar and bass, respectively. The band also features drummer Danny Wagner, who is a multi-instrumentalist wizard. The group may actually sound more like a classic rock blues band along the lines of Janis Joplin and Big Brother and The Holding Company. All comparisons aside it is great to see such a young group keep the hard blues rock tradition alive.

Wagner sat down with us for an interview after one of their recent festival performances to share a little of the band's roots.

GW: Where is the band from

Wagner: We grew up in Frankenmuth. It's about an hour North and West of Detroit. But its quieter than Detroit it's your classic sleepy mid-western city with curfews. It’s a nice supportive, tight-knit community of about 5000 people.

GW: I understand the band grew up listening to vinyl records unusual for your generation.

Wagner: Yes, my parents had Vinyl, but their parents had mountains and mountains of vinyl sitting around. It was a vinyl playground.

GW: So, who were your early influences, probably a lot of Detroit music?

Wagner: Yeah, of course, the local radio stations would play a lot of Detroit music. Our earliest influences were bands like Grand Funk Railroad, Bob Seger, and Stevie Wonder from Michigan. The other guys grew up listening to Taj Mahal, and a lot of folk like Crosby Stills Nash and Young. All of it was good stuff and then, of course, The Beatles. We all loved the Beatles from an early age.

GW: There is a lot of traditional Blues sounds in your music.

Wagner: Yeah, we grew up listening to Howlin Wolf, and we would have CDs of Robert Johnson in the car. The other guy's dad is a Blues man in his own right. He is a BAD harp player.

GW: You took the name Greta Van Fleet from a local 87-year-old musician who played saxophone and piano in a "dance band" with her three brothers during the late 50s.

Wagner:  Yes, she is a matriarch of Frankenmuth, an instrumentalist. They actually wrote a song about her some time ago, but I don’t really remember who did it.

GW: So you were sort of like Ringo coming into the Beatles as the strange man out as the rest of your band are real brothers.

Wagner: Yeah it was a lot like Ringo and The Beatles I replaced the drummer, and they said your better you play drums. They tell you that your better but in your own mind you aren’t really sure.

GW: I have heard that you are actually a multi-instrumentalist especially on the albums.

Wagner: Yes I can play Flute, Recorders, Mandolin and in the song Flower Power I play guitar on the record.

GW: So, who does the songwriting?

Wagner: It is split evenly %25 percent between the 4 of us. It is all one unit working together. Josh usually writes the lyrics because he is quickest at it, but we all contribute to the music.

GW: You are often compared musically to Led Zeppelin but I actually here more of a band like Janis Joplin and Big Brother and The Holding Company in your music.

Wagner: Well we listened to a lot of Big Brother, but I wish I had time to list all the old blues-rock bands we used to listen to. Everyone has their own perception of the Blues and their own execution of the Blues, and we definitely have huge Blues influences. We are Elvis fans too he had his own version of the Blues.

GW: You have been playing a lot of shows lately. Do ever find it hard to live in the moment?. Paul McCartney likes to stop in the middle of his live performances and says “Give me a moment to take it all in.”  Then he looks around at the audience and comments on the signs and sights he sees.

Wagner: He is one of my favorite artists. I am glad you told me that. It’s a whirlpool just constantly moving just constant momentum now. Every tour we go on seems like it is stepping up in every way. It is very surreal sometimes. I will keep that in mind in the future.

The Outfield was one of the biggest bands of the 1980s, playing to sold-out arenas. The group's music continues to be well known to most any young dance club regulars, with hits like “Your Love” standing the test of time into the new millennium. The lead singer and guitarist of the band, Tony Lewis released his first solo album last summer, “Out of The Darkness.” The album comes five years after the untimely death of fellow Outfield founder John Spinks and is a very personal return to music for Lewis. I caught up with Tony in an upbeat and insightful mood on the phone, while he was on tour traveling somewhere between Nebraska and Salt Lake City. We chatted about his return to the music world.

GW: How did you get started in music back in the early days?

Tony: I grew up in East London. I sang in an American accent even though my friends said I sounded more like Micael Caine in real life. It would sound pretty funny if I sang “Your Love” in my real accent. I was in a school band with Alan (Jackman). We played around in pubs for a while, and it wasn’t until much later I met John (Spinks). There weren’t many bands around that came from East London although Iron Maiden came from there. I auditioned for a guitar player in my bedroom. One kid came who had a gold-topped Les Paul, but he couldn’t even play it. I was foaming at the mouth because I could only dream of having such an expensive guitar. Then a knock came at the door, and the whole doorway was filled by a man about 6 foot 4, in an Afghan coat and dark sunglasses. He looked like John Lennon. He said I have come about the advert in the paper. He auditioned and was a great guitar player, but I was terrified of him at first. It was a couple of years later that Alan our drummer decided to do a demo with John and they asked me to play bass. It began to sound like a band, and we named ourselves The Baseball Boys. We took the name from a street gang in the film The Warriors. We knew this bloke with a studio, and he said you can pay me back if you get a record deal and he gave us free studio time.

Then we got lucky and got signed to EMI records just on the strength of a demo tape and a photograph. In the photo, I was standing on a box so they must have thought I was as tall as John (Laughter). They got us on to Capitol Records in the US, but they said we couldn’t use our name because it was already taken. So, they suggested The Outfield because there were three of us in the band. We didn’t really know what it meant, but we said okay.

GW: (Laughing) I guess there is no outfield in soccer.

Tony: (Laughing) Yeah there is an outfield in Cricket, but I get bored watching it. It’s like watching paint dry.

GW: So that was about 1985 that you started?

Tony: Yes, we signed in 1984 and started touring in 1985.

GW: I saw The Outfield play a big show in Tampa in about 1986. I used to go to school there I remember it was hot and sweaty and a vast crowd.

Tony: Yes, I think that tour was with Starship. That was our second tour after the releases of “Your Love.” The song seemed to have a life of its own, and our tours got really big after that.

GW: I work in a nightclub on weekends mixing lights and video to dance music. I don’t think a weekend ever goes by that some version of “Your Love” doesn't get played. Did you have any idea how big this song would become?

Tony: No and the strange thing is that the song was written in 20 minutes in John’s flat (apartment). I was sitting there and wrote the lyrics down. I still have the original words written on lined paper. I read them, and we said yeah that's a good little pop song. Who knew 33 years later it would still be so huge.

GW: The '80s seemed to be an excellent creative decade for dance music and music in general. Why do you think it was a good decade for pop music?

Tony: I think it was. It was a very optimistic time. It was also a time when money was crazy for things like stupid little videos you could make. Def Leppard was spending 3 years building a record. It was a very fruitful time for the music industry.

GW: What brought back you into recording new music and touring again after a long hiatus.

Tony: Well it was my wife really. We went out to eat one night at a pub, and she suggested why don’t you do what you do best and go back to making music. It had been a dark time for me. John had passed away, and I had been depressed for a long time. She coaxed me back into recording. I struggled with the lyrics, but she helped me with the words. We worked together making songs from scratch on an iPad. Then some of my old mates got me in touch with Tanner Hendon who owns Madison Records. Tanner is also a drummer who has toured with Bad Company. He agreed to sign me and release my new record.

GW: So, your new album Out of The Darkness was very much a Catharsis for you coming out of the funk of losing your friend, and bandmate and your wife co-wrote most of the album while you played most of the instruments on it?

Tony: Yes, my wife wrote most of it actually which freed me up to work on the music. I co-wrote some of the songs, but I was always very critical of my writing when I was in The Outfield, so she gave me the confidence to keep working.

GW: (Laughing) That’s actually a little ironic how critical you were of your writing considering “Your Love” is one of the most enduring songs in dance music with instantly recognizable lyrics.

Tony: Yeah the song is actually a tragic story but people like the song because it makes them feel good and they put a positive spin on it. That is what pop music is all about really, isn’t it?

GW: So your new album has some tracks reminiscent of The Outfield, but other songs have a very intricate and varied sound something like the Police on songs like “I’ll Still Be Here." The album has a lot of depth and some very intriguing almost haunting melodies.

Tony: Thank you. I wanted the album to have the spirit of The Outfield. But some of the songs are dark. A quote I like is a good pop song is like a punch from a velvet glove.

LP: The song “Loving You” also has haunting vocals reminiscent of a Guns N Roses melody.

Tony: That’s an interesting comparison. It’s definitely our favorite track on the album. The song is actually about our first granddaughter.

GW: Do you think you will ever do another tour as The Outfield?

Tony: No when John passed away that was it for me. Now I am making my own music. I will still play The Outfield songs, but there won’t be a revival of The Outfield now that John is gone. My 2018 summer tour is my first in 14 years in America so we will see how it goes. Thanks to all our old fans who have been showing up and giving us support and hopefully we can make some new fans and continue to tour and make music in 2019.

David Bowie’s longest and most trusted collaborator, pianist Mike Garson, brought A Bowie Celebration back to California for a series of concerts with a new setlist. The show came a year after an astounding show by the same core group at the Wiltern Theater last year.

As Garson greeted an exultant crowd at the beginning of a performance in the elegant Orpheum Theater in downtown Los Angeles on February 7th, he paused to welcome the crowd. “Thank you for being here. I can tell you are a crowd that will really appreciate our expanded set list that will include the deep cuts of David’s music that normally doesn’t get played. It seemed that the masterful keyboardist was right as the crowd responded enthusiastically to every song in the expanded 24 song set. The evening began quietly with Garson on piano accompanying a solo by the band's stalwart singer, Bernard Fowler, for a sultry cover of “Bring Me the Disco King.” Then the band joined the pair on stage for a more well-known cover of “Rebel Rebel.” That pretty much set the tone for the long night of music with the band playing a few of Bowie’s biggest hits interspersed with some of his most interesting and experimental “Deep Cuts” in between.

The core touring band featured Garson, an American pianist, who has worked with David Bowie, Nine Inch Nails, Billy Corgan, and The Smashing Pumpkins, among others. He acted as the master of ceremonies and fascinating storyteller, explaining how many of the songs came about. The animated guitarist Earl Slick brought a hard rock vibe to the show. Slick is perhaps best known for his collaborations with David Bowie, John Lennon, Yoko Ono, and Robert Smith, but also played with Bowie most notably on The Diamond Dogs tour. Mark Plati collaborated with David Bowie in the '90s, including extensive touring in 1999. He played an impressive rhythm guitar throughout the night. Bassist Carmine Rojas, who also collaborated with Bowie, brought an R&B/funk, and jazz vibe to the mix. Earl Slick’s son, Lee John Madeloni played drums for the band. Gaby Moreno, a Guatemalan singer-songwriter and guitarist, sang backing vocals and brought a blues, jazz, soul and R&B influence on the group. Imani Elijah played passionate percussion. There was also a fantastic guest saxophone player who joined in for a few songs.

In addition to Fowler Moreno, another regular singer on the tour was Joe Sumner. Sumner is the singing prodigy of Sting. Rock singer Corey Glover from In Living Colour also appears periodically with the group and made his way to the Orpheum for this show.

If that wasn’t enough singing talent, the show also featured guest appearances by several other singers. Santa Monica local singer Naia Kete, who is well known as a favorite contestant on The Voice joined the band offering up some great vocal skills. Another Los Angeles based singer-songwriter, Holly Palmer, offered up her talents to the show as well. Blues-rock singer-guitarist Charlie Sexton also appeared as a special guest to play several songs. Sexton opened for Bowie on many of the dates of the 1987 Glass Spider tour. Finally, singer Evan Rachael Wood, perhaps better known as Dolores Abernathy in the Westworld television series, sang several inspiring tunes at the show.

The setlist at the Orpheum show proved to be one of the longest so far on the current tour, with the band not even pausing for an encore while delivering the 24 songs to a truly adulate crowd. The show was not only a testament to the brilliance of David Bowie and his music but also his ability to collaborate with innovative musicians from different genres of music to create a unique body of work that will live on for generations to come.

An appreciative audience packed the tiny Ojai Underground Exchange for an extraordinary concert Sunday, March 3rd. The small venue is a combination dance studio and performance hall that holds less than 100 people, and lies tucked away just off the main highway 150 that passes through the beautiful mountain enclave of Ojai, California. The show was another feather in the cap for local concert promoters Steve and Polly Hoganson from Ones To Watch Productions. The couple has been bringing great Americana music to local venues for years. The new performance hall is the brainchild of Bernie Larsen and Cassidy Linder. Larsen is a veteran musician and producer, who has worked with many well-known artists, including Melissa Etheridge, Jackson Browne, and Rickie Lee Jones. Linder comes from a professional dance background and also runs the dance studio.

The intimate little venue was the perfect backdrop for Reverend Tall Tree’s Blues Opera. The show unfolded just as the title describes as a two-part musical opera drenched in authentic American Blues music. The show is the creation of veteran singer and multi-instrumentalist Chris Pierce. The talented California songwriter has released 9 albums since he first began recording in 2002. In 2017 Pierce co/wrote the hit song "We Can Always Come Back To This" which was featured on the hit NBC television show "This Is Us.” His music has also been featured on TV shows like Brothers & Sisters, What About Brian, "Dawson's Creek," "Eli Stone," "Half and Half" and "The Long Shots" featuring Ice Cube, as well as many more. Pierce, on top of many other musical endeavors too numerous to mention, he is also co-owner of a wine label called Ledbetter Syrah.

Pierce exhibited his multiple musical talents at the Ojai show, singing, dancing, and storytelling while playing spirited guitar and harmonica licks. He was backed by a trio of talented Blues rockers that kept pace with the mercurial Pierce like a well-oiled machine. The performance was a bit like Garrison Keillor meets an old-fashioned tent revival. "Reverend Tall Tree’s Blues Opera" was written by Pierce & Mark Malone and according to them, “is a tale told in twenty-one songs, following the journey of a fictional street preacher, many years ago in the American Deep South. A story of love, sorrow, earthy humor, and finally, redemption, following ac Reverend Tall Tree as he plies his trade (leading street revival meetings) in the dusty small towns of the lower Mississippi valley.” The two-part odyssey follows the life of the fictional reverend including a classic bet with the devil resulting in a crowd stomping finale.

You can check the Chris Pierce website for more information on his recordings and upcoming concerts:  http://www.chrispierce.com.

The sleepy little town of Carpinteria, California was treated to an exceptional concert by legendary singer-songwriter and Banjo aficionado John McEuen. One of the founding members of The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, McEuen brought his new group, the String Wizards to the historic Alcazar Theatre on a cold winter night, February, 13th.

The String Wizards featured another founding member of the NGDB, Les Thompson on bass, vocals and bouzouki, John Cable on guitar, mandolin and vocals and longtime McEuen collaborator Matt Cartsonis on vocals, mandolin, and guitar. McEuen has played at the little before including a surprise performance with his sons, Jonathan, and Nathan who live in nearby Santa Barbara. That tour was in support of the album “For All The Good” which featured a family collaboration of the three accomplished songwriters.

The most recent show featured an extraordinary presentation, sharing the music and memories of the landmark "Will the Circle Be Unbroken" platinum album. The show also featured McEuen’s reflections on Nitty Gritty Dirt Band’s remarkable 50-year career. The multi-media show featured archival photographs, film, Circle session photos, and a narrative interwoven with NGDB classic tunes, hot bluegrass, and rare cover tunes. The intimate show dazzled the crowd packed into the tiny little movie theater that benefits from accidentally perfect acoustics.

The concert was a living history of Americana music which included the entire span of John McEuen’s years in music, in two sets lasting nearly three hours. Nathan McEuen joined the band as a surprise guest at the end of the show for several songs. John mentioned that Nathan has taken a personal interest in the non-profit Alcazar Theatre and was planning on recruiting more top talent to play at the community venue.

Check out more photos from the show.

The British invasion continues, and rock lives as evidenced at a packed Teragram Ballroom in downtown Los Angeles, Monday night March 11. The show featured English rockers You Me at Six from Surrey. The band has been producing chart-topping hits for over a decade in their home country, packed into six diverse sounding albums. The group may be lesser known in the mainstream American music scene but judging by a packed house of elated concertgoers at the Teragram, they have a loyal following in this country as well. The Teragram is an interesting venue in the heart of downtown Los Angeles. It was opened in 2015 by New York city club purveyor Michael Swier. The old ballroom features three bars, and an adjacent restaurant bar/cafe. The 600-capacity concert hall also features a state-of-the-art lighting and sound system.

The show opened with a well-received set by the machineheart. The band features the truly dreamy voice of Los Angeles singer Stevie Scott, who teamed up with the rest of this synth-rock band from Tacoma Washington. As the venue began to fill with young Indie music lovers the next group took the stage the Dreamers. This band has created a buzz based on several songs the Indie charts and they seemed to please the crowd with their short but intense set of original music. They played "Circles" which was featured on their debut EP, In Your Dreams, which was released in 2015 and a pair of well-received singles, "Stonecold" and "Speak in Tongues," recorded in 2016 and 2017.

By the time You Me at Six began their set the large crowd was packed tightly around the stage. Fronted by charismatic lead singer Josh Franceschi, the band immediately captured the attention of the enraptured crowd. The band tore through a fourteen-song set culled from their six albums before pausing and returning for a breathless four-song encore. Many in the audience knew the chorus lines to many of the songs and sang along with the band. The group tours as a seven-member live band and the added musicians created a multi-layered texture of pure Indie rock sound that had the Teragram crowd enthusiastically responding to every song. You and Me at Six is simply a great rock band keeping the dream alive for future generations of rock music lovers.

Setlist:

Fast Forward

Lived a Lie

Reckless

Loverboy

Back Again

Night People

Fresh Start Fever

Cold Night

Predictable

Give

3AM

Take on the World

I O U

Bite My Tongue

Encore:

Room to Breathe

No One Does It Better

Straight to My Head

Underdog

Arlo Guthrie returned to Santa Barbara’s historic Lobero Theater to play a sold-out concert on Tuesday, March 19th. The iconic singer-songwriter, most famous for his anti-war protest anthem, Alice’s Restaurant, celebrated that song’s 50th anniversary two years ago, with a concert that was one of many that he has played at the Lobero. This year’s concert celebrated the 50th Anniversary of Alice’s Restaurant movie and featured three distinctive sets of music. The show was a musical evolution of the Woody Guthrie dynasty, one of Americas greatest protest folk singers and Arlo’s father. Two of Arlo’s children also joined the show.

This most recent concert by Arlo began with a long-lost animated video of one of his earliest and most popular tunes, The Motorcycle Song. As the video came to a close Guthrie took the stage with a four-piece backing band that featured his son, Abe on keyboards. The septuagenarian singer, with the same long scraggy locks that he sported in the '60s, all be it silver hair now, immediately launched into the same Motorcycle Song that had just shown on the video. The first set featured seven songs spanning Guthrie’s career, and the band was washed in a beautiful lighting display backed by an ever-changing multimedia presentation. The video featured old clips of the Guthrie heritage as well as beautiful graphics adding an extra dimension to the performance. The first set included several covers including, Ukulele Lady inspired by Guthrie’s friendship with Hawaiian slack key guitar veterans. He also covered Gypsy Davy one of his father’s tunes and a Bob Dylan song Gates of Eden.

As always, Arlo spent much of the concert telling stories much like a traveling minstrel. He told a story before he launched into the Dylan tune about when he landed in Tucson, Arizona in the early 1980s on the same day as Dylan. Just as he descended from the airplane onto the tarmac, a reporter put a mic in his face and shouted, “Arlo Guthrie, you are doing a concert here tomorrow night. Do you know that Bob Dylan is scheduled to do a concert here the same night as you?” Arlo did not know; the reporter continues, “My question is, ‘Why should anyone go and see you?’” Arlo didn’t miss a beat: “Well, if you want to hear some good old Bob Dylan songs, I guess you’ll have to come to my show!” At the time Dylan was into his Christian gospel period and not performing his old songs much to the disappointment of many of his fans attending his concerts. To Arlo’s surprise, he was quoted in the local paper the next morning which he had meant as a joke. Now he was nervous because he didn’t plan on playing any Dylan songs. So, he locked himself into his room with a Bob Dylan songbook and began to learn some of the songs he promised to do in Arizona.

After the seven-song opening set, Arlo introduced his daughter Sarah Lee to the stage, and she took over fronting the band as Arlo retired backstage. Her eight-song set was compelling featuring songs that she wrote as children’s songs at the request of the Smithsonian, a song for her mother who passed away five years ago due to liver cancer, and a song that she wrote featuring lyrics written by her grandfather Woody that were never recorded. Much like her father and grandfather, Sarah showed that she was a master storyteller as well as an accomplished musician. She told a riveting tale of how she wrote a song for her mom Jackie. Her song was inspired by something her daughter said on board a plane trip during a tour with her husband musician Johnny Irion. She looked up and said to Sarah Lee, "Do you see Nana up there?” looking into the night. “What do you mean? Honey” Sarah Lee replied, and her young daughter said, “She’s an angel.” Playing along, Sarah Lee went on, “Oh, that’s a nice thing to say, honey.” “What do you mean, mom?" “She’s really up there.” Skeptical Sarah Lee played along, “What is she doing up there?” “Mom she’s turning into a star.” From this imaginary conversation Sarah wrote “A Circle of Souls,” a haunting song from the perspective of her departed mother.

Sarah ended her set with a cover of the classic folk tune “A Satisfied Mind” which has been covered by countless Americana artists. The tune was co-written by Texas fiddle player Joe Herman "Red" Hayes. He wrote the song with songwriter Jack Rhodes. Hayes died onstage while touring in England in 1973. Arlo returned to the stage in the middle of the song playing a second set of keyboards. The band then took a break.

After the intermission, a short film began on the screen featuring clips from the Alice's Restaurant movie. As the film continued, Arlo returned to play the 18-minute classic in its entirety with a few updates. It is hard to imagine how many times the feisty singer has repeated the song. Nevertheless, the master storyteller seemed to breathe new life into the song even in its infinite retelling. Arlo and the band followed with the hit song from his original Woodstock appearance in 1969, “Coming Into Los Angeles.” Guthrie mentioned that he was returning to the original site to play a concert this summer on the 50th anniversary of Woodstock. That show will also feature bands The Doobie Brothers and Santana. The final set of five songs also included Arlo’s biggest hit “City of New Orleans” and a cover of the Woody Guthrie classic, “This Land Is Your Land.” The show ended with a standing ovation and an encore of another Woody tune “My Peace.” It was an incredible night of historical Americana, featuring the tunes of one of folk music’s greatest dynasties, the Guthries.

For the third year in a row generation of Deadheads flocked to the Ventura County Fairgrounds for the Skull and Roses Festival. Over 25 bands played cover songs from the vast Grateful Dead catalog as well as original material and other classic rock songs for three long days and nights. The campground was full by early Friday afternoon, April 5th with as many as four generations of family and friends gathered in the comradery of the intimate festival.

Festival publicist Dennis McNally, who was the publicist for the Grateful Dead from 1984-95 choose the spot because of its significance in the history of the Dead. The iconic band played the Ventura fairgrounds 11 times from 1982-87, making it one of their most regular stops in Southern California during that period. Just like last year, the festival began under cloudy skies with chilly blustery winds blowing dust across the venue and the threat of rain. But just like last year the rain never came, and it turned into a perfect day for outdoor music. There was a small swell on Ventura point, the classic surfing break adjacent to the fairgrounds and some concertgoers started the day long-boarding.

The music started just after noon with a joyous drum circle. By mid-afternoon the venue filled with music fans of all ages. Children sang and danced and played in the sand, some even riding bicycles. Many danced in a trance in front of the two stages. Others lounged in chairs or on blankets enjoying the sights and sounds of the colorful festival. Merchants sold all types of festival ware, and the beer and food stands did a brisk business.

Local Grateful Dead cover band Richard Pictures had the crowd dancing with a mid-afternoon set of classic tunes. Like all the bands scheduled to play the group was composed of veteran musicians with enormous talent. There were no filler bands at this festival. There was also almost no downtime with bands on the two stages playing almost seamlessly one after another.

They were followed by another tremendous local cover band VC DC Dead Collective. As the sun began to set one of the most intense jams of the three-day festival began as The Higgs took the stage. The music took a decided turn from cover music into original jam band material.  According to their website, the band is named after the elusive Higgs-Boson particle - which provides for "mass" of all things in the Universe and helps to unify the different forces. The brilliant jammers included John Lovero a singer, songwriter and lead guitarist, who writes the majority of The Higgs songs. Also, in the band was veteran drummer Garrett Morris, bassist David Barsky, and keyboardist Jesse August Jennings. The group wowed the crowd with solid jams mixing multiple musical genres including jazz, rock and blues music.

The music returned to a Grateful Dead vibe when the next band took the principal Skull and Roses stage. Shaky Feelin, a hometown act from Ventura, California is a remarkable quintet, known for their funky double drum sound and dueling guitar solos. The group performed a high energy jam band set mixing the elements of rock, reggae, bluegrass, and funk to create their own sound. The quintet featured Mark Masson on guitar & vocals, Jeff Hiller on bass guitar, Paul Menchaca on drums and vocals, Cameron Probe on drums and percussion and Franklin Murphy on keyboards and vocals. The band definitely gave the crowd at the opening day of Skull and Roses that Shaky Feelin,’ launching a full-fledged dance party.

The Noodles from Tempe Arizona took the stage as darkness fell on the festival. The band has been “Noodling” around playing Grateful Dead inspired tunes since 1997. The group features John Reuter on lead guitar and vocals, Todd Anthony Bolser on drums and vocals, Kim Ladd on rhythm guitar and vocals, Joe Dailey on percussion and harmonica, Paul Reside on bass, and Elliot Jackson Rauch on keyboards.

As the evening continued, the Electric Waste Band took over the Grateful Dead baron on the main stage. The San Diego band has been playing Dead songs to the faithful since 1992. The six-piece group kept the dance party alive into the night.

Just like last year, the classic Grateful Dead cover band Cubensis played the final set of the night. The main stage featured a replica of The Wall of Sound, the famous speaker stack that the Dead toured with in 1974. Lit with LED and laser lights, it created a spectacular backdrop for the extended jam. The band played until nearly midnight, but the tunes continued in the campground on impromptu stages until early Saturday morning.

The sun came out bathing the Ventura fairgrounds in a beautiful orange glow as sleepy festival goers woke from a long night of music and partying. The noontime drum circle was the wake-up call for many. But it wasn’t until about 3 PM, when Northern California’s premiere Grateful Dead cover band, the China Cats took the stage, that most people finally gathered together for a dance jam. The group formed in 2008 in Santa Cruz California and has garnered a loyal following since. The band led festival goers in a dance trance party in the warm afternoon sun.

Perched on the edge of Ventura point the fairgrounds overlooked the famous surf spot while a new chest high swell filled in during the day Saturday. Many in the campground had their surfboards in tow and took advantage of the clean surfing conditions. There was also a spectacular view of the rolling green mountains behind Ventura. The seven-year drought looks to be in the rearview mirror with much of California resembling the Irish countryside. It was a fitting backdrop for the next band to take the stage at Skull and Roses 2019, The Alligators.

The group led by charismatic lead singer Pete “Pen” Carona specialize in covering Grateful Dead material during the Pigpen era. The entire set was dedicated to the former Dead singer, with multiple pictures of him displayed onstage. The band blended into the backdrop of the rolling green mountains with a giant green blow-up alligator onstage and the bass player dressed was an Irish leprechaun. The band jammed the well-known tunes as the animated Carona pranced about the stage with a bottle of whiskey and badgering the crowd to sing along with the band. He also led the crowd in the group's trademark chomp with everyone making an alligator chomp with their arms. At the end of the set, the singer ran into the crowd with the alligator, crowd surfing through the elated audience.

As sunset began to drench the fairgrounds in a fiery glow, the Los Angeles based band Jerry’s Middle Finger took the stage. The veteran musicians took the music in a different direction inspired by the JGB era. Lead vocalist and guitarist Garrett Deloian established his reputation as a veteran blues artist and brought some awesome guitar jams to the mix. JMF’s rhythm section featured the band’s original  drummer and founder Rodney Newman and bassist Burt Lewis (of Stu Allen & Mars Hotel.) JMF also has two impressive vocalists, Halina Janusz (of Mother Jones and Sugar Mountain) and Lisa Malsberger (of Grampa's Grass and The Rumrunners). Jon Gold of (Cryptical Development, Remnants of Eden, Oingo Boingo) rounded out the band playing dramatic piano and organ riffs. The group put the large crowd into another dance trance as the sun began to set.

The main wall of sound stage began to take on a psychedelic look as the sun went down and the stage lit up revealing the next band, L.A.’s Grateful Shred. The band brought the music back to a more familiar Grateful Dead sound covering some of the classics. Fronted by the band’s founder, singer/guitarist Austin McCutchen the group played a perfect transition set into the fresh evening air. 

As evening fell Zach Nugent, the guitarist for the JGB band led his solo project Zach Nugent’s Disco Dead into some serious jam band territory. An exhausted crowd began to get a second wind in the early evening air as the band led by Nugent's fierce guitar playing weaved a trance-like jam across the fairgrounds. You can read an interview with Zach Nugent here:  http://www.gratefulweb.com/articles/grateful-web-interview-zach-nugent.

