Concert Review- Q101 Jamboree: A Final Bow

Q101 Jamboree: A Final Bow
June 4, 2011
Midwest Bank Amphitheatre – Tinley Park, IL
By Anthony Kuzminski

As I was getting to file this review last month, something unanticipated happened; Q101 went off the air. The station was sold to a company who chose to turn the station into a talk radio station. To those in the Chicago area, Q101 was a beacon of alternative unearthing for nearly two decades. The station itself has been around since the 1980’s where it thrived on the slick rock music of the time. During this time, the station was listened to people who worshipped at the altar of Don Johnson and Miami Vice. As times began to change, in the summer of 1992, they became an alternative radio station. To many it was viewed as a jump-the-shark moment for the station, hopping on a bandwagon and to true alternative music fans, it was an inferior choice to the superb WXRT (93.1). However, Q101 did something no one expected; it stuck around even after grunge and alternative had its moment in the sun and it thrived. While the format changed slightly welcoming some heavier and poppier artists over the years, for 19-years the radio station was one of the few in Chicago to stay tired and true to its listeners. I’ve never been a self proclaimed radio junkie. I always had far too many cassettes, CD’s and MP3’s to ever really spend much time listening to radio, but I would be lying to you if I said the station didn’t matter because it did. I can’t tell you how many people I have spoken to who discovered artists or music through the station’s playlists and most importantly, at their various Q101 Jamboree’s which sometimes occurred several times throughout the year. I didn’t realize it at the time, but when I was sent to review the Jamboree in June, it would be the last to ever wave the flag of Q101.

The ten hour affair was a celebration of the music and the fans who were loyal listeners. Early on in the show, during AWOLNATION’s feisty set, the skies opened and rain descended upon the Chicago crowd in an almost vicious manner just as the band was making its stride. “Slide” and “Burn It Down” along with the torrential downpour made the incident that much more unforgettable. A series of fans took to the mid-portion of the lawn and began a full throttle mud slide. In between sets, these people were instantly identifiable as they were covered head-to-toe in mud and yet there was no discontent on their face, in fact, there was nothing but the ardent delight of being amongst friends listening to music they loved. In a day and age where VIP sections have sucked much of the life out of the concert industry, a series of fans reminded 20,000 Chicagoans that it’s not always about being close and upfront, but in the belly of the beast experiencing the music amongst fans whose hearts are bigger than those down front. The wallets may be fatter down front but they couldn’t muster a tenth of the energy given off by those on the lawn.

One of the day’s great surprises was the pop-punk potency of Sum 41. Taking to the stage, the four piece band performed a ten song set that rippled with upbeat tempos and fuming guitars. The crowd roared during “The Hell Song” which served as the opener before “Skumfuk” slowly brewed amidst some pining guitar and Deryck Whibley’s mature vocals. Don’t let that last sentence mislead you, Whibley hasn’t so much grown up as bettered with age. “Screaming Bloody Murder”, the title track of their latest album (released in March of 2011) features mad guitar riffs amidst a cackling drum beat performed with ease by drummer Steve Jocz. The album, Screaming Bloody Murder represents the band’s evolution. While still showcasing their eclectic in-your-face influences of punk and metal paired with overpowering melodies, lyrically it demonstrates the best lyric writing to date. Some of it may have come about because of the personal turmoil some of the members endured in the four years since their last record. Regardless, it’s a record where the band doesn’t hide behind their guitars and melodies but put their pain at the forefront. It’s a unexpected record from them and if there was any negative aspect to their Jamboree performance it was that only a few songs from this rather startling album were aired. Here’s to hoping they may a return visit to show off more of this remarkable record. Despite their shortened set, they made their presence known and by the sets final two songs, “In Too Deep” and “Still Waiting”, every single person in attendance was reveling in the bigger than life riffs. For a four piece band with the obstacles of a dreadful amphitheater and poor placement in a radio station show, they owned the crowd. It may have been broad day light and Sum 41 was in the middle of a heavy set of acts, but they let their presence known, heard and above all else remembered.

One of the band’s Q101 championed in the mid-1990’s was Live and to this day they’ve remained a favorite with tracks from all of their albums garnering airplay on a constant basis. While Live wasn’t present, lead vocalist Ed Kowalczyk appeared in support of his year old solo album, Alive. Performing solo material, including “The Great Beyond” and “Stand”, he was backed by an incredibly solid backing band. Despite their penchant for performing note-for-note reproductions of Live songs, I couldn’t help or wish that it was actually Live performing. Still, he gave quite a bit of himself in the songs. He opened with a bold performance of “All Over You” and wore his heart on his sleeve for “Heaven”. The over-the-top sentiment of this song (written for his first daughter) is easy to dismiss, but when it was released in a post 9/11 world, it was hard to just ignore it. Bristling with emotions it was evident on his face that this wasn’t written as a hit but composed because he needed to express the emotions within. Closing out his hour long set was “”I Alone” which pulled some of the younger listeners closer and then when those jet-lagged guitar chords to “Lightning Crashes” began, he had the crowd in the palm of his hand. One of the alternative era’s greatest triumphs, it twists and turns from a slow burning ballad into an iridescently powerful anthem of transference.

