Review & Photos by Joe Schaeffer In the heart of Las Vegas, the Venetian was abuzz with anticipation as fans of all ages gathered to witness a musical legend — Ringo Starr & His All-Starr Band. Tonight’s show kicked off a six-night residency at the hotel (as well as a Spring tour), so there was a real sense of excitement in the air. Hitting their marks, the ensemble opened with the Carl Perkins classic “Matchbox,” setting the tone for an evening that was as much about classic rock as it was a showcase of Starr’s charisma and talent. The setlist was a carefully curated mix of Starr’s solo hits, Beatles favorites, covers, and songs associated with the members of His All-Starr Band. Ringo, ever the showman, was in his element. His voice, seasoned yet spirited, carried each song with the comfort and familiarity of an old friend. The crowd couldn’t help but sing along to “Yellow Submarine” and “With A Little Help From My Friends,” songs that have become anthems across generations. The band, a rotating group of rock veterans, brought their A-game. The lineup for the 2024 Spring tour includes Ringo, Colin Hay (Men at Work), Hamish Stuart (Average White Band), Gregg Bissonette (David Lee Roth), Steve Lukather (Toto), and Warren Ham (Kansas, Toto). Unfortunately, Edgar Winter was unable to perform this evening and will no doubt rejoin the band soon. Together, the players’ musicianship was impeccable, with each artist bringing their own unique flavor to the stage yet harmonizing and playing seamlessly with the others. Highlights from the night include Colin Hay leading the charge on Men at Work hits like “Overkill,” “Down Under,” and “Who Can It Be Now?.” Lukather represented Toto’s “Rosanna,” “Africa,” and “Hold The Line.” And all eyes were on Hamish Stuart during the Average White Band instrumental, “Pick Up The Pieces.” The Venetian Theatre, with its intimate setting, provided the perfect backdrop for this musical journey. The acoustics were spot-on, allowing each instrument to resonate clearly, from the jangle of the guitar to the distinctive beat of Ringo’s drums. It was a night where music was the star, and the audience was treated to a sonic experience that was both grand and personal. As the night wound down with “Photograph,” it served as a poignant reminder of the passage of time, coupled with a collective sense of gratitude. Gratitude for the music that has soundtracked our lives, for the memories rekindled, and for the chance to see a Beatle, who at the ripe age of 83, is still passionate, still playing, and still bringing joy to the world. Ringo Starr & His All-Starr Band’s performance at the Venetian was more than just a concert; it was a celebration of a storied career, a gathering of friends, and testament to the idea that some stars do indeed shine forever.

After Yes completed their all-hands-on-deck Union tour in 1992, record label mogul Phil Carson approached guitarist Trevor Rabin about recording a new Yes album for his Victory label. Carson wanted to capture what was considered the band’s most commercially successful lineup — keyboardist Tony Kaye, singer Jon Anderson, bassist Chris Squire, drummer Alan White, and Rabin. But for what would be the band’s 14th studio album (and the last to feature either Kaye or Rabin), the guitarist wanted writing songs with Jon Anderson, who hadn’t participated in recent songwriting sessions with the band. Talk, the album that came from the collaboration, has now been expanded to celebrate its 30th anniversary. What we have in this set are four CDs and a white-colored vinyl LP (depending on the version you opt for). One CD features the original album and a second CD is filled with four versions of “The Calling” (which yielded some airplay on US radio), plus additional demos and instrumentals. The last two CDs comprise a live show recorded on June 19, 1994, in Canandaigua, New York. The 17 songs include several from Talk alongside chestnuts like  “Heart Of The Sunrise,” I’ve Seen All Good People,” and “Owner Of A Lonely Heart.” This collection represents a great time capsule of what Yes was all about in the early 90s. For me, it’s the live material that makes this set. I was and am still not so taken with Talk. The songs stretch on far too long, and tunes like “I Am Waiting” sound more like a Rabin solo track with Anderson singing on top it. The three-suite, 15-minute “Endless Dream” is really where we get any real feel of a Yes track at all. It should be noted, however, that drummer Alan White is brilliant throughout this record. Snapping into quick switching time signatures and playing as hard as I have ever heard him, White is a force of nature on Talk. Though it may not rank as the strongest Yes album to be celebrating, this 30th Anniversary Deluxe Box Set Edition of Talk is an essential must-have for Yes completists and diehards. It most definitely speaks to Trevor Rabin’s massive contributions to a band swimming against the prog rock tide in the latter part of the 20th century. That may explain why Yes, in its various forms, is still an ongoing institution. ~ Ralph Greco, Jr.

