Butch Walker Schubas Tavern-Chicago, IL January 8th, 2010 Night #4 of 4, Fan Request show Photos by: Billie Jo Sheehan By Anthony Kuzminski
We conclude Butch Walker week over at antiMusic with a completely fresh review never published from his fan request show on January 8th, 2010:
I have watched bands with a slew of top-forty hits not muster a tenth of the energy Walker can. The relationship between artist and fan is a sacred relationship. There are ways to cater to your art and the fan’s needs simultaneously and these shows were prime examples of what one can pull off. Walker has an innate ability to always make his crowd a part of the performance and not mere spectators. On the evening’s finale, “Take Tomorrow”, there was no microphone and it was Walker, his acoustic and a series of conjoined hushed voices bringing the series of shows full circle where Walker and the crowd became one. The most important thing for an artist to accomplish between themselves and their audience is a connection. I can say without hesitation that Walker does this better than anyone else on the road at this given time. You can manipulate someone to buy your record but you can’t force them to follow you, be a fan or admire you. He has created his own paradigm built on the relationship he has with his fans.
Schubas Tavern-Chicago, IL - January 7th, 2010
Night #3 of 4,
the ‘Sycamore Meadows' show
Photos by: Billie Jo Sheehan
The evening's high spot was "Ships in a Bottle", done on electric guitar with barely a hint of echoy reverb, adding to the sensation of the lingering vocal. His delivery was wrenching as if he was wrestling with a demon right on the stage in front of us as he painted broad and vivid pictures. This was without question, his greatest vocal performance of the entire four night stand. Whether the delivery of the material was straightforward or not, it didn't matter. The songs leapt out at you waving you down to take notice. Of the three complete albums Walker performed, this was his most recent and as a result, it houses emotions and stories that are still raw. These songs aren't distant memories, but feelings he can still reach out and touch with little issue.
Night #2 of 4, the ‘The Rise and Fall of Butch Walker and the Let's-Go-Out-Tonites' show Photos by: Billie Jo Sheehan
In a day and age of musical surplus, if an album doesn't connect it might not get the same number of spins it would have two-decades ago. As a result, The Rise & Fall… never made an overpowering impression on me and was a record I admired more than loved. That changed at Schubas. This was the one show I wasn't looking forward to, but it turned out to be my favorite as Walker defied my impressions of this record with a pure and illuminating performance. Unlike the previous evening, Walker had his electric guitar plugged in for a large part of the evening, which he made a point of pointing out by saying "Electric guitar meet Chicago", and right from the opening chords of "Hot Girls In Good Moods", he seemed to be in high spirits. As Walker explained to the crowd, he was in a good place when he wrote and recorded the album and it didn't produce his most brooding and contemplative songs, but some of his most muscular.
The album's most expressive song is also its most stark. With a lone acoustic guitar, Walker delivers "Be Good Until Then", in a graciously affecting approach that imparts a compelling poignant punch to the heart. Written for his son, Walker created a song that swells your eyes without being flashy. The one verse that moves me most is;" You don't have to try so hard/ To be the best. Just know you are/And that's all that'll matter to me". Beneath the tattooed rocker is a man with heart and soul and these words will not only be heard by his son, but by his listeners as well, who, if they're lucky will take heed to his words of wisdom. The melding on influences on this record is absorbing and with each listen, each song proves to be not just revealing but truly stirring. Boogie-woogie piano blues, introspective acoustic musings, strings descended from ELO and ultimately is houses passion that is one hundred percent Butch Walker.
I'm doing my full in-depth reviews of Butch Walker's four night Chicago stand over at antiMusic. These articles are different from the ones that appeared here on the blog.
The first evening was a look back at his second solo record, Letters...
One of the key's to Walker's success is the intimacy and personal touch he elicits in concert. You feel his art, you sense his wonder and you dive deep into his psyche. This past winter, Walker did something truly unique for his followers; he performed albums in their entirety in small and intimate shows. Walker is an artist always moving forward never wanting to live in his past, so these shows (performed in New York, Los Angeles, Atlanta and Chicago) provided the fans with a rare glimpse into the past and after witnessing all four Chicago shows let me tell you what a journey it was. Arriving on stage in a hat, flannel shirt and jeans, Butch Walker began his four night stand at Schubas night club in Chicago by teasing with the crowd how the opening track on his 2004 album Letters was nothing more than a bunch of overlapping high pitched vocals…before he nearly replicated "Sunny Day Real Estate", a twenty-six second intro to his illuminating Letters record. This is something the core fans salivate for and Walker is doing it with great imminence but even better, he's conveying the songs with intense believability.
