Previous Show Reviews
Antietam Music Review
Jimmy Buffett
& The Coral Reefer Band
Jiffy Lube Live
Bristow, Virginia
August 7, 2021
By Jeff Taulton
After a long, frustrating two-year break, Jimmy Buffett once again returned to the Mid-Atlantic. The party pirate, now looking at 74, performed his first show in ole Virginia since 2019. ParrotHeads would never admit to any show being worth the wait however, this gig was truly “all of that and then some”.
Buffett and his eleven-piece, eclectic ensemble known as The Coral Reefer Band, opened with “Down At The Lah De Dah”, from the 2020 studio album “Life On The Flip Side”. This one, yet another fun filled singalong, is destined to be a regular in the set for sure. Wasting no time, the king of cover tunes kicked into “Brown Eyed Girl” a crowd pleasing standard often saved for a late show boost.
Buffett appeared energetic, comedically intact and cognitively acute. There are few musicians today that can converse with their audience and genuinely make each customer feel that personal, emotional touch. He really is that old friend you look forward to seeing every year.
The singing storyteller reminisced about days gone by in the Virginia, Maryland and DC region. He shared heartfelt stories of the late Jerry Jeff Walker, thanking the Texas legend for, “Taking me to Key West back in 1972.” Buffett also served up a loving tribute to Fingers Taylor, whose unique harmonica sound remains synonymous with Jimmy Buffett music. And who knew the ever-predicable “Salt Salt Salt” chant originated in Bristow, Virginia? Seems like new Buffett related trivia pours out every night. That informative nugget is right up there with the ancestral creation of “ParrotHead” in Cincinnati.
While Buffett may have been more talkative than usual, it was sooo entertaining! Don’t worry folks, his long-winded, animated anecdotes didn’t cut the setlist short! Powerfully dependable go-tos included, “Fins”, “One Particular Harbor” and “Volcano”. Stephen Stills’ “Southern Cross” has been a sure thing in the Buffett live show for over twenty years now! (And it never gets old).
Jimmy Buffett is consistent with presenting an incredibly talented live band every year! Included once again in this all-star line up was 10-time CMA Musician of The Year, Mac MacAnally. That’s correct, 10 times in a town totally saturated with musicians flaunting ungodly musical abilities! MacAnally, (a ParrotHead favorite) demonstrated his credentials with a superb rendition of The Allman Brothers’ “Martha”. How ‘bout you just put the earbuds in and look up Mac’s version of that little ditty up on YouTube… Wow! That will be five minutes of amazement you will periodically return to for inspiration!
A Jimmy Buffett concert remains more than just a family gathering. It’s now an annual multi-generation event. Yes, there are now great-grandparents with their great grand-kids at Buffett shows. Think about that!
As is the tradition, Mr. Buffett ended this beautiful summer night in Virginia with only an acoustic guitar and his vocals. “A Pirate Looks at Forty”, means so much more these days… AMR
https://www.jimmybuffett.com/
***
UFO
Tally Ho Theater
Leesburg, Virginia
February 21, 2020
By Jeff Taulton
Ancient alien theorists have predicted that very few screaming rock & roll bands, especially vocalists, from the early 1970s, would exist in the year 2020. Well, well… There are those few exceptions, freaks of nature some would say that have proved them wrong! Phil Mogg is among them.
At 71, Mogg and his longtime band, UFO, are selling out venues all over the world on their “Last Orders 50th Anniversary Tour”. Yeah, we’ve all heard that before, “This is our last tour, our last show, your last chance…” Mogg however, has made it very clear in official, genuinely sincere statements, “This is it.”
At a packed Tally Ho Theater in Leesburg, Virginia the group’s traditional bell chimed just a bit after 9PM and UFO came out hard and heavy with “Mother Mary” then “We Belong To The Night”. The tone was literally set, the musical Gods were in alignment… this was going to be something special!
The 2020 lineup backing Mogg are no strangers to UFO fans or the world of rock & roll: Vinnie Moore (Guitar), Neil Carter (Keys / Guitar), Rob De Luca (Bass) and Andy Parker (Drums).
The extremely powerful set continued riding the cosmic fence of Hard Rock verses Metal with Moore shredding the way at supersonic speed. The band was tight, the musical chemistry was salient and above all, Phil Mogg was spot on!
Just like a strong American football team, UFO pounded things to the next level for the second half into the final half-dozen tunes. The intro to “Cherry Cherry” kicked the evening into overdrive while the enthusiastic, muti-generational crowd responded accordingly.
Just then, out of the heavens fell, “Love To Love”, a most powerful ballad that has been underappreciated by so many for so long. UFO fans (AKA Space Cadets) are so happy that this beautiful masterpiece is part of the crowning launch.
The final presentations firmly sealed this electrified, melodious deal with “Too Hot To Handle”, Rock Bottom”, “Doctor Doctor” and “Shoot Shoot”.