Up until this moment, Sum 41 had performed the best set of the show but when the lights went out around 7:10, there was an anticipation and hunger I had not seen over the course of the day. It became apparent that many of the 20,000 in attendance were there to see Papa Roach. “Getting Away With Murder” and “…To Be Loved” were performed amidst a bracing audience retort. During “Burn” from their Time for Annihilation...On the Record and On the Road the mosh pit in front of the main stage and on the lawn took full force as the single-syllable title cut rippled throughout the crowd. Jacoby Shaddix worked the crowd like a front man possessed. I’ve never seen the band before and was wholly impressed with not just the band’s musicianship but their ability to demolish a crowd in the process. “Forever” was assertive, “Hollywood Whore” was indulgent (where Shaddix had the entire crowd waving their middle fingers in the air) and “Lifeline” was conquering. I don’t think there is anything in the world than to watch a band come onto a stage anywhere in the world and sway a crowd the way Papa Roach did on this particular evening. Their music shifts between anger, candor, calamity and even a quixotic optimism on the wonderfully melodic metal ringer “Scars”. I may have come to see Thirty Seconds To Mars but was glad I saw Papa Roach. Without question, they may have had the largest and most receptive set of the evening. I’ve often rolled my eyes at radio shows as I would always much rather see these acts in smaller venues playing extended sets, however, as Papa Roach proved, they were a band that was pulled off the bench in extra innings and hit a grand slam. Anyone who caught their set will try and see them again when they come back through town.

After the battle call wails that Papa Roach evoked from the 20,000 in the crowd, Seether was in an peculiar position, literally and figuratively. I’m not sure anyone could have followed the set by Papa Roach, which makes their placement as the penultimate act on a full day show all that much more puzzling. While songs like “Gasoline”, “Needles” and “Broken” featured some of the heaviest performances of the entire day, they didn’t seem to connect with the audience as a whole. Seether, now a three piece, had the biggest reaction of the evening from a Nirvana cover, “Heart Shaped Box”. In a note-for-note reproduction of the song, the band did nail it and followed it with the bluesy “Country Song”. The mid-tempo “Rise Above This” was the highlight of their original numbers and did showcase the great diversity and chops of the band. There’s more to this band than most gave credit for, but having them sandwiched in between Papa Roach and Thirty Seconds To Mars was a scheduling error that above all else, hurt Seether where a spot before or after Ed Kowalczyk would have suited them better.

Headliners Thirty Seconds To Mars unfortunately had to perform an abbreviated set with only eight songs being performed. The torrential rains earlier in the day delayed the overall show and instead of cutting songs from every acts set; Thirty Seconds To Mars sacrificed a handful of their songs to meet the curfew. Despite this, they delivered a sturdy set full of unrepentant fury. The opening of “Escape”/”Night of the Hunter” was a showcase for the thunderclap exactness of drummer Shannon Leto. The tribal rhythms of the band’s records don’t fully reveal his luminosity behind the kit. Instead of merely keeping the beat or providing a jolting wallop inside arena halls across the world, his style is infused with much more than anyone could have imagined. Evoking the tribal beats heard of Peter Gabriel’s best work while maintaining rhythm as intensely as Neil Peart, Shannon Leto is wholly distinctive and has no peer in the rock world. This doesn’t mean he is better than anyone but is a testament to his original style in a world where most are merely copying someone who has come before. Somehow he manages to meld these influences. The one-two opening was a sight to behold with Leto’s kit set up at the right side of the stage facing sideways where he felt to be more than just a foundation but an primary piece of the music.

What the band may lack in terms of a deep catalog, they more than made up for with riveting force. Besides the aforementioned assault of drummer Shannon Leto, lead singer Jared Leto is a natural front man. His acting background did not guarantee this but he has made himself one of the most interesting front men in the business. The crowd was measured in their surrender to the band, but Leto didn’t seem discouraged by this, he merely worked harder to make them his own, which he did. He flexed his gift on “Search and Destroy”, an engaging track on This Is War but in concert, it becomes a breaking-bread moment. He offered physical connection (“everyone let’s jump”) to moments of solitude where the band was all but hushed as he spoke to the crowd. Ultimately, but relentless repetition of a key phrase from the song, “A million little pieces” Leto slowly but astutely wound the crowd up into a thunderous frenzy. Leto struts across the concert stage with supreme confidence the way that Mick Jagger or Jon Bon Jovi would yet his bond with his audience is more profound. Throughout out the entire performance, guitarist Tomo Miličević noodled his way through each song with great restraint and arena rock flourishes. Each song found him taking on a new role; mood maker, rhythm keeper, stoic strummer and melody man. Many of the songs are based around the textures of his six strings yet rarely was he ever up front wailing. He’s the anti guitar hero but in many cases, a far superior musician and imperative band member as few too musicians these days are willing to sacrifice their talent for the sake of a song. Alas, as the three members of Thirty Seconds To Mars are uniquely individual and talented but within the milieu of the group, they characterize greatness.

