Top Thirteen Outdoor Venues in The U.S.A.

(13) Waikiki Shell - Honolulu, HI
Top Show: Any/every Kokua Festival in the history of (wo)mankind...

(12) Central Park - NY, NY
Top Show: Simon & Garfunkel circa '82

Honorable Mention: DMB w/ Warren Haynes covering Neil Young's "Cortez the Killer"

(11) YMCA - North Side - Chicago, IL
Top Show: O.A.R. with Howie Day and Matt Nathanson

Forced to roll solo to this show in the '92 audi when a friend backed out last minute, but everything was all good in the hood.  I befriended a cool cat by the name of Aaron within 60 seconds, and we kicked it till last call for alcohol.  Being a sound engineer, Aaron introduced me to the concept of outdoor amphitheater acoustics and Howie Day's "Madrigals LP"

(10) OLD SOLDIER FIELD - Chicago, IL

Top Show: P.J. '95 

For those of you lucky enough to attend this concert in the flesh, you remain forever changed.  Staged in the center of the universe (SEE ABOVE), amidst both the peak of 90's Alternative Grunge and the height of Pearl Jam's world dominance, you will probably never forget P.J.'s cover of Sly & The Family Stone's "Everyday People"

Touch of Grey: The Grateful Dead played their last show ever the night before this show.  Rest peacefully Mr. Jerry Garcia.  You remain an inspiration to us all.

(9) Wrigley Field - Chicago, IL
Top Show: Dave Matthews Band 1st Show Ever @ Wrigs

       Opener: One Sweet World

       Middle of the Road: Lying in the Hands of God

       Closer: All Along the Watchtower (aka "A Wildcat Did Growl") - B.Dylan

(8) New World Amphitheater - Tinley Park, IL
Top Show: Roger Waters 2000

Note: Do NOT bootleg at this venue!

(7)  Grant Park (Home of Blues Fest + Lollapalooza) - Chicago, IL
Top Show: Rage Against the Machine (aka "The Riot Night")

Honorable Mention: The Doobie Brothers circa '98 for obvious reasons amongst members of The I.C.

(6)  Charter One Pavilion @NortherlyIsland - Chicago, IL
Top Show: Incubus

I admit I was skeptical at first.  Check their "Look Alive" DVD if you don't think these guys and/or that skyline view from the near south side is legitimate.

Honorable Mention: of a revolution... 6/2009

(5)  Jay Pritzker Pavilion @MilleniumPark - Chicago, IL
Top Show: David Grey & Ray LaMontagne

When the music is this good, actually seeing the band visually with your eyes is irrelevant.

(4)  Ravinia - Highland Park, IL
Top Show: The Swell Season

The extreme look of concern on each "red-coated" usher when my fellow Irishman and lead singer of the band Glen Hansard invited everyone from the lowly lawn into the prestigious pavilion to close out their 1st set.  This impulsive act violated at least a dozen fire codes, yet remarkably everyone survived and world peace felt eerily attainable for a brief moment in time, ahhh...

(3)  Alpine Valley Music Theatre - East Troy, WI
Top Show - Jack Johnson 1st Show @AlpineValley (aka "The Harvest Moon" Night) - Summer '08

I missed this show as I was living in a different state at the time (CA-if you must know) yet I know this was a very special show from this photograph that a close personal friend that has been known to respond to "Sylee" preserved...

This is a professional photograph from Jack's 2nd show ever @AlpineValley in the summer of 2010 (Source: Evil Vince Photo)

Honorable Mention: P.J.'s "The Ice Bowl" Show: Coldest Outdoor Concert EVER.

(2) The Gorge - George, WA
Top Show: Pearl Jam's acoustic set on September 5th, 2005

Honorable Mention: Pearl Jam w/ Neil Young in the Early 90's

(1)  Red Rocks Amphitheater - Morrison, CO
Top Shows: The Beatles + Pink Floyd

Both of these shows took place well before my time, but I would gladly sacrifice a finger or two to get my hands on a live cassette tape of either of these shows.

Honorable Mention: DMB "Live at Red Rocks" circa '95

American Beauty

There I was 

Wasting away the weekend

Flipping from station to station

In search of some much-needed stimulation

All of a sudden, smacked me right in the face

Saw this plastic bag dance

Teasing me, asking me to play

Couldn’t help but feel this was more than circumstance

If you could have seen the beauty

I’m sure you’d understand

Ever get to feeling we’re not alone in this world?

I choose to believe there’s a spirit all around us

A spirit of the souls that roamed before us

Meaning to these chances

Purpose to these choices

It’s in our each and every day

Take a moment to sit back and watch it

Let it captivate your intrigue

There’s something beyond us

Something behind this

A natural force

 a pure energy

So real and so true

You’d be a fool to ignore it

See even the blind can see

If only she could feel

- ALL RIGHTS RESERVED - 
TM (Copyright B.P.F. 2011)

Parenthood

Why is NBC's Parenthood the best show on TV?

After viewing the latest episode of Parenthood and having been a loyal viewer since it's inception last spring, I feel compelled to share why this show is head and shoulders above any other program on television in terms of quality and depth.

A. It's an Hour-Long

I've developed deeper plots during 10 minute power naps at the office than some of the half-hour sitcoms on TV these days.  In order to really develop a story line and connect with the viewer it takes more than 22 minutes of content + 7-8 minutes of commercialism.  You need at least an hour.

B. The Music is Second to None

Any show who's lead character equates Ray LaMontagne to a musical genius has taste.  A sample of music from the latest episode included Adele's "Make You Feel My Love" and JBM's "Going Back Home," two songs that force you to drop whatever it is you're doing and listen with your mind, body, spirit and soul.  Did I mention that Bob Dylan's "Forever Young" is the theme song?  Yes, the most legendary singer-songwriter of all-time opens and closes every episode.

