Date-Dec. 7th 2007 Venue-Chevrolet Theatre City, State-Wallingford, CT Time- 7:30
Contributing Writer-Sean Morse
I've been working for Live Nation at the Chevrolet Theatre for a couple years now. When you work in the theatre business you have a wish list of bands you'd like to see come to your venue. Neil Young has been on my list for the past three years so I've long awaited his arrival. It's concerts like this one that make working in the music business worth it. Neil's wife Pegi Young was an opener for all the shows on this tour but she never really peaked my interests. Instead I bought a couple of Rogue brand beers and tailgated for a bit while she played. I met up with my friends with enough time to grab a beer and chat for a few minutes before Neil was about to take the stage for an acoustic set. The lights started to blink and into the theatre we rushed just in time to see Neil start his first song "From Hank to Hendrix". No beer was allowed in the theatre as he wanted people to pay attention for the first set. It was a quiet sit down envionment as the sweet sounds of "Hank to Hendrix" filled the theatre. The crowd roared in envy as he then went into "Ambulance Blues" followed by "Sad Movies" and then the classic "A Man needs a Maid." He floated between paino, organ and guitar for the next couple songs playing great tunes such as "No One Seems to Know" and "Harvest" followed by the well known "After the Gold Rush". Neil young then switched to banjo and I heard someone yell out "play old man Neil". That song would have to wait as he chipped away on banjo to the classic song "Mellow My Mind." The well known artist then busted into "Love Art Blues." By this time people had been yearning to hear some hit songs. So he went over to his place on center stage(in the middle of his 6 guitars) and started to play the chords to "Old Man". For some reason this song seemed to be cut short a little in my eyes. It was however quite enjoyable. He got a standing ovation for this song so it was only natural that he play "Heart of Gold" next. This song I felt was better done than "Old Man" and it made me feel better as a concert goer. That ended the acoustic 1st set. At intermission we were talking to some people and they were really upset that you were not able to bring beers in and the fact that Neil was teasing everyone by drinking one on stage. The bottom line is we are lucky to have Neil play at all in Connecticut. When your paying $100 a ticket people tend to complain. Very few people realize that the reason for high ticket prices is because scalpers have drawn up the price. Yet these are the same people who are willing to take the risk at buying faulty tickets from scalpers. While I enjoyed the acoustic set I was pumped up to hear the electric one. The band joined him which consists of Rick Rosas, Ben Keith, Ralph Molina, Anthony Crawford and Pegi Young. They played "Don't Cry No Tears" and "Everybody KNows This Is Nowhere". I was waiting for one of my favorites and Neil didn't disappoint when he busted into "The Loner". In my eyes seeing Neil play this song while jamming on his electric guitar with that leg motion he does made it all worth it. But the night wasn't over yet. This tour was largely based on Neil Young's new album Chrome dreams II. I had a chance to hear this album and if you bought enough tickets thru ticketmaster the album was offered to you for free. The album shows how Neil is true to his roots. Neil's next song was a hit from this record called "Dirty Old Man." The next song "Spirit Road" is about Neil's spirituality and how it has affected himhis entire life. See the video here.
He then went into to songs such as "Bad Fog of Loneliness" and "Winterlong". Neil had a artist painting the songs and before each song the painting would be complete and put on easel at the front of the stage so you knew what was next. This was the case with his next song "Oh, Lonesome Me". After that he played what is probably my favorite song on the Chrome Dreams II album "The Believer." That was followed by "No Hidden Path" to end the second set. Concertgoers were ready for an incredible encore. The band came back out on stage and jammed to "Cinnamon Girl" which was one of the highlights of the night. See the video here.
That was folllowed by "Cortez the Killer." He had been playing 3 songs encores for the past couple shows elesewhere and the crowd was waiting for it. It looked like he was about to come back out but then the lights went on to the crowds disappointment. I heard the following week when I went to work that he didn't like the theatre because he said it was "too nice". He also said during the show "where are we? On the way in there was farms, houses, farms, houses, and then a theatre." It's funny he said that because he was just at the theatre about four years ago. While I expected a little more from Neil Young I realize he is in his early 60's. I feel privalaged to have had the oppuruntity to see him at all. He really is a special artist that only comes around every so often. I would give this show an A- with possibly learning towards a B+. However it was well worth the $105.50 for the ticket and I would pay that amount again in a heartbeat to see this incredible legend.