By the time they performed the burning “This Is War”, the title cut from their latest LP, they had fully won over the crowd. The bearded Leto removed his Sergeant Pepper styled blue coat and wrapped a guitar around him. Belting each lyrics like his life depended on it; even those who were jaded were swayed by his convincing and passionate stage presence. The swooping and arm-waving theatrics are old school and nothing new, but it’s shocking in today’s day and age how many musicians fail to elicit a response from the crowd. More often than not, those in attendance aren’t fans but merely there to see the radio hit. With zero promotion, Thirty Seconds To Mars sold out the Aragon Ballroom six weeks earlier (capacity 4,500) and in front of 20,000 on this day in June; they had many more who succumbed to their music. The all too brief encore featured an abbreviated version of “Hurricane” by a solo Jared Leto on acoustic before he began pulling fans out of the crowd for the triumphant farewell of “Kings and Queens” with its ready-made anthemic chorus. “Kings and Queens” found what seemed like half of the crowd on the stage with the band. Leto was picking and choosing fans one-by-one and slowly but surely, it felt as if half of the crowd was there on stage with them for the sprawling epic. Watching the band made me wish for them to play larger halls here in the US.

Its one thing to perform and another to unite; Thirty Seconds To Mars has a bond with their audience that will not dissipate with time. If anything it will grow. Their albums resonate stronger with every play and the band is at the peak of their powers as a live unit. One can only hope they’ve documented this tour and hopefully for US audiences there could be further shows in the cards. There is a hunger in their delivery and their audience is expanding with not just familiarity of their songs but awareness of seeing themselves within the songs. It is a rich experience to witness a show where there is equal give and take between the artist and their audience and Thirty Second To Mars has reached this in their relationship with their fans. The sheer size of fists flying in the air as they chanted “no, no, no, no” during the cinematic “Closer to the Edge” is etched in my brain as the crowd didn’t merely mimic Leto but transferred their dreams and desires to him on that stage. As they concluded the song and unleashed a flurry of confetti, each piece of paper had a message on it like a Chinese fortune cookie. It was merely a reminder of the effectiveness these songs have upon their fan base, each song itself is a little fortune, It’s one thing to entice a crowd with thrusting and posing and another to make them yearn and ache for your next note, the latter of which Thirty Seconds Too Mars has attained.

Anthony Kuzminski is a Chicago based writer and Special Features Editor for the antiMusic Network. His daily writings can be read at The Screen Door. He can be contacted at thescreendoor AT gmail DOT com and can be followed on Twitter

Concert Review: Sugarland - Rockford, IL 8/12/11

Sugarland: The Sound of Love
Concert Review
Rockford, IL –MetroCentre
August 12, 2011
By Anthony Kuzminski
Published in conjunction with antiMUSIC

Writer’s note: As I write this, the members Sugarland are grappling with a tragedy I can’t even imagine. One thing I know is that the events of Saturday night won’t leave their memory bank any time soon. In an ironic twist of fate, I had seen the band the night before in Rockford, IL and had written my review when I received news of what happened. It forced me to modify it slightly, but at its core, the review you will read below is virtually untouched from the original except the final paragraph.

Watching a Sugarland concert reminds me of the old school rock n’ roll arena tours of the 1980’s and 1990’s. Their current tour consists of a sprawling stage with ninety high octane minutes fueled by a bevy of hits and the strongest album of their career. Inside the cozy confines of Rockford’s MetroCentre the band played a rousing and unrelenting set Friday night. Watching Sugarland it was reminiscent of the rock shows I saw growing up. There was a deep sense of community between the band and the fan. That has been lost in recent years but is on full display at country shows I have seen as of late. Sugarland was no different. Before “Everyday America”, both Nettles and Bush signed an acoustic guitar that the latter took deep into the crowd and gave away to a fan. Witnessing acts of kindness like these make you believe that the world is filled with just enough people to make a difference in the world we live in.

“All We Are” commenced the show with a celebratory strut. With the band hidden behind a drape, it dropped to reveal singer Jennifer Nettles and co-founder Kristian Bush. Nettles, in a black outfit and white hat, strutted across the stage in a triumphant manner. Her performance wasn’t cold or calculated but something that sways a non-believer out of their seat. Guitarist Kristian Bush was right alongside Nettles the whole night performing a range of guitars with an invigorating style. His focus is on the rhythm guitar, pinching his fret board with not just resilience but compelling thrusts. He rarely had a solo that stole the show but his determination fueled the spectacular backing band behind them. By the evening’s second song, the captivating “Stuck Like Glue”, their on-stage chemistry was in full force. On “Settlin’” from Enjoy the Ride the mixture of Nettles and Bush’s melding voice tell more than a story but reinforced the themes of self empowerment. Witnessing moments like these in concert are almost enough to lift you from a dreary existence and provide the much needed jolt for a turning point. Their recordings are slick and well produced but seeing them employ the crowd is a wonder. I was struck by four girls in the last row of the arena all the way up who I could see dancing and singing in tandem to every song. It’s a memory I am sure that won’t leave them any time soon.

“Tonight”, the current single, soared with Nettles vocals proving to be downright radiant. When she hits those high notes on the chorus she was in a blissful and magical state. The song shifts from understated beauty to furious passion. Matching Nettles belting vocals was the band who built the song slowly before a combustive finish. Hearing this song sent me to The Incredible Machine a few months ago and it hasn’t left any playlist since. The song steals a piece of your heart but seeing it live; you couldn’t help but be swept up in the sentiment of Nettles performance. Its one thing to make someone ache and lust for you and it’s another to make them fall in love with you. Nettles doesn’t merely sing but find a way to express not just her emotions but in a compassionate way that every audience members feels like she’s singing for them. We live in a world where niche driven markets drive music, and yet Sugarland performed a full show of anthems that soared not just inside the arena walls but in the hearts of the audience as well. We all look upon success with disdain, but in truth, we yearn for something that makes us all feel like we belong. Five songs into the show in Rockford, I along with 10,000 others felt like we were experiencing something extraordinary.

