Sting - 1991-11-30 - London, UK (FM)

Sting

1991-11-30

Wembley Stadium

London, England

FM Broadcast

192 kbps

Artwork Included

CD 1:

01. Interview

02. All This Time

03. Jeremiah Blues

04. Mad About You

05. Driven To Tears

06. Ain't No Sunshine

07. Why Should I Cry For You > Be Still My Beating Heart

08. Roxanne

09. Bring On The Night > When The World Is Running Down

10. King Of Pain

CD 2:

01. Fortress Around Your Heart

02. The Wild Wild Sea

03. The Soul Cages

04. Purple Haze

05. If You Love Somebody Set Them Free > We'll Be Together Tonight

06. Walking On The Moon

07. Every Breath You Take

08. Message In A Bottle

09. Fragile

Sting - 1991-11-30 - London, UK (FM)

I've only seen Sting solo once, on February 15,1991. The tickets were a Valentine's Day gift for my then girlfriend of just under a year.  Two weeks later I asked her to marry me, she said yes and its been the best years of my life! Every good book, even my tale of rock & roll, needs a good love story!

That year, Sting released The Soul Cages, an album dealing with the death of his father. Most of the songs have themes related to sailing or the seas as Sting's father, had always regretted not becoming a sailor. The disc climbed to #2 on the Billboard charts in the US, with the single All This Time reaching #5. Reviews for the disc, however, were far more critical than the record buying public. The Chicago Tribune gave the disc only 2 out of 4 stars, while Entertainment Weekly graded it a C. Robert Christgau was even more critical, declining to give a letter grade and instead simply posting a picture of a bomb in his review! Less than stellar reviews did not stop Sting from launching a world tour on February 1, 1991 in support of the disc. The tour reached his homeland in November of that year, including 2 shows at Wembley Arena. This soundboard recording captures Sting on November 30, 1991, 32 years ago today, on the 2nd night at Wembley.

The Police - 1980-11-29 - Capitol Theatre, Passaic, NJ (SBD)

The Police

1980-11-29

Capitol Theatre

Passaic, NJ

Soundboard Recording

320 kbps

Artwork Inlcluded

01. Voices Inside My Head

02. Don't Stand So Close To Me 

03. Walking On The Moon 

04. Deathwish 

05. Fall Out 

06. Man In A Suitcase 

07. Bring On The Night 

08. De Do Do Do, De Da Da Da 

09. Truth Hits Everybody 

10. Shadows In The Rain 

11. When The World Is Running Down, You Make The Best Of What's Still Around 

12. The Bed's Too Big Without You 

13. Driven to Tears

14. Message In A Bottle 

15. Roxanne 

16. crowd noise 

17. Can't Stand Losing You 

18. crowd noise 

19. Next To You

20. So Lonely 

21. crowd noise 

The Police - 1980-11-29 - Capitol Theatre, Passaic, NJ (SBD)

I saw The Police just once, in January 1982, at Madison Square Garden, but what a historic show it was. The Go Gos, who opened, had the number 1 album on the Billboard charts at the time. The Police, who headlined, had the #2 album on those charts! New Wave had arrived, commanding the charts and selling out "The World's Most Famous Arena."

This soundboard recrding captures The Police a little over 2 years earlier, at the Capitol Theatre in Passaic, on November 29, 1980, 43 years ago today.

December's Theme At So Many Roads

For December 2023, we're going to once again have Back To Back as our theme.  We normally like to do that theme 2 months in a row to give you back to back months of back to back shows, but since we took a break in November for our special anniversary theme, we figured wed come back to it in December as a holiday gift!

Enjoy the tunz!

Paul McCartney - 1989-11-28 - Inglewood, CA (SBD)

Paul McCartney 

1989-11-28

Great Western Forum

Inglewood, CA

Soundboard Recording'

320 kbps

Artwork included

Soundcheck:

01. Let It Be (take 1)

02. Let It Be (take 2)

03. Put It There

04. Instrumental

Show Excerpts

05. Figure of Eight

06. Maybe I’m Amazed

07. Sgt Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band

08. My Brave Face

09. Let It Be

10. Live And Let Die

Paul McCartney  - 1989-11-28 - Inglewood, CA (SBD)

I've seen Sir Paul 9 times, and the last 4, in 2015, 2016, 2017 and 2022, I went with both my wife and my twin boys. We started that run back in June 2015, a Father's Day show in Philadelphia, which was also the first concert my boys ever went to! The set list that night included the tune Macca wrote for Destiny, one of my boy's favorite video games. We followed that up with an August 7, 2016 show at Giants Stadium on what what would have been my Dad's 83rd birthday had he not passed away in 2012. Sir Paul broke out Birthday that night, the first time I had ever heard him play that song live. Then on September 15, 2017, at Madison Square Garden on my Mom's 85th birthday, Paul entertained us as almost no other performer can, telling stories, paying tribute to lost friends and lovers, playing over 40 songs scanning almost 60 years of musical history. He played Jet, my boy's favorite McCartney tune, a song that had been missing from the 2 previous shows they attended.  And then, as I mentioned in my Springsteen post earlier this month, he brought Bruce and Miami Steve on stage for what turned out to be back to back renditions of I Saw her Standing There.  Most recently, just a few weeks ago on June 16, 2022, the 4 of us Saw Sir Paul at Met Life stadium, just 2 days before his 80th birthday!  Another 3 hour masterpiece, and another guest appearance by Springsteen, for 2 songs, his Glory days and The Beatles I Wanna Be Your Man, plus he sat in during the closing Abbey Road medley to add some blistering guitar work. The encore included a 2nd guest appearance, by a virtual John Lennon.  using footage from the Rooftop Concert, Paul and John did a virtual duet on I've Got A Feeling, and there wasn't a dry eye in the house. Given Sir Paul's age, I may never get to see him live again, but the memories, especially from the last 4 shows, will last forever. 

