Fast forward to early 2017, my buddy Tom, potentially McCartney’s biggest fan, called me to tell me Paul was touring again for his One on One tour.  There was zero hesitation, no concern of the calendar, no worries about where I’d find the cash, the answer to the question he never had to ask, was “yes, I want to go!”   Quite some time ago, I vowed to never miss the opportunity to see one of my favorite artists.   Life is short.  You never know when an artist’s touring days are over or your concert going days are done.   I want to go through life saying I’m glad I went, not I wish I’d gone.

As the day of the concert approached, I wasn’t really sure what to expect.   It had been 15 years since the last time I saw him live.  Would his voice still be as sharp?  Would the band still be as tight?  Would it be as memorable as the first time I saw him?  

For those that don’t want to keep reading to find out the answers, they are Yes, yes, and no, it was more memorable!

For three hours, Sir Paul and his band entertained the star struck crowd with 32 hits from the Beatles, Wings, and his solo career.   The energy was high, the interaction with the adoring fans added a personal touch, and the smiles were everywhere.   I’ve said it before, and I’ll probably say it again, but I love watching performers that are later on in their careers.   The pressure seems to be off, and they always seem to be enjoying themselves on stage as much as the crowd is enjoying watching them.  McCartney and his band were no different.   A group of world class musicians having fun, and who wouldn’t have fun playing in the company of such an accomplished songwriter, performer, and rock star.

But, this concert was different than the concert of 15 years ago.   Yeah, the setlist had changed, but that’s not what I’m talking about.   This time, Paul was in a storytelling mood…and it was unbelievable.   Like a parent that wanted to share a bit of the family history with his kids while he had their attention, he entertained us with stories and tidbits of Beatles history that you won’t find on Wikipedia.  We heard stories of Jimi Hendrix taking his guitar hopelessly out of tune while covering a Beatles song…with the Beatles and Eric Clapton in the audience.  We heard about Paul and John writing “I Wanna Be Your Man” for the Rolling Stones while hanging out with Mick Jagger and Keith Richards.   We all laughed as he shared stories of meeting the Defense Minister of the Soviet Union while playing in Russia.  There were heartwarming stories of George and John, and a fun guitar lesson on the riff that was the starting point of “You Won’t See Me”.   …and these were just a few of the stories shared throughout the night.   I wasn’t sure if I should be recording everything or taking notes.  All I know was that I was hearing things about musical history from the guy that lived that history….and that’s pretty special.

Along with the stories, the music was more than a McCartney fan could hope for.   From piano ballads like “Let It Be”, to the pyrotechnic laden “Live and Let Die”, and the ukulele accompanied  “Something”, it was a musical journey that covered five decades of hit after hit from his extensive catalogue of songs.

As a teenager, I was always a bit sad that the Beatles broke up before my concert going days.   As an adult, I am thankful for being able to have seen one of the most talented and influential musicians in the past 50 years, at a time in his life when he was eager to share a bit more of himself than the lyrics that we all know and love.

As the Beatles themselves wrote, “There are places I remember all my life, though some have changed”…   having Paul McCartney bless us with his songs, his stories, and his passion for sharing both, was clearly one of those things I will remember…all my life.

There’s something pure about a voice and an acoustic guitar. Bring in a little harmony and that purity turns into a religious experience. Misty and Jason compliment each other vocally about as well as anyone could hope for. They compliment each other in life just as well. This husband and wife duo obviously have chemistry. Their playful banter endeared them to their audience quickly as they shared their story of joy and heartache trying to find their place in the hyper-competitive world of Nashville music. It was easy to see that music is their passion, and that they are committed to making their passion their life.

Maybe you’re thinking, “How good can they be?” I promise you that the quality of their musicianship and vocals are as good as any professional you’ve ever heard. One verse into the first song, Mystery, and I was trying to figure out how this wasn’t a number one hit. Oh, Misty wrote that one, along with most of the others they played, by the way. Not only can this couple sing and play, but they write great music as well. The night was a personally narrated journey through their experiences. Literally, their autobiography in song.

