Orianthi, Piebald and others standout at Bamboozle

Photo credit: Drew A. Kelley

This story was originally published earlier today on the Orange County Register Web site in the Soundcheck blog.

With any kind of festival featuring so many artists spread across a trio of stages, there are sure to be hits and misses. Fortunately, there were a number of highlights strewn throughout Sunday's (March 28) second half of the Bamboozle California to make the even worthwhile.

Strumming awy on the side stage was Bobby Long, a British singer-songwriter with a rick, authentic baritone, who delivered his songs to the lone accompaniment of an acoustic guitar. He got a small but enthusiastic crowd to listen to winning songs such as "Penance Fire Blues."

Following Long on the side stage was San Diego-based We Shot the Moon, a gifted quartet that performed a 30-minute set highlighted by the infectious "Miracle," the driving "Red Night" and the piano-anchored "The Brightside." Singer Jonathan Jones' voice (notably his use of a distinctive falsetto) and inventive keyboard playing provided the extra element to bring depth to the group's mix of indie, Britpop and modern rock, blended into a sound all its own.

Although Orianthi (pictured above) has performed or appeared on recordings with the far-flung likes of Michael Jackson, Steve Vai, Carlos Santana and Carrie Underwood, there is no doubt the 25-year-old Australia native is rapidly becoming a star on her own. Performing on the main stage, the virtuoso may not yet have found the ideal way to combine AC/DC-esque riff-rock ("Think Like a Man"), 1980s-mining Van Halen ("Feels Like Home") and commercial pop (her biggest hit, "According to You had everyone dancing around). But she can sure shred on the guitar.

Her half-hour appearance was noteworthy simply because it was such a break from so many of the other alt- and indie-styled rockers. With her mix of blues and metal sensibilities, Orianthi wound up one of few truly alternative acts of the festival. And on song after song she provided dazzling and stylish guitar work, whether in quick licks or extended solos.

Not every act was so convincing, however. I grew bored with the Ready Set, out of Fort Wayne, Ind., and walked away after two songs. The quartet worked hard to involved the audience and played its alt-pop with zeal, yet their songs and music just weren't strong enough to sustain my interest.

The same can't be said, though, of the powerful reunion set from Piebald. The four-man outfit, celebrating a number of upcoming reissues this spring (as well as a live DVD, Nobody's Robots - A Farewell to Piebald), the group rocked hard, immediately connecting with a fanatical crowd positioned in front of the side stage. The band's mix of hardcore, emo, Americana and Devo-ish quirkiness continues to be a winning formula.

And this post wouldn't be complete without a nod to the amazing performance by Something Corporate. The headliner took the stage right on schedule (8:30 p.m.) and proceeded to play 14 great songs over the course of 65 minutes. It was great to see one of Orange County's best bands back in action again. Writer George Paul reviewed their set at length and you can read that in the Soundcheck blog at www.ocregister.com.

Reunion of Something Corporate a wonderful thing

Photo credit: Drew A. Kelley

The timing couldn't be more perfect. Last night, I caught Orange County's own Something Corporate in a glorious reunion show on the Main Stage at The Bamboozle at Angel Stadium in Anaheim. The band was great and the crowd packed in front of singer-pianist Andrew McMahon, lead guitarist Josh Partington, bassist Kevin "Clutch" Page and drummer Brian Ireland was enthuasiastic. Big time.
Today comes a press release with more exciting news about Something Corporate, a band I have covered dating back to the mid 1990s when all of the members were attending high school in South Orange County:

The Reunion of Alt-Rock favorite Something Corporate includes concerts, new recordings and retrospective "Played in Space: The Best of Something Corporate"

LOS ANGELES, March 29, 2010 -- After a multi-year hiatus, Something Corporate has reunited, marking the occasion with a return to the studio and the stage, as well as a retrospective 2-CD collection. Played in Space: the Best of Something Corporate (Geffen/UMe) will be released April 27, 2010 and brings together 14 highlights from the acclaimed Orange County, California band's career to date. The first disc contains alt-rock favorites "I Woke Up In A Car," "If You C Jordan," "Punk Rock Princess" and "Space." The bonus CD includes a new recording, "Wait," an exclusive remix of "Forget December," the fan-favorite rarity "Konstantine" (played with power in Anaheim last night too!), the previously-unreleased in the U.S. "Watch The Sky," and a new remix of "I Woke Up In A Car" by Owl City's Adam Young. A version exclusive to iTunes also includes a new recording, "Letters To Noelle."

Just having played Bamboozle Left, the performance at Angel Stadium in Anaheim on March 28 was a homecoming for singer-pianist Andrew McMahon, lead guitarist Josh Partington, bassist Kevin "Clutch" Page and drummer Brian Ireland. They will also play Bamboozle Chicago on May 15 and Bamboozle East on May 1. To coincide with the announcment of these shows, the Something Corporate online merch store, http://www.somethingcorporate.com/soco/store is also relaunching. The new store features both new T-shirt designs as well as a few classics.

Since going their separate ways in 2004, McMahon founded Jack's Mannequin, released two critically acclaimed albums and defeated leukemia, while Partington formed the band Firescape. Only a brief appearance at Bamboozle Left in 2006 had brought them together until January 2010 when they re-entered a studio to "revisit a couple of demos ("Letters To Noelle" and "Wait") that," said McMahon in an interview with the Orange County Weekly, "we still loved and that we always wanted to get to."

Something Corporate's piano-driven punk-pop tunes debuted with the indie release Ready...Break in 2000 before its widely-avaiable 2001 EP Audioboxer, which included "Walking By" via Drive-Thru. The band made its major label debut with 2002's Leaving Through The Window. Played in Space: the Best of Something Corporate culls eight of that album's tracks: "I Woke Up In A Car," "Hurricane," "Fall," "I Want To Save You," "Cavanaugh Park," "If You C Jordan," "Punk Rock Princess" and "The Astronaut." 2003's North contributes "Space," "She Paints Me Blue," "Mee and the Moon," "Down" and "Ruthless."

At the dawn of the new millennium, Something Corporate was hailed as one of rock's most promising new forces. A decade later, Something Corporate is back.

Laurence Juber to perform in O.C. twice this weekend

This article was posted on the Orange County Register Web site on March 25, 2010. I took the photo seen here a few years ago at the NAMM show in Anaheim.

One of the world's best-known acoustic guitarists is returning to south Orange County for two performances this weekend.

Laurence Juber will appear in Dana Point on Friday, March 26 and in Mission Viejo on Saturday, March 27 as part of the Lord of the Strings Concert Series. Juber's latest album, "Wooden Horses," released in October by Seal Beach-based Solid Air Records, features the two-time Grammy-winning guitarist performing instrumental works that showcase his technical virtuosity and artful arrangements.

The 14 tracks on "Wooden Horses" allow the composer and fingerstyle guitarist to showcase acoustic guitar on the Latin-tinged "Guitar Noir" and the tender "Being Here with You" while delivering a "wow" factor with speedy fretwork on the jazz-minded "Maple Avenue Strut" and the ragtime-mining title track.

"Wooden Horses" was released a few months after another album featuring Juber's guitar work. "Poppin' Guitars: A Tuneful of Sherman" features instrumental guitar arrangements of songs by the Sherman Brothers. Juber's take on "A Spoonful of Sugar" (originally featured in the movie "Mary Poppins") is part of that 15-song collection.

Juber, a member of Paul McCartney and Wings in the late 1970s and early '80s, earned a Best Rock Instrumental Grammy for the track "Rockestra" (featured on Wings' 1979 album "Back to the Egg"). During Juber's solo career, he picked up a second Grammy for his guitar arrangement of "The Pink Panther Theme" featured on the "Henry Mancini - Pink Guitar" collection released in 2004. Juber has released more than a dozen full-length discs since hsi debut, "Solo Flight," in 1990.

Highlights of his solo discography include "LJ Plays the Beatles" (2000), "I've Got the World on Six Strings" (2006) and "PCH" (2007). Juber will perform at the Dana Point Community House, 24642 San Juan Ave., Dana Point, at 7:30 p.m. on March 26. He will also perform at Mission Viejo Civic Center, 200 Civic Center, Mission Viejo, at 7 p.m. on March 27. Tickets are $25.

For more information, call 949-842-2227 or visit www.LordOfTheStringsConcerts.com.

