The Black Crowes - August 27, 2009 @ Bank of America Pavilion

While "Before the Frost...Until the Freeze" is not to be officially released until next Monday, some 2500 fans got a very generous preview last night when the "Stuck Inside Utopia Tour" rolled into the bank of America Pavillion.

The blues-rock band took the stage at 8:45 PM, opening with "Good Morning Captain", which is the opening track on the forthcoming album; this song segued into "Make Glad", another track off the new album. From here, at least every alternating song was a new track, and while the audience wasn't familiar with these yet to be released songs, the songs were really well received because they were meant to be played live. After all, "Before the Frost...Until the Freeze" was recorded in front of a live audience at Levon Helm's barn in Woodstock, NY.

Chris Robinson's vocals were strong throughout the night, and they were well enhanced by his ability to harmonize with the backing vocalists. His harmonica abilities also added a unique touch to many of the early songs in the set. On guitar were Rich Robinson and Luther Dickenson, who used both acoustic and electric guitars throughout the night. While Rich is a founding member of the band, Luther Dickenson has only been playing with the Crowes for about two years. However, Dickenson's performance last night would have been able to fool any non-diehard into believing that he has been with the band for the past two decades.

While the audience was enthusiastic about the new material, which made up the lion's share of the two hour set, they responded best to "She Talks To Angels", the acoustic driven first single from 1990's Shake Your Money Maker.

The Levon Helm Band's one-hour opening set featured songs from his recent release: "Electric Dirt." While he himself was not to sing under doctor's orders, he nonetheless sat at the front of stage left with his drums as he faced some dozen bandmates. He remained an important presence as his fellow band members, including daughter Amy Helm, took over the vocals . In addition to playing songs from the new album, the band covered the Grateful Dead's "Tennesse Jed", and pulled out songs from The Band's catalogue such as "Chest Fever" and "It Makes No Difference."

Setlist:

1. Good Morning Captain
2. Make Glad
3. Let Me Share The Ride
4. Houston Don't Dream About Me
5. Whoa Mule
6. Shine Along
7. Appaloosa
8. She Gave Good Sunflower
9. High Head Blues
10. I Ain't Hiding
11. What Is Home
12. Movin' On Down The Line
13. A Train Still Makes A Lonely Sound
14. Sometimes Salvation
15. Twice As Hard
16. Been A Long Time (Waiting On Love)

Encore:

1. She Talks To Angels
2. Shake Your Money Maker

The Moody Blues - August 25, 2009 @ Bank of America Pavilion

As 68-year-old drummer Graeme Edge was quick to point out, we've recently celebrated a few 40th anniverseries. It's been "forty years and four decades" since Woodstock, and likewise "forty years and four decades" since the first landing on the moon. It's safe to assume that at least 2/3 of the 3700 people at the Bank of America Pavillion remember each of these two events. However, despite all the time that has gone by sinced Edge's teeth were white and his hair was not, some things have not changed at all. "It's still sex, drugs, and rock and roll!," Edge exclaimed midway through the second of two hour sets last night at the Moody Blues concert.

The Moody Blues took the stage at the Pavillion at 7:40 PM, opening up with 1981 pop hit "The Voice." From there the group enthusiastically played through a progressive rock set of classic Moody Blues tunes, reviving memories for the diverse population present at the venue. Justin Hayward's voice was in top form, crisply flowing throughout the facility on the beautiful August night. At the same time, he seemed to put little effort into sounding so polished, frequently interacting with the audience.

The three founding members present were additionally supported by four other talented multitalented artists. While multi-instrumentalist Norda Mullen might be younger than the band she performs with, her presence enhances the uniqueness of the British group. Her versatile flute playing is a great compliment to the guitar playing on many of the tunes.

The band broke for a twenty minute intermission after "Story In Your Eyes." While intermissions in the middle of a single act often tend to have a negative connotation, most of the audience members seemed too swept with the joy of revival to even care. After the intermission, the Moody Blues relaunched with "Your Wildest Dreams," and at that point the music seemed as if it had been flowing all along and there had been no interruption. The tireless performing continued in the spirit of Woodstock. Towards the end of the second set, Hayward modestly reminded the audience "we're just singer's in a rock and roll band." The audience excitedly responded to this cue for their signature hit.

After the second set, the band joyfully returned for a final encore. It begun with a lengthy keyboard introduction and drum duet. Then Hayward and Lodge, both dressed in Boston Red Sox outfits, made way onto the stage to sing 1968 classic "Ride My See-Saw."

