Love for Levon: A Benefit to Save the Barn

For fans of the Band and of Levon Helm, this concert is a creative twist on their music.  Maybe not ideal for hardcore Band fans, but for someone who finds them to be a decent group, you may find this to be interesting cover work by real top quality and world class musicians.  John Mayer, Joan Osborne, Joe Walsh, David Bromberg, Gregg Allman, and Roger Waters are only a few of the several special guests.
This benefit concert was held in honor of Levon Helm and to help his family keep his Woodstock farm, Kingston, NY, in the family.
It was for a really good cause and I liked it because they perform all of the songs from the Band records I listen to including "The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down," "The Weight," and "Ophelia."

The Last Play at Shea

This is an absolutely amazing documentary about the history of Shea Stadium.  The Beatles were the first band to perform at a stadium and it became legendary, especially since it wasn't just any band - it was The Beatles.  The whole documentary is based around Billy Joel's 2008 performance.  There were two concerts filmed over July 16 and July 18 with a combined total of 110,000 fans.  These two performances were the final two before Shea Stadium was demolished.  This film was first presented in front of 20,000 people at Citi Field, the stadium that replaced Shea.
The musicians that appear in the film are Billy Joel, Tony Bennett, Garth Brooks, Roger Daltrey, John Mayer, Paul McCartney, John Mellencamp, and Steven Tyler.  The 25 songs performed are:

1. Prelude/Angry Young Man
2. My Life
3. Summer, Highland Falls
4. Everybody Loves You Now
5. Zanzibar
6. New York State of Mind (with Tony Bennett)
7. Allentown
8. The Ballad of Billy the Kid
9. She's Always a Woman
10. Goodnight Saigon
11. Miami 2017 (Seen the Lights Go Out on Broadway)
12. Shameless (with Garth Brooks)
13. This Is the Time (with John Mayer)
14. Keeping the Faith
15. Captain Jack
16. Lullabye (Goodnight, My Angel)
17. The River of Dreams/A Hard Day's Night
18. We Didn't Start the Fire
19. You May Be Right
20. Scenes from an Italian Restaurant
21. Only the Good Die Young
22. I Saw Her Standing There (with Paul McCartney)
23. Take Me Out to the Ball Game
24. Piano Man
25. Let It Be (with Paul McCartney)

This movie is incredible.  It is done so well and as a music rookie, I find it to be very inspiring.

Happy Memorial Day!

Happy Memorial Day fellow Americans! I would like to say the sincerest thank you to everyone who has fought for this country and everyone who continues to fight for our freedom. You all have such bravery and courage and my family and I really appreciate all of you and all you have done for this country! God Bless America!

Separate Ways (Worlds Apart)

Here's the music video for one of my favorite songs "Separate Ways (Worlds Apart)" by Journey.

The Saturdays

My Great Britain obsession continues with the girl-group The Saturdays.  The group is being released here in the US and they even have their own show Chasing The Saturdays.

The English-Irish group consists of Frankie Sandford (24), Una Healy (31), Mollie King (25), Rochelle Humes (24), Vanessa White (23).  They were formed through Fascination Records in 2007 and have released three albums 'Chasing Lights' (2008), 'Wordshaker' (2009), and 'On Your Radar' (2011).  The quintet will be releasing a fourth studio album sometime this year, but unfortunately all of their albums are only sold in the UK for right now.  Their first single released in the US was "What About Us" and they have released songs off their 'Chasing The Saturdays' album for the TV show including "All Fired Up," "Higher (feat. Flo Rida)," "Notorious," and "Ego."  These songs are available on iTunes.
For more information on The Saturdays, go to thesaturdays.co.uk

Wake Me Up

One of my new obsessions is the song "Wake Me Up" by Ed Sheeran. I'm absolutely in LOVE with it. He talks about how his girl will never know how beautiful she is to him. She loves Shrek, he's awful at computer games, and she should never cut her hair because he loves the way she flicks it off her shoulders. The song is done with only a piano in the background to make it even more beautiful than it already was.

Jonathan Cain - I have his autograph

My dad just got home from a business trip to Belfast, Northern Ireland. While he was there, he ate at a restaurant called Deanes and just happened to sit next to Journey keyboardist Jonathan Cain. My dad started talking to him about the band and their tour through Europe and then got ME his autograph on the back of the dessert menu! Yes, it is signed to me from a rockstar.
Jonathan Cain, born in Chicago, originally played in bands like The Babys and Bad English and joined Journey in 1980. Not only has he played with these major bands, but he co-wrote one of the most famous songs ever, "Don't Stop Believin'" with Steve Perry and Neal Schon and also co-wrote "Separate Ways" with Steve Perry but those are only a few of the several he has written.
When my dad called and told me he got me his autograph, of course I was ecstatic because of the huge music fan I am. I have the autograph of a rockstar.

