The Machine/December 9,2017/South Burlington,VT

Once again, I headed out to see the amazing The Machine on this very chilly night. I have seen them around 10 times (starting in 1994), and this may be the best I've seen. They are always excellent and detail-oriented, but this show felt like it had extra OOMPH.

The first set began with "Shine On You Crazy Diamond" and blazed through some gorgeous 70s and 80s selections. (Including "Signs of Life"!) The second set was the "Animals" album performed in its entirety. Wow! This contained some wildly intense playing by everybody involved.

After a rousing ovation The Machine encored with the last few songs from "The Wall". What a beautiful night in South Burlington.

Below my ticket stub are some photos/video I took that night.

Jason Bonham's Led Zeppelin Experience/December 2,2017/Montreal,QC

I've been a Led Zeppelin fan since 1988. Over the years I have obsessively collected a boatload of their bootlegs. So when I had a chance to see John Bonham's son play some Zep songs up in Montreal, I leaped at the chance.

The show began with some old-timey home movie footage of John Bonham accompanied by pre-recorded narration by Jason. The band opened up with an explosive "Immigrant Song". Aside from Jason on drums there was a bassist,guitarist,singer and keyboardist. This was not a casual pick-up band. These guys were seriously talented. Jason would occasionally share some stories about life with Bonzo.

The setlist contained (among others) an intense "No Quarter", "The Wanton Song" and a huge "Whole Lotta Love" complete with a theremin freakout. Of particular interest was Mr. Jimmy on guitar. He is a Japanese fellow who has the Jimmy Page sound down to a science. He even looks like the mid-70s Jimmy.

This was a very fun night of Zeppelin music in one of my favorite cities. Below my ticket stub are some photos/video I took that night.

Dead and Company/November 12,2017/New York,NY

This was my 4th time entering Madison Square Garden this year. The first 3 times were for Phish back in late July. Previous to that, my only time in The Garden was in November of 1993.

For this (my 1st Dead and Company show) I was seated behind the stage. The band nicely set up video screens for those of us way back there. This *little* thing made the show more engaging for me. Onto the show...

The guys came out with a classy "Shakedown Street" to start things off. This disco-Dead song has always been a favorite of mine. There was a bit of rustiness in the sound of the band here and there. Even Bob Weir called attention to it a couple times. The first set progressed very nicely through 7 songs.

Second set was even better. "China Cat Sunflower"/"I Know You Rider" is an old-school Dead combo, and MSG gobbled it up. Two personal favorites came up next in the form of "Ship of Fools" and "Terrapin Station". After the "Drums"/"Space" section was over, Bob delivered a gorgeous "Standing on the Moon" in the old Jerry ballad spot. A hot "Casey Jones" ended the 2nd set. Then we were treated to a double encore of "Samson and Delilah" and Warren Zevon's "Werewolves of London".

Dead and Company can never replace the REAL Grateful Dead, but it's still a great time. Also...John Mayer is a demon on guitar. His abilities in the "Jerry spot" are amazing. Long live The Dead!!

Below my ticket stub is a photo I took that night.

Leslie West/November 11,2017/New York,NY

Leslie West is one of my favorite guitarists. His band Mountain had a big hit with "Mississippi Queen" in 1970. Over the years he has struggled with obesity, drugs and diabetes. A few years ago he had half of his right leg amputated due to diabetes.

Leslie is half the reason I went to NYC on Veteran's Day weekend. The other half was Dead and Company. I had never seen him live, and I wanted to take this chance to see the legend before he dies. Also, BB King's night club is a cool place.

Leslie was rolled out onstage in his wheelchair. After adjusting his gear for a bit he played "People Get Ready" with just guitar and vocals. His voice was VERY rough, and he sounded under-rehearsed on guitar. Then Bobby Rondinelli (drums) and Rev. Jones (bass) joined him for some Mountain classics. Again, poor Leslie sounded like he was not doing too well. After mentioning Jack Bruce, he played a cover of Cream's "Politician" with a bit of "Sunshine of Your Love" thrown in.

