Martin Barre, legendary guitarist for Jethro Tull for 43 years, is celebrating the music of Jethro Tull with a concert at the Narrows Center for the Arts in Fall River, Mass., on Friday, Sept. 9, 2016, at 8 p.m. The concert will feature Jethro Tull classics and songs not played for many years. Purchase tickets HERE.
Barre’s sound and playing have been a major factor in Jethro Tull’s success. Album sales have exceeded 60 million units and they continue to be played worldwide, representing an important part of classic rock history.
Barre’s guitar playing has earned him a high level of respect and recognition. He was voted 25th best solo ever in the USA and 20th best solo ever in the UK for his playing on “Aqualung”. His playing on the album Crest of a Knave earned him a Grammy award in 1988. He also influenced such contemporary guitarists as Joe Bonamassa, Steve Vai, Joe Satrini and Eric Johnson.
As well as numerous Jethro Tull albums, Barre has worked with many other artists including Paul McCartney, Phil Collins, Gary Moore, and Chris Thompson and has shared the stage with such legends as Jimmy Hendrix, Fleetwood Mac, Pink Floyd and Led Zeppelin.
As Jethro Tull is taking a long break from touring, Barre has put together a band to play the “classic” music from the Tull catalogue. His band is a total commitment to give Tull fans and a broader audience the chance to hear tracks not performed for many years.
The Narrows Center is located at 16 Anawan Street. Tickets to his show can be purchased online at www.narrowscenter.org or by calling the box office at 508-324-1926. For those wanting to purchase tickets in person, box office hours are Wednesday through Saturday, 12 noon to 5 p.m.
Blackmore’s Night, the six-piece band led by legendary guitarist Ritchie Blackmore and vocalist/multi-instrumentalist Candice Night, will perform at the Regent Theatre in Arlington, Mass., on August 14, 2016, at 7:30 PM. All tickets are reserved seating and available now by clicking HERE.
Formed in 1997, Blackmore’s Night is a true musical and spiritual collaboration between Night and Blackmore. The two met in 1989 when Deep Purple challenged Night’s then radio station to a charity soccer match. In 1993, she sang on Rainbow’s “Difficult to Cure” tour. They co-wrote four songs for Rainbow’s Stranger In Us All album and they formed Blackmore’s Night two years later. They continue to play in castles, opera houses, old theaters and UNESCO sites around the globe.
In addition to Blackmore and Night, their band of Minstrels includes Bard David of Larchmont (keyboards), Earl Grey of Chimay (bass, mandolin, rhythm guitar), Troubadour of Aberdeen (drums, percussion), Lady Christina (harmony vocals) and Scarlet Fiddler (violin).
Blackmore’s Night is an eclectic musical Renaissance rock group. Their unique blend of Renaissance themed melodies and some medieval instrumentation is blended with the contemporary sounds of guitars, keyboards, violin and percussion. They transverse time to take you on a musical journey without the stress of today’s tech world into a musical adventure that spans centuries of musical styles, combined with the ethereal vocals and charming legends and fairytale lyrics of Candice Night. It is a fun-filled concert suitable for all ages.
Fans are encouraged to come dressed in garb or Renaissance costumes to add to the festivities of the special evening. Arrive as a peasant, knight, jester, king or queen and you’ll fit right in.
Since releasing their debut album, Shadow of the Moon, in 1997, Blackmore’s Night has released nine more studio albums. Their most recent All Our Yesterdays spent 12 weeks on the Billboard charts.
The Regent Theatre is located at 7 Medord Street in Arlington, Mass. Tickets to the show can be purchased online at www.regenttheatre.com or by calling the box office at 781-646-4849. Tickets can also be purchased in person at the box office.
Singer-songwriter Matt York, who made a name for himself in the mid-1990s as the front man for the local band Wide Iris, recently released a nine-song solo album called Boston, Texas. The South Shore resident will have a CD release party on Saturday, January 30, 2016, at Atwoods Tavern in Cambridge, Mass. We recently caught up with York who is busy promoting his new disc and upcoming CD release party.
Limelight Magazine (LM): Your new album Boston, Texas is out now. How long did it take to record? Are you pleased with the album as a whole? Matt York (York): I’m really happy with it. [Producer and engineer] Mark Bryant and I began tracking in early October and it was pretty much completed by Thanksgiving. We were really efficient and I think part of that was I’d done a lot of the prep work prior to recording and wasn’t writing parts/lyrics in the studio. We tried out some new ideas but for the most part there weren’t wholesale changes, so it allowed for us to record pretty quickly.