The Rolling Stones ink DVD deal with Eagle Rock Entertainment

This arrived in my box today. For fans of The Rolling Stones '70s-era gems, this news is epic.

New York, NY (March 18, 2010) - Eagle Rock Entertainment are delighted to announce that they have signed a deal with the Rolling Stones to release two DVDs this year. The Rolling Stones have long been viewed by many as Britain's most important rock 'n' roll band and these releases, concentrating on some of their finest work laid down in the 1970s, will certainly cement that reputation.

The first of the releases Stones In Exile is the story of the making of the classic album Exile On Main Street, which was released in 1972 as a double LP and is considered by many to be their masterpiece. This title is due to be released in June 2010 with substantial bonus material and follows the boradcast of the main show by the BBC in late May, and the reissue of the album at the same time.

The second of the releases is Ladies And Gentlemen...The Rolling Stones, the legendary Rolling Stones concert film from 1972. Fully restored from the original film, it will be released nationally in cinemas and then receive its first ever authorized DVD release. The title will also be released in high definition on Blu-ray in the Autumn of 2010.

The Rolling Stones line-up featured on both Stones In Exile and Ladies And Gentlemen...The Rolling Stones is: Mick Jagger (vocals), Keith Richards (guitars) Bill Wyman (bass), Charlie Watts (drums) and Mick Taylor (guitars). NOTE: Mick Taylor is scheduled to make a rare live appearance here in Orange County, CA when he headlines at The Coach House in San Juan Capistrano on Thursday night, May 13, 2010.

Geoff Kempin of Eagle Rock commented, "We are delighted to add a band of such unparalleled caliber as the Rolling Stones to our catalogue and are delighted to bring to consumers a pair of such important and high quality titles."

Music of Ireland celebrated on 'Welcome Home' collection

'Music of Ireland - Welcome Home'

With the arrival of St. Patrick's Day tomorrow, now is the perfect time to celebrate the music of the Emerald Isle.

A new collection Music of Ireland - Welcome Home was released March 2, with both CD and DVD/CD versions of the release serving as companion media for the two-part Public Television (PBS) special aired this month. Ireland is a small island in the north Atlantic, but its musical influence is as mighty as any nation on the planet. While U2, Van Morrison, Bell X1, The Saw Doctors, The Corrs and The Cranberries are among my favorite of Ireland's musical exports in the rock era, there are countless more artists worth embracing that draw on the traditional Celtic roots of Ireland.

Music of Ireland boasts more than a dozen selections showcasing the authentic spirit of a sound that has influenced Americana folk, bluegrass and modern rock. When those mostly unfamiliar with traditional Irish music have asked me why I enjoy it so much, I tell them it is a combination of the rousing sing-alongs, jigs and haunting ballads performed courtesy of a palette of fiddles, mandolins, banjos and various other instruments that magically blend with the voices and melodies that are seemingly part of the DNA of those who come from Ireland.

The Music of Ireland features new material from Grammy Award-winners Moya Brennan, The Chieftains and Sinead O'Connor, as well as Academy Award-winner Glen Hansard (The Swell Season), Damien Rice, tenor Ronan Tynan, Damien Dempsey, Andrea Corr (who is the lead singer and plays tin whistle with The Corrs) and more. From O'Connor's fusion of traditional Celtic and world music styles in her "Song to the Siren" to the gorgeous blend of Uilleann pipes, fiddle, flute and Irish harp that enhance a collaboration between The Chieftains and Moya Brennan ("Lullaby for the Dead"), this fine disc serves as both an introduction for the uninitiated or a welcome addition to long-time fans of Irish music.

There are several ways to get either the CD or DVD (which features a bonus music CD of material not included on the regular CD release) version of Music of Ireland - Welcome Home. Shoppers can get them at Barnes and Noble stores that sell music, and can also purchase the tracks digitally via Amazon.com. And they will be bundled as a bonus gift for those who donate to their favorite PBS station during pledge drives.

For more information, visit http://www.musicofireland.com/.

And Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Toad the Wet Sprocket impresses in show at The Galaxy

Although Toad the Wet Sprocket hasn't released an album of new material since 1997's outstanding Coil, the quartet still performs a few dates every year to the delight of the band's enduring fan base.

On Friday night, the outfit proved that there are few acts better to revisit the past without being buried by it. While the majority of songs in the band's 21-song set came from TTWS's trio of best-known '90s releases (Fear, Dulcinea and the aforementioned Coil), the group offered up some rare music from its earliest days with a shimmering "Way Away" from the band's 1989 debut Bread and Circus the uptempo pop-rocker "P.S." (unreleased until 1999 when it was included on a retrospective) and the evolving ballad-to-rocker "Torn" from 1990's Pale.

Although there was a looseness to the set (notably singer-guitarists Glen Phillips and Todd Nichols having to frequently tune their own guitars), Toad continues to use the power of its songbook and its ability to perform those songs with precision to please audiences like the large one that filled the Galaxy on Friday.

Phillips' voice continues to marvel, whether singing the haunting lines of "Something's Always Wrong" or fiery folk rock of "Fall Down," and Nichols' guitar work was displayed in all ways subtle ("Crowing") and straightforward ("Brother") over the course of 90 minutes. And the use of spot-on two- and three-part harmonies added power to many of the songs, especially on the country-folk of "Windmills."

The set list included all the band's best-known hits ("All I Want," "Whatever I Fear," "Good Intentions" and the night-ending "Walk on the Ocean"), but was clearly lifted with the inclusion of Toad's line-up (including original members Randy Guss on drums and Dean Dinning on bass and backing vocals) backing Phillips as he sang his solo material (including a wonderful "Everything But You" from his album Mr. Lemons).

As time marches on, these Toad outings become more precious. And as Phillips sang so movingly as the concert moved to its inevitable conclusion: "And somebody told me that this is the place / where everything's better, everything's safe."

Area band Whalen opened the show with a solid mix of country-styled rock in the tradition of the Eagles and Poco. The highlight of the band's set were the catchy "Better All the Time" and "Live Like a Daydream."

Watch DEVO on TV's 'Yo Gabba Gabba' on March 11

It's about time that the influential band DEVO returned to the well-deserved spotlight. Here is the latest news about the band and how you can tune in/Tivo/DVR to catch the group play a new song on Thursday, March 11, 2010:

Burbank, CA – Oh No, it’s DEVO! That’s right, D-E-V-O performing a new song on Nickelodeon and Nick Jr.’s YO GABBA GABBA this Thursday, March 11, at 10:30 a.m. and 1 p.m. respectively.

Mark, Jerry, Bob 1 and Bob 2 will perform “Watch us Work It,” on the YO GABBA GABBA show this coming Thursday carried on both Nickelodeon at 10:30 a.m. and again on Nick Jr. at 1 p.m. PST. Check local listings in your time zone for details. Can also check www.nickjr.com for further info.

Once again, go directly to http://www.clubdevo.com/colorstudy to be part of a public color study to help determine the outcome of necessary and important data to be used by DEVO! It’s fun and you’ll help make history before history is made!

Spud Fashion never dies! Display your allegiance with new DEVO merchandise @ www.clubdevo.com/shop. If you haven’t already, hear “Fresh” now at: www.clubdevo.com

The Bird and the Bee's tribute to Hall & Oates

John Oates, guitar in hand, made a surprise guest appearance with The Bird and The Bee on March 5.

Anybody that is a frequent reader of this blog or my music coverage in The Orange County Register knows I am a long-time fan of Hall & Oates.

So it's no surprise I'm pleased with The Bird and The Bee's Interpreting The Masters Volume 1: A Tribute To Daryl Hall and John Oates, set for release by EMI's Blue Note Records on March 23, 2010.

Here is the release from EMI that landed in my inbox earlier today:

The Bird and The Bee, the duo of singer Inara George and multi-instrumentalist/producer Greg Kurstin, kicked off a musical scavenger hunt for their fans today by premiering all nine songs from their new album Interpreting The Masters Volume 1: A Tribute To Daryl Hall and John Oates on nine different Web sites: AOL Spinner, BrooklynVegan, Entertainment Weekly, Idolator, MySpace, PerezHilton, Prefix, and SPIN, and USA Today. The acclaimed band's third full-length album, which will be released March 23 on EMI's Blue Note Records, is a love letter to famed "rock and soul" duo Hall & Oates that features eight classic covers along with one new (and awesome, I might add) original song "Heard It On The Radio."

