THE SCREEN DOOR...with Anthony Kuzminski

The Comprehensive List of the Best Music of 2007 (Albums and Singles)

2008-05-13T00:52:00.003-05:00

The Comprehensive List of the Best Music of 2007 (Albums and Singles)

Lists are mind numbing, yet wildly fun, exercises that anyone who writes deems essential. What you will find below are thirty-five albums and a slew if individual singles that knocked me to the ground. These are albums that spoke to me deeply and profoundly in ways that I’m not sure the written word could ever give justice. I probably listened to at least two-hundred albums all the way through and what is below is the ten best. Agree? Disagree? Email me your list: thescreendoor AT gmail DOT com.

#1: Will Hoge-Draw The Curtains

Will Hoge’s Draw The Curtains is a collection of ten stunningly crafted songs that are as multifaceted as the relationships he sings about. This album stirs your soul and yields a genuine truth so rarely found in today's music with each song essential to the underlying theme. Hoge has shaped an emotionally severe and intuitive masterpiece that is not just timeless but the best album of 2007. This is an album deeply embedded in reactionary tales that permeate into you more and more with every listen.YouTube Video Link. ("Washing Of the Water)

#2: The Arcade Fire-Neon Bible Exultant pained crescendos highlight this tour de force album from the indie Canadian band Arcade Fire. You may have heard a lot about them and the truth is that they are in deed as good as you hear they are. The track “Intervention” is maybe the most exquisite track I’ve heard in the last few years and listening to this group morph into entirely different bands from track to track is nothing short of superfluous. This is a band who you should keep a close eye on as I believe this is just the beginning for them. "Intervention" Video Clip & "Intervention" Live on SNL

#3: The White Stripes-Icky Thump

I’m sick and tired of hearing from people who tell me the Stripes are stretching the limits of their music and production. Jack White is an artist of immeasurable enormity and if you doubt me, take one listen to “Conquest” and I dare you to not sit there awestruck and animated at the listening experience. Jack and Meg White have found a way to push the envelope even further proving they are possibly the most unadorned and inventive band in the world at this moment.
"Conquest" (Official Video) & "Icky Thump" Video

#4: Robert Plant & Alison Krauss-Raising Sand

Amidst all of the hype regarding Led Zeppelin, Robert Plant released his finest album since leaving Led Zeppelin with bluegrass beauty Alison Krauss. One listen to this album and each of the songs will be embedded in your soul. The lush production and penetrating quiet numbers aim for timelessness. Producer T Bone Burnett assembled a group of first-rate musicians who brought a warm vintage sound to these poignant songs. This is the only album on this list I can play for anyone between the ages of ten and eighty. The album’s final track, “Your Long Journey” cemented the sweet spirituality of these songs and recordings. As momentous as a Led Zeppelin reunion would be, there is a part of me that wants to see these two bring the same magic found on this record to the concert stage. "Gone,Gone,Gone(Done Moved On)" Video

#5 Ryan Adams-Easy Tiger

Ryan Adams may be the most maddening, yet brilliant, artist of the last decade. He’s intoxicatingly talented, but at times it blinds his editing skills. Despite Easy Tiger not being amongst his best albums, it’s easily his strongest and most focused effort since ‘Demolition’, which ironically was culled from a number of unreleased albums. Pitchfork heralded these songs as “second tier” and even though the live performances I heard prior to the album being released felt second tier, the final output s anything but. The production quality of this disc is transcendent, as is the EP released later in the year, Follow The Lights. On Easy Tiger, Adams culled thirteen tracks and somehow, elevated their stature with momentous performances and glowing sonic textures. Easy Tiger may not be Adam’s best album, but it’s a staggering testament to what he can accomplish when he’s clear headed and focused. "Two" from David Letterman

#6 Glen Hansard & Markéta Irglová- Once Soundtrack

I’ll admit to climbing on the Glen Hansard/Frames bandwagon as a result of the film Once. The film is brewing with the passion of two musicians who create music because they need to be heard. Witnessing these gentle songs come to life and descend into your consciousness after one listen is a revelatory experience. Whether it’s a scalding acoustic performance by Hansard on “Say It To Me Know” or the luminous “Falling Slowly”, the music encapsulated within this film is ageless and rightfully is bringing attention to two well deserving musicians. "Falling Slowly" Video

#7 Paul McCartney-Memory Almost Full

Right from the opening mandolin kick, the whiff of nostalgia is so potent you can get drunk on it as McCartney delivers on what is arguably one of his three best post-Beatles recordings (Band On The Run and Flaming Pie are the others). Every time McCartney releases an album, there are those who claim it’s his best in decades. This time, it rings true. The cooing “Ever Present Past”, the quixotic “See Your Sunshine”, the boisterous “Nod Your Head” and the melancholic “End of the End” are some of the most revealing and poetic of his entire career. Every time I listen to this album, I am overcome with jubilation and smile. I can offer no greater compliment. "Dance Tonight" Video Clip & "Ever Present Past" Video

#8 New Pornographers-Challengers

Power pop indie band from Canada triumphs with an intrinsic layered vocals and storming musicianship on their fourth full length album, Challengers. I loved Twin Cinema from a few years back and even though it took me a while to delve deep into Challengers, I found myself returning to it and being continually charmed by the festive atmosphere these musicians bring to each track. Right from the dialed opening of “My Rights Versus Yours” to the deft production of “Myriad Harbour” to the provoking "All the Things That Go to Make Heaven and Earth" and throw in meticulous sequencing of these twelve songs and it’s intoxicatingly addicting. The luscious title track is potently enticing with Neko Case’s opulent vocals and while it’s hard to put in words the feelings their music evokes, what I do know is that this is a band the more I return to, the more I fall for them. "Challengers" Music Video

#9 Eddie Vedder-Into The Wild

If you had told me that this would have made my Top Ten list, I probably would not have believed you. Let’s see here, a soundtrack to a movie directed by Sean Penn based on a book of a young man who leaves all material things behind to brave it alone in the wilderness? Even though I love Vedder and Penn, on paper, this is potentially the most pretentious combination of talent in 2007. To my great pleasure, both the soundtrack album and possibly the movie will be on my respective Top Ten Lists. Vedder managed to not just convey the journey of the film’s main character but his own internal one as well. Songs like “Hard Sun”, “End of the Road” and “Rise” are so profoundly personal, you feel as if you’re overhearing a conversation or reading a personal diary. This album should not have been this solid, but it is. It’s truthful, revealing and a revelatory exposition for Vedder and the listener. "Hard Sun" Music Video

