Concert #842 - Ain't Too Proud (The Life and Times of the Temptations) at the Ahmanson Theatre (September 5, 2018)

I seldom attend musicals, but how could I have resisted the temptation of seeing a show that is based on the career of the Temptations, one of my all-time favorite vocal groups? So I shelled out the big bucks and got myself a front row seat at the Ahmanson Theatre, in spite of having some reservations about sitting that close to the stage.

I loved the show and how could I have not, with all that great singing, dynamic dancing and captivating storyline? Yes, the success of the show had a lot to do with our feelings of nostalgia, but it was a lot more than that - the young artists who played the various revolving members of the band were all outstanding and equally good were those who played the secondary roles of Berry Gordy, Smokey Robinson, Tammi Terrell, Norman Whitfield and the Supremes.

And what about my front row seat? Was it too close? Not at all.

Main Cast

Derrick Baskin as Otis Williams

James Harkness as Paul Williams

Jawan M. Jackson as Melvin Franklin

Jeremy Pope as Eddie Kendricks

Ephraim Sykes as David Ruffin

Saint Aubyn as Dennis Edwards

The main cast

The stage, the way it looked when we first walked in

"The Supremes"

The curtain call, as seen from my front row seat

The final bow

The orchestra, as it emerged at the end of the show

The Ahmanson Theatre

The Ahmanson Theatre

Merchandise

Huge sign in front of the theatre

Vocal group singing Sam Cooke songs in front of the theatre

Concert #849 - Sultans Of String at McCabe's Guitar Shop (November 3, 2018)

Hailing from Toronto, Canada, and appearing Saturday night as a trio, the Sultans of String put on an unexpectedly good show  It's not that I had been expecting a bad show, but it did occur to me that I could be in for a long and possibly boring night. As it turned out, Chris McKhool (violin), Kevin LaLiberté (guitar) and Drew Birston (bass) were not only outstanding musicians, but also good entertainers. 

When we walked into the concert room, the first thing we noticed were the microphones, monitors and all other gear placed on the floor, directly in front of the empty stage. An explanation was in order, and it came without much delay: the Sultans wanted a set-up that was also suitable for the band's children's matinee show scheduled for the following morning. 

The "stage"

With the exception of one song, Neil Young's "Heart Of Gold", the Sultans delivered an all-instrumental set that, to their credit, managed to keep my mind fully focused on the show from end to end. Individually and collectively, they truly shined during their entire set. I particularly liked Drew's solos on his electric bass guitar. Overall, it was a very pleasant evening.

The Sultans of String at McCabe's

The Sultans of String at McCabe's

Chris McKhool, the leader of the Sultans

The set list

The end of the concert

The final bow

Chatting with fans after the show

Chris McKhool's gear

 

Concert #848 - Ruthie Foster at McCabe's Guitar Shop (October 27, 2018)

 

This was my fourth time to see Ruthie Foster in concert. I was accompanied by my guest, Mary Jo, a newbie when it came to Ruthie's music. We both loved the show and went home absolutely elated. 

The nation may not know it, but Ruthie is a National Treasure. I'm not exaggerating, she is something to behold. Catch her the next time she plays somewhere near you and I guarantee that you will discover an artist of the highest caliber who delivers old-school music with passion. Moreover, you will be charmed by her warm and humble personality and infectious smile. 

In terms of her set list, as well as the quality of her performance, this show was not unlike her last two appearances at McCabe's, so rather than write a very similar review, I will end this write-up by referring you back to what I wrote in 2013 and 2017:

http://concert-overload.blogspot.com/2013/06/concert-678-ruthie-foster-at-mccabes.html

http://concert-overload.blogspot.com/2017/04/concert-798-ruthie-foster-at-mccabes.html

The following photos were taken last Saturday, October 27, 2018.

Ruthie Foster at McCabe's

Ruthie Foster at McCabe's

Ruthie Foster at McCabe's

Ruthie Foster at McCabe's

The set list

Concert Director Brian Rodriguez introducing Ruthie Foster

The stage

Mary Jo, my concert guest and newest Ruthie Foster fan

Concert #845 - Madison Violet at McCabe's Guitar Shop (September 29, 2018)

I

When Lea, my Amsterdam-based  niece, and her husband Erez, first told me about their upcoming visit to Southern California, I went straight to the web site of my favorite venue to see what was scheduled for September 29 and 30, the only two dates that were available for us to attend a concert at McCabe's - you know, no trip to Southern California is complete without catching at least one show at McCabe's! 

On the strength of a couple of decent YouTube videos, I bought tickets to see Madison Violet, a duo I had not heard of. It turned out to be an exceptionally inspired choice.

Brenley MacEachern and Lisa MacIsaac, collectively known as Madison Violet, grabbed me from their very first song and they kept me under their spell for the entire duration of the show. As the frequent concert attendee that I am, I know quite well that after you hear a few good songs, you are bound to be served a few forgettable ones, but there were no second-rate songs Saturday night at McCabe's. Indeed, one of Brenley and Lisa's strong points is their stellar songwriting - all of their compositions, whether uptempo or not, had one trait in common: their high quality. And they can sing, too - as I write this, two days after the show, their beautiful vocal harmonies are still echoing in my brain.

