Walter Trout defies challenges in thrilling 2020 tour opener at The Coach House

Survivor Blues Tour 2020
Who: Walter Trout, Captain Buzz Face
Where: The Coach House in San Juan Capistrano, CA
When: Friday, Feb. 28, 2020
Next: Belly Up in Solana Beach, CA on Sunday, March 1, 2020
More information: www.WalterTrout.com



Review by Robert Kinsler

Photos by Bob Steshetz

Singer-songwriter/guitar great Walter Trout launched his Survivor
Blues Tour 2020 at The Coach House on Feb. 28, 2020.

Blues great Walter Trout kicked off his aptly-titled "Survivor Blues Tour 2020" with a powerful and inspired 130-minute appearance at The Coach House in San Juan Capistrano on Friday night. 

Trout – who received a liver transplant in May 2014 and subsequently went through extensive rehabilitation to regain his health and ability to perform – noted that he is performing with a thrice-broken pinky finger on his left hand. Despite not having the use of his little finger, Trout shredded away on the fretboard of his beloved Fender guitar with his signature zeal.

The show served as both a homecoming celebration (San Juan Capistrano is about a 30-minute drive south of Trout's long-time residence in Huntington Beach) and the launch of an ambitious tour that will take him across the U.S. in March before he heads to Australia in April and then on to Europe in May, June, July and August.

The capacity crowd that packed The Coach House early on Friday was treated to a show highlighting Trout's enduring strengths as singer, songwriter and one of the world's greatest-ever blues-rock guitar players. That was displayed from the moment Trout and his top-tier trio of backing players took the stage, the long introduction of his opening salvo "I Can Tell" providing the perfect opportunity for Trout to tear into a long lead solo.

Walter Trout in action at The Coach House.

Throughout the night Trout was obviously delighted to be among so many long-time fans. "This is amazing. I've been playing this room for over 30 years," Trout said in the early moments of the concert. 

The set included raging electric blues offerings like the aforementioned "I Can Tell" to be sure, but Trout's expansive talent as an artist was exhibited by a diverse setlist that included the introspective "Me, My Guitar and the Blues" off his latest album (last year's Survivor Blues), heavy "Saw My Mama Cryin'," the stirring soul gem "Common Ground," and intoxicating title song off his 2001 album Go The Distance, which was particularly potent with the song's quiet interlude ultimately a showcase for some especially-expressive guitar work.

One of the definite highlights of the night was when Trout spoke of the period of his life when he was suffering in the wake of liver disease and he lost 120 pounds in a four-month period. One night while he was lying in a hospital bed alone he experienced an out-of-body experience, and recalled being drawn to a brilliant white light on what was a period of reflection where he drew even more fortitude in his quest to return to survive. 

Drummer Michael Leasure behind the kit.

Trout and his band then performed the song "Fly Away" (off his excellent 2015 album Battle Scars), a melodic rocker bolstered by his emotive vocals and nuanced guitar work as well as some strong harmonies from members of his terrific band (bassist Johnny Griparic, keyboardist Teddy "Zig Zag" Andreadis and drummer Michael Leasure).

The fast-moving performance included several guests (including blues harp virtuoso Bob Landgraff) coming up on stage during "Blues for Jimmy T." and "Gonna Hurt Like Hell," and an extended run through Floyd Lee's "Red Sun" where members of his own band were featured via impressive solo turns. "The Best You Got" was performed as an encore, with Trout fusing both blues and jazz licks into his soloing on the original for a dramatic finish.

Walter Trout in tune with the music.

This was a night to celebrate Trout's inspiring life story, as well as his powerful musical legacy that finds the artist continuing to release a series of ongoing masterworks that draw strength from his journey and then going out on the road to further develop the force of those tracks.

Opening for Trout was Captain Buzz Face, a rising quartet featuring Trout's sons Mike Trout (the singer-guitarist is no relation to the superstar Angels outfielder) and drummer Dylan Trout. The band's sound was mostly focused on a punk rock sound, with the exception of a terrific raucous take on the Howlin' Wolf classic "Commit a Crime." Among the memorable original cuts was the set-ending fast tempo punk rock cut "Let Me Out."

Captain Buzz Face performing at The Coach House in San Juan Capistrano, CA on Feb. 28, 2020.

Allman Brothers Band's 50th Anniversary celebrated via massive collection

Wow! This is out today!

