32nd Annual Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony
Barclays Center
April 7th

There have been 32 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremonies, and I’ve sadly only attended three of them.  For a long time, they weren’t open to the public, and were held in either Cleveland or the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel only for industry people  

As soon as they did open them to the public, and in my neck of the woods – starting with the 2014 show – I HAD to be there.  Somehow the demand wasn’t as high with the 2016 show (guess Cheap Trick as a headliner didn’t do the trick), and I somehow snagged a pair of tickets for a paltry $26.06!!!

For the 2017 show, I knew that that would not be the case, with Pearl Jam and Journey getting in, who both have strong fan bases that would just have to be there.  I had to be there too, no matter what.  I’d go even if the inductees were the now eligible Spin Doctors, EMF, Letters To Cleo, Color Me Badd, and Right Said Fred!!  (come to think of it – I’d actually love to see a concert of all those bands together!!!)

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E.L.O.

Last year’s show led off with a David Bowie tribute, and so of course an obvious Chuck Berry one was due this year, and of course, the obvious choice to kick things off was E.L.O. and their outer-spaced out version of his ‘Roll Over Beethoven’, and of course, that is what happened, and of course it rocked.  I know it would, having been lucky enough to see Mr Jeff Lynne and his orchestra do that song + ‘Evil Woman’ and ‘Mr Blue Sky’ this past September, like he totally rocked them again this night  

E.L.O. is a well deserved entry into the Hall, although I strongly feel that Lynne’s other project – The Traveling Wilburys – deserve a place there too.  Mainly cause I want him to reunite with Dylan and Petty (and maybe get George Harrison’s son Dhani, who inducted E.L.O., plus someone else to stand in for Roy Orbison) and play the songs they NEVER toured, EVER

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Joan Baez

I know Joan Baez, but if you asked me to name her 5 most famous songs, I’d probably not even get to 2.  Yikes, but I know she’s important, and while not the most rockiniest choice for the Hall, a vital one nonetheless.  And with today’s politically charged climate (although seriously, what day and age’s climate is NOT politically charged), Joan brought a taste of injustice and protest from times past to the present, playing ‘Swing Low, Sweet Chariot’ + brought out Mary Chapin Carpenter and The Indigo Girls to strum ‘Deportee (Plane Wreck at Los Gatos)’ and ‘The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down’.  I’m all for her making a statement, but I would have preferred a little more rockin – like her cover of ‘House of The Rising Sun’ (if you can call that ‘rockin’)

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Yes

One of THE best things about the Rock Hall inductions is the once in a lifetime reunions AND collaborations, and the band Yes, gave both of those an emphatic YES!!!  The band has had many many many formations in its history, and currently tour the world in two different factions, but on this night, they didn’t come from a place of ‘no’, and all came together to say ‘yes’ to Yes!!!  And superfan Geddy Lee (and Rush bandmater Alex Lifeson) as the inductor, not only had high praise for the group, but filled in admirably for the departed Chris Squire on ‘Roundabout’.  The long song only allowed for a second tune, the 80s staple ‘Owner of a Lonely Heart’

https://www.instagram.com/p/BSnF4W0jQfi/

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Tupac

You’d think that a posthumous induction would not be all that great, but you’d be DEAD wrong.  Poor wording, but totally true.  The Kurt-less Nirvava performance was one of the most bestest things I have ever witnessed, musically.  When Linda Ronstadt (who is not dead) missed her induction 3 years ago, the performance put on in her honor was udderly fantastic.  Same was true for Tupac’s big night.  I missed the Snoop Dog speech while taking an extended wizz, and didn’t really know all the songs in the medley, but what a medley it was…

Ambitionz az a Ridah / I Get Around / I Ain’t Mad at Cha / Dear Mama / Changes (see below) / 2 of Amerikaz Most Wanted / Gangsta Party / Hail Mary / Keep Ya Head Up

all with the help of Alicia Keys, YG, TI, Treach from Naughty By Nature, and of course the Snoop man himself!

No hologram needed – as 2Pac’s music brought him back to life!

https://www.instagram.com/p/BSnJNQIjcOY/

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Journey

The night’s most memorable moment was the one that didn’t happen.  Steve Perry joined his former bandmates on stage for a heartfelt reunion that didn’t continue into the post-speech performances, leaving everyone VERY happy to see him, but VERY sad that we didn’t really get to hear him (sing)

Steve Perry can do whatever Steve Perry wants to do.  If he wants to accept an award and not play with Journey ever again, that’s his choice, but in choosing to not perform (perhaps for the last time and chance ever to do so… but never say ever), he denied the audience, the fans, and humanity the opportunity to witness perhaps THE music moment of the decade  