LBT News
LBT News (18.07.2007)
Hello music fans and welcome to our section entitled LBT news. Here you will find the latest updates and what is new at livebandstouring.com. ALSO BE SURE AND SCROLL
DOWN TO THE BOTTOM OF THE PAGE WHEN
CLICKING MENUS ON THE LEFT.
06-28-10
Hi Folks,
Well it's been a long time since our last update but boy have we been busy here at LBT. We did a phone interview with New Orleans Artist Mia Borders. Mia went to high school here in Connecticut. You can view this interview on our youtube channel here..........
And most recently (On 06-26-10) we were out at SphereCamp in Oxford, CT to flim what was a real happening time. For more info on SphereCamp check out www.tryouttoys.com
Also congratulations to Jerry Kane who won tickets to see Yes and Peter Frampton at Moehgan Sun Casino and Resort. Jerry answered a trivia question correctly on our facebook page.
Stayed tuned for more info and lots of upcoming concerts on livebandstouring.com. And be sure and check our facebook page at www.facebook.com/livebandstouring
Happy Summer Tours,
The Crew at Livebandstouring.com
01-19-10-
Check out this show this weekend......
01-17-10-
Happy New Year Folks......!!!!!
As usual we have much to report this year on the local Connecticut music scene.
We have completed our Artist Interview/Video Shoot with Article 19 on Jan 2nd 2010 at The Space in Hamden. It was a real pleasure to be back at the Space. ( www.thespace.tk )
This Interview marks the Debut of our Production Manager Chris D'Alessandro as the interviewer. Chris is often the person who is filming the bands and developing the footage in the production studio. But this is a first look at her as a interviewer and look to see more of her in Artist Interviews in the future.
Check out these pics from the show..........
We also have a NEW scheduled Artist Interview with Bronze Radio Return at Black Eyed Sally's in Hartford, CT on January 30th at 9pm. Check out Bronze Radio Return on myspace at;
Look for more ticketgiveaways this year to the hottest shows in Connecticut, more local music coverage, more Artist Interviews and Video Shoots, and hopefully we will finally get our shopping carts with Music Items up this year. Much in store so be sure and always stay tuned. Same Band Time.....Same Band Channel.
Till next time,
The Crew at Livebandstouring.com
12-26-09-
Hi Folks,
We just wanted to wish all of you a Happy Holiday Season.
As usual we've got alot in store for 2010 at livebandstouring.com.
On Jan 2nd 2010 we will be doing an Video Shoot with Article 19 at The Space in Hamden, CT. Article 19 is opening up for Ryan Cabrera and this show is expected to be sold out.
For more info go to......
www.thespace.tk
www.myspace.com/article19music
Also if your looking for some good time family fun you should go to Toad's Place tonight. Shakedown will be playing with good time family fun artist known as String Band. For more info go to....
www.toadsplace.com
www.myspace.com/stringbandnow
www.myspace.com/shakedownct www.shakedown.net
Stay tuned for more updates and more to come from livebandstouring.com. Happy Holidays and Happy New Year!!!!!!!
Cheers,
The Crew at Livebandstouring.com
11-23-09-
HAVE A HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!! CHECK OUT THIS
BANNER AND GO SEE THIS SHOW IF YOUR IN
HARTFORD, CT THIS WEEK......
11-17-09-
Hello,
We added a few videos from Larry's 4th of July Underground Parade and Music festival to our youtube channel. The family photo, the parade, a couple songs from String Band, and one song from Not Here Band are on there and can also be seen on our home page in the far left.
We are currently looking for new bands to interview and film. If you are interested please contact
This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it
Have a great holiday!!
Cheers,
Sean
08-13-09-
Hi,
We are currently developing footage from our filming of Not Here Band at Larry's Fourth of July Underground Parade in Morris, CT. Updates to follow.
We will also be attending Elemental Energy Expo Labor Day weekend Sept 5th and 6th in Monroe, CT. We hope to film bands if they agree to this weekend. Stay tuned for more updates.
Have a great weekend.
Cheers,
Sean
07-05-09-
Happy 4th of July Weekend everyone!!!
Livebandstouring.com is pleased to annouced the release of two artist Interviews. Firstly, check out our Artist/Interview and Video Shoot with Depth Quartet from Corner Pocket on 02-27-09 here........
We also completed a Artist Interview/Video Shoot last night with Shakedown at Toad's Place in New Haven, CT. That show is currently in Production and will be released soon.
We have another Artist Interview/Video Shoot scheduled for this Friday 06-19-09 with Article 19 at Blue Back Square. Harris Decker from The Truth About Music blog will be conducting this interview.
