On Saturday, September 2nd, 1995, my brother Trip & I drove to Cleveland, Ohio for the inaugural Rock & Roll Hall Of Concert. It was completely insane; Dylan, Springsteen, Chuck Berry, Johnny Cash, Mellecamp, James Browne, Soul Asylum, Dr, John, Bon Jovi, John Fogerty , Al Green, The Kinks, The Pretenders … the list just rolled on and on.
Well, this passed week, the Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame staged a benefit concert at Madison Square Garden. This time, the show was spread over two nights … but all the stars came out to play again. What can I say??? Simply AMAZING!!!
OPENING:
1) A killer 20 minute film clip covering the history of rock & roll. And, it is worth noting that if you ever get to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame – go see the film clips – they will blow your mind.
2) Tom Hanks gives a great speech on having to tell your Dad that: this music means something to ME!!! That's why I have to play it LOUD!!!"
3) Followed up Jerry Lee Lewis playing a solo/piano version of "Whole Lot Of Shaking"
Already I know it's gonna be a great night. The sound is PERFECT!
Crosby, Stills & Nash (with band) take the stage to start their set:
The set included: Woodstock, Marikesh Express, Almost Cut My Hair, as they say – the hits just kept on coming.
Bobbie Raitt joins them; she sings lead on "Love Has No Pride" - Then Bonnie stays on stage while Stills sings "Midnight Rambler" - Jackson Browne joins them: The Pretender. And this is followed by James Taylor: Mexico
Love The One You're With – well, this just smoked, where all the singers traded lead vox. Then CS&N added a Buffalo Springfield song: Rock & Roll Woman - Ending with an all hands on deck version of "Teach Your Children"
Second Set:
Another great film montage. Then Paul Simon and his band take the stage and play the hits: Diamonds On The Soles Of Her Shoes - Me & Julio - You Can Call Me Al. Them with Dion: The Wanderer – Then CS&N join Paul for acoustic "Here Comes The Sun" – then back with his band, we get: Late In The Evening
Little Anthony & The Imperials go all acapella: Two People In The World (which blew the roof off the place).
Then ... Art Garfunkle walks out ... with no introduction, he just walks out to a center mic - the entire Garden goes ballistic.
Sounds Of Silence - Mrs. Robinson - Not Fade Away - The Boxer - Cecelia - Bridge Over Trouble Water
Third Set: Stevie Wonder & his band. After an embarrassing 15 minutes of no vocal mic (the crowd just kept cheering to keep Stevie smiling), this guy owned the stage.
Opening number: Dylan’s; Blowing In The Wind - (Uptight) Everything's Alright - I Was Made To Love Her - For Once In My Life - Signed, Sealed, Delivered I'm Yours - Boogie On A Reggae Woman. Smokey Robinson joined in: "Tracks Of My Tears" - John Legend sings: Mercy Mercy Me. Then a complete Stevie sings Micheal Jackson’s: The Way You Make Me Feel (in mid song, Stevie breaks down in tears). BB King joins in: The Thrill Is Gone. Stevie & the band rip “Livin' For The City” – then are joined by Sting for: Higher Ground/Roxanne/Higher Ground. Stevie brings it to a thunderous end with with Jeff Beck: Superstition.
Then ... Bruce ... and all bets are off!!
Tenth Avenue Freeze-out - Hold On, I'm Coming (with Sam Moore) - Soul Man (with Sam Moore) - The Ghost of Tom Joad (with Tom Morello) - Fortunate Son (with John Fogerty) - Proud Mary (with John Fogerty) - Pretty Woman (with John Fogerty) and Jungleland to end the set.
The encores are pure celebration: A Fine, Fine Boy (with Darlene Love) - Da Doo Ron Ron (with Darlene Love) - London Calling (with Tom Morello) - Badlands (with Tom Morello) - You May Be Right (with Billy Joel) - Only the Good Die Young (with Billy Joel) - New York State of Mind (with Billy Joel) - Born to Run (with Billy Joel) – Then ending with an 'all hands on deck' - Higher and Higher. Five plus hours later … it’s time to grab a cab.
Night 2
Introduction – Film clips (same as Night 1); Tom Hanks (same as Night 1). Then Great Balls of Fire - Jerry Lee Lewis
Aretha Franklin & her band: Baby I Love You - Chain of Fools - with Annie Lennox – (Then the show comes to a screaming halt): Some song from the broadway musical: Ragtime (It took the life out of MSG); New York, New York. Then Ms. Franklin gave the crowd what they wanted: Think: with Lenny Kravitz; and ending with: Respect. Overall, an OK set.
Jeff Beck (filling in for Eric Clapton, who cancelled due to illness) surpised me with just how entertaining he can be – and, just how thrilled he was to be there.
Drown In My Own Tears - Freeway Jam - As We Part As Lovers - People Get Ready (with Sting) - Let Me Love You Baby (with Buddy Guy) - Foxy Lady (with Billy Gibbons of ZZ Topp); Then an incredible instrumental version of The Beatles “A Day in the Life: - Note to Trip: This set was a whole lot of fun. Even you would have dug it!!
Now was the biggest surprize of the night for me. These next guys were a boatload of FUN!!! Metallica!!!!
For Whom the Bell Tolls - One - Turn the Page (Bob Seager cover) - Sweet Jane (w Lou Reed) - White Light/White Heat (w/ Lou Reed) - You Really Got Me (w/ Ray Davies) - All Day and All of the Night (w/ Ray Davies) - Iron Man (w/ Ozzy Osbourne) - Paranoid (w/ Ozzy Osbourne) – then a really big stunner, a perfect Stone Cold Crazy (A Queen cover), ending with: Enter Sandman
Then U2 doing what U2 do best: entertain the hell out of the crowd:
Vertigo – Magnificent - Because the Night (with Bruce Springsteen & Patti Smith) - I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For (w/ Bruce Springsteen),
Mysterious Ways - Where is the Love (w/ Black Eyed Peas), then ... the unannounced, HOLY SHIT moment of the night: Gimme Shelter - w/ Mick Jagger (Fergie, from The Black Eye Peas NAILED the female vocal part!). - Stuck In a Moment You Can't Get Out Of (w/ Mick Jagger) and closing with: Beautiful Day.
What can I say? It is very rare that nights deliver on the hype that surround them, but these two nights delivered … and then some. And, to this old guy, it was a great reminder, folks with guitars are still the best live ticket out there.
1 comment:
Post a Comment