Category Archives: Music Reviews

Movie Review: “Chickenfoot Live”

Posted on by

Dec. 2, 2009

poster-CF

I was a bit surprised and embarrassed to see that there were only six of us in the theater. As a matter of fact, the absence of advertising was strikingly apparent. There were no posters in the lobby and no lights or billboards promoting the event. I found this odd—wouldn’t they want as many people to attend as possible?

“Chickenfoot Live” was filmed in high definition with surround sound. It opened with the band in a huddle, bent inward, as Sammy Hagar said his customary blessing.

The next scene showed Joe Satriani, Chad Smith, Michael Anthony and Sammy onstage in Phoenix, AZ, and they opened with “Avenida Revolution.” I expected the sound to blow me out of my seat, the way it did when I saw them in concert, but it didn’t. Maybe the establishment needed to turn up the volume.

The theater also presented the picture with the bottom edge cut off because it overflowed the screen. This was distracting.

The close-ups were one of my favorite aspects of this movie—Chad, Joe, Sammy and Mike sweating and rocking their hearts out. There were a lot of interesting shots here, views the ordinary concert-attendee wouldn’t normally see, such as a shot looking down on Chad and his drums. Nice!

And the vocals were amazing. I don’t know if the film was tweaked to enhance range and singing in key, but the vocals were spot-on perfect. So was the music.

I would have liked to have seen performances from a few of the other shows thrown in though. I also would have liked to have seen the between-the-songs antics the band is known for. Not only are they outstanding musicians, their personal interaction with the fans is something that makes attending a Chickenfoot concert truly a memorable experience. Maybe I’m spoiled, but I felt cheated not having been let in on this important part of the show. While Joe normally just stands there smiling and blowing the walls off the place with his unparalleled guitar proficiency, Sammy and Chad usually ham it up with the audience and involve the fans. Sometimes even Mikey joins in. When Chickenfoot came to Denver this past September (see my post “The Foot Comes Down in Denver” dated Sept.15 ,2009) Chad brought a woman from the audience onstage. He stuck his drumsticks down the front of her shirt and pulled sticks out one by one, then tossed them to the crowd. 

I also didn’t think the movie showcased the incredible energy Chad has. And although it did a good job of portraying Satriani’s talent, I think it could have complimented him a bit more. The film’s portrayal of Hagar and Anthony though, was very well done. Some of the shots of Mikey were phenomenal; it made me feel like I was right there onstage with him. And there was a close-up of Sammy screaming into the mic that made me feel it all the way down my spine.

I loved every minute of “Chickenfoot Live.” And when I went online this morning and read some of the reviews from fans across the nation, I realized they too, noticed only a handful of people in the theaters. I think I know why. “Chickenfoot Live” wasn’t advertised because it was a personal gift from the band to their fans, a kind of “by-invitation-only” special screening, perhaps as a thank you to those of us who have supported them. Of course I could be mistaken, but I don’t think so.

Was the film “almost as good as being there?” Not even close. Chickenfoot explodes live. But if this is as good as it gets for you in lieu of a live performance, you won’t be disappointed.

Wish I was going to Vegas for their final concert on December 5.

Ch-Ch-Chickenfoot CD Review

Posted on by

June 7, 2009

Chickenfoot CD

Recently released June 5, 2009! Click on CD cover above to purchase, or go to www.chickenfoot.us/ to download the MP3 version for only $3.99!

*   *   *   *   *

I can see where many have prejudged this album. Based on the short teasers on Chickenfoot’s website, I was initially guilty of the same. Portions of “Soap on a Rope,” “Down the Drain” and “Oh Yeah” were available before the album was released and I have to admit, when I first heard them, I was disappointed. I thought: “I wanna be your hoochie koochie man?” what kind of lyrics are those? Immediately there came visions of Charro… scary.

And the teaser of “Down the Drain,” caused me to think: here we go again, he’s singing “I need love in the morning and I need love first thing in the evening.” Come on, give me some substance…

It was the same with “Soap on a Rope.” When I first heard it, I thought: oh, no, not another song about sex and drinking…

Well, I was wrong. After seeing Chickenfoot live in San Francisco, I was truly wounded. In a good way. In a fantastic way. I don’t know what I was expecting, but it was not the caliper of what I got that night. I wrote a review of the show, so I won’t repeat it here. Check out my post of 5-20-09 if you’re interested.