The tour had it's first proper shows this weekend in Seattle and I will be damned...they really did dig deep. "Shot Through the Heart", "Get Ready", "Roulette", "Something For the Pain" and "Homebound Train"...with Richie Sambora on vocals. When I offered up suggestions for the tour, I received a number of emails telling me a few of my suggestions were unrealistic. I have to say, if the band pulls that out of their back pocket, well, anything is possible.
It looks like the band if off to a great start to their tour and to those of you seeing the show, I hope it exceeds your expectations.
Last December Soraia singer Sue Mansour came to visit me in Chicago for the intent purpose of sitting down and getting her story for a feature-length article. Over two days, she peeled off layers of her soul I never expected and gave me such a bevy of information and jump-out-of-your-seat quotes that it took me forever to find the muse when compiling it all.
After nearly a month of trying to edit and write simultaneously, I started over, threw caution to the wind and had a enormous piece. It has been edited down and now you can read the final product over at antiMusic.
I've written extensively about Soraia before and you can read all of those articles at this link.
Inside a cold and shadowy Philadelphia house, two men are hovering over the body of Sue Mansour, lead singer of the band Soraia. One is panicked while the other is holding her lifeless body as tears stream off his face dripping onto her cold lifeless skin as a needle, which provided a potent shot of cocaine to her right arm, lies next to her motionless body. There was no pulse, no physical reaction and it appeared for all intents and purposes that she was in an everlasting catatonic state. As Sue Mansour recollects the story to me she states quite austerely, "I was dead".
Bon Jovi performed their second show in Hawaii this past Friday and I have to say, I was rather floored with a few inclusions. This was the first "get Ready" since the European tour of 1988. It was the first "Only Lonely" since August of 1986 where the band played it in Japan and also the first time Hugh McDonald has performed any of these songs in concert. "Only Lonely" was one of those songs I threw in the category of "We'll never hear that one ever again". There's the god awful video and well, it's not their strongest song, but I will be damned, they forged ahead and played it. This is a good sign of things to come.
A few emails I received said the crowd was not into the show and even had Jon Bon Jovi chastising them. This is possibly due to a few elements. The first being that the show is taking place in Hawaii. What makes a rock n' roll show such a invigorating experience is that everyone brings the weight of their world with them through the doors of a concert hall and the crowd let's go of themselves, their pain and their struggle in the process. This is Hawaii, what does anyone have to be stressed about?
One minor complaint about the set list; there doesn't seem to be a theme or any good pacing going on. Overlooking the set list below, you don't have a sequence of more than two songs that are hits. Yes, I know I chastise the band continually about relying on them, but they would be better off playing a sequence of hits here and there to allow the new songs and quieter ones to breathe. An audience will forgive you if you wallop them in the end and I don't see it below. Still, considering these were largely rehearsal shows, it's a good start.
Also, a suggestion to those who want to follow the tour, bookmark this link. A fan made blog covering the tour by Hath which will include pictures, set lists and links to available YouTube videos. You can't beat that.
On a side note, the official fan club is releasing full rehearsal clips of "Hardest Part is the Night" and "Only Lonely". I must say, this is a step forward in the right direction for their fan club. Snippets to non-fan club members can be found here.
Honolulu, HI: The Blaisdell Center Arena 2/12/2010 Set List courtesy of this link
Lost Highway
We Weren't Born to Follow
Bad Name
Born To Be My Baby
Get Ready
Only Lonely
Thorn In My Side
When We Were Beautiful
Whole Lotta Leavin
Superman Tonight
We've Got It Goin On
It's My Life
Bad Medicine
Hallelujah
I'll Be There for You (Richie Vocals)
(Richie Sings the Blues)
Brokenpromiseland
Someday I'll Be Saturday Night
Who Says You Can't Go Home
Love's The Only Rule
Wanted Dead or Alive
Livin On A Prayer
My suggestions to improve the Bon Jovi set list:
1. Rotating Opener (I Believe/ Lost Highway/Blood On Blood/ Get Ready/Breakout/ Hey God/ Raise Your Hands /Cover/ Etc)
2. We Weren't Born to Follow
3. Bad Medicine
4. Superman Tonight
5. Shot Through The Heart (or another 'Bon Jovi' song)
6. You Give Love A Bad Name
7. Born To Be My Baby
8. I'd Die For You / Misunderstood / In These Arms /
9. Ballad (Bed of Roses, Always, 'These Days' song)
10. '7800' Slot
11. 'Circle' song
12. 'Lost Highway' song
13. Wild Card (Saturday Night, etc)
14. When We Were Beautiful
15. Richie spot
16. Loves The Only Rule
17. Lay Your Hands On Me / Raise Your Hands / Have A Nice Day/ Hey God, etc
18. Lay Your Hands On Me / Raise Your Hands / Have A Nice Day/ Hey God, etc
19. It's My Life
20. Keep the Faith
Encore Break
24. Wanted
25. Who Says You Can't Go Home
26. Prayer
By ending the main set and the 2nd encore with a bevy of hits, it allows them to take some chances in the main set. I'm sure that as the tour goes on, they will find their stride.
