Recent Concerts You've Enjoyed

Thought this might be a fun thread and a way to find out about acts on tour.

My wife and I saw the Smoke Fairies at the Tractor Tavern last evening as the opening act for Rasputina. The Smoke Fairies are a 'folk blues' duo from Wales and have been described as "Bob Dylan's dream." I thought that their debut release "Through Low Light and Trees" was one of last year's best. It was just the two principles singing and playing guitar. Really terrific concert with excellent acoustics and thankfully not too loud.

If you are ever in Seattle, the Tractor Tavern is a great venue in the Ballard neighborhood. Very fun people watching...I think my wife and I were the only ones without tattoos! I got to chat with them after their set and had my LP signed. I love the lilting Welsh accents!

Here's a video of "Hotel Room" from their debut LP:

[video]

 

In the last month, my wife and I heard some really great jazz. The Roy Hargrove Quintet at the Blue Note in NYC and the Russell Malone Quartet at Shanghai Jazz in New Jersey. These guys are two of my favorite musicians. I told Russell Malone after his performance that he was wonderful and his response was "I still am!"

Ken

I saw Roy last year at the Blue Note. Great show. Russell Malone is fantastic and a great guy too. I got to meet him years ago at the Old Zanzibar Blue in Philly when he was touring with Diana Krall, back when nobody knew who she was! Pic of Roy Hargrove from last April. Hope he has better hair now!

 

The Nutcracker at The Royal Opera House London 12/31/15.

 

A Night of Classical on period instruments at St. Martins In The Field London 1/1/16.

 

Philadelphia Orchestra Music of Vienna 1/13/16. A stunning performance of Beethoven's Piano Concerto No. 4 in G Major, Op. 58 by Jan Lisiecki.

 

In the last month, my wife and I heard some really great jazz. The Roy Hargrove Quintet at the Blue Note in NYC and the Russell Malone Quartet at Shanghai Jazz in New Jersey. These guys are two of my favorite musicians. I told Russell Malone after his performance that he was wonderful and his response was "I still am!"

Ken

I used to live in Chatham, but I never go along to that club in Madison. I really need to go, as I'm in Millburn, N.J.

 

Stacey Kent and her husband Jim Tomlinson at Birdland on 1/19/16.

 

Are we allowed to post about concerts we enjoyed live over the radio? If so, I just recorded the BSO along with Johannes Moser playing the Dvorak Cello Concerto - a stunning performance, and just ordered the CD. Meantime, enjoy this

 

And enjoy I very much did ack. Thank you.

 

Vivaldi's Gloria By Candlelight. St. Martin's in the Field London on 2/23/16.

 

Not a concert but a ton of musical fun! Kinky Boots at the Adelphia Theater in London 2/24/16.

 

Saw Patricia Barber quartet in the Green Mill in Chicago yesterday. Phenomenal show. She even played some of my favorites from the Mythologies album without me even asking.

 

We went and saw Mumford and Son last week while they were in Charlotte. I wasn't expecting much as I am not their biggest fan for musical style but I will say this.....I left the concert with a deep, deep, deep appreciation for their electrifying performance, singing and musical abilities. If this band is even slightly on your radar for upcoming shows, go ahead and book the tickets. I highly doubt that you will be disappointed based upon what I experienced.

I never thought I would yearn to hear any of their songs but I do and to my surprise, I find myself getting very energized whenever I hear them on the radio now. This is definitely NOT what I thought I would walk away from the concert with.

Tom

 

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Saw Patricia Barber quartet in the Green Mill in Chicago yesterday. Phenomenal show. She even played some of my favorites from the Mythologies album without me even asking.

I am seeing Ms. Barber Sunday at The Jazz Standard. Should be fun.

 

Karrin Allyson at Birdland on April 12th.

 

I've been going to small intimate venues and house concerts around Seattle, listening to local musicians - a jazz trio here, a classical violin duo there. It's a lot of fun - all found through Meetup.com

 

We went and saw Mumford and Son last week while they were in Charlotte. I wasn't expecting much as I am not their biggest fan for musical style but I will say this.....I left the concert with a deep, deep, deep appreciation for their electrifying performance, singing and musical abilities. If this band is even slightly on your radar for upcoming shows, go ahead and book the tickets. I highly doubt that you will be disappointed based upon what I experienced.

