John F. Kennedy getting served fettuccine by Alfredo Di Lelio at his restaurant Alfredo in Rome, 1963

and yes, Alfredo Di Lelio is the guy who gave Fettuccine Alfredo its name!

The Crystal Palace Garden Parties – 1971-1980

including the likes of Elton John, Bob Marley, Eric Clapton, Lou Reed, Santana, Elvis Costello, James Taylor, Roxy Music + the amazing 1972 gig – starring Joe Cocker, The Beach Boys, Richie Havens, Melanie and Sha Na Na!!!

man, would KILL/die to stand in water AND rock out to those bands, in England, in the 70s!!!!!

Peace The Forks Out

to

Sweet Lou

+

highest paid stuntman in the world / director of every amazingly awful Burt Reynolds car movie ever

something about windmills and minds

the oiler

the ‘father’ donor of the Doner Kebab

a bird who directed some British movies you probably never rented

some basketball coach

some dancer movie gal

some NY sports radio guy

&

Edna Krabappel

Gorillaz
Madison Square Garden
Rocktober 8th

Damon Albarn was once simply known as the frontman for the Brit-pop band called Blur, who were popular worldwide, but moderately successful in our neck of the shore (unless you count the amount of times ‘Song 2’ has been used in adverts and other stuffs).  Then something happened, something moist incredible: Albarn and his flatmate, renowned animator Jamie Hewlett,  cooked up an idea to make a virtual cartoon band, a Banana Splits meets a hodge-pudge of every musical style conceivable, that could possibly conquer this brave new world

Three albums later, the latest landing at #2 on the US Charts (with the other two within the top 20!), and the furthest thought is that the new world conquerers Gorillaz are a joke.  The combination of Albarn’s voice and vision, Hewlett’s visuals, ingenious producers (first Dan the Automator, then with Danger Mouse, and then Albarn alone!),  a large array of rappers (Del The Funky Homosapien, De La Soul, that dude from the Pharcyde), worldclass world musicians (Buena Vista Social Clubber Ibrahim Ferrer), and long loved, but lately ignored legends (Ike Turner, Bobby Womack) has equaled and continued to equal nothing short of brilliance.  People from the future (we pity you) will look back at marvel at these talents collaborating on what each album has become: a once in a lifetime opportunity, which will stand the test of time

Damon Albarn had finally cracked America, and we were better for it.  The Gorillaz’ first tour in 2002 was a rawkin, yet curious hocus pocus act, featuring incredible theatrics and toons, but left many a concertgoer befuddled and remote from the musicians, since they played the entire show behind a sheet in silhoutte.  Then came the landmark residency shows in Manchester and at the famed Apollo Theater, but 10 masterful shows in total isn’t really reaching your entire audience.  That was a mistake Albarn & Co wouldn’t let happen again, as their latest jaunt to support Plastic Beach is a global one, including multiple stops all over our country

And so, how is the show?  Uh, we saw Roger Waters’ can’t miss Wall show earlier in the week, and our early collected thoughts have the Plastic Beach extravaganza topping it!  Yes!!!!!!!  Sure, the other stops won’t include Lou Reed, Mos Def or Cibo Matto’s Miho Hatori reprising her Noodle ways, but that won’t make the show any less memorable or can’t can’t can’t can’t miss.  This show cannot be missed cause this show will never exist as it is again.  Ferrer, Turner and Dennis Hopper are all dead, and can no longer monkey around with Albarn on stage.  We hope and pray for the long life of Bobby Womack, but lettuce juss say you won’t be able to here him belt out ‘Stylo’ in 30 years time.  Also, how often will Clashers Mick Jones and Paul Simonon play together again, and with Albarn, and with the Hypnotic Brass Ensemble!!!!  O M GGGGGGGGGGGGGGGG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Blur was never big enough to play Madison Square Garden, and probably never will (booooooooo!!  although we’re glad we saw em at Hyde Park last summer), but the Gorillaz are, and they did, and even if the show wasn’t sold out, they owned the place and everyone’s attention in it.  Sure, not everyone was digging Def’s ‘Sweepstakes’ entry, but as we left da Garden, heading to the usual White Castle afterparty, people couldn’t help but shout ‘SWEEEEEEPSTAKES!!!!!!!!!’  We’re still screaming it

