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The Music Court’s Fall Concert Schedule

30 Sep

Come see the Music Court on tour? No, not really. Sorry for getting your hopes up. But, I have finally finalized my own concert attendance schedule and that is pretty exciting. You may have received bits and pieces of this information over the past few weeks, but, now that it is officially down, I am going to list it below. This Fall I am getting back into my concert mood and seeing three exciting shows. First up, the quintessential college band.

Show: Guster

Date: Monday, Oct. 25

Location: Ithaca, NY

Celebrating?: Release of new album Easy Wonderful

Preview: I saw Guster in concert at the Beacon theater when I was a senior in high school. I am now a senior in college now, but I am still as excited as I was back then to see Guster now. Easy Wonderful will be released in a few days and the songs I have heard from the album all seem to be right up Guster’s musical alleyway. I expect a nice mix between old and new material. Plus, I am going with my girlfriend and my brother (both have never seen Guster before) so it will be awesome seeing how they react to the performance. Guster is excellent live. Excellent! This will be fun.

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Show: The Weepies

Date: Friday, Nov. 5

Location: Philadelphia, PA

Celebrating?: The recent release of their new album Be My Thrill

Preview: Unlike the Guster concert, I am really not sure what to expect from the Weepies. I believe I will experience an intimate show where they run through a lot of their well-known old stuff. I presume I will hear the new album as well, but, since the Weepies do not tour frequently, I am looking to hear Weepies’ oldies. They better play “World Spins Madly On.”

Show: Bob Dylan

Date: Nov. 17

Location: Binghamton, NY

Celebrating: It’s Bob Dylan

Preview: And then comes Mr. Dylan. I saw him at Nassau Coliseum back when I was in High School and I expect to see a completely different show. That is one thing awesome about the tambourine man…he always changes up his songs. The man is on a tremendous streak of an insane amount of performances over the past 2o or so years and 2010 is no difference. I mean he is coming to Binghamton…again. That says it all. Can’t wait to see you, Bob.

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I Now Pronounce You: Rock ‘n’ Roll Hall of Fame Worthy

29 Sep

It’s the story of the Hall of Fame. One already inducted rock ‘n’ roller unexpectedly makes a dream come true as other rock ‘n’ roll all-stars wait to possibly hear their name announced at the Rock ‘n’ Roll Hall of Fame induction. Let’s start with the lounger.

Hey...isn't that Bruce Springsteen

That question (look at picture) was on the mind of Ed Dwyer, his fiance Jennifer Smith, and his friend as they were participating in an engagement photo shoot on the beach of Manasquan, New Jersey. Dwyer, a musician, happened to be strumming his guitar on the beach and Springsteen, who actually was sitting on a bench close to the beach, took an interest in the 32-year-old musician.

“”Bruce said to Ed, ‘Play that box,’ said Smith. “Ed’s reaction was, ‘No, you’re Bruce Springsteen, so, here, you play.’ ”

So, that is what he did. The couple got the opportunity to just chill with Bruce Springsteen and take a few laid-back engagement photos with him. According to Dwyer, Springsteen was “laid back and chill”

Bruce even fooled the photographer initially. “He just looked like this really cool guy hanging out on a bench at sunset with friends,” Kella MacPhee said.

That is just amazing. Talk about being in the right place at the right time. Occasionally, these awesome events happen and I hope musicians understand that they can make someone’s life. This couple now has pictures and a story that will last them a lifetime. Springsteen acted like a true professional and I am sure he had some fun with them. Talk about those:

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Article Link: http://www.app.com/article/20100927/NEWS/100927086/1001/rss

The king of New Jersey, Bruce Springsteen, has already been inducted into the Rock ‘n’ Roll Hall of Fame (which is pictured above). The nominations for the 2011 class has been released and on it is what many people consider to be the prince of New Jersey, Bob Jovi.

The list includes first-time nominees, Jovi, Donovan, Alice Cooper, Dr. John and Neil Diamond.

Also on this list is, Tom Waits, the Beastie Boys, Chic, Donna Summer, LL Cool J and a few more.

Artists first become eligible for nomination 25 years after the release of their first single or album. The 2011 inductees will be announced in December and the induction ceremony will be held at the Waldorf-Astoria in Manhattan on March 14.

Out of all of the nominees, I think the only lock is Bon Jovi…no surprise there. I do hope that Cooper is inducted. He deserves the respect.

Article Link: http://artsbeat.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/09/28/rock-and-roll-hall-of-fame-nominees-announced/

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Bob Dylan to Binghamton (For all you Upstate New Yorkers)

28 Sep

Folk troubadour Bob Dylan is coming back to Binghamton.

The legendary musician will roll into Binghamton University‘s Events Center for the second time. He performed one of the first ever concerts at the Events Center in November of 2004.

Dylan is scheduled to perform on Nov. 17 at 8 p.m. Tickets go on sale Oct. 9 at 10 a.m., with a pre-sale commencing at 10 a.m. on Oct. 5.

Magic City Productions, an Endicott-based promotions company, is accountable for Dylan’s Events Center date. The SA was not involved with the planning or monetary backing of this Fall concert.

The “Never Ending Tour” has become a appropriate name for Dylan’s ceaseless tour schedule since June 7, 1988. Dylan has performed with several musicians over the past 20 years for the around 100 shows he plays each year.

