UPCOMING CONCERTS!Stevie Nicks at Trump Taj Mahal In Atlantic City, NJ August 27, 2010

Donna Summer at Wolftrap In Vienna, VA August 29, 2010

Blondie at Penn's Peak In Jim Thorpe, PA September 1, 2010

Lisa Lampanelli at FM Kirby Center In Wilkes-Barre, PA September 17, 2010

Photos courtesy of Stevie Nicks Ledge, Billboard.com, Vulture & Miami Herald

Thanks!

Just wanted to say thank you to Justin Trawick for mentioning my blog on his Facebook, thought that was pretty cool.

(pics taken from the Sellersville, PA show 7/11/10)

Diana Ross at The Strathmore

Diana Ross

"More Today Than Yesterday: The Greatest Hits"
The Strathmore
Bethesda, MD May 25, 2010

--Setlist--
Overture
The Boss
More Today Than Yesterday
Reflections
You Can't Hurry Love
Stop in the Name of Love
It's Hard For Me To Say
Love Child
I'm Coming Out
Touch Me in The Morning
Upside Down
It's My House
Love Hangover/Take Me Higher/Ease On Down The Road
The Look of Love
Fine & Mellow
Don't Explain
Why Do Fools Falls In Love
Endless Love
Do You Know Where You're Going To
Ain't No Mountain High Enough
I Will Survive
Reach Out & Touch (Somebody's Hand)
I Love You
Photos taken from http://concreteloop.com/2010/05/concert-pics-diana-ross-at-radio-city-music-hall

This was my 3rd time seeing Diana and probably my favorite. I've never seen her have so much fun on stage before. There was hardly any interaction with the audience, which used to be something that was a staple of her shows, but you could tell she was enjoying watching her fans get up and have a good time. Her 18 piece band/orchestra were tight, although sometimes they overpowered Diana's vocals. New outfits were designed for the tour, in which she changed into after every 3 or 4 songs...each one outdoing the others. Diana also used video screens for this tour, something she's shyed away from in the past. Images of The Supremes shown while she belted out a full version of "Reflections" and during "It's Hard For Me To Say", she honored her fellow Motown collegues to roaring applause. This tour recieved quite a bit of press and hopefully it will bring her more into the spotlight. My favorite parts of the show included "Reflections", the medley of "Love Hangover", "Take Me Higher" & "Ease on Down The Road", her salsa version of "Love Child" and the singalong of "Reach Out & Touch".

The Jill & Julia Show

I've been a fan of Jill Sobule's for about 6 or so years now. I've seen her 8 times or so now and met her each time. She is a really nice, really cool, layed back artist...always audience friendly and a smile on her face. I've always heard of her "Jill & Julia Show" concerts where she performs with comedian Juila Sweeney (she's most noted for her role "Pat" on Saturday Night Live & her one woman shows). The format is Jill sings a song and Julia tells a story relating to the song. I've heard fans say how great of a show it is and I never got to experience it...until last weekend.

The Jill & Julia Show came to Sellersville, PA July 11, 2010 for a one time only show. I got tickets for myself and my friend Whitney, who is a big Jill fan, and we ended up with front row tickets and I was over the moon. According to Julia's blog, she is giving up touring and this summer's Jill & Julia Show tour is the last.
Justin Trawick, a DC musician, opened the show with a great half hour set that showcased his voice, guitar playing & humor. I really enjoyed his opening song "Mexico". It still sticks with me, lol. I met him after the show and he is a really nice guy, very friendly. Definitely one of my favorite openers for Jill that I've seen. If you get a chance to see him...go! Check his website www.justintrawick.com for tour dates and news.

After a short intermission, Jill & Julia came out and put on a fantastic hour 15 minute set. Julia's stories had the audience rolling on the floor in laughter. I had tears coming out of my eyes from laughing so hard. Topics of Julia's ranged from a hilarious phone conversation with her mother, how she met her husband, teaching her daughter the facts of life and her first experience with acid. Jill had a song to follow up each one. It was definitely a unique show and I think one of my favorite Jill shows I've been to (well...with the exception of the one where she called me up on stage to hold up lyric sheets lol). During the show, Jill played her biggest hit, "I Kissed a Girl" or as she introduced it "...a Katy Perry cover..." and ended it with "...I kissed her first...". They are only playing a handful of shows together, so if they come to your area---go! go! go!