This soundboard recording captures Sir Paul on his first US tour since Wings Over America in 1976, in Inglewood on November 28, 1989, 34 years ago today. Unfortunately, its not the full show - just excerpts from the soundchecck and concert.

THE PERFECT HOLIDAY GIFT - TEN RULES OF THE ROAD I LEARNED AT MY FIRST CONCERT: AN ORDINARY GUY'S LIFETIME OF LIVE ROCK & ROLL

The perfect holiday gift for the rock & roll fan in your life - check out these rating and reviews!
- a 4.40 star rating on Amazon with 31 5-star reviews out of 39 - 79%!!

- a 4.42 star rating on Goodreads with 8 5-star reviews out of 12 - 67%!!

BUY IT HERE IN THE US!

Here's just a sample of what folks are saying about TEN RULES OF THE ROAD I LEARNED AT MY FIRST CONCERT:

- "As a fan of rock shows myself, this book written by a fellow fan was fun to read, and reminded me of many of my own long-forgotten concert stories. Definitely recommended." 

 -"Insightful, poignant and just plain joyful." 

- "Truly a book for music fans of the 70’ s onward. Love the personal thoughts of sharing the music with his wife and kids." 

 - It was a lot of fun to hear about the author's experiences from the time of his first concert to sharing those experiences with his teenage boys. There is a lot of truth in his "rules" 

 - "The book is well-written and a fun reminder of my younger days. Just an enjoyable read!" 

 - "A hero for our times - he sees great shows, learns about life, and gets the girl. What's not to like?" 

 - "The author takes you on a tale of wonder through the ups and downs of going to concerts." 

- "I would recommend this book for anybody who loves live music - especially those, like me, who enjoy the anticipating and reliving almost as much as actually being at the concert." 

 - "I've got to say that Speedy's book is a little known gem and a real joy to read... the author's genuine love of live music comes through wonderfully." 

 - "Excellent account of the rock concert experience from 1976 to today. Very well written and extremely entertaining." 

- "This is a very entertaining and enjoyable book... you can pick it up, read a chapter, put it down, and come back to it again and again. If you're a music fan, especially of live performances, I highly recommend this book."

- "Great for anyone who loves live music... Lots of fun anecdotes and details that really make you feel like you're sitting with someone, listening to stories about concerts."

- "It's a love letter to live music."

- "If you grew up in the 1960s or 1970s and enjoyed going to.rock concerts, then Speedy's story is your story. This tale reminds you of the best and worst parts of attending concerts, and captures the magic of those moments when the music was truly transcendent. Well written, engaging and filled with truth is stranger than fiction moments, Ten Rules is a must read for any rock music fan."

BUY IT HERE IN THE US:

The Rules:

Rule #1: You Can’t Get Good Seats, But The Scalpers Can

Rule #2: Expect The Unexpected On The Way To Or From The Show

Rule #3: No Concert Ever Starts On Time

Rule #4: Rejoice - There Is No Opening Act

Rule #5: Rock Concerts Are Rarely Played At A Venue Meant For Music

Rule #6: Enjoy The Special Guests - They’re a Rare Event

Rule #7: The Set List - The Bad News - The Band Will Never Play Everything You Want To Hear

Rule #8: The Set List - The Good News - The Band Will Always Play An Unanticipated Tune You’ll Never Forget

Rule #9: Elvis Has Left The Building - Once The Houselights Come On, The Show Is Over

Rule #10: Don’t Miss The Moment - Go To Every Show You Can

BUY IT HERE IN THE US:

- Just $6.99 for the Kindle

- Only $12.99 for the paperback 

- And always FREE on Kindle Unlimited! 

 Also available in Kindle in: UK, DE, FR, ES, IT, NL, JP, BR, CA, MX, AU, and IN 

Also available in Paperback in: UK DE FR ES IT JP

The Clash - 1982-11-27 - Montego Bay, Jamaica (SBD)

The Clash

1982-11-27

Jamaica World Music Festival

Bob Marley Performing Arts Center

Montego Bay, Jamaica

Soundboard Recording

320 kbps

Artwork Included

01. London Calling

02. Police On My Back

03. The Guns Of Brixton

04. The Magnificent Seven

05. Armagideon Time

06. The Magnificent Seven (Reprise)

07. Junco Partner

08. Spanish Bombs

09. One More Time

10. Train In Vain

11. Bankrobber

12. Radio Clash

13. Clampdown

14. Should I Stay Or Should I Go

15. Rock The Casbah

16. Straight To Hell

17. I Fought The Law (missing)

The Clash - 1982-11-27 - Montego Bay, Jamaica (SBD)

I saw The Clash once in August 1982, a concert I've discussed on numeorus occasions on this blog since I almost  missed it! The whole story is also in my book. In any event, 1982 turned out to be a star crossed year for the Clash. On one hand, the band achieved a new level of commercial success with the singles Rock The Casbah and Should I Stay or Should I Go. In addition, they received rave reviews for their live shows as the lead-in band for The Who’s “farewell tour”, during which they often times over shadowed the rock veterans. On the other hand, tensions between the band members had the band on the brink of destruction. They would go over the edge in 1983, when Mick Jones left the band, or was fired, depending on what account you read. Download this soundboard recording from the Wold Music festival on November 27, 1982, 41 years ago today to hear one of the last shows from “the only band that matters”.

