Going to Linda Rondstadt Concert

[Oak Kitten]

I got tickets back in April to see Linda Rondstadt perform at the Pier Six Pavilion in Baltimore this Sunday, August 12th. Got great seats - about 7 rows from the front, center stage. I am really looking forward to the show. Livingston Taylor is the opening act - to which I am rather indifferent. All I can remember about LT was a riff by some comedian whose name I do not remember who was making fun of him for being a wimpier version of James Taylor (some of whose stuff I like). Anyway, the comedian parodied the type of songs LT performs by singing these pseudo-LT lyrics:

There's a rainbow, and a kitten, and a marshmallow pie
Hey Mr. Man in the Sky

That is all I will have in my head when he takes the stage. Will let you know if he transcends the parody.

I have not kept up with Linda Rondstadt's career, the last albums of hers I bought (LPs) were the ones she did with the Nelson Riddle Orchestra back around 1984 ("What's New" and "Lush Life"). I have heard a few of the songs she has done in honor of her Hispanic heritage, and I liked those. Come to think of it, I don't think I have ever heard anything of hers that I did not like, so I am looking forward to an enjoyable experience. I have never seen her live in concert.

Oak

[janisian]

Liv is terrific - enjoy him!

[invsbl_wife]

Oak, we've loved Livingston Taylor from the git-go. I like him much better than James in fact. What a great pair to see! I envy you. Enjoy!!!

[Jim in Chattanooga, TN]

I saw Livingston Taylor in the 1980's. He was the opening act for The Cars, and he was better than they were. You'll enjoy him.

As for Linda Ronstadt, she can sing anything...pop, rock, soul, country, ethnic, opera, show tunes, new wave and standards. I didn't know she was touring. I'll bet that will be a great show. She's continued to release critically acclaimed material but like so many other talented artists, she's unable to get radio airplay due to her age and inability to fit into the modern programming format, which is a shame. She known for duetting with great artists too. I wouldn't be surprised if a few joined her on stage. I can't wait for your review of her show.

Jim

[Randy & Betty in Pa]

Oak....

Linda is performing up our way also at the Mountain Laurel Center where we went for Hippiefest (minus Janis) last year... Had I known then what I know now we would have gotten tickets for sure... In any case, I have no doubt you will enjoy the show...

As for Livingston Taylor I don't know much except what I just read here but based on those glowing remarks I'd say your in for a better show then you anticipated as we all know what a great show and the variety of material that Linda performs...

Off topic a bit but...Janis we miss you! I hope your selling copies of your autobiography while on your 2008 tour!!!

Best to all

R. from Pa

[DaveM]

Linda Ronstadt was at the height of her popularity when I hit my teens (the "Hasten Down The Wind/Simple Dreams" period). While "everyone" had a poster of Farrah Fawcett on their bedroom wall, mine was of Ronstadt--believe it came with one of the albums, actually. Trying to recall who else was getting airplay that year--about the same time, of course, a certain Ms. Ian had a hit record. I still have my vinyl LPs of Ronstadt, most of them now replaced by CDs. I am so jealous of anyone who gets to see her perform who doesn't have to go to a stadium!

Oh, that's right, "Hotel California" was a big album back then, too. And as it happens, the four original members of The Eagles were Linda Ronstadt's first band after the Stone Poneys.

Some things just get better and better. Commercial radio, alas, is not among them.

Quite agree with all who have praised Livingston Taylor. If you listen to him in the hope of hearing a clone of James Taylor, you'll come away disappointed. Listen to him as you would any new performer--chances are you'll be thrilled.

[Darlene]

I may be going against the grain here but I saw Linda Rondstadt live around 1973 and she was well.....rude. Her fans had called out a couple of songs they wanted to hear and she got pis@#d and told the audience in no uncertain terms that she had put the program together the way it should have be and she was not going to change it. I think everyone around us was a little on edge after that, but the program went on with great music. But no one asked for any more favorites :rolleyes: . She may have been having a bad night, day, week, month. Maybe she was going through a musical change ( I think she did after that) and it was hard for her. We were all a lot younger then and who know what was was going on. Her music was great.
The highlight of the night was the opening act "Goose Creek Symphony" It was kind of a Rock mostly bluegrass band. They were great and a lot of fun and silly.
Overall a night of great music!
I have never seen Livingston Taylor in person but I have heard in person and I have seen him several times on TV. He is totally full of sweetness! A little like James but he is all Livingston. I love to hear him and his guitar and I would love to see him live. He is great!
Have lots of Fun!
Peace, Darlene

[Marcia Drummergal]

Oak, I think you'll enjoy both. I saw a special recently of JT and LT was there. It was an LT tribute show. I enjoyed LT.

I've seen Linda in concert twice but not in YEARS! First time was in her rocker 70's days in Hollywood FL. Then in the 80's, Bat and I saw her in
San Francisco with the Nelson Riddle orchestra. Quite a change of pace. And I did love her Mariachi stuff as well. If you can jot down a set list, that would be great.

Enjoy!!

Marcia :)

[Oak Kitten]

Cool. Given all the positive endorsements of LT, I think this should be a great show. I will try to remember to jot down the set lists, Marcia.

Oak

[Amy in Vermont]

I saw LT in Hanover NH many many moons ago... 197?. I remember the night for a variety of reasons, and as a result of some of those reasons, I don't remember much about the concert.

A good time was had by all.

[Oak Kitten]

LOL, Amy

I am too old to have THOSE kind of concert experiences any more. . .

