Tag: bruce springsteen

Friday Songapalooza

~ Jim Flanigan ~ 1 Comment

After having a dreadful time finding favorite songs with Wednesday and Thursday in the titles, I am relieved to be at Friday with a plethora of songs from which to choose. Why are there so many songs about Friday? Well, it’s the start of the weekend and time to party, so people want to sing about it. I may be humming a tune myself as I clip my fingernails later on a Friday night. Now that’s a party!

Back in my younger days, I knew it was the weekend and time to party when Chicago radio station WXRT 93.1FM played Another Drugland Weekend by local band The Hounds at 5PM on Fridays. If not for that song, I’d probably still be in the church choir today. If you missed The Hounds in the 70s, don’t fret. You can catch them later this month playing in a bowling alley just across the border in Madison, Wisconsin. Really!

Who’s up for a short road trip? I know the promotional blurb above suggests ordering a cheeseburger, but when I eat at the Bowl-A-Vard Lanes, I prefer their coq au vin or lobster thermidor to satisfy my palate. Highly recommended!

But this isn’t supposed to be a post about songs with weekend in the title. I need to have Friday on my mind as I write this post, which leads me to …

Continue reading “Friday Songapalooza” →
Advertisement

Halloween Hijinks

~ Jim Flanigan ~ Leave a comment

I hope you all had a fun Halloween. We started celebrating the scary holiday by attending Halloweensteen, a Bruce Springsteen tribute concert performed annually by Chicago native singer/songwriter Michael McDermott. It appears to be a beloved Chicago tradition that I had never heard of before with many repeat attendees. Now I know why. The show exceeded our expectations. There’s a big difference between a bunch of local musicians forming a tribute band to mimic an artist’s music and a professional musician like McDermott assembling other professional musicians to interpret and perform another professional’s songs.

Our seats were outstanding. The last time my wife and I were at the excellent and classy Park West concert hall, we stood and swayed through a show by Brit pop-rocker Dave Edmunds. However, my wife has knee issues worse than me, so I called ahead to check and see if we could be guaranteed seats. Well, not only were we provided seats, but they were just off to the side of the stage on a padded bench in a handicappped section. We had a great view.

There was a bit of a problem as drinking progressed at the 2+ hour show. I’ll explain.

Continue reading “Halloween Hijinks” →

A Concert Edition of a Forgotten One-Hit Wonder

~ Jim Flanigan ~ 1 Comment

Back in the early 1990s, Chicago native Michael McDermott was being hailed as the next Dylan or Springsteen or mutant hybrid Dylsteen with a harmonica for a mouth. Even author Stephen King was quoting McDermott lyrics in his books while calling him “possibly the greatest undiscovered rock and roll talent of the last 20 years.” Was he? Take a listen to this rocker from 1993’s Gethsemane album.

Pretty strong tune that one can still hear from time-to-time on WXRT in Chicago. I’ll fight anyone who disagrees with my assessment. Alas, initial fame was not kind to him, and he ended up having to rebuild a broken life and career. He now lives in the Chicago suburbs with his family while making new music in his home studio. And he still plays live shows, one of which I will be seeing tonight! But I’m not sure he will perform “West of Eden.” Here’s why.

Continue reading “A Concert Edition of a Forgotten One-Hit Wonder” →

My Non-Tide Pod Facebook Challenge, Part 2

~ Jim Flanigan

After yesterday’s Part 1 post, I am sure that most readers would have preferred if I had taken the Tide Pod challenge to eliminate any possibility of a Part 2. Sorry, but here it is. Let’s get right into another 6 albums that shaped my musical landscape.

royal scam

Before Steely Dan fans stone me, I know this is not their best album. But it was the Dan album that caught my attention with the funk of “Kid Charlemagne” and opened my eyes and ears to their whole catalog. No regrets. Listening to Steely Dan has helped refine my musical sensibilities.

I regret I never saw them in concert. Walter Becker has now passed away, but Donald Fagen is still touring as Steely Dan. I don’t feel good about that. I think he should tour as Donald Fagen or Steely or Dan, but not Steely Dan. RIP Walter.

Now this next guy looks out of place on this album cover …

Continue reading “My Non-Tide Pod Facebook Challenge, Part 2” →

The Day the Music Died – Part 2, Sunday

~ Jim Flanigan

Despite missing out on concert nirvana on Saturday, I awoke Sunday morning knowing that I would be at a concert that night, for free, accompanied by my lovely wife and complaining 10 year old daughter. When we dragged our youngest to a Cheap Trick concert, the only part she enjoyed was the raccoon working the trash can.

 

I knew that traffic would be negligible and parking would be free since the show would be in our local concert hall. I had received the good news on Saturday.

Rising Tix

Now what the heck is The Rising? It sounds a bit like a Stephen King movie.

Continue reading “The Day the Music Died – Part 2, Sunday” →

Darkness on the Edge of Trump

~ Jim Flanigan ~ 1 Comment

Kudos to Springsteen cover band, The B Street Band, that announced they will NOT perform at the Trump inauguration. I almost feel bad about poking fun at them in a recent post. But they were not blinded by the light, and have removed themselves from the festivities.

However, Team Trump is not giving up easily.

Continue reading “Darkness on the Edge of Trump” →

Born to Run … Away Holding My Ears

~ Jim Flanigan ~ 1 Comment

Finally, the Trump Team secured some big time talent for one of their inaugural balls. Get ready Garden State Ball, it’s Bruce and the E Street Band …

b-street-band-getty-1

wait-what

My reaction exactly. The lead singer does bear a vague, overseas-knockoff resemblance to Bruce, but that is definitely not Clarence on the sax. Turns out I read that wrong. It’s not the E Street Band, but the B Street Band. Take a listen …

Continue reading “Born to Run … Away Holding My Ears” →