Los Lobos - 1989-11-26 - Watsonville, CA (SBD)

Los Lobos

1989-11-26

Watsonville High School Football Field 

Watsonville, CA 

Soundboard Recording

320 kbps

Artwork Included

01. Anselma 

02. I'm Gonna Be a Wheel Someday 

03. Georgia Slop 

04. Will the Wolf Survive? 

05. Evangeline 

06. My Baby's Gone 

07. Someday 

08. Let's Say Goodnight 

09. Pledge Break (over Ay Te Dejo En San Antonio)

10. Volver, Volver 

11. I Got Loaded 

12. Don't Worry Baby 

13. La Bamba

Los Lobos - 1989-11-26 - Watsonville, CA (SBD)

I've seen Los Lobos live twice, on back to back nights in July 1989 as the lead in band for the Grateful Dead at Giants Stadium. Incredibly, the band did not join the Dead on stage either night, but the Neville Brothers sat in during Iko Iko on night 2!

This soundboard recording captures Los Lobos just a few months after I saw them live, playing a benefit concert to raise funds to help the victims of the San Francisco earthquake, in Watsonville, on November 26, 1989, 34 years ago today.

Bruce Hornsby - 1993-11-26 - Philadelphia, PA (FM)

Bruce Hornsby

1993-11-26

Sigma Sound Studios

Philadelphia, PA

WMMR-FM Broadcast

320 kbps

Artwork Included

01. Interview, (The Entertainer) > 

02. Valley Road > 

03. Talk Of The Town

04. Interview, 

05. It Takes A Lot to Laugh, IT Takes A Train To Cry > 

06. Life Of Tthe Party

07. Interview

08. The Way It Is

09. Interview

10. The Christmas Song

11. Ending Credits

Bruce Hornsby - 1993-11-26 - Philadelphia, PA (FM)

Bruce Hornsby is one of those rare artists I've seen as a lead in performer, a solo headliner, and as part of a group. In May 1987, I saw him lead in for the Grateful Dead at Leguna Seca, the only Dead show I attended on the West Coast. Then between 1993 and 2018, my wife and I saw Bruce as the headliner on 6 different occasions, some shows solo, some with the Range, and some with the Nosiemakers. Then after 5 years without seeing Mr. Hornsby, we went to 2 of his shows earlier this year, a solo performance in March and a concert with the Noisemakes just 4 days ago! That makes Hornsby just 1 of 7 artists - the others are the Grateful Dead, Paul McCartney, The Band, Los Lobos, Joe Jackson and Bruce Springsteen - that I have seen 2 or more times in the same year. On top of that, we saw him 9 times as a member of the Grateful Dead in 1990 and 1991 combined! By the way, if you like keeping track of those kind of statistics releated to the comcerts you have attended, my book has a chapter filled with them that I'm sure you will enjoy.

This FM broadcast captures Hornsby at Sigma Sound Studios in Philadelphia on November 26, 1993, 3 decades ago this very day.

Hall & Oates - 1977-11-25 - Ridgefield, OH (SBD)

Hall & Oates

1977-11-25

Ridgefield Coliseum 

Ridgefield, OH

Soundboard Recording

320 kbps

Artwork Included

01. Don't Change

02. Rich Girl

03. Song Introduction

04. Can't Stop The Music

05. Do What You Want, Be What You Are

06. Song Introduction

07. The Emptyness

08. Winged Bull

09. Is It A Star?

10. I'm Just A Kid (Don't Make Me Feel Like A Man)

11. Band Introduction

12. Back Together Again

13. Sara Smile

14. She's Gone

15. Abandoned Luncheonette

16. Room To Breathe

17. You Must Be Good For Something

18. Bad Habits And Infections

Hall & Oates - 1977-11-25 - Ridgefield, OH (SBD)

I saw Hall & Oates twice in the late 1970s, both times at the Garden State Art Center - my second concert ever in June 1977 and then again in September 1978. While my buddies and I were big fans of the songs Sara Smile and She's Gone. with the exception of Rich Girl, I don't really care for any of the 6 tunes that the duo took to #1 on the Billboard charts. In any event, soon after seeing them for the 2nd time, my musical tastes moved in new directions. 

This soundboard recording captures the duo just a few months after the first fime I saw them, in Ridgefield on Movember 25, 1977, 46 years ago today.

Robert Hunter - 1980-11-24 - Chicago, IL (SBD)

Robert Hunter

1980-11-24

Late Show

Tut's

Chicago, IL

Soundboard Recording

320 kbps

Artwork Included

01. Day Job

02. Mississippi Half Step

03. Sweet Little Wheels

04. Box Of Rain

05. Yellow Moon

06. Jack Straw

07. Promentory Rider

08. Reuben & Cherise

09. Willie Poor Boy > Deal

10. Black Peter

11. Keys To The Rain > Aunahine Daydream >

12. Scarlet Begonias >

13. Stella Blue > Sunshine Daydream

Encore:

14. The Eleven>

15. Saint Stephen

16. Day Job

17. Ripple

Robert Hunter - 1980-11-24 - Chicago, IL (SBD)

The first 3 times I saw Jerry Garcia, all in the late 1970s & early 1980s, long time song writing partner Robert Hunter served as his lead in. Hearing Hunter live is always a unique experience, as his take on the countless tunes he wrote with Jerry is often so different than how they sound when played by the Grateful Dead. 

