100 Unforgettable Concerts: 10

10. SIMON & GARFUNKEL

"Summer Evening Tour"
July 19, 1983
Akron Rubber Bowl
Akron, Ohio

This was the opening night of the Simon & Garfunkel "Summer Evening Tour" (their first U.S. tour in a dozen years) and they could not have picked a better night for it. Cloudless and cool with a full moon overhead. The stadium had been converted into a drive-in theater, with a huge movie screen above the stage (first of its kind). It took the road crew four days to assemble the stage and lighting.

Ten minutes before the performance, the screen began to show typical drive-in footage of a guy making pizzas ... as well as the ubiquitous cartoon dancing popcorn box. Then the screen began a countdown ... 10 - 9 - 8. At zero, the stage lights came up and the band struck up Cecilia. The next two and half hours was a musical tour-de-force with both artists performing their own material as well as their duo hits.

For this concert at least, the two of them seemed very happy to be together. Both were in high spirits and good voice. They made truly beautiful music that night. We knew we were in the presence of greatness. It was a very rare and unforgettable experience!

Here are Simon & Garfunkel with David Letterman
talking about their upcoming Akron concert ...

SETLIST:
Cecilia
Mrs. Robinson
America
My Little Town
Me & Julio Down By The School Yard
Scarborough Fair
Song About The Moon
Allergies
I Only Have Eyes For You
Homeward Bound
50 Ways To Leave Your Lover
Late In The Evening
The Late Great Johnny Ace
El Condor Pasa
Think Too Much
Still Crazy After All These Years
Kodachrome
Maybellene
Bridge Over Troubled Waters
The Boxer
American Tune
59th Street Bridge Song (Feelin' Groovy)
Old Friends / Bookends
Wake Up Little Susie
One Summer Night
Late In The Evening
The Sound Of Silence

9. THE GUESS WHO / MAX WEINBERG

"Takin' It Back Tour"

March 1, 2026

Hard Rock Live

Hollywood, Florida

If you start singing a song in the shower the morning after a great concert, you know it was unforgettable. When you and your friends talk at the kitchen table about how awesome that gig was, with each person humming a different song, you know it was truly special.

The most worn-out 8-track in my car was The Best Of The Guess Who. I had memorized every lyric of every song on that thing ...

Did you pay your dues? Did you read the news
This morning when the paper landed in your yard?
Do you know their names? Can you play their games
Without losin' track, And coming down a bit too hard?

Man, that song is so clear in my mind, I can hear it while reading this!!

I had been a huge fan since I was a kid, and I still believe that The Guess Who is one of the most criminally under-rated bands in rock music. I must have watched their Running Back Through Canada (2004 concert video) a thousand times. I had to get my fix through that video and old records because the band had a habit of squabbling and the two key founding members had not performed together in twenty-five years. Sadly, I thought my window to see them live had closed.

But in late 2025, Randy Bachman and Burton Cummings announced the resolution of an ongoing lawsuit with former members to take back their name, as well as a 2026 reunion tour of The Guess Who, scheduling thirteen concerts in Canada … and one in the United States. It would take place at the Hard Rock Live venue in Hollywood, Florida. OMG! I had already purchased tickets for another concert that night and bailed on them immediately!!

I anticipated this concert as much as any I had ever attended. I searched for a setlist from a previous performance in Niagara Falls, Ontario a few weeks earlier. It was repleat with monster hits, including several Bachman Turner Overdrive tunes as well. A 'two-fer'!! Could it get any better than this??

The Hard Rock Live (Hollywood, Florida) venue isn’t the greatest place to see a concert. Seven thousand seat capacity, set way back from the stage. But it would have to do. Our seats were in the balcony, second row. The view from our perch was unobstructed, and looking across the auditorium, I could see the seats were clearly sold out.

The band walked out at 7:30 pm while a short introductory video played, featuring old television concert clips of the band on The Midnight Special, American Bandstand, and several CBC shows. The backdrop evolved from image to image throughout the gig, revealing the same graphics from those legendary TV performances, often highlighting psychedelic flower-power caricatures and grainy photos of the band in their prime.

Randy Bachman and Burton Cummings strolled out together, with Randy taking a position on a barstool. He purposefully pulled the strap of his Les Paul gold-top over his shoulder and fussed with the knobs on the guitar. He never moved from there all night. For an 82 year old, he looked robust and ready to rock. Burton looked slightly more frail, although he moved around the stage more freely (when he wasn’t seated at his Yamaha electric piano). Burton was far more frenetic throughout the concert, frequently waving and urging the audience for more cheers, which occasionally revealed a slight tremor in his right hand.

When the music began, however, we knew immediately that they still had their chops. The sound from the stage was superb. The support band was tight and energetic. Here we go …

The next 95 minutes was the Guess Who making a serious case for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame; Hand Me Down World, These Eyes, Albert Flasher, Clap For The Wolfman, Laughing, Undun, Star Baby, American Woman, No Sugar Tonight / New Mother Nature, No Time, Share The Land …

Interspersed into this list were three Bachman Turner Overdrive classics; Let It Ride, You Ain’t Seen Nothing Yet, and the crowd-favorite concert-closer Takin’ Care Of Business.

The entire performance was a sing-along of memorable music and both the band and the audience were up for it. This was a rare instant in time, when everybody knew we were experiencing a sublime moment that might not happen again. The Guess Who was every bit as fantastic as I had hoped, and I was so thankful to have been there.

The concert was such a success that immediately following the show, the band announced an extensive summer tour of the United States.

The Guess Who Announce Extensive United States Tour

——

As we exited the auditorium, another performance was just getting started on the small stage inside the Hard Rock Cafe in the casino area next door. It was Max Weinberg’s Jukebox. Yes, Bruce Springsteen’s drummer had assembled an incredible cover band and was hosting a mini-residency, blasting through classic hits, and spotlighting his phenomenal skills on the skins.

We grabbed a table near the stage and hung out for another hour, enjoying cocktails and more great music. The entire evening was a one-of-a-kind musical experience and one of the most unforgettable ever!!

