The Week In Live Music (so far)

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 Started things off Monday night at The Climate Pledge Arena (fomerly the Key Arena, and before that, The Seattle Coliseum when The Beatles played there in1964 and 1966) years, for the first night of two consecutive Paul McCartney shows, the second night of the tour after his Spokane tour opener.

First time seeing Paul, or any Beatle for that matter.  No opening act.  An impressive, close to three hour set from the soon to turn 80 year old.  He doesn't run around the stage as much as Jagger, but he plays longer, does way more songs, and I didn't see him even have a sip of water the whole time he was on stage.  Generous and effusive mentions of John and George, while nary a word about Ringo, which seemed odd.  From a technical standpoint, an outstanding production.  His voice was solid, yet at times he seemed distracted, and perhaps wistful.  His band is very tight, but he neglected to introduce them.  Had to wonder if this is his last tour?

 

 

 

 

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Flew down to New Orleans yesterday for some r&r.  After picking up a rental SUV and getting set up at my cousin's house Uptown, I checked the WWOZ Livewire Concert Calendar, and was pleasantly surprised to see that the legendary songwriter Dan Penn (among others, Do Right Woman, The Dark End Of The Street, I'm Your Puppet) was scheduled to go on in just a few minutes at Chickie Wah Wah.  I made a beeline to Canal Street and was fortunate to be admitted as the place was packed.  
 

As I waited to pay the admission and get my hand stamped, I saw Bill Kirchen downing some water at the bar.  Always a good sign when a musician of Bill's caliber is just there to see the show.  I got a chicken barbecue sandwich from the kitchen, ordered an Abita Amber, and was surprised to see an old friend from my Virginia days, who teaches Sociology and lives in Greenville, Mississippi, down at the other end of the bar.  It was cool to catch up.  He's a big fan of Dan Penn's work, and described this solo show as special, which was entirely apt.  Interweaving tales with music, it was a spellbinding performance, and I felt pretty charmed to be in that room with 200 or so rapt listeners. An amazing start to my trip.

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After staying out late and having a few rounds of whiskeys and beers, I decided to lounge by the pool at this incredible house I've got to myself, instead of rush out to be at Jazzfest at 11 a.m. when the gates open.   I finished up Colson Whitehead's excellent 2019 novel The Nickel Boys, which I had started on the flight down.  
 

Rushing, as the afternoon was moving right along, I spacedly left my sun block behind and headed off to the fairgrounds, in time to grab a Crab Po Boy with some mashed potato's, a margarita and a daiquiri, and to get my chair set up in front of the Gentilly Stage to see full sets from The Dirty Dozen Brass Band (doing a tribute set to Dave Bartholomew that had been postponed in both 2020 and twice in 2021 when COVID cancelled those Jazzfests) and Billy Strings.

The DDBB's set included a sit-in from Elvis Costello (who is performing with his band, The Imposters, tomorrow, albeit at the same time the Black Crowes are headlining the Festival Stage).  It was a good set, but I was starting to feel the effects of my sun block blunder on a hot, muggy New Orleans afternoon after months of gloomy cool weather in Seattle.
 

I catnapped (or perhaps was getting the initial pangs of heatstroke) between sets, but was able to rally for the Billy Strings set.  It was nice to catch him in the daylight without his infernal light show.  He played a mostly Bluegrass set, with less of the special effects he used when I saw him last fall at Marymoor Park.  He's headed up to Nashville to start a three night run at The Ryman tomorrow night, so maybe he'll stick to a purer version of Bluegrass.  It was their first time playing at the Jazzfest Fairgrounds, although they've played the late night club shows here a few times in preceding years.  

Here's Billy Strings setlist per setlists.com.  I don't have any recollection of Cold On The Shoulder, which is a tune I really dig, but, again, I was kind of cooked: 
 

Billy Strings

May 5, 2022 (Thursday)

Fair Grounds Race Course, New Orleans, LA, USA

 

Hide & Seek

A Robin Built a Nest on Daddy's Grave (The Stanley Brothers cover)

Old Mexico (Marty Stuart and His Fabulous Superlatives cover)

Fire on My Tongue

Love & Regret

Cold on the Shoulder (Gordon Lightfoot cover)

Dust in a Baggie

Cheap Tequila (Johnny Winter cover)

Ice Bridges

In the Morning Light

Big River (Johnny Cash cover)

Meet Me at the Creek


All in all, a fine afternoon musical pairing, if the day left me personally a little crispy around the edges.  The pool was really welcome and refreshing on my return to the pad.  After a shower and a good meal, I decided to take it easy here and skip the Dead/Feat show going down tonight, in hopes of having my batteries recharged tomorrow.  
 

It allowed me a chance to post these quick reviews.   More to come.

 

Glad you got miracled, LLOLLO.  That show played in the Neptune Theater above my shop last weekend.  Although the theater folks are super generous about letting me into their shows, I am holding off until they drop their mask and vax mandates at the end of this month.  After having attended The Wolf Bros. at Radio Ciity Music Hall, McCartney at Climate Pledge, and now Jazzfest with  neither of these regulations, I find it inconceivable that this 1100 seat venue maintains them.  God bless them for doing what they have to do and surviving, but the bottom line is I simply do not enjoy being at a show in a mask, and will most likely not be attending shows where they're required.  We did have an extended visit from the band in my shop.  The similarity to Ginger was striking.   Apparently Jack Bruce's son used to be in the band, but got kicked out, which makes for a nice cosmic twist to the Cream legacy.

^^^ Thanks Herbal, what a cool story! 

