Monthly Archives: June 2018

Concert Queen Strikes Again…and Again…and Again…

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!

Brooklyn Bound for David Bowie is

I finally got a chance to head up to Brooklyn to catch the David Bowie is exhibition at the Brooklyn Museum.  It’s been touring around the world for the past five years and the Brooklyn Museum is the last stop.  There are over 400 items in the exhibit and most of them are from Bowie’s Archive.  There are costumes, handwritten lyrics, photographs, drawings, etc., plus lots of wonderful video clips of performance footage.  The audio tour automatically plays Bowie’s music and voice as you walk through the exhibition, making you feel as if he’s giving you a personal tour of the collection.  You don’t need to be a Bowie super fan to enjoy this exhibit. I recommend it for anyone who enjoys his music or enjoys studying music in a cultural context.

A few of my favorites from the exhibition were:

The Costumes – Bowie had a keen sense of style and his wardrobe gave life to the characters he created. He could easily go from one style to the next; wearing especially artful jumpsuits for Aladdin Sane to tailored, sharp suits in the 80’s.  He worked with many notable fashion designers to constantly reinvent himself.  The exhibition features many of his famous costumes plus video clips of him performing in the costumes which I particularly liked.

Insights on his Creative Process – Having studied art, Bowie was very involved in developing the concepts and artwork for many of his album covers, concert props and imagery, and he would also sketch out images to correspond with his song lyrics. The exhibition features many of his small sketch books and drawings which allowed you to see how his ideas developed.

Stage & Screen Highlights – I also enjoyed the small section that highlighted Bowie’s acting career. In addition to his popular roles in Labyrinth and The Man Who Fell to Earth, he performed mime, starred in the Elephant Man on Broadway and entertained in countless music videos. The exhibition features a Broadway playbill, a handwritten letter to Bowie from Jim Henson, clips of Bowie from various portrayals, and more.

David Bowie is runs through July 15th.  If you plan on going, give yourself plenty of time to navigate the exhibition.  It took me about 3 hours but I read almost everything.  I recommend going during the week if possible as it was very crowded on Sunday when I was there. Photos were not permitted so I don’t have any from inside the exhibit to post except for a couple from inside/outside of the gift shop.  You’ll have to go see all of Bowie’s fantastic collectibles in person!

For more information on the exhibition, visit https://www.brooklynmuseum.org/exhibitions/davidbowieis.