two weeks in a row, i went to saturday night concerts. the first at the Beacon Theater in NYC. The second at the PNC arts center in NJ. the Beacon a theater with walls, THe PNC an out door amphitheater.
The first started with short lines and security goons that checked my bag and allowed in packaged food and an open diet coke. (even i was surprised at the open coke) and they were respectful.. I took my first balcony seat and went to the 2nd floor restroom.. NO line.. later through the night, short lines... the venue sold beer and wine and popcorn and there was no one drunk... once the light went down... there WAS a familiar smell of smoke... Someone was smoking pot.. the security goons told him to put it out... it happened a few more times..
The audience were boomers with their kids, 20 somethings... Old dead fans and long pony tails and leather.. There were run of the market executives in shirts and there were NYC teenagers in their chic soho couture... the enforcers also forced the SRO ticket holders to stand for all three sets..
i came early for Amos lee (who i had seen with Norah jones last summer at jones beach) i skipped norah jones but fell for Amos Lee...
So as uncool as it was to come early at the beacon, i chose to show up... Amos was great.. and then the lights and rearrange the stage for Merle Haggard.. The black hats started to appear and there were more people in the theater.. I guess its fashionable to show up late for Dylan..but for those us there...
Haggard got his props.. the audience were on their feet- A man in his 70s, still singing and writing music.. A man who earned it the hard way... A legend.... A talent...
I was on the edge of my chair.. He was in great voice with a great band of strangers..
his songs included, the Fugative, Mama Tried, Rambling Fever, Unforgettable and a variety of Drinking songs where Booze was the culprit..
I guess it was NY cool to show up at 930 pm only for Dylan... boy did they miss a great set by Haggard...
Then Dylan... ripping through 14 songs with out a word... never really looking up ... covering his catalogue.. Hunched over the piano.... seemed like he really didnt play it sometimes and sometimes, he played it all... harmonic.. piano.. his new performing love..
HIghway 61, Blonde on Blonde, Blood on the Tracks, Love and Theft... all represented..
understanding bobs phrasing is hard... he dribbles the songs out with a loud loud band
Dylan blends into the band... he is one with them...
10 to 11 and an encore starting... Dylan gets in two .... Poor Boy and ends with ALL along the
watchtower... complete with some random dancers in the balcony
i leave thinking.. who is the joker and thief.... Dylan
i got on the train southbound to brooklyn and was home by 1230am
Last saturday, My friend Fay and i went to the PNC arts center in Holmdel NJ for another show of three artists.. the first thing we encountered were Lines lines lines.. Lines to get in, lines to park.. we had to park so far away that we had to drive across the highway and park in the sublet lot B... we had to take a shuttle but opted to hike to the venue.. what seemed like taking forever to the MAIN gate... what main gate... a long long line to get your bag checked... (i had no bag) and because there were lawn seats.... the line was longer... then a line to get your ticketmaster ticket scanned and lines lines for hte restroom... not being able to find the entrance we hightailed it upstairs to find a food court with a restroom with no line..
the show had started and we missed about 2 of Terri Clarks songs... she looked and sounded great... her set covered, Better thing to do, If i were you, poor poor pitiful me (with cowbell)
evertime i cry, girls lie too....
then a break..... seeing it was an amphitheater- i hadnt gotten a chance to see the "show within the show" ... there were plenty of hats, straw hats, black felt hats, there were shirts that displayed NASCAR, Sports teams, and one guy had a shirt that was an american flag..
There was a woman in a fur coat. She also had a purple chenille hat...
Fay and I had no hats...and we missed the tailgate parties in the lot.... i ate a salad at a diner...
as it was an outdoor venue...as the sun set, it got colder and colder... I mocked the women in their winter coats but by nights end... i envied that they had them.. I could have used something more than my NY black turtleneck and black leather jacket... I could have used a second pair of socks...
Brad paisley was next and he and his band -all from NJ? played an hour set... Me neither, he didnt have to be, we danced, im gonna miss her, mud on the tires, Celebrity, and Whiskey lullabye complete with a video screen with Alison Krauss appearing in the duet...
Video screen were filled with images for each artist.... the stories the sang were told in video...
while you watched the artist sing the song... its was a multimedia event actually....
then another break... or more beer breaks... there were lots of high price beverages being consumed at this show and some random dancers were dancing at their seats..
then the stage went dark... and AD for Habitat for Humanity... Whirlpool donates washers and dryers to each HFH home... and they sponsored with the Two HAts and a red head tour...
Reba is not a performer, she is an entertainer... she ripped through her catalogue... speaking with the audience, using the stage and her huge band to move the show along.. She was won over the choir of fans who were there for HER... the brad paisley tesshirts seemed to pale in the face of this performance.... REBA covered a medley of early hits.. and inlcuded, im a survivor,
sisters, heart is a lonely hunter, Take it back, night the lights went out, fear of being alone, want to ride with you, why havent i heard from you, love revival, who ever's in New england, fancy
and for her encore.... Terri joined her for Does he love you with brad playing electric guitar
and all three joined in for " when will i be loved?"
getting back the car, by way of the restroom was an adventure in itself... And then exiting the parking lot ... Fay drove to her home where i had my car parked..
I got in my car at midnight and was home by 1230 am