The Bird and The Bee played a once-in-a-lifetime concert on Friday night (March 5) at the El Rey Theater in Los Angeles to celebrate the album release, and were joined on stage by very special surprise guest John Oates for performances of "Maneater," "She's Gone" and "I Can't Go For That." In a rave review in today's Los Angeles Times, writer August Brown wrote that Oates "couldn't have asked for a more articulate love letter than the one the bird and the bee just gave him." The entire concert was webcast live at Livestream.com, and will be archived on the site starting on Monday, March 22.

I know I was at writer Whitney Matheson's popular Pop Candy blog on USA Today earlier today and they were streaming "Private Eyes." It sounded so great that I had to go back and listen to my digital advance of the full tribute album. I'll have more to say about this wonderful The Bird and The Bee tribute the week of its release.

Upcoming shows aplenty: BugGiRL, The Church & more

BugGiRL will be in Huntington Beach on March 2, 2010.

For those of us who live in Orange County, the good news is that bands going on tour that land in Los Angeles increasingly offer up shows behind the OC too.

March and April 2010 offer up plenty of great shows. While we'll have to drive to Hollywood to see Sir Paul McCartney or head east to see Muse, Devo, Band of Skulls and tons of others at the Coachella fest in Indio April 16-18, there will be plenty of concert choices in our own backyard.

Things kick off tomorrow, March 2, when the Australian sister/brother duo BugGiRL (Amber and Clinno) perform at Fitzgerald's Pub, 19171 Magnolia St., Huntington Beach. Since forming in 2004, BugGiRL has performed throughout Europe, North America and their native land Down Under. They are touring in support of their latest release, the five-track EP Blood, Sweat & Beers. This record, the band's third, is described in a press release as "a blast of fearless rock 'n' roll."

If you don't catch the band in Huntington Beach on Tuesday, they play in Banning, CA on March 3.

Information: http://www.buggirl.net/.

One of my favorite power-pop bands of the '90s, the Gin Blossoms, will return to The Coach House in San Juan Capistrano on Saturday night, March 27. Also on the bill is one of OC's best Americana outfits, The Fallen Stars.

Also coming to the Coach House is Australia's The Church. The legendary band, which formed in 1980 and is best known for its 1988 hit "Under the Milky Way," is kicking off its tour of the U.S. as part of the band's celebration of its 30th year together with this special acoustic-styled show.

Finally, for those not making the trek out to Coachella next month, Canadian singer-songwriter-guitarist Bruce Cockburn is headlining at the Coach House on Friday, April 16.

For more information on any of the upcoming concerts at The Coach House, visit http://www.thecoachhouse.com/ or call the venue at 949-496-8930.

Doves' 'The Places Between: The Best of Doves' coming April 6

I received this earlier today. The Places Between: The Best of Doves is set for release on Astralwerks/Heavenly Recordings on Tuesday, April 6.

Here is the text of the exciting news (if you don't know about this exciting trio, make plans to get this release!):

So here we are, 12 years since Doves formed in Manchester and released the Cedar Room EP on the Casino Records imprint, and 10 years since Doves epochal debut, Lost Souls was released on Astralwerks/Heavenly Recordings. In that time we have been privy to a catalogue of genre-warping singles and a quartet of albums that have forced writers to go back to the thesaurus in search of new superlatives. These are The Places Between, a multi-format Best Of that has cherry picked the best from UK number one albums: The Last Broadcast and Some Cities, last year's critically acclaimed masterpiece, Kingdom Of Rust and their generation defining debut Lost Souls. Indeed, from UK number 3 hit "There Goes The Fear" to the Motown thump of "Black and White Town" and the anthemic morning-after glow of "The Cedar Room." The Places Between has been painstaking sequenced by Jimi, Andy and Jez themselves in the way they want you to experience their last decades work, in short this is the definitive Doves Best Of.
Furthermore, in addition to a host of B sides, rarities, and unreleased tracks that make up the second disc there is asmattering of brand-new recordings, "Blue Water," "Drifter" (featuring Cherry Ghost's Simon Aldred) and the brilliant new single "Andalucia."
The album comes in single disc and multi-disc versions. The tracklistings are as follows:
DISC ONE - The Best Of
1. There Goes The Fear
2. Black and White Town
3. Snowden
4. Here It Comes
5. Words
6. Kingdom Of Rust
7. Sea Song
8. Pounding
9. 10:03
10. Catch The Sun
11. Jetstream
12. The Man Who Told Everything (Summer Version)
13. Andalucia
14. Caught By The River
15. The Cedar Room

DISC TWO - Rarities, B sides and alternate versions
1. Blue Water
2. Eleven Miles Out
3. Rise
4. Darker
5. Push Me On
6. Willow's Song (Bury Version)
7. Valley
8. Northenden
9. M62 Song
10. Drifter
11. Friday's Dust (Capitol Tower Session)
12. Almost Forgot Myself (Demo)
13. Your Shadow Lay Across My Life
14. The Last Son
15. The Sulphur Man
16. At The Tower (Instrumental Edit)
17. Reprise
18. Ambition
19. Firesuite (Noise Version)

DISC THREE (DVD) features the videos for:
The Cedar Room
Sea Song
Here It Comes
Catch The Sun
Man Who Told Everything
There Goes The Fear
Pounding
Caught By The River
Black and White Town (directors Cut)
Snowden (Live Edit)
Sky Starts Falling
Kingdom Of Rust
Winter Hill

For more information, visit http://www.doves.net/ or www.myspace.com/dovesmyspace.

Rocking Weekend: Pat DiNizio, Steve Miller Band

Pat DiNizio, seen here on the right, as seen through my camera lens on Thursday night, Feb. 18 at an outstanding show at The Coach House.

As concert-going treks go, I have two wonderful ones to report since I last checked in. On Thursday night, Feb. 18, I caught Smithereens singer-songwriter Pat DiNizio in a wonderful performance at The Coach House in San Juan Capistrano.

Let me begin with my most recent show. Although I have caught the Steve Miller Band in concert a few times since the mid-1990s, I have to say that the classic rock troupe's show at the Honda Center in Anaheim on Saturday night, Feb. 20, was definitely my favorite of the times I have seen singer-songwriter-guitarist Steve Miller & company.

The headliner at Cal State Fullerton's Front & Center 2010 fundraising event, the Steve Miller Band was featured in a role to help support education and university scholarships. Miller was more chatty than he has been in the past and talked at length about the importance of education and music in the lives of children and children of all ages throughout his 110-minute set. Indeed, when he closed the concert with a rousing version of "Jet Airliner," he brought up more than a dozen of the university students who had performed a "Glee"-styled song and dance show earlier in the night to sing with him. During the night, Miller also noted that he was donating $25,000 of his own money to Saturday night's cause.

The show itself boasted most of his best-known hits ("Fly Like an Eagle," "Rock'n Me," "Jungle Love," "Take the Money and Run"), but Miller - always a proponent of the blues - offered up so deeper moments courtesy of several Jimmie Vaughn covers (including "Sweet Soul Vibe") and a tribute to Bo Diddley with a version of the late rocker's "Pretty Thing" where Miller used a Gibson Flying V to help get the reverb sound used by Diddley. And for those who love "The Joker," Miller offered up the song once as an acoustic number and later on in the night with the whole band. Nice.

The most heartfelt tribute came to longtime Steve Miller Band member Norton Buffalo, a great harmonica player who died of cancer in October 2009. Miller noted that he still can't believe Norton is gone before playing a solo acoustic version of the wonderful "Wild Mountain Honey." Miller's vocals and guitar playing were wonderful throughout the night, and accolades to his entire band (Joseph Wooten on keyboards and backing vocals, drummer Gordy Knudtson, bassist-sometimes guitarist Kenny Lee Lewis and fantastic lead-backing vocalist Sonny Charles).

Here is my review of the Pat DiNizio show that ran on the Register's SoundCheck blog on Feb. 19th:

Rock fans wanting to celebrate the 30th birthday of one of rock 'n' roll's most enduring -- if unsung -- bands were in the right place if they were at the Coach House on Thursday night. The Smithereens technically weren't on the bill, but that band's principal songwriter and lead singer Pat DiNizio had returned to the San Juan Capistrano venue. And while the show was billed as a solo acoustic appearance from the New Jersey rocker, fans got the best of both worlds.