Butch Walker & The Black Widows making of the record, "I Liked It Better When You Had No Heart". from the recording sessions at RubyRed Productions in Santa Monica, Ca.. shot and compiled by Karin Gaarder.
I love Steve's garage show. It's one of the best things on radio. As much as I would like to think I am hip he continually turns me onto things and isn't ashamed for throwing the Go-Go's or Aerosmith's "Girls of Summer" on his decade-end list.
Check out his lists below.
I've already discovered the treasure chest that is 'One Kiss Can Lead To Another: Girl Group Sounds, Lost And Found', it's beyond words. Buy it here.
If you missed the last two episodes of Little Steven's Underground Garage, Steven Van Zandt counted down the decade's coolest songs and albums. From the mono remasters of the Beatles catalog, to the return of the New York Dolls, to the debuts of new bands like The Raveonettes and The Hives, to the albums that launched Wicked Cool Records (by The Chesterfield Kings and The Woggles), the last 10 years are proof that Rock and Roll is alive and well.
Check out Little Steven's Top 25 albums and the 50 Coolest Songs of the 2000s, along with audio clips, at the links below:
This is a follow up to two previously written pieces which can be found here and here.
Bon Jovi kicked their tour off last night in Honolulu, HI @ the Blaisdell Center Arena. In their 22-song set they pulled out three songs from their first two records.
"Roulette" and "Shot Through The Heart" were played for the first time since the band’s Japan tour in 1986 and "Tokyo Road" was performed for the first time since March of 2001 where it was done as a one-off in Japan. Ten of the band’s eleven records were represented with 5 songs performed from their latest album, The Circle. The full setlist is as follows:
Opening Night setlist for 'The Circle' tour:
1. Blood on Blood
2. We Weren't Born To Follow
3. Bad Name
4. Born To Be My Baby
5. Roulette
6. Shot Through The Heart
7. When We Were Beautiful
8. Whole Lot of Leavin'
9. Superman Tonight
10. We Got It Going On
11. It's My Life
12. Bad Medicine
13. (You Want To) Make a Memory
14. Diamond Ring
15. Bed of Roses
16. Work For The Working Man
17. Have a Nice Day
18. Who Says You Can't Go Home
19. Love's The Only Rule
Encore:
20. Tokyo Road
21. Wanted, Dead or Alive
22. Livin' On A Prayer
For the record, I don't think my "Open Letter To Jon Bon Jovi" had anything to do with the changes, they did say they were going to go deep on this tour. If anything I may take a small bit of credit for the non-inclusion of "I'll Sleep When I'm Dead" (just kidding).
Let's hope they continue to dig deep show to show and throughout the entire tour.
One suggestion, why not perform "Shot Through The Heart" and lead directly into "You Give Love A Bad Name"? It would be a way to showcase an old song and give the old classic some new context. Here's to hoping there is more to come.
I hope this letter finds you well. In reading recent interviews in regards to the upcoming tour, I’ve read a bunch of quotes mentioning some drastic change to the show. My apologies in advance, but I can’t help but chuckle a little when reading them. I must admit it takes a lot to beat down my inner Joe Wilson so he doesn’t come to life and blurt out “You lie”. I’m partially kidding, but only moderately because this isn’t the first time your band has claimed to have rehearsed eighty songs yet only have you perform forty to fifty over the tour. There always seems to be a lot of talk but when it comes time to execute, you rely on your same bag of tricks, some of which go back two decades (“Shout” I’m looking at you). On your most recent tour for Lost Highway there was almost nothing to separate it from previous ones aside from the new tunes and the cover of “Hallelujah”. I’m writing this “open letter” not to chastise you, but to bring it to your attention, because despite what anyone may say about you or your band, you have the capacity to be a devastating live act
I’ve received a few hundred emails in recent months and let me tell you, your fans are pining to see something different. I personally don’t have anything to gain as I will be sitting out your current tour for a myriad of reasons I won’t go into, but the biggest is the song selection. Again, this wouldn’t be an issue if there weren’t continual statements in the press about how many songs are rehearsed or are planned on being played. To be fair, I decided to sit down and see how many actual songs I have seen you perform over the last few decades. What I found surprised me. I have seen a total of thirty-seven shows over the course of seven tours stretching back two decades and have only seen a mere ninety-one songs performed. Sixteen of these are covers (and I’m including snippets including “Jumpin' Jack Flash”, “Good Lovin’”, etc.). So essentially I’ve seen seventy-five original Bon Jovi songs over thirty-seven performances. When looking at this, I decided to see how you matched up against the other “top grossing” acts on the road and here’s what I found:
• Over 37 performances Bon Jovi has done 91 songs (only 75 originals)
• I’ve seen The Rolling Stones 15 times and have seen 97 unique songs
• I’ve seen U2 20 times and have seen 87 unique songs (no snippets included)
• I’ve seen the Dave Matthews Band four times on one album cycle and saw 51 unique songs
• I’ve seen Pearl Jam a mere five times and they have performed 85 unique songs
• I’ve seen Bruce Springsteen 45 times and have seen a whopping 257 unique songs