This soundboard recording captures Hunter in NChicago, on November 24, 1980, 43 ywars ago today.

Eric Clapton - 2006-11-23 - Tokyo, Japan (Ex Aud)

Eric Clapton

2006-11-23

Budokan

Tokyo, Japan

Excellent Audience Recording

320 kbps

Artwork Include

CD 1:

01. Tell The Truth

02. Five Long Years

03. Got To Get Better In A Little While

04. Old Love

05. Motherless Children

06. Driftin'

07. Key To The Highway

08. Outside Woman Blues

09. Nobody Knows You When You're Down And Out

10. Running On Faith

CD 2:

01. After Midnight

02. Little Queen Of Spades

03. Anyday

04. Wonderful Tonight

05. Layla

06. Cocaine

07. Crossroads

Eric Clapton - 2006-11-23 - Tokyo, Japan (Ex Aud) 

I saw EC twice in concert, both times at Madison Square Garden. The frist was in April 1987, one of the best shows I've ever attended and then again in April 1990. The 1987 show was actually taped for a live album, but that project was shelved and it was never released.

This excellent audience recording captures EC in Tokyo on November 23, 2006, 17 years ago today.  This was a great tour, with EC playing plentty of tunes from his days with Derek & The Dominoe, and Doyle Bramhall II and Derek Trucks adding their guitar work alongside Eric's.

U2 - 1981-11-22 - The Ritz, NY NY (SBD)

U2

1981-11-22

The Ritz

New York, NY

Soundboard Recording

320 kbps

Artwork Included

xx. Gloria (missing)

01. Another Time, Another Place Ð only 0:44 min.

02. I Threw A Brick Through A Window 

03. An Cat Dubh > Into The Heart 

04. With A Shout

05. Rejoice

06. The Cry > The Electric Co. 

07. I Fall Down

08. October

xx. Stories For Bioys (missing)

09. I Will Follow 

10. Twilight 

11. Out Of Control 

Encore:

xx. Fire (missing)

12. 11 O'clock Tick Tock 

13. The Ocean

14. I Will Follow 

U2 - 1981-11-22 - The Ritz, NY NY (SBD)

I've seen U2 twice - once in August 1992 during the ZooTV tour and then again in October 2001, after the tragedy on 9-11, when the band's emotional tribute to the victims provided a much needed catharsis for us all/  You can check out my book, TEN RULES OF THE ROAD I LEARNED AT MY FIRST CONCERT  to learn the story of the time I tried to see U2 on November 24,1981 which didn't quite worked out a s planned.

This soundboard recording captures U2 just 2 days before that ill fated 1981 show referenced above, at the Ritx in New York on November 22, 1981, 42 years ago today.

Pat Benatar - 1979-11-22 - Seattle, WA (FM)

Pat Benatar

1979-11-22

Paramount Theatre

Seattle WA

FM Broadcast

256 kbps

Artwork Included

01. Introduction

02. If You Think You Know How To Love Me

03. So Sincere

04. I Need A Lover

05. My Clone Sleeps Alone

06. In The Heat Of The Night

07. We Live For Love

08. No You Don't

09. Just Like Me

10. Heartbreaker

11. Band Introductions

12. You Better Run

13. Come On, Let's Go

Pat Benatar - 1979-11-22 - Seattle, WA (FM)

I saw Pat Benatar twice in the early 1980s, once on November 22, 1980 at the Palladium in New York and then again on August 1, 1981 at the South Mountain Music Fair in West Orange NJ. The 2nd show is notable because its the same night that MTv debuted. Ms. Benatar's cover of the Rascal's tune You Better Run was the 2nd video ever played on MTv, following the most appropriate Video Killed The Radio Star. The 40 years passed - yes 4 whole decades - before I saw Pat again in November 2021 in Morristown.  That's the longest gap beteen seeing an artist since I first started attending concerts way back in 1976.  As I mentioned earlier this month, the next longest gaps are America - 38 years between my first America concert in 1978 and the 2nd one in 2016, John Hiatt - 34 years between seeing John in 1987 and then in 2021, and The Pretenders - 31 years betweem seeing them in 1987 and then again in 2018. 

This FM broadcast captures Benatar a year before I saw her for the first time, in Seattle on November 22, 1979, 44 years ago today.

Neil Young - 1976-11-22 - Boston, MA (late) (SBD)

Neil Young 

& Crazy Horse

1976-11-22

Late Show

Music Hall 

Boston, MA

Soundboard Recording

320 kbps

Artwork Included

01. Country Home

02. Don't Cry No Tears

03. Drive Back

04. Cowgirl In The Sand

05. Bite The Bullet

06. Band Introductions

07. Lotta Love

08. Like A Hurricane

09. After The Goldrush

10. Are You Ready For The Country ?

11. Cortez The Killer

12. Cinnamon Girl

13. Homegrown

14. Southern Man

Neil Young - 1976-11-22 - Boston, MA (late) (SBD)

Over the years I've seen Neil 6 times - 3 acoustic shows, 2 electric shows and once with CSNY. I've seen him play quiet, heartfelt,, spare renditions of his tunes, and I've seen him stomp around, backed by Crazy Horse, like a man possessed, living up to his nickname as the Godfather of Grunge. I've seen him perform the rock opera Greendale and I've seen him help turbo charge his on again, off again band mates Crosby, Stills and Nash. No matter what, one thing remained constant in all these performances - Neil stays true to himself and plays what moves him at the moment. 

