Bloggerhythms

It was a long time coming. I finally got to see the master of vocal harmonies perform live. Brian Wilson, a man who either couldn’t or wouldn't play on stage for more than two decades, brought his great songs and harmonies, along with a small rock orchestra that included full horn and string sections, to Philadelphia last evening. It was wonderful. Wilson sat in front of his electronic keyboard most of the evening, singing lead vocals on every song, but oddly he didn’t play a single note. It wasn’t until the encore, when he strapped on his bass, that he actually became a member of the band he put together. Wilson’s voice has deepened to the point where he can easily handle the many lead vocals once sung by Mike Love. He can still sing well but he can no longer hit the high notes or sing falsetto. It doesn’t matter because guitarist and main sideman, Jeff Foskett, effortlessly handled those chores. The band was spectacular all night and who would expect less from this perf...

Shelby Lynne is one of my favorite female singers so it was a real treat that I finally had an opportunity to see the country singer perform live. Lynne played most of her new album, Suit Yourself , and the rest of the time she concentrated on the period beginning with her classic 2000 release, I Am Shelby Lynne . She is one of the best vocalists in country music, possessing a voice that lends itself well to both rock & roll and acoustic balladry. Couple that with her composing skills, and a three piece band featuring an excellent lead guitarist in Ben Peeler, and we were all treated to a wonderful night of music. I’ve always been partial to bands over singer-songwriters but Lynne’s lyrical talents, sweet voice, and gift of melody, make her one of the exceptions. Lynne does it all well and she really doesn’t need a band to connect with the audience. The fact that she brought Peeler and a rocking rhythm section with her were just icing on the cake. The highlights were two ...