Stu Allen and Mars Hotel closed the second night of Skull and Roses 2019 with a two-hour set of classic Grateful Dead material that brought exhausted concertgoers back to life for the late night finale. Many still had the energy to dance to bands in the campgrounds after midnight while others huddled in groups partying until early hours of the morning.

The music began early on the final day of the Skull and Roses Festival in Ventura. A hot offshore wind heated up the day by the time the drum circle started at 10 am. Overhead waves from a late spring storm exploded across Ventura point buffeted by the strong sideshow winds sending long plumes of salt spray high int the air. The strong winds stirred up a cloud of dust that helped turn the sunny day into an eerie orange haze.

Music fans tired of nearly three days of nonstop partying began sipping beer and coffee from festival vendors and getting their third wind by the time music legend Melvin Seals and JGB took the stage just after 1 pm. A veteran of the original Jerry Garcia Band, Melvin Seals brought his current version of the JGB band to the festival for the third year in a row. The band played classic covers that got the sleepy crowd dancing. The master musician, with dual Leslie speakers attached to his keyboards, led the group through a bluesy dance inspiring set.

The theme of the day was Mardis Gras with many in the crowd wearing their most festive costumes and the next band to take the main stage could not have been more in tune with that theme. The Rebirth Brass Band brought the authentic sounds of New Orleans to the festival. The group was founded in 1983 by tuba/sousaphone player Philip Frazier and his brother, bass drummer Keith Frazier. Other current members of the band include Derrick Tabb (snare drum), Chadrick Honoré (trumpet), Glenn Hall III (trumpet), Gregory Veals (trombone), Stafford Agee (trombone), and Vincent Broussard (tenor saxophone). The band, which won a Grammy in 2012 played a spirited afternoon set that had nearly everyone in the crowd dancing.

The final set of the day was led by the genuinely legendary bass player Oteil Burbridge. Seriously, who else can say that they played bass for an extended period with the Aquarium Rescue Unit, Allman Brothers Band, Dead & Company, and the Tedeschi Trucks Band?  Oteil brought his masterful musical skills integrating jazz, funk and rock material into a jam band set featuring some of his famous friends. Melvin Seals returned to the stage to play cheerful organ blasts. John Kadlecik brought a raging lead guitar to the jam. The guitarist is another veteran musician from the Dead world with impeccable credentials. He helped found Dark Star Orchestra in 1997 and played with them until 2009 until he moved on to the Furthur band. He also played with Phil Lesh and Friends. He brought all that experience to the phenomenal final jam at Skull and Roses 2019. Veteran guitarist Scott Metzger from Joe Russo’s Almost Dead held his own during dueling guitar solos with Kadlecik.  John Morgan Kimock, son of Steve Kimock, laid down the drum rhythms for the band. Veteran percussionist Weedie Braimah joined the jam rounding out the core players. Halfway through the set, they were joined by the Rebirth Brass Band for a New Orleans inspired superjam. It was a spectacular end to Skull and Roses 2019.

Check out more photos from Skull & Roses Festival 2019.

One of Americas oldest music festivals marked its 43rd anniversary, steeped in the polite mannerisms associated with the regions southern charm and gracious manners, during the first weekend in May. The Beale Street Music Festival is ideally situated on the banks of the historic Mississippi River, in downtown Memphis. The event is one of the most economical and eclectic music festivals in the country. The five-stage festival offers up music from nearly every pop music genre. Perhaps the most authentic and historic sounds come from legendary Blues icons, many of whom call Memphis home. The historic city is the birthplace of Blues music in America. The infectious sounds of Blues music spread up and down one of the country’s first “highways," the Mississippi River. But the amazingly diverse festival crowd, in all demographic categories, was also treated to big-name entertainment from genres like classic rock, hip-hop, heavy metal, Indie Jam bands, country, bluegrass, pop and more.

According to James L. Holt, the president of the Memphis in May, the organization that produces the festival, “The Beale Street Music Festival saw more than 102,000 in Tom Lee Park last year with attendees from all 50 states and 22 countries.” Although the festival brings millions of dollars to the local economy, organizers are in danger of losing their iconic location, Tom Lee Park on the banks of the Mississippi. City officials want to reorganize the downtown park and possibly move the festival to a new place which would be a shame. Music fans should reach out en masse to let the city know that they want to the festival to stay right where it is.

Opening night of the 2019 festival started right on time despite drizzle and forecast for late night rain. When the gates opened at 5 PM early bird music fans raced to secure spots in front of the stages with their favorite musicians. The first day of the festival seemed to please music fans of almost every genre. The hard rock band Saving Abel from nearby Corinth Mississippi opened the festival with an explosive set of southern rock. The band fronted by wild-eyed lead singer Scott Austin tore through a robust set. At one point, Austin pointed to someone in the audience and said, “I know you we were in jail together.” The gangster theme seemed to be a popular one on the first day of the festival. Local rapper BlocBoy JB garnered a large crowd for his set bolstered by his appearance in the Memphis media. Just days before his appearance at the festival he had been arrested and jailed during a raid on his house. He was released just in time for the celebration.

The Blues tent featured regional, national, and international musicians prominent in the genre. Complete with seating, and its affordable full bar, the Blues tent is worth the price of admission itself, and indeed many Blues fans never left the tent. The tent proved a nice respite from intermittent rain late Friday night and during the day on Saturday. Fridays line up featured 8 hours of incredible music. Harp player and singer Brandon Santini kicked things off with heart-pounding Blues rock. Guitar Shorty brought his smoking Texas Blues-rock band to the stage next. The local Ghost Town Blues Band filled the tent with Memphis Blues as the rain began to pick up and the tent began to fill with soggy music fans.  Three times Grammy winner Bettye LaVette closed the Blues tent and the festival with a late night set featuring her decades of soul music hits.

A much younger new soul singer Ravyn Lenae opened the FedEx stage with a steamy set of Chicago style R&B.  Meanwhile, The Dirty Heads were opening the Terminix stage with their brand of California Rap Reggae, honed in their hometown of Huntington Beach.

Back on the Bud Light stage which seemed to be the de facto hard rock stage for Friday, another California band In This Moment played to a large crowd. This Goth inspired band fronted by charismatic lead singer Maria Brink put on the stunning theatrical perforce that they are known for, complete with props, pyrotechnics, and ear-splitting metal music. A very different sound came next from another band led by a female singer, the Glasgow band Chvrches. Singer Lauren Mayberry led the electro-pop group, prancing about like a ballet dancer.

On the main FedEx stage, Rap ruled early on, and Philadelphia hip-hop artist Lil Dicky brought a massive crowd to a frenzy with his new mega-hit songs. Meanwhile, the punkish Good Charlotte took over the rock stage with a set sprinkled with their past hits.

The biggest crowd of the night assembled as an increasing drizzle dampened festival for an impressive set by pop icon Dave Matthews and his band of mercurial performers. The 52-year-old South African seemed at such ease during the show that he could have been playing in his living room and not in front of thousands of screaming fans. But his ability to lead his group into jam band territory makes his concerts some of the most compelling live shows in pop music today. The two-hour set even included a cover of Prince’s “Sexy Motherfucker,” with a compelling solo by local saxophone player Kirk Whalum. With a steady rain picking up across the festival it was surprising how few people left the stunning set early.

While much of the sold-out crowd swarmed the Dave Matthews performance, there were surpassingly large crowds at the other stage with heavy hitters Khalid and Shinedown. The 21year old should singer from Georgia, Khalid has garnered a massive following of young fans who were ecstatic to see the singer perform.

At the same time, hard rock fans were enjoying a literally explosive set by the Jacksonville rockers Shinedown. The band fronted by the personable lead singer Brent Smith. The band exploded onstage amidst pyrotechnics and ear shattering sound. The singer frequently bantered with the crowd and even went into the photo pit fist bumping and shaking hands with photographers. The show featured a massive firework display to close out the evening.

The second day of the 2019 Beale Street Music Festival began on a soggy Saturday afternoon with a big surprise. Less than 24 hours earlier, one of America’s biggest pop stars, Miley Cyrus had tweeted that she was coming to Memphis to sing at the festival. There were no details on what time or which stage she might perform on, but the Facebook sponsored surprise appearance was big news for media outlets in the music world.

The gates opened just after 1 PM with several dozen early bird fans shuffling in, mostly wearing raincoats and goulashes. For those making their way to the main Terminix stage, they were astonished to see Cyrus and her band doing a sound check which included most of the songs in their surprise set scheduled for later in the day. The pop icon who lives less than an hour from Memphis looked happy, healthy and in good spirits despite the rain. “Wow I hope there are more people here when we play later,” she joked to the small audience of mesmerized fans. She was also joined for the rehearsal by Matt Cohn to sing a duet of Cohn’s American classic “Walking In Memphis.” It was a magical moment for festival workers and the few fans that had stumbled to the stage early.

The rain would continue for most of the daylight hours of Saturday's festivities, tapering off just before sunset, but it didn’t seem to dampen the spirits of the nearly sold-out audience many of whom are used to the Memphis weather. The festival began in earnest shortly after 2 PM, and many festival-goers headed to the Blues Tent. With ample seating, water sealed walls, a full bar, nearby bathrooms and food, it was a perfect place to dry out from the early rain.

An authentic local Blues legend from nearby Mississippi. Terry “Harmonica” Bean and his band of veteran Blues musicians, opened the day with a brilliant Blues set. The singer and harmonica player led his group through older blues stylings, such as Delta blues and Hill country blues. The rain didn’t stop concert-goers from flocking to the festival early.  Eager young fans cheered local Memphis musician Muck Sticky during his opening set. The quirky rapper is a bit of a one-person band although he had backing musicians for his colorful performance. The singer plays guitar, bass, percussion, harmonica, banjo, and sitar on the no less than 18 albums he has self-produced. The show featured plenty of colorful props and crazy stage antics that delighted the crowd. Meanwhile veteran Blues rap singer Everlast played an opening set on the Terminix stage after Miley Cyrus finished her sound check. The New York singer performed an acoustic set including his hit songs exhibiting an infectious mix of rap, rock and Blues music.

The Beale Street Festival is well known as a showcase for Canadian bands and this year was no exception with the appearance of the Montreal alt-rockers Simple Plan. Although there had been no official notice of when Miley Cyrus would play, tens of thousands of music fans had already flocked to the main Terminix stage during the Montreal bands set, in anticipation of Cyrus set. The vast crowd responded well to the punkish pop offerings of the Canadian rockers. The group was a veteran fixture for many years on the Vans Warped Tour and brought a bit of that simplistic high energy to a soggy crowd eagerly awaiting the surprise guest.

In a testament to her superstar status, some 30,000 music fans made their way in the rain to the main stage in time for the unannounced set by Cyrus. As Miley emerged, a huge cheer erupted from the crowd. The young singer wore the same casual jeans that she was wearing in her soundcheck but replaced her wide-rimmed red hat with an even bigger silver one and fittingly exchanged her shirt with an Elvis t-shirt. A giant LED screen flashed the hashtag MoreTogether, the Facebook platform’s newly announced initiative. The Tennessee native and daughter of Country music star Billy Ray Cyrus opened appropriately with a country-tinged tune “Nothing Breaks Like a Heart.” With chants of Miley roaring from the massive crowd, the charismatic singer bantered with the audience. She shared her early memories of Memphis visiting with her father. “The only way he could make me happy was to take me to go see the gates of Graceland,” she said. She mentioned that her long drives often were accompanied by the song “Walking in Memphis” on the radio. Following that revelation, Cyrus then introduced her surprise guest Marc Cohn.

An emotional Cohn sat down at the piano and shared with the crowd the inspiration for the iconic song about Memphis. “Back in the '80s, I came to Memphis looking for inspiration. And I found it on Beale Street, found it in Al Green’s Church, and the Hollywood Café,” Cohn exclaimed. “This song is really about the transformative power of music. That’s why you’re here, and why we’re here.” With that, he launched into “Walking In Memphis,” eventually standing up and walking over to Miley to sing a duet with her.  As the pair sang the lyrics “in the land of the Delta blues, in the middle of the pouring rain,” the steady drizzle turned into a pouring rain producing a truly iconic moment.  After an emotional hug, Cohn left the stage, and Cyrus ended the set with her pop anthem “Party In The USA.” The audience burst into a massive sing along to the famous chorus line. At one point when the song references a Britney Spears tune on the radio, Cyrus blurted out “Free Britney.” The quip was apparently in reference to a story that Spears was being held against her will in a medical facility. The short but sweet set highlighted Cyrus talented vocal skills and her uncanny ability to move about different musical genres with ease. In the era of young pop stars over using autotune or lip syncing it is encouraging to see a young performer exhibit such immense vocal talent.

By the time Big Boi took over the main stage, the rain had begun to subside, and the rain-drenched audience began to dry out. The Georgia rapper, one half of the hip hop supergroup Outkast kept the considerable crowd motivated with solo hit songs as well as some of Outkast's biggest hits. That set the theme on the main stage for the rest of the night featuring three sets of popular rap music that delighted a young crowd. The next rapper to hit the stage Trippie Redd also made his mark in Georgia before collaborating with some of the biggest names in Hip Hop. The young rapper whipped the crowd into an early evening frenzy and taunted authorities but lighting what appeared to be a giant spliff and smoking it gleefully during his set. California pop-rap star G Eazy closed the main stage with a triumphant set that pleased thousands of hip hop fans who danced wildly in the cold night air.

Meanwhile, thousands of older music fans oblivious to the Hip Hop mega show on the main stage flocked to the other three stages seeking different genres of musical entertainment. Nashville's Moon Taxi laid down some great jam material and played some interesting classic rock covers. The Indie rock band from North Carolina, Rainbow Kitten Surprise played a flamboyant set full of exciting antics and progressive electro-rock sounds. At just about the same time Denver R&B singer India Arie brought a sophisticated set of Grammy-winning material to a happy audience.

The Blues tent pumped out a steady stream of blazing blues and soul music. Another local Blues legend, Blind Mississippi Morris tore through a fantastic set with his band the Pocket Rockets. Blues fans could easily hear why Morris was named as one of the ten best harmonica players in the world by Bluzharp magazine. The next musician to play the Blues tent hails from the same hometown as Morris, the birthplace of the Blues, nearby Clarksdale Mississippi. Christone “Kingfish” Ingram began his career early as a Blues guitar playing child prodigy. Now at the ripe old age of 20, he has become a veteran guitarist with an ear-piercing Blues rock style that pleased guitar fans in an early evening show. The music took a turn towards soul when the next band to play the Blues tent took the stage, Memphis own Southern Avenue. The five-piece band played dance-inducing soul music while Israeli born lead singer Ori Naftaly led the group with steamy dance moves as well as crisp vocals. Another truly legendary singer closed the Blues tent with a set featuring five decades of soul music.

Memphis own William Bell brought a historical set to the festival giving R&B fans a musical education. His performance included music going back to his first hit song in 1961, “You Don’t Miss Your Water.” The 79-year-old singer wowed the crowd with remarkable vocal skills and fronted a band of veteran musicians. Unfortunately, Bells great set was played to a half-full house. Just across the way on the Bud Light stage a delayed set by yet another R&B icon Charlie Wilson created a conundrum for fans of the genre. The 66-year-old singer known as “Uncle Charlie” played a spectacular show complete with funky dance tunes prompting the large band and troupe of dancers to groove in unison in masterfully choreographed moves. Wilson led the dancing extravaganza occasionally breaking ranks to move out and sing lead vocals. The former member of The Gap Band played some of his most popular disco hits from that hit making band including, “Outstanding”, "Party Train", "Yearning for Your Love", "Burn Rubber on Me", “You Dropped a Bomb on Me”, and “Oops Upside Your Head.” Wilson also drew songs from his solo career including some of the thirteen Grammy-nominated tunes he has produced. Performance wise the set was the most musical and compelling set of Saturdays line up.

The sun painted the final day of the 2019 Beale Street Music Festival in bright colors as puffy clouds floated about in the sky like cotton balls. It was a picture-perfect afternoon as the sold-out crowd began to fill the Tom Lee Park shortly after the gates opened. The music started early with the happy go lucky sounds of 24-year-old Memphis native Healy. The upbeat singer mixes musical genres like a Long Island Ice Tea of music. The quirky sounds were a perfect opening to the sunny Sunday afternoon festival.

The Sunday show featured the most diverse line up of the three-day festival. Jam and Blues rock prevailed, but hip-hop, country, and even psychedelic rock could be heard throughout the day. As usual, the Blues tent was a hotbed of smoking guitar riffs and throaty vocals. Barbara Blue and her band of veteran rockers kicked off the Blues extravaganza in the tent. The Memphis native is known locally as the reigning queen of Beale Street Blues. She lived up to the moniker with a robust set that woke up early bird festival goers. The crowd danced and consumed their favorite beverages while enjoying a gorgeous view of the mighty Mississippi river. 

Another local legend followed in the Blues Tent. James Johnson, better known as "Super Chikan" is an American blues musician, based in the home of the Blues, Clarksdale, Mississippi. He is also the nephew of veteran blues musician Big Jack Johnson. The singer-guitarist led his band through a robust set of rock drenched Delta Blues. The singer-guitarist has a variety of unique handmade guitars including one made from a hub cap. The instruments lent themselves well to a raw and authentic Blues set by Johnson and his veteran band. The music took a turn towards classic Blues rock when the next performer graced the stage.

Hamish Anderson is an Australian blues-rock guitarist, songwriter, and singer. He played a rock drenched set reminiscent of English rockers like Eric Clapton or Jeff Beck. Like many of the performers on the Beale Street Music Festival tent stage, Anderson was a child prodigy, playing guitar from the age of 12. His explosive set was a perfect late afternoon energy booster for the satiated crowd lounging in the late afternoon sun. Joe Louis Walker closed the tent with an electrifying set of San Francisco style Blues.

Earlier, as a large crowd got comfortable on inflatable chairs, park benches and picnic blankets, veteran Portland Grunge band, Everclear brought the 90’s party vibe to the Fedex stage. The Mexican duo Rodrigo y Gabriela followed them. The pair brought their unique mix of classical guitar with several genres including nuevo flamenco, rock, and heavy metal. The crowd seemed to enjoy the vibe in the warm afternoon sun. The music took another wild turn when the next band took the stage just before sunset. The crazy punk antics of one of the most animated bands in pop music, The Celtic inspired Flogging Molly brought the crowd to life. The group even inspired a bit of moshing and crowd surfing although many of the fans were a bit past their punk dancing prime.

The Los Angeles based band has been churning out their brand of beer drinking music since 1997, releasing six studio albums along the way. But the group fronted by charismatic Irishman Dave King is most well known for their rambunctious live performances. Most everyone in the crowd sang and danced along to the music as the band ran about the stage like a small army of Banshees.

The music on the FedEx stage took another turn when the Los Angeles Indie rock band Lord Huron played an early evening set. The band captured the rapt attention of a large crowd with a complex set of stylized music with rich textures and crisp vocals. They were followed by Las Vegas retro rockers The Killers who led the crowd through a hit-laden set including their pop anthems. But it wasn’t The Killers who drew the biggest crowd for their closing set. That honor would go to the most anticipated act of the night Cardi B.

But there were plenty of other exciting things going on at the Bud Light stage as well. The stage featured one of the most diverse line ups of the festival beginning with California based Lukas Nelson and Promise of The Real. The band featured singer-guitarist Lukas who is the son of Willie Nelson. The band has been Neil Young's touring band for the last several years. The group along with Young headlined the first night of the festival back in 2016. In an iconic moment, Young and the band opened with a guitar-drenched 40-minute version of “Down By The River,” while a steady rain fell on the Mighty Mississippi River within view of the stage. Nelson and the band showed the afternoon crowd at this year’s Beale Street why Young had enlisted them, playing a jam-laden guitar drenched set of southern tinged rock. The music turned towards the Soul genre next when St. Paul and The Broken Bones, an American eight-piece soul band based in Alabama took the stage. Led by sensational soul singer Paul Janeway the group had a giant crowd dancing in the late afternoon sun.

The music took a psychedelic turn when the Claypool Lennon Delirium took over the stage. The band features the legendary bass player Les Claypool, widely considered one of the best Bass players ever and Sean Lennon, son of Beatle John Lennon. The band played a hypnotic jam-band set, with a definite 60’s psychedelic Beatlesque influence. Backed by a classic rock sounding guitar, drum, and organ trio, the band, blends Lennon's distinctive voice and impressive guitar skills with Claypool's guttural vocals and off that chart bass licks. The result is a weirdly catchy retro-infused psychedelic sound. The band played into the fading evening light backed by a fittingly colorful multimedia extravaganza.

The final act of the night on the Bud Light stage offered up yet another genre of music, although with a set firmly planted in jam band territory. Gary Clark Jr. led his masterful Blues-rock band through an extended set featuring wailing guitar battles and Clark’s distinctive vocals. The 35-year-old master musician and storyteller does not conform to any single rock genre. Clark converts from 12-bar blues to reggae licks with ease. The Texas rocker played songs from his new album “This Land” featuring lyrics that Bob Dylan might appreciate as well as his more well-known older material. A tightly packed crowd watch in awe of the skillful musician and his magnificent band.

Over on the main Terminix, a massive crowd of mostly young music fans spent the day euphorically singing and dancing to a slate of famous Hip Hop stars including Moneybagg Yo and 6lack. But the main draw for the most massive crowd of the festival was headlining pop sensation Cardi B. The larger than life New York rapper arrived late for her set. Meanwhile, fans who had been packed like sardines for most of the day awaiting her set began to faint en masse and were pulled limp from the crowd.  Security guards passed countless water bottles into the vast crowd trying to keep fans hydrated. Eventually, Cardi B’s DJ made it to the stage and revitalized the fading audience with a short set of popular Hip Hop anthems. Then a small army of dancers appeared onstage performing in rhythm to the music. Finally, Cardi B appeared on a large platform, singing, and dancing, sending the audience into a frenzy. The feisty singer stayed on the platform for a few songs and teased the crowd. “I almost canceled,” she quipped. “I just got my liposuction and didn’t want to mess it up.”  With that, the Grammy-winning singer launched into a booty shaking dance routine unique to the voluptuous performer.  In the middle of her third song, the singer finally descended the platform and sauntered to the front of the stage, creating yet another wave of frenzy in the tightly packed crowd. The triumphant set seemed to be worth the wait for exhausted music fans and most could be seen beaming wildly as they filtered out at the end of Beale Street Music Festival 2019. Hopefully, the festival will return to Tom Lee Park in 2020 if the city realizes how important the event has become to Memphis and its economy.

A massive crowd of the Grateful Dead faithful, with and without tickets, descended on the Hollywood Bowl for the first of two sold-out shows on Monday, June 3rd. Those lucky enough to get in were not disappointed. Seventeen thousand ecstatic music fans were treated to two sets of music from the Grateful Dead catalog and more. The three and a half hour music marathon even featured a Grateful Dead classic, High Time, that had never been played before by Dead and Company.

For the uninitiated, attending a concert at the legendary Hollywood Bowl can be a daunting task. Located on one of the busiest corners of Hollywood, the surrounding area is already a ground zero tourist destination with traffic gridlock on any given day. But adding 17,000 concert goers to the mix can create a logistical nightmare. Locals know there are a myriad of ways to mitigate what can be a frustrating time trying to access the Bowl. Parking around the Bowl is expensive and features the dreaded stacking technique, meaning that everyone must exit at the same time. The Bowl’s website lists a whole host of transportation alternatives including park and ride locations with buses and shuttles from accessible places. Rideshare companies and city buses are another alternatives. For tourists wanting to get the full Hollywood experience, parking at the Highland Center is a good alternative. The tourist megacenter, where the famed TCL Chinese Theatre is located, features a massive parking structure, restaurants, shops and a bird's eye view of Hollywood Boulevard and Stars Walk of Fame. There is a shuttle for a few dollars that takes concert goers the 1.1 miles to the Hollywood Bowl, but fit music fans may want to walk. The shuttle can take over an hour to traverse the mile in rush hour traffic, and any local transport suffers from the same fate. 

The solution for savvy concert goers is to make a day of a concert event and arrive exceptionally early. Many music fans picnic in nearby parks before shows at the Bowl, but for a Dead and Company concert, hardcore fans began arriving shortly after dawn. Throngs of Grateful Dead paraphernalia merchants set up impromptu displays all about the surrounding areas. Deadheads en masse could be easily spotted flooding the sidewalks of Highland Avenue in their colorful tie-dye clothing. Just like most venues in the country, the Hollywood Bowl has increased security in light of domestic terror threats. With safety and security, a priority everyone entering the facility must be carefully searched and screened by metal detectors. The massive sold-out crowd lined up early for the grueling process, but with so many music fans, the first set was delayed a bit to allow concertgoers to find their way to their seats.

Once inside the Bowl, most music fans quickly forgot about the inconveniences and took in the festive atmosphere unique to a Dead and Company concert. The Bowl itself is like visiting a small town, with its own security, snack bars, restaurants both fancy and fast food, wine and beer bars and even a general store with picnic supplies for those who forgot their own. Box seats also have their own waiters dashing about delivering food and drink throughout the evening.

The first set began just after 7:15 under gray skies with a gorgeous view of the surrounding Hollywood Hills. The band opened with Cold Rain and Snow a traditional cover initially played by the Grateful Dead on May 5th, 1965 at Magoo's Pizza Parlor in Menlo Park, California. The crowd erupted as John Mayer began singing and playing some bluesy licks on lead guitar. If there was any theme for the night, it was to drench the setlist in a Blues-inspired backdrop. For those music fans unfamiliar with a Dead show, the level of devotion of Deadophiles to the minutia of any particular show can be intimidating. Some hardcore Grateful Dead fans have still not accepted Dead and Co. as heirs to their music. The current band, formed in 2015 consist of three of the four surviving members of the original Grateful Dead, Bob Weir, Mickey Hart, and Bill Kreutzmann. Oteil Burbridge took over the role of original bassist Phil Lesh.  The four original members agreed never to perform all together again after their 50th anniversary Fare Thee Well tour. Longtime Grateful Dead keyboardist Jeff Chimenti joined Dead and Co., and guitar wizard John Mayer rounded out the group. For most fans of the music, the band is just a new evolution of the original group augmented by the incredible talents of Mayer and Burbridge. Some bristle at the fact that the pair took over the mantels of the original masters Jerry Garcia and Phil Lesh. But the newest musicians in the band have proven themselves over the last four years offering up incredible performances. The feat is all the more remarkable considering that Dead and Co. never play the same set twice and rarely repeat songs on any given tour.

Most hardcore fans embrace the newest incarnation of the Dead and are happy to share their wealth of information with the uninitiated. Not only can many fans tell novices what song was being played and when it was first recorded but sometimes, they can even tell what song will come next. On this particular night of music, a series of Grateful Dead covers came next including an In The Dark's Hell In a Bucket, another blues-soaked 60’s classic Easy Wind and from Wake Of The Flood's Mississippi Half-Step Uptown Toodeloo. That was followed by the biggest surprise of the night, the first time that the band covered the Grateful Dead classic High Time. Bob Weir and Oteil shared vocals, sending the exuberant crowd into a mass dance trance. Another early 70’s classic Dead cover came next, Jack Straw. Dead and Co. made the song their own with Mayer and Oteil adding improvisational riffs. An even deeper cut came next with a cover of Bird Song, from the 1972 solo album “Garcia” from the iconic Jerry Garcia. Chimenti shined on keyboards and the two guitarists traded classic riffs. As if to highlight Dead and Company's roots in authentic American Blues music the group ended their mesmerizing first set with a genuinely historical cover of Don’t Ease Me In, which was first played live by the Grateful Dead in 1969. Henry Thomas was a fascinating figure in American Blues music. He was born the son of freed slaves in 1874. The singer and musician wrote songs that were recorded in the 1920s. The pop music world rediscovered his recordings in the 1960s and was covered by a multitude of artists including Bob Dylan and the Grateful Dead. As evening fell, the band gave the song a fitting electric charged blues infusion.

A beaming crowd compared notes during intermission while swarming the myriad concessions. The second set exploded in a spectacular light show shining into the foggy night air.  Bob Weir took the lead on a cover of Iko Iko, a much-covered R&B song initially recorded in 1965 by The Dixie Cups. It was another moment where the consummate jam band reinvented American music history. Songs from the 1970 Workingman’s Dead album made it into the second set as well as the first with a cover of New Speedway Boogie. The band then returned to a Jerry Garcia homage playing another classic cut from the “Garcia” album, Sugaree. Mayer played some ballistic riffs during the riveting cover that created another wave of Dead dance trance fever.

As the evening went on the astounding production value of the Hollywood Bowl blended into the bands, own unique graphics, and lighting presentation. The result was an ever more intricate, psychedelic multimedia extravaganza that was sure to please any veteran Deadhead reliving flashbacks from times long gone. Occasionally large video screens would show crowd shots combined with live shots of the band and trippy graphics. The Hollywood hometown crowd always sports a smattering of celebrities, and a cheer would go up when a sports or film star would be recognized on the multiple big screens. One of the biggest cheers of the night came when the camera found retired basketball player and television sportscaster Bill Walton in the pit in adulate ecstasy. The tall, beaming Walton raised his hands in excitement as the band played another classic Blues drenched Grateful Dead cover of Franklin’s Tower. The song was one of a trio of cuts from the Middle Eastern-themed 1975 Grateful dead album “Blues for Allah,” including Help on the Way and Slipknot!