As for the album itself, I have to say that this is one of the best rock sounds I have ever heard. Yep, right up there with Zeppelin. The surprising changes in these songs are one thing that makes them exciting and memorable. Just when you think this is gonna be a slow song or it’s gonna go this way or that way, it changes and lights up into something completely different. It’s a pleasure to listen to, an  honor, really. The songs showcase each of the musicians to their fullest. They really sing. Each of them, although not always with their voices.

The intro to “Avenida Revolution” slithers like a forbidden snake up your spine. Chad’s drums grab you RIGHT NOW. Sometimes the drums have a Native American feel. This song is an unexpected explosion with a dirty, nasty, dark, heavy rock beat. Sammy’s scream at the end, buries it deep. Satriani, Smith and Anthony all have small solos which highlight their outstanding talents.

The shining moment for me in “Soap on a Rope,” is when Joe’s guitar quakes with riffs reminiscent of SRV (Stevie Ray Vaughan) and is accompanied by a bend uuuuuup that takes you up with it. Also during one of the guitar moments, there’s a point where I can’t tell if the sound is created exclusively by Satch’s guitar or if Sammy is moaning along with it. If it’s just the guitar, I’ve never heard this technique before and it’s brilliant. “Soap on a Rope” bounces with a happy beat. It makes you feel good.

In “Sexy Little Thing,” Sammy will be criticized for his songs about drinking and sex, but it wouldn’t be Sammy without that. Although I was initially guilty of thinking the same, “Sexy Little Thing” is one of those tunes that makes you have to move your ass; you can’t sit still. The guitar starts out sounding a bit like a mandolin and then kicks into gear. It’s a catchy tune and a lot of fun.

“Oh Yeah” has a dark sort of feeling to the middle of it. It tastes a lot like the chord progression in the Beatles song “Because,” which is one of my all-time favorite songs ever. It builds and explodes, then falls back down, rising again with a guitar solo.

“Runnin’ Out” is a political statement about the struggle to hold on to hope. “Long after the mud has settled, you left us with a dirty man…” and “we’re running out of heroes” is a clear message about disenchantment with the Bush administration.

“Get it Up” has a melodic, rolling bassline that really stands out. It’s so full of energy, you can’t escape its impact. I love the repeated references to the word “round.” Even Joe’s guitar seems to convey the feeling of swirling in some places during the song. Chad gets a chance to wail on drums and Mikey can clearly be heard screaming his distinctive backing vocals in this song, giving it all he’s got.

Without doubt, “Down the Drain” captures Chickenfoot’s unique sound from the first note. I love the lyrics “do me when I’m dirty;” that really seems to express the voice of this band. It’s their statement. This is another song I had misjudged based on the small sample on their website. I thought this song lacked substance. I wanted more than what I had initially heard. Well, this song is loaded with substance. Maybe not in the context of the lyrics, but in the music itself. The music here is so phenomenal, it doesn’t lack for anything. Chad and Mikey’s contributions to this band are forefront in “Down the Drain.” And Sam’s scream at the end just seals this song, wraps it up, seals it nice!

My least favorite song on the album is “My Kinda Girl.” It’s not a bad song; it just doesn’t stand out for me.

I already wrote my impression of “Learning to Fall:” “There is something beyond the words here, beyond the melody. It drifts just below the surface and weaves itself with Joe’s guitar and the beautiful flowing harmonies. I don’t think I’ve ever heard Sam’s voice contain so much depth. It reveals something intimate about him that he feels compelled to share and yet wants to guard because maybe it’s just a little too personal to give away—and would they get it even if he did? But it shines through anyhow; he can’t help it, and it glides and caresses like fine cognac slipping down your throat and warming your insides.”

This is by far my favorite on the album. My only criticism is that I wish they would have given me time to recover from “Learning to Fall” when they played it live, before they went into the next song. I missed the first half of “Turnin’ Left” because I was so taken with “Learning to Fall” that I couldn’t tear myself loose from it!

Joe’s remarkable guitar skills are in their glory in “Turnin’ Left.” This is a heavy-hitting, hard-driving rock song that moves fast right from the beginning. Again Sammy and Mikey’s combined screams give this song power, accompanied by the hammering beat and music. Is that a scream combined with the squeal of the guitar or just a perfect blend of musicianship? Great high-energy piece.

