Zilla's Concert Experiences: RBO Edition

[Zilla2112]

Ringo Starr and His All-Starr Band
with Andy Suzuki & The Method

Artpark
June 24, 2014

Matchbox
It Don't Come Easy
Wings
I Saw the Light
Evil Ways
Rosanna
Kyrie
Bang the Drum All Day
Boys
Don't Pass Me By
Yellow Submarine
Black Magic Woman / Gypsy Queen
Honey Don't
Anthem
You Are Mine
Africa
Oye como va
Love Is the Answer
I Wanna Be Your Man
Broken Wings
Hold the Line
Photograph
Act Naturally
With a Little Help from My Friends
Give Peace a Chance














Ringo Starr and His All-Starr Band started off my summer of concerts, and there couldn't have been a better concert to start with! Though this wasn't the first Artpark show this summer, it was the first show of the six that I attended there. I attended this show with my dad and his girlfriend, Pam. I also met up with my best friend Zac and his girlfriend Ciara there as well. Once I left work, I rode down to Artpark with my dad and Pam. We had some delicious subs and snacks. We decided to park in the same area we parked last year, but we soon found out that parking was forbidden there. There were "no parking" signs there before, but someone took them down before we parked there. Supposedly, a pool store across the street ran into some issues with concert-goers and was able to ban parking around their store. Luckily, the three of us waited in our car to eat, and a police officer kindly told us to find parking elsewhere. We found some cheap parking nearby, but unfortunately for Zac, he parked in the no parking zone and got a ticket.

We walked the trail to the amphitheater and soon met up with Zac and Ciara. However, the spot we found for our portable chairs was terrible: we could only see a screen, and even our view of that was at a bad angle. Andy Suzuki & The Method was performing as we got there, and they were pretty good! Andy Suzuki in particular had a wonderful singing voice. Sadly, we couldn't see him or his band too well. Once Andy Suzuki finished, the weather started to become really terrible as we experienced a heavy downpour. Luckily, we brought umbrellas, but we soon had to evacuate to the indoor mainstage theater because of lightning. We waited for a good 15 minutes or so inside until the storm subsided. Once the storm ended, we went back outside and were able to find better spots. My dad and Pam found a spot with a solid view of the stage, while Zac, Ciara, and I found a spot to the side. While we still couldn't see the stage and could only see a screen, we had the ability to walk down the aisles and see the stage very well. This was one of the few times when stormy weather actually made the concert better!

Ringo and his band soon got set up and opened with Carl Perkins' "Matchbox". Not only was the legendary Ringo Starr at Artpark, but he was backed by Toto's Steve Lukather on guitar and vocals, Mr. Mister's Richard Page on bass and vocals, Todd Rundgren on guitar and vocals, Santana's Gregg Rolie on keyboards and vocals, Gregg Bissonette on drums, and Warren Ham on saxophone and percussion. Having all these accomplished musicians on stage ensured an exciting show with a lot of variety. Not only did we hear Beatles and Ringo Starr solo songs, but there were three songs each from Toto, Mr. Mister/Richard Page, Todd Rundgren, and Santana.

Performance-wise, the band was brilliant. Steve Lukather could shred among the best, as he particularly played blistering solos during "Black Magic Woman". Richard Page stood out vocally, singing his Mr. Mister material just as well as he did in the 80's. Todd Rundgren was certainly a character, breaking out the drums for "Bang the Drum All Day". Rolie, Ham, and Bissonette were great as well. In fact, I'd say that Ringo was the least talented musician on stage, and Ringo was still very good. His singing wasn't perfect, but nobody expected it to be considering how long Ringo's been making music. His drumming was as steady as ever, as two drum sets were on stage for Ringo and Gregg Bissonette to play. Their parts complimented each other well: Bissonette would often handle the main drum pattern while Starr added accents and tom patterns.

Ringo Starr sure had a stage presence. Even at age 73, Ringo had a lot of fun, engaging the crowd and walking around the stage. Ringo's all about peace and love, and he made sure to spread it to the audience! He's such a lovable guy, singing to fun songs like "Yellow Submarine" and "With a Little Help from My Friends."

