Finz Up!

Tom last night in the spotlight. http://www.tompetty.com/

I took over 300 photographs last night. Yeah I know I am a nut. My 8 MP pocket camera is not the best but it does a fair job. Too bad I can't drag the Nikon SLR in there. As I saw Tom strike this pose I knew I could have fun with the photo.

I could go on and on about this show and this band. I have seen them many times and I never tire of the music or the live show. They still play it like they mean it and they always give you your moneys worth. It was a very hot Summer night last night and they just made it hotter. They kicked some serious ass last night. Well done Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers.

Mike Campbell.

Mike in the spotlight last night. He is so amazing on the guitar. When you mention best guitarists around right now you cannot forget this one. He is outstanding.
Mike is one of those guys who you have heard and may not even know it. A master who doesn't really seek the spotlight he has supported many who are the best at what they do. If you want to see some of the people he has worked with outside of being the co-captain of Tom Petty's group - this is a quote from Tom's stage introductions I have heard several times in person....go to this link:
http://www.wildbluegator.com/mike/work.htm

Oh a final note on this picture. You can't see Mike's shirt but it reads: "Mudcrutch for President." I'll vote for him...
http://www.mudcrutchmusic.com/

American Girl.

Oh yeah, all right
Take it easy baby
Make it last all night
She was an American girl...

I thought the light show was as good as any I have seen at a rock show. I took this shot last night as the band played "American Girl."

Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers Rock Charlotte!

As the sun went down last night and Steve Winwood and his band left the stage Tom Petty took the stage. He said we are going to play as many as we can tonight. And they did. Yes they did.

Click on this picture if you want to see some details...

Gimme Some Lovin'

A hit in 1967, "Gimme Some Lovin" is a timeless piece. I have the feeling it will be played decades from now and be just as cool then as it is even now. If you want the history of the song it is discussed on this link:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gimme_Some_Lovin%27
For some reason this song transports me back to my early years. That is what a great show does. It takes you somewhere. And this one did. Man did it ever. Thanks Steve and to your band. You guys ROCK.

Dear Mr. Fantasy.

Dear Mister Fantasy play us a tune
Something to make us all happy
Do anything take us out of this gloom
Sing a song, play guitar
Make it snappy

Is there anyone Steve hasn't played with or written songs for?
What a legend. I could not sit down during this show. He played the old ones. He played many of his new "Nine Lives" cd tracks as well. In fact one of his new tracks brought a standing ovation. For that matter there were several standing ovations. I was down front in the middle...I made sure I stood during every song ending and by the time two songs were played I never sat down again. Much of the crowd was seated until the songs were over. Not me, this man deserved some serious fan respect. I gave him my share and I think the band was thrilled by the time the set was over. The crowd was roaring at the end.

This show made me feel alive. What a night.

Higher Love.

Steve Winwood last night in Charlotte. http://www.stevewinwood.com/ What a show. This was my first Steve Winwood show. I have everything this man has recorded in one band or another. I have the vinyl, I have the cds...the live show was a thrill. I bought these tickets back on Super Bowl Sunday. I have been waiting for this night for months. It was worth the wait.

Happy 95th Birthday Pine Top Perkins!!

Willie "Pine Top" Perkins! 95 years young he is one talented living legend. http://www.pinetopperkins.com/

Photo by Mike Freeman.

I have seen Pine Top play many times and he is not to be missed. I remember back in the 1980's he played at a blues festival in Greensboro and I was backstage having a chat with him. As I recall I had raised some money for a concert banner for the Piedmont Blues Preservation Society http://www.piedmontblues.org/ I was rolling a few cases and amps as they say...and I was fortunate to get to spend some time with some real talented artists from all over the country that day. My favorite out of all of them was Pine Top. He signed my cd with a gold sharpie and shook my hand when we finished chatting. The man has HUGE hands. And he is such a down to earth human. So unassuming. He has no idea how cool he is.

Later in the next year I saw Willie in a bar as Bob Margolin http://www.bobmargolin.com/ was playing. He came into the bar and sat down by himself. I came over and asked if I could share the bench and watch. He said 'sure" and proceeded to play for an hour telling me stories and answering my never-ending series of questions about playing with all the old school blues players. This man has lived... let me tell you. He is the man on the keys in the blues world. Go check out his new cd released last month. The cd features players like Eric Clapton, BB King, Jimmy Vaughn, and the list goes on....

As I said when I introduced Pine Top on my radio show once, "He has a huge set of hands and a cool set of music."
Happy Birthday to Pine Top Perkins!

To Stay Alive We Need Levee Five.

As I left Margaritaville Myrtle Beach a print on the wall caught my eye. I recognized the artist and instantly I knew I would have to pass this story along. As a fan of New Orleans Jimmy and the gang bought up these prints and put them in each of the Margaritaville resturants. I think that is very cool. Here are some links to the full story of the paintings:

http://www.bluedogrelief.com/

http://www.georgerodrigue.com/

http://www.margaritavillemyrtlebeach.com/

Margarita Time.

I have been hanging out at the beach all week and decided to head into Myrtle Beach for lunch. I was in the mood for a burger and had several choices of chains to visit....well I ended up at JB's place. The last time I was here was for the soft opening. This time the hurricane on the ceiling was working and the tequila was flowing into the giant blender. The cheeseburger was very good and my 'rita wasn't too bad either.