Bob Seger & The Silver Bullet Band
ROCKED the Veterans Memorial Arena on January 10!

Photo by Craig Oneal

Musicology

Kelly Clarkson
By James Neal

Kelly Clarkson has come a long way since winning the first season of American Idol when she was just 20 years old. In just 10 years since the contest, she has released 5 studio albums, has been in the top 10 of the Billboard Hot 100 Singles Chart 7 times, sold over 20 million albums, and won dozens of prestigious music awards. Fans who have been following her since the beginning can attest that the young vocalist has stayed true to her humble roots. She has graciously accepted her fame and recognition with class and humility. She is constantly assuring and proving to fans and admirers that, although she is revered as a worldwide pop icon, she is still the modest young lady from Fort Worth, Texas.

Her latest release entitled Stronger is her 5^th studio album and has caught the attention of major entertainment publications and critics across the globe. Although the album is being hailed by many as a breakup album, Kelly has insisted in many interviews that it is no such thing. She claims that none of the songs on Stronger are about her, and she writes very metaphorically and uses the imagery of a relationship with someone else so often because it translates better over to mainstream radio.

In spite of the mixed emotions regarding the lyrical content of Stronger, Kelly Clarkson has never sounded better. She has one of the best voices in pop music today, and with each album she has matured more and more. Stronger is a triumph for her as a continuing artist. Regardless of sparking lyrical debate, Stronger has already been certified gold and debuted at #2 on the Billboard top 200 and Digital Albums Charts. Stronger is proof that she is developing and exploring new limits as a vocalist.

In December, Kelly Clarkson had two more releases including her extended album iTunes Session and her very first holiday single “I’ll Be Home For Christmas.” Her holiday single debuted at #16 on the Billboard Top Holiday Songs Chart, and was the only single competitive enough to make the chart while all of the other competing singles had been up for over 3 weeks.

Her album iTunes Session was made available on December 27^th. The album is a 9 track live album and was recorded exclusively for iTunes. The track listing includes three songs off Stronger including her most recent smash hit “Mr. Know It All,” a bonus recording of “I’ll Be Home For Christmas,” a brand new recording of her hit “Since you’ve Been Gone,” and an exclusive interview only available on iTunes.

With so many new releases and praise coming from all directions, Kelly Clarkson is more than ready to take the stage on her 2012 Stronger World Tour. The tour kicks off on January 13^th, and Kelly Clarkson is giving everyone in the U.S. first dibs by playing shows all across the country through until summer.

Band Reviews

The Supervillains

By James Neal

The Supervillains are still up drinking and keeping new Ska and Reggae tunes flowing. Their latest album, Postcards from Paradise, is another emotionally charged album touching on the politics and motions of daily life and making it through the night. This album marks their first release on their new label Rah Rah Rah Records, and its debut took #1 on Amazon and #3 on iTunes.

Postcards from Paradiseis a 14-track resounding success from start to finish. Their musicianship has improved so much over the years and they have only gained more perspective for their content. The four of them have kept one foot in reality the entire ride. They are still willing to have a drink with fans and make new memories that may someday turn into a story to be told through song. What makes The Supervillains such a great band, aside from their catchy and alluring musicianship, is their ability to stay grounded and their aptitude at writing music that is so relatable to fans and audiences.

How many people have met someone that drives them to drink? How many have met someone who they swear is from a different planet? How many have had a day where they hated everything?

Listeners will find a friend to commiserate with in Postcards from Paradise. The digital album is available on their website; listen for free or download the whole thing for a few bucks and keep the scene alive.

They are just coming off of paying homage to their roots with the East Coast Fall Out Tour, and love playing the Atlantic Coast so much that they are giving it a second dose by hitting venues and cities that were short changed their first time around.

2012 WANEE MUSIC FESTIVAL
April 19-21
Spirit of Suwanne Music Park, Live Oak, FL
www.WaneeFestival.com

THE ALLMAN BROTHERS BAND
RETURNS AGAIN WITH AN OUTSTANDING LINE-UP 
FURTHUR, BRUCE HORNSBY, MICKEY HART, GOV’T MULE & MUCH MORE!

