One of the (many) things that I look forward to as much of our nation recovers from the impacts of COVID-19 centers around the return of live music, and soon I’ll get to start seeing some of my all-time faves live in concert!   Several blogs ago I mentioned a night out to see some live music ahead of the return of Gotham Battle of the Bands®, this time virtually. As it happened (Read Friday’s blogger’s account.), and it was not the first time, the winners included a four-mem...

Some people tell this commentator that I Live for the Music. I concede I missed live music. Last night with our friends Eric and Jar we checked out a band called Rock Steady outdoors at Lamotta’s in Port Washington. It’s drummer, Andy Lavin, is a member of this tribe that hosts this commentary. And this coming Thursday, at 6:00 p.m., everyone can experience the return of Gotham’s Battle of the Bands®, this year a virtual extravaganza executive produced by our entertainment ch...

[Updated, April 21, 2021, & with good reason] Thursday evening just after 9:00 p.m. Jason Greenberg texts me “RIP Rusty, Tough loss” I read and think what Rusty. Even though Jason and I share an affinity for live music concerts, we connect on so many other levels, that music was not the first thing that came to mind upon reading his message. A few minutes later I said to myself, it can’t be Rusty, I’d have received some alert via social media. I searched the internet for ...

Driving last night, Safe At Home played on my A Good Feeling To Know Radio station on Apple Music. Interestingly, that Souther Hillman Furay tune that opened side two of the original vinyl served as the title of the blog a year ago today.   Right after, came Pure Prairie League’s Two Lane Highway. It made me wonder if my Songs of the Road playlist included that song. It did not! Wondered how that happened.   I actually did a search of “highway” on that play list. The third a...

As more of us get vaxed and the weather warms – after all we rejoice in the arrival of Spring today, one can envision a return of a summer concert season focusing on outdoor venue. Not sure yet on that as two concerts that were rescheduled to May got rescheduled to next fall. Indeed, many shows we planned to attend before the advent of COVID-19 got rescheduled multiple times. Gotham found a third way when it comes to the return of its annual Battle of the Bands®: A virtual pr...

This involves nothing political or otherwise.   Perhaps early but still excited because I know this show will go on. I miss live concerts. Followers of this weekly commentary know well this commentator’s enjoyment of live shows. So last Wednesday, I looked forward to a planning meeting for the return of the Gotham Battle of the Bands® this year. Covid19 canceled the May 3, 2020 event. This year, Gotham Entertainment Chair Norm Spizz and producer of this musical extravaganza ...

New State of Our Union (a musical playlist)   Inspired by the change in our nation's leadership, I had tweeted on Inauguration Day (1/20/21), links to "What A Day" by Poco (It starts, "It's a good mornin' and I'm feelin' fine. Smile. I never thought I could be this way. I wanna play. Oh what a day!”) and Al Kooper's Brand New Day (“Last night I had a dream that the world was changing by leaps and bounds. It started up in the bigger cities and spread to the smaller towns.). S...

This time of the new year or at the end of the prior year I traditionally post my commentary on the top ten concerts of the year just ended. The recent post to my website covered a handful of shows. COVID19 raising its ugly head (ALWAYS) played the culprit.   I really enjoyed what I got to attend.   The last show before COVID was truly amazing. I ran into several Gothamites (Jason Greenberg, Steve Lichtenstein and Bernie Dolington) at that special Allman Brothers Band 50th A...

Annually, I offer a rather short blog with a concerted purpose: a musical start to welcome the new year.  We reached that moment with the most popular of the playlists I post on YouTube and Apple Music: Song To Ring in the New Year.  Please do enjoy and share it.   As I explained in prior years, this curated list reflects more my musical taste in comparison to the holiday songs setlist which “accept” selections proposed by others; that helps explain that lengthy playlist.   S...

I gave an upbeat presentation at Gotham NY Legal last week.  I offered an analysis that got “confirmed” yesterday.  As I periodically reviewed updates, I mused about music that might fit.  Folks who follow this blog know I created topical playlists.  On Friday morning, one song came into my head. I thought it would be in one list; it actually surprised me it was not there; I thought about adding it; might still happen.  I then found it in my Songs to Inspire (aka “Inspiration...