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Friday, July 31, 1998 Page:
Shepherd strong opening act for VH
Van Halen singer
Cherone keeps local ties to himself.
The “Random Plays” have stacked up againHere’s what’s up in music. …
Didn’t have enough space in yesterday’s Van Halen review to mention opening
act Kenny Wayne Shepherd’s stellar performance. The set- at-times soulful and
at-times fiery- proved that blues-inspired rock reigns on. And judging from
the youthful appearance of Shepherd and his band, it looks like it should do
so for quite some time.
Shepherd’s group is simply a powerhouse. And the polished guitar wiz-kid’s
combination of musicianship and showmanship should keep him in the public eye
for years to come. “Blue on Black” sounded like an instant classic. …
Speaking of the show, Van Halen vocalist Gary Cherone blew the opportunity
to connect with regional fans when he failed to mention that he has close
relatives from the area- some of who were in attendance.
At one point, Cherone asked the crowd if he was in Pennsylvania. He knew he
was in Pennsylvania. I saw him waving to his aunt before the show. The dynamic
singer- who was great on-stage but has had a hard time connecting with VH
fans- would have brought the house down if he’d simply mentioned to the crowd
that he has family from Pittston. … Oh well.
The band is Semisonic.
The song is “Closing Time,” a melodic, quirky little pop/rock song that’s
the best sing on the radio this summer. And if you like the instantly likable
picturesque “last call” tune, you might want to check out the entire record.
“Feeling Strangely Fine” is one of the smartest modern-rock records I’ve heard
in a long time. Yet unpretentious. “Secret Smile”- with its Police/U2 flare-
is another great track. …
Bruce Springsteen will release a box-set package of previously unreleased
songs- some dating back to the ’70s- this November. Rumor has it there may be
50 to 100 songs in the set. …
On the local front, one of the area’s most anticipated regional albums is
nearly complete. Cider’s “Tryptophan” should be available by mid-August.
“We have about a day or two left of vocal tracks,” says drummer Dave
Parfitt. “Then it will be done and ready for mastering.”
Song titles include “Daffodils,” “Tooth Pullin’ ” and “Virgin Sky.” The
band’s painstaking approach to producing and mixing the album has resulted in
two delays of the release, but Parfitt says the band member’s own desire to
release a record which they’re completely happy with should make it worth the
wait.
“It’s a long process,” says Parfitt of the recording sessions, which the
band has balanced with a busy performing schedule.
“It sounds real good. As far as local quality that comes out of the
Allentown/Wilkes-Barre/Scranton area, it’s right up there with the best of the
best.”
Cider performs at The Staircase in Pittston tonight.
We’re in the home stretch of the summer concert season, but if you haven’t
yet caught a show, there’s still time. Here’s what’s left:
Montage: H.O.R.D.E, Saturday; Rod Stewart, Tuesday, Aug. 4; Backstreet
Boys, Friday, Aug. 28; Aerosmith, Wednesday, Sept. 9.
Harveys Lake: Steve Miller, Saturday, Aug. 8; Deep Purple, Tuesday, Aug.
11; Clint Black, Wednesday, Aug. 12.
And don’t forget the great Ray Charles, who will perform at the Scranton
Cultural Center on Wednesday, Aug. 5. Tickets are $35.50, $33.50