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Making the Town Hall Like Home – Colin Hay 4/29/12

29 Apr

It made complete sense that Colin Hay performed at Town Hall in New York City’s Times Square. Town Hall, an intimate theater between Sixth and Broadway, sits around 1,500 people comfortably in warm colors. It is not so much a concert venue, but rather a true theater that fits in with the several Broadway buildings it borders. So, appropriately Colin Hay fit right in with the setting, entertaining the crowd with anecdotes and sprinkled badinage between songs. And, the fact that he performed the show in honor of former Men at Work bandmate Greg Ham who passed away only 10 days ago, just made the night more special for those who had the privilege of seeing the Scottish/Australian acoustic crooner.

What is so striking about a Colin Hay concert is his effortless eloquence. He is a smooth talker and his Australian-influenced brogue gives his words extra power that on Friday resounded through the theater. Hay is the very definition of a troubador, telling his engaging life story through a set list mostly devoted to his chronological development. You felt at home with Hay, like he was one of your buddies and you were sitting around at a backyard barbecue. Strike up the grill, put on some portobello mushrooms (he is a vegetarian like myself), tell stories, and play tunes. It is a comfortable formula, and with it Hay made Town Hall feel like home.

Before Hay came on stage, the crowd was buttered up by acoustic singer/songwriter Ryan Montbleau, who kidded with the audience about his insecurities while diving into his short set of well-developed pieces. The music was creative and refreshing and I will not say more now because Montbleau will be featured on the Music Court within the coming weeks.

Then, with the sounds of “Down Under,” and the voice over by a passionate individual stating that Hay saved his life from washed-down pop music (after he heard Hay’s music on the Garden State soundtrack and the television show Scrubs), Hay walked on stage in a sharp coat and said hello to the audience, immediately engaging in a running dialogue (even though he couldn’t hear well with his ear plugs) that represented up his charm, intelligence, and humor.

Hay told several stories under the roof of the Town Hall in between songs, and some stories (most) worked to set up music. For example he described how he wrote “Beautiful World” while in California detoxing from his Australian-influenced alcoholic ways. He then described how he knew an individual who sang the song out in the Pacific and then was gnawed at by a shark who clearly enjoyed the piece. As Hay said during the show, the person kept singing the song and it was as if the shark said, ‘I may eat you, but, give me a few more verses of that song.”

The stories were well-timed and humorous, but the music was clearly why everyone came to watch Mr. Hay perform (even though his stories could have carried a separate performance in and of itself), and the tunes were wonderful.

Hay toggled between old Solo material, Men at Work music, and work off his newest album Gathering Mercury. The mix included “Who Can it Be Now,” “Send Somebody,” “Maggie,” etc. and then a 4-song conclusion that, like a molten chocolate cake, closed out the night with perfection. This included my favorite Hay piece, “Waiting for my Real Life to Begin” and an excellent, picked version of “Overkill.”

A performance from Maine in 2010. Hay finished off the show with a song he and Ham wrote and it, as anticipated, started a wonderful sing along. Here is “Be Good Johnny.”

Before I post this, I want to post one more story that Hay told that I thought was hilarious. He talked of how he became friends with Paul McCartney when he was performing his solo material in California. Growing up idolizing the Beatles, this was quite extraordinary for Hay. He tells the story of McCartney coming over for dinner and how he had two moments to himself during the night. The first was when McCartney arrived and Hay couldn’t believe Paul McCartney was in his driveway. The second was after dinner, when McCartney took the dishes into the kitchen and started running them under water, sparking the realization that Paul McCartney was doing his dishes.

