Tag Archives: Music

Trip Peek #70
Trip #139
Road Crew Redo

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This picture is from my 2017 Road Crew Redo trip. I’d seen the Road Crew perform their Route 66 themed songs at Route 66 events but never in their home state of Tennessee. I tried in January of 2016 but a snow storm played havoc with my plans. This time I was successful. The trip’s first day was spent getting to Nashville, doing some honky tonking, and attending the Grand Ol’ Opry in Ryman Theater. The picture is of a modern neon sign inside Robert’s Western World.  On the second day I moved on to Franklin and did some sight seeing before catching the Road Crew at Jack and Jameson’s Smokehouse. A leisurely drive home filled the third day.

Trip Peeks are short articles published when my world is too busy or too boring for a current events piece to be completed in time for the Sunday posting. In addition to a photo thumbnail from a completed road trip, each Peek includes a brief description of that photo plus links to the full sized photo and the associated trip journal.

Allegheny, Monongahela, Ohio, and Nile

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No river actually runs through Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The Allegheny and Monongahela flow into the city where they combine to form the Ohio which flows out. On Monday, I drove US-22 from near my home to where that wet magic takes place.

And Willie Nile isn’t a river at all. He’s a rock and roller who is performing in Pittsburgh on Tuesday. I’m here to see that and some of the city too.

This entry is to let blog only subscribers now about the trip and to provide a place for comments. The journal is here.

Library, Gardens, Uke, and Eggs

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No single big thing happened this week but it sure wasn’t empty. If it had been, I’d be posting a Trip Peek or some other pre-canned asynchronous bit. Instead, I’m making this post from four things that happened during my non-empty week. The picture at right was taken Wednesday at something I’ve been anticipating for quite some time. It’s Steve Earle appearing at The Mercantile Library as part of the Words and Music Series.

The library was certainly full but everyone had at least a little breathing room. Steve’s song introductions were insightful although they probably weren’t any longer than normal. He often provides a good background for what is about to be  heard. About the only song he didn’t provide much introduction to was the surprise opener, F the CC. Anyone wanting to hear that in a library missed a rare opportunity. Steve played several songs, read a complete story from Doghouse Roses along with excerpts from his novel I’ll Never Get Out of Here Alive, then stayed on stage to take questions. It was exactly what I’d hoped for.

Cincinnati Gardens opened in 1949 and closed in 2016. On Monday, Ronnie Salerno posted some pictures of the recently begun demolition. That article can be read here and it should be. In addition to pictures from a very recent visit, it contains links to other pictures and other memories. It prompted me to take a few of my own pictures when I was next in the neighborhood which turned out to be Friday. Of course I have my own memories of The Gardens.

My first visit was in 1966 to see Cavalcade of Customs; My last in 2012 to watch the Cincinnati Roller Girls. In between were numerous concerts, sporting events, and shows. I did not see the concert that is almost always cited when someone talks about the place. The Beatles played here in 1964. However, I do remember seeing the Jefferson Airplane (with opener Cincinnati’s Lemon Pipers) in 1967 and Emerson, Lake, and Palmer (opening for The James Gang) in 1971. The venue was never known for its acoustics and I’ve told everyone who would listen that ELP was the only group that actually sounded good in there.

I played The Gardens twice myself. From 1957 to 1972, the NBA Royals called Cincinnati home. The University of Cincinnati supplied the pep band for their games at The Gardens. I joined the UC marching band my freshman year carrying a lot of equipment while taking part in a single parade and no halftime shows. When an upperclassman couldn’t make the first two games of the NBA season, I was picked to bang a drum in a crowded corner of the floor while watching Oscar Robertson and friends do their thing.

The letters whose outlines can be seen in the third picture have been given to the American Sign Museum where they are expected to eventually be mounted on the building as “CINCINNATI Sign GARDEN”.

On Friday night I took in some music at Cincinnati’s oldest bar, Arnold’s. A normal Friday night for me is playing trivia but, with the NCAA tournament getting revved up, that was canceled due to lack of interest and space. I looked online to see who might be playing and the fact that John Redell would be at Arnold’s caught my eye. Learning the Erin Coburn would be with him made it even more attractive and I’d already pretty much made up my mind to go when I found out the Dixon Creasy would also be there. Too cool. John is the ultimate mentor and, when not performing solo, spends a lot of his time making other people look good. That was the case when I last saw John and Erin together but not — at least not entirely — tonight. Erin can now readily hold her own and John permits himself to shine a bit more. A most enjoyable evening that included hearing a ukulele through a wah-wah live for the first time. That’s something everybody needs.