Setlist:

Set 1:

1. The Voice
2. The Day We Meet Again
3. Steppin' in a Slide Zone
4. Gypsy
5. Tuesday Afternoon
6. Lean on Me (Tonight)
7. Never Comes the Day
8. Peak Hour
9. I Know You're Out There Somewhere
10. Story in Your Eyes

Set 2:

1. Your Wildest Dreams
2. Isn't Life Strange
3. Other Side of Life
4. Driftwood
5. Higher and Higher
6. Are You Sitting Comfortably?
7. I'm Just a Singer (in a Rock & Roll Band)
8. Late Lament
9. Nights In White Satin
10. Question

Encore:

1. Ride My See-Saw

Chickenfoot - August 24, 2009 @ Bank of America Pavilion

Towards the end of Chickenfoot's main set, Sammy Hagar turned to Joe Satriani, the guitarist of his new "supergroup" and asked him, "How much funny shit can we do in one night, Joe?" Chickenfoot may have only formed earlier this year, but last night at Bank of America Pavilion, Sammy Hagar, Joe Satriani, Michael Anthony, and Chad Smith, during their nearly 2-hour set, demonstrated chemistry that might suggest that they have been playing together for years. The band is composed of four members who have long known and worked with their identities, but Chickenfoot is a whole new individual identity that can't just be defined by its members, as the combination of these musicians yields a completely new voice.

The house lights went down at about 8:40, and the members of the band ran on stage and blasted straight into "Avenida Revolution," the opening song of the band's self-titled debut. This high-powered opening number was matched in exuberance and intensity with each of the four songs that followed. After "Down the Drain," a flashing version of the band's logo (a modified peace symbol that is said to resemble a chicken's footprint) was lowered onto the stage, and the band continued with one of the mellower songs of the night: "Bitten By The Wolf." During "Oh Yeah," the band's first single, the logo flashed each time Hagar sang the words "Oh Yeah", allowing each member of the 2500-person crowd to chant along.

While each member of Chickenfoot has already led a multi-decade career in the music industry, their joint purpose on this night was not to showcase all these years, but rather to focus in on the product of their most recent 43 days in the recording studio. In fact, the entire main set was composed exclusively of songs from the band's debut. Chickenfoot appropriately closed the set with the last song on their self-titled debut, recorded on their last day in the studio.

Between songs, Hagar hinted his secondary passion of standup comedy, joking about topics including but not limited to the weather, Chad Smith's smelly clothes, Bruce Springsteen, and the Boston Celtics.

After the main set, the band returned for a two song encore. The first song was the only song of the night from Hagar's pre-Chickenfoot career was "Black Motor Scooter", from Montrose's debut album. The show was closed with Deep Purple cover "Highway Star", which was integrated with snippets of The Who's "My Generation."

Davy Knowles & The Back Door Slam served as the opening act for the show, taking the stage at 7:30 PM. Their 40 minute blues-rock set, containing original songs with a few covers mixed in, was the perfect prelude to Chickenfoot's set. The set did exactly the job that an opening act should do: it warmed up the venue's atomosphere for the main act. Unfortunately, attendance under the tent was quite sparse during this opening set.

Setlist:

1. Avenida Revolution
2. Sexy Little Thing
3. Soap on a Rope
4. My Kinda Girl
5. Down the Drain
6. Bitten By The Wolf
7. Oh Yeah
8. Learning to Fall
9. Get It Up
10. Turnin' Left
11. Future in the Past

Encore:

1. Bad Motor Scooter (Montrose cover)
2. Highway Star (Deep Purple cover)/My Generation (The Who cover)

Chickenfoot

The first show I am going to be reporting on is Chickenfoot, who will be playing tonight, August 24th, at 7:30 PM at the Bank of America Pavillion. Chickenfoot is a very new band, formed only last year by four musicians, all of whom had already been a part of quite successful careers. "The Red Rocker" Sammy Hagar is the band's lead vocalist, and he is best known for fronting Van Halen from 1985-1996, although he also has additionally led a notable solo career. 55-year-old Michael Anthony likewise is best known as the bassist of Van Halen, a position he held for nearly thirty years. Multi-instrumentalist Joe Satriani is the lead guitarist for Chickenfoot, and he has led a solo career for many years in addition to performing with well-known acts including Mick Jagger and Deep Purple. Finally, the drummer for Chickenfoot is 47-year-old Chad Smith, best known for his ~20 years drumming for the Red Hot Chili Peppers. He is taking a part in Chickenfoot as a side-project during the hiatus of the Red Hot Chili Peppers.

Chickenfoot played their first show in the boston area about three months ago as the 575-person Middle East nightclub in Cambridge, MA, which received favorable reviews. Tonight they are in town for a larger gig, and it will be interesting to see how the band is able to connect with a larger audience.

Welcome

Hi everybody,

This is the introduction of a blog that will report on concerts - primarily those located in the Boston Area. Concerts are an incredible form on entertainment, as there is always so much room for variety. Not only are there so many acts on the road these days, but even a single talented act has the capability to create many different shows by varying setlists, stage design, energy, speeches, choreography, among other parameters. The ability to vary all these aspects is what makes concerts continue to be exciting and suspenseful even after viewing such a large number of them.