This soundboard recording captures Neil long ebofre I ever saw him live (and just 3 months after I saw my first concert by any artist!), in Boston on November 22, 1976, 47 years ago today.

Sheryl Crow - 2008-11-21 - Melbourne, Australia (Ex Aud)

Sheryl Crow

2008-11-21

Rod Laver Arena

Melbourne, Australia

Excellent Audience Recording

192 kbps

Artwork Included

01. Can't Cry Anymore (incomplete)

02. Love Is Free/

03. All I Wanna Do

04. Strong Enough

05. The First Cut Is The Deepest

06. My Favorite Mistake

07. If It Makes You Happy

08. Out Of Our Heads

09. Mean To Me

10. Soak Up The Sun

11. Everyday Is A Winding Road 

Sheryl Crow - 2008-11-21 - Melbourne, Australia (Ex Aud)

I've only seen Sheryl Crow once, on July 28, 2019 at the Rooftop at Pier 17 at the South Street Seaport in New York. The good news - our Chase Card got us early admission so we found a spot right in front of Shery's microphone (it was standing room only!), not more than 5 feet from her! The bad news - its the last concert I attended before the pandemic hit and kept us away from live music for over 2 years. That's what led to finally writing my book - since I couldn't attend live shows, figured I might as well write about them! 

This excellent audience recording captures Shery over a decade before I saw her live,  in Australia, on November 21, 2008, 15 years ago today.

Bob Weir - 1992-11-21 - Richmond, VA (SBD)

Bob Weir 

and Rob Wasserman

1992-11-21 

Benefit for Buffalo Restoration on Indian Lands

The Floodzone

Richmond, VA

Soundboard Recording

320 kbps

Artwork Included

01. Bombs Away > ("let us pray")

02. Take Me To The River

03. Twilight Time

04. KC Moan

05. Fever

06. Eternity

07. When I PaintMy Masterpiece

08. Looks Like Rain

09. The Winners >

10. Heaven Help the Fool

11. Bass Solo >

12. Josephine

13. Maggie's Farm*

14. Not Fade Away

15. The Weight

16. Satisfaction

* With Chris Whitley

Bob Weir - 1992-11-21 - Richmond, VA (SBD)

While I went  to 50 Grateful Dead concerts, I've only seen Bob Weir solo once, in July 1992 at the Meadowlands Summer Fest, a concert arena set up in the parking lot at Giants Stadium. Oh the things promoter John Scher did to run a concert and make a buck. Bruce Cockburn and Michelle Shocked led in for Weir and joined him during the encore of The Weight. 

This soundboard recording captures Weir with Rob Wasserman just a few months after I saw him live, in Richmond on November 21, 1992, 31 years ago today.

THE PERFECT HOLIDAY GIFT - TEN RULES OF THE ROAD I LEARNED AT MY FIRST CONCERT: AN ORDINARY GUY'S LIFETIME OF LIVE ROCK & ROLL

The perfect holiday gift for the rock & roll fan in your life - check out these rating and reviews!
- a 4.40 star rating on Amazon with 31 5-star reviews out of 39 - 79%!!

- a 4.42 star rating on Goodreads with 8 5-star reviews out of 12 - 67%!!

BUY IT HERE IN THE US!

Here's just a sample of what folks are saying about TEN RULES OF THE ROAD I LEARNED AT MY FIRST CONCERT:

- "As a fan of rock shows myself, this book written by a fellow fan was fun to read, and reminded me of many of my own long-forgotten concert stories. Definitely recommended." 

 -"Insightful, poignant and just plain joyful." 

- "Truly a book for music fans of the 70’ s onward. Love the personal thoughts of sharing the music with his wife and kids." 

 - It was a lot of fun to hear about the author's experiences from the time of his first concert to sharing those experiences with his teenage boys. There is a lot of truth in his "rules" 

 - "The book is well-written and a fun reminder of my younger days. Just an enjoyable read!" 

 - "A hero for our times - he sees great shows, learns about life, and gets the girl. What's not to like?" 

 - "The author takes you on a tale of wonder through the ups and downs of going to concerts." 

- "I would recommend this book for anybody who loves live music - especially those, like me, who enjoy the anticipating and reliving almost as much as actually being at the concert." 

 - "I've got to say that Speedy's book is a little known gem and a real joy to read... the author's genuine love of live music comes through wonderfully." 

 - "Excellent account of the rock concert experience from 1976 to today. Very well written and extremely entertaining." 

- "This is a very entertaining and enjoyable book... you can pick it up, read a chapter, put it down, and come back to it again and again. If you're a music fan, especially of live performances, I highly recommend this book."

- "Great for anyone who loves live music... Lots of fun anecdotes and details that really make you feel like you're sitting with someone, listening to stories about concerts."

- "It's a love letter to live music."

- "If you grew up in the 1960s or 1970s and enjoyed going to.rock concerts, then Speedy's story is your story. This tale reminds you of the best and worst parts of attending concerts, and captures the magic of those moments when the music was truly transcendent. Well written, engaging and filled with truth is stranger than fiction moments, Ten Rules is a must read for any rock music fan."

