The first time I saw Peter Frampton in concert he was the opening act for ELO in 1973! I was so impressed I went out and bought both of his solo albums and the ones he did with Humble Pie. Two years later I drove 300 miles with my college girlfriend Mary Blackwell to see him headline at the Marin Civic Auditorium. That show was recorded and some it ended up on an album called Frampton Comes Alive. You may have heard of it since it sold over six million copies to become the biggest selling live album of all time.
After that he made a series of terrible career decisions. He appeared shirtless on the cover of Rolling Stone, took the starring role in the ill-fated Sgt. Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band movie and released a syrupy ballad "I'm In You." Then a string of bad luck, including a near-fatal car wreck in the Bahamas and a plane crash which destroyed his touring equipment, nearly finished him. In the five years since I first discovered him, Frampton went from being a hot-shot guitarist admired by few to a laughing stock derided by many. I always defended him because I loved his music and his guitar work. So did people like David Bowie, who asked Frampton to tour with him in 1987 and helped revive his career.
Since then he's won a Grammy for the 2007 album Fingerprints and last year began a tour celebrating the 35th anniversary (that really makes me feel old) of Frampton Comes Alive. I came close to seeing one of those shows and to my relief, I finally caught one at Pechanga Casino last month. I was happy to see that ol' Pete looks good (despite a shaved head instead of his once famous tresses) and his guitar work is still mind-blowing. He showed a good sense of humor and a greater sense of showmanship, performing for over two hours and concluding with a moving version of The Beatles' "While My Guitar Gently Weeps."
It was like spending time with an old friend and I'm happy this one has got his act together, both on and off the stage.
Wednesday, April 4, 2012
Monday, March 5, 2012
Davy Jones More Than A Monkee
Davy Jones was a guy who was always in the right place at the right time. Growing up in Manchester, England Jones landed a role in a British soap opera at the age of 14. Four years later he found himself in New York City watching from the wings as The Beatles made their historic appearance on the Ed Sullivan show. A member of the touring cast of the musical "Oliver!," Jones made his American TV debut the same night as the Fab Four. In front of a record TV audience of 75 million people. You might say he was destined for stardom.
Small in stature, Davy Jones was good looking and a genuine nice guy. He could sing too. My favorite Monkees song when I was a kid was "I Wanna Be Free." The title and Jones' heartfelt vocals pretty much described how I felt when I became a teenager. I watched The Monkees every week on NBC and bought all their albums as soon as they were released. It was a time when the Beatles had stopped touring which brought a halt to Beatlemania. Once again Davy Jones was in the right place at the right time. His group ended up selling over 65 million records and are still heard on the radio today.
In March of 2001, before the world went upside down, I was in Las Vegas and heard The Monkees were in town. At least three of them since Mike Nesmith abstained from this reunion. I said "if I win $50 before the show starts I will buy a ticket!" Thank my lucky stars I won $100 in an hour playing blackjack so I hustled down to the MGM Grand. I made it to the small showroom and ended up at a front table for no extra charge. Now I was at the right place at the right time. Because The Monkees delivered a terrific show which featured all the phases of their career. Peter Tork turned out to be a multi-instrumentalist while Micky Dolenz hit all the notes when he wasn't hitting the drums.
It was Davy Jones who held it all together and radiated the same charisma in 2001 that he had in 1966. He did not sing "I Wanna Be Free" (though he heard my request) but to hear him sing "Daydream Believer" blew my mind. Right in front of me was a guy who represented all the good things I enjoyed while growing up in the 60s.
The news of his death shocked everybody. He was one of those ageless guys, always in the right place at the right time. Something tells me he still is!
Small in stature, Davy Jones was good looking and a genuine nice guy. He could sing too. My favorite Monkees song when I was a kid was "I Wanna Be Free." The title and Jones' heartfelt vocals pretty much described how I felt when I became a teenager. I watched The Monkees every week on NBC and bought all their albums as soon as they were released. It was a time when the Beatles had stopped touring which brought a halt to Beatlemania. Once again Davy Jones was in the right place at the right time. His group ended up selling over 65 million records and are still heard on the radio today.
In March of 2001, before the world went upside down, I was in Las Vegas and heard The Monkees were in town. At least three of them since Mike Nesmith abstained from this reunion. I said "if I win $50 before the show starts I will buy a ticket!" Thank my lucky stars I won $100 in an hour playing blackjack so I hustled down to the MGM Grand. I made it to the small showroom and ended up at a front table for no extra charge. Now I was at the right place at the right time. Because The Monkees delivered a terrific show which featured all the phases of their career. Peter Tork turned out to be a multi-instrumentalist while Micky Dolenz hit all the notes when he wasn't hitting the drums.