First came an hour-long set of songs to the accompaniment of his acoustic guitar. Then DiNizio brought up Smithereens bassist Severo "The Thrilla" Jornacion, Orange County-based singer-songwriter-guitarist Kenny Howes and legendary drummer Rafael Gayol (formerly with BoDeans and currently Leonard Cohen's touring timekeeper) to back him for a full-blown 70-minute electric set of Smithereens classics, plus material from DiNizio's recent self-titled effort and wonderful covers of classics from Buddy Holly, the Beatles, the Monkees, even Black Sabbath. The long night proved to be a casual affair, with DiNizio offering up funny and detailed insights into how many of his songs were written before performing them. For example, he revealed that while the Smithereens' 1986 breakout Especially for You had been written over the course of five years dating back to the band's formation at the dawn of the 1980s, the equally strong follow-up from 1988, Green Thoughts, was written in a mere five weeks.

The Smithereens remain one of the hardest-rocking bands to emerge from the power-pop scene, yet DiNizio's songs are generally so tuneful and well-crafted, they work just as well when delivered as folk numbers. He noted in the first half of his show that when artists run out of ideas, they often put themselves in a mode of writing as if they were someone else. That was his approach in writing "Especially for You," for which he admittedly immersed himself in the style of composer Burt Bacharach and lyricist Hal David.

His performance of that song was among his acoustic-set highlights, as was the decidedly more original "She's Got a Way," an uptempo rocker from the Smithereens' 1999 disc God Save the Smithereens that proved to be a touching song about his young daughter.

One of the best cuts off Pat DiNizio is the intoxicating "Any Other Way," a track that recaptures the theme of so much of DiNizio's style. Indeed, many of his best songs ("Behind the Wall of Sleep," "Blood and Roses," "Drown in My Own Tears," "Room Without a View") perfectly capture romantic despair, the music built out of dark, heavy, haunting riffs positioned around big, cruncy, instantly-memorable choruses. And yet there was a celebratory spirit to this show, as DiNizio, a guy known to tour fans' living rooms coast-to-coast, joked with admirers seated at tables near the stage, often thanking them for their support of him and his band (this show marked the first time this lineup of four musicians had shared the stage together; impressive).

The rock set was particularly fun, with DiNizio leading the musicians through a breathtaking version of Buddy Holly's "Well Alright." He also paid tribute to the Beatles with a singalong of "You've Got to Hide Your Love Away" and a slow, introspective version of Lennon's masterpiece "Norwegian Wood (This Bird Has Flown)," featuring Howes' delightful textures on Rickenbacker guitar.

The whole thing came to a close with a hearty version of "Blood and Roses," the band tearing the roof off just as the Smithereens have in countless appearances here, dating back to the '80s.

The night's two openers offered up well-received sets, with the New Wave-tinged pop-rock of Huntington Beach's the Victors decidedly stronger than the reggae-meets-jam-rock of Hair of the Dog. For those who want to catch the Victors perform "Rocket High" and other infectious original songs, the quartet will perform a free show from 7-10 p.m. on Feb. 27 at the Gian Wheel Court at the Irvine Spectrum, 71 Fortune Dr., Irvine.

Set List: Pat DiNizio at The Coach House

Yesterday Girl / Especially For You / She's Got a Way / Blue Period / Something New / Behind the Wall of Sleep / Any Other Way / Since You Went Away / Time and Time Again / Well Alright (Buddy Holly cover) / Maria Elena / I Don't Want to Lose You / You've Got to Hide Your Love Away (Beatles cover) / Last Train to Clarksville (Monkees cover) / Norwegian Wood (This Bird Has Flown) (Beatles cover) / Top of the Pops / Cigarette / Paranoid (Black Sabbath cover) / Blood and Roses

Sad news about The Knack's Doug Fieger

I was sad to come back from a weekend vacation to hear that The Knack's Doug Fieger had passed away after a long battle with cancer. I met Doug in the mid-1990s while we were both checking out a show at The Coach House in San Juan Capistrano.

I also had the fortune to finally catch the band in concert on Dec. 31, 2006 at the Orange County New Year’s Eve - better known as OCNYE - at the Orange County Fairgrounds in Costa Mesa.

Here is a cut-and-paste of that part of my review that ran on the Register's Web site on Jan. 1, 2007 that focused on the strong set from The Knack:

Indeed, those only catching the action on the main stage missed the best performances of the seven-hour event. Although Tommy Tutone (in a mostly acoustic showcase, with the “867-5309/Jenny” singer-guitarist accompanied only by a drummer) disappointed in the first 10 minutes of his set, a short walk to a nearby stage rewarded with an amazing full-blown performance by the Knack.

Despite the death of the band’s original drummer, Bruce Gary, earlier in 2006, the Knack soared across the last 35 minutes of its set. Singer-guitarist Doug Fieger, who underwent surgery for the removal of two brain tumors only five months ago, led the group in a set that worked the audience near the stage into a festive frenzy.

Performances of their best-known songs (“Good Girls Don’t” and “My Sharona”) were not the only tunes that got the crowd moving. A medley that began with a cover of the Champs’ “Tequila” morphed into a strong mostly-faithful take on the Doors’ “Break on Through (To the Other Side)” that may well have been the single-strongest performance of the night.

A Star for Starr

Photo credit: Rob Shanahan

Ringo Starr, center, is seen with (left to right) Ben Harper, Don Was and Joe Walsh, and Starr's wife Barbara Bach, after he received the 2,401st star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in Los Angeles on Monday, Feb. 8, 2010.

It's about time is what I say! Ringo Starr finally gets his world famous name cemented into Hollywood Walk of Fame. Here, in part, is the media release that went out earlier today:

The event, watched by thousands of fans, took place in front of Capitol Records at 1750 Vine in Hollywood, where Ringo's star - the 2401st on the walk - was placed in line with fellow Beatles George Harrison and John Lennon, as well as dear friend Roy Orbison. In fact, Roy Orbison's star was celebrated just last week. The Hollywood Chamber of Commerce commemorated the 50th Anniversary of the Hollywood Walk of Fame with a special evening event, and it was full-on Hollywood style celebration, closing off Hollywood and Vine and using search lights to emblazon the night sky. Ringo applauded the change, encouraging the Chamber to continue these in the evening, "I don't know how it is where you come from," he said, "but where I live, the stars come out at night." Leron Gubler, CEO of the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce, welcomed everyone. On hand to induct Ringo was fellow "mocker" and now brother-in-law Joe Walsh, as well as Don Was and Ben Harper. On hand were Ringo's wife Barbara Bach Starkey, Barbara Orbison and son Roy Jr., Olivia Harrison, David Lynch, Benmont Tench, Jeff Lynne, Gary Wright and others.

Ringo Starr and the All Starrs will tour throughout June, July and early August of 2010. They conclude their tour with a concert at The Greek Theatre in Los Angeles on Aug. 7, 2010.

For more information, visit http://www.ringostarr.com/.

Michael Ubaldini Benefit Concert coming Sunday

On Sunday afternoon, Jan. 31, I hope to see you all at the Michael Ubaldini Benefit Concert. The fundraiser, set to be held at Tumbleweeds Saloon, 21094 Beach Blvd., Huntington Beach from 4:30 p.m. to 10 p.m., will raise money for Fountain Valley-based singer-songwriter Michael Ubaldini.

One of Southern California's most acclaimed and influential artists, Ubaldini was rushed to the hospital shortly after enjoying a Thanksgiving meal on Nov. 26, 2009. He didn't get out of the hospital until mid-January 2010. He is now at home recovering from a rare infection surrounding his heart valve; the condition is known as Endocarditis.

The condition has left Ubaldini weak, and forced the hard-working rocker to cancel all shows until he completes his rehab.

The benefit show will featuring a number of well-known area acts, including the Tricia Freeman Band, West Coast Strayz, Girls Nite Out and singer-songwriter TJR. All of those artists will perform Ubaldini-penned songs. In addition, Norwegian Wood will also make a highly-publicized reunion at the benefit show; the group was considered among the best Beatles tribute bands of the 1980s and featured a trio of future heroes who got their start in the Fab Four-minded band. Walter Clevenger (who heads the Dairy Kings), Danny Walker (of Handsome Devil) and Brian Martin (who went on to play with power pop giants The Tickets) will all play a set of Beatles music at the show.