THE ALLMAN BROTHERS BAND’S 50^th ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATED WITH MASSIVE, CAREER-SPANNING RETROSPECTIVE, TROUBLE NO MORE: 5OTH ANNIVERSARY COLLECTION, OUT NOW VIA ISLAND MERCURY/UMe

NEW COLLECTION, AVAILABLE AS 10LP DELUXE VINYL BOX, 5CD SET AND DIGITALLY, ASSEMBLES HALF CENTURY OF CLASSICS, LIVE PERFORMANCES, RARITIES AND SEVEN PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED TRACKS INCLUDING THE BAND’S VERY FIRST RECORDING – THEIR ORIGINAL 1969 DEMO OF “TROUBLE NO MORE”

THE BROTHERS TO REUNITE MARCH 10 FOR SOLD-OUT CONCERT AT MADISON SQUARE GARDEN

PURCHASE/STREAM TROUBLE NO MORE: 50^TH ANNIVERSARY COLLECTION

Los Angeles – February 28, 2020 – When Berry Oakley, Butch Trucks, Dickey Betts, Duane Allman, Jaimoe, and Gregg Allman finally coalesced in 1969 as The Allman Brothers Band, after stints in other bands and musical endeavors – some alone, some with each other – the group’s very first informal jam together was the stomping Muddy Waters song, “Trouble No More.” Almost immediately the six musicians knew they were on to something special. Shortly after, it also became the very first song they officially demoed together for their eponymous debut record, an album that would begin their legendary, unparalleled, and often times, turbulent journey as one of the best American rock bands to ever exist.

The band’s original 1969 demo of “Trouble No More,” which has remained unreleased for more than half a century, fittingly opens the new, aptly-titled Allman Brothers Band career retrospective, Trouble No More: 50^th Anniversary Collection, available now via Island Mercury/UMe to pay tribute to the 50^th anniversary of the pioneering Southern rock legends and their incredible body of work. Available as a 10LP or 5CD box set or digitally, Trouble No More—produced by Allman Brothers Band historians and aficionados Bill Levenson, John Lynskey and Kirk West —offers a massive selection of 61 Allman Brothers Band classics, live performances and rarities from across their 45-year career, and includes seven previously unreleased tracks that take you from the very beginning until the very end. The collection is bookended with a live performance of “Trouble No More” from the Allman Brothers Band’s final show at New York’s Beacon Theatre that brought the band’s legend to a close and which brings this retrospective full circle.

Order/stream Trouble No More: 50^th Anniversary Collection here: https://UMe.lnk.to/TroubleNoMore

The deluxe vinyl box set of Trouble No More: 50^th Anniversary Collection beautifully presents the Allman Brothers Band’s legacy across 10 LPs packaged in five gatefold jackets housed in a wood veneer wrapped slipcase with gold graphics, accompanied by a 56-page book. The vinyl set is also available as a limited edition color vinyl collection via the online music retailer uDiscover with each LP pressed on orange and red splatter colored vinyl evoking the insides of a peach. The 5CD edition is packaged in a 12-panel softpack with a visually distinctive slipcase and includes an 88-page booklet. Both physical editions feature an insightful nearly 9000 word essay on the 50-year history of the band by John Lynskey, unreleased band photos along with newly shot photos of memorabilia from the Big House Museum in the band’s adopted hometown Macon, GA and a recap of the 13 incarnations of the band lineup. The digital version of the album mirrors the 5CD edition and is available for streaming and download, including Apple Digital Master. All recordings have been newly mastered by Jason NeSmith at Chase Park Transduction in Athens, Ga. and sound better than ever.

Arranged chronologically and thematically and representing all 13 lineups the band had, Trouble No More: 50^th Anniversary Collection is grouped into five distinct eras representing the various stages of the band’s recording and performance history, divided by the group's stints on the Capricorn, Arista and Epic labels, as well as the band's own Peach imprint. Starting with The Capricorn Years 1969 – 1979 Part I, the collection kicks off at the beginning of the Allman Brothers Band’s story with their first-ever recording, the previously unreleased 1969 demo version of “Trouble No More,” and includes highlights from their self-titled debut like the swaggering one-two punch of “Don’t Want You No More” and “It’s Not My Cross To Bear,” the musical maelstrom “Whipping Post;” standouts from their second album, Idlewild South, such as the classic “Midnight Rider;” Dickey’s first songwriting effort for the band, “Revival;” and “Don’t Keep Me Wondering,” with Duane’s slide guitar work center stage. The original lineup’s legacy album, the legendary live At Filmore East, recorded in March 1971 at promoter Bill Graham’s East Village theatre, is represented here with the blues-rock shuffle of “Statesboro Blues,” a sultry take on “Stormy Monday” and the dazzling 13-minute instrumental odyssey, “In Memory Of Elizabeth Reed,” where every member is in perfect harmony. As Lynskey writes in the comprehensive liners, “There is no question, however, that The Allman Brothers Band was at their best up on a stage, playing live music for an audience. The group played with unbridled energy, and without constraints. While their set list did not vary all that much from night to night in the early days, the band’s desire to explore, create and improvise guaranteed that each show would be a different listening experience… Their marathon concerts became the stuff of legend, and that spirit was captured on At Fillmore East, the live set by which all others are measured.”