UFO will conclude their American tour real soon in Florida, before trekking to South America then, back to Europe. The legendary rock band have enjoyed a very knowledgeable, dedicated following in the United States for nearly fifty years. Mogg, “The voice of UFO”, is no question one of the most enduring, unique vocalists in Rock & Roll history. AMR
www.ufo-music.info/index.html
***
The Outlaws
Luhrs Performing Arts Center
Shippensburg, Pennsylvania
May 17, 2019
By Jeff Taulton
Southern rock royalty visited Northern soil on May 17th, wasting no time making a mulish musical statement. The Outlaws, known for their “in your face Guitar Army”, opened for Blue Oyster Cult at Luhrs Center at Shippensburg University. The evening turned out to be a dubious scheduling collaboration for BOC fans as Dale Oliver and Steve Grisham tastefully shredded through 60 minutes of guitar slinging, southern hospitality. The full house was left in awe while legendary southern gentleman, Henry Paul and his seven-piece band, immediately seized control of the festive fury, taking no prisoners!
Kicking things off with southland classics, “There Goes Another Love Song", “Hurry Sundown” and “Freeborn Man”, was quite the ear opening adventure but, only the prelude of a powerful, convincing set. The fleeting musical moment continued with the band’s most successful commercial effort, “Ghost Riders In The Sky” and Paul’s solo treasure, “Grey Ghost”. The latter is the title track from The Henry Paul Band’s project from 1979 and was penned as a tribute to Paul’s friend and rock & roll icon, Ronnie Van Zant.
Henry Paul’s distinctive vocal presentation and lyrical approach have long been salient, recognizable components of The Outlaws’ music. There are very few charter members of southern rock still around that helped create and cultivate this uniquely recognizable sound. The Outlaws’ current lineup also includes the coolest name in rock & roll, Monte Yoho. The storied drummer has been a fixture of the band’s consistent tempo since the 1970s. Firming up this gifted unit are Randy Threet (Bass), Dave Robbins (Keys/Piano) and Jaran Sorenson (Drums/Percussion)
The Outlaws also offered up a taste of something new in South Central Pennsylvania with, “Southern Rock Will Never Die” slated to be included on a forthcoming album later this year. They closed appropriately with their southern rock anthem, “Green Grass And High Tides”.
The Outlaws have earned a substantial loyal following throughout the past five decades. While they may not be a mainstay on current pop radio, the band continues to forge ahead with an exceptional live show built around an abundance of immeasurable talent.
What’s more, Paul and Robbins also tour with the band, BlackHawk, which includes several members of The Outlaws. Both highly proficient ensembles will be touring America throughout the summer. The staff at AMR strongly encourage you to check ‘em out! ~AMR
www.OutlawsMusic.com
www.BlackHawkLive.com
***
Peter Mayer Interview December 2018
By Jeff Taulton
Many casual American music fans know Peter Mayer as the longtime lead guitarist for Jimmy Buffett’s, Coral Reefer Band. Mayer has had what some consider “the coolest summer job on earth” for nearly three decades now. In the “off season” however, the son of Lutheran missionaries keeps busy with a vast array of other musical endeavors. Mayer has over a dozen solo projects under his guitar strap and has produced and/or recorded for numerous other artists including his son, Brendan Mayer.
A few years ago, the singer/songwriter realized that one of his most fulfilling and worthwhile ventures is the Peter Mayer Christmas Tour. To Mayer fans, his solo tours are already legendary and the Christmas shows are deemed even more special. This year, Mayer and company will spend most of December travelling America from coast to coast performing in small theaters and churches. You might say his Christmas gig elicits a contrasting atmosphere to that of his summer band of piratical gypsies.
Pete was kind enough to talk with Antietam Music Review recently about his 2018 Christmas tour.
AMR: When did you start doing Christmas tours and what inspired you to do so?
PM: “When I was living in St. Louis, I played at churches and venues in the area, sharing the Christmas songs we had written. By the year 2000, we had recorded “Stars and Promises”, our first Christmas album. The Christmas tour officially began about that time. My brother Jim and I, along with percussionist R. Scott Bryan, would go to various venues and hire string players in each city to perform with us. It was a wonderful time. From just a few shows in the early days, we’re now up to doing 15 or so shows a season. This makes our 19th year for the Stars and Promises Tour.
AMR: Tell us about your Christmas band.
PM: “We have a 7-piece band of wonderful musicians that include piano, keys, guitar, violin, mandolin, bass, percussion and native flute. This year’s band is as best it has ever been. All of the musicians are seasoned pros and have played with some of the best in the business. What I love about their shared musical abilities is that we can move to just about any style of music pretty confidently. It makes playing this music each year a lot of fun. To add a bit of icing to the gingerbread so to speak, is our production, provided by Stewart Sound of Asheville, North Carolina. Chad Stewart and his crew have designed a wonderful set for this year and their sound and lights are state of the art.”