“Future in the Past” begins rather funky, then turns the corner and takes on a middle-Eastern flavor. It spins like a belly-dancer’s flowing silk veil, taking you in different directions, then climbs into a hard rock bend. This is another favorite for me. There are a lot of twists here. I think the lyrics contain more meaning than they originally exhibit.

“Bitten by the Wolf” didn’t grab me at first. But when it did, it became another of my favorites on this CD. I heard things in Sammy’s voice I’d not heard before, except perhaps a taste in Van Halen’s “Apolitical Blues.” Sammy can sing the blues. Only a singer with this much depth of soul can pull this off to this height. Some strategically-placed emphasis on certain words like “muddy,” demonstrate his talent beyond doubt. With the gravelly soul sound of a raw blues singer, it goes through me like a jagged shock of lightening.

Sammy said this song was about vampires; I didn’t get that impression–except for the lyrics “we gonna live forever,” which I couldn’t figure out how that had to do with New Orleans.

There is not a bad song here.

Chickenfoot has single-handedly revived rock ‘n’ roll! This album is destined to become a classic.

P.S. Their performance on The Tonight Show with Conan did not adequately convey the authority of Chickenfoot. While they did a good job, something seemed off. Perhaps Joe’s and Mikey’s mics were turned up too loud and it distorted the sound because this was not the raw power of the band I witnessed in San Francisco or the extraordinary talent I hear on the CD!

Chickenfoot “Owns” San Francisco’s Fillmore

Posted on by

May 20, 2009

IMG_2413
My body hurts all over; it’s wrung out like a wet rag. My right ear hasn’t quite come around yet either.

Chickenfoot’s performance at the Fillmore in San Francisco, CA on May 17, 2009 was the concert of a lifetime.

I knew I was in trouble when the first song, “Avenida Revolution,” a balls-to-the-wall song about the perils of Mexican immigrants, pounded from the speakers like an iron fist slamming down hard on the stage. Or maybe the biggest erection known to humankind.

I was already overpowered.

Joe Satriani on guitar, Sammy Hagar on vocals, Chad Smith on drums and Michael Anthony on bass came onstage in a burst of sonic boom that felt like the world was splitting open, its internal organs shooting upward to the stratosphere like a volcano OD’ing on testosterone. It bounced off the back walls in some sort of sweet rage/euphoria and rolled like breeding thunder through the audience.

And it never let up. 

This was not Hagar fronting a band, Satriani fronting a band, or even Smith or Anthony fronting.

Chickenfoot has their own sound.They’re not a “supergroup” who will dissolve after one album. God Ihope not. They have too much to offer. Their personalities and talents meld as if they  should have been a band a long time ago.

IMG_3252
I expected to be wowed by Satch. And I was. Years ago, after having watched Eddie Van Halen perform live, I described his guitar as being his arm—an extension of him. And I was duly impressed.

But Satriani’s guitar was not an appendage. For lack of a better term, and I hate to use this because it’s cliché, he was one with it. The guitar was Joe and Joe was the guitar. The sounds he created through its body with unparalleled ease were beyond what I’d hoped to see. He added a new vision to the music—quenched a thirst for the extraordinary.

The one who really surprised me was Chad Smith. I had previously thought that the drummer’s job, along with that of the bassist, was primarily to hold the rhythm together, to keep everyone on beat. I was sorely mistaken. Chad did not politely keep time; he was not merely background noise, he was a voice demanding to be heard from the first explosive thud, an integral element. His contribution to Chickenfoot raised the bar many notches.

IMG_2290
Sammy’s voice never sounded better. It was full of depth, and yet maintained the huskiness that makes a rock singer great. He looked amazing. He sounded amazing. He demonstrated new techniques with his voice that gave Chickenfoot a fresh and innovative sound.

And Mikey hammered his bass, never missing a chance to make his personal statement with his distinctive backing vocals, the ones that helped make Van Halen famous.

Not one of them overpowered the others, and each gave 200 percent. They were dripping with sweat before the first song ended.

From the moment they took the stage, Chickenfoot commanded the sound with the expertise of professionals who had risen above that title to the point where their art flowed naturally; it was not contrived. They had earned the right to enjoy themselves while allowing us a peek into their secret passions.

The music dumped into me with such intensity and felt so damn wonderful, it was almost agonizing. There’s a fine line between pain and pleasure anyway, isn’t there? Especially in rock ‘n’ roll.

When they played “Learning to Fall,” my body felt like it was being wrenched by some out-of-control dictator. And I couldn’t stop the tears. The music was phenomenal; the harmonies impeccable. It sounded like there was an entire symphony surrounding me.

