I recently checked out the “Play it Loud” exhibition at New York City’s Metropolitan Museum of Art. Co-organized with the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, the exhibition primarily features various instruments from some of rock and roll’s greatest and most influential musicians. It’s the first time that a major museum has had an exhibition of this nature.
Some might think this exhibit is just like viewing rock instruments at a Hard Rock Café but I think the exhibition gives a little more insight into the construction of some of the instruments and the desired sounds that the artists were looking to achieve.
Not only does the exhibit convey the importance of the instruments’ sound, it also highlights the significance of the instruments’ visual appearance. Some rock and roll legends used colorful imagery and graphics on their instruments that were representative of their unique styles.
I enjoyed the artfulness of the instruments and I’d like to highlight a few of my “artsy” favorites.
Hendrix used nail polish to paint the designs on this famous guitar that was used between 1967 and 1969.
McCartney played this violin bass adorned with a Union Jack design during the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee celebration concert in 2012.
The custom made drums feature nude pictures of Lily Langtry, British flags and Who logos.
The FOOL was a group of psychedelic artists who painted instruments for Jack Bruce, Eric Clapton and Ginger Baker as well as a mural on the Beatles’ Apple store in London.
Overall, I found the exhibition informative and very enjoyable. It was great to get an up-close look at the instruments that make the music. I highly recommend seeing it if you’re in New York City. If you go, be sure to check out the live performance clips of the musicians and their instruments in action too.
The exhibition runs through October 1st.
https://www.metmuseum.org/exhibitions/listings/2019/play-it-loud
For me, summertime means concert time! One of my favorite things to do is see live music and I recently had two weeks of one great show after the other. It started with U2 and ended with Dr. Dog. Here are a few highlights and my most loved moments from each show.
My whirlwind of concerts started with U2. It was a nice treat to see them at the Wells Fargo Center after seeing them outdoors last year for the Joshua Tree tour. Their outdoor shows are epic but I prefer the intimateness of their indoor shows. The production, as always, was incredible. The band was tight and Bono’s voice was beautiful. They played a lot of new material from Songs of Experience which I happen to love, especially the danceable “The Blackout” and the rockin’ “American Soul,” but they threw in a few gems like “I Will Follow” and “Gloria” for the old-timers too. Overall, it was an incredible show especially for long-time fans like me who continue to follow them and keep up with their latest releases.
Two days later, I made the trek up to Toronto to see one of my all-time favorites – Robert Plant. He didn’t stop in Philly this tour so I planned a road trip to see him at the outdoor waterfront Budweiser Stage. Sheryl Crow opened the show with lots of energy and many of her hits then Robert Plant and the Sensational Space Shifters hit the ground running, opening with “The Lemon Song.” It was a Zep fan-heavy crowd, so this song was a huge hit with everyone. They went on to play a really nice mix of new songs from Carry Fire, some Zeppelin songs and even “In the Mood” from The Principle of Moments, which pleasantly surprised me. He rarely plays 80’s material so it was a real treat to hear that one.
A few days later I was back in Philly and at the Mann Music Center to see Roger Daltrey perform Tommy with the Philadelphia Chamber Orchestra. Tommy has always been one of my favorite Who albums so I was happy to see Roger perform these great songs once again. I felt that the rock opera really came alive with the addition of the orchestra. The overall sound was so rich and the violinist who played at the end of the “Baba O’Riley” finale was amazing! Roger was pretty amazing too!
Capping off this stretch of concerts was hometown rockers, Dr. Dog. This is one band that gives an incredible live performance! I never tire of seeing them live. Touring in support of their new album, Critical Equation, the guys performed a nice mix of old and new songs and kicked off the set with a crowd favorite, “Shadow People.” Festival Pier was a nice venue choice for the group too as their music has a cool party vibe.
Next up, I’ll be seeing Foo Fighters then I’m sure I’ll hit a few more shows over the summer – Xponential Festival, possibly Jethro Tull at the Mann in September, maybe a 104.5 Summer Block Party. There are so many good concerts. I hope that my pocketbook can handle it!
Vinyl Revival is OPEN TODAY until 5:30! Stop by and check out all of the vintage and new vinyl records, home and fashion accessories, art and collectibles.
We’re not only celebrating our grand opening, we are celebrating the 44th anniversary of Woodstock! Wear tie-dye and take 10% off your order.
We have lots of records by Woodstock performers including Jimi Hendrix, The Who, Jefferson Airplane, Joan Baez and Santana, so pick up something by these classic artists.
Jimi Hendrix was the last performer at Woodstock.