For those who can't make it out to the show, mail a check payable to the Michael Ubaldini Benefit Fund care of US Bank, 17150 Magnolia St., Fountain Valley, CA 92708.

If you see me at the show, please come say "hi"!

Forthcoming Releases: Music for all

Not a day goes by without me receiving tons of media releases about new music.
I don't post many of those releases, but occasionally I get stuff that is worth sharing. Here is news about two notable commercial collections set for release on March 2, 2010 that look especially promising.

Flogging Molly is set to release Live at the Greek Theatre, which comes as both a DVD and double CD of the band's performance on Sept. 12, 2009 at The Greek Theatre in Los Angeles. Directed by Kevin Custer, Live at the Greek Theatre is a "must have for all Flogging Molly fans and a uniquely-special introduction for those music fans that have yet to experience Flogging Molly's uniquely powerful show," according to the SideOneDummy Records press release dated Jan. 26, 2010. Playing songs from all of Flogging Molly's albums across a 90-minute set, the event was shot with eight high-definition cameras and the audio was mixed by Grammy Award-winning engineer Ryan Hewitt. Live at the Greek Theatre will be available on March 2, 2010.

Three of my bona fide musical heroes are set to appear on the Curious George 2: Follow That Monkey soundtrack. Set for release in connection with the Universal Studio Home Entertainment DVD (which also comes out March 2), the soundtrack features great songs from Brian Wilson (a cover of The Riveiras' hit "California Sun"), as well as several new songs from Virginia's Carbon Leaf ("The Friendship," "On A Roll" and more) and a special title track recorded by 429 Records' artist Jackie Greene ("Follow That Monkey").
Here is the track listing for the Curious George 2: Follow That Monkey soundtrack:
1) "Life Less Ordinary" Carbon Leaf
2) "The Friendship" Carbon Leaf
3) "California Sun" Brian Wilson
4) "On a Roll" Carbon Leaf
5) "Heart of the Day" Carbon Leaf
6) "Let Your Troubles Roll By" Carbon Leaf
7) "Walking in the Sun" Carbon Leaf
8) "Follow That Monkey" Jackie Greene
9) "Moon Man" Heitor Pereira
10) "Going East" Heitor Pereira
11) "Giving a Hand" Heitor Pereira
12) "Zoo" Heitor Pereira
13) "Friendship" Heitor Pereira

Awesome Weekend: Radiohead, Mindy Smith shows

Photo of Mindy Smith I shot at The Coach House on Jan. 22.

Shouldn't every weekend be great? After a week of non-stop rain and plenty of chores at work and home, the skies cleared and I was able to attend two great shows.

On Friday, I caught Mindy Smith, Landon Pigg and Alice Wallace at The Coach House in San Juan Capistrano, while I caught a special Radiohead benefit concert at the Music Box at the Fonda in Hollywood.

Both shows were fantastic, with the Haiti benefit show featuring Radiohead performing before a capacity crowd (my wife Kim and I were squeezed in on the floor about 50-60 feet from stage) obviously spilling over with the "wow" factor. Indeed, neither of us had ever had the chance to see Radiohead live, so we jumped at the chance to have our first encounter with the legendary band be a good one.

Although there will be those who know the band's music and history much better than me opine on the performance, my general impression is that Radiohead continues to be unique in the modern rock landscape. Thom Yorke is the kind of artist who demands you keep your eyes glued on him. The band hit the stage at 8:30 p.m. and performed about two hours, and the show truly flew by.

What struck me about the intimate show is how Radiohead didn't need any special video or fancy lighting effects. Indeed, it was the power of the music, the songs and performers - and the intensity of the crowd - that made the night so special. Is Radiohead the greatest band in the world today? I wouldn't doubt it.

Rewinding back to Friday night, Mindy Smith's performance was equally simple. The Nashville critics' favorite just played a clutch of her potent material in a sparse, scaled-back setting that showcased both her songs and a voice that never fails to bring added power to them.

Performing an 80-minute set that spanned from her impressive 2004 debut One Moment More to her astonishing 2009 effort Stupid Love, Smith and lead guitarist Lex Price (who sat in for most of the show) conjured up enchantment in every song. Things began with a heartfelt cover of Dolly Parton's "Jolene" (included on Smith's first disc) and only got better as the New York native delved into her own catalog of probing and introspective songs.

While her debut often looked at issues of faith in pieces such as "Come to Jesus" (one of her most popular tunes) and "Angel Doves," last year's effort is a serious and thoughtful study of the different phases of romance. Naturally, songs from Stupid Love formed a large part of her 14-song set on Friday night, each selection proving every bit as affecting as they are on the album.

Rarely has the study of relationships been tackled with such depth, shades of regret ("What Went Wrong"), understanding ("high and Lows"), loss ("What Love Can Do") and the mystery of it all ("If I Didn't Know Any Better") all delivered in Smith's genre-blurring mix of alt-country, folk, pop and bluegrass, held tightly together by her beautiful soprano.

Other highlights of her well-paced performance included the pretty "Tennessee" and a beautiful acoustic version of "One Moment More," a song Smith wrote for her mother, who died of breast cancer in 1991.

Smith's superb set was reason alone to brave the driving rain to get down to the Coach House this night, but that good news got even better thanks to a couple of solid openers.

Landon Pigg, also from Nashville, served up a 40-minute set of inventive, tuneful songs drawing from '60s pop-rock, '00s Britpop and the modern-day singer-songwriter movement. There's no doubt that songs such as the Beatlesque "A Ghost," the shimmering "Blue Skies" and the uplifting "Take a Chance" are the work of a young artist who crafts songs as accessible as they are listenable. He closed with his biggest hit, "Falling in Love at a Coffee Shop," an irresistible bit that masterfully demonstrated his strong vocals and songcraft.

Local singer-songwriter Alice Wallace turned in a 35-minute set that served as kind of a sequential tale of her recent move from Florida to Orange County. Armed with a voice capable of impressive vocal gymnastics (including an aptly-titled closer about teaching herself to yodel that would impress Jewel), Wallace used effective storytelling and straightforward songs to entertain. A reworked cover of the Beatles' "I Want to Hold Your Hand," the original power-pop arrangement transformed into reflective longing, was a crowd favorite.

Mindy Smith to perform at Coach House tonight

Photo credit: Traci Goudie

A longer version of this story was originally posted on the Orange County Register Web site on Tuesday, Jan. 19, 2010.

Mindy Smith's wide-ranging musical style blends pop, alt-country and Americana across her discography.

She'll bring those sounds to the stage at the Coach House in San Juan Capistrano tonight (Jan. 22).

Smith is a lyrical songwriter armed with an emotive style, as evidenced by the 13 original songs on her latest album, 2009's excellent "Stupid Love." The material includes the thoughtful "What Went Wrong," the straightforward "What Love Can Do" and the shimmering "Out Loud," as well as the upbeat first single, "Highs and Lows."

Smith co-produced "Stupid Love" with Ian Fitchuk and Justin Loucks at Fiarground Studio in Nashville, Tenn. Fitchuk and Loucks performed many of the instrumental parts on the album, while Smith focused mostly on singing.

Among the notable guests on the album are Leigh Nash (of Sixpence None the Richer), singer Amy Grant and singer-guitarist Vince Gill.

I will be covering the show tonight for The Orange County Register, so make sure to check the newspaper's Web site at www.ocregister.com sometime late tomorrow to read my review. Smith's music is terrific and I'm looking forward to catching her in concert.

Orange County music highlights: Part 1

Ben Wener at the Orange County Register has put together an ambitious and strong list of the 50 best and most influential releases of the first decade of the 21st century. When Ben approached me about helping provide input for the project a few weeks ago, I started going through my big collection of local releases. Here are some overlooked albums I wanted to highlight for those who want to explore the area scene a bit more.

Artist of the Decade: Michael Ubaldini

Fountain Valley singer-songwriter Michael Ubaldini has released a number of great albums since the mid-1990s, with many of his strongest discs coming in the last half of the last part of the past decade. Since 2005's excellent "Avenue of Ten Cent Hearts," he has been on an incredible roll with the subsequent release of "Storybook," "Street Singin' Troubadour" and 2009's "Portable Record Player." Incredible.