The set was pretty much perfectly chosen. Most of Ringo's signature Beatles songs were there, though I would have loved to hear "Octopus's Garden." I really enjoyed hearing "Photograph" as well, as it's my favorite solo Ringo song. The two songs from Ringo 2012 (which Ringo humorously claimed that only 5 people at the show bought), "Wings" and "Anthem" were also well performed. The three Santana songs were probably the best of the solo material, especially with the extended "Black Magic Woman" jam. The two Mr. Mister songs were awesome as well, though the solo Richard Page song was just alright. The three Toto songs were representative of their career, though "Hold the Line" was my personal favorite. I didn't dig the Todd Rundgren songs as much as the others, though they were performed to perfection.

My view of the show differed throughout: for some of the more interesting songs, I went to the aisles where people were allowed to stand. Here, I could see the band perfectly. During other songs, I remained seated and air drummed along, only seeing the band from the nearby screen. Near the end of the show, it started raining again, but it didn't stop the band from finishing their amazing set. Closing with the very fitting "With a Little Help from My Friends", Ringo ended the show on an uplifting note. The rest of the band went into John Lennon's "Give Peace a Chance" as Ringo once again wished us peace and love.

I am so happy I got to see Ringo Starr this summer! This was an amazing experience that I'll never forget. Though the weather was bad and the place was packed, I still had an amazing time with a little help from Ringo and his friends.

[Zilla2112]

Boston
with Bruce Wojick and The Struggle

Artpark
July 8, 2014

Rock & Roll Band
Smokin'
Feelin' Satisfied
Last Day of School
Life, Love & Hope
Peace of Mind
It's Been Such a Long Time Interlude
Cool the Engines
Surrender to Me
Don't Look Back
Something About You
Amanda
The Launch
More Than a Feeling
Walk On
Get Organ-ized
Walk On (Some More)
Foreplay / Long Time
Party









On this day, I took a trip to Boston! Well, a short trip to see the band play in Lewiston, anyways. Despite having Tom Scholz as the only original member in the band and a rather disappointing duo of recent albums, Boston can still put on an amazing show! After going to Burrito Bay with my dad, we went out to Artpark for the show. The traffic was pretty crazy and the venue was relatively packed, but we were luckily able to find a great spot in the middle of the crowd. My friend Zac went to this show as well, though the standing area was so full that he decided to sit elsewhere for most of the concert. The first band on the stage was Bruce Wojick and The Struggle, and they were pretty solid. Other than some great guitar playing, I don't remember too much of their set. Regardless, they were a solid opener for Boston.

After a period of waiting, Boston took the stage, opening with the one-two punch of "Rock & Roll Band" and "Smokin'". Tom Scholz had a massive guitar rig, consisting of his famous Rockman amplifiers. There were also two sets of keyboards, and the drums were behind some sort of clear glass to help isolate them from the rest of the band. The band also used a massive screen to project various videos, often involving guitar-shaped spacecraft.

In place of the legendary Brad Delp was Tommy DeCarlo, who has been Boston's vocalist since 2008. After Brad Delp's passing, many (including myself) wondered if any vocalist could even come close to his astounding vocal performances. DeCarlo, while having a slightly different tone than Delp, did a very good job. Though he couldn't hit every note Brad hit on the albums, I'm sure most vocalists couldn't hit them either. Regardless, the other members of the band contributed to the famous vocal harmonies, and they sounded fantastic. In particular, guitarist Kimberley Dahme was great at hitting some of the higher harmonies.

Tom Scholz's guitar playing was mesmerizing. He was able to recreate his famous, spacey guitar sounds live, and he played very well too. Gary Phil also played guitar and contributed some guitar solos and harmonies.

The setlist was mostly very great and was almost exactly as I predicted it to be. Most of the self-titled Boston record was played, which was the best material, as well as decent portions of Don't Look Back and Third Stage. Material from Walk On was featured as well, though luckily it was the harder material. Even though the last two Boston albums were pretty awful, Boston only played two songs from their newest album, Life, Love & Hope. These songs, as well as the Walk On material, were improved by the live drums by Curly Smith.

While the concert was going on, some crazy things happened. Throughout the evening, several planes flew overhead, most likely coming from the nearby Air Force base. It would be more fitting if they were guitar-shaped spaceships, but that would be pretty unlikely to see. The weather was also troublesome. Though it didn't delay the concert like at the Ringo Starr show, there was certainly some rain. Even worse, high winds approached near the end of the show. I was actually pretty scared something was going to fall over! The crew had to lower the video screen and cover up the equipment, but the band continued to play like nothing was happening. The winds eventually died down and everything was fine.