LM: Of the nine songs on Boston, Texas, do you have a favorite and why? York: The favorites change from week to week, especially after hearing them a million times during the process but I think the final track “Love You the Same” is my favorite. I wrote it right before we started recording it and I like how simple it is.
LM: Can you share with us your songwriting process? York: I started writing songs as a young teenager and it just seems to come and go. I don’t know that there’s a process as much as certain riffs/melodies emerge while I’m sitting around noodling around on a guitar and then they build from there. Some songs take ten minutes to write and others take years, so there’s definitely no formula for me.
LM: Mark Bryant of Seasound Audio in Plymouth, Mass., produced and engineered your new album. What was it like working with him? How much impact did he have on the album? York: Probably my favorite thing about making the album was working with Mark. We had no previous relationship prior to the recording but quickly built up a rapport. He’s a great and thoughtful guy. We kind of speak a similar language musically and have similar influences which really helped. We had a lot of fun making the album and I think that comes through in the performance. Mark had a lot of great ideas and I’d highly recommend him to anybody thinking of making an album in the future.
LM: You dedicated this album to your dad, David York. Was he supportive of your being involved in music from a young age? York: My dad just loves rock ‘n’ roll. He’s always loved it and was very supportive from the start. He and my mom bought me my first guitars, took me to lessons, drove me all the over place to play gigs when I didn’t have a license yet. He was always at shows when I got older and just loved being around the music scene. I’d really stepped away from it for years but thought it’d be fun to make another album and I knew he’d get a kick out of the process.
LM: You wrote all the songs on the album. Do you ever experience writer’s block? If you do, what do you do to get over it? York: I don’t think I experience writer’s block but I do have times where I get stuck in a similar genre/tempo. I write ten slow, depressing songs but can’t write an up-tempo song or vice-versa. I find that using a capo to play in a different key or noodling around on a piano can help break me out of that though.
LM: You previously were in the band Wide Iris where you recorded four CDs and played gigs all over New England. Do you prefer being in a band or being a solo performer? York: I don’t know, we’ll see. I’ve cobbled together a band to play some of the shows I’ve got coming up. My time with Wide Iris was really a blast. There was just three of us, we didn’t really know what we were doing, had a million shared experiences and had a great energy together. Even back then though, I always did acoustic/solo type shows. I imagine I’ll keep doing both because they are two very different things and honestly with the limited amount of places to play nowadays, doing both will hopefully allow me to play out more.
LM: Speaking of gigs, you previously performed in venues that are now closed, such as The Channel, The Rathskeller, and T.T. the Bears. How do you feel about the number of local venues that are closing in the Greater Boston Area? York: T.T.’s was a heartbreaker for me. Some of the really great moments in my life both as a performer and as a fan of music happened there. I imagine live music will always have ebbs and flows and that you’ll see periodic resurgences. I think it’s a bad thing for young bands to not be able to play out live regularly because when you have the opportunity to do that, even if it’s at lousy venues with small crowds, you learn from it. When you’ve dragged a big Marshall stack up two flights of stairs and played to five people and made no money, it can be as impactful as playing a packed room of friendly faces at a great club.
LM: Since you’ve been involved with the local music scene for a number of years now, are there any important lessons you’ve learned along the way that you’d share with someone starting out? York: I was fortunate enough to start playing the clubs of Boston at a really young age, so I saw how much talent there was/is right from the start. I think some young artists probably think that their talent alone is going to be enough and that they’ll eventually be discovered. The reality is there are a million awesome artists out there and a handful of them get lucky but most of the ones that are successful are constantly working and hustling. Playing to an adoring crowd is such a tiny sliver of what being a working musician actually is. I can’t tell you how many artists I’ve seen once that blew my mind and then I never heard another thing about them again.
LM: Your CD release party is scheduled for Saturday, January 30, at Atwoods Tavern in Cambridge, Mass. What can your fans expect at this show? York: I’m looking forward to it. Randi Millman who booked T.T.’s for years has been booking some really great acts at Atwoods and so I’m really thrilled to have the CD release there. My friend Rick Berlin who’s been an influence on me and so many other local musicians is opening the show. I’m going to do some solo acoustic songs as well and then do a set with a full band so it should be action-packed.
LM: Is there anything you’d like to add? York: Thanks for the opportunity and thanks for doing what you do.