#10 Mavis Staples- We'll Never Turn Back

The swampy soul delta blues drenches the songs in this defiant collection. It’s hard to believe this album is as defiant and fierce from a woman, who is nearing seventy. This may be the greatest record of Mavis Staples career, and this includes her time with the Staples Sisters. I’ve been knocked to the ground when hearing tracks like “My City of Ruins” by Bruce Springsteen and “Washing of the Water” by Will Hoge, but an entire album of twelve civil rights tracks provides an emotionally luminous, searing and storming ride. The fist thumping thunderous beat of “99 and a ½” is performed with larger than life vocal dynamics and conviction as is the entire album. This album will entrench itself within you and grow on you with each and every listen and proves that music can be more than just entertainment but provides you with not just historical perspective, but console for the lost soul seeking guidance and most importantly, hope for a better future."Eyes On The Prize" & "99 & 1/2" Video Clips

11. Patti Griffin-Children Running Through
One of the five preeminent and languid songwriters alive; when paired with the gorgeous voice, Griffin can erect hidden feelings. Many of the Dixie Chicks biggest hits have been penned by Griffin but here the minimalist vocal approach works to her advantage as the songs are never fierce, but plow over you like a titanic wave of emotions. ‘Children Running Through’ isn’t her best album, but it’s perfectly poised and is still influencing others seeking their own voice. Kelly Clarkson performed “Up To The Mountain” with Jeff Beck last spring on the American Idol charity event proving that her lyrics are written to be sung with full-throated passion while maintaining it’s effectiveness without becoming too sentimental. One of these days, people will discover one of the greatest songwriters of the last fifty-years.

12. Tegan & Sara-The Con
Twin sisters who find a way to gel provocative melodies and beats that won’t leave your head. ‘The Con’ is their most mature, modest and melodic album to date delivered with the perfect blend of understated sorrow, optimism and truthfulness.

13. The Shins- Wincing The Night Away
There’s something intensely nostalgic about the harmonies and layered choruses that makes me smile the same way people do when they hear classic Beach Boys songs. “Phantom Limb” makes you yearn for a summer day where the wind blows through your hair as the sun gleams down on you. Little music can evoke such impassioned and comforting feelings, but the Shins seem to do this effortlessly time and time again.

14. Jesse Malin-Glitter In The Gutter
While not quite at the level of Malin’s two previous efforts, it features a number of buoyant frat-rockers with distortion echoing guitars cranked to 11. The overall songwriting isn’t as sharp or biting as his first two, but he more than makes up for it with thundering personal anthems which make you feel like you are ready to take on the world.

15. Fall Out Boy-Infinity On High
This album is to Fall Out Boy what ‘New Jersey’ was to Bon Jovi. It’s a more mature and defining album, but lacking the monster singles of their previous effort and that’s not to say that you should write this off. This is a stronger overall album full of edgy singles with angelic pop hooks (“Thriller”, “Hum Hallelujah” and “I’m Like A Lawyer…(Me and You”). The emo genre doesn’t get the respect it deserves but the Chicago emo masters prove there is more than meets the eye with a collection of resilient tunes that are near perfection.

16. Kid Rock-Rock N’ Roll Jesus
Kid Rock has gone spiritual, but don’t let that dissuade you as this album is more about resurrection and redemption than carnal excess. But that doesn’t mean that Rock can’t slam and sweat you up into a sex induced beer guzzling frenzy, as demonstrated on “So Hott” and “Low Life”, but in the end, the intellectual and spiritual revelations of songs like “Amen” define this album.

17. Bruce Springsteen-Magic
Springsteen is a master storyteller whose intense subtle angry couplets bridge a near perfect gap between the personal and political. ‘Magic’ isn’t a perfect album and includes a few clunkers, but the bigger picture overcomes the momentum-sapping lows of the album (notably “Livin’ In The Future” and “Your Own Worse Enemy”). While I feel the album is a tad forced in the direction of nostalgia, why argue when the overall end result is momentously beautiful (specifically on “You’ll Be Coming Down” and “Long Walk Home”).

18. Farkus-Farkus EP
Indie Chicago band released this stupendous self-titled four-song EP in 2007 which aims for timeliness with choruses that descend from the heavens, specifically the fierce “Wash”. The intensity of the music matches the belting delivery and triumphant melodies of “Angeline”. The determination and unrelenting power of these songs sizzle and blastoff into your memory bank where they remain far after your initial listening experience.

19. Gore Gore Girls-Get The Gore
The Gore Gore Girls are the type of band a Quentin Tarantino character would be listening to right before a frenzied bullet-flying action sequence. Unrelenting aggressive female garage rock perfection that is as seducing as it is swatting.

20. Mary Weiss with the Reigning Sound-Dangerous Game
Never heard of her? Well, you know her voice from the 60’s girl group the Shangri-Las. She hasn’t made a recording in over four decades. Listening to this album is like encountering a whiff of winking nostalgia that radiates from an old jukebox. The effortless album and blissful lack of self-consciousness embodied on this recording would make a sane Phil Spector proud. Here she is releasing her debut solo record in her late 50’s and making an indelible imprint on not just those fans from four decades back but an entire new generation who will hopefully embrace the wonderfully modern and edgier sonics with a sound that is confidently steeped in the past.

21. Miranda Lambert-Crazy Ex Girlfriend
A friend passed me some MP3’s of this album and I initially thought it was another throw away album from a pretty face, but the albums proved to be an intrinsic, elegant and elliptical exercise that commands your attention. There is an edginess to the music here commanding one to listen to this young but mightily talented young lady widening the latitude of her career with an album that will surprise everyone who hears it.

22. The Donna’s-Bitchin’
Imagine if Judas Priest and KISS had a bastard child with a dash of hormonal belligerence throw in for good measure? The end result would be what you hear on the title track of the Donna’s seventh album. Full of huge hooks and chunky guitar riffs, the Donna’s never fail to deliver, they are one of the most consistent bands on the planet. They’ll probably never deliver a triumphant knock-out, but will always deliver album after album with mostly killer and little filler.

23. Matt Nathanson-Some Mad Hope
Nathanson has a charm and wit for painting pictures which radiate extreme emotions with visceral lyrics, which is projected magnificently on “Car Crash” and “Wedding Dress”. These vivid pictures turned me from cynic to believer.

24. Wilco-Sky Blue Sky
The band all other indie bands try to embody. I chastised one person who told me they didn’t appreciate this album until listening to it thirteen times, but as I am now delving into it for the umpteenth time, I am finding the simplistic pert tempos and textures transporting me, which is shocking, because as much as I admire Wilco, it’s been years since I have heard that original joyous energy their initial albums had. However, it appears primary band leader Jeff Tweedy has embraced what he’s best at, writing whimsical songs. His blissful lack of self-consciousness shines through on “Either Way”, “Impossible Germany” and “Please Be Patient With Me”. Chuck Klosterman put it best when he called them, “The American Radiohead”.

25. The Detroit Cobras-Tied & True
Detroit’s greatest cover band, scratch that one of the world’s best cover bands! Their fourth retro-garage rock album does not contain a single original song, but as with their other three releases, they delve deep into their record collections to evoke feelings of a smoky bar with a great jukebox full of rare 45’s you’ve never heard before, but once you hear them, you feel as if they have been part of your DNA since birth.