BUY IT HERE IN THE US:

The Rules:

Rule #1: You Can’t Get Good Seats, But The Scalpers Can

Rule #2: Expect The Unexpected On The Way To Or From The Show

Rule #3: No Concert Ever Starts On Time

Rule #4: Rejoice - There Is No Opening Act

Rule #5: Rock Concerts Are Rarely Played At A Venue Meant For Music

Rule #6: Enjoy The Special Guests - They’re a Rare Event

Rule #7: The Set List - The Bad News - The Band Will Never Play Everything You Want To Hear

Rule #8: The Set List - The Good News - The Band Will Always Play An Unanticipated Tune You’ll Never Forget

Rule #9: Elvis Has Left The Building - Once The Houselights Come On, The Show Is Over

Rule #10: Don’t Miss The Moment - Go To Every Show You Can

BUY IT HERE IN THE US:

- Just $6.99 for the Kindle

- Only $12.99 for the paperback 

- And always FREE on Kindle Unlimited! 

 Also available in Kindle in: UK, DE, FR, ES, IT, NL, JP, BR, CA, MX, AU, and IN 

Also available in Paperback in: UK DE FR ES IT JP

Please Support Why Hunger

In 1975 by the late Harry Chapin and Bill Ayres founded Why Hunger, an organization whose goal was to put an end to hunger suffered by 49 million Americans and nearly 1 billion people worldwide. That same year, they came up with an idea to reach out for donations and aid using the power of the music and the radio. In conjunction with WNEW-FM, the leading rock station in America at the time, they launched Hungerthon, a 24 hour radio broadcast designed to raise awareness about the issue of hunger in the United States. Live music from rock artists concerned with this serious problem became a staple of each Hungerthon broadcast. Hungerthon has been an annual event since 1985, always held right around Thanksgiving.  I heard my first Hungerton Broadcast on WNEW in 1986 and have been donating ever since.

So, in this month when we feast to celebrate all that we have been blessed with in life, please think of those who go hungry and give to WhyHunger.  You can donate here. Or you can buy my book - I'm donating 25% of my sales to Whyhunger this month. 

If you have enjoyed the music we have brought you here at So Many Roads over the last 9 years, nothing would make me happier than if you donate to this worthy cause.

Thanks for listening - and for any donations you can make.

Marshall Tucker Band - 1976-11-20 - Ludwigshafen, Germany (SBD)

Marshall Tucker Band
1976-11-20
Friedrich-Ebert-Halle      
Ludwigshafen, Germany
Soundboard Recording
320 kbps
Artwork Included

01. Long Hard Ride
02. Searching For A Rainbow
03. Hillbilly Band
04. Can't You See
05. This Old Cowboy 
06. Fire On The Mountain
07. Take The Highway
08. 24 Hours At A Time
09. Every Day I Have The Blues

Marshall Tucker Band - 1976-11-20 - Ludwigshafen, Germany (SBD)

I only saw the Marshall Tucker Band in concert just once, as the lead in to the Grateful Dead in September 1977 at Englishtown, NJ. That was my first Dead show and it was so good that it was officially released as part of the Dick's Picks series. Over 150,000 showed up to see the Dead, Marshall Tucker and the New Riders, the largest concert in terms of attendance in NJ history. The MTB played a great set, finishing with a smoking hot version of Can't You See which still ranks as one of the best songs I've ever heard live. This FM broadcast captures the MTB about 10 months earlier, during their 1976 European your, in Germany on November 20, 1976, 47 years ago today.

Rachel Sweet - 1978-11-19 - London, UK (FM)

Rachel Sweet
1978-11-19
Be Stiff Tour '78
BBC In Concert
London, UK
FM Broadcast
192 kbps
Artwork Included

01. Truckstop Queen
02. Pin A Medal On Mary
03. Wildwood Saloon
04. B-A-B-Y
05. Alison
06. Who Does Lisa Like?

Rachel Sweet - 1978-11-19 - London, UK (FM)

When the then 18 year old Rachel Sweet released her album Fool Around in late 1978, it became a staple on the turntable (yes - it's that old!) in my college dorm room. Part new wave, part early 60's girl group in sound, the album featured songs such a B-A-B-Y, Wildwood Saloon, I Go to Pieces and Sad Song. In the summer of 1979, I got to see Rachel in Central Park as the lead in for Eddie Money. Then, in early 1980, tickets went on sale for Jerry Garcia at the Capitol Theatre, with Rachel Sweet as his lead-in. While my roomies weren't huge Garcia fans, they all agreed we should get tickets so we could see Rachel. And, so I did! The show was scheduled for March 1, 1980. A week before the concert, however, came the announcement that Robert Hunter had replaced Rachel Sweet as the lead-in. No explanation was provided, but I'm guessing there was concern that the Dead Head audience may not have appreciated Ms. Sweet. In any event, a picture of the ticket stub is below, with Rachel's name printed right on it. Also below is an excerpt from Dead Base indicating Robert Hunter opened for Jerry that night. In any event, to commemorate what might have been, here's a short performance by Rachel from November 19, 1978, 45 years ago today, in London.

