With a year off and nothing to do, 2021 unleashed a torrent of new music as many bands used the forced lockdown of 2020 to write new music. Veteran bands were especially prominent this year as aging rockers rolled back … Continue reading Top 10 Best Albums of 2021
The reviews of all the albums reviewed this year continue to pile up. The Top 10 Best Albums of 2021 has been finalized, I think, with the final album added this week but some shuffling around of those picked has started the second-guessing. Oh! I also got a new Rush album. Don’t get too excited, see below. Merry Axemas – (album) I told you Merry Axemas would remain on The Weekly Playlist for a few weeks. Mammoth WVH – Self-titled (album) Wolfgang Van Halen’s debut album. Read the review. Duran Duran – Future Past (album) Still going after 40 years, Duran … Continue reading The Weekly Playlist – Dec. 5 to Dec. 11
Nearly two years since I last prepped for a concert! Therefore, much of the week centered around a deep dive with Toad the Wet Sprocket. But I also managed another new album review and listened to a few more singles released from a local group. On the surface not a whole lot of music but read on, I actually listened to quite a bit… And then I discovered three Alex Lifeson demos released from his archive. Toad the Wet Sprocket – Starting Now (album) and various songs A listened to their new album Starting Now again which I reviewed in … Continue reading The Weekly Playlist – Oct. 24 to Oct. 30
Dream Theater, the masters of artistry rock, released their 15th album A View From the Top of the World last week (Oct. 22), just a seven song record but 70 minutes long in a progressive rock wonderment filled with speedy … Continue reading Album Review: Dream Theater – A View From the Top of the World
The ultimate concert experience not only features a great band along with great sound but the venue plays a part in the overall success and enjoyment of the evening. Sure, professional musicians playing their best can certainly make up for … Continue reading Best Concert Venues
Words can hardly convey what three of the finest guitar icons rocking today accomplished over the course of more than three hours on Friday at the Elsinore Theatre in Salem, OR. It was an extraordinary evening featuring Phil Collen of … Continue reading Concert Review: G3 – Satriani, Petrucci, and Collen SHRED Salem
More than two years have passed since Rush performed the final show of the R40 tour. While it’s generally believed that Geddy Lee, Alex Lifeson and Neil Peart graced the stage together for the last time on August 1, 2015 at the Forum it’s widely hoped that despite their age and decades of touring a bit remains in the tank and eventually the three return to the studio for another album and at the very least an abbreviated tour to follow. Regardless, the absence of Rush on the lighted stage leaves their fans with fond memories, a vast catalogue of … Continue reading Profile: Mystic Rhythms – Rush Tribute Band
Well, that was different. If you’re going to write and record a concept album you might as well play the whole thing, front to back and center the accompanying tour around it. That’s exactly what Dream Theater did with their latest release The Astonishing and they brought it live to the Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall in Portland, OR on Tuesday to the faithful. The casual fan, the mildly interested fan, even the old school fan still cranking out Images and Words and Awake on their way to work might have come away a bit less than inspired but the true … Continue reading Concert Review: Dream Theater – The Astonishing Live in Portland
Drew's Reviews 