THE GUESS WHO SETLIST:

Hang On To Your Life (Opening Video)

969 (The Oldest Man)

Proper Stranger

Hand Me Down World

These Eyes

Albert Flasher

Let It Ride

Clap For The Wolfman

Laughing

Guns, Guns, Guns

Undun

Star Baby

You Ain't Seen Nothing Yet

My Own Way To Rock

A Wednesday In Your Garden

American Woman

No Sugar Tonight/New Mother Nature

No Time

Share The Land

Takin' Care Of Business

8. EAGLES

"Hotel California Tour"

February 28, 2022

Amalie Arena

Tampa, Florida

This Eagles concert was, quite simply, a superlative performance. I don't think I've ever seen such sheer competence and professionalism on display at one time. It was a beautiful thing to experience from beginning to end. The band was celebrating its fiftieth anniversary by performing the entire Hotel California album. Right from the opening riffs, the concert started with a bang ... Hotel California, New Kid In Town, Life's Been Good ... all nine songs.

Then Don Henley stepped forward and stoically teased that "back in the stone ages" records were only forty minutes long. With a wry nod, he announced that there would be a brief intermission and that they would return to "play everything else we know" for the rest of the program. In other words, they were done performing songs from the third best selling album in history (Hotel California, 33 million albums sold) and for the rest of the evening would be playing selections from the biggest-selling album in history (Eagles Greatest Hits, 38 million albums sold). Yes, two of the three best-selling albums of all time belong to the Eagles.

The crowd roared in appreciation and headed to get another beer.

The stage setting was the most refined of any we had seen on tour. A huge concave high-definition screen hung behind and above the band, often projecting the image of the inside of a room, with windows looking outside. Below this screen was a huge platform that rose periodically from behind a backdrop, revealing a fifty-piece orchestra comprised of local musicians and a backing choir. Jim Ed Norman, the band's original arranger, served as conductor. Massive lighting rigs illuminated the stage with rich colors. The sound system was crisp and clean, showcasing the precision of the band. It was the perfect combination of production and musicianship.

The band was instantly recognizable on stage; Don Henley on drums, Timothy B. Schmit on bass, Joe Walsh on lead guitar, and newcomer Vince Gill on guitar and vocals. But to the knowing ear, the real driving force was the guy standing over on the side, laying down meticulous guitar fills and flawless counterpoint riffs ... Steuart Smith. He played virtually every familiar guitar lick you remember from every Eagles track, and he played them with incredible virtuosity.

Steuart had toured with both Don Henley and Glen Frey, and replaced Don Felder after the latter was fired in 2001. Henley has said that "without Smith, there would be no Eagles." He is absolutely right. Still, Smith prefers to be a sideman, and not an Eagle.

The Eagles' Steuart Smith Keeps His Rockstar Title Private

In the wake of Glen Frey's death, the hiring of Vince Gill was a master stroke. His silky tenor voice was a perfect cover for Frey, and his country sensibilities and guitar chops beautifully related to the group's roots. He put in some extra work during this gig, due to Deacon Frey's absence due to illness. Gill, like Steuart Smith, preferred to remain reticent and often appeared sheepish in the spotlight.

It was amazing how low-profile and relaxed the concert seemed, considering the legendary status of the band. There were a few surprises, however. Their performance of Witchy Woman was unusually dark and gritty, with Joe Walsh doing some amazing improvisational solo work.

But it was deeper into the setlist where Walsh really began to shine; Life's Been Good, Funk #49, and Heartache Tonight. His loose antics and devilry brought the geriatric crowd to its feet, as did his deadpan comment, "I'd rather be 20 in the 70s than to be 70 in the 20s!!" Just seeing his facial expressions and contortions on the huge projection screen were worth the price of admission.

Joe Walsh, Eagles Amalie Arena Concert

(Photo Courtesy: Phil DeSimone)

Considering that Henley, Schmit, and Walsh were all 74 years old, it was clear that they had barely lost a step. Their voices were unusually strong as they played hit after hit. They played their early stuff. They played their late stuff. They played their solo stuff. Encores included Rocky Mountain Way, Desperado, and The Boys Of Summer.

As the concert wound down, Henley again stepped up to mention that concerts like this one were important to relieve our minds of the current difficulties of the real world (hinting at Covid and Ukraine). After a brief pause, he expressed poignantly, "in the event that we don't pass this way to perform again" he wanted to tell us how much they appreciated all the support we had given them throughout the past fifty years. His gratefulness was palpable.

Then he introduced the final song of the night, their first number one hit, Best of My Love. It capped off a brilliant three hour experience. Ultimately, I was impressed by the notion that this wasn't a typical rock concert geared to the lowest common denominator. It was a sophisticated rock performance intended for discerning adults ... and I respect them for it.

Concert Review: Eagles at Amalie Arena

(Tampa Tribune)

SETLIST:

Hotel California

New Kid In Town

Life In The Fast Lane

Wasted Time

Wasted Time (Reprise)

Victim Of Love

Pretty Maids All In A Row

Try And Love Again

The Last Resort

INTERMISSION

Seven Bridges Road

Take It Easy

One Of These Nights

Take It To The Limit

Peaceful Easy Feeling

Tequila Sunrise

Witchy Woman

In The City

I Can't Tell You Why

Lyin' Eyes

Those Shoes

Life's Been Good

Already Gone

Funk #49

Heartache Tonight

Rocky Mountain Way

Desperado

The Boys Of Summer

Best Of My Love

7. THE CONCERT FOR THE ROCK & ROLL HALL OF FAME

BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN, JOHN MELLENCAMP, AL GREEN, JOHNNY CASH, JOHN FOGERTY, ARETHA FRANKLIN, BON JOVI, JACKSON BROWNE, BOB DYLAN, SLASH, ALLMAN BROTHERS, BOZ SCAGGS, BRUCE HORNSBY, JAMES BROWN, THE PRETENDERS, GIN BLOSSOMS, DR. JOHN, ERIC BURTON, THE KINKS, GEORGE CLINTON, JERRY LEE LEWIS, CHUCK BERRY, SHERYL CROW, HEART, CAROLE KING, ROBBIE ROBERTSON, SOUL ASYLUM, IGGY POP, LOU REED, SAM MOORE

HOUSE BAND:
BOOKER T. JONES - Keyboards
STEVE CROPPER - Guitar
G.E. SMITH - Guitar
DONALD "DUCK" DUNN - Bass
JIM KELTNER - Drums
WAYNE JACKSON - Trumpet
ANDREW LOVE - Saxophone
LENNY PICKETT - Saxophone, Flute

On the weekend of September 1-2, 1995, the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame celebrated its grand opening with a massive concert held at Cleveland Stadium. As Charter members of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, we had the opportunity to purchase VIP concert credentials that gave us "All Access" to the museum as well as most of the stadium (except backstage). We jumped at the chance.

