Summer vacation: Day 7; Summerfest: Night 1

And we walked and we talked

We don't have no time to stop that day

That day was a wonderful day

~ O.A.R. - "Wonderful Day" 

From the Brewers game this afternoon, we arrived in downtown Milwaukee this evening and settled into our Third Ward digs, compliments of Orrin and Kelli, who are letting us stay at their place through the weekend while they’re away on a vacation of their own.

And that means we are just blocks from the one, the only, the glorious music-lover’s paradise known as Summerfest.

Now, truth be told, I was on the fence about going tonight. We’d had our share of fun at the ballgame, and I would have been content to stay in for the night. The only band on the docket that I was truly interested in seeing was O.A.R., who I’d seen three times already. I had my sights set on taking in the Friday and Saturday shows.

But Kelli and Orrin left behind some extra tickets for us. The opportunity proved too good to pass up. The pull was too strong, and Kates actually ended up encouraging me to go for it.

So after some delicious takeout from The Irish Pub for dinner, I was out the door and walking down the city blocks toward Lake Michigan and the festival park. To say hello to an old friend.

Once through the gates, I was like a dog returning to his home. I nearly cried tears of utter joy and happiness. The sights of bands playing passionately on stages, surrounded by the Milwaukee cityscape on one side and Lake Michigan on the other, and crowds of people, young and old, fully enjoying themselves, soaking up the summer. The smells of grilled food, beer and other illegal substances. And the sounds of music, causing a vibration to run through your body like electricity. The atmosphere cannot be measured against anything else I’ve experienced, and it’s why I love going back year after year.

I began walking through the grounds and heard a spot-on cover of Bob Seger‘s “Night Moves” as I scouted out the new setup and stage at the Briggs and Stratton Big Backyard. And I checked out the new south entrance outside the Marcus Amphitheater, which doesn’t look a shade like it used to. The iconic giant instruments have been moved to the new entrance, and the string of lights combined with the painted fences give off a cool vibe.

Eventually I stopped at the classic rock stage to hear some of Peter Frampton’s set. I wouldn’t call myself a Frampton fan, and the way a certain Chicago station played “Show Me The Way” over and over used to drive me crazy. But I was intrigued by the fact that he’s playing his “Frampton Comes Alive” album from beginning to end during his tour this summer, so I decided to take in a little up his show. … As photos of his heyday flashed on a screen behind him, I was pleasantly surprised by the music, but it wasn’t enough to keep me around for more than two or three songs.

A little after 9, I headed over to the Miller Lite Oasis to find a spot for the O.A.R. show. Arriving so late, I knew I didn’t have a chance of getting as close to the stage as I usually might. Again, I’d been there, done that, and I had made up my mind that tonight I was purely enjoying the atmosphere. I eventually found a spot on the second to last bench in the front section between the stage and the sound booth. Still not a bad spot.

Every stage seems to have its own playlist blaring on the sound system between bands, and tonight the Miller Lite stage was playing The Monkees. I got chills as the young crowd belted out the chorus of “I’m a Believer.”

At 10, O.A.R. took the stage. And the ride didn’t let up until they stepped off for good.

The guys played a lot of new songs and stuff I wasn’t familiar with. But it didn’t matter. They were kicking off their summer tour in Milwaukee tonight, and it showed. Every song sounded fresh and full of energy. Jerry Depizzo delivered some absolutely fantastic saxophone solos, and Richard On reaffirmed my suspicion that he may be one of the most entertaining lead guitarists playing today. Depizzo also was joined tonight by a trumpeter and a trombonist.

“This Town” was upbeat and it rocked the crowd the way I thought it should have when I last saw O.A.R. and the “All Sides” album was just out. “Delicate Few” proved to be an early crowd favorite as well.

“Lay Down,” one of my personal favorites, opened with the twinkling guitar solo featuring On and a sweet brass jam at the front and center of the stage. They followed it with a new song, “Heaven,” that featured a hip-hop heavy beat -- but I really liked it.

And then “That Was a Crazy Game of Poker.” The excitement crowds show for this song never ceases to amaze me. I think lead singer Marc Roberge barely sang because the crowd carried the vocals so well. … I just don't get what makes the song so likable. Then again, I’m not a poker player.