The Capricorn Years 1969 -1979, Part II collects together songs from the Allman Brothers Band’s double album, Eat A Peach, made with tracks recorded in 1971 with Duane before he tragically died in a motorcycle accident. Released in February 1972, the cuts featured on the set include “Blue Sky,” written and sung by Dickey; “Melissa,” Gregg’s tribute to his lost brother and “One Way Out,” recorded live in June ‘71, on the closing night of the Fillmore East. “Hot ‘Lanta” and “You Don’t Love Me” from a live performance at New York’s A&R Studios broadcast on WPLJ radio and “Ain’t Wastin’ Time No More,” recorded at Puerto Rico’s “Mar Y Sol Festival,” in April 1972, showcase the band in a variety of live settings. Songs from their #1 selling album, Brothers and Sisters, include Dickey’s country-infused hit single, “Ramblin Man” and “Wasted Words,” which were the last two songs to feature bassist Berry Oakley who also tragically died in a motorcycle accident at the same age as Duane, 24. Part II concludes with a previously unreleased outtake of “Early Morning Blues,” a standard blues number that eventually morphed into “Jelly Jelly.”

As The Allman Brothers Band experienced one blow after another, Brothers and Sisters tore up the charts and so they soldiered on through the pain and grief and did what they did best – play. The Capricorn Years, 1969-1979, Part III/The Arista Years, 1980-1981 launches with two live performances from their historic “Summer Jam” show in July ’73 with the Grateful Dead at Watkins Glen, NY which drew more than half a million fans to the grounds of the famed raceway. “Come and Go Blues,” released on the live album, Wipe the Windows, Check The Oil, Dollar Gas, is an especially grooving number of Greggs’ while “Mountain Jam” is a previously unreleased breathtaking version that grew out of a line from Donovan’s happy folk song “First There Is A Mountain” into a 12-minute jam. The band’s record Win, Lose Or Draw, recorded in 1975 after a couple years apart following the release and subsequent tours for Gregg and Dickey’s debut solo albums and is highlighted here with the moving title track, their inspired rendition of Muddy Waters’ “Can’t Lose What You Never Had” and the rollicking instrumental, “High Falls.” As a result of fractures in the band, they disbanded after the album’s tour and remained apart for four years. Eventually overtures were made and after an impromptu performance together made them yearn to be together again, the original members – Butch,  Dickey, Jaimoe and Gregg – decamped to the studio and recorded 1979’s Enlightened Rogues. Included here are standouts “Crazy Love,” “Can’t Take It With You,” “Pegasus” and a live version of Gregg’s autobiographical “Just Ain’t Easy.” The end of the decade would also mark the end of their time with Capricorn, as a result of the label going bankrupt, and a new label home with Clive Davis’ Arista Records, which they signed to in 1980. “Hell and High Water,” and “Angeline” from the resulting album, Reach For The Sky, released in August 1980, had glossier production and synthesizers. Sadly, Jaimoe and the group would part ways after this. “Never Knew How Much,” a gorgeous ballad that originated during the sessions for Gregg’s solo album, Laid Back, and “Leavin’” a song that may have foreshadowed what was to come from their album, Brothers Of The Road, released in August 1981, round out the chapter.

In 1989, after years apart and several solo albums, the original members of the band were approached about doing a reunion tour to promote an upcoming career box set, and Butch, Dickey, Jaimoe and Gregg all agreed. For the tour, they recruited Warren Haynes, a guitarist that Dickey had been playing with, and went out as a seven-piece. The chemistry was palpable and the shows so well received that the band, now signed to Epic, recorded Seven Turns, their first album together in nearly a decade. The Epic Years, 1989-2000 includes the album’s title track, considered one of Dickey’s best songs and “Good Clean Fun,” which received solid airplay on MTV. The album was a resounding statement that The Allman Brothers Band were back. Not wanting to waste time, they quickly set to work on 1991’s Shades Of Two Worlds which saw Dickey take a domaninate role as a songwriter, as heard on “Nobody Knows,” and Warren emerge as an influential member of the group, co-writing five songs with either Dickey or Gregg, including “End Of The Line,” which sounded like vintage Allman Brothers. Some of the many other highlights from this era include “Low Dirty Mean,” from the 1992 live album, Play All Night: Live At The Beacon Theater, a rare live performance of Robert Johnson’s “Come On Into My Kitchen,” and songs from 1994’s Where It All Begins, including the stellar title track and the live fan favorite “Soulshine,” which displayed Warren’s singer/songwriter talents. It concludes with the unreleased “I’m Not Crying,” a composition written by Jack Pearson who replaced Warren after he left to focus on his band Gov’t Mule.