As we checked into the last room available at the Rennaissance Hotel, the front desk clerk informed us that Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band had booked the top two floors and there were several others musicians staying there as well, and that at certain times, the lobby might be closed for arrivals and departures of these guests.

The ribbon-cutting for the museum took place on September 1st. The modern architecture of the building, designed by I.M. Pei, was of a stylized phonograph player. The lobby (featuring the hanging 'car' stage lighting that U2 used during the Achtung Baby tour) and upper floors were open and spacious, but the majority of the museum was actually underground, accessed by a long escalator. There were many small rooms, each with a different theme ... early radio, Motown, Beatles, etc. The collection of material was impressive ... all four of the Beatles' original Sgt. Pepper uniforms, John Lennon's black 325 Rickenbacher, Jimi Hendrix' burned-up Stratocaster, and Elvis Presley's black leather suit from his '68 Comeback Special. As I looked around one room, I noticed John Fogerty standing there, staring at Roger McGuinn's Rickenbacker 12 string.

Predictably, the exit of the museum was through the gift shop. I started thumbing through the CDs for sale. I noticed a guy doing the same next to me. I asked him if he was looking for a good Allman Brothers CD. He laughed ... it was Warren Haynes. We talked for a few seconds about the upcoming concert and he signed my Hall of Fame baseball cap.

September 2nd, day of the show. Cleveland Stadium was big. It could hold 81,000 for a football game and potentially 90,000 for a concert. In this case, almost the entire infield was covered with mixing boards, sound equipment, video panels, and television cameras. The concert started right on time, at 7:30 pm. This was because HBO was doing a live simulcast of the event. Chuck Berry and Bruce Springsteen kicked it off with Johnny B. Goode, directly followed by R.O.C.K. In The U.S.A. by John Mellencamp. And thus began the longest continuous concert I would ever experience. The next time we would see Chuck Berry again would be well after midnight.

Why isn't this show at the top of the list? Because so many of the performances were contemporary artists playing somebody else's stuff. I mean, I have nothing against Sheryl Crow, but I would rather see the Rolling Stones play Let It Bleed. Segments of the show were fantastic, like the mini-sets played by Bob Dylan and the Allman Brothers, but generally there was a lack of cohesion to the concert that made it hard to 'stay with it' for its entire six hour length.

However, for the sheer historic importance of the show and the number of people who played, it certainly deserved to be in the top ten.

SETLIST:
Johnny B. Goode - Chuck Berry and Bruce Springsteen
R.O.C.K. In The U.S.A. - John Mellencamp
Wild Nights - John Mellencamp and Martha Reeves
With A Little Help From My Friends - Bon Jovi
It's My Life - Eric Burton and Bon Jovi

We Gotta Get Out Of This Place - Eric Burton and Bon Jovi
Be My Baby - Melissa Etheridge
Love Child - Melissa Etheridge
Leader Of The Pack - Melissa Etheridge
Blueberry Hill - Dr. John
What'd I Say - Dr. John
Tired Of Being Alone - Al Green
A Change Is Gonna Come - Al Green
My City Was Gone - The Pretenders
The Needle And The Damage Done - The Pretenders
Folsom Prison Blues - Johnny Cash
Ring Of Fire - Johnny Cash and John Mellencamp
Redemption Song - Jackson Browne
The Tracks Of My Tears - Jackson Browne
Wake Up Little Susie - Melissa Etheridge and Jackson Browne
I Can't Turn You Loose - Aretha Franklin
Natural Woman - Aretha Franklin
Freeway Of Love - Aretha Franklin and Al Green
Born On The Bayou - John Fogerty

Fortunate Son - John Fogerty
Back Door Man - Iggy Pop and Soul Asylum
Sweet Jane - Lou Reed and Soul Asylum
Wait - Gin Blossoms
I'd Feel A Whole Lot Better - Gin Blossoms
Let It Bleed - Sheryl Crow
Get Of Of My Cloud - Sheryl Crow
Thank You Falettin' Me Be Mice Elf Again - George Clinton
Take You Higher - George Clinton
All Day And All Of The Night - The Kinks
Lola - The Kinks
The Battle Of Evermore - Heart
Love Hurts - Heart
Shake, Rattle And Roll - Bruce Springsteen
Bo Diddley - Bruce Springsteen
Great Balls Of Fire - Jerry Lee Lewis and Bruce Springsteen
Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On - Jerry Lee Lewis and Bruce Springsteen
Darkness On The Edge Of Town - Bruce Springsteen

I Know How To Do It - Natalie Merchant
The Weight - Robbie Robertson

I Know You Rider - Bruce Hornsby
Scarlet Begonias - Bruce Hornsby
All Along The Watchtower - Bob Dylan
Just Like A Woman - Bob Dylan
Seeing The Real You At Last - Bob Dylan
Highway 61 - Bob Dylan
Forever Young - Bob Dylan and Bruce Springsteen
Green Onions - Booker T and the M.G.s
Something Is Wrong With My Baby - Sam Moore
Hold On! I'm Coming - Sam Moore
Blue Sky - Allman Brothers Band
Midnight Rider - Allman Brothers Band
One Way Out - Allman Brothers Band
Imagine - Bon Jovi
Give Peace A Chance - Bon Jovi
Red House - Boz Scaggs and Slash
Intro - James Brown
Cold Sweat - James Brown
It's A Man's World - James Brown
I Got You (I Feel Good) - James Brown

Dancing In The Street - Martha and The Vandellas

Good Golly Miss Molly - Little Richard
Tutti Frutti - Little Richard
Midnight Hour - Sam Moore and John Fogerty
Rock And Roll Music - Chuck Berry, Bruce Springsteen, and Melissa Etheridge

6. THE ROLLING STONES / BRAD PAISLEY / JOE WALSH / CARRIE UNDERWOOD

"Zip Code Tour"
June 17, 2015
LP Field
Nashville, Tennessee

Anticipating a Rolling Stones concert is like waiting for a hurricane; you know the event is going to be big. You're just not sure how big. Based on the media hype, we knew that this concert was going to be bigger than most. It had been thirteen years since the Stones last performed in Nashville, and exactly fifty years since they had made their first visit in 1965.

Adding to the interest, Brad Paisley raised more than a few eyebrows around town when the country music superstar volunteered to be the opening act.

