Josh Bradley’s Favorite Albums of 2023

I’d be lying if I said that 2023 didn’t feel like a super quick blur, even though I had some pretty excellent adventures in the last 12 months. I got out and explored Tampa Bay more extensively, I made plans to move to the mountains by a certain year, and in terms of full-fledged adventures, I’d need a third hand to collectively count how many times I found myself at Tampa International Airport this year.

Through it all, there was plenty of hype in the new music scene, but this year, there were bigger comebacks on the list than I had seen since probably 2016.

Within a month of each other, Taylor Swift, The Rolling Stones, and *checks notes* The Beatles all released brand-new material. If you take Time Magazine’s Person of the Year out of the scenario, this hasn’t happened since 1969, with the respective releases of Abbey Road and Let It Bleed. But those aren’t my only three favorites, and I hate to say it, but even with one of the names mentioned making my annual top 12 list, I feel like I snubbed so much when writing it out. 

Obviously, both Taylor’s Versions that came out were brilliant, and I already own both of them on wax. But Graham Nash’s Now was on repeat on my drives to Tampa in the fall. Willie Nelson’s I Don’t Know A Thing About Love—made up entirely of Harlan Howard songs—dropped on the same day I saw him live for the first time at the Florida Strawberry Festival. Ed Sheeran’s – (minus) made me tear up while I was waiting in line at Magic Kingdom’s Seven Dwarfs Mine Train, And Meet Me @ The Altar’s debut album Past // Present // Future? Loved it. I blasted it all the way to St. Pete Pride and back.

I’ve also been a fan of The Zombies since high school, and I heard a few tracks from their new Different Game album at a gig in Clearwater in the spring of 2022. I enjoyed what I heard, but I gotta admit that I still haven’t sat down and listened to the full album yet. I still need to check out boygenius’ The Album, and (don’t hate me) the new Foo Fighters album. I’m reading Dave Grohl’s book right now, so maybe that’ll give me a push in the New Year. It looks like Yusuf/Cat Stevens has a new one out too, and I’m more open to giving that one a shot than stomaching The Steve Howe Band—I mean, err, Yes’ Mirror To The Sky.

I can honestly say that I didn’t listen to the vast majority of these until a few months after they were released, as I mainly stuck to my own playlists in 2023. But considering the situations we endure these days, let some new artists in our streaming queues be the scariest change we ever face. It won’t be, but I can dream, right?

Happy New Year, friends. As always, be strong, love big, and don’t back down.

January: We Are Scientists – Lobes

With the deaths of Jeff Beck, Lisa Marie Presley, and David Crosby within a week of each other, it was looking to be a pretty grim year at first. But if there’s anything I’ve learned about We Are Scientists—an indie-rock trio from California—it’s that whatever follows its act is bound to be unforgettable (read: Innings Festival 2022). The band’s eighth album Lobes adds to the trend of reviving ‘80s music, and takes on the sounds of Ultravox and Pet Shop Boys, with plenty of lyrics about expectations, honesty, and even a shout-out to math rock. Hope to see these guys headline Jannus Live at some point in the future.

February: Gracie Abrams – Good Riddance

While I wouldn’t say that J.J. Abrams’ daughter would be a great fit to soundtrack, say, another “Star Trek” film, Gracie Abrams’ sad-girl-indie debut album is surely the kickoff to an illustrious career that already has “opening for Taylor Swift” under its belt. Good Riddance has the minimalism of an early Joni Mitchell record and the lyrical catharsis of a Lana Del Rey record, and should Gracie toy around with other genres on her next album, she might end up starting up one of the biggest followings—be it cult or mainstream—of the decade.

March: Lana Del Rey – Did you know that there’s a tunnel under Ocean Blvd.

After waiting very patiently since my freshman year of high school, I finally got to see Lana Del Rey perform live in Tampa on September 25, and the show was part of a quick run promoting this latest album of hers. Lana has come such a long way since she dropped Born To Die 11 years ago (!), and the collaborations with Jon Batiste and Father John Misty—just to name a few—aren’t even what sticks out about Tunnel. Lana’s life story and beginnings are kept pretty cryptic, but it’s been said that the album—her best one as a whole since Honeymoon, in my opinion—is her most personal. She messes around with gospel, psychedelic, and of course, her standard orchestra-backed laments, all with a little production help from Jack Antonoff and his unmatched studio skills. It’s currently nominated for Album of the Year at the Grammys, and while I’m personally good no matter who wins, it’s about time Miss Lana takes home a Grammy, yeah?