Drummers Kreutzmann and Hart then took over the stage for a genuinely psychedelic percussion infused foray into experimental music. The pair began with a Grateful Dead cover of Drums. Then Oteil joined in, and the trio played a thunderous tribal drumbeat. Kreutzmann and Hart segued into another Grateful Dead experimental gem Space. Hart delved into otherworldly sounds playing a strange assortment of electronic instruments with a fitting multimedia backdrop.

The rest of the band returned to the stage and slowly faded into a soft pleasing rendition of Hunter/Garcia's Stella Blue. The group ended their second set with a happy go lucky clap along, cover of a cover, Not Fade Away. The 1958 hit song by Buddy Holly and The Crickets was uncharacteristically one of the most played songs by the Grateful Dead during their live shows. It was a fitting end to the musical marathon from the Dead and Co. The catchy rhythm left the crowd clapping and singing “not fade away” as the band left the stage. Just like at countless Grateful Dead shows in the past, it was also the perfect transition to a mass crowd call for an encore. For this magical night of music, the band graced the crowd with their interpretation of the iconic Terrapin Station. As the final notes of the encore faded into the late-night air, nearly all the 17,000 in the sold-out crowd stood cheering until the band left the stage for the last time.

A warm, dry wind blew through the beautiful Vina Robles Amphitheatre in Paso Robles, California as a crowd gathered early to hear the classic rock band Foreigner, on Sunday, June 9th. The show sold out within minutes after being announced several months ago. The gorgeous new amphitheater, in a spectacular rural mountain setting, joined with Nederlander Concerts several years ago to bring big-name musical acts to the region. The beautiful outdoor venue, which holds 3000 people is just big enough to attract headline acts. But virtually every seat in the house is visually and audibly a good one. The venue features wine by the glass or bottle from local vintners, beer from local brewers and gourmet food including wood-fired pizzas and organic hamburgers. The affordably priced offerings along with free parking, make the venue one of the best concert deals in California. An 11 PM curfew ensures plenty of time for bands to finish their sets. But the best part of the venue for rock music fans is the booming sound system. Without another structure in sight, the rural venue can blast the music as loud as they like. The amphitheater was topped with an extensive system towering high in the sky.

The opening set began just after 7 PM as the air temperature reached nearly triple digit numbers. Bay area rocker Tommy Odetto played a thirty minute of blues-drenched rock. The young singer-guitarist led a classic rock trio into familiar territory channeling his proclaimed musical heroes Jimi Hendrix and Stevie Ray Vaughn. He dedicated his final number a scorching cover of Voodoo Child to the legendary guitarists.

Foreigner took the stage just after 8 PM as a spectacular sunset filled the clear evening sky. The animated band of veteran performers immediately launched into a set of many of their classic hits. Although none of the members were in the original group, the six veteran performers all have an impressive rock music history and have made the music of Foreigner their own over the years. The current lineup features Kelly Hansen on Vocals, Jeff Pilson on Bass, Bruce Watson on Lead Guitar, Tom Gimbel playing Flute, Rhythm Guitar and Saxophone, Michael Bluestein on Keyboard and Chris Frazier on Drums.

The band opened with some of their biggest hits including “Double Vision,” “Head Games” and “Dirty White Boy.” The band displayed acrobatic histrionics more associated with teenage rockers than with the aging classic rockers that they are. The mostly elderly crowd loved it motivating many of them to jump to their feet and dance and sing along to the well-known chorus lines. Early and the set charismatic singer Hansen bolted into the crowd and ran about nearly the entire amphitheater motivating fans and shaking hands. He also bantered with the crowd throughout the evening, endearing himself to the beaming audience. The band continued with more hits including “Feels Like The First Time,” “Urgent” and  “Juke Box Hero.”

The band ended with a double encore beginning with “I Want to Know What Love Is.” The song featured an emotive introduction by Hansen, asking everyone in the audience to give the person next to them a hug and many in the crowd complied. The band then brought out the Paso Robles High School to sing the beautiful ballad with the group. The band ended with an explosive version of “Hot Blooded” on a night that felt like summer had arrived at the beautiful Vina Robles Amphitheatre.

A small army of music fans descended on Manchester Tennessee during the early morning hours of June 12th for the 18th annual Bonnaroo Music Festival. Many gathered at the nearby Walmart to stock up on supplies and met other concert goers. Some arrived Tuesday night and set up tents in the parking lot waiting for the grueling process of being screened to enter the festival when the gates opened Wednesday night.

The usually arduous process of entering the campgrounds was made even more difficult this year for a few reasons. Firstly, the sheer number of people caused a bit of chaos, with the first sell out crowd at the festival since the 2013 event headlined by Paul McCartney. But that wasn’t the only problem that led to many festival goers waiting in long traffic lines venting their frustrations and frequently bantering the dreaded Fyre Festival comparison.  Some festivalgoers, especially with RV’s, were rerouted for hours through disorganized security checks. A bomb threat last week was coupled with an incident in the town of Manchester, where an idiot, angry at his girlfriend, threw pipe bombs in her front yard. The mishap triggered concerns from local law enforcement to homeland security officials who were also on site. Unsure at first whether the incidents were related officials decided to err on the side of safety and brought in bomb-sniffing dogs. The process created a log jam at the entrances to the camping areas.

But once festival goers were able to get inside, they were greeted to a much more organized event than in years past. Gone were long lines waiting for porta-potties, food, drinks, and showers. The organizers have spent millions of dollars over the years to improve the camping experience at Bonnaroo. Real working toilets, drinking water fountains, and showers have been installed across the site. Food and beverage stands offer up many treats all across the vast expanse. Bonnaroo has always been unique in the festival world by offering up experiences that relate to many different target audiences. The result is a sort of a gathering of the tribes. The campsite offers many different areas designated to the needs and wants of specific groups of people. There is a soberRoo area for people wanting to abstain from the temptations of amounts of party supplies found all about the festival grounds. There is copioussheRoo campground were women of any sexual orientation can feel safe from harassment, a family Roo, and many more. Nine of the vast camping areas have their own facilities for entertainment, including a cinema installation, a live comedy installation and the latest installment the Where in the Woods electronic music village.

Where in the Woods garnered the first big crowd of the festival Wednesday night as many campers finally made their way into their respective campsites. The festival has continued to evolve each year, primarily concentrating on the camping areas outside of the Centeroo festival complex over the last several years. The newest area may have been inspired by the critically acclaimed but short-lived Okeechobee festival in Florida. That festival featured beautifully shaded groves where multiple hammocks were hung from the trees, and an EDM stage was erected in one of these groves. The new Where in the Woods stage at Bonnaroo integrated these ideas into a wonderland of fantastically lit trails through the woods with hammocks hung all about. Along the path were various kiosks of art and interactive gaming areas with vintage pinball and video games, retro games and interactive art installations. The trail ended at a fully functional EDM stage with its own sound system, advanced lighting, and video screens. The festival has really become a five-day event with thousands of campers arriving Wednesday, the day before the opening of Centeroo and partying at locations like Where in the Woods. The stage was not only the first taste of the festival for many in the campground but also offered up the final party for hardcore EDM fans early Monday morning after Phish ended their closing set.

After a downright cold and sometimes chaotic night during the opening of the Bonnaroo campgrounds, the festival began to run much more smoothly as the gates of Centeroo opened just after noon on Thursday, June 13th. Partly cloudy skies gave way to an unseasonably pleasant and chilly afternoon as many of the 80,000 people attending the sold-out event swarmed into the concert area. Bonnaroo has become a virtual gathering of musical tribes from different generations. The festival has always embraced an all-inclusive philosophy which expanded this year to include a celebration of Gay Pride, including a colorful and exciting Pride parade. This year's Bonnaroo was undoubtedly the most diverse musically in its 17-year history. True to its roots there were a plethora of jam bands throughout the four-day event as well as mainstream pop, hip hop, rock, and blues music. EDM music lovers were treated to their very own main stage as well as stages all through the festival and campgrounds.

The festival, located just outside of Nashville, of course, also pays homage to country and bluegrass music. The opening day of Bonnaroo is traditionally a day of new upcoming young talent mixed with a smattering of veteran performers. The bands play on three main stages and two smaller ones, with the other two giant outside stages remaining dormant the first day.  Since Bonnaroo has recently become a five-day event with campers allowed into the campgrounds on Wednesday now, the Thursday opening has become a much more widely attended event. The This and That tent offer up live bands while The Other has become the previously mentioned all EDM stage complete with its own massive multimedia light and sound extravaganza. One of the most exciting changes this year was the moving of the Country music jam from its usual Sunday closing spot to opening day on Thursday. The event which was taken over by the historic Grand Ole Opry several years ago featured a showcase of old and new classic Country music, which was broadcast live on the radio, much like it was in the years before television arrived in the country.  

Veteran announcer Bill Cody welcomed the swarms of music fans emerging from the campgrounds and encouraged the first gathering of the tribes to witness the historic broadcast. It was a brilliant move on the part of organizers to move the show to opening day when many young music fans were fresh and rested and more likely to be curious about a musical genre outside of their particular comfort zone. The crowd in That tent swelled, and cheers erupted as the show began with house band The Old Crow Medicine Show and a group of colorfully clad Square Dancers. The modern country rock band has been a staple at Bonnaroo for many years and was recently inducted into the Grand Ole Opry Hall of Fame. The group has the distinction of being one of the first bands to play at the inaugural Bonnaroo way back in 2002.

California Bluegrass sensation Molly Tuttle was the first guest star. She wowed the crowd with her exquisite vocals and picking skills. Tuttle is a vocalist, songwriter, banjo player and guitarist in the rich tradition of classical Bluegrass music, known for her Flatpicking, clawhammer, and cross-picking guitar skills. Morgan Evans was the next performer an unlikely country music transplant from Australia, now living in Nashville. He played the part of a country crooner perfectly keeping the crowd lively. Next came the classic campy Riders in the Sky, an American Western music and comedy group which began performing in 1977. The band dressed in their finest western wear played cowboy tinged music mixed with some witty variances in modern music. At one point the upright bass player broke into a very respectable rap before playing his cheeks like a percussion instrument. Nashville legends Steve Earle and The Dukes took the music in a different direction with their electrified guitar-driven rock and blues-tinged country set that really got the crowd responding in a dancing frenzy. The two-hour show also featured other veteran country performers including Wendy Moten and Ricky Skaggs.

Indie pop music fans flocked to an opening set by the Vancouver B.C. band Peach Pit. The talented band featured bassist Peter Wilton, guitarist Chris Vanderkooy, drummer Mikey Pascuzzi, and vocalist/guitarist Neil Smith. The groups wailing guitar-driven rock and crisp vocals seemed to delight a young crowd. Over at This tent, New Jersey Indie music rocker Donna Missal was attracting a slightly older crowd with her more classic rock-inspired rhythms. Her striking vocals were enhanced by her extremely sensual performance full of emotive expressions and acrobatic dance moves. Her suggestive antics on the stage seemed to enrapture both male and female members of the audience, creating a steamy atmosphere despite the cooler temperatures outside the tent. Missal may be the Thursday surprise from this year’s Bonnaroo, the one to watch to be the next prominent breakout artist.

New York native Caroline Rose played next, fronting a band that featured a country-tinged multi-genre musical smorgasbord, including folksy pop, rock and EDM sounds. The youthful Nashville band All Them Witches played as the sun began to fade, with an uncharacteristic local rock sound tinged with  Neo-psychedelia, feedback-drenched guitars. The band featuring drummer Robby Staebler, vocalist/multi-instrumentalist Charles Michael Parks Jr., and guitarist Ben McLeod played an ear-piercing set that elated a large crowd of hard rock fans.

Things began to heat up as evening fell with well-received sets by North Carolina Psychedelic rock band The Nude Party and Miami based alternative rockers Magic City Hippies. On the smaller Who stage, Los Angeles based Kalu and The Electric Joint brought rock drenched R&B sounds to a late-night crowd, while the adjoining coffee bar and doughnut bakery did a brisk business.

Late night jam band fans were not disappointed with a downright hypnotic set by The Comet Is Coming, a London-based band who incorporate elements of jazz, electronica, funk and psychedelic rock into an amazing live performance.  Known by their pseudonyms "King Shabaka," "Danalogue," and “Betamax,"  the band featured saxophonist Shabaka Hutchings, keyboardist Dan Leavers, and drummer Max Hallett. The riveting set was the most jazz driven music of Bonnaroo’s opening night.

But it was the Other stage, the EDM dedicated performance spot that became the biggest draw on Thursday after night fell. The first big set of the night exploded in a cacophony of light and sound when DJ Hekler brought a distinctively Las Vegas vibe to Bonnaroo. Hekler created a frenzied dance craze for thousands of colorfully dressed and totem carrying young EDM fans with a Bass drenched set of heart-pounding music.

Much like the revered king of underground Bass dance music Bassnectar, Hekler sound relies heavily on ear shattering low-end frequencies, that viscerally affect the writhing bodies of those close enough to the massive speakers. The Other stage featured several well-known DJ’s before the closing set began just before 1 am. That set featured three prominent DJ’s sharing the stage back to back. Bonnaroo EDM veteran Space Jesus led the set which also featured Eprom and Shlump. By then, tens of thousands of EDM lovers had gathered en masse to writhe in front of the blinding multimedia drenched show. Although the show ended at 3 am, many young EDM fans were just getting started with their dance trance and retreated to several other EDM stages, including the silent disco, Snake and Jakes Christmas Barn and the final EDM stage each night the Kalliope, all of which featured dance music until dawn.

Check out more photos from day 1 @ Bonnaroo 2019.

A serene sky dotted with fluffy white clouds greeted a massive sold-out crowd that flooded into the Centeroo grounds on the second day of Bonnaroo 2019. Live music began just afternoon while many concertgoers started to enjoy all the festival has to offer. Amenities included waterslides and the iconic Bonnaroo fountain as well as a Ferris wheel and a whole range of activities in the campgrounds.

But as always, the music was the big draw at the festival, and there was plenty to choose from on the second day of the festival. The two main stages opened and together with the smaller ones, offered up a whole host of musical options.

The massive What stage powered up in the mid-afternoon featuring opening band Rival Sons. The blues-infused rock band brought a decidedly California vibe to the stage. First formed in 2009, Rival Sons is an American rock band from Long Beach, California. The group was led by charismatic singer Jay Buchanan and explosive guitarist Scott Holiday. Their classic hard rock sound seemed to channel the ghost of Jim Morrison and The Doors and was a fitting main stage kick off.

Meanwhile, there was a very different musical vibe on the other main stage, the Which Stage. A large crowd gathered to dance to Nahko and Medicine for the People, which is a collective of musicians who play an amalgamation of world music. Frontman Nahko Bear heads the group. The Oregon band played a set infused with dance inspiring tunes. Nahko began with several shout outs. “Happy Pride,” “Happy Father’s Day Weekend,” “Let’s get the party started,” he exclaimed. An appreciative crowd complied en masse.

After the Rival Sons, the What stage featured the Catfish and the Bottlemen, a Welsh Indie rock band, formed in Llandudno in 2007. It was hard to believe that these youthful rockers were veteran performers with over a decade of touring experience. Lead singer and guitarist Ryan Evan "Van" McCann led the hard rocking band through a scorching set in the afternoon sun. Critics have compared the group's music to that of The Kooks and Johnny Marr, but it was clear at Bonnaroo that they had developed their own intense rock sound. A rock-oriented audience seemed to enjoy the set.  A young pop-loving crowd gathered at the What stage as the New York-based AJR took over after Nahko. AJR is an American pop band composed of multi-instrumentalist brothers Adam, Jack, and Ryan Met.

AJR is an American pop band composed of multi-instrumentalist brothers Adam, Jack, and Ryan Met. Earlier in the day, the band joined a conference in the press tent attended by young would be musicians and journalists organized by the Bonnaroo school of music. The program is just one of many programs like Notes for Notes that the festival embraces to promote music for young up and coming musicians. The brothers explained how their homemade music came about, being produced in their living room before exploding in popularity on social media. The band had thousands of fans at their Bonnaroo debut offering up, and energetic show full of original happy go lucky pop music.

As the sun began to set on the horizon, painting the clouds in beautiful pastel colors, Bonnaroo veterans the Avett Brothers took the main What stage. The North Carolina Bluegrass rockers have played the festival several times, and their exciting live show seems to evolve into something new every time they tour. The band played tunes from their lengthy catalog including, “Laundry Room” and “True Sadness.” The group also debuted their appropriately named new single “High Steppin” that sent the crowd into a dancing frenzy. Singer-guitarist Scott Avett created a sensation during the popular song “Ain’t No Man” when he dove into the crowd singing and dancing with ecstatic fans.

The first big crowd of EDM fans formed over in front of the Which stage for a well-received set by another Bonnaroo veteran Griz. The young music star is an American DJ and electronic producer from Michigan. He is best known for playing a wailing saxophone along with producing funk, electro-soul, and self-described future-funk in the grand scheme of live EDM music. Griz would later lead the legendary Superjam but entertained a much bigger crowd in his solo set. The personable singer brought his future funk sound with a core jam band for the Ride Waves Tour, named after his latest studio album release. Griz danced and sang wildly during his energy set.

While all this action was happening on the two main stages, the other five stages in Centeroo were simultaneously offering up all kinds of great music from EDM to heavy metal. Bonnaroo always seems to throw in a few hardcore metal bands and the year was no exception. Just as the sun set on one of the longest days of the year, Gojira, a French heavy metal band from Bayonne, exploded to life in This tent. Fronted by singer-guitarist Joe Duplantier, the band played a set delighting the headbangers in the Bonnaroo crowd amidst a spectacular multimedia extravaganza. There was also a ton of action in the campgrounds including a surprise set by Hayley Williams of Paramore with her guitarist Taylor York at the “Sanctuary of Self Love,” one of the nine separate plazas each with their own entertainment.

As evening set in hordes of festival-goers, many with their own unique totems poured through the new Bonnaroo arch, that was just recently rebuilt into the main stage area. Perhaps the largest crowd of the festival assembled across the massive field for the much-anticipated concert by Childish Gambino. Donald McKinley Glover Jr., well known as an American actor, comedian, writer, producer, director, musician, and DJ performs music under the stage name of Childish Gambino. The Bonnaroo veteran has played the festival before, but his smash hit “This is America” has propelled him into a headline star on the 2019 festival circuit. The show began with a giant platform rising amidst the massive crowd lighted by huge spotlights. A shirtless figure appeared in full Childish Gambino persona. The platform rose high in the sky above the crowd and then descended, allowing Gambino to bolt through the crowd and onto the main stage where he fronted a rocking band complete with a searing guitar player. The set featured a small army of dancers emerging on and off the stage for different musical numbers much like a Broadway musical. Gambino often bantered with the massive crowd. “We’re going to do something special,” he quipped early on. “I want you to put your phones down and focus on the moment.” Then he launched into a set containing his most well-known songs, including “The Worst Guys,” “Have Some Love” and the big one “This Is America.” He ended the night with a rendition of his first big hit “Redbone” amidst a giant fireworks display.

Surprisingly, a large portion of the massive crowd moved on to the other side of the festival for other performances as headliners Phish prepared to take the stage. But that suited the 50,000, or so that remained behind perfectly, creating lots of extra dancing space across the field. Phishheads were treated to a two-hour set of mostly original material. The first of three sets the band was scheduled to play at the festival was also watched by countless fans on a live internet feed.

Over at That tent, another heavy metal band was making headbangers happy. Deafheaven was founded back in 2010 and brought their Screamo metal to an appreciative late-night crowd at Bonnaroo. Wild-eyed singer George Clarke led the band through an intense ear-piercing set into the early morning hours.

A very different crowd gathered in front of the Which stage for the Hip-Hop Infused set by Brockhampton just after 1 AM. Brockhampton, an American rap collective formed in Texas, in 2015 is currently based in California. The group of multi-racial rappers dazzled the crowd with intricate dance moves and rap-infused harmonies.

For many music fans, the early morning hours were prime party time, and there was a plethora of music left to choose. The traditional Superjam led by Griz began behind schedule at just before 2 am. The multitude of instruments needed for the small army of performers needed to be tested delaying the set. But the musicians made up for it playing an astounding set of cover songs with a small army of rotating singers and musicians until nearly 4 am. Meanwhile, there was a veritable EDM face-off going on in the corner of Centeroo nearest the campground. This tent garnered a large audience of EDM fans for veteran festival act Girl Talk. Gregg Michael Gillis, known by the stage name Girl Talk, is an American disc jockey who specializes in mashups. His performance as always featured massive crowd participation including a portion of the crowd onstage with him. At the same time over on the main EDM stage the Other, another large crowd gathered for a riveting set by R.L.Grime. Henry Alfred Steinway, better known by his current stage name, RL Grime, is an American producer of trap and bass music and he had Bassheads headbanging en masse at his spectacular show.

As the main stages wound down about 4 am, crowds of eager EDM fans descended on the Kalliope stage for the last dance into the dawn, while others danced about in Snake N Jakes Barn or at the silent disco.

Check out more photos from day 2 @ Bonnaroo 2019.

The organizers of the Bonnaroo music festival have done a remarkable job in recent years of booking relevant new music from multiple genres including, E.D.M., Hip Hop, and Pop music. The result has been to attract a vibrant multi-generational audience. But the festival has wisely continued to offer more traditional music as well, offering up Country, Rock, and most importantly Jam bands, sticking to its roots while simultaneously expanding the musical genres offered. This year’s festival was no exception, filling the lineup, in particular, with great hippie bands. On the second day of the festival, two sets stuck out in the genre.

Phish played their first of three sets at the festival late Friday night to a huge crowd. The two-hour set was characteristically composed almost entirely of original music. The band, also well known for their interpretations of popular music only covered one song this night, “Also Sprach Zarathustra,” which is most well known as the theme to the classic science fiction film “2001 A Space Odyssey.” It was a fitting rendition for the outdoor festival, with twinkling stars in the countryside night sky. Members of Phish are probably the ultimate Bonnaroo veterans, playing the inaugural event back in 2002. The band has played the festival on multiple occasions. In fact, phish.net reports that the band or members of the band had played Bonnaroo at least 19 times between 2002 and 2016. The show Phish performed this first night of their 2019 Bonnaroo appearance was nothing short of spectacular with their uniquely stunning light show that breathes to the music in different dimensions aided by hydraulic lifts. The band led by a beaming Trey Anastasio on lead guitar opened with “Carini” sending the adulating crowd into a dance craze. The jam warped into heady territory with drummer Jon Fishman screaming wildly while bass player Mike Gordon drove a steady beat. The band segued into “Down With Disease” meshing the two songs perfectly. Keyboardist Page McConnell got a chance to shine in the transition launching the group into an extended trance-like jam.

The music turned to funk inspired jam territory on the next tune, “Say It To Me S.A.N.T.O.S.”  That was followed by “Kasvot Växt,” as the crowd continued to dance wildly many with their totems raised high.  A near 15-minute jam came next on the song “Everything’s Right.”  The song “Mercury” followed, slowing things down a bit before segueing into the tune “Tweezer.” Things got funky again for “Cavern.” Some in the crowd exhausted from a day of dancing began to take a break lying on their blankets and staring at the stars as the band broke into the aforementioned “2001 A Space Odyssey” theme. The spacey atmosphere continued through the tune “Martian Monster.” That song took a hard jam segueing into the tune “Steam.” That was followed by renditions of “More” and “Harry Hood.” The group ended their set with “Seize The Day!” Phish returned triumphantly to a cheering ovation for a double encore featuring “Possum” and “Tweezer Reprise.”

Superjam was the second great jam of Friday night. The festivities got underway about 45 minutes late at 2 am Saturday but continued for two hours. Superjam has been a Bonnaroo tradition for many years and began as a mashup of classic rockers. Over the years the jam morphed into a more musically diverse event integrating newer musical prodigy like Skrillex with veteran musicians from more traditional genres. This year for the first time the small army of performers was made up almost entirely of relatively young new performers. Griz curated the event still beaming from his triumphant main stage performance earlier on Friday. He led a band composed of his own musicians interspersed with a steadily changing line up of other guest musicians and singers. The setlist was comprised of cover tunes by rock legends like Bob Marley, David Bowie, Prince and Sharon Jones (A Bonnaroo alumni before her untimely death.) But the most poignant cover of the evening came when the band played Dr. John’s “Right Place Wrong Time.” The New Orleans icon who just recently passed away played a historical performance in 20011 at Bonnaroo. That three-hour jam featured the original Meters and Dr. John along with the late Allen Toussaint. The band included an entire rendition of the 1974 album Desitively Bonnaroo, which the festival is named after. The performance may well have been the best in Bonnaroo history.

This year's Superjam was also a fantastic presentation honoring the music greats that have fallen in recent years. Griz and the band opened with Dick Dale’s “Miserlou.” That was followed by "So What'Cha Want” by the Beastie Boys and then the aforementioned Dr. John song. By this time a vast crowd had packed tightly in This tent stage screaming their approval wildly for the well-known tunes. The next song "Could You Be Loved” by Bob Marley appropriately featured Nahko and Medicine For The People joining the band along with guest singer, Australian-born, Jamaican-based musician and record producer Nattali Rize. That sent the crowd into a ballistic sing-along.  R&B singer, Deva Mahal, daughter of another Blues icon Taj Mahal took over lead vocals next on the tune "This Land Is Your Land,” which Sharon Jones had covered. Jennifer Hartswick took over lead vocals next for an intense pair of songs, "Piece Of My Heart” by Janis Joplin and “Valerie" by Amy Winehouse. The throaty backup singer and trumpet player from Trey Anastasio’s band did justice to both. Then actress Chrishira Perrier joined singer K.Flay for a duet on Prince’s “1999.” The audience loved it and proceeded to party like it was 1999 again. Perrier, a competent singer, stuck around to be the lead voice on two more tunes, “Mary Jane” by Rick James and “Dang!” byMac Miller. She was joined on the latter by Chicago rapper and Griz collaborator ProbCause. He stuck around to pay tribute to Nipsy Hussle rapping "Grinding All My Love.”

An exhausted audience began to branch out across the vast field outside the tent laying on blankets, watching the giant video screens while fresh festival-goers filled every inch of the tent area in front of the stage for the monumental jam. K.Flay returned to do an intense version of  “Lithium” by Nirvana. At one point with adrenaline flowing the young singer jumped onto the front speakers above the crowd and an elated Griz followed her. But as she backed up, she misstepped and fell backward between the speakers. Griz quickly pulled her out and back up on the stage. The singer continued to belt out the lyrics, but you could hear her voice quivering a bit from the apparent shock of falling. Griz took over the lead vocals next along with his longtime guitarist Muzzy Bearr on the Sublime sing-along “What I Got.” That was followed by the most intense guitar solo of the night from an unlikely source. Canadian country singer and guitarist Lindsay Ell pulled out all the stops to play and sing “Black Hole Sun” by Soundgarden. The singer thrashed her long blonde hair about in full heavy metal headbanging mode as she played a piercing guitar solo. At one point she also jumped onto the speakers and laid on her back playing searing notes on her guitar wowing the crowd. Ell continued with an eerie tribute to George Harrison on The Beatles classic “While My Guitar Gently Weeps.”

The next new singer to take the stage was Frank Lopes Jr., known professionally as Hobo Johnson, the lead vocalist for Hobo Johnson and the LoveMakers. He was joined by drummer Jess Haney and bassist Charlie Holt from Rainbow Kitten Surprise for a crowd-pleasing rendition of “Folsom Prison Blues” by Johnny Cash.   Sam Melo lead singer of Rainbow Kitten Surprise took over lead vocals next. He was joined on backing vocals by Hartswick and Ell returning to the stage. They covered the Sam Cooke classic "Bring It On Home To Me.”

The music took a very different turn when Noah Kahan assumed the lead vocal role for a cover of “Wake Me Up” by E.D.M. master the late Avicii. Kahan is a new neofolk rocker from Vermont. He was joined for the upbeat dance tune by Nashville based Music City Mystique Drumline. Griz sat crouched like a cat beaming a Cheshire grin for much of the jam session, periodically singing and playing his trademark Saxophone riffs. The drummers stuck around for a solo drum tune and for the next tune song by Walk The Moon frontman, Nicholas Petricca. The animated singer belted out a dance-infused rendition of the Queen classic “We Will Rock You.” He stayed to sing a second tune, the David Bowie classic “Under Pressure,” which was also a successful cover for Queen. He was joined by backing vocalist Annakalmia Traver from the Artsy rock band Rubblebucket.

A beaming Petricca stayed to sing a third song, David Bowie’s “Let’s Dance.” Griz played explosive sax, and the Blackstar Band joined the house band. Traver returned to take over lead vocals on another Bowie classic “Life On Mars?” Singers Mahal, B.E.A.R.R. and Perrier, returned to lead the group in a rousing finale featuring a sing-along of the George Michael classic “Freedom! 90.”

The third day of Bonnaroo 2019 dawned bright and beautiful with a near perfect climate.  Some young bleary-eyed EDM music fans were wearily returning to their campsites after an all-night dance party. Meanwhile, other festival goers were waking up to sunrise yoga sessions and organized runs. The smell of coffee and doughnuts baking lingered in Centeroo.