The boys started to wind down -- actually wind up seems to be the more appropriate phrase -- with another one of my personal faves, “52-50,” featuring Depizzo on another grand sax solo. They followed it with “Night Shift” and then the rocking “About An Hour Ago,” with their splendid piano and sax solos.

That send them off the stage, around 11:45, for the standard break between the main set and the encore. … After a couple minutes, the band returned to play “Shattered,” which the crowd really dug into.

And finally, saving their best for last, “Hey Girl.” It was a knock-your-ears-out finale.



To the point, I’d been disappointed with my previous OAR-at-Summerfest experiences, but this one was different. Maybe it was that I’d lowered my expectations. Maybe it was my totally relaxed, vacation state of mind. Maybe it was that I was just that happy to be back at Summerfest. … Tonight's was a great show, and I had a great time. But mark my words, this was probably my last concert rendezvous with OAR -- unless they appear on a ticket that I would not pass up in a million years, which I don’t forsee happening.

It sure was good to be back at Summerfest.

And my ankles are killing me from standing and rocking on the benches. Another reason to love Summerfest.

Love and memories

So tonight’s Summerfest stop was all about O.A.R. …

Actually the guys are playing tomorrow night, too. The choices were A) Go tonight, B) Go tomorrow night, or C) Go both nights … Well, the answer, Bob, has to be A.

Tonight marked my fifth stop at Summerfest in six days. And I’m exhausted. And Kates and I are going up again Thursday night, so that factor eliminated any attempt at trying to do both nights of O.A.R. and making it seven trips in eight days …

So then it came down to: Resting tonight and going for tomorrow night’s O.A.R. show, or gutting it out tonight and resting tomorrow night? … My gut was telling me O.A.R. would likely be at their best for their first performance tonight, and besides tomorrow night, they’re playing at the Big Backyard -- and the sound quality sucks there. I wanted to see O.A.R. tonight at the new Harley-Davidson stage …

So off I went … again.

I got to the Harley stage around 7:30, just as the legendary Dirty Dozen Brass Band was beginning their set.

Equipped with a saxophone, trombone, trumpet, drummer, guitar and sousaphone, the guys were a welcome warm-up to O.A.R., playing an energizing blend of New Orleans jazz, Dixie and funk. They did a rousing “When The Saints Go Marching In” and a great cover of Bill Withers’ “Use Me.”

The crowd was into it, already standing on the bleachers -- which rarely happens for an opening act -- and dancing.

Especially this older gentleman, dressed in a bright orange Sunkist T-shirt and jean shorts, who spent much of the set roaming around the stage area, dancing with whoever wanted to take him on. Posting the video now still brings a smile to my face … It’s scenes like this that are a big part of why Summerfest is so great; People are just having a good time …



The Dirty Dozen Brass Band went off at about 9, and the crowd swelled for the next hour as the crew set the stage for O.A.R.

At 10, the guys from Rockville, Md., appeared and immediately broke out “That Was A Crazy Game of Poker” -- a surprising opener considering it’s been a standard closing number for them. But it was ok with me to put it out there and get it over with; I’ve never really understood the appeal of the song … Then again, I’ve never been a poker fan.

Still, it was pretty darn good as the band put together a 10-minute jam on it that featured each of the band members getting a solo.

From there, the guys went into “Risen,” a favorite of mine that I had in my head all day. Love the sax part on it …

That was followed with “Whose Chariot?” which featured another nice sax solo, and then “This Town,” the awesome lead-off track from the band’s newest album due out in a couple weeks. I had figured “This Town” to be the opener based on its sentiment and my conversation with Chris Culos last week. I also expected the crowd to know and get into the song a lot more than they did …

Then the band went through “Untitled (My Life),” “About Mr. Brown” and “Destination.” In between songs, frontman Marc Roberge told the crowd “We come here every year. It’s the one place we know we’re going to have a good time!” And later he would add, “We want you to all go home smiling.” … Oh, we did Marc.