The final chapter, The Peach Years, 2000-2014, spans a variety of lineup changes, most notably the departure of original member Dickey Betts and the introduction of guitarist Derek Trucks, the nephew of Butch Trucks. The younger Trucks delivers an emotionally-charged solo alongside Dickey’s recent replacement, Jimmy Herring, on the previously unreleased, somber-and raw, “Loan Me A Dime,” recorded on August 26, 2000, the day bassist Allen Woody passed away. Gregg sounds especially emotional on the powerful performance. Woody’s death shook the band but it was out of this tragedy that Warren would make his way back to his brothers. Included here is a spectacular, never-released live performance from the band’s 2001 Beacon run of “Desdemona,” a new song that Warren and Gregg wrote together. The tune, along with the shimmering “The High Cost Of Low Living” and the poignant “Old Before My Time,” would be featured on The Allman Brothers Band’s final album, Hittin’ The Note, released in 2003, some of their best work in years. Two unreleased gems from the band’s 2005 annual stand at the Beacon Theatre include an extremely rare version of “Blue Sky” with Gregg handling the lead vocals and Derek’s and Warren’s solos augmented by lively piano work from longtime former bandmate Chuck Leavell, who was sitting in for the March 21 show; and Warren and Derek’s wonderful interpretation of Duane’s instrumental, “Little Martha,” from that same night. Appropriately the collection culminates with a live version of “Trouble No More,” the first song The Allman Brothers Band ever played together and the last song of their career. As Lynskey writes, “In those four minutes, 45 years came pouring out of the speakers; 45 years of superior blues/rock music, created by incomparable musicians. The final notes echoed through the theatre early in the morning of October 29, 43 years to the day that Duane Allman died.”

Trouble No More: 50^th Anniversary Collection eloquently demonstrates how The Allman Brothers Band weathered extreme adversity to pursue its singular musical mission and singlehandedly spawned the Southern rock genre while continually managing to reinvent themselves in the face of loss and tragedy and sell millions of records along the way. This new collection is a compelling summary of the Rock and Roll Hall Of Famer’s timelessly brilliant and influential contributions to American music.

On March 10, for one night only at Madison Square Garden in New York City, The Brothers - Jaimoe, Warren Haynes, Derek Trucks, Oteil Burbridge, Marc Quinones-joined by Duane Trucks, Reese Wynans and special guest Chuck Leavell will celebrate 50 years of the music of The Allman Brothers Band. This one-time concert event, produced by Live Nation, will be a celebration of The Allman Brothers Band's illustrious career. It notably marks the first time in more than five years that these legendary players will be together on stage to perform their iconic hits, and the first time since the passing of founding members Gregg Allman and Butch Trucks. It will undoubtably be emotionally charged, and an unforgettable night not to be missed. The show sold out immediately upon going on sale.

TROUBLE NO MORE: 50^TH ANNIVERSARY COLLECTION

10LP TRACK LIST

The Capricorn Years 1969 – 1979 Part I
Disc 1
1. Trouble No More (Demo)* (Side A)
2. Don’t Want You No More (Side A)
3. It’ Not My Cross To Bear (Side A)
4. Dreams (Side A)
5. Whipping Post (Side B)
6. I’m Gonna Move To The Outskirts Of Town (Live at Ludlow Garage) (Side B)
7. Midnight Rider (Side B)
8. Revival (Side B)

Disc 2
1. Don’t Keep Me Wonderin’ (Side A)
2. Hoochie Coochie Man (Side A)
3. Please Call Home (Side A)
4. Statesboro Blues (Live at Fillmore East) (Side A)
5. Stormy Monday (Live at Fillmore East) (Side B)
6. In Memory Of Elizabeth Reed (Live at Fillmore East) (Side B)

The Capricorn Years 1969 – 1979 Part II
Disc 3
1. One Way Out (Live at Fillmore East) (Side A)
2. You Don't Love Me / Soul Serenade (Live at A&R Studios) (Side A)
3. Hot ‘Lanta (Live at A&R Studios) (Side B)
4. Stand Back (Side B)
5. Melissa (Side B)
6. Blue Sky (Side B)

Disc 4
1. Ain’t Wastin’ Time No More (Live at Mar y Sol) (Side A)
2. Wasted Words (Side A)
3. Ramblin’ Man (Side A)
4. Southbound (Side A)
5. Jessica (Side B)
6. Early Morning Blues (Outtake) (Side B)

The Capricorn Years 1969 – 1979 Part III / The Arista Years 1980 – 1981
Disc 5
1. Come And Go Blues (Live at Watkins Glen) (Side A)
2. Mountain Jam (Live at Watkins Glen)* (Side A)
3. Can’t Lose What You Never Had (Side A)
4. Win, Lose Or Draw (Side B)
5. High Falls (Side B)

Disc 6
1. Crazy Love (Side A)
2. Can’t Take It With You (Side A)
3. Pegasus (Side A)
4. Just Ain’t Easy (Live at Merriweather Post Pavilion) (Side B)
5. Hell & High Water (Side B)
6. Angeline (Side B)
7. Leavin’ (Side B)
8. Never Knew How Much (I Needed You) (Side B)