Nashville is fairly accustomed to having the rich and famous of the music industry in its midsts, but even the Music City began to palpitate when Mick and Company audaciously landed at Nashville International Airport in their own liveried Boeing 737 jet. The arrival was a breaking news story, covered live by the local networks. The hurricane was at our doorstep!!

Hours before the concert, as the sell-out crowd of 48,000 shuffled into LP Field, temperatures were a sweltering 95 degrees. Yet, many people in the Nashville audience arrived early because, for them, the opening act would be nearly as important as the headliners.

Precisely at 8 pm, Brad Paisley strode out by himself with an acoustic guitar and began quietly playing the opening licks to Southern Comfort Zone. By the second verse, he had switched to one of his paisley-colored Crook Telecasters and his band was pounding out the song at full bore. His set was a well-conceived slow-build performance that included a cameo appearance by Carrie Underwood on their hit Remind Me and a rousing Life's Been Good/Alcohol jam session with the legendary Joe Walsh.

It was dark at 9:30, when the house lights flickered off, and the stage began to glow an indigo blue. A surrealistic video montage of the history of the band appeared on huge, crystal-clear, high-definition video screens as the stage lighting evolved into a fiery red. Then, the stage lights turned white-hot and an off-stage voice boomed the words we were all waiting to hear ... "Ladies and Gentlemen, the Rolling Stones!!!!"

And with the first two huge strokes of his Telecaster, the legendary Keith Richards emerged out of the smoke and fireworks, playing the opening riffs to Jumping Jack Flash. Following behind, surged one of the greatest rock and roll and pop culture icons in the history of mankind, Mick Jagger, skipping and pointing while shouting, "I was born in a crossfire hurricane ..."

Hurricane indeed!! The freaking Rolling Stones had stormed the stage!!!

The band then immediately launched into It's Only Rock And Roll (But I Like It). The audience stood there, slack-jawed ... no way could these guys be in their seventies! Their vitality and energy was phenomenal. Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Ronnie Wood, and Charlie Watts were literally still at the top of their game.

The Rolling Stones in Nashville, Tennessee

And the hits continued ... Tumbling Dice, Bitch, Wild Horses ...

Midway through the set, Mick explained to the Nashville crowd, "We are not going to be playing to the gallery just because we're in the home of country music. We're just going to do our regular set." The lights dimmed for the next number, and when they came back up, he was wearing a huge white Stetson and the band played Faraway Eyes, a country tune they recorded years ago. A few minutes later, Jagger thanked all the country musicians who came to visit him in the VIP green room backstage and noted, "I've never seen so much heartbreak in one room." Then he turned and gave the audience a huge wink and impish smile. Only Mick Jagger could pull that off.

The Stones performed twenty songs in all, including Dead Flowers with Brad Paisley and an encore of You Can't Always Get What You Want, supported by the Belmont University Chorale. By the conclusion of the concert, the audience had gotten plenty of what they had come to get ... satisfaction.

Concert Review: Stars Turn Out For Stones Nashville Show
(USA Today)

Concert Review: Rolling Stones Rock Nashville's LP Field
(Nashville Tennessean)

Concert Review: Rolling Stones - Nashville
(Rolling Stone)

BRAD PAISLEY SETLIST:
Southern Comfort Zone
Mud On The Tires
Moonshine In The Trunk
She's Everything
Crushin' It
Remind Me (with Carrie Underwood)
Riverbank
Life's Been Good (with Joe Walsh)
Alcohol (with Joe Walsh)

ROLLING STONES SETLIST:
Jumping Jack Flash
It's Only Rock And Roll (But I Like It)
You Got Me Rocking
Tumbling Dice
Doom And Gloom
Bitch
Faraway Eyes
Wild Horses
Dead Flowers (with Brad Paisley)
Honky Tonk Woman
Before They Make Me Run
Happy
Midnight Rambler
Miss You
Gimme Shelter
Start Me Up
Sympathy For The Devil
Brown Sugar
You Can't Always Get What You Want
Satisfaction

5. PAUL McCARTNEY

"Driving USA Tour"

May 1, 2002

Palace of Auburn Hills

Auburn Hills, Michigan

Of the four McCartney concerts I attended, the 2002 concert at the Palace of Auburn Hills was probably the best of the bunch. He had come full circle and his banter with the audience was more authentic. The pretension was gone. McCartney had finally embraced his status as a music legend, and he was truly enjoying himself.

In addition, he had a new band that projected more energy and power (Rusty Anderson, Brian Ray, Abe Laboriel, and veteran Wix Wickens).

One nice surprise was the mini-acoustic set during the middle of the concert. He haltingly spoke about the loss of John Lennon and how it inspired Here Today. Then he pulled out a ukulele to play Something, in memory of George Harrison. He said that George kept a closet-full of ukuleles at his house on Maui and always pulled them out when friends visited.

He brought the crowd to its feet when he performed Yesterday with the same Epiphone Texan guitar on which he wrote the song. He had placed a Detroit Red Wings decal on it back in the mid-1970s and it has been there ever since. He pointed it out to the crowd, and it received huge cheers.

How Red Wings Have A Presence Every Time Paul McCartney Plays Yesterday ...

Every one of his concerts were first-rate events. Great musicianship and mix. Outstanding visuals and special effects. His voice was still strong during this tour (in more recent years his vocals have faltered). Nevertheless, millions of people continue to make the pilgrimage to McCartney concerts just to be near his physical presence.

Being a Beatle will do that.

In McCartney's 2002 concert film Back In The U.S. Tam and I are actually visible in the first six rows at the end of "Back In The U.S.S.R." (1:09:17) ...

Tam and me at McCartney 2002, Auburn Hills

2002 SETLIST:

Hello Goodbye

Jet

All My Loving

Getting Better

Coming Up

Let Me Roll It

Lonely Road

Driving Rain

Blackbird

We Can Work It Out

Mother Nature's Son

You Never Give Me Your Money

Fool On The Hill

Here Today (John Lennon tribute)

Something (George Harrison tribute)

Eleanor Rigby

Here, There, and Everywhere

Band On The Run

Back In The USSR

Maybe I'm Amazed

C Moon

My Love

Can't Buy Me Love

Freedom

Live And Let Die

Let It Be

Hey Jude

The Long And Winding Road

Lady Madonna

I Saw Her Standing There

Yesterday

Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (and Reprise)

The End

4. THE WORLD SERIES OF ROCK:

FLEETWOOD MAC, BOB WELCH, THE CARS, TODD RUNGREN & UTOPIA, EDDIE MONEY

August 5, 1978 (Postponed - Lindsey Buckingham back injury)

August 26, 1978

Cleveland Stadium

The day before the scheduled concert (August 4), four members of Fleetwood Mac flew into Cleveland to announce a last-minute postponement of the show. Their press conference at the Bond Court Hotel was broadcast live on WMMS radio.

