Nationals!
by Eric Hoffman
Dirty Looks are back! That’s correct, metal greats Dirty Looks have returned with the cd release of "Superdeluxe". It is without a question the real deal. Be sure to check out my cd review and interview with lead singer Henrik Ostergaard in this issue.
Greetings music luvahs! As the warm weather has begun so has the music. April started with a great show titled "Sunday Service". Held at Dragonfly Club in Harrisburg on April 6th. Josh and CCUP Promotions put together a killer event featuring bands: Beau Basement, Paper Tongue, The Lebowskis (final performance), The Good Things, The Copyrights and awesome performance by Ramones-esque Teenage Bottlerockets. Truly a great night for the religion of music!
The following night consisted of trekking to Philadelphia for Carbon/Silicon! Absolutely the highlight of the month for myself. Carbon/Silicon is the brainchild of Mick Jones of The Clash and Tony James of Generation X and Sigue Sigue Sputnik. Those of you may remember Billy Idol's early punk band Generation X. The new music is phenomenal, sounding similar to Mick Jones', Big Audio Dynamite. It was also the first I had been to the venue World Cafe Live. What a great venue built for music and live shows. Imagine the Harrisburg Whitaker with a full bar. The band took special time after the show to meet fans…an unreal experience !
Pat Benatar and Neil Giraldo made a visit to the Harrisburg Forum on April 13th. Benatar still has it and rocked all her hits. The show has become as much about Neil Giraldo, her husband and guitarist of nearly 30 years as it is about Pat Benatar. Benatar mentioned trying to remember the last time she played the Forum. It was in 1982! A good show but the seating atmosphere I believe takes from the rock experience. It’s a beautiful room but I feel in order to rock out you must stand! Regardless it was too hard to pass up a show like this in our own "backyard”.
Another legend passed through Central PA on the 23rd. Dolly Parton who sold-out the Hershey Theatre in true Dolly fashion. Myself not being the biggest country fan Dolly is an exception. Just like Johnny Cash, she is an American icon, legend and bigger than country. A true entertainer who continues to tour and make music at the hot age of 62. In addition to all her hits, she did a great version of Fine Young Cannibals "She Drives Me Crazy", complete with insane strobe lights. An amazing show from front row center!
April also brought the final tour of industrial metal band Ministry. titled the "C U LaTouR" marking the last shows for Al Jourgensen's band of 27 years. This concert took place at Baltimore's Rams Head Live on April 26th. And the month ended with a reunion of The Verve. Famous for sampling the Rolling Stones in their hit 'Bittersweet Symphony'. The band's show at New York City's Madison Square Garden on the 28th was one of only five Northern American dates. Performing for the first time in nearly 10 years.
In other noteworthy National news: Sex Pistols are doing a one-off show in Las Vegas at the Hard Rock Joint on June 7, and rumored to be making a new album.
Upcoming shows: Bret Michaels at Pottsville Goodfellas May 3rd. The Sharks at Harrisburg Sawyer's Cantina Diner May 4th. Reverend Horton Heat w/ Nashville Pussy at Lancaster Chameleon May 8th. Drive By Truckers at Harrisburg Dragonfly May 8. The Cure at Wachovia Center Philadelphia May 10. Tegan & Sara at Greensburg Palace Theatre May 10. Mike Ness (Social Distortion) at Baltimore Rams Head Live May 11. Van Halen at Hershey Giant Center May 18. Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers at Philadelphia Wachovia Center June 5 & 6.
See you at a show! www.myspace.com/erockhoff
Mick Jones of The Clash
and Tony James of Generation X
- World Cafe Live April 7, 2008
Pat Benatar and Neil Giraldo - Harrisburg Forum April 13, 2008