Review by Shawn Perry Photos by Erin Perry The inaugural CaveJam took place over Memorial Day Weekend at The Caverns in Grundy County, Tennessee. Billed as a three-day camping festival with performances from a wide array of artists and bands on two stages — the outdoor amphitheater and The Caverns’ renowned subterranean concert venue — the event managed to move forward, despite severe weather alerts. CaveJam was well aligned with the jam band ethos of anything goes (within reason) for as long or lazily as it takes. Set against the pastoral Cumberland Plateau, far and away from the rumblings of the chaotic real world, the festival provided all the essentials — local food trucks, worldly vendors with earthy wares, ample parking, swag, glamping options and other extras for VIPs, and, most importantly, an incredible tranquil vibe for three days of music. Visitors could even take a guided tour of the caverns beyond the underground stage. Friday, a hodgepodge of isolated thunderstorms in the area, opened CaveJam with four amphitheater performances from Susto, Mo Lowda & The Humble, Devon Gilfillian, and DJ LP Giobbi Presents Dead House, who spins what is described as “house music, with a few full Grateful Dead Reimagines.” To be sure, there were more than a few Grateful Dead reimagines and inspirations floating in the air at CaveJam. You just had to know where to look. The String Cheese Incident (SCI), out of Colorado, were billed as the headliner, playing two of the three days (Saturday and Sunday), with three sets outside and a fourth and final set Sunday at midnight in the cave. As much as I would have wanted to see SCI for that set, I opted to check out CaveJam on Saturday, which included two sets from SCI, and a full spread of seven other acts — Barefuzz, Pimps of Joytime, Ladycouch, Dopapod, Bertha: Grateful Drag, Pink Talking Fish, and Spafford. It was a clear and warm day at the amphitheater, so we hightailed it to the cave to cool off and catch the last half of Ladycouch’s set. A 12-piece Nashville-based rock and soul revue, Ladycouch were stirring up molecules left and right within the cave’s barometric response. With a four-horn section (two saxophones, one trumpet, one trombone), two keyboardists, two guitarists, two singers, plus the requisite bassist and drummer, how could they lose? Once they fell into the massive Huey Lewis and The News hit, “The Power Of Love,” it was as if all time stopped and visions of Marty McFly and Doc Brown started buzzing around on the cave’s innate ceiling. No, it’s not the IPAs talking. There was a definitive funkiness fueling the floor with revery. Indeed, CaveJam was more than just jam bands. It offered a flotilla of flavors to sweeten the palette. Which made the group that followed Ladycouch all the more intriguing. When you consider all the tributes to and reimagines of the Grateful Dead, it was only a matter of time before someone came up with a whole new angle to stand out from the crowd. It’s also a good thing the feds overturned the Tennessee law restricting public drag performances because Bertha would be targeted for prosecution. Instead, the “Grateful Drag” six-piece unit ran through a set of tunes that brought the cave to a boil. There’s nothing like watching a bass player with a five o’clock shadow dressed in an evening gown and sporting a red wig set up their rig. After a little tuning and powders to the cheeks among the players, it only got better. Test teasers of “Mr. Charlie” and “Eyes Of The World” established the baseline and acoustics. Opening with “Bertha,” the group immediately won the audience over. Their choice selection of classic Dead songs certainly caught my ear. Having two women — Melody Walker and Caitlin Doyle — gave the group the “Donna” edge they needed to zero in on a prime 70s Dead sound and nail songs like “They Love Each Other” and “Scarlet Begonias.” The jams were equally enticing on “Cassidy” and “Casey Jones.” And how apropos for them to let loose with a groovin’ “Cumberland Blues.” The guitar work of bespectacled Thomas Bryan Eaton — donning purple tights, a glistening, sparkling dress with flared sleeves, and a purple beehive with a red ribbon — would have made Jerry Garcia think (and look) twice. A dive into “It’s All Over Now” also gave Eaton a chance to deliver a heartfelt lead vocal. It all ended, appropriately enough, with “Almost Saturday Night,” a number built for a crowded cave. We took a short break at the entrance of Big Mouth Cave, where we luxuriated in the late daytime heat and natural cool breeze flowing from the cave. Members of Bertha, still in character, did the same. The pull was strong enough to lure us back inside for one more performance from a band called Spafford. I quickly picked up on the Phishiness of this preppy looking quartet out of Arizona, and realized right then and there they possessed a tight, eco-centric approach that embraced any number of styles, from rock to reggae