Judas Priest at the Tacoma Dome – November 22, 2014

Saturday night on the 22nd of November, Judas Priest played at the Tacoma Dome in Tacoma, Washington and was the last show in the US for 2014. February 21st 2015 the band heads to Australia to play the Soundwave Festivals, then to Japan, UK, and Europe.

The doors promptly opened at 6pm with a long line of people of all ages, from young couples holding babies, to teenagers, to senior age metal heads. It was awesome to see so many supporters of Heavy Metal music and Judas Priest fans.

We took our seats which were a little off to the side, but a perfect view to the stage! The show started right at 7:30pm with the opening band Steel Panther. This show was outrageous and hilarious, probably more appealing to men due to the type of humor, but as long as you’re not offended easily it’s pretty entertaining and they did a great job pumping the audience for Judas Priest.

8:30 sharp, behind the giant blue Judas Priest backdrop, Ritchie Faulkner (guitarist), Glenn Tipton (guitarist), and Ian Hill (bass) played the opening metal anthem to Priest’s new killer song, “Dragonaut” until the curtain finally dropped to the floor with an audible—BOOM! Scott Travis (drums) kicked the song into high gear and my eyes instantly started searching the stage for Rob Halford. Rob started singing, but I still couldn’t see him. After a few more seconds Rob charged onto the stage totally immersed in metal awesomeness!

Judas Priest went on to played a few songs from their 1980 chart topping

album, ‘British Steel’ and it was during the second song on the setlist, “Metal Gods” that I got to hear, for the first time live, the infamous Rob Halford’s high pitched scream! The power of that scream moved through the crowd like lightening and everyone responded loudly with a collective roar with their horns in the air!

Glenn Tipton has been with Judas Priest since 1974 and he and Ritchie Faulkner totally gel together as the two guitarists. They stood side by side at the front of the smoky blue stage harmonizing the opening chords to, “Victim of Changes” from the 1976 album ‘Sad Wings of Destiny’. Then with perfect timing Ian Hill and Scott Travis jumped in, adding the thick background to one of my favorite Priest tunes. Scott Travis is an amazing drummer and really bangs it out on this performance using his speed and complexity talents and, of course, the double bass drums pounding loud and clear throughout the Dome. Rob Halford ended the song with the loudest, most piercing scream I’ve ever heard and my ears exploded with delight!

Fourty years of singing his ass off and “Proud to be a classic metal band from the UK playing for the world,” Rob Halford goes on to say, “The next song is very special to the band, a song with a beautiful ballad and powerful message, “Beyond the Realms of Death.” We all agreed with Rob’s statement and fired up our Bic lighters and waved them high in the dark air for the band to see. Rob has such an impressive vocal range and he really showed off his unique vocal skills for this metal classic. Following the light to dark patterns of the riff, Rob sings in his lower vocal range until the chorus hits and the song awakens and Rob’s high pitched voice becomes the central force. Glenn Tipton played a stunning guitar solo with perfect tone adding a great deal of feeling and emotion to this epic performance.

Throughout the show, Rob Halford was arrayed in his finest leathers and shiny metallic clothing, giving every bit of flair to his performance. Some of the best things about rock n roll is flamboyance and being over the top, so when Rob came out from the back of the stage on a Harley for “Hell Bent for Leather,” it was one of the purest rock n roll/metal moments in my personal concert experience. At this point in the show, and for the last three songs, there was lots of audience participation as Rob held out the mic to the audience to help sing the chorus’s to “You Got Another Thing Coming,” and the encores, “Living After Midnight,” and “Defenders of the Faith.”

Judas Priest has come a long way since 1970 when Ian Hill started putting together one of the most influential and best metal bands in the world and from my experience of the ‘Redeemer of Souls’ show, Judas Priest’s metal glory lives on!