April: Smokey Robinson – Gasms

I know, I know: We’re lucky to still have this national treasure with us. I’m not ungrateful for a second. But there’s just something slightly distressing about an 83-year-old man singing about sex, or more specifically, eyegasms. I don’t know how much ol’ Smokey watched Chef-era “South Park” while making this record—his first of original material since the late aughts—but at the very least, the latter half is slightly more wholesome, pertaining more to wanting to spend the rest of his days with someone, rather than exclusively thinking about, err, gasming. Luckily, I discovered this one a little later in the year, rather than in its month of release, in which I had my bottom two wisdom teeth removed and finally reunited with my best friend for the first time in five years, for the sake of seeing The Eras Tour.

May: Paul Simon – Seven Psalms

I had Seven Psalms up against Graham Nash’s Now for May, and my struggle to pick between the two is why you’re probably reading this in 2024. In the end, I went with Paul Simon’s thoughts about mortality, which came about after a post-farewell tour dream he had. His vocals have gotten a bit more quivery, but for what it’s worth, his acoustic guitar bits are just as solid and masterful as always. If you try and stream the 7-track album, it’s one giant, half-hour epic, rather than being chopped down to its septet of songs. As much as I’d want to add “Wait” to every playlist I have, perhaps that’s how Paul intended to execute it, so who the hell am I to question my all-time favorite songwriter? Well, about anything other than why on God’s green earth he, a New York kid of over 80 years, decided to move to Texas recently. I’m not expecting a tour behind this album (he said recently that he’d play some shows to bump Psalms, had it not been for COVID-related hearing loss), but if any gigs come about, look out for a review.

June: Rufus Wainwright – Folkocracy

My first man-crush duetting with Chaka Khan on a heavily slowed-down “Cotton-Eyed Joe” was not on my 2023 bingo card, but hey: Now I can confuse the hell out of karaoke bar regulars when I say how great Wainwright’s version is, just to realize that they have no idea who the hell I’m talking about until I mention “Shrek.” Rufus is continually giving the Wainwright clan an exceptional name with the way he can write operas and hypnotize his audiences without any sort of band behind him. It was fascinating but not shocking to see him take on some traditional folk semi-standards with some of the names he deserves to be A-list with (Brandi Carlile, John Legend), as well as a version of Van Dyke Parks’ “Black Gold,” with the guy who co-wrote The Beach Boys’ Smile right beside him. I think that a duet with Joni Mitchell is the only thing that would have made Folkocracy better than it already is, because what gay tenor doesn’t want to work with Joni?

July: Lukas Nelson & Promise of the Real – Sticks and Stones

In a post-Million Dollar Quartet (Elvis, Johnny Cash, Carl Perkins, Jerry Lee Lewis) world, amid an era featuring Jason Aldean and Morgan Wallen, it’s refreshing to see some country music that isn’t heavily manufactured. Alcohol is a recurring theme on Lukas’ eighth studio album (and I have to say, I don’t think I’ve laughed uglier than when I heard the intro to “Alcohallelujah”), but the melodies are catchy, the guitar work is clean, and honestly, it’d be no shock if Lukas spent time with his dad’s besties, The Highwaymen as a kid. He would have utterly exploded in the outlaw country scene during its heyday, had he been around for it. Also, did you know that Promise of the Real was Neil Young’s backing band for a time? Man, what a gig that would have been.

August: Quavo – Rocket Power

I took a listen to this one—the first Migos solo project to emerge after the murder of Takeoff last year—while working on a preview for a Quavo gig to happen at Tampa’s Armature Works. It basically takes you through his navigation process of mourning his bandmate-slash-nephew (who actually appears on this record) and also features guest spots from Young Thug and Future. I’m not gonna pretend that this is wholly my scene, but there’s no doubt in my mind that Migos had to have done a killer concert. Hopefully, there’ll be some unreleased material out soon, or maybe some unreleased Takeoff demos that Quavo and Offset could work on together to morph into new Migos material.

September: Bruce Springsteen – September 3, 2023, East Rutherford, NJ

I very nearly went with Stephen Sanchez’s Angel Face for September. Olivia Rodrigo’s Guts was great too, of course. But September 3, 2023 was a night I’ll never forget. I flew to New Jersey the day before, just so I could see The Boss in his homestate. It’s like seeing the Pope speak at the Vatican or seeing one of The Beatles perform in Liverpool. I caught Springsteen in Tampa, on opening night of his 2023 tour, and I guess the power of the E Street Band put me in such a frenzy that I was planning my fall venture a few weeks later. And as it turned out, I was right to attend the last date of a three-night stint at MetLife Stadium. I thought I’d have to chase “Jungleland” for years, but sure enough, Bruce’s encore kicked off with just that. “Lonesome Day” was a surprisingly epic opener, and “Spirit In The Night” has to be my favorite pre-Little Steven song of Bruce’s. You can’t find this on streaming services, but if you’re jonesing for some quintessential live Springsteen, do yourself a favor and just spend the $15 on nugs.net. As a guy who has been to nearly 500 live gigs, this was the best one I’ve ever seen, and probably ever will see.

