By Ed Hannan, Sun Correspondent
They've been around for 30 years and, even though their biggest hits are 25 years old, Huey Lewis and The News are still going strong.
While their calling card in the '80s was, as one critic said, "the ultimate garage band," Huey Lewis and The News really made their mark with a series of Top 10 hits: "Heart and Soul," "I Want a New Drug," "The Heart of Rock & Roll," "If This Is It," "Stuck With You," "Hip to Be Square," "Jacob's Ladder," and "Doing It All For My Baby" and their number-one hit from Back to the Future, "The Power of Love."
Yet, once they had those hits, which came from the albums Sports and Fore!, in their back pocket, their 1988 album Small World began their progression from a rock 'n' roll band to a jazz, rhythm-and-blues group. In fact, the title track from that album featured jazz saxophonist Stan Getz. They also worked with the Tower of Power horns section through the 1980s (you can hear them on "Hip to Be Square") into the early '90s.
They have sold more than 30 million records worldwide, the 1983 album Sports sold 10 million copies in the United States, they have won two Grammy Awards, and all five albums released between 1982 and 1991 have been certified either gold, platinum, or multi-platinum.
The band continues to record, with their 2001 album Plan B their most recent work, although they did record the theme song to last year's movie Pineapple Express. They play 60 to 70 shows a year, including an annual swing through New England, including this Sunday night's show at Hampton Beach Casino Ballroom.
They still feature a horn section and are as likely to play oldies (they recorded the Curtis Mayfield classic "It's Alright", the J.J. Jackson classic "But It's Alright" and The Drifters' "Some Kind of Wonderful" in the '90s) as they are their biggest hits.
Having seen them maybe a half-dozen times, including most recently in 2006 at Bank of America Pavilion in Boston on a co-headlining tour with Chicago, what you get from Huey Lewis and The News is an evening of great music, some of their biggest hits, and a voice that, while a bit weathered, still can evoke memories of warm summer nights as a teenager combing the beach.
Much like most of their fan base, they have moved from the MTV generation to "80s Flashback" shows on the radio. Yet, their mix of upbeat songs remains timeless.
Huey Lewis and The News perform Sunday at the Casino Ballroom, Hampton Beach, N.H. Paul Thorn opens. Doors open at 6 p.m. The show starts at 7 p.m. Tickets are $41-$76. For information, visit www.casinoballroom.com.
Thursday, June 18, 2009
Thursday, June 11, 2009
Black Crowes, still hard to handle?
By Ed Hannan, Sun Correspondent
They've had more lineup changes than a slumping baseball team and two brothers who feud more than any band not named Oasis, and yet they keep on touring with a fiercely loyal fan base in tow.
They are The Black Crowes and they are coming up on the 20th anniversary of their 1990 major-label debut, Shake Your Money Maker, an album that has sold more than 6 million copies. They will perform two shows next weekend at Hampton Beach Casino Ballroom, Thursday and Friday, June 18-19.
The Crowes' lineup features mainstays Chris Robinson on vocals and Rich Robinson on guitar, Steve Gorman (drums), and Sven Pipien (bass), along with newcomers Adam MacDougall on keyboards and guitarist Luther Dickinson of the North Mississippi All-Stars. They are touring behind last year's album, Warpaint, their first new material since 2001. They are also working on a new double album, Before the Frost, Until the Freeze, that is slated for release in September. It is said to include bluegrass and country-blues influences and arrangements.
For those who have lost touch with The Black Crowes either since their debut album or their hiatus earlier this decade, here's a quick primer on what you'll see next weekend. They change the set list every night, so doing your homework involves knowing all of their albums, since the Crowes are likely to play songs from their entire catalog. They will play some of their hits, but if you go in expecting to hear the entire Shake Your Money Maker album, you will be disappointed. When they play songs like "Hard to Handle," they get the quickest of run-throughs. However, on other hits like "Thorn in My Pride," they stretch out into lengthy jams.
Indeed, where the Crowes were once mainstays on rock radio, they have now settled comfortably into the world of jam bands like Phish, Umphrey's McGee, and .moe. That includes 20-minute versions of songs and copious amounts of substances that will get you a $100 fine in Massachusetts. But, that said, as someone who has seen them more than a dozen times, I can tell you that every Crowes show is a musical journey. If you like music, it's worth the trip. They will play songs you love and songs you think you've heard, but can't remember. But once you've seen the show, you won't forget it anytime soon.
Ed Hannan can be reached at edhannan@gmail.com and through his blog, http://newenglandmusicblog.blogspot.com.
They've had more lineup changes than a slumping baseball team and two brothers who feud more than any band not named Oasis, and yet they keep on touring with a fiercely loyal fan base in tow.
They are The Black Crowes and they are coming up on the 20th anniversary of their 1990 major-label debut, Shake Your Money Maker, an album that has sold more than 6 million copies. They will perform two shows next weekend at Hampton Beach Casino Ballroom, Thursday and Friday, June 18-19.