After the show, Julia & Jill both came out to talk to the fans. I got my picture taken with Julia first and she signed my copy of her DVD, "Letting Go of God". I also asked her about her cameo on "Mad About You" where she played a French language professor...she was surprised I remembered and said she had to learn everything phonetically but it was a fun. I then got my pic taken with Jill and she remembered me and loved my "California Years" shirt :) She remembered the time I came up on stage and signed the pic I had of it for me. I told her I was definitely making it to her Harrisburg show and she asked if I knew anything about the venue, and I told her I didn't. After a few more minutes of chatting and signing Whit & I headed out. We both agreed it was one of our favorite shows.

----info on the upcoming Harrisburg concert---
10/21/2010 at Midtown Scholar Bookstore...tickets are $20.


Setlist for the Jill & Julia Show
(not necessarily in order)
Love Is Never Equal
Heroes
Somewhere In New Mexico
Cinnamon Park
Nothing To Prove
Wendell Lee
I Kissed a Girl
Strawberry Gloss
Mexican Wrestler
Lucky In Love
ENCORE: A Good Life

Meeting Shirley Alston Reeves, Original Lead Singer of The Shirelles

I've been a fan of The Shirelles from around the time I became a Supremes fan...so around 2000 I guess. Although there is quite a bit of Shirelles stuff out there, there are a lot more things "Supreme" related to collect so my Shirelles collection is a bit lackluster, although that's changing slowly. I got to see Shirley Alston Reeves, who is the original lead singer of The Shirelles, a total of three times now...the first two were a few years ago in Lancaster, PA at The American Music Theater as part of an Oldies revue. She was great and put on a solid set, but being a part of a revue she wasn't on stage long. I didn't get to meet her at those two concerts sadly but I knew one day I would get the chance to see her again and attempt to meet the woman who, along with Beverly Lee, Doris Jackson & Micki Harris, helped create "the girl group sound".

Shirley does not have an official website and tracking down her concerts is a bit of work. I usually go to Google news, type her name in and hope something comes up...and sometimes it does and I find out the day after a concert she was in the area. Well, as luck would have it I found out she was doing a FREE concert in North Wildwood, just a few blocks from the famous Wildwood boardwalk at the Lou Booth Amphitheater.

As I got to the small outdoor venue, Shirley along with her band were doing sound check and chatting with the audience. Someone had asked her to do "A Thing of the Past" and she along with her 2 background singers were gathered around the keyboardist trying to remember & work on remembering the song which peaked at 41 on the charts. Although the song is not a well known hit, it's one of Shirley's favorite songs. I found a seat on a bench near the stage and talked to the 2 older women in front of me who loved the fact that a young man was interested in the music of their generation. I asked if they thought Shirley would do a meet and greet after and they said to just walk up to the stage when she got off during sound check...so I did. I had in my hand my hard to find copy of Ms. Alston's first solo album, "Lady Rose" (which I found in a record shop in Newport News, VA), The Shirelles "Spontaneous Combustion", a sharpie and my camera.

Shirley was talking to a few of her friends who came to the show and then spotted me and said sweetly "A fan!" and I walked up to her nervously. I was standing next to someone who I had listened to so much growing up. She was dressed casually and looked great for someone who had recently celebrated their 69th birthday. I introduced myself and told her I was from Lancaster, PA-over 3 1/2 hours away-and came down to see her do her show and she said she wasn't feeling so great and that she'd try to do the best show possible. She was surprised I had tracked down the "Lady Rose" album and as she signed the front & back of the album ("...just in case one of the signatures fade, you'll have the other one...") told me a bit about Billy Vera who played a big role in making it. I asked her if she knew where I could find "Shirley sings The Shirelles", her 2nd album and she said "Good luck with that one, it's hard to find". As she signed above the picture of her on the cover of the "Spontaneous Combustion" album she explained that the photo was shot at a different concert and not the one featured on the album. She also explained that she was ill during the concert photographed on the cover and then pointed out "You see here how Doris is in a different dress than the rest of us? She was pregnant and couldn't find into our regular stage costumes". After signing and chit chatting for a bit more, I asked for a picture and she took two with me (my favorite one is posted here)I then asked if she was taking requests and when she said "What would you like to hear?" I said "Big John" and she said "I think we can arrange that, give me one second to ask the band"...she went to her music director and talked to him about the song and came back with "We'll do it for ya tonight". I gave her a hug and said have a great show and off she went to get ready for the show. "Wow!" I thought to myself...I had finally met Shirley and she was so incredibly sweet...one of THE nicest musicians I have met.

