Jay and Tammy, the gracious hosts of Honky Tonk House Concerts, are a friendly couple who have opened their house to music lovers for an up close, personal, concert experience. The house is your typical split level home with an attached garage and a family room under the bedrooms. The house could be found in any suburb built in the 1960's. This house is located in Streetsboro, Ohio. We started our experience in the garage and driveway at 7:00PM with a smorgas board of food and BYOB drinks. The food ranged from shrimp, fried Bar B Que chicken wings, macaroni and potato salad to chips and dip. The fans were very knowledgeable in music and a pleasure to talk with.
At around 8:00 the night of Americana music started with a teenage couple who performed 2 original songs. A nice gesture on Jay and Tammy's part to offer support to some local young budding talent.
Then Chris Castle took the stage or should I say the floor there isn't a stage just a few spotlights mounted and pointed at a spot against the wall of the family room. A very homey touch but a bit crowded. Chris is a local Americana/folk singer from Norwalk, Ohio who wears suits, weighs 115 pounds and drives and lives part time in a white cargo van. He is a story teller using song to convey his message. Most of his music was pretty quiet this night. I wish he would have cranked it up a notch and rocked a little. I don't know Chris's music that well and maybe he just has a quiet style. I liked the song "Both Ends of a Gun", a sad song with an up beat tempo. Chris played for about an hour then we all took a short breather outside.
Will Kimbrough the alien, was up next. Will uses a loop where he records a back beat strumming chords on his guitar, then plays a lead guitar over the top of the back beat he just created. Will came right out of the box with one of my favorite songs "Eden Prairie" playing guitar, harmonica and singing, showing why he is a talent that I enjoy seeing over and over again. Will is a great lyricist which is evident in "Nobody From Nowhere", a saying his father used to say. The next three songs are modern Americana music at its finest, "Horseshoe Lake", "Godsend", "Hill Country Girl". Then came a funny little song about a laundry mat "Wash and Fold". "He ain't Right" is a bluesy song with lyrics from Tommy Womack and music by Will Kimbrough. Now Will starts rocking with "Another Train". Will finishes the set with "Three Angels", a new song "Wings" and "Redemption Every Mothers Son". Wow that could have been the whole concert and it was just Will's first set.
During the break I heard one man complain that Will was unplugged and not playing his electric guitar. This idiot actually left the show. Yes, I love to hear Mr. Kimbrough play his electric guitar but to hear him unplugged is still a treat. You would have to be a fool to walk out on Will Kimbrough at any time.
My Honey Bunny and I go and buy an autographed copy of Will Kimbrough's last CD "Daddy for a Second Time". Will is standing around talking to all of us and signing autographs and just having a good time.
Will comes out and jams with his guitar and harmonica on "Piece of Work". He shows off his guitar prowess on "This Modern World". He talks about past friends who get mad and hold grudges then jumps into "I Don't Like It". He has a brief interlude into the old song "Tequila" during the song "Cape Henry". Will slows down for "She came from Philadelphia". He sings about corporate corruption in "Ed McGuire". Then he sings about a 15 year old prostitute who has eyes that look like she is 65, "Rotten Apple of Daddy's Eye", nice slide guitar solo. Will's vocals really shined on "Keep Your Eye On The Road". He gets everyone involved in a sing along in the next two songs"You Made Your Bed" you got to lay in it and "Yo Yo Ma", on both of these songs he was showing off his guitar work with slide and finger pickin. He slows the show down with "Good Night".
Will Kimbrough now brings a local folk artist named Joe Linstrum up to jam with him. Joe shows he can play guitar on Hank Williams "I'll Leave You Now". They then go back and forth exchanging licks on a song, Will called, "Get Rhythm". Joe and Will dig in for "I've Got Love to Spare". I never have seen Joe Linstrum before but I would not hesitate to see him again. The young man can play.
For a finale Will breaks out a banjo and Joe Linstrum is still seated in the spotlight and for a kicker Chris Castle sits off to Wills right with his guitar. Everyone who knows me knows I love a good jam session. The three of them jam out to "Thank God I Don't Have a Gun". They finish the evening with a Tommy Womack song "Vicky Smith". I'm in heaven. There were some magical moments during this jam session.
Will was on top of his game tonight. He talked and joked with the crowd. Played his music with expert precision. Seemed very relaxed and in a good mood. Mr. Kimbrough is always polite and will talk with you if you approach him. Tonight he seemed eager to talk to people. He told some good stories about his life and his music. You got to love an entertainer like this.
It is now after 1:00 AM when they finish. A hat is sitting on the bar and you can throw any amount of money that you think the show is worth into the hat. I tossed in $40 for me and my Honey Bunny. If I wasn't unemployed I would have thrown in more money. Over four hours of music in a small intimate setting where the artist will talk with you and sign autographs. Great!
Tammy and Jay thanks for the experience.
I give the show Five twirls.
Shows are judged on a five twirl system. Moth catcher hand motions count as half a twirl.
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
Browns Vs Baltimore 2009
OMG! Are the Browns terrible? Yes. An emphatic YES! Braylon Edwards off sides again. Brandon McDonald too small to cover the big wide receivers again. Elan to slow to help over the top again. Brady Quin with no long passes down field again. A coach who claims to be behind his quarterback, replacing the quarterback mid stream again. No Massaquoi (Massaquoi 1 reception) or Robiski again. No containment by the defense again. Edwards our number one receiver with only three catches again(actually this is an improvement). Me, vomiting by half time again.
While I was vomiting in a trash barrel next to the couch because of the nauseating play of the Browns I heard one of the analyst say "I saw the Browns last week in person and they actually look worse in person than on TV". I am unemployed and having to pay for over priced, premadonna athletes and coaches who would not be in the BCS rankings for the national championship if they played in the NCAA makes me sick. GIVE ME BACK MY MONEY. Boy am I glad I dumped some of my tickets before the season started.
Randy, Mangini was going to be the answer to all of our football problems. You had to have him. You could not wait two or three weeks to talk to Shanahan. Noooo, Mangini is the Man. Randy, Please sell the team. You and your family have tortured us long enough. Next year you are going to have to get the Rolling Stones to play during the game if you want anyone to show up.