It may be time to stop believing in a Steve Perry reunion, but with current frontman Arnel Pineda perfectly imitating his chops, there’s plenty to lick and believe in here.  Pineda & co rocked the arena and our world with ‘Separate Ways (Worlds Apart), ‘Lights’ and ‘Don’t Stop Believin’

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Pharrell Williams then inducted Nile Rodgers with the Award For Musical Excellence, but sadly Daft Punk did not show up to make us all ‘Get Lucky’

this was followed to a nice, but not anything super special Lenny Kravitz tribute to Prince, featuring ‘When Doves Cry’ and ‘The Cross’.  Prince should never not be memorialized and honored, but I feel a little Prince-tributed out.  Maybe they could have done a nice Leonard Cohen tribute, and have all the 1284384288424842 people who have covered ‘Hallelujah’ play it all together as one

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Pearl Jam

Save the best for last, and Pearl Jam did, bringing up the rear for this show.  While Neil Young called in sick, David Letterman came out of hiding and brought well needed non-musician humor and heart (and beard) to the proceedings 

Another lovely moment was the appearance and reunion with their original drummer Dave Krusen, who sit in with the band for ‘Alive’, for the first time since he departed the group in 1991(!!!!!)!  Personally, I would have let the group play Ten in its entirety, but they chose to sprinkle in other works, like ‘Given to Fly’ and ‘Better Man’  

The only other moment that would have been super epic, was the show’s all-star jam closing number ‘Rockin’ in the Free World’.  The jam WAS super epic, but without Neil Young, it was a little less super-y epic-er than it could have been.  But who cares!!!  When George Harrison’s son is jamming with Geddy Lee, Eddie Vedder, Jonathan Cain and Neal Schon of Journey, and Trevor Rabin of Yes, you’ll take that over not taking that.  TAKE THAT!!  I will, thanks!  

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Keep these shows a coming and a rocking Rock Hall, and especially to Brooklyn! and with more capes!!!!

Rock & Roll Hall of Fame 29th Induction Ceremony
Barclays Center
April 10th

The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame may be meaningless (OH LOOK, THEY HAVE JOHN LENNON’S POOL PASS!), and who they decide to let a lot too arbitrary, but they certainly know how to put on a show (Their 25th Anniversary ones were near legendary to me), and especially an induction ceremony.  Previously an industry and insider only affair for years, the powers that be decided to open the festivities to the public this year.  With the 29th class consisting of Peter Gabriel, Hall & Oates, Cat Stevens(!!!!!), Kiss, The E Street Band, managers Brian Epstein + Andrew Loog Oldham, Linda Ronstadt & Nirvana, I knew that this was a show NOT to be missed.  But apparently people thought otherwise, and one could have snagged a ticket for 1/2 off of face value.  Maybe the Kiss army weren’t pleased that the band refused to perform.  Or maybe people are juss dumb.  I’m sorry you missed this, cause you really really missed something.  Anywho, here’s how it went down, in order…

Peter Gabriel

Love me some PG.  He can totally shock my monkey, BIG TIME, with a Sledgehammer on the games without frontiers!!!!!!!!!!!  Those are MY favorite PG tunes, but sadly, he didn’t play any of them. He played

Digging in the Dirt  / Washing of the Water (with Chris Martin) / In Your Eyes (with Y’Sou N’Dour)

Not bad choices, but Peter, c’mon man, lets rock a little, not put me to sleepzzz.  Guess this means I’ll juss have to see him play a full show some other time.  Jerknutz.  Not a total loss, as I used his speeching as a time to go grab that yumcredible brisket mac & cheese from Fatty ‘Cue

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Kiss

I hate Kiss, but would have been happy to see them perform, with the original line-up or with whatever line-up they wanted to play with.  Still, their speeches were sincere, and funny, and pointed, especially when Paul Stanley took a shot at the Hall for how they choose the inductees, saying the fans should have more say

I still hate Kiss, but this Chuck Klosterman love letter on them was pretty fcuking great, and comprehensive!

I really hate Kiss, but mainly cause when I was younger, my cousins had Kiss wallpaper in their room, and when I went into that room, the wallpaper scared the living crap out of me.  It SILL scares me.  All of it – the wallpaper, the dudes in make-up.  Eeeek

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Cat Stevens / Yusuf Islam

Dude, I think we all take Cat Stevens for granted.  Sure, he (now Yusuf Islam), may have had some poor choice of words and thoughts over the years, but it doesn’t change the fact that he’s Cat Stevens.  Apparently some still think he’s a ‘terrorist’.  The US even put him on the no fly list from 2004 – 2006.  Even my mom said last week that there’s juss something not right about him.  What do we all know?  Well, what I know is that Cat/Yusuf/whomever is a lover of peace, and music, and that peaceful lovely music shined thru BIG time in his set…

Father and Son / Wild World / Peace Train

Oh man, he sounded SO FCUKING GREAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAT.  He has to do a proper tour of America, and America muss open its arms and doors to him.  Maybe he can tour with his induct-or, Art Garfunkel, who said of the honoree ‘this guy’s better than Paul Simon’.  BURNNNNNNNNNNNNNN!!!

