Sun writer Chris Kaltenbach was at last night's Jewel show. Here is a link to a photo gallery from last night. And here is the review:

When Jewel asked the crowd at the Lyric last night what songs they wanted to hear, there was no shortage of replies.

"Satellite," from 2006’s "Goodbye Alice In Wonderland," seemed the crowd favorite, but plenty of other suggestions came pouring out of the audience, songs running the gamut of her career, some not even yet on any of her studio albums.

"It's very cool," she said, complimenting her Baltimore audience on their extensive knowledge. "I like my fans."

Well, her fans like her, too. And for good reason.

For about two hours, the Alaskan-born singer-songwriter regaled them with beautifully sung acoustic versions of both her hits ("Hands," "Who Will Save Your Soul?") and songs only her true fans knew beforehand ...

Continue reading "Concert review: Jewel at the Lyric Opera House" »

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JazzTimes managing editor Evan Haga saw Van Morrison last night at the Meyerhoff Symphony Hall. Here are his thoughts:

The Irish singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Van Morrison is one of popular music's great contradictions, as he proved last night during a 90-minute set at the Meyerhoff Symphony Hall. The performance was, on several levels, bewildering.

Over the last four-plus decades, Morrison has written indelible melodies and delivered them in his singular blue-eyed-soul shout, a sort of half-croak, half-belt that feels at once homey and otherworldly. He has recorded songs, like "Brown Eyed Girl," that even children know to sing along to. People genuinely feel like they own his music, even when it's dressed in jazz and Celtic flourishes.

But what he offers, even as it's anchored in American roots and R&B, is so totally esoteric. A notoriously diffident and difficult personality, Morrison, like Bob Dylan, is now less interested in celebrating those terrific melodies than being a roots bandleader ...

Continue reading "Concert review: Van Morrison at the Meyerhoff" »

Posted by Sam Sessa at 9:41 AM | Permalink | Comments (27)
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Midnight Sun correspondent John John Williams IV was at Snoop Dogg last night. Here are his thoughts:

When I found out I was going to see the Snoop Dogg Wonderland High School Tour, I was fully expecting to leave Rams Head Live in Baltimore with a second-hand contact high.

I knew that plenty of people in the crowd were going to be smoking marijuana and that my clothes were going to need a good dry cleaning afterward.

To my surprise (and relief) the marijuana smoke was held to a minimum due to vigilant security staff last night. I'm sure that many of the fans found this to be annoying, but I honestly didn't mind.

The performances by headliner Snoop Dogg and rapping duo Method Man and Redman were more than enough to keep the audience in an altered state.

These veteran performers could satisfy the wants of the most finicky hip-hop fans ...

Continue reading "Concert review: Snoop Dogg, Method Man and Redman at Rams Head Live" »

Posted by Sam Sessa at 9:15 AM | Permalink | Comments (7)
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Few rappers can make an entrance like Jay-Z.

He didn't just take the stage -- he set a timer first.

Before his sold-out show began last night at 1st Mariner Arena, the THX sound effect boomed through the speakers and digital clocks displayed on the big screens started counting down from 10 minutes. When time ran out, the curtain was pulled back, revealing Jay-Z's tight 10-piece band and a screen shaped like the New York City skyline.

He didn't just walk onto the stage, either. He rose from the floorboards, wearing black shades, black pants, a black shirt and a black leather jacket.

Now that's an entrance.

The rest of the show was everything you'd expect from one of hip-hop's superstars: Swaggering, bragging and furious verses. Jay-Z dominated the mike, and the audience loved nearly every minute of it ...

Continue reading "Concert review: Jay-Z at 1st Mariner Arena last night" »

Posted by Sam Sessa at 7:49 AM | Permalink | Comments (12)
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Do you know what tomorrow is?

Tomorrow is big. Real big.

So big, in fact, that I'm calling it Super Music Tuesday.

Tomorrow is perhaps the biggest day for live music in Baltimore this fall. Jay-Z is playing 1st Mariner. Snoop Dogg is playing Rams Head Live. Jewel is playing the Lyric. And Van Morrison is playing the Meyerhoff.