Oak

[DaveM]

Dang....I honestly thought those sort of experiences required a band like Pink Floyd. They performed in the Metrodome after they "reunited" and it proved to be one of those experiences just from secondhand smoke.

There was the most fascinating spot on the back of the seat in front of me....

[Cardiffgal]

I have seen her live several times, first in Berkely back in those same 70's. She was a great singer and a terrible performer. She just stood on the stage and sang, no interaction with the band, no interaction with the audience. Let's face it, once you have seen Janis live you are spoiled.

However, Linda has mellowed with age. Still a fine fine voice and she is more relaxed and interactive now that back when she was at the top, not of her game but of THE game.

The breath of her material is quite impressive. And hard to believe that I grew up in San Francisco, in the 60's, and never had ONE of those concert experiences. :)

[Oak Kitten]

Well, the concert was fantastic! The Pier Six Pavilion seats over 4,000, but it does not feel like a huge venue. I’d say it was a little more than half full. Our seats were five rows back from center stage – perfect. Livingston Taylor opened the show. Here is his set list:

Life Is Good
Blackbird (Beatles)
There I’ll Be
Never Lose Hope
I’m Not as Herbal as I Ought to Be
Guitar Olympics – I don’t know what the real title is – he did a very funny routine of commenting on his own guitar playing like an Olympic commentator for a gymnastic competition
Why Wasn’t I Born Gay? – very funny song about the travails of a heterosexual

The next songs were performed on the piano:

Heart and Soul segued into Say Yes
There You Are Again – title cut from his new CD

Back to the Guitar again:

Carolina Day
City Lights
Railroad Bill – an absolutely hysterical song in which he has an ongoing argument with the folksong character he created who doesn’t want to do what the songwriter has written in the lyrics, in this case, rescue a kitten from a tree.

I really enjoyed his set, although I found his exaggerated mugging at the end of each song a bit much for my taste. But musically, I have no quibbles with his talent as a singer and songwriter.

Linda Rondstadt took the stage next, a bit more matronly-looking these days, but then who among us isn’t? Well, maybe not the guys. She opened with “What’s New?” the title cut from one of the albums she did with the Nelson Riddle Orchestra. The first half of the show was comprised of American standards, which suited me fine. She also performed:

Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered
Someone to Watch Over Me
Straighten Up and Fly Right
Get Out of Town
Lush Life

I was totally enthralled. My fantasy has always been to be a big-band torch-singer. Her voice is still marvelous, though she seemed to lose power in the lower register, she nailed those high notes. She looked very relaxed and smiled almost sheepishly at the wild applause she got at the end of each number. There were a few boneheads in the audience who seemed to think that it was still 1976 and they were in a stadium complex concert, howling and carrying on. Time to grow up, gents!

She segued into the rock n’ roll part of the show with Too Soon to Know, which she noted is regarded by music historians as the first real rock song - written in 1948. She had two marvelous back up singers with her for the second part of the show.

The rest of the numbers included:
Just One Look
Ooh, Baby Baby
Adios
Wrong About You (Right About Me) – one of the songs she did with Dolly Parton and Emmy Lou Harris
Feels Like Home
Somewhere Out There
Poor, Poor Pitiful Me
Blue Bayou

Her encore songs were:
Cuando se Quiero (I am guessing that that was the title – she sang in Spanish. Does that mean “My hovercraft is full of eels?”)
and finally, the grand finish. . .

Desperado

Like I said, it was a fantastic evening.

[Amy in Vermont]

Sounds like an awesome evening!

[DaveM]

Interesting that both "Wrong About You (Right About Me)" and "Feels Like Home" are drawn from the album "Feels Like Home" which might be the most obscure album Ronstadt ever released. Excellent music throughout (including an interesting cover of "After The Gold Rush"), and readily available on eBay, but I don't ever recall seeing a copy in a music store.

[GodSistah]

I would love to see her in concert!

:)

~Andrea~

[Roady]

Wow he was in Baltimore on Sunday???? I saw him the night before at the Tabernacle in Oak Bluffs. Wonder if he flew his plane down to Baltimore?

Thanks for the set list Oak. I've heard him 3 times in the past year and he's never done "Why Wasn’t I Born Gay?" Wonder if it was because the venues had religious connections. One that he did Saturday night was the "The Wright Brothers" or "1903"-Guess he hasn't decided on the title. I just love this song and think it gives the listener the opportunity to hear that he's a really great singer/song writer.

I thought his voice had more range/volume (I don't know the musical terms, it just sounded super) than a year ago. The couple next to me said JT was losing his voice but Livingston just keeps getting better as he ages.

Glad you enjoyed the both Linda and LT.

[Jim in Chattanooga, TN]

Livingston didn't perform "I Will Be In Love With You"???

Linda didn't perform "You're No Good"???

I'm really surprised, although it was probably worth it all to hear her sing "Blue Bayou".

[Rickster]

I love the way Linda does "Desperado" What a great Eagles song!

[Marcia Drummergal]

Thanks for all of the info Oak. I am really READY for a Ronstadt fix after all of these years. I wonder if she'll be coming out my way. Probably not but I'll check her tour schedule.

Glad you enjoyed the concert!

Marcia :)

[Cardiffgal]

I love Adios, one of the most haunting songs, especially for a California gal like me. I think it was written by the great Jimmy Webb.

[Jim in Chattanooga, TN]

You are right. "Adios" was written by Jimmy Webb and it's off of Linda Ronstadt's brilliant album "Cry Like A Rainstorm, Howl Like The Wind".