Our defense looks as bad as our defensive coordinator. Rob Ryan is a disgusting pig of a human being. This pregnant looking, long haired, autistic, swine of a person could not demand respect from any creature on earth much less a bunch of over paid athletes. If you don't respect yourself how can you expect others to respect you. Rob Ryan, you are disgusting, your father should be ashamed of you. Your own brother was smart enough not to hire you. Randy how could you let this goof into your organization?
Is Daboll calling for little dink and dunk passes or is it that pretty boy Brady Quinn just can't perform at the NFL level. Brady Quinn, Brady Quinn, Notre Dame, Notre Dame, now we see why everyone else passed on this no talent hack. I can't believe that we traded up to grab this guy. Brady do us a favor and go and model underwear. You are not a NFL quarterback.
Mangini replaced almost half of last years team with his own players. Twenty four new players on a 53 man roster. He has no excuses. The players he has are the players who have the character to play for a hard nose coach like Mangini. He brought in old Jets players who were going to nurture the younger players. Doesn't look like his idea worked very well. I told you early on that I was skeptical of Mangini but if he wins I would love him. He ain't winning Lucy.
Bright spots of the game. Harrison can run and catch the ball. Zastudill, the punter, is MVP three weeks in a row. Furrey is a decent number two receiver. Too bad that we do not have a number one or number three receiver to help out. Pittsburgh lost to Cincinnati. The game ended before I totally dehydrated myself.
While I was vomiting in a trash barrel next to the couch because of the nauseating play of the Browns I heard one of the analyst say "I saw the Browns last week in person and they actually look worse in person than on TV". I am unemployed and having to pay for over priced, premadonna athletes and coaches who would not be in the BCS rankings for the national championship if they played in the NCAA makes me sick. GIVE ME BACK MY MONEY. Boy am I glad I dumped some of my tickets before the season started.
Randy, Mangini was going to be the answer to all of our football problems. You had to have him. You could not wait two or three weeks to talk to Shanahan. Noooo, Mangini is the Man. Randy, Please sell the team. You and your family have tortured us long enough. Next year you are going to have to get the Rolling Stones to play during the game if you want anyone to show up.
Our defense looks as bad as our defensive coordinator. Rob Ryan is a disgusting pig of a human being. This pregnant looking, long haired, autistic, swine of a person could not demand respect from any creature on earth much less a bunch of over paid athletes. If you don't respect yourself how can you expect others to respect you. Rob Ryan, you are disgusting, your father should be ashamed of you. Your own brother was smart enough not to hire you. Randy how could you let this goof into your organization?
Is Daboll calling for little dink and dunk passes or is it that pretty boy Brady Quinn just can't perform at the NFL level. Brady Quinn, Brady Quinn, Notre Dame, Notre Dame, now we see why everyone else passed on this no talent hack. I can't believe that we traded up to grab this guy. Brady do us a favor and go and model underwear. You are not a NFL quarterback.
Mangini replaced almost half of last years team with his own players. Twenty four new players on a 53 man roster. He has no excuses. The players he has are the players who have the character to play for a hard nose coach like Mangini. He brought in old Jets players who were going to nurture the younger players. Doesn't look like his idea worked very well. I told you early on that I was skeptical of Mangini but if he wins I would love him. He ain't winning Lucy.
Bright spots of the game. Harrison can run and catch the ball. Zastudill, the punter, is MVP three weeks in a row. Furrey is a decent number two receiver. Too bad that we do not have a number one or number three receiver to help out. Pittsburgh lost to Cincinnati. The game ended before I totally dehydrated myself.
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
Browns Vs Vikings 2009
Well here we are with a brand new season of the Cleveland Browns. Here are some of my thoughts about the whole Browns experience on game day.
The City of Cleveland needs to enact a law that says, any parking facility that charges $20.00 or more needs to supply 1 porta potty for every 35 spaces in their parking facility. The parking lots and this includes City owned and County owned lots are raping the people on game day. That's fine, it is capitalism at its best, supply and demand economics. But to pay $25.00 and have to smell urine from all of the people peeing between cars or in bushes because there are no bathroom facilities is disgusting. You can't expect people to come downtown and start tailgating at 9:00 AM and not have to relieve nature until they get into the stadium at 12:30. People are publicly urinating all over the parking lots. In the middle ages people did not have lavatory facilities and disease ran rampant. I park in a City of Cleveland Parking lot where the old Naval Reserve station was. I pay $25.00 to park and the closest bathroom is in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. C'mon Cleveland lets be a little proactive on this issue. If anyone knows who I should contact on this issue at the City of Cleveland please let me know. I have written the Browns back in April about this very issue, obviously to no avail.
Well the what I like to call the Romeo Mangini era of Browns football has begun. Mangini was going to implement a tougher more disciplined form of football in Cleveland. I still see stupid penalties being made, wide receivers should never be called for off sides that's Romeo Ball. I see a discord between quarterback and receivers, QB's throwing out patterns and wide receivers running in patterns. Dropped passes all over the place, Edwards 1 for 6, Royal 3 for 7, yeash. Where is the discipline? I know it is just one game but it looked a lot like the past nine years.
I am no football genius but when the Browns get to the six yard line and Jamal Lewis smashes for three yards on first down leaving you second and three don't you try that play again in some form or another. Not Mangini, he has no confidence in his offense, he goes to his trick play and lines up in the "wildcat". OK try the "wildcat" once but once it was stuffed so bad don't you go back to regular football. Not our boy Eric he tries it a second time. As soon as I saw Cribs in the back field I started groaning, I knew that the play was going to be stopped. It had no chance of succeeding the first time why would you try it again. How about a role out where the QB can run or pass the ball. How about smashing Jamal Lewis off Tackle again, where he gained three yards before. Dumb, dumb, dumb. Brian Daboll offensive Coordinator could prove to be a problem.
All I have been hearing for two years is Brady Quinn, Brady Quinn, Brady Quinn, Brady Quinn. OK, OK enough already Brady Quinn is no Mark Sanchez. I was a Derek Anderson man myself, but in the preseason I admitted that the team seemed to run smoother with Quinn at QB. How is it that your starting Quarterback is not a captain on your team? The Quarterback needs to be your leader. Quinn does not look for the deep ball. Quinn is dinking and dunking, short passes. Good for a QB rating, terrible for winning games. The defense never got stretched out Sunday, they only had to cover 15 yards from the line of scrimmage. I believe only two balls were thrown and caught longer than 15 yards, disgusting. There were two other pass plays that netted more than 15 yards but they were short passes that Jamal and Furrey then turned into long gains with their running abilities. I heard one guy on the way out of the stadium yelling at people with Quinn jerseys on telling them to take him back to Notre Dame. A little harsh for this early in the season. Just remember that a lot of teams who needed QB's passed on Quinn on draft day.