Roberge introduced the next tune as “a baby-making song.” It turned out to be “Lay Down,” another favorite on which Culos and the band’s touring keyboardist were left alone on the stage to churn out a kicking drum solo. Then, the band returned and picked up “Lay Down” again, turning it into sort of calypso, island jam vibe. It was very cool …

And then, “Hey Girl.” It was the one song I wanted to hear tonight from these guys, and I would have been heartbroken if they didn’t play it. The crowd went crazy, as usual, on it, and when it was over I could’ve easily left the show and gone home happy …

They closed out the set with “Dareh Meyod” and a mellowed-out acoustic of “I Feel Home,” which Roberge introduced by saying “Normally we like to end the show loud but we’re doing something sweet.”

Of course Roberge was fibbing; it wasn’t the last song. The band did go off for a few minutes and then came back for their encore … They started it off with the new single, “Shattered,” which sounded really good, but again I was surprised at how few people seemed to know the song. And here I thought most of these kids were bigger, more hardcore fans than me …

Then Roberge broke in again: “We have a few more minutes here. I need to get all of your energy for a few minutes. I just want to make sure when you leave you all feel good!”

They did “3 a.m.” which I figured would be the last song. And as they wound it down, I started thinking, “Hmm, they didn’t play ‘Love and Memories.’ Oh well, I can do without it.”

No sooner had the thought passed through my mind, they were ripping out the opening riff. I think the crowd let out as loud a cheer as they had all night … It turned out, the song rocked and I was really, really glad to hear it.

As I walked out tonight, I caught the Yonder Mountain String Band doing their thing at the Big Backyard, and man, did it look like the crowd was having a hoe-down good time there … The fiddle music sounded great, and the crowd was roaring …

As I walked back to my car, I couldn’t get the smile off my face. The breeze felt wonderful. The people had been good and fun. The music was memorable. This is what it’s all about, I thought.

I found my car and had a completely different story getting on my way tonight, compared to last night’s chaos. I had parked just a few spaces from an exit, and I’d beat the crowds tonight. I got through downtown in no time, and getting home was a breeze …

Five nights down …
a Thursday: Stevie Wonder
a Saturday: Dashboard Confessional
a Sunday: Polyphonic Spree
a Monday: Gin Blossoms | Performer Passes Out On Stage

Talking about the Revolution

Until two years ago, I never would have believed I'd become an O.A.R. fan. I'd seen them as some college-cult favorite band that didn't figure into my tastes... Oh, how things change.

They're playing two shows at Summerfest this year, and I'm on my way to see them tonight. Here's a preview piece I had in Friday's Kenosha News ...

If you’ve developed something of an addiction to O.A.R.’s live show the way I have during the last few years, your eyebrows also might have jumped when the Summerfest lineup started rolling out over the spring and O.A.R.’s name appeared not once but twice.

Nah-uh, I thought. Is that a misprint?

Nope. We checked with Summerfest’s people, and it’s not a misprint. O.A.R. will perform twice this year — at the Harley Davidson Roadhouse on Tuesday, July 1, and at the Briggs & Stratton Big Backyard on Wednesday, July 2, both at 10 p.m. After watching the band played to a big crowd last year at the Miller Lite Oasis and with the momentum of a new album and tour this summer, Summerfest schedulers seized an opportunity.

Turns out, O.A.R. was more than happy to take it. And, like me, they too share a major appreciation for the iconic Milwaukee festival.

“We’re always excited to be there,” O.A.R. drummer Chris Culos said by phone this week during a break between shows at the House of Blues in Los Angeles. “It’s like the part of the summer we always look forward to. It’s very different, just the excitement of playing Summerfest. It’s one of the most interesting festivals. It’s just the shear volume of it, it’s like what — you probably know more about it than I do.”

Why yes, Chris. Summerfest is known as “the world’s largest music festival.” It’s 11 days of seemingly non-stop music on 10 stages with a smorgasbord of mouth-watering foods and beverages. Others may gush about Bonnaroo, Austin City and Pitchfork, but aside from soaking up the baseball season, I pretty much live for this each summer.

“Not to mention the acts at the amphitheater. It’s just mind-blowing,” he says before laughing through a story of the band’s road crew buying an assortment of mini-motorcycles at last year’s festival and the guys riding them around back stage.

Culos says O.A.R. considered playing at the Marcus Amphitheater this year, but ultimately decided the atmosphere didn’t fit them.

