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Monday, 07 November 2011 23:45

Sting Back to Bass Tour; Infinite Variations - Must See Concert!

Sting1

I am always amazed by experiencing Sting performing live in concert. Sting has an incredible knack for creating an infinite number of new and compelling variations on his rich 25-year catalog of hit music. He never just rehashes his hits or performs them by wrote, he actively uses the fantastic musicians around him and his own life experience to innovate hip new arrangements that take each song to a whole new, truly new, level of intensity and meaning.

 

Sting2Sting appears on the stage for his Back to Bass Tour casually stripped down, with shaved head, zero body fat and wearing sheer gray T-Shirt and jeans. Sting appears relaxed yet energetic and completely in command of his band and the audience.

 

Sting has chosen such a small and an interesting group of players for this tour. Sting's right hand man, longtime guitarist, Dominic Miller, is on this tour, as well as Dominic's' 26 year old son, Rufus Miller. Rufus is a very good rhythm guitarist and already displays some of the handsome, pouty, nonchalant stage presence of a more seasoned player like his dad.

 

Drummer, Vinnie Colaiuta, is dynamite on the sticks, serving up some really great and tricked out yet solid rhythms for these arrangements.  On backing vocals Jo Lawry, has a rich, dramatic vocal presence, and also provided fiddle and additional percussion, which is doubly impressive. The show stealer is another young musician, Peter Tickell, who brought our house to a roaring standing ovation with his fiddle solo during “Love is Stronger than Justice”. Tickell really is an amazing player, like a Stevie Ray Vaughn on the violin. I've seen other young people solo with great skill like Peter, but in that boring, cold and speedy,  “music school” showing off sort of way. Tickell has the soul and rhythm to really feel out the emotional crescendo of his solo and it's catharsis and is a surprisingly mature, dead on rockin' and passionate player for his age.

 

I love that the Back to Bass Tour is utilizing smaller more intimate venues this time around. Sting has no difficulty projecting a great performance to a roaring outdoor crowd of 40,000, like with the Police Reunion Tour at Wrigley Field. However, I personally find that enjoying the superior quality of his voice and intricacies of his arrangements is so much more affecting in a smaller indoor venue.

 

Sting really is a master of transforming- or  “trance- forming”- musical performance. The combination of his detailed, lyric story telling, ultra-rhythmic bass lines and intensive Yogic training over the years   come together perfectly in a shaman like fashion, drawing the willing listener into a musical “trance” that is both entertaining and healing at the same time. I enjoy walking around after his concerts seeing the relaxed, happy, meditative looks on the faces of his satisfied audience members after the show.

 

Sting mentioned that he enjoys a great sense of “continuity when playing in Chicago, that it always feels like coming home to perform here.”

 

I feel a sense of continuity when Sting plays here as well because I have so many great memories of his concerts, meeting him and interviewing his band mates Dominic Miller and Chris Botti over the years.

 

In a way, Sting and Dominic gave me one of my very first breaks as a journalist when they allowed me to come backstage to do a live interview just 15 minutes before they ran out on stage in front of over 10,000 excited fans during the Sacred Love Tour.

 

I did not have my own Chicago magazine or PR firm established. Back then, I was writing for a teeny,  tiny newspaper in Brookfield Illinois. My cameraman and I drove six hours from Chicago to Grand Rapids but we were a full hour late for the scheduled interview because we forgot about the time change in Michigan, but they still had the ushers lead me back into the dressing area to conduct the interview with only minutes to spare before curtain.

 

I remember I had undergone a disastrous tanning booth experience the day before hoping to look good for the meeting wherein the entire back of my body ended up with 3rd degree burns from double exposure and my front remained untouched and completely white. Now, I always make a point of giving my celebrity interview guests a big hug when we finish and I remember thinking, I don't care if it hurts- I am hugging Sting and Dominic for doing this interview- no matter what!

 

Then there was the wonderful, encouraging, 50 minute plus, phone interview that Chris Botti gave me just moments before taking the stage that night at Carnegie Hall. Chris Botti called me for the interview from Stings' condo in Manhattan, which Chris had just purchased from Sting and had barely moved into.