After the first half of football I thought that the Moral Compass was going to have to eat crow, squawk. HA, Ha I don't have to, Rob Ryan's defense fell apart in the second half. Boy in the first half our defense looked all world, holding Adrien Peterson the best running back in the NFL to just 25 yards rushing, sacking Brett Favre with cornerback blitzes. Wow, I am impressed. But then in the second half Minnesota made some adjustments and the Browns defense made none. Yep the idiot son of Buddy Ryan showed his true self to the world. The Browns defense became the sieve that we have come to know and expect in Cleveland.
Look, I have been saying all along, "if Mangini wins I will love him but, he has done nothing so far to show me that he knows what he is doing". A rookie offensive coordinator, a losing defensive coordinator and a head coach that wants to be Bill Belicheck but does not have the brains. I am expecting a season for disaster. After seeing the first game I am still holding to my 6 and 10 prediction. I also predict that we will see some good football from the Browns but our coaching will end up blowing a few more games for us. Hey we all know the Cleveland Cheer "NEXT YEAR".
The City of Cleveland needs to enact a law that says, any parking facility that charges $20.00 or more needs to supply 1 porta potty for every 35 spaces in their parking facility. The parking lots and this includes City owned and County owned lots are raping the people on game day. That's fine, it is capitalism at its best, supply and demand economics. But to pay $25.00 and have to smell urine from all of the people peeing between cars or in bushes because there are no bathroom facilities is disgusting. You can't expect people to come downtown and start tailgating at 9:00 AM and not have to relieve nature until they get into the stadium at 12:30. People are publicly urinating all over the parking lots. In the middle ages people did not have lavatory facilities and disease ran rampant. I park in a City of Cleveland Parking lot where the old Naval Reserve station was. I pay $25.00 to park and the closest bathroom is in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. C'mon Cleveland lets be a little proactive on this issue. If anyone knows who I should contact on this issue at the City of Cleveland please let me know. I have written the Browns back in April about this very issue, obviously to no avail.
Well the what I like to call the Romeo Mangini era of Browns football has begun. Mangini was going to implement a tougher more disciplined form of football in Cleveland. I still see stupid penalties being made, wide receivers should never be called for off sides that's Romeo Ball. I see a discord between quarterback and receivers, QB's throwing out patterns and wide receivers running in patterns. Dropped passes all over the place, Edwards 1 for 6, Royal 3 for 7, yeash. Where is the discipline? I know it is just one game but it looked a lot like the past nine years.
I am no football genius but when the Browns get to the six yard line and Jamal Lewis smashes for three yards on first down leaving you second and three don't you try that play again in some form or another. Not Mangini, he has no confidence in his offense, he goes to his trick play and lines up in the "wildcat". OK try the "wildcat" once but once it was stuffed so bad don't you go back to regular football. Not our boy Eric he tries it a second time. As soon as I saw Cribs in the back field I started groaning, I knew that the play was going to be stopped. It had no chance of succeeding the first time why would you try it again. How about a role out where the QB can run or pass the ball. How about smashing Jamal Lewis off Tackle again, where he gained three yards before. Dumb, dumb, dumb. Brian Daboll offensive Coordinator could prove to be a problem.
All I have been hearing for two years is Brady Quinn, Brady Quinn, Brady Quinn, Brady Quinn. OK, OK enough already Brady Quinn is no Mark Sanchez. I was a Derek Anderson man myself, but in the preseason I admitted that the team seemed to run smoother with Quinn at QB. How is it that your starting Quarterback is not a captain on your team? The Quarterback needs to be your leader. Quinn does not look for the deep ball. Quinn is dinking and dunking, short passes. Good for a QB rating, terrible for winning games. The defense never got stretched out Sunday, they only had to cover 15 yards from the line of scrimmage. I believe only two balls were thrown and caught longer than 15 yards, disgusting. There were two other pass plays that netted more than 15 yards but they were short passes that Jamal and Furrey then turned into long gains with their running abilities. I heard one guy on the way out of the stadium yelling at people with Quinn jerseys on telling them to take him back to Notre Dame. A little harsh for this early in the season. Just remember that a lot of teams who needed QB's passed on Quinn on draft day.
After the first half of football I thought that the Moral Compass was going to have to eat crow, squawk. HA, Ha I don't have to, Rob Ryan's defense fell apart in the second half. Boy in the first half our defense looked all world, holding Adrien Peterson the best running back in the NFL to just 25 yards rushing, sacking Brett Favre with cornerback blitzes. Wow, I am impressed. But then in the second half Minnesota made some adjustments and the Browns defense made none. Yep the idiot son of Buddy Ryan showed his true self to the world. The Browns defense became the sieve that we have come to know and expect in Cleveland.
Look, I have been saying all along, "if Mangini wins I will love him but, he has done nothing so far to show me that he knows what he is doing". A rookie offensive coordinator, a losing defensive coordinator and a head coach that wants to be Bill Belicheck but does not have the brains. I am expecting a season for disaster. After seeing the first game I am still holding to my 6 and 10 prediction. I also predict that we will see some good football from the Browns but our coaching will end up blowing a few more games for us. Hey we all know the Cleveland Cheer "NEXT YEAR".
Monday, September 7, 2009
Todd Rundgren Akron Civic 9/7/09
My friend Pooch took me to the Todd Rundgren "A Wizard A True Star" concert at the Akron Civic Theatre tonight. What a wonderful theatre. The theatre has been reconditioned and looks just beautiful. The first time I ever saw Todd was at the Akron Civic Theatre back in 1974, Todd did most of the A Wizard A True Star album solo, just Todd and a real to real on stage. He just blew me away that night. This show was good but not great.
