"Roll Me Up And Smoke Me When I Die Tour"March 3, 2015
Ryman Auditorium
Nashville, Tennessee
SETLIST:
Whiskey River
Still Is Still Movin' To Me
Beer For My Horses
Good Hearted Woman
Funny How Time Slips Away
Crazy
Nightlife
Down Yonder (Instrumental)
Texas Flood
Mamas Don't Let Your Babies Grow Up To Be Cowboys
Angels Flying Too Low To The Ground
On The Road Again
Always On My Mind
Nuages (Instrumental)
Jamabalya On The Bayou
Hey Good Lookin'
Move It On Over
Georgia On My Mind
Georgia On A Fast Train
Shoeshine Man
I Never Cared For You
Will The Circle Be Unbroken
Roll Me Up And Smoke Me When I Die
I Saw The Light
La La La Song (featuring local legend, Judge John Brown)
September 16, 1984
Blossom Music Center
Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio
January 28, 2022
Venetian Hotel and Casino
Las Vegas, Nevada
Eventually, we realized that we should them, if only for the fact that there were relatively few bands of this magnitude left to see.
Three of the core members of the band were still performing; Neal Schon, Jonathan Cain, and Deen Castronovo … although Deen had an onstage health scare in Tulsa two weeks earlier requiring emergency hospitalization. Fortunately for us, he recovered (probably with Narcan), and was back on stage for us.
Suffers Medical Emergency In Tulsa
The venue was sold out. I was surprised by the number of true fans, who were wearing Journey tour shirts of various vintages. There seemed to be a demonstrable split between these enthusiastic supporters and more passive rock and roll fans there for a good show.
The band kicked off precisely at 7:45 pm. There was no opening act. From our seats in the third deck near the roof, the sound was loud and powerful, but it also seemed synthesized and compressed. It was hard to identify songs at times. The Kia Center is a terrible venue for acoustics.
Still, when each of the six members broke out to play individually, their musicianship was clearly excellent. Neal Schon is probably one of the top five guitarists I’ve seen perform live. Jonathan Cain is an exquisite piano player. Deen Castronovo is an absolute animal on the drums. It is clear why Journey is a legendary band.
Then there was Arnel Pineda. The poor guy worked his ass off running around and singing his best … and with his vocals buried deep in the overall mix, there were moments when he actually pulled it off.
The setlist began with a couple of hits for openers, then dove into several deep cuts from pre and post-Steve Perry. Arnel sang slightly more than half of the songs, while all of the other band members shared duties throughout the evening. The last third of the show was a progression of unforgettable hits performed with true authority. The aroused audience helped substantially with vocals.
There were a few awkward moments, like when Cain and Schon smiled and leaned on each other at center stage as they played; because many people in the audience knew they were suing each other off stage. Or perhaps the occasional moment when Arnel would finish a song slightly off key, leaving a silent pregnant pause, and twenty thousand people immediately thought about someone else.
At one point, Tam pulled up a photo of Steve Perry on her phone and held it in the air toward the stage, and fifty people behind us (mostly women) exploded in laughter.
It is clear that the band and most of their hardcore fans had left Steve Perry behind long ago. For some of us however, even though it was a great gig, Perry's absence was palpable, and left us imagining just how incredible this band must have been in its prime.
SETLIST:
Be Good To Yourself
Stone In Love
Ask The Lonely
Only The Young
Just The Same Way
Lights
When You Love A Woman
Of A Lifetime
La Do Da
Drum Solo
Escape
Girl Can't Help It
Precious Time
Chain Reaction
Dead Or Alive
Anytime
Piano Solo
Who's Cryin' Now
Open Arms
Never Walk Away
Keep On Runnin'
Suzanne
Guitar Solo
Wheel In The Sky
Faithfully
Don't Stop Believin'
Lovin', Touchin', Squeezin'
Separate Ways
Any Way You Want It
ETTA JAMES, J. GEILS, MAGIC DICK, ELVIN BISHOP
September 4, 1995Then we were informed that Etta James had become ill on her bus and could not perform.