I made my way back to my seat and talked to the older ladies in front of me. One used to live in Delaware and also the Poconos and the other used to live in Holtwood where I lived for quite a few years growing up. We talked about our love of older artists, the harsh winter we had and the hot weather of the past few days.

About quarter of 8, there was an opening ceremony which featured some of the local towns people who talked about upcoming events. Around 8, the band came out and played 3 songs to warm up the crowd...most of which mostly consisted of older people who were teenagers when The Shirelles themselves were teenagers and having hit after hit.

On the heels of applause, Shirley & her two background singers, Iris Lammers & Cassie Hawkins, made their enterance to the tune of "Johnny B. Goode" and continued onto a string of hits by other artists including "Shake", "Tossin' & Turnin'", "Chapel of Love". Also included was a tribute to the Girl Groups which included "Stop! In the Name of Love", "Jimmy Mack" among others. The crowd was energetic and during the songs, people were dancing in front of the stage and 2 senior citizens in the crowd even did a bit of pole dancing with the lighting poles causing Shirley to say she "...never had anyone pole dance at one of her concerts before". The energy was in the air and everyone was having fun singing along. Shirley sounded great, as did her band.

After the cover songs, she introduced her Shirelles material with their first big hit "I Met Him On a Sunday (Rhonde-Rhonde)" and then continued on through "Mama Said", "Baby It's You" "Will You Love Me Tomorrow", "Everybody Loves a Lover" & "Tonight's The Night". During "Soldier Boy", the Shirelles biggest hit, Shirley, Iris & Cassie did a high kick routine in the middle of the song to a roar of applause showing that age is nothing but a number.

Towards the end of her set, she said she had two requests. The first she was going to do was "A Thing of the Past" but the band had started into "Big John". She said "Big John" was for Brian who was out there somewhere and that her favorite was "A Thing of The Past" so whichever the band wanted to do first was up to them and they started into "A Thing of the Past", which sounded fantastic. Next she said "Okay, where's Brian? He wanted me to do "Big John" for him. Brian, are you out there? Stand up Brian...There you are, I see you! This is for you, don't laugh if we mess up" and they went into a rousing version of "Big John", a Top 40 hit for the group back in 1961 and ended it with "Hope you enjoyed it Brian"...and I did, very much :)

She ended her set with 2 medleys, the first consisting of "Up On the Roof", "Some Kind of Wonderful" and "Be My Baby" and for her finale "Twist", "Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On" & "Blue Suede Shoes". She thanked everyone for coming out and "Brian for coming down" which made my already big smile, huge. I made my in front of the stage with the crowd that had danced and gathered before this Doo-Wop icon and when she saw me, she pointed at me, blew a few kisses at me and then as I held out my hand, she grabbed it for a few moments". Even though the show ended and the band departed, she remained on stage, talking and shaking hands with everyone who had gathered.

This was one of my favorite shows I've been too and not just because it was kinda personalized. Shirley Alston Reeves just knows how to put on a great show and knows what her audience wants. Her sweetness and charm shines through during her set as she talks back and forth with the audience between hits. If you get a chance to see her, go...you won't be disappointed and I can pretty much guarantee you'll know just about every song.

Just a heads up for those who want to know, she is doing shows at Mount Airy Casino in Mount Pocono, PA on August 5 & August 19 at 2:30pm. She is also appearing at Wolf Trap in Vienna, VA (just outside DC) on August 28 as part of an Ultimate Doo Wop Show.


...and just a side note...I found a few copies of "Shirley Sings The Shirelles" on Ebay, all for close to $20. I checked a local record store and after some hunting around in there, I found it for $4 and I think almost let out a loud "YES!" lol...it's definitely worth whatever price you pay. Shirley's vocals are front in center, hardly any background vocals and different arrangements of her Shirelles hits. I also googled her 3rd album, "With a Little Help From My Friends" and managed to find and download it-and I do plan on finding this on vinyl as well. A great collection of covers with her doing lead and the original group doing the background.