SETLIST:

1. Dragonaut

2. Metal Gods

3. Devils Child

4. Victim of Changes

5. Halls of Valhalla

6. Love Bites

7. March of the Damned

8. Turbo Lover

9. Redeemer of Souls

10. Beyond the Realms of Death

11. Jawbreaker

12. Breaking the Law

13. Hell Bent for Leather

14. You Got Another Thing Coming

15. Living After Midnight

16. Defenders of the Faith

Tour Dates: 

http://tickets.judaspriest.com/

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/OfficialJudasPriest

Review by:

Jill Maciel

West Coast Correspondent

Photos by:

Scott Banning

Hugh Cornwell & Hazel O'Connor on tour together - guaranteed to be a great night!

Hazel O'Connor & Hugh Cornwell on tour together - guaranteed to be a great night out

Hazel O'Connor will perform songs from her stunning back catalogue and her critically acclaimed recent material whilst Hugh Cornwall’s electric performance will include a mix of solo and classic Stranglers catalogue.

Coinciding with the the 2014 release of the new album, Here She Comes, award-winning singer- songwriter Hazel O'Connor teams up with legendary performers - saxophonist Clare Hirst(Bellestars, Communards, David Bowie) and Sarah Fisher (Eurythmics) on keyboards. 

The superb blend of the three voices and musicianship adds a touch of class to their vibrant performance. Her unforgettable songs from the iconic film Breaking Glass including Eighth Day, Will You, Big Brother and If Only seem even more relevant in our present times.

 

Hugh Cornwell is one of the UK's finest songwriting talents and accomplished live performers.

As the original guitarist, singer and main songwriter in the British rock band The Stranglers, he's enjoyed massive success with 10 hit albums and 21 Top Forty singles, etching himself into Europe and the USA's musical psyche with classic songs, including Peaches, No More Heroes, Golden Brown, Always the Sunand Duchess.

Cornwell's latest studio album TOTEM AND TABOO was released to rave reviews. Recorded at Electrical Audio Studios in Chicago, the album was engineered and mixed by the legendarySteve Albini.

For more information on Hugh Cornwell, see links below:

Website – http://www.hughcornwell.com/

Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/hughcornwellofficial

Twitter – https://twitter.com/hughcornwell

For more information on Hazel O’Connor, see links below:

Website - http://www.hazeloconnor.com/

Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/HazelOConnorOfficial

Twitter - https://twitter.com/Hazel_oconnor

HAZEL O’CONNOR & HUGH CORNWELL (The Stranglers) - November & December 2014 – UK Tour Dates

Wed 26 November               CHESTER – The Live Rooms

Thurs 27 November             STOCKTON – Arc

Fri 28 November                  GATESHEAD – The Sage

Sat 29 November                 EDINBURGH – The Liquid Room

Sun 30 November                LEEDS – The Wardrobe

Wed 3 December                 BRIGHTON – Concorde 2

Thurs 4 December               LONDON – Camden - The Electric Ballroom (with JOHN COOPER CLARKE)

Fri 5 December                   BRISTOL – Trinity

Sat 6 December                   MANCHESTER – Academy

Sun 7 December                  NORWICH – Epic Studios

Tickets for all the above shows are available from the following:

Box Office No: 0844 478 0898

Website -  http://www.thegigcartel.com/artists/profile:520

posted by Marilyn Michaels

DENNIS DeYOUNG ~ THE MUSIC OF STYX

AT

THE ADMIRAL 16 NOVEMBER 2014

Sunday night Dennis DeYoung, the original voice of Styx, came to Bremerton, Washington for his Music of Styx tour and played at the historic Admiral Theatre. The Admiral Theatre was a movie house in 1942 and then was renovated in 1997 into a charming live entertainment and events venue. The bottom floor has a restaurant ambiance with linen covered tables and lit candle centerpieces. The top floor is a balcony with seating, overlooking the good sized stage.

The band started taking their places on the stage around 6:20pm. First, the beautiful Suzanne DeYoung on backup vocals, Craig Carter on bass, Dave Anthony on drums, and it turns out Dave had just joined the band the night before, John Blasucci on keyboards, Jimmy Leahey on guitar, and August Zadra on guitar and vocals. Dennis DeYoung made his way out last to an excited and cheering audience and took his place behind his keyboard to join in on the intro to “Grand Illusion”.