“Every Girl Like Me” was driven by the rhythm guitar of Kristian Busch. Throughout the whole evening, he covered the entire stage, interacting with the audience all the while never missing a note. His guitar embellished the ghostly atmosphere of “Stay”. The song, written by Nettles, turns tables on what we know about a love song. Taken from the point of view from a woman in the midst of an affair with a married man, the song is a triumph of songwriting and their biggest hit. There were the earlier hits, each contagious and memorable framed by melodies and poignant lyrics that wrap themselves around you; “All I Want To Do”, “Baby Girl” and “Something More”. There were some perfectly chosen and well placed covers within the show. “Everyday America” featured “Forget You / Baby One More Time / 9 To 5 / Bootylicious”. From Cee-Lo Green to Britney Spears to Dolly Parton to Beyonce, they made each song their own. They once again, came off as fans breaking bread with the audience. “Who Says You Can’t Go Home” threw Nettles into the spotlight in 2006 and helped Bon Jovi become the first rock band to ever attain a number-one single on the country charts. Sugarland’s version was ever bit as good and proved to be more playful. “Sweet Caroline” was tagged onto “Find the Beat Again” with great success. The evening’s finale was a cover of Dexys Midnight Runners “Come On Eileen” which had the crowd singing and swaying out into the summer night at the end of their lean 90-minute set.

Capturing success is no easy feat and maintaining it is even harder. However, Sugarland appears to be an act who is improving with each successive release and concert. Mining territory between country music and arena rock they push the envelope. While they may stray outside the lines of country it’s what makes their shows and records distinctive and compelling. Much criticism was thrown at The Incredible Machine upon its release last year by those who felt they left the country roots behind for a more muscular arena rock edge. I would say the disparagement would have been warranted if the songs failed to light a fire inside, but they succeed for the immense strokes they painted. The Incredible Machine is the record every classic rock band has tried to make for the last decade but failed. Housing eleven near perfect compositions that are full of not just sunny melodies and bright choruses but helps you find your soul in the process. This wasn’t a replication of arena rock but an example of a band stepping out of their comfort zone. Their adroitness for arm waving anthems serves them well on Machine. With hundreds of gigs under their belts they made a series of anthems that may not be country but have he potential to reach a wider audience which is tricky, especially when the material isn’t up to snuff, but for Sugarland they’ve shaped their best record to date. The Incredible Machine is an album of inspirational triumph and it’s needed now more than ever.

I wish rock bands dared to be this great. To the critics who dismissed The Incredible Machine upon its release didn’t see these songs performed live. They didn’t share in the magic of the glistening eyes and smiles of the band. I’ve seen enough concerts to know this level of sincerity can’t be faked. Jennifer Nettles and Kristian Bush are armed with the greatness and sincerity that resides inside Bruce Springsteen, Prince, Eddie Vedder and Neil Young. They have a pulse on America and paired along with a desire to craft truly beautiful songs they’re one of the most exciting groups recording and touring today. There’s nothing worse than writing a fist-pumping populist anthem only to have an audience sit on their hands. Sugarland’s songs are high-spirited prayers of inspiration painting portraits of dreams that feel attainable.

Sitting next to the stage I watched the seriousness with which Nettles and Bush take their job. They don’t merely perform but leave a piece of themselves on the stage. There’s a profound sense of responsibility to their craft and it’s something they take very seriously. Far too many performers play to the crowd and not with them. Sugarland performs with the audience and doesn’t make them feel inferior but part of their family. As I watched Nettles perform “Little Miss” from The Incredible Machine I couldn’t help but be affected by it. My wife, the best person I have ever met, stood next to me and was lost in the song. The lyric about being broken but not defeated spoke to her. I never appreciated it on record as much as I did seeing it live. It’s a reminder that life takes us down twists and turns that are unexpected but that there is always something to grasp onto, you just have to believe. My wife told me that Nettles reminds her of “Claire” (played by Kristen Dunst) from Cameron Crowe’s Elizabethtown, if she was a country performer. When she belted “I’m OK” it filled the room with her evocations. Seeing this song healed my wife a bit and made her feel that despite the ugliness she has encountered in the world, she’s at a turning point.

Music isn’t just a way of expressing oneself or a mere form of escapism, but a profound personal experience that heals. The sheer emotions within the room heightened by a poignant performance made me want to grab life by the jugular and will it into change not just for myself but everyone. After the events in Indiana, the songs from The Incredible Machine mean more than they ever have. Sugarland’s songs don’t preach as much as provide an empathetic template for the listener. The uplifting harmonies are so pure you can’t help but lose yourself in them. My arm thrust to the air for the chorus of “Find the Beat Again” and during the encore of “Stand Up”, I had a hard time holding back the tears, as did my wife earlier in the evening. There’s something therapeutic about a gathering of people in one place. Much like a spiritual gathering, where people find the power of group prayer healing, there’s something about being inside an arena or stadium where your skin is peeled back and you are emotionally naked.