Todd and part of the band play the first set in front of the stage curtain. Kasim Sulton on bass, Roger Powell on keyboards and Prarie prince on drums. The band is dressed in white T shirts and black pants. The first song is "On the Road to Utopia", Todd sings he is barely audible, the sound is terrible. OK sound men usually take a song or two to get the sound right. Kasim Sulton sings "Libertine", the sound is bad. Roger Powell sings the next song the name might have been "vacant city"? I don't know it. Sound is still bad. "Fist Pump" sounds terrible. "Landslide" is just OK.
First set the sound men screwed up bad. Todd was best when he was the front man with a band behind him. When he tries to be a band and highlight other members of the band it comes off weak. The firsts set was a bunch of Utopia songs that never were my favorites to begin with then throw in a bad sound man and it becomes terrible. Todd has no repartee with the audience. The band just played and sounded bad. Thank God for the break.
The curtain opens with "International Feel" playing. The stage is all in smoke Todd is in an astronauts suit and three keyboard players,Gregg Hawkes, Bobby Strickland who also plays sax and flute and Roger Powell, a drummer Prarie Prince, a bass player Kasim Sulton and a guitarist Jesse Gress, are on platforms at different elevations dressed in all white tuxedos with tails. There is a movie screen above the stage that will show images pertaining to the album or individual songs through out the night. Three keyboardists are on one side of the stage with the rest of the band on the other side of the stage leaving Todd the middle of the stage for his theatrical performance. Remember that AWATS came out about the same time when theatrical performances were the norm for rock bands. Bowie was doing Major Tom and The Spiders From Mars. Genesis was into costume changes in the blink of an eye. Alex Harvey was doing his theatrical performances of his music. Jethro Tull was performing "Thick as a Brick". So this is an old time concert with music and a theatrical performance as well.
Todd tries to sing "Never Never Land" but his microphone is not working. He finally grabs Kasim Sulton's microphone and finishes the song. "Tic Tic Tic" is played but the sound quality is bad. "You Need Your Head" again the microphone keeps cutting out. For "Rock and Roll Pussy" Todd has on a green velvet jogging suit but his pants keep falling down and he keeps struggling to pull them up, it is very distracting. For Todd to be the Wizard of technology that he is, his crew is failing miserably at the technical side of the production.
"Dog Fight Giggle" finally is a song that comes off without a hitch. The screen above the stage is flashing pictures of the right wing and left wing reporters such as Rush Limbaugh, Steven Colbert, John Stewart, Sean Hannity, George W and Obama. I think it is pretty funny.
Todd comes back out on stage in a red velvet smoking jacket, the band misses its cue to start playing and Todd stops them. "Start on my down beat" he tells them. "I thought this is the show we would do last night" he tells the audience. I take it that he is referring to all of the mistakes being made. Mistakes that should have been corrected the night before. A one, two, and they start into "You Don't Have To Camp Around". "Flamingo" has the screen above the stage shooting flamingos out of everywhere. Out of Todd's mouth, big ones, small ones, dancing across the screen. "The Zen Archer" brings Todd back out in a partially uncovered top with gold feathers running down his arms. Another costume malfunction as Todd sings and fixes the medallion on his chest at the same time. "Just Another Onion Head" and "Da Da Dali" have an obese Todd in a ball cap, bow tie and suspenders.
for some reason at this point "When the Shit Hits the Fan/ Sunset Boulevard" and "Le Feel International" are not played. These are the first songs not to be played in order of the album.
"Sometimes I Don't Know What To Feel" is done beautifully. Kasim comes down off of his platform and sings "Does Anybody Love You?". Todd reenters the stage in an orange tux befitting of Bill Murry doing his lounge act on Saturday Night Live. The Medley of songs is a highlight of this concert. Todd's voice is as good as ever. He sings, "I'm So Proud", "Ooh Baby Baby", "La La La Means I Love You" and "Cool Jerk". They ask everyone to dance like cool jerks at the end. "Hungry For Love", has Todd in a chefs outfit with a mustache. "I Don't Want To Tie You Down" has Todd in a red robe on a smoke filled stage, back lit so all you see is his silhouette.
Todd comes out for "Is It My Name" in a silver shiny outfit straps on a Gibson guitar and begins to wail on his guitar. Todd saved the missing songs for this part of the show so that once he strapped on his guitar he could rock out until the end of the show. Here is where he plays "When The Shit Hits The Fan/Sunset Blvd" and "Le Feel International". Wow we are smoking now. The concert is finally in full swing and it is almost over.
The encore of course is the only song left. But first Todd introduces the band and his wardrobe girl Michelle. Michelle Rundgren perhaps? The anthem for any one growing up in the seventies, "Just One Victory" is then played. Of course the guitar tech forgets to bring out Todd's guitar. Michelle has to run off stage a couple of times to try and get Todd's guitar on stage. Todd finishes and exits the stage.
I would not want to be back stage right now. Todd seemed very perturbed when he was exiting the stage. Heads should roll for this show. The sound was bad, miscues from the band and the guitar tech, inexcusable. This show was being filmed for a DVD, what a disaster. There were some highlights but there were a lot of mistakes.
I have to rate this a three twirl show. Sorry Todd I expect more from you. The tickets cost top dollar the show should be top notch. The concept is great and some of the music was performed exquisitly but overall too many distractions from the poor technical quality.
Todd and part of the band play the first set in front of the stage curtain. Kasim Sulton on bass, Roger Powell on keyboards and Prarie prince on drums. The band is dressed in white T shirts and black pants. The first song is "On the Road to Utopia", Todd sings he is barely audible, the sound is terrible. OK sound men usually take a song or two to get the sound right. Kasim Sulton sings "Libertine", the sound is bad. Roger Powell sings the next song the name might have been "vacant city"? I don't know it. Sound is still bad. "Fist Pump" sounds terrible. "Landslide" is just OK.
First set the sound men screwed up bad. Todd was best when he was the front man with a band behind him. When he tries to be a band and highlight other members of the band it comes off weak. The firsts set was a bunch of Utopia songs that never were my favorites to begin with then throw in a bad sound man and it becomes terrible. Todd has no repartee with the audience. The band just played and sounded bad. Thank God for the break.
