Man I DO love this time of year.As stated by me previously on Headwize

"I can listen to ANY style of music live , but only purchase certain types.

even some old geezer playin' the spoons sounds good live "

So where am I going with this ????

There is an event that I have been going to for about 10 years now

http://www.roxburyct.com/pickinfiddlin/main.htm

A simple low tech gatthering of musicians from 6 to 60 ,some awsome ,some wth almost no skills (but with enough balls to get on stage) but all fun to listen to.

The late night jam session is my favorite part

This is music that I NEVER listen to ,but evey year I look forward to this and always come away satisfied.This **** ROCKS

Add to that --COOLERS ALOWED !!!

And mine will have a 30 pack of buds ,some soda for the kiddies,and enough chow for a small army

Very cool

Next week the Doobie Brothers ,also very close (20 minute burn from my house) , small outside venue,and again COOLERS ALLOWED !!!!

http://www.ivesconcertpark.com/concerts/index.htm

In my youth I did a concert a week , mostly large arenas and stadiums , always ripped (can't remember much about some killer concerts)

But as I get older I like a more intimate setting and smaller crowds , not to mention being closer to the performance

In 4 weeks -The Beach Boys
Labor Day-the YES Symphonic tour-YES with a forty piece symphoniy orchestra

The point of this ramble ?

Yeah,headphones are great but man ,it don't get better than live

and for me live means a folding chair ,good friends and a cold bud

cheers

Rickster "live" from connecticut

I saw little feat live a few weeks ago, it kicked ass!

Last concert I saw live was about (gasp!) three years ago

It was Marillion on the This Strange Engine tour and it was absolutely amazing

Talking about best gigs though the best one I ever saw was in a room that could hold no more than about 150, was absoultely packed and was a hot julys summer evening. It was a (for me) local rock band called Galahad and they rocked. Was about a foot away from the band and was superb atmosphere

Quote:




I love Little Feat, you lucky dog. They're on of my favorite bands.

quote:

"I can listen to ANY style of music live , but only purchase certain types.

even some old geezer playin' the spoons sounds good live "

This is so funny and so true.

Yes they are amazin' neruda,seen 'feat about 10 to 15 times so far ,they play within driving distance-I GO

So I just got in (and what did I do,head-fi.org of course) and DAMN was this night good

So I get there at 4:00 PM and pay eight bucks.I bring my youngest son who is 12 , 12 and under free , my wife another $8,now we are up to $16 .

I left at 12:00 AM (everyone was getting cold , not a typical july here) , so that's 8 Hr/$1 per !!

Not too damn shabby

Crowd was in the 3K range ,3-500 were kids,at least 50 of which were under 1 year old.Man I love an event that crosses all age groups and all have the same good time.

Like every other year that I go I have this urge to go out and purchase some bluegrass CDs but as in previous times it will pass

But when I said before "contestants 6-60" I was wrong

youngest was 7 ,oldest 80

COOL

But gets better

The "vocal " competition got rolling about 10 or so , and the MC introduces " O.W. Bolt" ,

Who is this person ?

Well this person is Michael Bolton , just mike and an acoustic guitar , on stage , singing "freedom" from his new CD-AND NOBODY KNEW !!! (some of us did)

And yes he was in good voice

Again VERY COOL

Almost as good , the guy in front of us , literally , I mean five freakin feet away , was in five categories

Took second in two and placed in all five !

Damn I love live music and good company

Saturday was good to the RickMonster

I live in the beautiful Black Hills of South Dakota, and the first week of every August we have a 'little' gathering of motorcycle enthusiasts (bikers) called the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally & Races ('The Rally' to us locals). The wife and I are taking vacation for 13 days this year and I can hardly wait!

Lots of live music - Ted Nugent (indoors at an arena), Sheryl Crow, the Allman Brothers, Grand Funk Railroad, Buddy Miles, Smashmouth, Poison, the obligatory Steppenwolf (all outdoors at the infamous Buffalo Chip campground), and more.

Plus lots of local (and not so local) blues and rock artists downtown Sturgis, indoors and outdoors.

A good time will be had by all! Feel free to join in.

Did Sturges a couple of times in my "youth" and yeah it was good,same with the bike races in louden New Hampshire , as long as you did not go in a Rider Truck (some will get that one)

Team Grado was at pickin' an fiddlin' in a force of one , on went the cans between categories

Eventually some had to ask "what kind of headphones are those ?"

