They Might Be Giants are doing their usual touring in the Northeast part of the country. It’s always kind of fun to see what they are up to. One thing that we hadn’t realized was that they won a Grammy this year for best Album for children (or something along those lines). They certainly deserve it, since it was a very good CD and I’ve heard lots of kids enjoyed it quite a bit. The group will be doing the usual performances for people who aren’t kids during the course of the next few months. They are mostly staying up in the northeast, near their home base in NYC. They will do shows in Boston, one in Maine (the only one this decade, perhaps) and several in other places as well! Check out their blog for some info.
The big news that came forth at the end of this week was the sad bulletins that Michael Jackson has passed away. He had something similar to a heart attack yesterday afternoon and died a short time later. He had been working on a big comeback series of concerts in London starting in the middle of next month. All of them had sold out. But after the news of yesterday, obviously the concerts aren’t going to happen, but the retrospectives are beginning now. Jackson has been out of the limelight for the last few years and has been dogged by rumors and bad charges of various kinds keeping him from recatching his former glory. He is now in the pop music heaven.
Lee Murdock is one of the preeminent midwestern folk musicians. He has been on the lookout for new folksongs about the Great Lakes region, about the ships and the people who sail in them. It’s always a pleasure to hear him in concert, because his music is simple but you can relate to it. If you have children, you will like to hear him too, whose music is safe for children and parents alike. Plus, children really enjoy the sound of acoustic music, with a guitar, bass and a couple of mandolins. It depends on if he has his band with him, but his music is certainly fun to listen to. If you have any interest in folk music, in the music of this area and in music about ships and sea chanteys and other related kinds of things, make sure to check out his upcoming schedule and catch a show!
At the Bonnaroo Festival this year, the lineups were very mixed this year. It’s a lot of fun for all of us this year, because there were musicians from all kinds of different musical genres and generations. Older rappers were there, Nine Inch Nails, David Byrne, and others were there. But perhaps one of the most famous ones was Bruce Springsteen. The boss made his debut at the festival and had a lot of fun getting himself in with a younger crowd who might not already know his music. He’s a real showman and was able to get them sinigng along much more than I might have predicted. It was also a really nice time when he hopped onto the stage with Phish and started singing with them.
There is a man named Derek Paravicini out there, performing currently overseas, who is known as the Human iPod. He’s a performer who can perform almost anything he’s heard once on the piano. It’s really impressive to see a performer like this. He is blind and has learning disabilities, but he’s actually really good. He is in a lot of ways genius the way that he can play. He’s perhaps not the best musician in the world, perhaps not even the best in London, but instead, he’s a kind of a novelty act. It’s kind of inspiring to see a man be able to do something that well against such great difficulties in his life. Keep an eye on him and see if he will be coming over soon.
The Asheville, North Carolina bus routes are going to have some big trouble this week. The Phish concert in the area is going to create a lot of traffic snarl and it’s going to be tough for them to get around.The concert is very popular and we’ll be looking forward to hearing the reviews. In the meantime, the city buses have been diverted for that evening, keeping them away from the crowds and the rest of the traffic around the venue. Check out this local news page just to be sure if you live in the area.
When Miley Cyrus takes the stage this summer, she’s going to have a great time entertaining her many fans. If you remember, her last tours were seen by thousands of people, particularly younger women who really enjoy the Hannah Montana character and all the music that she performs. This summer, she will be singing some performances all around the country, starting in Portland, Oregon and in many other places. Her shows on Disney, and her appearances in movies have been eagerly awaited by her many fans. Her 2009 Summer Tour will be fantastic, and you can get Miley Cyrus tour tickets to hear her outstanding voice in person!
When you think of great 70s music from overseas, one of the first bands you will think of is Puhdys, a group from the old East Germany. Back at that time, they wrote songs in the 60s and 70s style in particular, with the usual themes of love and friendship involved. They are still one of the most popular bands in parts of Germany and they are still touring, though not as much as they were back then. One of their most popular albums was their compilation of 50s and 60s rock and roll songs, which sold well in East Germany because many of the songs weren’t actually available from the original artists. It will be definitely a lot of fun to see them perform in person next time they are in the area so keep them in mind!