The curtain opens with "International Feel" playing. The stage is all in smoke Todd is in an astronauts suit and three keyboard players,Gregg Hawkes, Bobby Strickland who also plays sax and flute and Roger Powell, a drummer Prarie Prince, a bass player Kasim Sulton and a guitarist Jesse Gress, are on platforms at different elevations dressed in all white tuxedos with tails. There is a movie screen above the stage that will show images pertaining to the album or individual songs through out the night. Three keyboardists are on one side of the stage with the rest of the band on the other side of the stage leaving Todd the middle of the stage for his theatrical performance. Remember that AWATS came out about the same time when theatrical performances were the norm for rock bands. Bowie was doing Major Tom and The Spiders From Mars. Genesis was into costume changes in the blink of an eye. Alex Harvey was doing his theatrical performances of his music. Jethro Tull was performing "Thick as a Brick". So this is an old time concert with music and a theatrical performance as well.
Todd tries to sing "Never Never Land" but his microphone is not working. He finally grabs Kasim Sulton's microphone and finishes the song. "Tic Tic Tic" is played but the sound quality is bad. "You Need Your Head" again the microphone keeps cutting out. For "Rock and Roll Pussy" Todd has on a green velvet jogging suit but his pants keep falling down and he keeps struggling to pull them up, it is very distracting. For Todd to be the Wizard of technology that he is, his crew is failing miserably at the technical side of the production.
"Dog Fight Giggle" finally is a song that comes off without a hitch. The screen above the stage is flashing pictures of the right wing and left wing reporters such as Rush Limbaugh, Steven Colbert, John Stewart, Sean Hannity, George W and Obama. I think it is pretty funny.
Todd comes back out on stage in a red velvet smoking jacket, the band misses its cue to start playing and Todd stops them. "Start on my down beat" he tells them. "I thought this is the show we would do last night" he tells the audience. I take it that he is referring to all of the mistakes being made. Mistakes that should have been corrected the night before. A one, two, and they start into "You Don't Have To Camp Around". "Flamingo" has the screen above the stage shooting flamingos out of everywhere. Out of Todd's mouth, big ones, small ones, dancing across the screen. "The Zen Archer" brings Todd back out in a partially uncovered top with gold feathers running down his arms. Another costume malfunction as Todd sings and fixes the medallion on his chest at the same time. "Just Another Onion Head" and "Da Da Dali" have an obese Todd in a ball cap, bow tie and suspenders.
for some reason at this point "When the Shit Hits the Fan/ Sunset Boulevard" and "Le Feel International" are not played. These are the first songs not to be played in order of the album.
"Sometimes I Don't Know What To Feel" is done beautifully. Kasim comes down off of his platform and sings "Does Anybody Love You?". Todd reenters the stage in an orange tux befitting of Bill Murry doing his lounge act on Saturday Night Live. The Medley of songs is a highlight of this concert. Todd's voice is as good as ever. He sings, "I'm So Proud", "Ooh Baby Baby", "La La La Means I Love You" and "Cool Jerk". They ask everyone to dance like cool jerks at the end. "Hungry For Love", has Todd in a chefs outfit with a mustache. "I Don't Want To Tie You Down" has Todd in a red robe on a smoke filled stage, back lit so all you see is his silhouette.
Todd comes out for "Is It My Name" in a silver shiny outfit straps on a Gibson guitar and begins to wail on his guitar. Todd saved the missing songs for this part of the show so that once he strapped on his guitar he could rock out until the end of the show. Here is where he plays "When The Shit Hits The Fan/Sunset Blvd" and "Le Feel International". Wow we are smoking now. The concert is finally in full swing and it is almost over.
The encore of course is the only song left. But first Todd introduces the band and his wardrobe girl Michelle. Michelle Rundgren perhaps? The anthem for any one growing up in the seventies, "Just One Victory" is then played. Of course the guitar tech forgets to bring out Todd's guitar. Michelle has to run off stage a couple of times to try and get Todd's guitar on stage. Todd finishes and exits the stage.
I would not want to be back stage right now. Todd seemed very perturbed when he was exiting the stage. Heads should roll for this show. The sound was bad, miscues from the band and the guitar tech, inexcusable. This show was being filmed for a DVD, what a disaster. There were some highlights but there were a lot of mistakes.
I have to rate this a three twirl show. Sorry Todd I expect more from you. The tickets cost top dollar the show should be top notch. The concept is great and some of the music was performed exquisitly but overall too many distractions from the poor technical quality.
Monday, August 24, 2009
I'll Take Jail.
In the past month I have heard of two different people who chose going to jail over paying there fines. I am scratching my head and thinking "what the f*** are you thinking".
When I was 30 years younger I did spend a few days in jail for some minor misdemeanor stuff. I hated it. I was locked in a cell with 10 to 15 other inmates depending who was bailed out or moved to permanent residence. I was scared to death by the big black fellow that everyone in the holding cell deferred to. He liked me and I still did not want to make a long lasting friendship with the man. It was cold at night with only a thin sheet to cover yourself with. The mattress was a 30 year old thin bed roll with lumps the size of your fist. No pillow. The food was miserable tasting, white bread with peanut butter, no jelly, salty chicken noodle soup and watered down Kool Aid. The next day we had Bologna on white bread with butter and watered down Kool Aid. Breakfast was a treat, salty scrambled eggs, burnt toast and watered down orange Kool Aid. You had to get up early or the other inmates would eat your eggs. No TV, just stimulating conversation from the other inmates sitting around a hard picnic table in the center of the cell, telling you how they got screwed by the system or the "man". Not one guilty man in the whole cell. I know I was wronged by the Police Officers who beat me up in order to get me to go to jail. The rest of the guys I think were just lying about their innocence. Except for the big black guy, he said he shot his bitch of a girlfriend and was mad that she did not die. That dude scared me. After three days I had had enough. I shoved my way through some of the other guys, got to a telephone, called my attorney and said "GET ME THE HELL OUT OF HERE".
One of the people I know who has elected to take jail time over paying his fines I will call Clem. Clem was supposed to spend 28 days but only spent a week incarcerated then was let out early. He went back in front of the judge a week later who asked him to pay his fine and Clem refused. The judge told him to take a week and see if he could raise the money. Clem said even if he had the money he would not pay the fines he would rather work off his fines by spending time in jail. When I asked Clem why he doesn't just pay the fines his answer was. " Jail isn't so bad. I get fed, I don't have to do anything and they have cable TV. I get to have smoke breaks outside and when I finally get out I have a bunch of interesting stories to tell my friends. Besides it's a principle thing, I know it costs them more to lock me up than what the amount of the fines are. They are losing money on me". Clem went back to jail and spent the remaining 21 days on a low rent vacation. Semi private room at night and a large living room with couches during the day. It did not cost him a dime. It cost the taxpayers plenty.