“We thought about trying to play at the amphitheater and it just didn’t seem like the right fit in there,” he said. “We looked at playing with a different band, but it wouldn’t have the same vibe as playing one of those other stages. We thought this year doing two nights had to be like the best of both worlds.”

The Summerfest stops are part of an effort to showcase their forthcoming studio album, “All Sides,” which is due out July 15. The three month, 36-date “All Sides Tour” kicked off June 15 at the prestigious Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival. The tour also will hit the inaugural Mile High Music Festival in Denver on July 19 and Chicago’s Charter One Pavilion on July 24 before wrapping with a three-night stand alongside Dave Matthews Band at the Gorge Amphitheatre in George, Wash., for Labor Day weekend.

Coming off 2005’s breakthrough, “Stories Of A Stranger,” which included the band’s radio-friendly hits “Love and Memories” and “Heard The World,” one might think the pressure was on O.A.R. to raise the bar again. But the band was eager to return to its roots, Culos said.

If you’re not familiar with the story, Culos decided to form a band during the early 1990s while he was in the eighth grade with buddies, vocalist Marc Roberge and guitarist Richard On. Three years later, bassist Benj Gershman came on board and O.A.R. — aka Of A Revolution — was born. Then saxophonist Jerry DePizzo joined the band full-time in 2000, after meeting Roberge and Culos at Ohio State University.

Routinely hailed as one of the best live bands around, O.A.R. has burned a grassroots trail across the country and built a rabid fanbase with their joy-filled performances and relatable songs about life experiences. They’ve built a well-deserved reputation as a must-see band when they come to town.

But Culos admits the five friends might have strayed a little from their mission when they recorded “Stories.” Before then, the band’s radio existence was zilch. They had earned their success by word of mouth and the Internet boom. Still, the band saw “Stories” as a way to find new fans.

“We made a lot of songs that were geared toward radio intentionally to expand our audience and our business; we wanted to get a song on the radio,” Culos said, adding the band was surprised at how well “Stories Of A Stranger” and the single “Love and Memories” were received, even while the band didn’t consider it a noteworthy song by smash-hit standards.

Looking back, Culos doesn’t regret the decision, but says the band was disappointed other deserving songs didn’t get as much radio play. The band also realized they missed the vibe and fuse that made them so popular in the first place.“It got our foot in the door,” Culos says simply.

But enough about the past.

In early 2007, the band gathered to record demos and eventually landed rehearsal time with producer Matt Wallace (Maroon 5, Faith No More, the Replacements). The rehearsals galvanized the band and the jams reminded the guys of what brought them together. And out of that came “All Sides,” a 13-track album named to symbolize this point of where the band is in its lifespan.

“We were so excited because for the first time in the studio we were confident, we were comfortable,” Culos said. “With the preparation that went in to the record ... we knew the songs backwards and forwards.”

Asked later if he ever gets sick of touring and repeatedly playing the band’s more popular songs (the answer was rarely), Culos said, “My hair stands up straight on the back of my neck. We have the best seat in the world because we get to see the crowd all night. That’s what we had dreams about when we started out as kids and wanted to start a band.”

This time around, Culos said the band was intent on recording an album that held some strong songs, but wasn’t so focused “on straight-up trying to get up on the radio.”

They succeeded, and it might be one of the band’s best offerings yet. For “All Sides” the band actually found a perfect balance of appealing, radio-friendly rock songs that are ready-made for their non-stop touring and arena shows.

In the same vein as crowd favorites “Hey Girl” and “That Was a Crazy Game of Poker,” the energetic, opening track, “This Town,” is destined to be another crowd-pleaser.

Written as an announcement to the world about the band’s love for playing live and touring, it will no doubt have the crowd’s fist-pumping at Summerfest with its chorus: “This town, this night, this crowd / Come on put them up, let me hear it loud / This town, this city, this crowd / Stand up on your feet put your worry down.”