It is both glorious and infuriating to be manipulated by an outside source like that.

Mikey Chickenfoot cropped

Another highlight was Chickenfoot’s rendition of Deep Purple’s “Highway Star.” It transported me back to my teen years when life was filled with the joy of listening to captivating rock music with good friends. “Machinehead” was one of the first albums I’d ever purchased.

Sammy did a fantastic job singing Ian Gillan’s incomparable lead vocals.

Chickenfoot’s entire performance tore me up bad. And yet, I felt like I was the contender who’d won the match. I knew at the time that I was going to be hurting afterward; I just didn’t care. It was so worth it.

I think the critics who have dissed Chickenfoot have based their opinions on the 30-second snippets on the Internet or perhaps from the teasers on Chickenfoot’s website.  These samples do not showcase the brilliance of their material. Not even close.

If hard rock music is in your blood and you are presented the opportunity, you owe it to yourself to see Chickenfoot.

You’ll regret it if you don’t. Sammy Chickenfoot cropped

 

Setlist:

Avenida Revolution
Soap on a Rope
Sexy Little Thing
Oh Yeah
Runnin’ Out
Get It Up
Bitten By The Wolf
Down the Drain
My Kinda Girl
Learning to Fall
Turnin’ Left

Encore:
Future in the Past
Bad Motor Scooter
Highway Star

What a crazy name for a rock band!

Posted on by

May 14, 2009

Maybe their name is crazy, but their music will knock your socks off.

Chickenfoot is the new band featuring musicians already famous for their memberships in other groups: Sammy Hagar on vocals, guitar virtuoso Joe Satriani on guitar, Michael Anthony (former bass player for Van Halen) on bass and Chad Smith, Red Hot Chili Peppers’ drummer on drums. They’ve taken a lot of heat for their name, which started out as a joke and stuck.

I first heard them play in Las Vegas in 2008. The concert was supposed to be Sammy & the Wabos.

Chickenfoot Las Vegas 08

But toward the end of the show, Sammy announced that he had special guests waiting offstage who were dying to come on and play. That’s when Mikey, Joe and Chad made their entrance.

The four of them played a three-song set that included Led Zeppelin’s “Rock ‘n’ Roll” and Traffic’s “Dear Mister Fantasy.” The audience was ecstatic.

Since then, Chickenfoot has recorded its first album, due for release on June 5, 2009.

The band is doing a “Road Test” tour which includes nine small venues around North America before they head off to Europe. They will be back mid-July to play larger venues in the US. For more information, please visit the Chickenfoot website.

True to all the synchronicities that have fallen into my lap since my mystical experience at Sammy’s show in 2003, my husband and I somehow obtained last-minute tickets to the sold-out show in San Francisco on May 17. It was obviously meant to be, for reasons presently unknown to me. But like all the other coincidences on this wonderful journey, I’m sure the reasons will be forthcoming.

Until then, I am honored to be a part of rock music history-in-the-making and will return home with more stories. Stay tuned!

Chickenfoot – Learning to Fall

Posted on by

May 14, 2009

I can’t remember the time I have been so moved by a song.

“Learning to Fall” speaks to every cell in my body as if it were part of me. I can almost feel its spirit rising in my soul like the smoke of sweet jasmine incense.

There is something beyond the words here, beyond the melody. It drifts just below the surface and weaves itself with Joe’s guitar and the beautiful flowing harmonies.

I don’t think I’ve ever heard Sam’s voice contain so much depth. It reveals something intimate about him that he feels compelled to share and yet wants to guard because maybe it’s just a little too personal to give away—and would they get it even if he did?

But it shines through anyhow; he can’t help it, and it glides and caresses like fine cognac slipping down your throat and warming your insides.

You can’t hang a name on that feeling; you just have to allow it to move through you and enjoy its spell.

And listen to the song again.

Rock Music Makes You Explode into the Stars

Posted on by

May 6, 2009

It should be illegal to feel this good.

Last weekend I had the privilege of seeing Sammy Hagar and the Wabos in concert in South Lake Tahoe. I was in the front row as Sammy came over and sat down on the stage right in front of me to play the intro to “Bad Motor Scooter.” I had to back up so he could get his red shoes over the edge of the stage.