I’ve seen you in front of a few hundred people in an intimate club, a spirited theater, an roaring arena, a deafening stadium, in the Midwest, out on the East Coast, in New Jersey, at charity gigs and it doesn’t seem to matter where or how I see you, it’s the same recycled show. I think the statistics above are staggering. The only other acts who I have seen ten-plus times and have performed fewer songs than you are Aerosmith and KISS and well…we know how their tours went in 2009. This is your fifth tour in under a decade and at this stage in the game you have to assume that the majority of the people seeing you are return customers who want more than the standard fare. Don’t get me wrong, I fully understand there are a dozen songs that need to be played every night along with five from the new record. But even after that, it should leave you room for two or three rarities that could be rotated continually. Here’s the thing about thinking out of the box; it’s infectious. In a day and age where information is immediately available via texts, Facebook, Twitter, etc, there is immense buzz whenever an artist does something out of the box. You (and the promoters of your tour) will do nothing but gain momentum and an increase in ticket sales as a result of not playing it safe. If for no other reason, you should take more chances to help sales of future shows.
I completely realize that the balance between artistry and fulfilling fan’s expectations is an impossible one. But as you can see from the number of songs I have been witness to, there’s room for improvement. I for one don’t like “Open All Night” from the Bounce record at all (I find the version of the box set superior), however, after hearing you talk so passionately about it, I’d be curious to see it live, because you would stand to change my mind. If you’re really that ardent about that particular song, then you should allow yourself four-minutes to make yourself happy. A rock n’ roll concert should be about adventure and your concerts are no longer roller coaster rides, but safe merry-go-round rides, which are fine, but look at KISS and Aerosmith, two acts who played it safe for too long and as a result, neither can sell-out shows even with $10 tickets. Also, I’ve continually read interviews where you bemoan the loss of the album format. You have mentioned how a whole generation of music fans are just going to download “Brown Sugar” and “Wild Horses” and will never discover track seven on Sticky Fingers (“I Got the Blues”), but isn’t that hypocritical when you only promote your singles and never play track seven (“Burning For Love”, “Hardest Part Is The Night”, “Without Love”, “Wild Is the Wind”, “Dry County”, “My Guitar Lies Bleeding…”, “Mystery Train”, “Hook Me Up”) in concert?
I know you probably think that this letter has been published to scold you, but it’s not. When you set out to make your mark in the 1980’s and in your drive to stay visible during the 1990’s, you created works of art which you asked people to listen to and we did, some of us a little more than others, but we listened intently and for that you should be forever thankful. Despite what you may think of many of your die-hard fans, most of them are highly intelligent, listen to a wide range of music, see movies, read books, travel and are fully evolved humans. All they want from you value for their ticket purchase. They want something more than they would get from an act at the local county fair. You asked them to listen…and they did. More importantly, they know deep down that many of the albums cuts they yearn for are what define you as an artist. You’re more than just some guy who got lucky, became successful on his looks or has made good business decisions. You’re an artist of immeasurable talent and all your fans want is for you to show the world that there is more to Bon Jovi than meets the eye. There’s a vast majority of the population who despise your band and its music, it’s time to prove them wrong. You’re more than a band who appeals to the drunken karaoke sing-a-long fans of the world; when you want to be, you’re one of the best live acts on the planet. I can honestly say without flinching, your band is responsible for one of the five most electrifying concert moments I’ve ever laid witness to. But as you can see from above, you perform a fraction of your songs in concert which almost is admitting that you’re ashamed of most of your back catalog, which you shouldn’t be. I may be a lost cause, but there are thousands of fans who can still be swayed. All your fans want from you is a sign that there is indeed greatness in you and your band. You owe it to AEG, you owe it to your management, you owe it to your fans, you owe it to yourself and above all, you owe it to your legacy.
PS: If you’re still reading, I’ve even done some extra credit work for you. Here’s a guide to what the fans think should be played on the upcoming tour.
Anthony Kuzminski is a Chicago based writer and Special Features Editor for the antiMusic Network and his daily writings can be read at The Screen Door and can be contacted at thescreendoor AT gmail DOT com.
This piece is in response to this open letter. When you are a band of Bon Jovi’s stature I’m fully aware that there are a collection of songs that *have* to be played every night no matter what. I’ll outline what has to be performed, what should be performed and what should be retired permanently. Broken up into five parts.