I never thought I would yearn to hear any of their songs but I do and to my surprise, I find myself getting very energized whenever I hear them on the radio now. This is definitely NOT what I thought I would walk away from the concert with.

Tom

Saw them last week with my daughter. Not bad at all. Refreshing to go to a non-geezer band for a change. Other highlights this week: Prince on Thursday in Atlanta, and probably the most electrifying show of a 4 concert week, Pearl Jam in Greenville, SC.

 

This season’s Symphony Center Presents orchestra series came to a close Sunday afternoon with a performance by the Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra (BRSO) at Orchestra Hall. The entire program was devoted to a single work—Shostakovich’s Symphony No. 7 (“Leningrad”)—and chief conductor Mariss Jansons led an impeccable performance of the mammoth opus.

http://chicagoclassicalreview.com/2...varian-orchestra-in-a-leningrad-for-the-ages/

 

Muti, CSO and singers deliver a delightful, world-class “Falstaff”

http://chicagoclassicalreview.com/2...rs-deliver-a-delightful-world-class-falstaff/

The New York Times even reviewed the Chicago performance: "Riccardo Muti, the King of Verdi, Still Rules With a Firm Baton"

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/04/23/a...g-of-verdi-still-rules-with-a-firm-baton.html

 

I just had an unexpectedly very enjoyable concert experience the Philadelphia Orchectra doing the Prokofiev Symphony #1, the Ginastera Variaciones Concertantes, and the Stravinsky Rite of Spring, under the baton of Assistant Conductor Cristian Macelaru.

It does not sound all that exciting, right? I had selected it under my subscription a year ago because it was originally supposed to be the Stravinsky L' Histoire du Soldat, with a live realization on stage, plus the Rite of Spring, without balletic action. Unfortunately L' Histoire was cancelled in favor of the Classical Symphony and the Ginastera. I cannot tell you how tired I was of the Classical Symphony, and that I was no fan of Ginastera. Also, I was really unfamiliar with Macelaru, who is an unknown. He must be a huge step down from Music Director Yannick Nezet-Seguin, who I adore, right? But, I had my tickets, so I was going anyway. My wife was unable to go, but a friend stepped in for the seat. He had this bucket list thing about hearing the Rite of Spring live once in his lifetime.

All that trepidation and disappointment aside, it was a fabulous and memorable concert, one of the best of the season for me. The Classical Symphony came back to life for me in live performance and, like the unfamiliar Ginastera piece that followed, was thoroughly enjoyable. Then, the justly famous Rite of Spring assaulted our senses, as the ensemble playing was absolutely extraordinary, under the little known Maestro's impeccable command.

Wow! Lessons learned are that, even works you think you are burned out on, can come to life again in live performance, like the Classical Symphony. I also want to look more deeply into this Ginastera guy, because I liked what I heard very much. As for the Rite, it was a tough, cacophonous go for me for many years and I really avoided it. But, it is a masterpiece I love now, especially live when you can see and hear how it is put together, its incredible musical sophistication and drama, its amazing dynamics and sheer sound, wild and crazy though it often is. It just does not sound today like it is, unbelievably, over 100 years old.

My friend does not attend many live concerts, but he is an avid classical listener. He has spent decades tweaking, selecting and even EQing his system for what he considers "digititis" on many digital recordings. He has sounded like a broken record on that, and his system sounds unrealistically too smooth, rolled off and mellow for me. But, he admitted after the concert that much of his digititis thing might be the actual sound of the instruments and the live music itself rather than something he should be trying to wring from his system at all cost. So, I hope he learned something.

As for Maestro Macelaru, I will no longer consider him a downgrade when conducting. It was a superbly realized concert musically under his leadership.

Live concerts are filled with new insights.

 

Jeff Hamilton Trio at Dizzy's Club Coca Cola NYC on May 10, 2016. This was a GREAT show.