October: The Rolling Stones – Hackney Diamonds

I’m still sad that I never got to see Charlie Watts live (I did buy Stones tickets right before the world shut down in 2020, though), but it’s comforting to know that one of his two contributions to Hackney Diamonds—believed to be his final recordings—happened to be with original bassist Bill Wyman, reuniting the band’s original rhythm section for the first time since 1989’s Steel Wheels. Steve Jordan does a great job on drums both live and on this album—the Stones’ best in decades, in my opinion—and I really admire how Mick, Keith, and Ronnie still manage to maintain their original sound and avoid taking the KISS route, relying solely on merchandise sales and lip-syncing on their fourth farewell tour. Ronnie Wood is now the only long-tenured Stone who has yet to pass his 80th birthday, but considering how solid of a rock album his now-octogenarian friends can make in 2023, something tells me that we haven’t heard the last of the mighty Rolling Stones.

November: Dolly Parton – Rockstar

“Now And Then” wasn’t the only new Beatles lore we got in November, you know. Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr—with Peter Frampton and Mick Fleetwood—were featured on Dolly Parton’s version of “Let It Be,” off of her long-promised, long-awaited rock album, which came about as a result of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame ignoring her request to not be inducted in 2022. Generally, when an artist releases an all-covers rock album, you start to feel like the downhill descent has commenced. But ol’ Dolly’s 30-track collection made up of mostly covers is a hardcore exception to that rule. The songs she chose to tackle for this album were recorded with both original artists (i.e: “Keep On Lovin’ You” with REO Speedwagon’s Kevin Cronin, “Every Breath You Take” with Sting, etc.), or other A-list musicians also willing to pay tribute. She couldn’t get the now-retired Bob Seger, so Chris Stapleton guest stars on “Night Moves,” and instead of a sick guitar section from Jimmy Page on “Stairway To Heaven,” Lizzo plays flute behind Dolly’s vocals. Truthfully, I never thought Dolly would turn to rock, but if you can get Steve Perry to return to the studio, reunite the remaining Beatles, and put respective collaborations with Kid Rock and Stevie Nicks on the same album, why hide away your talents?

December: Peter Gabriel – i/o (In-Side Mix)

Genesis may not have needed Peter Gabriel for its final bow in 2022, but the band’s ex-frontman is finally back after what felt like an eternal hiatus. As it turns out, i/o has been in the works since before I was born and was even partially recorded while he was on tour with Sting in 2016. It’s difficult to dive deep into simple terms regarding this record’s eclectic, modernized sound, but at a point in his life where some artists his age are only revisiting old material and pathetically trying to stay relevant with half-assed new songs (I said “some,” not “all”), Gabriel’s lyrics about struggling with quintessential loss and making peace with how short life is could win him a Grammy in 2025. Oh, and considering the success behind his tour promoting i/o last fall, I’m thinking that a second U.S. leg is going to go down in 2024. This man has never been to Tampa, so the mental preparation for TicketMaster’s verified fan program has officially started on my end.

Five Years Ago Today

Today marks five years since I attended my first rock concert. My uncle managed to snag tickets for the two of us to see Billy Joel live and in the flesh at Tampa’s Amalie Arena, as a Christmas gift.

I still remember that night like it was yesterday. I hollered out every word to almost every song, screeching at the top of my lungs. Going to that show was something I bragged about to my friends at school, but sadly, everybody was either unimpressed, or had never heard of Willy Bowl.

My uncle, the only person I could really get deep into music with for years on end, has sworn to me ever since that show that we’d also go see Bruce Springsteen together. But even before COVID, The Boss hasn’t really been much help with that deal. (*Jamie Hyneman voice* Tour, damn you!) So we compensated with Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers in 2017.

The poster I bought five years ago today still proudly dangles in a frame on my bedroom wall, with other Billy Joel ticket stubs I have obtained in recent years. Unfortunately, I lost the distressed baseball cap weeks after purchasing it, hence why I’ve made it a tradition that I buy a baseball cap in honor of it every time I see Billy live.

Now, I noticed that I have written reviews of almost every show I’ve been to, even in old perspectives. When The Monkees’ Peter Tork died in 2019, I wrote out a review of The Monkees’ 50th Anniversary Tour (which my uncle also attended with me) as if it had happened days ago. So, I’d like to do the same thing now. 

Picture this:

The year is 2016. Joe Biden is still Vice President of the United States, Coldplay is about to play Super Bowl 50, and you’re still recovering from an exhilarating Billy Joel concert.

CONCERT REVIEW: Billy Joel lets Tampa’s Amalie Arena take the wheel during sold-out concert

“Good evening, Tampa-St. Pete!” Billy Joel called out to his sold out crowd at Amalie Arena Friday night.