Lindsey Buckingham had suffered a grand mal seizure on July 30 in Philadelphia. He was given a spinal tap at the hospital and it had not healed sufficiently to play the Cleveland gig. The concert was rescheduled for August 26 and the original lineup was changed, dropping Bob Seger and Blue Oyster Cult from the bill. Todd Rundgren and The Cars remained on the list, while Bob Welch and Eddie Money were additions.

Hilariously, last-minute promotional posters mis-spelled Bob Welch's name.

On the day of the show it was broiling! Probably 95 plus degrees inside the stadium. The party got started early with two local bands that began playing just after noon. Tens of thousands of people had already laid blankets on the grass and started partying. From my reserved seat, I could see that the combination of sun, heat and substances of various types might lead to some problems.

Eddie Money and Rundgren had pre-scheduled gigs which required them to perform early before flying out of town (Money was playing Superjam in St Louis and Rundgren at Park West Chicago). Money took the stage around 2 pm, and played a crisp forty-minute set. Then came Utopia. There were quite a few Utopia fans in Cleveland, and they all showed up on the infield, raising cryptic signs that meant nothing to anyone else but other Utopia fans. It was halfway through this set that the first casualties were carried out on stretchers by first aid crews.

This video might provide some insight ...

This concert was an enormous moment for The Cars. It was their first tour. Only three weeks earlier, they were playing the Agora Ballroom to a few hundred people (and recorded by WMMS). Now, more than 70,000 were on-hand. They were supposed to have been the concert openers, but suddenly, they hit the big time. Benjamin Orr brought his mom to the gig and mingled with the press. Ric Ocasek sat quietly and observed the crowd.

The Cars: Live At The Agora 1978 (YouTube)

Meeting Benjamin Orr and Todd Rundgren At The World Series Of Rock

After an extended delay, the Cars hit the stage around 5 pm. By then, they were spraying fire hoses into the infield to cool things off. The Cars played an impressively tight set. It was easy to see that they were an up-and-coming band.

Officials were now using golf carts to take the soused and sunburned off the field. The Cleveland Police had entered the fray at midfield to resolve several stabbing incidents involving drugs and they were also investigating a person who had either fallen or jumped from the upper deck and was in critical condition somewhere in the box seats along the third base side. The hot air was feeling heavy as dusk began to fall.

Bob Welch began at 7 pm and played a perfunctory set of mostly unrecognizable songs. Christine McVie did come out to help with vocals on Sentimental Lady. It seemed like the best part of hearing Ebony Eyes was knowing that his set was almost over. He wasn't that bad, but jeez, how much heat and loud music can a person take in one day?

It took ninety minutes for roadies to set the stage for the final act. The sell-out crowd of nearly 90,000 was getting anxious.

It was dark (9:30 pm) when WMMS disc jockeys introduced Fleetwood Mac. Finally ... Lindsey Buckingham stepped to the microphone. We were all stunned. The super-hip Laurel Canyon-Jesus we all knew was gone. Lindsey did not look well. He was emaciated and pale. He had cut his beard off and his hair short and now seemed to resemble Lou Reed.

He thanked everyone for their patience and said they would play their best and longest set of the year. He then looked down, cranked the volume up on his white Gibson Les Paul, turned to his band-mates and counted in Monday Morning. The next two hours was worth the wait. The greatest band in the world played through every song from both Fleetwood Mac and Rumours albums late into the night. The most memorable moment for me was Nicks' theatric performance of Rhiannon under a waning crescent moon.

It was extraordinary that the band performed so well, having toured for two continuous years in such a fried and drug-addled state. I'm sure everyone there could sense it. The hits were still there but the energy wasn't. In a seemingly serendipitous moment backstage, the staff of WMMS gave them each personalized pocket mirrors before the concert. Christine McVie wryly commented,"I'm afraid we'll scrape the mirror down to the paint."

Looking back, this event was probably the purest rock music experience I would ever have. It had everything ... the massive crowd ... the sun, the heat, the carnage ... and the incredible music. It was like I had completed a rite of passage.

The era of the World Series of Rock concerts would soon be over, thanks to fan violence that erupted during an Aerosmith - AC/DC - Ted Nugent - Scorpions concert in 1979. All good things must come to an end.

EDDIE MONEY SETLIST:

Rock N Roll The Place

Jealousy

Baby Hold On

Don't Worry

Trinidad

Got To Get Another Girl

Wanna Be A Rock N Roll Star

Two Tickets To Paradise

Gamblin' Man

Back To New York

TODD RUNDGREN & UTOPIA SETLIST:

Real Man

Love Of The Common Man

The Verb To Love

Love In Action

It Wouldn't Have Made Any Difference

Eastern Intrigue

Initiation

Couldn't I Just Tell You

Hello It's Me

THE CARS SETLIST:

Bye Bye Love

Night Spots

My Best Friend's Girl

Moving In Stereo

All Mixed Up

Don't Cha Stop

Good Times Roll

I'm In Touch With Your World

You're All I've Got Tonight

Just What I Needed

Take What You Want

When Did You Change

BOB WELCH SETLIST:

Mystery Train

Hot Love Cold World

Hypnotized

Big Town 2061

Sentimental Lady

Outskirts

Dance Of Shebm

Ebony Eyes

FLEETWOOD MAC SETLIST:

Monday Morning

The Chain

Dreams

Oh Well

Rhiannon

Oh Daddy

Never Goin' Back Again

Landslide

Say You Love Me

Gold Dust Woman

You Make Lovin' Fun

I'm So Afraid

World Turning

Go Your Own Way

Blue Letter

Second Hand News

Songbird

3. RAINFOREST BENEFIT CONCERT

STING, ELTON JOHN, BILLY JOEL, JAMES TAYLOR, DON HENLEY, TONY BENNETT
RICKY MARTIN, CHARLES AZNAVOUR, SANDRA BERNHARDT, BILL MURRAY

April 17, 1999

Carnegie Hall

New York, New York

What an enjoyable evening! Not your usual Saturday night at Carnegie Hall. Tam and I were there to attend the ninth annual Benefit Concert for the Rainforest Foundation, a fundraiser initiated by Sting and his wife Trudie Styler. This was a black tie event for the 2,800 people in attendance.

