On the Beat - Episode 234 - Weekly Guitar Video News Wrap Up April 18th, 2014

tgjameela
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Fri Apr 18, 2014 5:08 pm

Hi Everyone,

The Weekly Wrap Up is ready!

Enjoy!

http://www.totallyguitars.com/blog/guit ... 18th-2014/



http://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/tota ... d519276594

Just starting to get back into the swing of things after a short trip back east last weekend.
Today's News covered the recent releases but was mostly filled with a personal travelogue,
which included getting together with a few TGers attending the Al Stewart/Dave Nachmanoff
show near Philadelphia, and meeting another one who was on her way to Al's New York show
the next day. I hope some of these folks will share their experiences with us on the Forum soon.

I vaguely remember commenting on Dean's question about the importance or usefulness of knowing
what key you are in, using a little Neil Young as an example. And, in case anybody missed the new
stuff... we added Lesson 8 to the Guide To Reading Music, going into the key of E, had a short lesson
on the Minuet In G, credited to Bach until 40 years ago, a little more Shawn Colvin with Shotgun Down
The Avalanche
, and a multi-part Fly lesson with Bob L. going over a lot of musical potpourri.

Next week, maybe less Hogan Family News and more TG News,... maybe not,

Neil


plantman
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Fri Apr 18, 2014 8:32 pm

Neil and fellow TG's
Since Neil called me out, I guess I'll post a short note about our little get together in Pa last Saturday. Not sure if this is the correct place to do so, but....
Lynne and husband Steve, my friend John (going to camp this year) and wife Marti got together and enjoyed dinner and beautiful weather, Neil and Noni joined us after softball shortly before the concert. It was a fun gathering and a nice chance to get to know each other a bit more.
The concert was great fun as expected. Dave opened with a few songs, then Al Stewart took the stage. Neil mentioned Dave's version of Free Bird coaxed by a tongue in check cat call I'm sure, but he took up the challenge and everybody had fun with it. Al was in rare form the second set and teased the crown a little bit - asking what he should play next. Needless to say, he got a lot of responses, not sure how he heard any of them over the crowd. Then broke up the crowd when he insisted on picking one himself. What was really fun was watching Dave study Al, trying to guess what was coming next. I was incredible to watch a true musician pick up on what was happening and running with it and not miss a beat (from what I could tell). I think Dave knew what key he was playing in! Hopefully our presence also was a little encouragement for Al to consider joining us again at IGC II.
I bit the bullet and committed to a house concert with Dave in late September when he will be back in eastern PA. If anyone is nearby on Sunday September 28th, look me up.
Chan


TGNesh
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Sat Apr 19, 2014 2:34 am

1989, when her first album came out, that's like 25 years ago! :)

So you got to meet Jean, how great! Couldn't you twist her arm to join us at IGC 2014?? :P


TGNesh
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Sat Apr 19, 2014 2:36 am

Thanks for the report Chan, sounds like major fun!!! :cheer:

plantman wrote:
Neil and fellow TG's
Since Neil called me out, I guess I'll post a short note about our little get together in Pa last Saturday. Not sure if this is the correct place to do so, but....
Lynne and husband Steve, my friend John (going to camp this year) and wife Marti got together and enjoyed dinner and beautiful weather, Neil and Noni joined us after softball shortly before the concert. It was a fun gathering and a nice chance to get to know each other a bit more.
The concert was great fun as expected. Dave opened with a few songs, then Al Stewart took the stage. Neil mentioned Dave's version of Free Bird coaxed by a tongue in check cat call I'm sure, but he took up the challenge and everybody had fun with it. Al was in rare form the second set and teased the crown a little bit - asking what he should play next. Needless to say, he got a lot of responses, not sure how he heard any of them over the crowd. Then broke up the crowd when he insisted on picking one himself. What was really fun was watching Dave study Al, trying to guess what was coming next. I was incredible to watch a true musician pick up on what was happening and running with it and not miss a beat (from what I could tell). I think Dave knew what key he was playing in! Hopefully our presence also was a little encouragement for Al to consider joining us again at IGC II.
I bit the bullet and committed to a house concert with Dave in late September when he will be back in eastern PA. If anyone is nearby on Sunday September 28th, look me up.
Chan


fjeanmur
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Sun Apr 20, 2014 6:04 am

TGVanessa wrote:
1989, when her first album came out, that's like 25 years ago! :)

So you got to meet Jean, how great! Couldn't you twist her arm to join us at IGC 2014?? :P
Hi Neil and everyone!

Well since Neil called me out as well, here goes . . .

