Posts tagged ‘keswick’

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Buddy Guy, Bela Fleck and the Flecktones: @ the Keswick

Keswick Theatre

Tonight:

November 16, 2011

Buddy Guy with special guests Indigenous and Michael Williams Band!

The four-time Grammy Award winner who inspired Eric Clapton, Jimi Hendrix & Stevie Ray Vaughan – high-energy guitar histrionics & boundless stage energy, along with his uniquely-tortured vocal style nearly as distinctive as his incendiary, rapid-fire fretwork!

 

Tomorrow:

Bela Fleck and The Flecktones

 

 

 

Thursday November 17, 2011

Bela Fleck and The (Original) Flecktones

The Original Line-Up
Bela Fleck * Howard Levy * Victor Wooten * Roy “Futureman” Wooten
plus Marco Benevento

Touring in support of their just-released Rocket Science album – the totally unique quartet that melds jazz, bluegrass, classical, funk, country, world & more into sounds that defy description!

 

Buy Tickets at:

https://www.keswicktheatre.com/ 

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Cake at the Keswick Theatre, Glenside PA 4.18.11

Some may call it “geek rock”, some may call them the “greenest” band on the planet, some may call them post-alternative rock. Whatever the moniker, the band that calls themselves Cake knows how to put on a show. The seasoned veterans put on a monster show Monday night at the Keswick.

The normally tame Keswick crowd was brought to life by the band.  John McCrea, the lead singer/songwriter lead the charge, seemingly almost forcing the crowd to get involved.  Although the Cake faithful were more than happy to oblige…

The band that has notoriously been anti-establishment, anti-big business for 20 years now has slowly but surely built a loyal following that like to have a good time.

Cake’s new album, Showroom of Compassion, marks its 6th carefully crafted, self-released, studio album. (Thier albums are known to take months, even years.  As McCrea puts it “this band is a domocracy, and democracy takes a long time.)  It is a great one….be sure to check it out if you get a chance.

Here is the setlist from Monday night:
Sad songs & waltzes
Frank Sinatra
Arco Arena
Opera singer
Bound Away
Long Time
Shaddow Stabbing
Ruby Sees All
Satan is my Motor
(public acknowledgement that there is a dark side)
*Epic Crowd involvement*
Mustache Man (wasted)
Sheep go to heaven

Intermission

Mexico
Federal Funding
Love You Madly
Rock n roll lifestyle
(Thrills)**Gave away an apple tree** for answering the question “the declaration of independence was written on parchmet…what was the parchment made of?” A: sheep skin
Comanche
Sick of you
*massive crowd involvement*
Italian Leather Sofa
Never there

crowd started chanting “need more cake!”!!

Encore:
Short skirt long jacket
Wheels
The Distance

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Leon Russell….opening act?

Leon Russell
Live at the Keswick Theater
Glenside, PA
11/27/10
Setlist….not necessarily in this order:
–Medley: Jumpin Jack Flash (Rolling Stones)>Papa was a Rollin Stone>Paint it Black intro (Rolling Stones)>Kansas City
–Sweet Little Angel (1930’s blues standard > made famous by BB King)
–Dixie Lullaby
–Wild Horses (Rolling Stones)
–Hummingbird
–I’ve Just Seen a Face (Beatles)
–Tight Rope
–Out in the Woods
–Walkin Blues (Robert Johnson)
–Georgia on My Mind (Hoagy Carmichael >made famous by Ray Charles)
–Stranger in a Strange Land
–Delta Lady
–A Song For You

This show had such a strange billing. They had Leon Russell, one of rock and roll’s most gifted songwriter and performers, OPENING for Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes. Nothing against Southside Johnny and his band but Leon should have definitely been the headliner at this show. My guess is that they added Leon to the bill to fill the seats. And fill the seats he did. Now, its not that Southside Johnny was awful; although at times…..they really weren’t very good. Every facet of the band was a wannabe replica of Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band, and in every area they were sub par. The Asbury Jukes were not nearly as bad as Southside Johnny himself, who looked and sounded like a pompous, awkward looking uncle trying to belt out rock music. The crazy part is that they have been around since the mid 70’s. They have a box set. They have a loyal following.

Maybe they were cool back in the day but not so much anymore. Honestly, the main reason that the Southside Johnny show was such a hard pill to swallow was the fact that he followed Leon Russell. And Leon is still cool.
Lets not let Southside put a damper on the overall event. Leon put on a great show, rocking through some of the greatest rock, blues, and R&B standards of our time. He was all business, no nonsense, which I think was a big reason the show was so fulfilling. I don’t think he spoke once in between songs, and to some that was a flaw.

I don’t think so. I like banter just as much as the next one but when you’re placed in an opening slot with an hour to perform, its best to give the crowd what they’re looking for. And it helps to keep his mysterious, rock-star persona alive and well.

So, hats off to Leon Russell. The coolest 68 year old I have seen in a long time.

Here’s a great song off of his self titled album, Delta Lady. I don’t really know what is going on in this video….I think its an old PBS special or something. great tune nonetheless…