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Showing posts with label concert. Show all posts
Showing posts with label concert. Show all posts

Monday, August 28, 2023

Jason Bonham's Led Zeppelin Experience

As Led Zeppelin disbanded after John Bonham's death in 1980, when I was six, I've never had a chance to see the band in concert. My closest brush with Zeppelin? Meeting Jimmy Page in 2003. But I'd long remained aware of Bonham's son Jason, who not only went on to forge his own name in rock but filled in expertly at the sole LZ reunion show in 2007. When I saw his LZ tribute band was coming to Milwaukee, I had to get tickets. 



As my friend Tre has a leg problem we were "upgraded" to handicapped seating in the balcony. The venue quickly began to fill with a crowd my age and slightly older, with maybe a fifth of the seats by 20 and 30 something year olds. 


My view was great but as normal here in 2023 camera phone zoom sucks. But here's some pics I took: 




The pics that follow were taken by the Rave's official event photographer

You may note that the guitarist, while Asian, bears more than a passing resemblance to Jimmy Page. His name is Akio Sakurai, a man so famous for his dedication to Page's work that there's an entire movie about him (Mr. Jimmy). I must say his playing is *phenomenal*, far, far about whatever I had anticipated. 

That goes for the band as a whole too. I didn't doubt Bonham's ability, but I had expected him to be surrounded by a collection of B list musicians. Not so. Song after song, the band nailed it, not merely copying Led Zeppelin but playing tight, wonderfully adept versions of their catalog. I think, having heard it with my own ears, that they were A BAND of their own that just happen to be devoted to the music of another. 

My heart bled for Jason Bonham too, as he told the audience of losing his Dad at 14, and how he was ashamed that he had been so embarrassed by him during his lifetime. "Why?," he said, "because he was they guy on the news who threw a telly out hotel windows? How foolish of me. He was John Bonham, the best drummer in the world, playing in the best band in the world, and he was my Dad."







Yo, I'm the guy in the white and orange shirt circled below!










A great time, and a great show! I'd love to see them again!

Wednesday, August 2, 2023

Smells Like Nirvana


On Friday, July 28th, Tre and I went to see a Nirvana tribute band, Smells Like Nirvana, play at The Back Room theater the Collectivo Coffee on Prospect Ave. 

The "opening act" for the group was the group themselves, performing original songs under the band name Dead Original

I really enjoyed that set. I thought their songs had a great grunge vibe with just enough of a  modern influence to be relevant. It was good enough for me to buy their CD during the intermission. 








I was less impressed by the Nirvana set. The music was fine, but it was hopelessly interrupted by tech issues. The guitar kept falling out tune. The bassist's wireless transmitter failed, then something happened to the amp, and the bass. . . kudos to the band for improvising and filling the awkward delays, but man, what a mess. 


I think it would have been better too had they stuck to a firm set list instead of fulfilling audience requests. And "Rape Me," really? 
It's got a good hook, but even back in '93 I felt it was offensive song and a woefully ignorant lyric of Kurt's. To hear a crowd that included more than one group of young teens sing out "Rape Me" in 2023 . . . nah man.  Pass. 

But overall, it worked well. It's probably as close as I'll ever get to hearing Nirvana live, and I enjoyed it very much. 













Monday, July 17, 2023

Joe McIntyre at the Turner Hall Ballroom

Saturday night Lisa and I went downtown to the Turner Ballroom, right across from the Fiserv Forum, to see Joe McIntyre. This was the 3rd time I've seen him perform solo, and Lisa - I don't know if she can even count the times, given the cruise, the convention, etc. 




There was of course merchandise, and my lady bought - and looked great - in a t-shirt from the stand. 




This might be one of my favorite pictures of us, ever: 


This picture is from well before the show started. The main floor was sold out (400 seats if I heard the guard correctly), but the balcony, where we bought tickets, only sold 20 or 30 seats. I think that had to be by design, because what the heck otherwise? Yet why turn down revenue; tickets were being offered for $100 on the secondary market, so it isn't like the demand wasn't there. 

(even though Harley's 120th birthday party was in town) 



That pic too was well before the show but even so, we were front and center to the stage, had a table to ourselves, and best of all (hey, I'm almost 50!) there was a restroom only 25 feet away. It was like we lucked into a private suite LOL!


Now Joe, of course, is a member of New Kids on the Block, and idgaf if you like the group or not, as I do, but the point is moot at a Joe solo show. He performs a couple of NKOTB hits, some of his solo stuff, and covers.  He leans traditionally to the standards of the Rat Pack era, and included a few, but this time around it was largely covers of rock artists. 