Part I: Every Night Staples
I’m fully aware for the casual fan there are certain songs you must perform, here’s a rundown of what they would expect to see:
“You Give Love A Bad Name”
“Livin’ On A Prayer”
“Wanted Dead Or Alive”
“Bad Medicine”
“Born To Be My Baby”
“Keep The Faith”
“Always”
“It’s My Life”
“Who Says You Can’t Go Home”
“Lost Highway”
Please, just put "Bad Name" somewhere else other than in the first four songs.
Then there’s the rest which should be rotated in and out:
“Raise Your Hands”
“Lay Your Hands On Me”
“Blood On Blood”
“I’ll Be There For You”
“In These Arms”
“Bed of Roses”
“Someday I’ll Be Saturday Night”
“Just Older”
“Have A Nice Day”
Part II: Fan Requests
I sent an email out to a number of fans and received over three hundred responses. Here’s a rundown of songs fans requested. Just for the record, I (and I hope your fans) don’t expect to see each of these songs nightly, but it would be nice to see them pulled out here and there. There’s no reason that three slots every night couldn’t be dedicated to the songs listed below. Fans may not see all the songs they want to see in one show, but this would drive them to see more than one show.
A few notes about the requests:
• Over 94% of the responses mentioned that they want to hear songs from the first two records.
• 87% mentioned “Edge of a Broken Heart” as the song they most want to hear
• 86% mentioned the These Days record in some form and fashion. In fact, as far as full and complete albums being performed, These Days received more votes than any other album. The only other one that was close was New Jersey. For the record, aside from an O2 gig in London (where the album was huge), I don’t expect to see the full album performed in one night. However, considering many fans have gone back and re-discovered this album and most likely missed the band in 1995 when it was toured, something should be played from it nightly.
• Even though I didn’t ask for it, 70% of the emails included songs they don’t want to hear.
Most requested Albums: 1. These Days 2. New Jersey 3. Slippery When Wet 4. 7800 5. Bon Jovi
Most Requested Songs:
1. "Edge of a Broken Heart"
2. "Wild Is The Wind"
3. "Dry County"
4. "I Believe"
5. "Hey God"
6. "Never Say Goodbye"
7. "Something To Believe In"
8. "In & Out of Love"
9. "Tokyo Road"
10. "Let It Rock"
11. "Next 100 Years"
12. "Diamond Ring"
13. "Silent Night"
14. "Hardest Part Is The Night"
15. "This Ain’t A Love Song"
16. "It’s Hard Letting You Go"
17. "Stick To Your Guns"
18. "Roulette"
19. "Cadillac Man"
20. "Shooting Star"
21. "Homebound Train"
22. "Bang A Drum"
23. "Hearts Breaking Even"
24. "Miracle"
25. "If That’s What It Takes"
26. "Get Ready"
27. "Shot Through the Heart" (w/ "Bang Bang intro)
28. "Without Love"
29. "The Distance"
30. "Breakout"
31. "Let’s Make It Baby"
32. "Hook Me Up"
33. "Blood Money"
34. "Living In Sin"
35. "One Wild Night"
36. "Any Other Day"
37. "The Boys Are Back In Town"
38. "I’d Die For You"
39. "Only Lonely"
40. "99 In The Shade"
41. "Hallelujah"
42. "Here Comes The Sun"
43. "Seven Days"
44. "Bridge Over Troubled Water"
45. "Lie To Me"
I know this list is a long shot, especially number one, “Edge of a Broken Heart”. However, you have to realize, this song received more airplay in the late 80’s than any of your minor hits this past decade.
Part III: Richie Sambora’s Set
Having played “Stranger In This Town” and I’ll Be There For You” for the better part of the decade, Richie should take his moment in the spotlight to show how diverse he can be. Why not “Undiscovered Soul”, “Hard Times Come Easy” or even “Fallen From Graceland” from his second solo record? “Rosie” would also be a great choice since it was originally written for New Jersey and would work the crowd up. He could also pull off “We All Sleep Alone” originally written for Cher. My wild card request would be “According To The Gospel Of Love”, written for Desmond Child’s Discipline record. That riff alone could tear the roof off any arena even if it is unknown. If all else fails, how about a cover of Slowhand’s “Layla”, I know Richie would own it and the crowd would react vociferously.
Part IV: Don’t Even Think About It
“I’ll Sleep When I’m Dead”
I’ll admit to being a snob here. This song needs to die. With a bevy of hits at your fingertips, how this song has been performed at every single show for nearly 18 years is beyond me. No one wants to hear this song, especially in lieu of album cuts and hits. After 18 years of performing the song, it’s time to retire it. If it continues to get performed I will have to take drastic measures. I come from a city where my favorite baseball team hasn’t won a World Series in over a century. A similar curse will be put on the Giants. It will start with them never winning a post season game ever again. If the song continues to be performed, the curse will be spread to never making the playoffs, then to never winning against Dallas and if I really have to, I’ll see to it that Dallas wins the division every year. No one wants this, so please, let’s bury this one and perform one of the hundred or so songs you have that are superior to this one.