And with the annoucement of our String Band release we will now have a ticketgiveaway. Livebandstouring.com is giving away two tickets to Bob Dylan, John Mellancamp, and Willie Nelson at New Britian Stadium on Wed. July 15,2009 at 5:30pm. You must be a registered user to be eligible for this ticketgiveaway. Whoever post on our forums the most will win the ticketgiveaway. Be sure and enter on our ticketgiveaway page also.
Have a great summer,
The Crew at Livebandstouring.com
05-26-09-
Livebandstouring.com is proud to be doing alot of Artist Interviews this year. In cooperation with 8thestate.com we have finished the Depth Quartet Artist Interview/Video Shoot. It appears google is no longer allowing uploads. So we are looking into a new format to upload Artist Interviews/Video Shoots. This will take us a long time to figure out. In the meantime we will be uploading clips from the full film on our youtube channel at www.youtube.com/livebandstouring.
We also completed a Artist Interview/Video Shoot with String on 05-02-09. This one was a real pleasure and alot of fun. It is currently in production and we hope to have it released over the summer.
Livebandstouring.com is also proud to annouce that our next Artist Interview/Video shoot will be with Connecticut's Premier Grateful Dead Tribute band known as "Shakedown". We will be at the 06-13-09 Toad's Place gig to film and interview the band. To find out more about Shakedown check out their website at www.shakedown.net.
We've got some other things planned for this year(i.e. shopping cart with products) so stayed stuned for more info on that.
And as always..........whenever we release a Artist Interview.......we have a ticketgiveaway. So.......once Depth Quartet's Artist interview is released on our site(via youtube).......we will be giving away another hot set of tickets to a local area show. So always be sure and come back to LBT.com and post on our forums to win free tickets. Only registered members are eligible for ticketgiveaways.
We hope you all are having a great summer!!! There is a ton of great shows out there this year. Enjoy the music!!!
The Crew at Livebandstouring.com
05-02-09-
Tonight at Avon Old Farms Inn in Avon, CT is "A Grateful Dead Jubliee" w/Big Rhythum Wine, Legion of Jerry, and String Band. It starts at 5pm till about 2am. This is a incredible place and it's also rumored to be haunted. Perhaps Jerry Garcia's spirit will appear a the Inn. In the spirit of the recent Dead Tour Livebandstouring.com will be doing a Video Shoot/Artist Interview with String Band. We will have the clips available on our youtube channel a few days after the show. Come on down and enjoy the fun with us. $7 at the door.
04-24-09
The short cuts from the Depth Quartet show at Corner Pocket in Orange, CT on 02-27-09 are now available on our youtube channel at http://www.youtube.com/livebandstouring
Some of the clips can also be viewed on the left panel of our website.
DO YOU NEED A TICKET FOR THE DEAD IN HARTFORD ON SUNDAY?
DO YOU NEED A MIRACLE EVERYDAY?
If so look for livebandtouring in and around the venue lots at the XL Center on Sunday 04-26-09 after 4pm. We'll be giving away miracles to some lucky folks. You better know your dead facts though. Or at least show some enthusiaism for livebandstouring.
See you on tour!!!!!
04-04-09
On 03-29-09 we did a Artist Interview with Uncle John of Weslyan Universities Radio Program Dead Air (88.1 FM WESU Middletown, CT). Dead Air is live every Sunday at 7:30pm. For more info on Dead Air visit this link.....
The Depth Quartet Artist Interview is now 90% done. Some last minute tweaking is taking place and the final product will be ready. Thanks to www.8thestate.com this video will be like nothing you have ever seen before from Livebandstouring.com. We will also be having a ticketgiveaway this month when the Depth Quartet Interview is debuted. It will be a jamband related show in the spirit of Depth Quartet. Only members registered with livebandstouring.com will be eligble for this ticketgiveaway. Posting on our fourms will also be required to win. Stay tuned for the official annoucement on this ticketgiveaway.
Bring on summer tours!!!!!!!
The Crew at Livebandstouring.com
3-20-09
Hello out there. The Depth Quartet video shoot/Artist Interview is currently in production and about 75% done. We should definately have it finished by early April. The interview was conducted by Walt B. of the jam band "In the Dark" and included Scott Murawski and Greg Vasso. This will be featured in the in Artist Interview section of our site and will include the entire Depth Quartet performance. We will also have clips on youtube channel which you can view here.......http://www.youtube.com/livebandstouring
Check out these pics from our Artist Interview with Scott Murawski and Greg Vasso of Depth Quartet......