Artist: Dana Parker (singer-songwriter-keyboardist)
Album: "Eclectic" (release was in 2005) - amazing jazz-pop. One of the most original and overlooked artists to emerge in O.C. I wrote a big feature on him after I happened to be at a Border's and caught him performing. I was blown away at the power of an artist playing in a bookstore. Great artist and great songs.

Artist: August Burning
Album: "Zero" (release date 2001). This was the final of three strong albums released by August Burning, a band formed in the mid-1990s by several Chapman University students. Singer-songwriterJohn List and multi-instrumentalist James Wagner wrote and produced some of the most articulate and affecting songs I heard while writing Orange Pop.

Artist: Color Theory
Album: "The Thought Chapter" (2008) - Long-time Huntington Beach singer-songwriter-producer-keyboardist Brian Hazard is Color Theory. Although Hazard's sound draws natural comparisons withDepeche Mode, his artful and intelligent songs fused with skillful studio production are his own. His most recent full-length album is also his strongest.

Artist: Beyond 7
Album: "Smoke" (2006) might have marked the end of the 10-year journey featuring singer-songwriter Greg Stoddard and guitarist-songwriter Brian Stewart dating back to their Warner Bros. Records deal as members of Psychic Rain in the '90s, but the independent release of "Smoke" in 2006 proved the talented team still could deliver a winning mix of strong songs and commanding performances that appealed to fans of power pop, alt rock and classic rock.

Artist: Dusty Rhodes and the River Band
Album: Palace and Stage (2009) - If members of Yes and The Band had formed a band with Gram Parsons, it might sound a bit like Dusty Rhodes and the River Band. The Fullerton outfit's powerful live performances really translated well with the studio recordings that comprise 2009's "Palace and Stage" too. The title track is one of my favorite songs of 2009.

Artist: Wonderlove
Album: "Getting Off the Revolution" (released 2001) - Recalling the sound of early '90s-launched Huntington Beach outfit Altered State, Wonderlove blended tuneful and well-crafted rock with powerful performances. And like Altered State, Wonderlove is missed. And if you don't know the music of Gregory Markel's great Altered State, seek it out via Amazon.com or YouTube.

A week away: Ringo Starr's 'Y Not'

It seems like only yesterday since Ringo Starr released Liverpool 8, his last studio album.

But believe it or not, that album was released on Jan. 15, 2008. With the release of several high-profile mono and stereo collections from his former band The Beatles last year - as well as the fantastic Soundstage Presents: Ringo Starr and the Roundheads concert DVD released by E1 Entertainment in September 2009 - there has thankfully been plenty of great music to enjoy from Ringo since his last studio effort.

With the arrival of 2010 comes another highly-anticipated album from Ringo. Y Not is set for release by Hip-O Records/UMe on Tuesday, Jan. 12, and boasts a strong roster of guests players including Paul McCartney and Joe Walsh. Y Not also marks the first time that Ringo has produced his own album.

Over the weekend, I was listening to the radio show Breakfast With the Beatles and heard the album's opening track, "Fill In The Blanks," an infectious rocker featuring only Ringo and Walsh. With a single listen, the track grabbed me and I can't wait to hear the rest of the album.

Here are some highlights from the comprehensive press release sent out about Ringo's upcoming Y Not disc in late 2009:

Throughout recorded history, great artists across the universe have dared to ask "Why?" On January 12, 2010, one brave man named Ringo finally boldly declares the ultimate answer -- Y Not.

For the first time in one of popular music's most enduring and illustrious careers, Ringo Starr has decided to take charge and produce himself. The result is perhaps the most personal and impressive album of this rock legend's entire solo career. How on earth did Starr finally locate the absolutely perfect producer to work with him? "Well, I looked in the mirror," Ringo says with a smile. "And I was looking real groovy that day."

Starr's decision to take a stronger role in the recording of his latest and greatest solo album was a significant and fortuitous one. "I didn't do it at the start," Starr says. "I was the least involved in the production of the Beatles records. And then with my solo records, I worked with some other great producers like Richard Perry, Arif Mardin and Don Was. So it just seemed like that's the way that it goes. Then suddenly, it's another point in your life, and you say, 'I'm going to do this now.' So I'll be producing anything I make from now on. That's the good news. It's a confidence thing, I suppose. And Y Not is really another way of me saying 'Yes, I can.' "

The joyous result of Starr lookin in the mirror is Y Not, a groovy and deeply-felt song cycle that finds Ringo leading a smaller core group of old and new friends including long-time pal and recent brother-in-law Joe Walsh, Dave Stewart and longtime Roundheads member Steve Dudas on guitar, Benmont Tench of Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers on keyboards, Don Was and Mike Bradford on bass. The album also features Starr's engineer and co-producer Bruce Sugar on keyboards, as well as some special guests like Joss Stone, Ben Harper and Richard Marx on vocals, Ann Marie Calhoun on violin and Tina Sugandh -- aka Tina The Tabla Girl -- on tabla and chanting.

Yet no collaborator featured on Y Not is likely to receive as much attention as Starr's former bandmate and longstanding mate Paul McCartney, who adds a characteristically brilliant bass part to the inspiring "Peace Dream" -- Starr's latest heartfelt plea for peace and love -- and even more notably provides his unmistakably fabulous vocals to "Walk With You," an exquisitie new composition by Starr and Van Dyke Parks.

"Walk With You" is a moving , even spiritual meditation about the lasting power of friendship, and McCartney's inspired participation on the track was a testament to McCartney's generosity of spirit and musical talent. "Paul was doing the Grammys, so he came over to the house and was playing bass on 'Peace Dream.' So I played him this other track and Paul said, 'Give me the headphones. Give me a par of cans.' And he went to the mic and he just invested that part where he follows on my vocal. That was all Paul McCartney, and there could be nothing better. He makes it bigger and he makes it fuller. It makes the song like a coversation between us and that was Paul's idea to do his part one beat behind me. That's why he's a gen-i-us and an incredible bass player."

Top 10 albums of 2009

My Top 10 list was originally posted on the Orange County Register SOUNDCHECK blog last week. Here it is again and even expanded a bit! I'm sorry about all the wonderful albums that didn't make the cut, but well could have. I'll note a bunch of those at the bottom of this post...

1. Carbon Leaf, Nothing Rhymes With Woman - Songs such as the shimmering Lake of Silver Bells, blues-minded Another Man's Woman, introspective Miss Hollywood and Celtic rocker Pink showcase the Virginia band's unique place in the modern music universe. I also got to see Carbon Leaf at The Coach House in 2009, with that concert stop allowing me a chance to hear many songs from Nothing Rhymes With Woman live.

2. Joe Bonamassa, The Ballad of John Henry - With the release of his seventh album, The Ballad of John Henry, singer-songwriter-guitarist Joe Bonamassa has delivered on the promise of his childhood prodigy talents. Featuring a wonderful mix of slow, soulful blues, classic-sounding British blues-rock and dizzying guitar workouts, the disc's dozen tracks explore the struggles and contributions of real-life working-class heroes.

3. The Decemberists, The Hazards of Love - While the album as a format may be spending its days in the intensive care unit, don't tell that to Portland's Decemberists. The Hazards of Love is a concept album that is best heard from start to finish, with the British folk-rooted style and ambitious story bound together in a way that recalls winning efforts such as Jethro Tull's underrated A Passion Play and the Who's seminal Tommy. And, no surprise, The Hazards of Love has also been released on vinyl. Nice.

4. Pearl Jam, Backspacer - On 2009's Backspacer, the pioneering outfit has issued an outstanding album that effortlessly blends its grunge foundation with new wave and power-pop. Backspacer is equal parts Neil Young and R.E.M., and demonstrates the greatness of a band able to surprise and delight almost two decades into its career.

5. Michael Ubaldini, Portable Record Player - On his latest studio disc, Fountain Valley, California-based Michael Ubaldini continues to mine his rich Americana and folk roots, but blends those styles with 1960s garage band-pop in the vein of the Zombies and early Kinks. Songs such as the scorching Scandal and Not a Heart Left to Steal are among his best-ever rockers, while the tender Memories of Belgium showcases his lyrical and descriptive song craft.