This year I set a personal record of seeing the most films I’ve ever seen in theater or drive-in, closing the year with a total of 76 movies. Of that total, 45 were first run films while the rest were retro films that were screened from original or restored 35-mm prints. In reflecting back on the first run movies, it was a stellar year for quality films. In past years, the majority of my top movies were made up of independent and foreign films that were only given limited releases in the United States. But this year, the major studios stepped it up a notch and released a number of gems, including some sequels that were arguably just as good as the original films. As a result, my top films are much more balanced than past years and I even had to expand the list to 15 since there were so many good movies that were released that couldn’t be excluded. So, without further ado, here’s my top 15 films of 2015. Rather than go into detail about each one, I’m only going to list them so you can discover these movies for yourself.(Disclaimer: This list is based on films I’ve seen as of Dec. 31, 2015. It could be adjusted in the future as I view other films from 2015 in 2016).
#1 – It Follows [screened @ IFC Center, New York City, NY]
You don’t need singing to make a great album. On his first proper solo record, legendary filmmaker and soundtrack composer John Carpenter creates a batch of memorable tunes without a single word. With the help of his son Cody Carpenter and Daniel Davies (son of The Kink’s Dave Davies), the tracks and themes on this release encompass Carpenter’s entire career. If you’re a fan of his film scores to Halloween, Escape from New York or The Fog, all of which have minimalist electronic tones, bouncing bass lines, and eerie keyboards, you’ll love this album. It’s been played nonstop since it was released on Feb. 3rd. (Standout Tracks: “Vortex” & “Night”)
2. Steve Wilson – Hand. Cannot. Erase.
On his fourth solo album, Wilson has created another mesmerizing prog rock masterpiece. From the opening track to the last note this album does not disappoint. For anyone who likes great music with stellar musicianship and songwriting, this is for you. (Standout tracks: “3 Years Older” & “Ancetral”). Billboard Top 200 Peak Position: #39
3. Iron Maiden – Book of Souls
Iron Maiden’s first double studio album is their finest work since the band reformed in 2000 with Bruce Dickinson and Adrian Smith. The band recorded most of this album live and limited overdubs. With the exception of the lead single “Speed of Love,” the songs lean more toward progressive rock than their 80s material, with the closing song clocking in at over 18-minutes. Despite their length, the songs are energetic and melodic all the way through. The lyrics are particularly strong on this album as many songs deal with real world issues. In short, this should please almost any Maiden fan from any point in their stellar career. (Standout Tracks: “If Eternity Should Fail” & “Tears Of A Clown”). Billboard Top 200 Peak Position: #4
4. Stryper – Fallen
I thought it would be impossible for Stryper to follow up their last album and fan favorite No More Hell To Pay, but they have created an album that’s equally as satisfying. While a lot of bands from the ‘80s have arguably created their best music in that decade, Stryper continues to get better with age. All 12 tracks on “Fallen” contain inspiring lyrics, great melodies, and a modern edge. To be in the business for over 30 years and to sound this good, is truly a blessing. (Standout tracks: “Yahweh” & “King of Kings”). Billboard Top 200 Peak Position: #44
5. Disasterpieace – It Follows
It Follows is the first original motion picture soundtrack score to ever make our year end top 10 album list. A film score is one of the most important elements of a movie, especially the horror genre. This electronic soundtrack is both captivating and dynamic, with the music going from unsettling to peaceful within seconds. While the music is reminiscent of John Carpenter’s early work, it still breaks new ground. See the movie first and then you’ll appreciate what this masterpiece even more. (Standout Tracks: “Heels” & “Father”)
6. Jeff Lynne’s ELO – Alone In The Universe
The mastermind behind Electric Light Orchestra returns with ELO’s first new album since 2001’s Zoom. Written and produced by Lynne with the insanely talented musician playing every instrument on the album except tambourines and shakers, the 10 tracks on this album are everything you’d expect from him and more. The songs are well-crafted, fusing all the different aspects of Lynne’s career into something new and exciting. It gets better and better with every listen. Here’s hoping he finally does a proper tour of the U.S. It’s been far too long. (Standout Tracks: “When I Was A Boy” & “One Step At A Time). Billboard Top 200 Peak Position: #23
7. Metal Allegiance – Self-Titled
Anchored by Mark Menghi, David Ellefson, Mike Portnoy and Alex Skolnick, with contributions from 21 members of the heavy metal community, this album is the blueprint for how metal sound. The music is classic metal with a contemporary twist. The band’s website sums up this release best. Metal Allegeiance “unleashes an album as pulverizing, energetic, atmospheric, and awe inspiring as fans of the jaw-dropping list of associated bands should expect.” We couldn’t agree more! (Standout Tracks: “Can’t Kill the Devil” & “Scars”). Billboard Top 200 Peak Position: #143