🙂 – One more for good measure. Here is “Beautiful World”

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Paramount – A Good Word to Describe Guster

18 Apr


Guster performs March 28, 2012, at The Egg. (Michael Janairo / Times Union

Ryan Miller of Guster introduced the concert at the Paramount in Huntington, Long Island, yesterday as an acoustical/comedy combination and he laid out the ground rules. They would play a set, take requests in the middle (but if you shouted out a song they would not play it), and then finish off; all while comedian Jeff Garlin would come on and off stage (and maybe even play a song with the band – because of prior curiosity I knew he would be doing a Neil Diamond cover). As Guster put it, they are modern music men. The interactive, crowd-friendly concert was proof of this sentiment. While mainstays Miller, Adam Gardner, and Brian Rosenworcel are pushing 40, they still relate exceptionally well with a young crowd, earning them the title of the “Ageless College Band” – but, come on, any Guster fan can tell you that in the band’s years of performing they have certainly superseded the “college” title in pure musical talent.

Like billed, the concert was truly a comedy/acoustic combination. Jeff Garlin was the emcee and his scriptless blend of comedy carried the beginning of the show (which also featured a comedian that he brought along with him from California named Matt Edgar). Garlin, who most now know from Curb Your Enthusiasm, is hilarious. While the crowd became restless (it took a while before Guster came on stage), I enjoyed his brash style of “I don’t give a crap” comedy and I thought he pulled off a funny set.

Guster came out with a two-person string accompaniment and knocked through “Backyard” and new hit “Do You Love Me” with normal Guster proficiency. I immediately was struck by the smoothness of the strings. Guster has sampled strings in their music before so the orchestral addition in the concert was not shocking. Guster’s unique blend of alt/pop with acoustic proclivity is set up well for strings (or other unique instrumentation).

The first set flew by. The band was producing tremendous sound from some sweet-sounding acoustic guitars, bass, keys, and Rosenworcel’s classic eccentric drum set. Then, as the crowd seem to be getting settled in, Jeff Garlin glided out on the stage (prompting a Ryan Miller-led improv and odd Garlin dance) and introduced the request portion of the show. On the piano laid a fish bowl and concertgoers were given the opportunity to write requests, questions, or covers, and give their scraps of paper to Jeff who would pick out pieces and tell the band the song to play. This, of course, led to some pretty funny interactions. A girl tried to bribe the band to play “Mona Lisa” with dollar bills. They declined (but took the money!) Someone asked “Who is the roughest lover,” and the band concluded it was relative newcomer Luke Reynolds.

Songs were also played. Excellent songs. “Airport Song,” “Amsterdam,” and “Demons” within a span of 15 minutes. The crowd buzzed and sang along (as well as throwing ceremonial ping pong balls at the band after “Airport Song”).

The second set brought my favorite Guster song, “Either Way” followed by another gem “Satellite.” Here is a version of “Either Way” from earlier in the tour.

The beginning is similar to the type of off-the-cuff humor that we experienced last night. You know what I loved about it. It was just so real. You almost felt that you were back in Tufts seeing Guster in their incipient stages. The venue was intimate but the humor reminded me of inside jokes I used to have with my band. The interaction was fresh and humorous. I believe everyone felt like they belonged and that is something Guster does so well at their shows.

“Either Way” is subtle. It is carried by excellent harmony blending with a strong acoustic melody. I love the note Miller hangs when he holds out way. The strings just add to the calmness of this piece. But, don’t be fooled, the song, while soft, is tinged with emotion and passion.

I want to also provide you with a video of “This Could All Be Yours” which was played at the end of the concert last night. This song, off of the newest release, is very poppy but, hey, I like it.

I said it last time I saw Guster in Ithaca and I will say it again. Some bands do not enjoy themselves when they are performing. Guster does. You can tell they genuinely enjoy what they do and appreciate fans for listening to them. The concert was positively affected by this happiness and it was a joy seeing them for the third time – makes me want to keep coming back.

Oh yeah. I almost forgot. Jeff Garlin performed a William Shatner-like rendition of Neil Diamond’s “Solitary Man.” Here is him performing it in Milwaukee on April 7.