Whew! Now comes the cool part ...

Continue reading "Tomorrow is Super Music Tuesday" »

Posted by Sam Sessa at 10:15 AM | Permalink | Comments (9)
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Midnight Sun contributor John-John Williams IV was at Maxwell's show last night at 1st Mariner Arena. Here are his thoughts:

Maxwell ended the American leg of "The BLACKsummer’snight Tour" last night at First Mariner Arena in Baltimore, and he left it all on the stage. The neo-soul crooner sure knows how to leave a crowd satisfied.

Maxwell's "BLACKsummer’snight" was one of the most anticipated albums of this year -- and for good reason.

After all, the Brooklyn native was one of the main artists along with Lauryn Hill who became the face of the neo-soul movement of the mid-to-late '90s. Sure, there have been tons of suitors since then -- Anthony Hamilton, Raheem DeVaughn, and even the uber-successful John Legend. But none have been able to knock Maxwell off of his often vacant throne ...

Continue reading "Concert review: Maxwell at 1st Mariner Arena" »

Posted by Sam Sessa at 9:58 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)
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Sun Ring Posts blogger Kevin Eck is quite the Kiss fan. Frankly, I'm a little shocked at how many times he's seen the rock stalwarts. He went to two (2) Kiss shows this week alone. Here is his report:

They say you never forget your first Kiss. I vividly remember mine. 

The date was Dec. 20, 1977, and I was 10. That was the night I saw the self-professed hottest band in the land for the very first time, at the old Capital Centre in Landover.

What I experienced that night was much deeper than a school-boy infatuation. It was the start of a lifelong relationship, and even though there have been peaks and valleys over the past 32 years, the passion is still there ...

Continue reading "Concert review: Kiss at Wachovia Center and Verizon Center" »

Posted by Sam Sessa at 1:03 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)
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There's so much space and sweep in singer/songwriter Ray LaMontagne's music, it's a wonder he doesn't perform with orchestras more often.

Last night, when LaMontagne played with the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra at the Music Center at Strathmore, it was only the second time he's had an orchestra behind him (the first was earlier this year at the Hollywood Bowl). Tonight, LaMontagne and the BSO will perform at the Meyerhoff Symphony Hall.

Aside from a few miscues, it was a fluid showcase of LaMontagne's compelling body of work.

If you've heard LaMontagne's breathy, sandpapery voice, chances are, you either love it or hate it. Whether whispered or howled, LaMontagne's voice seemed to hang in the air last night in the gorgeous Strathmore hall.

Arranger and conductor David Campbell (whom you may recognize as the father of Beck) led the BSO through a few classical pieces, including John Adams' "Shaker Loops" and "The Unanswered Question" by Charles Ives, before LaMontagne took the stage. The works were adventurous and accessible without being patronizing; it was clear Campbell knew his audience.

After a brief break, LaMontagne, looking ever the mountain man with his beard, dark hair white button-down and vest, emerged with a three-piece band (drums, bass and guitar).

The 80-minute performance was a tour through LaMontagne's three albums, touching on hits and album cuts alike ...

Continue reading "Concert review: Ray LaMontagne with the BSO at Strathmore" »

Posted by Sam Sessa at 11:07 AM | Permalink | Comments (8)
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There are Springsteen fans, and there are Springsteen fanatics. Baltimore Sun sports guru Ron Fritz has seen Bruce Springsteen 12 or 15 times. I don't know if I'd call him a fanatic, but he's definitely more than a casual fan of the Boss.

Fritz saw Springsteen last night in Philly. Here are his thoughts:

Get ready Baltimore, the Boss is coming and he’s bringing a smokin’ hot E Street Band with him.

Bruce Springsteen, scheduled to play 1st Mariner Arena on Nov. 20, played the second of four shows in Philadelphia last night at The Spectrum.