The Epic Years 1990 – 2000
Disc 7
1. Good Clean Fun (Side A)
2. Seven Turns (Side A)
3. Gamblers Roll (Side A)
4. End Of The Line (Side A)
5. Nobody Knows (Side B)
6. Low Down Dirty Mean (Live at the Beacon Theatre) (Side B)

Disc 8
1. Come On Into My Kitchen (Live at Radio & Records Convention) (Side A)
2. Sailin’ ‘Cross The Devil’s Sea (Side A)
3. Back Where It All Begins (Side A)
4. Soulshine (Side B)
5. No One To Run With (Side B)
6. I’m Not Crying (Live at the Beacon Theatre)* (Side B)

The Peach Years 2000 – 2014
Disc 9
1. Loan Me A Dime (Live at the New World Music Theatre)* (Side A)
2. Desdemona (Live at the Beacon Theatre)* (Side A)
3. High Cost Of Low Living (Side B)
4. Old Before My Time (Side B)

Disc 10
1. Blue Sky (Live at the Beacon Theatre)* (Side A)
2. Little Martha (Live at the Beacon Theatre)* (Side A)
3. Black Hearted Woman (Live at the Beacon Theatre) (Side A)
4. The Sky Is Crying (Live at the Beacon Theatre) (Side B)
5. “Farewell” speeches (Live at the Beacon Theatre) (Side B)
6. Trouble No More (Live at the Beacon Theatre) (Side B)

5CD/DIGITAL TRACK LIST

The Capricorn Years 1969 – 1979 Part I / CD1

1. Trouble No More (Demo)*
2. Don’t Want You No More
3. It’ Not My Cross To Bear
4. Dreams
5. Whipping Post
6. I’m Gonna Move To The Outskirts Of Town (Live at Ludlow Garage)
7. Midnight Rider
8. Revival
9. Don’t Keep Me Wonderin’
10. Hoochie Coochie Man
11. Please Call Home
12. Statesboro Blues (Live at Fillmore East)
13. Stormy Monday (Live at Fillmore East)
14. In Memory Of Elizabeth Reed (Live at Fillmore East)

The Capricorn Years 1969 – 1979 Part II / CD2

1. One Way Out (Live at Fillmore East)
2. You Don’t Love Me / Soul Serenade (Live at A&R Studios)
3. Hot ‘Lanta (Live at A&R Studios)
4. Stand Back
5. Melissa
6. Blue Sky
7. Ain’t Wastin’ Time No More (Live at Mar y Sol)
8. Wasted Words
9. Ramblin’ Man
10. Southbound
11. Jessica
12. Early Morning Blues (Outtake)

The Capricorn Years 1969 – 1979 Part III / The Arista Years 1980 – 1981 / CD3

1. Come And Go Blues (Live at Watkins Glen)
2. Mountain Jam (Live at Watkins Glen)*
3. Can’t Lose What You Never Had
4. Win, Lose Or Draw
5. High Falls
6. Crazy Love
7. Can’t Take It With You
8. Pegasus
9. Just Ain’t Easy (Live at Merriweather Post Pavilion)
10. Hell & High Water
11. Angeline
12. Leavin’
13. Never Knew How Much (I Needed You)

The Epic Years 1990 – 2000 / CD4

1. Good Clean Fun
2. Seven Turns
3. Gambler’s Roll
4. End Of The Line
5. Nobody Knows
6. Low Down Dirty Mean (Live at the Beacon Theatre)
7. Come On Into My Kitchen (Live at Radio & Records Convention)
8. Sailin’ ‘Cross The Devil’s Sea
9. Back Where It All Begins
10. Soulshine
11. No One To Run With
12. I’m Not Crying (Live at the Beacon Theatre)*

The Peach Years 2000 – 2014 / CD5

1. Loan Me A Dime (Live at World Music Theatre)*
2. Desdemona (Live at the Beacon Theatre)*
3. High Cost Of Low Living
4. Old Before My Time
5. Blue Sky (Live at the Beacon Theatre)*
6. Little Martha (Live at the Beacon Theatre)*
7. Black Hearted Woman (Live at the Beacon Theatre)
8. The Sky Is Crying (Live at the Beacon Theatre)
9. “Farewell” speeches (Live at the Beacon Theatre)
10. Trouble No More (Live at the Beacon Theatre)

* Previously unreleased

Eagle Rock Entertainment shares new trailer for 'Ella Fitzgerald: Just One Of Those Things'

Eagle Rock has announced the release of a new trailer for the upcoming film on the late, great Ella Fitzgerald...

Ella Fitzgerald: Just One Of Those Things NEW TRAILER

In Theaters Starting April 3
VIEW TRAILER HERE

Eagle Rock Entertainment is proud to share this brand new trailer for Ella Fitzgerald: Just One Of Those Things, which will be released in select theaters nationwide on April 3. View the trailer here.