Another interesting happening at the show was the appearance of American Idol contestant Siobhan Magnus on vocals. For the Walk On medley, the band introduced Siobhan to the stage. She was phenomenal! She had a fantastic range and a rockin' style that suited Boston well. We found out later that she's from Massachusetts, so it makes complete sense that she was a part of Boston's show.

The band closed the show with an amazing rendition of "Foreplay / Long Time". "Foreplay" was extended quite a bit with added sections, while "Long Time" sounded very close to the record. Zac also joined us at this part as well, as the weather made some people leave the standing area. We left the show during the encore of "Party", which I felt was a weird choice for a encore. While a good song, it's better for the beginning of a show than the last song. Putting a song from the first album as an encore, like "More Than a Feeling", would ensure that the crowd stays until the end. I was also predicting that they would play a Third Stage ballad, but the band luckily skipped it for this show. We all walked on from the concert, feeling satisfied indeed. This was such an amazing show! Though their recent albums have been bad, Boston still stands as a fantastic live band, and I'd love to see them again in the future.

[Zilla2112]

Megadeth
with Diamond Plate

Artpark
July 15, 2014

Hangar 18
Wake Up Dead
In My Darkest Hour
Set the World Afire
Sweating Bullets
Dawn Patrol
Poison Was the Cure
She-Wolf
Trust
A Tout Le Monde
Public Enemy No. 1
Tornado of Souls
Kingmaker
Symphony of Destruction
Peace Sells
Holy Wars... The Punishment Due











Out of all of the shows this summer, this was the one concert I was most curious about. Tuesdays in the Park at Artpark are well known for featuring pop and rock acts and usually draw large crowds of people who view the concerts from the comfort of their folding chairs. Megadeth is one of the greatest thrash metal bands known for technical guitar riffs, fast solos, harsh vocals, violent imagery, political criticism, breakneck speed, and pure aggression. I had no idea how well this would translate to such a venue reserved for relatively softer acts. By the end of the night, I could easily say that this show was a great success.

After having a nice dinner at Burrito Bay with my dad, we made our way to Artpark. We noticed it was much less crowded than it was during the Ringo Starr and Boston shows, and we were therefore able to find better parking. We walked to the outdoor amphitheater and the normally packed hill was mostly empty. It was definitely great to have less people around, yet, there was still a very large crowd. Instead of taking to their chairs, most of the concert-goers went to the standing area like my dad and I did. My friends Zac and Jake both attended the show, and they were lucky enough to get front-of-stage tickets. I still was able to talk with them, though.

The first band on stage was Diamond Plate, a thrash metal three piece who were playing as my dad and I entered the venue. They were a perfect opener for this show: they were thrashy and heavy, but they didn't outshine Megadeth either. Fast drumming, crazy solos, and harsh vocals were indeed present. I also enjoyed their cover of Led Zeppelin's "Good Times Bad Times". Jake was able to meet the band at the merch booth and got a CD of theirs signed.

As Megadeth got ready to take the stage, I talked with the people nearby about music and what was to be expected at this show. During this time, Megadeth got their three video screens tested and working, an addition that made the concert truly awesome. Eventually, Megadeth took the stage, opening with the explosive "Hangar 18". It was initially disorienting to hear their material tuned down to D, but I got used to it as the show went on. Megadeth was as fast and tight as ever, kicking ass the entire night!

Wave Mustaine sounded great, both on his stylish guitars and on vocals. His Rust in Peace guitar was my favorite, though all of his axes were cool. Chris Broderick was brilliant on lead guitar, playing all of the classic Megadeth solos with stunning precision. Shawn Drover was incredibly tight and solid on drums throughout the whole show, and David Ellefson was fantastic on bass, especially during his showcase parts on "Dawn Patrol" and "Poison Was the Cure".

The setlist Megadeth played was relatively short, but definitely sweet. Lots of material from Rust in Peace was heard, with the obligatory "Hangar 18" and "Holy Wars" played alongside the aforementioned "Dawn Patrol", "Poison Was the Cure", and the crowd favorite, "Tornado of Souls". Great selections from Peace Sells, So Far, So Good, So What, Countdown to Extinction, Youthanasia, and Cryptic Writings were chosen as well. Though the new Megadeth album, Super Collider, wasn't very good, the band only played "Kingmaker" from it, which is probably the best track on the album. "Public Enemy No. 1" was played as well, though I would have loved to have heard some Endgame material. It's understandable that they didn't play any though, since that album did not feature David Ellefson.

