ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, OCT. 21, 1988 By Steve Newton Local blues-rock fans who've been thrilled by the wild guitar histrionics of Jeff Healey during his many Vancouver club dates are gonna love this album. It's chock full of the scorching, red-hot licks that the 22-year-old Torontonian is famous for, and his inspired … Continue reading Album review: The Jeff Healey Band, See the Light (1988)
Tag: Benmont Tench
Album review: Brian Setzer, The Knife Feels Like Justice (1986)
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, MAY 23, 1986 By Steve Newton For his first solo album, former Stray Cats guitarist/vocalist Brian Setzer has surrounded himself with a crack band that includes former Derringer bassist Kenny Aaronson, Allman Brothers keyboardist Chuck Leavell, John Cougar Mellencamp's drummer Kenny Aronoff, and a fiery guitarist by the name of … Continue reading Album review: Brian Setzer, The Knife Feels Like Justice (1986)
Album review: Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, Pack Up the Plantation (1985)
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, DEC. 20, 1985 By Steve Newton One of my fondest concert memories dates back to 1978, when Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers played the Commodore Ballroom. Petty had just released his second album, You're Gonna Get It, and was his band hot--I mean sizzlin'. I saw him again a year … Continue reading Album review: Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, Pack Up the Plantation (1985)
Album review: Mick Jagger, Wandering Spirit (1993)
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, APRIL 8, 1993 By Steve Newton Not satisfied with being just “the world’s greatest rock ’n’ roll band”, Keith Richards, Ronnie Wood, and Mick Jagger are now shooting for the title of “world’s greatest rock ’n’ roll solo artists”. And, for the most part, they hit the mark. … Continue reading Album review: Mick Jagger, Wandering Spirit (1993)
Tom Petty’s new songs soar and his oldies roar at the Heartbreakers show in Vancouver
By Steve Newton Along with the obligatory old hits, and tunes from his new number-one album, Tom Petty has been including some choice covers on his current tour. As well as opening shows with the Byrds' riotous "So You Want to Be a Rock 'n' Roll Star", his last three West Coast dates have seen … Continue reading Tom Petty’s new songs soar and his oldies roar at the Heartbreakers show in Vancouver
Tom Petty blows into the psychedelic harmonica on the Into the Great Wide Open Tour
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, NOV. 21, 1991 By Steve Newton “Oh, those fabulous ’70s,” intoned Tom Petty halfway through his Monday-night (November 18) show at the Coliseum. The Florida native was catching his breath between a couple of his early tunes, “Here Comes My Girl” and “Breakdown”, but you couldn’t really tell if … Continue reading Tom Petty blows into the psychedelic harmonica on the Into the Great Wide Open Tour
Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers get the Classic Albums treatment on Blu-ray
ORIGINALLY POSTED ON STRAIGHT.COM, AUG. 10, 2010 By Steve Newton When Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers played Vancouver in June they only played one song off their breakthrough Damn the Torpedoes album, which was quite a surprise (and disappointment). After viewing the new Eagle Vision Blu-ray, Classic Albums: Damn the Torpedoes, and hearing Petty and his cohorts enthusiastically analyze each … Continue reading Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers get the Classic Albums treatment on Blu-ray
Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers’ Vancouver gig shows time is catching up with the rockers
ORIGINALLY POSTED ON STRAIGHT.COM, JUNE 9, 2010 Man, I gotta quit living in the past, because my expectations are just too damn high. Two of the greatest concerts I’ve ever seen were Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers at the Commodore in 1978 and then Petty again—with Bob Dylan—at Berkeley, California’s Greek Theatre in ’84. Both … Continue reading Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers’ Vancouver gig shows time is catching up with the rockers