Blondie August 31st, 2010

This is New York and sometimes that makes all the difference. A lot of music got its start right here in the Big Apple. Great acts like The Ramones and Blondie that span time with hits that rock forever. At this show on the last day of August the hits just keep on coming. "Debbie" Harry has still got it belting out one after another "Call Me,""One Way or Another," "Tide is High," It was nice to hear "Maria" the first single from 1999 reunion album. When you get to see a new york band in the city they always tell the best stories. Harry was happy to tell us about when young kids came down to CBGB's painting graffiti and took the band uptown, "across the border." That night that inspired "Rapture." So the band that formed here in 1974 came back on a Tuesday and played a kick ass set-list for all the hometown fans. Including a string of covers for a extra long Encore.

Blondie Encore -
Pet Cemetery - Ramones
See No Evil - Television
Can't Put Arms Round a Memory - J Thunders
Havana Affair - Ramones
Jet Boy - N. Y. Dolls
and Heart O Glass (*of course)

Type O Negative Oct. 22nd

This Thursday was a New York anomaly. The trains ran on time and without stopping. This made it easy to get to the Nokia in time for Dead Men Dreaming. This local band has a guitar duo that shreds, and a impressive front man. Then Seventh Void came out on stage with Kenny Hickey and Johnny Kelly from Type O doing double duty on guitar, and drums. Next was Destrophy from Iowa. They had a spread out drum kit with a double bass and at least seven different cymbals. As the night went on the room filled up and then out came Type O Negative. This Gothic metal band from Brooklyn love to joke around with their home town fans. Peter Steele's voice sets the right atmosphere for the music to follow. These melodic songs focus on Relationships, and love with a hint of dark humor. In 1993 the Band had a Platinum album with Bloody Kisses, the first album on Roadrunner Records to reach Gold. After that success the band have stayed on the billboard 200 with most efforts. With their wealth of material they have lots to fill sets with, showing this by starting with "Dead Again" and getting to "Love You To Death" by mid-set. Then ending with "World Coming Down" into "Christian Woman" amped a crowd ready for more. Having already played "Halloween in Heaven" the encore was "Black No. 1" the band's other Halloween song. It's is getting close to the end of October. What are you doing for the 31st? Check out the setlist at..

http://www.setlist.fm/setlist/type-o-negative/2009/nokia-theater-times-square-new-york-ny-43d7db27.html

De La Soul August 13, 09

De La Soul demoted the stage at the Nokia on Thursday night, and you should have been there. Not only did Brooklyn's own Buckshot put forth some mad rhymes but the trio from Long Island put on one hell of a show. They where celebrating 21 years of Hip Hop making it clear that they are some of the best rappers in history. Its true there classic album 3 Feet High and Rising came out 20 years ago but that's not all they played. When 3 Feet High and Rising came out some proclaimed it was the future of hip-hop, in some ways they were right. Labeled hippie for there peace and love approach they were one of the alternatives to hardcore rap. Puttin' it down by bringing out "Buddy," "Eye Know" and "Jenifa Taught Me," they more then impressed. Even the T-shirts looked like 1989 with daisy's on them. Keeping to their Jazz influence they had a kick ass 10-piece band behind them. Then to make your night they did a tribute to RUN DMC playing "Rock Box" with DMC himself on stage. The main point was that if you feel Hip Hop in you soul your are Hip Hop, you don't have to look or prove that you belong, you are one of us if you feel the beat.