|
|||||
| basement tapes | concert reviews | cd reviews | interviews | ticket swap | music news |
 By Andy Argyrakis |
||
Weekend Report: Raitt at Taste, STP at Summerfest
Friday, July 4, 2008 He may have left Velvet Revolver, but Scott Weiland is still wreaking havoc on the road with over the top performances and the occasional trip to the slammer. Even so, he seems to be a bit more reliable with the newly reunited Stone Temple Pilots than with Slash and it's made for one eventful, alternative rock-drenched summer vacation. Along with guitarist Dean DeLeo, bassist Robert DeLeo and drummer Eric Kretz, the infamous front man will basically deliver an STP hit parade, including the grungy greats "Vasoline," "Big Empty," "Plush," "Interstate Love Song" and "Sex Type Thing" to name a few. (Worth a shot - Friday at Marcus Amphitheater- Milwaukee, WI: www.summerfest.com). The diverse Summerfest line-up also includes rap/hip-hop band The Roots, who are currently celebrating the politically charged new CD Rising Down. Outside of speaking their minds on society in yet another heated election year, the album updates ?uestlove and company's inventive urban hybrid, once again breaking down racial and stylistic barriers.  Since no two set lists are ever the same, expect a
mixed bag of new tunes, jam sessions and possibly a handful of hits from the past
decade and a half together. (Bet your life - Friday at Summerfest Grounds- Milwaukee,
WI: www.summerfest.com).Alternative country turned roots rockin' troubadour Bonnie Raitt is in desperate need of a new disc (her last studio effort was 2005's Souls Alike) though she's sure to still deliver on stage. The consummate storyteller is an enduring charmer who can dig back into her early underground annals or address a bevy of commercial cuts, though she rarely indulges the radio crowd with all the familiar favorites. Still, Raitt's wittiness and southern-tipped guitar slinging seems to get better with time, plus this particular Taste of Chicago gig is totally free. (Bet your life - Friday at Grant Park - Chicago, IL: www.tasteofchicago.us). |
||
Street Week: MCR and Mayer live, Genesis DVD box
Monday, June 30, 2008 If there's a theme to this week's most prominent projects, it's the fact that they're all live in nature, perhaps as a celebration of the summer concert season or as a means of pushing product to those wanting to relive last year's top tours. In any case, the concert collections kick off with My Chemical Romance's audio/visual installment The Black Parade Is Dead! (Reprise), tracing tracks off 2006's blockbuster The Black Parade, which front man Gerard Way called "way more dramatic, way more theatrical, completely over the top, borderline psychotic." As the title implies, this project marks the end of an era for the alternative rock/emo mainstays, though members haven't dropped any hints about their future direction just yet . Singer/songwriter John Mayer earned some extra credibility points over the last year by ditching ditzy girlfriend Jessica Simpson on a personal note and appearing at Eric Clapton's acclaimed Crossroads Guitar Festival on the professional front. He's also shying away from bland college pop radio faire in favor of more blues  and
jazzed tipped jams, as evidenced on his latest effort Where The Light Is: John
Mayer Live In Los Angeles (Sony). The project hits stores in separate CD and DVD
packages split between an acoustic set, trio set and full band set.After debuting as a sole Wal-Mart release (so lame), the partially reunited Genesis offers a more widespread release of its triple DVD box set When In Rome (EMI International). The first two discs trace front man Phil Collins, keyboardist Tony Banks and guitarist Mike Rutherford performing for the first time in fifteen years with a set list spilt between their progressive/art rock beginnings through more commercial material. A bonus two hour documentary is also included, casting intriguing light on how a tour of this magnitude comes together, complete with technical glitches just days before its official launch. |
||