(Clockwise: Micki, Beverly, Shirley, Doris)
(Photo from Amazon.com)

---Setlist---
(not in accurate order for most part and may be missing a few songs but it'll give you an idea of her show)
Johnny B. Goode
Shake
Rock n Roll
Tossin' & Turnin'
Heatwave
Chapel of Love
Girl Group Medley (includes Jimmy Mack, Stop! In The Name of Love, Where Did Our Love Go, One Fine Day)
I Met Him On a Sunday
Tonight's The Night
Mama Said
Baby, It's You
Soldier Boy
Everybody Loves a Lover
Foolish Little Girl
Will You Love Me Tomorrow
A Thing of the Past
Big John
Medley of Up On The Roof, Some Kind of Wonderful & Be My Baby
Finale: Twist/Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On/Blue Suede Shoes & Hound Dog

I'm back!

Okay...so it's only been close to a year since I've posted on here...yikes! Things happened and I got sidetracked. I decided though the other day to finally try and get back on track. Things have been a little slow and I need to keep myself busy, so I'm hoping this is the way to do so. I updated my concert list to include the recent (well, years worth of shows) concerts I've gone too. Going to try and review some shows, tell stories of meeting the artist(s) at certain concerts, post pics or at least put up a set list.

Blondie & Pat Benatar Bring Rock to Bethlehem

Blondie & Pat Benatar Bring Rock to Bethlehem


By Brian Walmer, Independent Music Critic

(Professional photos from Allentown's Morning Call, Tour poster from Google Images, Stage shot of Blondie & The Donna's by Brian Walmer)



Two of the biggest names in Rock joined forces this summer to create the "Call Me Invincible Tour". Pat Benatar & Blondie along with newbies The Donna's came together for a night of classic songs near the closing of Bethlehem's annual Musikfest.




The Donna's, a 4 piece all girl rock band, opened up the show with a brief set of old songs and new including their big hit "Take It Off" before a crowd of near 5,500 at the outdoor Sands Riverplace.



After a brief set change, Pat Benatar took the stage hard with "All Fired Up" from her '88 album, "Wide Awake In Dreamland". Benatar, looking better than ever at 56 as she proudly annouced, kept the hits coming as her and her band performed "You Better Rum" and "Shadow's of The Night". Early in the set, Benatar introduced her band which includes her husband, Neil "Spyder" Giraldo. The two of them are currently celebrating their 31th year touring together. Before each song, the duo gave fans a mini history of the song's history.




Pat & Neil pulled up two stools and told everyone to take out their cell phones and wave them in the air as they performed an amazing version of 1984's "We Belong". More hits followed including "Invincible", which Benatar said is a great song from a not so great movie ("The Legend of Billie Jean") and "Hell Is For Children", a song which raises awareness about child abuse.






When it came time for "Hit Me With Your Best Shot", Benatar told the audience the only way she'd sing the song is if they sang the line she hates to sing...so partway through the mic was held out as the crowd yelled out "...so before I put another notch in my lipstick case, you better make sure you put me in my place!". Before closing out her set, Benatar's first number one & crowd favorite, "Love Is a Battlefield", became yet another sing a long. Coming back for 2 encore's, Benatar performed "Promises In The Dark" and her first big hit, "Heartbreaker" before saying her good bye's and getting the crowd hyped up for Blondie.


After a brief 20 minute intermission, the band that is Blondie came onto the stage led by front woman Deborah Harry. At 64, she is still every bit the blond bombshell she was in her heyday. She led the crowd through a rousing "Call Me" which led into "Hanging On the Telephone". Harry then performed the first single off her 2007 solo album, "Two Times Blue" then went right back into Blondie mode with the rarely performed "The Hardest Part".




Blondie, although now only consisting of 3 original members, kept the hits coming as the night went on. Whether it was their big comeback single, "Maria", or putting a "I'll Take You There" spin on "The Tide Is High", the band was tighter than ever. Harry performed another track off her "Necessary Evil" album, this one fitting the outdoor theme, "You're Too Hot". The 1980 "Rapture" proved that Ms. Harry could still rap with the best of them extending the song to include the Coolio rap from 1998's "No Exit" before leading into "One Way or Another".


Coming back for 3 encore's the band started up with a rock cover of Celine Dion's "Titantic" theme song, "My Heart Will Go On". Their trademark, "Heart of Glass", had the huge outdoor crowd up and singing along. Closing out the evening, the band performed the Michael Jackson classic, "Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough" and made it sound new again. The band could definitly release it today and have a hit with it. Following thank you's to the audience, the band left the stage leaving everyone talking about how amazing these rocker's have held up over the course of over 30 years.