AMR: Musicians joining Mayer on stage for this tour are: Chris Walters (Piano/Keyboard), Zeb Briskovitch (Bass), Brendan Mayer (Guitar), Mark Holland (Flute), Miles Vandiver (Percussion/Drums) and Ben Sanders (Violin/Mandolin).
AMR: Will all the material be Christmas themed?
PM: “Yes it will. There will be carols old and new in settings that feature much variety in the music. Musical styles run the gamut from Jazz to Americana, Classical to Rock and Celtic.”
AMR: How did you choose the locations and venues for these shows?
PM: “One of the challenges of playing a Christmas tour is that we have about three weeks to do all of our performances. That is quite a puzzle to solve when trying to make the city to city transportation. When riding by tour bus, it’s doable. We are thrilled to be playing in Hendersonville, North Carolina for our first show at Grace Lutheran Church.”
AMR: Your December 12th show is in Winchester, Virginia, the hometown of Patsy Cline. Have you ever performed in Winchester before?
PM: “I have not, but can tip my cap and perk up my ears for the sounds of Patsy Cline and all the great music she gave us.”
AMR: Will you be touring with Jimmy Buffett again in 2019?
PM: “Yes, it looks that way. Jimmy seems to be related to the energizer bunny and does not slow down for long. It has been an amazing journey to be with him for these 29 years.”
AMR: In addition to being a singer/songwriter and musician you are also an author. How did your book “A Junkman’s Christmas Eve” come about?
PM: “This book came about because of my love for Christmas, its music, its celebration of some “best of us”. I believe there’s not one of us that don’t get stopped in our tracks when a song that accompanied a formative story of our lives plays out of the blue. Ever since I first walked into the living room where my dad would play his classical and popular LPs in India where I grew up, the melodies, harmonies, voices and lyrics of music made sense of the sentences that rattled out of a noisy world each day.”
The Peter Mayer Christmas Tour begins in Hendersonville, North Carolina on November 30th and concludes in Tulsa, Oklahoma on December 20th. Mayer’s book and his CDs are available on line and will also be sold at the events.
Details and ticket information for all shows can be found at www.PeterMayer.com.
***
The Doobie Brothers
Hollywood Casino
Charles Town, West Virginia
May 22, 2015
By Jeff Taulton
The Doobie Brothers visited the Eastern Panhandle of West Virginia on May 22nd, thrilling an enthusiastic, multi-generational crowd, representing at least 5 states and Washington, DC. Whether you are a hard-core DoobieHead or just a casual fan of Classic Rock & Roll this was the ultimate mid-Atlantic, springtime musical event for you.
The eight-piece, post-middle aged ensemble achieved an instant trifecta from the outset with "Jesus Is Just Alright", "Rockin' Down The Highway" and "Take Me In Your Arms". The first pair, originally released in 1972, were amazingly fresh and salient. Although the "Doobies" have had numerous personnel changes over the past 40 years, the longtime '70s nucleus of Patrick Simmons, Tom Johnston and John McFee remain innately intact. Their stage presence was energetic, complementary and positive.
The set for this particular sold-out show included many top-10 hits as well as some re-discovered, previously hidden jewels. One such gem was, "South City Midnight Lady", featuring the golden phonetics of Simmons, tastefully enhanced by the beautifully melodic pedal steel talents of McFee. For many, this lone 5 minute ditty was well worth the cost of admission.
A pleasant surprise to some was, "Takin' It To The Streets", an ambitious refrain known for the distinctive cantata of former Doobie, Michael McDonald. This vocal treasure was covered incredibly by Simmons and bass player, John Cowan. Yes, the same John Cowan of New Grass Revival fame. However, “JC is not your typical bluegrasser turned rocker." Cowan has been displaying amazing bottom end chops for decades, while his pleasantly piercing tenor is second to no other in Rock & Roll today. What’s more, John Cowan is a perfect fit for maintaining the eclectic low end of this fabulous band.
The acoustic selection for the evening was of course, "Black Water", with a clever West Virginia moon reference tossed in by Simmons. The interpretation of this all-time classic was stellar, while easily eliciting an abundance of crowd participation.
After completing an impeccable 15-song set with, "Long Train Running", this incredible unit closed with, "China Grove", "Road Angel" and "Listen To The Music". A fabulous encore to an excellent show indeed.
If you are old enough to have seen The Doobie Brothers in the 1970s, the current lineup will surely blow you away. Referring to this team of seasoned musicians as a "sentimental oldies act" is an insult. The 21st century rendition of The Doobie Brothers are clear, powerful and full of vigorous enthusiasm. ~AMR
www.thedoobiebrothers.com
Charlie Daniels The Outlaws
Jimmy Buffett Bad Company
Devon Allman Jon Carroll
Ricky Skaggs
Mountain Heart
Peter Mayer
Black Stone Cherry
and more...
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