The fourth and final event to contribute to this post is my Saint Patrick’s Day breakfast. With its name inspired by the original owner’s pet chimpanzee, the Monkey Bar and Grill, on the Little Miami River, is undergoing what newspapers have referred to as a renovation. Transformation might be more accurate. One of the renovations not yet completed is the kitchen and the bar has been relying on food trucks for weekends and special occasions. Crappy weather threw a wrench (What kind of wrench was it?) into some outdoor plans but it didn’t keep Big Al’s BBQ from offering breakfast inside. Not the fanciest Saint Paddy’s breakfast I’ve ever had but it did the job and eating at the penny bar (20,000+ they say) was pretty cool.

Trip Peek #66
Trip #137
Sixty-Six and More

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This picture is from my 2016 Sixty-Six and More trip. It was my fourth and most recent end-to-end drive of Historic Route 66 although it wasn’t conceived as such. This trip just kept growing from first seed until I got home. In the beginning there was a decision to attend the Route 66 Conference in Los Angeles with a visit to my son in San Diego tacked on. I could fly to that but didn’t want to. A decision to drive was accompanied by a decision to follow Sixty-Six all the way. Before long I’d added a 5K walk in Tulsa and a Dirk Hamilton concert in San Pedro. Logistics for the concert gave me a chance to stay on the Queen Mary for a night. My route home was mostly on US-50 which allowed me to visit a cousin in Colorado and stop at the two Madonna of the Trail Monuments I hadn’t seen previously. Throw in a Super Moon and the LA protests following the presidential election and the justification for “More” in the title quickly becomes apparent. The picture is of the Palace Theater in the middle of what was the most western block of the original US-66 alignment. Trip Peeks really are selected randomly and it is pure coincidence that the 66th Peek involves Route 66.

Trip Peeks are short articles published when my world is too busy or too boring for a current events piece to be completed in time for the Sunday posting. In addition to a photo thumbnail from a completed road trip, each Peek includes a brief description of that photo plus links to the full sized photo and the associated trip journal.

Trip Peek #65
Trip #121
Faux Fight at Franklin

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This picture is from my 2014 Faux Fight at Franklin trip. The city of Franklin, Tennessee, was the destination and watching a reenactment of the 1864 Battle of Franklin was the purpose. I would reach my destination but not accomplish my purpose. The picture is of the main house at Carnton Plantation. It was used as a field hospital when the battle began nearby. The reenactment was also to take place nearby but a night of solid rain left the ground unsuitable and the faux fight was called off. I made do with an extended tour of the house and museum. Although the battle cancellation was something of a disappointment, the overall trip was not. I’d spent the previous day in Nashville with lots of music and a visit to the newly opened Johnny Cash Museum. On the way home, l stopped by the Horseshoe Camp Cabins for the first time since the April fire that left them essentially destroyed.

Trip Peeks are short articles published when my world is too busy or too boring for a current events piece to be completed in time for the Sunday posting. In addition to a photo thumbnail from a completed road trip, each Peek includes a brief description of that photo plus links to the full sized photo and the associated trip journal.

Time of the Season

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It was fun while it lasted. Jasen Dixon set up The World’s First Zombie Nativity Scene in 2014. He says he almost didn’t bring it back this year and definitely won’t next year. The display faced legal challenges and a certain amount of outrage during its first two years but it seems things were fairly quiet last Christmas season. From the beginning, the display had at least as many fans as detractors, and, while the number of those in favor has increased, the number of those actively opposed has fallen dramatically. For some it was a practical matter. After 27 misdemeanor charges and $13,500 in fines were dropped early last year, Sycamore Township officials decided “It’s not worth the expense…”.

In 2015 I included a couple of daytime pictures of the Zombie Nativity in some comments tacked onto a Christmas time blog post. This year I snapped both day and night shots. I ended my 2015 comments with the observation that I thought “…a new local Christmas tradition has been established.” Whether or not you think that was right depends on whether or not you think the word “tradition” has any business being associated with something something that lasts just four years.

