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A Life of Music Posts

The Police, Vancouver, B.C., May 27, 2007
May 27, 2024

The Police, Vancouver, B.C., May 27, 2007

Like many others, I waited a long time for this show. I just missed seeing The Police at the tail end of their original incarnation. I never really thought the opportunity would present itself but when I learned at the end of the previous year that …
The Jayhawks, Seattle, WA, March 31, 2024
March 31, 2024

The Jayhawks, Seattle, WA, March 31, 2024

Going to see The Jayhawks is like catching up with old friends. Since discovering them with Hollywood Town Hall (American, 1992), their songs have been part of my life's soundtrack.I had not seen them since moving to the Pacific Northwest almost e…
Yo La Tengo, New York, NY, February 29, 2000
Feb. 29, 2024

Yo La Tengo, New York, NY, February 29, 2000

Yo La Tengo, Town Hall, New York, NY, February 29, 2000 with support act LambchopThis was a slow, quiet show in support of And Then Nothing Turned Itself Inside-Out, a slow, quiet record. The band may have taken that aesthetic to the extrem…
Sounds for the Soul: Ambient Compilation 6
Feb. 17, 2024

Sounds for the Soul: Ambient Compilation 6

In addition to my work as host of Spotlight On, I manage to keep my hands in several business and creative ventures.I am incredibly pleased to share with listeners that Burning Dervish, an ambient music project of mine, has a track - Five Wonders …
Black Sabbath, East Rutherford, NJ, February 5, 1999
Feb. 5, 2024

Black Sabbath, East Rutherford, NJ, February 5, 1999

Black Sabbath, with support acts Pantera and Deftones, at Continental Airlines Arena, East Rutherford, NJ on February 5, 1999Once I decided to go see the reunited Black Sabbath (which really didn't take much deciding at all) it became obvious ther…
Donny McCaslin, New York, NY, January 22, 2016
Jan. 22, 2024

Donny McCaslin, New York, NY, January 22, 2016

Donny McCaslin, Village Vanguard, New York, NY, January 22, 2016, Late ShowDonny McCaslin and his band were, of course, the musical collaborators with David Bowie on his final album, ★. This show took place less than two weeks after Bowie's 2016 p…
Lou Donaldson Quartet, New York, NY, January 19, 2012
Jan. 19, 2024

Lou Donaldson Quartet, New York, NY, January 19, 2012

Lou Donaldson Quartet, Early Show at the Jazz Standard, New York, NY, January 19, 2012Lou Donaldson is one of the most-sampled artists of all time and supposedly the holder of that title for the Blue Note Records catalog. His "Ode to Billy Joe", f…
Rolling Stones, New York, NY, January 16, 2003
Jan. 16, 2024

Rolling Stones, New York, NY, January 16, 2003

Rolling Stones, Madison Square Garden, New York, NY, January 16, 2003This show was #39 of The Licks Tour, an international run that ultimately tallied 117 performances. This night was also a 'dress rehearsal' for a live HBO broadcast two nights la…
Twisted Sister, New Haven, CT, January 12, 1986
Jan. 12, 2024

Twisted Sister, New Haven, CT, January 12, 1986

Twisted Sister, with opening act Dokken, at Veteran's Memorial Coliseum, New Haven, CT, January 12, 1986This one's a whole other kettle of fish, isn't it? I have always liked a lot of different kinds of music, the only issue is that it took…
Dr. Lonnie Smith, New York, NY, January 11, 2012 (early set)
Jan. 11, 2024

Dr. Lonnie Smith, New York, NY, January 11, 2012 (early set)

Dr. Lonnie Smith Trio at Jazz Standard, New York, NY, January 11, 2012, Early SetThis recording is from my personal archive. There is some room noise in the quieter spots - the sound of dishes clanking and such, but it is more than worth a listen.…
Windborne’s The Music of David Bowie, Seattle, WA, January 10, 2017
Jan. 10, 2024

Windborne’s The Music of David Bowie, Seattle, WA, January 10, 2017

Windborne's The Music of David Bowie: A Rock Symphony with The Seattle Symphony, S. Mark Taper Foundation Auditorium, Benaroya Hall, Seattle, WA, January 10, 2017. From the Seattle Symphony's website: "The genius of David Bowie's innovative r…
Regina Spektor, Seattle, WA, January 9, 2017
Jan. 9, 2024

Regina Spektor, Seattle, WA, January 9, 2017

Regina Spektor, Private Performance, Amazon Campus, Seattle, WA, January 9, 2017This show took place on my first day on the job at Amazon. The company has an event space in the main building of their Seattle campus, which is wher…
A Bowie Celebration, Livestream, January 8, 2022
Jan. 8, 2024

