Wolfgang’s Vault Concert of the Week-Bonnie Bramlett

click picture to play concert

30 years ago today…

This, the first of two shows recorded at New York’s famed Bottom Line club, was presented on a tour designed to be a comeback for blue-eyed soul belter Bonnie Bramlett.

On this recording, Bonnie attempts to recapture the magic of the soul/gospel/country/blues/rock mix that she and Delaney had so carefully crafted. The material on her solo albums was never as good as what D&B had done (none of these songs made it to radio play lists), and Delaney’s ability to arrange songs is sorely missed, but she comes pretty damn close more than a couple of times, especially on the funked-out version of the Dolly Parton song “Holding On To You” and the old Delaney and Bonnie R&B rocker “Living On The Open Road.”

Regardless, Bramlett certainly proves on this recording that she was still in possession of some remarkable vocal chops. Her powerful growl surfaces more than once during this show, and her backing band is more than adequate. Among the highlights are the soulful ballad, “Don’t Know Why,” her rocked out version of Blind Faith’s “Can’t Find My Way Home,” her gospel remake of the Beatles’ “I’ve Just Seen A Face” and the retrospective ode “Can’t Stay With You Tonight,” written for her ex-husband. “I wrote this song,” she tells the audience, “because I fell in love with a tremendous liar. I still love him, and he’s still lying.”

Bonnie Bramlett
Bottom Line
New York, NY
05/01/1978
Early Show

Tracklist

01.Introduction 5:04
02.Living On The Open Road 4:30
03.Holding On To You 4:05
04.Writing On The Wall 3:18
05.Don’t Know Why 4:23
06.Can’t Stay 5:49
07.Atlanta, Georgia 5:56
08.Can’t Find My Way Home 8:59
09.I’ve Just Seen A Face 6:57

Bonnie Bramlett – vocals
Ricky Hirsch – guitar
Allen Kaatz – guitar
Robert Wilson – bass
Rick Allen Sutherland – piano, organ
Big John Thomassie – drums
Patty Smith, Carolyn Brandt – backing vocals

jroxx note: Bonnie Bramlett was the first white Ikette before she partnered with Delaney to form Delaney & Bonnie in 1968

Bruce Springsteen’s Farewell Eulogy to Danny Federici posted on Bruce’s Website

Bruce Springsteen posted the eulogy he delivered at Danny’s funeral on April 21 in Red Bank, New Jersey on his website today along with a video tribute.

Was (Not Was) announces Tour Dates in support of Boo!

Fresh off a UK tour, veteran art-funk outfit Was (Not Was) is getting ready to traverse the US to support its first studio album in nearly 20 years.The outing is set to get under way tonight (4/30) in Somerville, MA, and visit more than a dozen clubs and theaters from coast to coast through mid-May. The band will also drop by NBC-TV’s “Late Night With Conan O’Brien” this Thursday (5/1).

Tour Dates

April 2008
30 – Somerville, MA – Johnny D’s

May 2008
1 – New York, NY – Blender Theatre at Gramercy
2 – Philadelphia, PA – World Cafe Live
3 – Annapolis, MD – Rams Head
6 – Alexandria, VA – The Birchmere
7 – Pittsburgh, PA – Rex Theatre
8 – Columbus, OH – Lifestyle Communities Pavilion
9 – Detroit, MI – Majestic Theatre
10 – Chicago, IL – Abbey Pub
12 – Milwaukee, WI – Pabst Theater
13 – Minneapolis, MN – Cabooze
15 – Englewood, CO – Gothic Theatre
17 – Portland, OR – Wonderland Ballroom
18 – Seattle, WA – Tractor Tavern

Full Story on Live Daily

jroxx note: Boo! is a great album with top notch musicians. They took almost 20 years to make a follow up to their last album and it was well worth the wait.

Roger’s Pig Found

Two couples found tattered halves of the pig in their yards, a few miles from the festival grounds. Concert organizers had offered a $10,000 reward for the pig’s return. On Tuesday, pieces of the plastic carcass were examined. “That’s definitely our pig,” producer Bill Fold said. Susan Stoltz found a plastic heap in her driveway Monday, but said she didn’t know what it was until she read about the missing pig in the Desert Sun newspaper. “My kids are going to think I’m so cool,” she said. Another resident of the same neighborhood, Judy Rimmer, said she found a piece of the pig draped over a front-yard plant. The two couples will split the cash reward, Fold said.

Rock Art Wednesday

Sorry folks I’m having problems loading the images to this week’s RAW on my way into the city this morning. I stayed up till 2 trying to put the finishing touches on a much anticipated artist. Knowing my schedule once I step off the train I’m making the tough call of holding off until next week which I promise will be well worth the wait.

So little time, so much to do…….

