Happy New Year!!!!....and all that good stuff....

Since we now have our feet firmly planted in 2011 I figured it's time for me to get moving with this blog again!  I've been such a slacker!  I never gave you guys a review of the December shows I went to.  How rude of me!?! 

In early December I was fortunate enough to attend Hall & Oates shows in Atlantic City and New York.  Both shows were fab but my favorite of the two was definitely NYC!  The Beacon Theater is a gorgeous venue which was fully renovated only a few years back.   

As Jimmy and I were driving in from Atlantic City we planned to meet a friend at a nearby restaurant called Citrus located at the corner of Amsterdam and 75th.  The drinks were fabulous; we opted for a carafe of frozen margarita's flavored with fresh strawberry puree.  Yum!  Our entrees were just as delicious.  My friend and I opted for the pork chop, Jimmy went with the duck.  Great flavors for sure!!  And yes, OF COURSE we had dessert!  If you are ever in the area before a show I highly recommend popping into Citrus for dinner or even just for before-show drinks.  Well worth the visit!

I should mention that before dinner we met at Starbucks for a warming cup of coffee and chatted with other fans that were in and out all afternoon.  After thawing out sufficiently we took a walk to the rear of the theater as we could hear the band practicing during soundcheck.  We heard a few songs including Method of Modern Love...I was really hopeful we'd hear it during the show...but no such luck.  Oh well, maybe next time!

After dinner we walked a short city block to the front of the theater.  There we were treated with the sight of the marquee lit up with Daryl & John's names in bright lights.  The excitement really set in at that point!  We thought it was too early to go in and decided to head to the stage door to cheer Daryl & John on their way in.  At the door we met up with tour manager, Rick Rosabella.  We told him that we were just there to cheer for Daryl and John on their way in and we weren't waiting for autographs, pictures etc.  He seemed happy about that....one less thing for him to deal with I suppose.  Apparently, John was already inside...nice & early as always.  A short time later Mr. Hall arrived with the family.  There was only one other person there to cheer him on.  We got a big smile and a "Hey guys!" as he quickly strolled into the large brick building through the steel doors. 

Now we were really pumped!!  Time to go in and check out the merch, grab a drink and get our seats!  This was actually one of the best merch set-ups I had ever seen.  Manned by about 3-4 theater employees...it was great!  The bartenders were awesome, too!  So awesome, in fact, that she talked my pal and I into a DOUBLE rum & coke!  Dangerous!  But, delicious!  We had to wait about 15 minutes or so before we could get into the theater...that was ok though because we just kept running into bunches of fellow H&O fans that we knew!  I love that!!

15 minutes later we are finally being let in!  There are our seats!  Center section...2nd row from the stage!  Fabulous!  The only complaint that I have was that the the mics, instruments, etc were set really far back from the edge of the stage.  It was a strange set-up; I've never seen them that far back from the front row.  Because of that, when we sat down it basically cut off half of their bodies.  Not the best way to see a show. 

The set list was short, but I kind of expected that.  It was a treat, however, to get 3 Christmas songs for the final encore!!  The band did a great job with those!!  The band sounded great for the entire weekend actually.  They were missing a member though.  Zev Katz (bassist) had already committed to performing at the taping of the Kennedy Center Honors show that weekend.  To my great pleasure, Klyde Jones (Average White Band) sat in for him!  He has a killer stage presence!  Such a treat!! 

Here is the set list:

Maneater
Family Man
Out of Touch
Say It Isn't So
Las Vegas Turnaround (The Stewardess Song)
She's Gone
Sara Smile
Do What You Want, Be What You Are
I Can't Go For That (No Can Do)

Encore

Rich Girl
Kiss on My List
You Make My Dreams

Encore 2

Christmas Must Be Tonight
It Came Upon a Midnight Clear
Jingle Bell Rock

During the show, before one of the songs, Daryl's step-son, Orson, brought him his guitar.  I thought it was so sweet.  I tried to get a picture but I had a jumper in front of me.  If someone out there got one, let me know!  I'd love to see it!

After the show, we skedaddled to the stage door in hopes of getting my pal a picture with Daryl or John.  First out was John along with his wife Aimee.  To our surprise he stopped right away to take a pic!  Yea!!  Thanks John!!  Next out was Daryl along with his family.  He smiled and waved at everyone but got right into the vehicle without stopping.  I have to assume it's because they were with him....and I can totally understand that.  There was so much cheering and screaming for him....he had a HUGE smile on his face.  It was awesome!