He played for about 2 hours and 45 minutes, 15 minutes shorter than the first night in Philly, but got the old building rocking right from the start with "Thundercrack," followed by "The Ties That Bind" and "What Love Can Do."

The band was so good, right off the bat, that it was like seeing the Ravens run their 2-minute offense to start the game and have everything perfectly in sync ...

Continue reading "Concert review: Bruce Springsteen at the Spectrum last night" »

Posted by Sam Sessa at 3:38 PM | Permalink | Comments (3)
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Subtlety has never been one of U2's strong points.

Dublin's finest have almost always been about big -- from their catalog of arena anthems to their unabashed pleas for world peace. Does U2's 360 Degrees tour, which made a stop at FedEx Field last night, have one of the biggest stage setups in the history of live music? Of course it does.

In fact, if you ask lead singer Bono, the foursome has transcended band status altogether.

"The nation state that is U2 is a global force -- yet, a democracy," he told the crowd last night.

Of course it is, Bono. Now, you put those light purple shades back on and sing us another song. Because when U2 wants to rock, U2 rocks. "Beautiful Day" was about as epic as epic gets -- except, of course, until they played the even bigger, bolder "Where The Streets Have No Name."

For better or worse, the show itself was, at times, so excessive it was surreal ...

Continue reading "Concert review: U2 at FedEx Field" »

Posted by Sam Sessa at 10:06 AM | Permalink | Comments (71)
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John-John Williams IV was at last night's Lady Gaga show at DAR Constitution Hall. Here are his thoughts:

Lady Gaga knows how to put on a show -- when she's on stage. Too bad she makes her fans wait an hour and a half for an hour performance with no encore.

That's right: At her DAR Constitution Hall show last night, there was no opening act, an hour-long performance by Lady Gaga and no encore. But like I said, when she's on stage, she's one heck of a performer.

The minute the curtain dropped, revealing Lady Gaga dressed in a geometric, glittery metallic dress with an Anna Wintour blonde and pink bob, she had the crowd's attention.

Gaga launched into her hit single "Paparazzi," working the screaming fans by screaming "D.C." and flashing the middle finger at the end of the song.

It quickly became apparent that Lady Gaga is more than just a shiny pop package. She’s a phenomenal performer with a myriad of tricks up her haute coutured sleeves. She's a great singer, pianist, and showman too: She was tickling the ivories while squatting on the piano bench in heels ...

Continue reading "Concert review: Lady Gaga at DAR Constitution Hall" »

Posted by Sam Sessa at 8:02 AM | Permalink | Comments (13)
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Half the seats were empty when Counting Crows singer Adam Duritz snuck out from behind the curtain and sat on the edge of the stage.

It was only 7 p.m. -- no one was expecting any music for another few minutes, at least. But there was Duritz, who greeted the audience, and with the help of a guitarist, eased into an acoustic cover of the Psychedelic Furs song "The Ghost in You."

"We thought we'd sing a song for you before the show starts," he said.

That was just one of many spontaneous moments at last night's show at Merriweather Post Pavilion. The tour, called the Traveling Circus and Medicine Show, was a novel way to present the rock group Augustana, the hip-hop/reggae/funk act Michael Franti and Spearhead and the Counting Crows: Instead of having two openers and a headliner, the three bands traded songs for nearly four hours.

At times, all three bands -- almost 20 musicians all told -- would play at once. That's how they opened the show, with a rendition of Van Morrison's "Caravan." The stage may have looked crowded but didn't sound it; early on, all three bands settled into an easy groove and rarely left it. ...

Continue reading "Concert review: Counting Crows, Michael Franti and Augustana at Merriweather Post Pavilion" »

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From the moment the roadies started setting up the stage, you could tell it was going to be an over-the-top concert.

Five palm trees? Check. One large urn loaded with fresh flowers? Check. A piano dotted with small square mirrors? Check. Oh, and let's not forget the neon trimmings, pyrotechnics, confetti and video screens.

The Killers brought plenty of Las Vegas flair to Merriweather Post Pavilion last night. They cranked through their high-energy, 80-minute show with business-like efficiency. The music was flashy and bombastic, and the set was filled with fist-pumping dance rock anthems.