“We talk to the audience, the kids after the show, we keep up on the message boards and everything,” Culos says. “ ... We do notice stuff like ‘where’s those party songs we heard in college. We wrote ‘This Town’ with that in mind and when we heard it back in the studio, we said, ‘you know this going to be a great opener.’ ”

The album’s diversity also is clear in the reggae-influenced “What is Mine,” the bee-bopping “Something Coming Over Me,” and the thoughtful “War Song,” written after the band’s life-changing USO tour of Kuwait and Iraq last August. There a casual conversation with medics was interrupted when the soldiers ran to save the lives of incoming wounded.

“It definitely seeped its way into the album,” Culos said of the USO experience. “With the current situation in the world, we feel like we never have been one to preach about anything. We don’t talk about politics, religion, anything like that. We don’t feel the need to do it just because we have a stage and a microphone.”

Culos also says the guys couldn’t be more proud of the CD’s first single “Shattered,” which was released to the radio earlier this month. The song, written by lead singer Marc Roberge and Greg Wattenberg, is an introduction to the growth fans can expect on “All Sides,” while tackling subject matter that fans can relate and sing to.

“From where we’ve been over the course of 12 years, I think you can tell this song is geared for radio, but it’s still a very authentic song to us musically and lyrically,” Culos said. “It has a purpose.”

But now the question is, O.A.R. fans, how do you decide which show you’re going to see? Gas prices are enough to deter you from trying to catch both, but Culos could quickly have you forgetting that. Ask him if the two shows are going to differ and he answers with a resounding, “Absolutely.”

The band considers themselves a live band, first and foremost, Culos says. They pride themselves on changing their set lists from night to night and they are constantly improvising. They push themselves to produce a different version of someone’s favorite song every time they play it. The bottom line, though, is you’ll have fun no matter what night you choose.

“I think people can expect a fun, party atmosphere,” Culos says. “Really, all we want to do is have a positive message and have everybody feeling good about the night. We’re going to play new songs, old songs, fast songs, slow songs.”

Great live covers

(Revised 07.29.2013)

While I was driving the other day, the Doobie Brothers’ “Long Train Runnin’ ” came on the radio. For me, that song will forever be linked with my first concert experience and hearing Hootie & The Blowfish do a great cover of it ...

It got me thinking: What are the most memorable live covers I've seen performed, live and in person?

So I composed a list. Here they are, counting down …

18. “Eleanor Rigby” -- The Fray (Jan. 2007, Carthage College; Kenosha, Wis.)

17. “Maggie May” -- Edwin McCain (July 2004, Summerfest; Milwaukee)

16. “Tiny Dancer” -- Ben Folds (July 2003, Summerfest; Milwaukee) … He did an impeccable Elton John impression, donning the big white-rimmed sunglasses and all …

15. “Carry On Wayward Son” -- Ben Folds Five (Nov. 1997, The Grenada; Lawrence, Kan.)

14. “Imagine” -- Blues Traveler (Aug. 1996, Sandstone Amphitheater; Bonner Springs, Kan.) … John Popper on his harmonica; a version of it appears on their “Live from the Fall” disc.

13. “Going To California” -- Train (July 2006, Summerfest; Milwaukee)

12. “Such Great Heights” -- Ben Folds (July 2007, Summerfest; Milwaukee)

11. “Long Train Runnin’” -- Hootie & the Blowfish (July 1996, Sandstone Amphitheater; Bonner Springs, Kan.)

10. “Sunday Bloody Sunday” -- O.A.R. (May 2006, Carthage College; Kenosha, Wis.)

9. “Rock n’ Roll” -- Sheryl Crow (June 2010, Summerfest, Milwaukee.)

8. “Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic” -- Sister Hazel (June 2001, The City Market; Kansas City, Mo.) … My friend Tom and I recognized the opening riff immediately and looked at each other with “Are they really playing this!?” looks. It was A-Maz-Ing … And our friend Tad missed the whole thing because he decided a minute earlier it was a good time to make a bathroom run.

7. “For What It's Worth” -- OneRepublic (Nov. 2008, Carthage College; Kenosha, Wis.)

6. “Peg” -- Jason Mraz (Nov. 2008, The Rave; Milwaukee) … The brass made it. Here's a clip of a Mraz performance in L.A.

5. “Crazy” -- OneRepublic (Nov. 2008, Carthage College; Kenosha, Wis.) … A hopping, rock ‘n’ roll-tinged cover that the guitarist introduced with a Mariachi-styled solo.

