A Classic summer of love

We got to see and hear a lot of great music this summer, but there's been precious little time to write about all of it. All the hard work done during the week sure pays off in the precious moments spent experiencing these shows. So here are some of the highlights of the warm season en masse.



Ain't nothing like the real thing: We've seen Fleetwood Mac in so many different combinations and collaborations, but let's face it, nothing beats having Stevie, Lindsey, Christine, Mick and John together to cap The Classic East at CitiField on July 30. They moved effortlessly through their catalog of classics, with the added jaw-dropping surprises of "Think About Me" and "Bleed to Love Her." As Mark pointed out, they were the only group in the two-day lineup that wasn't missing a clutch member for one reason or another. They can say whatever they want to the media about what side projects complete them, save one false start on "Don't Stop" for the fireworks-filled finale, it was perfect for me. Setlist: The Chain, You Make Loving Fun, Dreams, Second Hand News, Rhiannon, Everywhere, Bleed to Love Her, Tusk, Sara, Say You Love Me, Big Love, Landslide, Never Going Back Again, Think About Me, Gypsy, Little Lies, Gold Dust Woman, I'm So Afraid, Go Your Own Way, Don't Stop.



Most valuable player (of a musical instrument): Vince Gill for The Eagles at The Classic East on July 29. Now Deacon Frey understandably got the press for somewhat stepping into his late great dad's role with the band. But let's face it, the guy doing the heavy lifting was Vince. It was uncanny how much he sounded like Glenn, and he made that set a lot better than I had any inkling it was going to be. Setlist: Seven Bridges Road, Take It Easy, One of These Nights, Take It to the Limit, Tequila Sunrise, Witchy Woman, I Can't Tell You Why, Lyin' Eyes, New York Minute, Those Shoes, Peaceful Easy Feeling, Best of My Love, Love Will Keep Us Alive, New Kid in Town, The Last Resort, Already Gone, In the City, Heartache Tonight, Life's Been Good, Funk #49, Life in the Fast Lane, Hotel California, Rocky Mountain Way, Desperado.



Unsung hero: Arnel Pineda. Despite the thankless task of trying to approximate Steve Perry's vocals with faux Journey -- which can't really be done -- he was a gamer. And the Filipino singer tried to sing over a lot of overloud amplified riffs and did some pretty amazing jump kicks while doing so. In other thankless task news, he had to follow Earth, Wind & Fire, which we wouldn't wish on anyone but CHIC. Setlist: Separate Ways, Be Good to Yourself, Only the Young, Stone in Love, Any Way You Want It, Lights, Send Her My Love/I'll Be Alright Without You piano solo, Open Arms, Who's Crying Now, Edge of the Blade, La Do Da, Wheel in the Sky, Faithfully, Don't Stop Believin', Lovin' Touchin' Squeezin'.



What a difference a day makes: On Day 1 of The Classic East, the faux Doobie Brothers did what they could in the opening slot with most of the butts not in the seats. On Day 2, Earth, Wind and Fire made sure all the butts were out of the seats but in the general vicinity with grooves so funky everyone's feet were tapping. Of all the lovely tributes, Earth, Wind and Fire did the weekend's best to their late leader, Maurice White, both vocally and on the videoboard. I couldn't see the stage through my moist eyes. Doobie Brothers setlist: Jesus Is Just Alright, Rockin' Down the Highway, Take Me in Your Arms, Dark-Eyed Cajun Woman, Spirit, Sweet Maxine, Eyes of Silver, Clear as the Driven Snow, Takin' It to the Streets, The Doctor, Black Water, Long Train Runnin', China Grove, Without You, Listen to the Music. Earth, Wind & Fire setlist: Earth, Wind and Fire setlist: Shining Star, Getaway, Sing a Song, Serpentine Fire, Kalimba Story, Got to Get You Into My Life, That's the Way of the World, After the Love Has Gone, September, Boogie Wonderland, Let's Groove, Fantasy, In the Stone.



Anyday, anyway: We hear Bobby Whitlock and CoCo Carmel are going to be anywhere in our general area, you better believe Park will be there. So it was back to a booth at B.B. King's on June 13 for a set of storytelling and songs that feed the soul. Doesn't matter that we heard most of the ones about the Derek and the Dominoes' Layla era before, Bobby gives us variations and extra details every time he opens his mouth. And then some nice new songs on top of that -- "Nobody Knows" was our favorite and "Keith Richards" is as gimmicky as you might expect a song of that name to be, but didn't break the momentum of the Layla classics. Setlist: Anyday, Got to Get Better in a Little While, Why Does Love Got to Be So Sad, Keep on Growing, I Looked Away, Thorn Tree in the Garden, Nobody Knows, Keith Richards, The Captain's Song, Bell Bottom Blues, Layla.



Not missing a beat: Two winners in this category -- Steve Winwood and Lindsey Buckingham -- but the latter will get his props shortly. Winwood still sounded the same as that soulful skinny British kid who knocked everyone on their butts back in the '60s at the Beacon Theater on April 21. He literally hasn't lost anything, singing and playing with as much vim and vigor as ever. His band includes daughter Lilly, who comes to the forefront on "Higher Love," but in general, the bulk of group sounded more functional than superlative as they zipped through an assortment of catchy tunes from his various incarnations. I suppose anything would be found wanting after Clapton/Winwood, which ranks among my all-time favorite tours. As always, the Blind Faith songs "Can't Find My Way Home" and "Had to Cry Today" sent my spirits soaring. Setlist: Back in the High Life Again, Pearly Queen, I'm a Man, Fly, Them Changes, Can't Find My Way Home, Had to Cry Today, The Low Spark of High-Heeled Boys, Empty Pages, Light Up or Leave Me Alone, Higher Love, Dear Mr. Fantasy, Gimme Some Lovin'.