Pats Tahoe 2009 116

When Sammy played his slide guitar, I watched his fingers move over the strings, his thumb encased in a clear glass slide, his hands finding the exact place on the strings and quivering to create the vibration and make the sound come alive.

The sound was bigger than Sammy, bigger than the audience, bigger than all of it put together and it spilled out of the giant speakers and bounced off the crowd in the sold-out South Shore Room at Harrah’s.

As he played, the energy of the moment was so intense, I was afraid to absorb it for fear that it would overload my senses. So to counteract it, I hid behind my camera and told myself if I didn’t get pictures, I would forever regret it. Every now and then I lowered the camera and let the energy flow into me, but I didn’t let it enter me completely; it was too powerful.

And now that it’s “safe” to think about it, I realize that great rock music makes me fall to pieces like that. I love/hate this feeling.

Pats Tahoe 2009 126
Rock music elicits a loss of self-control that fuses pain and pleasure. It’s a form of therapy that forces us to let go and allow raw feelings to surface, things that perhaps “decent” people would consider taboo and refuse to acknowledge.

That only makes it more delicious.

But because of this, we are restored.

Experiencing a live rock ‘n’ roll performance full force is also like having spontaneous, unprotected sex. It puts you in that moment where it’s do or die, on the edge where there’s no turning back. It’s so extreme that you are willing to let it take you even though you know better. You’ve found yourself in that moment—sweating, heart pounding and consumed with an ache that can’t be extinguished by any other means. And although your logical mind says you shouldn’t be doing this, your emotions are out of control.

It’s like trying to halt a galloping stallion who doesn’t feel the pain of the bit puncturing the roof of his mouth as you pull back on the reins. The drive in him is unbearable. He knows where he needs to go and all you can do is hold on and enjoy the exhilaration of the ride.

How does one harness a feeling like that? Body and spirit open wide to take it all in now, to take it in hard. And it hurts so fine as you explode into the stars.

It’s rock ‘n’ roll, Baby, you don’t control it; it controls you.

Give me more.

Have You Experienced… Hendrix?

Posted on by

March 17, 2010

TheJimiHendrixExperience_ElectricLadyland_G010001885613W_F_001_72dpi

Jimi Hendrix would have been 68 now. Hard to believe. Although he passed away in 1971, Jimi’s legacy lives on and there are many fine musicians out there making it happen.

Sunday night’s concert at the Paramount Theater in Denver on March 14, 2010, was no exception. The sold-out three hour show could have gone on for another three hours and it wouldn’t have been enough for me.

Billy Cox on bass, was one of Hendrix’s original players back in the ‘60s and he showed no signs of slowing down.

Kenny Wayne Shepherd delivered a stellar performance of “Voodoo Child (Slight Return)”—wow. His style was full of soul and grit and got down to the heart of Jimi’s music.

Jonny Lang was so amazing that as he played, his music took me out of my self and made me forget who and where I was. I was so mesmerized, I couldn’t even tell you what he played! Complaining about the altitude, Jonny only came onstage once—I was hoping for more. I’ve seen him in concert several times before and although I always think I’m prepared for it ahead of time, each time he gets under my skin.

Living Colour tore it up with so much energy on “Power of Soul,” and they were so tight, the audience went wild. And with Chris Layton (from Stevie Ray Vaughan’s “Double Trouble” and Aerosmith’s Brad Whitford hammering the sound, Jimi would have been proud.

Joe Satriani performed “Three Stones from the Sun” and from the plethora of effects in his genius-sized toolbox, among others, produced sounds that seemed to flow like water—sounds I’d never heard from a guitar before. During “All Along the Watchtower,” the audience was on its feet and nearly delirious with emotion.

Among the other songs performed were: “Hey Joe,” “Fire,” “Foxey Lady,” “Red House,” “Are You Experienced?” “Crosstown Traffic,” “Purple Haze,” “Voodoo Chile,” and “The Wind Cries Mary.” I was hoping for “Star Spangled Banner” and “Machine Gun,” but I guess you just can’t please everybody.

The show also featured Eric Johnson, David Hidalgo and Cesar Rosas of Los Lobos, Susan Tedeschi, Doyle Bramhall II, Ernie Isley, and Robert Randolph—all of whom contributed to make this a most memorable evening—a tribute to the greatest and most influential guitarist of our time—Mr. Jimi Hendrix.

This is the kind of music that stirs my soul—a heavy-electric-infused, psychedelic mind trip, and easily one of the best concerts I’ve seen. Give me more!