02-10-09
Hello music fans!!!!! Livebandstouring.com is back........!!!!!! And we have great news. Livebandstouring.com with the help of http://www.8thestate.com will be doing a filming(and hopefully an artist interview) with Depth Quartet on Feb.27th,2009 at Corner Pocket in Orange, CT. Show starts at 9pm. Depth Quartet consists of Scott Murawski(of Max Creek,The Bill Kreutzmann Trio,and the Mike Gordon Band),Greg Vasso, and Justin Kolack. Check out their website/myspace at http://www.depthquartet.com
Also performing this night will be out old friends Legion of Jerry which we will also film. Be and sure and check out Legion of Jerry at http://www.legionofjerry.com
We will also be doing another ticketgiveaway once the Depth Quartet Artists Interview is produced and up on our site. So be sure and stay tuned to our site for that.
So come on down to Corner Pocket on Feb.27th,2009 at 9pm and watch us work,drink good beers and liquors, and jam out and rock out to some great tunes.
With the release of this video and in the spirit of Jerry Garcia we would like to annouce our new ticketgiveaway for 2 pavillon seats to see The Allman Brothers with Ratdog at the Dodge Music Center on 08-20-08 at 8pm. To be eligible register with livebandstouring.com and then go to our ticketgiveaway page and fill out the form. Increase your chances of winning by posting on our fourms.
06-05-08- We have a new ticketgiveaway for Gov't Mule at Ives Concert Park in Danbury, CT on Sat. July 26, 2008 at 5:30pm. You must be registered with livebandstouring.com to be eligible for this ticketvgiveaway. Once registered login and click on the ticketgiveaway menu and then click on the ticketgiveaway form at the bottom of the page. Fill out all required fields and hit submit. Post on our forums to increase your chances of winning. This ticketgiveaway will end on June 20th so enter today.
NOTE; for those that tried to enter the ticketgiveaway between June 3rd and JUne 5th before 6pm and could not register we apologize. The issue is fixed now and you should be able to register and enter just fine now. We apologize for any inconvinence this may have casused.
05-20-08- We conducted a Artist Interview/Video shoot with Connecticut local band
Legion of Jerry at the Westville Art Walk in New Haven, CT on
05-10-2008. Legion of Jerry is a Jerry Garcia Tribute Band that does
mostly JGB tunes but also a few more songs in simliar genres. Check
them out at http://www.legionofjerry.com or at http://www.myspace.com/legionofjerry
The
video shoot/Artist Interview is currently in production. We took some
average quailty video with a second camera which can be see on our
youtube channel here..........http://www.youtube.com/livebandstouring
Stay tuned for full coverage of the Westville Art Walk Legion of Jerry show.
We've also got another deadhead type ticketgiveaway coming very soon. Remember those who post on the forums will have the best chance of winning tickets. Keep checking back for more updates on this.
04/28/08- Livebandstouring.com has scheduled a interview with Legion of Jerry on May 10th for the Westville Art Walk in New Haven, CT in front of Delaney's Tap Room. Legion of Jerry is a band that does Jerry Garcia band songs as well as other songs from various artists. The name Legion of Jerry comes from a band Jerry Garcia was in called Legion of Mary. You can listen to tunes from Legion of Jerry at http://www.legionofjerry.com or on their myspace at http://www.myspace.com/legionofjerry Come on down and enjoy the fun. Delaney's Tap Room has a ton of beers on tap.
We are working on setting up a ticketgiveaway for another national act at a major Theatre in Connecticut. More details to come soon. Those who login and post on the livebandstouring.com forums have a better chance at winning ticketgiveaways.
More later, Sean
04/08/08-
Hello again music fans. We are currently working on setting up a video shoot and artist interview with a local CT band for May. Stay tuned for more updates on that.
We will try to conduct more artist interviews and video shoots this year in Connecticut. Anyone interested in taking part in these interviews/video shoots as an artist/band or as a reporter/interviewer contact us at
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There should be another ticketgiveaway coming soon as well. Always be sure and login/register for ticketgiveaways.
Be sure and visit our forums to post info about your band,find out contact information,tell us about your favorite bands and write your own concert reviews.
This is just a small hint of what's to come this summer from livebandstouring.com. Stay tuned.
03/01/08-
We at Livebandstouring.com have decided to give it another college try
and stick it out a bit longer. We've decided websites take time to
develop and can often take years to reach their true capabilities.
