Celebration for Ray Manzarek brings together surviving members of the Doors and celebrated friends

My review was originally posted on The Orange County Register site on Feb. 13, 2016. 

Surviving Doors members drummer John Densmore
and Robby Krieger performing at "Celebration for
Ray Manzarek" event. Photo: Kelly A. Swift

Celebration for Ray Manzarek
Who: Robby Krieger, John Densmore, John Doe, Exene Cervenka, Rami Jaffee, Robert DeLeo, Taylor Hawkins, more
Where: The Fonda Theatre
When: Friday, Feb. 12, 2016

One of the most tragic things in the years leading up to the death of Doors keyboardist Ray Manzarek in May 2013 was that original drummer John Densmore didn't join forces with Manzarek and guitarist Robby Krieger in their "Doors of the 21st Century" or "Riders on the Storm" projects.

However, on Friday night Densmore and Krieger performed together live for the first time in more than 15 years for the aptly-titled "Celebration for Ray Manzarek" at the Fonda Theatre on Feb. 12, 2016 (which marked what would have been Manzarek's 76th birthday). Along with a number of established and up-and-coming musical pals, the special concert served to honor Manzarek while also raising money for Stand Up To Cancer.

Drummer John Densmore at "Celebration for Ray
Manzarek" event on Feb. 12, 2016.
Photo: Kelly A. Swift

The three-hour event played out in two sections divided by a short intermission with musicians rotating on and off the stage with almost every song. Krieger performed on just about every offering, while Densmore (who suffers from a hearing disorder) performed on a handful of the Doors' best-known selections but left most of the drumming to Stephen Perkins (of Jane's Addiction fame) and others.

The first performance of the night was "When the Music's Over," with Gov't Mule singer-guitarist Warren Haynes' big baritone a good fit to deliver Morrison's ruminative lines. 

Foo Fighters' Taylor Hawkins, left, with John Densmore at the
"Celebration for Ray Manzarek" event on Feb. 12, 2016.
Photo: Kelly A. Swift

Foo Fighters drummer Taylor Hawkins, who grew up in Laguna Beach, was featured on lead vocals for the next two songs, a mostly-straight forward take on "Alabama Song (Whisky Bar)" highlighted by Krieger's inspired bluesy guitar solo, and a rocking "Love Me Two Times" with Rami Jaffee conjuring up the spirit of Manzarek for his convincing keyboard solo.

Taylor Hawkins at the "Celebration for Ray Manzarek"
event in Los Angeles on Feb. 12, 2016.
Photo: Kelly A. Swift

Another memorable performance that played out early featured Dead Sara vocalist Emily Armstrong firing up the troupe for "Back Door Man."

Guitarist Robby Krieger and his son, vocalist Waylon Krieger,
perform during a "Celebration for Ray Manzarek."
Photo: Kelly A. Swift

One of the most acclaimed keyboardists of the rock era, Manzarek also earned acclaim beginning in the early 1980s for his production of four albums for the Los Angeles-based band X. So it was fitting that several members of X were on hand to celebrate their work together; singer Exene Cervenka and bassist-singer John Doe recreated their reworked take on the Doors' "Soul Kitchen" (a highlight on the band's 1980 debut album "Los Angeles") and then introduced the X original "Nausea" by explaining that Manzarek had played keyboards on that song; guitarist Brian Ray (a long-time member of Paul McCartney's band) played some powerful lead guitar on the track, which featured the distinctive off-kilter duel vocals from Doe and Cervenka. 

The performances featuring members of X began a long run of strong performances, the best sounding was the one-two punch of "Five to One" and "Break On Through (To The Other Side)" with Krieger's son Waylon Krieger sounding remarkably like Morrison on both of those tracks and proving to be an effective frontman.  

Singer Andrew Wyatt of the Swedish indie band Miike Snow delivered one of the knockouts of the night with "L.A. Woman." Despite his vocals distorting early, his jumping into the crowd and powerful solos from Robby Krieger and Jaffee made it obvious this was among the sold-out crowd's favorites of the night.

The night's final selection, "Light My Fire," brought out the event's
entire cast to honor Ray Manzarek. Photo: Kelly A. Swift

Several of the Doors' most beloved gems were saved for the end of the night, including a reflective "Riders On The Storm" (featuring Doe on lead vocals), explosive "Roadhouse Blues" and night-ending "Light My Fire," the latter enhanced by Jaffee's extended keyboards and the night's full cast crowding onto stage to sing and rightfully celebrate Manzarek – and ultimately the Doors' enduring legacy – in song.

Robert Kinsler

Sights and Sounds: 'Mystery Science Theater 3000: Volume 1', Iggy Pop recordings, Roy Rogers returns with new album, Dead Sara tour set

There is plenty of great news to share as it relates to just-announced upcoming releases and/or anticipated tours. And away we go!