Madison Violet at McCabe's

Bookended by two gorgeous ballads, "Tell Me"and "Small Of My Heart", Madison Violet's set was something to behold. Most of the songs they sang for us were self-penned, I suppose, and even at first blush, they all sounded great. I absolutely loved the catchy "Come As You Are" (not the Nirvana hit) and the tuneful "The Ransom" and "Ohio", three songs that illustrate the perfect alignment between their melodic sense and mine. The included covers were equally great. Driven by Brenley guitar, Gram Parsons' "Ooh Las Vegas" and the traditional "Cindy, Cindy" brought the house down and so did Nirvana's "All Apologies".

Madison Violet at McCabe's

Brenley and Lisa did just fine without a backing band. Playing the entire set without a single support musician, these ladies put their instrumental prowess to good use. In addition to their acoustic guitars, we got to see a few other instruments in action: Lisa's violin playing infused a lot of energy into their act. I also liked her skillful playing of the mandolin.

Madison Violet at McCabe's

I so badly wanted to impress my European guests with a great show at McCabe's and I must say that not in my wildest dreams was I expecting to catch a concert as good as the show put on by Madison Violet Saturday night at McCabe's. My guests had a heck of a good time, too, and they rewarded me with hugs and kisses for my outstanding choice!

A few weeks ago I had no clue who Madison Violet was and it took Brenley and Lisa no time at all to make a passionate fan out of me. I can't wait for their next appearance at McCabe's.

The set list

Lisa MacIsaac chatting with fans after the show

Madison Violet T-shirts

The stage

The stage - Detail

Lea and Erez, my satisfied guests, in front of the venue

 

Concert #841 - Tony Joe White at the Grammy Museum (August 21, 2018)

 

The Grammy Museum opened in 2008, yet inexplicably, Tuesday night was my first time to walk through its doors. I'm glad I did. I paid $26 for my ticket, while parking set me back a whopping 30 bucks. Welcome to the LA Live district of Downtown LA!

Sticking with the venue's typical event format, Tony Joe White and museum executive Scott Goldman chatted on the stage for about fifty minutes, then Tony Joe delivered a set of medium length, I'd say forty minutes or so. This was a thrilling event for me, as I count myself among Tony Joe's earliest fans. Indeed, my love for his music goes back to the late sixties, when I first heard "Groupy Girl".

I listened with great interest to every word uttered by Tony Joe with his delightfully heavy Southern accent. He spoke about his earliest musical influences, Lightnin' Hopkins in particular, as well as his earliest days as an aspiring musician in Corpus Christi, Texas. He also spoke about his subsequent interaction with Elvis Presley and Tina Turner, among others.

Tony Joe White (left) & Scott Goldman at the Grammy Museum

The musical part of the evening kicked off with "Stockholm Blues", played by Tony Joe solo, after which he was joined by Bryan Owings, a drummer with impressive credentials. To these ears, the highlight of the show was Tony Joe's guitar playing and the distinctive sound of his wah-wah pedal.

Tony Joe White at the Grammy Museum

Tony Joe White & Bryan Owings at the Grammy Museum

The Set List

Stockholm Blues

Baby Please Don't Go - Boom Boom

Heartbreak Hotel

Bad Mouthin'

Big Boss Man

The Guitar Don't Lie

Polk Salad Annie

Untitled Instrumental Number

This was a very special evening for me, as I have been idolizing Tony Joe White since my teenage years. I hope and pray that I'll get to see him again.

The stage

The LA Live district of Downtown Los Angeles

Concert #838 - Mary Poppins at the Morgan-Wixson Theater (July 21, 2018)

Once a year, my Better Half and I host Sara and Kate, our two Seattle-based granddaughters. While scouring the net in search of some suitable form of entertainment, I stumbled upon what appeared to be a low-budget and most likely amateurish stage production of Mary Poppins. Good enough for my six and seven year old young ladies, I said to myself, so I bought four tickets, which - at $28 each - set us back a little over one hundred bucks. Was it money well spent? Read on!

Not in my wildest dreams could I have imagined what was in store for us. From our front-row seats, we witnessed an incredible performance with excellent singing, outstanding acting, dazzling dancing and, overall, lots of pace, color and professionalism - take it from someone who has seen both the Broadway and Los Angeles production of the same musical. From Mary, Bert and the Banks, to the Bird Woman and Miss Andrew, everyone on stage was practically perfect in every way! Mesmerized by the show, our granddaughters remained focused way past their normal attention span and they celebrated with enthusiasm the demise of the terrifying Miss Andrew and her Brimstone and Treacle potion. And just like the rest of, Sara and Kate absolutely loved Sadie Fisher and Ethan Kuwata, whose performance as the Banks children was exceptionally good.

Mary Poppins at the Morgan-Wixson Theater

L to R: Ethan Kuwata, Philip McBride, Sadie Fisher, Amanda Greig

Main roles

Mary Poppins: Amanda Greig

Bert: Philip McBride

George Banks: Spencer Johnson

Winifred Banks: Eileen O’Donnell

Jane: Sadie Fisher

Michael: Ethan Kuwata

Bird Woman: Kelly Gable

Miss Andrew: Kim Peterson

There's nothing like going to a show with low expectations, only to be knocked out by the performance and that was precisely our experience at Santa Monica's Morgan-Wixson Theater. It is obvious that talent is not in short supply in Los Angeles and vicinity!

Amanda Greig as Mary Poppins

Philip McBride, Amanda Greig & the Living Statues

Mary Poppins at the Morgan-Wixson Theater

The chimney sweeps

The end of the show

Kate (left) and Sara at the Morgan-Wixson Theater

Santa Monica's Morgan-Wixson Theater