The title for this post comes from a 1968 hit song from the band The Zombies. I listened to a lot of stuff from them back in the day but I’d been smitten by zombie music long before. I remember singing along to this Kingston Trio recording from an older cousin’s collection as a pre-teenager. In searching for that 1959 performance I discovered a really cool one by Rockapella and another by the great Harry Belafonte.

A Post-Refurb Peek at Music Hall

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Cincinnati’s Music Hall reopened on October 6 after an 18 month $135 million renovation. I didn’t make it to that grand re-opening. Last Sunday’s third and final performance of “American Originals, Vol 2” was my first time inside the building since I attended the MusicNOW Festival in March of 2016. That was not the final event preceding the shut-down but it was among the last and it prompted my A Pre-Refurb Peek at Music Hall post. I selected the photo at right to open this post as the closest thing I’ve got to the photo that began that article. There’s a more inclusive exterior shot here.

Although these photos do not attempt to duplicate any of those in the earlier post, they do make it obvious that the chandelier that once hung over the lobby, and which I sort of featured in 2016, is gone. Apparently it was decided before renovations started that this chandelier, as well as some others, would not be coming back.

I also took a look at the balcony and gallery before I headed to my seat. Note the panels above the orchestra pit area. They’re to improve the acoustics of a place I didn’t even know needed improving.

That chandelier that hung above the main lobby is one of the three now hanging in Corbett Tower. A drop ceiling was removed and the nineteenth century stenciled design recreated. Previously blocked windows have been cleared to let in more light and provide views of Washington Park.

With all the gawking I did at the new and freshly uncovered beauty of the wonderful old building, I was at risk of forgetting why I was there, but I didn’t. Last year the Cincinnati Pops Orchestra put together an “American Originals” project featuring the music of Stephen Foster and several world class performers. This year it was the music of the World War I era and another batch of world class performers. Specifically those performers were the Steep Canyon Rangers, Pokey LaFarge, and Rhiannon Giddens plus tap dancer Robyn Watson.

With the orchestra always adding that something extra, the artists performed alone and in various combinations. The finale was a rousing version of “I Ain’t Got Nobody” with all hands on deck. In fact, it was more than just all hands, the audience was encouraged — quite strongly — to sing a couple of lines. That’s Pops Conductor John Morris Russell doing the encouraging. The entire performance was recorded and a CD will be available. I assure you it’s safe to buy; I did not try to sing.

I ended the 2016 pre-refurb post with a shot of Springer Auditorium’s 2,000 pound chandelier from floor level. The closest I’ve got to that this time is a shot taken from the balcony. The chandelier is a relatively new addition to the 139 year old building. It was added during a 1969 renovation. That meant there was talk of removing it but public outcry kept it from going very far.

I’ve called this a peek and it isn’t a particularly good one. Among the much better photographs out there are those in an online gallery at Cincinnati Refined. I’ve provided even less of a peek at the concert. CityBeat published an excellent review of Friday’s performance which was essentially the same as what I saw Sunday. That review is here.

BLINK Cincinnati

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It’s big. Twenty blocks big, they say. The southernmost installations are in the Banks area south of 2nd Street; The northernmost is a little north of Findlay Street. That’s where the twenty block measurement comes from. In between, displays can be found in an area three or four blocks wide. The simplest description of BLINK is that it’s a light show. Colorful images, such as the one at right, are projected on buildings throughout that twenty block area of downtown Cincinnati. Thursday was the first night; Sunday is the last.

I made it Thursday night, but not as early as I should have. I had thoughts of parking in the Washington Park and catching the nearby opening night parade. I was way too late for that, however, and could see that streets around the park were blocked off. I turned onto Walnut Street and headed toward Fountain Square. As I drove, I grabbed the picture at the top of the article from the car. Vehicle traffic was heavy but nowhere near what I’ve frequently seen in the past. It was foot traffic that was unusual. It didn’t approach gridlock levels either but it was certainly heavy throughout a large area. At this point, I wasn’t really surprised to see the Walnut Street entrance to the Fountain Square Garage closed. I was, however, feeling a little discouraged and the blocked entrance added to that. I decided to swing around to the other side and if it was also closed, as I expected, I would simply head home and try again on another night.