4. “Breakfast in America” -- James Blunt (Oct. 2006, The Rave; Milwaukee) … It was so darn surprising, and so darn good.

3. “You Can't Always Get What You Want” -- Fun (June 2013, Summerfest, Milwaukee)... It was classic rock n' roll, and Nate Ruess was channeling Mick Jagger.

2. “Dream On” -- Train (July 2006, Summerfest; Milwaukee) … A highly memorable live cover at one of the best shows I’ve seen. The yellow confetti exploding over the crowd at the end put it over the edge ...

Even better -- I found a clip of it ...



1. “Live And Let Die” -- The Polyphonic Spree (June 2008, Summerfest; Milwaukee) … It came totally unexpected and it was almost as if Paul McCartney and Wings had taken over the bodies of The Polyphonic Spree orchestra ...

Here's a video of the performance, which, of course, doesn't do it justice, not to mention it's a wee bit shaky ...

Summerfest '07: Day 1

... This morning, our friend Tiffany asked me if I would be watching the game this afternoon. Dumbfounded, I stuttered and said I wasn't sure. Then Kates reminded me this weekend was the Brewers-Cubs series. Oh Yeah! Kates followed with the story of phone conversation with her parents last night, during which her father -- a big Brewers fan -- asked about my thoughts on the series. "He's in Summerfest mode," she told him.

Pretty much!

Yep. Summerfest. Yesterday. Ready set go ...

I was on my way out of the office yesterday a little after 3 p.m. Went home to grab all my gear. Made a pit stop for gas ($3.06!) and I was on my way to the Ryan Road shuttle stop within the hour ...

I had arrived early enough that I had no trouble finding a parking space. But, I had forgotten to grab some one dollar bills on my trip up -- fare is $6 round trip, and all I had was a twenty. That meant I had to take a walk to the McDonald’s one block over on a quest for change … Apparently the older gentleman walking in front of me had the same idea because when I got to the McDonald’s counter and asked for change, the cashier rolled her eyes and motioned to her manager, “This guy needs change too.” Annoyed, they did oblige the other man and me by exchanging our large bills for ones and fives. And then they promptly put up a sign telling other would-be Flyer riders that the restaurant was not giving out cash.

Note to self: Don’t forget small bills for remaining Summerfest Flyer rides. Note to developers: Build a bank next to that McDonald’s.

Back at the shuttle station, a line of people waiting to board the bus stretched about 60 feet into the parking lot. Mostly middle-aged adults, guys in Pink Floyd and Grateful Dead T-shirts. Joining the line behind me were a trio of high school-aged boys -- two Asians and a white boy wearing a stocking cap and sporting a fuzzy goatee. I’ll bet they’re going to see O.A.R. tonight, I thought. Almost on cue, one of the boys says, “I can’t wait to rock out to some O.A.R.” Yep, they’re going to O.A.R. … Then as an attendant at the stop was assuring us he would try his best to get everyone on the next shuttle, the Trio is waffling over whether they should wait for the bus or hop back in their car and try to find some parking close to the Summerfest grounds. I tried to assure them Park N' Ride was the way to go if they wanted a stress-free trip. And that must’ve been good enough for them, because they stayed.

When the bus did arrive, the line started pouring onto the bus; the passengers packed on shoulder to shoulder, toe to toe. Then, a group of three guys in front of me stepped on and it appeared the bus was filled to capacity. Fortunately coming to Summerfest alone tonight paid off for me -- the attendant allowed me to be the last person on the crowded bus. I inserted my fare, and then there I stood at the front of the bus, just behind the driver, and the yellow line, of course, with a front, center and standing view through the giant windshield as we headed to the grounds ...

And as we pulled away, I wondered if I should wave good-bye to the Trio, wondering if I’d see them again. I didn’t wave good-bye, but they did get to the grounds because I saw them at the O.A.R. show later in the night.

During the ride our bus driver said nothing and did nothing but look straight ahead as he drove ... until we exited the interstate and he began navigating downtown Milwaukee, and a large, middle-aged man bellowed to the driver, “Hey, we almost there yet? I ate some chilli before this and it’s not sitting with me too well.” The bus driver laughs and tells the man “Five more minutes, man.” Says the man, “Any chance we can make it three?” The bus driver chuckles and responds, “C’mon just two more minutes, man.”