26. Lamb of God-Sacrament
The metal album of the year. The unrelenting and commanding performances cement their reputation as the masters of modern-day metal. Raspy angered vocals are conveyed with assertive and tenacious roars. After experiencing this band in concert at the ’07 Ozzfest, I could feel the exasperation and rage pour upon me like biblical rain as I witnessed thousands of disaffected youths thrash in pits. The unfurling “Pathetic”, the reactionary “Walk With Me In Hell” and the bolting “Blacken The Cursed Sun” are just the tip of an album hell bent on in-your-face urgency.

27. Collective Soul-Afterwards
I burned out on this band as quickly as everyone else and saw them largely as a singles band back in 1994 when I heard “Shine” about 80 gazillion times. But from out of nowhere comes this Target only album that doesn’t just redefine them as a band but it shocks and enlightens everyone with eleven jubilant songs with rampant guitars, potent beats and hooks and melodies so momentous they could seduce the biggest cynic. “New Vibration”, “Hollywood” and “Persuasion of You” are among the bands best songs and they’re more than catchy compositions yielding nostalgia, they’re relevant and riveting.

28. Keith Betti- Nowhere To Be Now
This is Betti’s second release behind the superb ‘Prelude’ EP (released under the name of KB) from a few years back and while this release lacks the sonic production dynamics of the first, it still showcases a mighty songwriting talent whose musical discourse widens with each release. Highly influenced by Jeff Lynne the album resonates and commands to be heard multiple times. I wouldn’t be surprised if Keith was approached one day about having artists cover his songs as they project intense inner examination that are dazzling and direct.

29. Grace Potter & The Nocturnals-This Is Somewhere
Multi-talented Grace Potter evokes Joni Mitchell, Led Zeppelin and Fleetwood Mac through the golden harmonies which are more than just copies of those who came before her, but juicy salvos for the 21st century while simultaneously rocking out and swaying sexily on her guitar in a short skirt. Is there anything better? If you haven’t heard about her, check her out because she’ll soon be everywhere.

30. The Pipettes- We Are the Pipettes
Independent pop rock at its best with a trio of females who write original songs hell-bent on absorbing the aura of 1960’s Phil Spector female groups. Inherent irony defines the record as they channel the sweet 60’s sounds with more biting titles and lyrics (“Sex”, “One Night Stand”, “Dirty Mind”) while other tracks showcase spunk and sass like the exuberant “Your Kisses Are Wasted On Me”.

31. The Foo Fighters-Echoes, Silence, Patience & Grace
Every Foo Fighters album resonates stronger with each listen. I was under whelmed with the initial listen as some of the songs feel unhinged, but at its best, the band soars on “The Pretender”, “Let It Die”, “Long Road To Ruin” and “Home” all of which are nothing short of alt-pop perfection.

32. Puppini Sisters-Betcha Bottom Dollar
The warm vintage sound of 1940’s “Close Harmony” vocal styling’s and wouldn’t be out of place on a jukebox from half a century ago. It’s not just refreshing and nostalgic, but timeless and endearing as well.

33. The Fratellis - Costello Music
Here’s a band whose template is aggressive rock with a dash of punk/garage melded with gorgeous and seducing pop-wise melodies thrown in for good measure. Best known for an iTunes commercial, but that’s not even the best song on the album…not by a long shot.

34. The Broken West- I Can't Go On, I'll Go On
I first heard them on NPR’s World Café Podcast and I’m not sure why, but I immediately was hooked by the catchy melodies and the triumphant drum beat opening of “On The Bubble”, you are immediately bombarded with rich melodies that significantly brighten my day every time I listen to this album. If the Beach Boys were to debut on the music scene in 2007, I suspect they would sound a lot like The Broken West. Special props to the blog “I Am Fuel, You Are Friends”, who had this on her Top-Ten list, because somewhere between last March and December, I had mistakenly forgotten about the album and what a mistake that was. I have a lot of catching up to do with these songs.

35. Levon Helm-Dirt Farmer
This was a last minute addition as I’ve had this album for months but never listened to it. A friend strongly suggested that I do so and what I found was a warm vintage feeling among the twelve songs that remind us of the full-throated passion of Helm’s vocals. The listening experience was unexpected as I imagined that Helm’s best years were behind him. Fortunately, he proves there’s more to share with the workmanlike performances that while rootsy and traditional are equally picturesque and earnest.

Best Singles of the Year (No Particular Order)

How does one qualify for single of the year? It’s got to be catchy and it has to be in constant rotation in my iPod for weeks on end. Some of these songs I’d rather not like, but their catchiness proves to be alluring for me to ignore, especially for the walk into work in the morning and working out or driving with the top down as you scream the chorus at the top of your lungs.

“Lay Your Head Down”-Keren Ann
Unstated production, hand clapping, a few simplistic chords and a tiny drum beat in the back ground which is accentuated by a descending voice from the heavens that is an invigorating spare ballad. The pictures she paints claws at your inner senses with soft sentimentality that is perfectly balanced without becoming insipid.

“I’ll Remember” -Bloc Party
An avalanche of pop sonics which are superbly unsubtle as they roar with alternative rock goodness with a supreme pop sensibility. The album is a tad disjointed but when it works it’s audaciously majestic. There’s gut wrenching orgasmic vulnerability in the vocal which a golden harmony that feels like an edgy spiritual pop epiphany.

“Guitar” & “The One U Wanna C”-Prince

Upon hearing these two songs from Prince’s ‘Planet Earth’ I thought the bad ass purple pop passion was back. Unfortunately, ‘Planet Earth’ is a mixed affair at best, but these two songs sizzle like bacon in a diner. These two are arguably some of the catchiest tunes the You Tube hating artist has written in fifteen years. Why there wasn’t a full scale American tour or an extensive promotional campaign for these singles is beyond me. He missed the boat on these singles.

“The First Time”-Lifehouse
Lifehouse makes mediocre albums, but damn, can they have a penchant for irresistible singles. Their future ‘Greatest Hits’ will be killer. There’s a romantic sincerity to their lyrics and when paired with vulnerable lyrics, bright production and bravado the end result is a song you won’t be able to keep out of your head for weeks (ex. “Spin”, “Take Me Away”, “You and Me”, “Hanging By A Moment”). It isn’t Shakespeare or Miles Davis but the bigger than life chorus’ is invigorating and full of ecstasy and I can’t ask for anything else from a great pop song.

“Stolen”-Dashboard Confessional
The ultimate cult band has their first bona fide smash, which ironically was sped up and re-recorded from the version that initially was found on their 2006 album release. This is a song I wish I had back in high school and college for mix tapes as the delivery of the song nags away at the shield we put up to not confront our emotions. The complexity of the song is undervalued with understated reserved performances before the band eventually soars into a howling echo of instruments providing a remedy for the broken hearted ending in a surreal crashing emotive jam.