Our seats were excellent; center-right and eight rows back from the stage. We were on the aisle. To our immediate left (across the aisle) sitting maybe six feet away was future President of the United States, Donald Trump, and his gorgeous escort (and future wife, Melania). She was wearing a dress so sheer that Tam swore she had nothing on underneath. I checked for myself and concurred. Sitting side by side in the row directly in front of us were John McEnroe and Dick Clark. I remember privately observing that Clark had the largest head of anyone I had ever seen. Sitting next to me was actress Lorraine Brocco. Interestingly, as we were settling in before the show, dozens of people were stopping by to congratulate her for something. We later learned it was for getting the "Sopranos" job. During the show, she dropped her program several times, and I kindly retrieved it each time.

Donald Trump and escort, Melania,

arrive at the 1999 Rainforest Foundation

Benefit Concert

The theme for the 1999 show was The Songs of Frank Sinatra. The stage was set up very simply. Two large couches on either side of the stage, with an orchestra filling the center. All of the musicians would sit on the couches and watch each other perform.

The night was full of wonderful big-band music as the singers traded turns at the microphone. There was a lot of banter between them during the performance. A first-half highlight was Elton's rendering of Love and Marriage with Sting (wearing a bridal veil) helping out as a dance partner.

Audio of Elton and Sting

"Love and Marriage"

1999 Rainforest Benefit Concert

During the intermission, Julia Ormond and I struck up a brief conversation while waiting in line for cocktails. The second half of the program was more of the same, until Bill Murray made a surprise cameo appearance to sing My Way in his own irreverent lounge-singer persona. It was certainly the funniest moment of the show.

At the close of the program, we all boarded buses that took us to a private reception dinner hosted by Cipriani. We sat at large round tables, with a different musician acting as host at each one. Our host was the orchestra conductor, but it blew my mind to see Billy Joel five feet away and Elton maybe ten. I walked up to the bar and wound up spending several minutes chatting with Bill Murray and Julia Ormond (again).

I will never forget the trip to the bathroom, where I stood at the center urinal with Sting to my left and Don Henley to my right. They were having an ongoing conversation while we stood there ... talking about each other's summer plans and tours. I had been finished for two minutes but I wasn't moving until they did.

It was a very, very special night.

Media Reviews of the Rainforest Benefit Concert

SETLIST:

Well, Did Ya Evah (Elton John, Sting, James Taylor, Tony Bennett)

Wish I Were In Love Again (Tony Bennett)

I Get A Kick (James Taylor)

Here Goes (Don Henley)

Witchcraft (Sting)

One For My Baby, And One For The Road (Billy Joel)

Those Precious Days (Charles Aznavour)

Love And Marriage (Sting and Elton John)

Something Stupid (Elton John and Sandra Bernhardt)

That's Life (Elton John, Sting, James Taylor, Tony Bennett)

INTERMISSION

World On A String (Ricky Martin)

Come Fly With Me (Elton John)

My Funny Valentine (Charles Aznavour)

These Boots Were Made For Walkin' (Sandra Bernhardt)

I Got You Under My Skin (Billy Joel)

In The Wee Small Hours (Sting)

Night And Day (James Taylor)

Angel Eyes (Don Henley)

My Way (Bill Murray)

The Lady Is A Tramp (Billy Joel)

The Music Never Ends (Tony Bennett)

New York, New York (Ensemble Finale)

2. ELTON JOHN

Two Elton John concerts are included here: The first one at the Pontiac Silverdome in 1976, and the second one, his Farewell Yellow Brick Road performance, nearly fifty years later, at Amalie Arena in 2022. They are bookends to a fantastic lifelong experience appreciating Elton's contribution to the soundtrack of my life.

"Louder Than Concorde Tour"

July 11, 1976

Pontiac Silverdome

Pontiac, Michigan

This would be the big one ... the concert to end all concerts!! This would be superstar Elton John playing to a record indoor audience of 95,000+ in the Pontiac Silverdome. In 1976, Elton was the biggest music act in the world. I was sixteen years old ... and a huge Elton John fan. I was also stuck in a traffic jam, with high-school buddy Pete, listening to the CKLW "Big 8" disc jockeys endlessly hype the event as if it were the second coming. None of this really mattered, because on this day ... I was about to see Elton John face to face.

CKLW Traffic Chopper Over The Elton John Concert

It was hardly five o'clock in the afternoon and we had already parked the car. The concert would start early, because there were several opening acts, including John Miles, The Romantics, and Dave Mason. I loaded up on tons of merchandise and then went to find my seat. The good news was that our seats were dead center. The bad news was that we were probably four hundred feet from the stage. We sat down and began the long wait.

The opening acts seemed to drone on forever. Still, I could feel the anticipation building as the seats filled and we neared the 'zero hour'. It had approached 9:30 and patience was wearing thin. Finally, the big moment arrived and last-minute preparations were being made behind a large curtain. Periodically, we would hear the pound of a drum or sporadic electric guitar power chord. Then a spotlight came on as a local disc jockey introduced Mark Fidrych, the wacky Detroit Tigers pitcher and darling of the baseball world. This brought the rowdy audience to its feet. "Are you ready?" 'The Bird' screamed into the microphone. "ARE YOU READY?" he repeated. "Here he is ... ELTON JOHN!!!!!!!!!"

The curtain split open, as the band loudly began the opening riffs of Grow Some Funk Of Your Own ... and then a huge grand piano slid forward ... with Elton John standing on top of it dressed as the Statue of Liberty!! There he was!! In all his glory!! I will never forget that moment for as long as I live.

Elton John - July 1976

Elton put on a two and a half hour extravaganza, plowing through all of his hits, to a loud and appreciative audience. By the end of the concert, however, things were beginning to get out of hand ...