We left the car in the parking garage next door.  After the show it was swamped with people so we decided to wait before jamming in there.  You never know who you are gonna run into!  We chatted with some fellow fans and H&O staffers.  Once the parking garage had cleared out sufficiently we decided to go and get the car.  Even though we had held off we still waited for over 30 minutes for the car!  But it worked out great because I was able to get this great pic with Paul Pesco!  Merry Christmas to me!!

Table Mountain Casino - Friant, CA - September 29, 2010



Daryl Hall - Table Mountain Casino



The pictures are up so I thought I'd write a few words about this particular show.  It was an interesting venue to say the least.  As Jim and I were staying just outside of San Francisco it was about a 3 hour drive to the small town of Friant.  Friant is seriously in the middle of nowhere.  Along the way we passed a lot of fields, cows and the ranches that went along with them.  After about 3 hours and 15 minutes on the road we finally came upon the appropriate exit for the casino.  There was a moderately sized gas station and food mart which looked as though it were built quite recently.  We decided to pull in for gas as we were unsure if they'd be open when we were on our way back down the mountain.  Once the tank was filled we were off to see Daryl Hall and John Oates!!

John Oates - Table Mountain Casino

We finally made it up to the casino.  A sterile looking building upon first glance...and it felt the same once we got inside.  The playing area is quite small.  We were able to walk across in about 2 minutes.  There was a VERY small cafe serving snacks and beverages as well as a sit-down restaurant and the obligatory buffet.  I should also mention that this was a DRY casino.....yes DRY!!!  Ugh!  I mean I am no boozer but when I go to a show I like to have a drink or two...oh well.

 Anyhow, we needed to eat something so we opted for the buffet.  It was a good price at only $12 a person.  The price did make us a little leery...but, we went for it.  Oddly enough it was really good!  Our waitress was very pleasant and consistently brought us drink refills and removed the used plates from our table.  Jim and I both thought the salad buffet was great.  Everything was really fresh and plentiful.  They were also serving New England Clam Chowder as the soup of the day...being from New England and having a husband that makes THE BEST NECC I always give others a try to see how they measure up.  This one wasn't half bad.  We sampled the other offerings including mashed potatoes, baked chicken, pasta salad...all the traditional buffet standards.  Everything was well prepared and fresh.  We tried their Asian buffet and it was a poor excuse for Asian cuisine...the Orange Chicken tasted like it had been soaked in Tang....remember Tang??  UGH!  For dessert we each had a small dish of soft serve chocolate ice cream...tasty enough...pretty hard to mess that up.

Eliot Lewis - Table Mountain

During our meal we happened to run into Everett Bradley at the buffet.  He's always so sweet to the fans.  Big hugs all around and then off to finish our meals.

Like I mentioned before...this was a really small casino.  After we ate we took the 60 second stroll over to "Will Call" to pick up our tickets.  We had to wait another 30 minutes or so before we could take our seats.  So we sat at the penny slots for a few minutes and ultimately got in line. 

Once allowed into the Event Center I was truly underwhelmed.  I've been to enough trade shows and meetings at hotels and civic centers in my day.  So I knew that there was a good possibility that the California Chapter of Retired Knitters could have held their convention in the same room a week prior.  The room screamed annual conference not rock show with it's floral carpeted floors and drop ceilings.  Not impressed.  Anyhow...the stage crew were diligently making final adjustments to instruments and mics.  Jim spotted our pal Andrea Muraglia, she's the gal that handles the teleprompter for D among other things.  He told her that I had a press photo with me (I always travel with things to have signed) of Daryl & John with David Ruffin and Eddie Kendrick...she offered to have it signed by D and J and scurried away with it.  About 20 minutes later Road Manager - Rick Rosabella brought it out to us and said how Daryl was glad to see that picture and started telling stories of that night with the Temptations. COOL!!

