Brian
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Post by Brian on Dec 30, 2012 1:06:15 GMT -8
The announcement posted on www.ianhunter.com today: Ian Hunter and the Rant Band will play four dates in California in the new year. The Coach House, San Juan Capistrano CA (30 Jan 2013); Canyon Club, Agoura Hills CA (31 Jan 2013); The Fillmore, San Francisco CA (1 Feb 2013); and the El Rey, Los Angeles CA (2 Feb 2013).
We bought our tickets to the Canyon Club last week. The El Rey concert is not listed yet on the venue's website, but we anticipate that tickets will go on sale next week. Just one month before Ian Hunter and the Rant Band return to Los Angeles County for two dates. Anni and I got our El Rey tickets this month, so we're set for both concerts. I'm leaving work early on Thursday, January 31, to get the best possible table in front of the stage at the Canyon Club, then I'm taking Friday off to recover. We've started recruiting friends to join us Saturday night. So far we're bringing Ray to the El Rey, and there may be others. Montrose Peace Vigil regulars may remember Ray from the corner a few years ago, while I've known him since the first day of homeroom in junior high school. He was with me at the Roxy in 1979, but poor Ray hasn't seen Ian Hunter onstage since 1990. It's only been two years for me, way too long. Meanwhile, I've spent many fruitful hours on You Tube enjoying recent live clips of Ian Hunter and the Rant Band back east and overseas, especially the songs from his new album. This is my favorite -- "Black Tears" in Toronto on December 7:
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Brian
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Post by Brian on Jan 20, 2013 1:21:43 GMT -8
I have to share that segment from the BBC's morning show last October -- just as Ian Hunter commenced his most recent tour of the U.K. -- having viewed it enjoyably many times since I found it on You Tube. Being a fan of his for 40 full years now, I've always felt lonely and isolated here until the Internets developed. But the nation of his birth still recognizes his place in the history of popular music -- and his influence on three generations of British rockers. What an intelligent and honest interview.
I feel most fulfilled when Ian is onstage in front of me, surrounded by the Rant Band: Steve Holley on drums, Paul Page on bass, James Mastro on guitar stage right, Mark Bosch stage left and Andy Burton on keyboards. As God intended. And I only have 11 more days to wait.
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Brian
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Post by Brian on Feb 1, 2013 2:50:14 GMT -8
With seven songs from Ian Hunter and the Rant Band's new album -- along with three more from his deep well that I've never heard him play on the Left Coast in 39 years -- here's my setlist of their concert at the Canyon Club in Agoura Hills, California on January 31: - What For
- Once Bitten Twice Shy
- Fatally Flawed
- Just the Way You Look Tonight
- Wash Us Away
- Shrunken Heads
- 23a Swan Hill
- All American Alien Boy
- Black Tears
- All the Way from Memphis
- When My Mind's Gone
- When I'm President
- Flowers
- Now Is the Time
- Ta Shunka Witco (Crazy Horse)
- Sweet Jane
Encore:
- Roll Away the Stone
- Saturday Gigs/Life/All the Young Dudes
Ian and the band sang the chorus of "Goodnight, Irene" almost a cappella before exiting.
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anni
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Post by anni on Feb 2, 2013 12:43:33 GMT -8
We took 21 pictures, total. Three were more abstract than my paintings...of the 19 left only 2 are really suitable for publishing here: left to right: James Mastro, Paul Page and Ian Hunter (aka Himself) Ian (aka Himself)
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Brian
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Post by Brian on Feb 3, 2013 2:14:18 GMT -8
My setlist of Ian Hunter and the Rant Band's performance at the El Rey in Los Angeles' Miracle Mile district on February 2 differs little from what they played two nights earlier at the Canyon Club: - What For
- Once Bitten Twice Shy
- Fatally Flawed
- Just the Way You Look Tonight
- Wash Us Away
- Shrunken Heads
- 23a Swan Hill
- All American Alien Boy
- Black Tears
- All the Way from Memphis
- When I'm President
- Flowers
- Now Is the Time
- Michael Picasso
- Ta Shunka Witco (Crazy Horse)
- Sweet Jane
Encore:
- The Moon Upstairs
- Roll Away the Stone
- Saturday Gigs/Life/All the Young Dudes
Plus the chorus of "Goodnight, Irene"
"When My Mind's Gone" was gone -- too rare a treat, not right for the energy of that room. "Michael Picasso" was substituted later. The Rant Band's rendition of "The Moon Upstairs" might have been the best ever delivered. Maybe because I got it live, this time. I would like another 40 years to think about it. I'll add more thoughts about both shows later this week. And embed a You Tube video if I find a good one.
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Post by marco2112yyz on Feb 3, 2013 12:45:57 GMT -8
An amazing two shows in the L.A. area. Thursday night I made new friends (the Moderator and his wife), and was again amazed at how phenomenal Ian is...73 years young. Plus a ballad from "Mad Shadows"! Last night the entire band was more loose and seemed to be having a good time (and laugh, especially when James fell backwards over a monitor!). Hearing "Michael Picasso" after the loss of my son nearly two years ago brought me to tears. Ian captured the emotional toll of grief perfectly in his heartfelt homage to Ronno. And "The Moon Upstairs" was blistering! I only wish I had the opportunity to see Friday night's show in SF.
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anni
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Post by anni on Feb 3, 2013 20:03:51 GMT -8
As luck would have it, Marco and his wife were one couple behind us as we lined up outside the El Rey. Perfect convergence for the start of a world class show! I only wish you could hear these pictures...we got several good shots out of 44. From the opposite side of the stage (and again in the very front) we got fairly good pictures of the other members of the Rant Band, except drummer Steve, who you can barely see behind his drums. Left to right: Steve, Boschy, Ian, Mastro and Paul! And Dennis on keyboards: Was Boschy having a good time? We were; we were... To bring it around, full circle:
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Brian
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Post by Brian on Feb 10, 2013 1:15:31 GMT -8
Our beloved mutual friend Martine in Winnipeg, bless her, asked me on the phone tonight: How great were last week's shows by Ian Hunter and the Rant Band in L.A. County? Then I could only sputter superlatives. Now I offer a You Tube video that Joe Schaeffer shot at the El Rey, Ian's rarely performed "All American Alien Boy" from 1976, which beautifully showcases the entire band in this year of our Lord, 2013:
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Brian
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Post by Brian on Feb 17, 2013 1:20:24 GMT -8
For the past two weekends after seeing Ian Hunter and the Rant Band in Los Angeles County, I've been watching You Tube videos from those two shows and looking for clips from their three appearances in New York City and Norfolk, Connecticut since. This video shot at the City Winery last Sunday is stunning: In 1971, Mott the Hoople's "The Moon Upstairs" was a time bomb that launched several genres in music later in the '70's and the '80's, as Ian acknowledged recently in an absolutely wonderful interview on the website, the interrobang. Mott the Hoople paid the song its due at their reunion in 2009, but the Rant Band has clearly claimed its legacy. Anni and I felt privileged when they played it for the El Rey encore. In the clip above, we're tickled to see that organist Dennis DiBrizzi has advanced his shoe technique. The buzz continues. We keep playing the setlists from both L.A. concerts in our heads. We got to witness the sound check at the Canyon Club. We not only made new friends, one of Anni's oldest friends just introduced her to someone who stood on the opposite side of the stage from us at the El Rey. Also in front.
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Post by Jeanne on Feb 17, 2013 14:15:49 GMT -8
I thought I saw an iron on the keyboard.
Norfolk is very near where I was in CT. I wonder if the storm interfered with the show. With a few rearrangement of facts, I could have been snowed in with Ian Hunter.
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