Singer (and sometimes keyboardist) Brandon Flowers emerged sporting a black suit coat with feather epaulets. Thankfully, he discarded the thing after a couple songs and proceeded to stalk across the stage. ...

Continue reading "Concert review: The Killers at Merriweather Post Pavilion last night" »

Posted by Sam Sessa at 7:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (27)
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From the start, expectations were high.

When tickets for last night's Phish show at Merriweather Post Pavilion first went on sale, fans snapped them up in minutes -- a record for the Columbia amphitheater. And all along this tour, the band has been sounding reinvigorated and delivering impressive shows.

While last night's performance had its high points, it won't go down as one of the best gigs on the tour. It was a surprisingly mellow show overall -- almost underwhelming at times.

Hours before the concert began, thousands of diehard Phish fans swarmed Merriweather Post Pavilion to set up tents and party in the parking lots.

The sweaty weather had folks swilling extra drinks to keep cool, and come 7:30 p.m., the crowd was pretty riled up and ready for the world's biggest jam band ...

Continue reading "Concert review: Phish at Merriweather Post Pavilion" »

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Midnight Sun commenter AmyWoo saw Van Morrison perform at DAR Constitution Hall this past weekend. Here are her thoughts:

Having read several less than stellar reviews of Van Morrison’s recent performances, I have to admit I went in to Friday night's concert at DAR Constitution Hall expecting the worst. And for the first hour and 45 minutes, I was pleasantly surprised.
 
In spite of the fact that none of his "big hits" appeared on his set list that night, I thoroughly enjoyed the music Morrison played.

One of the greatest things about seeing an established artist like Morrison is the incredible musicians that make up the band. Morrison didn't disappoint in that respect – I don't think I've ever heard someone wail on the viola quite like Tony Fitzgibbon.

Of course, the caliber of musicians playing with Morrison didn't stop him from the occasional barking demand to play "long notes" or switch to the "tom-tom or whatever." ...

Continue reading "Concert review: Van Morrison at DAR Constitution Hall" »

Posted by Sam Sessa at 3:00 PM | Permalink | Comments (26)
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It's a good thing they started late.

At 10 p.m. -- the time the music was supposed to start -- the line stretched south on Charles Street and spilled around the corner onto West Lanvale Street. The show was held in the parking lot a couple doors down from the Metro Gallery (1700 N. Charles St.), the same space where they threw Rufustival not too long ago. And last night, that parking lot was packed full of people ...

Continue reading "Concert review: Beach House and Celebration at the Metro Gallery" »

Posted by Sam Sessa at 12:39 PM | Permalink | Comments (9)
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  Before we get rolling, I have a couple guilty confessions to make. First, even though I have interviewed Adam Lambert, I have never seen a complete episode of "American Idol" since it started in 2002. I've caught snippets here and there, but I've never seen a whole episode. I know, I know, shame on me.

Even worse: Due to a Baltimore Unsigned taping with Caleb Stine, I missed pretty much the entire first set of the show.

Why send me in the first place? Reality TV expert Sarah Kelber was indisposed, and editor Tim Swift was desperate, I guess. So they sent the wide-eyed pop music writer (me) instead.

All that said, the American Idols Live tour, which came to 1st Mariner Arena last night, was quite the treat, if you dig that sort of thing. The show features performances by the top 10 contestants on the 2009 season of "American Idol." It was, in a sense, a souped-up, flashy, extravagant karaoke show. And what a show it was ...

Continue reading "Concert review: American Idols Live tour 2009" »

Posted by Sam Sessa at 7:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (97)
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Simply put, this was one of the best shows I've ever seen.

I didn't want Paul McCartney's show at FedEx Field last night to end.

But when it did -- after a two-hour set and a 30-minute encore -- I think I speak for the rest of the audience when I said I left the stadium satisfied.

Backed by a lean, four-piece band, McCartney led a tour through his unparalleled body of work, from his days as a Beatle to some of the more recent material he released under his alter ego, The Fireman.

