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Danny Click covers John Cougar Mellencamp's "Scarecrow" - Terrapin Crossroads - 10/25/19

11/23/2019

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In 1985, “Unabomber” became a household name, the Regan Era was in it’s full-fascist swing, there were over 4 billion people on the planet and John Cougar Mellencamp introduced the world to his eighth studio album Scarecrow which gave a musical reflection of world events and the corporate hold we were now under. The American Dream was crumbling into dust and there was need for a voice during that time to show us the light while explaining what was going on. With the Scarecrow album, Mellencamp stayed close to his musical Americana roots while moving to a more political direction with his songwriting. In particular, he gave voice to the plight of the American farmers fighting to save their farms, expressing their burdens in songs like "Rain on the Scarecrow" and "You've Got to Stand for Somethin'
 
Marin County guitarist and songwriter Danny Click decided it was high time to create a live show around Scarecrow, as the album still holds ground in this day and age. Click grew up in Americana farmland, so he understood directly the plight of the agricultural hell many farmers were experiencing in the 80’s. “Everything on the album is true of how the farmers felt about what was going on with the farmland”, says Click. “It’s a statement to what was wrong with the world at the time. It’s sad to see that it’s all still wrong 34 years later”
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With a plethora of amazing Marin County talents, including vocalist Susan Zelinsky, percussionist Robin Goodrich, guitarist Erik Schramm, accordion player Wendy Fitz and guitarist Dave Sampson, along Click’s regular backing band The Hell Yeahs, (vocalist Lyn Carpenter-Engelkes, guitarist Jon Mitguard, violin player Adrienne Biggs, bassist Mike Anderson and drummer Rob Hooper), Click gave the album a tremendous reboot recently at San Rafael’s Terrapin Crossroads to remind us all of the preciousness of Scarecrow.
 
“When I first heard the record it was a visceral thing for me; the songs, the tones, the way the guitar playing was approached”, says Click. “The drum sounds were huge. It was a wonderful performance by a band at its height.”
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Click and company played the album in it’s entirely from first to last song with great regard to what Mellencamp was trying to get across to the listener. From the opening song “Rain On The Scarecrow”, with Goodrich hammering a beat on an actual anvil to portray the workaday-vibe of the album, the band channeled Mellencamp while staying true to their own individuality as a band. One could tell from the players onstage that they truly enjoyed the songs and music Mellencamp created, laughing, dancing around as they made the songs their own.
 
The album is not all political, and Click made sure that he made light and fun with great songs like “Small Town”, “Lonely Ol’ Night” and the epic anthem and usually misunderstood song “R.O.C.K In The USA” that tells the story of how rock and roll emerged in America, and how those now infamous musicians stated in the song were not afraid to take personal risks for the sake of their music and therefore became a strong influence on the next generation.
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Second set was pure “Danny Click”. His music in general is very much in line with what Mellencamp was doing, hard-driving Americana rock and roll. His shows are normally filled with ruckus guitars and poignant songs, including his mainstays “Wait My Turn”, “Everything’s Alright” and “When I Get Drunk”, showcasing his stellar playing as well as the solid groove he has with The Hell Yeahs.
 
Showcasing Scarecrow was a brilliant move, it’s an album that needs to be heard again and again in understanding how the world is at unease but we have a choice in how we handle that. Says Click “The album stands alone as one of the most real honest rock ‘n’ roll social political directors ever made for me. Everything Mellencamp is singing about on the record is still true, but it’s only worse now than it was then. So like the song says, we’ve got to stand for something or we’re going to fall for anything.”

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Joe Bonamassa - Paramount Oakland - 10/19/19

11/23/2019

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Ah, the guitar, such a fabulous instrument, so versatile and emotive. When placed in the right hands the guitar can sing, squeal, moan, groan and wail. It can pierce your heart, your soul and your whole being with the right combination of strings. The guitar is sexy and can make you feel things your mom told you not to feel. When one bares witness to a true master of the guitar at work, one can experience God; and so, with that preface, I introduce to you blues-rock guitarist Joe Bonamassa.
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Bonamassa is not one of those “I am gonna shred so hard and flaunt my ego through my fretboard” kind of guitarists, he’s a classy guy with decades of technical guitar and instrument experience behind him. His precise playing, his focused noodling and his passion for the guitar places him a cut above other guitarists of his stature. He is a true aficionado and self-professed gear nerd. My understanding is that his gear, vintage guitar, and amp collection needs it’s own building and has been affectionately named the “Bona-seam”. 
 
His recent 2-night stint at Oakland’s Paramount Theater Of The Arts was a classic blues-rock show and Bonamassa used the art-deco backdrop of the Paramount to showcase many guitars from his collection. When I say, “He’s a classy guy”, I mean that in many ways, from his tailored blue suit, slicked-back hair and constant use of sunglasses to his appreciation of his backing band that enfolded him with such a force of sound, and that sound cradled the listener as well as shook them to the core. 
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Bonamassa’s band is filled to the brim with incredible international talent including Nashville recording legend Michael Rhodes (bass), Rock & Roll Hall of Famer and member of Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble, Reese Wynans (piano/organ), Paulie Cerra (sax), Lee Thornburg (trumpet), and Jade MacRae and Juanita Tippins who delivered powerhouse vocals and synchronized dance moves for every number.
 
Bonamassa opened the night with a few songs from his latest release Redemption. As the first hints of the rocking “Evil Mama” started, the crowd went wild. The high energy progressed with“ King Bee Shakedown” then on to the gentle and heart-breaking beauty of “Self-inflicted Wounds” his voice full, soulful, and deep. By the time he was finished with the searing blues groove of “Sloe Gin”, only halfway through the show, Bonamassa received his first of 4 standing ovations from the audience. The 2 hours performance showcased more of his original music and lyrics including “Just ‘Cos You Can Don’t Mean You Should”, “This Train”, and “How Deep This River Runs”, with the only cover being a sexy and seductive version of “I Can’t Quit You Babe” that put the Led Zeppelin version to shame. 
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The evening’s music ended with “Woke Up Dreaming”, Bonamassa alone on stage with an acoustic guitar that his hands rode like a bucking bronco, fingers so fast and precise that it was magic to witness. The whole band then rejoined Bonamassa as they said farewell to us all with “Mountain Time” with its gorgeous lyrics that state “And she takes me somewhere, And it's good to be there, And she pulls me into her bright golden wing.” With those lyrics in mind, I sit in wonder of how similar feelings have been created inside my heart and head upon seeing Joe Bonamassa live. He took me somewhere, it was good to be there and he pulled me all into his bright golden wings, all with his wondrous guitars.
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