It was Davy Jones who held it all together and radiated the same charisma in 2001 that he had in 1966. He did not sing "I Wanna Be Free" (though he heard my request) but to hear him sing "Daydream Believer" blew my mind. Right in front of me was a guy who represented all the good things I enjoyed while growing up in the 60s.
The news of his death shocked everybody. He was one of those ageless guys, always in the right place at the right time. Something tells me he still is!
Monday, December 12, 2011
Sting Gets Back And Sounds Great!
I first saw The Police in concert thirty years ago at my alma mater UCSB. I remember an angry Sting yelling at the bouncers to stop roughing up the kids! The Police were evolving from their original punk roots into a world-class rock band but still rough around the edges in 1981. Flash forward to their reunion tour of 2007 and The Police are a polished act with phenomenal musicians. Sting's voice is stronger than ever and barely needs amplification to fill the cavernous Staples Center. I'm amazed how good they sound after all these years.
In between those two memorable concerts were a few solo shows by the man himself: Sting, the noble Adonis among his rock and roll warriors. Talented, handsome and happily married, Sting likes to stay in shape, both physically and musically. That means playing all types of music with all kinds of musicians, all excellent at what they do. From Branford Marsalis in 1985 to drummer Vinnie Colaiuta , Sting hires the best and the results are often spectacular.
I never knew what to expect from a Sting show until this year's "Back To The Bass" tour. The title said it all so I decided to see him at Caesar's Palace in Las Vegas, the night after Thanksgiving. I was glad I did because Sting put on his best show yet! He played bass the whole night and sang his ass off for over two hours. His band had no keyboard player or horn section, and the sound was clean and tight. Opening with my favorite Sting song: "All this Time" the show got better and better. The pin-point accuracy of the band on the tricky "Seven Days" and "Love Is Stronger Than Justice" workouts was breathtaking. The tribute to Sting's father "Ghost Story," and the haunting "Stolen Car" were songs I'd rarely heard. "Fields of Gold" is just a beautiful song and Sting sang it like he meant it.
Sting didn't yell at anybody, in fact he told a few stories, both funny and sad, and made sure the crowd sang along on the appropriate tunes. His 3 song Police encore of "Every Breath You Take""Next To You" and "Message In A Bottle" brought back memories of 1981. Yet they couldn't compare to what I saw on stage at the Colosseum on a Friday Fall night in Las Vegas.
In between those two memorable concerts were a few solo shows by the man himself: Sting, the noble Adonis among his rock and roll warriors. Talented, handsome and happily married, Sting likes to stay in shape, both physically and musically. That means playing all types of music with all kinds of musicians, all excellent at what they do. From Branford Marsalis in 1985 to drummer Vinnie Colaiuta , Sting hires the best and the results are often spectacular.
I never knew what to expect from a Sting show until this year's "Back To The Bass" tour. The title said it all so I decided to see him at Caesar's Palace in Las Vegas, the night after Thanksgiving. I was glad I did because Sting put on his best show yet! He played bass the whole night and sang his ass off for over two hours. His band had no keyboard player or horn section, and the sound was clean and tight. Opening with my favorite Sting song: "All this Time" the show got better and better. The pin-point accuracy of the band on the tricky "Seven Days" and "Love Is Stronger Than Justice" workouts was breathtaking. The tribute to Sting's father "Ghost Story," and the haunting "Stolen Car" were songs I'd rarely heard. "Fields of Gold" is just a beautiful song and Sting sang it like he meant it.
Sting didn't yell at anybody, in fact he told a few stories, both funny and sad, and made sure the crowd sang along on the appropriate tunes. His 3 song Police encore of "Every Breath You Take""Next To You" and "Message In A Bottle" brought back memories of 1981. Yet they couldn't compare to what I saw on stage at the Colosseum on a Friday Fall night in Las Vegas.
Tuesday, October 4, 2011
Five Decades of Rock In Three Months!
Do you ever wonder about time travel? Is it possible to go back and witness incredible events from the past? I went back to the future recently, and I really liked what I saw.
