Capping off a fabulous Fathers' Day..........

.............My Sweetie humored me and we ventured out to the wondrous Midland Theatre in downtown Newark to catch a live performance by Pat Metheny.  He is an amazing musician and has more energy than most.  His sidekicks, a keyboardist and drummer, were no slouches either.  A great time was had by all.

 

Hornsby...........................

My Sweetie and I ventured down to the wondrous Midland Theatre to share the evening with Bruce Hornsby and his piano.  A fun night with a full house.   Hornsby's talent is immense.  If you get the chance, go.

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My Sweetie and I......................

.....................just got home from seeing mega-talented and audience-connecting Melissa Etheridge perform at the wondrous Midland Theatre.  She featured a number of songs first produced by Stax Records, including one by William Bell.  Wasn't this one though:

William Bell..........................................I Forgot To Be You Lover

My Sweetie and I..........................

....................ventured out to the wondrous Midland Theatre to experience the Marshall Tucker Band.  35 years ago Marshall Tucker approached #1 on my play list.  Only lead singer Doug Gray remains from the original version, but the new guys can play pretty well.  If you get the chance, go see them.

They opened with this beauty:

The Oak Ridge Boys.................

My Sweetie has fond memories of the night her father took her to see the Oak Ridge Boys at the Ohio State Fair, circa 1982.  The wondrous Midland Theatre hosted the Oak Ridge Boys last night.  We went.  Not sure which is more amazing:  the quality and professionalism of their show, or the fact that is is the same four Oak Ridge Boys that she saw perform some thirty-five years ago.  It was fabulous.  If you get a chance to see them, do.

Re-visiting the reasons why I like living in Newark and Licking County....

Reason #44:  The Newark-Granville Symphony Orchestra.

The Orchestra performed at the fabulous Midland Theatre tonight.  They opened with Rossini's Overture to The Barber of Seville.  Yep, the one made famous by Bugs Bunny:



They closed the show with Dvorak's Symphony No. 9 in E minor, Opus 95, aka From the New World.  Here is different orchestra's performance of the Allegro con fuoco:



It was a fine evening.   For reference, here is another NGSO post.

Arlo........................................

So my Sweetie and I ventured to the wondrous Midland Theatre last night to partake in the Arlo Guthrie show (billed as "Alice's Restaurant 50th Anniversary Tour).   In case you haven't figured it out from listening to Alice's Restaurant, Arlo is the consumate story teller; just one of those people you feel better for hanging around with.  When it came time for the singing of Alice's Restaurant, clips from the movie of the same name were played.  Turns out it was a true story.  Officer Obie and the 27 8" x 10" colored glossy photographs with cirlces and arrows were real.  The judge with the seeing-eye dog was also real.   Both played themselves in the movie.  The neatest part of the story was when Arlo explained how he and Officer Obie, who had not previously known each other, had nothing in common, and had no particular reason to like each other, eventually became "life long" friends.

He was great.  The audience was well pleased.  As a side note:  Arlo's daughter, Sarah Lee, opened the show.  She was a delight and clearly inherited Arlo's story-telling genes.  If the "Alice's Restaurant 50th Anniversary Tour" comes to a neighborhood near you, do go.

Arlo closed the show with this song from father Woody:

The Group W bench...................................

Arlo Guthrie.............................................Alice's Restaurant



Ed. Note:   We have been known to post  this song over the Thanksgiving holiday. However, last night (actually "tonight" as this is being posted prior to the concert) we made our way to the fabulous Midland Theatre to see Arlo live and in person.  Word has it that Alice's Restaurant is on the menu.

Saturday night: Kansas at the Midland..................

The backdrop...............................................

For a bunch of old guys, they can still rock.   Playing to a sold-out house (+/-1,100), they delivered the goods.  Formed in 1973, only two of the six (the drummer and lead guitarist) were original members.  Still, they owned the auditorium Saturday night.

Boz.........................................

Boz Scaggs played the wondrous Midland Theatre on Friday night.  At 70, Boz still puts on a great show - not long, but great.  This song was part of the first encore.  Some of the best live music I've ever heard.  Sent chills up and down my spine.  Made the whole show.

Boz Scaggs.....................................................Loan Me A Dime

How we spent our Wednesday evening.............

............At the Asia concert at Newark's fabulous Midland Theatre.  A very good time was had by all.

Carl Palmer has to be the best 64 year old drummer on the planet.

The essential Asia mix is here.

Thanks Kurt

The pipes are calling.............................

Switchback........................................................Danny Boy




Switchback played the fabulous Midland Theatre last Saturday night.  A fabulous performance.  If you get a chance to see them, do.

Have patience with this one.........................

Alex DePue and Miguel De Hoyos performed for an hour at the fabulous Midland Theatre's fundraiser, Ovation, last Saturday night.  They were wonderful.  Talented, funny, creative, and hardworking.  Good combination.  They played this little tune, which if my ears are working segues from Stairway to Heaven to Don't Fear the Reaper to Hotel California.  At the end of their performance they got a resounding standing "O."   At least ten people within my hearing simultaneously said "WOW."Enjoy.

The Cooke Book....................

My Sweetie and I celebrated our fifth anniversary on Saturday by taking in a show at the fabulous Midland Theatre.  Darrian Ford presented the Cooke Book, the music of Sam Cooke.  Cooke was a multi-talented man who died way too early (1964).  Ford does him justice.  A great show.

He is a couple of years older.....

......than I am, but has more stamina.  Peter Frampton played
the fabulous Midland Theatre last night.  It was great show.
His talent, energy, and likability is still intact and his band is
first rate.  The house was full and the crowd was pumped.
150 minutes into it, I was toast and Peter was still going strong.
Must be that vegetarian thing.


this was then..........................



this is now.................