8. Slayer – Repentless
Many thought Slayer was finished after guitarist Jeff Hanneman died in 2013 and drummer Dave Lombardo left the band again but this album proves the naysayers wrong. Repentless is another worthy album to Slayer’s discography and a great follow up to “World Painted Blood.” The songs are as driven and unrepentant as their titles might imply: ”Implode,” “Atrocity Vendor” and “You Against You.” If you like you’re music heavy, angry and fast, this is the album for you. (Standout Tracks: “Repentless” & “Implode”). Billboard Top 200 Peak Position: #4
9. Collective Soul – See What You Started By Continuing
Collective Soul is one of the most consistent bands around. Despite a six year wait between albums, their musical style hasn’t changed much. The band knows how to serve up a batch of catchy tunes and every song on this album fits that description. If you have been a fan from the start, you’ll definitely be satisfied by this release. (Standout Tracks: “AYTA” & “Am I Getting Through”). Billboard Top 200 Peak Position: #25
10. [tie] Queensryche – Condition Human
The second album from Queensryche since Todd La Torre joined the band as lead vocalist is another winner. Condition Human features the best elements of the old school Queensryche sound without a contemporary edge. The songs are catchy and infectious. It’s everything you’d want a Queensryche album to be and more. Fans can once again rejoice when Queensryche releases new music. The Ryche is back! (Standout Tracks: “Arrow of Time” & “Guardian”). Billboard Top 200 Peak Position: #27
10. [tie] The Winery Dogs – Hot Streak
There is no sophomore jinx when it comes to Hot Streak. While the trio’s self-titled debut album was rock solid, the songs on Hot Steak are more diverse and further showcase the world class musicianship of Ritchie Kotzen, Billy Sheehan and Mike Portnoy. We’re grateful these virtuosos stuck together. (Standout Tracks: “Oblivion” & “Captain Love”). Billboard Top 200 Peak Position: #30
ADVERTISEMENT – Y&T @ Narrows Center in Fall River, MA, on March 8, 2016. Click on image to purchase tickets.
Carl Palmer’s ELP Legacy Band guitarist Paul Bielatowicz, along with Legacy bandmate, bassist Simon Fitzpatrick, will bring their musical virtuosity to the Narrows Center in Fall River, Mass., on Dec. 19th (click HERE for tickets) and the Regent Theatre in Arlington, Mass., on Dec. 22nd (click HERE for tickets). 21CF opens the show at the Regent Theatre.
The virtuosos will perform many songs from Bielatowicz’s solo CD “Preludes & Etudes,” a representation of the electric guitar as a classical instrument, as well as some surprising classic rock songs and even a holiday medley.
Bielatowicz has toured the world as a member of both the Carl Palmer Band (Emerson, Lake & Palmer) and Neal Morse’s solo band (Spock’s Beard, Transatlantic), as well as appearing on recordings by Paul Gilbert, Mike Portnoy, Randy George and many others. Bielatowicz has also been a regular contributor for several music magazines, most notably writing a regular column for “Guitarist Magazine” and other UK based publications, where he has interviewed such amazing musicians as Steve Vai and Joe Satriani, among others, as well as providing transcriptions for “Guitar Techniques” magazine.
UK bassist Simon Fitzpatrick has toured and recorded with Jennifer Batten (Michael Jackson, Jeff Beck), Carl Palmer (Emerson, Lake & Palmer), Joe Lynn-Turner (Rainbow, Deep Purple), Kee Marcello (Europe) and Michael Hill (B.B. King) among others. Not content with simply being in the background, Fitzpatrick has always tried to take bass guitar playing as far as possible. Using all six strings of his extended range instrument, he performs as a lead player, a soloist or polyphonic accompanist. He has recently released his debut solo bass guitar album, “Reflections,” in which he uses his virtuoso technique to recreate a wide variety of pieces and styles, ranging from classical to classic rock, on one single instrument. You’ve never seen a bass guitar played like this before.
The Narrows Center for the Arts is located at 16 Anawan Street in Fall River, Mass., while the Regent Theatre is located at 7 Medford Street in Arlington, Mass. Parking is free at both venues.
FALL RIVER – Singer, songwriter, musician, and producer Richard Marx, whose hits include “Right Here Waiting,” “Don’t Mean Nothing” and “Hold On to the Nights,” will perform at the Narrows Center for the Arts in Fall River, MA, on Friday, May 27, 2016. Purchase tickets HERE.
In the late 1980s and early 1990s, you couldn’t turn on the radio without hearing Marx’s songs. Beginning with his self-titled debut album in 1987, the Chicago native became the only male solo artist to have his first seven singles reach the Top 5 on the Billboard charts. Since then, he has sold over 30 million albums and has been nominated for three Grammys as a solo artist. Quite simply, Marx has created the soundtrack to the most memorable moments in people’s lives.