A Bowie Celebration, Livestream, January 8, 2022

A Bowie Celebration, livestream from Rolling Live Studios, Studio City, CA, January 8, 2022 (the 75th Anniversary of David Bowie's birthday)Some of the show and several of the highlights have made it onto YouTube and are included here, but the a…
A Prairie Home Companion, Seattle, WA, January 7, 2017
Jan. 7, 2024

A Prairie Home Companion, Seattle, WA, January 7, 2017

A Prairie Home Companion, Paramount Theatre, Seattle, WA, January 7, 2017As for so many others, A Prairie Home Companion was the soundtrack to many a-Sundays: for long drives, brunches, cooking marathons in the kitchen, or just otherwise backgroun…
Joan Stiles, New York, NY, January 5, 2012
Jan. 5, 2024

Joan Stiles, New York, NY, January 5, 2012

Joan Stiles, Jazz Gallery New York, NY, January 5, 2012, Second ShowThere were two shows this night for the release of Joan's CD, Three Musicians. This recording, from my personal archive, is of the second show.The band is Joan Stiles (pi…
Jethro Tull, New Haven, CT, October 31, 1989
Oct. 31, 2023

Jethro Tull, New Haven, CT, October 31, 1989

Happy Hallowe'en! Are you dressing up this year? Giving out candy? Going to a party? Maybe a concert? I'm getting a COVID booster. Spooky!I have seen quite a few concerts on Hallowe'en over the years, though. This one was my first. I was (a…
Grateful Dead, New York, NY, September 20, 1988
Sept. 20, 2023

Grateful Dead, New York, NY, September 20, 1988

Insomuch as Dead Heads have consensus around anything, there is general consensus that 1988 was a very good but not great year for the band. There were some tight, high energy shows but little of the deep psychedelic exploration that many fans sough…
Grateful Dead, New York, NY, September 13, 1991
Sept. 13, 2023

Grateful Dead, New York, NY, September 13, 1991

There was a time in my life when September meant "Fall Tour" and "Fall Tour" meant taking the train to New York City a couple of times a week for the Grateful Dead's annual residency at Madison Square Garden. The band once held the record for most s…
Jorma Kaukonen Trio, Norwalk, CT, September 6, 1998
Sept. 6, 2023

Jorma Kaukonen Trio, Norwalk, CT, September 6, 1998

The Globe Theatre in Norwalk, CT was a classic. I only saw this one show there, but I loved the room: great sight-lines, great sound, and if my hazy memory serves me well, a short distance to the bar.This last point mattered a lot at the time. The…
Hot Tuna, Seattle, WA, August 30, 2018
Aug. 30, 2023

Hot Tuna, Seattle, WA, August 30, 2018

Well I'll be, a show where three of the four musicians on stage have been guests of the podcast. I think we need to get Justin Guip on, if only to collect 'em all...The various incarnations that Hot Tuna (and Jorma Kaukonen) have appeared under th…
Derek Trucks Band, New York, NY, August 13, 2009
Aug. 13, 2023

Derek Trucks Band, New York, NY, August 13, 2009

Over the last 30 years or so, Derek Trucks has gone from nepo baby child prodigy, to adult virtuoso, to grizzled American Road Dog. He's even an avid fisherperson. And he still has a lot of life and career ahead of him. In interviews, he seem…
Crosby, Stills & Nash, Bristol, CT, August 5, 1988
Aug. 5, 2023

Crosby, Stills & Nash, Bristol, CT, August 5, 1988

When David Crosby died, a Rolling Stone podcaster remarked on how much of a career Crosby, Stephen Stills and Graham Nash managed to get out of what was essentially two classic albums (their debut as CSN and Déjà Vu, their first album …
Phil Lesh & Friends, Camden, NJ, July 28, 2001
July 28, 2023

Phil Lesh & Friends, Camden, NJ, July 28, 2001

I used to love going to see this band.Known as "The Quintet", this was the longest-running incarnation of Phil Lesh & Friends. In addition to Phil Lesh on bass and vocals (always a 'yikes'), there was the twin guitar attack of Warren Haynes an…
Grateful Dead, Tinley Park, IL, July 21, 1990
July 21, 2023

Grateful Dead, Tinley Park, IL, July 21, 1990

This show was the first of a three night run to close out the Grateful Dead's 1990 Summer Tour.The band was on a stellar, multi-year tear that began with the Spring East Coast Tour in 1987 but really found its legs throughout 1989. By Summer of 19…