What was really beautiful about all of this was the authenticity. Here was a couple sharing, not just their talent, but their vulnerability as well. As they played an original they wrote after a more challenging season of life, called More Wishes Than Stars, I came to understand just how much courage it takes to chase your dreams, and how much more courage it takes to redefine them.

Their remaking was summed up beautifully in their song , So Can I. The song represents the encouragement that the community of singers, songwriters, and musicians have to be to one another in an unforgiving industry. Misty and Jason have found a niche in Nashville that allows them to combine their passion for music and their passion for people. They run a consulting firm that helps young artists develop their talents, their product, and their vision in preparation for a career in music. This allows them to stand in the gap once filled by record labels, but left void due to the increasingly independent nature of the industry. Now they aren’t just sharing their music with the world, but sharing the craft of music so others can have their voice as well.

Even that isn’t enough of an impact for these two though. As they prepared to sing their final song, Love Wins, Misty and Jason shared with us their true purpose, not just for the evening, but for life. They passed around envelopes with the pictures of children from a village in Nicaragua. You see, they don’t just perform music for themselves. They don’t just help others navigate the rapids of Nashville. They are partner artists with Food For The Hungry. As such, they are committed to bettering the lives of children and communities that have no chance at doing so for themselves.

Now is every home concert going to be like an evening with The Carsons? Probably not. But if you have the chance to attend one, I would encourage you to take advantage of the opportunity. Maybe you’ll be as lucky as I was, and hear some great music, and more importantly, meet some really great people. If you’d like The Carsons to play for you visit their website at http://carsoncreative.me . You see, music isn’t just their career, or their passion. It’s their legacy and their ministry. Sounds like a life lived on purpose to me.

When I heard that Clapton was playing a handful of shows in the US this year and also heard rumors of this being a ‘final tour’, I was going to make every effort to be there.   With a pre-sale code in my possession, within mere seconds of tickets being on sale, I had secured two seats for his first show of the tour at Madison Square Garden for March 19th.

Today is the morning of the 20th, only seven hours after Clapton’s final song, and as I ride the Amtrak along the Hudson, I’ve been trying to capture all of the emotions of last night’s show.  Finding the words to write a fitting review seems inadequate.   So I have decided to scrap the review idea, and just say Thank You.

Eric Clapton’s music has played a bigger part of my life than I think I even knew.  Last night’s concert was a fitting reminder of that very fact.   From the opening notes of “Key to the Highway”, I knew I was in for a night of musical bliss.   Like a reunion with an old friend, when Clapton started singing, everything was refreshingly familiar.   The band was great, the sound was perfect, the harmonies tight, and every note of every lead brought back memory after memory.

Though I had always enjoyed Clapton’s music, I did not really start buying his albums until my college years.  The Journeyman album was probably the one I remember the most.   No longer living in the home town where I grew up, I’d only see my parents when I went back for a visit.   Often these visits gave me and my Dad an excuse to get out the guitars and do some picking.   Needless to say, my Dad’s and my musical tastes had rarely crossed paths.   I remember the first time I played “Running on Faith” for my Dad…. Suddenly paths had crossed, and my Dad too had an appreciation for Eric Clapton.   From that moment on, trips home would include playing from the Clapton songbook.

I had seen Clapton play in the early 2000’s, so I knew that when the chair came out it was time for some acoustic playing.   The mid concert acoustic Setlist included “Driftin’ Blues”, “Nobody Knows You When You’re Down and Out”, “Tears in Heaven”, and “Layla”.   This whole acoustic set brought a big smile to my face.  A couple years into my Dad’s tenure as a Clapton fan, we both had seen the Clapton Unplugged concert on TV.   At this point, my Dad was hooked.  So much so, that some time later he actually bought the Martin 000-28EC (Eric Clapton edition) acoustic guitar.    I couldn’t help but to think how much my Dad would have enjoyed this part of the show.   As Clapton broke into “Tears in Heaven”, the entire crowd was reminded again of the versatility of this phenomenal musician.