Ever since the Piano Man’s grand return to performing after a brief hiatus, he’s been a regular in Florida, having already hosted two New Year’s Eve shows in Orlando and Sunrise. Friday night’s show at Amalie Arena was packed to the gills with both Florida crackers and NYC snowbirds, as well as some in-betweens. And the energy was so high, there were moments you thought you were actually up north at Madison Square Garden.

When the lights went down to the ending theme to The Natural some 20 minutes after the ticketed 8:00 start time, a single blue light shone on Joel–all decked out in a black, black, and black suit and tie. The floors of the dome brutally vibrated when the C# about 15 seconds into the complex opening of “Miami 2017 (Seen The Lights Go Out On Broadway)” was pounded out. Propped up on a life-sized Lazy Susan-style platform at the forefront of his circular stage, Joel didn’t miss a beat, in his vocals or fingers.

I say this with all the love and respect in my heart: Despite his massive following of die-hards and casual fans alike, Joel has evolved into a nostalgia act. He hasn’t promoted any new material since 1993’s River of Dreams, and his touring days with Elton John (who is releasing a new album next month) are most likely over. But a discography as vibrant as his still gives him all the right to present his crowds with “fielder’s choices,” meaning that he’ll throw out two songs, and he’ll perform whichever gets the most applause.

Yes, “Vienna” gave the boot to “This Is The Time.” “The Longest Time,” featuring a “The Lion Sleeps Tonight” warmup, won against its original album’s title track, “An Innocent Man.” An obvious choice of course, but a nice surprise addition nonetheless.

Billy doesn’t do full-fledged tours with back-to-back dates anymore. He plays one show a month, per his residency at Madison Square Garden, and he’ll often fly out to one or two different locations around the world a month. And since his last performance, which was January 7 at Madison Square Garden, the world has lost David Bowie, and Glenn Frey of the Eagles.

For the Starman, Joel and his flawless backing band launched into the chorus of “Rebel, Rebel,” admitting that they just learned it the morning of. As for the Eagle, who died earlier this week, there were two: A heartbreaking piano-and-microphone-only singalong of “Desparado,” and later, a ride through “Take It Easy” during a pause in “The River Of Dreams.”

Bowie and Frey weren’t the only people included in his dedications, though.

Normally, the point to live music is, well, as Joel once put it, “to forget about life for awhile.” But even the 66-year old New Yorker knows that the 2016 election is going to be one for the ages. 1975’s “The Entertainer” was dedicated to Republican nominee Donald Trump, and “New York State Of Mind” to Republican senator Ted Cruz. “These are my values, Ted.” Billy jabbed. Knowing the scarlet conservatism of Florida, part of me wonders how many people will never support Joel again after said “tributes.”

Before blasting into his electrifying, hit-scorched encore, Joel tore the house down all over again with the six-minute strong fan-favorite “Scenes From An Italian Restaurant,” and then capped up the main set with “Piano Man.” Despite every fan in the house howling the final chorus of perhaps his most iconic song back at him, what came next was what many bought the tickets for–“Uptown Girl,” “You May Be Right,” and “Big Shot,” just to name a few. Oh, and the snippet of Led Zeppelin’s “Rock And Roll” was a nice touch, as were Mike DelGuidice’s unyielding vocals on “Whole Lotta Love.”

“Turn off the news once in awhile!” Joel hollered after closer “Only The Good Die Young,” as opposed to his regular “Don’t take any shit from anybody” closing remark.

At the end of the day, it’s probably the best advice we’ll receive for another few years at least.

CONCERT REVIEW: Weezer, Pixies unite alt fans in Tampa

Weezer closing out the second night of their 2018 tour with covers and cuts from Pinkerton

Pat Wilson and Brian Bell of Weezer

Paz Lenchantin of the Pixies

The Pixies warming up Weezer fans with their legend status, and an hour and a half of hits.

Black Francis of the Pixies

Brian Bell and Rivers Cuomo of Weezer

David Lovering and Joey Santiago of the Pixies

Rivers Cuomo of Weezer

Rivers Cuomo and Scott Shriner of Weezer

In the last few years, Tampa has had some insane alternative acts. Scott Stapp of Creed and the Foo Fighters this year, and last year Green Day, Soundgarden, and before its tragic cancellation, Linkin Park. And later this year, we will have the Dave Matthews Band,  The Smashing Pumpkins’ reunion tour, and Snow Patrol opening for Ed Sheeran. But to pump us for all that, there was an insanely special show at Tampa’s Midflorida Credit Union Amphitheatre. Two groups that have played to extensive crowds over the years, and that have jammed together before, but never toured.

