Scene and Heard

These two country music greats will join together for the performance of a lifetime on March 4, 2011 at Horseshoe Casino Southern Indiana.

The word “legend” usually makes an appearance at some point when discussing Merle Haggard. It’s an acknowledgement of his artistry and his standing as “the poet of the common man.” It’s a tribute to his incredible commercial success and to the lasting mark he has made, not just on country music, but on American music as a whole. It’s apt in every way but one.

Kris Kristofferson has always identified himself first and foremost as a writer, and true writers know that what works best is giving a piece of themselves to the listener. With his latest album, This Old Road, Kristofferson lays a chunk of his own soul on every track. This beautifully sparse recording, produced by Don Was (Bob Dylan, The Rolling Stones), puts an emphasis on his fine lyrics and distinctive voice by featuring Kristofferson, his guitar, and harmonica. Subtle accompaniment is added by Was (bass, piano, backing vocals), longtime sidekick Stephen Bruton (guitar, mandolin, backing vocals) and Jim Keltner (drums). The album is so intimate it makes the listener feel as if they are sitting in Kristofferson’s living room while he picks and sings just for them.

This legendary performance will be held on March 4^th, 2011 at 7:30 p.m. in the Showroom.  Tickets go on sale Friday December 3^rd. and may be purchased through Ticketmaster 1-800-745-3000 or the Horseshoe Box office.

Early band mates Billy Cox, who joined with Hendrix while in the Army and later performed with him in Band of Gypsys, and Ernie Isley of the Isley Brothers, who took Hendrix in as a guitarist in 1964, along withChris Layton former Stevie Ray Vaughn drummer,  began the musical portion of the show playing a hard driving version of “Stone Free” and “Message to Love”.

The show moved flawlessly, through Living Colorfeaturing fiery solos by Vernon Reid , Eric Johnson’simpeccably clean guitar work and a three song combination of Susan Tedeschi, Brad Whitford andMato Nanji of Indigenous.

As each performer rotated on and off the stage, it quickly became a guitar lover’s dream, performed by artists who clearly idolized the guitar god and performed at an intense level as if Hendrix himself was watching the performance.

The show was filled with highlights, Susan Tedeschi’s and Los Lobos version of “Little Wing” brought chills, Robert Randolph’s peddle steel guitar on “Purple Haze” and Jonny Lang  with Brad Whitford jamming on “All Along the Watchtower” Every performance pushed the audience and musicians to a higher level.

It seemed the show  could not reach a higher peak when Kenny Wayne Shepherd began “Voodoo Child” finishing with an outstanding long solo by that absolutely destroyed the audience and would have made Hendrix himself proud.

Steve Vai’s techno filled guitar clinic was hypnotic on “Midnight” playing with his arms, hands, head, and even his tongue. He was joined by Randolph, and Living Color for “Foxey Lady” to end the show.

A blistering encore of “Red House” by Mato, Isley, Randolph, Cox and Layton drew every last ounce of energy from everyone in the Taft including the artists.

2010 is a year filled with outstanding shows and this one rates among the best of the year.

The artists shared the stage with a passion. The interaction and tight performances rose to a guitar drenched peak that left the audience drained and exhausted by night’s end. If you love  guitar or Jimi Hendrix this show is a must see.

For more Photos C Michaels Photos .com

Bret Michaels brought his Roses and Thorns Tour to Horseshoe Casino Southern Indiana. He first gained fame as the lead vocalist of the glam metal band Poison. Besides his career as lead singer, he has several solo albums to his credit, as well as one chart single. He appeared in the VH1 reality show Rock of Love with Bret Michaels and its sequels, and as a judge on the talent show Nashville Star.

It’s been a difficult year for Michaels, the veteran frontman for the metal band Poison went on “Celebrity Apprentice 3 ” and survived all the way to the end, winning the competition and raising more than $600,000 for diabetes research (he was diagnosed with juvenile diabetes in 1969, at age 6). During and after the show’s filming, he survived several health scares, including an emergency appendectomy, a brain hemorrhage and diagnosis of a heart defect..

Michaels who is releasing a new Country/Rock  album in 2011 and gave his fans a taste of the new along with his stable of hits and favorites. Taking the stage to Guns N’ Roses’ “Welcome to the Jungle,” Michaels and his band began what he termed,”tonight is a party and a celebration”.

While delivering a crowd pleasing set, Michaels promised to return with Poison next year to celebrate the bands 25th anniversary.