Directed by the award-winning Leslie Woodhead and produced by journalist/novelist Reggie Nadelson, Just One Of Those Things is an intimate look at “The First Lady Of Jazz.” Featuring never-before-seen footage and interviews with such luminaries as Tony Bennett, Smokey Robinson, Johnny Mathis, and a rare conversation with Ella’s son Ray Brown, Jr., this documentary traces Ella’s history from her youth on the streets of Harlem and her breakout performance at the famed Apollo Theater to the international renown she achieved as a pioneering jazz vocalist. Narrated by actress/singer Sharon D. Clarke, Just One Of Those Things explores the life of this revolutionary artist, whose musical innovation and spirit broke down barriers of racism and sexism.

Theaters locations are available at www.ellafitzgeraldmovie.com.

DEF LEPPARD: London To Vegas available on multiple formats - April 24, 2020

Today comes word that Eagle Rock Entertainment will release the multi-format title 'Def Leppard: London To Vegas' in April!. Def Leppard always puts on a fun and spirited show and this sounds like a wonderful release...

DEF LEPPARD: LONDON TO VEGAS

2BLU-RAY+4CD, 2DVD+4CD, CRYSTAL CLEAR 2LP, PICTURE DISC AND DIGITAL FORMATS

~PRE-ORDER EXCLUSIVE BUNDLES HERE~
-WATCH LONDON TO VEGAS TRAILER HERE-

~APRIL 24, 2020~

New York, NY (February 27, 2020)--On April 24, Eagle Rock Entertainment will present legendary British Rock ‘N’ Roll icons and Rock and Roll Hall Of Fame® inductees Def Leppard: London to Vegas. This limited edition 2Blu-ray+4CD, 2DVD+4CD and digital format release features two spectacular concert films: Hysteria At The O2 and Hits Vegas, Live At Planet Hollywood.

Filmed in December 2018, Hysteria At The O2 captures Def Leppard celebrating the groundbreaking Hysteria, one of their two diamond-certified 10x platinum albums (the other being Pyromania). Performed in its entirety before a ravenous sold-out crowd, this momentous homecoming event is made all the more powerful as it was their long-awaited debut at the iconic O2 Arena in London. Featuring electrifying performances of “Pour Some Sugar On Me,” “Animal,” “Women,” and “Love Bites,” band members Joe Elliott (vocals), Phil Collen (guitar), Rick “Sav” Savage (bass), Vivian Campbell (guitar), and Rick Allen (drums) conclude the set with a host of extra hits including “Let’s Get Rocked,” “When Love and Hate Collide,” and “Photograph.”

Six months later, just after their induction in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, Def Leppard undertook a residency in Las Vegas at Zappos Theatre in Planet Hollywood. Hits Vegas, Live At Planet Hollywood is a 28-song deep dive into not only their greatest hits, but rarities such as “Too Late For Love,” “Billy’s Got A Gun,” “Slang,” and “Promises.” Highlighting Def Leppard’s versatility, Hits Vegas presents a livewire stage show with two stages and video walls, punctuated with intimate, acoustic renditions of rarely performed songs “Let Me Be The One,” “We Belong,” “Have You Ever Needed Someone So Bad,” and “Two Steps Behind.”

Hits Vegas offers a behind-the-scenes bonus feature, while Hysteria At The O2 is rounded out with the bonus “Hysteria: Then And Now” mini-documentary. As a whole, Def Leppard: London To Vegas encapsulates the prestige of one of rock’s most iconic bands.

Packed in a 10” box with a 40-page hardback book, the set is completed with audio from both concerts. “HYSTERIA LIVE”, featuring the performance of the complete “Hysteria” album from the O2 show, will also be available separately on crystal clear 2LP, packaged in a gatefold sleeve. Finally, in addition to these in-depth sets, Def Leppard: London To Vegas is now available for pre-order as a direct-to-consumer package with exclusive merchandise bundles HERE. These include a London To Vegas T-shirt, London To Vegas 12x12 lithograph, branded envelope featuring replica setlist, guitar pics, and replica laminates from both shows, and an exclusive 4-song picture disc “Acoustic In Vegas.”

ABOUT DEF LEPPARD
With more than 100 million albums sold worldwide, THE 2019 ROCK AND ROLL HALL OF FAME INDUCTEES with two prestigious Diamond Awards in the U.S., Def Leppard- Joe Elliott (vocals), Phil Collen (guitar), Rick "Sav" Savage (bass), Vivian Campbell (guitar) and Rick Allen (drums) - are one of the most important forces in rock music. The band have amassed a staggering 2.5 billion streams since releasing their music digitally only one year ago. As they did with the original release of their records, Def Leppard dominated the worldwide charts again. Chart stats saw their albums charting in the iTunes Top 10 in more than 30 countries, including Hysteria at #3 in the US, and #5 in the UK. Def Leppard had the #1, #2 and #3 records on the US catalog albums chart.