Nerd rock quartet Weezer and early alt-rockers the Pixies kicked off their co-headlining summer tour on June 22 in West Palm Beach, and they decided to bring night two of the co-headlining tour to Tampa. Weezer has not been to Tampa since their co-headlining tour with Panic! At The Disco in 2016, and the Pixies haven’t been around for longer. Their last time here was in 2015 to headline what would be the final Big Guava Music Festival, also at the Amp. The sold out show was full of millennials who grew up with, or currently listen to, one or both of the groups. Maybe a few boomers out of the 10,000+ people were present, either just to get out a bit, or to simply rock out.

After opening act The Wombats warmed some folks up, the Pixies came onstage around 8:00, and it was not a Pixies show you’d expect. Their setlist did not feature too many hits, besides Where Is My Mind? However, that didn’t mean that some of the songs played weren’t recognizable. About three songs in, lead singer Black Francis began belting out the lyrics to Cactus, off of Surfer Rosa. I, personally, had heard that song somewhere before. But where? Then as a lifelong David Bowie fan, it hit me. Bowie did a cover of that song on his 2002 Heathen album, and it was in the regular setlist rotation on the last two tours he did in his life.

The Pixies didn’t mess around either. There was no communication with the crowd, outfit/set changes, or anything like that. They just ripped through their 20 song setlist, one song after another. Once the legends had taken their bows, it was already dark, and a black curtain was immediately draped down the center of the stage. Being on the side, I could sorta see what was happening. Only sorta.

Around 9:40, there was not a soul who was away from their seat. Everyone began to rise, as Weezer, fronted by rock’s biggest dork, Rivers Cuomo, opened with their early smash hit, Buddy Holly, immediately followed by tons of hits – – the somewhat rapped hit Beverly Hills, the head-banging Hash Pipe, and the first track from their first album, My Name Is Jonas. Perhaps the highlight of the first half of the show was getting a semi-rarity off the Blue Album, In The Garage, which hasn’t been played in Tampa in 13 years. Oh, and Pinkerton’s El Scorcho was a great touch as well.

Following a cover of The Turtles’ Happy Together (I know your reaction, that’s what I said too.) crossed with Longview by Green Day, Cuomo literally scootered to the audience, dressed in a Hawaiian shirt and a captain’s hat. His destination? Two Palapa umbrellas in the stands. “You’re kicking butt, Tampa!” he called out, to which a millennial-composed roar nearly blew him away. He had his acoustic guitar with him, of which he appropriately strummed an unplugged version of Island In The Sun, which had everyone in the venue belting out the words loud enough to outdo Rivers’ killer vocals. “I’m ready to rock with my acoustic and electric guitar.” he declared after the song ended.

“Anyway, here’s Wonderwall.”

You know what happened. Deep down you know that there were people laughing their butts off, and people who were singing along.

After Rivers changed into a studded leather jacket, a few more non-hits and newer songs off their new album Pacific Daydream, lead guitarist Brian Bell moved over to the synths to tap out that iconic opening to Toto’s Africa. If you didn’t know, right now, Weezer is in the music spotlight in a sense, after a 15 year old fan created a Twitter account to get the band to do a cover of the 1982 Toto hit, which has been an Internet meme of recent years. When Weezer saw the account, they got to work, and five days before it released, they trolled that fan. Another Toto hit, Rosanna, which unfortunately was not played at the show, released out of the blue with only a brief teaser announcement.

After their encore, which finished with Say It Ain’t So, also off the Blue Album, I think it’s safe to say that everyone went home either happy or drunk. Some folks discovered something new and were blown away by an act they didn’t attend for. My concert buddy that night was telling me afterward how he had seen so many shows at the amphitheater since it opened, but had never seen it so full of fans. And this is coming from a guy who saw Nine Inch Nails here a few years ago.

Maybe Weezer will co-headline with them sometime. Maybe they’ll release another request from a Twitter account. Hell, maybe they’ll release the long (and I mean LONG) awaited Black Album. After a brief time supporting the Foo Fighters in Australia, making it back to the Top 100, and touring with some of the godfathers/godmother of alternative this year alone, the future is wide open for those badass nerds.

CONCERT REVIEW: Roger Daltrey kicks off five date tour in Clearwater

Rhythm guitarist and brother of Pete, Simon Townshend

If you’re not crazy for British rock legends The Who, but enjoy them for their hits, this is not really the kind of show that would be up your alley.

Longtime, and current, lead singer Roger Daltrey has done solo tours before, but none quite like this. The A Quick Run While Pete’s Away five date tour was announced back in August, and only features Daltrey with members of The Who’s backing band. Pete Townshend is on a yearlong sabbatical from The Who, as the tour name says, but there was still a Townshend onstage – – his little brother, Simon on guitar.

Around 7:30, a somewhat newcomer to the music world, Grammy nominee Leslie Mendelson, opened with selections from her 5+ year career and her new album, Love & Murder. One of these songs were created with help from the Grateful Dead’s own Bob Weir. Really.