So whip them off my head and say "try 'em"

The look of shock was priceless

WHERE DO I GET ME A PAIR OF THOSE MAN

heheh

Not local bub , on line or you gotta go to Hartford or Greenwich

"OK.thanks man"

MORE RECRUITS !!!

Oh yes

Rick

Off to work shortly , zoom back to the ranch , pack up the crew then

OFF TO THE DOOBIE BROTHERS GOES THE RICK

Went to the Sports Authority last night to pick up one of those rolling coolers , last week taught me that carrying in a cooler with a 30 pack of buds and major food + ice sucks at my age,actually getting old sucks in general

While at the 'Authority I checked out one of those double foldup chairs , you know , the ones that slip into a nylon bag for the " sling arms" position

Unlike most of the "dualies" , this one had a center "console"

so I sit in this thing ,my wife is rolling her eyes,

Rick likes this chair !!!!!!!

Feeels like I am in my JEEP,center cup holders and all

So to the wife "we NEED one of these babe"

The wife "but we already have four nice portable chairs"

the rick "just sit in this baby (I'm driving,hehe),really,you won't want to get out"

she sits-"yes dear,it is nice,but NOOO"

Now I am not one to beg but "PLEEEEEZE"

I still get no,sucks but gotta keep the peace,at least in a public place ,hehe

So she wins round one but there is still time

Any way,this baby is made by Coleman and is recommended

One of these ,a big ass rolling cooler and a nice big hunter green folding umbrella would make a nice concert rig,and the center console is just right to set the "music to go" portable rig (you just had to KNOW I would weasle in something headphone related)

So off to the doobies I go (and maybe,just maybe sports authority first !!)

Rick "live" from beautiful connecticut,85F and nothin' but sun

The doobies are getting ready to play ANY MINUTE NOW on NBC,guess they will be headin' up my way right after

very cool , kinda like a pre work warmup for me

So I lost the great "folding bench" debate with my wife , no big

Get there early,96 freakin degrees F-was really worrying about melting my Grados perched on my head in the direct sun,not to mention bakin the ricks brain pan

Eventually coools down though and the lights come up

LET THE MUSIC BEGIN !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

First up was a local band (the name eludes me at this time) and they were very good butnot really payed attention too much , everyone was pretty much shootin' the bull,eating,drinking
Polite applause after songs,CDs available at the tent (sold out before I got there,damn)

Then the DOOBIE BROTHERS ! YESSSS

Seen these guys about 15 or so years ago and I gotta say they are still in fine voice

In fact I enjoyed them MORE in a smaller venue,crowd was probably about 5K,last time around it was in a concert arena,about 25K

Tried out a new seating position this trip to the Ives Concert Park

I sat just behind the mixing board and behind a big video screen ,nice vision while seated,could see the stage standing-real nice combo and the SOUND was the best

My wife was FINALLY impressed and that was worth the price of admission alone.Took her to more than a few concerts and other than George Thourogood she just sat there.I still am amazed by her apathy towards Little Feat (3 or four times) and the Kinks,two of my all time favorites live

Now I have to go out and purchase the new Doobies CD for her (more like I need two , I won't get the first one back)

As usual Team Grado infiltrated another live event and as I sat there I realized what really turns me on about the Grado Sound.

There is much discussion about Senns being more accurate and Grados being more colored

But for me personally,and I use the live event for comparison,it is that Grado give me more of the LIVE sound,at least what I hear live

A more "polite" headphone can make nice "music" but the other than the tactile feel , the chest/gut/lower pound of live bass,and NO headphone recreates this feel,Grado has that live SNAP.

And the tonal balance is what I get when I pop them off and compare to the performance before me

So for me and my musical taste (or lack of some would say) Grado rules !

BTW-seen an old buddy and his family that I have not seen in years.We sat together and he wanted to try out my cans

I hand them over,he puts them on and a BIG SMILE breaks out on his face.

So there he is listening to Buddy Guy : Stone Crazy (great CD with cans) and his youngest daughter wants some ice cream,she is 2 1/2

"Daddy,I want some ice cream"
"go tell mommy"
"daddy please"
"go ask uncle so and so"
"please daddy"

Finally his wife gives him "the LOOK",you married guys know the one

And he give me back my rig

Another convert !!!!

Team Grado,coming to an event near you !

Rickmonster