Dylan, who turned 69 in May, will release a new album of his earlier demo work on Oct. 19 this year. The album, “The Witmark Demos: 1962-1964” will include 47 demo recordings.

Dylan is perhaps best known as one of rock music’s first musical activists, blending civil rights and anti-war messages into his powerful lyric. His raspy croon has become a staple in the broad history of rock. Dylan has transcended both time and genres, arguably succeeding in playing everything from blues to country to jazz and swing.

Most recently, he released his 33rd studio album, “Together Through Life” in April of 2009 and his 34th, “Christmas in the Heart,” a Christmas album, in October of the same year.

Comments:

Yes! Finally a good concert at Binghamton University (the school I go to). I have personally had enough of Binghamton bringing in terrible rappers. Well, this is not being run by our Student Association so, I guess I do not have Binghamton University to thank for this. I saw Dylan a few years ago at Nassau coliseum and while the concert was slightly strange, it was still awesome to see him perform. I am psyched for this concert. Check out the rest of the Fall Schedule

http://www.bobdylan.com/#/tour

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Rolling Stone Helps Preview Fall Music

25 Sep

Fall is in the air. Well, right now it actually is not. It’s steamy out. Come on Binghamton, it is time to get cold and stay cold. Seriously, my body will thank you. Well, don’t get too cold. Okay, let me stop debating with myself. Tonight (it was tonight but wordpress bugged out on me) I would like to release from information that Rolling Stone was happy to share with the world here: http://www.rollingstone.com/music/photos/28431/207313

Fall music previews are among us and as foliage takes over so does new music. This list has everything from new creations to freshly pressed goodies. Let’s explore some of my thoughts on these releases.

I knew it! Leon Russell is Santa Claus

Elton John and Leon Russell: The Union (Oct. 19)

Intriguing. Two piano men sharing the trade. I am interested. The 16-track record features some rock and soul and also guest musicians Neil Young, Booker T., Don Was and Brian Wilson. Man, this record is going to be oozing talent. Keep an eye out for this one…it may be very good.

Bob Dylan: The Bootleg Series Vol. 9, the Witmark Demos. (10/19)

There is a humorous video on the web that shows an actor portraying Bob Dylan, who wrote every song in the modern era. If the bootleg series is any indication, he may have wrote every song every written. The body of work this man has done in his career is just remarkable and these early recordings are just more examples. “This box set will be the first time that Dylan’s eight earliest albums, from Bob Dylan (1962) to John Wesley Harding (1967), have been released in their original mono mix in the CD format,” as reported by Variety and Wikipedia. The albums will also be released on vinyl. The set will include 47 studio versions of songs recorded between 1962-1964. Keep going Mr. Dylan.

Ghost of a Saber Tooth Tiger: Acoustic Sessions (10/26)

It figures that this would be the name of John Lennon‘s sons folk duo. Sean Lennon and his girlfriend Charlotte Kemp Muhl pulled a John and Yoko and recorded songs for the LP in their apartment. That is keeping the family tradition alive. I am looking forward to hearing this combination.

Jimi Hendrix: West Coast Seattle Boy (11/9)

Rarities and live cuts will make up this album portraying Hendrix’s journey to fame in a four-CD set. It’s Jimi. How can it be bad?

I wrote about the upcoming Guster album here: https://musiccourt.wordpress.com/2010/08/09/the-weepies-and-guster-are-touring-and-releasing/

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Robin Trower is Live

22 Sep

Robin Trower has made a career of flying under the radar. He put together eye-opening guitar pieces for Procol Harum when he played lead guitar for them from 1967-1971. And then he created his own power trio and went on to record one of the best rock/blues pieces of the 1970s. Seriously, “Bridge of Sighs” (1974) is as good as it gets. But, ask about Robin Trower today, and besides the classic rock intelligentsia composed of people who lived during the era and classic rock diehards like myself, most people do not know about the wonders of Robin Trower. But, tonight, I want to dig slightly deeper into Robin Trower. I want to go under his more known Bridge of Sighs and Twice Removed From Yesterday (1973) and explore the realm of one of Trower’s underrated, underrated albums. You following me? The man is underrated twice over. Go underneath the surface and find the awesome chocolate filling.

Robin Trower Live - 1976

Robing Trower’s power trio (which also consisted of drummer Bill Lordan and excellent vocalist James Dewar) performed a live set for the Swedish Broadcasting Corporation. The concert was at the Stockholm Concert Center in Sweden. It took place on Feb. 3, 1975. In an interview with Guitar Player magazine in 2006, Trower said that they were not aware the show was being taped, thinking they were playing for a radio broadcast only. “We were loose and uninhibited, and we played one of our best shows,” said Trower.

It was not one of their best shows…it was their best show. The sound that seeped from his guitar that night was magical. And, one cannot forget about the wonderful drumming by Lordan and Dewar’s croon. As for live albums, the album is not looked at as one of the better ones of the favorites, but, I am telling you tonight that it is certainly up there. The album is a must-listen and if you like good blues guitar you should start listening to Mr. Trower.

Here is “Alethea” which he also performed in Sweden. This recording is in London in 1975.

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