Mystery Science Theater 3000: Vol. 1 coming September 1, 2015 courtesy of Shout! Factory

Experiencing déjà vu? Do not adjust your TV set (or tablet or phone), because it's true: behold, again, the first collection of episodes of the beloved TV series Mystery Science Theater 3000 with Mystery Science Theater 3000: Volume 1. Since we at Shout! Factory believe that no one should have to sell an organ to afford an out-of print DVD of their favorite show, we’ve gathered all four episodes: Catalina Caper, The Creeping Terror, Bloodlust and The Skydivers, along with their respective theatrical trailers; restored the missing little details from the original broadcast versions and added brand new bonus features including The Crown Jewels, a featurette on Crown International Pictures, The Creeping Terror trailer, an extended trailer for The Creep Behind the Camera and The Creep Behind the Camera Q&A with Frank Conniff and Trace Beaulieu at Screamfest 2014.

On September 1^st, 2015, experience the adventures of Joel, Mike and their robot sidekicks Tom Servo and Crow on board The Satellite of Love, as they riff their way into your hearts again for the very first time. Fans can pre-order their copy now from ShoutFactory.com

Mystery Science Theater 3000: Volume 1 brings us Catalina Caper (aka Never Steal Anything Wet) a cinematic party full of fun, sun, bikinis and boats in this 1967 tale of a Southern California island and the teens who party all over it; The Creeping Terror, a 1964 low budget movie about aliens coming to Earth to eat people, analyze their chemistry and send the results to the home planet; Bloodlust, wherein pleasure boating teens land on the island of Dr. Balleau in this powerfully limp re-imagining of The Most Dangerous Game; and The Skydivers, a this tale of murder, infidelity and coffee at an airfield in a small desert town.

Mystery Science Theater 3000: Volume 1  Bonus Features

·         NEW The Crown Jewels  featurette 

·         NEW The Creeping Terror trailer

·         NEW Extended trailer for The Creep Behind the Camera

·         NEW The Creep Behind the Camera Q&A with Frank Conniff and Trace Beaulieu at Screamfest 2014

·         Theatrical trailers for Catalina Caper, Bloodlust and The Skydivers

New 3CD Box Offers A Heavy Dose Of Rare & 

Unreleased Iggy Pop Recordings

New 3-disc CD Box Offers A Heavy Dose Of Rare & Unreleased Iggy Pop Recordings!

Los Angeles, CA - When Michigan based proto-punk band The Stooges called it a day in 1974, the music world mourned the loss of one of the most groundbreaking rock bands ever. Fortunately, the mourning didn’t last long as head Stooge Iggy Pop quickly launched a stunning solo career that arguably eclipsed his auspicious early years. Psychophonic Medicine is an incredible 3CD collection of rare and unreleased gems that focuses on Pop’s crucial late’70s, early ‘80s post-Stooges output. The collection, available everywhere June 23 courtesy of Cleopatra Records, features studio outtakes from the landmark albums The Idiot and Party including never before released alternate mixes and 2 tracks not previously released in any form! Each of these recordings provides important insight into how Pop evolved from punk pioneer to one of the most diverse and adventurous artists in music.

But the party doesn’t stop there - the set also contains some of Iggy’s most electrifying live performances. Disc 2 is the first ever CD release of the legendary show at Paris Palace 1979. This incredible full-length recording showcases Iggy at his most explosive and audacious, ripping through such favorites as “I Wanna Be Your Dog,” “Cock In My Pocket,” “Kill City” and more! A newly discovered audio source from Pop’s San Francisco performance in 1981 wraps up the collection in fine form with scalding versions of “I Need More,” “Lust For Life,” “TV Eye,” “1969,” “The Winter Of My Discontent” and others. Each of the three discs is packaged in its own wallet and comes with a gorgeous 36-page full color booklet featuring rare photos from the archives of longtime Stooges photographer and co-author of the only authorized Stooges biography, Robert Matheu, who also wrote the liner notes. And if that isn’t enough, the box includes a special bonus track of Iggy’s duet with Best Coast’s Bethany Cosentino that was featured on HBO’s True Blood! Both collectors and the curious will find Psychophonic Medicine an irresistible aural trip.