I was a teenager in the 70s when rock concerts were cheap and plentiful. By the time I turned twenty I'd already seen 100 shows including David Bowie, The Rolling Stones, and The Who. Since then I've been a faithful rock and roller, both as a performer and journalist. Sometimes it seems like there's nothing else to see or do in the music world. This year proved me wrong. I saw five shows that took me through all the stages of my life and reaffirmed my love for the music of my youth.
The 60s came alive at the Santa Barbara County Bowl in June with the reunion of Buffalo Springfield. It was wonderful to see old heroes Stephen Stills, Richie Furay and Neil Young on stage singing tunes like "For What Its Worth" and "Mr. Soul." Furay is the forgotten man, a guy who never quite made it with his group Poco or solo career. He was the star on that cool night, standing in the middle of his more famous brethren, his voice strong on "Kind Woman" and "On The Way Home." I was happy to see him finally get his due.
The spirit of the 70s took over Las Vegas when I saw Carlos Santana perform the last show of his two-year stand at the Hard Rock Casino. I play guitar but not like Carlos, who can make the instrument sing and cry. I almost cried when he settled into "Samba Pa Ti," a beautiful instrumental he rarely performs. There were plenty of hits like "Black Magic Woman" and "Smooth," but watching this guy play was the highlight for me. To celebrate the final show, every band member got a whipped cream pie to the face, including Carlos who kept right on playing. This was May 1st, the night bin-Laden was finally found, making it an evening I would never forget.
One of the top selling albums of the 80s was Purple Rain by Prince. The movie of the same name was also a hit and made Prince a multi-media star. I saw him twice in his heyday and what amazed me more than his great songs was his unbelievable musicianship.This guy could play guitar like Hendrix or tap out a cool ballad on the piano while crooning like Sam Cooke. I'm happy to say when he played The Forum in May he sounded better than ever! His opening 9-song medley started with "When Doves Cry" and ended with "I Would Die for You," two of the biggest hits from Purple Rain. Of course he played the title track at the end of the show. In between Prince showcased his dance moves and his airtight band, going from song to song without a break, even throwing in a Bob Dylan cover "To Make You Feel My Love." He did three encores and I left feeling he would have gladly played until dawn.
In 1991 the band U2 released one of the greatest rock albums of all time: Achtung Baby. When I drove down to Angel Stadium in June for their "360" concert, I had no idea U2 would showcase that masterpiece, beginning with "Even Better Than The Real Thing." After that they reeled off classic after classic in one of the best openings I've ever witnessed, including two of U2's biggest hits: "One" and "Where The Streets Have No Name." After seven songs I would have left a happy man but U2 was only getting warmed up. The giant stage known as "The Claw" was as much a part of the show as the band, changing colors and belching out smoke with a top spinning like a disco ball. It contained the best sound system I'd ever heard in a stadium, carrying Bono's powerful singing to the very back rows. More than just a rock concert, it was a grand spectacle, of the likes I'm sure I'll never see again.
In 2000 an unknown band from England released a song called "Yellow" which became a worldwide hit. That group was Coldplay, and in the past decade they've sold more than 50 million records and won seven Grammy awards. I've been a fan ever since their debut and I've been waiting to see them in person. Coldplay started out this summer playing festivals around the world and thanks to the internet I was able to see many of their shows on my computer. Out of nowhere came the news of a benefit concert at the UCLA tennis stadium, a much smaller venue than usual for Coldplay. I was lucky to get tickets through the fan club pre-sale. No matter where they play singer Chris Martin is always the focus of attention. He's a humble yet powerful front man who loves leading the crowd in sing-alongs on anthems like "Viva La Vida" and "In My Place." Out of all the acts I saw this year, Coldplay was the only one to focus on new material. They have another album coming out in October and it sounds like a winner to me.
Before Coldplay hit the stage at UCLA, the PA played the theme music from "Back To The Future." It made me think about all the music I enjoyed in the past few months, and all the great music that lies ahead.
I was a teenager in the 70s when rock concerts were cheap and plentiful. By the time I turned twenty I'd already seen 100 shows including David Bowie, The Rolling Stones, and The Who. Since then I've been a faithful rock and roller, both as a performer and journalist. Sometimes it seems like there's nothing else to see or do in the music world. This year proved me wrong. I saw five shows that took me through all the stages of my life and reaffirmed my love for the music of my youth.
The 60s came alive at the Santa Barbara County Bowl in June with the reunion of Buffalo Springfield. It was wonderful to see old heroes Stephen Stills, Richie Furay and Neil Young on stage singing tunes like "For What Its Worth" and "Mr. Soul." Furay is the forgotten man, a guy who never quite made it with his group Poco or solo career. He was the star on that cool night, standing in the middle of his more famous brethren, his voice strong on "Kind Woman" and "On The Way Home." I was happy to see him finally get his due.