Other memorable moments included a humorous comment made to a friend from a local metal band. After holding up a sign about his recent engagement, Wave Mustaine wished to him and his wife that their ups and downs would remain between the sheets. Vic Rattlehead also made a special guest appearance during "Peace Sells", walking about the stage. For the encore, Megadeth concluded the show with "Holy Wars", playing the song to perfection. During this song, one of the people standing nearby started to mosh, something he told me earlier that he would do during that song. He was quickly caught by security and ordered to stop moshing. Other than that, the atmosphere of the crowd was great and not too hectic. After "Holy Wars", the band took a bow and we all left the venue. On the way out I saw Zac and Jake, and I also ran into my bassist John, who definitely enjoyed the show. Though the show ended faster than we thought, it was definitely an experience to remember. Megadeth remain in top form and continue to reign as one of the best thrash metal bands. I'd love to see them again!

[Zilla2112]

Yes

Seneca Allegany Casino
July 18, 2014

Siberian Khatru
And You and I
Close to the Edge
To Ascend
The Game
Roundabout
Cans and Brahms
We Have Heaven
South Side of the Sky
Five Per Cent for Nothing
Long Distance Runaround
The Fish (Schindleria Praematurus)
Mood for a Day
Heart of the Sunrise
I've Seen All Good People
Owner of a Lonely Heart





Right after seeing Megadeth at Artpark, I had the opportunity to see Yes again, this time at the Seneca Allegany Casino in Salamenca, NY. My friend Zac notified me that they were coming to this area, but he wasn't able to go. For this show, I went with my step-dad, who is a massive fan of Yes and progressive rock in general. It took under two hours to get from my house to the venue. On the way there, I listened to the new Yes album, Heaven and Earth. We were both pretty disappointed by it, since it was so poppy and wasn't even close to having any sort of edge. To clean our ears of that, I but on The Yes Album since we were going to hear Fragile and Close to the Edge later.

We got to the casino just after 7:00, thinking we had plenty of time to get to the show. I had read online that the doors were to open at 7, with Yes starting at 8. After we finally found the main entrance to the events center, we were pretty surprised that we could hear "Siberian Khatru" as we went in. Luckily, we only missed the first half of that song. The venue was pretty weird for a rock concert: it was a plain room with no elevation and only a stage in the back. The chairs were movable and were meant to be put with tables. The numbering of the chairs was taped on. This venue was meant more for traditional events with speakers and dinner and all that. The fact that they put a rock concert in there was very interesting, to say the least. Though the chairs were not on an incline, there were two large screens to the sides of the stage that featured really good camera footage of the show. Yes also had a screen behind them which displayed various Roger Dean artwork and camera footage.

Yes's set at the show was pretty great! It was advertised that the band would play both Fragile and Close to the Edge in their entirety, and they totally did so. They made the odd decision to play Close to the Edge in reverse order, which makes no sense to me, but worked out great for me personally. Because of this, I didn't miss any of the epic title track. After that, they played two songs from Heaven and Earth. This was the most boring part of the set, and we weren't alone in thinking this, as many people were leaving the concert area for bathroom breaks and such at this time. It was okay, but as I mentioned before, the songs on that album are very poppy and are hardly progressive. 80's poppy melodies with a 70's aesthetic, and it doesn't work too well. Luckily, Yes went on to play Fragile in its entirety after this, which was pretty amazing. I finally got to hear "Roundabout", which Yes couldn't play at the last show due to a lightning storm. For the encore, Yes played the classic "I've Seen All Good People" followed by the pop hit, "Owner of a Lonely Heart". I would have loved to have heard some deeper cuts for the encore, particularly stuff I hadn't heard live before, but this was a great encore for the show.

The band's performances were pretty great! The most energetic member was certainly Jon Davison, the replacement for Jon Anderson who sounds almost exactly like him. He was fantastic: his vocal range was top notch, as he hit all of the notes perfectly. Steve Howe still has his guitar chops, playing classic guitar lines and solos on his hollow-body and acoustic guitars. He particularly shined in his solo piece, "Mood for a Day". Chris Squire was very solid on bass, playing intricate parts, especially on tracks like "The Fish". Geoff Downes was pretty great on keyboards: he had a massive keyboard setup, consisting of three sets of keyboards. He would sometimes play two sets at once, stretching out both of his arms to do so. The only disappointment was the performance of drummer Alan White. Though he certainly wasn't a bad drummer, his drumming was merely adequate compared to the rest of the band. The biggest problem was that most of the material he played at the show originally featured Bill Bruford on drums. White just doesn't have the energy and skills anymore to play Bruford's parts, so he often simplified them. This was very obvious in "Close to the Edge", where White played a basic pattern instead of Bruford's complex parts during the introduction. "Five Per Cent for Nothing" sounded awful too: it's probably the worst track on Fragile anyways, but White and the band just couldn't play it.