Paul Pesco & Daryl Hall

We got the skinny about cameras and such from Rick and the security folks.....only small point & shoot cameras would be allowed.  Rats!!  I knew the lighting was going to be total poop...and I was right!  Soon the guys took the stage and all was right with the world!  The guys played Method Of Modern Love which is one of my fav's....they don't play it often enough in my opinion.  About midway through the show this older couple comes and stands next to me all gyrating on one another....the woman was trying to get up to the stage.  Security wouldn't allow it and she took it upon herself to make their home next to me in the aisle.  If looks could kill....she would have been dead...she got the point...

Me & Paul

Encore time!  So I'm all ready to skedaddle to the stage....DENIED!  This security dude was denying me my pleasure...folks on the other side of the stage got right up there...finally the weenie gave in and let me through.  I took my spot right in front of Paul!  YAY!  I will give this security dude credit though....there were two "fine young things" with their hoo haas hanging out and he held fast and would not let them get their way earlier in the show.  Oftentimes I've seen their kind get MORE than their way....so that made me happy.

And then the show came to an end....but it was okay!  I knew I had 2 more shows to go!!  Ooh I should also mention that on our way out we stopped at the little cafe and got a GIANT chocolate chip cookie to share....it was great...all warm and gooey.  And off we went, back down the mountain!

To see photos of this show CLICK HERE!

HALL-o-ween Is Around The Corner - PLAYLIST

Halloween is riding up our coattails!!  I drove by a house in my neighborhood earlier today and they had no less than 25 carved jack-o-lantern's on their porch....a little too much time on their hands but, hey, to each their own!  I prefer to celebrate Halloween, or, HALL-o-ween as I prefer to call it, with music.  There's nothing like a special spooky Hall & Oates playlist to get your blood boiling. 

Now you might say "Kerri, H&O don't have any Halloween songs!".  And I would respond by saying "Why yes they most certainly do!" 

Maneater - A grotesque theme with a focus cannibalism.

Do What You Want, Be What You Are - A timeless anthem for boys and ghouls alike!

Dance On Your Knees - ....when an axe murderer has chopped off your feet...

Crazy Eyes - In my punch bowl!

When The Morning Comes - You will have a belly ache from all this candy!

Running From Paradise - Because it's infested with zombies these days...

Screaming Through December - A frightful ballad to say the least.

Head Above Water - That is of course when we are done bobbing for apples.

I'm In Pieces - Another reference to the above mentioned axe murderer?...I'd say so!

Your Imagination - Seeing things again or was that a ghost floating down the hall?

Fall In Philadelphia - Yup...it can be pretty frightening at any time of year...

No Brain No Pain - A traditional zombie folk song.

Better Watch Your Back - Good advice for All Hallows Eve.

So get these tracks together and burn 'em to a CD to get you in the mood for a Happy HALL-o-ween!!!!

Happy Birthday to My Idol & My Inspiration!

Sixty-four years ago my most favorite musician and lyricist was born into this world.  Can anyone guess who that is?  Yeah, I thought you could!  There really is not much else to say...he truly is an icon to me.  His music has been a constant in my life for a long time.  His lyrics lend advice to most any situation.  And more importantly, they tell a story and transport you to another place.  

So rather than bore you all with my sentiments I will share with you a bit of a video/pictorial tribute I conjured up a few months ago.  With that said..I wish the Happiest of Birthdays to my idol & my inspiration.....Daryl Hall....

 

Daryl Hall Solo....Soon....

Sometimes a thought or idea for a blog article just hits me...from out of the blue.  For days now I've been trying to think up a clever way to segue into my reviews of the Hall & Oates shows last week in California.  To be honest, I've got nothing.  I mean, I know what I want to say...how wonderful they were and how great it was to see fans from the west coast, etc etc.....but the delivery...that's what I am undecided on.

So I was reading one of my favorite publications a few moments ago (Goldmine for inquiring minds) and I decided that what I was really itching and longing to discuss is Daryl's upcoming solo album.  While there is still no solid information available out there right now regarding title, track list, special guest appearances...yada, yada, yada.  I simply cannot wait to hear this thing!  What we DO know is that it will be released in the first quarter of 2011 and that it will be on the Verve label.  Everything else is pure speculation.  And I say speculation is GOOD!!  It gets the blood pumping and the mind moving.  I mean, seriously, how awesome would it be to get a Daryl album picking up where Can't Stop Dreaming left off.  A full size serving of soulful, jazzy smoothness from the golden voice himself.  I swoon at the thought!  