I looked into the eyes of Jennifer Nettles and Kristian Busch and saw my dreams, my fears and my desires. I didn’t feel like they were telling me a story but we someone whom I was simply sharing my life story with. Artists like these don’t come around often, so when they do, we need to support them. I’m not sure when the next time Sugarland will perform, but what I can tell you is that with all my heart; I know it will be the greatest performance of their career. Their greatness along with their extraordinary anthems won’t be limited to any one show; it will stay with them for the rest of their careers. When crowds hear “Stand Up”, “Tonight”, “Little Miss” and “All We Are” they’ll stand taller, feel more, love more and be more aware than they ever have before and anytime you make people more aware of the beauty life can encapsulate, that’s never a bad thing. Sometimes, we just need a little music to guide us down the path and at this moment in time for me, and I am assuming several others, Sugarland will be the sound of love that surrounds us.

Anthony Kuzminski is a Chicago based writer and Special Features Editor for the antiMusic Network. His daily writings can be read at The Screen Door. He can be contacted at thescreendoor AT gmail DOT com and can be followed on Twitter

Everyone Deserves Michael Franti

I'd be lying to you if I told you that the events of the world didn't affect me. They scare me to my core. Reading too many news articles and watching too many news programs can have a detrimental affect on you. It's good to be plugged into the world, but it's equally important to step away and make some time for yourself. For me it's music and over the last few years, an artist who has spoken to me time and time again is Michael Franti. To get a better understanding of what the man and his music mean to me go HERE.

I was sitting here trying to think about something to write when I came across a Michael Franti review I wrote from last year. When I saw Franti last October, I was nearly on the verge of tears from the emotional warmth I felt from the show, the music and above all else, the man. I've met Michael a few times and let me tell you, he's every bit as genuine as you tink he would be.

I was struck by this paragraph I wrote:

Life, love, war, injustice, internal examination above all else hope were all on display throughout the two-hour show. With the release of The Sound of Sunshine and this recent performance it fully demonstrates that Franti and Spearhead continue to hurtle towards greatness with hypnotizing focus. You can’t help but surrender yourself to the music. The bravura set of soul-inducing songs rippled with soaring emotions and energy and was anchored by reflection, pronouncement and complete and utter elation; I didn’t want it to end. Without question, Michael Franti and Spearhead are one of the greatest gifts to the world of live music. Experience it for yourself; I promise you, you may never look at live performances the same way again.


Then I saw this video from Terminal 5 in New York:






You know those moments where you are a child and you have a bad dream and escape to your parents bed where the world can't touch you or steal you away. It feels safe, secure and full of love? That is what a great Michael Franti performance is. The above performance of "Everyone Deserves Music" is full of splendor and love. It reminds you of the intensity of a child being born, the melding of two hearts at a wedding and even a gathering of old friends who talk into the early morning light. In a world filled with such vehemence and hatred, it's rare to see anyone turn the other cheek and attempt to give their best to everyone...the friends, their lovers and their enemies. It's one thing for music to distract us from life and it's another for it to transform us. What a brilliant idea where everyone deserves music. Maybe the world would have fewer wars, more understanding and minds that aren't chained to centuries old theories. Would music hold the key to unlock our misery as a whole? Maybe...maybe not. All I can say is that I'm simply trying to live life one day and one song at a time and today's song is "Everyone Deserves Music" by Michael Franti and Spearhead.


"Even our worse enemies...they deserve music".

Artists like Franti are few and far between where their on-stage and off-stage heart is equally big and pumps louder than a 747. Whenever I hear one of his songs, see him in concert or even watch a little YouTube clip, I feel dangerously alive and my thoughts turn to those in my life and the love I have had, lost and found. So as the world crumbles in front of our eyes, the best advice I can give you is to not be overwhelmed by it. Live in the moment, make sure you tell those close to you that you love them and above all else, let Michael Franti and Spearhead into your life for a bit of sunshine for your soul.

Go HERE to read my many Michael Franti  pieces here on this blog and over at antiMUSIC.

Anthony Kuzminski is a Chicago based writer and Special Features Editor for the antiMusic Network. His daily writings can be read at The Screen Door. He can be contacted at thescreendoor AT gmail DOT com and can be followed on Twitter

Music Recommendation: J Roddy Walston & the Business

About 18-months ago a good friend of mine from New York told me to check out J Roddy Walston and the Business. I wasn't sold because it takes a lot for me to really invest myself in new artists. You see, a few years back when I started the blog, the number of PR people I made contact with exploded. Before I knew it, I had a dozen new records sent to me in my inbox everyday. For a music lover this would appear to be a dream come true but it was more like a nightmare. You see, I heard a lot of music and while I didn't think it was bad, there was very little that truly inspired me. Even less I wanted to tell people about.

Now, my friend from New York, Caroline, I trust implicitly. I'd worked with her on campaigns before and she's wonderful to work with and honest to god loves the artists she promotes. So I took a chance and loved J Roddy. But that wasn't enough, she wanted me to experience the live show. It was religious. J Roddy looks like a lost prophet of rock n' roll who has hitch hiked his way to the concert stage. His boogie stomping piano rock is enlivening and the physical connection they have with the crowd is a rarity these days. Too many shows I go to, I watch the crowd with their arms locked to their sides with barely any physical movement. A J Roddy show is a physical exorcism, it's impossible to not move your body as the music stirs inside of you.

Read my live review of the band over at antiMUSIC HERE.