Though Yes has passed their heyday, as evident by their most recent album for sure, they still put on a very good live show. I can understand them not having the energy they used to, considering how old the band members are. It could have been better, but I was very satisfied with their performance. Having missed "Roundabout" and them not playing anything from Close to the Edge during the last show, it was fantastic hearing those songs here. I would certainly see Yes again if they come to this area again.

[Soup567]

Zilla, I'm so freakin' jealous man. What great shows!

[Zilla2112]

Indeed, they're amazing! I'm both blessed and cursed, concert-wise, to live in Buffalo. On one end, we get the inexpensive Artpark concerts which feature some incredible bands. On the other end, a number of national touring acts skip our city, thinking that playing a show in Toronto is enough for this area. Getting a bunch of people across the border can be tough today, since we need either passports or enhanced driver's licenses to get back home. I'm so curious what's in store for next year!

[Zilla2112]

Sammy Hagar
with Maria Aurigema

Artpark
July 29, 2014

There's Only One Way to Rock
Rock Candy
Good Times Bad Times
Poundcake
I Can't Drive 55
Bass Solo
When It's Love
Whole Lotta Love
Little White Lie
When the Levee Breaks
Moby Dick
Why Can't This Be Love
Finish What Ya Started
Heavy Metal
Guitar Solo
Best of Both Worlds
Right Now
Rock and Roll
Dreams















Sammy Hagar's Journey Through the History of Rock proved to be one of the most exciting concerts this summer! After getting some dinner at Burrito Bay, my dad and I drove (sometimes over 55) to Artpark, and we hiked our way to the venue like normal. Planning to stand directly in front of the stage without being in the VIP section, my dad and I were surprised and disappointed to find out that the venue changed the orientation of the standing room. Instead of surrounding the VIP area, the cheaper standing space was to the left and right of the stage. Because of this unexpected change, we could not see the drums as well as we wanted to. Our view of the video screens was even worse, as we could only see a small portion of them.

The opening act was Maria Aurigema, a local blues guitarist and vocalist. She gave a very good performance: her guitar skills were pretty great and the band backing her was solid. Notably, the drummer played using traditional grip, something rarely seen in rock and roll. Maria also talked quite a bit between songs, making jokes to the crowd about her dress and such. Once Maria and her band finished, the sponsors were all announced on stage, something that normally happens at Artpark/Canal shows. However, one of the sponsors actually appeared on stage to accept an award. During their brief speech, the one sponsor told the crowd to enjoy "Sammy Hagar, The Red Rocket." This was truly hilarious: how do you appear on stage at a Sammy Hagar concert and not know that his nickname is "The Red Rocker"? This was a worse blunder than the "METALLICA! METALLICA! METALLICA!" guy at the Metallica show. At least he got the band's name right. My friend Zac (who was sitting behind us several rows back) and I joked about this, expecting an appearance from the "Red Rocket Raccoon" from "Saviors of the Solar System.

After a waiting period, the show from Sammy Hagar and his All-Star Band began! An intro video (which we couldn't see the best) started the show, showing the highlights of Sammy Hagar's career, with video from Montrose, Van Halen, Chickenfoot, and Hagar's solo career. Then the band entered the stage, opening with "There's Only One Way to Rock". Sammy Hagar's super line-up featured Van Halen bassist Michael Anthony, renowned drummer Jason Bonham, and Sammy's touring guitarist for many years, Vic Johnson. All four members were amazing! Sammy Hagar obviously was the star of the show, and his voice sounded as great as ever at age 66. He hit all of the high notes and had an astounding stage presence. Sammy Hagar also was very kind to his fans, wearing hats and a hockey jersey given to him by his fans. He also signed various merchandise while on stage. Hagar also plays a mean guitar, even though he's always been outshined by his virtuoso bandmates.