Chickenfoot’s “Get Your Buzz On Live” DVD Review

Posted on by

May 18, 2010

I assume this is the same concert I saw at the movie theater (sans the bonus footage) last December.

If so, I don’t remember the film being this dynamic at the theater because where Chickenfoot really must be experienced to be appreciated, is live. Or maybe it was the fact that when I watched this at home, the huge sound contained in my small living room almost blew out my windows. And I don’t mean because I had the volume cranked up.

When Joe Satriani, Sammy Hagar, Chad Smith and Michael Anthony break in with “Avenida Revolution,” it always surprises me because it’s such a dramatic entrance. It slams you hard. Now. And it hurts so fine. This time was no exception.

I already wrote about my impression of the movie on the big screen in Movie Review: Chickenfoot Live so I won’t repeat that here. Please see that post if you’re interested.

The bonus material in this DVD is the behind-the-scenes stuff that was missing from the version I saw at the theater. It shows Chad doing man-on-the-street interviews with would-be Chickenfoot “fans.” Holding the mic, which is outfitted with the Chickenfoot logo, Chad asks, “Do you recognize any of these guys?”

“No,” comes the answer from more than one interviewee. Funny stuff.

Then there’s Chad’s photo shoot where he’s dressed up like Will Ferrell in “Elf.” Smith points out that because of the costume, there’s a noticeable elf bulge in his pants, which he concludes isn’t a bad thing, then sits down on the floor and proceeds to literally tear up a snare drum. More funny stuff.

There’s a segment where Sammy visits Bob Weir (of The Dead) and they share a bottle of tequila while chatting about marijuana, among other things. Not sure if they’re stoned in this part of the documentary or not, but they sure are laughing a lot. At one point, Bob picks up a guitar and strums an impromptu melody. Sammy can’t help but jump in, ad-libbing vocals. Now if there’s one thing I’d like to put on my bucket list, it would be being in the room with Sammy and his friends while they’re just jamming like that. I can even feel the vibes through the TV screen.

Mikey is interviewed by Adam Corolla. This was my least favorite portion of the bonus footage, only because I didn’t like how Adam told Mikey he was the weakest link in Chickenfoot. Come on, Adam, Mikey deserves better than that!

Then there’s the “Joe Cam,” where Satriani films odd moments such as Chad’s nightly “flesh wound assessment,” and pans the audience from his onstage perspective. I think I recognized a few faces. And Satch being interviewed by Christopher Guest a.k.a. Nigel Tufnel from Spinal Tap, is amusing.

I also liked the tidbits from various concerts that were scattered throughout. They captured the vivacity—the sheer and commanding over-the-top force that is Chickenfoot in concert.

While I thought some of the interview segments seemed to run on a bit too long, overall, the bonus footage rounds out the DVD nicely, even Chad’s mooning the audience and his demolition of his drum kit at the end. Chad, you maniac! You ROCK!

Great concert video and fun extras.

Chickenfoot is due to record their second album soon and an inside source tells me it’s going to be amazing.

Can’t wait.

Concert Review: Tool – A Trip In and Out of Your Mind

Posted on by

June 29, 2010

I’ve been to hundreds of concerts in my day, everything from Yanni to David Bowie and I have never seen anything like Tool.

They performed at Redrocks Amphitheater in Morrison, CO last night. They’re doing another show there tonight.

To see Tool at Redrocks was a spectacular treat because the venue itself is outdoors, with the lights of Denver in the background, twinkling like millions of stars above the stage—yes above the stage. Then there were millions of real twinkling stars above that—as the full moon rose like a giant orange disc, while lightning flashed from the stage and from the sky off to the south as if it were part of the show. Tool’s lasers then zapped like thin green and red electric fingers over the crowd, bouncing off the rocks behind us.

I thought I was wearing those funky 3-D glasses and didn’t know it.

Tool’s music is heavy, dark and mind-provoking. It’s full of wonderful, holographic, hard-rocking angst and honest, gritty lyrics. I love music like this—music that makes me uncomfortable enough to question who I am.

The show opened with “Third Eye” and the song stepped out flashing, intense and macabre. It was a fitting entrance, as if to say, “Open up your mind,” since in many spiritual traditions, the third eye is believed to be the window to the soul.