“Lost Highway” & “(You Want To) Make A Memory”-Bon Jovi
“Lost Highway”, a buoyant and anthemic barn burner with a narrative drive that would even make Stephen King smirk, is everything a Bon Jovi song should be. The performance is liberating and the lyrics are full of open-road romanticism. Its derivativeness is so charming that it may be the most perfect song I have heard this year. “Memory” on the other hand is the most daring single the band has released in over a decade. The haunting minimalist lyrics and music isn’t just seductive but completely convincing as the band made themselves sound like another band entirely while maintaining their distinctive sound, something far harder than anyone gives them credit for.

“Big Casino”-Jimmy Eat World
Thrusting guitars with a hyperactive chorus that isn’t edgy so much as it’s endearing and jolting. Be careful listening to this while on the freeway.

“Girlfriend”-Avril Lavigne
Flame me all you want, you know the song, you know you like it and you know you crank it when no one is listening.

”Broken Radio”/”Sister Christian Where Are You Now?”-Jesse Malin
Malin secured the vocal talents of Bruce Springsteen for “Broken Radio” and he even got him to appear in the music video. But this isn’t why this particular song is on this list, not by a long shot. The flipside of the single includes a roaring nostalgic pedal pumping tune meant to be cranked as you wander the streets of your hometown on a hot summer night. ‘Glitter In The Gutter’ grew on me over time, but I can’t figure out for the life of me how “Sister Christian…” didn’t make the final cut as I would dare to say it’s the best track he’s written and recorded since “Wendy” back on his debut.

“The Story”-Brandi Carlile
An achingly potent song performed divinely accentuated by stupendous production from T Bone Burnett and I am not going to let ‘Grey’s Anatomy’ ruin it for me.

“The Black Parade”-My Chemical Romance
Imagine Queen with Goth make-up. “The Black Parade” is equally epic as the best Queen numbers among a staccato frenzy of driving drums, chunky power chords and a chorus that chases you down like a hemi-powered drone on a Jersey highway.

“Colourful”-Rocco DeLuca
People constantly talk about how videos are pointless, but I still find them to have a swaggering charm from time to time. Then there are times where I can't take my eyes off the screen. Rocco Deluca’s debut came out earlier this year and I wasn't crazy about it, but must admit I stopped everything I was doing when the video came on VH-1. I found myself transfixed by the sexual aura of the song and like most pop songs...the more you hear it, the more you like it. What can I say, it's a sexual video that manipulates the audience and listener. I'm guilty as charged, but then again it did force me to go back to the album which I do appreciate more than I thought I would.

“Young Folks”-Peter, Bjorn & John
The whistling anthem of the millennium in which I dare you to listen to it and not try and whistle and have a big stupid grin on your face. Seriously, I dare you.

“Hey There Delilah”- Plain White T’s
Another song I wish I had back in high school and college, it’s a poetically perfect teen love song that is simplistic and immensely nostalgic with visceral lyrics that could make a cynic smile. It isn’t revelatory, but its beauty is in its simplicity.

Pearl Jam: Band of the Hour (Repost of Chicago Live 2006 Review)

2008-05-12T01:10:00.001-05:00

I published this review in the blog's infancy and actual had a few typo's on it, so I'm republishing it now. antiMusic ran it for its 10th Anniversary a few weeks back. Here it is in all its flannel glory for your enjoyment.
xT

Chicago, IL-United Center
May 16th & 17th, 2006

It's a shame to awake in a world of pain
What does it mean when a war has taken over?
-“World Wide Suicide”

The roars of 18,000 fans pierced my eardrums as Matt Cameron’s drums and Jeff Aments’ bass pulsated like an hyperactive heartbeat, Stone Gossard and Mike McCready clashed with their guitars as if their were fighting for their lives and their leader, Eddie Vedder, screamed with rage. Pearl Jam circa 2006 are no longer a band with a rabid fan base but one who is ready to take back their place as the conscience of rock n’ roll with a ferocious roar. The once pissed-off flannel wearing voice of a generation sung lyrics of disillusionment, disconnect and disorder from his pulpit with a sense of urgency and intensity I haven’t seen in well over a decade.

Over the last fifteen years, I have had a tumultuous relationship with Pearl Jam. I bought “Ten”, in late 1991, based on buzz from RIP magazine and I knew it was merely a matter of time before the public at large attached themselves to these melodious songs of torment. For the next few years, especially with the release of “Vs.” in 1993, I felt that Pearl Jam was the most important band in the world. They encompassed everything I loved about rock n’ roll-anger, aggression, hope, gorgeous storytelling, great hooks, soaring melodies and immortal lyrics. They struck a chord with the disillusioned youth of the world. I don’t care what anyone says, but I love it when a band finds their place at a specific moment in time and which connects everyone to the music. However, beginning with the release of “Vitalogy" in November of 1994, I found myself disillusioned with the bands need to be experimental and non-commercial. While I enjoyed “Vitalogy”, it wasn’t the home run their two previous releases were. Besides a small decline artistically, I felt the bands reluctance to shoot videos, give interviews and tour because of a $3.50 service fee added by Ticketmaster were grandstanding in the worse form. Pearl Jam was no longer speaking to my heart, my soul and my troubles. I wanted to see them give interviews giving insight into their craft, I wanted to see them live and I wanted to read and hear them tell me that despite the darkness that surrounds one growing up, it was all going to be ok. For the time being, only their first two albums were accomplishing this. As a result of all of this, I lost track of the band. I knew when new albums were released, but they did not move me the way “Vs.” and “Ten” did. In short, they became a footnote in my musical collection.

In 2000, I rediscovered the band through the release of their official bootleg series. Pearl Jam was the first band to actively release every concert they performed, fully mixed and mastered for commercial consumption. This is something I wish every band did and to support what they were doing, I bought a few shows merely as a show of support. To my surprise these were not merely souvenirs, but revolutionary documents of the band doing what they do best; performing live. They still possessed the rage and fury I originally fell in love with back in 1991 despite albums like “No Code”, “Yield” and “Binaural” leaving me uninspired. In the context of a live performance, I found songs from each of these discs to come ‘alive’. In late 2002, the band released their best album since “Vitalogy”; “Riot Act”. While it was not quite the return to form many fans hoped for, the songs and album gave birth to one of the most audacious tours in rock n’ roll history. The brilliance of these shows lied in its shock factor. One night you may see a solid two-hour show whereas on other night, for no apparent reason, the band would tear through a three-hour plus show with forty-songs. One never knew what to expect and this was highlighted by a three night stand in Mansfield, MA in July of 2003 where the band performed just under one-hundred different and unique songs over three nights. By the end of the tour, I was once again a card carrying member of the Pearl Jam fan club as a result of these electric performances.

