BLACK SABBATH - Tokyo, Japan 1980

Tomorrow it's the Metal Masters Tour in the sweaty crack of San Berdoo. Six hours of middle-aged metaaal maaadness!

Will let y'alls know if the Priest measures up to their reputation (via "Heavy Metal Parking Lot" of course). Never seen 'em before, nor Heaven and Hell nor Motorhead nor Testament neither. I'm ever so psyched.

Meantime, a short and wicked sweet one-disc, early-Dio-era Sabbath show. Ten eveeel tracks, demonically excellent sound. Definitely dynamite! Okay, awriiight!

BLACK SABBATH "Angel and Demon"
Nakano Sun Plaza - Tokyo, Japan - November 18, 1980 (SBD)
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BOB DYLAN AND TOM PETTY - Sydney, Australia 1986

Having seen Tom Petty at the Hollywood Bowl this past June, I can certainly vouch for the quality of his recent concerts (look for that very show somewhere below, in fact.) As for Bob Dylan, hallelujah and hot diggity-damn, I'm seeing the Bard in two weeks at the Santa Monica Civic Auditorium.

This is a brief but brilliant Westwood One broadcast from the so-called Hard to Handle Tour in the depths of the Awful Eighties. Today, everyone -- including Dylan himself -- talks about how lousy he sounded on these big moneymaking tours back then, with Petty and/or the Dead. (Not to mention how ghastly were the Empire Burlesque and Knocked Out Loaded albums, which now serve only as recorded evidence of Dylan's mid-'80s nadir; their slick-n-sterile production sounds even worse today, if possible. The Wilburys and Lanois rescue squads were still a few years away.) Anyway, I never got close to seeing any of these dudes back then, having been more of a Van Halen/Zeppelin/Queen/Metallica fan in high school.

But the two sure sound nice together for this gig. And you can never lose with "Masters of War", especially these days. Talk about a tune that is, sadly, more relevant than ever...

BOB DYLAN AND TOM PETTY "Duelling Banjos"
Entertainment Centre - Sydney, Australia - February 24-25, 1986 (FMB)
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GRATEFUL DEAD - Oakland, CA 1982

Saw Etta James and Solomon Burke at the Hollywood Bowl last week. Wonderful show, if a bit traumatic in the sense that Etta was given to licking her microphone, rubbing her crotch and breasteses, and writhing around...in her swivel chair. She's 70. That's older than my mother.

Anyway. Here's the Grateful Dead's New Year's show from 1982, featuring Etta and also the Tower of Power in the third set.

Now excuse my while I attempt to wash out my brain.

GRATEFUL DEAD with Etta James and Tower of Power
Oakland Auditorium - Oakland, CA - December 31, 1982 (FMB)
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RADIOHEAD, THE RACONTEURS and WILCO at Lollapalooza - Chicago, IL 2008

Seems these were the three best sets at last weekend's event. They certainly would have been my top three to see, had I been anywhere near there. (Click on the poster above to see the rest.)

I've actually never been to any Lollapalooza anywhere, ever, which is exceedingly odd considering how many dag-blasted shows I've seen in my life. I did manage to catch good ol' Jane's Addiction at Madison Square Garden in spring 1991, just before the inaugural edition of Lollapalooza, but that's a whole 'nother gig.

The Radiohead performance here is a complete monster, a full 23 tunes, in tip-top audio quality. The version of "Nude" in particular is staggering. I think we can agree that Radiohead is, like, good.

All three shows were taken from XM Satellite Radio broadcasts. Dig 'em!

RADIOHEAD
Lollapalooza, Grant Park - Chicago, IL - August 1, 2008 (FMB)
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THE RACONTEURS
Lollapalooza, Grant Park - Chicago, IL - August 1, 2008 (FMB)
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WILCO
Lollapalooza, Grant Park - Chicago, IL - August 2, 2008 (FMB)
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THE HOLD STEADY - Philadelphia, PA 2008

Saw these dudes in Hollywood a couple nights back. Fantasterrific! Besides Muse they're probably my favorite band of under-30s (more like under-40s I guess) on the planet right now.

All props to the sensibly named Hold Steady Taped Shows Archive.

Crack a road soda and rock this bitch 'til the wheels fly off.

THE HOLD STEADY
NON-COMMvention, World Cafe Live! - May 30, 2008 - Philadelphia, PA (FMB)
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