 

There are many wonderful and synchronistic events that I have experienced seeing Sting but the best has to be when he provided two wonderful seats to a rehearsal concert in Miami for my mother and I.  My mother was having major health problems at that moment and I flew to Miami to help her.

For my mom, attending Sting's concert that night turned out to be a miraculous, healing, dream-like, turning point for her and I really am indebted to him on a soul level for reviving her.  After that concert, Danny Quatrochi, Sting's personal bass assistant since The Police, hung out with my mom and I in the hotel bar and made her feel like the Belle of the Ball at the age of 73. The entire evening was amazingly generous and sweet.

 

Well, I could wax rhapsodic about more of my Sting-chronicity's over the years but I am sure with the shape Sting is in, there will be many more great concerts and mysterious dreams come to life in years to come.

 

I'll leave you with this about the show last night. Sting has a great practice of really allowing his players to shine and temporarily take the spotlight away from him on stage, but just in case you were starting to get distracted by all the bells and whistles of his band, Sting takes his last of three encores alone, with only his voice and an acoustic guitar filling the excited space.

 

When he does this, the energy in the room stays strong and climbs even higher, proving without a doubt that Sting's voice and compositions alone are the reason we have congregated here and that Sting's magnificent voice and songs really need no adornment whatsoever.

 

I highly recommend seeing the Sting, Back to Bass Tour. When it comes to your city in 2011.

The performance of Back to Bass that I attended here in Chicago at The Rosemont Theater was sheer concert perfection, a “must see” concert event of this season for any Sting fan.

 

 

For Tour dates through December of 2011 visit www.Sting.com.

 

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Published in In Concert
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Wednesday, 29 June 2011 22:11

Happy Birthday to WDRV (97.1 FM)!! Jethro Tull and America; A Heavy Horse With No Name