While they took some time off from the road, they remained in the public consciousness and mine with the sublime B-side collection “Lost Dogs”, the salient live acoustic album “Live At Benaroya Hall” and the exceptional hits package, “Rearviewmirror” which helped put many of the latter 90’s songs into context by aligning them with their early anthems. Despite the rebirth of my love and admiration for this band, nothing could have prepared me for what happened when they descended upon Chicago in May of 2006.

You're always saying you're too weak to be strong...
You're harder on yourself than just about anyone
-“Life Wasted”

The first week of May, Pearl Jam gave birth to their most potent and relevant album since “Vs.” with their self-titled J Records debut. The voice of a generation was back with a vengeance with screaming declarations of hope and despair. These new songs speak to the public consciousness and the state of the world in 2006. However, two weeks after the album’s release, I was astonished to have a revelation that usually only occurs at one or two concerts a year. Over two nights at Chicago’s United Center arena, I witnessed Pearl Jam tear through over fifty unique and different songs with less than ten being repeated on both nights. It’s rare to see any band be this adventurous so early in a tour. I don’t think there are words to express what it feels like to see something so captivating that it releases the weight of the world from your shoulders. The first night commenced with the staple opener “Release” and while I was initially disappointed (I was hoping for a more adventurous opener) the disenchantment turned into euphoria as I heard Eddie and 18,000 voices howl the chorus in unison. The stage was dimly lit without a spotlight showcasing the unity of the band. Having a big rock star moment announcing your presence is not what is important to this band, as the lyrics took center stage here. There was no ego-tripping, rock poses, indulgent guitar or drum solos. These two nights were about unity.

While the opening number set the stage, it was the second song performed on both evenings that defined the show. “World Wide Suicide” is the most important Pearl Jam song to be written in years. The intensity of this number was a blueprint for the remainder of the evening which found the band in an unrepentant manner never resting on their laurels or their legacy performing every song as if these would be the last shows the band were to ever play. Both shows flirted with the 160-minute mark and exhausted me mentally and physically as I witnessed the band hold nothing back. The biggest difference between the electrifying performances of tours past and this one lies in the intricately crafted and riveting new material. Over the last decade, Pearl Jam has improved on their studio templates to make their sometimes sterile studio versions fixating when performed in front of frenzied audiences. Eddie’s voice showcases all the intensity and anger one needs to believe that Pearl Jam has a fire lit underneath them. Anyone who has continually seen the band live over the last decade knows that when it comes to concerts, they’re challenging their audience nightly with blistering performances few can match.

What is making this tour so magical is the variety of material performed nightly. Night one saw the band confidently change up classics (“Alive”, “Go”, “Black”, “Better Man”, “Jeremy”, “Even Flow”, “Given To Fly” and “Corduroy”) alongside the potent new songs (“Life Wasted”, “Comatose”, “Severed Hand” and the melodic “Unemployable”) which will no doubt be future classics. For the first time in well over a decade, casual fans may have found themselves wondering if these songs were new or forgotten deep cuts hidden on “Ten”, “Vs.” and “Vitalogy”. The bands ability to shuffle between the two mediums was inspirational, especially when the entire crowd sung along to the gorgeous new ballad, “Come Back” proving that songs merely two weeks old can be tour de force moments alongside the war horses

You can spend your time alone redigesting past regrets, ohh,
Or you can come to terms and realize you're the only one who can
forgive yourself. Oh.
Makes much more sense to live in the present tense.
-"Present Tense"

However, it was one specific performance which left me in awe. Eddie Vedder, born just outside of Chicago in Evanston, Illinois spoke of the Chicago Bulls championship runs in the 1990’s and in their honor performed “Present Tense”, a gem from “No Code” and a song I have ignored since its release. On this particular night, band and fan converged into an awe inspiring moment which may make me change my entire opinion of “No Code”. When it came time for the chorus, the entire crowd didn’t just sing the song, but they screamed it back to the band for a spine tingling moment I will never forget. It was right at this moment, when all of Pearl Jam’s decisions as a band over the last dozen years came into focus for me; their Ticketmaster fight, shunning of the press and the complete and total embrace of their fans made complete and total sense. All these years Pearl Jam has fought corporate sponsorship of their music and I realized, that if they had ever chosen a sponsor or had continued to fight to be the best selling band in America, a moment like this never would have been possible. Instead of fighting for mass acceptance, they sought something far better…a family. No other band on the planet takes better care of their fans than Pearl Jam; from preferred tickets, holiday singles and official bootlegs. Pearl Jam puts every other fan club organization to shame. By showering their die-hard fans with respect, the fans have become more than fanatical, but devoted. In today’s market place, Pearl Jam makes sure their core fan base comes first and then the people who may or may not buy their albums next. The band realizes that you can’t have a number one album every time and chasing that train is a losing game. I began to see WHY they fought the fights they fought. They wanted success on their terms. Because of keeping it in the family, “Present Tense” a deep album cut, came alive and had more crowd participation than even “Even Flow”. This isn’t “Piano Man”, “My Generation” or “Hey Jude”…but a lost track from a widely misunderstood album. It was at this moment that I knew it was unlikely I wouldn’t see a better performance of any song in 2006 no matter how many shows I see.

The extended encore was thrilling when Eddie Vedder gave a spirited solo performance on the Beatles classic “You’ve Got To Hide Your Love Away”. As the lights overtook the crowd and the band tore through a blistering version of the Who classic “Baba O’Riley”, the sold out crowd belted the song out at the top of their lungs as the voices soared above even the band’s frenzied playing. I didn’t see how anything could touch this opening night, but I was about to be stunned once again.

For the lights of this city
They only look good when I'm speeding
Gonna leave 'em all behind me
Cause this time
I'm gone
-“Gone”

The second night was as magnanimous as the first, with the band once again reclaiming their destiny as the conscience of rock with an endearing, unrelenting and iconoclastic performance. If one ever has the chance to see Pearl Jam on back to back nights in the same city, I wouldn’t just suggest it but demand you see them both nights as they change their entire set list. Less than ten songs from the previous night were repeated giving the show an entirely different make-up and feel. I found the band revisiting forgotten classics and digging deep into their vast catalog for a few surprises. The best song never to make a proper Pearl Jam album, “Down” brought the house down while the band sprinkled the set with cult classics “Lukin”, “Last Exit”, “I Am Mine” which stood side by side with ferocious performances of “Once”, “Gone”, “Animal”, “Do The Evolution”, “Why Go” and “Better Man” (which never gets old no matter how many times it is performed). Even “Insignificance” from the 2000 album “Binaural” gleaned like a star.