In 1972 while with the band Styx, Dennis penned the breakthrough hit, “Lady” which took Styx to a gold record status. Getting to see Dennis sing this song live was a huge and memorable moment. A fifty plus year career in music entertainment for Dennis DeYoung and his voice sounds as fresh as it did when he first started his singing career. “Lady” was the second song on the setlist and it just gets more brilliant as the show goes on!

Dennis joked around about being 67 years old, telling us about a friend of his that said, “Dennis, 67 is the new 40,” and Dennis responded to his friend, “Well, you 40 year olds must feel like shit then!” Dennis looked fabulous and gave a high energy show with some snazzy dance moves, including the robot during the super fun, “Mr. Roboto”. – KILROY!

Guitarist August Zadra stood under the spotlight with his acoustic guitar and started picking out the chords to “Crystal Ball”. He had our ears and hearts and then he went on to sing the opening line and everyone acknowledged this man’s talent by delightfully shouting their approval. The whole band joined in on the song and Dennis displayed his power and technique on the keyboards with an awesome solo. The talent on the stage was undeniable and August Zadra proved this with a perfectly toned guitar solo at the end with notes that cut through the air.

Between the years of 1970 and 1984, Dennis DeYoung wrote and sang lead vocals on six of the band Styx’s biggest hits. Their popularity was confirmed by the audience as they played five (Babe, Mr. Roboto, The Best of Times, Lady, and Come Sail Away) of those hits for us on this evening. “Babe,” Styx’s biggest hit to date, was written, Dennis said jokingly, as a gift to his wife to save him money on buying her jewelry. I really appreciate a good sense of humor and Dennis did a fine job of keeping us entertained through music and laughter! After the song, “Babe” Dennis invited a couple up to the stage for a public marriage proposal, a very sweet ending to an iconic song! If you’re wondering, she answered yes to the marriage proposal….WHEW!

My motto is, the more guitar players in a band the better, especially when they are well matched and the energy between them is true and not inflated with ego and competition for the loudest and fastest solo. Jimmy Leahey and August Zadra are perfectly matched together as a guitar team. The energy and skill between them blends a pleasing electrifying mood. They both play acoustic guitar parts at different times in the show, August, as I’ve already mentioned on “Crystal Ball,” and Jimmy Leahey plays an excellent acoustic guitar part in, “Show Me the Way,” a song Dennis wrote for his son and the military men and woman who bravely serve as our defenders and protectors.

Jimmy Leahey also acoustically opened up the song about America, “Suite Madame Blue.” I have chills just writing about it!! I am going to quote a post by Dennis DeYoung on his Facebook page, 

“By the way the audience in Bremerton gave the longest standing ovation to Suite Madame Blue outside of Quebec I have ever heard. It nearly embarrassed me, I said nearly.” 

An absolutely brilliant performance by Dennis and his band and for that standing O, we got a treat, a song that hasn’t been played live very much, number fourteen on the setlist, “Born for Adventure.”

I was twelve years old when I first heard Styx and started buying their albums, but I never have seen them in concert. Like Dennis asked, “How many people have never been to a Styx or Dennis DeYoung concert?.....well, what took you so long?!” Exactly how I feel, Dennis. I didn’t get to see the original line-up of Styx, but in no way am I disappointed at that! I got to see Dennis DeYoung and this incredible band and the show made an everlasting impact and brought me back to why I fell in love with the music of Styx in 1979!

SETLIST:

1. Grand Illusion
2. Lady
3. Lorelei
4. Blue Collar Man
5. Show Me The Way
6. Mr. Roboto
7. Crystal Ball
8. Desert Moon
9. Too Much Time On My Hands
10. A.D. 1928/Rockin' The Paradise
11. Babe
12. Fooling Yourself
13. Prelude 12/Suite Madame Blue
14. Born For Adventure
15. The Best Of Times
16. Renegade
17. Come Sail Away

Website:

http://dennisdeyoung.com/

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Dennis-DeYoung/303904839630509

Review by:

Jill Maciel

West Coast Correspondent

Photography by:

Scott Banning

Classic Rock Show 2015

Top 20 Greatest Riffs Of All Time - LIVE!

“The classic rock fan’s ultimate live juke box!"