CB

Rock Band members and Guitar Heroes: your social network has arrived in uRockHard

uRockHard. It’s a combination of a Facebook and YouTube world, allowing Guitar Hero playing posers to upload videos of their best jams.

You can view the works of others, from Karaoke, Rock Band, Guitar Hero, and there are even channels just for real musicians and even air guitar virtuosos.

Full post at Crunch Gear

Trent Reznor On a Roll…….

Gotta love when an artist does all he can to make sure the true fans get the best seats in the house.

Yesterday Nine Inch Nails announced a unique concert pre-sale that offers registered fans the best seats, a ticket imprinted with their name, early venue access and more. Mastermind Trent Reznor even shares that he’s not sure he can’t do better:

“We’ve been working very hard to get the best tickets in the hands of the fans, bypassing scalpers, ticket resellers, and ticketing agencies… This has been a difficult process to bring together outside of The Spiral (NIN’s fan club), and frankly, it’s a work in progress.”

Tuesday April 29th is Ben & Jerry’s 30th Annual Free Cone Day!!!

In 1977, lifelong, ex-hippie friends Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield completed a correspondence course on ice cream making from the Pennsylvania State University. In 1978, with a $12,000 investment the pair opened an ice cream parlor in a renovated gas station in downtown Burlington, Vermont.

Free Cone Day is an annual event held in late April or early May, in which Ben & Jerry’s scoop shops give out free ice cream cones all day. This year’s event, taking place on Tuesday, April 29, 2008, marks the company’s 30th annual Free Cone Day.

The first Free Cone Day was held on May 5, 1979. It was done by Ben and Jerry as a customer and staff appreciation event for the one year anniversary of their ice cream store’s opening. The 29th annual Free Cone Day was celebrated on April 17, 2007.

(courtesy wikipedia.com)

From the Ben & Jerry’s Website:

If you love something, get it free! Thank you for another fantastic year! Find a participating scoop shop

They also have blessed us with their versions of our favorite bands turned into ice cream flavors:

Cherry Garcia® – Cherry Ice Cream with Cherries & Fudge Flakes

Phish Food® – Chocolate Ice Cream with Gooey Marshmallow, a Caramel Swirl & Fudge Fish

Go get yourself a free cone!!!!!

You know you want one!

Guitar Hero: Gateway Drug to Six-String Bliss

A recent Wired article points to the fact that over 14 million units of Guitar Hero have been sold in North America since the game’s release in 2005. Will we look back 10 years from now and be able to point to the current popularity of Guitar Hero and Rock Band for all the great new guitar rock we will be listening to in 2018?

“The wildfire success of music games like Guitar Hero and Rock Band is causing a subtle revolution in popular music — maybe not on the level of the British Invasion of the ’60s, but noticeable nonetheless. The games are bringing about renewed interest in the guitar, a music-making machine that’s been losing traction lately to turntables and laptops. Guitar Hero is like a gateway drug that’s getting a new wave of players hooked on guitar.”

“There’s even a videogame coming that promises to bridge the gap between game guitar and music lesson: Guitar Rising will purportedly let users play a Guitar Hero-type game using an actual guitar instead of a plastic controller.”

I can’t play a note a of music but have been to endless concerts and experienced the joys to truly love a band/artist or song so much you would do anything and travel anywhere to hear it performed live. I have felt those goose bumps and have had my eyes filled with tears when you know your in the presence of something magical happening on stage. When I was younger I pissed away my video game time on Space Invaders, Qbert, Mario Brothers and Zelda . Imagine where I’d be if I could have been rocking to Velvet Underground or crushing Metallica songs in my living room? These kids are being exposed to great music and if it leads to more guitar legends and gets kids out to concerts…..start cranking those games out monthly.

Check out the whole article over at Wired here.

Read my January post ‘Digital Jams’ here.

Will video games saves the music industry?

Baskin Robbins $.31 Scoop Night April 30th to honor America’s firefighters!

31 cent Scoop Night.

Wednesday, April 30th from 5 PM to 10 PM

This is a chance for all of us to support a VERY worthy cause!

From Baskin-Robbins 31 cent night website:

Join us for 31 Cent Scoop Night at Baskin-Robbins® and help us honor America’s firefighters. Participating stores will reduce prices of small ice cream scoops to 31 cents.* At some locations, you may also have an opportunity to make a donation to your local fire charities.

(* 2.5oz scoops are 31 cents plus tax where applicable. Limit 10 scoops per person, per purchase.)

The National Fallen Firefighters Foundation remembers America’s fallen heroes and assists their families. The organization provides firefighters with training to prevent deaths in the line of duty and offers the public information to prevent fires in our communities.

A donation of $100,000 will be made by Baskin-Robbins® to the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation. At select local stores throughout the country, you may also have a chance to donate to your local fire station.

Baskin-Robbins is proud to support this worthy cause. We encourage you to learn more about the foundation by visiting www.firehero.org.