An anonymous man walked out with a folding chair and set it in the middle of the stage, near the front edge. The crowd began to mumble in anticipation. B.B. King slowly ambled out and sat in it and never moved for the next hour. He began to play, periodically looking back at hios backing band, and frequently hitting that sweet high vibrato note that had made him famous. Then began the most amazing procession of older ladies, forming a line along the stage, stopping in front of 'the King' and leaving gifts of intimate apparel that began to pile up in a fairly large mound in front of him. It was like watching a religious experience of some sort.
"Sports Tour"August 3, 1985
Alpine Valley Music Theatre
East Troy, Wisconsin
August 14, 1987
Alpine Valley Music Theatre
East Troy, Wisconsin
"Soulsville Tour"
Van Wezel Performing Arts Center
Sarasota, Florida
1987 SETLIST:
Jacob's Ladder
Naturally
I Never Walk Alone
Walking On A Thin Line
Hope You Love Me Like You Say You Do
Bad Is Bad
If This Is It
Hip To Be Square
I Want A New Drug
The Power Of Love
Doing It All For My Baby
Buzz, Buzz, Buzz
Heart And Soul
Small World
Workin' For A Livin'
Heart Of Rock N Roll
Stuck With You
Back In Time
The Palace of Auburn Hills
Auburn Hills, Michigan
No Man's Land
Pressure
The Ballad Of Billy The Kid
Lullabye (Goodnight, My Angel)
River Of Dreams
Prelude/Angry Young Man
My Life
You May Be Right
Allentown
I Go To Extremes
An Innocent Man
The Downeaster Alexa
Goodnight Saigon
Scenes From An Italian Restaurant
Purple Haze
We Didn't Start The Fire
It's Still Rock And Roll To Me
Only The Good Die Young
A Matter Of Trust
Big Shot
Piano Man
April 28, 2024
Plaza Live Theatre
Orlando, Florida
I will begin with my conclusion: Mac McAnally is an absolute gem and it was an incredible priviledge to attend one of his shows.
For decades, we knew McAnally as Jimmy Buffett's number two man in the Coral Reefers. He was rock steady while all the crazy shennanigans were happening on stage. His song, It's My Job, was always a favorite during those concerts.
Then I gradually learned that he was a gifted songwriter and producer, drafting and singing hits with Alabama, Sawyer Brown, Ronnie Dunn, Ricky Van Shelton, and Kenny Chesney. The respect for his talent within Nashville ran so high that he was voted ten-times as Country Music Association Musician Of The Year. Only two musicians have earned that honor that many times (Mac and Chet Atkins).
Yet, despite all of this, it seemed that his low-key, self-effacing manner, precluded him from achieving the fame that he should. We learned that he was touring throughout Florida (his first after the passing of Buffett), playing intimate venues, and we thought it might be an interesting time to experience McAnally in his own right.
The Plaza Live Theatre in Orlando opened for seating at 6:00 pm, and we were among the early arrivals. The venue manager placed wrist bands on us. We asked what they were for and she told us that there was a free meet and greet after the show for the first 250 attendees. How cool was that?!!
The theatre had a capacity of 900 and McAnally's show was a sell-out. As fans began to arrive, it was clear that a significant majority were Parrotheads. This was very apparent by the cans of Pabst Blue Ribbon and White Claw being consumed. The audience was ebulent with anticipation, singing along with the pre-show music. The stage was set for two people, given the simple arrangement of guitars and percussion.
At 7:10 pm, Mac shuffled out from stage left to a huge outburst of applause. He graciously stood and briefly took it in before strapping on a nylon string acoustic. He articulated that this was a special moment, and that he would be 'bragging on' about Buffett all night. He had spent nearly forty years at his side and wanted to share some of the more compelling experiences he had enjoyed with the legend. Mac opened with Son Of A Son Of A Sailor. His baritone voice was strong, yet warm, and his fingerpicking was phenominal.