Festival-goers found countless ways to enjoy the beautiful day before the music started in the early afternoon. By the time The Record Company opened the main stage at 3 PM, a large crowd had already gathered to hear the music, many picnicking on blankets, throwing frisbees and lounging in the sun. The hard rock band played the tiny On Tap Lounge several years ago, a defunct venue popular at the festival for many years. Their intense hard rock show brought them to the Main stage this year. There were so many great bands on Saturday that music fans had to strategize to see their favorite groups.

Pop music spanned genres and generations from a young Hippo Campus to Saturday Night Live alumni in the late-night set by Lonely Island. Country music fans had the chance to see Grammy-winning Kacey Musgraves and Marren Morris. EDM fans not only had their own stage ending with a triumphant 2 AM set by Zhu but also had the choice of Main stage headliners Odesza. Hip hop fans gathered in the second largest crowd of the festival for Post Malone’s main stage set and had a day filled with talented rappers including Juice WRLD and Gucci Mane. Fans of Indie Euro music had bands like Rubblebucket and Bishop Briggs among others to keep them happy. Briggs turned in an awe-inspiring set of original rock with a charismatic stage presence that wowed the crowd. The National played an intense main stage set, which saw lead singer Matt Berninger dive into the crowd while the pair of Dessner and Devendorf brothers laid down intense rhythms.

Hozier returned to the main stage four years after his fantastic Bonnaroo debut. His band of veteran rockers played against a multimedia backdrop complete with astounding visuals. Political upheaval was highlighted in the visuals during the protest song “Nina Cried Power.”

Later Bonnaroo veteran Brandi Carlile made a surprise guest appearance with Hozier during the tune “Work Song," the day before her scheduled Sunday main stage set. Carlile, who has won a Grammy since her last Bonnaroo appearance also made a surprise appearance during the set of living legend John Prine on his tune “Summer’s End.”

The witty country-folk singer-songwriter has been producing clever songs, many dealing with social issues since 1971. The veteran performer seemed to be having a devilishly good time during his Bonnaroo set beaming wildly. In addition to his duet with Carlile, he also invited Nashville singer Kelsey Walden to duet with him on the humorous tune “In Spite of Ourselves.” The feisty Prime bantered with the audience introducing the song, “This is for anybody thinking of getting married. Remember it’s easier to get rid of a tattoo. The crowd responded enthusiastically.

Amidst all the incredible music, jam band fans still had plenty of great music to choose from as well. Unknown Mortal Orchestra, a Portland, Oregon transplanted New Zealand psychedelic rock band, brought an intense afternoon jam to That Tent. At one-point singer-guitarist, Ruban Nielson dove into the crowd with a wireless electric guitar and played wailing riffs to fans all the way to the back of the tightly packed crowd. That created a chaotic trance dance around him.

Just after sunset, this tent featured a searing guitar drenched jam set by one of Bonnaroo’s most established veterans, Jim James. The charismatic singer-guitarist has appeared several times at the festival both with his solo band and as the lead singer of My Morning Jacket. As the leader of that classic jam band, he led a monumental late-night set on the main stage about a decade ago that was one of the longest in the festival’s history. The band played a near 4 hours set in a steady drizzling rain until near dawn. James set Saturday with his solo band although not nearly as long, was no less intense punctuated by his searing guitar solos.

Late night jam band fans were treated to an early morning set by Joe Russo’s Almost Dead. It was a fitting close to that tent with a near two hours set by this consummate jam band. Joe Russo has played seven years at Bonnaroo without repeating a band, including sometimes playing in several bands in the same year. His appearance at Bonnaroo 2013 featured an incredible late night set in with the band Bustle in Your Hedgerow. The group was an instrumental cover band of Led Zeppelin classics and brought in singer Brittany Howard for a couple of songs at the end including “The Lemon Song.” The set that went on until first light was phenomenal. Russo also did a secret superjam in 2006 with Trey Anastasio, Mike Gordon, and Phil Lesh. The show Saturday was a straight forward jam of Grateful Dead classics, showcasing the immense talent of the five veteran musicians in JRAD.

Check out more photos from day 3 @ Bonnaroo 2019.

The final day of Bonnaroo 2019 dawned bright and sunny and was the first scorching day of the festival. Rain clouds threatened the countryside throughout the day, creating a sweat-drenched humid environment sending festival goers to watery refreshment. Many concertgoers were beginning to show signs of fatigue after four nonstop nights of partying. People could be seen passed out in shady spots all across Centeroo throughout the day. But another day of incredible music revived many in the crowd.

The music on the Which stage began with a pair of brass-infused bands with funky horn sections. Ripe from Boston and The Soul Rebels from New Orleans got a steamy crowd dancing in the hot afternoon sun. Zachary William "Bill" Dess, known by his stage name Two Feet, brought an electro-rock vibe to this Tent followed by the young, punkish glam band The Lemon Twigs. Both groups hail from New York, but The Twigs have a much more traditional rock sound. Fronted by brothers Brian and Michael D’Addario the band's antics were akin to those of an early Sex Pistols. The set was a bit of a disaster with Brian falling backward on his guitar rack and coming unplugged from his guitar later in the set while writhing onstage. But it was a beautiful disaster infused with sheer energy that evoked the glory of the early punk movement.

Bonnaroo veterans Trample by Turtles brought classical Bluegrass music to the main What stage followed by the triumphant return of Brandi Carlile and her brilliant band of rockers. Carlile seems to reinvent herself with each tour offering up different takes on her classic catalog of Grammy-winning material.

Another Bonnaroo veteran act followed with an impressive set by the American rockers The Lumineers. Much like the hilarious band The Lonely Island the night before, the group Princess brought comic relief to the festival. Actress Maya Rudolph and Gretchen Lieberum led a rock band in a sing-along set of Prince covers. The pairs onstage antics had the crowd rolling with laughter while singing along to the hits.

Walk the Moon played a triumphant set on the main Which stage led by hypnotic singer Nicholas Petricca, who wowed the crowd at the Superjam two nights before. They were followed by one of the biggest draws of the festival Cardi B. The new queen of hip hop created a sensation when her wild twerking caused a split in her colorful leotard. The consummate performer quickly went backstage and grabbed a hotel bathrobe and returned unscathed to finish her set.

As the sun began to set Centeroo went quiet, leaving only headliners Phish to finish the evening with a two-set performance. The band opened the first set with a new song “Set Your Soul Free,” followed by a guitar-drenched “Blaze On.” Singer-guitarist Trey Anastasio then addressed the crowd telling them, “You are about to hear a message song so you can catch your breath.” That message came in the next tune, "Death Don’t Hurt Very Long.”  That was followed by more well-known songs from the bands older catalog including, “Reba” and “Free.” The band experimented on the tunes “Sand” and “Wolfman’s Brother.” The first set ended with a thunderous jam of the song “Cavern.”

After a short intermission during which the night sky filled with stars and temperatures began to cool, the band returned in an explosion of light and sound opening with “Mike’s Song,” which segued into the tune “Fluffhead.” The group then played “Twist,” segueing perfectly into “Weekapaug Groove.” In the middle of that song, the band snaked into “No Men In Man’s Land,” before returning to finish “Weekapaug Groove,” and ending with a few licks of “Twist.” It was easy for Phish fans to get lost in the maze of twisting tunes fading back and forth. The band then went into full jam mode on the song “Fuego,” which led to another jam on “Ghost,” and finished the second set with yet another intense jam on “Bathtub Gin.”

A crowd-pleasing double encore featured the tunes “Wilson” and “First Tube.” The show ended a bit earlier leaving the vast crowd at the festival and many more listening on the live webcast wanting more, but Phish fans can never get enough of their favorite band. It was a tribute to the group how many people remained to the end after nearly five grueling days of nonstop partying. Many returned to Into The Woods in the campground and continued the party until dawn on Monday bringing a successful close to Bonnaroo 2019.

Check out more photos from day 4 at Bonnaroo 2019.

Los Angeles transplants Vulfpeck took the crowd by storm Sunday night July 14th at the Greek Theatre in Los Angeles. The show opened with a solo set by long-time Vulfpeck collaborator and local native Joey Dosik, with an accompanying multi-instrumentalist. A young crowd of enthusiastic fans gathered early at the outdoor amphitheater to enjoy the well-stocked food and beverage bars. It was a perfect date night with the late afternoon sun painting the surrounding hills in brilliant orange hues. Later, in the clear night sky, a full moon rose over the venue, creating a nearly perfect backdrop for an evening of inspiring dance music.

Dosik opened with a short set showcasing his exquisite singing voice. The singer displayed a pleasing retro blue-eyed soul style. He was augmented by Dosik’s musical partner onstage, who played a variety of percussions instruments as well as using a recorder to sample clips for live playback. Dosik also played guitar and piano, showcasing tunes from his debut solo album, “Inside Voice,” which was released last year. The golden-throated singer played Rhythm, and Blues infused tunes like “Take Mine” and “Running Away,” a gospel-inspired song “Stories,” and humorous “Game Winner,” a song infused with Los Angeles sports passion. The beaming singer seemed to be reveling in the warm hometown sunshine and applause from fans in the audience including his parents, to whom he gave a shoutout. The early birds in the audience seemed to enjoy the set participating in sing-alongs and cheering the performer after each song.

After a short intermission, a huge roar went up across the venue as Vulfpeck made a grand entrance one by one. Original member Jack Stratton was the first performer to take the stage, acting as the impromptu MC for much of the evening as well as singing and playing keyboards, drums and guitar. He introduced the other three original members of the band. Theo Katzman bolted onstage to lend his skills on guitar, drums, and vocals. Woody Goss rocketed straight to the keyboards. The groups extraordinary bass player Joe Dart completed the core lineup. They were joined by long-time collaborators Dosik on saxophone and vocals and frequent guest rhythm guitarist Cory Wong. The animated group of funk-inspired jam rockers ignited a passion in the crowd not usually seen at the normally stoic venue. In part, fueled by a general admission pit at the front of the stage, the band managed to engage much of the crowd in a dance trance sing-along throughout the first set. The band changed instruments and lead and backing vocal duties throughout the show, creating a fresh new approach to every song. The music the group produced covered a wide range of musical genres including sounds that emulated everything from the tunes of Fitz and the Tantrums to the Barenaked Ladies and from Primus to the funk of George Clinton.

Another long-time collaborator joined the band for the second set, Antwaun Stanley, an American R&B singer and songwriter from Michigan, where Vulfpeck got their start in music. Stanley is a great singer in the traditional sense of the genre and brought a whole new energy and excitement to the stage. Stanley danced wildly while exhibiting exquisite vocals on his signature tracks, from “1612” and “Funky Duck” to “Wait For the Moment” and “Aunt Leslie.”  During a break in the second set, Katzman took over, acting as a one-person cheerleader to incite the crowd into a sing-along before the band returned to do an acapella rendition of “Back Pocket.”

The band ended the show with a triumphant multi-song encore of cover tunes that they call their wedding set. The set included covers of “I Want You Back” by the Jackson 5,  “December 1963,” by The Four Seasons, “September,” by Earth, Wind & Fire” and  “It Gets Funkier,” by Chromatic Walk. The well-known tunes inspired a dance trance sing along in the jubilant crowd.

Check out more photos from the show.

On a gorgeous summer Sunday evening, July 28th, a small army of Prog Rock legends played the final concert of their Royal Affair Tour at the Saratoga Mountain Winery. The venue is an intimate amphitheater which sits on top of a mountain offering a spectacular view of the valley below. Surrounded by a vineyard, the location is drenched in California winemaking history. The Mountain Winery, formerly known as the Paul Masson Mountain Winery, is a fully functioning winery in Saratoga, California. It is one of the oldest and most famous wineries in California, founded by Paul Masson, a legendary pioneer of the California wine industry. The winery is most famous for its slogan, voiced in television commercials by Orson Welles: "We will sell no wine before its time." The amphitheater. which has expanded over the years to its current capacity of 2500 people is also one of the oldest concert venues in the area with shows dating back to 1958.

The show on Sunday began early with a 6 PM start time to accommodate the four separate sets of music. As the afternoon sun painted the venue and the valley below in a searing orange glow, early-bird concertgoers arrived to sample some of the local wine and beer available or grab a bit of gourmet food. Carl Palmer, one of Prog Rock’s premier drummers, opened a short five-song set with his group the ELP legacy. The band paid tribute to Palmer's former bandmates Keith Emerson and Greg Lake who passed away in recent years. The band opened with a thunderous “Karn Evil 9: 1st Impression, Part 2.” The band featured two young rockers David Pastorius on bass and Paul Bielatowicz on guitar. David is the nephew of the genuinely legendary jazz-rock bassist Jaco Pastorius and inherited much of his talent. Bielatowicz is a talented young guitarist who was taxed with emulating Kieth Emerson’s exquisite keyboard skills on a guitar. The trio of rockers was joined on several songs by the 77-year-old Arthur Brown, dressed in a feathered top hat, multi-colored Victorian coat and lace collar, with a painted face. The band played Brown’s hit song “Fire” one of the strangest rock songs of the 20th century. The short set ended with a perfunctory drum solo by Palmer and almost immediately went into the next set. While most of the musicians reappeared in different iterations throughout the night, the enigmatic Brown was done for the night and sadly, most of the crowd hadn’t even arrived yet.

As the intense summer sun began to set behind the mountain, the original bassist of the Moody Blues, John Lodge led the second set.  The band played seven Moody Blues classics and songs from his album with Justin Hayward, ’Blue Jays.' Lodge was backed by a four-person group of solid rockers, including a cello player. The classic songs lacked the original depth of the exquisite vocal harmonies of the original Moody Blues, but the band did an excellent job laying down the well-known tracks for an appreciative audience.

The amphitheater filled up as the sunset began to paint the mountainside in beautiful pastel colors during the first extended intermission. The crowd seemed to be in good spirits while sampling the good local spirits. The third set of the night featured the revamped Prog Rock band, Asia. The supergroup, originally formed in 1981, featured four members of different progressive rock bands from the 1970.s. The group included the lead vocalist and bassist John Wetton of King Crimson and U.K., guitarist Steve Howe of Yes, keyboardist Geoff Downes of Yes and the Buggles, and drummer Carl Palmer of Emerson, Lake & Palmer.

On this night three of the four played a crowd-pleasing set of 10 songs and paid tribute to Wetton who passed away in 2017. Original member Carl Palmer returned to the stage for the second time to play drums for Asia, along with original member and Yes keyboardist Geoff Downes. On bass was another Yes alumni Billy Sherwood. The set began with Ron “Bumblefoot” Thal on lead vocals and a double-necked guitar, infusing some youthful energy into the group. The band opened with “Go” from the Astra album and blended into “Don’t Cry from the Alpha album. The band then gave a nod to Downes, the keyboardist of the Buggles and played their biggest hit song “Video Killed the Radio Star." The well-known song got the crowd on their feet for an energetic sing-along. Original guitarist Steve Howe notched up the excitement when he took the stage to play the final four songs while Thal took the role of lead vocalist without his guitar. The crowd remained on their feet for the rest of the set as the iconic guitarist played mesmerizing chords on “Wildest Dreams," “Sole Survivor," “Only Time Will Tell” and the band’s biggest hit “Heat of the Moment."

Twilight began to fall, and myriad stars became visible in the crystal-clear night sky as Yes took the stage for the final set of the night. Yes is celebrating their 50th anniversary. Original singer Jon Anderson has been touring with long-time band members Trevor Rabin and Rick Wakeman doing their own renditions of the band's classics. The Royal Affair tour featured Yes alumni Steve Howe, Geoff Downes, Billy Sherwood, and Alan White. Young singer John Davidson took over lead vocal duties, and the band opened with young rocker Jay Schellen on drums. The group started its nine-song opening set with “No Opportunity Necessary, No Experience Needed,” a Richie Havens cover used as the opening track on its 1970 album “Time and a Word.” Howe mixed things up when he rolled out a pedal steel guitar to play “Going for the One." Four songs into the set, the band played on of its biggest hits, “I’ve Seen All Good People." Howe then played a riveting acoustic solo rendition of his song “Second Initial,” which he first played at the 1979 Montreux Jazz Festival. The band then returned to do an extended version of “Siberian Khatru,” from the 1972 Close to the Edge album.

Long-time Yes drummer Alan White joined the band for the final five songs, exhibiting wild applause from the crowd. The band played a cover of Simon & Garfunkel’s “America,” which it first did in 1970. Howe used the opportunity to turn the song into a guitar jam that wowed the crowd. The 72-year-old seemed as playful and energetic as a giddy teenage punk rocker. The group then played “The Gates of Delirium,” a song absent from the band’s set list for nearly two decades before this tour.

The near 30-minute jam featured Howe on both pedal steel and lead guitar. The jam ended the main set but was followed by a three-song encore. The encore opened yet another cover of John Lennon’s “Imagine,” (White played drums on the original recording.) Howe played another ear-piercing pedal steel jam during the song. The show ended with two of the band’s earliest hits, “Roundabout” and “Starship Trooper,” capping a nearly two-hour set and a four-hour marathon of Prog Rock classics. It was a unique night of rock music history that has endured for half a century.

Nederlander Concerts brought another sold-out show to the spectacular Vina Robles Amphitheater, on a sun-drenched summer Sunday, August 25th. A double bill featuring ZZ Top and Cheap Trick filled the venue with several hours of classic rock hits. As is the custom at the mountainside venue fans arrived early to sample Vina Robles fine wines, craft beers, and gourmet snacks. The venue is adjacent to Vina Robles vineyards which have been producing fine California wines for over 20 years. 2007 saw the opening of the Vina Robles Hospitality Center, a 14,000-square-foot facility that combines “classic California Mission-style design with modern European elegance,” according to the winery’s website. In the summer of 2013, the Vina Robles Amphitheatre celebrated its grand opening and now hosts world-class artists April through October each year.

Cheap Trick opened the show with an explosive 16 song set of their classic rock hits. The Rock and Roll Hall of Famers produced chart-topping hits through two decades in the 1970s and '80s, selling over 20 million records. The band, which has played more than 5000 shows is known for their animated live shows and rock star onstage antics. The current tour features three of the four original members including, singer-guitarist  Robin Zander, guitarist Rick Nielsen, and bassist Tom Petersson.  Charismatic lead singer Zander pranced about the stage in a sailing captains’ hat, nailing the vocals and making contact with much of the audience in the front of the venue. The band mixed up the setlist, with several older deep cuts and a couple of newer songs added to the hit-laden mix. While Zander pranced about, guitar extraordinaire Nielsen played searing guitar riffs on multiple guitars while beaming wildly. The eccentric musician is on the top of many all-time best rock guitarists lists and plays an array of custom guitars including the box-shaped Rockford Hamer and his signature multi necked guitar. The band jammed a couple of their well-known tunes showing their musical prowess, going far beyond the confines of the pop hits basic structures. The group has been opening their set with their 1977 hit “Hello There,” but checking setlists from different dates it appears the band mixes up the set, offering a different show at each venue. The chemistry between Zander and Nielsen was undeniable, especially when they played some of the band’s biggest hits like “I Want You to Want Me” and “Dream Police.” Bassist Petersson got a chance to take the lead singing a cover of The Velvet Underground’s “I’m Waiting for the Man,” and playing a heart-thumping bass jam. By the time the group returned for a two-song encore, including “Surrender” and “Goodnight Now,” most everyone in the venue was on their feet singing and dancing along to the well-known tunes.

The sun faded during intermission, and a star-filled summer sky began to appear. The masters of Texas Blues-rock took the stage to play a 17 song setlist full of classic rock hits. The band played the well-known tunes flawlessly, but the performance seemed a bit tame following the over the top animated energy of Cheap Trick’s opening set. The ZZ Top show seemed all the timider considering it was billed as their 50th-anniversary show and a documentary film about the group was just recently released. But the iconic trio more than made up with their stoic stage presence with precision musicianship on the band’s biggest hits. The band opened with their signature Blues-rock masterpiece “Got Me Under Pressure.” Guitarist Billy Gibbons, Bassist Dusty Hill & Drummer Frank Beard mixed up their setlist to include their top hits like “Gimme All Your Lovin” interspersed with their bluesier tunes like “Jesus Just Left Chicago.” Hit songs like “Pearl Necklace,” “I’m Bad, I’m Nationwide,” and “My Head’s In Mississippi” had the crowd on their feet for most of the show. The set ended with crowd-pleasing hits including “Sharp Dressed Man” and “Legs,” the latter complete with furry spinning guitars.

The band returned fro a two-song encore featuring Texas Blues-rock classics “La Grange” and “Tush.” After a second standing ovation, the band returned for yet another tune, a cover of Elvis Presley’s “Jailhouse Rock.” It was another beautiful summer night at the Vina Robles Amphitheater filled with classic rock songs.

The often-overused term living legend is bantered about in the entertainment industry, but if anyone in the pop music world deserves the moniker, it would be Ringo Starr. The former Beatle brought the latest incarnation of his All-Starr band to the Greek Theatre in Los Angeles for the final date of his 2019 tour.  Fans lined up early for the sold-out show, some with their young children in tow. The historic venue was the brainchild of landowner Griffith J. Griffith, who donated 3,000 acres of land to the city of Los Angeles in 1896 to create Griffith Park. He envisioned the performing arts venue before his death and left money for its construction in his will.

Architects chose a canyon because of its excellent acoustics. The building was officially dedicated on September 25, 1930. The first performance took place on June 26, 1931, attended by a capacity crowd of 4,000. Since then the capacity has expanded to 5,870 with the addition of side risers. Once inside, it is hard for concert-goers to imagine that they are in the heart of Los Angeles. The hot summer sun painted the mountainsides surrounding the Amphitheater in glowing colors. The restaurants and snack bars were especially busy as the early bird crowd settled into the Amphitheater. The show was a relatively late one with no opening act. The concert began just after 8 PM, just as the first stars started to appear in the glowing evening sky. By the time the band started to saunter onto the stage nearly everyone had found their seats, unusual for a Los Angeles concert. The six-piece group began to play, and the crowd instantly knew they were in for an exceptional evening of music. The sound was perfectly balanced. Giant video screens flashed a multi-camera montage of the veteran musicians. Then screams erupted amidst a star-studded crowd as Ringo strutted to the stage looking a bit like a peace and love muppet flashing peace signs at everyone and beaming like a schoolboy. There he stood the drummer of the Beatles looking happy, healthy and spry as he pranced around the stage. It is hard to believe that the beloved musician is 79 years old, the same Richard Starke who nearly didn’t survive a sickly childhood growing up in Liverpool. Ringo instantly endeared himself to the crowd, “I love the Greek” he quipped and would repeat over and over throughout the show. An animated Ringo reminded the crowd that it was the 30th anniversary of his ever-evolving all-star band and that they had played a triumphant concert at the Greek nearly 30 years earlier.

The hometown hero who lives almost within walking distance of the Amphitheater, bantered with the crowd throughout the evening telling numerous jokes with the sarcasm of British humor. Occasionally he would call out friends he recognized in the audience. Frequently he would make appeals for more peace and love in the world, which would sound disingenuous coming from most pop stars. But not from a former Beatle, whose decade long career was built on the simple premise. The show like most on the tour featured a 25 song setlist of pop history. The band opened with an early Beatles cover of the Carl Perkins song “Matchbox.” It was one of the first recordings that Ringo took the lead on in the Beatles. Next Ringo tackled one of his biggest solo hits “It Don’t Come Easy.” That was followed by a Beatles classic, “What Goes On,” a deep cut from the Rubber Soul album which featured Ringo on lead vocals.

Then Ringo took a literal back seat and joined veteran rock drummer Greg Bissonette to play double drums. At that point, the concert turned towards highlighting the immense musical talents of the current all-star band. The latest iteration of the band includes Toto’s Steve Lukather, Men at Work’s Colin Hay, Santana and Journey’s Gregg Rolie, Warren Ham, Gregg Bissonette and Hamish Stuart from the Average White Band.  As the night wore on the band displayed impeccable chemistry, meshing tightly especially during prolonged jam sessions. Greg Rolle was the first of the backing band members to take the lead. The master keyboardist and eloquent singer was responsible for much of the success of both early Santana and Journey albums. Rolle took the lead on the first of three Santana hits including, "Evil Ways,” “Black Magic Woman,” and “Oye Como Va.” A particularly intense jam on “Black Magic Woman” saw Lukather channel, Carlos Santana, perfectly. In a certain way, the tunes sounded fresher than the originals with the band creating their own unique jam take on nearly every song.

Luthaker took over the lead next with an exquisite interpretation of “Rosana," and later two other Toto hits, “Africa” and “Hold The Line.” The guitar wizard offered up powerful lead vocals as well. Next, it was Stuarts turn to take the lead offering up lead vocals on the Average White Bands hit “Pick Up The Pieces,” and later “Cut The Cake” and “Work to Do.” His songs showcased his funky bass lines and the group's everyman Warren Ham as well. The versatile Ham, not as famous publicly as his bandmates has been utilized by an armada of pop music legends who recognized his talents. He was even the lead vocalist in an early 70’s version of the Texas rock band Bloodrock. During the show at the Greek, he jazzed up the mix with wailing Saxophone skills and backing percussion. His percussion skills were showcased when the band jammed “Oye Como Va.” He even played a mean flute on the Colin Hay tune “Down Under” from Men at Work. Hay also took the lead on two other Men at Work hits, “Overkill” and “Down Under.”

That left Ringo to take the lead on an additional ten songs that spanned his career with the Beatles as well as his work as a solo artist. His signature Beatles tune Yellow Submarine had parents hoisting their young children in the air. “Boys” and “Your Sixteen” had women of all ages twisting in the aisles.

The two hour and fifteen-minute show ended with a sing-along of “With a Little Help From My Friends.”  That well-played anthem can be seen as another disingenuous moment at times for those co-opting it for various purposes. But the audience at the Greek did not doubt the genuine sentiment of the song at the closing show as a troupe of former all-star band members assembled onstage to join the band. Among the veteran rockers who joined the sing-along were, Joe Walsh, Wally Palmar of The Romantics, Edgar Winter, Richard Page of Mr. Mister, Eric Carmen of The Raspberries, drumming legend Jim Keltner and Nils Lofgren. The group broke into a rendition of “Give Peace a Chance” before taking their final bows in front of a standing ovation that lasts more than 10 minutes after the final note was played. Well done for a lad from Liverpool and his mates.

Check out more photos from the show.

On a beautiful late summer evening, Thursday, September 12th, Nederlander concerts brought a historic classic rock double bill to the Greek Theatre in Los Angeles. The term classic rock is often used loosely to label old rock bands but perfectly describes a night of music from Brian Wilson and his phenomenal band and The Zombies. The “Something Great from ’68” tour featured both bands playing sets primarily made up of songs from their respective albums released 51 years ago. The Zombies opened with their “Odessey and Oracle” album from that pivotal year in classic rock while Wilson chose “Friends” to feature on his latest tour.

A glistening full moon rose above the venue just as the Zombies took the stage for their opening set. Original singer Colin Blunstone remarkably can still hit the high notes at 74 years of age. He was joined by original keyboardist, singer, and songwriter Rod Argent. The pair has kept the band alive that they founded over five decades ago. The first half of the show featured the pair leading a group of veteran musicians who have been touring as the Zombies for decades. The band played the “Odessey and Oracle” album beautifully, capturing the psychedelic 60’s sound. The tunes were surprisingly similar to the new music Brian Wilson was working on about the same time on this side of the Atlantic. The Zombies formed in England in 1962 and by 1964 had a radio hit with She’s Not There. The “Odessey and Oracle” album was recorded between June and August of 1967. The sessions took place at Abbey Road Studios and Olympic Studios in London, giving it a bit of The Beatles flare. A single from the album "Time of the Season" became a sleeper hit in the United States in early 1969. Later in the set, the band was joined by original drummer Hugh Grundy and original bassist Jim Rodford making the show an exceptional one. Darian Sahanaja also joined in for the last half of the set. The masterful keyboardist is an integral part of Wilson’s ten-member group. The band ended with their two hit singles garnering a standing ovation.

After an intermission which saw the moon rise high and the stars begin to twinkle in the clear night sky, Brian Wilson made a triumphant return to the stage in his hometown with his astonishing band in tow. The 77-year-old iconic songwriter is no stranger to long documented diversity. But this year added new hurdles to his tumultuous life. Wilson was confronted with the shocking passing just over a month ago of longtime guitar wizard Nicky Wonder, who died on the eve of the tour’s first night. Wonder whose real name was Walusko started the Wondermints in 1992 with Darian Sahanaja, the current keyboardist in Wilson’s band. The group became Wilson's core band in 1999. Wilson was already reeling from medical issues earlier in the summer. Back in June, he postponed a string of shows, saying he was feeling “mentally insecure” following a series of back surgeries.