After its sell out 2014 tour,The Classic Rock Show returns in 2015 to perform the ‘Top 20 Greatest Guitar Riffs Of All Time’!

From the extraordinary opening sounds of Led Zeppelin's 'Whole Lotta Love' to Queen's powerhouse anthem 'We Will Rock You' via AC/Dcs 'Back in Black' and everything in between, this show will rock you to your core...Classic Rock doesn’t get any better than this!

This critically acclaimed show celebrates its fifth birthday in 2015, and will toast the occasion in the best possible fashion, with some of the greatest moments in rock guitar history.

This year the show will focus on songs best known for their irresistible guitar hooks, instantly recognisable songs that have earned a golden status in the history of popular music.

Often imitated but never equalled,The Classic Rock Show offers the rare opportunity to hear these timeless classics played to perfection and in all their glory!

A virtuoso band of the finest musicians on the planet will take you on a two and a half hour foot-stomping ride featuring the music of The Eagles, Led Zeppelin, Dire Straits, Pink Floyd, Queen, Deep Purple, AC/DC, Lynyrd Skynyrd,The Who, Eric Clapton, Fleetwood Mac & much, much more!

Exhilarating and entrancing in equal measure, with a climax to the show that is not to be missed…a gem of a rock show.

Sore throat guaranteed!

Tickets are on sale now.

JANUARY 2015

Wed      14         Milton Keynes                The Stables                   01908 280800

Thu       15         Tunbridge Wells             Assembly Hall                01892 530613

Fri       16         Yeovil                           Octagon Theatre            01935 422884

Sat        17         Guildford                       G Live                          0844 7701 797

Wed      21         Leeds                            City Varieties                 0113 243 0808

Thu       22         Salford                          The Lowry                     0843 208 6000

Fri        23         Harrogate                      Royal Hall                      01423 502116

Sat        24         Gateshead                     Sage                             0191 443 4661

Wed     28         Cambridge                     Corn Exchange               01223 357851

Thu       29         Cheltenham                   Town Hall                      0844 576 2210

Fri        30         London                          Cadogan Hall                 020 7730 4500

FEBRUARY 2015

Wed     4           Basingstoke                   The Anvil                      01256 844244

Thu       5          St. Albans                      Arena                           01727 844488

Fri        6          Birmingham                   Town Hall                      0121 345 0600

Wed      18         Edinburgh                      Queens Hall                 0131 668 2019

Thu       19         Aberdeen                      Music Hall                     01224 641122

Sat        21         Liverpool                       Philharmonic Hall           0151 709 3789

0844 844 0444 -Ticketmaster.co.uk / 0844 888 9991 -Ticketline.co.uk / 0871 220 0260 -SeeTickets.com

For more information on the Classic Rock Show please visit 

their website, Facebook or You Tube Channel links below:

http://www.theclassicrockshow.com/

http://www.facebook.com/#!/tcrshow 

http://www.youtube.com/user/ClassicRockShowUK

Leon Alvarado: 2014 – Music From An Expanded Universe

Classic Rock Radio (Dot EU)

15 November 2014

CRR (Dot EU) New Music Review
Spotlight: Leon Alvarado: 2014 – Music From An Expanded Universe (Melodic Revolution Records)

From out of the dark, and into the light. Easier to find stuff when one has sight.

I found this very fascinating EP CD in my mailbox, the day after it's release. Around Halloween. I open the padded envelope and pulled out a CD that has cover art similar to an artist who I dug for decades and who just passed away this year, H R Giger. Inside the CD, I find out its a tribute to the late and great painter, known for being a surreal artist. In lots of his catalog, it's his and others nightmares in vivid detail. Dripping in sexuality, depraved or otherwise. My lovely Sandra and I, in the past, would look at a collection of Giger artwork played a game called "find the penis". Those having IQ scores of a hundred or less, might conclude (in a New York heartbeat) that there is something demonic associated because of the imagery. A frozen hot dog on a clean white plate to one, a meat dildo to others. As music is subjective to an individual's interpretation, so is the creations of the masters.