to electro-pop. I watched closely as guitarist Brian Moss, bassist Jordan Fairless, keyboardist Cory Schechtman, and drummer Nick Tkachyk engaged in playful cooperation from the get-go as they fell right in “Ain’t That Wrong” from their popular 2018 album, For Amusement Only. A cover of Tears for Fear’s “Mad World” was a bit jarring at first, but the “Spaffnerds,” as they are known, ate up every beat. That techno sensibility carried over to “Radio.” Then the group shifted gears into “Plans,” which showcased their chemistry and musicianship. It all came to a sudden end with a delightful “Lonely.” The next thing I knew I was at the merch counter buying a Spafford CD. Definitely a band I’ll be keeping my eye on. It was at this point that we ventured out to the amphitheater to find our place for The String Cheese Incident. The first level in front of the stage filled up fast, so we opted for the next slop up. The sun was setting, temps dropping, and it felt like the right place to be. It only took a little pre-show sampling of Starland Vocal Band’s “Afternoon Delight” to get the place pumped up. I hadn’t seen SCI in years and was anxious to see if or how they’d changed. To my pleasant surprise, they’ve developed into a world-class band. Guitarist Michael Kang, vocalist and guitarist Bill Nershi, and keyboardist Kyle Hollingsworth, were all where I saw them the last time, and they couldn’t have come across as more seasoned and up to the task. I recall seeing Kang playing a lot of electric mandolin in a club run I attended in the late 90s. Tonight, he stuck to electric guitar and violin, playing both like an extension of his body. His style, especially his leads, carry a rarefied Jerry Garcia nuance, though he’s also well versed in jazz, bluegrass, and even bits of Hawaiian folk, if you really focus on his phrasing and overall tone. Nershi, who sings and writes a good chunk of the material, and Hollingsworth were equally impressive. With drummer Michael Travison, percussionist Jason Hann, and bassist Keith Moseley in their pocket, it was as if they could play anything. And that they did with complete abandon. “What a beautiful place to play,” Nershi remarked before the ensemble started up with “Search” from 2001’s Outside Inside album. That’s all it really took to get the hillside moving. More recent fare like “Ain’t I Been Good To You” and “Manga,” both with accents-a-plenty from Hann coupled with those spin-tingling clavinet strokes from Hollingsworth, had everyone on their feet spinning, twirling, prancing, wiggling, shaking, stomping where there was room, and doing their darndest to release all their inhibitions into the nearby woods. A convergence of tempos and styles, ranging from reggae to incidental to whatever strikes the mood, underscore SCI’s innate sense of intuitiveness and adventure (clearly tied to their Colorado roots) they bring to the stage. Combined with an eye-popping lightshow, the show becomes an effervescent blend of color and sound, especially poignant in areas like the Cumberland wilderness. The first set ended with a wicked stab at Tom Petty’s “Wreck Me,” followed by a return to the old days with “Restless Wind” from 1998’s ‘Round The Wheel album. That certainly brought everyone back down to earth. We relocated to another section of the amphitheater just as the darkness settled in. Twenty minutes later, SCI was back and ready to take the audience on a sonic rollercoaster ride. They cobbled together a rapturous suite around “On The Road,” another one from ‘Round The Wheel, plus a new one called “I Will Follow,” followed closely by a bright and bouncy “Betray The Dark.” The country-flavored “Cottonmouth,” with Moseley handling the vocal, went down like a glass of sweet tea. Just when thought the spirited “It Is What It Is” was the climactic moment, SCI took it one step further when they encored with the Dead’s “I Know You Rider” and a dab of Bob Marley’s “Stir It Up” thrown into the mid-section to make sure everyone was paying attention. No worries, as everyone was transfixed, firmly in the grip of the music ricocheting off the boulders that lined the back of the amphitheater. I was compelled to come back Sunday to check out Easy Honey, Love Rat, Karina Rykman, Space Bacon, Keller Williams, The Vegabonds, Dumpstaphunk, Neighbor, and two more sets of SCI, but weather and circumstances stood in the way. By all reports, it exceeded all expectations, especially when Keller Williams jammed with SCI. Out of curiosity, I watched some video of SCI’s final set in the cave. They couldn’t have been more suitable to the environment. Which isn’t to say they’re cave dwellers. It’s really more about the venue itself and a sense of well-being it encompasses. I can’t stress enough that if you ever get anywhere near The Caverns in Pelham, and there’s a show happening, seize the moment and go. No matter what’s going on outside, it’s like a safe haven for the mind, body, and soul.