“Joey”
Reggie and Bernie called, they want their song back.
“I Love This Town”
I know you like this, but I can’t tell you what a mass exodus this song elicits. Every show I have seen this song performed at has found the crowd zapped of its energy. Even at Summerfest last summer in Milwaukee, you came-you saw-you rocked and the show was a high energy party, until you played this song which was the only song of the entire show people sat for and in some cases, headed for the exit early.
All over-played covers
This includes “Shout”, “Twist and Shout”, and “Treat Her Right”. It's time to freshen things up. I wouldn’t mind hearing “Helter Skelter” or “Hallelujah”, but for a band that did some defining covers in the late 1980’s it’s time to take some chances again. Why not Patty Griffin’s “Up To The Mountain”? Never heard it, check it out here:
Part V: Songs That Should Be Temporarily Retired
“Runaway”
This has been performed at nearly every show for the last three tours. While certainly a hit, by no means does this one need to be played every night. This one could gladly sit out the tour allowing for other tracks from the first two records to be heard.
“Radio Saved My Life Tonight”
Great song from the box set but with so many great songs on the set, why only focus on this one song?
Most post-2000 songs
As mentioned earlier, most people seeing this upcoming tour will have seen you before and chances are multiple times this decade. The album cuts from the last few records could be given a rest and no one will really complain (“Complicated”, “We Got It Going On”. “Captain Crash”, “Joey”, etc.). As far as a full-on performance of Lost Highway, there is a DVD of the whole album and if someone really wants to see it, they’ll spend the $10 and save them the headache of paying for parking and having beer spilled on them.
Thanks for reading…
Anthony Kuzminski is a Chicago based writer and Special Features Editor for the antiMusic Network and his daily writings can be read at The Screen Door and can be contacted at thescreendoor AT gmail DOT com.
Last year there was a rather fascinating story that leaked where Bob Dylan was supposedly walking around a home Bruce Springsteen once lived in back in New Jersey.
Back in December when Guns N' Roses was in Japan, Axl told a bit of the story before launching into "Knocking On Heaven's Door". Check it out below.
Will Hoge – Highway Wings & Harrowing Hearts Double Door-Chicago, IL October 23, 2009 By Anthony Kuzminski {Photo Credit}
Over the last decade no artist has delivered more inspiring records and paired them with roof-raising live shows like Will Hoge. His everyman work ethic is on full display in concert where he tears through his catalog of songs not because he has to, but because he needs to. Hoge did a small acoustic show at Schubas in April on a mini tour, but this is his first plugged-in full band show in Chicago in nearly a year-and-a-half. Arriving on-stage in a shirt, tie and a vest looking like a consummate professional, Hoge and his band shred through a 100-minute set that elated the Chicago crowd. It also served as notice, that despite an accident that derailed him in 2008, he hasn’t missed a step. Opening with “Just Like Me” from his most recent album, The Wreckage the show teetered between the past and the present with delicate meticulousness as he found a way to weave his songs and their personal themes into the very fabric of his live concert. “Secondhand Heart”, “She Don’t Care” and “Hard To Love” followed in quick succession and swished with vitality despite being performed on a constant basis. Hoge ventured out on a tour this past spring that found him sitting for most of the show performing his songs in an intimate acoustic manner, but the Double Door gig was a return to the ferocious and fierce bluesy live show he is known for. This time around, the band is a four-piece. A piano in on stage for certain songs but largely went unused as the band focused on a splintering garage rock architecture that was towering and every bit as action-packed as you could imagine.