Rockpile - 1979-11-19 - Paris, France (FM)

Rockpile

1979-11-19

Theatre de l'Empire

Paris, France

FM Broadcast

320 kbps

Artwork Included

01. Sweet Little Lisa

02. And So It Goes

03. I Knew The Bride

04. Switchboard Susan

05. Trouble Boy

06. Crawling From The Wreckage

07. Three Times A Loser

08. Promised Land

09. I Hear You Knocking

10. Ju Ju Man

11. Heart Of The City

Rockpile - 1979-11 19 - Paris, France (FM)

I saw Rockpile just once, on July 8, 1979 at Belmont Race Track. I was 20 years old in the summer of 1979, and basically my life consisted of what girl could I date, what beer could I drink, and what concert could I get tickets to. I think I may have been most successful at the 3rd of those 3 things. In July, for example, I saw concerts on 3 straight Saturday nights, Stephen Stills on July 7, Jorma Kaukonen on July 14 and the Allman Brothers on July 21. Having dedicated Saturdays in July to classic rock, I used a Sunday to take in 2 of the "new wave" bands that were then all the rage. On Sunday, July 8, my buddies and I drove to Belmont Race Track in Long Island to catch a double bill of Blondie and Rockpile! I'll be honest, I don't remember much about the day for a variety of reasons. First, having seen Stephen Stills the night before, there were some after effects that lingered into Sunday, if you know what I mean. Second, the car ride took over 2.5 hours due to summer beach traffic, which didn't help my condition. Finally, it was hot as hell that day, which also didn't help me in overcoming the the residual effects from Saturday night. I do remember, however, the contrast in styles between the folks at Belmont for the concert and those who were there for the horse racing. On one hand, you had the 20 year old new wavers with big hair, funky glasses, neon colored, leggings, skinny ties, etc. On the other hand, you had old men, with cigars, in button down short sleeve shirts, looking like Oscar Madison from the Odd Couple. In any event, I don't really recall how well either band played that July afternoon, a real shame since I was (and still am) a huge fan of Rockpile, thanks in large part to Nick Lowe's Pure Pop For Now People disc (Jesus of Cool in the UK) and Dave Edmund's Repeat When Necessary album. I also remember, that Rockpile opened with the highly appropriate The Race is On! By the way, if you like what you just read, then you'll definitely enjoy my book! This FM broadcast captures Rockpile just a few months after I saw them, in Paris on November 19, 1979, 44 years ago today.

The Pretenders - 2016-11-18 - Philadelphia, PA (FM)

The Pretenders 

2016-11-18

World Cafe Live

Philadelphia, PA

FM Broadcast

320 kbps

Artwork Included

01. Alone

02. Gotta Wait

03. Let's Get Lost

04. Down The Wrong Way

05. I Hate Myself

06. Private Life

07. Death Is Not Enough

08. Holy Commotion

The Pretenders - 2016-11-18 - Philadelphia, PA (FM)

I've seen the Pretenders live 3 times - early on in their career in October 1981 at the Palladium, in April 1987 at Radio City Music Hall after the commercial success of the albums Learning To Crawl & Get Close, and then just a few years ago, in April 2018, at the Morristown PAC. That gap of 31 years between 1987 and 2018 is the 4th longest I ever went between seeing a concert by the same band. (FYI - the 3 longest gaps were: 40 years betweem seeing Pat Benatar 1981 and 2021, 38 years between my first America concert in 1978 and the 2nd one in 2016, and 34 years between seeing John Hiatt in 1987 and then in 2021).  If you like keeping track of statitsics releated to the concerts you attened, similar to what I've just discussed, my book has a whole section filled with charts I'm sure you'll enjoy!

This FM broadcast capturs the Pretenders just 2 years before the last time I saw them, on the World Cafe program from Philadelphia om November 18, 2016, 7 years ago today.

Santana - 1978-11-17 - Leiden, Netherlands (SBD)

Santana
1978-11-17
Groenoordhallen
Leiden, Netherlands
KRO FM Broadcast
320 kbps
Artwork Included

01. Marathon
02. Well All Right
03. Black Magic Woman/Gypsy Queen
04. Dance Sister Dance (Baila Mi Hermana)
05. Europa
06. Dealer/Spanish Rose
07. Move On
08. One Chain (Don't Make No Prison)
09. Toussaint L'Overture
10. She's Not There
11. Open Invitation
12. Well All Right
13. Transcendance
14. Evil Ways

Santana - 1978-11-17 - Leiden, Netherlands (SBD)

On July 7, 1981, I saw Carlos Santana in concert for the first time. I was about a month removed from college graduation, and enjoying a summer off before starting business school in the fall. My buddies and I were going to see Carlos at a new outdoor concert venue that John Scher had opened, the South Mountain Arena in West Orange NJ. When we arrived, we found out that it wasn’t quite an Arena. In fact, it wasn’t quite an Amphitheater or Hall or an Arts Center or anything quite so fancy. It was…. THE SIDE OF A HILL. Yep, , Mr. Scher, who, as mentioned in my prior post, above all knew how to make a buck, rented space in a large park, put a stage at the bottom of a hill, put up fences to keep out anyone without a ticket, and created a concert venue. I guess it’s a little late for me to complain, especially since I bought to tickets to several other shows at South Mountain that summer. All issues with the venue were forgotten once Carlos hit the stage. He played a blistering set, featuring songs from his latest album Zebop, as well as a host of classics. We had gone hoping that Carlos would play Open Invitation, and he delivered. You, see, when I was in college, a cover band called Yasgur’s Farm usually played Open Invitation to close their shows, which in a beer induced haze, probably sounded way better than it really was. In any event, that sort of became a theme song for my group of friends. Finally hearing Carlos play it live was one of the highlights of my concert “career”.  I would get to see Carlos again in 1986 as part of the Crack Down concerts at Madison Square Garden,  

In any event. this soundboard recording predates both my Santana shows, taking place on November 17, 1978, 45 years ago today.