Gawd bless you Damon Albarn.  Now figure out a way to get Graham, Alex and Dave to the Garden Party

setlist

Orchestral Intro
Welcome to the World of the Plastic Beach
19/2000 (with Miho Hatori)
Last Living Souls
Stylo (with Bobby Womack)
On Melancholy Hill
Rhinestone Eyes
Superfast Jellyfish (with De La Soul)
Tomorrow Comes Today
Some Kind of Nature (with Lou Reed)
Empire Ants (with Yukimi Nagano)
Dirty Harry (with Bootie Brown)
El Mañana
White Flag (with Bashy)
To Binge (with Yukimi Nagano)
DARE (with Rosie Wilson)
Glitter Freeze
Sweepstakes (with Mos Def)
Plastic Beach

Encore
Cloud of Unknowing (with Bobby Womack)
Feel Good Inc. (with De La Soul)
Clint Eastwood (with Bashy)
Don’t Get Lost In Heaven
Demon Days

more pictures

+ watch the Gorillaz’ 44 minute triumph on Live On Letterman

The 25th Rock & Roll Hall of Fame
Anniversary Concerts – Night 2
Madison Square Garden
Rocktober 30th

after Thursday’s all-time time-edness we knew there was no possible way that Friday’s show, even with or w/o Clapton in the line-up, could ever match it. damns, we hate beings right, and the show being 2ish hours shorter than the previous one didn’t help splatters much. Jeff Beck is a fine guitarist and all, but they really shoulda gotzen someone else, someone nameier to take Clapton’s place since his balls were recovering from being gladdered

we won’t go on much more, cause we’re still beyond bewildered at the Black Eyed Poops’ guest participation in the proceedings. we hactually don’t believe in a Hall of Fame for music, especially if Donovan aint in it… yet, but to have Fergie and those other pooples share a stage with U2 and Mick Jagger is juss out flat insulting, especially to anyone who knows anything about good music

speaking of, forgot this story from night one, but now’s a better time than never to share it: during Stevie Wonder’s set, a mid-50ish woman turned to me and said, wouldn’t it be great if Adam Lambert came out and dueted with him? I said, is he that American Idol guy? she said yes and I said, no, not really

regardless, it was still a night to remember, with Ozzy bourne again + Patti & Bruce becauseing the night, but all in all it juss wasn’t as memorable as night one

Jerry Lee Lewis

‘Great Balls of Fire’

Aretha Franklin

‘Baby, I Love You’ (The Ronnettes)

‘Don’t Play That Song’ (Ben E King)

‘Make Them Hear You’ (from Ragtime)

‘Chain of Fools’
w/Annie Lennox

‘New York, New York’ (Liza Minnelli)

‘Think’
w/Lenny Kravitz

‘Respect’

Jeff Beck

‘Drown In My Own Tears ‘ (Ray Charles)

‘People Get Ready’ (The Impressions/Curtis Mayfield)
w/Sting

‘Freeway Boogie’

‘Cause We’ve Ended as Lovers’

‘Let Me Love You Baby’ (Willie Dixon)
w/Buddy Guy

‘Big Block’

‘Rice Pudding’

‘Rough Boy’ (ZZ Top)
w/Billy Gibbons

‘Foxy Lady’ (Jimi Hendrix)
w/Billy Gibbons

‘A Day In The Life’ (The Beatles)

Metallica

‘For Whom the Bell Tolls’

‘One’

‘Turn the Page’ (Bob Seger)

‘Sweet Jane’ (Velvet Underground)
w/Lou Reed

‘White Light/White Heat’ (Velvet Underground)
w/Lou Reed

‘Iron Man’ (Black Sabbath)
w/Ozzy Osbourne

‘Paranoid’ (Black Sabbath)
w/Ozzy Osbourne

‘You Really Got Me’ (The Kinks)
w/Ray Davies

‘All Day and All of the Night’ (The Kinks)
w/Ray Davies

‘Stone Cold Crazy’ (Queen)

‘Enter Sandman’

U2

‘Vertigo’

‘Magnificent’

‘Because The Night’ (Patti Smith)
w/Bruce Springsteen and Patti Smith

‘I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For’
w/Bruce Springsteen

‘Mysterious Ways’

‘Where is the Love?’ (Black Eyed Poops)/’One’
w/Black Eyed Poops

‘Gimme Shelter’ (The Rolling Stones)
w/Mick Jagger and Fergie

‘Stuck In a Moment You Can’t Get Out Of’
w/Mick Jagger

‘Beautiful Day’

mo pictures hear