By Chip Lovitt
‘Tis the season to be jolly…and to issue top ten lists, so let me join the crowd. I’ve seen a lot of concerts this year—what else is new—and there wasn’t a bad one in the bunch. But there were some shows that really stood out. Here’s my personal live music highlight reel.
Jeff Beck, the Hammerstein Ballroom NYC, September 12, 2006
I know my fellow columnist, Larry Dobrow (Whammy Bar), says Jeff has been phoning it in for a while. BUT, (and it’s a big but), Jeff Beck playing the phone book is better than millions of guitar players playing the Encyclopedia Britannica. At the Hammerstein, Beck once again demonstrated what one can do with a cranked up Strat and amp, a whammy bar, and just your fingers. I for one will never get tired of hearing Jeff play “Beck’s Bolero.” I don’t care how old it is. Great guitar work from one of the masters of the instrument. That’s my story and I’m sticking to it.
John Fogerty, the Beacon Theater NYC, December 1, 2006
After years of legal disputes, John Fogerty has clearly taken back ownership, both legally and musically, of his Creedence Clearwater Revival catalog. He attacked that legacy with amazing energy and fervor at the Beacon. Brandishing Les Pauls, Teles, and acoustic guitars, Fogerty cranked out nearly 40 tunes, 30 of ‘em CCR hits, and the rest the best of his solo career. He had a terrific band, including three guitarists and one of my favorite powerhouse drummers, Kenny Aronoff. The way Fogerty was running around the stage, you’d never know the guy was in his 60s. It was a GREAT show start to finish, one that reaffirms one’s faith in the power of rock ‘n’ roll.
Mark Knopfler and Emmylou Harris, Radio City Music Hall, June 22, 2006
Emmylou Harris’ vocal harmonies could make anyone—even me—sound good, but the pairing of her with Mark Knopfler is a match made in musical heaven. Between the two of them, the pair has a seemingly endless repertoire of terrific songs, and wonderful vocal chemistry. The show was in support of the pair’s All the Roadrunning CD, but it also featured Dire Straits tunes and Emmylou’s solo work. Add in a fine band of multi-instrumentalists playing electric and acoustic guitars, dobro, pedal and lap steel, and more, and the result was an unforgettable show.
Chris Isaak, The Beacon Theater NYC, August 17, 2006
I’ve always believed if you put a fine singer-songwriter in front of a time-tested band with real chemistry and genuine musical friendships (like the E-Street Band), you get a memorable show. Great hook-filled songs and a terrific band, what else is there is to say? Well, add in the suit embroidered with hundreds of tiny mirrors that Chris wore during the encore–imagine a human mirror ball effect–well, you get the picture. Isaak, a funny guy with a charming stage presence, played lots of his trademark sad songs. But, strangely enough, you feel good listening to them. And when he rocks out, he does it with authority and style.
Paul Simon, Radio City Music Hall, October 21, 2006
Once again, Paul Simon came into town with a big, multi-national band and, to quote the lyrics from “Late in the Evening,” he blew that room away. For me, Paul Simon is a national treasure, with a songbook that stretches from his Simon and Garfunkel days to the present. With a healthy helping of songs from S&G classics, Graceland and the rest of his solo career, Simon covered a lot of musical ground, both career-wise and style-wise. Plus he’s no slouch when it comes to guitar playing either. What can I say? I’m still crazy about Paul Simon’s music after all these years. (As an added treat, dobro master Jerry Douglas opened the show.)
CSNY. The Theater at Madison Square Garden, NYC August 27, 2006
I got snowed into paying $250 for a ticket to CSNY’s New York show. But it was totally worth it to sit in the third row of this smallish venue within the Garden complex, and see a band that I’ve loved since 1969, still in such good form. It was basically Neil Young driving the show, contributing the most songs and most impassioned guitar work on “Old Black,” his ’53 Bigsby-equipped Les Paul. But Crosby and Nash’s harmonies still are magic. Stephen Stills still plays a mean Telecaster, and despite their rocky history, he and Neil still have that great guitar chemistry. It would have been a nostalgic stroll down Memory Lane, except for the fact that Neil Young’s Living with War tunes are as relevant as it gets today. I, for one, have no trouble with rock mixing with politics, and this was a powerful multi-media show with a stinging anti-war message, as well as great musicianship and lots of cool guitars and amps to scope out. To paraphrase one of Neil’s recent tunes, “good to see you guys again.”
Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers and Trey Anastasio, Madison Square Garden, June 20, 2006
Like I said earlier, put a terrific singer-songwriter in front of a tight band of musical buddies, and you’ve got the makings of a great show. Besides Tom Petty’s seemingly limitless reservoir of memorable tunes, the show also featured several cool duets with Steve Nicks, and a rousing opening set by Trey Anastasio. One particular highlight was when the Heartbreakers did a mini-tribute to the ‘60s British Invasion featuring rave-ups of the Yardbirds’ “I’m a Man,” and Fleetwood Mac’s 1969 classic, “Oh Well.” Petty and Mike Campbell are one of the great rhythm-lead guitar combinations in rock, and the rest of Heartbreakers are no slouches either. Plus if you were looking through binoculars, you could scope out all these great vintage guitars—Gretsches, Gibsons, Ricks, Telecasters, and more. It was a guitarfest in every way.
Larry Carlton and Robben Ford, IMAC Theater Huntington NY, March 17, 2006
Do I have to say anything else? Two great masters of the electric guitar, strutting their jazz-rock stuff, all with the greatest of taste, tone and sheer melodicism. For a change, I’m speechless. It was that good.
Bruce Cockburn, Ethical Cultural Center, NYC September 16, 2006
A college buddy booked this Canadian singer-songwriter-guitar virtuoso at my upstate New York college in 1974, and I’ve been a fan ever since. Thirty-plus albums later, I still buy tickets to his shows every time he comes to my neighborhood. Cockburn (pronounced Co-burn) used to play the late, great club, The Bottom Line, most years, but this venue is a wonderful substitute. It’s like a church, so the sound is sweet and clear and Cockburn and his band were heavenly. (Sorry, I couldn’t resist that one.) Cockburn has a deep catalog of compelling tunes at his disposal, including solo acoustic instrumentals, but it was a treat to see him with a band this time around. His is music from the heart and the brain, all delivered with a unique fingerstyle guitar backup. Where do I sign up for tickets for the next tour?
Richard Thompson Tarrytown Music Hall November, 3 2006
I’ve been a fan of this talented singer-songwriter-guitarist since his days with Fairport Convention in the 1960s. I’ve seen him dozens of times since and he just keeps getting better and funnier all the time. Thompson is a master, a one of a kind guitar player with a forty-year catalog of catchy, clever and compelling songs. He was playing solo, but he makes his guitar sound like an orchestra with his unique fingerstyle guitarwork. I personally will never get tired of hearing him play the motorcycle-inspired tune, “Vincent Black Lightning 1952.”
Honorable mentions include James Taylor solo at the Beacon, Texas troubadour Robert Earl Keen at Westport CT Arts Center, and Laurence Juber at the Turning Point which would be in my top ten if I hadn’t devoted a whole column to him a while back.
I can’t wait for the 2007 season to start. Keep on rocking in the free world.
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