The other person who chose jail over paying the fines I will call June. She only had to spend a week incarcerated then she was released early for good behavior. She knows how to work the system. She knew going in that they usually don't make misdemeanor cases spend the full time locked up because of over crowding in the jail system. All she had to do was keep her mouth shut and sit on the couch and watch cable TV and she would be cut loose eventually. One week later, three days early, she was paroled. When I asked her why she took the jail time over paying the fines her response was, "I was laid off from work so I had the free time. I could sit at home and watch TV or I could sit in jail and watch TV. Whats the difference?" Whats the difference? Nothing I guess.
This whole Prisoners Rights bullshit has got to stop. The ACLU has made it so nice in jail that people don't mind going to jail. They would prefer to go to jail than to pay a fine. These country clubs for the wicked are being financed by the honest hard working people of America. Believe me I am all for incarceration for the guilty. Lets go back to the days like when I was in jail where it was not an easy time to spend. Get rid of the couches put back in the wooden benches. Cut out TV completely or turn the TV to the religious channel. No semi private rooms just big holding cells. Make it a punishment to go to jail not a vacation. No smoking in public buildings needs to be enforced so that you can not smoke until you get out of jail. No going outside every fifteen minutes for a smoke break. Lets punish the guilty not just separate them from the rest of society for a short time. P U N I S H, make them miserable so that they do not want to go back to jail ever again. If they are miserable they will reflect on what they did wrong. If they are sitting around watching TV and it is not that much worse than sitting at home they won't learn a thing and they will be back for another vacation in a year or so. The Penal system should penalize wrong doers. The House of Corrections should correct bad behavior.
I heard Clem and June were adding up their Crime and Punishment points to see when they will be able to cash in a one night free coupon. Enough is enough.
When I was 30 years younger I did spend a few days in jail for some minor misdemeanor stuff. I hated it. I was locked in a cell with 10 to 15 other inmates depending who was bailed out or moved to permanent residence. I was scared to death by the big black fellow that everyone in the holding cell deferred to. He liked me and I still did not want to make a long lasting friendship with the man. It was cold at night with only a thin sheet to cover yourself with. The mattress was a 30 year old thin bed roll with lumps the size of your fist. No pillow. The food was miserable tasting, white bread with peanut butter, no jelly, salty chicken noodle soup and watered down Kool Aid. The next day we had Bologna on white bread with butter and watered down Kool Aid. Breakfast was a treat, salty scrambled eggs, burnt toast and watered down orange Kool Aid. You had to get up early or the other inmates would eat your eggs. No TV, just stimulating conversation from the other inmates sitting around a hard picnic table in the center of the cell, telling you how they got screwed by the system or the "man". Not one guilty man in the whole cell. I know I was wronged by the Police Officers who beat me up in order to get me to go to jail. The rest of the guys I think were just lying about their innocence. Except for the big black guy, he said he shot his bitch of a girlfriend and was mad that she did not die. That dude scared me. After three days I had had enough. I shoved my way through some of the other guys, got to a telephone, called my attorney and said "GET ME THE HELL OUT OF HERE".
One of the people I know who has elected to take jail time over paying his fines I will call Clem. Clem was supposed to spend 28 days but only spent a week incarcerated then was let out early. He went back in front of the judge a week later who asked him to pay his fine and Clem refused. The judge told him to take a week and see if he could raise the money. Clem said even if he had the money he would not pay the fines he would rather work off his fines by spending time in jail. When I asked Clem why he doesn't just pay the fines his answer was. " Jail isn't so bad. I get fed, I don't have to do anything and they have cable TV. I get to have smoke breaks outside and when I finally get out I have a bunch of interesting stories to tell my friends. Besides it's a principle thing, I know it costs them more to lock me up than what the amount of the fines are. They are losing money on me". Clem went back to jail and spent the remaining 21 days on a low rent vacation. Semi private room at night and a large living room with couches during the day. It did not cost him a dime. It cost the taxpayers plenty.
The other person who chose jail over paying the fines I will call June. She only had to spend a week incarcerated then she was released early for good behavior. She knows how to work the system. She knew going in that they usually don't make misdemeanor cases spend the full time locked up because of over crowding in the jail system. All she had to do was keep her mouth shut and sit on the couch and watch cable TV and she would be cut loose eventually. One week later, three days early, she was paroled. When I asked her why she took the jail time over paying the fines her response was, "I was laid off from work so I had the free time. I could sit at home and watch TV or I could sit in jail and watch TV. Whats the difference?" Whats the difference? Nothing I guess.
This whole Prisoners Rights bullshit has got to stop. The ACLU has made it so nice in jail that people don't mind going to jail. They would prefer to go to jail than to pay a fine. These country clubs for the wicked are being financed by the honest hard working people of America. Believe me I am all for incarceration for the guilty. Lets go back to the days like when I was in jail where it was not an easy time to spend. Get rid of the couches put back in the wooden benches. Cut out TV completely or turn the TV to the religious channel. No semi private rooms just big holding cells. Make it a punishment to go to jail not a vacation. No smoking in public buildings needs to be enforced so that you can not smoke until you get out of jail. No going outside every fifteen minutes for a smoke break. Lets punish the guilty not just separate them from the rest of society for a short time. P U N I S H, make them miserable so that they do not want to go back to jail ever again. If they are miserable they will reflect on what they did wrong. If they are sitting around watching TV and it is not that much worse than sitting at home they won't learn a thing and they will be back for another vacation in a year or so. The Penal system should penalize wrong doers. The House of Corrections should correct bad behavior.
I heard Clem and June were adding up their Crime and Punishment points to see when they will be able to cash in a one night free coupon. Enough is enough.