We all made it just fine.

* * *

Like a rite of passage, a smile covered my face as I got off that bus approached the Summerfest entrance ... And then, once inside, I accepted a program from one of greeters and paused for a few moments, sighed a happy sigh and thought, Here we are again old friend ... Summerfest's motto is Smile On, and I definitely was wearing mine as I started to take in all the happy people flowing all around ...

The plan for this night was to catch Headlights and Shiny Toy Guns at the U.S. Cellular stage and then wrap it up with O.A.R at the Miller Lite Oasis...

First, I settled in for awhile at the Miller Lite Oasis stage to gauge the crowd ... At 5:44 I had my first insanely drunk girl sighting for this year’s Summerfest. The girl, in her early 20s, was attempting to dance, but instead bounced off the benches and people around her like a pinball. She couldn’t stand straight and she hardly noticed her T-shirt was coming off. The sight drew a good laugh from a pair of 50-something men sitting behind me and prompted one of them to shout at the girl, “Hey, it’s only 5:30!”

…For supper, I figured I was going to try honoring my friend Brian who every year raves about Saz’s Sampler Platter. Then I got to the counter and saw that it consisted of mozzarella sticks, cheese curds and French fries. Hello heart attack city! … I decided Joey Buona’s pizza sounded a little more appetizing, so I grabbed a big slice of greasy cheese and pepperoni and my ritual Summerfest giant cup of Mountain Dew. Which probably wasn’t any healthier than that sampler platter ...

Back at the Miller Lite stage, the hardcore O.A.R fans -- and O.A.R. definitely has some of those -- were already staking out their seats, and a Los Angeles band, Nikhil Korula Band was just getting started ...

I doubt any other band could’ve offered such a perfect warm-up to O.A.R.

“We’re going to win you over one song at a time,” Nikhil Korula old the crowd as the band finished their first song and started in on “Love Will Make Your Day.”

The six-man band, which consisted of Korula on acoustic guitar and vocals, an electric guitarist, bass, percussion, bongos and a saxophone, had the crowd on its feet and dancing in a way that few of the early bands do. The band jammed for about 45 minutes, serving up a feel-good sound that blended calypso, reggae and rock.

Sort of like if O.A.R. performed Paul Simon’s “Graceland,” but without Ladysmith Black Mambazo. It was the kind of music fit for a big backyard barbecue, complete with straw-huts and tiki torches ... I’d suggest checking them out.

* * *

After Nikhil Korula's set, I went with a local columnist's advice and ventured over to the U.S. Cellular stage to check out Headlights. And I got even more interested when a local radio DJ who introduced the band went so far as to tell the crowd they could expect to see Headlights being inducted into the Rock ‘n’ Roll Hall of Fame in about 25 years ...

The verdict? Um, yeah. They’re good …

For fans of poppy indie rock, the Champaign, Ill., band has got it. Simple keyboard melodies, dreamy vocals, bursts of energy and a charming stage presence. They were clearly having fun, they were exciting to watch and that exuberance brought smiles to the crowd, whose applause seemed to grow thicker and louder with each song.

The band -- consisting of Tristan Wraight on vocals and guitar, Erin Fein on vocals and keyboards in addition to drums, another guitar and a bass -- barely acknowledged the crowd, and that wasn’t such a bad thing, as they moved effortlessly from song to song to song.

But it wasn't until about halfway through their set that it hit me like a brick -- I'd heard these guys before. Fein started playing the piano intro of “Everybody Needs a Fence To Lean On.” My jaw dropped and let out an "Ah!" so loud that the band probably heard it on stage. “Everybody Needs a Fence” happened to be one of my favorites from the Grey's Anatomy playlist and I had recognized it instantly. Of course!! Headlights!!

When it was all said and done, they’d crammed 11 songs into a 45-minute set that charmed the crowd of a couple hundred lucky audience members.

* * *

During the intermission, I took a stroll along the lakefront, made a quick call back home to Kates and watched a group of hippie kids playing with a haki sack -- and they were really good at it!!