One of the great things about Eric Clapton has been his ability to evolve his musical career and musical style over the years.   Often when you go to see a musician that has been in this game this long, you hear their greatest hits that first made them famous, and not much more.    Clapton’s been releasing music all along his career, pulling in new recruits to his fan club along the way.   As he began one of his intros on the acoustic guitar, my son leaned over and said, “He’s playing Layla”.   Oh, did I forget to mention that my 22 year old son is a Clapton fan too?   The same music that gave me opportunities to make memories with my Dad is doing it again with the next generation.

Clapton returned once again to his trusty Strat and delivered a tasty performance of “Wonderful Tonight”.  The energy ramped up for rock hits “Cocaine” and “Sunshine of Your Love”.   The audience was on their feet.

The show had been opened by a set by Jimmie Vaughan, followed by an outstanding performance by Gary Clark Jr.   Clapton brought Vaughan and Clark back on stage to join him on “Before You Accuse Me” for his final encore song.  The three traded guitar licks along with some tasty bits on the piano and organ.   It was a great way to close the show.

As I wrote earlier, this was not intended to be a concert review.   I could certainly post a glowing review of the night, the perfect mix of hits, his outstanding band and backing vocalists, and his seemingly effortless performance.   But this concert was so much more.   So I just want to say Thank You to Eric Clapton.   Thank you for over five decades of great music.   Thank you for providing inspiration to a young musician.   Thank you for providing a common bond to three generations of my family.   Thank you for the ballads, the rock classics, and the heartfelt blues.

…and Thank You for doing ‘one more final tour’.

Check out a couple videos of his performance…

“Driftin’ Blues” from the acoustic set

“Before You Accuse Me” with Jimmie Vaughan and Gary Clark Jr.

I’ve been an Electric Light Orchestra fan since my days in Junior High.   It was probably the spaceship album artwork that first grabbed my attention, and it was songs like “Mr. Blue Sky”, “Telephone Line”, and “Strange Magic” that had me hooked.   By the time that I had enough freedom, enough money, and enough means of transportation to actually go to an ELO concert, ELO was no longer touring.   …and until last year, there was nothing but rumors about a possible ELO tour.  This past winter, once again, there was talk of an ELO tour that would be coming to the US, with one of the stops being Radio City Music Hall in NYC.  Before long, talk became reality, and I found myself agreeing to pay more than I spent on my 1978 VW Scirocco for two seats only fourteen rows away from the stage.

After months of anticipation, and hearing nothing but rave reviews from their shows in the UK, it was finally concert night.   Not only did my ticket price get me great stage proximity, but it also was part of a VIP package that included early entrance to Radio City Music Hall, and a cool swag bag of stuff.   As we waited for the show to start, the auditorium was filled with nothing but songs that Jeff Lynne had helped to produce, including hits from the Wilburys, Roy Orbison, George Harrison, and Tom Petty.   Given the level of fandom represented that night, I’m sure that I was not the only one to notice the song choices.   Speaking of fandom, since there were only two locations on the US tour, the hall was filled with people from all over the country.   ELO fans were not going to miss this event….and many had travelled thousands of miles to be there.

After an opening act of an excellent string quartet, the band took the stage.   Jeff Lynne and Richard Tandy, the only original members of the band, were accompanied by a full stage of world class musicians.   The show kicked off with “Tightrope”…and kept building from there.   The night was everything one would have expected from an ELO concert.   Lots of lights, lasers, strings, synthesizers, and rock and roll.  Lynne’s vocals were impeccable, the band was tight, the energy was crazy, and the fans..the adoring fans…were in musical heaven.

There were not many words spoken between songs, just repeated thumbs up from Lynne, who seemed to be almost in disbelief from the crowd’s reaction.   Song after song, hit after hit, Lynne reminded us what had made ELO such a great band.   Hits like “Evil Woman”, “Livin’ Thing”, and “Shine A Little Love”, just to name a few.   The crowd was captivated as he played one of his latest songs, “When I Was A Boy”.   The show ended with “Telephone Line”, “Turn to Stone”, “Sweet Talkin Woman”, “Don’t Bring Me Down”, and “Mr. Blue Sky”.  All perfect…  

As Lynne and the band left the stage, the audience made it clear that they loved what they heard and wanted to hear more.   The band returned to the stage and finished out the night with an outstanding rendition of “Roll Over Beethoven” for their encore.

