Euge Groove is easily one of this generation's smooth jazz sax heroes. He's been nominated for Grammy's on both of his first two releases and he continues to impress me with his melodic and pop approach to jazz. As Yellowjackets saxophonist Bill Mintzer commented to the audience however, EG is a different brand of jazz than his Yellowjackets, who were exceptional if not a bit stiff on stage.

Meet & Greet: Euge Groove

YELLOWJACKETS
EUGE GROOVE

Clowes Hall at Butler University is an acoustically superior venue to be sure. The legendary Chieftains made the afternoon concert very worthwhile, with plenty of celtic tradition, dance and song. Guest vocalist Allison Moorer performed along with the Chieftains.

THE CHIEFTAINS
ALLISON MOORER

Chrissie Hynde and her Pretenders were on target with a firm delivery of career spanning hits, including highlights from their latest album, Loose Screw, an obvious tongue in cheek reference to Hynde herself. The new album is quite good and her selection of songs from it were appropriate for the 30 or 40 something audience.

The All Mighty Senators are not on the verge of breaking as the newest rock sensation, but they were an interesting bunch from Baltimore. Fronted by a singer who seemed to take a few pages from Prince's book, AMS showed influences from pop and funk backgrounds.

Meet & Greet: All MIghty Senators

PRETENDERS
ALL MIGHTY SENATORS

ASIA

This was a unique event where Asia offered their services to be scheduled by fans across America for $3,000 plus expenses. The venue was The House, located just outside Glendale Mall. Including the lucky fan who brought his favorite band to town, only about 20 people were in attendance making for an intimate show. The concert presentation was acoustic and simple, featuring only John Payne and Geoff Downes. Both gentlemen stayed after the show to talk one on one with the small audience and sign autographs. Lec Zorn was deplorable. It was embarrassing to watch.

NOTE: Incidentally, Lec Zorn read this review and contacted me to reconsider my review. He mentioned the fact that this was the first time they worked with that singer, etc, etc, which to me sounds like excuses, excuses. But the bottom line is this - these guys were not ready for a small Sunday afternoon coffeehouse show, much less prime time. I don't get paid to write these reviews and I generally don't get free tickets. I paid for this show just like everybody else. I attended the show with two friends and we all independently had the same reaction: A.) an embarrassingly small show for Downes and Payne to play - although very cool to have been a part of something so intimate B.) LZP was so bad that they were humiliating for the viewer to sit through. So, I stand by my review 100% - If I had to cringe in the seat I paid for, Lec can be uncomfortable with the review that I provide at no charge.

Meet & Greet: Geoff Downs and John Payne

ASIA
LEC ZORN

After leaving the small but intimate Asia concert, we hustled our way up to Verzon Wireless Music Center in Noblesville to catch 70's iconic rockers, Boston. The crowd was obviously much larger, easily 13,000 or more. Tom Scholz and company provided a lengthy setlist, derived from their many hits and a fair portion of the new album, Corporate America. No opening act, just Boston.

BOSTON

The only thing wrong with this concert was the sound level was very loud and distorted. SETLIST:

SAMMY HAGAR SETLIST:
One Way To Rock
Shaka Doobie (The Limit)
Three Lock Box
Everybody Must Get Stoned (Bob Dylan cover)
Top of the World
Rock Candy
Let Sally Drive
Bad Motor Scooter
Mona bass solo / Sammy jams
Bad Motor Scooter
Hallelujah
Right Now
Deeper Kind of Love
Finish What Ya Started
Little White Lies, Dreams
I Can't Drive 55
Mas Tequila

Encore:
Why Can't This Be Love
Heavy Metal

SAMMY HAGAR

Excellent weather for this outdoor event brought a sizable crowd. The make shift venue was actually a stage at the end of a street lined with old brick warehouse buildings. This created a lot of echo for the sound, which was actually easier to hear from outside the festival. Food and beverage tents were almost impossible to reach, due to the arrangement of crowds and lines. The event was something of a homecoming for Indianapolis native John Hiatt, who played an all acoustic set. Had this concert been held at a club or theater, the sound would probably have been great, but the situation as it was turned out to be a debacle for audience and performers alike.

JOHN HIATT
JOHNNY A

Any band with as many years history and success as Kansas has it's share of personnel changes. At the height of their career, co-front men Kerry Livgren and Steve Walsh took turns leaving and returning to active duty. This no doubt contributed to the long decline. Dixie Dregs guitarist Steve Morse was recruited for at least one tour of duty with the band and there have been many other changes as well. Health issues have also taken their toll on the band from middle America. The line up for this show included long time fan favorite, Steve Walsh. Although Walsh's voice is not up to the task of rreaching notes he once recorded, he gave an impressive effort. Livgren was absent, although violinist Robby Steinhart and guitarist Rich Williams were in prime form.

KANSAS

Local radio station WFBQ was promoting a 25th Anniversary Concert with Lynyrd Skynyrd, 38 Special and Jackyl. When one of the members of LS was placed on medical leave, the southern rockers had to cancel. Sammy Hagar was recruited to fill the top bill and the timing coincided with the release of his new DVD, The Long Road To Cabo. Arrangements were made at a northside comedy club to host a preview party with Hagar and his band the Waboritas in attendance. The DVD was great, but Hagar and band were delayed at the airport and could not make the party. They did arrive at the very end, said a few words to the fans and swiftly left out the back exit.

The only time I had previously seen JB live was at Farm Aid IV in 1990, so I was really looking forward to this acoustic appearance in such a great venue. Although far beyond Browne's control, venue policies and the audience combined to detract from the quality of the concert. The Murat Center bar remained open during the show and beverages were permitted inside the theater. This encouraged the many boomer aged drinkers to habitually come and go for more beverages during the show. The traffic back and forth was so obvious in fact that Jackson Brown at one point asked the ushers to keep the theater doors closed. This wasn't the only thing going wrong for the concert. Browne, who had worked on the much publicized final album from the late Warren Zevon, attempted to pay tribute to his friend by covering a different Zevon song each night of the tour. Unfortunately, there really wasn't much rehearsal put into preparing to do the song live and the tribute was plagued with mistakes on both the music and lyrics. Other than these issues, the concert was quite good, featuring numerous songs from throughout Browne's long career.

JACKSON BROWNE