"After a pair of shows at the Spectrum in Philadelphia, Elton landed in Detroit for a massive concert at the Pontiac Silverdome on July 11. Running onto stage in bionic slow-motion á la The Six Million Dollar Man, the stadium exploded at the mere sight of him. Those riotous cheers only increased during “Hercules,” when the beloved Brit played the piano while lying atop his instrument—and reached a crescendo during “Bennie and the Jets,” when he played beneath it.
“That was a huge gig,” guitarist Caleb Quaye said. “There was some problem going on down the front with security keeping kids away from the stage. They started getting a bit out of hand, throwing bodies around and this, that and the other. And the next thing I know, I looked over and I happened to see John Reid (Elton's manager) dive off of one of the trusses into the security and start trying to beat up the security. He was a wild guy. He was turbo-driven at that point. It was crazy.”
As always, Elton tempered dazzling brilliance with large doses of tenderness and soul. Undoubtedly one of the key ingredients to his massive adulation, this addictive admixture caused an orgiastic fervor that lasted throughout the entire show, which went off without a hitch—at least until the first verse of “Saturday Night’s Alright (For Fighting),” when a pair of binoculars came winging out of the darkness and clocked Kenny Passarelli on the shoulder.
“Saturday night’s alright for fighting, but it’s definitely not alright for throwing bloody binoculars,” Elton warned, tossing a cup of water into the crowd. “Behave now, I say.” (Then he went off microphone and told the offender to fuck off.)
The Silverdome show climaxed with a particularly bruising “Pinball Wizard,” which saw a stadium full of fans standing on their seats, arms held high as if testifying before rock ‘n’ roll’s holiest altar. It was another musical frenzy. Another spectacle nonpareil." -- Captain Fantastic, David DeCouto

Elton's wild Pontiac Stadium Concert

(excerpt from the book Captain Fantastic)

That Elton John concert was everything I dreamed it could be. It would go down as one of the greatest highlights of my teenage years.

Elton John - Love Lies Bleeding

Pontiac Silverdome 1976

Elton John Pontiac Stadium (Full Audio)

SETLIST:

Grow Some Funk Of Your Own

Goodbye Yellow Brick Road

Island Girl

Rocket Man

Hercules

Bennie & The Jets

Funeral For A Friend / Love Lies Bleeding

Love Song

Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds

Don't Let The Sun Go Down On Me

Empty Sky

Captain Fantastic And The Brown Dirt Cowboy

Someone Saved My Life Tonight

Don't Go Breaking My Heart (with Kiki Dee)

I've Got The Music In Me (Kiki Dee)

Philadelphia Freedom

We All Fall In Love Sometimes

Curtains

Band Introductions

Saturday Night's Alright For Fighting (abort)

Saturday Night's Alright For Fighting

Your Song

Pinball Wizard

"Farewell Yellow Brick Road Tour"

May 26, 2019 (Postponed Covid)

November 28, 2021 (Postponed Elton Hip Injury)

April 24, 2022

Amalie Arena

Tampa, Florida

Finally, at long last (three years of postponements), Elton John came to Tampa, Florida. It was the 216th concert of his Farewell Yellow Brick Road Tour. At 75 years of age, the legendary Rocketman was hanging it up. The sold-out audience came ready to celebrate, many wearing the most outrageous outfits and glasses imaginable. Such was the love and respect they had for a man who devoted his life to making incredible music. The pre-concert atmosphere was festive and enthusiastic to honor the greatest showman in rock history.

Elton’s stage setup was massive, with sixty-foot high wrap-around video screens that engulfed the band. Elton’s black piano was thrust forward on a movable platform. Wide open for maximum visibility. His sound system was of the highest order, as usual, including a subwoofer large-enough to shake the building. Smaller video screens were spread through the arena, so that even those in the (relatively) cheap seats could enjoy the show. Some of those seats were behind the stage, with no direct shot of the piano … and those seats were full as well. Smoke machines were turned on, creating a fog that blew across the stage and into the rafters.

The lights dimmed at 8:05 and the silhouettes of musicians could be seen moving into position on the dark stage. Then, BOOM, the sound of Elton pounding repeated chords telegraphed the opening song, Bennie and the Jets. The audience instantly roared and stood as they caught their first glimpse of the music icon. The huge screens illuminated with brightly-colored computer graphic images of Elton. There he was … in a massively sequined tuxedo jacket, open-collared shirt, and matching sequined sneakers … pointing at the audience as he played, emphasizing his presence.

The band immediately segued into an energetic Philadelphia Freedom, and then I Guess That’s Why They Call It the Blues, before Elton stood up, slammed his piano lid, and yelped, “Welcome Tampa!!” to a huge standing ovation. He announced that he was incredibly glad to be able to be performing again, after a two-year Covid lockdown, even if it meant that he and each member of his band had to exist in individual ‘Covid bubbles’ and could only see each other on stage. He was noticeably out of breath for several moments.

After gingerly stepping off his piano platform and bowing in all directions with outstretched arms, he took a drink of water and sat at his piano to speak to us. He remembered coming to America and being overwhelmed by its excitement and creativity. He mentioned his career breakthrough at the Troubadour and how beautiful California was with all the palm trees (like the ones he saw on the TV show Beverly Hillbillies). The crowd roared.

He related a story about how Aretha Franklin released Border Song at the same time he did in 1970. They eventually became good friends. He recalled how she performed with him at a fundraiser while she was suffering with cancer. He shared that she was in no condition to sing, and yet was so incredibly strong in that moment. He had her sit with him on his piano bench while they sang together. She died six months later. He dedicated his performance of Border Song to her.

Tiny Dancer, Rocket Man (a nine-minute marathon), Someone Saved My Life Tonight (one of his favorite songs), Levon, and Candle In The Wind. Elton played them all with an unusually high level of sentimentality and genuineness, acknowledging the capacity crowd with smiles and gestures. He frequently hobbled across the stage, from side to side, to make sure that he could thank every corner of that arena.

Elton briefly stepped off-stage for a costume change during the opening of Funeral For A Friend/Love Lies Bleeding, and came out rocking. The huge video screens providing an often hilarious flavor to The Bitch Is Back and I’m Still Standing. It was difficult to decide where to look … at Elton … the video screens … or Ray Cooper, performing his percussion circus on an upper platform just above his bandmates.

The concert continued to gain steam, with electrifying renditions of Crocodile Rock and Saturday Night’s Alright For Fighting, with Davey Johnstone circling the stage while playing ripping guitar solos. Then, like his legendary 1974 Hammersmith Christmas Concert, massive doses of confetti rained down on the audience, to the abject glee of Elton and his band. Smoke machine. Lasers. Video screens. The show included everything but the kitchen sink. Elton had given his all, and triumphantly gimped around the stage for several minutes to a jubilant and affectionate crowd, sharing a mutual love of each other.