“Roger and I go way back. Well, we actually do.” Mendelson bragged halfway through. She once played Baba O’Riley with The Who during a benefit gig for charity. “I was tossed a harmonica, and I said ‘But I don’t play it.’ And they said ‘Well, you do now.'”

“The New York weather is following me around!” she earlier joked while acting surprised about how Florida’s weather has suddenly become cooler. Following her 35 minute set with guitarist Eric Kimock, a brief intermission occurred, as she made her way near the Ruth Eckerd lobby to where two Daltrey shirts were being sold to sell and sign CD copies of Love and Murder. Fans were immensely impressed at this new talent, but at 8:21, the lights went down for the real deal. The Pinball Wizard and company walked out to Clearwater for the first time in eight years.

Following a few jokes of how forgettable the night may be if he forgot the words, the band ripped into the overture from The Who’s legendary 1969 rock opera, Tommy. Immediately following was their smash hit Pinball Wizard, also off of Tommy.

As the songs kept dropping, they got more and more obscure. 1981’s Another Tricky Day was dedicated to Donald Trump. “Nothing to do with me, but I’m sure he’ll relate to this song.” There were also some songs that were obscure enough to have never been played in front of a live audience, be it Who, Townshend, or Daltrey. Athena off of 1982’s It’s Hard, the second most recent Who studio album, hasn’t been played since the tour to promote that album.

But the biggest surprise was the debut, the literal live debut, of The Who’s 1975 album track, How Many Friends, which has never in written history been performed live by the band. “Way back when we recorded this in 1975, you even wondered, and I doubt many of us can, count on our friends.” Daltrey recalled. “I knew people with…millions of friends.”

Just about every song had the audience give at least a standing ovation, from the doo-wop style Daltrey earworm Days Of Light, to the song to thank us fans for being fans (Without Your Love), to the electrifying Baba O’Riley. The latter had every member of the audience frenetically howling out the words, as you would likely expect – – After all, it was The Who’s biggest 1970s hit. (with the possible exception of Who Are You, which was also performed to a standing crowd.)

Two songs from The Who’s 1971 live album, Live At Leeds were performed. In comparison to other Who tunes, Young Man Blues and Summertime Blues have faded away into obscurity, but you know what? Nobody seemed to care.

The night ended with Roger and keyboardist Loren Gold playing Always Heading Home, a brand new song from a “forthcoming album.” Needless to say, it’s never been played anywhere else before, at any time.

Daltrey is very openly involved in the Teenage Cancer Trust charity, which helps out teenagers with cancer. “At least, before they turn eighteen, and get moved in with old farts like me.” Daltrey pointed out. He went on to praise the Tampa Bay area for having three hospitals working together to fight teenage cancer, including Moffitt.

And just keep that in mind. The next time you buy something related to The Who, be it a ticket, a licensed shirt, or Roger’s album when it releases, there’s a good chance that at least a portion of your sale will go to the trust.

Frankly, they deserve it.

CONCERT REVIEW: Foreigner, Cheap Trick, and Jason Bonham celebrate different events

Original guitarist of Foreigner Mick Jones shredding a Les Paul.

Current Foreigner frontman Kelly Hansen, who strongly imitates Steven Tyler.

Blake High School choir singing backup on I Want To Know What Love Is

Original drummer of Foreigner Dennis Elliott made a surprise appearance

Original lead singer of Cheap Trick, Robin Zander

Original guitarist of Cheap Trick, Rick Nielsen

Rick Nielsen, son Daxx, and Robin Zander of Cheap Trick

Original bassist of Cheap Trick, Tom Petersson

Jason Bonham, son of Led Zeppelin drummer, the late John Bonham

Unless it’s one that loves it, there’s usually a reason behind why a band, or two, or three, will go out on tour. This year, Paul McCartney and Billy Joel don’t have a reason – – They’re touring just because they love it. But then, there are some that have a reason. Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers are celebrating forty years this year. So is Foreigner, who decided to bring an all-American band that was around at the same time as them.

Cheap Trick.

About a handful of 70s arena rock bands that are still together have all, or most of their original members, Cheap Trick being one of them. On the other hand, groups like Journey, Asia, and Chicago are still rocking, but most of their original members are gone. Foreigner is one of those groups, but in my mind, Foreigner is one of those few groups that whether or not you’re a fan of them, you’ll do whatever it takes to see them live. Lou Gramm may not be with them anymore, but Kelly Hansen takes his place better than most second front men in rock do, or have.