DISC 1: RARITIES

The Idiot Outtakes (1977)

1. Dum Dum Boys (Alternate Mix)

2. Baby (Alternate Mix)

3. China Girl (Alternate Mix)

4. Tiny Girls (Outtake)

Party Outtakes (1981)

5. It's My Life (Unreleased)

6. Bang Bang (Alternate Mix)

7. Sea of Love (Alternate Mix)

8. Time Won't Let Me (Alternate Mix)

Ric Ocasek Sessions (1983)

9. Fire Engine

10. Warrior Tribe

11. Old Mule Skinner

Steve Jones Demos (1985)

12. Beside You

13. Cry For Love

14. Purple Haze

15. Warm Feeling (Unreleased)

BONUS TRACK

16. Let’s Boot And Rally with Bethany Cosentino

DISC 2: PARIS PALACE 1979

1. Cock In My Pocket

2. Kill City

3. Fortune Teller

4. New Values

5. Billy Is A Runaway

6. I Wanna Be Your Dog

7. Five Foot One

8. Dirt

9. Batman

10. Louie Louie

11. Shake Appeal

12. I’m Bored

DISC 3: SAN FRANCISCO 1981

1. I Need More

2. Some Weird Sin

3. Houston Is Hot Tonight

4. TV Eye

5. 1969

6. Rock and Roll Party

7. Bang, Bang

8. Dum Dum Boys

9. Eggs On Plate

10. I'm a Conservative

11. I Need More (Again)

12. Lust for Life

13. The Winter of My Discontent

Pre-order the CD version: http://www.amazon.com/Psychophonic-Medicine-Iggy-Pop/dp/B00CP4S4FC

Guitarist Roy Rogers returns with 'Into the Wild Blue'

Slide guitar master Roy Rogers has returned with his new album Into the Wild Blue, his first new solo album in five years. Well-known for his amazing work and collaborations with the likes of John Lee Hooker, Bonnie Raitt, Ray Manzarek and others, the eight-time Grammy nominees blazes his own pat with a new collection of vocal and instrumental jams and ballads.

A year in the making, Into the Wild Blue is a showcase for Rogers' slide guitar abilities; tracks include the hard-driving guitar-anchored "Last Go-Round," stirring "Got to Believe" and instrumental "Song for Robert (A Brother's Lament)."

For more information, visit Rogers' Web site at http://www.roy-rogers.com/.

Dead Sara announce West Coast headlining tour

“PLEASURE TO MEET YOU”
iTunes | Amazon | Spotify 

WATCH
"SOMETHING GOOD"

All American four-piece Dead Sara have announced they will be headlining 9 North American tour dates starting in Salt Lake City on July 10th. Tickets are on-sale now and can be purchased via www.deadsara.com

Last month, the band played to a full house on two consecutive nights at the prestigious and legendary Los Angeles venue The Troubadour. The shows sold out in a matter of hours and was a welcomed reminder and true testament of loyalty to their solid and loyal fan base here in the United States.

Earlier this year Dead Sara won critics and music fans alike, having performed select showcases at SXSW Festival in Austin, TX. They went on to sell out their first North American tour since the release of their most current full-length release “Pleasure To Meet You.”

The day “Pleasure To Meet You” dropped worldwide, the four-piece also performed their current single “Something Good” live on NBC’s Late Night with Seth Meyers. Watch the spellbinding and powerful live performance here.

Last month, the band also premiered the video for “Something Good.” Directed by Giovani Ribisi, the video was shot in the downtown district of Los Angeles, where the band spontaneously train-hopped from the historic Union Station to Pasadena and back, encountering all walks of life and partaking in various random activities with the locals! Watch the official video for “Something Good” here.

“Pleasure To Meet You” was released on Pocket Kid Records and is now available on iTunes, Amazon, Spotify and in all good record stores nationwide.

NORTH AMERICAN TOUR DATES
07/10 - In The Venue - Salt Lake City, UT
07/11 - The Knitting Factory - Boise, ID
07/14 - Barboza - Seattle, WA
07/15 - Star Theater - Portland, OR
07/17 - DNA Lounge - San Francisco, CA
07/18 - Velvet Jones - Santa Barbara, CA
07/21 - Valley Bar - Phoenix, AZ
07/22 - Brooklyn Bowl - Las Vegas, NV
07/24 - The Glass House - Pomona, CA

Sights and Sounds: Ray Bradbury remembered at Comic-Con, Dead Sara to tour with Neon Trees and the Offspring

I'm happy to see Rock 'n' Roll Truth isn't the only music-focused site that ran a tribute to the late great author Ray Bradbury. I was at Comic-Con in San Diego last weekend, but was only able to score a ticket for Sunday so really only got to check out the floor (no RiffTrax, no PSYCH, no Star Wars, no Firefly, no Hobbit or much of anything of interest to me in terms of panels on that final day of the event).

Check out the nice post related to events (I sadly missed) regarding Ray Bradbury on Owl and the Bear here.