Elton returned in a pink bathrobe for three encores. The first was him singing along to a video of his current hit Cold Heart, a duet with Dua Lipa that was currently number one in the UK. He said that it blew his mind to be 75 years of age and have a hit record. Then he performed his first hit in America, Your Song, dedicating it to the Tampa audience. One could sense that the audience knew they were in their final minutes with the great showman and their eyes were all glued on him.

Then he paused, turned to face the assemblage, and spoke at length for several minutes. He recalled that his first concert in Tampa was at the Curtis-Hixson Convention Hall on May 28, 1971, more than fifty years ago. He said that since then, he had performed thirteen times in Tampa, and seventy-nine times in Florida. He was visibly emotional as he shared his appreciation of the support that everyone had given him over the years, particularly their 'kindness, dignity, loyalty, and love'. He acknowledged several fans in the audience, one of whom had attended 179 concerts. In all the times we had seen Elton perform, we had never seen such a genuine display of gratefulness from him … “I may not be back, but I will never forget you.” He was in tears as he turned to play Goodbye Yellow Brick Road.

At the song’s conclusion, Elton shouted, “Farewell!” His fans exploded in appreciation, cheering and clapping, as Elton mounted a stage riser that lifted him up and out of sight … and then he was gone.

Concert Review: Elton John at Amalie Arena

(Tampa Bay Times)

Concert Review: Elton John - Tampa

(City Life)

SETLIST:

Bennie And The Jets

Philadelphia Freedom

I Guess That's Why They Call It The Blues

Border Song

Tiny Dancer

Have Mercy On The Criminal

Rocket Man

Take Me To The Pilot

Someone Saved My Life Tonight

Levon

Candle In The Wind

Funeral For A Friend/Love Lies Bleeding

Burn Down The Mission

Sad Songs (Say So Much)

Don't Let The Sun Go Down On Me

The Bitch Is Back

I'm Still Standing

Crocodile Rock

Saturday Night's Alright For Fighting

Cold Heart

Your Song

Goodbye Yellow Brick Road

1. THE 1993 GRAMMY AWARDS

February 24, 1993

Shrine Auditorium

Los Angeles, California

It was actually more of a show than a concert. As a music fanatic, attending the Grammy Awards had been a goal for some time. I was able to obtain tickets, including VIP credentials, through Allison Geld, a ticket broker in Los Angeles. I surprised my wife, Tam, with the tickets as a Christmas gift. She bought a gorgeous formal dress and I rented a tux ... and we took off for the west coast.

The day before the show, we were wandering around the Century City Mall when Tam suddenly whispered in my ear, "Is that Ringo Starr?" It sure was. He and his wife Barbara Bach were standing in line, waiting to buy matinee movie tickets. I instinctively walked up and greeted him, and then quietly asked for an autograph. He instinctively and loudly spat out "no". I stood there for a second, slightly shocked and his wife said, "he looks like a nice man, go ahead". This sparked an intense argument between the two that gained the attention of everyone within earshot. Tam and I slunk away and tried to hide in the nearby Waldenbooks. Sorry Ringo.

The next day, we got dressed just after lunch and our limousine picked us up at two o'clock. We pulled onto the red carpet at 2:30 pm. Our driver circled the car and opened our door to a 'whoosh' of buzz and camera flashes. Tam looked fantastic as she stepped out in a long, blue designer dress. The flashes kept going until I stepped out. Then, to my right, I heard the paparazzi utter, "They're nobodies!" and everybody disappeared. We hung our lanyards around our necks and walked down the red carpet, to the lobby of the Shrine Auditorium. Once inside, I was immediately blown away by an incredible sight. Standing directly in front of us, maybe five feet away, was Flea (from the Red Hot Chili Peppers) wearing nothing but a large white diaper and a cape. He was having an intense discussion with Los Angeles Mayor Tom Bradley. Curious, I slowly inched forward. Then Flea suddenly turned to me and blurted, "Am I right?" Like a deer in the headlights, I nodded.

I felt a tap on my left shoulder. Dr. John had walked up with a cane and was wondering where the toilet was. Before I knew it, we were both looking for the bathroom together.

Tam and I eventually entered the auditorium as the pre-broadcast Grammys were being awarded. The theater was virtually empty and we sat maybe twenty rows from the stage. A few minutes later, the award for Best Opera Recording was announced and a guy sitting next to us jumped up and ran up to receive his Grammy. He excitedly brought it back and showed it to us. He was Placido Domingo.

Dr. John and Placido Domingo

at the 1993 Grammy Awards

Shortly thereafter, the pre-broadcast presentations were over, and we were all told to exit the auditorium and take our reserved seats. We sat in the balcony, four rows up and slightly right of center. From this vantage point, we watched Eric Clapton, Tina Turner, Madonna and Michael Jackson take their seats in the front row. Sitting in the balcony directly in front of us were Peter Cetera and Mike Love. We looked to the right, and a there was a man standing in the doorway, trying to yell down to Tina Turner on the main floor to no avail. It was her former husband (and now limo driver) Ike Turner.

The show was incredible, with performances by Peter Gabriel, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Tony Bennett, K.D. Lang, Travis Tritt, George Clinton's Funkadelics, and Vanessa Williams. The sight of En Vogue singing Never Gonna Get It in those iconic (and extremely short) dresses, while being lowered in a plexiglass box to the stage was a cheap thrill ... and Michael Jackson winning a Grammy Living Legend Award was a bonus.

But the night belonged to Eric Clapton, with his heartfelt ode to his son, Tears In Heaven. He won six Grammy awards, including Record of the Year, Song of the Year, and Album of the Year (Unplugged).

We had access to the private, post-Grammy awards parties at the nearby Biltmore Hotel. Each ballroom was sponsored by a record label, with featured artists performing alongside food prepared by the best chefs in Hollywood. One ballroom (sponsored by Capitol Records) had the Beach Boys with aperitifs by Wolfgang Puck. Columbia Records presented Tony Bennett and Dan Tana's restaurant. In the basement bar, the entertainment was Tom Scott / Chick Corea (GRP) with a sushi buffet (Nobu) that knocked our socks off!! The three actresses from Knots Landing (Michele Lee, Donna Mills and Joan Van Ark) seemed to follow us around the hotel as we cruised the buffets. We fraternized with literally hundreds of other celebs throughout the night. We didn't return to our hotel until four in the morning, but we were too excited to sleep.