Yes, we also had a great time at the Al Strewart show in NYC. My husband, daughter and I stopped by the softball field to say hello to Neil and his wife and then it was off to the Al Stewart concert. Our show was at the City Winery, evidently a favorite venue of Al. It was a nice set up with small tables in front of and around the stage. It seems the show was very much like the one that Neil and the others saw in PA, but with a young female singer, Sam Smith, opening the show, followed by a couple of songs done by Dave and then Dave and Al together. It was great listening to Al and his historical lyrics. He even wondered who would continue to write these kinds of songs--"some old history teacher" was his answer to his own question. He ended the show with a medley of "Year of the Cat" and "Time Passages" which was to my husband's disappointment because it fused his favorite and least favorite songs.

Hi Vanessa!

It was great that Neil ended up about a stone's throw from where I live. As my husband told him, if the IGC were only in August, I would be there, but as it is, I can't get away from work in September. But when the videos of the camp are finally posted, I will be with everyone in spirit! I hope everyone has a terrific time in 2014.

Have a great weekend all!

Jean


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auntlynnie
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Sun Apr 20, 2014 3:57 pm

Hello, Neil, Chan, Jean, and all,
Since Neil called us all out, and Chan and Jean have already posted, I'll see what I can add here.
I attended two Al Stewart/Dave Nachmanoff concerts in the past week.
The first was a sold out show at The Barns at Wolf Trap in Fairfax, VA. The second show was at the Colonial Theater in Phoenixville, PA. I'm no critic - don't know how to assess performances. So I'll just say what I noticed.
The sound at The Barns was great. This is important for all of us, but especially for my husband because he is hard of hearing - when the sound is good he can actually understand the words, so he enjoyed the show very much. The audience was, in my opinion, too well behaved. There were no requests called out until very near the end. Sometimes politeness can just be taken too far. On the other hand they bought a lot of cds and posters, both from Dave and from Al.

Both shows were split into two sets. Dave opens each set with (usually) three songs then Al comes out and they do the rest of the set together. After intermission Dave does another 3 songs, and then Al comes out again. I wish I could tell you what songs Dave did - At The Barns he did George's Corner and Kindred Spirits, Law of Conservation, Fragile Thing, Sheila Won't Be Coming Home with Al. Al is fun - chats about the songs, songwriting, some, history, etc. Very enjoyable, especially for those of us who grew up with Al's music. Jean mentioned the combining of Year of the Cat and Time Passages. They did this at one show, but not at the other. I didn't think it really worked. The audience at Phoenixville was larger and much more into the show, calling out requests, etc.

After hosting a house concert for Dave, and then seeing him perform at two concerts with Al, my impression is that
touring is very hard work. The music business today is no cakewalk for a traveling, not-quite-famous singer/songwriter, even if he is a talented sideman for a once-fairly-famous guy like Al Stewart. Dave has to be out there selling CDs both during intermissions and after the shows. He has a remarkable memory for names. I saw him greeting people by name at the Phoenixville show, people who come out every year for this annual event. All this seems like a lot of work to me, but Dave seems to thrive on it.

That's about it. It was way cool hanging out and playing guitar with Chan and John, and see Neil and Nani once again. I'm very grateful for TG and my newfound friends. Looking forward to more good times in September.
Lynn


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auntlynnie
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Sun Apr 20, 2014 4:02 pm

Here's Chan, Neil, Dave, & Lynn. Image


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auntlynnie
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Sun Apr 20, 2014 4:04 pm

Here's the TG gang and Al. Image


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auntlynnie
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Sun Apr 20, 2014 4:09 pm

This last one is a photo I took of Al and Dave on stage, from the lobby of the Colonial, through the lobby door window.
It came out kind of Steam-punk looking.... Image


TGNesh
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Sun Apr 20, 2014 5:13 pm

Ah too bad Jean :( ......it would have been so great to meet you and play the guitar together, but I know, work calls....really hope you will be able to make it maybe in another year.

Enjoy your weekend as well!

Ness


fjeanmur wrote:
TGVanessa wrote:
1989, when her first album came out, that's like 25 years ago! :)

So you got to meet Jean, how great! Couldn't you twist her arm to join us at IGC 2014?? :P
Hi Vanessa!

It was great that Neil ended up about a stone's throw from where I live. As my husband told him, if the IGC were only in August, I would be there, but as it is, I can't get away from work in September. But when the videos of the camp are finally posted, I will be with everyone in spirit! I hope everyone has a terrific time in 2014.

Have a great weekend all!

Jean


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