The twenty-song set, while high on bravado, featured some of the same intimacy that his club shows featured this past spring. “Baby Girl” and “The Wreckage” were alluring as they were lucid. This led up to a reworked version of “Woman Be Strong” from his 2006 masterwork, The Man Who Killed Love. Normally a full-fledged soulful revue, this time around, the performance was more plaintive amidst bare instrumentation. This was a bold move on Hoge’s part to replace the soul with starkness. Before the song’s conclusion, Hoge switched out his acoustic for an electric guitar that found him wailing like a lost bluesman. The six-string pyrotechnics dripped over into “Sweet Magdeline”, where his playing stirred the soul of Duane Allman. The double dose of “Dirty Little War” and “When I Can Afford To Lose” showed the more discreet side of Hoge, as he pensively delivered his soul-baring lyrics that elicit an avalanche of emotions. Draw the Curtains may be Hoge’s tour de force masterpiece. His passionate renderings of those ten songs seep themselves into you and you can feel the fire from within brim to the surface. Hoge steers his audience through thorny pastures, but they follow without question because the music and the emotions go hand in hand shining forth with believability. “The Highway’s Home” may be one of the greatest road stories ever told and every performance of the song is a beautifying glimpse into his soul. No artist has his pulse on the American mindset better than Hoge. While the struggles and dreams share a universal theme, the dirt roads, broken homes and bourbon fueled blues-rock is infused by what he knows. His lyrics drip with rich poignant details full of shocking realities that cut close to the bone. In all, the show featured seven of the eleven songs from The Wreckage, but a bigger surprise was that seven songs were included from Blackbird On A Lonely Wire, the John Shanks produced album from earlier this decade. Watching these songs in concert is always a revelation. New arrangements are tried out and often burst to life in concert. “Not That Cool” and “Better Off Now” were pure rock theater with the band vociferously playing out of their skins. Drummer Sigurdur Birkis swirled his drum sticks like they were an anvil pounding barriers of steel. Bassist Adam Beard complimented Birkis in keeping with the grooves while guitarist Devin Malone had a firm directness in his playing that compliments but never overwhelms the songs. Their combined efforts are devastating because of the vice-like grip they have on this material. The enthusiasm oozes off the concert stage infecting the crowd. The blasting “All Night Long” sounds like a lost Rolling Stones outtake from the 1970’s while “It’s A Shame” was larger-than-life in its resolute drive with a sterling and seducing performance. “It’s A Shame” is the type of song that could turn a cynic into a believer. The two most poignant tracks from The Wreckage “Highway Wings” and “Even If It Breaks Your Heart” found the crowd feverishly singing to every word. Hoge didn’t even need to sing either song as the crowd latched onto these songs and strained their vocal chords as their voices soared to the sky towards redemption. These two songs, more than anything Hoge has written, “Highway Wings” and “Even If It Breaks Your Heart” are the stuff of dreams; two mere examples of the translucent influence of rock n’ roll and its aptitude to elevate hearts and minds. At its best rock n’ roll finds a way to comfort and heal the soul and instills one with purpose. No two concerts by Will Hoge are ever the same as he continually reinvent and delves into his catalog featuring an array of ever evolving arrangements. Will Hoge and his band perform every show like it’s their last. They don’t live in a world where FM airplay is in the cards so they do the only thing they can; hit the road and win people over, one show, one song and ultimately one person at a time. The Chicago show featured a avid crowd who knew his songs inside and out. Hoge is as vitalizing as any performer on the road today and his show is crammed with more authenticity than any other act I can think of. Hoge is like an invigorating preacher; no two sermons are ever the same and the pulpit from which he preaches his creed is the stage. He’s part Springsteen, Dylan, Little Richard and Cobain…yet at the same time, he’s none of them; Will Hoge’s voice and mission is singular and pays homage to the very roots of rock n’ roll while taking us along for the ride and let me tell you, it’s a thrilling and ever changing one that you should jump on.
Anthony Kuzminski is a Chicago based writer and Special Features Editor for the antiMusic Network and his daily writings can be read at The Screen Door and can be contacted at thescreendoor AT gmail DOT com.
Steve Conte & The Crazy Truth ‘Steve Conte & The Crazy Truth’ Album Review *** (3-Stars) By Anthony Kuzminski {Buy the album here} There is something refreshing about music that’s organic and no-nonsense. If you love earsplitting guitars, bleeding drums and a bass line with enough rhythm to make a white man blush, then you will love Steve Conte & Crazy Truth and their latest self-titled album. Conte has made a name for himself over the years as a gun slinging guitar god. Playing for everyone from Chuck Berry to Paul Simon, Conte is a staple of the east coast music scene. For the last half decade, he has been lead guitarist for the reformed New York Dolls. While having virtuoso abilities, he’s able to deconstruct a riff through garage rock and bluesy fills evoking a whiff of nostalgia. He fits in perfectly with the Dolls and if you’ve been fortunate enough to see them in concert, you know what an impression Conte leaves on you. Stepping into the shoes of Johnny Thunders should be an impossible task, but Conte merely walks in his own shoes making the transition seamless. His enthusiasm for the material, past and present, is on full display for everyone to stand in awe of and more than anything, he pledges allegiance to the history of rock n’ roll with each performance.
He now has recently released a new studio record with him on vocal and guitar duties, Steve Conte & The Crazy Truth, a raw and riveting collection of songs. The hell bent opening drum fill leads into a defiant riff and a scalding vocal by Conte on “This Is The End”. Making their presence known right from the get go they do not relent for eleven songs. The disc comes in at under forty-minutes, so expect a lot of simple and to the point rockers. “Gypsy Cab” distills multiple genres with bluesy sway while “Texas T” has an arrangement that comes at you with barreled damnation. “The Truth Ain’t Pretty” is lean and direct while “Her Highness” is clawing, If you love the electric guitar, then grab this record, you can do no wrong. Conte’s guitar let off an iridescent twang that never overshadow the song but prove to be perfect adornment. I think I could listen to a whole album of instrumentals by Conte. The languid “Busload of Hope” may be the album’s best track. The guitar hides in the background providing mood and atmosphere while the lyrics and swampy rhythm section take you through a noir-like journey.