It's been 15 years since Can't Stop Dreaming was released to Japanese audiences.  Hmmm...coincidence that H&O are headed to Japan in early 2011??  A lot has happened in Daryl's creative world since then.  And that's to be expected of course.  We'd be fools to think he was in the same creative place or working with the same producers and writers for that matter.  I can't help but thinking this album will take on a "rock-ier" feel given the direction of Live From Daryl's House and it's appeal to the younger crowd.  

And now to tie in one of my experiences from last weeks H&O shows in CA.  The set's from the first two shows included a song which is in my "Top 5" Hall & Oates tracks.  D & J cracked "Method of Modern Love" out of the cedar chest and played that sucker as if it were 1985.  Pure bliss ran through me and the track sounded better than ever!  You could see the elation on D's face.  I've always thought that "Method" was the quintessential Daryl song...even though it was written by he and Jana Allen...I think the thoughts and lyrics scream Daryl.  If someone were to ask me to name a song that defines Daryl and speaks to what he is about...it's this one, hands down.  Now, if he'd only lose the guitar....





  

Live in JAPAN!!!! Part 1



John Oates - Big Bam Boom Tour

2011 is bringing along with it some great news for Japanese Hall & Oates fans!  Daryl & John will be heading to Japan for a 5 date tour at the beginning of the year.  They'll be making stops in Osaka, Aichi and Tokyo after a 5 year absence.  Although John has had solo gigs in Japan as recently as 2009 it's obviously been quite some time since the fellas have performed there as a duo. 

Japanese die-hard fans are already chomping at the bit for the opportunity to purchase tickets to these shows.  Daryl & John have long been a popular band in Japan.  Their introduction to this country and it's pop-loving culture was via a 5-date tour in February of 1980.  Hall & Oates travelled to the east numerous times in the 1980's including a 7-date tour in 1982, a 9-date tour in 1984, 8 dates in 1985 and perhaps most well known, the 9-date ooh yeah! tour in 1988.  The band continued to tour there through the 90's and early 2000's.  Both Daryl and John have toured there numerous times on a solo basis as well.  



Tour book from the 1980 Japan Tour.

 One of H&O's frequently played venues happens to be the Nippon Budokan Arena, better known more simply as "Budokan".  This arena is located in the center of Tokyo and was originally built in the 1960's for use in the 1964 Summer Olympics. I should also mention that in 1966 the Beatles were the first music act/concert to appear at this arena.   

Back to the 80's...Daryl and John spent a slew of time there and also appeared in countless Japanese magazines and television specials.  They were on the cover of the popular Music Life magazine 3 times and were featured in many issues.  United States magazines typically used official press photos and tended to recycle the same images over and over.  The photo spreads found in these Japanese magazines are unparalleled.  You seriously can't find anything even remotely close to this in the US.   



A Day With Hall & Oates



One interesting spread published by Music Life was entitled "A Day With Hall & Oates".  It featured numerous photos and comments from the band backstage prior to one of the gigs while on the Big Bam Boom tour.  The pictorial gives fans a rare glimpse as to what happened behind the scenes back in those days.  Of course, these pics were taken prior to the concert....there really is no telling what went on after the show!  Even still....these types of shots are not even remotely like anything ever printed in the US....at least not that I have found. 

The photos show band members chatting before the show, John Oates stretches and checks his appearance in the mirror, and Daryl sips on a beverage while relaxing on the sofa.  Check out Daryl's perfectly coiffed hair, Charlie De Chant's wild suit and John's painted-on leather pants! 



John & GE check out an acoustic guitar.









Daryl signs autographs as John checks
himself out in the mirror.







Live Updates From The Road!

6 days to go and all the bags are packed!!!  I think this is the first time I have ever been this prepared for a trip...and quite frankly it's a little scary!  Still tweaking our itinerary on a daily basis to maximise our time on the west coast.  Pretty sure everything is narrowed down at this point.  Some of our stops include Hearst Castle, Pier 39 in San Francisco, walking the Golden Gate Bridge, Disneyland, and a whole bunch more!!!

I've decided that I am going to post video updates from the road at every chance I get.  I'll include the whole trip...not just H&O moments...although those are the best!!  I'll post the videos here and on my Facebook page so they'll be easy to find and follow.  Videos will begin next Sunday AM so stay tuned!!!