It was an emotional night…a bit surreal.  A concert I had been hoping to see for decades had just turned to reality.   I was thrilled to have just witnessed musical history, and at the same time, sad at the realization that this was likely the one and only time I would see this truly remarkable artist doing what he does best.

There are no words to truly capture the emotion, the energy, the perfection of this night.  And to quote Jeff Lynne himself, “I can’t get it out of my head”.

This past weekend, Don Henley returned to the Rochester area for the first time in over fifteen years.   I’ve seen him before, but wasn’t quite sure what to expect after last fall’s release of his country themed Cases County album.   I had thoroughly enjoyed his latest work, but was definitely hoping to hear samples of his solo work and some Eagles classics.

With no lawn seats being sold, the event at the Marvin Sands Performing Arts center in Canandaigua, NY was a bit more intimate than most I have attended there.   The audience was clearly made up of fans that were likely fans in the early days of the Eagles.  Promptly at 7:30 PM, Henley and his large ensemble of musicians took the stage, arranged themselves in a choral style around the stage mics, and kicked off an acapella rendition of “Seven Bridges Road”; and it was musical perfection.   From there, things picked up as the band kicked off the familiar intro to “Dirty Laundry”.   I found it rather comical that a local TV News personality walked in during that song. Throughout the night, Henley continued to mix in hits from not only the Eagles, but from his new album.

Henley’s band was unbelievable.   With nearly every musician providing some form of backing vocals, there were three girls that covered the bulk of the backing vocals and also took turns covering the duets from Cass County.   A full horn section took the stage for “Sunset Grill” and continued to amaze for the rest of the night.   Eagles hits included, “Witchy Woman”, “Life in the Fast Lane”, and “One of These Nights” which proved that Henley’s falsetto range is alive and well.   He shared an entertaining back story to “Providence” that gave new life to familiar lyrics.

He performed favorites from his solo career like “New York Minute”, “All She Wants to Do is Dance”, and “End of the Innocence”.   Cass County additions included “Bramble Rose”, “That Old Flame”, and “Train in the Distance”. He even performed an energetic cover of Tears For Fears hit, “Everybody Wants to Rule the World”.   The crowd went crazy as the stage tech brought out the familiar double necked guitar, letting everybody know it was time for “Hotel California”…and it was good, very good.

Henley and his band played for two and a half hours, including two encores.   It was a hot summer night of great music that took us on a musical journey covering five decades of hits from the songbooks of the Eagles and Henley’s solo career.   The night ended with another choral style arrangement. This time it was “Desperado”, a tribute to Glenn Frey.   …and once again, it was perfection.

This month I went to see my first concert of the 2015 summer season. Ed Sheeran was performing at the Constellation Brands – Marvin Sands Performing Arts Center in Canandaigua, NY. It was the perfect night for a concert…clear skies and a cool summer breeze, all set in a perfect venue. I had no idea what to expect for a crowd. Yeah, Sheeran’s young and popular and there was a heavy representation by the teen to twenty something girls…but there were people there ranging from their thirties right up to their seventies. A surprising range for such a young artist.

As the lights went down, Sheeran walked onto the stage, carrying his parlor sized Martin acoustic guitar, taking his place behind one of two microphones surrounded by four floor monitors and his pedal board.   That’s it…no band…just him.   I had seen him play on various awards shows, and watched him play with the use of his looper pedal, but did not expect this setup for his entire show.