Btw, one of the greatest things ever remains Colbert & Jon Stewart piecing together the Peace/Crazy/Love Train medley with Cat, Ozzy & The O’Jays

CAT FCUKING STEVENS PEOPLE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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Linda Ronstadt

A couple of days before this show, all I knew about Linda Ronstadt was that her last name isn’t easy to spell AND she dated George Lucas in the 80s.  Then I decided to youtube her hits, and man, oh woman, did I have a brain fart.  Linda has quite the impressive back catalog, we all know AND love.  Even her cover versions are equally as famous AND awesome as the originals is/are!  But poor Linda, she has Parkinson’s disease, and can no longer play or travel, but in her place was a chick-love-fest that initially I didn’t think much of, BUT AFTERWARDS I THOUGHT MUCH OF!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  Look at THIS set, and WHO was involved!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Different Drum (with Carrie Underwood) / Blue Bayou (Roy Orbison cover with Emmylou Harris + Bonnie Raitt & Carrie Underwood) / You’re No Good (Dee Dee Warwick cover with Sheryl Crow + Emmylou Harris, Bonnie Raitt, Carrie Underwood & Glenn Frey) / It’s So Easy To Fall In Love (Buddy Holly cover with Stevie Nicks + Sheryl Crow, Emmylou Harris, Bonnie Raitt, Carrie Underwood & Glenn Frey) /When Will I Be Loved? (The Everly Brothers cover with Stevie Nicks + Sheryl Crow, Emmylou Harris, Bonnie Raitt, Carrie Underwood & Glenn Frey)

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The E Street Band

I’m no fan of Bruce or the E Street guys/gals, but there’s no denying their talent.  There’s also no denying that they should have been inducted with Bruce back in ’99, so we didn’t have to hear EACH of these dogdammnn band members give a speech, which resulted in 23921392939139 hours added to the concert.  The only speech that had any resonance or purpose was the one delivered by Clarence Clemons’ widow’s.  The Band and Bruce played three songs, but none of them were ‘Dancing In The Dark’ and Courtney Cox wasn’t honored, so who cares?

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Hall & Oates

Never thought too much of lion-maned Hall & mustachioed Oates, but they did have some killer hits.  LOTS of them.  Not enough time to play em all, but we were treated to

She’s Gone / I Can’t Go for That (No Can Do) / You Make My Dreams Come True

These dudes eat men!  And props to Daryl Hall who took aim at the E Street Band for making too many speeches, and decided not to make too much of a speech himself

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Nirvana

The Rock Hall saved the best for last.  Not necessarily the best inductee (I’d say Cat Stevens is the most deserving on the docket), but the best performance for last.  Rumors swirled for days as to who would take Kurt Cobain’s place in the show.  Would introducer Michael Stipe take the honors?  Or some other random dude?  

Then Joan Jett’s name popped up online.  I was like, OK, that’s cool, I guess.  Well guess what, Joan Jett DID indeed front Nirvana, for ‘Smells Like Teen Spirt’, and OMG, here we are now, AND IT ENTERTAINED US!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  One of my biggest regrets in life was never seeing Nirvana live.  Would never be able to correct that error, but you know what, watching Dave Grohl behind the drum kit, and Krist bouncing with his bass (+ Pat, smearing), and hearing Joan belt the mulatto, albino, mosquito, libido bits kinda sorta really makes up for it.  Not really, but really.  Whatever, I’ll take this times a zilllllllllion over nothing!

Then Joan left, and then Sonic Youth’s Kim Gordon came on for an awful, earsplitting rendition of ‘Aneurysm’.  No stretch for her, since Sonic Youth are kinda awful and earsplitting (I only dig their more commercial Dirty album)  

Then she took off and St Vincent/Annie Clark came on and RAWKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKED THE FCUK OUT OF ‘LITHIUM’.  I FOUND GAWDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  

Then that Lorde came on to do a decent ‘All Apologies’, with Krist Novoselic playing accordion  

OH MAN –  THIS WAS AN ALL TIME HIGH!!!  Til the end of my days, I will never never never never never never never never never never never never never never never never never never never never never never never never never never never never never never never never never never never never never never never never never never never never never never never never never never never never never never never never never never never never never never never never never never never never never never never never never never never never never never never never never never never never never never never never never never never never never never never never never never never never never never never never never never never never never never never never never never never never never never never never forget what Jett & Annie St Vince & Dave & Krist (+ Pat) done did.  It’s right up there with greatest concert performances I’ve EVER seen – Simon & Garf reunited at MSG, that RnR at 25 Night 1 show + An Evening with Fran Healy and Andy Dunlop from Travis

Although I bet this after-show-secret show of Nirvana + Joan + St Vince + Kim Gordon AND J Mascis and John McCauley would have put all other shows I’d ever seen to shame.  They really should do a tour of this Nirvana with multiple Kurt Cobain stand-ins thing.  A tribute act that’s part tribute, but all parts awesome

Sadly, since the show ran super long, they axed the usual all star jam at the end.  BOOOOOO YOU E STREET BAND!!!