The spirit of the 70s took over Las Vegas when I saw Carlos Santana perform the last show of his two-year stand at the Hard Rock Casino. I play guitar but not like Carlos, who can make the instrument sing and cry. I almost cried when he settled into "Samba Pa Ti," a beautiful instrumental he rarely performs. There were plenty of hits like "Black Magic Woman" and "Smooth," but watching this guy play was the highlight for me. To celebrate the final show, every band member got a whipped cream pie to the face, including Carlos who kept right on playing. This was May 1st, the night bin-Laden was finally found, making it an evening I would never forget.
One of the top selling albums of the 80s was Purple Rain by Prince. The movie of the same name was also a hit and made Prince a multi-media star. I saw him twice in his heyday and what amazed me more than his great songs was his unbelievable musicianship.This guy could play guitar like Hendrix or tap out a cool ballad on the piano while crooning like Sam Cooke. I'm happy to say when he played The Forum in May he sounded better than ever! His opening 9-song medley started with "When Doves Cry" and ended with "I Would Die for You," two of the biggest hits from Purple Rain. Of course he played the title track at the end of the show. In between Prince showcased his dance moves and his airtight band, going from song to song without a break, even throwing in a Bob Dylan cover "To Make You Feel My Love." He did three encores and I left feeling he would have gladly played until dawn.
In 1991 the band U2 released one of the greatest rock albums of all time: Achtung Baby. When I drove down to Angel Stadium in June for their "360" concert, I had no idea U2 would showcase that masterpiece, beginning with "Even Better Than The Real Thing." After that they reeled off classic after classic in one of the best openings I've ever witnessed, including two of U2's biggest hits: "One" and "Where The Streets Have No Name." After seven songs I would have left a happy man but U2 was only getting warmed up. The giant stage known as "The Claw" was as much a part of the show as the band, changing colors and belching out smoke with a top spinning like a disco ball. It contained the best sound system I'd ever heard in a stadium, carrying Bono's powerful singing to the very back rows. More than just a rock concert, it was a grand spectacle, of the likes I'm sure I'll never see again.
In 2000 an unknown band from England released a song called "Yellow" which became a worldwide hit. That group was Coldplay, and in the past decade they've sold more than 50 million records and won seven Grammy awards. I've been a fan ever since their debut and I've been waiting to see them in person. Coldplay started out this summer playing festivals around the world and thanks to the internet I was able to see many of their shows on my computer. Out of nowhere came the news of a benefit concert at the UCLA tennis stadium, a much smaller venue than usual for Coldplay. I was lucky to get tickets through the fan club pre-sale. No matter where they play singer Chris Martin is always the focus of attention. He's a humble yet powerful front man who loves leading the crowd in sing-alongs on anthems like "Viva La Vida" and "In My Place." Out of all the acts I saw this year, Coldplay was the only one to focus on new material. They have another album coming out in October and it sounds like a winner to me.
Before Coldplay hit the stage at UCLA, the PA played the theme music from "Back To The Future." It made me think about all the music I enjoyed in the past few months, and all the great music that lies ahead.
Saturday, July 16, 2011
Following The Tours With Twitter
Paul McCartney played Yankee Stadium last night. Alec Baldwin had a wonderful time and the full moon looked beautiful. The former Beatle sang a couple songs he hadn't performed in decades: "Junior's Farm" and "The Night Before." His voice was in top shape and so was his backing band. The crowd loved it.
I knew all of this before the show ended. I saw the entire set list and a picture of the moon over the neon "Yankee Stadium" sign. Another photo showed Paul looking good in a satin blue blazer. All of this was possible because of Twitter.
Twitter. What the heck is that? I'm a guy who loves email but hates texting. I'd rather eat blueberries than deal with a Blackberry. Heck, I don't even own a cell phone and the social network I belong to is called "Get Outta My FACEBOOK." I have my own web domain and web page so if people want to find me, they can hunt me down.
Yet I love Twitter While every other cyberspace device has left me cold, this one has warmed my heart. Once I got the hang of it I realized I could get information about anything anywhere, while its happening! From something as huge as Paul McCartney playing Yankee Stadium to the comments of those watching the movie "Road Trip" on KTLA in Los Angeles. There's room for everything and I'm surprised at the quality of the "tweets." Most people seem to enjoy sharing info about things they care about it and they can be damn funny!