Over the course of their career the band has produced a series of classic ground-breaking albums that set the bar for generations of music fans and artists alike. The group’s spectacular live shows and arsenal of hits have become synonymous with their name, leading Def Leppard to be heralded as an institution in both the music and touring industry. Def Leppard’s influential career includes numerous hit singles and ground-breaking multi-platinum albums—including two of the best-selling albums of all time, Pyromania and Hysteria, capturing the group’s legendary tracks, bringing together classic Leppard hits such as “Rock of Ages”, “Pour Some Sugar on Me” and “Foolin.” The band’s 2015 self-titled studio album debuted at #1 on Billboard’s Top Rock Albums and Top Independent Albums charts. The album also took the #5 spot on Billboard’s Top Current Albums and #10 spot on the Top 200, as well as claiming 15 top 10 debuts around the world.

ABOUT EAGLE ROCK
Eagle Vision is an imprint of Eagle Rock Entertainment, the world-leading producer and distributor of music-related audiovisual content. Founded in 1997, the multi-award-winning company completes over 50 productions a year including concerts, documentaries, scripted formats and specials representing over 2,000 hours of programming. The vast catalogue includes work by award-winning filmmakers such as Martin Scorsese, Brett Morgan, Paul Dugdale, Stanley Nelson and Bob Smeaton. Eagle Rock has worked alongside a variety of artists including the Rolling Stones, Madonna, Jay Z, Paul McCartney, Katy Perry, Frank Sinatra, Black Sabbath and Imagine Dragons. For more information visit www.eagle-rock.com.

New music: Vance Gilbert, KARNEY, Glenn Jones shine on latest releases

Three new under-the-radar releases deserving of widespread attention are featured in my column this week.

Artist: Vance Gilbert
Title: Good, Good Man (Disismye Music)
You might like if you enjoy: Boz Scaggs, Daryl Hall, Steve Goodman, Keb' Mo'
Tell me more: Vance Gilbert's wonderful genre-defying album Good, Good Man makes one thing clear: it's all about the song. The selections here are melodic, memorable and delivered with a master's touch. Gilbert's 13th album, Good, Good Man is bolstered by his signature lead vocals, nuanced arrangements and an artful cohesiveness that brings the various styles and moods together artfully across the dozen tracks. The R&B foray "Trust," literate piano ballad "Cousin Shelly's Station Wagon," joyful "Another Great Day Above Ground," and zeal of the retro swing "Zombie Pattycake" are early standouts. The disc closes out just as powerfully via the soulful "When I Cross Over," acoustic rendition of Skylark's 1973 soft rock hit "Wildflower" and the smart spoken word celebration of Halloween "The Day Before November." Information: vancegilbert.com.

Artist: KARNEY
Title: Better (Karney Music and Sounds)
You might like if you enjoy: Sass Jordan, Heart, Linda Perry
Tell me more: Fans of top-flight classic rock looking for something new should catch a listen of of KARNEY's wonderful new EP Better. Headed by lead singer-songwriter/multi-instrumentalist Anna Karney, the Bay Area, California-based band mines '70s classic rock along with contemporary modern rock with the skill and firepower of modern day favorites Greta Van Fleet. Listening to KARNEY's compelling reworking of the Led Zeppelin classic "Ramble On" is the perfect entry to discover the joys offered up on "Better," but listen and groove along and you'll discover the anthemic nugget "Trust," the enthralling "Trust," the prog-tinged "Round and Round" and other must-hear material. KARNEY's solid lineup is rounded out by bassist Kevin White, drummer Jeff Herrera, trumpet player Bill Ortiz, and guitarists Erik Smyth and James DePrato. Information: Karney.org.

Artist: Glenn Jones
Title: Ready for the Good Times (Good Guys Music)
You might like if you enjoy: David Serby, Hank Williams, Bobbo Byrnes
Tell me more: Draped in a winning mix of folk, Appalachia and authentic country-western, singer-songwriter Glenn Jones' third studio album Ready for the Good Times has a pleasing sound sure to impress fans of Americana and roots music. The soundscape is rich, adorned with layers of guitar, mandolin, fiddle, lap steel and sumptuous vocal harmonies. The North Carolina-based artist's lyrics probe life's road with equal skill and his sonorous baritone delivers the original songs with assurance and authenticity. The infectious countrified blues of the playful "My Baby Makes Pie," bluegrass-flavored "Ripples in the Pond," reflective ballad "I Wish You Could See Me Now," and broken dreams-themed "Bury My Heart on Music Row" are among the standouts on this great album. Information: GlennJonesAcoustic.com.