Bobby and the Rev. Jones each had a chance to solo during the set. After playing about 45 minutes, Mr. West and company vacated the stage. Ouch. Maybe it was because Leslie was rough sounding, or maybe he just does short shows these days. Either way, it was a bit of a letdown. I'd love to say that he still rages on guitar, but that was really not the case. But I'm happy I saw him in person in one of my favorite cities.

Below my ticket stub are two photos I took at that night.

Roger Waters/October 16,2017/Montreal,Quebec

My fascination with Pink Floyd goes back to 1980 when "Another Brick in the Wall pt. 2" was on the radio A LOT. Then I sort of forgot about them until around 1992 when I became a big fan while in college. Since then,I've purchased every Floyd album and collected countless bootlegs. It was a great night when I saw Pink Floyd in Montreal in 1994 on their "Division Bell" tour. But this was my first time seeing Roger Waters in concert.

Roger had 2 female backup singers,a couple guitarists,a couple keyboardists and a drummer. The night began with "Breathe" and "One of These Days". After a big blast of oldies, Roger performed a couple songs from his new album "Is This the Life We Really Want?". The first set concluded with "Another Brick in the Wall pt. 2" featuring local Canadian boys and girls singing the chorus onstage.

After a 20 minute intermission, the band returned with huge video screens bisecting the Bell Centre. While the band played "Dogs" and "Pigs" from 1977's "Animals", lots of anti-Trump imagery was splattered on the screens. This, along with the huge flying pig, delighted the audience. Toward the end of the set, we gave Roger a MASSIVE standing ovation that really seemed to move him. The night wrapped up with "Mother" and "Comfortably Numb" from "The Wall".

This was a beautiful night with one of my favorite musicians on the planet. Long Live Roger!

Setlist from this show: https://www.setlist.fm/setlist/roger-waters/2017/centre-bell-montreal-qc-canada-3e3d567.html

Below my ticket stub are some photos I took at the show.

Fleet Foxes/September 27,2017/Morrison,CO

For years I've wanted to attend a show at Red Rocks Amphitheatre. It's a venue which has become legendary for its natural beauty. Well...here was my chance.

I was already in Colorado for the first time ever, and I chose to attend this show. Fleet Foxes is a good band, but mainly I wanted to see a show at Red Rocks. The unique band Beach House played about a one hour opening set. Their music is ethereal and slightly psychedelic.

After a set break, out came Fleet Foxes with their distinctive CSN-ish vocal talents. These guys were great and all, but the weather got quite chilly and damp, so I left before the show was over. I was also a bit anxious about driving out of Red Rocks as the parking situation was a bit ramshackle.

Red Rocks lived up to my expectations as a gorgeous venue. (Possibly the finest outdoor venue ever.) The acoustics were beautiful and the scenery is out of this world. This was a big one on my "DO IT BEFORE YOU DIE" list. Below my ticket stub are some photos I took at the show.

Setlist for this show: https://www.setlist.fm/setlist/fleet-foxes/2017/red-rocks-amphitheatre-morrison-co-63e25e3b.html

Phish/July 30,2017/New York,NY

Tonight's donut theme was Jimmies (a.k.a. sprinkles). When I heard that, I immediately started thinking of Jimi Hendrix and Jimmy Page. I've been a Hendrix fan for over 30 years, so I really hoped his music would pop up that night.

Set #1 opened with "The Curtain With"; a song that always makes me remember the Coventry shows in 2004.  Then the first Jimmy of the night showed up in the form of "Runaway Jim". The rarely played "Esther" showed up before "Brian and Robert" then finally a "David Bowie" to end the set.