C. The Characters have SUBSTANCE

Not to be confused with substance-abuse as in Charlie Sheen's character in both real life and CBS's "Two and Half Men."  The characters in Parenthood each have flaws that are not hidden or sensitized.  They are in full-view, yet the characters draw you in because each is a genuinely good person simply facing the challenges that life brings upon us.  Challenges that many of us can relate to such as raising a child with a developmental disorder, reconnecting with your divorcee, living under the same roof as your parents as a 30-something single mother of two, dating a recovering alcoholic of a different race as a high school student (okay these last two may be a stretch but make for good drama), working under the demands of today's economic climate and repairing a broken marriage.    

D. The Show is Family-Friendly

The language and situations are appropriate for even the youngest of "kiddies."  The show even features several promising childhood actors with prominent roles.  The show's plot revolves around The Braverman Family, which consists of Zeek and Camille's four children, who each have families of their own.  There are some recurring characters that make a splash every now and then, but for the most part, the show is centered on the unity of the modern American family, despite it's complexity.

E.  Each episode leaves you feeling refreshed...

After all shouldn't that be the purpose of television when you tune-in after a hard day's work?  True, family tension boils every week.  Words are rarely, if ever, minced when conflict arises within The Braverman network.  Yet as each episode draws to a conclusion order is restored (for the most part) and the viewer is left with a peaceful, easy feeling just like The Eagles sang about in "Take it Easy."  No doubt, life can be chaotic when you live in close proximity to such a tight-knit family, but at the end of the day, it's nice to know you have someone that loves you that you can lean on when life leaves you reeling.

I encourage you to tune in to NBC's Parenthood on Tuesday evenings so you, too, can experience the spills and thrills of being a parent in today's times.  Because at the end of the day, it's worth it.

Have you seen the Light?

Just a few short months ago, I suffered a fairly severe injury to a vital organ (my kidney) while playing in a playoff soccer game.  Myself and a competitor were challenging for a loose ball, when all of the sudden I was cleated rather forcibly in my left lower back from behind.  I immediately knew that this was a potentially serious injury; however, my competitive nature got the best of me, and I finished the play.

At the moment of impact, my body compensated for the massive blow by releasing a surge of adrenaline straight out of Pulp Fiction.  Surprisingly, the one thing I did not feel was pain.  As the play continued, I felt as if I were Neo from The Matrix; everything around me unfolded in super, slow-motion.  It was as if I had complete control of game.  Here is a synopsis of the ensuing events:

I maintained possession of the ball just outside of the 18-yard line.  I spotted the opposing goalkeeper off his line, so I fired a quick shot to his left.  He misread the shot was going in the opposite direction and desperately laid his body out making an unbelievable shin save.  Upon being deflected, the ball rose approximately 25 feet in the air in the backwards direction, providing me ample time to run around the downed goalie and jump to my maximum leaping ability in order to head the ball just prior to the arrival of two challenging defenders.  The ball ended up striking the far post and calmly rolled into the back of the empty net.  I was so furious with the referee for not citing a foul that I fiercely pounded the artificial surface with my right palm twice.  The referee did not appreciate this gesture and sent me to the sidelines with my first yellow card...

Upon reaching the sidelines, I laid my body on the ground in the horizontal position to try to regain my composure and assess my physical condition for the remainder of the contest.  After a minute or two, my competitive nature, again, got the best of me and with our season on the line, I re-entered the game.  Shortly upon re-entering we had a solid goal opportunity that simply didn't materialize with my teammate's shot narrowly missing the left post.  We lost the game by the score of 2-1 and our season was over.

As it turned out, a lasting side effect (or so I thought?) of the rapid adrenaline release was the absence of pain, which led me to believe I was capable of meeting the team for a shot and a beer at the local tavern.  This was a poor decision in hindsight.  After my 2nd beer, I immediately felt a sharp, shooting pain in my left lower back in the exact location of my opponent's cleat marks.  Fortunately, a close friend of mine lived several blocks away from the tavern, and I was able to transport myself back to his condo.

I explained the situation to my friends, and they recommended that I go to the nearest acute care facility, which just so happened to be a children's hospital.  Upon arriving at the hospital, I received immediate care in the form of 4-5 IV's of Morphine, which made me severely delirious to say the least...

Being a pediatric facility, it was recommended that I transfer to a nearby hospital where I could receive proper care.  At this facility, I underwent several X-Rays, CT Scans and other diagnostic testing.  I was fortunate to have a close friend and "flesh and blood" (in the form of the woman that brought me into this world) by my side throughout this process.  My body being dehydrated and feeling weak to the point of exhaustion, I wondered if I was slipping away, with the threat of my kidney bursting at any given moment.  I was scared.  I was sad that I was not able to be with the one that I esteem as the "love of my life."  But I was encouraged to know that I was in good hands with such close, comfort at my bedside.

As I closed my eyes wondering if I would ever open them again on this earth.  I saw anything but darkness.  In fact, I saw an intense glowing light, which reassured me that everything was going to be alright as a wise man once hummed.

As these words provide living, breathing evidence, I did in fact survive.  As a matter of fact, I am feeling healthier than ever with a renewed vigor for life.

The purpose of this passage you ask?  Please do not fear death.  As mortal human beings, some matters are simply out of our control.  All we can do is live each day to the fullest, surround ourselves with people that we love, people that love us for who we are despite our shortcomings and past mistakes and in return, hope for the best.

John Lennon once wrote:

"I'm not afraid of death because I don't believe in it.  It's just getting out of one car, and into another."

So before I depart I must ask, have you seen the light?