Straight up, I was completely unaware of the musician whose CD this is. Sometimes I luck out and find players I don't know, and in the process find an extraordinary musician / artist. So much so, I never forget them nor their work and end up becoming a loyal fan (not fanatic...meaning I start buying their products, and attending concerts, etc...). Or they find me, which is cool also. In this case, the songwriter / multi-instrumentalist is Leon Alvarado. Besides the EP of his that I'm reviewing, his bio states Leon had other projects previously, and in doing so has combined forces with musicians admired for their skill including drummer / percussionist Bill Bruford (Yes – King Crimson – UK). That in itself impresses me, for I can't imagine Mr. Bruford nowadays just getting behind the drum kit for just anyone.

The musical stylings on this 24 minute instrumental masterpiece go from ambient to lively new age, to serious prog-rock, to just plain old-fashioned rock. With a jazz vibe somewhere in the mix. People can even dance / march to this. More upbeat than dreary. The quieter moments stimulates the imagination, but it's the more livelier moments that had me give it repeated plays.

Rating: Using the one to five star rating system whereas one star means it pretty much sucks through a long straw, to five stars which means one can safely spend their hard-earned money on it, Uncle G rates Leon Alvarado: 2014 – Music From An Expanded Universe – 5 stars to the tenth power. It's a extremely fine EP that is seriously contagious. If I had to compare, I'd say it reminds me slightly of Steve Wilson's 'Incredible Expanding Mindfuck' project. With Leon Alvarado: 2014 – Music From An Expanded Universe, there's no limitations on where the extraordinary vibes / sounds take you. My fellow Prog-Heads will no doubt dig this, especially the bonus track called, Cinemania “Alive” (typed correctly by the way). This particular song has an early Vangelis vibe that's to kill for.

For Your Information: Helping Leon on 2014 – Music From An Expanded Universe are Trey Gunn (King Crimson), Jerry Marotta (Hall & Oates_Peter Gabriel...many others), Smith6079 (or typed Smith 6079) who is credited with atmospheric guitars on the second track. On the same number, we have Gracenotex, who is noted for Atmospheric keyboards. Artwork done by Synergy Design / Leon Alvarado.

Official Leon Alvarado Website:

www.leonplaysmusic.com

Official Leon Alvarado Facebook

https://www.facebook.com/leon.alvarado

Gary Brown

American Correspondent for Classic Rock Radio (Dot EU)

The Universal Tone

Carlos Santana

Published By Orion Books

With a mixture of luck, dedication, and intense personal effort Carlos Santana has reached unprecedented heights as a Mexican-born, internationally acclaimed artist. Carlos has spent his life as the embodiment of the dreams and aspirations of the invisible people all over the world; The Universal Tone is a testament to his success.  Here Carlos shares his story, weaving in memories of the immortals of musical history including Miles Davis, B.B. King, John Lee Hooker, Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck, Otis Rush and Harry Belafonte; and the many other people who have influenced his life including Cesar Chavez, Dolores Huerta and Archbishop Desmond Tutu.

Carlos’s story begins in the town of Autlán de Navarro, in the state of Jalisco, Mexico where, inspired by his father Jose Santana, a professional violinist, Carlos learnt to play the guitar at an early age.  His career is a journey of success, from the legendary performance at Woodstock in 1969 that propelled Santana to international recognition, before their first record was produced.  They have gone on to win Grammy Awards, three Latin Grammy Awards and countless Gold and Platinum Awards for a body of work that includes Supernatural, one of the most successful albums in history.

Carlos was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1998. This is his story, told for the first time.

Swedish Composer and Keyboard Virtuoso Pär Lindh Releases New Classical Christmas Album 'Three Christmas Concertos'

¨Classical Rock Keyboard Legend Pär Lindh goes all the way and releases his first Concerto in Classical style!¨

Possibly one of the most talented composer and keyboardist to emerge from Sweden, Pär Lindh will be releasing a new classical CD titled 'Three Christmas Concertos'. For those in the progressive rock community Pär Lindh is considered a keyboard wizard – so much so that he was chosen to play keys for the reunion of the legendary Nice (a prestigious position only held by keyboard visionary Keith Emerson). With the release of several highly acclaimed albums, Pär Lindh has garnered worldwide acclaim. And now, for the first time, he has released a purely classical Christmas album!