For his third song, he walked a few steps and sat down at an electric piano. He said that was the extent of the choreography for the night. The audience erupted. The entire evening was chock-full of little ditties like that. Then he said that Jimmy loved outdoor gigs in 'sheds' but that occasionally foul weather might threaten a show. Mac testified that Buffett would gather the band and go onstage before the show (in the empty venue), stand in a circle and sing Somewhere Over The Rainbow to ward off storms. He swears that it worked more than once. Then he played a superb piano version of the song before hammering the introductory chords to Grapefruit Juicy Fruit. Again, the audience exploded in celebration, many with their Blue Ribbon cans held high.
He dedicated an exquisite acoustic rendition of Come Monday to Jane Buffett, the person for whom the song was written and followed it up with a new collaboration that he and Zac Brown had completed for the Jimmy Buffett Hollywood Bowl tribute concert, entitled Pirates and Parrots ...
So adios, my friend.
Anchor where that ocean ends.
We'll pick up where you left off,
strummin' a sailor song.
We'll hold down this salty rock,
where it's always 5 o'clock.
When the sun goes down, we raise our drinks,
all the pirates and parrots sing.
For someone living larger than life, McAnally's sincerity and humility were entirely genuine. Who else would wear a guitar strap that said 'nobody'? His stage presence and story-telling were both charming and charismatic, and he held our complete attention throughout the entire show.
Eric Darken, the percussionist, dutifully played a cornucopia of instruments, including pots, pans, and even a Mercedes hubcap. His accompanyment provided the perfect syncopation for Mac's guitarwork.
McAnally thought that Buffett probably knew he was dying as he made his final album. He said there was a determination in him to get it done right, and he pulled in all of his markers to get Paul McCartney, Emmylou Harris, Will Kimbrough, and even the Preservation Hall Band to contribute to the album. He heard the final product and was very proud of it.
Mac McAnally shares a story about Jimmy Buffett's
desire to be a Navy Seal and performs Bubbles Up
Mac spoke of his journey to Long Island at the end of August 2023. He was in a Texas studio with George Strait when he got the call. He immediately flew to be by Jimmy's side, and he was welcomed by Jimmy in bed, with the usual huge smile. Mac said that his emotions were getting the better of him, until Buffett's daughter Savannah handed him a guitar, and he played the first song they ever played together, It's My Job. It would be the last song they sang together. But then he said that the end of the story wasn't so sad because Jimmy wasn't in one place anymore ... he was everywhere now! The audience rose to its feet and cheered.
He finished the show with a performance of A Pirate Looks At 40. It was an affectionate and fitting close to an incredible night.
We were ushered to a room beside the auditorium and waited a few minutes before Mac stepped out to visit with us personally, sign autographs, and take pictures. His patience and kindness were palpable. He was indeed an absolute gem.
SETLIST:
Son Of A Son Of A Sailor
Blame It On New Orleans
Over The Rainbow / Grapefruit Juicy Fruit
This Time
Meanwhile
Down The Road
Come Monday
Pirates And Parrots
Pencil Thin Mustache
All These Years
Little Martha / Dueling Banjos
Junk Cars
On Account Of You
I Heard It Through The Grapevine
Back Where I Come From
Bubbles Up
It's My Job
A Pirate Looks At 40
42. VINCE GILL / CHARLIE WORSHAM / WENDY MOTEM
We had seen Vince Gill many times; at the Opry, at the Ryman, and at 3rd & Lindsley. When we discovered he was coming to Sarasota as part of his 50 Years From Home Tour, we lucked into great seats. We were looking forward to an easy-going and relaxing show; the perfect diversion.
The ticket lady at the front door shocked us when she said, “You better be ready, it’s a three hour concert with no intermissions.” Then the usher told us the same thing. I thought to myself that there must be a couple of opening acts. Nope.
At 7:29 pm, Vince and his eleven-member band quietly walked on stage and started tuning up. Vince gave us all a congenial wave and said he was glad to be in Sarasota again, and thanked all of us for the tremendous support over the years.
The band was spread across the stage, some seated, some standing. The visual was almost identical to that of the Grand Ole Opry. Seven banners hung along the back wall featuring Gill’s well-known guitars.