Being a musician of sorts myself, I always approach a concert with a bit of a hidden agenda…and that is to take away some morsel of knowledge that will help take me to the next level in my own craft.   So, even though I sing along with the lyrics at the top of my lungs, strum air guitar, and gyrate around in a manner that would embarrass most Methodists, I’m paying attention to the class that’s being held on stage….and that night, Sheeran was truly the professor. His ability to mix high energy, soulful falsettos, gorgeous chord voicings, and intricate rhymes is nothing short of astounding.   Adding to that the fact that he constructs each and every song from scratch on stage, live, as the whole crowd watches and claps along…done so cleverly that most don’t even realize the magic that is taking place before them, is simply amazing.   For me school was in session and I was in my glory.

He started out the night with I’m a Mess and then into the ever popular Lego House, followed soon thereafter by his Superstition/Ain’t No Sunshine medley cover.   Before too long, he pulled out his Fender electric for the melodic ballad, Thinking Out Loud…and a couple songs later an outstanding tribute to Stevie Wonder with I Was Made To Love Her. Each song perfectly assembled, showing high energy at one moment and raw emotion the next. There was a proclaimed ‘official last song’ followed shortly by an encore.   The whole time the crowd was on fire, singing, dancing, cell phones lighting up the sky.   At one point there was a scream of girls that rivaled that seen on the Ed Sullivan show when the Beatles took the stage…it was deafening.

Ed Sheeran is a great musician, and he’s a phenomenal live performer.   I’m looking forward to more great music out of this young musician from across the pond. I could not think of a better artist to start off my concert season for this year. I walked away with ears ringing and my soul satisfied by a night of watching a musician perform his craft in front of thousands of adoring fans.

The Xerox Rochester International Jazz fest is a nine day event held in late June, that offers more than 300 shows, nearly 100 of them free, with 1500 artists coming from 18 countries.   Located near the Eastman School of music, the festival takes over the streets, with thousands of spectators, excitement, and music…wonderful music everywhere. With five outdoor stages, various vendors, and food trucks serving up mouth-watering entrees at every corner, it’s impossible to not have a great time.

The musical acts range from high school and community Jazz ensembles, to the likes of Trombone Shorty, Gap Mangione, and Herb Alpert, and headliners including Diana Krall, Jennifer Hudson, Tedeschi Trucks Band, and countless more.   There’s a little something for everyone.   Music fans can fill their week with free music, buying a Club Pass gets them into all but the headliner acts, and if you’re lucky enough, tickets can be purchased for all the big acts…but act fast as they sell out very quickly.

This year I was able to catch a couple of the headliners held in the Kodak Hall at Eastman Theatre. This historic venue offers an intimate concert experience surrounded by breathtaking architecture. The first concert I saw was Beth Hart and Gary Clark Jr.   I was very familiar with Gary Clark Jr, but Beth Hart was new to me…and I had no idea what I had been missing.   With a bluesy grit to her voice, delivering powerful and soulful vocals, and tearing up the keys on the piano, Hart brought her raw emotion to the sold out crowd.   Gary Clark Jr. performed an ‘album perfect’ concert, delivering a mix of blues with a bit of funk, all filled with the beautiful tone of Clark’s guitar playing.

A couple nights later I was fortunate enough to experience the Tedeschi Trucks Band’s “Wheel of Soul” tour, featuring Doyle Bramhall II, Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings, and the Tedeschi Trucks Band.   With each act delivering high energy sets of their own, this four and a half hour concert ended in an encore featuring members from all groups on stage at the same time.   A night filled with guitar licks by Bramhall, the high energy R&B of Sharon Jones, and the soulful rasp of Susan Tedeschi accompanied by the smooth sweet slide guitar playing of Derek Trucks.

These two events alone would have made this an outstanding festival, but there were seven more nights of equally outstanding performances… including a surprise appearance by James Taylor with the Steve Gadd band.

Nobody will ever confuse Rochester, NY with the French Quarter of New Orleans, but in this one week of June, if close your eyes for just a second, the sound of music in the streets, the aroma of Andouille sausage coming from the food trucks, and the warm summer breeze might just make you think you are a little closer to the Gulf of Mexico than Lake Ontario.   If you’re a fan of Jazz, soul, blues, or R&B… the Xerox Rochester International Jazz fest should be on your musical bucket list.