During the Glastonbury music festival in the UK one guy asked: "If U2 and Coldplay are in England, who's saving Africa?"
McCartney had a quip retweeted around the world when he said from the New York City stage: "So who is this Derek Jeter guy? I hear he has more hits than I do!!"
Ever since I saw U2's incredible "360 Tour" show on June 18th I've been fascinated by the final days of the tour. On the day of a U2 show thousands of fans are sending messages and pictures. Locals talk about hearing the show from their backyards while others warn about bad traffic. Sometimes they try to stream the audio and video from their smart phones! No matter the quality, I enjoy the fact a total stranger is trying to provide me with entertainment.
So Paul McCartney has another show in NYC tonight. I'll keep an eye on things, from my apartment in L.A.
I knew all of this before the show ended. I saw the entire set list and a picture of the moon over the neon "Yankee Stadium" sign. Another photo showed Paul looking good in a satin blue blazer. All of this was possible because of Twitter.
Twitter. What the heck is that? I'm a guy who loves email but hates texting. I'd rather eat blueberries than deal with a Blackberry. Heck, I don't even own a cell phone and the social network I belong to is called "Get Outta My FACEBOOK." I have my own web domain and web page so if people want to find me, they can hunt me down.
Yet I love Twitter While every other cyberspace device has left me cold, this one has warmed my heart. Once I got the hang of it I realized I could get information about anything anywhere, while its happening! From something as huge as Paul McCartney playing Yankee Stadium to the comments of those watching the movie "Road Trip" on KTLA in Los Angeles. There's room for everything and I'm surprised at the quality of the "tweets." Most people seem to enjoy sharing info about things they care about it and they can be damn funny!
During the Glastonbury music festival in the UK one guy asked: "If U2 and Coldplay are in England, who's saving Africa?"
McCartney had a quip retweeted around the world when he said from the New York City stage: "So who is this Derek Jeter guy? I hear he has more hits than I do!!"
Ever since I saw U2's incredible "360 Tour" show on June 18th I've been fascinated by the final days of the tour. On the day of a U2 show thousands of fans are sending messages and pictures. Locals talk about hearing the show from their backyards while others warn about bad traffic. Sometimes they try to stream the audio and video from their smart phones! No matter the quality, I enjoy the fact a total stranger is trying to provide me with entertainment.
So Paul McCartney has another show in NYC tonight. I'll keep an eye on things, from my apartment in L.A.
Monday, June 6, 2011
PRINCE Reigns At The Forum!
Prince blew the roof off the Forum and I saw it all for $25, no service fees from Ticketbastard on the internet! Like I always say, Staples (or soul-less center) is a joke for concerts or anything.
The 3 rows of luxury boxes mean the upper level seats are worthless. I won't sit up there for free.
But at the Forum the 8th row of the Colonnade was perfect to take in the spectacle of Prince doing his crazy thing. He opened with "When Doves Cry" and somehow got better after that! "Pop Life" "You Need Another Lover""Purple Rain""Sign O The Times"...you get the picture. He started on piano, went solo to the mike for a James Brown inspired medley (complete with killer dance moves) and finally made it to the guitar for some ripping solos. The encore brought up on stage all the people who paid $200 or so for VIP tix (which I guess made the $25 tix affordable) so more power to them! The sound, the effects, the big screens, were all top notch.
Biggest surprise was the cover of Bob Dylan's "To Make You Feel My Love." This one's been done by everyone from Billy Joel to Adele and Prince turned it into a gospel flavored celebration of love.
He is half way thru his reported 21 Night Stand at the Forum. The place looked completely packed to me ! Who else could do 10 shows at a 17,000 seat arena? And do 11 more? I will try to see another one. You should too.
The Forum used to seem so big to me! Now its like a local nightclub!
The 3 rows of luxury boxes mean the upper level seats are worthless. I won't sit up there for free.
But at the Forum the 8th row of the Colonnade was perfect to take in the spectacle of Prince doing his crazy thing. He opened with "When Doves Cry" and somehow got better after that! "Pop Life" "You Need Another Lover""Purple Rain""Sign O The Times"...you get the picture. He started on piano, went solo to the mike for a James Brown inspired medley (complete with killer dance moves) and finally made it to the guitar for some ripping solos. The encore brought up on stage all the people who paid $200 or so for VIP tix (which I guess made the $25 tix affordable) so more power to them! The sound, the effects, the big screens, were all top notch.