Read my album review HERE

Buy the album HERE

Visit the band on the web HERE. If you join their mailing list, you get a brand new song to download. 

Album Review: Def Leppard –‘Mirror Ball: Live and More’

Def Leppard –Mirror Ball: Live and More
Album Review
** (Two Stars)
By Anthony Kuzminski
Buy the record HERE

• Read all Def Leppard reviews HERE

Over the last six years Def Leppard has been an annual resident on the summer touring circuit on package tours giving fans great bang for their buck. Visually they’re a dynamite force you realize we took for granted in the 1990’s. They hit the stage and for ninety-minutes wallop the crowd with hit-after-hit in note-for-note reproductions. For a band whose most popular work was slickly produced by Mutt Lange, it’s rather shocking to see how well they recreate these numbers on the concert stage. Joe Elliott’s voice is in fine form and even if it’s not what it was twenty years ago (no one’s is) yet he’s defiant in his delivery. Drummer Rick Allen and bassist Rick Savage lay the groundwork which guitarists Vivian Campbell and Phil Collen build upon creating some of the most pleasing and vibrant soundscapes in all of rock. You lose yourself watching them in concert, their physical presence is dynamic as they cover the entire stage barely hinting at their age. They’re a presence to be reckoned with. So why is it that in spite of all of the previously mentioned highlights that their ‘Mirrorball’ live record is a disappointment?

“Rock! Rock! (Till You Drop)” assaults the listener immediately (without a fade-in) as the crowd roars in the distance as the band members take to the stage one-by-one. “Rocket”, performed as the single mix, continues the celebration. From there the songs unfold one at a time in faultless arrangements; which is the albums downfall. I don’t think Def Leppard has ever performed a bad show in their career. They’re too talented and too prepared for that to ever happen. The performances are spot-on, tight and on target but the sense of danger and adventure are nowhere to be found. With the exception of one song, all are note-for-note reproductions of their studio counterparts. While this is something casual fans wish for in concert, on a live album, it makes it hard to distinguish from what we’d hear on the radio. While listening to it I didn’t loathe it, I was just disappointed by the lack of distinction in the arrangements and lethargic song choice. The one standout element of Mirrorball is how the guitars were mixed. Phil Collen’s mix can be heard exclusively in your right ear’s headphones while Vivian Campbell’s is in the left. If you listen close enough, you will fully realize the depth of their talent and what accomplished players both men are. That being said, this isn’t something you will reach for daily to hear. Of the three new songs, one is cut in the classic Leppard vein with a heavy Queen influence (“Undefeated”). The other two, again, are by no means bad songs but don’t warrant further exploration and even the pining to hear them live ("Kings of the World", "It's All About Believin'"). In the CD era, “Undefeated” would almost be worth the cost of the package but I say download “Undefeated” and buy the band’s Historia / Live: In the Round, in Your Face DVD which provides the visual excitement missing from Mirrorball.

Def Leppard finds itself in a precarious situation; their concert tours have become larger year-by-year whereas their record sales have gone off the deep end. They haven’t had significant sales from any studio albums in over fifteen years but that doesn’t mean they haven’t created quality work. Each of their studio records of the last fifteen years has been quite diverse and distinctive but you would never know because the band has continually shied away from performing the majority of the cuts in concert. This is a shame because one can’t help but feel that albums like Euphoria and X would have greatly benefitted from full scale tours around the albums releases rather than six months down the line where the band is performing two or three new numbers. I know it’s selfish of me to ask for songs from Slang or even deep cuts from Songs From the Sparkle Lounge but there’s more to Def Leppard than Pyromania Hysteria. The band’s last five albums are represented by a mere four songs here; “Bad Actress”, “C’Mon, C’Mon”, “Nine Lives” and “Rock On”, a completely unnecessary cover from their Yeah! covers record. On a set that excludes “Women”, “High and Dry”, “Promises”, “Now”, “Slang”, “Let It Go” and “Work It Out” the inclusion of a cover is almost a slap in the face to long standing fans.

I’m still a fan of live albums for as flawed as they may be. There’s urgency to the performances and hearing the band feed off the audience is something magical that no studio recording could ever capture. However, with as many hits as Def Leppard has, they have fallen victim to their own success. For the better part of the last three decades, with two exceptions (Bruce Springsteen and Garth Brooks) live records have been bought up by the most devout fans only. As a result, several acts have catered to the fan base willing to buy multiple shows. Pearl Jam has had their own bootleg series dating back to 2000, KISS sells the shows individually after each performance, Rush makes sure every tour is captured in both video and audio configurations and Tom Petty recently released a multi-disc live collection covering his entire career. My question is why Def Leppard wouldn’t do the same. They have three decades worth of shows to choose from and they basically mixed and mastered one summer’s worth of shows and appears to released it with a cover that appears to have been created in a third grade Photoshop course. Even though the collection is taken from a series of shows (noted from Joe Elliot’s name dropping of the cities) the band has been locked into a set list ever since their minor league ball park tour in 2005. The dual bills they are on don’t do their legacy any favors. While it’s proven to be enormously booming and filled the back pockets with more green bills than even during their 1980’s heyday, they’ve sacrificed their art as a result. They left Q-Prime (their management firm) and things have never quite been the same. Year-after-year they distance themselves from artistry by performing the same set of songs over and over again. To their credit they performed more than half of High ‘N’ Dry during the summer of 2007, alas, none of those performances are captured here (even though there was room). “Bad Actress” hails from Songs From the Sparkle Lounge and on an album with a handful of bondafide radio hits (“Only the Good Die Young” and “Tomorrow”) it amazes me the band chose “Bad Actress” to be played live.