Set List:

1. Talk Dirty to Me
2. Look What the Cat Dragged In
3. Sweet Home Alabama
   (Lynyrd Skynyrd cover)
4. Go That Far (Rock of Love theme song)
5. Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door
   (Bob Dylan cover)
6. Unskinny Bop
7. Your Mamma Don’t Dance
8. Drum Solo
9. What I Got
   (Sublime cover)
10. Something to Believe In
11. I Won’t Forget You
12. Every Rose Has Its Thorn
13. Fallen Angel

1. Encore:

1. Rock and Roll All Nite
   (KISS cover)
2. Nothin’ but a Good Time

More photos at http://albums.phanfare.com/isolated/X0dGCM2P/1/4909853

This Saturday at the Vernon Club

1575 Story Ave, Louisville, KY

the Kentuckiana Blues Society’s 22nd Anniversary Celebration

LOS ANGELES, November 10, 2010 – Last night on Sixx Sense, international rock icon Nikki Sixx responded to the verbal sparring between Aerosmith’s Steven Tyler and Kid Rock regarding Tyler’s decision to join American Idol as a judge.  Kid Rock has stated publically that it’s “…the stupidest thing he’s (Tyler) ever done in his life…”, while Tyler has said Kid Rock is “just jealous” and suggests he is trying to attract attention to his new album.

Below is a transcript of Nikki’s on-air conversation with co-host Kerri Kasem, in which he supports Tyler’s decision and talks about a recent conversation between the two of them:

Sixx: “So we were talking, god what was it last week, about Steven Tyler being on American Idol and I’d said I’d talked to Steven and he’d said that I really saw the perspective the way that was his idea for doing it. Kid Rock was blasting him pretty hard and, you know, I don’t have a problem with Kid Rock. I know him. I get what he’s trying to do, he’s trying to say American Idol is cheesy…but the whole point of Steven Tyler being on American Idol is to not make it cheesy. It’s to have a real artist on there. Steven knows how to dress, so he has style; he knows how to design sets; he knows how to write songs obviously; he plays instruments; he’s one of the greatest singers and one of the greatest front men of all time. So who’s better to judge somebody and give them advise or maybe say they don’t have it than Steven? There should be more Steven Tyler’s on there. So when I talked to Steven about that, we were talking about how he has the ability to find the next Jimi Hendrix, the next Janis Joplin, the next Kid Rock. This is a positive thing for music. This is a pipeline that we usually don’t have. When I was growing up, the only way I could get turned on to Aerosmith’s music was through Circus Magazine or Cream Magazine and if you were really lucky and the snobs over at Rolling Stone decided to put you on the cover and do an article on you, you might find out about a rock band there, but usually it wasn’t real rock bands they would cover. So on my radio show, if I really like a band I can pump it out there and get a lot of people to hear it, and Steven can do the same on American Idol. We’re really happy about where we’re at in our lives and that we’re doing things differently than just using print media and the internet. Doing stuff with TV and radio, that to me is smart. Kid Rock bashing him feels to me that he’s just really trying to get attention. I do know this – Steven is doing a forward-thinking really cool thing.”

Click the following link to hear the Sixx Sense audio http://www.sixxsense.com/pages/mediavault/mediaplayer.html?uri=channels/444211/1074314 or visit www.SixxSense.com for additional information.

The Eagles may have played the first show at the Yum Center a few weeks ago, however Louisville really opened the new arena Friday when My Morning Jacket combined with local artists,  The Louisville Youth Orchestra and Wax Fang for an epic show.

Conductor Jason Seber and his young Orchestra played an impressive set mixing Beethoven, Led Zeppelin and Journey.

Wax Fang followed choosing glowing Tron suits that looked amazing but created constant feedback early in the set and frustrated guitarist,Scott Carney . He finally removed the suit and told the audience” Now I look like a baseball coach”. The sound was a distracting, but this band showed why they are receiving great reviews and very well could be headlining a YUM show themselves in a few years.

The Eagles show sold out the Yum Center and filled it with an older more conservative crowd. For this show the upper arena was closed off but an excited young audience, many dressed in Halloween gear filled the place with energy and anticipation as the time neared for My Morning Jacket to hit the stage.

From the outset, the quintet grabbed the audience and did not let go. A caped,Jim James leaped, danced and slid across the stage during the opening number  “Wordless Chorus” and his terrific band mates consisting of, Bassist, Tom Blankenship, Drummer Patrick Hallahan kept the pace with their pounding beat. Carl Broemel on electric guitar was never better, mixing grudge, blazing solos and chords with James. Keyboardist, Bo Koester filled in where necessary and added excellent background vocals. His harmonies stood out on several numbers, which is difficult to do when you have a voice like James leading the band.

Jim James voice is an added instrument, soaring, haunting and surreal. It is clear that he is completely taken over by the music and you have to wonder how did he create such original music here in Louisville.

The band played several songs with The Louisville Youth Orchestra giving the students a thrill and the crowd a different twist to some old favorites.

They played the encore in Colonel Sanders outfits complete with a chicken and a balloon drop.