World-renowned drummer Carmine Appice helms the ultimate tribute to his legendary rock band Cactus, with a new, all-star album from that band, add their friends, on Temple Of Blues – Influences & Friends. The “friends” who appear on the album include Joe Bonamassa, Ted Nugent, Kenny Aaronson, and Billy Sheehan, to name but a few, plus original Cactus guitarist Jim McCarty slicing and dicing his way across a few tunes. The band’s current members are also here — vocalist, guitarist, and harp player Jim Stapley and bassist Jim Caputo — plus guitarist Artie Dillon, added to handle additional guitar duties. A wild growly new read on the band’s classic “Parchman Farm,” begins the album featuring Appice’s rolling snare in a battle with Jim Stapley’s harmonica. This one also features Billy Sheehan on bass with a high-flying Joe Bonamassa guitar solo. It’s a killer way to start off this collection that frankly never really let’s go. “Guiltless Glider” gets truly nasty halfway through with bass player Phil Soussan (Ozzy Osbourne) adding what might be best rumbling bass playing across all these tunes. Carmine barely holds the beat together (in a good way) on “One Way Or Another,” featuring Ted Nugent, and things slow down just in time for what is my very favorite here, the Warren Haynes-led “No Need To Worry.” As well as playing drums, Carmine Appice lends his considerable backing vocal prowess to this slower killer blues. The full current Cactus band manages round-out the radio-friendly “Can’t Judge A Book By Its Cover” while Appice dips way back by having Vanilla Fudge band mate Mark Stein singing lead on a noisy (in a good way) “Long Tall Sally.” Fernando Perdomo provides the stinging guitar soloing. Yes, it’s many years on for lots of the players here and for the Cactus brand, but I dare say you are not going to hear an album as hard hitting and simply blues-rock perfect as Temple Of Blues – Influences & Friends. ~ Ralph Greco, Jr.

