Category: Reviews

Equipment, concert, album and movie reviews

B.B. King at Peppermill Concert Hall – Concert Review

B.B. King Tour 2009

I had the opportunity to see one of the most engaging live performers of all time this last weekend, Mr. B.B. King. I saw him at the Peppermill Concert Hall in Wendover, Nevada on November 13, 2009. I have seen video performances of B.B. King but had never gotten a chance to see him perform live. All I can say is thank heaven I got the chance to see him because it was one of the best concert experiences I’ve ever had.

B.B. King is now 84 years old and his playing has slowed down a bit but he still has an excellent feel for blues guitar. His voice is older but it is still rich and full. The thing that really stood out for me is the man’s stage presence. He is an absolutely commanding presence when he walks onstage. His name King is truly fitting because it’s like the King arrived as soon as he walked out onstage. (more…)
Ace Frehley – Anomaly Album Review

Ace Frehley – Anomaly

Even though the new Ace Frehley album “Anomaly” has been out for a couple months I just barely picked it up. I don’t follow every single one of my favorite artists religiously so the new Ace album had slipped under my radar. Luckily, I subscribe to Guitar Player magazine and they did a cover story on the new Kiss album and included an interview with Ace Frehley which is what tipped me off to the new album.

First off let’s back up a bit and talk about the new Kiss album. I don’t have it and I certainly don’t plan on buying it. Why don’t I own the new Kiss album? Because Kiss isn’t Kiss without Ace Frehley on lead guitar and Peter Criss on drums! Oh don’t get me wrong, I enjoy the “after Kiss” Kiss albums and have several of them. I’m also a big fan of Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley. But the new Kiss album is a major turn-off for me because they’re trying to capitalize on the Kiss makeup legacy by dressing up substitute players on lead guitar and drums. That’s why I’m officially boycotting the new Kiss album. (more…)
Michael Jackson – This Is It – Movie Review

Michael Jackson – This Is It

Last night I got the chance to see the new Michael Jackson movie, This Is It. I was excited to see one of my favorite live performers of all time, one more time. I went into the movie without reading any of the reviews so I could make my own judgement on the show. I didn’t really know what to expect other than seeing Michael rehearsing for the tour that he had planned at the time of his passing.

This Is It really is a behind the scenes look at the tour preparations and rehearsal for his O2 tour which was hoped to be a momentous comeback for him. The film starts with interviews of excited dancers who had made it through the tough audition process to be able to be onstage with the King Of Pop. The movie switches Michael footage very quickly which is good, that’s who I wanted to see! (more…)
Make Equipment Hauling A Breeze With A Mini Cart

Rock n Roller R6 Mini Cart

One of the biggest things I dread about playing in a live band is hauling equipment in and out of the gig venue. I have hauled more equipment up stairs and ramps than I care to remember. I always hoped I would get rich enough one day to afford my own roadies to haul my equipment. That’s only happened a couple of times so it’s usually me that has to carry my gear in.

That’s why today I’m recommending to you an excellent mini cart designed to fold extremely small for stowing in your vehicle yet is still strong enough to have a hauling capacity of 500 pounds. This cart is called the Rock n Roller R6 Mini Cart and it’s a real back saver for all you live musicians out there. (more…)
Alice Cooper Theatre Of Death Concert Review

Alice Cooper Theater Of Death Tour 2009

I had the opportunity to see one of my all time favorite artists, Alice Cooper, in concert on October 17, 2009 in Wendover, Nevada. I’ve been a fan of Alice Cooper since I was 6 years old. I would go cruising around with my older brother Craig in his car listening to the “School’s Out” 8-track. In fact the song “School’s Out” is the first song I can remember wanting to hear over and over and over. I would beg my brother to play it while we were driving and he’d always put it on for me.

I’ve only seen him Alice Cooper live once before and that was during the “Constrictor” tour in the 80’s. I remember how amazed I was with the incredible stage show he put on. I was also struck with how fantastic his voice sounded live. That 80’s Alice Cooper concert is one of the concerts that I’ve been to that really sticks out from the crowd. I’ve been to a lot of shows over the years but I still remember almost all of that concert. (more…)
The Beatles: Rock Band Intro and Outro Animations

The other day on Live Musician Central we did a review of The Beatles: Rock Band video game. One of the things we talked about was how amazing the animation was in the game. So today we’re posting up the video clips of the opening and closing animations of The Beatles: Rock Band so you can see for yourself how great they look. On our Playstation 3 system they look much better because the resolution is true HD.