The show at the Greek Theatre was a triumphant return for the former Beach Boy and his brilliant band. The band tore into “Friends” with a powerful orchestral full-bodied sound and exquisite harmonies. While Wilson’s performance on the keyboards was questionable, he proved that he is still a quite capable singer, taking the lead on many of the tracks. But he also graciously shared the spotlight with his accomplished band members. He handed lead vocals duties occasionally, to founding member, guitarist-singer Al Jardine. Jardine’s son, Matt also took over the lead for a few songs that demanded the high-end harmonies that personified The Beach Boys music. Keyboardist Sahanajah also took over lead vocals on “Darlin’” and “I Can Hear Music.” Other members of the brand brought ever-changing layers of exquisite musicianship to the show. The band's musical director, Paul von Mertens played harmonica and saxophone. Multi-instrumentalist Probyn Gregory played an armada of widely varied devices. Rob Bonfiglio took over for the much-missed Nicky Wonder. Drummer Mike D’Amico and percussionist Jim Laspesa kept the backbeat alive. Long-time Beach Boys collaborator, Blondie Chaplin infused a Jimi Hendrix style rock vibe into the show with a three-song appearance. The 68 years old South African looked dapper in a yellow suit, pink shirt, and lapel flower.  Chaplin wailed on guitar while taking over lead vocals on “Feel Flows,”  “Long Promised Road” and “Sail On Sailor.” Chaplin actually recorded the latter during his stint in the Beach Boys back in 1973.

Just like the Zombies opening set, the Brian Wilson set was full of surprises. Thursday’s show included surprise appearances, first from Zombies leaders Rod Argent and Colin Blunstone, who joined Wilson on “God Only Knows.” She & Him’s Zooey Deschanel, and M. Ward snuck onstage unannounced to add background vocals to “Long Promised Road.” The tune was one of several songs from the 1971 “Surf’s Up” album, which made up the bulk of the shows six-song encore. The biggest surprise of the night came when Billy Idol appeared to sing with Wilson. He added his trademark sneering vocals to “Surfin’ U.S.A.” and “Fun, Fun, Fun,” and a rocking version of “Good Vibrations” that had much of the crowd dancing in the aisles.

The show ended with a final moving rendition of In My Room from the 1963 album Surfer Girl. The entire ensemble of musicians gathered around Wilson’s piano for a largely acapella version of the touching song. It was a perfect ending to a night of classic rock.

Friday, September 13th turned out to be a lucky day for thousands of concertgoers as huge crowds gathered all across the Del Mar fairgrounds for the elaborate KAABOO music festival. The opening day of the fifth annual gathering featured a variety of upscale amenities for an affluent crowd of music lovers combined with a diverse musical line up of big-name entertainment. VIP ticket holders were treated to an echelon of upscale perks, including a private music stage and a poolside view of the main stage. The tier of upscale tickets, including the Ultra passes that sold for $20,000, was completely sold out, underlining the draw of KAABOO as one of the most glamorous music festivals in the country. But while the privileged few lounged in various degrees of overindulgence, the vast majority of festival-goers with general admission also enjoyed amenities at the festival. KAABOO provided plenty of bathrooms with real plumbing, while an astounding number of upscale bars and gourmet food stands kept everyone satiated without waiting in long lines. Street entertainers roamed the grounds offering up impromptu performances. A giant air-conditioned building was turned into a glorious respite from the warm summer Sand Diego sun. The building featured an enormous art show and copious amounts of food vendors and bars. Long lines also formed for the air-conditioned venue housing comedy shows featuring some of the biggest names in the stand-up circuit.

But the real reason that so many gathered on a warm sticky Friday was for the astounding musical line up across four stages (plus another one in the VIP area.)

Little Steven and The Disciples of Soul brought their classic New Jersey style, and horn drenched rock to a big crowd braving the afternoon sun. An inductee in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, Little Steven is a member of Bruce Springsteen’s E Street Band. He was also the co-founder of Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes, who are scheduled to play day 2 of KAABOO. The multi-talented singer, songwriter, musician and actor from his band The Disciples of Soul back in the 1980s. The band played blues infused soulful rock mostly from their latest album Summer of Sorcery. The fifteen-piece group appeared as a visual wonder wearing psychedelic clothes and performed with animated showmanship. The Disciples feature a five-piece horn section, drummer, bass player, bongo and percussionist, two keyboard players, three backing singers, and a guitarist. In front of all of this musical mayhem, the charismatic Little Steven led the group through a set drenched in classic American rock.

On the other side of the vast expanse of the festival grounds, REO Speedwagon brought classic rock to the massive Sunset Cliffs stage. It is hard to believe that the group, originally from Illinois was formed way back in 1967, especially since their most significant success came with a string of hits in the 1980s. But these all American rockers still exhibit the vitality of a teenage rock bands, all jokes about growing old aside. The group opened with “Don’t Let Him Go,” a single from the band’s career peak album, 1980’s “High Infidelity.” A huge tightly packed crowd surged towards the stage as the massive speakers brought the music booming across the venue. By the third song, the band launched deep into their catalog of hits like “Keep Pushin,” followed by “In Your Letter.” Lead singer Kevin Cronin’s daughter Holly joined the band to sing a mellow version of “I Can’t Fight This Feeling.” The group ended their set with a cover of the Eddie Money hit, Two Tickets to Paradise, in tribute to Money who had just passed away.

Back over on the smaller BMW Encinitas Trestles Stage, a band founded in the new millennium, Silversun Pick Ups played the raging rock that has made them such a well-known live act. After their rambunctious set, just next door on the Grandview stage, a decidedly different sound was emanating as the a cappella  R&B group Boyz II Men were bringing their hit songs from the 1990s to a large adulate crowd.

Just as the sun began to set casting rays of light through the dusty fairgrounds air, Marren Morris appeared on the appropriately named Sunset Cliffs stage for one of the most engaging sets of the day. The 29-year-old country music singer from Nashville was probably the most relevant headliner on Friday, having produced Grammy-winning hits over the last four years. Morris was one of the top nominees announced for the 2019 edition of the Country Music Association with nominations in six categories. Her set featuring an exquisite back band of rock-infused country music masters was full of masterful blends of music from different genres. Bathed in a magical sunset, Morris set was energetic and inspiring.

As the sun waned and stars began to appear in the sky, a Hip-Hop double bill drew an enormous crowd back to the Grandview stage. Unfortunately, there was no much-hoped-for collaboration between Wu-Tang Clan and Snoop Dog, both celebrating the 25th anniversaries of their debut albums. RZA, Wu-Tang Clan's de facto leader sauntered onstage uncharacteristically early to hype the crowd with the call-and-response of "hip-hop" and "Wu-Tang Forever.” One by one, the members of the New York-based collective took the stage including Ghostface Killah, Raekwon, Method Man, GZA, Inspectah Deck, U-God and YDB, son of deceased Wu-Tang Clan member Ol' Dirty Bastard. An elated crowd pulsed fanatically to the music. Following a short break, the iconic Hip-Hop artist Snoop Dog came out to "Countdown" from his just-released 17th studio album, "I Wanna Thank Me. The charismatic rapper tore through his well-known anthems, inspiring a mass sing-along throughout the set.

The Tennessee based Kings of Leon closed out the Sunset Cliffs stage with a rock-laden set centered around the group’s fourth album, “Only by the Night,” which made the band world-famous. But the night wasn’t over for thousands of the youngest concert-goers. An enthusiastic crowd hung out for the most massive silent disco crowd ever assembled. Meanwhile, Michale Obliwitz’s masterful surf film Heavy Water played on huge screens offering a fitting ending the first day of KAABOO.

The second day of KAABOO Del Mar Festival 2019 began bright and early and quickly heated up in more ways than one. An unusually humid San Diego day enveloped the Del Mar fairgrounds as thousands of music fan beat to stream into the venue. A rock-laden line up greeted them with blazing guitars and thumping rhythms. Southside Johnny and The Asbury Jukes played a searing early afternoon set in much the same vein as Little Steven did the day before. Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes are a Jersey Shore band led by Southside Johnny. The group has been playing and recording rock-infused music since 1976, inspiring a sub-genre of Jersey rock bands, including Bruce Springsteen and The E Street band. Early bird concert-goers braved the sweltering sun to witness some genuine Americana rock.

Local hometown heroes Switchfoot took over the main Sunset Cliffs stage soon after, with an already massive crowd highly packed about them. The band wowed the elated audience fresh off a show in Mexico City. Lead singer Jon Foreman leaped deep into the crowd several times while his young bandmates played maniacally offering up a Southern California rock sound.

The Los Angeles based band Blind Melon followed Southside Johnny on the Trestles stage. The band reformed in 2006 with new lead singer Travis Warren and are working on a 4th studio album. Original lead singer Shannon Hoon infamously passed away from a drug overdose in 1995. The band played in a raw post-punk like vein even encouraging a bit of head banging during their short set.

Many in the crowd packed around the main Sunset Cliffs stage seemed like they were there to stay, following the Switchfoot set and were more than ready when classic rocker Bryan Adams took over. The 59-year-old Canadian rocker has been making hit music since the release of his 1983 album “Cuts Like a Knife.” He opened his set leading his band of veteran rockers with two of his rock hits, “Somebody” and “Kids Want to Rock.” The hit-laden 75-minute set left the vast crowd screaming for more.

The Long Beach band Sublime with Rome brought a hit-laden ska-punk set to emphatic fans who sang and danced along to the well-known tunes. Although original lead singer Bradley Nowell passed away back in 1996, his music lives on in the reformed band. Rome Ramirez does an admirable job in channeling Nowell’s spirit and in some ways the latest incarnation of the band is more musical than the original group.

British rockers Squeeze brought their quirky New Wave sound to the Trestles stage during an elegant sunset performance. The band played their music that was at the forefront of the synth-rock movement back in the late '70s. Lead singer Glen Tillbrook, looking a bit like a Leprechaun in green satin shorts and vest captured the rapt attention of the crowd with a rendition of the band's hits. These included catchy tunes like “Footprints,” “Annie Get Your Gun," and “Tempted.”

Much like the sunset drenched set by Marren Morris the day before on the Sunset Cliffs stage, OneRepublic benighted from the beautiful natural backdrop. The hit-making Colorado band from the new millennium consists of lead vocalist & multi-instrumentalist Ryan Tedder, guitarist Zach Filkins, guitarist Drew Brown, bassist, and cellist Brent Kutzle, drummer Eddie Fisher and keyboardist Brian Willett. They pleased the massive crowd with a high energy set complete with an explosive multi-media backdrop that came to life as the sun went down.

Dave Matthews and his veteran jam band closed out the main stage in a cacophony of jam rock music. In addition to Matthews, the group includes founding members, bassist Stefan Lessard, and drummer and backing vocalist Carter Beauford. They were joined by newer members of the band including Rashawn Ross on trumpet, Jeff Coffin on Saxophone, Tim Reynolds on lead guitar and the newest member of the band Buddy Strong on keyboards. Matthews leads the incredible group like a mad maestro through countless jam laden tunes. The band is famous for playing different sets each night much like Dead and Co. or Phish. Matthews and company have been on an extensive tour this summer, but the band gave their all wowing the biggest crowd of the KAABOO festival 2019 with their jam drenched set. They even included a few covers including a song by Peter Gabriel and one by Steve Miller. As older beaming music fans sauntered out of the venue, many younger fans rushed over to the Grandview stage for the second night of a massive silent disco.

A hot sunny afternoon in Del Mar California greeted a sold-out crowd for the final day of KAABOO 2019. Concert goers took advantage of the copious beverages available and lounged in the air-conditioned art and comedy buildings before braving the searing early afternoon sun. Music fans swarmed the Trestles stage early on despite the hot temperatures to hear the legendary Toots and The Maytals play their traditional Reggae sound. According to various musical historians, the name Reggae first appeared in print to describe the 1968 rocksteady hit "Do the Reggay" by The Maytals. A Reggae historian named Steve Barrow credits Clancy Eccles with altering the Jamaican patois word streggae, which roughly translates to loose woman, into Reggae. Led by the always energetic 77-year-old singer and guitarist Toots Hibberts the band schooled the crowd with their rich traditional sound. The band tore through some of their biggest hits in their short but sweet set. Hibbert dominated the stage, delivering lines like a preacher on such songs as “Do the Reggay,” “Funky Kingston,” “Monkey Man” and “Bam Bam.”

Over on the Grandview stage on the far end of the dance music genre from traditional Reggae, EDM pop stars Cash Cash had a young crowd dancing in the hot sun. The American electronic music group from Roseland, New Jersey consists of three DJs, brothers Jean Paul and Alex Makhlouf, and Samuel Frisch. Back on the Trestles stage another utterly different genre of music by Texas folk-rockers Edie Brickell and The New Bohemians. Brickell and her band played a nostalgic set including songs from their 1988 hit album Shooting Rubberbands at the Stars.

The Revivalists took the Grandview stage as the waning summer sun bathed the band in a bright orange glow. Charismatic lead singer David Shaw led the New Orleans band in a jaw-dropping set that saw Shaw and other members of the group dive into the jubilant crowd repeatedly. The animated band danced their way through guitar-driven riffs with double drummers keeping a thunderous beat. The Reviavlists maybe be one of the best live bands to join the festival circuit in the last few years. The band turned the KAABOO set into a special occasion when they were joined by comedian Bob Saget for a surprise cover of  “My Generation” by The Who. Saget who was part of the extensive comedy line up at the festival, sang the rambunctious song in a duet with Shaw, marking the first time the band has added the song to their setlist. Another surprise came towards the end of the set when the band was joined by keyboardist Patrick Glynn from the neo-soul band Con Brio. Sadly most of the crowd had missed the short 30-minute opening set by the San Francisco sensations Con Brio. But Glynn brought a touch of their soulful sound to the Revivalist's rendition of the tune “Got Love.” The band ended their triumphant set in front of a vast crowd screaming their mass approval to a mash-up of 2Pac’s “California Love” with their song “Wish I Knew You.”

Los Angeles veteran Americana rocker Sheryl Crow played the massive Sunset Cliffs stage, fittingly at sunset in front of a massive crowd of adoring fans. The seasoned performer has been touring on the heels of her latest album “Threads” which she claims will be her last. But with 11 studio albums to her credit, the prolific songwriter had no shortage of material to offer up to her ecstatic fans at KAABOO. As the beaming singer launched into a crowd favorite “All I Wanna Do,” Crow gave a shout out to LA eliciting a roar from many in the audience. The singer pranced across the massive catwalk repeatedly, engaging the crowd and even grabbing a fan's phone to take a selfie from the stage for the mesmerized fan.

As evening fell upon the festival music fans had to choose as to which closing set they would watch on the two giant main stages far apart from each other. Grammy Award-winners Mumford & Sons closed the Sunset Cliffs stage with an incredible performance. The British folk-rockers played a set full of their chart-topping hits to a giant audience. They even did a surprising reimagined cover of Nine Inch Nails’ “Hurt.” But the most magical moment of the festival came when the British New Wave rockers Duran Duran made a rare appearance to help close KAABOO. The show was one of only five destinations on a short summer tour and was full of crowd-pleasing hits. A carefully choreographed multimedia show accompanied each song bringing the band closer to the gigantic crowd that swarmed around them. The iconic group played a full 2-hour set that was pure pop excitement from beginning to end. Charismatic lead singer Simon LeBon preached about the importance of one love and one world, repeating a diatribe he established for the mini-tour. “I don’t care if you love Trump or hate Trump. I don’t care if you are for Brexit or against it.” “We need something to unite us. And music does that brings us together.” The set ended triumphantly with a three-song encore.

The biggest surprise on the final day of KAABOO, however, did not come on the stage. The surprise announcement was made Sunday afternoon in the media tent advising that the festival is moving to Downtown San Diego come 2020, being renamed KAABOO San Diego. The new venue will be the San Diego Padres Petco Park baseball stadium. The move follows the signing of a multi-year agreement by the producers of KAABOO and the San Diego Padres. Many fans of the Del Mar location will lament the move, but it seems the festival has outgrown its current location. No doubt KAABOO San Diego will be a more grandiose undertaking. The new version of the festival will be held in downtown San Diego in and around Petco Park, September 18-20, 2020.

Large crowds gathered early on Friday, September, 27th for the opening day of the fourth annual Ohana Music Festival. The brainchild of Eddie Vedder, the event is a carefully choreographed music and arts festival with a strong environmental message. The venue is located literally on the beach and adjacent park at Doheny Star Beach. The concert grounds and bleachers overlook the historic Doheny surfing break, which may be one of the most tranquil surfing breaks in the world. As concert-goers gathered to listen to the music, a horde of surfers swarmed the break riding long slow waves that looked more like boat wakes than ocean swells. Vedder himself is a capable surfer and has strong ties to the international surfing community. The upscale festival featured two main stages of music that rotated bands, handpicked by Vedder, for most of the day. Besides the diverse line up of music, the festival featured copious amounts of gourmet food booths, food trucks, and beverage booths. A third stage, the Storyteller Stage, featured lectures by various environmental heroes and local historians. Occasionally acoustic acts featuring original songwriters would also appear on the stage. An elaborate silent auction featured signed musical instruments, surfboards, framed photographs, and more. Funds raised benefited San Onofre Parks Foundation and The Doheny State Beach Interpretive Association. Altogether the venue offered up one of the most comfortable and relaxing atmospheres of any outdoor music festival in the country.

The music began in the early afternoon Friday under muggy, overcast skies. The sold-out three-day festival brought more than 45,000 to Doheny, and by the time the first band took the MainStage, there was already a good size crowd gathered. Fontaines D.C., a post-punk rock band from Dublin, Ireland opened the main stage with a fiery guitar drenched rock set. The band is somehow reminiscent of Manchester’s iconic rock group Joy Division. Lead singer Grian Chatten seems to channel the spirit of Ian Curtis, the former singer of Joy Division. The five-piece band played a rambunctious short set that seemed strangely out of place on a warm Doheny beach afternoon. The fiery Irish band looked like they would be more at home in a smoke-filled pub in Dublin playing a midnight set. But one of the things that make the Ohana festival so special is the unlikely grouping of unique and exciting new performers in a setting that may be out of their usual comfort zone. The band which began their interaction as a poetry group played songs from their new album Dogrel, invigorating the early-bird crowd.

By the time local Orange county troubadour took over on the smaller stage, a crowd had gathered there as well to see Dustin Kensrue. Meantime many concert fans lounged on blankets or beach chairs in the back-lawn area, while others took advantage of the large bleachers set up right on the sandy beach. From the top of the bleachers, there was a spectacular view of both stages as well as the Doheny cove and nearby coastline.

Kensrue, the lead singer of the rock band Thrice, brought a folksier vibe to Ohana with a small group of backing musicians. The prolific songwriter has no less than five albums to his credit and played a sampling of his tunes in a short well-received set.

The next performer to take the mainstage reflected the atmosphere of the Ohana festival perfectly. The guru-like Venezuelan-American musician and graphic artist Devendra Banhart fronted a large band of amazingly talented global musicians. Banhart did a great job of carrying mellow vibes during the show, beginning with a Yogi like cal from meditation at the beginning of his set. He repeatedly asked the audience to live in the moment and be aware of their beautiful surroundings. The mellow, happy go lucky nature of Bahnharts music actually downplayed the immense talent gathered on the stage.

As the sun began to poke out of the clouds in the late afternoon and the crowd began to surge, the New York glam rock band Sunflower Bean took over the small stage. Lead vocalist and bassist Julia Cumming brought a retro Blondie like vibe to the music while guitarist Nick Kivlen and drummer Jacob Faber added a distinctive Psychedelic flare. A young crowd pressed tightly to the front of the stage, screaming their approval.

New York crooner LP wowed the crowd with her impeccable vocal skills next on the MainStage while the setting sun bathed her n an orange glow. The indie-rock singer has been making music since the 90’s just under the fickle popstar radar. While she has penned hits for pop stars like The Backstreet Boys, Cher, and Rihanna, her immense talent as a singer is mostly unknown to pop radio audiences. But with a crowd full of loyal fans, the singer proceeded to lead a rock band in one to them out impressive sets of the festival. Singing sometimes in a wail remnant of a young Robert Plant and at others, in a raspy folkie voice, the performer lit up the stage with a riveting performance. No doubt, the set garnered the singer quite a few new fans at the Ohana Festival.

White Reaper, a garage punk band from Louisville, Kentucky, closed out the small stage with a high energy set that sounded right at home in Southern California. Lead singer and guitarist Tony Esposito belted out tunes that sound like surf punk much to the delight of many in the crowd.

As the sun waned and twilight took over the warm night sky, the small stage closed down, and the focus for the rest of the evening was on the MainStage. Australian sensation Tash Sultana played the next set, which was truly stunning. The singer took the stage well aware that many in the crowd were unaware of her music. “Thanks very much, for those who don’t know me. I’m Tash Sultana, and people think I’m a DJ, but I’m not a DJ. It feels really chill out here.” With a modern take on the one-person band persona, the singer and multi-instrumentalist used live loops to create a wall of intriguing sound. Performing original songs like “Mystik," “Free Mind," “Notion," and “Jungle," the barefoot singer pranced about the stage while frequently beaming a wild smile. Few performers seem to have as much fun on the stage as this talented young millennial. The singer samples her sounds as she plays various instruments, including guitar, bass, trumphet, electric violin, flute, and percussions.

After a long intermission, a large crowd packed tightly around the main stage, eagerly anticipating the final set of the night by New York rockers, The Strokes. In keeping with the band's feisty image, the group delayed the set for 15 minutes before making a fiery entry and bringing a high energy all be it short set to the crowd. The band includes guitarists Nick Valensi and Albert Hammond Jr., bassist Nikolai Fraiture, and drummer Fabrizio Moretti and fiesta frontman Julian Casablancas. The group tore through a hit-laden set in short order including, “Someday," “Last Nite," and “Reptilia.”  Halfway through their set, the Strokes surprised the audience bringing Eddie Vedder to the stage for his first collaboration of the festival. Vedder joined the band to play the Strokes’ song “Juicebox," as well as a Pearl Jam tune “Hard to Imagine.” Vedder quipped, “Julian asked if I would join the fellas here,”  as he took the stage. “One of the reasons I accepted was because it would give me the opportunity to thank all the great artists here today, especially the Strokes.”

Vedder also dedicated “Hard to Imagine” to all the activists working to pass stricter gun laws across the nation. “They’ve asked to do a version of this song, and I’d like to dedicate it to all the people in Everytown, Mom’s Demand Action, and Student’s Demand Action, who are working so hard for common-sense gun laws. Respect the right of ownership, but also preserve our right to feel safe in our towns, our communities, our schools, and our homes. We will persevere!” It was a fitting finale to the opening day of the Ohana festival 2019.

The final day of the 2019 Ohana Music Festival greeted a large sold-out crowd with hot sunny beach weather and a stunningly diverse musical line up. The music began early on day three, just afternoon with a short set by Gretta Ray. The young Australian singer-songwriter came from her hometown, Melbourne, Australia. In 2016 she was the winner of the national Triple J Unearthed radio competition for bands and songwriters, and the 2016 Vanda & Young Songwriting Competition, with her song “Drive.” Her expressive vocals and keyboard skills offered an excellent start to a beautiful day.

Gretta Ray was followed on the small stage by New Englander Henry Jamison, who also played a folksy short set of soothing music. The mood changed decidedly when Los Angeles drummer and multi-instrumentalist Jack Irons took the small stage for a solo performance. The founding drummer of the Chili Peppers, as well as the one-time drummer for Pearl Jam, quickly garnered a large audience. Eddie Vedder beaming a huge smile, watched from backstage as the drummer played frantic jazz-rock solos, accompanied by an electronic soundtrack. Performing in front of a mesmerizing multimedia backdrop, the consummate musician wowed the crowd with incredible musicianship. Few drummers match Iron's musical pedigree with contributions to some of the best rock bands over the last four decades. Vedder paid tribute to his former bandmate offering up his first collaboration of the day midway through Iron's set. Josh Klinghoffer, the current guitarist for The Red Hot Chili Peppers, joined Vedder and Irons for a searing cover of Pink Floyd’s “Shine On You Crazy Diamond.”

East L.A. band Las Cafeteras opened the main stage with an upbeat set of Latino inspired rhythms. The Chicano band fuses spoken word and folk music, with traditional Son Jarocho, Afro-Mexican music, and Zapateado dancing. The high energy set full of infectious rhythms had the crowd dancing in the hot afternoon sun. Over on the small stage, Lewis Capaldi took over switching up the beat. Capaldi is a Scottish singer-songwriter. Capaldi achieved global mainstream success throughout 2019 with his international breakthrough single "Someone You Loved.” The singer-guitarist joined by a keyboard player belted out some pleasant folksy tunes. Between songs, he bantered with the audience showing off his witty humor. “Do you like rock,” he quipped. “Well, you probably won’t want to watch this set then pretty mellow, I think.” “What a nice day. We are just two Scottish boys. We never go out in the sun. Look at us,” he joked, pointing to his pale skin. His pleasant vocals won over an attentive crowd.

One of the best sets of the day came next when Lukas Nelson and The Promise of The Real took the main stage. Lukas, son of Willie Nelson, always puts on a high energy show, leading his southern tinged jam band with crisp vocals and intense lead guitar playing. Nelson sang original songs in line with the environmental theme of the festival. These included “Civilized Hell” and “Turn Off The News.” The latter urges parents to turn off the news and take their kids outside to enjoy nature. Halfway through the set, Eddie Vedder came out for his second collaboration of the day. He sang and jammed on guitar with the band during an explosive cover of Neil Young’s “Throw Your Hatred Down.” The Promise of The Real has been Young’s backing band for several years, so it was a fitting cover. The crowd went wild during the extended jam.

Los Angeles based Mt. Joy took over the small stage next. The five-piece band played some high energy alternative rock. They were followed by Nigerian R&B singer Jacob Banks on the MainStage. He infused a mix of Hip Hop and Soul into and R&B mix. Meanwhile, over on the Story Teller stage, former pro surfer and singer-songwriter Tim Curran was offering up a heartfelt acoustic set, of original songs.

Back on the MainStage, Jennifer Lewis brought a distinctive Las Vegas vibe to Ohana, with a Country music inspired set of Americana music. The former member of Rilo Kiley played a flamboyant set fronting a band of seasoned rockers. The singer and multi-instrumentalist brought the Vegas sizzle with a tight-fitting sequenced outfit and oversized sunglasses. As the sun began to set, it painted Lewis in an orange glow, and the crowd began to swell all about the MainStage.

Los Angeles based band Poolside closed the small stage with a brilliant set of neo-disco music. The “Daytime Disco” tunes had an infectious effect on the audience creating dance fever all about the stage.

As twilight fell, Denver based Nathaniel Rateliff and The Night Sweats played a full set of crowd-pleasing tunes. Rateliff led the band sounding a bit like a southern Gospel preacher, amping the crowd to sing and dance along to the music. The band's mix of blues, gospel, and folk resulted in a perfect blend of Americana music. The bands horn section added a whole new dimension to the music creating a symphony of pop sounds.

But there was no question why most of the most massive crowd to grace Ohana festival had gathered. Many fans with Chili Peppers T-shirts had been wilting in front of the stage since the doors opened just afternoon. Many other late arrivals filled the bleachers to capacity. A performance by the Peppers can be an inconsistent event. Depending on the band's mood and where they are on an extended tour, their energy levels and cohesiveness can be erratic. Luckily for fans at the Ohana Festival, their closing set saw the band at the top of their game. Whether it was because the group isn’t currently touring and was playing a well-rested one-off show; or that it was mainly a hometown show in front of fanatic fans and friends, the result was a phenomenal performance. From the moment the band hit the stage, the energy and excitement was full throttle with the four band members giving it their all. The band opened with hit songs like “Can’t Stop” and “Otherside,” which literally launched many into the crowd into a ballistic euphoria, crowd surfing, and surging towards the stage. The band also played some cover songs relevant to the moment, including Neil Young’s “The Needle and the Damage Done,” and a tribute to the The Cars with “Just What I Needed.” Eddie Vedder joined the band onstage for The Cars tune. Sporting a beaming smile, Vedder sang and danced about the stage, sharing the same euphoria as many in the crowd. It was a spectacular end to one of the most interesting and comfortable music festivals to grace the overpopulated world of music festivals.

At one point during his two-plus hour concert on a pristine evening, the last day of summer, Mark Knopfler took some time to banter with the sold-out audience at the Greek Theatre in Los Angeles. “I love playing here. I’ve played here many times. I have often thought about retiring in recent years,” the 70-year-old former lead guitarist and vocalist of Dire Straits shared with the Los Angeles crowd. As a resounding NOOOO emanated from the crowd, Knopfler continued, “But what could be better than this. Maybe I should go on until I just fall off the stool.” For fans and members of his phenomenal 11-piece band, the answer came in a resounding cheer in agreement. Knopfler created hit music with the Blues-rock band Dire Straits for nearly two decades before embarking on a solos career in 1996. The master songwriter produced ten solo albums, including his latest, 2018’s “Down the Road Wherever.” Along the way, Knopfler gathered a group of musicians that evolved into the band The 96er’s. Each of the 11 players is a master musician in his own right, bringing a multidimensional sound with a symphonic quality. Their live shows have become legendary musical interludes.