Set #2 started with a frantic 20+ minute cover of The Who's "Drowned". That's usually a very good sign. "A Song I Heard the Ocean Sing" went into some deep space with its unusual jam section. Next up was a funny "Harpua". ("Harpua" is part of Phish's Gamehenge myth which includes a young boy named Jimmy.) This long segment featured all 4 guys sitting down on stage and contemplating the nature of the universe. Finally, it was determined that the universe is basically......a DONUT.
"2001" jacked up the energy in the audience. After finishing the set with an a capella "In the Good Old Summertime", the band left the stage. I felt major anticipation about the encore for some reason. Then they did it: Phish debuted Hendrix's "The Wind Cries Mary". WHAT A MOMENT. After that, you couldn't wipe the smile off my face.

Below my ticket stub is a photo I took on one of the three days.

Setlist for this show: http://phish.net/setlists/phish-july-30-2017-madison-square-garden-new-york-ny-usa.html

Phish/July 29,2017/New York,NY

Night #2, and we were excited. The donut theme for this show was Cinnamon. The guys began with one of my favorites: "Llama". They followed up with an energetic "Wilson", but much of the rest of the set was fairly relaxed. That all changed when the band busted into the Beatles' "I Am the Walrus". I was completely surprised and delighted at the same time. The ending of the song was a dive into serious musical chaos. You could REALLY feel the MSG crowd loving it.

Set #2 began with a very exploratory 20+ minute "Blaze On." "20 Tears Later" followed up with an early-70s doom-rock riff on the outro. Later in the set was a fun "Meatstick" preceding a somber "Dirt". Closing out the 2nd set was a euphoric "Harry Hood".


So.....no Cinnamon song yet. Here's when the guys encored with Neil Young's "Cinnamon Girl". I found out later that they haven't played that in 20 years. (Almost to the day.) This classic sent us out into the streets of NYC feeling very fine.

Below my ticket stub is a photo I took on one of the three days.

Setlist for this show: http://phish.net/setlists/phish-july-29-2017-madison-square-garden-new-york-ny-usa.html

Phish/July 28,2017/New York,NY

My friend Adam and I were very excited to see our favorite band in NYC for 3 nights of their "Baker's Dozen" run. This would be my 1st time back to Madison Square Garden since the 1993 Jerry Garcia Band show.

Add the fact that our hotel was literally across the street from MSG, and we were thrilled. This show's donut theme was "Double Chocolate". The show began with Phish doing an a capella version of the song "Chocolate Rain". The set continued very nicely and ended with an intense "Sand". Set 2 opened with the mellow reggae of "Have Mercy" before switching gears into a raging 20+ minute "Chalk Dust Torture". The chocolate theme continued with their 1st ever cover of "You Sexy Thing" by Hot Chocolate. The crowd went nuts when Trey started with the signature guitar riff. Set 2 ended with a very high-energy cover of the Velvet Underground's "Rock and Roll".

I walked away from this show highly impacted by the intense *vibe* of Madison Square Garden. When the crowd gets engaged and roars, you can really feel it. Below my ticket stub is a photo taken by me on one of the 3 days.

Setlist for this show: http://phish.net/setlists/phish-july-28-2017-madison-square-garden-new-york-ny-usa.html

Steve Kimock/June 11,2017/South Burlington,VT

Mr. Kimock may be the most underrated living guitarist. He's played in a variety of bands for decades. He has played with members of the Grateful Dead,Phish and associated jam bands. Jerry Garcia named him as one of his favorite guitarists.

It's surprising this was my first time seeing the guy in person. I don't know what took me so long,but WOW can this guy shred on the guitar. He played 2 sets with a female singer/keyboardist,a bassist and his son on drums. Aside from originals,he played some Grateful Dead,Talking Heads and Jerry Garcia Band favorites. He's a very low-key guy who actually sits down for much of the show. Make no mistake...this guy is a virtuoso. Below my ticket stub is a photo I took at the show.