Jason Bonham, son of the late Led Zeppelin drummer John Bonham, is also tagging along, and as you can probably imagine, he’s just celebrating Led Zeppelin in general with his Led Zeppelin Experience. Zeppelin’s formation will be turning 50 in two years, so maybe Jason Bonham will be on the road with some other people then. They were up first on the stage at, as the ticket stub promised, 7:00 sharp. Lead vocalist James Dylan and Bonzo Jr. took Tampa on an electric ride through ten of Led Zeppelin’s greatest hits, (Whole Lotta Love, Over The Hills And Far Away) somehow excluding the sing-along Stairway To Heaven. “We’ll be back here in Tampa sometime later this year,” Bonham announced at the end of his set. The LZE will not return to Florida this year as of now, but Bonham himself will be playing drums with former Van Halen bassist Michael Anthony, and Vic Johnson in VH singer Sammy Hagar‘s supergroup, The Circle in Coachman Park on September 17.

At 8:00, “the best f*cking rock band you’ve ever seen, Cheap Trick,” was introduced to Tampa, and the Amphitheatre for the second time in two years. Their last show in Tampa was last September when they opened for Heart and Joan Jett & The Blackhearts on the Rock Hall Three For All tour. The Hall Of Famers, walking out in their regular hat and glasses disguises, opened their set with their trademark intro song, Hello There, followed by a cover of Day Tripper by The Beatles. Robin Zander, wearing all white, as usual, wailed out the hits created with original guitarist Rick Nielsen (California Man, The Flame, Dream Police, to which Robin literally fell onto his knees for near the end) and also some tracks from their new album We’re All Alright!, which released in June. The set came to what seemed like a premature end when Zander brought out his daughter Robin-Sailor, and some friends of hers, to wrap up the show with the iconic Surrender.

The clock struck 9:27, and literally everyone not seated began rushing back to their seats. The theater was loud, yet unenergetic during the first two bands. Now, it was time for the real deal. The black curtains fell and revealed the modern incarnation of Foreigner, along with guitarist Mick Jones, the only remaining original member of the group. “I’m not sure if all of you aware of this, but this year is Foreigner’s 40th anniversary.” frontman Kelly Hansen bragged, to which the roar of the crowd was the received response. The entire set was nothing but wall-to-wall hits, (Cold As Ice, Feels Like The First Time, Urgent) with Hansen strutting around in white tights, giving a Steven Tyler sort of vibe to the show itself.

Original guitarist Mick Jones with special guest, original drummer Dennis Elliott.

And if you were wondering, yes: Juke Box Hero was performed at the end of the main set, and it was truly epic.

Hansen left the stage during the intro, and a minute later, appeared out of nowhere on a rising pole in the crowd, singing the first verse of the rock classic. Except they didn’t just rip through it. At what would be the 4:18 mark of the original 4:18 album version of the song, the first verse was just concluded. Juke Box Hero was not just a performance like the other songs that night – – it was a complete rock and roll odyssey. But they were just getting us warmed up for what was to come.

An encore of the 80s smash hit I Want To Know What Love Is was given along with Tampa’s Blake High School choir, and once the eight-minute rendition of the song had come to an end, the crowd was pretty confident that it was over. That Foreigner had brought 40 years of rock and roll to Tampa, but frankly, I really feel bad for whoever left early. “Is there anything you wanna say to ’em, Mick? Maybe any special friends you wanna bring on out?”

Who else walks out but original drummer Dennis Elliott?

Denny got up to current drummer Chris Frazier‘s kit and smashed out the beats of Long Way From Home, and of course, Foreigner’s other signature song, Hot Blooded. As unexpectedly mind-blowing this was, it wasn’t the first reunion this tour. Last month in New York, Mick Jones brought up Lou Gramm, along with original members Ian McDonald and Al Greenwood for the first time since 1979.

I’m pretty confident in saying that everybody went home either happy or drunk. But hey, whether you felt like the flame, or needed cooling, or were as cold as ice that night, Foreigner proved that even without Lou Gramm, they still bring stars to people’s eyes, jukebox hero or not.

Ringo Starr and the All-Starr Band coming to Clearwater, but not the way you think.

This week, Sir Paul McCartney made his long awaited stop in Tampa for the first time in 12 years. But the other living Beatle is also headed for the Sunshine State.

Ringo Starr and the All-Starr Band will already be making a stop in Florida this tour, just in Ft. Lauderdale for two nights at the Parker Playhouse. But sometime before or after those shows, he will play Clearwater. But it won’t be a ticketed performance. Ruth Eckerd Hall has a very exclusive “Friends Of Music” club that you must be invited to pay to get in, and only special people who have paid roughly $5,000+ get full access to exclusively private concerts by big name artists that do not take place at Ruth Eckerd Hall. Artists through the years have included Hall & Oates, Foreigner, Styx, and Toby Keith.

Ringo’s last time in Clearwater was in October of 2014 with his beloved All-Starr Band. It probably won’t happen, but in the meantime, here’s hoping that the performance will be made public. If not, maybe Ringo will drop by Tampa for at least one more public show before retiring to his octopus’s garden.

Peace and love.