The four-time Grammy winner and 2018 inductee into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame for his work in Dire Straits, brought a night of hits interspersed with deep cuts of personal material carefully culled from his four-decade career. The show began just after 8 PM on a clear night with bright stars sparkling in the twilight. Knopfler appeared on a brilliantly lit stage opening with several songs from his solo catalog, including “Why Aye Man,” “Corned Beef City,” and “Sailing to Philadelphia.” The crowd responded enthusiastically throughout the set. Then the band turned their attention to Dire Strait's classics when Mike McGoldrick played the familiar opening flute notes and was joined by Tom Walsh’s billowing trumpet for “Once Upon A Time In The West.” The opening track from 1979’s Communiqué album showcased Knopfler’s distinctive guitar riffs as he blasted out the well-known tune. Next came another Dire Straits’ hit “Romeo and Juliet,” from the 1980 album “Making Movies.” Graham Blevins played a haunting saxophone solo during the song. Knopfler then played “My Bacon Roll,” a new track from his latest album.

Later, Knopfler returned to Dire Straits’ material playing “Your Latest Trick” from the 1985 “Brothers in Arms” album. Jim Cox’s brilliant piano playing and Graeme Blevins sax solo blended perfectly with Knopfler’s guitar. Walsh played a haunting trumpet solo on “Postcards From Paraguay.” That was followed by Knopfler sort of rapping his way through the Dire Straits ballad “On Every Street,” the title track from the 1991 album “On Every Street.” The set closed with “Speedway at Nazareth,” Showcasing Knopfler’s guitar wizardry.

The encore began with drummer Ian Thomas, percussionist Danny Cummings, keyboardist Guy Fletcher, and pianist Cox mixing recorded clips from the epic intro to “Money For Nothing.” They were eventually joined by the rest of the band members, as a bright spotlight found Knopfler wailing on his guitar, just as he broke into the well-known lyrics. After a short break, the band returned for a second encore playing an instrumental, “Going Home (Theme of the Local Hero),” from the soundtrack to “Local Hero,” a 1983 comedy-drama film that was one of many films that Knopfler scored. “What could be better than the?”

Check out more photos from the show.

The first Exit 111 Festival debuted on a muggy Friday, October 11. T-shirt weather prevailed as the doors opened just after 1 pm and music fans began to stream in to find spots close to the three stages before the 3 pm start times. The festival took advantage of the Bonnaroo Festival infrastructure, utilizing the two main stages, renaming them the Heaven and Hell stages. One of the tent stages became the third stage at Exit 111. Festival organizers partnered with Rise Above Fest and Suicide Awareness Voices of Education (SAVE) to bring Shaun Morgan’s Rise Above Stage to the venue. Morgan, the South African lead singer of Seether, founded Rise Above Fest in 2012 to raise awareness for suicide prevention and mental illness. The festival’s name drew inspiration from the song “Rise Above This” written by vocalist Morgan, who lost his brother to suicide in 2008. In addition to the stage, there was a tent with merchandise and materials relating to the organization. Seether would eventually play several unscheduled acoustic sets during the three-day festival in the tent.

In addition to the three stages, the festival offered a giant sports bar tent with a beer and whiskey bar, multiple big screen tv's and one giant screen TV.  Sports fans could stay on top of their teams, with numerous live broadcasts being offered. There was also a motorcycle stunt show and a spectacular adult-themed circus, The Paranormal Circus, with several shows a day. The circus offered up a variety of horror-themed gymnastic skits, with scantily clad hard-bodied men and women and but of humor thrown in with a lecherous little person clown that liked to harass the audience. An offshoot of Cirque de Soleil, the aerial acrobatics were astounding, and many stood in line for the free tickets for multiple shows over the three days. Festival fans were also greeted with a fantastic array of gourmet food booths, bars, and food trucks spread all across the expansive festival site and even outside in the campgrounds.

Kyle Shutt, the lead guitarist of the Austin Heavy Metal band The Sword, opened the festival at 4 pm on the Hell stage with his new solo band. Shutt and his bandmates tore through a 45-minute set of guitar drenched hard rock. The main Hell stage opened shortly after with a neo-classic rock set by Nashville's own The Cadillac Three. The young trio keeps the Southern rock torch burning with new songs like “Whiskey and Smoke” and concert favorites like “Down to the River.” Over on the Rise Above stage at the far end of the festival, another young band was keeping classic rock alive.

Bishop Gunn is a 4-piece blues Americana rock and country fusion band from Natchez, Mississippi. Members include Travis McCready, Ben Lewis, Burne Sharpe, and Drew Smithers. Bishop Gunn is more of a Blues-rock focused group and site influenced by artists as diverse as Wilson Pickett and headliners Lynyrd Skynyrd. Lead singer McCready also played a mean harmonica jam much to the delight of a large audience.

The music took a decidedly different direction just before sunset as the first of two of the “Big Four” bands appeared on the main Heaven stage. By the time Anthrax took the main stage, much of the estimated 25,000 concertgoers had arrived and surged towards the front of the stage. They would be followed later by Slayer. Along with Metallica and Megadeth, they are considered the “Big Four.” According to the Urban dictionary, “the reason they are called the Big Four is that they pretty much influenced almost every metal band after them and put thrash metal on the map.” Anthrax delivered an hour of intense head-banging music much to the delight of an enthusiastic crowd, many in Anthrax and Slayer T-shirts. The band opened a nine-song setlist with the appropriately titled “Caught in a Mosh.”

A large mosh pit instantly developed, and crowd surfers began surging towards the stage in massive waves, many in costumes like a Panda Bear and a bearded metal pirate. The band included a cover of Joe Jackson’s “Got the Time,” played in the distinctive Anthrax style. The group finished with "Antitrust" and "Indians," adding in a bit of "Cowboys From Hell," in a tribute to metal icons Pantera. The hour-long set left fans screaming for more, but they were placated by the fact that Slayer would follow.

Slayer billed their performance as their final show in Tennessee. Slayer and Anthrax are cut from the same cloth, and they're larger than life band members are icons of Thrash metal and heroes to a generation of hardcore music lovers. By the time Slayer took the stage for their 830 sets, the evening had fallen into a drizzly damp night. But it didn’t dampen the excitement in the crowd as an army of security guards at the front of the stage looked on nervously. As soon as Slayer played their first notes, a sea of crowd surfers made the security guards concerns a reality. The band tore through 16 songs in their 75 minutes “Final Work Tour Set.” As the audience surged in waves towards the stage, a steamy fog rose off the sweaty mass in the moist night air. The fearsome foursome onstage kicked off with "Repentless," tearing through its library, including crowd-pleasers like "War Ensemble," "Payback," and their signature song "Raining Blood." Lead singer and bassist Tom Araya addressed the elated crowd, "This is our last festival date show, period,” he exclaimed, "So this is a special evening for us.”

In between the two Thrash metal titans sets another iconic guitar player from a slightly different metal genre, closed out the Hell stage. Zakk Wylde brought his head-banging heavy metal band Black Label Society to the festival. The go-to guitarist for decades for Ozzie Osbourne’s solo band, the singer-guitarist, is well known in the metal universe. Wylde formed Black Label Society in Los Angeles, California back in 1998. Since its inception, the band has released ten albums and seen over a dozen different lineups. But it is Wylde's maniacal guitar playing in full long-haired head-banging mode that most excites his fans. The band played well-known tunes like "Stillborn" and "Concrete Jungle" during an hour-long set that delighted the crowd.

Meanwhile, Seether was busy closing out their curated Rise Above stage with an intense 75-minute set of alternative rock. Seether is a South African rock band founded in May 1999 in South Africa. The group moved to the US and have had mainstream success since 2002 when they released their first hit single “Fine Again.” A large crowd packed the front of the stage, including a large number of young female fans who seemed to regard the band as their highlight of the day. Fans were not disappointed with a raid fire 14 song setlist, including the band's most well-known songs.

Back on the main stage, light rain and cooler temperatures did not dissuade a giant crowd from gathering for the closing set by southern rock icons, Lynyrd Skynyrd. The continuity of the Exit 111 concept was displayed on the first day with an array of classic rock, heavy metal, and new metal all meshing perfectly. Mosh pits and crowd surfers were replaced with clapping, dancing southern rock fans as the band took the stage. Shortly into their set lead singer Johnny Van Zant addressed the crowd. “Some of the members of the band weren’t sure about playing a heavy metal festival.” “But hell, we love heavy metal.” That exhibited a massive roar from an adulating crowd dancing to a hit-laden 14 song setlist.

Although the only remaining original member is guitarist Gary Rossington, the nine-member band has made the classic music their own over the decades, keeping the hits alive. Van Zant channels the spirit of his brother Ronnie, the original lead vocalist, well. It is hard to believe that the original band created so much hit music in less than five years before the fateful plane crash in 1977 that ended the original band. But the timeless tunes sounded awesome reinterpreted by the current lineup. The group is currently on what they have billed as “Last of the Street Survivors Farewell Tour,” and plan to return to the studio to make a final album after the tour. Originally this was scheduled to be their last live show ever, but we will wait to see how that plays out.

The 90-minute set included a massive multimedia extravaganza including many stirring videos and photomontages of the former band members and their families who have passed away over the years. It was a fitting end to a unique first-year festival that, in some ways, channeled the spirit of Bonnaroo, just in a different manifestation. As many in the crowd head back into the damp night air towards their campsites and motor homes, beaming smiles summed up the consensus on how day 1 played out.

Day 2 of the first annual Exit 111 Festival in Manchester Tennessee turned bright and sunny after a chilly drizzly morning. By the time the music began just before 1 pm, warm sunshine had begun to bathe the venue, offering a comfortable backdrop to the longest day of the three-day event. The sports bar had been open since 9 am and was filled with passionate alcohol-infused fans cheering on their various teams. The paranormal circus was such a massive hit that all the tickets for all remaining performances had been given away.

Graveyard from Gothenberg Sweden brought an international metal flair to the festival early in the afternoon on the Hell stage. Their heavy metal blues-drenched set included singles from their latest album Peace (“Please Don’t”) and popular tunes from their catalog, including “Birds of Paradise” and “Uncomfortably Numb.” Lead singer and guitarist Joakim Nilsson evoked memories of classic Blues rock singers from the '60s, while the band played a full metal jacket background. California rockers Fever 333 brought a much different sound to the main Heaven stage in the early afternoon. The young trio has garnered a considerable following in just two short years of live performances. The trio consists of former Letlive vocalist Jason Aalon Butler, former The Chariot guitarist Stephen Harrison, and Night Verses drummer Aric Improta. The band relies on recorded bass tracks. While Harrison and Improta played maniacally, lead singer Butler leaped about like a possessed madman. The group is the undisputed heir to Rage Against The Machine in both style and substance. Butlers' lyrics are geared towards social equality and activism of the underclass. The singer bantered with the audience almost politely on Saturday, offering up a dedication to the armed forces with a slight reference to all the people of color serving. The message was similar to one that Lynyrd Skyknrd had offered up in tribute to service persons the night before. But it was a toned-down Butler who has been known to rant fearlessly but social inequality in America in more urban settings. Whether the crowd at Exit 111 was absorbing the message or not, fans of the band went wild, crowd surfing and moshing en masse. Much of the time, Butler looked like a pro baseball player sliding into home play as he skidded across the front stage runway repeatedly. The band managed to cram a dozen original songs into an intense hour-long set that lead the crowd screaming for more.

On the third Rise Above stage, another California band was bringing a different genre of rock to the audience. The Los Angeles band formed in 2003 featured singer-guitarists Emily Armstrong and Siouxsie Medley, drummer Sean Friday, and Bassist Chris Null. Dead Sara sweltered in the direct afternoon sun as technical issues delayed the start of the set. But once the group broke into their short set, the sun-bleached band and the crowding front of them came alive. The post-punk band exuded explosive energy, playing a ten-song set ending with a cover of Rage Against The Machine’s 'Sleep Now in the Fire.” The band returned for an encore of their most famous hit, “Weatherman.” Just across the field, Shaun Morgan and Corey Lowery from Seether were playing the first of several impromptu acoustic sets, delighting surprised fans.

Back on the main Heaven stage, Austin hard rockers Nothing More began a triumphant set just after 5 pm.  After touring relentlessly over the last two decades, the band has recently come into the forefront of the heavy metal festival circuit. Their recent success is fueled mainly by the antics of former drummer turned animated lead singer Jonny Hawkins. Much like Fever 333’s lead singer. Hawkins leaped about the stage as a man possessed. His antics included licking a camera man's lens much to the delight of surrounding photographers and climbing his various contraptions created by the band. These include "The Scorpion Tail,” a mechanical structure built out of scrap metal and salvaged auto parts, weighing over 400 pounds and measuring 14 feet tall, looking much like its namesake. Hawkins rides the structure like a giant horse, while also using it to create digital electronic effects and percussions. The band tore through a 12 song setlist, including a cover of a Skrillex tune “First of the Year (Equinox). Other songs in the set included tracks from their new album “The Stories We Tell Ourselves” including “Let’s Go To War” and “Don’t Stop.” Nothing More is in the middle of a nearly non-stop national tour that may bring them their greatest success yet.

As the sun began to set and a chill began to form in the air, Blackberry Smoke took the Rise Above stage in front of a large crowd gathering for the final sets of classic rock, all scheduled on the same stage. Although the Altlanta group has been together for almost 20 years, they are one of the youngest bands to be the heirs apparent to the Southern Rock legacy. Channeling the genre from band like The Allman Brothers to Lynyrd Skynyrd, the group has made a name for themselves on the festival circuit and is also highly respected in jam band circles. One of Greg Allman’s last recordings was as a guest artist on the bands 2016 “Like an Arrow” album.  An older crowd assembled in front of the stage for the performance and spread out across the vast green field in chairs and on blankets. There are no weak links in this five-piece group of veteran rockers. The lineup consists of Charlie Starr (lead vocals, guitar), Richard Turner (bass, vocals), Brit Turner (drums), Paul Jackson (guitar, vocals), and Brandon Still (keyboards). An energetic Starr led the band in a pure rock onslaught with a well-received southern tinge. Keyboardist Still took the spotlight when the band played a Led Zeppelin cover woven into the middle of the band’s own song, “Sleeping Dogs”. The band played songs from their six studio albums, including “Six Ways to Sunday,” “Rock and Roll Again,” and “One Horse Town.” They also played a guitar drenched cover of the Beatles’ “Come Together.”

Back on the main Heaven stage, as evening fell and concert-goers fueled by whiskey shots and gourmet food pushed towards the front packing tightly together, Gojira took over. The French heavy metal band brought another European flair to the festival and wowed the crowd with ear-shattering music, growling vocals, and pyrotechnics. Lead vocalist and guitarist Vocalist Joe Duplantier growled in his distinctive vocal style. The band played so loudly it felt as though the people in the front were having their internal organs eviscerated by sound waves. The band played in a maze of lights, fog, and explosive pyrotechnics. The singer's brother played drums maniacally. Lead guitarist Christian Andreu, and bassist Jean-Michel Labadie rounded out the fearsome foursome. The band has been together since 1996 but has recently garnered new popularity in the US after relentless touring. The group took advantage of the early darkness to create a multimedia extravaganza during their 11-song set.

Most everyone who watched the Blackberry Smoke set on the Rise Above stage held their ground for the next set by classic rockers Cheap Trick. By the time the animated band took the stage, the crowd had surged filling the whole surrounding field. Cheap Trick exploded on stage, opening with their hit song “Hello There.” The Rock and Roll Hall of Famers produced chart-topping hits through two decades in the 1970s and '80s, selling over 20 million records. The band, which has played more than 5000 shows, is known for its animated live performances and rock star onstage antics. The current tour features three of the four original members including, singer-guitarist  Robin Zander, guitarist Rick Nielsen, and bassist Tom Petersson.  Charismatic lead singer Zander pranced about the stage in a sailing captain's hat, nailing the vocals and making contact with much of the audience in the front of the venue. The band mixed up the setlist, with several older deep cuts and a couple of newer songs added to the hit-laden mix. While Zander pranced about, guitar extraordinaire Nielsen played searing guitar riffs on multiple guitars while beaming wildly. The eccentric musician is on the top of many all-time best rock guitarists lists and plays an array of custom guitars, including the box-shaped Rockford Hamer and his signature multi necked guitar. The band jammed a couple of their well-known tunes showing their musical prowess, going far beyond the confines of the pop hits basic structures. The chemistry between Zander and Nielsen was undeniable, especially when they played some of the band’s biggest hits like “I Want You to Want Me” and “Dream Police.” Bassist Petersson got a chance to take the lead singing a cover of The Velvet Underground’s “I’m Waiting for the Man,” and playing a heart-thumping bass jam. By the time the group ended their set with hit songs “Surrender” and “Goodnight Now,” most everyone at the Rise Against stage was on their feet singing and dancing along to the well-known tunes.

One of the most anticipated bands of the second day of the festival appeared next on the main Heaven stage. The vast field swelled with spectators many laying out on blankets eager to see one of the most theatrical new Heavy Metal bands, Ghost. The Swedish band, which won the 2016 Grammy award for “Best Metal Performance” is the brainchild of lead singer Tobias Forge. The maniacal performer takes on the persona of masked demonic characters for each of his tours. His current persona is “Cardinal Copia.” The hard-rocking band is made up of what are called 'Nameless Ghouls’ who also wear demonic masks. Forge has mentioned in interviews that he was a big fan of the spectacular multimedia productions of Pink Floyd and uses them as an inspiration for his mind-bending stage production. The stage was set to emulate a giant cathedral, complete with an altar and a well-utilized runway, the same one that Fever 333’s and Nothing More’s singers utilized so well. Forge, and his bandmates took turns using it as well to dive deep into the audience with their maniacal metal stage presence. The band played some of their most well-known songs, including Grammy-winning “Cirice," "Rats," “Mummy Dust,” and closed the show with “Square Hammer.” Forge’s controversial, Satanic lyrics are anything but obscure on songs like “Marry on a Cross.” The show was terrifying and awe-inspiring at the same time.

The classic rock crowd over at the Rise Against stage just kept growing as drooping temperatures had the large crowd huddling in blankets and jackets to stay warm. By the time ZZ Top took the stage for their closing set, the crowd had stretched as far as the eye could see in all directions. The Texas blues-rock icons are in the middle of their 50th-anniversary tour, and for many older rock music fans, this was obviously the highlight of the day for them. The sound boomed all across the festival grounds attracting an even more massive crowd. Unfortunately, lead singer and guitarist Billy Gibbons struggled with vocals throughout the set sounding like he might be under the weather or just exhausted from the current tour. But fans of the band didn’t seem to care as the trio played the familiar riffs flawlessly and bassist Dusty Hill and drummer Frank Beard filled in on vocals when necessary. The iconic trio more than made up with their stoic stage presence with precision musicianship on the band's biggest hits. The band opened with their signature Blues-rock masterpiece “Got Me Under Pressure.” Guitarist Billy Gibbons, Bassist Dusty Hill & Drummer Frank Beard mixed up their setlist to include their top hits like “Gimme All Your Lovin” interspersed with their bluesier tunes like “Jesus Just Left Chicago.” Hit songs like “Pearl Necklace,” “I’m Bad, I’m Nationwide,” and “My Head’s In Mississippi” had the crowd on their feet for most of the show. The set ended with crowd-pleasing hits, including “Sharp Dressed Man” and “Legs,” the latter complete with furry spinning guitars.

The Hell stage closed out with a heavy metal set by Atlanta Georgia rockers, Mastadon. The band which formed just before the new millennium has honed their skills with relentless touring, including being staples on the festival circuit. Each member of the group took a turn as lead vocalist with drummer Brann Drailor and guitarist Brent Hines doing the heavy lifting. The playlist included songs from all seven albums. The foursome played an hour-long 15 song set including “The Motherload," “Megalodon," “Crystal Kingdom," and ending with “Blood and Thunder.”

Temperatures began to drop racially by the time headliners Def Leppard to the main stage. Over the 90-minute set, the cold crept in until the thermometer started to fall into the '30s. Whiskey, smoke, beer, and blankets became the most precious commodities. The English rockers have sold over 100 million records since they formed in 1977 and were one of the first hair bands to break big on MTV back in the early 80’s. Since 1992 the bands line up has featured lead vocalist Joe Elliott, lead guitarist Phil Collen, bassist Rick Savage, guitarist Vivian Campbell, and legendary one-armed drummer Rick Allen. The band played their biggest sing-along hits that are still played in dance clubs today including, “Animal," “Too Late For Love," “Hysteria," and “Pour Some Sugar On Me.” The show featured a massive multimedia extravaganza, including an homage to Las Vegas, where the band is about to take up residence with a nightly show on the strip. Vintage footage also honored the group's early days, including former guitarist Steve Clark who passed away in 1991. The band ended their set with two of their biggest hits, “Rock of Ages” and “Photograph.” It was a testament to the band's allure that so many in the crowd braved freezing temperatures until the end of the set.

Concert goers slowly emerged from their tents and motorhomes for the final day of the Exit 111 Festival after near-freezing temperatures engulfed the Great Stage Park in Manchester the night before. The coffee truck in the campgrounds was the most popular place to hang out int the morning, but by the time the music got underway just after noon, the area warmed to a spectacularly sunny Sunday afternoon.

California neo-punk band Plague Vendor played an early afternoon set on the Hell stage as a curious crowd began to gather. Festivalgoers, many unfamiliar with the band's music gathered in small groups across the vast field to give the band a listen. But lead singer Brandon Blaine was having none of that passive listening. The singer stopped the music and addressed the crowd aggressively, asking them to come up close and get involved. Many in the crowd sheepishly acquiesced and packed tightly in front of the stage. Then as the band, including guitarist Jay Rogers, bassist Michael Perez, and drummer Luke Perine launched into an aggressive beat, Perez ripped off his shirt and dove into the audience, crowd surfing for nearly the entire song as he sang the punchy lyrics. It was a testament to the power of this young band to take control of the opening set and making the most of it. The group was followed on the main Heaven stage by another southern California band, Thrice. The post-hardcore rockers represented a different generation then Plague Vendor, having formed back before the new millennium. But the bands played with similar intensity much to the delight of the early crowd.

Yet another Southern California band took over the Hell stage next. Dirty Honey, an American rock band from Los Angeles that is currently made up of singer Marc Labelle, guitarist John Notto, bassist Justin Smolian, and drummer Corey Coverstone. The band cites Led Zeppelin as one of their biggest influences and perform in a very classic rock style. Labelle has a compelling stage presence, not unlike that of Jay Buchanan, the lead singer of Long Beach-based blues rockers the Rival Sons. The band played a hard-rocking 45-minute set that included songs “Scars," “Heartbreaker," “When I’m Gone," and their recent single “Rolling 7s”.

By the time the Orlando based Alter Bridge played the main Heaven stage in the mid-afternoon, a large crowd had gathered that would only grow more massive for the remainder of the festival. Alter Bridge formed in 2004 with a lineup that included lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist Myles Kennedy, lead guitarist and backing vocalist Mark Tremonti, bassist Brian Marshall, and drummer Scott Phillips. Marshall and Phillips put the group together after their former group Creed, disbanded. The band played fiercely much to the delight of the crowd. Kennedy has been touring relentlessly with several bands over the last few years, including the Conspirators featuring Slash. Many in the crowd may have been hoping that Slash would drop in for a jam during the hour-long set, seeing that Guns n Roses would be closing out the stage later that night. But the band did just fine without him. The group is currently on tour supporting the release of their sixth studio album, “Walk The Sky,” which was just released on October 18, 2019. The band played new music from the album, including “Wouldn’t You Rather” and “Pay No Mind.” The band also played some of their past hits, including “Isolation,” “Rise Today,” “Blackbird," and “Metalingus.”

Over on the Rise Against stage veteran Christian heavy metal band Skillet, from Memphis played an astounding set, which included lead singer and bassist John Cooper spraying the crowd with a dry ice fog cannon. Female drummer Jen Ledger played raging rhythms while singing wildly.  Lead guitarist Korey Cooper played heavy riffs while prancing about the stage with her guitar. The band tore through their catalog of ten albums, opening with the well-known “Feel Invincible.” The set also included “Whispers in the Dark,” that had fans in the crowd shouting the chorus.  Two songs from the concept album Rise followed, “Back From the Dead” and “Awake and Alive.”

Most of the crowd back in front of the main Heaven stage seemed to be in place for the duration of the night as the Northern California veterans of Chicano heavy metal the Deftones took the stage. Once known for their ear-shattering volume, the band member are masters of creating a mosh pit and crowd surfing frenzy.  Screamo lead singer Chino Moreno and his band drew heavily from the past with a setlist including “Rocket Skates,” Knife Party” and “Diamond Eyes.” The group closed the set with a headbanging “Headup.”

Just after dark industrial metal pioneers, Ministry brought a whole new vibe to the festival. The band is the brainchild of charismatic lead singer Al Jourgensen and has come a long way since he started the group as an 80’s synth band. The group no longer plays the campy 80’s hit “Everyday Is Halloween,” preferring to lay down hardcore metal riffs.  The band drew heavily from the 1988 masterpiece album “The Land of Rape and Honey,” opening with “The Missing.” While Jourgensen and the band flailed about on a darkened strobe-lit stage, video clips of riots were projected on the large screen backdrop along with photos of Hitler morphing into President Trump. The group played two more songs from the 1988 classic album, “Deity," and “Stigmata." The band threw in an intense cover of the Black Sabbath song “Supernaut.” The crowd went wild when the band launched into two well-known tunes “Just One Fix” and the following track “N.W.O.” Ministry continued to send the crowd into a crowd-surfing frenzy with another well-known tune “Thieves” before ending their set with “So What.”

As temperatures began to drop just after dark many in the massive crowd huddled about the main Heaven stage wondering whether headliners Guns N' Roses would play the full three hour set as advertised. Almost on cue, the band arrived 30 minutes late for their set time, a relatively average delay for the feisty group on the latest leg of their “Not in this Lifetime tour.” But fans of the band didn’t have to worry because the band not only made up for their tardiness with an extended set but added an extra fifteen minutes coming in with an astounding three hour and fifteen-minute performance in the cold night air. The band has been on their comeback tour for over four years and according to Forbes magazine, had already made $560 million by last year, grossing an average of $3.7 million a concert. For that kind of money, expectations for a live show seem nearly impossible to fulfill. But the band closed the Exit 111 tour like they had just begun a fresh new tour. Slash may arguably be the best living rock guitarist and managed to lead his bandmates on an extended jam of almost every song on the extensive setlist. At first glance, it seemed that lead singer Axl Rose might have been lip-synching with the giant video screens appearing a bit out of synch. But for the lucky fans squeezing close to the stage to see the singer up close, it was apparent that Rose was indeed singing every note with his trademark wailing voice for the entire extended set.

The 25 song setlist, which included three encores, lasted late into the night. Rose seemed in unusually good spirits frequently bantering with the crowd. "You buncha frostbitten (f—-s),” Rose exclaimed midway through the show. The band reached deep into their catalog to play their biggest hits like “Sweet Child O’ Mine," “Welcome to the Jungle," “It’s So Easy," “Mr. Brownstone," “Rocket Queen," and “November Rain.” They also played a fantastic array of cover tunes many of which they have recorded including, “Slither” by Velvet Revolver, “Black Hole Sun” by Soundgarden, “Knocking on Heaven’s Door” by Bob Dylan, “Attitude,” by the Misfits, “The Seeker” by The Who and an explosive take on “Live and Let Die” by Paul McCartney’s Wings. The three-song encore ended with a fireworks show that warmed the chilly crowd during the closing crowd-pleaser “Paradise City.” It was an impressive finish to hopefully what will be the first of many Exit 111 festivals.

Well, dressed music lovers gathered early, even before the doors opened, on a sleepy November night at the ornate Saban Theater in the heart of Beverly Hills. The occasion was a much-anticipated sold-out performance by Canadian guitarist extraordinaire Jesse Cook on his “Follow The Road Tour." The singer, guitarist, composer, and producer has been named one of the most influential figures in "nuevo flamenco” music. But the talented maestro led his band through two sets of music that employed all sorts of world music influences, not confined to any specific genre. Cook and his veteran backing quartet sound a bit like Leo Kottke meets Mahavishnu Orchestra and pretty much any guitar-driven sound in between the two.

The charismatic Cook frequently bantered with the crowd and seemed genuinely delighted to be playing the Saban. When he first sauntered onstage, he thanked the crowd for inviting him back to the majestic venue and noted there were a good deal more people in the audience for this performance. For those not familiar with the world of Canadian Smooth Jazz, Cook is a three-time winner of the Canadian Smooth Jazz Award and has been reducing his unique take on world music sounds since 1995. The set included older tunes. Cook mentioned on this tour that he is celebrating the 25th anniversary of his first studio album, Tempest, and he included the title cut, “Cascada," and another tune “Baghdad” from the album.

The evening featured some of his fan-favorite songs stretched across the two-set performance including, “Luna Lena,” “Cafe Mocha,” “Havana,” To Your Shore,” “Wed Ngt at Etric’s,” “Luna Llena,” “On Walks The Ngt,” “Once,” the magnificent “Viva,” “Cafe Mocha,” “Shake,” “Cascada,” “Switchback,” and “Bogota By Bus.”  Cook ended the second set with a well-known tune. The mostly elderly audience finally jumped to their feet for a little dancing during the high energy “Rumba Medley.” After an extended standing ovation, Cook then played a three-song encore, including “Mario,” “Fall At Your Feet," and “Early On Tuesday," leaving and elated audience to shout their approval. No doubt, the prodigious performer will return to the Saban sooner than later for another unpredictably fabulous performance.