“Bringin’ on the Heartbreak” and “Switch 625” are the sole songs worthy of keeping checked on your iPod. Performed stripped down with acoustic guitars, the band doesn’t plug in until the guitar solos where the band unleashes on the crowd in a glorious performance topped by the instrumental of “Switch 625”. You can’t experience this on record, but live it’s a highlight on every tour where this arrangement is present. Ditto many of the performances of “Hysteria” which usually feature an extended bass introduction that segues into the song with such delicacy you can’t help but be entranced. Here on “Mirrorball” the intro is missing from “Hysteria”. Mirrorball is not by any means a bad record, but it’s simply that previously released B-sides, live EP’s and bootlegs have done the job better. For example, the live cut on the deluxe edition of Adrenalize of “Photograph” feels less forced, more fluid and more energetic. This is the sound of a band ready to battle after a four year absence whereas the versions on Mirror Ball feel like a consummate set of musicians delivering what they believe the audience wants rather than what is brewing inside of them. I witnessed the 2009 tour and my memories of it are great; that being said, I didn’t exactly pine for having a souvenir of the tour. While the band is faultless in their performances and in-person it is an enlivening experience, on record, it simply falls flat. The way the adrenaline pumps when the house lights go out or when one of those iconic riffs permeate through 20,000 fans is tough to capture on record, but still, it should take you back to that moment in time and jolt sensations of that blistering evening but Mirrorball does the opposite and sent me scrambling to their best of collections.

Wal-Mart is exclusively carrying the record, but in an odd twist of fate, of the dozen or so Wal-Mart stores I have visited since its release, not one of them was had the album on its shelves. If no one is carrying it do Def Leppard fans even know it exists? You can’t go wrong with purchasing a ticket to see Def Leppard even when the set lists have little to no variation. They’re still at the top of their game despite what anyone may think. That being said, they’re a great live band deserving of a great live album/collection; Mirrorball isn’t it.

Anthony Kuzminski is a Chicago based writer and Special Features Editor for the antiMusic Network. His daily writings can be read at The Screen Door. He can be contacted at thescreendoor AT gmail DOT com and can be followed on Twitter

Paul McCartney: Live Review Wrigley Field July 31 and August 1

Paul McCartney: Carrying the Weight (Live Review)
Wrigley Field – Chicago, IL
July 31/ August 1
By Anthony Kuzminski

Wrigley Field is a place of beauty but also a place of heartache. For close to a century the park has witnessed many magical moments in sports history including Pete Rose’s tying Ty Cobb’s record, Babw Ruth’s infamous called shot and Ernie Banks 500th home run. It’s also been sight to some of the most gut wrenching experiences for Chicago sports fans; so many in fact I won’t even dare to discuss them. 2011 has been a taxing year for the Cubs and Wrigley has seen more bad days than good as of late, but all of that changed earlier this week when Paul McCartney made his way onstage with no fanfare, took center stage with his four backing members and launched into “Hello, Goodbye”. The Beatles cut from Magical Mystery Tour immediately struck a chord and elicited smiles across the board the same way an out of the park home run would on a summer day however this time around, there were no obstacles in front of McCartney except himself. Over nearly three hours and thirty-seven songs (both nights) McCartney didn’t just provide a snapshot of his illustrious career but proved that despite recently turning 69, he delivers a show that in many ways is untouchable. McCartney is part of an illustrious group of musicians (who include U2 and the Rolling Stones) whose music stretches generations. There were those in the audience in the autumn of their life but right next to them was a grandchild belting out every lyric to every song. Perhaps this is one thing Mr. McCartney has an edge over U2 and the Rolling Stones with. His music doesn’t just resonate; it’s tattooed on their inner psyche. They aren’t merely familiar with the music, but know it inside and out.

Making his first stop in Chicago in six years, he took no time in taking the sold out crowd through the corridors of their lives. “Junior’s Farm” returned to the set list after a three decade absence with drummer Abe Laboriel Jr. sweeping the crowd away with his backbeat groove followed immediately by “All My Loving”, the first song the band performed on their inaugural Ed Sullivan television broadcast in 1964. When McCartney spoke to the crowd for the first time and uttered, “Tonight we’re all going to be a part of history” and despite the fact that most of the set comprise of songs more than three decades old, it never once felt like a show without purpose. “The Night Before” was performed for the first time since the Beatles released Help! in 1965 yet it felt fresh. “Paperback Writer” found the band barreling through the song like a lost garage rock classic. Usual staples “Lady Madonna” “Eleanor Rigby” and “Back in the U.S.S.R.” were strident with the crowd singing along to every word. The set was largely an amalgamation of his 2002 and 2005 tours with a few changes thrown in to add balance to those who had seen those tours, but provided enough depth to cover his entire career.