The Crowes' lineup features mainstays Chris Robinson on vocals and Rich Robinson on guitar, Steve Gorman (drums), and Sven Pipien (bass), along with newcomers Adam MacDougall on keyboards and guitarist Luther Dickinson of the North Mississippi All-Stars. They are touring behind last year's album, Warpaint, their first new material since 2001. They are also working on a new double album, Before the Frost, Until the Freeze, that is slated for release in September. It is said to include bluegrass and country-blues influences and arrangements.
For those who have lost touch with The Black Crowes either since their debut album or their hiatus earlier this decade, here's a quick primer on what you'll see next weekend. They change the set list every night, so doing your homework involves knowing all of their albums, since the Crowes are likely to play songs from their entire catalog. They will play some of their hits, but if you go in expecting to hear the entire Shake Your Money Maker album, you will be disappointed. When they play songs like "Hard to Handle," they get the quickest of run-throughs. However, on other hits like "Thorn in My Pride," they stretch out into lengthy jams.
Indeed, where the Crowes were once mainstays on rock radio, they have now settled comfortably into the world of jam bands like Phish, Umphrey's McGee, and .moe. That includes 20-minute versions of songs and copious amounts of substances that will get you a $100 fine in Massachusetts. But, that said, as someone who has seen them more than a dozen times, I can tell you that every Crowes show is a musical journey. If you like music, it's worth the trip. They will play songs you love and songs you think you've heard, but can't remember. But once you've seen the show, you won't forget it anytime soon.
Ed Hannan can be reached at edhannan@gmail.com and through his blog, http://newenglandmusicblog.blogspot.com.
Wednesday, June 10, 2009
Check, check...it's Open Mic Night!
On a bit of a lark, I decided to jump in my car on Thursday night and head to Londonderry, New Hampshire, to check out the much-lauded Open Mic Night. You'll see details in a forthcoming article in The Lowell Sun, but I can tell you that it is a great opportunity for aspiring musicians to work out the kinks in front of a live audience. The performers ranged in age and ability from high school to folks in their 60s, from beginners to seasoned professionals. And they ranged in appearance from button-down dress shirts and khakis to a guy dressed like a pirate. It was a lot of fun and the folks at Tupelo run a good show. It's definitely worth the trip. They offer Open Mic night the first Thursday of every month but are considering going to twice a month given its popularity (there were more than 20 acts last Thursday and it ran until about 11:30).
Ed
Ed
crowing about The Crowes
Also wanted to mention that tomorrow's column in The Sun will look at The Black Crowes, who are coming to Hampton Beach Casino Ballroom next weekend for two shows on Thursday, June 18 and Friday, June 19.
Having seen them more than a dozen times, although not with their current lineup that features new keyboard player Adam MacDougall (who replaced the great Eddie Harsch) and guitarist Luther Dickinson of the North Mississippi All-Stars (who ostensibly replaces Marc Ford although that slot has been a revolving door for years), I know what to expect from The Crowes. You get quick run-throughs of their bigger hits along with extended jams of songs like Black Moon Creeping. It's usually a good time, although my taste for lengthy jams has waned a bit over the years and I think their creative juices have evolved them from the rock band they were in the 90s to a next generation version of The Band.
Still, it's usually a good take.
Ed
Having seen them more than a dozen times, although not with their current lineup that features new keyboard player Adam MacDougall (who replaced the great Eddie Harsch) and guitarist Luther Dickinson of the North Mississippi All-Stars (who ostensibly replaces Marc Ford although that slot has been a revolving door for years), I know what to expect from The Crowes. You get quick run-throughs of their bigger hits along with extended jams of songs like Black Moon Creeping. It's usually a good time, although my taste for lengthy jams has waned a bit over the years and I think their creative juices have evolved them from the rock band they were in the 90s to a next generation version of The Band.
Still, it's usually a good take.
Ed
Los Lobos, anyone?
The boys who popularized Tejano music in the 80s with their hit "La Bamba," paving the way for groups like Los Lonely Boys, are coming to Lowell in a couple of weeks to kick off the Lowell Summer Music Series. I had the chance to chat briefly with keyboard and horn player Steve Berlin recently and that conversation is the subject of this week's column in The Sun.
I found it interesting that they are going to be doing double-shot concerts this winter where they will play kids songs during the day (from their forthcoming Disney album) and their songs at night in the same city, presumably at the same venue.
It's also interesting that they don't really rehearse anymore. I guess having played together for 30-plus years gives you some leeway.
Ed
I found it interesting that they are going to be doing double-shot concerts this winter where they will play kids songs during the day (from their forthcoming Disney album) and their songs at night in the same city, presumably at the same venue.
It's also interesting that they don't really rehearse anymore. I guess having played together for 30-plus years gives you some leeway.
Ed
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