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Burton Cummings and Don McLean at NYCB Theater at Westbury- An “American” Night

16 Jan

Theater At Westbury

I am always envious of those who live near big venues because often a long travel can be a deterrent from seeing a concert. What I seem to forget is that I do live near an excellent venue that I should appreciate. The NYCB Theater at Westbury, which is a quick five-minute drive from my house, is one of the premier concert venues in Long Island, and while it may not attract The Rolling Stones (it does only accommodate 3,000), it does bring in its fair share of great artists – two of whom I went to see this weekend.
At face, Don McLean and Burton Cummings seem like an odd concert pairing. One made his contribution as a laid-back American singer-songwriter whose iconic hit “American Pie” will forever be recognized as one of the most influential songs of the 20th century. This of course is Don McLean. Cummings, on the other hand, is a vivacious Canadian piano player with a powerful croon and flute-playing skill. He and his band The Guess Who, during the years of 1965-1975, were not only one of the most productive bands in Canada, but also were one of the hardest working acts in all of rock music. They released several hits like “These Eyes,” “Undun,” and, of course, “American Woman.”
So when my brother, father, and I arrived to Westbury we were ready for a rocking “American” night that would feature two rock classics. That is exactly what we received.

Bye Bye Ms. American Thumb

 Westbury has a habit of saying concerts are going to begin at 8 p.m. and then not starting them until 8:30 p.m. Yes, this happens at other arenas too, but Westbury’s tardiness is constant. This is not a problem. They clearly want guests to spend as much time buying drinks in the lobby area as possible. I can’t blame them. Prior to the concert on Saturday, we thought we obviated the need to arrive at the venue 30 minutes early. If we strolled in at 8 p.m. – and watched as much of the exciting Saints vs. 49ers game as possible, we would be none the worse for wear. Yes, we certainly were going to outwit the theater.
The concert started promptly at 8 p.m. We had to scurry to our seats in the dark and be “those idiots” who stroll in late and now obstruct the vision of everyone in the section. Luckily, we had end seats so we were able to just sit down and begin to enjoy Don McLean, who came on first with a small band. He wore jeans and a puffy blue button-down. His hair is still there, and, more importantly, so is his voice.
McLean seemed like he was enjoying himself on stage – a consummate troubadour always likes to tell stories. His acoustic was well-played, despite some sound problems which made the low-end a little choppy and clunky. Unfortunately, he didn’t play “Vincent,” my favorite song by him. He did play “And I Love You So,” which is one of the more popular tracks off of his debut 1970 album Tapestry (Carole King’s Tapestry was released in 1971 – by the way). He also played his cover of Roy Orbison’s “Crying” which, in my opinion, is one of the only covers that does the original any justice. Do keep in mind Orbison has an operatic voice and the end of the song is like the climax of “Unchained Melody” – untouchable for most singers.
Why does McLean’s version work so well? McLean is a rockabilly throwback who mixes this style of music with 60’s rock n’ roll (he actually said this during the concert). His voice is tinged with Orbison-like rockabilly and tenderness.
Of course, McLean ended the concert with “American Pie” and wow it itself was worth the price of admission. Everyone in the crowd seemed to know every word and we were singing with McLean, who knew it. He encouraged everyone to sing along – even repeating the first verse after getting a standing ovation when everyone thought the song was over. Now I can tell everyone I saw McLean perform “American Pie” live. Awesome.
 

After a short intermission, Burton Cummings was introduced with his band, and he came out ready to rock. Cummings was upbeat, energetic, excited, fill in the adjective. His voice is supreme. It has an edge that can be adjusted for blues and it has a soft side for softer songs. Let me premise this by saying it was an absolute pleasure to share a night of music with such a legendary musician – who not enough people know about.

And that’s the thing. He, with the Guess Who, wrote songs like “No Time,” “Undun,” “These Eyes,” “Laughing,” “Hand me Down World,” “American Woman,” fill-in the song. He co-wrote several hits with Randy Bachman, who later formed BTO. Cummings was the lifeblood of The Guess Who and is one of the best musicians from Canada, ever. That is a bold, declarative statement – but I truly believe it. (Wondering What John Phillips of  Is It Possible to See It All thinks of that).

Cummings trucked through favorites and chatted with the crowd expressing his gratitude and strong dislike for the band that is currently touring as the Guess Who right now – which is justified as he truly is the band. His supporting band was strong and fun. It truly made for an exciting night. A night that was capped by an awesome performance of “American Woman.”