Robert Kinsler

Laurence Juber to release ‘The Fab 4th’, his fourth Beatles-inspired Solo Album, on March 27, 2020

Exciting news to be sure! Fingerstyle guitar master Laurence Juber is set to release another album of Beatles selections performed in his signature style next month. I was honored to catch Juber again last month when he performed at The NAMM Show in Anaheim. His memorable set included dazzling versions of The Beatles' "While My Guitar Gently Weeps" and "Daytripper"...Robert Kinsler


Guitar wizard Laurence Juber to release ‘The Fab 4^th’ on March 27, 2020; upcoming album marks his fourth Beatles-inspired Solo Album

Los Angeles, February 26, 2020: The Fab 4^th, out March 27, 2020 on Hologram Recordings, is an album of songs by The Beatles, arranged and performed on solo guitar by Laurence Juber. Known to his fans as LJ, his playing fuses folk, jazz, blues, pop and classical styles, creating a multi-faceted performance that belies the use of only one instrument.

First internationally recognized as lead guitarist in Paul McCartney's Wings, with whom he won a Grammy®, Juber has since established himself as world-renowned guitar virtuoso and entertainer.

This is his fourth Beatles-inspired solo guitar recording. The first of the series, LJ Plays The Beatles, was voted one of Acoustic Guitar Magazine's all-time Top Ten albums.

Says LJ, “When I started playing guitar in November 1963, the radio airwaves were humming with twangy guitars and (as the critics were fond of saying) ‘adenoidal’ vocals. The Beatles’ second UK album, With The Beatles, was a week away from release and Abbey Road was six years in the future.

That period frames my musical adolescence. The Fabs weren’t alone in my playlist. The Stones, Beach Boys, Cream, Hendrix, Dylan………….

Laurence Juber performing at the NAMM Show in Anaheim, CA,
in January 2020. Photo: Robert Kinsler

The pace of musical change in the 60’s was rapid. 1965, the year I turned 13, was remarkable for its nexus of musical styles, when folk, rock, blues, pop, R&B and classical began to merge.

That was the musical milieu that fueled my own obsession with six strings: the siren song of wailing electric lead guitar, intricate fingerpicking acoustic, Bach, Dowland, Django and much more. That was when I set my goal to be a session musician in London.

A little more than a decade later, that studio springboard would land me the gig as Paul McCartney’s lead guitarist in Wings.

Subsequently, recording with Ringo Starr and George Harrison help to cement my status as ’Beatles-adjacent.’ I relaunched my studio career in Los Angeles as a guitarist, composer and producer, while raising a family, and releasing a series of well-received solo fingerstyle guitar recordings.

My wife Hope first suggested the idea of an album of solo arrangements of Beatles tunes more than twenty years ago. I was reluctant at first, considering myself primarily a composer, not an arranger. But, then I figured that as she listens to me play for so many hours a day, it was only fair to devote a portion of that time to these tunes.

In return, she took on the role of producer.

As the arranging unfolded, I found myself ever-more deeply drawn, both as a guitarist and a musician, to the depth and dimension of their creativity. Stripping the songs down to their musical essentials exposes their uniquely nuanced musicality, while seeking the complementary guitaristic space, is an exercise in my own creativity.

Little did I realize at the time, that LJ Plays The Beatles, would become the first of an evolving series, with a volume two, a volume 3 (LJ Can’t Stop Playing The Beatles) and, at Paul McCartney’s instigation, One Wing.

Hope’s idea for a title, The Fab 4th, was the call to action once more.

There are almost 200 original Beatles compositions. Not all translate well to the fingerboard, although there have been some serendipitous moments, when an unlikely candidate revealed itself as a cool arrangement.

This collection includes favorites that I missed on the previous albums, along with some under-appreciated songs, and a few guitaristic challenges. There are many that haven’t yet made the cut, and I’m not sure that I’ll tackle any more, but that’s what I’ve said before……”

MORE ABOUT LJ

LJ’s solo arrangement and recording of The Pink Panther Theme earned him a second Grammy®, while his arrangement of Stand By Me was heard nationally in a Diamonds Are Forever commercial. Juber’s DVD-Audio project Guitar Noir (AIX Records) won a CES Demmy award for best surround-sound audio.

His 'photo memoir' Guitar With Wings is published by Dalton Watson Fine Books.

His folios of guitar music and history are available from Hal Leonard.

As a studio musician, he can be heard on recordings from artists as diverse as Harry Styles, Dan Hicks & The Hot Licks, Seal and the French chanteuse Sylvie Vartin, plus he has been featured on the soundtracks to hundreds of TV shows such as Home Improvement and movies, including the academy award-winning Dirty Dancing, Good Will Hunting and Pocahontas.

Juber co-composed the soundtrack of the award-winning video game Diablo III and scored the NBC Dateline documentary Children Of The Harvest. His music is also featured in the Ken Burns’ documentary The Tenth Inning. 

www.laurencejuber.com

“A stunning sense of space and fluidity…a truly wondrous sound” - Guitar World

"Uniformly exquisite and dazzingly executed” - L.A.Times

“Juber scores high marks for the clarion precision of his playing and

for his tasteful arrangements” - Downbeat

“A Master!“- Pete Townshend, The Who