Sharing the stage for two nights (April 20 & 21) with The Allman Brothers Band is Furthur featuring Phil Lesh and Bob Weir.   The rest of the line-up includes: Bruce Hornsby, Mickey Hart Band, Gov’t Mule, Tedeschi Trucks Band, Jaimoe's Jasssz Band, Buddy Guy, Electric Hot Tuna , Ray Manzarek & Roy Rogers Band, Leftover Salmon, North Mississippi Allstars, Trigger Hippy (featuring: Joan Osborne, Jackie Greene, Steve Gorman, Audley Freed & Nick Govrik), Ivan Neville's Dumpstaphunk, Devon Allman's Honeytribe, Bobby Lee Rodgers Trio, Soja, Conspirator, Eoto, Particle, Zach Deputy, Matt Schofield , Big Sams Funky Nation, Charles Bradley, Bonerama,The Yeti Trio, Jacob Jeffries Band and Bonnie Blue. 

THREE DAY GENERAL ADMISSION FESTIVAL TICKETS:

$189.50 (plus applicable fees) from January 20^th– February 19^th (After February 19^th price will increase). Price includes (1) pass to the Festival (Thurs.,Fri. & Sat.) with music beginning at 2:30PM on Thursday and 3 nights of primitive camping (Thurs., Fri. & Sat.)

VIP TICKETS:

$425.00 (plus applicable fees) and will be available on a limited basis.
VIP Tickets Include: (1) VIP pass to the festival with music starting at 2:30PM on Thursday, Thursday Night VIP Pre Party, 3 nights of primitive camping (Thurs., Fri. & Sat.), Private Concert Viewing Area, Private Restrooms, Drink Specials, Wanee 2011 VIP Shirt, Commemorative Poster, Lunch and Dinner Catering on Fri & Sat and Complimentary Non Alcoholic Drinks and Snacks.

Review: Night Ranger at the Ponte Vedra Concert Hall

I’ve been aspiring to visit the Ponte Vedra Concert Hall during the past year but never could quite get in gear, though the arrival of Night Ranger was finally enough to get this Man in Motion.  After all, I still have a copy of Dawn Patrol on the turntable in my old childhood room and a sun-warped Secret of My Success record (younger readers: think of a big black CD) hanging on the wall that was unplayable but seemed a cool decoration when I was thirteen!

Entering this converted Baptist church I wasn’t sure what to expect but was pleasantly surprised.  The tastefully open rafters and wide floor dispel the claustrophobia of Freebird Live! and there’s a nice open bar area stage right for refuge if desired.  Sound fills the room nicely, giving this venue a hopefully bright future.

As for the band, these old rockers came out in full form.  They opened with a newer number and later begged the crowd’s patience as they played new material, cleverly pleading that an artist must create or wither after acknowledging they knew the audience wanted the classics, but the setlist was filled mainly with band classics band as well as selections from the members’ multiple side projects.

(Hornit)

And rock they did.

With three original members (two more than many retro bands!), Night Ranger is still in full 80s form.  Their musicianship remains tight and their voices still able to hit the high notes.  Although they were playing for a sparse crowd, they at least acted like they were having fun, jumping around the stage and thrusting their instruments to the audience with ‘come hither’ looks like any 80’s hairband worth its weight in eye shadow should.  If there was any crack to their façade of being just as pleased to play an old church as an arena, it was when the band kept saying “We’re so glad to be in . . .” pausing before finishing “. . . Florida.”  Clearly they couldn’t pronounce Ponte Vedra, let alone find it on a map.

The energy remained high all night and the sound was clear as they ripped through classics such as “Rumors,” “Four in the Morning,” “Sing Me Away,” and “Don’t Tell Me You Love Me.”  Perhaps the highlight for me was a rousing version of “Sentimental Street,” a song I find superior to crowd pleaser “Sister Christian,” which started with just piano and vocal before ripping into full 80s power ballad form.

Augmenting their own catalogue was side gig offerings such as Damn Yankees “Coming of Age” and “High Enough,” The Doors “Roadhouse,” and Ozzy’s “Crazy Train,” all played with passion and deft skill.

Overall, the night was a rousing good fun though obviously this music has lost a tad of its luster over the years.  These guys weren’t out there reinventing the wheel.  Still, there was plenty of air left in the tires to motor back to the mid 80s for a nostalgic joyride I’d gladly repeat.

Review By Eric Sarrett and Photos By Craig Oneal