Once again, one of the new songs, “Gone” reached new heights as the crowd slowly whispered the lyrics back to Eddie before hitting the chorus and like a shotgun the crowd fired themselves into a tizzy egging the band on. The amazing aspect of all this is that Pearl Jam delivers each song with subtlety and restraint because they have already won these fans over by making them part of the family. It was in this moment when I realized that Jon Bon Jovi, Mick Jagger, Steven Tyler and Bono are such great front men because their livelihood depends on it. Don’t get me wrong, these guys can work up a sweat whether it is in a small club or a football stadium, but Pearl Jam didn’t have to resort to any shtick because the fair weathered fans in the crowd were few and far between. They don’t hold ticket auctions and don’t fill the best seats with industry peeps, they save the best seats for their fans. At the United Center, there are ten Will Call windows and eight of them were reserved for Ten Club members. By giving everything they can to their fans, they don’t fall into a trap of having to rely on their past and the stadium anthems to fill seats at $100 a ticket. No other band at Pearl Jam’s level has cheaper tickets. Besides price, you will be hard pressed to find better value as the standard concert is well over 150-minutes long.

Eddie Vedder may not be as nimble as he was fifteen-years ago, but the aggression and passion with which he delivers these lyrics is second to none as the second encore proved to be one for the ages kicking off with “Last Kiss”, which featured Eddie Vedder singing from the soundboard at the back of the floor. If this wasn’t enough to seduce the audience with a seductive finesse, Eddie returned to the main stage for a defiant performance of “Last Exit” and an unyielding sense of driven nostalgia with “Glorified G”, a song that was completely off the hook. Figuring the band had reached their nexus I was planning on a rocking finale but was pulled back in for the serenely subtle and elegiac “Crown of Thorns”, a song performed only at “special” shows, according to the band. It’s a Mother Love Bone track which appeared on their only album and the “Singles” soundtrack and is usually reserved for Seattle, Madison Square Garden or Boston (where the Pearl Jam fan base is beyond fanatical). When the band launched into “Rocking In The Free World” and “Yellow Ledbetter” it was almost an after thought for me as my expectations had been blown out of the water by this time.

With the house lights on, I viewed the intensity of the sold out arena and saw them rocking in a way I had not seen before. While many acts have torn down the walls of the United Center before, few have made it like a communal gathering the way Pearl Jam did. For that, I am grateful. Over two nights earlier this year, I saw Pearl Jam present its catalog in a fearless fashion with aggression and anger. This was a band who has once again converged everything I love about rock n’ roll to become the conscience of rock n’ roll for not just one but multiple generations. Pearl Jam may never have the year’s top grossing tour, but that’s OK, they'll settle for being the best instead.

“…I'm still alive”
-“Alive”

Set list for Chicago 5/16/06
Release, World Wide Suicide, Life Wasted, Severed Hand, Comatose, Given To Fly, Low Light, Corduroy, I'm Open, I Got Id, Even Flow, Unemployable, Daughter/(W.M.A.), Present Tense, Do The Evolution, Jeremy, Save You, Porch Encore 1 You've Got To Hide Your Love Away, Better Man, Come Back, State Of Love And Trust, Black, Alive Encore 2 Go, Blood/(Atomic Dog), Indifference, Baba O'Riley, Yellow Ledbetter

Set list for Chicago 5/17/06
Severed Hand, World Wide Suicide, Life Wasted, Animal, Marker In The Sand, Do The Evolution, Whipping, 1/2 Full, I Am Mine, Even Flow, Gone, Insignificance, Better Man, Save it for Later, Down, Garden, Inside Job, Lukin, Why Go Encore 1 Wasted Reprise, Man Of The Hour, Footsteps, Once, Alive Encore 2 Last Kiss, Last Exit, Glorified G, Elderly Woman Behind The Counter In A Small Town, Crown Of Thorns, Rockin' In The Free World, Yellow Ledbetter

The Swell Season: A 'Once' In A Lifetime Concert Review

2008-05-11T01:44:00.000-05:00

The Swell Season: A 'Once' In A Lifetime Concert Review
Vic Theater -Chicago, IL
November 25, 2007

"A little movie called Once gave me enough inspiration to last the rest of the year"
- Steven Spielberg to USA Today.

Truly momentous live performances find artists purging veiled emotions that take the audience on a ride of the senses evoking internal thought and dialogue. A few weeks back at the Vic Theater in Chicago, Glen Hansard of the Swell Season (and the Frames) strode on stage with nothing but his guitar and a need to convey. As he began to sing "Say It To Me Now", one could feel the hairs stand up on the back of their neck. The song starts as a pensive exercise before the emotions boil over into a crescendo of intensity as if he was a character from 'Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom' who just had his heart removed by someone's bare hands. This wasn't an embellished performance but one full of genuineness. The Swell Season, unlike most of the artists I see live every year, don't perform music for ego, excess or money, but because they need to.

I experienced the motion picture, 'Once' this past June. I use the world "experience" because I don't believe that one could merely watch this film and not find it transcendental. I immediately sought out the soundtrack after the film and fell in love with it. Little did I know the story behind these two artists was just as engrossing? Glen Hansard has made a name for himself as one of the leaders in the Irish band, The Frames and has known Markéta Irglová since she was a teenager. Eventually, as she grew older, these two began to collaborate and eventually, the end result wound up being the film 'Once' and the creation of the Swell Season. These two individuals don't just enrapture us on screen but on stage as well. They are touring together under the name of the Swell Season and wrapped their tour with two sold-out nights in Chicago. Before the release of the film, both artists wouldn't find it unlikely to perform in front of a few dozen people, but in Chicago the 2,600 seats available were sold-out and nonexistent on the secondary market. Over the course of 100 enlightening minutes, the Swell Season delivered a show with understated perfection. Every night around the world, thousands of talented musicians pick up their instruments in the hopes that they connect with a handful of people who hear their stories and songs and on this once in a lifetime concert, the Swell Season didn't just inspire, they radiated truthfulness.

After Hansard's ferocious opening performance he was joined by Markéta Irglová for a duet of "All The Way Down" which was performed with off-hand grace. As the show continued, each performance proved to be effortless and hypnotic. As the other three members who make up the Swell Season joined them on stage, Marketa took her place at the piano and as the pensive "Lies" began, you could hear a pin drop in the audience. There are audiences who are disengaged and others who quietly respect the art, tonight was the latter. You can literally feel your stomach twist up from the ache in their voices. The entire 1,300 in capacity were completely enraptured by these five musicians. The second the song ended, the place roared and came to life. The show continued with the unpretentious "This Low", the beguiling "When Your Mind's Made Up", and the beautifying "Once" proving these harmonic songs are just as powerful and resonating as they were on screen. The stage set up was minimal, five people, six instruments, two microphones, a handful of amps and speakers and pure unbridled passion and purpose.
Watching these two musicians was awe inspiring because these are a pair of musicians who perform and create because there is no other choice for them. Their art dictates their lives and whether a film like 'Once' had ever been made, they would be doing this somewhere whether there were 1,300 in attendance or just 13. Hansard joked that they used to personally know every person who came to their shows. It almost made me feel guilty for not taking notice of their music until seeing them on celluloid.