Michael Anthony was fantastic on bass! He shined during his bass solo, and his signature backing vocals were great as always. He also played a few songs on his Jack Daniel's Whiskey bass, a fun instrument indeed! Jason Bonham was tight as ever, playing all of the drum parts to perfection. Whether it was Alex Van Halen or his legendary dad, John Bonham, Jason rocked this concert. I just wish I could have seen him better. His highlight moment was when he played the Moby Dick drum solo, synchronized with video of his dad playing it! Vic Johnson had big shoes to fill, as he played material from Ronnie Montrose, Jimmy Page, and Eddie Van Halen. He definitely fit them! Vic Johnson played all of the signature parts to perfection, whether it was the power drill of "Poundcake" or the iconic solos "Whole Lotta Love".

The band's setlist was very great, covering the most popular of Sammy Hagar songs along with some classic Led Zeppelin material. Every major Van Hagar hit was played, as well as Sammy Hagar staples like "Heavy Metal" and "I Can't Drive 55". The Led Zeppelin songs were hard rocking and perfectly suited for Sammy's voice and the atmosphere of this show. I only wished there was more Montrose in this set: the only song played was "Rock Candy" early on in the set. Hearing something like "Space Station #5" or "Bad Motor Scooter" would have been great. I could have done without a few of the cheesier Van Hagar hits, but I understand that they were obligatory.

Sammy and his band closed the show with an encore of Van Halen's "Right Now", Led Zeppelin's "Rock and Roll", and an acoustic version of the Van Halen pop hit, "Dreams". Though the last song is, in my opinion, one of the cheesiest of Van Halen's catalog, the acoustic version was pleasant, lacking the layers of synthesizers in the original. Sammy brought a truly memorable experience to Artpark this year, and I could make a strong argument that this was the best concert of the summer. I'd love to see Sammy Hagar with this line-up again!

[Zilla2112]

Heart
with Brynn Marie

Artpark
August 5, 2014

Magic Man
Barracuda
Heartless
What About Love
Dreamboat Annie
Even It Up
Kick It Out
Straight On
Let Me Roll It
Heaven
These Dreams
Alone
Mashallah
Crazy On You
Immigrant Song
What Is and What Should Never Be
Misty Mountain Hop








Continuing my summer of Artpark shows, Heart rocked the Artpark Outdoor Amphitheater for a second time! I purposely left work early so my dad, Pam, and I could find a good spot to sit. After having dinner at my dad's house, we went to Artpark and arrived about 45 minutes before when I normally get there. However, even though the venue was much emptier than normal and there was plenty of standing room, we couldn't find any seating space in the main bowl of the amphitheater. Instead, we set up our chairs on the big hill, where we could at least get a decent view of the stage. The only problem from our spot was a nearby speaker that was transmitting audio with a noticeable delay. Before the opening act started, I met up with my friends Zac and Chris, who were sitting where I was for Ringo Starr. We got some food and chatted for a while, me getting a $2 ice cream sandwich.

While we were getting food, the opening act, Brynn Marie, began. Initially, I didn't even notice she started since she had such a quiet set. Brynn simply sang while someone else played an acoustic guitar. Though I understand what the venue was thinking, considering that Heart has female vocalists and significant use of acoustic guitars, Brynn Marie just didn't fit the bill. Without an actual band, the opening set was mere background music for all of us not near the stage. Pleasant background music, yes, but not exciting. Her cover of Cheap Trick's "I Want You to Want Me" was the most interesting part of her set, but otherwise, there were no major highlights. Once Brynn finished, I met up with Zac and Chris again until Heart took the stage.

Heart had a very strong opening to their set, beginning with "Magic Man", "Barracuda", and "Heartless". There was no major screen or anything behind the band, but they didn't need one: Ann, Nancy, and the rest of the band were so fun to watch! Particularly, Ann Wilson's trademark vocals remain just as strong as they were back in the 70's, hitting almost every high note with such power. Nancy's guitar playing was stellar as well, shining during the intro to "Crazy on You" which referenced parts of Led Zeppelin's "Babe I'm Gonna Leave You". The rest of the band was really great too, playing with precision and consistency.

Their set was really amazing: most of their major hits were played. Though Heart did play their poppier 80's hits, they were all performed well: "Alone" was particularly interesting since it was performed with minimal accompaniment. Other interesting choices include "Heaven", an original song which as of now has only been performed live, "Mashallah", a heavy new track off of their most recent album, Fanatic, and a cover of the Wings classic, "Let Me Roll It".

