Jeff Beck. . . At the Garden?
Last week I got an email announcing a Jeff Beck concert. I was all excited. I have caught the man and his guitar on stage a couple times and try to catch him any chance I get. My first Jeff Beck show was at Jones Beach. He rocked out of course but what grabbed me at that show was his slower bluesier tunes. I just recall those amazing tones, the amazing sounds that were coming out of his Les Paul (or was it a Strat? Probably both. . .).
It was just a perfect evening for such tunes. I wish I could tell you which ones, maybe from Blow by Blow or perhaps Who Else. Jones Beach was the perfect venue for those slow soulful tunes, and more importantly those expressive consuming tones out his guitar. I remember looking out onto the water as he played. The water, with the lights from the roadways reflecting of it and several boats anchored there. They, like us, taking in the show and those amazing tones and sounds.
Since then I have caught him once or twice in the Hammerstein Ballroom. Those shows had a different feel. At the Hammerstein, he rocked out more. I recall on one occasion he was doing Rollin and Tumblin, granted a ‘urban’ or updated version of it. (I know, Rollin & Tumblin is not even a rock song really, unless you went to too many Blackfoot shows back in the 80s). Again, don’t ask me to name tunes. I would gamble the tunes were coming from Wired and There and Back, and the newer ones, Who Else and You Had It Coming.
Anyway, the Hammerstein is simply a different venue, which might have just effected this concert-goer. You are standing amidst the crowd, as opposed to sitting down taking in the view of the bay. And then there is the bar in the back of the ballroom, which might make up for a lack of a mosh pit. A bar offering Jack Daniels and vodka and tonics in plastic cups as opposed to only beer. Maybe it was just that the wife stayed home.
Sadly, I missed his last set of shows in the city this past spring over at Irving Plaza. So when I saw the email, I was pretty excited. Sadly I realized it was at Madison Square Garden, and it was with Eric Clapton. I am not a big fan of the Garden-too big. I am not a big fan of Eric Clapton. I have just not followed the man’s music. He certainly has the reputation, but his music just has not grabbed me like Jeff Beck’s has. So I guess I am going to have to wait. Hopefully, he will release that new album soon and do a solo tour.
Till then I will have to just make a playlist on iTunes and all.
