Good music tonight...

So, thanks to scliff, tcb and I went to see Robert Randolph and The Family Band, with Los Lonely Boys opening, at Avalon on Landsdowne St. in Boston.

1st note: Non-smoking clubs are FABULOUS! YAY!!! I'm home and I don't stink. I don't have a headache. YAY!
(Side note: the Somerville Aldermen have voted 11-0 to revist the Somerville smoking ban. Don't let them repeal it!)

2nd note: If I ever open a music venue, I'm going to operate it on the principle of "It goes to 5". There's no need for the music to be as loud as it is. It's not improved in any way by the excessive volume.
(Side note: There are flat-attrition-curve earplugs out there. Anyone remember the brands?)

1st Review: Los Lonely Boys - 3 brothers from Texas, playing blues rock with various other influences, from Texas Swing to jam band.

They were quite enjoyable. Absolutely having a lot of fun, tight and playful as brothers who like each other and have been playing together for most of their lives. They were really good, but Henry's guitar style wore on me after a while. Their set was 45-50 min and that was pretty damned perfect. I'll probably pick up their album used when I come across it and I'd certainly see them again sometime.

45 minutes after they finished - well after I wanted to start a chant of "Bored Now!" in the room, Robert Randolph & The Family Band took the stage. I'd never heard of these guys until Nov. 9th when their video for I Need More Love came across the TV.

There's something about what they do that just grabbed me and grabbed hard.

Live, they still grab hard.

Pedal Steel is not the most popular lead instrument out there, however it's got a sound and a style that's unlike almost anything else - though it goes really really well with a Hammond B3 Organ, which just happens to be one of my favorite instruments.

The band obviously has a background in gospel music, along with blues, soul and rock. They also have some of the Jam Band spirit going. All in all, they have a driving force that's amazing.

There were some weaker bits - when Robert stands up from the pedal steel and switches to normal guitar...arguably, half the problem might have been the roadies failing to tune correctly...

But at the end of the evening I had no complaints. These guys are fabulous live...I don't know really how the songs are all going to translate to 3-5m 'singles', but I picked up the new album and'll happily give it a try.

I still don't know how these guys ended up on a major american label. They're far too good.

Yay.

Good music tonight...

So, thanks to scliff, tcb and I went to see Robert Randolph and The Family Band, with Los Lonely Boys opening, at Avalon on Landsdowne St. in Boston.

1st note: Non-smoking clubs are FABULOUS! YAY!!! I'm home and I don't stink. I don't have a headache. YAY!
(Side note: the Somerville Aldermen have voted 11-0 to revist the Somerville smoking ban. Don't let them repeal it!)

2nd note: If I ever open a music venue, I'm going to operate it on the principle of "It goes to 5". There's no need for the music to be as loud as it is. It's not improved in any way by the excessive volume.
(Side note: There are flat-attrition-curve earplugs out there. Anyone remember the brands?)

1st Review: Los Lonely Boys - 3 brothers from Texas, playing blues rock with various other influences, from Texas Swing to jam band.

They were quite enjoyable. Absolutely having a lot of fun, tight and playful as brothers who like each other and have been playing together for most of their lives. They were really good, but Henry's guitar style wore on me after a while. Their set was 45-50 min and that was pretty damned perfect. I'll probably pick up their album used when I come across it and I'd certainly see them again sometime.

45 minutes after they finished - well after I wanted to start a chant of "Bored Now!" in the room, Robert Randolph & The Family Band took the stage. I'd never heard of these guys until Nov. 9th when their video for I Need More Love came across the TV.

There's something about what they do that just grabbed me and grabbed hard.

Live, they still grab hard.

Pedal Steel is not the most popular lead instrument out there, however it's got a sound and a style that's unlike almost anything else - though it goes really really well with a Hammond B3 Organ, which just happens to be one of my favorite instruments.

The band obviously has a background in gospel music, along with blues, soul and rock. They also have some of the Jam Band spirit going. All in all, they have a driving force that's amazing.

There were some weaker bits - when Robert stands up from the pedal steel and switches to normal guitar...arguably, half the problem might have been the roadies failing to tune correctly...

But at the end of the evening I had no complaints. These guys are fabulous live...I don't know really how the songs are all going to translate to 3-5m 'singles', but I picked up the new album and'll happily give it a try.

I still don't know how these guys ended up on a major american label. They're far too good.

Yay.

One more Robert Randolph note...

The opening piece last night?

Billie Jean...

As well there was a cover of Purple Haze and a Zep tune I didn't know. Hopefully Ted or Scliff will comment eventually.

One more Robert Randolph note...

The opening piece last night?

Billie Jean...

As well there was a cover of Purple Haze and a Zep tune I didn't know. Hopefully Ted or Scliff will comment eventually.