Wilco with Nick Lowe at Rumsey Playfield - Central Park NY Article and Images by Bill Kelly

Wilco continued its current tour behind their new release “The Whole Love” with a two night set at Central Parks Rumsey Playfield.  Opener Nick Lowe, himself touring a new release, ”The Old Magic”, was still the “Jesus of Cool”.  Unlike many of his cohort, Lowe has clearly settled comfortably into his age.  Performing a solo acoustic set , Lowe’s voice hasn’t changed all that much from his Rockpile days.  As he sang all those years ago, “ and so it goes...”.

Wilco opened with “Art of Almost” from the new release.  An intricate layered song, starting with NelsCline’s pulsing guitar and layered synthesised sound,  the song built up to a frenetic crescendo.  A microcosm of the entire show, Wilco somehow managed to weave a sonic web around the crowd, encasing the open stadium in sound.  Next up was their 45 release from the new CD, “I Might”, a pop-like song featuring a drum beat reminiscent of Joplin’s “Move Over”.  Through the evening, Tweedy’s voice somehow floated above and through the bands intricate sound.  Clearly evolved from the alt-country band that spun out of Uncle Tupelo, Wilco delighted the sold out crowd, mastering blues, rock, psychedelic haze and pop.  Late in the set, playing “Impossible Germany” from their 2007 release “Sky Blue Sky” the band again managed to close in the Manhattan evening, creating an aural barrier between the venue and surrounding bustle.  The band, clearly emancipated from the restraints of their earlier releases, seemed to be discovering their music anew, spinning and weaving, soaring to the tops of the surrounding cityscape, lighting back in the soft meadows of the park. 

Grace Potter & The Nocturnals - Truth, Beauty and Rock & Roll - Rumsey Playfield, Central Park NY, 9/24/11 - Article and images by Bill Kelly

A week’s worth of stormy weather cleared out of New York just in time for the powerful force that is embodied in the person of Grace Potter.  An elegant Janice, with the Rock creds of Grace Slick and legs of Beyonce (both of whom were covered) performed a wild, foot stomping show in front of a happy, smitten audience.  Playing guitar like one of the boys (but hardly looking like one) Potter and her band hit the stage running and did not let up for the entire 20 plus song set.

Continuing a tour that included a two night run at the Ryman, GPN reminded the crowd that Rock & Roll is meant to be serious but fun, introspective and in your face.  Anchored by Matt Burr’s driving percussion and Cat Popper’s booming base, Potter ran between her V shaped Gibson and Hammond B-3, spinning like a dervish around the stage.  Guitarists Benny Yurco and Scott Tournet played lead and rhythm lines bolstering Potter’s strong voice.  Clearly a band that’s found it legs (literally and figuratively) Grace’s spirit and electric smile brought the audience into every song.  

A native of Vermont, where she’ll be performing at Sugarbush to benefit flood relief, Potter and her band somehow manages to evoke swampy rock, elegant dissonant jams and foot stomping good-time music, often in one song.  The audience was well entertained, any neophytes present completely converted.  And, everyone had fun, something every big city needs on a Saturday night.

Shamrock-N-Roll Festival - Waterfront Concerts, Bangor Maine

Dropkick Murphys  

Kick it at the Bangor Waterfront Concerts Pavilion.
Labor day Weekend Saturday Sept.10, 2011.
 Article and  Photographic images created by Conall O'Brien.

Click photos for large view.  

Dropkick Murphys return to Maine in 2011 (Bangor, Maine).

Fresh off from two sold-out shows at Boston's Fenway Park, 
Punk Celtic folk band Dropkick Murphys came to the 
Bangor Waterfront, the latest music act to launch their very own music festival.

Dramatic Backlit scene to open the show.

Black and White Backlit image of the Dropkick Murphys in Bangor, ME.

Waterfront Concerts in Northern New England was chosen as the second stop of the Shamrock-N-Roll Festival. Featuring Stiff Little Fingers, Street Dogs, Hot Water Music’s Chuck Ragan, The Parkington Sisters, and The Mahones - among local bands scheduled to appear on the two stages set up for the daylong extravaganza. In honor of the great sacrifices made by countless people as a result of 9-11, all first responders and emergency/ law enforcement personnel were given complimentary tickets for admission.

Fan of Irish Punk Band the Dropkick Murphys

Dropkick Murphys have been around  for about 16 years and are the unofficial team of The Boston Red Sox,  performing in the parade in Boston after the 2007 championship, and are 2 for 2 for playing at games when the Red Sox have won.

The Shamrock-N-Roll Festival offers a lot of bang for the buck and perhaps this writer/photographer is biased given his "good Irish name" , but if you want to discover yourself how great this band really is ( the band's latest album "Going Out in Style", reached number six on the Billboard charts on it's debut) the festival dates are as follows:

09/08 – Boston, MA @ Fenway Park *
09/09 – Boston, MA @ Fenway Park *
09/10 – Bangor, ME @ Bangor Waterfront *
09/11 – Altamont, NY @ Altamont Fairgrounds *
09/12 – Pittsburgh, PA @ Trib Total Media Amphitheatre *
09/13 – Columbus, OH @ LC Pavilion *
09/15 – Portsmouth, VA @ nTelos Wireless Pavilion *
09/17 – Rochester, NY @ Main Street Armory *
09/18 – Philadelphia, PA @ Electric Factory Lot *

For other dates go to (click here) Dropkick Murphys website now.

Only two shows remaining on The Bangor Waterfront 2011 schedule- Reba McEntire w/ Janedear Girls  and then George Thorogood/ Charlie Daniels Band. 
Then Lewiston, Maine is scheduled to get some love from the Waterfront Concert people with two shows scheduled at the Androscoggin Bank Colisee later this month and in December. 

 Check out Waterfront Concerts in Maine- website here


 © 2011 Conall O'Brien All Rights Reserved - obiephotography_at_hotmail.com