Generosity at its finest! Chicago’s very own radio station WDRV (97.1 FM) celebrated their tenth birthday with some legendary musicians at the Rosemont Theatre. The classic rock groups Jethro Tull and America teamed up with WDRV for this amazing Monday evening. The ticket prices were quite reasonable as well as this was a free concert. The amount of fun that was to be had was truly priceless.
The spot on the dial has existed since 1955 when the radio station first came about as WNIB. So many changes to the station were made over the years, but on April 2, 2001 history was made. The air waves first broadcast the call letters of “WDRV.” They have been playing “timeless rock” for so many years that they have become a part of Chicago music scene.
The iconic voice of Steve Downs came out accompanied by Bobby Skafish to introduce the show. Downs discussed WDRV and how they have done this birthday celebration since they started and every year “it’s a free concert.” He handed the microphone over to Skafish who also pumped up the crowd that was ready for this show to start. A group of fans were singing “Happy Birthday” to “W – D – R –V.” As they hit the last line, “…. happy birthday to you,” the lights went out and it was time to start the show.
america-band11A classical sounding musical creation was used as an intro for the band America.  These folk musicians started the show and went straight for one of their biggest hits, “Tin Man.” They played through every one of their classic hits such as; “Sister Golden Hair,” “Ventura Highway,” and “Lonely People.” Their set even included an incredible version of Joni Mitchell’s “Woodstock.” The group has harmonies that were so flawless within every song they did.
Their set seemed to go very fast as it was one hit after another that was being played out for the pleasure of the audience. Before you knew it they were doing the routine of pretending they are done while the crowd cheers for an encore performance. They conveniently left their biggest song until last, “A Horse With No Name.”  Everyone within the place was singing along with every word.
Each of the bands had their own sound man for the show and the band America could’ve made a few minor adjustments. During some songs the bass guitar was over powering the acoustics that were strumming, while at other times the vocals couldn’t be heard clearly enough to sing along with. Overall America was a very good opening act and history was made with the two groups. This was the very first time America had shared a stage with Jethro Tull, but it was quite apparent after the intermission why they were the headliner.
The audience ran for the bathrooms and concession stands during the band change up in attempt to fulfill their needs. Crowds of people were there to help in this birthday celebration. The lights dimmed letting everyone know it was almost time to start the second half of the show. As people made it back to their seats Bob Stroud came out to pump up the audience. The voices of Chicago radio were present to witness a great music event.
The lights finally went out for the main act of Jethro Tull. It was time to witness the greatness of a highly underrated band. A spotlight lit up on drummer Doane Perry as he hit his sticks together for a few clicks to count the band in and start out “Living in the Past.” The entire band jumped in and the four musicians played as the man of the hour walked out with flute in hand. The one legged flute playing madman Ian Anderson came out playing the melody line on the flute and the packed house cheered. Ian’s eyes peaked over at the audience making motion that he was embarrassed by applause. Oh yes, he knows how to ham it up.
jethro_tull_rosemont
As soon as the song was over with, Ian started picking out the intro to “Thick as a Brick” on his small half sized guitar. The best show in town was well on its way. With the faithful steed of Martin Barre at stage left, this band couldn’t play a bad note if they tried. The sounds of a distorted six string were raging through the heavy songs and on the slower songs “Lancelot” showed his dynamics as he played with grace. He has been right by Ian’s side since 1969 through everything. Just an amazing individual and a class act that no other guitar player wants to follow.
The man on the skins kept the tick tocks in line all night long playing difficult drum lines from a top his riser. He looked down to the band mates making eye contact during climatic interludes. Doane Perry drove some of the heavier songs from behind the Premier kit with power and has been doing so with this band since 1984. To a lot of the true fans, it would not be a Jethro Tull show without the big-foot of the bass drum.
Off to stage right were the newest members of Jethro Tull, Keyboard player John O’Hara and Dave Goodier. O’Hara duplicated the difficult keyboard parts of his predecessors with precision. Every single piece that he played sounded like the albums within the vast Jethro Tull library. Goodier stepped up and filled the mighty big shoes of the low end masters that came before him as well. The band even played “Bouree” with a newer and more melodic bass solo in the middle. The solo from the record done by Glen Cornick had been swept away and replaced by a newer more intricate piece. WOW!
Jethro Tull had been performing the entire Aqualung album during this U.S. tour that ended at the Rosemont Theatre. Instead of playing the complete album as they had done on this tour, the band compiled a special set list just for this show. As the set included all but three songs from Aqualung anyway, not too much was missed that was seen the night before at The Chicago Theater. Slightly different version of “Mother Goose” and “Up To Me” were a refreshing change to hear.
A white spot light hit the stage and Martin stepped into it to play the six most popular notes from this band. The six notes that put them into a heavier music class than what they really were. The drums joined in and “Sitting on a park bench ….. “ was uttered. The man who was being classified as a dirty old man for years by the unknowing because of the lines in this song was now performing the bands most popular hit. The title track “Aqualung” seemed to be what everyone had been waiting for. The coolest guitar solo, heaviest guitar parts, and thundering drums went on for six minutes during this classic rock song. They finished and the band waved good bye for the first time.
The crowd cheered and John O’Hara finally made his way back to the keyboards for one last song. He made a gesture and played the opening piece to “Locomotive Breath.” Across the stage Martin joins in with his melodic guitar riffs until everything starts to build when the rest of the band comes in and jams the introduction to a heavy classic rock anthem. A chord is held and out comes the leader with flute ready. The song starts and Anderson rides the song all the way to the finish line. Complete with guitar and flute solo in the bridge that was performed to perfection.
The song finished and Ian waved “bye bye – bye bye.” The band took their bow with Ian representing his flute in a phallic like gesture.  They took all their bows, waved goodbye one more time and galloped off for their dressing room. One of the coolest bands to ever hit the stage had just played and left a lot of people in shock as to how good they really are. They are a highly underrated band and it was quite clear how awesome they were as the crowd picked up their jaws that been sitting on the floor for the last hour.
The night wound down as the concert goers quietly made it to their vehicles. They walked past the parked WDRV promotion vehicle parked in front of the Rosemont Theatre as they said thanks to the radio station. The tenth birthday celebration was just an amazing time for everyone that attended. This was just a hell of a show to see. Jethro Tull and America? Together? …….. and it’s a free show? This is something that most music fans would have paid to see as it truly was worth the price of admission.
Published in In Concert
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