By Ralph Greco, Jr. We certainly can attribute iconic rock star status to drummer Carmine Appice. He’s a founding member of both Vanilla Fudge and Cactus. He was also part of one of the best power trios in rock — Beck, Bogert & Appice. He spent the mid to late 70s as drummer and songwriter with Rod Stewart for a score of hits (including “Da Ya Think I’m Sexy” and “Young Turks”). From there, he went onto work with everyone from Ozzy Osbourne to Pink Floyd. In more recent years, he’s become an author, producer, and inductee in the Modern Drummer Hall of Fame. For 2024, Appice has delivered a new Cactus record called Temple Of Blues – Influences & Friends, a collection of blues standards, covers, and classic Cactus cuts. The album features a star-studded roster of guest stars, including guitarists Joe Bonamassa, Ted Nugent, Pat Travers, Warren Hayes, Vernon Reid, Steve Stevens, Johnny A (The Yardbirds), Ty Tabor (King’s X) and bassists Billy Sheehan (Mr. Big), Dug Pinnick (King’s X)  Tony Franklin (The Firm, Blue Murder), Phil Soussan (Ozzy Osbourne, Billy Idol), Rudy Sarzo (Quiet Riot, Ozzy Osbourne), Kenny Aaronson (ex- Joan Jet and The Yardbirds), as well as members of  Government Mule, Vixen, Rainbow, Zebra, and Whitesnake. In the following exchange, we touched on the album, as well as other aspects of Appice’s colorful career. ~ Let’s start off with how Temple Of Blues – Influences & Friends came together?  Basically, I have been friends with the owner of the label releasing this new album forever. He has a few Cactus records that do well on the label, and he came to me and said, ‘I wanna do a Cactus record with people who are influenced by Cactus.’ I said, sure I could do that. So, he gave me a budget and I started to think…how am I gonna do this? Did you start by making phone calls? Actually, I started with the drums, believe it or not. Beginning with the first song, “Parchment Farm,” I was just playing and humming the song for myself to a click. It’s in the same tempo from when we did it years ago, 247 beats per minute. Pretty fast, you know? Oh yeah, that’s definitely a blistering track!  Yeah, I thought, I don’t have to have to make this better. So, I put it down and then I would sing the song. And I would do that pretty much for every song after that. Then I’d get the singer of Cactus, Jim Stapley, and he put down a guitar, a vocal, and harmonica where needed, and then we had basic demos. Then you rounded up the friends? Yeah. I called Ted Nugent, and I said, “Hey, I’d love you to play on this?” And right away he said, “Yeah, man, I’m in,” So I said, “What song you wanna play?” And he told me he wanted to play on “One Way Or Another.” Billy Sheehan, he said anything I wanted him to do would be great, just to be on a tribute to Cactus was enough for him. And he said he wanted to play on “Parchment Farm,” and I said I also wanted him to take the bass solo on “Oleo.” And I just started putting it all together. Was there anybody you called who surprised you with their love of Cactus? I called Steve Stevens, he’s a friend of mine. I was very surprised though how much he was into Cactus. Sure, everybody I called knows me, but I am never sure how much they’ll be into something like this. But Steve said that he grew up in New York and loved us, right? So, I thought well, here’s a friend and an influence — influences and friends — and that’s how the concept evolved. The only one that was really crazy was Joe Bonamassa, but not so much that we got him but how it went down. I was on his podcast, and he admitted that “Parchment Farm” blew his brains out. I said, “No kidding, well, we’re redoing it on a Cactus influences album and I’d love for you to play on it.” So I got him to commit during his podcast. After playing as long as you have, with as many amazing players as you have, here and across your past, can you say there is one through line to how you have approached this for all these years and all the different projects you’ve been involved with?  Well, it’s all it’s hard rock, right? Whatever I play I tend to put my Carmine sound to it. I just play what I want. From “Hot Legs,” with its boundaries of being funky, you know, to all of it, that’s where I came from, listening to all different things, from R&B, mostly R&B, and rock. I came up singing too, you know. So, it all gets in there. And how has your approach to recording changed over time? Or has it not at all? Like say, how you put this new record together.  I have a studio at the house I live in now, in Florida. I have a guest house that I made for a combination studio and gym. My drums are always set up there. I never move them out. When I do gigs, I have another kit. Most of my kits are set up when I do gigs, but the kit I have at the house, the way the mikes are set, all of that I never move now. I finally have it all based on the way I always wanted it, and I record right there. Keeping a consistency of the way things sound, right? Yes, this way if I record something today, a month from now, and if I don’t like something, I can go in and fix it. I never had that before and when I moved here, I set that up in August of 2020. My brother Vinny is a computer tech, so he built my recording system, showed me how to use it. For me, it’s the best. So, given all that, how have you seen your playing progress over the years? What’s changed, if anything, in how you approach playing the drums now?   