Ramones

The Ramones released this record through their label Warner Archives/Rhino and Sire Records in 1976. The successful album is the home for hit songs "Blitzkrieg Bop" and "Beat on the Brat." Joey Ramone has said about the record, "Our early songs came out of our real feelings of alienation, isolation, frustration - the feelings everybody feels between seventeen and seventy-five."

Highway 61 Revisited

The sixth album of folk-rock artist Bob Dylan released by Columbia in 1965.  Considered to be one of the greatest records of all time, Dylan recorded the entire thing in six days.  The whole thing is brilliantly done and includes famous guitarist Mike Bloomfield.  Chart-topper "Like a Rolling Stone" is only one of the reasons why this album is outstanding.  "Desolation Row" was an all-acoustic track but only became that way because of a last minute decision by Dylan himself.




(photo: Daniel Kramer)

Read All About It

I was watching a clip on YouTube of an act on Britain's Got Talent. The act was a group of shadow dancers and their performance was amazing - it moved the judges and audience to tears. The song they danced to was "Read All About It" by Emeli Sandé and I fell in love with it. I love the lyrics and the way she sings it is beautiful. I highly recommend watching the video of the dancers as well, as the video adds to the effect of the song.

My favorite albums (old ones)

I know for some of you it may be depressing to think that these albums are now considered "old", but may I remind you that I was born in the '90s so they're old to me! Here's the list of my favorite "old" albums:

1. Nightout - Ellen Foley
2. Rumours - Fleetwood Mac
3. Bridge Over Troubled Water - Simon and Garfunkel
4. Abbey Road - The Beatles
5. Born to Run - Bruce Springsteen
6. Who's Next - The Who
7. Hotel California - The Eagles
8. The Band - The Band
9. Let It Be - The Beatles
10. At Folsom Prison - Johnny Cash
11. Tommy - The Who
12. Parallel Lines - Blondie
13. Déjà Vu - Crosby, Stills, Nash, and Young
14. Surrealistic Pillow - Jefferson Airplane
15. Heart Like A Wheel - Linda Ronstadt
16. A New World Record - ELO
17. The Definitive Collection - ABBA
18. Aqualung - Jethro Tull
19. Bat Out of Hell - Meat Loaf
20. Brothers in Arms - Dire Straits
21. Late for the Sky - Jackson Browne
22. The Eagles - The Eagles
23. Synchronicity - The Police
24. Tres Hombres - ZZ Top
25. If You Can Believe Your Eyes and Ears - The Mamas and the Papas

22

I am not a fan of Taylor Swift at all, but I am in love with this song! I think it's so catchy and upbeat - it's exactly the music I love a lot. This is a single off of her album 'Red' which was released this past October and landed on pretty much every chart.

Awesome mix tape

I have this book called The Book of Awesome by Neil Pasricha.  The book was created based on his website 1000awesomethings.com and the book is an award winner.  In the book one of his awesome things is "Finding a mix tape given to you by an old boyfriend or girlfriend."  In the awesome thing he includes a list of songs that "depending on your time frame," may be on the ancient mix tape:

1. The Righteous Brothers - Unchained Melody
2. Extreme - More Than Words
3. Bryan Adams - (Everything I Do) I Do It for You
4. UB40 - (I Can't Help) Falling in Love with You
5. Whitney Houston - I Will Always Love You
6. Meatloaf - I'd Do Anything for Love (But I Won't Do That)
7. Celine Dion - My Heart Will Go On
8. Bob Marley - I This Love
9. Boyz II Men - End of the Road
10. Jewel - You Were Meant for Me
11. Green Day - Good Riddance (Time of Your Life)
12. Cyndi Lauper - Time After Time
13. The Bangles - Eternal Flame
14. Rod Stewart - Have I Told You Lately
15. LeAnn Rimes - How Do I Live
16. Bon Jovi - Bed of Roses
17. Guns N' Roses - November Rain
18. Milli Vanilli - Girl You Know It's True
19. Sinead O'Connor - Nothing Compares 2 U
20. Mr. Big - To Be with You

(Pasricha, 2010, p. 35-36)