But we can't do it without your help. We want to hear from you. What is
it that you would like to see happen at livebandstouring.com??? What do
you currently enjoy about LBT.com? What can we do to make things better
for your expierence with our website? Please give us some feedback at
This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it
. All those who give feedback will be entered into a drawing for a prize to be announced at a later date.
Also we have reinstated our message boards. So feel free to post away.
As you may know some of us that work on Livebandstouring.com work for
venues in Connecticut so this is a good place to get your band noticed.
Feel free to post your bands youtube videos or links to your website.
Objectionable material will be deleted and spammers will be pursed via
applicable internet piracy laws.
Download James Taylor songs on itunes by clicking the itunes logo below....
By Ashley Balogh
Imagine getting a huge hug from James Taylor, and that’s just how his August 15th concert felt.
The veteran singer/songwriter, who says his “lucky break” came in 1968 when the Beatles signed him to Apple Records, played to a packed audience of all ages, shapes, and sizes. The one thing everyone seemed to have in common at the Chevy Theater that night was a love for this talented and seasoned musician. Taylor also displayed his chops as an all-around performer, often joking and relating anecdotes from both his career and personal life.
Taylor began the show with the tender and affectionate tune, “Something in the Way She Moves,” which he claimed to be “the first presentable song I wrote.” Accompanied by Larry Golden on piano, he went on to play “Never Die Young,” “Frozen Man,” and “Mean Old Man,” a few lesser-known, but still impressive and engaging pieces. He sang evenly and easily with a benevolent smile, and despite his age his voice sounded as fresh as ever.
He played another hit, “Country Road,” and went on to explain that in planning the tour, he intended to work his songs in their basic form, in a “strip-down sort of way.” His compromise with using a drum machine turned out to be wheeled onstage as a huge wooden contraption with a kicking booted leg, and parts that looked like pistons. The machine hammered as Taylor chanted the lyrics to “Slap Leather” through a megaphone and scooted back and forth across the stage. He looked like he was having a blast, and I’d certainly never seen anything like this before. I definitely didn’t expect it from the seemingly serene James Taylor, but he was definitely jamming.
James Taylor pictured above
Taylor also got experimental with his next song, “My Traveling Star,” when he featured video footage from his wife’s singing group, the Tanglewood Festival Chorus, as they performed back-up vocals. After that, he played the Carole King devotion he first popularized, “You’ve Got a Friend.” Before the intermission, J.T. plugged in his electric guitar for the upbeat “Mexico,” with a good video band contribution of saxophone, trumpet, and drums.
Taylor returned from intermission signing autographs for front-row fans, and as he embraced a small boy onstage, I wondered if this man could be any more heartwarming. He went electric again with “Steamroller,” his most bluesy tune. What was interesting about this rendition, though, was the fact that he sang the cheesy lyrics (e.g. “I’m a cement mixer/ A churning urn of burning funk) in a mocking fashion, as if he wouldn’t expect us to take such a song seriously. It was nice to see that he’s not afraid to poke fun at himself, and we all had a good laugh.
The second set included “Shower the People,” (also featuring the Tanglewood Festival Chorus), and for the first time that night the audience clapped with the song as Taylor snapped his fingers onstage. He then slowed down the pace with his cowboy lullaby “Sweet Baby James,” and the homesick “Carolina in My Mind.” “Fire and Rain,” arguably his most widely known song, came next before Taylor made a fake exit (sans guitar) with “Shed a Little Light.”
He responded to “Encore!” cheers with an extended, amped up version of “How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved by You)” while the audience stood up and sang along. I was most excited to hear “Copperline” before he ended the show. Just as he delivered his previous tunes, he seemed so earnest with this nostalgic coming-of-age song that never fails to give me goosebumps. His last song before saying goodbye was the gentle, optimistic, “You Can Close Your Eyes.”
James Taylor definitely knows how to put on a show, and at almost sixty years old, he’s still got what it takes to really move an audience. The whole experience was unique, impressive, and a genuinely good time; in short, I don’t see how anyone could have left that show remotely in sour spirits.