Hansard was wildly humorous and you can immediately feel his realness while listening to his banter . His on stage persona is most likely exactly like his off-stage one; cool, laid back and witty. This was particularly evident on the new song, "Heartstrings", which has only been performed a handful of times. It's surprisingly simplistic and literally pulls on your heartstrings (no pun intended). Hansard summed it up as being about "If you f**k with people, then you will get f**ked". An alternate title for this song is "My Heart Got A Monkey For A Brain" and he wasn't joking. The picturesque storytelling lyric was performed with a peek-a-boo vibrancy and was devoid of maudlin creakiness. His comments before "Moving Slowly" (which can be found on the self-titled album, 'The Swell Season') were uproarious. "This is about a three-legged dog that has cancer and is on a sinking ship…but ultimately they are optimistic". Ironically, the song wasn't tongue in cheek, but one whose lyrics "words fall through me" cut to the bone. Their music found a voice and the crowd's voices swelled in succession providing a spine tingling moment that was nothing short of perfection. Each song over the course of the evening was a pinch me till I bleed moment because nothing on Earth should be this real or transcendent.

Before the pensive "Leave", Hansard shared stories about the tough crowd the night before, how the Frames were reborn in Chicago and about a woman who wrote to him after their performance in Chicago last July and offered up one her late husbands guitars. This occurred because the woman felt the guitar Hansard was playing had seen better days. As he sang, spoke and joked it became evident that Hansard is a musician who is intensely thankful to be able to make music for a living. As he came near a crescendo on "Leave" and hit that higher octave, the hearts of the audience ascended as well. Nothing about the Swell Season was the least bit calculated or cold making it all that much more authentic.
As Hansard straddled an electric guitar, he effortlessly gave a spellbinding performance of "Pavement Song" which he introduced as "I Want My Life to Make More Sense", a song recorded by his band, The Frames. Ironically, it was written in a fit of hate as their record company asked for a hit single and ironically, he channeled that aggression into a perfect song that could make anyone smile. He apologized for cursing every once in a while and had an on-going joke of "What would Bruce do?" in reference to how Bruce Springsteen eloquently speaks about his music. Even his performance of "Fake" segued into Tina Turner's "Private Dancer" as he provided a remedy for wanting to get unnecessary songs out of your head. "Sing 'Private Dancer' and it will leave your head"…and ironically, he's right. As Hansard closed his solo set, he tore through Van Morrison's "Astral Weeks" with a vengeance. Morrison is one of the greatest lyricists of all time and Hansard's fervent performance induced a wall of sound climaxing in a tormented yet severe vocal howl. Hansard slashed through the emotional wall that holds so many performers back providing what was potentially a definitive performance as he sells the song better than Morrison because the lyrics bled from his soul. With a mere guitar he made a sound larger than a symphony through the pure power of passion. He alone could hold the attention of a football stadium; this is how transcendent and devastating this performance was.

Another Frames song, "Star, Star" received the Swell Season treatment as they found a way to segue "O Holy Night" into the song which was accentuated by the miraculous string section. This elegiac version of "Star, Star" was stunningly somber and reflective. One can only hope this version appears somewhere on an official release down the line. In a fitting twist of fate, the band brought a fan, Emilio, on stage with them for the closing performance of "You Ain't Goin' Nowhere", a Bob Dylan cover featured on the 'I'm Not There' Soundtrack. Emilio saw 'Once" earlier this year and was so inspired by it, he bought a guitar, learned how to play and made his own cd. It was a perfectly ebullient way to finish not just the evening but the tour as well. Music is made to inspire others and there is no greater compliment than someone whose art imitates and inspires life. If this performance and this past year are any indication, the music and continuing inspiration of the Swell Season will be occurring more than "once" in a blue moon, but nightly for decades to come.

Anthony Kuzminski is a Chicago based writer and can be found at The Screen Door

Setlist:
Say It To Me Know
All The Way Down
Lies
This Low
Heartstrings
When Your Mind's Made Up
Drown Out
Moving Slowly
Leave
I Want My Life To Make More Sense (Frames)
Fake/ Private Dancer
Astral Weeks (Van Morrison cover)
Once
If You Want Me
Instrumental Violin Piece
ENCORE:
Star, Star
You Ain't Goin' Nowhere (Dylan cover)

Def Leppard & Journey: Survivors (Chicago, IL 7/19/06 Live Review)

2008-05-10T01:44:00.000-05:00

It’s better to burn out…than fade away!-“Rock of Ages”

Co-headlining bills appear to be the wave of the future. I hate them…plain and simple; these shows are not good bargains for anyone other than the artists or promoters. Back when Kiss and Aerosmith toured together in 2003, everyone was thrilled at the prospect of seeing these two rock giants on the same bill, but all I could think was “where’s the rest of my show”? For $140 Kiss and Aerosmith each played an 80-minute set with no jamming or unique sets ala Billy Joel/Elton John. Billy and Elton played for well over three-hours, covered each others songs and opened and closed the shows together giving the fans a performance you could not see if you were to see either of them solo. The only thing that occurred on the Aerosmith/Kiss tour was less work from the two bands. The year before the co-headline jaunt, I saw Aerosmith for a top dollar price of $75 with Kid Rock and Run DMC in support. It was arguably one of the best tours of their thirty-year career. I saw Kiss for around the same price a few years earlier with their full two-hour stage show and two solid openers. With all that in mind, I went to see Journey and Def Leppard’s co-headline summer tour stop just outside of Chicago. I had no desire to go even if tickets were conservatively priced for a double bill ($30-$85). I had seen both bands last year and it was unlikely either band would improve on those shows, however, I was about to be proved wrong.

2006 has been a rough year for Journey so far. Vocalist Steve Augeri has been suffering from vocal issues and had to leave the tour in its infancy. Replacing him is Jeff Scott Soto, lead singer for Neil Schon’s side project Soul Sirkus. The whole situation is practically an outtake from “Spinal Tap”. Does Journey tour with a bullpen of lead singers at their disposal? A lesser band would have called it quits and gone home, however, the stakes were raised with the co-headline bill and they brought Jeff in, on short notice, without missing a beat. In a weird stroke of luck, it may have been a blessing in disguise. This is by no means any disrespect to Steve Augeri, but Jeff Scott Soto brought a fresh perspective to Journey’s classic songs. With the amphitheater near capacity, guitarist Neil Schon and Jonathan Cain took to the stage. Neil launched into a stirring version of the “Star Spangled Banner” which immediately segued into “Anyway You Want It”. I was stunned last summer at how tightly knit the band was when I caught their 30th Anniversary tour. It was a remarkable three-hour show encompassing their entire history. It was also one of the reasons I had no interest in seeing them this summer. How could they top what they did last year?