As amazing as their original songs were performed, the best part of the show was their Led Zeppelin encore, where the band played the classic "Immigrant Song", "What Is and What Should Never Be", and "Misty Mountain Hop". I've heard a lot of Led Zeppelin covers lately (heck, I've even performed one live), but Heart's covers were some of the best I've heard. Ann Wilson has the perfect voice for handling Robert Plant's range and style. The rest of the band played these songs just as they were on the original recordings. The only thing that could have made this better was Jason Bonham, who played Zeppelin tunes with Heart in the past. However, I got to see him with Sammy Hagar the week before, so I can't complain.

After the Zeppelin encore, I met up with Zac and Chris for one last time and then I went home with my dad and Pam. During the show, I also met up with both of my TA's from my World Civilizations classes. They were sitting only a few yards away from me on the hill. It was great to see them at this show! I really loved seeing Heart for the second time, and I hope they will come to Artpark again sometime in the future. I'd definitely like to see them up close as opposed to sitting on the hill for next time.

[Zilla2112]

Man, it's been forever since I updated this thread. Even though very few will probably browse this thread anymore, I'm gonna post some more concert stuff for my own sake, especially since the summer concerts are starting up soon. Perhaps I'll put edited versions up on Facebook or something. Ballin'!

[Zilla2112]

East Hill Garage
with The D|ave DiGiacomo Group

Mark Studios
August 16, 2014

Before I went to see Styx at Artpark, I attended another Mark Studios party. Most of the stuff was similar to the other parties I attended: the pork roast and Swedish meatballs were absolutely delicious, and The D|ave DiGiacomo Group performed again during intermissions, playing some really smooth jazz pieces. But what made this experience truly remarkable was East Hill Garage, the main act. Upon hearing their tunes live, I knew I had to check out their studio recordings and hear these amazing songs again!

East Hill Garage is a progressive rock/jazz fusion band that performs mostly original material. Guitarist and vocalist Eddie Schmidt is the leader of the group, and his guitar playing is out of this world! Eddie's tone and style is defined by his use of synthesizer pedals and unusual tunings with his spider capo. Eddie is probably the biggest King Crimson fan there is, and you can definitely hear the influence Frippertronics has on his sound. Bassist Jay Bania is easily the most dedicated member of the group. A couple weeks before the concert, Jay broke his leg in a motorcycle accident and went through surgery one week before the concert started. Jay was on plenty of painkillers and probably doesn't remember the show all too well, but his playing sounded amazing. Jay uses a lot of unique, often custom built basses, switching between traditional basses, fretless basses, and 5 string basses. I'd say that D|ave Grohl and Jay Bania are among the most dedicated musicians in rock.

Aaron Smith is East Hill Garage's trumpet player, and his abilities and feel are almost unmatched. Not only does he deliver catchy melodies and technical proficiency, but Aaron has a unique sound defined by his use of effects pedals, such as reverb, wah, and harmonizers. I could listen to Aaron play trumpet all day, every day and I would never get tired. One can definitely hear the influence of Miles Davis in Aaron's trumpet playing. Jeff McCrossan is East Hill Garage's drummer, and his playing was very steady and very tight. Jeff had a very unique setup at this show and at the recording sessions. To better enhance balancing and dynamics, Jeff played an electric kit for his snare, kick, and toms. However, to preserve part of the natural sound, Jeff used real cymbals. As a drummer, Jeff's playing certainly inspires me, particularly his use of ghost notes and his more laid back approach.

You might be wondering: that's a lot of detail for a band that played at a Mark Studios show. I provide these details because, starting in December 2015, I joined Eddie, Jay, and Aaron in a new project in which I play drums. The band's name is, no joke, the Alex Betschen Machine. I swear I had no input in coming up with the name. Joined by the virtuoso Joey Scinta on guitar and the wonderful Josh Galos on bari sax, we've been rehearsing practically every week since I joined. We played a really awesome show at a local bar and, at the time of writing this, are preparing to enter my dad's recording studio to work on some new material. I enjoy playing with these guys so much, and I am blessed to be a part of the East Hill Garage musical family. You never know what path life can take you on!

[Zilla2112]

11.

[Zilla2112]

12.

[Zilla2112]

13.

[Zilla2112]

14.

[Zilla2112]

15.