* Among the inductees into the Rock n' Roll Hall of Fame in 2018 are the bands The Moody Blues, Dire Straits, Bon Jovi and The Cars.
Shocking to me that the Moodies weren't in sooner. I saw them for the first time in concert last July at the Mann Music Center and they were great. "Nights In White Satin" remains a classic song.
I'm not a big Bon Jovi fan, but I'm glad they made it too. Jon Bon Voji seems like a decent guy. He does a lot to help others in need. So it's a nice thing to see his band finally be inducted into the Cleveland-based music shrine.
The Cars were an underrated band. I remember their fame well, an 80s band with great videos when MTV really mattered.
Dire Straits was another great 80s band. Their classic song and video "Money For Nothing" spurred the catchy phrase "I want my MTV".
I still don't get why so many hip-hop and rap artists make it to the Rock n' Roll Hall. The Hall should be saved for strictly rock/pop bands and artists. So, it was refreshing to see the four bands mentioned above-real rock' roll bands- .finally get their due.
* Soon we will be sharing our "Best of 2017" lists and reflecting on the year that was. I saw a bunch of music concerts this year, a good, varied mix of artists and here is my wrap-up of those shows.
- June- Mann Music Center- Bryan Adams-
It was a nice spring evening at the Mann, and Bran Adams did a tidy two-hour show, mostly of his hits. The Mann was probably only halfway filled. Adams was fun and generous with his songs ( 25 + songs) but the set seemed too scripted and staged.
- July- Mann Music Center- The Moody Blues-
Their opening set on a beautiful summer night before a sold-out crowd was mostly hits.The sound was a little muffled, but they quickly corrected the sound by the second set, which featured their classic album "Days of Future Passed". It was the 50th anniversary of the release of that iconic album. The Moodies displayed a dazzling array of sights and sounds at the Mann that night.
- August- Allentown Fair- Keith Urban-
A really fun show. Keith Urban is country, pop and rock, so there was something for everyone. It was hot but the rain held off and it was a fun show.It was jam-packed in both the grandstand and in front of the stage.
- August- Allentown Fair- Rascal Flatts-
Two nights later we saw the country band again at the Allentown Fair, on a chilly night for late summer. They did a tidy show in less than two hours. I'm not the biggest Rascal Flatts fan, but it was good to see them and they sure do have a loyal following.Not as crowded as the Keith Urban show.
- September- Citizens Bank Park- Billy Joel-
I've seen the Piano Man numerous times before. He was good on another chilly night in South Philly. m with Billy Joel shows is, there's nothing new. He can do album cuts, and the old reliable hits sound comforting to hear again, but his live set screams for new material to keep it fresh .Surprisingly, not quite sold out.
- September- Tropicana Event Center, Atlantic City- Rick Springfield-
Never saw Springfield live before but always knew he put on a fast-paced, exciting show. It was fun, even though he couldn't play guitar because of a hand injury.At the end he told the sold-out crowd "We will meet again"> Little did I know then that it would be sooner than imagined.
- October- Colonial Theater- Al Stewart-
His yearly pilgrimage to Phoenixville, Al was great as usual. He did the entire album "Year of the Cat", as he did in 2016, but this time it was with a full band.The Colonial was packed.
- October- Colonial Theater- The Yardbirds-
A week later the classic 60s band, The Yardbirds, visited Phoenixville. They did a hard, energetic show to a not-quite-full audience.
- December- Sands Event Center, Bethlehem- Richard Marx/Rick Springfield-
An acoustic concert, well done by both Marx and Springfield, who each did a full acoustic set before a big crowd. The final set was shared by Richard and Rick, who sounded great while singing together. A fun time on a snowy night.
No comments:
Post a Comment