Biggest surprise was the cover of Bob Dylan's "To Make You Feel My Love." This one's been done by everyone from Billy Joel to Adele and Prince turned it into a gospel flavored celebration of love.
He is half way thru his reported 21 Night Stand at the Forum. The place looked completely packed to me ! Who else could do 10 shows at a 17,000 seat arena? And do 11 more? I will try to see another one. You should too.
The Forum used to seem so big to me! Now its like a local nightclub!
Monday, May 9, 2011
Santana's Night To Remember!
A great musician will put on a great show every night. That's what's called being a "professional." Yet sometimes one show is better than the rest. That was the case when I went to Las Vegas to see Carlos Santana perform at the Hard Rock on May 1st. It was the final show of his two year residency at The Joint, one of the best concert venues in the USA. Beginning May 27, 2009, Santana and his band played over 100 shows at the Hard Rock and the final one was a show to remember.
I'd read that the usual performance was just under two hours which was a bit longer than most casino shows. The honchos who run the resorts don't like to keep their guests away from the gambling tables. On May 1st the sold out crowd spent three hours
with Santana and they loved every minute of it.
My favorite tune is the beautiful instrumental "Samba Pa Ti" and it was the third song of the show. "They don't usually play this one," said a local standing next to me in the roomy upstairs balcony. Carlos picked a spot at the front of the stage to sit down and let loose with a gorgeous solo where he made one note sound like a symphony.
After that it was just one great tune after another: "No One To Depend On,""Maria Maria" and the usual hits like "Oye Como Va" and "Black Magic Woman." The first surprise was when he brought his wife on stage to perform an extended drum solo. Cindy Blackman received a standing ovation for her fiery performance before the show resumed with the old favorite "Jingo."
By the time the band kicked into the closing "Smooth" I was dancing along with everyone else in the joyous crowd.
That's the word that describes Carlos Santana and his show: JOY. He told the crowd that he still believed in the ideals of Woodstock, that a person's life is a reflection of their soul. "If you don't like the people you attract then maybe its time to change yourself." Despite the occasional aside, he was never preachy and allowed his guitar playing to do most of the talking.
Since this was the last night of a two-year stand, I expected some hi-jinx on stage. Sure enough, the band members were attacked by the road crew with cream pies to the face while balloons and confetti rained down on the crowd! Even Carlos was stalked by his wife with a pie in each hand. Watching him solo while the cream was dripping off his face was something I'll never forget. Even when the show was over, the good vibes continued. Outside on the street the word was getting out that Osama bin Laden had been found. I figured the news hit the airwaves about the same time Santana performed his final song "Freedom." A perfect ending to a perfect night.
I'd read that the usual performance was just under two hours which was a bit longer than most casino shows. The honchos who run the resorts don't like to keep their guests away from the gambling tables. On May 1st the sold out crowd spent three hours
with Santana and they loved every minute of it.
My favorite tune is the beautiful instrumental "Samba Pa Ti" and it was the third song of the show. "They don't usually play this one," said a local standing next to me in the roomy upstairs balcony. Carlos picked a spot at the front of the stage to sit down and let loose with a gorgeous solo where he made one note sound like a symphony.
After that it was just one great tune after another: "No One To Depend On,""Maria Maria" and the usual hits like "Oye Como Va" and "Black Magic Woman." The first surprise was when he brought his wife on stage to perform an extended drum solo. Cindy Blackman received a standing ovation for her fiery performance before the show resumed with the old favorite "Jingo."
By the time the band kicked into the closing "Smooth" I was dancing along with everyone else in the joyous crowd.
That's the word that describes Carlos Santana and his show: JOY. He told the crowd that he still believed in the ideals of Woodstock, that a person's life is a reflection of their soul. "If you don't like the people you attract then maybe its time to change yourself." Despite the occasional aside, he was never preachy and allowed his guitar playing to do most of the talking.
Since this was the last night of a two-year stand, I expected some hi-jinx on stage. Sure enough, the band members were attacked by the road crew with cream pies to the face while balloons and confetti rained down on the crowd! Even Carlos was stalked by his wife with a pie in each hand. Watching him solo while the cream was dripping off his face was something I'll never forget. Even when the show was over, the good vibes continued. Outside on the street the word was getting out that Osama bin Laden had been found. I figured the news hit the airwaves about the same time Santana performed his final song "Freedom." A perfect ending to a perfect night.
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