Saturday, August 8, 2009
George Taylor Morris
George Taylor Morris passed away on Saturday August 1, 2009 from throat cancer. For those of you who are not familiar with GTM he was the morning DJ on the best radio program to ever grace the airwaves, Deep Tracks, on XM satellite radio. Between GTM in the morning and Earle Bailey in the afternoon and evening, radio did not get any better than this. George had this low gravely voice that wrapped around you like a familiar hug from an old friend. When he talked you listened because he was teaching you something about Rock and Roll music that you never knew before. He was a Rock and Roll historian. But unlike most DJ's he only spoke when he had to. He didn't talk just to hear himself talk like Pat St. John, or Pat Suck John as I like to refer to him.
Many mornings while I was driving to work I would think boy I haven't heard a certain song in years and within the next couple of days GTM would play the song. It was like he could read your mind and know what you wanted to hear. My hour to two hour trips to the construction sites I was working on were some of the most enjoyable hours of my day because of George Taylor Morris.
In the early years of Deep tracks I could write GTM and Earle Bailey an e-mail requesting a song and tell them when I would be listening and low and behold my song would be played. Yes, this was a magical time for music aficionados. We had a station playing the underground music that we wanted to hear without commercials. We had two voices that were comforting to listen to and we were gaining knowledge of Rock and Roll from two of the great historians of our time. This was a dream come true for George Taylor Morris and for his listening fans.
George also hosted a radio segment called "Artist Confidential" where he would have different bands join him in the studio. George would interview the bands and let them play their music. George had a way of coaxing the best out of the musicians. He would get them talking about subjects that fans wanted to hear about. Since George was so knowledgeable about the different bands he could ask questions that produced a certain flow between the artists and George. The conversations always felt as though it was just two old friends sitting down and having a beer and discussing Rock and Roll. George always seemed as though he was friends with the artists, he was on the inside with them. Not just an outsider trying to get an interview. Artist included Paul McCartney, Graham Nash, Faith Hill, Bob Weir, Willie Nelson, Odetta, Pink and Little Feat plus others.
GTM played the music that we all wanted to hear. If the song was being played on FM radio you did not hear it on Deep Tracks. If you heard a band on FM radio, Deep Tracks would play the band but a "B" side cut that you had forgotten about that was good. George also played new music that you could not hear anywhere else ie. the Stone Coyotes and Gov't Mule. Yes George you are one of the greats in the music industry.
George I have missed you since Sirius took over and you retired. Sirius ruined your station by hiring DJ's that want to talk to much and have nothing to say. Their voices are irritating. They play music that belongs on a station called Light Tracks or Lame Tracks not Deep Tracks. Since when did REO Speedwagon and Kansas belong on Deep Tracks? Sorry George, but radio will not be the same without you. I am really going to have to consider whether I am going to renew my contract with XM, Sirius radio. They are killing a good thing.
George I loved you for all of the joy you brought into my life by playing the music I wanted to hear. My condolences go out to George Taylor Morris's family, friends and fans. I wish I could hear the interviews George is doing now with the likes of Hendrix, Harrison and Joplin. Rest in peace George.
PS. If you can catch the tribute to George Taylor Morris by Earle Bailey do so. Earle did a fantastic job of catching the essence of George Taylor Morris and what Deep Tracks was all about.
Many mornings while I was driving to work I would think boy I haven't heard a certain song in years and within the next couple of days GTM would play the song. It was like he could read your mind and know what you wanted to hear. My hour to two hour trips to the construction sites I was working on were some of the most enjoyable hours of my day because of George Taylor Morris.
In the early years of Deep tracks I could write GTM and Earle Bailey an e-mail requesting a song and tell them when I would be listening and low and behold my song would be played. Yes, this was a magical time for music aficionados. We had a station playing the underground music that we wanted to hear without commercials. We had two voices that were comforting to listen to and we were gaining knowledge of Rock and Roll from two of the great historians of our time. This was a dream come true for George Taylor Morris and for his listening fans.
George also hosted a radio segment called "Artist Confidential" where he would have different bands join him in the studio. George would interview the bands and let them play their music. George had a way of coaxing the best out of the musicians. He would get them talking about subjects that fans wanted to hear about. Since George was so knowledgeable about the different bands he could ask questions that produced a certain flow between the artists and George. The conversations always felt as though it was just two old friends sitting down and having a beer and discussing Rock and Roll. George always seemed as though he was friends with the artists, he was on the inside with them. Not just an outsider trying to get an interview. Artist included Paul McCartney, Graham Nash, Faith Hill, Bob Weir, Willie Nelson, Odetta, Pink and Little Feat plus others.
GTM played the music that we all wanted to hear. If the song was being played on FM radio you did not hear it on Deep Tracks. If you heard a band on FM radio, Deep Tracks would play the band but a "B" side cut that you had forgotten about that was good. George also played new music that you could not hear anywhere else ie. the Stone Coyotes and Gov't Mule. Yes George you are one of the greats in the music industry.
George I have missed you since Sirius took over and you retired. Sirius ruined your station by hiring DJ's that want to talk to much and have nothing to say. Their voices are irritating. They play music that belongs on a station called Light Tracks or Lame Tracks not Deep Tracks. Since when did REO Speedwagon and Kansas belong on Deep Tracks? Sorry George, but radio will not be the same without you. I am really going to have to consider whether I am going to renew my contract with XM, Sirius radio. They are killing a good thing.
George I loved you for all of the joy you brought into my life by playing the music I wanted to hear. My condolences go out to George Taylor Morris's family, friends and fans. I wish I could hear the interviews George is doing now with the likes of Hendrix, Harrison and Joplin. Rest in peace George.
PS. If you can catch the tribute to George Taylor Morris by Earle Bailey do so. Earle did a fantastic job of catching the essence of George Taylor Morris and what Deep Tracks was all about.
Thursday, August 6, 2009
Health Care Reform
While the Donkeys, Red Elephants and the Blue Dogs try to wrangle out a Health Care Plan that everyone can live with, I thought that I would throw out some facts to consider. H. R. 3200 is under consideration right now. The Elephants say that Obama and the liberal Democrats want to do away with private insurance. Why would that happen now if it hasn't happened yet?
Do you realize that 30% of Americans are on government sponsored health care? That is right 30%. Between Medicare, Medicaid, SCHIP, and the VA for our military men, 30% of Americans are on the governments dime already.
