How’s your summer concert season looking?

Cafe Society
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I’m sure we’ll be heading to a few one-offs, but this year we’re going the festival route—and taking the soon-to-be 4 y.o. Dudeling!

June brings us to the Clearwater Festival. Like most festivals, there are a lot of great bands but we’re primarily interested in catching Pete Seeger, Sharon Jones And The Dap-Kings, Mavis Staple, Hot Tuna (Acoustic!), Antibalas, Red Baraat, Toshi Reagon and Dumpstaphunk.

July will take us to the Gathering of the Vibes. Among others, that’ll have Phil & Friends (Scofield, Medeski, Russo and KadleciK!), Black Crowes (with Jackie Greene!), Galactic, DSO, John Scofield’s Uberjam, Fishbone, Max Creek, McLovins, Tedeschi Trucks and Bernie Worrell. Oh, it’s also being hosted by Wavy Gravy. I’ve gotten to meet him once before and really hope I get a chance to introduce him to the boy.

We’re pretty focused on taking the Dudeling *to *the festival (as opposed to merely taking him *with *us), so who knows how many of the above we’ll capital-S See—but it’ll be a blast nonetheless.

In September (okay, so that’s just outside of the summer season) we’re making sure we get some music in just in case the first two go wrong. We just picked up tickets to the Interlocken Festival in Virginia. What a show. Neil Young and Crazyhorse, Widespread Panic with John Fogerty sitting in, Furthur (for three nights! And something new to me, they’ll be playing Workinman’s Dead), the Black Crowes, and STRING CHEESE INCIDENT!!! (and Zac Brown will be sitting in with them one night).

We really splurged on Interlocken—went with “Super” VIP tickets, which include a “private acoustic performance by Furthur.” Not exactly sure what they mean by “private,” but I assume it’ll be a smaller show-within-a-show.

So how’s your season looking up?

Anyone know/hear from** MPB in Salt Lake**? He always had a great run too.

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I’m seeing Here Come the Mummies next week. Looking forward to it.

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The only show I have tickets for right now is Peter Tork’s “In This Generation” tour.

Not really a concert, but I’m going to see Keith Moon: The Real Me in July.

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I probably won’t see any concerts this summer.

But I did get to see Paul McCartney here in Austin last week, and he was remarkably good. He was in fine voice, and had a suprisingly eclectic set list. Sure, he did all the expected chestnuts (“Hey Jude,” “Let It Be,” “yesterday”), but also a lot of Beatle songs he’d rarely or never done live before, and some excellent but forgotten Wings tracks.

He also rocked harder than a 71 year old has a right to, on “Helter Skelter.”

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So far it’s looking pretty good, though I doubt I’ll add too many more to the list. Here’s what I have on the docket so far:

Kermit Ruffins & the BBQ Swingers - SPACE, Evanston
Jay-Z & Justin Timberlake - Soldier Field, Chicago
Lollapalooza* - Grant Park, Chicago
**Fun. **- Taste of Chicago, Grant Park, Chicago
Steve Page (formerly of Barenaked Ladies) - Do Division Fest, Chicago

  • Among the bands we plan on seeing during Lolla weekend:** The Cure, New Order, Mumford & Sons, The Lumineers, Lana Del Ray, Tegan & Sara, Imagine Dragons. **
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Just saw The Old 97s in St Louis last weekend and next week we’re going to see Richard Thompson in Kansas City. Rush is coming to KC later this summer - I may have to check that out even though I wasn’t terribly impressed with their last album.

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Good to hear. I have tickets to see him in Milwaukee in July. For my pocketbook this is a once-in-a-lifetime event, so I’m pretty stoked.

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Just went to Kenny Chesney a couple weeks ago. Going to Dylan/Wilco/MMJ in a couple weeks. That’s all I got so far.

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Which stop are you going to?

I’m a huge Wilco fan and see them every chance I get (and living in Chicago gives me a lot of cool opportunities to do so) but I just couldn’t justify going to the Chicago area stop on this tour. It’s too far away from me (It’s in SW Burbs and I live North) and I have pretty much zero interest in seeing Dylan live. The stuff I’ve seen of him on YouTube was pretty depressing. Just didn’t think it was worth it to only see Wilco and MMJ do an hour or so each.

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Bob, we are going to Peoria. Had no interest in fighting the Chicago crowds and traffic. This is my 3rd time for wilco and Dylan. I’m familiar enough with MMJ and at least have some realization that Richard Thompson is a great guitarist. So over all I’m looking forward to all the acts, and that never happens.

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You had me thinking Richard Thompson was going to be sitting in with MMJ! Or is he? :eek:

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At this point the only thing we’ve bought tickets for is Black Sabbath in August.

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Going to Gogol Bordello tonight. Nothing else on the docket.

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Richard Thompson is the opening act thus far on the bill. Sorry for the confusion.

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He’s the opening act for part of the tour, but I wouldn’t be surprised if he sat in with either MMJ or Wilco. Dylan is notorious for not letting other acts join him on stage (or even look at him backstage, regardless of their stature). Maybe he’ll surprise everybody though.

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I’m not so sure what makes the summer so special. But so far all I have planned is The Smithereens, Roky Erickson and Diana Ross. More to be added as it happens.

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Trombone Shorty is coming back for another zoo concert. He puts on a great show. I think we’re going to skip the Waterfront Blues fest this year; too many people and usually too damn hot. Lots of free concerts in the parks.

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I’m in Austin for the Chaos In Tejas metal festival right now and am prepping to see one of my favorite bands of all time, Bolt Thrower, tonight!

I’m also going to see Tragedy tonight! WOOT!

And I just got an email the other day from my friend Roger Miller letting me know that his old band Prefab Sprout is touring this summer, so I have to find time to go to Milwaukee or somewhere like that to see them (it’s a very limited tour).

That takes me thru late June; other than that I haven’t got anything planned yet.

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Not much for my summer - I blew my entertainment budget on a great seat this spring to see Richard Thompson on a double bill with EmmyLou Harris and Rodney Crowell. To say he’s a great guitarist doesn’t quite say enough. It was a tremendous night - both acts. And he did join Harris and Crowell for one number.

This thread and a Grateful Dead fan group I read on facebook have me convinced that I need to make live music a priority again. Need some friends to go with , too.

The retirement I creatively envision for myself involves a remarkably fuel efficient yet still roomy and comfortable vehicle tricked out for sleeping in and a shedule of festivals.

Very local to me is Hot August Blues. Advance sales have started, but the going alone thing has me really hesitating.

Other than that it will mostly be the cover bands the local Chamber of Commerce books for its Friday block parties for me this year.

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I’d been seeing a lot of one-off concert threads with ‘oh, I’m also seeing…’ replies–so a year or so ago I started doing seasonal concert threads. It’s been great reading about posters’ outings.

I’d love to catch Trombone Shorty. Missed him a few months ago; can’t wait till he comes north again. Hope to see Galactic at the Brooklyn Bowl on their run through there, but they’ll be at the Vibes.

Budget well spent!

Definitely mix live music back in your life. Can’t tell you how many times over the past few years my grin has caused my face to ache. Not only are the legends still playing but there is an insane amount of music out there that’s keeping the jam and jazz scene alive.