The crowd happily clapped and sang along to the former, and amicably tolerated the latter ...

Continue reading "Concert review: Paul McCartney at FedEx Field last night" »

Posted by Sam Sessa at 2:34 PM | Permalink | Comments (60)
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Ring Posts blogger Kevin Eck was at Green Day's show at the Verizon Center. Take it away, Kevin:

Green Day violated one of the basic rules of the entertainment business with their show at Verizon Center Wednesday night: They didn’t leave the audience wanting more.

Then again, Green Day are rebels at heart, so conventional rules be damned.

The Grammy Award-winning trio held nothing back. They put on an amazing performance, not only with their musicianship, but also with their nonstop energy and ability to keep the audience on its feet, pumping its fists and singing along for over two and a half hours. Green Day played 28 songs.

With tickets priced at just $49.50, a Green Day concert has to be one of the best bargains on the live music scene as far as big-name bands.

Continue reading "Concert review: Green Day at the Verizon Center in Washington" »

Posted by Sam Sessa at 7:49 AM | Permalink | Comments (8)
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Midnight Sun correspondent Tim Swift (of Swift Picks fame) was at Neko Case's concert last night at Rams Head Live. Here is his report:

Full disclosure: I wouldn't call this a review, per se -- I was mostly busy fumbling and failing with a camera (see above). But here are a few musings from the concert.
 
Alt-country songtress Neko Case may have been complaining of a toothache last night, but for all the initial banter and mock bellyaching on stage, it sure didn't affect her chilled-out performance at Rams Head Live ...

Continue reading "Concert review: Neko Case at Rams Head Live last night" »

Posted by Sam Sessa at 10:49 AM | Permalink | Comments (14)
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I wasn't able to get to Aberdeen for the John Mellencamp, Willie Nelson, Bob Dylan show, but Sun photographer Chris Alliey was.

Here's a link to some of his photos from the show.

Posted by Sam Sessa at 11:45 AM | Permalink | Comments (7)
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Sun writer John-John Williams IV was at Merriweather last night to see John Legend and India.Arie. Here are his thoughts:

Let’s be honest for a second: Modern day R&B singers are basically garbage. They lack the soul and vocal skills that popularized the genre.

These days, we have 'artists" who have abandoned their roots in favor of synthesized, auto-tuned studio sounds that have been poorly plated with trite lyrics and spaghetti thin vocals.

Thank God for John Legend (pictured) and India.Arie who brought down the house last night at Merriweather Post Pavilion. The two have a crisp, classic, yet modern sound. And they know how to entertain a crowd.

Legend, a multi-Grammy award winner in his own right, can loosen inhibitions better than a bottle of booze. Couples most definitely sealed the deal after hearing Legend perform last night. ...

Continue reading "Concert review: John Legend and India.Arie at Merriweather last night" »

Posted by Sam Sessa at 8:47 AM | Permalink | Comments (6)
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Rock the Bells, the annual star-studded hip-hop festival tour, came to Merriweather Post Pavilion in Columbia yesterday.

Baltimore Sun photographer Shantel Mitchell was there to capture the action, from Nas to Big Boi (who I interviewed last week) to the Roots (pictured).

Here's a link to more photos from the show.

I wasn't able to make it to Merriweather to review the concert, but if you were there and you want to tell us how it went, go for it.

(Baltimore Sun photo by Shantel Mitchell)

Posted by Sam Sessa at 1:15 PM | Permalink | Comments (4)
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Sun staffer Lori Sears was at last night's Elton John and Billy Joel show in Washington. Here is her play-by-play:

In the interest of full disclosure, I must confess that I'm a big fan of both Elton John and Billy Joel.

So, naturally, there was no question that I'd be anywhere but Nationals Park in Washington last night to see the two piano rock 'n' rollers play "Face to Face." The guys have perfected this "F2F" gig, having played these "in tandem" concerts off and on since 1994.
 