Trey Anastasio Band/April 15,2017/Port Chester,NY

After 25 years of loving Phish,this was my first Trey Anastasio Band (TAB) show. It was a rough 6 hour drive to Port Chester. I was in rough shape due to a recent alcohol relapse,but I was intent on getting to this show with my pal Adam.
  After arriving at our hotel in Stamford,CT we napped a bit. We were about a 15 minute drive from the Capitol Theater in Port Chester. What a gorgeous theater!! It's likely the prettiest place I've seen a concert.
  Trey played 2 long sets with a top-notch band. Some surprise covers included "The Devil Went Down to Georgia", "MacArthur Park" and "Ooh Child". The acoustics in the Capitol were superb for the multi-layered sound of TAB.
  Trey's gorgeous guitar brought me out of my funk/hangover/shellshocked state of mind during the first song, "Drifting".
  I can highly recommend TAB and the Capitol Theater. Below my ticket stub is one photo I took at the show.

Holly Bowling/March 19,2017/South Burlington,VT

I had been hearing of Holly for almost 2 years,so I was very pleased to finally see her in person. She plays solo piano (no vocals) renditions of Grateful Dead and Phish songs. In the spirit of those bands,she also goes off on gorgeous improvisational tangents within the frameworks of the tunes.

She started this show with one of my favorite Dead songs, "Unbroken Chain". She progressed through 2 beautiful sets of instrumental music,sticking mainly to the Grateful Dead. I'd say 20% of the show was Phish material. Her encore was a gentle version of Phish's "If I Could".

She nicely met with us fans after the show. I highly recommend this virtuoso.

Holly's site:  http://www.hollybowling.com/

Pink Talking Fish/March 4,2017/Burlington,VT

This was the final night of PTF's 3 night run at Nectar's. Each night's show contained a musical concept. On this night the band played Phish's "A Live One" album in its entirety with Pink Floyd and Talking Heads tunes woven into the show. The show was a sell-out,and the band played its brains out.

Joining the fun was longtime Phish collaborator Dave Grippo on saxophone. Other guests included local singer Hayley Jane and Mike Gordon's percussionist Craig Myers. The show had plenty of highlights,but of note was a blazing transition from Phish's "Gumbo" into the Talking Heads' "Life During Wartime".

Once again PTF proved itself to be a powerful musical unit with tons of improvisational ability. I'm already looking forward to the next show. Below my ticket stub are a couple shots I took at the show.

The Machine/February 25,2017/South Burlington,VT

This time around my pal Adam came with me to the show,and it was his 1st time seeing The Machine. He was very impressed. The band started out with "Echoes" and proceeded with a 2 set show which included bits from Pink Floyd's 1960s,1970s and 1980s catalogue. As always,the band played with passion,precision and a fine capacity for improvisation.
  A few nice surprises included "Arnold Layne","Obscured By Clouds" and "A Saucerful of Secrets". The band nicely returned for an encore which included the final 4 songs from "The Wall".
Below my ticket stub are some photos I took at the show.

Pink Talking Fish/January 28,2017/Stowe,VT

 Pink Talking Fish is a 4 piece band which covers the music of Pink Floyd,Talking Heads and Phish. They occasionally will mix things up and incorporate parts of one song inside another. They do all of this seamlessly and articulately while delivering brain-splitting improvisation. In other words,they play their brains out.
  My pals Adam and Harold accompanied me to this show at the Rusty Nail in beautiful Stowe,VT. Adam's and my love for Phish goes WAY back,but Harold (a newbie to jam-band music) was so impressed by the band that he wondered when the next show would be.
  PTF tore the place down with intense covers of "Time","Burning Down the House","Steam" and a host of others. They finished the first set with a mash-up of Phish's "Ocelot" and the Dead's "Tennessee Jed". The second set concluded with a very heavy take on "Harry Hood".
 I cannot recommend this band highly enough. They will melt your face off.  Below is a photo I took at the show and my ticket.