I found Kofi on Instagram and now understand the evolution of his lineups and different band names from when Jack Bruce was playing -- around 2018, seems like.

Sleaford Mods at the GAMH this Tuesday.

Post Punk/Electro-Pop/Spoken Word.

Great show. Jason Wiliamson is an absolute force of nature. He's got the power.

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Brian Jonestown Massacre last night at Terminal West in atlanta.

a little underwhelming, as they mostly played material from 2 recent unreleased albums, but still able to reach levels of transcendence multiple times.

 

seeing Kikagaku Moyo in 2 weeks on their north america farewell tour.

 

It was a scorcher, literally at Jazzfest this year, with temps in the low 90s and intense sun, making sunscreen, fluids, and shade necessities.  Got my legs back under me on Friday, after getting cooked on Thursday, but still felt pretty spent after full days at the Fairgrounds on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.  Seattle has had cool and mostly overcast weather this year, so I was not acclimated for this heat.  
 

Managed to see a lot of music, some of it very good.  After a two year absence, the artists, the crowd, and the event staff all seemed heartened to be back.  Some performers scratched their appearances after positive COVID tests for them or members of their touring parties.  George Porter Jr., Melissa Etheridge, and Willie Nelson all were canceled (Mavis Staples and Zac Brown replaced Etheridge and Willie respectively).  
 

The food was phenomenal as usual, and is a big part of what sets this festival apart.  Hats off to Prejean's Restaurant.  I tried all of their courses (Andouille Gumbo, Crawfish Enchiladas, Corn and Crawfish Bisque) and was thoroughly satisfied.  Crabmeat beignets we're a popular addition this year.  The amount of dining options is staggering, and helps keep the time waiting in lines reasonable.  Lots of drink options too, from slushy Margaritas, Daiquiris and  Crawgators, to beer, iced teas (the Rosemint Herbal was good), the WWOZ Mango Freeze, Sno-Balls (over ice cream for $2 more), and good old H20.  The folks selling cold water for a buck just outside the gates on the hike back to the car after the day's end were a welcome convenience.

Lots of great arts and crafts at this Festival too, although this year, with the heat, I didn't give it the time deserved.  
 

Here's the music I saw over the weekend:

Saturday

Bill Kirchen

Archdiocese Of New Orleans Gospel Choir

Meschiya Lake and the Little Big Horns

Rory Block

Rickie Lee Jones

Rebirth Brass Band

Stevie Nicks (her first show in three years)

 

Sunday

MoFess (Professor Longhair Tribute Band)

John Mooney and Bluesiana

Dr. John Tribute (w\ guests Cyrille and Ivan Neville, Irma Thomas, Jon Cleary, Davell Crawford, John Boutte, and John "Papa" Gros)

Khari Allen Lee playing the music of Grover Washington Jr.

Irma Thomas

Beausoleil

The Radiators

 Buddy Guy

Trombone Shorty

Kermit Ruffins Tribute to Louis Armstrong

 

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I only caught a couple of Buddy Guy's songs and breezed through Trombone Shorty's show at the Festival Stage while retrieving my chair, blanket, and gear.  They were both a little too loud and flashy for my headspace.  More to my liking was catching the end of Kermit's set in the half-full Economy Hall Trad Jazz Tent.  He was just starting a sweet rendition of What A Wonderful World, with a pair of newlyweds still in their wedding dress and attire getting a featured dance.  He closed with Skokian, getting most everyone to get up and shake their asses one more time.  A fitting end to the show.  

As I headed to my car, I could hear Zac Brown covering Willie Nelson's On The Road Again, wafting over from the Gentilly Stage as the revived Jazzfest 2022 sailed into the history books.  
 

Now I get a day to dig around for some records, walk through the French Quarter, and soak in some more of this place's deep and magnificent spirit before I have to fly away home tomorrow.

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These photos are from Friday.  The post above are from Saturday and Sunday.

1)Leo Nocentelli

2) Leo Nocentelli

3) The Cowsills

4) Brian Stoltz & Cyrille Neville

5) Sonny Landreth

6) The Black Crowes

7) Chris Robinson

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A big shout out to Roshambo for getting me the 4-day passes.  Thanks Kate, I hope you are having as much fun on your travels.  

Saturday & Sunday photos:

1) Bill Kirchen

2) Bill Kirchen

3)  Archdiocese of New Orleans Gospel Choir

4) Archdiocese of New Orleans Gospel Choir

5) Blind Willie McTell painting in the Blues Tent

6) Rory Block

7) Stevie Nicks

8) Beausoleil

9) The Radiators

10) Buddy Guy

11) Kermit Ruffins

12) Kermit Ruffins

My Irish boys doing what they do, giving hope and inspiration thru music.

U2’s Bono and the Edge perform in Ukraine subway station | Bono | The Guardian
https://www.theguardian.com/music/2022/may/08/u2-bono-and-the-edge-perfo...

 

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https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jeff_Baxter

Goin to see Skunk Baxter tonight. From Bobby and the Midnites to Defence Dept...?

Skunk Baxter is simply great. Is he playing with a full band?

Not much happening for me lately. I saw the Chris Potter Trio on Sunday and that was brilliant, and I'm seeing The Residents this weekend. Other than that there's not much on my calender for the rest of the month.

These days there just isn't as much I'm interested in seeing as there used to be, and almost all of what I am interested in now is jazz. I don't know if I'm getting old and have out-grown, been there-done that with most popular/rock music, or if most popular/rock music just isn't as good as it used to be.

Maybe a little of both.

Either way, for the rest of you I say...

GO TO THE SHOW!