He performed accompanied only by backing tracks and a single guitarist/pianist who also co-wrote a song Joe performed. 

I will not come up for excuses for his bright red sequin suit. 



 Turner Hall was built in 1882 and wears its age on its sleeve as a badge of honor. This includes netting to prevent any stray chunks of ceiling to crash into the crowd - something that Joe mentioned between songs, along with a few other friendly jabs to the appearance of the venue.  I don't believe it was said with anything other than affection; Joe is a sarcastic and blunt performer. Case in point: two women insisted on standing in front of the stage, in front of all 400 seats. He sarcastically called them out: "I appreciate you coming and standing there, but you know, you can see the same thing sitting in your seat"



It was a fun show, full of the talent and natural theatricality of Joe. Here's a setlist from a PRIOR show on the tour (none was available for this one yet.)


Like I said. A great show, a great time, a great night with a great woman!


Sunday, July 24, 2022

Alanis Morissette: The Jagged Little Pill 25th Anniversary Tour

Last night Lisa and I saw Alanis Morissette in concert at the American Family Insurance Amphitheater here in Milwaukee. It was my second time seeing her, and Lisa's fourth (at least). 

 Honestly, we thought the concert would be postponed. Heck, we thought it SHOULD be postponed. There was a severe thunderstorm warning in effect, with a storm on the way that was advertising up to 40mph winds.


But we called -several times - and the show was going ahead, and the thousands of cheap, open air seats? They were being upgraded under the roof, free of charge, making Lisa a little angry that she had spend good money on a seat that in retrospect she could have had for $30 bucks. 

Socialism sucks. 


We still weren't convinced the concert would go on, and despite a 7pm start we knew Alanis wasn't taking the stage until 8:30, so we went to dinner at Sabor Tropical in Bay View. 

Lisa had a pineapple margarita


and we split a delicious Cuban sandwich 





We also split a huge bowl of soup. I forget the name of the dish, sadly, but it had hominy and fresh cilantro and onion. 

The storm arrived as we ate, knocking over a table on the patio and sending the patio umbrella flying down the street as the rain came down in sheets.



We still went to the show. 

It was a long walk from the parking lot to the amphitheater, and that would come and bite us in the butt on the way out. But inbound, the rain had stopped.  The building was crowded, much more so than when I saw her co-headlining with Barenaked Ladies; this was is an anniversary tour to celebrate Jagged Little Pill, and nothing revives interest like nostalgia. 




We arrived in our seats (after I kicked out two squatters) at 8:35pm. (ignore the empty seats; they promptly filled in once the lights went down)



Alanis took the stage at 8:37. 

Perfect timing. 




Here's the setlist from the show. As you can see, it was the entirety of Jagged, although out of order, and a light mix of her other work. Lisa was ecstatic to hear Ablaze, Alanis's ode to her children, but the song inspired the (intoxicated) young woman in front of us to turn and ask if we knew the song, then react with distaste. 

All I Really Want

Hand in My Pocket

Right Through You

You Learn

Hands Clean (Snippet)

Forgiven

Everything (Snippet)

Mary Jane

Diagnosis (Snippet)

Reasons I Drink

Head Over Feet

So Unsexy (Snippet)

Ablaze

Nemesis (Snippet)

Perfect

Losing the Plot (Snippet)

Wake Up

Not the Doctor

Ironic

Sympathetic Character (Snippet)

Smiling

I Remain (Snippet)

You Oughta Know

Encore:

Your House

Uninvited

Thank U



Alanis's voice was INCREDIBLE, holding notes and using her vocal cords as the best instrument on the stage. At 48, she made no pretense of divadom, wearing sneakers, messy blond hair,  and a loose t-shirt that looked to have  a homemade design. 











It was a great show. 

Unfornately, the long walk in, the wet surroundings, and a poor choice of footwear gave Lisa a bad blister so I walked back for the car alone after the concert, No big deal, except with traffic, police blocking off routes, etc, it took forever to link up. 





On the way home we stopped at the Gordo Burger - now rechristened as "Gordo BubbleWaffle Cafe" and got a cookies and cream waffle desert and a peanut butter cup milkshake. So much for the calories that were burned on the walk LOL




It was a great night. And you don't have to take my word for it. Here's Lisa's post:

Having the fucking time of my life with Dan .25 years since Jagged little pill....tonight we got to revisit it 🙂
Will love Alanis forever....never missed a Milwaukee show yet, but this one might have been the best.
Fun fact: we were "this close" to naming one of our daughters Alanis..all 3 daughters actually.