Says Pär, “I have every Christmas since my youth been listening to the 'Arcangelo Corelli' concerto (as well as Greg Lake's 'I Believe In Father Christmas') so it became a natural idea once I had my own Christmas piece. When I rewrote my concerto 2011 and extended it from the three movements I composed 1979-1981 to four movements. I found then that the third movement had a distinct Christmas carracter. And since my idea is to write four concertos to form a modern version of the four seasons suite by Vivaldi. This Christmas concerto would then have the nickname 'The Winter'. So in the future there will be the spring, summer and autumn.”

This is the first release by Pär's new record label based in Sweden called NORDVERK CLASSICAL MASTERWORKS. Next release is due for early 2015. You will find on this album a new work, which has been predicted to become a future classic, as well as two well-known classical Christmas concertos played in such a way as to give listeners who are familiar with this music a possibility to hear it performed in a new light. 'Three Christmas Concertos' includes the first ever recording of Pär's concerto 'Then Svenska Julkonserten', which was recorded winter 2013/2014. 

The premiere which took place in Sweden on December 4, 2011 was a huge success. Says Pär, “The work recieved thunderous applause after each movement and on one occasion even during a movement. I realised then that this work had the quality to go directly to the hearts of an audience. In November 2013, we recorded the three concertos. Kennet Boman oboe, Anders Lagerqvist kapellmeister and the orchestra has beautifully captured the mood of my work. Manfredini, having written several Christmas concertos, we choose this lovely work to be the sweet balacing piece in C-major between two concertos both in minor keys and of greater length. It has also been a pleasure to record this version of 'Corellis' famous concerto.”

Three Christmas Concertos including a new concerto by Pär Lindh

1. Pär Lindh Concerto grosso in a-minor for oboe, violin, celesta, tubular bells and string orchestra

2. Francesco Manfredini (1680-1748) Concerto grosso per il Santissimo Natale in C-major

3. Arcangelo Corelli (1653-1713) Concerto Grosso i g-minor Fatto per la notte di Natale

Musicians: 

Pär Lindh celesta & harpsichord

Kennet Bohman oboe

Anders Lagerkvist violin (known from Pär Lindh project album Time Mirror)

Kern Westerberg 2nd violin

Torbjörn Helander viola

Natalia Goldman cello

Per Björkling bass

Urban Grip tubular bells

Produced by Pär Lindh

Artistic director Pär Lindh

Kapellmeister Anders Lagerqvist

Recorded by Crimsonic Label Studios

Engineered by Pär Lindh

Mixed at Recordia by Fredrik Larnemo & Pär Lindh

Cover Artwork by Davide Guidoni (www.davideguidoni.com)

Special thanks to Mr David Hoyland

NORDVERK/Crimsonic Label 2014

Here's what the press have been raving about Pär Lindh:

¨Pär Lindh is the Mozart of our time!¨

“A brilliant renaissance for Swedish classical music!¨

“Pär Lindh is the Scandinavian king of the keyboards!”

¨The music was filled with pure magic, beautiful harmony and of such beauty that Pär Lindh should be called the greatest composer of Sweden. He surpasses the world-famous composer Arvo Pärt by far!¨ 

¨Lindh's tonal language goes directly to the heart. Like the music of the great Jean Sibelius!¨ 

¨This unique piece is really a musical gem. Nothing like it has ever been written in Sweden before!¨

¨A storming success! After the last movement the applause just would not stop and the orchestra had to play the last movement allegro moderato once again as an encore!¨

¨A Swedish masterpiece without equal!¨

¨The Vivaldi of Sweden!¨

In closing, Pär has this to impart, “Well the message is that since we unfortunately live in a very dark and seemingly hopeless reality today I just wanted to give people a very positive and beautiful message of hope and goodwill and to help us all meet our tomorrows in a cool, progressive and positive way.”

To purchase Pär Lindh's 'Three Christmas Concertos': 

http://www.parlindh.com/Content.aspx/Shop

For Information & Booking:

www.parlindh.com ;

www.parlindhproject.com ;

info@crimsonic.com