My Preseason College Football Rankings

It is that time of year again, college football is scheduled to kick off tomorrow with games scheduled through Monday. My rankings are returning to Hubpages this season like they were last season. I've added the Hype videos for the Alabama Crimson Tide and Ohio State Buckeyes on the post as well. Alabama and Ohio State are my top two teams to start the season.You can see my rankings here. I have addeed a pole and comments are always welcome to make it more interactive.

Here is hype video for the Georgia Bulldogs, a team I have in the top five...

Here is a preview for another top five team, the Stanford Cardinals..

Well I hope this post and my rankings help you get ready for football season.

Cheap Trick

Cheap Trick played all their favorites at Wolf Trap recently. The guitarist threw out a ton of picks and had a blast during the show. The sound washed out the vocals a bit at times in that typical rock show sound. All and all it was a great show and they kept the crowd ready to rock some more when Pat Benatar came out. You can read my review here.

On my review you can check out a live version of "I Want You to Want Me." Also my editor added in a full show of Cheap Trick at Austin City Live. So, make sure you check it out on DC Metro Theater Arts. I'm going to add a few more to add a bit more to it!

Here they perform "Surrender"

"The Flame"..

Well I hope you enjoy and I will be back soon with more...

Pat Benatar

I recently reviewed Pat Benatar in concert with her husband Neil Giraldo and rock legends Cheap Trick.
I wanted to blog about their marriage. No, I am not turning my blog into the TMZ. I just found it neat that the pair have been working together for 35 years and that they have been married for 31 years. You really don't hear about people in entertainment, much less rock being married for that length of time. I found it neat they were still joking, having fun, and sharing banter with each other.

In concert they were great. I came away with a lot more respect for Neil as a guitarist. Pat looked great for her age, sounded wonderful, and was trying to help Brynn Marie with her career.You can read my review here.

Okay you might be asking who is Brynn Marie. She is a rising country music star. Her current video being played on CMT is on my review. Here is a taste of her at a recent sound check the song is "I'm Sorry"

Here is a compilation of Neil's guitar solos..

Here is Pat Benatar in action..."Hit Me With Your Best Shot"

I will be back soon with a new post in the mean time enjoy! 

Lawrence Gowan of Styx

Some how this summer I ended up interviewing a lot of musicians.I had the privilege of interviewing Lawrence Gowan who is the main lead singer and keyboardist in the band Styx. You can read my interview here.

If you go to the article their are YouTube videos of interview with REO Speedwagon who Styx is currently touring with, Styx songs "The Grand Illusion," an interview about Styx's charity Rock to the Rescue and an REO Speedwagon video for "roll with the Changes." I know more videos will be put up from REO Speedwagon and Styx when my review of tonight's show is published, hopefully Saturday.

Anyway like always I try to add a little more into my blog.

Here is a video for the song Gowan was probably best known before joining Styx called "A Criminal Mind"

Here is Styx performing "Lady" with Lawrence Gowan...

Well I am going to see the show tonight in Baltimore at Pier Six Pavilion the show starts at 7:30, Styx is scheduled to go on at 8 and REO Speedwagon is set to close out the Friday night show. If you read my blog too late or you are not in the area check out the Styx website for more dates.

Medieval Storyland

After this play made a run at The Capital Fringe Festival a new production of Medieval Storyland came to live at the Gaithersburg Arts Barn. Here is a review of The Fringe production.

Here are some behind the scene fotage probably from the Fringe production...

The Arts Barn is a much better looking venue then most of the Capital Fringe venues. Some of ther Fringe venues are very nice including The Studio Theatre and some of the Galleries. Some are very run down but it is space is an expensive town and the emphasis is on talent and variety.



The Arts Barn is directly behind this mansion enough said..

Well. with the venue change and a new cast they were still able to deliver a great, family show. You can read my review here. The show contiues through this weekend.

I will be back with a new post soon so enjoy! 

Happy Birthday John and Robert

Today I am going to celebrate two birthdays on my blog. John Hiatt turns 61 and Robert Plant turns 65. I thought I would pass on Plant since I covered his concert this summer and I had just posted about Led Zeppelin's birthday but I thought 65 was quite a milestone.John Hiatt is a great songwriter. The best way to celebrate these artists is through their music so sit back and enjoy..

Here is John Hiatt with Sonny Landreth (one of the best slide guitarists on the planet) performing a song B.B. King and Eric Clapton made famous "Riding with the King"

We will start the Robert Plant celebration with "In the Mood"

This song is perhaps my favorite John Hiatt song "Have A Little Faith In Me"

Yes this is a cover song, here is Robert Plant from his Honeydripper days.."Sea of Love"

Here is John Hiatt with a song you might know "Perfectly Good Guitar"

Here Robert Plant covers the beautiful "Song of the Siren" from his Dreamland project...

Here is John Hiatt performing "Thing Called Love" with the great Bonnie Raitt...

Stepping away from the covers with Robert Plant here is "Ship of Fools"

Both artists may be in their 60s but literally I could keep adding songs from both of them all day. I could go back to Roberts pre-Zeppelin days, or the Led Zeppelin days, continue on his solo years, I didn't even touch on his Alison Krauss project, or his new Band of Joy, there is simply so much. John Hiatt has written songs performed by Eric Clapton, B.B. King, Jimmy Buffett and many more. I shared a few songs but trust me he has  written so many more gems. I thank them both for their music, I look forward to what music they might still create, and I wish them both a Happy Birthday! 

Don McLean

I split this post into two  and I spent the first one talking about the opener Judy Collins. Don McLean will be rememberd for the song "American Pie." The song overshadows everything else he ever wrote.

He has some other songs that are great too! Here he plays one of those classics at the concert I reviewed...

You can read my review here He said this Elvis Presley's version of this song McLean  wrote is his favorite verssion...

Well I will be back soon with a new post.