It’s all come from experience. I don’t have to raise my hands so high to get a heavy hard hit. I learned how to snap it like a karate chop to get the big sound. Also, I play with the thicker bottom of the stick — most people don’t do that, right? I show people, if you play with the regular tip, you get a sound, but you turn it around so it’s a much fatter sound. I noticed that when my good friend Nicko McBrain (drummer extraordinaire of Iron Maiden) had his mini stroke. You probably heard about this. Yes, I did. It was last January. He’s playing music everybody knows very well, Iron Maiden fans know every fill. So yeah, he’s like, “God, how do I get back to being able to do those fills the way I always do it?” And I just said, “Change it up.” Where I play to maybe a theater or club-sized audience, Iron Maiden’s crowds are huge and his fans expect to hear every fill. Nicko says, “That’s how I always played it, so I have to play it that way.” I just don’t sit there and go through every fill, worry about playing the song like I did whenever. I’m not known for that. Certain drummers are like a Neal Peart and Nicko. But in my generation, it was Ginger Baker, me, John Bonham, Keith Moon, Mitch Mitchell. We didn’t play like that. Playing to the feel of the moment.  Yeah, but even with somebody like Nicko — and what I didn’t know — is that he can play funky as hell. I was involved in something we did with Pat Travers, and he played funky as hell. How would you know, right? Yeah, that’s kind of a surprise, but then again, I have only ever heard him in Maiden.  Yeah, I didn’t know either. So, I called Nicko and said, “Man, you are funky!” And he told me that before he got into all the Iron Maiden stuff, he played everything. He’s a good guy and does a great job. But who would have known from the stuff he is best known for. Are there any plans to do anything on the road with Cactus supporting the new album?  We’re doing three shows coming right up, and then we’ll come to the New York area at the end of June. I think we’re doing the Iridium one night, maybe two, then we’re going out to some other gigs like upstate New York and I think we have more somewhere. So, basically, it’s shorter runs for you these days, no bigger, longer tours?  Yeah, you can’t do big tours unless you’re a big group. And even then, I mean, I’m not gonna sit in the bus or van for 30 days. We are kinda of circling around a question I often ask guys and gals who have been in the business for a while now. I mean, the business is completely different from when you first got in it. So, overall, what’s your feelings on how the music business is now?  It sucks. Spotify streaming ruined everybody. There’s no money. When you record and maybe get an advance, that’s probably all you’re gonna see. We went to Sweden Rock and we made some money. People in Europe came out, so that was cool, but it’s too much to go out for two days, three days, right? Even if you go there for two weeks, it’s a grind. But the business itself, that business model today is terrible. The only way to make money is to go out on the road and sell some merch. And if you don’t have a good merch situation going, it’s hard to make any kind of money. Not to mention the price of tickets. Just for a fan to come out — who has that kind of money these days?  Exactly. I mean my friend is going to see Billy Joel. He’s paying $1000. Who is paying these prices? I looked at program of a show we played. It was Vanilla Fudge, Jimi Hendrix, Ted Nugent and the Asbury Dukes, and the ticket price was three dollars. Think about that! You mentioned “Hot Legs” earlier. Are you in contact with Rod Stewart these days?  Sure. In fact I have another show called The Rod Experience. It’s a show with a guy that looks exactly like Rod — sings like him, has all the rights movements…maybe even better probably better. And we do two segments. The first segment I call ‘the wimpy segment,’ you know those tunes like “Some Guys Have All The Luck,” and they do like five or six of those songs with another drummer. Then there’s an intermission and then I come out and talk to the audience, say some stupid shit, then I sit down and we rock through tunes like “Passion,” “You’re In My Heart,” those tunes that I never get to play anymore but was involved with. So now we got a lot of gigs coming up. The rest of this year, matter of fact. January next year, we’re playing with a 60-piece orchestra. I know you lived in LA for years, but frankly always think of you as an East Coast, New York guy. You mentioned that you live in Florida now. Have you adjusted to what I am assuming has to be a slower pace down there?  Yeah man, it’s slower. You’ll call up somebody to come over and get something done, they call you back and maybe get out to you. So I call a guy I know who was originally from New York, and he gets right on it, saying because he’s right on it? Generally, people always ask me, “Do you play golf? Are you happy?” I don’t know. They ask, “What’s your hobby?” I always say, “It’s playing the drums.”