This evening was short on talk and after a very brief introduction of Jeff Scott Soto, the set ran at a breakneck pace with most songs segueing one into the other. Following in quick succession were the greatest hits “Ask The Lonely”, “Stone In Love”, “Wheel In The Sky” and “Who’s Crying Now” each receiving an elated response louder than its predecessor. These songs are so imbedded in the public consciousness it does not matter who is singing them. This is a testament to the songs. How many acts can perform in front of close to 30,000 paying people two-decades past their commercial peak without the original singer? Not many. This is a band that never ceases to surprise me despite numerous obstacles to overcome. Even though the Chicago show did not have any material from the last decade, this set was relevant and prevailing just from the venerable performance. Jeff Scott Soto did not even have to finish some verses, as the near capacity crowd was there with him following along singing every last lyric. Nostalgia or not, this was a scene to behold.

Journey has so many hits, it would be easy for them to pick a standard set list and play it every night of the tour, but to their credit, they’re not playing it safe. “Chain Reaction”, “Dead or Alive” and “Escape” were not obvious choices for a shortened set list, but they’re deep album cuts which added furor which the crowd fed off of. Last summer, drummer Deen Castronovo, stole the show with a passionate performance of “Patiently”. This year he not only left the crowd breathless once again, but he did the impossible by stunning us with trancelike performances of “Open Arms” and “Faithfully”, arguably two of the five best known Journey songs. His vocal delivery was so striking that I don’t think he should hand vocal duties for these two songs back to Steve Augeri, upon his return. An extended bluesy intro to “Lovin’ Touchin’ Squeezin’”, featuring Jonathan Cain on harmonica, was refreshing to see. Journey is a classic rock staple and no one would ever expect them to fiddle with these songs in any way, but this is what keeps them relevant and not becoming a band destined for state fairs. I don’t even deem myself a Journey fan, but each and every time I see them, they win me over with their endearing performance, proving the naysayer’s (including this writer) wrong.

If all of this was not enough to impress, the finale put the crowd into a state of delirium with “Don’t Stop Believing” taking on a life of its own. It became an anthem last year for the Chicago White Sox during their World Series run and as a result, the Chicago crowd made this song a tour de force moment. The lone encore of “Separate Ways” fired up the crowd prepping them for Def Leppard’s set. Whether this was one’s tenth Journey concert or their first, it’s unlikely it will be their last if the wails of the crowd are any indication. Few bands can handle as many challenges or hardships as Journey, but they are survivors in the truest sense of the word. They continue to exist because of sheer determination. If you don’t take them seriously, that will be your call, but never count them out. These guys are in it for the long run.

By the time Def Leppard hit the stage for their 85-minute set, the crowd was ready to riot. Most surprising to me, the lawn was almost completely sold-out. I spoke with one of the promoters after the show and he informed me they had sold 2,000 tickets in the two-hours before show time. If it was a weekend this show would have been sold-out (the amphitheaters capacity is just under 30,000). This was the largest crowd Def Leppard has played to in the Chicago area since two back-to-back shows at Alpine Valley in July of 1988 (each show brought in 35,000). Once Queen’s “We Will Rock You” intro finished, the lights dimmed and the band took their spots on stage where lead singer Joe Elliott made his way to the microphone with one question for the audience; “Do you wanna get rocked”? After the surging opener, “Let’s Get Rocked” the band ran through “Make Love Like A Man”, the undervalued “Promises” and “Bringin' On The Heartbreak” with ease performing the songs with unwavering precision. From my vantage point in the second row, the band was not only proficient with their instruments but was in another realm during this show. While the song selection provided no surprises, the resolve with which each song was performed did. The band was incredibly focused at not only keeping those up front engaged but those a half mile away on the lawn as well. Despite seeing the band numerous times before, I never quite noticed how mobile they are when they hit the stage. Aside from drummer Rick Allen the band members do not take us residence on any part of the stage and roamed freely. Most acts find a spot on stage and stay there for the entire evening never budging. In fact, this was the most mobile I’ve seen any band in quite some time.

The evening’s tour de force performance was the gorgeous and melodious “Hysteria”. While watching the band perform this understated pop gem, I couldn’t get over how perfectly constructed this elegiac pop song is. This is one of those songs you could go years without hearing, but when you do, it’s comes to life and you marvel as to why you didn’t realize it’s luminosity before. There are those who say that the band owes all of their success to Mutt Lange. While he was without a doubt the sixth member of the band, he was not the one who played all of the instruments on the record or went on the road touring giving these songs focus. The sonic landscapes of “Hysteria” are luscious and the band amazingly not only recreates this sound on stage, but gives the song a creative edgy arrangement. “Hysteria” is easily one of the top 200 albums ever recorded and when listening to it recently, I couldn’t help but feel that this album could have been recorded two weeks ago and not twenty-years ago. This may be the very reason as to why these songs continue to resonate.

Only two songs from their new covers cd, “Yeah!” were performed; “No Matter What” and “Rock On”, the same two from last years tour. Earlier in the tour, they were performing four songs and now it’s surprisingly down to two. In shows following Chicago, “Hellraiser” made a few appearances but I believe “Waterloo Sunset” is the one that should be performed nightly as it could perfectly segue into or from “Hysteria”. Last summer’s set lists were invariable for the most part, however, this summer has shown the band rotating certain songs in and out of the set list (including “Hellraiser”, “Hanging On The Telephone” and “Let It Go”). If Def Leppard were smart, they would take a page from Journey’s book rotating songs in and out of the set and include a few songs from “Slang”, “Euphoria” and “X”, three near masterpieces which completely are off most people’s radars if for no other reason than being unaware they even exist. All three albums show a distinctive side to the band and even though their combined sales as less than their b-side album “Retroactive” (from 1993), I believe the brilliance of these albums will come to shine through one day. One can only hope the band realizes these gems deserve a second chance and rotates them in and out of the set, giving these songs their due and proving the cynic’s and critics wrong.

The remainder of the show focused on fixating nostalgic compositions that effortlessly supercharged the crowd to new heights. As I watched the band effortlessly churn out these greatest hits, an epiphany took place. I could not help but notice how much fun these guys were having. I’ve seen hundreds of concerts over the last few years and some acts while proficient with their instruments don’t enjoy being on stage. Def Leppard was euphoric in their delivery, power and conviction with which they performed “Rocket”, “Photograph”, “Rock of Ages” and “Pour Some Sugar On Me”, all of which are nearly two-decades old. When all is said and done, isn’t rock n’ roll supposed to be fun above all else? While scoffed at a decade back for being “soft” and coming from an era that has largely been despised over time, Def Leppard has never given up and have proven themselves to be survivors.

While many view this co-headline show as a pure nostalgia fest, both bands surprised me with the resolve, drive and force they put behind their music. Despite lack of new material finding its way on the radio, never underestimate either of these bands because their secret weapons lie within their live shows. As long as Journey and Def Leppard believe in themselves and continue to perform with the same conviction as I witnessed on a steamy Chicago night, they will continue to thrive and survive even if radio formats ignore their most recent albums. One thing I know for sure is that neither band is going to burn out or fade away any time soon-they are both survivors in the truest sense of the word.

Def Leppard photo courtesy of Rob Grabowski.