CONCERT REVIEW: Paul McCartney goes “one on one” with Tampa

Where were you on September 17, 2005? Maybe you were a teenager, child, or toddler. Maybe you didn’t live in Tampa. Hell, maybe you weren’t even born yet. But some special people were at Amalie Arena, then known as the St. Pete Times Forum, seeing Sir Paul McCartney, a quarter of the biggest band of all time, live. It was only his third time in Tampa. Until his 1990 stop at the old Tampa Stadium, his only time in Florida for a ticketed performance was in Jacksonville with The Beatles in 1964.

But now, things are different.

Paul McCartney playing away on one of his two pianos onstage at Amalie Arena.

In April, the people over at Amalie Arena made the groundbreaking announcement that The Cute One was going to present his One on One tour at the venue, causing a practically instant sellout. People were literally standing in line at the box office to get their tickets the old fashioned way. Those that had seats behind the stage were probably feeling incredibly lucky because we all knew that if we didn’t have a ticket already, we’d have to be dedicated to Macca enough to risk buying an overpriced nosebleed seat on StubHub, and then face the fact that there would be a slight chance that you wouldn’t get in, considering all the bots on there.

The doors opened at 6:30, food and merchandise stands opened, and at 8:38, the blue spotlights on stage went out. Some eighteen-or-so seconds of darkness later, there he was. Macca, in a white button down and dark blue blazer, received probably the loudest roar of excitement ever given at this venue upon walking out. The show opened with A Hard Day’s Night, a song that he hasn’t played on tour since The Beatles’ 1965 tour, followed by a lively blast-from-the-past, Junior’s Farm.

Paul McCartney told stories of his career, and cracked jokes with Tampa on Monday night.

“I’ve got a feeling we’re gonna have a lot of fun here tonight!” Paul declared. There was no doubt in anyone’s mind that he was right. Every element of the show, from the 39 song set list to the psychedelic laser show during Being For The Benefit of Mr. Kite!, made the tickets worth purchasing in every way. And only two decades of his long and winding career were ignored. Though pushing the 90s and 2000s aside, Paul went as far back as The Quarrymen’s In Spite Of All The Danger. Whaddya mean “who?!” They were the band that would evolve into The Beatles! On the other hand, the first few verses from his 2015 collaboration with rapper Kanye West and singer Rihanna, FourFiveSeconds, was also given a segment to shine.

To bring the 60s into the show, Paul and friends made a point to pick and choose mostly the better known songs of his off of every Beatle studio album, except for Beatles For Sale and Yellow Submarine. Representing the 70s, to a lesser extent, were those monumental anthems from Wings. A piano-driven Nineteen Hundred and Eighty-Five, and a turbulent ride through Jet were both early specifics on the setlist. The 80s? We were treated to 1980’s Temporary Secretary, and also a heartbreakingly poignant composition from his career, which I’ll get to.

Paul told stories of all kinds, from the time he saw Jimi Hendrix open a show with the Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band title track two days following its release, when he was told by the Russian Defense Minister how his records helped him learn English, and to when he fell in a hole onstage during his last visit to Tampa. “I’m lucky to be here tonight.” he remarked. Sadly, many of his musical compadres were not so lucky. He dedicated songs like Love Me Do to late Beatles producer George Martin, who passed away last year, and earlier, Maybe I’m Amazed to his first wife, Linda Eastman.

But the two major dedications he made were to the two fallen Beatles, John Lennon and George Harrison.

Paul dedicated his 1982 album track, Here Today to Lennon, following a twenty-six second applause, after Paul demanded to “hear it for John.” The song was written shortly after his 1980 death in New York City, and was written as “like, a conversation we never had, where I could tell him things I couldn’t tell him.” A lot could have been gotten out of the entire show, but he concluded that segment with a really good life lesson:

“If you want to tell someone something, tell them now.”

Later on in the show, Paul was handed a ukulele, and began a relatively upbeat rendition of the Harrison penned Beatles track, Something. But out of nowhere, once the first three verses were complete, the entire backing band broke in and finished the song off the way it originally sounded, with a slideshow of photos of primarily Harrison scrolling by.

Following his main set ending with Live and Let Die, which involved about four explosions and some fireworks, and Hey Jude, which surprisingly did not start much of a sea of cellphone flashlights, Paul brought up two fans to the stage: A Sarasota veterinarian in Paul’s Sgt. Pepper outfit, and her son, sporting a black shirt with the Beatles logo on it. They, by Paul’s request, danced onstage together to Get Back. “Speaking of getting back, we’ve gotta go home!” he concluded, to which boos and moans were his response. His band ripped into the medley you hear at the end of the Abbey Road album, which involved Golden Slumbers, Carry That Weight, and The End. “Tell you what, we’ll see you next time!” were his final remarks to Tampa.

Many people probably doubted that, but from the good spirits Paul was in, and the way he sang and played, there just may be a next time. But hopefully not with a twelve year gap in between.