Each year an armada of musicians, manufacturers, DJ’s and music lovers descends on Anaheim, California, for the annual NAMM show. The January trade show features a dizzying array of new equipment and a plethora of private and public concerts at nearby venues. But the most impressive bash each year has to be the “Gibson Live At The Grove: Featuring Music Legends New Icons.” The company takes over the 1700 seat City National Grove of Anaheim and converts it into a giant lounge with tables for 1200 guests. The lucky invitees are treated to a full unrestricted open bar for 6 hours, a sumptuous multi-station buffet, and three hours of sheer guitar ecstasy.

The onstage festivities this year opened with a few riffs on the guitar by actor John Stamos who introduced Gibson President and CEO James “JC” Curleigh. After a short introduction, a unique three-hour jam session ensued. The show opened with a stunning jam of the Robert Johnson classic, “Crossroads,” featuring half a dozen guitar prodigies from the  Gibson Generation Group (G3) class of 2020. G3 is Gibson’s two-year mentoring program for new generations of guitar players. According to Gibson, “G3 members are endorsed by Gibson Brands and showcased across Gibson’s channels, reaching hundreds of millions of viewers globally.” The young musicians were joined by a house band featuring Jimmy Vivino (guitar), Kenny Aronoff (drums), Darryl Jones (bass), and Jeff Young (keyboards). Vivino, who is best known as the bandleader of the house band on the Conan O’Brien show, is one of the most prolific live blues guitar players in southern California, showing up at countless jam sessions. Vivino and the backing band would remain on the stage playing the entire three-hour set. Guest keyboardist Mark Flanigan did take over for several ZZ Top covers. The young guitarists from across the globe each played impressive solos during the opening jam, but one particularly young musician stood out. Ten-year-old Jayden Tatasciore from Perth Australia seemed to channel Angus Young perfectly. The boys were joined by young singer-guitarist Emily Wolfe, on lead vocal duties.

The second jam featured another half dozen young guitarist from G3 shredding on the tune “One Way Out,” with Wolfe again on lead vocal duties. Singer and guitarist Ally Venable took over singing duties on the next song “Backwater Blues,” backed by the house band. The music took another turn on the next jam when singer and guitarist Tash Neal from the New York duo London Souls led the house band on a stirring cover of the CSNY tune, “Ohio.”

The music took a hard rock turn on the next jam when Jared James Nichols took the stage and led the house band in a cover of the Mountain classic “Mississippi Queen.” Nichols, an American blues-rock guitarist, and singer from East Troy, Wisconsin. He is best known for his 'pick-less' electric guitar playing technique. Nichols shared the stage for the next tune with young English guitar phenom Toby Lee. The young guitarist became a global sensation after playing guitar at BB King's blues club in 2015 when he was ten years old. The pair traded riffs on the Howlin' Wolf tune “Killing Floor.”

Blues singer Celisse brought another flavor of guitar drenched music to the next tune, “Get There,” which is one of her own. Jam band fans may know the talented musician from her work with Trey Anastasio and his side project “Ghosts of The Forests.” The bluesy guitarist also created a stir recently during an appearance on the SNL television show joining pop sensation Lizzo for a spirited live performance.

The sound turned back to classic rock on the next jam featuring the Bowie classic “Rebel Rebel.” The set featured a very animated Richard Ian Faulkner on guitar. The English musician is best known as one of the lead guitarists for the heavy metal band Judas Priest, since 2011. Lead vocal duties were taken over by Burton Bell. The hardcore singer and guitarist is best known as the frontman for the band Fear Factory, but he has also been involved in numerous other heavy metal projects.

The flamboyant Faulkner stuck around for the next tune to back up Heavy Metal singer-guitarist Lzzy Hale. She is most well known as the lead singer and rhythm guitarist of the American hard rock band Halestorm, which she co-founded with her brother Arejay Hale in 1997 in Pennsylvania.  Joe Hottinger, the lead guitarist of Halestorm, also joined in on an ear-piercing rendition of the band's original tune, “I miss Misery.” Bassist Chuck Garric, most recently from the Alice Cooper band, also joined the jam.

In yet another musical direction, the next jam featured guitar legend Elliot Easton formerly of The Cars, joining with Vivino to offer up a guitar duet on the Tito Puente tune made famous by Santana, “Oye Como Va.” The current lead singer for the Santana band, Andy Vargas, took over lead vocal duties. The pair stuck around for yet another cover, this time of the Los Lobos tune, “La Bamba.”

Former Eagles guitarist Don Felder appeared next, singing and playing guitar on a cover of the Stevie Ray Vaughan tune “Pride and Joy.”  The satiated crowd at the venue bolted to their feet from their tables for the next song by Felder when Slash joined him. The iconic guitarist is arguably the best living rock guitarist on the planet and has probably played more impromptu jams and benefits than any other performer. Slash is one of the premier ambassadors for Gibson guitarists. Felder strapped on a double-neck guitar and led a wailing version of the Eagles classic tune he helped pen, “Hotel California.” Slash stuck around to lead another guitar onslaught on the next tune, a cover of the Aerosmith tune, “Last Child.” Tash Neal and Jared James Nichols returned to the stage for the jam as well. They were joined by the young singer Marc Labelle from the Los Angeles retro rock band Dirty Honey. By this time, the well-oiled crowd was in a euphoric dancing frenzy.

But the elevated mood in the venue was about to reach an even higher level as Slash stayed for a third jam and was joined by another truly iconic guitarist, Billy Gibbons of ZZ Top fame. With Flanigan joining the band on keyboards, the pair led a sizzling rendition of the ZZ Top classics “Waitin On The Bus,” followed by “Jesus Just Left Chicago.” Slash joined a fifth jam featuring a young Sugarmill Slim, whose real name is Anders Lasource, playing a steamy harmonica on the Rolling Stones classic “Midnight Rambler.”

Another big surprise came next when the lead singer Robin Zander and lead guitarist Rick Nielsen of the classic rock band Cheap Trick took over the stage, joining Slash for a jam of their hit song “Big Eyes.” The group was then joined by Gibbons, returning to the stage to play another ZZ Top classic, “Tush.”

The finale featured a cover of the Led Zeppelin classic “Whole Lotta Love,” which featured Slash, Zander and Nielsen joined by Lzzy Hale. Zander also shared lead singer duties with Labelle mid-way through the song. In the end, almost every performer of the night crowded onto the stage, emphasizing just how much talent had been presented during the night. It was a unique gathering of generations of many of the best rock guitarists in the world.

One of Santa Barbara’s most successful homegrown bands returned to touring, playing the first of two sold-out nights at the historic Lobero Theater on January 30th. Toad the Wet Sprocket's show was packed with family, friends, and local fans of the band resulting in a sea of shoutouts throughout the evening.

Toad began their career as a band while still in high school. By 1987 the young teens were a local staple on the live band circuit, playing adult establishments like the iconic 1980’s Santa Barbara dance club, Zelo, and Pat’s Grass Shack in Goleta. The original group featured singer-songwriter-guitarist Glen Phillips, guitarist-songwriter Todd Nichols, drummer Randy Guss, and bassist Dean Dinning. Guss left the band in 2017 and was replaced by drummer Josh Daubin. The group became nationally known in the early '90s with a melodic sound akin to REM during a time when hard rock grunge was dominating the music scene. They had great success on the radio with singles that included "Walk on the Ocean," "All I Want," "Something's Always Wrong," "Fall Down," and "Good Intentions." By the end of the decade the group broke up to pursue solo projects, but periodically got back together for various events and reunited as a full-time band again in 2010.

The evening began with a nostalgic set by the Woodburning Project, a local band from the same genre and time as Toad. The band's lead singer joked that their last gigs before the Lobero show were on July 4, 1995, six weeks before the release of Windows 95, making them "a band from the DOS era." But the band has found a renewal of interest, thanks to some old reels of tape that they found and restored, currently available on Bandcamp. The band has also added a cello player giving their sound a rich new jazz-like layer. The group had many fans in the audience cheering each song in their opening set.

After an extended break with music fans enjoying local wine and beer on the veranda, lead singer Glen Phillips welcomed the crowd back inside for the headline set by Toad. Phillips has had a successful solo career as a singer-songwriter and acoustic guitar player. His vocal abilities shined throughout the mostly nostalgic set, which was likely the soundtrack to many in the audience during their high school and college years. The group played songs from their entire catalog, from 1989's "One Little Girl" to tracks from their most recent album, 2013's "New Constellation.” The band played their biggest hits such as "All I Want," "Good Intentions," and the main set finale, "Fall Down." The encore featured a pair of hits “Something's Always Wrong" and "Walk on the Ocean.”

For fans of the band who missed the show will have another chance to see them live this summer when they tour with the Barenaked Ladies and the Gin Blossoms. The national tour will make several stops in southern California, including the Greek theater in Los Angeles on June 12 and the beautiful Vina Robles Amphitheater in Paso Robles on June 14. The band will also be playing the prestigious Beale Street music festival in Memphis in May. Oprah Magazine recently named the event as one of their favorite festivals.

On a cold, sleepy midweek night in February, two of the country’s best jam bands descended on the Fremont Theater in San Luis Obispo. Pigeons Playing Ping Pong and the growing like wildfire Goose were on an extended tour that included two sold-out nights at the legendary Troubadour club in Los Angeles, just a few nights before. A pair of Seattle fans that had been following the band across the southwest for the previous seven shows were pleasantly surprised to find a half-full venue at this stop in the rural college town of SLO.

The crowd comprised mostly of college students, farmers and fishermen more than made up for their small numbers, with their enthusiastic embrace of the bands at the venue. The old historic theater still shows movies on occasion but has become mainly a performance hall for groups from a variety of musical genres. The place is a hidden gem on the sparsely populated Central California coast, with ticket prices costing a fraction of similar venues in the densely populated south coast areas. The theater converted the front third of the building into a standing-room area perfect for dance entranced fans. Plush old movie seats filled the remaining two thirds, strategically placed on an incline offering a great view from every seat. Local beer and wine can be purchased along with popcorn and candy at the snack bar.

Much of the crowd arrived early to catch the opening set by the Goose, a quartet from Norwalk, CT. The band, along with headliners Pigeons Playing Ping Pong, are part of a new wave of jam bands, unlike those that emulate the legacy of the Grateful Dead or Phish. These bands seemed to be rooted in a more jazz-like tradition of rock inspired by innovative groups like the iconic Mahavishnu Orchestra. Both groups, however, offer their own unique twist on jam band music, sharing an intensity that has garnered them fans willing to travel across state lines to follow them.

Goose featured Rick Mitarotonda on vocals and guitar, Peter Anspach on vocals, keyboards, and guitar, the aptly named Trevor Bass on bass, and Ben Atkind on drums. The band welcomed the colorfully dressed crowd in the cold dark venue and immediately broke into an intense jam that had much of the audience dancing and swaying to the music by the end of the first song. The theater seemed to physically warm as the band continued to play, and the crowd fell into a euphoric dance trance. Kudos had to be lauded on Manny Newman, the lighting maestro for Pigeons, who created a modern-day psychedelic extravaganza, rivaling a light show at a big EDM festival, for both bands. The band played original music from their 2016 debut album, “Moon Cabin," and a new tune they recorded last year, “All I need.” The band also played a riveting extended cover of Bruce Hornsby’s classic song “The Way It Is,” which elicited a vociferous sing-along from the rapt audience. The hour-long set left the crowd pleading for more.

By the time Pigeons Playing Ping Pong, an American funk jam band from Baltimore, Maryland took the stage for the headline set; their “Flock” had tightly pressed against the front of the stage. The jam band has garnered a loyal following of fans based on their relentless live appearances (over one thousand shows and counting), including almost every major music festival in the country. The band blends innovative jazz-rock with funky beats that would make George Clinton smile.

The group is led by emotive singer and guitarist Greg Ormont, whose bulging eyes have become a trademark of the band's intensity. Jeremy Schon, the bands, lead guitar, and vocalist played mind-bending solos throughout the night. Bassist Ben Carrey laid down the funky bass lines that help set the group apart from other jam bands, and he added backing vocals as well. The newest member of the band drummer extraordinaire Alex 'Gator' Petropulos, joined the group in 2015. His jazz-influenced drumming style added yet another intricate layer to the band's impressive jams. The group, like most good jam bands, never plays the same set two nights in a row, usually offering up a different cover for each venue and overlapping only a few tunes like their new single “King Kong.” The result is a unique and intense live performance at every concert, and the intimate show in SLO town was a dream come true for many in the “Flock.”

Check out more photos of Goose & Pigeons.

Hot Tuna continued their 50th-anniversary tour, which they began last year with a stop at the historic Lobero Theatre in Santa Barbara. The midweek show on February 19th featured an opening set by the iconic David Bromberg and his quartet. Both bands have made numerous appearances at the Lobero over the years, including past shows together, so it was no surprise that the event was a sellout.

Bromberg opened the show with a talented trio of backing musicians and played a well-received set. Bromberg shot to fame back in 1970 with a hit cover of the Jerry Jeff Walker classic “Mr. Bojangles.” The song appeared on the live album of the 1970 second annual Atlanta Pop Festival. Coming a year after Woodstock, the event drew a massive crowd and offered one of the most impressive musical line ups of the decade. The hit song catapulted the singer-guitarist from a much sought-after sideman to a bona fide pop star in his own right. Bromberg was an early proponent of mixing multiple musical genres, including folk, country, blues, gospel, and bluegrass. But by 1980, Bromberg burned out from touring and stopped performing for over 20 years. He used his time to learn to build and repair violins and still runs a violin store in Delaware.

Finally, in 2002 Bromberg came back to performing and recording. At the Lobero show, the masterful songwriter showed his wit with friendly banter between tunes and insightful and humorous lyrics in his songs. Bromberg meshed perfectly with his backing musicians including, Mark Cosgrove (guitar and mandolin,) Nate Grower (fiddle and mandolin), and Suavek Zaniesienko on bass and Josh Kanusky on drums. Towards the end of the set, Jorma joined Bromberg for a spirited guitar duel. The set ended with a beautiful bluesy a cappella song by the quartet.

After the intermission, Hot Tuna came out blazing in their advertised electric mode. In past appearances at the Lobero, the band has played both acoustic and electric sets, but this tour is all-electric classic blues-rock tunes. The 79-year-old singer-guitarist Jorma Kaukonen and 75-year-old bassist Jack Casady, astonishingly, have been playing together since 1958. The duo played in the original Jefferson Airplane, in the 60s, including the Woodstock appearance. They went on to form their own group, Hot Tuna, in 1970 with iconic electric violinist Papa John Creach and a slew of rotating rock greats from the San Francisco rock scene.

The band has endured in one form or another, led by Kaukonen and Casady, longer than most any rock band in history. The group, which included drummer Justin Guip, tore through a nostalgic set of tunes from their vast Hot Tuna catalog and an Airplane gem, (Good Shepherd). The band also jammed three classic blues covers, “Death Don’t Have No Mercy,” by Reverend Gary Davis, “Rock Me Baby,” by B.B. King, and “Come Back Baby” by Walter Davis. The band received a standing ovation for the well-received blues-drenched set.

Check out more photos from the show.

It was easy to tell that Ventura was a bastion of Deadheads of all ages when the faithful descended on the Majestic Ventura Theater on February 20th for a concert by Dark Star Orchestra. The Grateful Dead cover band has a massive following in Ventura, as evidenced by the sold-out crowd that spilled out into the streets. Curbside vendors sold all manner of Dead paraphernalia, while faithful followers without tickets searched for the mythical “Miracle Ticket.”

Inside the venue, colorfully clad fans could be heard discussing their historical Grateful Dead concert experiences or their plans to attend this year’s Skull and Roses Festival. Ventura has long been a Grateful Dead stronghold. The band played the Ventura fairgrounds from 1982 through 1987, except for 1986, when guitarist Jerry Garcia faded into a diabetic coma and almost died. Thirty years later, The Skull and Roses festival was born to commemorate these legendary shows, with a three-day celebration composed of musicians who have worked with the original Grateful Dead members or related jam bands. Festival publicist Dennis McNally, who was the Grateful Dead's publicist from 1984-95, is set to bring the biggest line up yet to the third installment of the festival on April 2nd to the 5th. Unfortunately, news just broke earlier today this year's festival will be postponed.

But on this night, it was DSO that captured the imagination of the upbeat audience with two sets of classic Grateful Dead covers. Lead guitarist and vocalist Jeff Mattson kicked off with a cover of Alabama that had the crowd singing along to every word. Many in the crowd sang along to every song, including songs that were covered by the Dead themselves. In the front, fans pushed tightly against the rails to be close to the band. In the back, people pranced about dancing the iconic hippie dances of the '60s. Rhythm guitarist and vocalist Rob Eaton took over lead vocals on several songs. Bassist Skip Vangelas kept the low-end crisp and loud. The music kept a psychedelic feel with the fanciful organ playing from Rob Barraco. In addition to Dead songs; the first set included Bob Weir, Willie Dixon, and Marty Robbins covers.

The second set opened with a stirring “Mississippi Half-Step Uptown Toodeloo,” a Grateful Dead cover. The band then mixed it up with a Harry Belafonte’s, “Man Smart, Woman Smarter.” Toward the end of the set drummers, Dino English and Rob Koritz showed off their skills on the iconic Grateful Dead drum jams of “Drums” and “Spaced.” The band came out of their psychedelic haze ending the set with a Bonnie Dobson cover, “Morning Dew.” Long live the music of the Grateful Dead!

Check out more photos from the show.

If singer-songwriter Colin Hay, (most famous as the frontman for Australian 80s hitmakers Men at Work) ever has to give up music, he could easily have a career in standup comedy. The feisty veteran pop star displayed his devilish wit with a Scottish twist at his opening concert on his latest solo tour. The sold-out show at the historic Lobero Theatre in Santa Barbara on February 27th featured songs from the prolific songwriters' long and storied career.

The evening began with a pre-concert backstage meet and greet and cocktail party. The money from the exclusive VIP tickets will go to charity. Colin is doing the meet and greets at select cities on the current tour.  According to the singer with Australian roots, “The money from the meet and greets is going to a charity to help rebuild the town of Cobargo, near where I used to have property. Since I know the area, I have a personal connection to the people, and virtually the whole town burned down. It’s helping on a grassroots level.”

Most of the sold-out audience had found their seats by the time the show began. Colin sauntered onstage just after 8 pm for a near two-hour solo acoustic show. The witty banter started almost immediately with references about working as an aging pop star and referring to the roadies that would tuner his guitars in the past, “And now I have to do it myself,” he quipped while giving wide-eyed glances to the sides of the stage. He would repeat the gesture throughout the night, eliciting an ever-increasing bout of laughter from the crowd.

The prolific songwriter culled his setlist from his 13 solo albums and selected classic hits from Men at Work. As he opened the 15 songs set with the tune “Into The Cornfield” from his 1997 album Peaks and Valleys, several things became immediately apparent. First, the singer’s aforementioned clever wit shined through the performance almost immediately. Next, Colin’s immense talent as a singer and guitar picker were immediately apparent. The singer's impressive vocal range compliments a guitar picking style he has honed to near perfection over the decades. His early influences can be heard on his almost jazz-like picking style. In a recent interview, Colin shared, “I loved Joes Feliciano. He was the first guy I saw when I was a kid playing solo, and it was f—-ing mind-blowing.” You could hear Feliciano’s influence throughout the show at the Lobero this night. Finally, the songwriter's insightful talents as a storyteller come through with his brilliantly detailed songs.

The singer endeared himself to the crowd with hilarious song introductions and sarcastic reminiscent anecdotes, through a fifteen-song list that drew from many of his solo albums. Colin even played “Beautiful World,” a song from the album, Company of Strangers by Ringo and His All-Star Band. Colin has long been a member of that band, which may be the most talented classic rock band in the world. The Men at Work former frontman also included three of that band’s biggest hits in the setlist, all of which elicited a vociferous sing-along from the elated audience.

It was sooooo good to hear live music again! Big Bad Voodoo Daddy brought their dance-inducing swing revival sound to Ventura's hometown audience for three nights, August 17-19th. The shows were part of the Rubicon Goes Retro drive-in concert series. The summer concerts, which continue through September, feature the latest fad in live music, concerts in your car. With the onslaught of the COVID 19 virus and the virtual shutdown of concert venues across the country, promoters have had to get creative to produce a safe and sane alternative to traditional live music concerts. As a result, drive-in shows are fast becoming more mainstream than the novelty events that they were just a short time ago.

The concerts at the Ventura County fairgrounds featured 90-minute sets with no opening band in the parking lot. Drivers parked in every other space to provide plenty of COVID safe distancing between cars. The stage was elevated with a live video feed to four large screens, creating a 360-degree viewing area. Many music fans arrived early when the gates open at 6:30 p.m. Security was strict with searches, including a mirrored inspection of the bottom of cars. Music fans were allowed to set up chairs in front of their cars within their defined space, but most were content sitting in the comfort of their vehicles, with air conditioners running. The sound was broadcast over FM radio, so those with good car stereos had the best sound. A small PA monitor system broadcast sound so that musicians and technicians could hear the music, but car radios provided a much richer sound. Concert goers could only leave their cars with a mask and could only venture out of their cubicles to use portable restrooms. A small army of security guards scooted around on electric carts strictly enforcing the rules. The concert began just after 8:00 p.m. with impressive lighting effects and multimedia exploding to life in the twilight.

The band fronted by lead singer and founding member, Scotty Morris seemed elated to be playing live music again, especially for their hometown fans. The group, which formed in Ventura way back in 1989, tore through a set of some of their most well-known tunes, from their catalog spanning over three decades of recorded music. The band tours as an eight-piece group with a mighty horn section that could rival a small orchestra. Most of the musicians took a turn soloing and showcasing their musical prowess. The crowd responded enthusiastically to the infectious grooves with a few brave souls dancing in front of their autos and others screaming their approval. But most responded in a uniquely pandemic way, by applauding with their car horn and headlights. Morris even led the audience in a hilarious sing-along featuring the car horns of music fans. While it was a surreal sight, it was a positively inspiring performance both by the band and their fervent fans determined to keep the dream of live music alive and well.

Rubicon Theatre Company is a not-for-profit, professional regional theatre company based in Ventura, California. Their stated mission “To entertain, enrich, and educate the region’s residents and visitors through the production of innovative professional theatrical productions, festivals, special events, and education programs.”

For more information on Rubicon: https://www.rubicontheatre.org

For a complete drive-in concert schedule at Ventura theater: https://www.concertsinyourcar.com

Live music continued on Saturday, August 29th, in Ventura, California, at the Concerts In Your Car, drive-in concert series. CBF Productions brought Fitz and the Tantrums with opening act ZZ Ward to the outdoor venue for a nearly sold out performance. Drive-in concerts have become one of the only ways for a band to perform live in front of an audience since COVID-19 changed life as we all knew it before. Locally, Concerts In Your Car has been producing shows at the Ventura Fairgrounds since June. The CBF shows were the first live social distancing events organized in the country, back in June and are scheduled to continue for the rest of the year.

The outdoor venue features a unique stage setup with four giant video screens facing in every direction. The configuration allows for cars to encircle the stage, creating a 360-degree audience. The CBF shows price their tickets per carload, allowing families to affordably bring their children or small groups to carpool, creating a festive atmosphere while upholding social distancing guidelines.

Blue-eyed soul singer ZZ Ward opened the show, just before a spectacular sunset descended into the Pacific Ocean behind her. A brisk sea breeze off the ocean kept things cool on an otherwise balmy summer night. The young singer was bundled in a long coat and remarked on the pleasantly cool weather. Ward played a stirring nine-song acoustic set, accompanied by a blues-infused guitarist. The pair paid homage to American blues with a set that included seven original tunes and two appropriate covers. Those heartfelt renditions included Etta James, “Waiting for Charlie to Come Home,” and the legendary Son House masterpiece “Grinnin’ in Your Face.” Ward displayed her exquisite vocal talents, always with a nod to classic R & B, featuring her modern interpretation. The singer mostly played acoustic rhythm on her guitar, but during the Son Volt cover broke into a stormy harmonica solo. That brought the crowd to life, honking their horns, dancing in place in front of their cars, and cheering on the emotive solo. Ward repeatedly thanked Fitz for inviting her to open the show. The smiling singer mentioned that they had recorded a single together, “Domino.” Unfortunately, probably due to COVID restrictions, the pair did not collaborate at the Ventura concert.

Fitz and the Tantrums took the stage at twilight, greeted by a honking frenzy from the audience. Lead singer Michael Fitzpatrick greeted the crowd with a beaming smile and emoted that the band was happy to have the chance to be playing live again. “We were supposed to play here in Ventura right before the pandemic shut everything down. But we are sure glad to be here with you now,” Fitz quipped. The Los Angeles six-member group has toured the past 12 years relentlessly, infecting audiences with their dance-inducing neo-soul sound. Lead singer Fitzpatrick and frontwoman Noelle Scaggs offered up symbiotic vocals while dancing and prancing about the stage. They were some of the first performers to take full advantage of the 360 stage, singing to all four corners of the crowd separately. Occasionally the two singers would bounce off each other and then race to opposite sides of the stage, exciting the crowd in all directions. Fans danced in front of their cars, shouted from their lounge chairs, or honked their car horns. The band tore through a 90-minute set featuring their older Motown inspired tunes like “Moneygrabber” and newer pop-oriented songs like “I Just Wanna Shine” from their latest album, “All The Feels.” The band's talented horn player James King kept the energy level to a fever pitch with a plethora of solos on various brass instruments. Bassist Joseph Karnes and drummer John Wicks kept a soulful rhythm throughout the show. Keyboardist Jeremy Ruzumna anchored the band, creating a masterfully moody backdrop. A contemporary moment came towards the end of the show when the band played “Handclap," and many in the packed car crowd “clapped” along by honking their horns and flashing their headlights in unison. It may be a new world for live music, but the fans and the band shared the same spirit this night, happy to be together again, all be it at a safe distance.

The Concerts In Your Car series continues with shows being planned through December. For more information visit: https://www.concertsinyourcar.com

Slightly Stoopid, one of southern California’s favorite Reggae infused party bands, brought a marathon jam to the Ventura Fairgrounds, Friday, October 9. The show was part of the Concerts in Your Car series, which brought a full season of shows to the outdoor venue. In addition to Slightly Stoopid, other highlights over the summer included Cypress Hill, Sublime, Snoop Dog, Tower of Power, Los Lobos, and Fitz and The Tantrums.

The Friday night show featured no less than 29 songs, including classic covers and select tracks culled from the bands 13 albums. The SS entourage, which formed back in 1994 in Ocean Beach, California, plays their soulful mix of folk, rock, Reggae, and blues with hip-hop, funk, metal, and punk thrown in for good measure. The band led by Guitarist and vocalist Miles Doughty and bass player and vocalist Kyle McDonald tore through the set, offering up positive vibes to a packed parking lot, with fans encircling the stage. The two frontmen took advantage of the 360-degree stage to prance about singing in all directions. The pair's performance included their signature move of swapping instruments and lead vocals. RyMo (Ryan Moran) kept the band on a steady beat with precision drumming. Meanwhile, he was perfectly augmented by OG (Oguer Ocon) playing multiple percussion instruments. DeLa (Daniel Delacruz) on sexy saxophone and Andy Geib on thundering trombone added a horn section to the mix. Paul Wolstencroft blended into the sound perfectly with his moody keyboard riffs. The group has become a veteran jam band playing regularly at most every major music festival in the country. Their numerous collaborations have cemented their status in the upper echelons of the improvisational jam music world.

On this beautiful fall night in Ventura, the band did not disappoint their fans, jamming many of their most well-known tunes. Midway through the set, the group brought out their first special guest, Angelo Moore, famous as the Fishbone lead singer and saxophonist. Moore and his bandmates in Fishbone are some of the unsung heroes of funky punky fusion music, forming way back in the heyday of Los Angeles punk in 1979. As the lead singer of Fishbone, Angelo led the group in legendary animated live performances mixing ska, punk, funk, metal, Reggae, and soul. The veteran frontman wearing his trademark derby and a stylish kilt joined Slightly Stoopid for an inspiring version of the ska drenched tune, “Ska Diddy.” The rambunctious singer began by playing Theremin, giving the song a haunting introduction. As a literal whirling Derby, he pranced across the stage and began playing clarinet before joining in the song's chorus.

The surprises didn’t stop there, though, as Angelo returned to play Theremin again later in the set, while guest singer Marlon Asher took over lead vocals for two songs. The Trinidadian reggae singer from Enterprise, Chaguanas, Trinidad, and Tobago brought a traditional Reggae style to the tunes, including one of his own, “Ganga Farmer.”  The evening ended with the band jamming some of their most well-known songs, as many in the drive-in crowd were dancing euphorically in front of their cars.

The music continues at the Concerts In Your Car series this weekend with something completely different. Television personality Bob Eubanks who produced the first two Beatles tours in the US will host a Q and A and rare video clips in what he has titled a night “Backstage With The Beatles.” On Saturday, October 17, the event will also feature the Beatles tribute band Ticket To Ride and should be a fun family event.