McCartney’s most successful solo work from 1973, Band on the Run was represented at each show by five of the album’s ten cuts. “Nineteen Hundred and Eighty-Five” has been dusted off for the first time in three decades and his four backing musicians provided a hypnotizing focus. “Mrs. Vandebilt” was a song you couldn’t help but be swept away by with the band gleefully kicking along to its stomping beats. “Jet” and “Let Me Roll It” were unyielding but it was the album’s title cut that was downright dynamic in arrangement and especially in performance. This current band performs the song better than anyone has previously with Brian Ray’s acoustic guitar painting pictures of the past and present at the song’s midway point as the fist-pumping chorus takes over.

The midsection of the concert found Paul McCartney on an acoustic guitar playing some of the Beatles most delicate songs and offering a tribute to two of his friends. “I’ve Just Seen A Face” is a fierce yet sweet love song, “Blackbird” is still politically potent and powerful and “I Will” has the ability to transform a heart of stone into tenderness in under two minutes. During the second show, McCartney changed the set by adding the wonderful Rubber Soul track “I’m Looking Through You” and “And I Love Her” from A Hard Day’s Night. Quiet and contemplative songs usually bring about beer runs, but the conscientious audience sat in wonderment as they whispered every last lyric. The two tributes consisted of “Here Today” for John Lennon and “Something” for George Harrison. “Something” which began by McCartney solo on ukulele only to have the full band segue into a full band version midway through the song was nothing short of stunning. John and George may both be gone but as long as their music (and their band mate continues to play) they will never be forgotten.

Once the band plugged in all their instruments for the final stride, they forged forward and never looked back. I can’t place enough importance on the talent of his current touring band. They have been together for the better part of a decade. They’re not just top tier musicians performing the songs note-for-note but a band breathing exciting new life into songs that not only sound impeccably fresh but feel as vital as they’ve ever felt. This is finest set of musicians to back McCartney since he paired with three childhood friends from Liverpool. Drummer Abe Laborial seamlessly replicates Ringo Starr’s touches and flourishes while adding depth to Wings and solo numbers that were previously missing. Brian Ray shifts from guitar to bass seamlessly holding down the grooves and rhythms while Rusty Anderson performs his lead guitar duties diligently and with great care while Wix Wickens performs the piano and keyboard with grace and ease. His job in many ways is the most difficult as he recreates specific sounds whether it’s a flute, a horn section or even harmonicas on his keyboards. They should sound dense, but they don’t which is the highest compliment I can give him. On “Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da” all five band members, including McCartney, were buoyant with delightful merriment. You never would guess they were professionals as they masked their professionalism with instinct which flowed over to the distortion of “I've Got a Feeling” featuring McCartney on blues-drenched guitar. The hymn “Let It Be” was delivered with devotional force, “Maybe I’m Amazed” found McCartney taking us into not just his psyche but his heart and the medley of “A Day in the Life / Give Peace A Chance” left the crowd is awe.

There were pyrotechnics galore in “Live and Let Die”, the celebratory chorus of “Hey Jude” and the ferocious guitars of “Day Tripper”, “Birthday”, “I Saw Her Standing There” (the latter two performed at the second show) and “Get Back” pushed the shows into overdrive. Each song evoked a different memory pulled from our minds and yet, you couldn’t help but feel that these songs weren’t so much about our collective pasts but who we are now. Many artists we go to see in concert o remind us of who we once were. In McCartney’s case, it’s not simply a reminder of where we came from, but our overall journey and the experiences that have brought us to where we are today. It’s a testament to the body of work left by the Beatles and McCartney. Despite the crowd’s loving reaction to the songs that defined their formative years, it was two more recent songs that struck a chord with this writer; “Dance Tonight” and “Sing the Changes”, both less than four years old. After fifty years of creating music that will be listened to centuries from now, McCartney showcased two new songs that stand among his best. “Sing the Changes” is an anthem deserving of a large audience and is as potent and vital as anything in his catalog. Released on Electric Arguments under the pseudonym of “The Fireman” it’s a startling reminder of his artistry. “Dance Tonight” is a driving pop number led by his mandolin. With the current rage of Mumford & Sons and Train’s “Hey Soul Sister” you can’t help but feel McCartney was a tad ahead of the curve. Most impressive about these songs in concert were the spirited reaction the crowd gave both numbers. People didn’t sit, they didn’t text but stood in rapt attention as they watched the world’s most successful musician to ever live prove his legacy and talent is boundless and not confined to the past. When I hear “Sing the Changes” I’m filled with the same sense of awe that the Abbey Road and show ending finale “Golden Slumbers / Carry That Weight / The End” provides. The world stands in awe of artists because they outlay their emotions allowing us to feel so alive yet we conceal our emotions in real life for fear of being hurt. We watch artists like McCartney perform on stage in a carefree manner and we all yearn to be able to convey our thoughts as freely as they do. Paul McCartney has often been derided over the years for simply never putting up a fake front and ultimately, it’s not anger we feel, but jealousy from his ability to express his love without hesitation. For nearly three hours, the sold out crowd at Wrigley Field experienced the closet form of love one can attain from another human they don’t personally know. From “I Saw Her Standing There” to “Sing the Changes” Paul McCartney gave the Wrigley Field concertgoers more than mere entertainment but road maps where the final destination is love and happiness. The only question is whether or not we’re brave enough to make that journey.

Anthony Kuzminski is a Chicago based writer and Special Features Editor for the antiMusic Network. His daily writings can be read at The Screen Door. He can be contacted at thescreendoor AT gmail DOT com and can be followed on Twitter