By Ira Kantor On July 12, 1979, “Disco Demolition Night” was held at Comiskey Park in Chicago. The attending throngs (not just White Sox fans) made sure to bring their related disco paraphernalia to burn in effigy, which they did eagerly and excessively. It was a joke that soon turned serious. After a dumpster full of disco records was blown up on the ball field, the real melee got underway, leaving the grass ripped up and scorched and leading to the forfeiture of a second game in a White Sox/Detroit Tigers double-header. Even though disco-fueled music would thrive well into the following year, the writing was suddenly on the proverbial wall for the overtly hedonistic yet undeniably accessible genre. What’s amazing to realize in hindsight is how just a mere four months earlier, one of disco’s greatest moments took place. But let me back up for a second and provide some further context. New York City is often spoken of as disco’s primary home base, exacerbated by Steve Rubell and Ian Schrager’s Avalon-esque palace Studio 54. Yet let’s remember that on the other side of the country — particularly in San Francisco — disco became just as hot and celebrated a commodity. On March 11, 1979, pioneering disco artist and queer icon Sylvester took at the stage at the San Francisco War Memorial Opera House and for more than two hours tried to bring the house down. With a 26-piece orchestra, thumping 4/4 bass rhythms, and his Two Tons O’ Fun backing crew of Martha Wash (remember “Everybody dance now!”) and Izola Rhodes-Armstead in tow, the falsetto-singing songbird (peacock, swan, phoenix, you name it), they came pretty damn close. Having repeatedly listened to the one-two live musical punch of “Dance (Disco Heat)” and “You Make Me Feel (Mighty Real),” especially during the pandemic, I always wondered what this concert experience was actually like. Where once we had Sylvester’s 1979 album Living Proof for answers, I’m now quite happy to know that Sylvester’s full concert, Live At The Opera House, will soon be available to the masses via Craft Recordings (hang tight until September!). In receiving an advance copy of the full concert, I emphatically state that among the many, many things we should celebrate during Pride month, it’s the work of Sylvester —  the openly gay, openly fabulous, openly confident, and openly trendsetting artist. Last year, I read Joshua Gamson’s thorough bio about Sylvester, The Fabulous Sylvester: The Legend, The Music, The Seventies in San Francisco. Though Sylvester would tragically pass away in 1988 at age 41 from AIDS-related complications, this show is Gamson’s book come to life. You no longer will have to strain yourself visualizing the costumes, the bright lights, the glistening sweat, and most importantly, the jubilation coming from both the crowd and Sylvester himself — a much-needed catharsis in the wake of Harvey Milk’s assassination the previous November. For Sylvester, the Opera House is his Madison Square Garden. Beloved in San Francisco, he relishes and revels in the experience of performing in front of more than 3,000 friends, family, and fans. He’s not shy about telling audience members to get on their feet and truly take in what they’re witnessing. As a wonderful hometown tribute, Sylvester even receives the key to the city during his show. Through 13 tracks — many of which stretch to 10 minutes or more — Sylvester takes us to church, synagogue, and every divine realm in-between. Ultimately, he leaves his heart, soul, and vocals on the stage; a fitting situation given his decade-long journey from being part of avant-garde drag troupe, The Cockettes, to fronting his own rock band, to striking literal gold with his second solo album (Step II), to being embraced for never trying to hide his identity or be someone fitting within society’s idea of conformity. In music, this wasn’t always easy to come by — just Wikipedia “Jobriath” to see what I mean. Live At The Opera House is equal parts cabaret, Broadway, and smoke-laden underground club. As genuine and heartfelt as various show moments can be, there’s also moments of great levity (whether they are intentional or not). As Izora and Martha sing to the rafters on “Body Strong,” Sylvester appears to join them in three-part harmony and immediately laments “Well, we fucked that up, didn’t we?” But in knowing his audience is with him all the way, he just shakes it off and presses on with poise and grace. Cover tracks, including a medley of Barry Manilow’s “Could It Be Magic” with Leon Russell’s “A Song For Now,” the Beatles’ “Blackbird,” and Patti Labelle’s “You Are My Friend,” become Sylvester’s own staples, all backed by groove, sweet sensuality, and ever-present cowbells. The somberness of “Blackbird,” in particular, transitions into triumph and is steered into choir-worthy territory as Sylvester, Izora, and Martha all joyfully play and sing off each other. For anyone thinking that disco is nothing but gloss and over-produced tripe, I implore you to listen to the 1-2-3, foot-stomping “Dance (Disco Heat),” “Mighty Real,” and a glorious rendition of “Never Can Say Goodbye” to close out the show. Sylvester proves happy to go toe-to-toe and larynx to larynx with anyone who thinks he can’t compete with brass players and opulent surroundings. Simply put, Sylvester is the LGTBQIA+ community’s Aretha Franklin but even if we took his artistry out of this context, he would still be a near-perfect replication of Aretha herself. On “Never Can Say Goodbye,” before he departs the stage, Sylvester extends his love and appreciation to everyone in attendance, assuaging fears that he will never officially say goodbye to San Francisco, his undeniable home and solace. In multiple listens of this concert from beginning to end, I’m reminded that Sylvester was, is, and always will be a trailblazer — perhaps the most beautiful of musical rainbows. Certainly the brightest and most colorful.