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Ron Pope at Dominion – A Sunday Sojourn

22 Nov

I am going briefly atone for all of the times I have disparaged my smart phone (generally for being to slow with internet connection). It permits me to write Music Court posts on the train going to work, and I must thank it for that.

It has been a busy last few days for all Music Court writers. Since Thanksgiving break is right around the corner, this is unsurprising. Trust me. If I could, I would write more and more. Luckily, Peepirate and Okocim have been able to provide cogent posts on a consistent basis. I am thankful for that.

They say a picture is worth a thousand words. Well, this photo perfectly portrays my usual Fall Sunday.

Accurate Portrayal

And, yes, while I do enjoy watching my fair share of football (fantasy football implications), because of the mediocre play of the NY Jets (and the fact that they rarely play on Sunday afternoons it seems), the entire act has become slightly trite. That’s why it was enjoyable to change it up this past Sunday.

Rebecca (my girlfriend) and I visited my stressed first year medschool buddy Josh and his girlfriend Amanda (both of Music Court fame) in Greenwich village. It was a rare opportunity to see the duo, what with Amanda still in her senior year at Binghamton and Josh buried up to his neck  in medical terms and practices. Our city pursuit? The Ron Pope concert at Dominion on Lafeyette.

I love small bar/venues. There is a cozy intimacy that spawns from the dim-lit bar, low cushioned seats, and open concert floor. It is particularly exquisite when the space is not cramped. Luckily, the venue took on this well balanced flavor on Sunday night, and, because of space, the sound remained vibrant and decently mixed through the night. If it wasn’t for some dude consistently ripping violent, odorous, mexican-food farts throughout our stay, the venue would have only taken on the aroma of yeast, hops, and cologne, like that of an uppity bar, and that would have been just fine.

Ron Pope came on after two singer/songwriter opening acts. But while these acts filled the same broad genre, it is important to cite their differences. Let me premise this opening act review by assuring you that they are both worth a listen.

Alexis Babini
 
Alexis Babini does not like being compared with John Mayer. At least that’s what he told the Dominion crowd in the middle of his setlist. An iTunes review labeled him as a Mayer-like artist. Don’t worry, Mr. Babini. I have no intention of comparing you to John Mayer. I actually think that label is wrong. Babini, a 24-year-old musician from New York, fits comfortably into the singer-songwriter genre, yes, and while that can make him like Mayer, his distinct pleasant vocal and acoustic flavoring, makes him different.
 
 
Babini, proficient in guitar and piano, fits the mold of a Joshua Radin/Joshua James folk musician, with catchy, head-bopping, creative rhythms. His music is accessible and it evoked smiles from the crowd. I think that was the most important aspect of his performance. I must admit that after he tackled his first few songs, Amanda turned to our group and exclaimed, “He sounds like Paul Simon,” and pretty much right after that Babini sampled “Cecilia.” We exchanged glances and started to hysterically laugh. Credit to Amanda. He elicited smiles from the crowd and even engendered a call-and-response sing-along in his song “Smoke.”
 
 
This song implanted itself in my mind for later usage. Before I began writing this post, I found myself humming the chorus. That’s an excellent thing that Babini has going for him. His music is infectious. This is similar to his co-opening act who I will look at…now!
 
 
 

Zach Berkman fits a different singer-songwriter profile than Babini. His voice is different and his rhythms more staccato. He too plays melodious, radio-ready pieces, and he is also guitar/piano proficient. Berkman’s creativity oozed through his set-list. His riffs were original and neat and his acoustic sound resonated.

Like Babini, Berkman, originally of Illinois, has had his songs used by TV shows (no surprise for both as they play excellent teenager-friendly, drama, television music). His strength, as displayed in the song above, is his powerful voice, high, but also expressing a full range.