Oh, what a night it was: a rocking, drama-filled evening with two music legends. The concert began much like the piano guys' past shows.

As the opening theme music boomed throughout the open-air baseball stadium, the two grand pianos emerged from underground, raising up to stage level and laying out 18 feet of pure piano. Soon after, Billy emerged, then Elton. A warm hug, kindly greetings to the capacity crowd, and they were on their way ...

Continue reading "Concert review: Billy Joel and Elton John Face to Face at Nationals Park" »

Posted by Sam Sessa at 1:11 PM | Permalink | Comments (35)
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Baltimore Sun social networking guru Mary Hartney was at last night's Wilco show at Wolf Trap in Virginia. Here are her thoughts:

My favorite band (Wilco) at my favorite venue (Wolf Trap) on a gorgeous summer night: What could possibly go wrong?

Traffic and lawn seats, that's what.

We arrived at Wolf Trap about an hour before the show, which Conor Oberst opened, and the lawn was blanket-to-blanket packed. We wound up sitting on the farthest, highest hill, with no view of the stage.

But that's my problem, not yours, right? I can at least tell you how Wilco sounded. In a word: Incredible. ...

Continue reading "Concert review: Wilco at Wolf Trap last night" »

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Continue reading "Video: Monkee Micky Dolenz performs at the Dundalk Heritage Fair" »

Posted by Sam Sessa at 1:00 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)
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Kevin Eck (of Ring Posts fame) was at the Dundalk Heritage Fair Sunday for Monkee Micky Dolenz's show. Here's what Kevin thought of it:

I'm sure there are a lot of people who consider The Monkees to be a guilty pleasure, but I’m not one of them.

Despite plenty of ribbing from friends and co-workers over the years, I have never felt guilty about being a fan of the 1960s made-for-TV band.

So what if The Monkees did not write the lyrics or play the instruments on their early hits? The undeniable fact is that The Monkees have an extensive catalog of great pop songs that have stood the test of time.

That's why I was so excited to see my favorite Monkee, Micky Dolenz (pictured), play Sunday night at the Dundalk Heritage Fair.

Dolenz is now 64, so I didn’t know what to expect, but he and his band performed with verve and put on a fun show.

Remarkably, Dolenz’s voice didn’t sound much different than it did during The Monkees' heyday more than 40 years ago. ...

Continue reading "Thoughts on ex-Monkee Micky Dolenz's Dundalk show" »

Posted by baltimoresun.com at 7:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (4)
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Baltimore Sun reporter John-John Williams IV was at Beyonce's concert at 1st Mariner Arena last night. Here's a link to a photo gallery from the show. And here are John-John's thoughts:

Throngs of buppies dressed in designer dresses and spiked stilettos crowded First Mariner Arena last night in support of the woman they call Diva, Sasha Fierce, B or more commonly, Beyonce.

Whatever moniker you chose, the former Destiny’s Child front-woman delivered an energy-filled two and a half hour performance on this leg of her 'I Am ... Tour' that left her fans thoroughly content.

The minute she appeared on stage in a sparkling mini dress, all eyes were on her. When the stunning singer belted out an a Capella version of her 2006 hit "Deja Vu," the audience hung on every word.

Beyonce is a seasoned pro, and she knows it. Her costume changes -- there were about eight of them -- were perfectly timed and almost seemed seamless. She also plays to her strengths: vocals, dancing and showmanship ...

Continue reading "Concert review: Beyonce gives energized performance at 1st Mariner Arena" »

Posted by Sam Sessa at 9:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (7)
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My esteemed colleague Chris Kaltenbach was also at last night's Fleetwood Mac show at 1st Mariner Arena. Here are his thoughts:

Fleetwood Mac played an energetic two-hour-plus set of their greatest hits at the 1st Mariner Arena Wednesday night, clearly revelling in their status as elder rock statesmen with a boatload of crowd-pleasing standards to play for their fans.
 
With Lindsay Buckingham playing the role of guitar god to the hilt and Stevie Nicks basking in her role as spiritual muse, the band relied almost exclusively on songs from their monster-selling Fleetwood Mac (1975) and Rumours (1977) albums.

