Concert Review: Elton John - Seattle, September 22, 2006

We're finally home from a whirlwind evening, leaving home at 4:30,catching the 6:30 ferry to Seattle, rushing to the Seattle Center and fortunately finding decent parking for only $5 less than 3 blocks from the venue for the 8 PM starting time. Elton was prompt - coming onstage within 5 minutes of the stated time, leading to a mad rush for some to get to their seats. Our seats were on the main floor, 14th row. I now remember why I don't enjoy big venues. Immediately everyone on the floor stood, so for the first 5 songs, we had to stand and strain to see (unless we wanted to look at the big screen, but if wanted to watch a concert on a screen I'd rent a DVD). He sang a lot of hits,then six songs from his new CD, then more great hits, for just under three hours! I was amazed. When he came out for his encore, before his band rejoined him, he stood from the stage and signed autographs for about 10 minutes. What a great performer, great man, and great humanitarian.

For those who are interested, here is the set list ofthe songs he performed:
Funeral for a Friend
Love Lies Bleeding
Bennie and the Jets
Philadelphia Freedom
Goodbye Yellow Brick Road
Believe
Tiny Dancer
I Guess That's Why They Call It The Blues
Take Me To The Pilot
I Want Love
Someone Saved My Life Tonight
Postcards from Richard
Never Fade Away
The Bridge
Old 67
Captain and The Kid
Mona Lisas and Mad Hatters
Sorry Seems To Be The Hardest Word
Rocket Man
Levon
Daniel
Crocodile Rock
Bitch is Back
Saturday Night
Encore:
Don't Let The Sun Go Down On Me
Your Song

The evening was interrupted by people climbing over us to get to and on the concourse) and the chatting of several young women behind me,who also sang along to nearly every song. I wanted to tell them if Ihad wanted to hear THEM sing, I would be paying them $135!!

All in all a VERY memorable evening; even John was impressed and he just went along for the ride basically because he knew how much Iwanted to go.

Book Review: The Devil in the Junior League by Linda Francis Lee

It was very upsetting to me when Olivia Goldsmith passed away several years ago as I had loved her wry sense of humor so. I do believe Linda Francis Lee must be channeling Olivia Goldsmith in this wonderful book, The Devil in the Junior League. She has the same fast pace and quick wit that were the hallmarks of so many of Goldsmith's bestsellers. I just loved this book from beginning to end and could hardly stand to put it down once I started it. It was just too much fun to see Gordon to get what he justly deserved. I hope we see more of Frede Ware (and Sawyer!) in upcoming books by Ms. Lee. I will be chomping at the bit until I can get my hands on another Frede Ware book!

Concert Review: Katie Melua - The Triple Door, Seattle, July 2006

Another singer whose musical style crosses several musical genres. Is she folk? Is she blues? Is she pop? Does it matter? This young woman (she is just 21) who was born in the former Soviet Union state of Georgia, immigrating to Belfast when she was eight, and later to England, has a voice of an angel. Her favorite singer is the late Eva Cassidy and there is a lot of Eva Cassidy to her voice. I have been listening to her first album now for well over a year and when the first couple of familiar notes of the songs from that album would begin, it would give me goosebumps. But that was nothing compared to the tears that were streaming down my cheeks when she sang. "Faraway Voice" her tribute to Eva Cassidy. Another wonderful musical evening.

Concert Review: Bonnie Raitt & Keb' Mo': Chateau Ste Michelle Winery - September 2006

Review to come

Concert Review: Lyle Lovett - Chateau Ste. Michelle Winery, July 2006

Review to come

Concert Review: Etta James, Woodland Park Zoo, Seattle, August 2006

REVIEW TO COME

Concert Review: Janiva Magness - The Upstage, Port Townsend, July 2006

Janiva Magness won the Blues Association Award for Best Contemporary Female Blues Artist this year - beating out such wonderful singers as Susan Tedeschi, how fortunate we were to have her come to Port Townsend! She was absolutely magnificent. A wonderful voice and so wonderfully entertaining. I had one of her CDs already and bought three more during the break. I told her I hoped she wouldn't forget Port Townsend now that she had made it big -- and she said she wouldn't.
Unfortunately we had to leave early as we had a committment to walk in the Relay for Life 24-hour walk to raise funds for a cure for cancer so we are really looking forward to her next visit to town.

Concert Review: Rory Block- The Upstage, Port Townsend, July 2006

We saw Rory Block at the Upstage here in Port Townsend last year and we weren't going to miss the opportunity to see her again. She was absolutely fabulous as we knew she would be. We love this venue, it seats around 115, we have dinner beforehand, and we go there often enough that the waitress knows what we want to drink. Most of the time we're able to seat at our favorite table down on the floor near the performer. I can't say enough good things about Rory Block and hope that she comes back to Port Townsend every year.

Concert Review: James Hunter - Triple Door, Seattle

We had seen James Hunter on Jay Leno one evening and were blown away by this British singer whose type of singing although bluesy, defies categorization into a genre. I immediately checked Pollstar to see if he was playing anywhere nearby anytime soon and was thrilled to see that he was playing the Triple Door in Seattle on May 16th only a few about a week and a half away. Discovering he had toured with Van Morrison in the 90s only made me want to see him more. This venue is one we'd never been to before but had been told about. Seating only 350 guests, it is a supper club where everyone has an excellent view of the stage. We arrived early and got a table in the front row of seats. We ordered dinner and I had excellent pomegranate martinis while waiting for the music to begin. I had been listening to his CD nonstop since I had bought it so I was very familiar with his songs by this time and was anxiously awaiting hearing it live. I was NOT disappointed. He was even better live than he is on CD. A wonderful entertainer and held the audience in the palm of his hand throughout the two hours he was on stage. He was accompanied by a wonderful standup bass player and double saxophones. I didn't want the evening to end! As we were leaving the venue, at the door, there was the star of the show himself standing there to meet the guests as they were leaving. I grabbed my CDs to have him sign them (including the early CD I had to order from the UK) and took a couple of pictures. All in all a wonderful, wonderful evening.