When the band fired up, the sound was rich and acoustic, requiring very little amplification. Six guitar players. Two keyboardists. It was so enjoyable, we wore no hearing protection.
For the next three hours and ten minutes, we were back in Nashville again. Bluegrass, Texas Swing, Bakersfield Country, Ballads. The musicianship, the instrumentation, and the vocals were all impeccable. The guitar playing was phenomenal, with Vince swapping solos with Charlie Worsham and other young talent throughout the night. It was probably the finest guitar-work I’d ever seen up-close. As an amateur guitarist, I was amazed at how effortless Gill's left hand was moving up and down the fretboard. His technique was as smooth as glass.
Everybody changed guitars for virtually every song. Gill and his tech had switching guitars down to a science.
Throughout the performance, Gill shared stories about growing up in Oklahoma, his old friends (a few of whom had passed and he played songs memorializing them), and some hilarious stories about his weight gain and being a celebrity. His trademark low-key delivery and self-effacing charm was ever-present.
About two hours in, Vince cheerfully said that when he was coming up and opening for people in small clubs, he promised to himself that if he got famous, he would play for as long as they would let him. Then he pointed at us with a grin and said that we’d get our ticket’s worth.
He played for another hour, saving his big stuff for last; Go Rest High On That Mountain, Whenever You Come Around, Don’t Let Our Love Start Slipping’ Away, and Liza Jane. The band played 37 songs in total.
This was one of those gigs where everything exceeded expectations, and in the end, we wished we still lived in Nashville.
SETLIST:
One More Last Chance
Take Your Memory With You
Tryin' To Get Over You
Pocket Full Of Gold
Cinderella
Feels Like Love
A Little More Love
If You Ever Have Forever In Your Mind
Oklahoma Swing
Young Man's Town
Look At Us
When I Call Your Name
The Bottle Let Me Down
Together Again
A World Without Haggard
The Old Lucky Diamond Hotel
Come Back
When A Soldier Dies
Nobody Held Her Like Me
Forever In My Mind
A Mother's Prayer
Benny's Song
March On, March On
Loving You Is The Only Way To Fly
Blue Moon Of Kentucky (featuring Jeff White and John Meador)
Wrap My Porch Around (featuring Charlie Worsham)
I Still Miss Someone (featuring Wendy Motem)
Ode To Billy Joe (featuring Wendy Motem)
I Still Believe In You
Pretty Little Adriana
Bread And Water
Go Rest High On That Mountain
What The Cowgirls Do
Oklahoma Borderline
Whenever You Come Around
Don't Let Your Love Start Slippin' Away
Liza Jane
Pompano Beach AmphitheaterPompano Beach, Florida
April 6, 2024
Estero, Florida
REO Speedwagon keeps the fire burnin' for 1980s arena rock, and it was alive and well at the Pompano Beach Amphitheater in 2023 and Hertz Arena in 2024.
In my opinion, REO Speedwagon was an under-rated supergroup. They are not in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, despite being one of the biggest bands of the 1980s and selling more than 40 million records. Cynical music critics backhanded them with the moniker ‘mainstream rock’ … as if to insinuate that they were irredeemably banal. As lead singer, Kevin Cronin was so atypically low-key that he was often perceived as a rock and roll nerd. Whatever the reason, REO Speedwagon was never counted among rock's most elite bands; at least that’s how it seemed on MTV back in the day.
It wasn’t until decades later, while listening to an old American Top 40 episode, did I learn that REO Speedwagon was the biggest-selling rock band of both 1980 and 1981. I returned to their catalog with an open mind and was reminded that they produced more than a dozen recognizable hits … many of them massive rock anthems … filled with classic hooks and rich harmonies. The kind of ear-worm music that would play in your mind all day. It's hard to listen to Keep The Fire Burnin’ or Roll With The Changes and not find yourself singing them to yourself in the car hours later. Perhaps, it is why they continue to play to packed houses of loyal fans more than forty years after their initial acclaim.
The time had come for me to see them for myself.