While I had little difficulty placing Babini’s sultry voice, I had to search through my brain to think of a comparison for Berkman. I thought of two, one during, and one after the show. Berkman has a twang to his voice like Brett Dennen, but a true similarity, especially with the above song, to Eric Hutchinson (listen to “Okay, It’s Alright With Me”). While Hutchinson has more of Michael Buble’s rat-pack croon, I feel that Berkman can fit into this category. And, I believe he is most effective there. “Hero” is an excellent song.

Ron Pope
We move on to the headliner, Ron Pope. Pope, originally of the Greenwich village scene, is a consummate musician, one who maintains the rare ability to musically multitask. Pope can sing a delicate, heartfelt ballad, and then rip out a guitar solo (like he did with a mid-show “Little Wing” tribute – see below) just to keep you honest. I both enjoy and respect musicians who have this ability. Pope, who hid his face behind what looked like a no-shave-for-November bushy beard, played an excellent show that displayed these varieties of style. His pop/blues superiority was respected by a crowd of around 50-100 that sang along with his lyric and gyrated with his guitar.
 
I went into this show not knowing much about Pope. Amanda and Josh both enoy his music and I first heard of him when Josh played me a song or two several months ago. I enjoy going into concerts with no expectations. If I do not know what a person sounds like, I can make an unbiased judgment on their music. I must say I was quite impressed by the five-piece band. They balanced the variety quite well.
 
 
“A Drop in the Ocean,” which was co-written by Zach Berkman, was one of the most popular songs of the night, and it demonstrates Pope’s intimate side. The song is a slow, powerful ballad, that is carried by his voice. Without Pope’s croon, the song could easily fall into the hackneyed category. But it rides the line well and remains an enjoyable and authentic piece.
 
 
Yeah, he can also rock the hell out. If I take away anything from his performance it will be an envy of his rock diversity. It is impressive and wonderfully executed.
 
Pope had Berkman and Babini join him on stage (as well as some other friends) for a joint performance of Neil Young’s “Hopeless” to conclude the show. The resulting sing along was tasteful and wonderfully loud. There was a smile on the faces of everyone on stage, especially a grinning Pope, who soared high above everyone standing on a piano stool, screaming “Helpless” at the top of his lungs with the appreciative crowd.

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Higher and Higher: Passion Pit, the Concert Review

7 Nov

Hey devoted followers and fair weathered readers, you may have noticed I’m taking a slight break from my normal column to delve into the wide world of concert reviews.  I’d heard mixed reviews of seeing Passion Pit live but they left no doubts that they can put on one hell of a show.

I’d like to digress for just a little, though, to give a shout out to the opening band, We Barbarians.  The opener for the last show in the same venue, whose name I won’t speak, left a lot to be desired, mostly an hour of my life that I could never get back so I was slightly biased.  The Barbarians, however, forced me to reconsider what I had previously learned and I think you should check them out above this.  Take a look at this link for some pictures of the venue (Cornell University) and the show itself (Barton Hall).

Now, on to the main attraction.  Let me set the stage for you.  We Barbarians finishes playing at 9 and it’s 9:30.  In a space meant for 1,000, you’re surrounded by 4,999 people who want nothing more than to get closer to you than your girlfriend.  You’re sweating from places you didn’t know you could sweat from and smoke hangs in the air from both the smoke machines and the kids smoking weed in a 360 degree radius surrounding you.  Needless to say, you’re quite hot and bothered.  And then the music starts and, if only for an hour, you and the crowd are no longer at odds with each other but become one in the same pursuit.

For one thing, I was really surprised with lead singer’s Michael Angelakos’ stage presence and stage act.  From the first song he was interacting with the crowd, having us sing along, a trend which he continued for the entire evening.  Also, despite not playing an instrument for most of the show, he did include theatrics in his stage act, such as twirling, throwing and catching his microphone, reminiscent of Roger Daltrey of the Who.

Also, I was really impressed with the band’s ability to recreate their very electronic sound on stage.  The band did a really good job of switching instruments to replicate multiple parts and Angelakos’ high pitched, falsetto vocals sound the exact same as they do on record.  You could tell the band was having fun on stage and that energy kept the crowd jumping, dancing and just grooving to the music.  Go see them, it’s worth it.

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