The result was an evening that seemed strangely stuck in time, but in the best of ways. The fans ate it up, and didn't even seem to mind it when the band dragged out two of the hoariest '70s concert cliches, the extended (and defiantly excessive) guitar and drum solos.
 
Opening with "Monday Morning," from Fleetwood Mac, the band quickly set the evening's tone. Buckingham played shamelessly to the crowd, pointing, cajoling, jumping up and down, making like a whirling dervish able to lay down some fairly vicious guitar licks, yet never removing the leather jacket, no matter how much the sweat came pouring down ...

Continue reading "Concert review: Fleetwood Mac at 1st Mariner Arena" »

Posted by Sam Sessa at 9:21 AM | Permalink | Comments (11)
Categories: Concert reviews, Local music
        

As promised, I wanted to tell you about Biz Markie's opening set at last night's Beastie Boys concert at Rams Head Live.

In short, it was so bad it was good. 

Biz Markie rolled out onto the stage (when you're as large as he is, you don't walk, you know*) around 8:15 p.m. His mouth hung open the entire time he was on stage.

Maybe he was dumbstruck by the crowd's energy. Or maybe he just needed the oxygen.

Fans of reality TV will remember Markie from his stint on the weight-loss show Celebrity Fit Club. I never saw that season, but I've been told Markie lost a fair amount of weight during his time on the show. I don't know how fat he was before the show, but he's not exactly Mr. Slim these days.

Markie started playing 30-second snippets of songs from the past couple decades. We heard from Bob Marley, Kriss Kross and Suzanne Vega, among others. Between snippets, he would ask, "Ya'll remember that?" He kept saying this over and over.

After a few minutes, Markie had a question for the crowd ...

Continue reading "Biz Markie: Awesomely bad" »

Posted by Sam Sessa at 3:02 PM | Permalink | Comments (7)
Categories: Concert reviews, Local music
        

The Beastie Boys may be best known for their brand of sharp, stinging hip-hop, but the Brooklyn trio has a surprisingly diverse discography.

Last night's choppy, spontaneous performance at Rams Head Live was a tour through the group's 30-odd years together, from the early hardcore punk to the more recent instrumental funk jams to the inevitable rap hits.

The surprise show, a warm-up for the group's Bonnaroo performance next week, had plenty of rough spots. There were false starts, missed cues and whiffed lines. But all of that came secondary to the fact that one of the biggest rap acts of all time was playing to a club that holds a mere 2,000 people, give or take. Here's a link to some more pictures from the show.

At one point, a guy standing on the first level turned to a gal next to him and said, "Can you believe it? We're, like, 10 rows from the Beastie Boys!" My thoughts exactly.

Continue reading "Last night's Beastie Boys show at Rams Head Live" »

Posted by Sam Sessa at 8:47 AM | Permalink | Comments (29)
Categories: Concert reviews, Local music
        

Sun pop music critic Rashod Ollison checked out Baltimore-based ambient pop duo Beach House's show at Sonar last night.

Here's what he thought.

I was surprised -- Rashod didn't comment on the smell. The show was held in Sonar's club space, which was packed. And any time you crowd a bunch of hipsters into a small space like that, the smell is overpowering.

I understand the too-cool-for-you attitude. But no one's too cool for deodorant.

(Sun photo by Chiaki Kawajiri)

Posted by Sam Sessa at 5:28 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)
Categories: Concert reviews
        

As a music writer, I hear a lot of good stuff that I know will not get the attention it deserves.

That's why I'm incredibly happy to tell you that Jukebox the Ghost filled The Ottobar last night (a Tuesday night, mind you). Even better: A ton of people in the crowd knew the words to their songs, and sang along with the trio.

Next week, Jukebox will set off on a tour opening for Ben Folds. Good things are in store for these guys. Lord knows, they deserve it.

Last night, they played most of their debut album, Live and Let Ghosts, as well as a bunch of new tunes.