6. Dave Matthews Band, Big Whiskey and the Groogrux King - With a collection of songs that rock (Why I Am), groove (Shake Me Like a Monkey) and elicit tears (Lying in the Hands of God), DMB hit one out of the park with this one.

7. Muse, The Resistance - If Queen had emerged in the '00s, it might sound something like Muse. There was a time not long ago, when this kind of big, bold and brazen rock was out of fashion. The Resistance is both brash and beautiful, and it seems that Muse has finally been able to quiet the endless comparisons with Radiohead.

8. Pet Shop Boys, Yes - Before music fans dismiss this choice with a "Are you kidding me?," it might best be to get a good listen to the latest studio release from Neil Tennant and Chris Lowe. Songs such as Did You See Me Coming?, Love Etc. and Vulnerable easily equal or best the duo's best-known hits (West End Girls, It's a Sin). The third track on the disc, Beautiful People, is my favorite song of 2009. A great dance record. A great record period.

9. Grizzyl Bear, Vecatimest - Even if I didn't like Grizzly Bear's dazzling mix of Beatlesque harmonies, Radiohead-styled experimentalism and all the nifty jazz touches, I would recommend everybody hear this. But the fact that all the eclecticism is wrapped in wonderful songs that are artful and easy on the ears makes this one of the top release of 2009. Just don't ask me to pronounce Vecatimest. I can't.

10. Dinosaur Jr., Farm - Armed with distorted guitars enhanced by waves of feedback, guitarist J Mascis and company served up a heavy dose of classic rock served up on sonic steroids. From the moment Dinosaur Jr. launches into Pieces, it's clear there is a timelessness and power to the band that remains a wonderful bridge between Neil Young classic rock and all the alt rock heroes who have followed in Dinosaur Jr.'s footsteps over the past 25 years.

Here are some other really great albums I have enjoyed this year and all will be on many other music fans' Top 10s for 2009:

Alison Brown, The Company You Keep - The talented banjo player and composer released another gem, this one featuring her work fused with pianist John R Burr and bassist Garry West and other musical pals.

Pat DiNizio, Pat DiNizio/Buddy Holly - Pat DiNizio is the incredibly-talented lead singer of The Smithereens. He took the 50th anniversary of the so-called "Day the Music Died" to release a tribute to the great Buddy Holly. This is a loving and lasting keepsake to many of Holly's most beloved songs from an artist who honors the originals while bringing his own style to the classic material.

Morrissey, Years of Refusal - Speaking of 1959, Morrissey was born the year that Holly died. Fifty years later, Morrissey is making some of the best music of his long career. His voice and songwriting skills have not dimmed and he continues to display a style that defies comparison.

U2, No Line on the Horizon - Many regular readers of my writing were likely surprised this album didn't land on my Top 10. It well could have and is a great album.

'The T.A.M.I. Show' coming to DVD in March 2010

One of the rarest rock events ever captured on film, the 1964 concert known as The T.A.M.I. Show, featuring performances by future Rock and Roll Hall of Famers the Rolling Stones, James Brown, Chuck Berry, the Beach Boys, Marvin Gaye, Smokey Robinson & the Miracles, the Supremes and many others, will be officially released for the first time by Shout! Factory on March 23, 2010. The T.A.M.I. Show: Collector's Edition includes exciting new bonus features including new commentary by director Steve Binder, original T.A.M.I. Show radio spots, and a 20-page booklet with liner notes and rare photos and memorabilia.

The T.A.M.I. Show was filmed live at the Santa Monica Civic Auditorium in 1964, a mere seven months after The Beatles appeared on The Ed Sullivan Show and introduced the Swinging '60s to America. This legendary film has never been available on DVD, and hasn't been seen in its entirety since it originally appeared in theaters, including its "world premiere" at 33 Los Angeles area movie theaters on Nov. 14, 1964. Mastered from a new high-definition transfer and restored to its original length, this complete version features the Beach Boys performances that were removed shortly after the film's initial theatrical run.

The T.A.M.I. Show is the first concert movie of the rock era, capturing such superstars as the Rolling Stones (a line-up that included guitarist Brian Jones), James Brown, Chuck Berry, the Beach Boys, the Supremes, Marvin Gaye, Jan & Dean, Gerry and the Pacemakers, the Miracles (featuring Smokey Robinson), and many other Motown and British Invasion acts in their early prime.

Among the performances (please note this is not the full list):

Chuck Berry
Johnny B. Goode
Maybellene

Gerry and the Pacemakers
Don't Let the Sun Catch You Crying
It's Gonna Be Alright

Jan & Dean
The Little Old Lady (From Pasadena)
Sidewalk Surfin'

The Beach Boys
Surfin' U.S.A.
I Get Around
Surfer Girl
Dance, Dance, Dance

The Supremes
Baby Love
Where Did Our Love Go

The Rolling Stones
Around and Around
Off the Hook
Time Is On My Side
It's All Over Now
I'm Alright

Gary 'Ho Ho' Hoey brings Chistmas concert to Coach House

Photo Credit: Steve Pitkin

Virtuoso guitarist Gary Hoey brings his annual holiday show to the Coach House in San Juan Capistrano on Saturday night, Dec. 19.

Hoey has released several Christmas-minded sets since the mid-1990s and his "Gary 'Ho Ho' Hoey" shows have become an increasingly-popular concert draw every December. Fans who attend his upcoming show at the Coach House this weekend will likely hear him play instrumental, electric guitar-anchored versions of traditional material such as "Jingle Bell Rock," "The First Noel" and "Winter Wonderland," all of which can be heard on 2003's Ho! Ho! Hoey: the Complete Collection.

My complete concert preview on Hoey's upcoming concert will be posted on the Orange County Register later this week.

GRAMMY Award nods not bad at all

I've been so busy this week, I have not had a chance to reflect on the GRAMMY Award nominations. In no particular order, here are some deserving artists who earned nominations for the upcoming 52nd Annual GRAMMY Awards that will be in my thoughts next month.

The annual awards ceremony is set to be held on Sunday, Jan. 31, 2010.

Neil Young has been nominated for two 2010 GRAMMY Awards, with the title track from his latest studio album Fork in the Road nominated for "Best Solo Rock Vocal Performance," while his Archives Vol. 1 (1963-1972) has been nominated for "Best Boxed or Special Limited Edition Package."

Rosanne Cash earned a "Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals" category nod for her performance of "Sea of Heartbreak," a duet with Bruce Springsteen featured on her latest album The List. This is Cash's ninth career nomination.

The Dave Matthews Band's Big Whiskey and the Groogrux King earned a nomination in the "Album of the Year" category, while Daryl Hall & John Oates picked up recognizion for "Sara Smile" in the "Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group With Vocals.

Atlanta-based Third Day received three GRAMMY Award nominations, being recognized in the "Best Gospel Performance" and "Best Gospel Song" categories for the song "Born Again" from its Revelation album. In addition, Live Revelations: On Stage, Off Stage, Backstage also received a nomination in the "Best Rock or Rap Gospel Album" category.

And finally, Jars of Clay received a nomination in the "Best Pop/Contemporary Gospel Album" category for its April 21, 2009 release, The Long Fall Back To Earth.

Best of luck to all of these great artists in January when winners are announced!

A busy week: David Archuleta and Trans-Siberian Orchestra

Been a busy week for me. I reviewed David Archuleta at The Grove of Anaheim on Wednesday night (Dec. 2) and bounced back to review Trans-Siberian Orchestra last night (Dec. 3) at the Honda Center.

Although both were centered around Christmas music, the shows were completely different.

My reviews are posted on the O.C. Register Soundcheck blog. Here are the links to read my reviews and what readers thought of my analysis:

http://soundcheck.freedomblogging.com/

Have a great weekend everybody!

Creed brings reunion "Full Circle" tour to DVD

Photo credit: Donna Marshall

Fans of multi-platinum power rockers Creed are in for a special treat this holiday season as CREED LIVE, the first-ever DVD from one of the most successful bands of the past decade, hits stores and all major online retailers on Dec. 8, 2009, the day after its nationwide theatrical screening in movie theaters.