The intro and outro videos were directed by Pete Candeland who is best known for animating The Gorillaz. The videos in The Beatles: Rock Band definitely have his unique style to them and they really take you into another world where The Beatles themselves rule. (more…)
The Beatles – Rock Band Video Game Review

The Beatles – Rock Band Video Game

It’s been done with with some great live bands such as AC/DC, Metallica and Aerosmith, but The Beatles Rock Band is like a dream come true for fans around the world. Harmonix has done an amazing job of bringing the music of the Beatles to life in an interactive setting, giving fans the chance to step into the shoes of any one of the Fab Four and play through their career.

From the time I popped in the game to when I had to force myself to turn it off, I was in Beatles heaven. The re-mastered audio tracks of the game sound amazing and the graphics are visually pleasing. Stages of the game are played in digital representations of the same venues the Beatles played in, such as the Ed Sullivan Show and Shea Stadium. The only stage that differs from the others is the Abbey Road recordings. Rather than show repeated scenes of the historic recording space, Harmonix created imaginative dreamscapes to represent the lyrics and tones of the music being played. (more…)
Movie Review – It Might Get Loud

It Might Get Loud – Jack White, Jimmy Page, The Edge

I’m always up for seeing a movie that has anything to do with the electric guitar or playing in a live band. So when I heard about the new movie titled “It Might Get Loud” featuring Jimmy Page, The Edge and Jack White, I knew I was going to have to go see it. I got that chance Saturday night at the Broadway Theater in Salt Lake City.

It Might Get Loud is about the relationship each of these musicians has with the electric guitar and also with music in general. At first glance I wondered who in their right mind would sit a legend like Jimmy Page down with a young player like Jack White to discuss the electric guitar? Their styles are so different and Jimmy has all these years of fascinating history all on his own. I also questioned the wisdom of bringing The Edge to the party since his style is so completely different from Jimmy and Jack’s. (more…)
Blink-182 at McKay Center, Orem, Utah September 7, 2009

Blink-182

   One of my favorite pop-punk bands is Blink-182. So when I heard they were coming to town I decided to take my two oldest sons and go check them out. They played at the McKay Events Center in Orem, Utah on September 7, 2009.

   Blink-182 is a 3-piece punk band consisting of Tom DeLonge on guitar and vocals, Mark Hoppus on bass and vocals, and Travis Barker on drums. In case you hadn’t heard, Travis Barker survived a plane crash on September 28, 2008 and suffered second and third degree burns on his lower body and torso. He was very lucky to survive and is still able to play drums as well as ever.

   Blink-182 took the stage and immediately launched into “Dumpweed”. You could immediately tell they had the energy to put on a rockin’ show on this night. They followed that up with “Feeling This” from their landmark 2003 album ‘Blink 182’. The guitars were mixed too low in the mix at the beginning of the show and there were some technical problems with one of the guitar changes. Tom DeLonge let his guitar tech have an earful about the guitar not working properly and made him apologize to the audience. It was all in good form though and they had the guitar mix fixed by about the 4th song.

(more…)
Concert Review – Blondie at Peppermill Concert Hall August 29, 2009

Blondie "Call Me Invicible" Tour 2009

I got to see Blondie perform at the Peppermill Concert Hall in Wendover, Nevada on August 29, 2009. It’s the first time I’ve been to a concert at the Peppermill Concert Hall which has been booking major acts for some time now. I had heard a lot of good things about the Peppermill Concert Hall so I was looking forward to checking out the venue.

The Peppermill Concert Hall really did live up to the hype. It is a small theater and every seat in the house has an excellent view of the very large stage. I was really surprised at how well laid out the stage and seating were. Like I said, the stage is very large and Blondie had a lot of extra space on each side of the stage. A performer with a larger stage show could easily set up on that stage. Alice Cooper is coming there in October so I may just pop out there and see him. It would be interesting to see how much of a stage show he sets up in a venue like the Peppermill. He has had some legendary stage shows. (more…)