Ten years between albums for most any artist would instantly eliminate him or her from the chart of relevance, much less illicit further interest from anyone who ever cared. But when you’re operating in the secret world of Peter Gabriel, you can afford to take your time. And it’s not like he wasn’t busy — running a record company and trying to save the world is a full time job. Up, Gabriel’s 2002 follow up to 1992’s Us carries on the 14-year tradition of two letter titles with visceral dignity and passionate implication. As a whole, Up traverses the blurry line of life and death — lyrically infused with deep-seated introspection and sorrow swimming in a sonic sea of salient harmonies, buoyant texturing and consummate profundity. This is the kind of stuff that has kept Gabriel at the vanguard, even during his long periods of supposed inactivity. Gabriel’s long-term investment into Up was a glowing testament to the singer’s therapeutic approach to his recording career — aligning personal fulfillment with fluent precision. The former front man of Genesis has always had this way of tugging at the heartstrings, in a somewhat unorthodox fashion, perpetuated by a wave of ethereal effects — but never forced, rarely contrived (“Sledgehammer” came dangerously close) and in your face enough to grab your attention. “Darkness” introduces the disc by creeping up slowly, suddenly leaping forward with all the velocity of a wild beast. Here, Gabriel lets down his guard and blatantly intones the conflicts of his childhood fears and anxieties (“I’m afraid I can be devil man/and I’m scared to be divine…”) “Growing Up” pushes forward in the evolution, a cautious build that ascends into a rhythmic lilt sustained by an elephant roar and a flurry of buzzes, bleeps and stings. “I Grieve” is the singer’s direct statement on mortality and its effects upon the living while “Sky Blue” furthers the notion and features some alluring harmonizations from the Blind Boys of Alabama and chilling guitar work courtesy of both Daniel Lanois (who did not produce the album) and Fleetwood Mac’s legendary nowhere man, Peter Green. The single “The Barry Williams Show” boasts the vaudevillian antics of So’s “Big Time,” but its message — a departure from the album’s running theme — is a sad commentary on Jerry Springer-type reality programming that borders on cheap and sensationalistic entertainment. Spewing forth lines like, “Dysfunctional excess/Is all it took for my success/The greater pain that they endure/The more you know the show has scored? It’s Showtime,” Gabriel’s sardonic and venomous delivery makes the track worth a spin. From there, things take a turn for the better. “My Head Sounds Like That” brandishes an edgy Lennonesque veneer, revealing Gabriel’s penchant for economical and stark melodies. On “Signal To Noise,” a mounting orchestra sounds the empathetic alarm amidst the additional warm vocalizations flowing from the late Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan. Up ends on the last barren notes emoted with the simple piano line and isolated vocal of “The Drop.” When you delve into a dark album with an optimistic edge, it’s reassuring to know there are artists over the half-century mark that still take chances and have something significant to say. ~ Shawn Perry

Singer Scott Stapp “liked to play this game where he would put the band on the spot and say, ‘We’re going to write a song,’” the guitarist explains

A California seventh-grade student, Jimmy Heyward, who went viral last month after his principal censored his patriotic speech, was banned from attending school next year, along with his sisters. The school is a Catholic School in Orange County, California. The Saint Bonaventure Catholic School Principal Mary Flock told Jimmy to edit his campaign speech for […] The post Children Expelled After a Principal Humiliated a Patriotic Child appeared first on www.independentsentinel.com.