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

The 25th Rock & Roll Hall of Fame
Anniversary Concerts – Night 1
Madison Square Garden
Rocktober 29th

this once in a zillion lifetimes concert contained the criznazzyiest of criznazzy collaborations and a super-sized sizzling sing-a-long setlist that set everyone’s ears ablaze and heads into a daze (see belows, complied by Thighlandium’s favorite son, Mr Pibbums), so much so that a listing of the who and what does all the talking and the walking that anyone would ever need to say or walk about the greatestestetstesteteststest 5 hour and 40ish minute concert wees have ever beens to and evers will. great googly mooogly!!!

Jerry Lee Lewis

‘Whole Lotta Shakin’

Crosby, Stills & Nash

‘Woodstock’

‘Marrakesh Express’

‘Almost Cut My Hair’

‘Love Has No Pride’ (Bonnie Raitt)
w/Bonnie Raitt

‘Midnight Rider’ (Allman Bros)
w/Bonnie Raitt

‘The Pretender’ (Jackson Browne)
w/Jackson Browne

‘Mexico’ (James Taylor)
w/James Taylor

‘Love The One You’re With’
w/James Taylor

‘Rock n’ Roll Woman’ (Buffalo Springfield)

‘Teach Your Children’
w/James Taylor, Jackson Browne and Bonnie Raitt

Paul Simon

‘Diamonds On The Soles of Her Shoes’

‘Me and Julio Down By The Schoolyard’

‘You Can Call Me Al’

‘The Wanderer’ (Dion & the Belmonts)
w/Dion

‘Here Comes The Sun’ (The Beatles)
w/Graham Nash and David Crosby

‘Late In The Evening’

‘Two People In The World’ (The Imperials)
w/L’il Anthony & The Imperials

Simon & Garfunkel

‘Sound of Silence’

‘Mrs Robinson’

‘Not Fade Away’ (Buddy Holly)

‘The Boxer’

‘Bridge Over Troubled Water’

‘Cecilia’

(this is udder BS, since they needed their own 5+ hour set)

Stevie Wonder

‘Blowin’ In The Wind’ (Bob Dylan)

‘Uptight’

‘I Was Made To Love You’

‘For Once In My Life’

‘Signed Sealed Delivered’

‘Boogie On Reggae Woman’

‘Tracks of My Tears’ (Smokey Robinson)
w/Smokey Robinson

‘Mercy Mercy Me’ (Marvin Gaye)
w/John Legend

‘The Way You Make Me Feel’ (Michael Jackson)
w/John Legend

‘The Thrill Is Gone’ (BB King)
w/BB King

‘Living for the City’

‘Higher Ground’
w/Sting

‘Roxanne’ (The Police)
w/Sting

‘Superstition’
w/Jeff Beck

Bruce Springsteen
& the E Street Band

‘Tenth Avenue Freeze Out’

‘Hold On I’m Coming’ (Sam & Dave)
w/Sam Moore

‘Soul Man’ (Sam & Dave)
w/Sam Moore

‘The Ghost of Tom Joad’
w/Tom Morello

‘Fortunate Son’ (CCR)
w/John Fogerty

‘Proud Mary’ (CCR)
w/John Fogerty

‘Pretty Woman’ (Roy Orbison)
w/John Fogerty

‘Jungleland’

‘Fine Fine Boy’ (Darlene Love)
w/Darlene Love

‘Da Doo Ron Ron’ (The Crystals)
w/Darlene Love

‘London Calling’ (The Clash)
w/Tom Morello

‘Badlands’
w/Tom Morello

‘You May Be Right’ (Billy Joel)
w/Billy Joel

‘Only The Good Die Young’ (Billy Joel)
w/Billy Joel

‘New York State of Mind’ (Billy Joel)
w/Billy Joel

‘Born To Run’
w/Billy Joel

‘Your Love Keeps Lifting Me Higher’ (Jackie Wilson)
w/Billy Joel, John Fogerty, Jackson Browne, Tom Morello, Sam Moore and Darlene Love

my/our lord. we may never be able to fully comprehend that bestness that befell our be-eyes & be-ears be-last night. bi the gay, if you really want to know our thoughts on the show, czech our Twitter feed from last noche, and do the same tonight for Part 2 w/U2, Urethra, Metallica and Clapton’s replacement, Jeff Beck