August 11, 2005--Bruce Springsteen, Key Arena, Seattle: I missed Springsteen playing solo in 1995-96 but caught this Devils and Dust tour performance. Fans were treated to the full extent of Bruce's song catalog; new additions happened every night. Accompanying himself on guitar, harmonica, piano and even pump organ, Bruce played songs I wasn't expecting to hear: "Frankie," "Two for the Road," "Nothing Man" and "Racing In the Street"--whether it's one of his staples or something his audience might barely remember, he is so in touch with what he's written. Bruce's son Evan would bring his dad a new guitar for a particular song, prompting Bruce to say, "Every time he does that, I'm out a hundred bucks." A month into the tour, Springsteen ended shows with the band Suicide's haunting "Dream Baby Dream." Performing the song on pump organ, Bruce created a hypnotic groove and then stood up to finish it vocally, with the engineer putting the keyboard sound on a loop. So I'm in the rest room before leaving the arena. Two guys are talking. One says, "great show--except that last song."
Spring 2006--LaVon Hardison, Traditions Fair Trade, Olympia: Gina and I met our friends Nj and Todd to catch LaVon and her friendly, accomplished voice. The woman who grew up in Boston delivered a swinging jazz set backed by musicians like bassist Steve Luceno and pianist Joe Baque, 84 years young--they are among the players on her upcoming album, Choices. Hardison's work is also informed by old timey and gospel music, and her stylistic depth translates into a performer completely at ease with her audience.
November 4, 2006--Van Morrison, WaMu Theater, Seattle: Van was in serviceable voice for age 61 but definitely more professional sounding than inspired...kind of moving in place, shades on, head tilted upward. The deep passion from his still-astonishing It's Too Late to Stop Now (released in 1974) live album was missing. Just a pleasant show, a bit ordinary, never transcendent.
May 2, 2009--Leo Kottke, Washington Center for the Performing Arts, Olympia: The guitarist extraordinaire in an almost full house in Oly Town. Some have bitched about Kottke's singing--it's just not his main talent, that's all. My fave this evening: Pete Seeger's "The Banks of Marble."
April 1, 2010--Philip Glass, Washington Center for the Performing Arts: I so appreciated Gina taking me to this solo piano performance. Glass describes himself as a "composer of music with repetitive structures," meaning that his work can sometimes take on a trancelike lilt, as in the soundtrack he wrote for The Hours. Glass told wonderful stories and was always humble, even though his influence is huge: he has inspired minimalist composers around the world.
May 3, 2011--Jesse Cook, Edmonds Center for the Arts, Edmonds: Cook is an outstanding Canadian guitarist who plays Latin music and his band featured deeply skilled players from the world over. The instrumentals and vocal songs were mostly originals, with the exception being the encore, Simon & Garfunkel's "Cecilia," which had everyone singing and dancing in the aisles. When S & G's original version of that rather annoying song comes on the radio, however, I quickly switch stations.
October 13, 2018--Red & Ruby, Lacey Timberland Library, Lacey: Red & Ruby is one of the musical activities of exceptional guitarist Vince Brown and endearing vocalist LaVon Hardison--fixtures in Oly town. They have performed for years in the Northwest, together, separately and with others. Tonight, Red & Ruby concentrated on songs from the 1930 and '40s, as they broke down parts of Daniel James Brown's recent book, The Boys In the Boat; it's about a rowing band of brothers who defied Hitler during the 1936 Olympic Games. Indeed, Red & Ruby's musicianship, singing and storytelling skills make them a must-see act--another reason to find hope at the end of the Covid tunnel.
See also: 1972-1974, 1975-1979, 1980-1981, 1982-1983, 1984-1987, 1988-1990, 1991-1995, 1996-1999, 2000-2003