How'd they come up with that name? One of the shows I was most looking forward to this season was Buckingham McVie at The Mann Center in Philadelphia on June 30. We may never get the Buckingham Nicks show I want, but I'm not the least bit disappointed that Lindsey and Christine McVie teamed up. Their voices have always matched so perfectly, his timbre fits so well alongside the husky, bluesy nature of her vocals. My penchant for not looking at setlists ahead of time was justified when they broke into "Hold Me," I was completely shocked by that one. And while, like "Gypsy," I don't think it translates particularly well live, the guitar and keyboard solos were righteous and I grooved on it from start to finish.



My Stevie sister, Jenna, filled in for the absent goddess during the "Little Lies" choruses. From our spot behind the soundboard, we enjoyed the engineers rocking out, counting the song down like I always do on "Never Going Back Again" and mirroring Lindsey's animated stretches on "I'm So Afraid." We really took to the numbers from their first release, particularly "Too Far Gone," and as Mark pointed out, it was a gutsy move to not close with Fleetwood Mac crowd pleasers. They went their own own way. The Wallflowers proved to be one of the more enjoyable opening acts, despite a particularly muddy sound not remedied by those guys at the soundboard. Setlist: Trouble, Wish You Were Here, Never Going Back Again, Shut Us Down, Sleeping Around the Corner, Feel About You, In My World, Too Far Gone, Hold Me, Little Lies, Tusk, Love Is Here to Stay, Red Sun, You Make Loving Fun, I'm So Afraid, Go Your Own Way, Everywhere, Lay Down for Free, Game of Pretend.



Best double bill (duh, of course): Nile Rodgers and CHIC are perfectly complementary to Earth, Wind and Fire. Frankly, who else would have the balls to go on stage after an act tears the place down? We were shocked that Nile and company went first at the Prudential Center on Aug. 4 -- the one band that was up to the challenge of following Earth, Wind and Fire doesn't? -- from the very first number, "Everybody Dance," the crowd was doing just that. Rodgers is a walking hit factory, as the setlist clearly attests to, and he didn't even get to them all. Earth, Wind and Fire -- as expected -- was able to keep up the momentum. It was great to see them get to expand past the hit selection they had to offer up as the Classic East openers ... and this time I was prepared for the Maurice White tribute. CHIC setlist: Everybody Dance, Dance Dance Dance, I Want Your Love, Upside Down, I'm Coming Out, We Are Family, He's the Greatest Dancer/Getting Jiggy With It, Let's Dance, Get Lucky, Le Freak, Good Time/Rapper's Delight. Earth, Wind and Fire setlist: Shining Star, Getaway, Sing a Song, On Your Face, Serpentine Fire, Kalimba Story, Can't Hide Love, Keep Your Head to the Sky, Devotion, That's the Way of the World, Beijo, After the Love Has Gone, Reasons, September, Boogie Wonderland, Let's Groove, Fantasy, In the Stone.



Best double bill (who woulda thunk it?): A lineup with Garbage and Blondie might look incongruous, but at the Aug. 1 show at the Beacon, the logic was readily apparent. Deborah Harry was at the forefront of the new wave movement as the voice of Blondie; and then a couple decades later, Shirley Manson did the very same thing on the alternative scene with Garbage. I was particularly shocked and thrilled that Garbage performed the James Bond theme "The World Is Not Enough," known as TWINE in my circles. With Garbage as the opener, there wasn't quite as much ability to rock out as during their first album's anniversary show, but Liam and I bounced around the whole time, even when we were sitting down. Debbie looks as sounds great, her new material was just as engrossing as the hits. Garbage setlist: No Horses, Sex Is Not the Enemy, #1 Crush, Empty, I Think I'm Paranoid, Cherry Lips, Blackout, Special, Queer, Even Though Our Love Is Doome, TWINE, Stupid Girl, Only Happy When It Rains, Push It, Vow. Blondie setlist: One Way or Another, Hanging on the Telephone, Fun, Call Me, My Monster, Rapture, Rainy Day Women #12 & 35, Fragments, Too Much, Long Time, Atomic, Heart of Glass, Dreaming, The Tide Is High.



Best life lesson: As Ben Harper explained at the State Theater in New Brunswick on Aug. 25, if you write a song called "Burn One Down," your children might question you on it later, even if you do skateboard better than they do. It's too bad that show wasn't sold out, he's such a fine musician who delivers on his own material, backed up by the strong and vibrant Innocent Criminals, and makes the most of other people's as well. Setlist: Gold to Me, The Will to Live, Burn to Shine, Diamonds on the Inside, Fly One Time, How Dark is Gone, Burn One Down, Excuse Me Mr., Having Wings, Finding Our Way, Steal My Kisses, Like a King/I'll Rise, Better Way, Atlantic City, Under Pressure (with opener Tom Freund).



Poorest timing: Well, the Classic East was set at a venue right by the airport, and Earth, Wind and Fire's "Let's Groove" features the line "Just move yourself and glide like a 747." That was one of the few times there wasn't aircraft overhead. But the nod has to go to ill-fated Journey. Performing "Lights" without Steve Perry when it wasn't dark yet was bad enough, imploring the crowd to sing so loud that their former lead singer could hear it in San Francisco might have worked for The Classic West, but not so much in New York.