CREED LIVE, captured during the band's recent "Full Circle" reunion tour, includes every favorite track from the band, including "Higher," "My Sacrifice," "With Arms Wide Open" and "Bullets" plus new songs such as the powerful "Overcome" and "A Thousand Faces" from Full Circle, the band's first studio effort in seven years. The DVD also includes a revealing documentary that follows Creed throughout the "Full Circle" tour with exclusive band interviews and behind-the-scenes, and a photo gallery with more than 100 photos from the summer 2009 trek.

To preview clips of CREED LIVE, go to www.rockpit.com or www.creed.com.

Joe Bonamassa gets it right

This review was originally posted on the Orange County Register's Soundcheck Blog on Wednesday, Nov. 11, 2009. I took the photo seen here at the show that night.

Joe Bonamassa impresses at The Coach House

Back in February, increasingly acclaimed singer-guitarist Joe Bonamassa released the seventh and strongest album of his burgeoning career, the aptly-titled The Ballad of John Henry.

Featuring a mix of slow, soulful blues (a version of Tom Waits' "Jockey Full of Bourbon," his own "Happier Times"), classic-sounding British blues-rock ("Feelin' Good," "The Great Flood"), the disc's dozen tracks explore the struggles and contributions of real-life working-class heroes.

But performing before a fervent, capacity crowd on Tuesday night, Nov. 10, 2009 at The Coach House in San Juan Capistrano, Bonamassa was another kind of hero altogether - the consummate guitar hero - who gave those everyday Joes he profiles on his latest studio effort a two-hour breather from the uncertain times that have marked the latter half of this decade.

Anyone who has seen Bonamassa, 32, knows the Upstate New York native can shred on six strings. Watching his 15-song performance on Tuesday, it was clear his approach is about much more than the speed and number of notes he played - it's about his bond with the guitar and his band, as well as the emotional depths he reaches with his music.

Kicking off this first of two Coach House gigs by belting his latest title track, Bonamassa's powerful vocals at times recalled Bad Company frontman Paul Rodgers, showcasing just how many skills this long-gestating new star has in his impressive sonic arsenal. And no matter the song, Bonamassa's fretwork lent artful shading to his arrangements.

Although Bonamassa generally let his music making do the talking, he did take a break in the set to note that Nov. 10 marked the 20th anniversary of his first professional show (he has been playing guitar since age 5). He and his band - bassist Carmine Rojas, keyboardist Rick Melick and incredible drummer Bogie Bowles - celebrated the occasion with memorable performances of some of his greatest material, including the fast rocker "Lonesome Road Blues" (akin to primo Eric Clapton) and the beautiful "Happier Times," during which his vocals took center stage.

Whether in a club or outdoors at a festival, something magnetic happens when Bonamassa steps to the front of the stage, leans his head back and simply lets loose. Now that the virtuoso guitarist has teamed that astonishing gift with his vocals and songcraft, best watch out - he might finally get recognized as the next Stevie Ray Vaughan after all.

Shawn Jones, a Southern California-based singer-songwriter-guitarist, displayed many of the same instincts as Bonamassa throughout his 45-minute performance. Armed with an authentic, emotive voice, Jones used every verse, chorus and guitar break to share real feeling with the receptive crowd. His eight-song set here was highlighted by the Delta blues-ish "Glorybound," an upbeat and crowd-pleasing "I Can't Help Myself" and a beautiful ballad titled "Heaven's Daughter" that showcased his dazzling guitar playing and strong vocals.

Reprise Records to release re-mastered Neil Young classics

Reprise Records to release re-mastered versions of Neil Young's classic first four solo albums on Nov. 23, 2009

Nov. 6, 2009 - As part of its ongoing Archives reissue campaign with legendary singer-songwriter Neil Young, Reprise Records will release re-mastered versions of the first four of Young's classic solo albums, 1969's Neil Young and Everybody Knows This is Nowhere, 1970's After the Gold Rush and 1972's Harvest. These very special reissues, which will be available on Nov. 23, have each been re-mastered from the original analog master tapes by Chris Bellman at Bernie Grundman Mastering Studios in Hollywood, CA.

The albums are being reissued on both vinyl and compact disc.

For more information on these releases, visit http://www.neilyoung.com/ or http://www.becausesoundmatters.com/.

'The Village' celebrates music of Greenwich Village

Today marks the official release date for an exciting and eclectic release from 429 Records.

"The Village - A Celebration of the Music of Greenwich Village" features a number of acclaimed artists who might not typically perform together, but whose collective talents are the perfect fit on this fascinating compilation disc.

The 13 songs on the disc are a celebration of the early-mid 1960s, when the Greenwich Village area of New York City was suddenly the center of a "musical, political and social evolution" that gave birth to a movement that stretched from the Big Apple (Bob Dylan) to Orange County, California (Tim Buckley). The artists who emerged out of this scene created groundbreaking folk music that gave voice to a young generation grappling with everything from the Vietnam War to the civil rights movement.

Fast forward to 2009 and more than a dozen artists pay musical tribute with renditions of popular songs of the day, as well as traditional gems that captured the youthful spirit of those turbulent times. Many compilations have a great song or two, with the others worth nothing more than a single listen. Not "The Village." This collection is especially strong, with Rickie Lee Jones kicking things off with a funky "Subterranean Homesick Blues" that is loose and infectious. Lucinda Williams also tackles a Bob Dylan classic, but her emotive delivery of "Positively 4th Street" is hushed and haunting.

Anyone who wonders whatever happened to Sixpence None the Richer will hear that the appeal of the reunited group is intact. Covering the traditional "Wayfaring Stranger," singer Leigh Nash's beautiful soprano floats over an artfully-arranged soundscape highlighted by Matt Slocum's wonderful guitar work.

Shelby Lynne also tackles a Dylan classic, using her strong vocal and a simple backdrop of guitars in "Don't Think Twice It's Alright." Other highlights on this ambitous collection include John Oates Americana-styled "He Was a Friend of Mine," Los Lobos' "Guantanamera," and Rachael Yamagata's "Both Sides Now."

Priced at only $11.99 at Amazon.com, I really recommend this set to everyone who is a fan of folk music, the '60s music scene or any of the artists featured on the collection.

The Bravery delivers in energetic show at House of Blues

This article was first posted on the Orange County Register Web site on Monday, Nov. 2, 2009.



The Bravery preview new songs at vibrant Mouse House show



While the Bravery may continue to sound like a hybrid born out of early Cure and War-era U2, the quintet's strong concert on Sunday night (Nov. 1) at House of Blues Anaheim was certainly no tribute act.

Under the charismatic leadership of singer Sam Endicott, the group's thrilling 70-minute show celebrated the New York band's blend of post-punk, new-wave and alt rock with 18 songs pulled from the past as well as its coming release, Stir the Blood, a self-described angry album due Dec. 1, 2009.

The Bravery had several things going in its favor at the Mouse House: a large and enthusiastic crowd in tune with the outfit's approach plus a set list showcasing the band's songwriting and live skills at their best.

Whether performing its best-known material ("Unconditional," "Believe," "An Honest Mistake," "The Ocean") or new songs ("I Have Seen the Future," "Jack O' Lantern Man"), the Bravery's cohesive sound blended with artful projections of lights and films shown behind and over them. Endicott, lead guitarist Michael Zakarin, bassist Mike Hindert, drummer Anthony Burulcich and keyboardist John Conway didn't use the visuals so they could scale back their own musical attack, but rather to enhance the show.

Among the strong new sneak peeks in the mix were "Slow Poison," bolstered by both a driving dance beat and a layered guitar sound (Zakarin used a violin bow to play his electric guitar, evoking Sigur Ros), and "Red Hands and White Knuckles," which Endicott described as his love song to New York City.

The Bravery has a potent one-two attack with a lineup that features both a commanding lead singer and a skillful lead guitarist. Endicott used his outgoing personality and striking vocals to lead the proceedings with Zakarin fitting in comfortably nearby, before suddenly unleashing memorable fretwork that provided extra zing throughout the set.

A true bonus for those who caught the Bravery on Sunday night was the inclusion of two strong opening acts. Although the Dustys and Living Things each performed for only about 30 minutes, both acts made the most of their brief turns. The former, from Arlington, Va., recall England's Doves, offering up alluring indie-rock; the latter, out of St. Louis, creates retro rock that's an unlikely sonic cross between the Ramones and '70s Rolling Stones, punched up by raw, in-your-face lyrics.