Jukebox performs playful piano rock with morbid underpinnings ...

Continue reading "Concert review: Jukebox the Ghost at The Ottobar 3/10" »

Posted by Sam Sessa at 4:45 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
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Meant to post this earlier, but this week's been so  wild and crazy, I haven't had the time to write about it.

This past Saturday, my pal Evan and I went to see George Clinton and Parliament Funkadelic at Rams Head Live.

As always, it was half concert and half circus. And as always, they brought the funk. A three-hour set of funk, no less.

Clinton and his posse played all their hits ("Flashlight," "Give Up the Funk (Tear the Roof Off the Sucker)," "Maggot Brain" and more). The crowd was incredibly diverse, too ...

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Posted by Sam Sessa at 11:42 AM | Permalink | Comments (12)
Categories: Bars & Clubs, Concert reviews
        

If you take a folk or country music song all the way back to its beginnings, most times you end up with a couple of singer/songwriters sitting on a back porch somewhere strumming acoustic guitars.

Emmylou Harris (pictured), Patty Griffin and Buddy Miller brought that same intimate, informal setting to the Meyerhoff last night.

The show, in support of the Mammojam Music Festival, nearly filled the symphony hall.

They sat on stage and performed in a songwriter's circle, offering just as many original songs as covers ...

Continue reading "Concert review: Emmylou Harris, Patty Griffin and Buddy Miller at the Meyerhoff" »

Posted by Sam Sessa at 3:30 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)
Categories: Concert reviews
        

Thursday night, two indie rock groups with the word "and" in their name took the stage at the Talking Head Club (inside Sonar, 407 E. Saratoga St.): Steve Hefter and Friends and Friends of Friends and Jason Dove and Vacation Face.

It was Hefter's last gig in Baltimore before he splits for several months in Canada. I caught (and enjoyed) the last handful of songs. Hefter's music can be sparse and ambling at times, but it can really grab your attention.

Hefter closed his set with what is perhaps his most poignant song, "Diamond Ring." Complete with whistling synthesizer riffs and a sharp snare drum, it was a wistful way to say goodbye (for now) to Charm City. Bye bye, Steve. We'll miss ya.

Next up was Jason Dove (pictured) and his new group, Vacation Face.  

Vacation Face includes a hodge-podge of local indie rock musicians: Mike Ward (from Egg Babies Orchestra) on keys, Steve Colmus on drums (from J-Roddy Walston and the Business) and Hefter on guitar and vocals.

Dove is a semi-goofy, totally unpretentious guy who likes poking fun at himself (check out his hilarious Jason Dove Diaries series). But on stage, Dove got down to business pretty quick. He played a fair share of new material from an album he's finishing right now.

Dove didn't introduce most of the songs, but I especially liked the one he dedicated to Neil. It ended with Dove and Hefter layering their guitars (a la "Blue Sky" by the Allman Brothers) and playing a tight melody in two-part harmony. It was a tight set of indie rock. Now I'm itching to hear the new album.

(Sun archive photo) 

Posted by Sam Sessa at 10:35 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)
Categories: Concert reviews
        

My 14-year-old sister Emily came to the city Friday night to see the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra's rendition of Play! A Video Game Symphony.

In the show, the orchestra performs music from popular video games. Here is her review ... 

Continue reading "Concert review: Play!" »

Posted by Sam Sessa at 11:17 AM | Permalink | Comments (3)
Categories: Concert reviews
        

Baltamour blogger Maryann James was at Sia's show at the 9:30 Club.

She reports:

From the stuffed animals on stage to her non-choreographed, impromptu dances on stage, it is apparent that Sia is the antithesis of the sterile, manufactured super-pop machine.

Bathed in darkness and dressed in outfits that made Sia and her bandmates look like a child's fluorescent drawings come to life, they kicked off the show with "Buttons," a single off her new album, "Some People Have Real Problems."

Continue reading "Sia concert review" »

Posted by Sam Sessa at 10:36 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)
Categories: Concert reviews, Local music