I was first struck by the fact that none of the musicians upstaged the others. The bass player, Justin Chancellor, and guitar player, Adam Jones were out front, on opposite sides. Drummer Danny Carey was on a riser between and behind them, and the lead singer, Maynard James Keenan, to the left of the drummer. He never had a spotlight on him and you never really saw him unless he was outlined against the big screen behind him.

I’m not used to this. I’m used to seeing the lead singer stealing the show—basking in the limelight. Not in Tool. This alone made me uncomfortable, made me respect them because instead of focusing on how the singer looked, I was forced to watch the video behind the band—mechanical humanoids, huge eyes popping out in unexpected places, alien-looking beings floating and spinning, and colors pulsing, dripping and throbbing at me while I felt the pounding tension of the music. It was like an acid trip without the drugs.

Most of the audience was stoned—or tripping. I don’t know how anyone could watch a show like this while tripping. I think it would literally blow your mind so bad that you’d end up permanently insane. Besides, you didn’t need drugs to trip out on this show. I’ve also been to several concerts recently where I seem to have been lucky enough to have some dude behind me throwing up. Tool was no exception. I was glad I wore my shoes instead of the flip-flops I had originally planned on wearing.

Then there was another guy pissing into a plastic water bottle next to the guy who puked all over himself. And on the way out of the parking lot, there were more people stumbling, screaming and falling off the road than I’ve ever seen. As we drove out of the venue, a guy alongside our car said to his friend, “Dude, I’m tripping bad.” His friend replied, “Let it happen, man.”

Tool would be proud.

As far as the music, besides “Parabola,” “Schism” and “Vicarious,” another of my favorites was “Forty-Six & 2.” I loved the music and the video and I loved the lyrics—about confronting your shadows. Isn’t that one of the hardest things in life?

Maynard rarely spoke to the audience, except for a brief moment after about the first three songs, when he said, “I have a public service announcement—marijuana is illegal.”

The audience raised their smoldering joints and screamed back, “F–k you!”

I have no doubt that this band is hindered only by the parameters of modern technology—a live show must be presented in a certain way in order for it to be most effective—but if they could figure out a way to move beyond those parameters, they would. And I’m sure they will one of these days.

The concert—and I hesitate to use this word; it seems too cliché for Tool—ended with “Aenima,” and pretty much all I can say is, “Wow.” It’s about facing the stupid crap we think is important in life.

Tool was unquestioningly the weirdest concert I’ve ever been to—even topping David Bowie as Ziggy Stardust in the ‘70s. But Bowie’s show was strictly entertainment; Tool was an experience in and out of my mind like a beating heart, or how my body feels after running or after sex—when it’s heaving and sweating.

I am wounded.

The biggest test of whether a concert experience has been meaningful, is whether or not one would fork over one’s hard-earned dollars to see the band again.

In this case, all I can say is, “Oh—hell yeah!” Wish I was going tonight too.

Voice of the Blues: Jonny Lang

Posted on by

July 21, 2010

Ah… Jonny…

Last night was the third time I’d seen Jonny Lang in concert. The first was when he was just beginning his career—a teenage boy with a guitar. I couldn’t figure out how such a big sound and big voice could come out of someone so young.

I still can’t. Jonny has as much soul as that of a man in his 60’s.

Some are just born with talent, I guess.

Jonny took the stage Tuesday, July 20, 2010, at the Gothic Theatre in Englewood, CO. It’s a small venue that holds about 1,000. Built in the 1920’s, it’s rather tattered, with brick walls and old paint, but it has character—the perfect place to play the blues.

Lang ripped through his repertoire, combining some slow and some faster songs and always, ALWAYS putting his heart and soul into each piece. It’s almost as if he’s in his own world up there onstage, getting so heavily into the sound that he’s not even aware of anyone else in the room. I don’t mean this in a bad way, because in order for others to be able to relate, an artist has to expose his or her soul with raw honesty. That’s when great art shows us parts of ourselves.

In this department, Jonny never disappoints.

His performance took me out of myself to the point where I leaned over and said to the man next to me, “You know it’s good when the music makes everything feel right with your soul.”

To a packed house, Lang played “Breakin’ Me,” “Turn Around,” “Red Light,” “Rack ‘Em Up,” and “I Am” to name a few. But my favorite was “Lie to Me,” which he started out acoustically, then switched to electric guitar and really kicked it in the ass. With his face writhing between agony and euphoria and sweat flinging off him, Jonny and his band tore the place up.

This is what the blues is all about.

Jonny Lang is what the blues is all about.