Summer 2009 - Sixties Chicks, The Moody Blues and Janis Ian
 

Sixties Chicks is a musical mosaic of the singers and songwriters who gave a female voice to an era of social and political transformation. From teen longing for lost love to the full grown musical statements of liberation, these were the women America listened to. Sixties Chicks is a date with the women who helped to reinvent the American Dream in a time of tremendous change and challenge. It's time to hear them again.
 
It is surprising the memories that flood the consciousness when you experience a show that highlights so many of the songs from our youth. This is a musical extravaganza at any age but if you are over fifty it will touch you in a way you may have not been touched in a long time.
 
We then had the pleasure of going to Portland, Oregon to see perhaps the most magical group of the seventies the Moody Blues. I still remember the goose bumps when I saw them at the Sports Arena in San Diego over 30 years ago as they did, Nights in White Satin.
 
They performed at the lovely Arlene Schwitzer concert hall and the temperature was over 105.  The concert hall did not open on time and everyone was suffocating from the intense, uncommon heat.  Needless to say I have never wanted to get into air conditioning as much as I did in this circumstance.
 
The Arlene Schwitzer is a lovely setting and the Moody Blues have added several female musicians to their group and they now use two drummers. They played all their old favorites and the show was well produced as one would expect but the years have taken a toll on their singing. On numerous cuts their voices were partially drowned out by the very loud instrumentation. Not my favorite concert experience but still a good evening.
 
I have the pleasure of going to all these concerts with my wife, since I appreciate her feedback, and it is always a happening when you share. I mention this because on occasion she tells me things that surprise me and last night was one such night. We had just finished seeing Janis Ian and I was surprised when my wife said, thanks for bringing me here tonight I really enjoyed this concert
 
I was surprised for several reasons, the first being that singer songwriters are usually not one of her favorite musical artists,  she has never been much of a Janis Ian fan, and Janis did not sing any of what we both consider her best songs from her CD Breaking Silence.  Why she chose to leave out songs from her very best CD is beyond me. Breaking Silence was played everywhere at CES for several years. It is the CD that brought her back after being out of the music business for about 20 years. Yet, either the CD is not close to her heart, or she felt she could not perform any of the songs adequately with just her and a guitar.
 
Forgiving Janis that small blemish, her performance was amazing. She has the ability to bond with the audience in a way that few performers I have experienced can do. In my wives opinion the second best ever next to the Scottish troubadour Dougie MacLean when it comes to group interaction.
 
Of course Janis sang Societies Child, at Seventeen, and many of her earlier better known songs. She shared portions of her Autobiography that was published in 2008. She spoke at how other countries such as Canada treat gay couples versus here in the USA. She has always been a touch controversial and I guess now in her late fifties that is not going to change.
 
She played at out favorite venue, The Triple Door and as always it was awesome. If in Seattle, regardless what entertainment is there that night it is a superb place for live music.
 
I do hope you all get a chance to go listen to some live music and if you have Sixties chicks coming to your area it is a must see.