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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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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.

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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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David Gray and Ray LaMontagne: Hard-Workin’ and Tourin’

15 Aug

When you think of the top folk singer-songwriter’s producing music today, David Gray and Ray LaMontagne appear on the list. And, when you add the hard working sentiment, there are not many current artists who can beat them.

Gray and LaMontagne begin their joint 16-city Summer/Fall tour tonight in Columbia, MD and both release their new albums the following day. Hard working? David Gray is technically still on his Draw The Line tour celebrating the album he released last September. Tomorrow, he will release a double album entitled Foundling and it’s all new material. This is a musician who has a song entitled, “Life in Slow Motion.” Yeah, Gray, somehow it don’t feel real.

And, don’t forget about Ray LaMontagne.

Lamontagne (second from the left) --- courtesy of the artist

LaMontagne’s God Willin’ And The Creek Don’t Rise, named after the Benjamin Hawkins phrase (http://ngeorgia.com/ang/God_Willing_and_the_creek_don%27t_rise), was recorded in only two weeks at LaMontagne’s sylvan home in western Massachusetts. It’s not rushing…sometimes a recording session is just efficient. Well, with LaMontagne’s newly formed Pariah Dogs consisting of Jay Bellarose on drums, Jennifer Condos on bass, Patrick Warren on keys, Eric Heywood on guitar and Greg Leisz on steel guitar, it is hard not to make good music.

God Willin’ is LaMontagne’s fourth studio album and is the first one he has produced by himself. The sound? Calm folk/country, mixed with little portions of LaMontagne’s trademark swing (the first song “Repo Man” is loud). If you like LaMontagne’s soul (music type of soul) this should be in line with expectations.

Review of the album: http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=128986999

David Gray

Like I said above, Foundling, is a double album. Why he is producing so much music? “A very fertile recording session,” said Gray. Seriously, dude, like rabbits. “These are some of the most dynamic recordings I’ve ever done,” he says. This is all good news for David Gray fans. His brand of folk-rock is infectious and, does not receive any where close to the commercial success it should. Get ready. This release will be good.

Review: http://www.usatoday.com/life/music/news/2010-08-15-david-gray_N.htm

The Tour

Below I will post the full list of dates. I hope to possibly go and see them on the 19th but I will see how that goes. If you do have the opportunity to see them, go. This is a productive combination of musicians.

August 2010
15 – Columbia, MD – Merriweather Post Pavilion
17 – Mansfield, MA – Bank of America Pavilion
19 – Wantagh, NY – Nikon @ Jones Beach
20 – Camden, NJ – Susquehanna Bank Center
22 – Nashville, TN – Grand Ole Opry
25 – Chicago, IL – Millennium Park
26 – Rochester, MI – Meadow Brook Theatre
29 – Council Bluffs, IA – Stir Cover @ Harrah’s Council Bluffs
30 – Morrison, CO – Red Rocks Amphitheatre
31 – Santa Fe, NM – Santa Fe Opera House

September 2010
1 – Phoenix, AZ – Dodge Theatre
3 – Las Vegas, NV – The Pearl
4 – Valley Center, CA – Harrahs Rincon
5 – Santa Barbara, CA – Santa Barbara Bowl
8 – Los Angeles, CA – Greek Theatre
10 – Berkeley, CA – Greek Theatre

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David Gilmour and Roger Waters will Reunite…at least once more for one song

16 Jul

BREAKING NEWS:

Finally, some hope for die-hard Pink Floyd fans. The Gilmour, Waters feud – which basically came to an end early last decade – may finally be put aside for a real reunion tour. But, for now that is just speculation. What some lucky fans at a choice venue will get is Gilmour joining Waters on stage to perform “Comfortably Numb” during one date of Waters’ 94-date “The Wall” anniversary tour. This all because of an agreement struck by the two musicians resulting in Waters’ performance of “To Know Him Is To Love Him,” at the Hoping Foundation benefit last week (reported here: https://musiccourt.wordpress.com/2010/07/12/monday-blues-and-pink-floyd-ruse/). It really may not be much of a ruse any longer.

Waters originally declined Gilmour’s invitation to perform “To Know Him Is To Love Him,” at the charity show because of the vocal difficulty of the song. Gilmour was persistent and fed into Waters’ longing for a true reunion tour (which now is impossible because of the 2008 death of keyboardist Richard Wright)), promising (e-mail conversation follows), “If you do ‘To Know Him Is To Love Him’ for The Hoping Foundation gig, I’ll come and do ‘C. Numb’ on one of your Wall shows.” What!?! Waters’ reaction similarly went, “”How f**king cool! I was blown away.” Gilmour, who according to Rolling Stone was uninterested in performing with Waters during the tour, set aside any reservations in order to get Waters to perform with him at last week’s Hoping Foundation show.

This discussion was posted on Waters’ Facebook wall (http://www.facebook.com/notes/roger-waters-the-wall/the-gig-with-david/144577855556673) and he concluded it by writing, “PS. Just heard from David, he will decide in due course which gig he wants to do, it will be a surprise!

Okay, so Waters and Gilmour are playing us well. They have – to quote a Rolling Stones song – all fans under their thumbs. Tell me the date and the show so I can get an overpriced ticket and watch this collaboration. I don’t care if it is only on “Comfortably Numb.” In my opinion, they will play more than one song together. It is just too tempting. Yes, they had a large conflict but Gilmour and Waters just enjoy playing music with each other too much to pass up a convenient opportunity. Does this bode well for the future? In one word, yes. I am not saying they are going on tour…but, I am not saying it will not happen. Let’s just say there is a much better chance now than there was 10 years ago.

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Fareed Haque Group at The Cubby Bear- 6/18

8 Jun

Name some fantastic guitarists. A music aficionado may mention names like Elmore James, Robert Johnson and Mark Knopfler (of Dire Straits), but, even the most ignorant music fans can name Jimi Hendrix and Eric Clapton. The list of top guitarists is certainly not set in stone, and attempting to narrow down the top 50 or 100 is completely arbitrary and practically impossible. But, in the select world of fantastic guitarists, some inevitably fall between the cracks. One example is Fareed Haque.

Fareed Haque; That may be the coolest guitar in the world (Photo Credit: Brad Walseth: http://www.jazzchicago.net/reviews/2008/FareedH.html

Who is Fareed Haque? Let me go through some of his credentials. He has received multiple Chicago Music Award nominations for his contributions to World Music. He was named the Best World Guitarist 2009 by Guitar Player Magazine. And, he has been selected twice as a Talent Deserving Wider Recognition by Downbeat Magazine. I agree with Downbeat Magazine.

At 8:30 p.m., on June 18, Haque will bring his eclectic Group to The Cubby Bear, 1059 W. Addison, Chicago. If you are in the area I really urge you to check the concert out.

Haque lives in Illinois, and in addition to being an accomplished musician and composer, he also is a professor of jazz and classic guitar at Northern Illinois University. His band features diverse instrumentation, including guitar, electronics, tabla, keys and numerous percussion instruments.

Haque will also treat guests to a special performance of jazzed-up rendition of Crosby Still and Nash’ “Déjà vu” from Haque’s days as a Blue Note artist.

Check Out Haque:

Website: www.fareed.com

Myspace: www.myspace.com/fareedhaquegroup

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