Cloaca Melodia

Heinz Hall, Pittsburgh, PA....   Another fun time with the All-Starr Band (my second time seeing them ), and it was a completely different band of All-Starrs than my previous time. The band included Todd Rundgren, Gregg Rolie (of Santana), Steve Lukather (of Toto), and Richard Page (of Mr. Mister). I was very excited to see Rundgren's contribution, as I had never seen him before. His featured songs were all great, and it fun to see him enjoying playing on other songs like "Rosanna." setlist : Matchbox It Don't Come Easy Island in the Sun I Saw the Light (led by Todd Rundgren) Evil Ways (led by Gregg Rolie) Rosanna (led by Steve Lukather) Kyrie (led by Richard Page) Bang the Drum All Day (led by Todd Rundgren) Boys Don't Pass Me By Yellow Submarine Black Magic Woman/Gypsy Queen (led by Gregg Rolie) You're Sixteen I'm the Greatest You Are Mine (led by Richard Page) Africa (led by Steve Lukather) Oye Como Va (led by Gregg Rolie) I Wanna Be Your Man Love Is th...

Schenley Plaza, Pittsburgh, PA..... The Nashville group The Apache Relay took the late-summer stage under the big tent at Schenley Plaza as part of WYEP's Final Fridays concert series. The band started their set with a cover of Springsteen's "State Trooper." They also played their signature song "Katie Queen of Tennessee" and for their encore did a cover of Tom Petty's "American Girl." An enjoyable set! Son Little was also good, featuring songs like "Lay Down," "Your Love Will Blow Me Away When My Heart Aches," and "The River."     

Highland Park Reservoir, Pittsburgh, PA Part of the Reservoir of Jazz concert series.   sorry, I haven't yet written about this show... add your own comments if you were also there!  

Schenley Plaza, Pittsburgh, PA   It was the 18th WYEP's Summer Music Festival. The Lone Bellow's Zach Williams had a surreal experience performing this show. He mentioned during their set that his great-uncle was one of the workers who helped construct the 42-story Cathedral of Learning, the iconic gothic building that looms behind the audience at Schenley Plaza. However, his great-uncle fell to his death while working there. While he didn't know his great-uncle, it must have been strange performing practically in the shadow of the site of one's relative's untimely demise.  Despite that darker connection, the band put on a great show. So did Martin Sexton, although he didn't invite me to participate in a non-denominational pre-show prayer, as he did the last time I had seen him .    The Lone Bellow

Mr. Smalls, Millvale, PA... Besides an enjoyable show, I was honored to interview the man himself prior to the concert about his latest album, Saturns Patterns, as well as his participation in the Live Aid concert, and more.    

Point State Park, Pittsburgh, PA.... sorry, I haven't yet written about this show... add your own comments if you were also there!    

Wonder Bar, Asbury Park, NJ.... A WHTG Reunion show, after the former owner in the '80s and '90s passed away. Many former WHTG DJs were in attendance, and some great music.   me making some stage announcements at the show

World Cafe Live, Philadelphia, PA......     sorry, I haven't yet written about this show... add your own comments if you were also there!    Josh Ritter

Byham Theater, Pittsburgh, PA....     sorry, I haven't yet written about this show... add your own comments if you were also there!    my ticket from the show

Consol Energy Center, Pittsburgh, PA.....     sorry, I haven't yet written about this show... add your own comments if you were also there!    

Schenley Plaza, Pittsburgh, PA   Part of WYEP's Final Fridays series. post continues.... sorry, I haven't yet written about this show... add your own comments if you were also there!

Club Cafe, Pittsburgh, PA I was so excited to see this show. It was good to Sweet again, but I was very glad to finally see Tommy Keene live. post continues.... I had been a fan of Keene's since my college radio days. The Washington, DC, native put out a few independent EPs which got some attention from my (and many) college radio outlet(s) and the music press. His Byrds-esque jangle-pop sound was emerging as a popular force in the music underground (especially from bands emerging from below the Mason-Dixon line). I almost didn't get to see him, since when the show was announced I already had unbreakable plans to see Natalie Merchant the same night. The Natalie show ended up getting cancelled, however. Here's a couple of videos (not by me) of Sweet's performance.

Schenley Plaza, Pittsburgh, PA   The WYEP Summer Music Festival. Great show. Threat of a thunderstorm delayed Valerie June set for a long time. There were rumors that Sidney Crosby was there at the show to see Sam Roberts.       Sam Roberts Band setlist: Shapeshifters Angola Fixed to Ruin Let It In Human Heat Never Enough The Last Crusade Kid Icarus Partition Blues Metal Skin Where Have All the Good People Gone? Golden Hour Them Kids encore break We're All in This Together Brother Down 

Point State Park, Pittsburgh, PA ..... The final headline show for the 2014 Three Rivers Arts Festival. I had been a fan of the then 20 year-old British performer shortly after I caught a few songs from his 2012 UK debut album, even before it was released here in the States. At WYEP, we ended up playing "Lightning Bolt" some in November 2012. His record label released an EP to radio with a few of his songs, but not "Lightning Bolt." They were concentrating on promoting "Two Fingers" for his first single in the U.S., which is a great song but not the right one for here--"So I hold two fingers up to yesterday" doesn't hold the same weight in American English as it does in UK English. Sigh. They finally switched to promoting "Lightning Bolt" in late March 2013.  Either way, it was great seeing him live, performing on guitar with a bassist and drummer backing him up. The aforementioned song s sounded great, as did "Messed Up Kids,...

Point State Park, Pittsburgh, PA   post continues.... I wrote the next days that "The band sounds great, and a good time was had by all!" Setlist for the concert at the Three Rivers Arts Festival: 1. Behind the Wall of Sleep 2. Top of the Pops 3. Sorry 4. War for My Mind 5. Miles From Nowhere 6. Yesterday's Girl 7. Blues Before and After 8. Room Without a View 9. Drown in My Own Tears 10. Green Thoughts 11. House We Used to Live In/Sparks (The Who) 12. Please Please Me 13. It's Only Love 14. Blue Period 15. Especially For You 16. Time and Time Again 17. Blood and Roses 18. A Girl Like You (with snippets of Free's "All Right Now," Get Together by The Youngbloods, and The Who's "Behind Blue Eyes")