Download Black Rebel Motorcycle Club's new album "Baby 81" on itunes by clicking the itunes logo below
Black Rebel Motorcycle Club's August 9th show at Toad's Place marked the first non-tribute show since the venue's recent reopening. Connecticut's most storied venue was forced to close its doors for the summer after repeated violations for selling alcohol to minors. There was none of that on this particular evening however, as about 85 percent of the crowd occupied the 21 and over portion of the theater. The mix of hipsterish 20-somethings and older men, freshly emerged from their parent's basements, made up a fairly sparse crowd. BRMC switches incarnations of their sound more often that I switch socks. They started as a druggy, shoegaze type of band influenced by the likes of My Bloody Valentine and Ride, before dabbling in garage, punk, and some rootsy Americana. All of their various vehicles were showcased on this evening. Introduced by a haunting Doors refrain, the trio took their places and launched into "Took Out A Loan", from their newst album "Baby 81". Next, they unloaded a wordless thrashing on their awestruck onlookers, where Robert Levon Been's plodding, monotonous bassline was ripped into by guitarist Peter Hayes' dissonant daggers. The stage became a microcosm of their fuzzy, distorted sound as Hayes and Been moved in and out of thick, hazy clouds of blue fog.
Black Rebel Motorcycle Club pictured above
By their fourth song they had grabbed the acoustic guitars and brought out the folky "Ain't No Easy Way". "It's easy to fall in love/ But there ain't no easy way out" sang Hayes in a weary, wizened delivery. The band's bare-bones ballads and harrowing acoustic numbers show off their outstanding songcraft. Hayes' solo rendition of "Fault Line" was gut-wrenchingly affective, and Been showed some gall in covering Bob Dylan's "The Lonesome Death of Hattie Carroll". They take this and pile on layer after layer of atmospheric fuzz and expertly controlled doses of chaos, wrapping their hooks in swirling clouds of noise. Songs like "As Sure as the Sun" inch along, lulling the audience to sleep with its ambience before unleashing punishing, abrasive guitar lines. BRMC can also just plain rock, as they did on songs like "Weapon of Choice" or "666 Conducer" which came with a razor-sharp guitar solo. Whatever form they were in, BRMC did not disappoint. Whether they're giving you dusty folk complete with hoot-and-holler handclaps, ambient noise-rock with incisor-like guitar bursts, or dirty, winding garage rock, they show consistent ingenuity, thoughtful lyrics, and skilled musicianship. If you appreciate rock music then one, if not all, of their transmutations should tickle your fancy.
Download Soul Asylum's song "Runaway Train" on itunes by clicking the logo below...
If you were alive and listening to rock in the nineties, it’s unlikely you could have missed Soul Asylum’s biggest hit, “Runaway Train” However, even music lovers who managed to escape hearing that tune in its heyday still rocked out in the rain at the band’s free show on the New Haven Green July 28. The Grammy award- winning group, which got together in ’81, played with just two original members since bassist Karl Mueller passed away in 2005. Still, lead singer Dave Pirner and drummer Dan Murphy reformed the band and didn’t disappoint the sparsely populated crowd that stormy day. Despite promises from event organizers that the concert would cease if lightning struck, the band members stuck to their guns and delivered a more than decent rock performance after a half hour delay. They greeted a drenched and antsy audience with one of their lesser-known singles, “Somebody to Shove,” while we all sought shelter under umbrellas or nearby trees. Perhaps sensing the audience’s need for a recognizable song, they delved into weather-appropriate covers like “I Can See Clearly Now” and the first minute or so of CCR’s “Who’ll Stop the Rain?” If they’d hoped for Mother Nature to take the hint, all efforts were in vain as fat, persistent drops steadily fell on our heads for the rest of the show.
Pictured above is Soul Asylum
They played “April Fool,” Misery,” and a track off of their latest album, which was met with a collective groan from the green, as we were growing tired of waiting in the rain to hear “Runaway Train.” Pirner was determined to impress us, though, and at one point even fell to his knees to get soaking wet during an ear-bending guitar solo. Finally, it was time for the one Soul Asylum song most everyone knew the lyrics to; clearly, ‘Runaway Train’ was the highlight of the show. It also sounded just like it did on the radio, but I know I was fine with hearing that one just the way I’d remembered it. Once they’d wrapped up their ’92 hit, it’s fair to say that we’d had enough of Soul Asylum. We packed up the cooler and trudged through the mud and back towards the car with strains of “Gone ‘Til November” following behind us. Overall, the show was satisfactory. The rain may have even added an element of excitement, as if it were daring us to stay for what we came to hear. And we did. I don’t know that I would have paid actual money for that show, but the scene on the New Haven Green seemed to work well for a band like Soul Asylum. They proved themselves to be stand-up musicians who aren’t afraid of a little rain and truly wanted to give us reason to have a great time.
