Even the Odds

Best show I ever been to.... Please have them back again!!!!

I attended the Igor Krutoi Gala concert at the Barclays Center on January 31, 2015. It was to honor Mr. Krutoi on his 60th birthday. Seven singers were Russian and therefore sang only in Russian. The commentaries by the singers between the songs was also in Russian. I do not know Russian...some of what was said must have been funny because the audience laughed, but I did not understand anything. I went to this concert only to see Lara Fabian, a Belgian singer who has worked with Mr. Krutoi. When she appeared, she spoke in English and then sang five songs, one each in French, Spanish, Italian, English and Russian. She is an international superstar who has also sung in Portuguese, Hebrew, Turkish and German. As usual, she was excellent. She is not well known in this country but she should be.

I saw the Jimmy Fallon show and knew I had to attend this concert. David is absolutely a great performer and at first I thought that no one would be here at the Greek Theatre....but the people kept coming and it was a wonderful audience for a super performance by Byrne and a 16 pc. big band and everyone in attendance thought it was great. I do not expect David to play any of the Talking Heads and I want to keep seeing what he will do in the future.

On a mild summer Thursday evening in Chicago's suburban Southland, the bands Nine Inch Nails and Soundgarden (both vintage 90s bands) proved to be this summer's Tag Team Champion. The night was perfect for rock concert goers, as the weather was cool and comfortable and the bands burned and sizzled throughout the night. Soundgarden started the evening with their supersonic sounds. This was a great warm-up to the evening as dusk settled on the First Midwest Bank Amphitheatre in Tinley Park, IL. The venue seemed to be a decent location despite the fact that many missed the beginning songs of Soundgarden because of traffic that resembled a Friday evening in Chicagoland. Luckily, the parking lot is a short stroll to the Amphitheatre and even though the venue looks like a prison camp, as Soundgarden's leader singer Chris Cornell put it, the acoustics were clear throughout the theatre (even in the lawn seating). It seemed to be a great night as Soundgarden finished their set, but as dusk turned to night and Nine Inch Nails took the stage in the twilight (after only a miraculously short 20 minute set change), the concert got even better. In fact, NIN burned away any doubt that they are indeed the best live music act around. Mainly this is the case because of Trent Reznor's (the band's leader and founder) classic compositions and because of the band's unbelievable mature sound on stage. The theatrics, video effects and light show effects didn't hurt either. The crowd was in a tantric fury by the end of it all and the entire concert had well over three hours of music between the two bands for the price of one. It was the best opener you'll ever see and the best closer in the business all on one show. Soundgarden started the sizzle and NIN burned it away into the crisp cool night, making it one of the most comfortable summer nights in years.

Friends and I agree that this was one of the top concerts --EVER! Liv represents what a performance and an artist should do when they get on the stage--entertain and amaze the audience with their talent. The NPG Horns and Mr. Crutchfield were also amazingly talented, too. It was a great evening of talent on display.

Blazing their own path with a keen eye for justice, Rising Appalachia put on a wonderful show, honoring folk music from different areas of the globe and sharing personal stories with the audience.

She is amazing in person, far better than her album and I love her album. She puts her heart and soul into what she sings. Also she dances well, everything was choreographed and not at all cheesy. I was very impressed, would highly recommend her show. I took a friend to see her who had never heard of her before and she was so bowled over she went out and downloaded the album. Would definitely see Kiesza again next time she's in town.

This was great show. London Drugs have a lot of talent and it was great to see her perform her songs as they were meant to be. She has access to fantastic musicians and I really think that her music is going to take her places.

I've lived in Los Angeles all my life and have never been to the Hollywood Bowl. It is an amazing venue and I saw some of my favorite artists too. The sound was amazing. THe performances are unforgettable and the music was of course the highlight. So many hits! The other best part is that I could bring my own food and drink. What's not to like? The only downside which was not really much of a downside is that there were a lot of empty seats in my section and the section right below but even that was a plus as we just moseyed on down to get a better view. Great day and great show!

I felt so blessed to be at An Easter Together. It was a great primer for getting my heart and mind focused on Easter Sunday. It wasn't about any one church, but rather it was focused on The Church, which was wonderful to see. There were amazing bands, speakers, and great opportunities for fellowship. I would highly recommend going for anyone who hasn't yet gone, and now that I've experienced it, I know that I will be going every year now.