“I have written songs that are incredibly romantic – songs that people play at their weddings or that were playing when their kids were born,” said Marx in a press release. “They have traditionally dealt with the highest concept of forever.”
For most artists, that would be remarkable enough, but Marx didn’t stop there, launching a second incarnation as a songwriter and producer for other artists. He has written songs for Barbra Streisand, Josh Groban, Vince Gill, LeAnn Rimes, Natalie Cole, Travis Tritt, Jennifer Nettles, Daughtry, Lifehouse, and Luther Vandross, earning a 2004 Song of the Year Grammy for co-writing Vandross’ “Dance with My Father.”
Marx’s song “This I Promise You” was a massive hit for NSYNC in the autumn of 2000, while his country single with Keith Urban, “Long Hot Summer,” in 2011, enabled Marx to pull off the rare feat of having songs he has either written or co-written hit No. 1 in four separate decades.
The Narrows Center for the Arts is located at 16 Anawan Street. Tickets to his show can be purchased online HERE or by calling the box office at 508-324-1926. For those wanting to purchase tickets in person, box office hours are Wednesday through Saturday, 12 noon to 5 p.m.
Check out some of Richard’s Marx’s music videos below:
Since today is Friday the 13th, we’re going to post some of the filming locations of “Friday the 13th: Part 2” (1981) to see what everything looks like today. In June 2015, I ventured to the towns of New Preston and Kent, CT, where much of the movie was filmed. As we did with the filming locations of the original “Friday the 13th” last year, the top photo is a screen shot taken from the movie. The photo underneath it is what the area looks like today. Unfortunately, all of the camp cabins used in the film that were located at North Spectacle Pond in Kent, CT, have been torn down.
Best known for hits that include “Meanstreak,” “Don’t Stop Runnin’,” and “Summertime Girls,” hard rockers Y&T will make their debut performance at the Narrows Center in Fall River, Mass., on March 8, 2016. Purchase tickets HERE.
Formed in the early 1970s, Y&T is one of the San Francisco Bay Area’s own innovators of the hard rock sound, influence bands such as Ratt, Motley Crue and Metallica. With over a dozen studio albums that have sold in excess of four million copies, Y&T always deliver. In fact, whether performing to a festival crowd of 50,000 or in an intimate venue like the Narrows Center, Y&T’s high-energy set and passionate performances still captivate legions of fans around the globe, proving Y&T’s music timeless.
For the band’s performance at the Narrows, Y&T will play songs that span the band’s over 40-year career, including all the hits and fan favorites for a show that will last two hours.
The Narrows Center is located at 16 Anawan Street in Fall River, Mass. All tickets are $35 and are available online by clicking HERE or by calling the box office at 508-324-1926. Parking is free.
With seven studio albums, over three million records sold worldwide, and countless nights on the road, Rusted Root return to the Narrows Center in Fall River, Mass., on Dec. 10, 2015, at 8 p.m.. Click HERE for tickets!
Formed in the early 90’s by singer/guitarist Michael Glabicki, Rusted Root’s worldly style quickly charmed fans of roots music and world rock. After debuting in 1992 with the self-released Cruel Sun, Rusted Root signed with Mercury Records and released the 1994 platinum selling breakthrough When I Woke, which featured the massive hits “Send Me On My Way,” “Ecstasy,” and “Martyr.” Their success allowed the band to tour with Santana, The Grateful Dead, Dave Matthews Band, The Allman Brothers Band, and perhaps most notably, the highly coveted support role on the landmark Jimmy Page/Robert Plant reunion tour.
In 1996, the hard-touring Rusted Root returned with Remember,”which was followed by Rusted Root (1998), Welcome To My Party (2002), Rusted Root Live (2004), Stereo Rodeo (2009) and The Movement (2012). Along the way, Rusted Root has also issued three EPs, a home video and had songs placed in film and TV soundtracks such as “Twister,” “Mathilda,” “Home For the Holidays,” “Party of Five,” “Charmed,” and “Ice Age.” What was indubitably a first for Rusted Root was that NASA engineers chose “Send Me On My Way” as “wake-up” music for the Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity, for Sol 21. “Send Me On My Way” was also used in a set of Enterprise Rental Car commercials in 2011 and 2012.
For their show at the Narrows Center, expect to hear their hits, fan favorites and other surprises!
The Narrows Center is located at 16 Anawan Street in Fall River, Mass. Tickets are available online through www.narrowscenter.org or by calling the box office at 508-324-1926. Parking is free.
Bringing great entertainment to New England since 2011!
Limelight Magazine 