In music news, Dead Sara has announced a North American Tour with Neon Trees and the Offspring. Here is the media release:

Dead Sara has announced a new North American tour with renowned punk rockers The Offspring kicking off August 31st in Detroit, with Neon Trees slated to join the tour beginning September 6th in Boston. To further support the recent release of Dead Sara's self-titled debut album, the band has also added further U.S. and festival dates through the summer and into the fall including the Sunset Strip Music Festival in Los Angeles, Riot Fest in Chicago and the Epicenter Festival in Irvine. Dead Sara have been attracting major buzz for the ferocious spectacle of their high-octane live performances on The Vans Warped Tour earlier this summer. Revolver says "the buzz around LA-based hard-rock outfit Dead Sara is reaching fever pitch" and indeed it is. The group has been earning accolades from radio and critics alike, while winning over fans coast-to-coast on previous tours with Chevelle, The Used, and now The Vans Warped Tour. Rolling Stone recalled the band "blending blues, hard rock and punk into a whirling energy," with The Village Voice going on to illustrate them as a "sort of twisted-blues hard rock that feels like the product of people really enjoying playing the shit out of their instruments," adding "If there's any justice, especially in this year when the word 'rock' signifies a genre that is in flux enough so as to be anyone's game, Dead Sara will stake their claim as a new kind of standard-bearer." "We're super excited to have Dead Sara out on tour with us," said Dexter Holland, The Offspring. "Great players, great songs.  We'll be getting there early to see them tear it up."    The "L.A. quartet poised to breakout nationally" this year, was recently profiled by RollingStone.com as their debut single "Weatherman" continues to explode at radio, fast becoming the most requested song at stations across the country, and climbing its way up the charts. "Dead Sara rocks so hard they remind me of the days when alternative bands, like Soundgarden and Alice, got played on Headbangers Ball. See them, listen to the album, they never disappoint," says Julie Pilat of 98.7 KYSR. Dead Sara recently made their network television debut with a blistering, energetic performance of the single "Weatherman" on Jimmy Kimmel Live! The band also performed the album cut "Sorry For It All" as an online exclusive for Jimmy Kimmel Live! View both videos now online. Dead Sara's 11-track self-titled debut, produced by Noah Shain (Atreyu, As Tall As Lions, Sonny Moore/Skrillex), is driven by the dynamic duo of two talented young women, singer Emily Armstrong and guitarist Siouxsie Medley. The band is rounded out by bassist Chris Null and drummer Sean Friday, creating an electrifying four-piece rock band whose supercharged music is propelled by Medley's exhilarating, monster guitar riffs and Armstrong's powerful, wailing vocals. Praised for their blazing impassioned rock and catchy guitar melodies, Dead Sara embody everything you want from a young, hungry, unpredictable and enigmatic rock band. DEAD SARA CONFIRMED TOUR DATES: DATE                                    VENUE                                                CITY/STATE August 11                        Birch Run Expo Center                 Birch Run, MI (WWBN Dirt Fest featuring: Clutch, Chiodos, In This Moment, Hurt, Royal Bliss and more) August 18                        Sunset Strip Music Festival          Los Angeles, CA (with Marilyn Manson, The Offspring, Steve Aoki, Bad Religion, De La Soul, Black Label Society and more) August 23                        Knitting Factory/KQXR show        Boise, ID August 24                        Knitting Factory/KHTQ show        Spokane, WA August 30                        On The Waterfront Festival           Rockford, IL         w/The Offspring August 31                        The Fillmore                                Detroit, MI            w/The Offspring September 2                    Echo Beach (MCA)                      Toronto, ON          w/The Offspring September 6                    House of Blues                            Boston, MA          w/The Offspring, Neon Trees September 8                    Sands Bethlehem Events Ctr.       Bethlehem, PA     w/The Offspring, Neon Trees September 9                    Stone Pony Summer Stage          Asbury Park, NJ   w/The Offspring, Neon Trees September 11                  Lupo's                                         Providence, RI     w/The Offspring, Neon Trees September 14                  Congress Theatre/Riot Fest          Chicago, IL September 15                  DC101 Kerfuffle                           Bristow, VA (with The Offspring, Sublime with Rome, Garbage, Anberlin, and Foxy Shazam) September 15                   The Fillmore/WEND show           Charlotte, NC September 19                   Terminal 5                                 New York, NY        w/The Offspring, Neon Trees September 20                   Terminal 5                                 New York, NY        w/The Offspring, Neon Trees September 22                   Verizon Wireless                        Irvine, CA (Epicenter Festival featuring: Stone Temple Pilots, Deftones, Bush, Scars on Broadway, Chevelle and more) September 27                   Fillmore Auditorium                     Denver, CO          w/The Offspring, Neon Trees September 29                   Gallivan Center/X96 Show           Salt Lake City, UT October 2                         San Jose Event Center               San Jose, CA November 10                    London Alexandra Palace            London, UK          w/Vans Warped Tour                                                 Visit Dead Sara online at: www.DeadSara.com Check out their videos on YouTube: www.YouTube.com/DeadSaraTheBand