Rock
I am happy to report that Styx 2023 is a powerhouse outfit, wielding the most exciting aspects of progressive rock with radio-friendly hooks, riffs, and rhythms that set it apart from many of its peers.
Maybe The Zombies are not quite as elaborately visionary as they used to be, but after all this time that is no great sin. And Colin Blunstone and Ron Argent’s breathy but soulful voices have held up magnificently.
The saxman and his usual band (including vocalist Patrice Quinn instead of the billed Ami Taf Ra) easily adapted to the 200-seat venue, barely modulating their visceral delivery while also highlighting their softer dynamics and a personal rapport.
Horse represents a victory lap (pun intended), a confident follow-up to the artist’s astonishing success with his self-release of Powderhorn Suites.
The Smithereens have released only two albums of original material since 1999, so it was pleasantly surprising when The Lost Album, consisting of a dozen songs recorded in 1993 but never released by the band, appeared last September.
I’ve always admired Bob Dylan’s resolute reluctance to repeat himself, artistically or otherwise. The Bootleg Series Vol. 17: Fragments reminds us how obsessive that aesthetic restlessness really is.
“I go out on the road and the clubs are full everywhere I go,” Peter Case gratefully acknowledges. “People come out to hear me play. It’s an amazing gift to have that.
Goose has seen its stock in the jam-band world soar at a pace unseen since… well, Phish.
So yeah, mortality was a heavy theme in Bruce Springsteen’s passion play – or what he could still impressively summon at 73 after rocking oft-mythical local shows for five decades.
The overall thesis of this short book/long essay is that both Charles Dickens and Prince embody a certain kind of rare genius combined with a freakishly inexhaustible work ethic.
Theater Commentary: Theater for Young Audiences — What Role Can It Play In Saving Our Democracy?