[Weekend Preview] More Bounce To The Ounce
Well, dammit. I had a really cool story lined up and I forgot what it was. Instead you get mini-reviews of some good music I've seen recently because my friend John is a great concert buddy. Nobody listens to music better than a musician, and he's scored tickets to some incredible shows and shared them with me.
At the Stevie Wonder show I ran into a large contingent of the Hot Chick Brigade (I love those music-loving and dancing girls - such supporters of live music and my efforts especially), and also a woman I sang with something like 16 years ago. That was totally surprising and fun. My former bandmate said she'd read about me in Blues Audience, but I haven't seen that so maybe it was from years ago. The girls had better seats than we did, so we split off when it started pouring rain and thankfully we all had seats under the roof part of the venue.
Unlike many fantastic acts (who make me want to give it up and never play music again), Stevie was inspirational from beginning to end. His songwriting is so spot on and his band, while not flawless, was really good and played what needed to be played. Also, what can I say about the guy's singing? Even when he's not in 100% perfect form, he skyrockets all over his range as though it's completely effortless. Every inch of him is amazing.
The Parliament/Funkadelic/George Clinton/P-Funk All Stars concert was as expected, funky and forever. 3.5 unbroken hours of groove, and although I personally would have preferred 5 horn players and 2 guitarists instead of the opposite, you know what you're getting when you go see President Clinton of One Nation Under A Groove: 15 minute songs and everyone trying to invoke the spirit of Eddie Hazel. I never did figure out how many people were actually in the band, because they came and went so randomly. In addition to the horns, there were lots of singers (8-9?), a couple of keyboardists, I think 3 revolving drummers, and at least 5 guitarists with a WALL of Marshall stacks. The big surprise for me was Kendra Foster - wow. Don't let the MySpace page fool you, this chick's got it going on. I'd looked through her stuff a few months ago and wasn't super impressed, but Live is a Whole 'Nother Show with this girl. If you get a chance, go see her.
It's been years since I saw the Rebirth Brass Band. I hit this show alone, but I still had a blast. It's a younger version of the band than when I last saw them, but they are still powerful players, and in the last year or so I've totally revised my opinion of what makes a good horn section sound. In the past, brass bands have been too sloppy to keep my interest for long (I'm a salsa band/Tower of Power/drum & bugle corps-level horn fanatic), but these days apparently just playing in tune is enough for me. Of course, as always, any band with so many horns triggers my TROMBONE I WANT A TROMBONE BAND reflex so I have to be careful and limit my access to such temptation.
Anyway, enough about other shows for right now; girl's gotta sleep sometime. Here's what I'm doing this weekend:
Booty Vortex is playing a benefit ON A BOAT for the Pan Mass Challenge and the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. Come check it out:
Saturday - July 26, 2008
Rock & Blues Cruise
One Long Wharf
Boston, Massachusetts 02210
Info Line: 617.467.4037
There are more details about the benefit and ticket info here. Did I mention ON A BOAT? What's more fun than having an ocean and a funk band in the same place, hrrrm???? And for a good cause? Nothing, that's what!
Also, it's Chuck's last show with the band. Much sadness. We'll miss him and we want to send him off with style, so come party with us and show him your love.
At the Stevie Wonder show I ran into a large contingent of the Hot Chick Brigade (I love those music-loving and dancing girls - such supporters of live music and my efforts especially), and also a woman I sang with something like 16 years ago. That was totally surprising and fun. My former bandmate said she'd read about me in Blues Audience, but I haven't seen that so maybe it was from years ago. The girls had better seats than we did, so we split off when it started pouring rain and thankfully we all had seats under the roof part of the venue.
Unlike many fantastic acts (who make me want to give it up and never play music again), Stevie was inspirational from beginning to end. His songwriting is so spot on and his band, while not flawless, was really good and played what needed to be played. Also, what can I say about the guy's singing? Even when he's not in 100% perfect form, he skyrockets all over his range as though it's completely effortless. Every inch of him is amazing.
The Parliament/Funkadelic/George Clinton/P-Funk All Stars concert was as expected, funky and forever. 3.5 unbroken hours of groove, and although I personally would have preferred 5 horn players and 2 guitarists instead of the opposite, you know what you're getting when you go see President Clinton of One Nation Under A Groove: 15 minute songs and everyone trying to invoke the spirit of Eddie Hazel. I never did figure out how many people were actually in the band, because they came and went so randomly. In addition to the horns, there were lots of singers (8-9?), a couple of keyboardists, I think 3 revolving drummers, and at least 5 guitarists with a WALL of Marshall stacks. The big surprise for me was Kendra Foster - wow. Don't let the MySpace page fool you, this chick's got it going on. I'd looked through her stuff a few months ago and wasn't super impressed, but Live is a Whole 'Nother Show with this girl. If you get a chance, go see her.
It's been years since I saw the Rebirth Brass Band. I hit this show alone, but I still had a blast. It's a younger version of the band than when I last saw them, but they are still powerful players, and in the last year or so I've totally revised my opinion of what makes a good horn section sound. In the past, brass bands have been too sloppy to keep my interest for long (I'm a salsa band/Tower of Power/drum & bugle corps-level horn fanatic), but these days apparently just playing in tune is enough for me. Of course, as always, any band with so many horns triggers my TROMBONE I WANT A TROMBONE BAND reflex so I have to be careful and limit my access to such temptation.
Anyway, enough about other shows for right now; girl's gotta sleep sometime. Here's what I'm doing this weekend:
Booty Vortex is playing a benefit ON A BOAT for the Pan Mass Challenge and the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. Come check it out:
Saturday - July 26, 2008
Rock & Blues Cruise
One Long Wharf
Boston, Massachusetts 02210
Info Line: 617.467.4037
There are more details about the benefit and ticket info here. Did I mention ON A BOAT? What's more fun than having an ocean and a funk band in the same place, hrrrm???? And for a good cause? Nothing, that's what!
Also, it's Chuck's last show with the band. Much sadness. We'll miss him and we want to send him off with style, so come party with us and show him your love.