I did not have to cut and run. The Vine Street entrance was open and there were plenty of spots open in the garage. After a brief look at the area around Fountain Square I headed toward the river. These two photos are of the eastern side of the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center. The lighted tops of the PNC and Carew Towers can be seen in the first one. All projected images are either constantly changing or in motion.

South of the Freedom Center, seesaws with illuminated beams occupy an area between it and the Roebling Bridge. I walked beyond the seesaws and looked back north for the second picture. Images are projected on all three sections of the Freedom Center. On the left are the PNC and Carew Towers with the Scripps Tower on the right.

The Great American Ball Park, home of the Cincinnati Reds, is a participant with a large display of the event’s name and and a series of baseball themed images.

Food and beverages are available in a number of Hospitality Areas and there are several locations with live music. The first picture is of The Mambo Combo who were performing on the Freedom Center Stage. The second is of the Queen City Kings performing in the Saint Xavier Backlot. The King City projection, with rotating tape reels, is on the rear of Saint Xavier Church. I kind of wanted to talk with the young lady in the picture about what she was reading but I didn’t.

There was another snag besides my late arrival. As stated in the online FAQ, “BLINK is designed around the Cincinnati Bell Connector Streetcar route.” Around 9:00, when I decided to take the streetcar to the north end of the event, it was not moving. It wasn’t the streetcar’s fault. A section of 5th Street was blocked for what I assume was an accident. Yellow police tape crossed the streetcar track. When any part of a loop is blocked, the whole thing, in effect, is blocked. I chose not to walk the fifteen or so blocks so I missed a considerable portion of the exhibits. Just more bad timing on my part.

Then There Was One

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Keith Emerson died in March of last year; Greg Lake followed in December. Carl Palmer looks like he might be around forever. Keith was 71. Greg was 69. Carl was the baby of the progressive rock trio that ruled the 1970s but even the baby is now 67. At 67 Carl Palmer is nearly as quick and powerful as he was at 27 and quicker and more powerful than just about anyone else at any age. Of course, there is a lot more to Carl than speed and power.

I first saw Carl Palmer in 1971 when Emerson, Lake, and Palmer opened for The James Gang at Cincinnati Gardens. There were two openers that night. One, Free, I knew of and had heard a song or two. The other was completely new to me. ELP blew me away that night with such force that, until I looked up some concert details earlier this week, I had totally forgotten that Free had appeared between them and the headliners.

For starters, they sounded good. Nobody sounded good in Cincinnati Gardens but ELP did. What I mostly remember of Greg Lake that night was his singing. I know he played bass and guitar and may have even temporarily wowed me with his playing but it is his voice I remember. Emerson grabbed everyone’s attention. The synthesizer was new and exciting and seemed capable of delivering every sound imaginable. And Keith Emerson was its master.

But the drummer got a lot of my attention, too. At the time, I was an active (ever so slightly) drummer myself and, while I wasn’t particularly good, I knew enough to realize that this guy was great. Carl Palmer didn’t just pound on his massive kit; He played music on it.

I saw ELP once more but, while I was just as impressed with their individual performances, I was actually disappointed in the concert as a whole. It was 1977 and they were touring with an orchestra. A former co-worker thought this was possibly the best concert he had ever attended and an on-line article I just discovered gives me new appreciation for the accomplishment but it just didn’t do it for me. Part of what made my jaw drop back in ’71 was that three guys sounded like an orchestra. I didn’t find a 58 piece orchestra sounding like a 58 piece orchestra nearly as impressive.

There was no orchestra for Friday’s show at Live at the Ludlow Garage. Nor was there a keyboardist or vocalist. Carl occasionally stepped forward to introduce a song or tell a story and that’s what he’s doing in the first photo. Paul Bielatowicz stuck with his six string electric. Simon Fitzpatrick played both a six string bass and a ten string Chapman Stick.. A Chapman Stick can mimic a variety of instruments and both guitarists worked with plenty of effects. It wasn’t ELP but it was three guys sometimes sounding like an orchestra. We had joked about the possibility of getting a two hour drum solo. It was anything but. Carl had some very talented musicians with him.

Of course, it was Carl that everyone came to see and he did not disappoint. There were a couple of time he sat quietly and gave Paul or Simon a chance to show off a little but he never left the stage during the hour and a half show and wasn’t sitting quietly at all for most of it. No, it wasn’t 1971 again but it was closer than I had any right to expect.