Bob Dylan - 1980-11-16 - San Francisco, CA (SBD)

Bob Dylan 

with Jerry Garcia & Santana

1980-11-16

Warfield Theatre

San Francisco, CA

Soundboard Recording

320 kbps

Artwork Included

Classic Choir

01. Can I Ride? 

02. It's Gonna Rain

03. Come On In This House

04. Saved By the Grace of Your Love

Bob Dylan

05. Gotta Serve Somebody

06. I Believe In You

07. Like A Rolling Stone

08. Till I get it Right 

09. Man Gave Names To All The Animals

10. Ramona (Garcia joins and continues)

xx. Ain't Gonna Go To Hell For Anybody (missing)

xx. Girl From The North Country (missing)

xx. Slow Train (missing)

11. Walk Around Heaven All Day 

12. Abraham, Martin And John

13. Let's Keep It Between Us

14. Mary From The Wild Moor

15. Covenant Woman (with Santana)

16. Solid Rock

17. Just Like A Woman

18. Senor

19. Simple Twist Of Fate

20. The Groom's Still Waiting At The Alter

21. When You Gonna Wake Up?

xx. In The Garden

22. Blowin' In The Wind

23. City Of Gold

24. It's All Over Now, Baby Blue

Bob Dylan - 1980-11-15 - San Francisco, CA (SBD)

I've seen Bob Dylan on 3 occasions - with the Grateful Dead serving as his back up band for a set in 1987 (after the Dead played 2 sets of their own!), as a headliner in 1989, and as the lead in band for the Dead in 1995, their last tour before Jerry Garcia passed away. 

This soundboard recording captures Dylan in San Francisco on November 16, 1980, 43 years ago today.  He gets some help from two local legends, Jerry Garcia and Sanatna, both of whom I've seen live and who we'll have posts from later this month.

THE PERFECT HOLIDAY GIFT - TEN RULES OF THE ROAD I LEARNED AT MY FIRST CONCERT: AN ORDINARY GUY'S LIFETIME OF LIVE ROCK & ROLL

The perfect holiday gift for the rock & roll fan in your life - check out these rating and reviews!
- a 4.40 star rating on Amazon with 31 5-star reviews out of 39 - 79%!!

- a 4.42 star rating on Goodreads with 8 5-star reviews out of 12 - 67%!!

BUY IT HERE IN THE US!

Here's just a sample of what folks are saying about TEN RULES OF THE ROAD I LEARNED AT MY FIRST CONCERT:

- "As a fan of rock shows myself, this book written by a fellow fan was fun to read, and reminded me of many of my own long-forgotten concert stories. Definitely recommended." 

 -"Insightful, poignant and just plain joyful." 

- "Truly a book for music fans of the 70’ s onward. Love the personal thoughts of sharing the music with his wife and kids." 

 - It was a lot of fun to hear about the author's experiences from the time of his first concert to sharing those experiences with his teenage boys. There is a lot of truth in his "rules" 

 - "The book is well-written and a fun reminder of my younger days. Just an enjoyable read!" 

 - "A hero for our times - he sees great shows, learns about life, and gets the girl. What's not to like?" 

 - "The author takes you on a tale of wonder through the ups and downs of going to concerts." 

- "I would recommend this book for anybody who loves live music - especially those, like me, who enjoy the anticipating and reliving almost as much as actually being at the concert." 

 - "I've got to say that Speedy's book is a little known gem and a real joy to read... the author's genuine love of live music comes through wonderfully." 

 - "Excellent account of the rock concert experience from 1976 to today. Very well written and extremely entertaining." 

- "This is a very entertaining and enjoyable book... you can pick it up, read a chapter, put it down, and come back to it again and again. If you're a music fan, especially of live performances, I highly recommend this book."

- "Great for anyone who loves live music... Lots of fun anecdotes and details that really make you feel like you're sitting with someone, listening to stories about concerts."

- "It's a love letter to live music."

- "If you grew up in the 1960s or 1970s and enjoyed going to.rock concerts, then Speedy's story is your story. This tale reminds you of the best and worst parts of attending concerts, and captures the magic of those moments when the music was truly transcendent. Well written, engaging and filled with truth is stranger than fiction moments, Ten Rules is a must read for any rock music fan."

BUY IT HERE IN THE US:

The Rules:

Rule #1: You Can’t Get Good Seats, But The Scalpers Can

Rule #2: Expect The Unexpected On The Way To Or From The Show

Rule #3: No Concert Ever Starts On Time

Rule #4: Rejoice - There Is No Opening Act

Rule #5: Rock Concerts Are Rarely Played At A Venue Meant For Music

Rule #6: Enjoy The Special Guests - They’re a Rare Event

Rule #7: The Set List - The Bad News - The Band Will Never Play Everything You Want To Hear

Rule #8: The Set List - The Good News - The Band Will Always Play An Unanticipated Tune You’ll Never Forget

Rule #9: Elvis Has Left The Building - Once The Houselights Come On, The Show Is Over

Rule #10: Don’t Miss The Moment - Go To Every Show You Can

BUY IT HERE IN THE US:

- Just $6.99 for the Kindle

- Only $12.99 for the paperback 

- And always FREE on Kindle Unlimited! 

 Also available in Kindle in: UK, DE, FR, ES, IT, NL, JP, BR, CA, MX, AU, and IN 

Also available in Paperback in: UK DE FR ES IT JP

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