The immediacy of Steve Conte & The Crazy Truth is infectious and at less than forty-minutes, it captures you in a maelstrom of rock n’ roll awesomeness. I’m not lying; it’s raw, real and feels like its being performed mere feet in front of you. The next time you talk about how you miss old time rock n’ roll, look no further than Steve Conte & The Crazy Truth, they’ll provide you with a potent dose of much needed rock.
Anthony Kuzminski is a Chicago based writer and Special Features Editor for the antiMusic Network and his daily writings can be read at The Screen Door and can be contacted at thescreendoor AT gmail DOT com.
What's with all these awards? They're always giving out awards. -Alvy Singer (Woody Allen) from ‘Annie Hall’
Growing up, I loved watching all award shows. I would root for my favorite actors, directors and music stars to win. Sometimes in the 1990’s when Sheryl Crowe’s “All I Wanna Do” beat out Bruce Springsteen’s “Streets of Philadelphia” for Record of the Year, I stopped caring. I realized that awards are hollow, unmemorable and that it’s the music that lives on. In recent years, the Grammy Awards have at least given us some decent performances, but aside from last night’s Lady Gaga opening (which every other act failed to come close to touching) and Butch Walker helping Taylor Swift reinvent one of her biggest hits, the whole evening fell flat to me. Was this really the best music had to offer this past year? Is there a struggle by any of these acts? Can we trust them with our hearts and dreams?
This morning, “Even If It Breaks Your Heart” by Will Hoge popped up on the iPod shuffle. I won’t lie, Hoge’s last record, The Wreckage while very good, didn’t blow me away like his previous releases. To be fair, I awarded those discs five-stars each and the guy had three records in the top fifteen of the decade so my expectations were too high. But with each listen and random song that comes across the iPod, I become more entrenched in the record. This morning, some plaintive acoustic strumming started…
Way back on the radio dial A fire got lit inside a bright eyed child Every note just wrapped around his soul From steel guitar to Memphis all the way to rock and roll
I love all types of music and will gladly admit to loving forgettable bubblegum pop, but it’s the artists who I feel invested in that speak most to me. Will Hoge is one of those artists. Over the last few years, I think we’ve all seen our own dreams dissipate into a world of chaos where I wonder if it will ever get better. Dreams become distant memories that are succumbed to the dustbin in the wreckage of our lives at times due to circumstances beyond our control. But as I watched the Grammy Awards, I couldn’t help but feel completely disconnected from the whole thing. Every performance seemed to want to top the previous one. Don’t get me wrong, there were spectacles that I thought were great, notably Pink and Lady Gaga, but the bedroom intimacy of music was missing. The guy who writes a song in his bedroom and plays it two-hundred nights a year was missing. Last fall, I caught Will Hoge in the Double Door club in Chicago and the way he ever so gently delivered the lyrics of “Even If It Breaks Your Heart” was nothing short of devastating. I could hear his fears, his desires and his dreams all in the course of less than four-minutes. I heard my fears, desires and dreams as well. While I have no issue with spectacle, you should never let it overshadow the soul of the song. Last night on the Grammy Awards, no one spoke to me.
Some dreams stay with you forever Drag you around and lead you back to where you were Some dreams keep on getting better Gotta keep believing if you wanna know for sure
I felt something this morning when listening to “Even If It Breaks Your Heart” I didn’t feel at all the previous evening during the Grammy extravaganza; soul. In some ways, the battle is greater than who wins. Art should be a guide for us to get through life, not just a distraction. We aren’t given a compass for life so the best we can do is to find hope in everyday things that make us believe. There’s no formula to success, despite a lot of hard work, sometimes it boils down to luck. But it’s what keeps you moving forward that defines your life. For Will Hoge, it’s the music in his soul he wants to share with people. He doesn’t need a Grammy to confirm his existence, he just needs an audience. And for us, the audience, all we need is the unadulterated truth. You only lose when you truly give up. When you surrender to the complexities of life, then it’s over. The key is to find something to grasp onto, something to believe in and keep chugging along because that’s how we make it day to day. Like Hoge says in the song, “Keep on dreaming even if it breaks your heart”.
Anthony Kuzminski is a Chicago based writer and Special Features Editor for the antiMusic Network and his daily writings can be read at The Screen Door and can be contacted at thescreendoor AT gmail DOT com.