James said’ “ He gets emotional when he plays in his home town”. When they ended with a rousing “One Big Holiday”.

You couldn’t help feeling proud that one of the best bands in Rock and Roll is from our city.

1. Wordless Chorus (+ LYSO)

2. Evil Urges (+ LYSO)

3. Gideon ( + LYSO)

4. The Way That He Sings (+ LYSO)

5. Heartbreakin Man

6. Golden

7. Thank You Too! (+ LYSO)

8. Evelyn Is Not Real

9. Anytime

10. Mahgeetah

11. Carried Away

12. Wonderful (The Way I Feel)

13. I’m Amazed

14. Circuital

15. Dondante

16. Smokin From Shootin

17. (end of) Run Thru

18. Touch Me I’m Going To Scream Pt.2

19. (end of) Lay Low

20. Phone Went West

———-

21. Bermuda Highway (+ LYSO)

22. Librarian (+ LYSO)

23. Touch Me I’m Going To Scream Pt.1

24. Highly Suspicious

25. Off The Record

26. Move On Up (Curtis Mayfield) (+ LYSO)

27. One Big Holiday

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The Finale with Colonel Sanders outfits and Puppets

FUN, FROLICKING and FREE

The Local Village

Before the My Morning Jacket Concert

Friday, October 29^th

Prior to the My Morning Jacket show this Friday at the KFC Yum arena there will be a “Local Village “ set up to showcase some of the unique aspects of Louisville.

“We always want our hometown shows to be more of a celebration of Louisville than anything else,” explains MMJ drummer Patrick Hallahan.  “Some of Louisville’s greatest resources are its independent businesses and non-profit organizations.  Please come out and join these groups at the local village to celebrate all things Louisville.”

The village will be set up from 3 until 8pm under the south end of the 2^nd Street Bridge. Washington Street will be closed to traffic from 6 to 8pm to allow concert-goers the opportunity to enjoy alfresco food and drink from Patrick O’Shea’s.  Anyone who makes a donation or purchase at the village will receive a coupon for a $1.00 discount from the Pub.

Participants include;

The Louisville Ballet – www.LouisvilleBallet.org

The Louisville Youth Orchestra – www.LYO.org

Louisville Grows – www.LouisvilleGrows.org

Rainbow Blossom – www.RainbowBlossom.com

Americana Community Center – www.AmericanaCC.org

Kentuckians For The Commonwealth – www.KFTC.org

Why Louisville – www.WhyLouisville.com

Blessings In A Backpack – www.BlessingsInABackpack.org

The village has been assisted by The Downtown Development Corporation (DDC) is a private 501 © (3) non-profit organization dedicated to the long term economic health of downtown Louisville. The Downtown Development Corporation’s mission is to improve the economy of Metro Louisville by coordinating an aggressive public/private program to promote the redevelopment, vitality and economic growth of the Central Business District

Snoop Dogg and his gang took over Horseshoe Casino Indiana’s showroom to the delight of his fans. The sold out show featured many of the Gangsta rapper’s most popular songs. Cordozar Calvin Broadus alias Snoop Dogg mixed hip hop, G Funk, and his Gangsta image to keep the audience in a frenzy the entire show. He was backed by a very tight band and four rap vocalist. Snoop Dog knows how to please his fans interacting with them throughout the show. If you like this type of music, you understand from his shows why he is called the Doggfather!

More Photos @ http://albums.phanfare.com/slideshow.aspx?i=1&db=1&pw=rgyC5wfK&a_id=4873875

Jonny Lang plays one of his many solos

Buddy Guy

If you like your blues filled with guitar then Horseshoe Casino was the place to be last Saturday. With the duo of Jonny Lang and Rock and Roll Hall of Famer, Buddy Guy performing the a nearly full house got what they came for, extended guitar solos with a mixture of rock and blues.

Jonny Lang open the night with searing solos and intense vocals that clearly showed why he is regarded as one of the best young bluesmen in the business. Lang, 29 began touring at the young age of 16 and has toured with the likes of Eric Clapton, B.B. King, and the Rolling Stones. He  set the bar high for Guy with his long solos and rock based blues.

Buddy Guy at age 79, took the stage with a blistering guitar solo taking over the night showing his audience that he hasn’t lost a beat in his forty seven years of playing the blues. The pioneer of Chicago blues has been credited with influencing many of rocks greatest guitarists such as Eric Clapton, Jimi Hendrix, and Stevie Ray Vaughn.

He first started as a studio and back up guitarist for legends Howling Wolf and Muddy Waters among other legends. A master showman, Guy played guitar behind his back and used drum sticks on one solo.

He excited the crowd by walking through the showroom while playing one solo. The highlight of the night was when he played a medley tribute to many of the songs that he enjoyed over the years.