54% of Americans are on employer sponsored insurance or purchase individual insurance. I know the plan that was offered to me at my last job wasn't very good. I was lucky that my wife had really good coverage that I could be covered under. I was told that my last employer was paying $7,000.00/year for each employee and the coverage wasn't that good. High deductibles on office visits and medications. Spotty care unless you wanted to pay extra.
16% of Americans have no health care insurance at all. That is 46 million people. This 16% of Americans is who I thought HR 3200 was trying to cover. You can keep your employer sponsered plan or individual plan if you want. The Government is working to cover the 46 million people who have no coverage. If your employer decides not to cover your health insurance any longer, do not blame the government for your immoral employer. Just as the banks are claiming that they must hand out bonuses to their best employees in order to hold onto them, employers will have to offer a good health care plan in order to hang onto their workers. Insurance companies are just going to have a bit more competition.
I remember a decade or so ago the insurance companies claimed that if every driver in the State of Ohio had Auto Insurance the cost of Auto Insurance would go down. Would not the same hold true for Health Insurance? If hospitals and Doctors are not stuck picking up the bills of indigent people, they should be able to lower their costs to insurance companies, who then could lower the cost of insurance premiums to individuals and companies.
Here are a few other statistics to consider. The United States is ranked 37 out of 191 industrialized countries in the world for their health care. We should have the best and be ranked number one. People like Republicans and Blue Dogs argue that this number is misleading because it takes into account items that favor socialized medicine. OK here are two facts that I don't think you can argue with. 1. The United States is ranked 24th in the world for total life expectancy. 2. The United States is ranked 2nd (hooray) in total expenditure on health care as a percentage of Gross Domestic Product (Oh Boo). So we spend more but we don't live longer. Isn't that what it is all about, quality of life.
Radical, Right Wing, Alarmist, are claiming that HR 3200 Section 1233 is making doctors council old people into stopping nutrition so that they will die sooner and not cost the new government sponsored insurance extra money. I read Section 1233 and it sounded to me like a provision for the insurance company to cover a discussion about a Living Will or a Durable Power of Attorney with your doctor. I recommend to all of my readers even if HR 3200 does not pass please go out and get a Living Will and Durable Power of Attorney filled out and put on file with your Primary Care Physician. I do not want to be kept alive on machines just because Science can do it. Let me die rather than be a vegetable. But someone else might want to be kept alive at all cost. That is their right. Before you become incapacitated you must have your wishes spelled out with a Living Will and a Durable Power of Attorney. The hospital will abide by what you decided while you were still of sound mind. This is a good thing, not something to be alarmed about. This is what Section 1233 is about.
The United States is by far the best country in the world. We spend millions of dollars helping other countries with their health care. Before we help others shouldn't we have the best health care for all legal American Citizens first? Our system of health care works for the rich but it needs to be tweeked so that it works for the poor too. Don't be scared by the Radicle Right into not provideing health care coverage for 16% of Americans. Remember this Radicle Right fought against Social Security, Womens Rights, Civil Rights and Medicare because they would be the downfall of America. Here we are still going strong. Lets help 46 million Americans afford health care.
Do you realize that 30% of Americans are on government sponsored health care? That is right 30%. Between Medicare, Medicaid, SCHIP, and the VA for our military men, 30% of Americans are on the governments dime already.
54% of Americans are on employer sponsored insurance or purchase individual insurance. I know the plan that was offered to me at my last job wasn't very good. I was lucky that my wife had really good coverage that I could be covered under. I was told that my last employer was paying $7,000.00/year for each employee and the coverage wasn't that good. High deductibles on office visits and medications. Spotty care unless you wanted to pay extra.
16% of Americans have no health care insurance at all. That is 46 million people. This 16% of Americans is who I thought HR 3200 was trying to cover. You can keep your employer sponsered plan or individual plan if you want. The Government is working to cover the 46 million people who have no coverage. If your employer decides not to cover your health insurance any longer, do not blame the government for your immoral employer. Just as the banks are claiming that they must hand out bonuses to their best employees in order to hold onto them, employers will have to offer a good health care plan in order to hang onto their workers. Insurance companies are just going to have a bit more competition.
I remember a decade or so ago the insurance companies claimed that if every driver in the State of Ohio had Auto Insurance the cost of Auto Insurance would go down. Would not the same hold true for Health Insurance? If hospitals and Doctors are not stuck picking up the bills of indigent people, they should be able to lower their costs to insurance companies, who then could lower the cost of insurance premiums to individuals and companies.
Here are a few other statistics to consider. The United States is ranked 37 out of 191 industrialized countries in the world for their health care. We should have the best and be ranked number one. People like Republicans and Blue Dogs argue that this number is misleading because it takes into account items that favor socialized medicine. OK here are two facts that I don't think you can argue with. 1. The United States is ranked 24th in the world for total life expectancy. 2. The United States is ranked 2nd (hooray) in total expenditure on health care as a percentage of Gross Domestic Product (Oh Boo). So we spend more but we don't live longer. Isn't that what it is all about, quality of life.
Radical, Right Wing, Alarmist, are claiming that HR 3200 Section 1233 is making doctors council old people into stopping nutrition so that they will die sooner and not cost the new government sponsored insurance extra money. I read Section 1233 and it sounded to me like a provision for the insurance company to cover a discussion about a Living Will or a Durable Power of Attorney with your doctor. I recommend to all of my readers even if HR 3200 does not pass please go out and get a Living Will and Durable Power of Attorney filled out and put on file with your Primary Care Physician. I do not want to be kept alive on machines just because Science can do it. Let me die rather than be a vegetable. But someone else might want to be kept alive at all cost. That is their right. Before you become incapacitated you must have your wishes spelled out with a Living Will and a Durable Power of Attorney. The hospital will abide by what you decided while you were still of sound mind. This is a good thing, not something to be alarmed about. This is what Section 1233 is about.
The United States is by far the best country in the world. We spend millions of dollars helping other countries with their health care. Before we help others shouldn't we have the best health care for all legal American Citizens first? Our system of health care works for the rich but it needs to be tweeked so that it works for the poor too. Don't be scared by the Radicle Right into not provideing health care coverage for 16% of Americans. Remember this Radicle Right fought against Social Security, Womens Rights, Civil Rights and Medicare because they would be the downfall of America. Here we are still going strong. Lets help 46 million Americans afford health care.
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