In what seems like the perfect venue across from Surfers Point, the legendary Beach Boys bring their hit songs to the venue on Friday, October 23. “As The Beach Boys mark more than a half-century of making music, the group continues to ride the crest of a wave unequaled in America’s musical history.  The Beach Boys have become synonymous with the California lifestyle and have become an American icon to fans worldwide.  The Beach Boys have sold over 100 million records worldwide and have received more than 33 RIAA Platinum and Gold record awards.” The next evening, Saturday, October 24, original members of the classic New Wave hit-making band, Oingo Boingo, will bring their traditional Halloween show to the fairgrounds. The band will rock the night with high energy classics like “Dead Man’s Party,” “Weird Science,” “Just Another Day," and many more. Acoustic rockers Aaron Lewis and Sully Erna will take over the venue on Halloween night, no doubt including hits from their respective rock groups Stained and Godsmack.

Concerts In Your Car also includes a regular calendar of hit movies. The venue has taken maximum precautions to be COVID safe and, with one price for a carload, has become a family friendly event for concerts and movies.

The first act to be announced for November includes the celebrated band 311, performing on Saturday, November 14. Founded in Omaha, Nebraska, they have been inspiring their fans for three decades with their signature blend of rock, Reggae, hip hop, and funk. CBF Productions has also now expanded Concerts in Your Car to Del Mar, California, and Arizona. More performances will be added throughout the month - visit www.concertsinyourcar.com for regular updates.

Three-eleven brought their funk drenched rap infused rock sounds to the Ventura Fairgrounds for the Concerts In Your Car series on November 14th. The boys from Omaha played two distinctive back-to-back shows drawing material from their thirteen studio albums and more.  Since last June, when CBF Productions launched the first drive-in live music experience in California at the Ventura Fairgrounds, there has been a rebirth of live music events on the south coast. Many diverse acts have taken the stage at the venue, including Snoop Dogg, Cypress Hill, Fitz, and The Tantrums, Los Lobos, Tower of Power, and Sublime. Three-eleven can now be added to the impressive list of seasoned performers. The band exploded onstage in a sound and lighting extravaganza for the first of two shows just after sunset. The band opened their 16 song setlist with one of their biggest hits, “Beautiful Disaster," which inspired some in the car audience to honk their horns and others to dance on the hoods of their cars.

The band had just come off a nine-month break because of COVID-19, the most extended break the band has had since 1990. In addition to the two shows in Ventura, the band also played a live performance at the Concerts In Your Car series in Phoenix last week. The band is also treating fans to a trio of Livestream shows where they’ll be performing their first three albums in their entirety. The first one took place on November 11th, when they performed "Music." On December 11th, they’ll perform "Grassroots," and on January 11th, they’ll perform the "Blue Album."

But fans in Ventura were incredibly happy to see the band playing live in front of them again. Lead singer and guitarist Nick Hexum led the band at a frantic pace, jumping all about the stage to engage the 360-degree audience surrounding him in their cars. Guitarist Tim Mahoney and bassist Aaron Wills kept a steady searing rhythm throughout the night. Lead vocal duties switched up on the more rap-centric “What The?!” when rapper/backup singer Doug “SA” Martinez took over. The set’s percussion highlight came during 1994’s “Applied Science,” when the jam paused for drummer Chad Sexton’s elaborate and melodic solo. That segued into a full-band drum circle with Hexum, Martinez, guitarist Tim Mahoney, and bassist Aaron Wills all sharing two stand-up kits, thrashing them all while tossing drum sticks back and forth to each other. The song was one of the few that the band performed in both the early and late show. Hardcore fans who attended both shows were treated to almost entirely different sets drawing from the band's rich catalog.

Concerts In Your Car series continues in Ventura with a show by local Santa Barbara Reggae heroes Iration on December 4th. The band also plays the San Diego version of Concerts In Your Car on December 5th.

Reggae-influenced alternative rock band Iration played a sold-out show for the final performance of the Concerts In Your Car Series at the Ventura Fairgrounds on December 4th. Since last June, when CBF Productions launched the first drive-in live music experience in California at the Ventura Fairgrounds, there has been a rebirth of live music events on the south coast. A litany of diverse acts has taken the stage at the venue, including Snoop Dogg, Cypress Hill, Fitz, The Tantrums, Los Lobos, Tower of Power and Sublime, and The Beach Boys, and 311. Iration played a three-concert mini-tour of Southern California in support of their new album "Coastin," which debuted at #1 on the Billboard Reggae Albums Chart after its release last summer. The special "Coastin' At The Drive-In" run played Anaheim on December 3rd, Ventura on December 4th, and Del Mar (San Diego) on December 5th.

The sold-out Ventura performance was significant, not only as the final show of the season at the venue but also as the de facto hometown show for the band, which has called Santa Barbara home since they moved from Hawaii decades ago. The group began their rise to popularity in Isla Vista, an unincorporated community connected to UC Santa Barbara, playing reggae covers. The show was so well attended that the start time had to be delayed over an hour so that all the cars at the drive-in show could be situated. The Friday night oceanside concert venue was buffeted by cold, windy conditions, but that did not stop snuggled families and music fans from bundling up by the cars to enjoy the crisp night air.

Micah Pueschel, the band's lead singer, took the stage and immediately addressed the crowd while flashing a wide beaming smile. "We are originally from Hawaii, so we are not used to this cold weather, but we are glad to be here playing for you. It has been a long time since we were able to play a show, and we are so happy to be here." The venue, surrounded by a sea of cars in a 360-degree full circle, exploded with car horns, cheers, and flashing lights. The band then launched into ninety-minutest featuring songs from the new album as well as a smattering of their most well-known tunes. In addition to Pueschel, the band features Adam Taylor on bass, Joe Dickens on drums, Cayson Peterson on keyboard and synth, Micah Brown on guitar and backing vocals, and Drake Peterson on percussions and occasionally a mean trumpet.

The band peppered some of their biggest hits like “I'm With You," "Summer Nights," and "Time Bomb" in between the new material.  The scene was a surreal one with cars stretched in all directions to the fairgrounds' very back. It has been a fantastic journey for Iration from a local college cover band to one of the most successful American Rock Reggae groups in the country. The show at the Ventura fairgrounds was a testament to the groups staying power even amid a pandemic.

On Saturday, April 17th Ziggy Marley played two exceptional concerts at Ventura fairgrounds in California. The shows were the first of the year in the Concerts In Your Car series that features live performances in front of a drive-in audience. It has been more than a year since live music fans have been able to see their favorite bands at venues across California, which have remained closed due to the Covid pandemic. Sadly, it may be a while longer before the concert industry can return to a regular schedule. But California south coast live music fans can rejoice because CBF has returned for a second year. Since last June, when CBF Productions launched the first drive-in live music experience in California at the Ventura Fairgrounds, there has been a rebirth of live music events on the south coast. A litany of diverse acts has sold-out shows at the venue including, Snoop Dogg, Cypress Hill, Fitz, and The Tantrums, Los Lobos, Tower of Power, Sublime, Iration, and Slightly Stoopid, to name a few.

Ziggy Marley kicked off this year's schedule with two memorable shows featuring a tribute to his legendary father, Reggae Icon Bob Marley. The concert marked the 40th anniversary of his father’s death. Young singer/songwriter Zuri Marley, who is Ziggy’s daughter, opened both shows with a Reggae DJ set and sometimes would sing along. The early crowd at the first show responded to her shout-outs and beaming smiles, exiting in their cars to dance and clap in place. The beautiful Saturday afternoon sunshine had already attracted a large crowd to the famous California street surfing point adjacent to the fairgrounds. So, it was no surprise to see many at the beach turn their attention towards the stage once the music kicked in. The sold-out show filled up early for the 5 PM early concert, and Zuri began her warm-up set shortly after 4 PM. Concert goers could listen to the live soundtrack on their car radios, but the sound system was just loud enough on the main stage for most to enjoy the music sitting out in lounge chairs or on picnic blankets, making for a very festive afternoon.

Ziggy took the stage just after 5 PM with an eight-piece group of veteran musicians and singers and proceeded to play many of Bob Marley’s biggest hits. The classic hits, including “Get Up Stand Up,” “I Shot The Sheriff,” and “Exodus,” seemed to evoke an almost mystical emotional response from the sold-out audience and beyond into the streets and parking lots surrounding the venue. People passing by could be seen riveted in place, singing along to the well-known tunes while watching the live event on the four giant video screens. It was clear to see from almost everyone in attendance that there is an almost spiritual need to return to commiserating with an audience at a live music show.

Upcoming concerts in April include the electronic dance music duo Hippie Sabotage on Saturday, April 24th, and the genuinely spectacular Lucha Libre.  Hippie Sabotage is best known for their remix of “Habits," which has surpassed 800 million views on YouTube. Lucha Libre is a cultural phenomenon featuring traditional Mexican wrestling infused with burlesque performances, pop music, and a carnival sideshow. Many more shows, including Hip Hop artist Nelly and the legendary Latin rock band War, have also been scheduled later in the season.

To buy tickets and for more information visit www.concertsinyourcar.com

Hamish Anderson is a young singer/songwriter striving to keep the blues music genre alive and well. The talented guitarist produces music in the vein of some of the best 60's/70’s Blues rockers like Cream, The Rolling Stones, and even with a nod to Blues-rock legend T Rex. The Australian musician has already wracked an enviable career in the world of American blues music. We recently chatted about his bright career, the pandemic challenge to live performances, and his plans for the future.

GW: I saw you play a great set at the Beale Street music festival in Memphis two years ago. Let’s start there. There is no city more synonymous with American Blues than Memphis. The Beale Street festival features three main stages and a Blues tent. While the most impressive and sophisticated music arguably takes place in the Blues tent, mainstream pop acts on the other stages draw consistently larger crowds. Why do you think it is that the Blues music genre is not more popular in America today? 

Hamish: I think Blues music always seems to ebb and flow out of mainstream popularity. You can trace these waves back to the beginning. There was the British rock invasion in the '60s and Stevie Ray Vaughn in the '80s. It was always kind of there under the surface in pop music, even with Rap music. For instance, after I finished my set on the Blues Stage at the Beale Street festival, I went over to one of the main stages to see Gary Clarke Jr. play. He had a massive crowd of young kids as well as older people. For people especially like Gary, it’s cool to see musicians taking the Blues genre into our times and adapting it into something new like Stevie Ray did in the 80s. It introduces a whole new audience to the Blues.

GW: It’s true Gary Clarke Jr. is one of the few American Blues artists that has broken through into modern-day pop music playing to huge audiences. You toured with Gary, didn’t you?

Hamish: Yeah, it’s funny. Actually, I did a tour with him here in Australia right before Beale Street. Then I got on a plane and went straight to play the festival in Memphis, and it was a coincidence that Gary was playing the same day at the same festival a week later and on the other side of the world from Australia. I admire Gary, who has been an inspiration to me, and watching the effect he had on the crowd was awe-inspiring.

GW: I am not sure what it is like in Australia, but I know in my past travels to Europe traditional American Blues music seems much more popular in the mainstream music culture than here.

Hamish: I know what you mean. I have toured Europe, and they very much love Blues music and, to some degree, traditional Blues music. That can be a challenge for me as the crowd may want to hear an old Freddie King song. I love Freddie King, but that’s not really what I do. For me, it's like what Gary does, mixing all these other music genres and coming up with something new and innovative. That’s what I strive to do in my music.

GW: It is well known that you got to open for the legendary B.B. King for his last show. That must have almost felt like divine intervention or inspiration.

Hamish: Yes, that was when I first came over to the U.S. with the release of my debut album in 2014. One of the first tours I was offered was to open for B.B. King. I had grown up worshiping him, loving his music, and studying his records. It was something I was incredibly proud of and will cherish for a lifetime. It was a bittersweet experience because it was initially booked as six shows, but after two shows, he felt ill and canceled the rest of the dates. That was the last time he toured before he passed away.

GW: How did you get started in music and gravitate towards the Blues genre?

Hamish: I was twelve when I got the guitar bug. It was the Beatles' White Album, and I heard “Back In The USSR.” I hadn’t thought about playing guitar before that. But that sound drove me crazy, and I begged my parents to help get me a guitar. My dad’s record collection was really my inspiration for rock Blues. He had all the stuff I love, like The Beatles, The Stones, and Cream. Then I got inspired by the songwriters like Joni Mitchell and Bob Dylan, and I just became obsessed with the music. I have been on the same path ever since, trying to create a mixture of music from all the artists and styles I love.

GW: You were based in Los Angeles for a while. How has the pandemic affected you and your music?

Hamish: I was based in L.A. for the last five or six years. It made sense after my 2014 tour to move there. The fan base and the music that I love were all there. Things were going well there. Then I went home for Christmas in 2019, and the pandemic hit, and I have been stuck here ever since. We went through an extreme lockdown here in Melbourne, but things are slowly opening up again. Next month I will be playing at a music festival in Queensland, and it will be my first time back on stage since January 2020.

GW: In the meantime, I know you were working on some live stream projects.

Hamish: You had to adjust pretty quickly when there was no more live touring when the pandemic hit. I had never done much of the Livestream format before that. I didn’t know what it would be like, but I did enjoy it. It was good to have something to do. It was the closest you could get to play for people. My band is in L.A., so I was bandless. But it was really good because it brought me back to how I started, which was playing acoustically. Like many artists, I think solitude is good for songwriting.

GW: You have a new single coming out called “Morning Light.” I found it interesting that a review I read of the song is that it had influences of T. Rex. I saw a T. Rex concert as a young teenager, and it was one of the most memorable concerts of my life. When I listened to the new song, I did hear the influence of T. Rex in the music.

Hamish: I wrote the song in 2018, and I have kind of been sitting on it for a while. I was working on a lot of songs and demos during the lockdown. Normally I would just do simple acoustic demos. But because I had so much time, I started doing these elaborate demos. I would chop up sounds like drums from bands that I love, like the Ronettes, The Ramones, or T. Rex. “Morning Light” kind of stuck out to me because it’s a very hopeful song in these trying times. The T. Rex thing, well, I was really getting into Marc Bolan records, and the previous two records I did were with a great producer Jim Scott. He has worked with Tom Petty and Yoko Ono’s band. So, we did like classic rock-sounding recordings that I am proud of. I wanted to try a different sound this time, making it fuzzier and a little more of that kind of T Rexy electric boogie sound.

GW: So, what are your plans for the rest of the year?

Hamish: Yes, the festival in May will be my first live show. The response to “Morning Light” has been tremendous, and I hope it will lead to an album. So, I think recording will be a big part of this year. With the album, I want to do like a love letter to the electric guitar. I have about 35 songs over the past year and a half, and now I have to narrow them down to ten or twelve for an album.

I am looking forward to getting back to Los Angeles to play with my band. I have been playing as a trio in recent years. The bass player is a girl named Lauren Stockner, and the drummer is Matt Musty.       

GW:  Well, thanks, Hamish, for helping to keep Blues music alive and well, and we all hope to see you playing live again soon!

California brothers Jeff and Kevin Saurer brought their unique brand of EDM music to a primarily young drive-in audience desperate for a live danceable bet. The Sacramento duo known as Hippie Sabotage played their first concert in over a year at the Concerts in Your Car series at the Ventura Fairgrounds on Saturday, April 24th. The first show the trance masters had done since their ambitious 2020 “Direction of Dreams” was shut down shortly after it began by the COVID-19 pandemic.

By the time Hippie Sabotage took the stage, darkness had descended on the fairgrounds, and a cool spring sea breeze blew through the rows of parked cars. But that didn’t seem to dampen anyone's spirits as people began to gyrate in their pods as soon as the music commenced. The sound system from the stage was just loud enough to send a trance-inducing bass thump across the venue. While it wasn’t a Bassnectar style headbanging, ear-shattering thunderous wall of amplifiers, it was enough for music fans to keep the beat. Some cars equipped with intricate sound systems blared the live radio broadcast creating localized bass-centric zones across the fairgrounds.

Brother Kevin Sauer was the first to address the crowd, sporting a thick pandemic lockdown stylish beard and a dayglo tye-dye sweatshirt with Ventura Beach written on the back. “We haven’t played in over a year. It’s good to be back, “ he explained as the crowd responded enthusiastically. Jeff Saurer immediately took to the turntables as Kevin bounced about the 360-degree stage in a trance like  Whirling Dervishes. Essential to the duos infectious performance, elaborate synchronized computer animations towered over the stage, mixed masterfully with live camera images of the performers. The four giant video screens ensured a dazzling video display for anyone in the 360-degree audience.

The pair perform a complex set of trance-inducing jam music that has set them apart from mainstream EDM DJs. Both brothers take turns mixing the beats while the other commands the spotlight in front of the stage. While Kevin uses his frontman time as vocal beat master, Jeff relies on fantastic guitar jams to do the talking for him. Sometimes, the brothers would meet at the mixers for a bit of a jam-off, but their performance style was mainly symbiotic. The brothers played songs with a heavy beat like “Bob Dylan” and “Your Soul," much to the audience's delight. Other songs like “Devil Eyes” transitioned into more sultry, moody sounds. While music fans needed to stay close to their vehicles, that didn’t stop them from engaging in all manner of dance trance. Fans in exotic onesies could be seen dancing on the back of flatbed pick-ups. Others dressed as a butterfly with led light-up wings flittered about the area. The pent-up energy for a live EDM show was visceral through the crowd.

The brothers ended with their biggest hit, the remix of Tove Lo’s “Habits” that elected a crescendo of car horns honking and cell phones lighting the night sky.

The Concerts in Your Car series continues with an extraordinary benefit concert mental health awareness on May 20th. The show will feature a small army of Indie music performers including, All Time Low, Fitz and The Tantrums, Lovely The Band, and many more. War will hit the stage on May 29th. Hip Hop star Nelly with Baby Nash will appear on June 12th. The venue also features movies, including an exclusive concert by Bon Jovi n May 22nd.

For more information, visit Concertsinyourcar.com

Alternative rock fans can rejoice with the return of live music to the Ventura Fairgrounds. The exceptional event, courtesy of the Concert In Your Car series that features drive-in live music performances, features an impressive roster of Alt-rock performers.

Sound Mind Live is presenting their third annual Mental Health Music Festival on May 20th. The marathon concert will be hosted by comedian and actor Solomon Georgio, a diverse and exciting musical line-up including headliners All Time Low, Indie pop darlings Fitz and The Tantrums, and lovelytheband best known for their mega-hit “Broken.” The concert also features pop singer Charlotte Lawrence, Indie rocker Matthew Logan Vasquez, best known as the lead singer/songwriter/guitarist of Indie rock group Delta Spirit and new Indie rockers Ian Sweet. More acts are still being added to the line-up.

All Time Low wowed a massive crowd at the 2018 KABOO festival in San Diego before the pandemic put the breaks on live music. The Maryland rockers played high-energy live shows since they began playing in high school almost a decade ago. The one-off concert is most likely to be sold out by the day of the show.

According to Sound Mind Live, “The festival serves as a rallying cry for the mental health support needed to begin healing as people across the globe continue to cope with the mental health effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. “The collective trauma the world has experienced due to the pandemic has awoken us to our shared humanity along the spectrum of mental health,” said Sound Mind Live Executive Director Chris Bullard. “As the physical threats of the pandemic begin to wane, now it is more important than ever to foster empathy and open dialogue around mental health so we can heal without battling stigma or a lack of knowledge on these issues. Demonstrating the urgency of the situation, a recent CDC study found that 41% of individuals are experiencing adverse mental health conditions due to the pandemic — with this number being as high as 75% for young adults — indicating that the road to recovery will be long and lasting. Bringing these issues to the forefront of conversations can help break down the stigma surrounding mental health. Experts from leading mental health organizations, including the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, and The JED Foundation, will provide information on mental health resources, support programs, and best practices for self-care."

Tickets are on sale now, and prices start at $99 per car. The event will also be streamed live via the Consequence of Sound YouTube and Facebook channels. For additional event information and to purchase tickets, visit www.soundmindlive.org.

Like all the shows in the “Concerts In Your Car” series, the show will include a fantastic light show and multi-media entertainment.  The combination of an extra high, theatre-in-the-round style, four-sided stage, and four oversized live video screens ensures that every seat is the best seat in the house.  The events are designed to comply with all state and county restrictions making for a family-safe event. Sound comes from the stage like a traditional concert and can also be heard via car stereos on an FM station. Other upcoming shows include Latin rockers War on May 29th and Hip Hop artists Nelly and Baby Bash on June 12th.

For more info and tickets: https://www.concertsinyourcar.com

Sound Mind Live presented its third annual Mental Health Music Festival on May 20th at the Ventura Fairgrounds. The show was part of the Concerts In Your Car series, which features live music for a drive-in audience. The four-hour show combined five live music sets with comedians, commentators, poets, and more. All participants united in spreading the message of Mental Health awareness which seemed especially relevant this year following the Covid-19 lockdown of 2020.

Music fans could enjoy the music from the safety of their cars or set up blankets and chairs in front of their vehicles. Patrons can bring in their own food and non-alcoholic beverages.  There are also food trucks and alcoholic beverages for purchase (beer and white claw).

The show kicked off with Jilian Medford, better known by her stage name Ian Sweet. The American indie rock musician from Los Angeles, California, played a short set with her longtime keyboard player. The early set had young music fans springing out of their cars early to dance in the late afternoon sunshine. A strong west wind blew off the ocean, causing the massive stage screens and speakers to sway in the wind, which somehow made the live performances are exhilarating. The short set was well-received, and Medford shared her own struggles with mental health like many artists. Between sets, live speakers, and video segments explained the mission of Sound Mind Live to spread the message of Mental Health awareness and the various services available.

Indie rocker Matthew Logan Vasquez, best known as the lead singer/songwriter/guitarist of Indie rock group Delta Spirit took the stage next for a short acoustic set. The singer shared his excitement about finally playing to a live audience again after a year's hiatus. He explained that he had taken a long road trip with his wife and young son to attend the event. The singer played tunes from his three solo albums as the sunset painted the stage with an orange glow.

The Los Angeles Indie group Lovelytheband took the stage next, playing a full electric set, much to the delight of many young fans screaming their approval. Charismatic lead vocalist and guitarist Mitchy Collins ended the set with one of the most heartfelt speeches of the night, sharing his own struggles with suicidal thoughts. Then the band broke into their mega hit “Broken," which may have been the definitive song of the night regarding the theme of Mental Health and sharing the message for people to reach out for help.

Fitz and The Tantrums took the stage next as the late spring twilight faded to dark. The group played as a scaled-down foursome with Fitz, singer Noelle Scaggs, and the band's guitarist and keyboardist. The band had a distinctly different sound from their standard horn-drenched soulful set. The scaled-down group allowed Fitz and Noelle to showcase their vocal talents, reworking some of their well-known tunes. By the end of their set, they had fans clapping and singing along to the far edges of the car park.

Judging by the tumultuous screams from the audience as the headliners All Time Low took the stage, the band was why many young fans came out for the show. From Towson, Maryland, the band formed in 2003 and has released eight studio albums and two live albums. The group features lead vocalist/rhythm guitarist Alex Gaskarth, lead guitarist Jack Barakat, bassist/backing vocalist Zack Merrick, and drummer Rian Dawson. The band aptly took its name from lyrics in the song "Head on Collision" by New Found Glory. The high-energy group is one of many success stories that came out of the Vans Warped Tour, with the young rockers heading the tour in 2009. The band played a raucous hour set tempered only by the distanced crowd around their cars and the cold brisk wind off the ocean. Like all the performers of the night, lead singer Alex Gaskarth expressed the band's immense appreciation for being able to play a live performance after such a long hiatus.The Concerts In Your Car Series continues with upcoming shows, including Latin rockers War on May 29th, Hip Hop artists Nelly and Baby Bash on June 12th, Gin Blossoms on June 19th, and Vanilla Ice and Tag Team bringing old school Hip Hop on June 26th.

For more info and tickets: https://www.concertsinyourcar.com

The veteran rock band WAR, which formed back in 1969, brought a live show to an appreciative audience in Ventura, California. The May 29th show was part of the Concerts In Your Car series at the Ventura fairgrounds. War is a musical crossover band that fuses rock, funk, jazz, Latin, rhythm and blues, psychedelia, and reggae.

The drive-in concert was a perfect showcase for dozens of classic cars modified into Low Riders, Southern California Latino culture manifestations. The biggest hit song from War was the 1975 classic “Low Rider,” which became an anthem for Latino culture centered around the unique artistry of the modified automobiles.

A huge crowd had gathered when the band took the stage at 830 in the late spring twilight. As the giant video screens broadcast the band breaking into their first song, some fans began hopping their low rider cars to celebrate the band. The six-piece band of accomplished musicians launched into the thick catalog of some of the band's biggest hits. The group fronted by lead singer and keyboard player Lonnie Jordan, the only original member of the band, wasted no time in bringing the excited audience the tunes they wanted to hear including, "Spill the Wine," "The World Is a Ghetto," "The Cisco Kid," "Why Can't We Be Friends?", "Low Rider" and "Summer.")

Stuart Ziff has been the band's guitarist since 2002, playing both lead and rhythm guitar, exhibiting a vast and flexible range. Scott Martin has been the band's Saxophone and Flute player since 2017. Alongside Stanley Behrens, who has played harmonica for the band since 2011, the pair would frequently duel onstage, bringing a distinctive jazz element to the funky beat from the other musicians. Sal Rodriguez has been laying down the funky drum beats for the band for over 30 years. Marcos Reyes added a distinctive Latin flavor with his infectious percussion beats. Trevor Huxley rounded out the band's rhythm section with his funky bass beats. The show also featured local singer songwriter Mike Gonzales who sat in with the band for a several songs.

As more people become vaccinated, music fans at the drive-in shows have become more comfortable leaving the cars and lounging or dancing in the cool night air at the fairgrounds. Two food trucks and a beer bar also kept concertgoers in good spirits. The Concerts In Your Car Series continues with the final show featuring Hip Hop artists Nelly and Baby Bash on June 12th. CBF will then transition to its original music festival format with the first event, The 9th annual Tequila and Taco Festival in Ventura in July. According to CBF productions “With restrictions on concerts and festivals lifted in California as of June 15, Ventura’s beloved Tequila & Taco Music Festival will be returning on July 24 - 25 to the Ventura County Fairgrounds. Festivalgoers will be able to enjoy tequila sampling, live entertainment, delicious street tacos, craft beer, refreshing margaritas and an artisanal craft market, all at an ideal beach-adjacent outdoor setting, cooled by ocean breezes.

A variety of top-shelf tequila brands will be participating in the festival’s Saturday and Sunday tequila tasting, and delicious margaritas and other beverages will be available for purchase. Attendees will also be able to enjoy delicious gourmet street tacos from a range of popular food vendors.

The 90’s pop icon and rapper Robert Van Winkle aka Vanilla Ice will set the stage on fire with his distinctive mix of rock, techno, and old-school hip hop on Saturday, along with the hip hop/pop rap duo Tag Team.”

For more info and tickets: https://www.concertsinyourcar.com

Finally, live music is back throughout southern California venues. Alt-Pop singer-songwriter CLO was at the forefront of fresh new live performances, making her post quarantine debut at Federal Noho in North Hollywood. The restaurant and live music venue had been bringing top live entertainment to the working-class side of Hollywood, more known for its film production houses than its nightlife scene, for more than a decade. After a lengthy pandemic shutdown, live music has resumed at the local neighborhood venue. On a beautiful clear night, the last Sunday of spring CLO played a short but inspirational set of her original tunes.

As a crowd gathered tightly around the stage following two opening sets, helicopters screamed overhead. A police pursuit of a stolen vehicle was being televised in what has become a daily ritual in the Los Angeles area. The fleeing driver sped right past the venue with wailing police vehicles in pursuit from all directions. The noisy distraction outside, however, did not deter from the magical performance of this fresh new pop singer hailing from the bay area. Relocated to Hollywood, this was the delayed debut of the performer's latest work. The talented young singer has a pleasing voice and a commanding stage presence similar to a young Dua Lipa style. But her music is all her own, with a compelling mix of musical genres and passion-laced lyrical songwriting. The singer was in constant motion from the moment when she took the stage, with a hypnotic, almost tantric-like rhythm about her.

CLO seems as though she would be as comfortable singing with an EDM DJ at a massive outdoor music festival as she was onstage fronting her impressive four-piece rock band at the Federal Noho. Her band deserves special acknowledgment mixing funk, rock, and electronica into a heart-thumping superlative soundtrack. The four rockers in the band featured Jace Holmes-Floyd on dance-inducing keyboards, thunderous drummer Jawann Blanchey, a true funk meister on bass Clark Simms and extraordinary electric guitarist Brandon Ferguson. CLO led the band through a lightning set of six songs eliciting emphatic approval from the tightly packed crowd. The show ended with her hit single “Blackout," which can be seen in numerous remix versions online.

As the singer left the stage, the band brought an explosive jam to a crescendo at the end of the song. The audience was left screaming for more. It is a good bet they will hear a lot more from this talented newcomer in the pop world.

CLO has just released her latest music video for her recent single, “Real.” The video is directed by Nikko Lamere, featuring CLO singing and dancing through the streets of Los Angeles.