I also decided to head back over to the Miller Stage to check the crowd again and make a final decision on whether I would be safe catching Shiny Toy Guns at the Cellular stage and still get a decent seat for O.A.R. at the Miller Lite stage ... On the way however, I happened to stop at the Journal-Sentinel booth and noticed a posting that the Shiny Toy Guns show had been canceled. Aw man!

On to the Miller Lite stage for a permanent seat ... By 7:30 p.m., the crowd was bulging, as expected, with teens and twenty-somethings dressed like Summerfest was a pit stop between Greekfest and their club runs. Guys were dressed in Adidas T-shirts and polos, backward baseball caps, colored beads, bandannas and headbands while they puffed on thick cigars and more potent things that they wouldn't do if their parents were watching. Giggly, skinny girls held cell phones in one hand and plastic cups of beer in the other. Many of them sported the oversized sunglasses, even after the sun had ducked behind the trees. They flashed gang signs and stuck out tongues as the posed for pictures. And a beach ball was being swatted above the crowd.

... A couple guys behind me yelled at their friend Chris, who was standing several rows in front of me. Once they got his attention, they told him to come back and join them for a few minutes. “I’m not moving,” he yelled back, waving his hands …

Forget all the talk of the U.S. Cellular Stage being the center for up-and-coming rock acts aimed at young adults. Clearly, the Miller Lite Oasis was where the cool kids were last night.

* * *

A little before 8:30 p.m., the Dublin-band, Mr. North, strapped on their guitars for the last performance before O.A.R. took the stage ...

The band produced some deft guitar riffs here and there -- which actually, if you can believe this, had me thinking of Van Halen or maybe Santana at times -- and they turned their second song into a sweet jam that made me forget for a few minutes how badly I needed to use the bathroom …

But in my mind, Mr. North didn’t sound any different than the alternative rock that filled radio during the ‘90s -- as a whole here, I’ll liken them to Collective Soul -- and by the fourth or the fifth song, the mostly young adult crowd clearly appeared bored.

There was one brief, amusing moment toward the end of Mr. North's set, however, when the band's bassist apparently broke his guitar over his knee and began limping around the stage in pain as the rest of the band continued jamming. Next thing the crowd knew, a couple stagehands were hauling off the guitar, strings dangling from it and front man Colin Smith was telling the crowd, “Tell him how much you love him right now!” The band continued to improvise, while the bassist was set back up with a spare, supposedly from O.A.R. Then as he quickly tuned it up and jumped back in line, the crowd briefly came alive and applauded.

... At 9:20 p.m., Mr. North had finished their set and I continued to survey the crowd some more. For a few moments I started thinking, this may be a crowd, but among the notorious young Summerfest crowds I've been around, this one might be the more respectful and patient crowds. Usually there's always a few nitwits that are shoving their way into tiny bench spots, or spilling beer on their neighbors or whatever else they do ...

Satisfied, I put my arm around a nice kid beside me and asked him if he could hold my seat while I took a bathroom break. He said he would and I headed out. It was then that I realized just how big the crowd at the Miller Lite stage had grown -- it was so gigantic that I contemplated forgetting the bathroom and just going back to my seat, but I pressed on. I did my thing and then dove back into the crowd in search of my bench ...

When I finally found my bench mate again, I noticed some frat boy and his sorority sisters had invaded the spot that when I left was big enough to hold me. This is the point where my earlier thoughts about the crowd were dismissed. Seeing me behind him, the kid charged with saving my seat apologized and said he couldn't fend off the invaders. I believed him ... After a couple minutes, I did manage to squeak back into my seat, and then endured several minutes of standing next to this rooster-calling, tobacco-spitting, inebriated doofus. Thankfully, they took off just a couple songs into O.A.R.'s set, and never returned ...

* * *

O.A.R. appeared on stage about five minutes ahead of their 10 p.m. scheduled start time to a roar from the crowd. And they wasted little time getting into a mellowed “City On Down,” as the crowd sang with them on every word. Then lead singer Marc Roberge divulged that their show would be a special one and dedicated the performance to a close friend named Jordan, whom the band lost a couple days ago.

From there, the band rolled into “Lay Down,” “52-50,” “Risen,” and “Anyway.” They pulled out all the fan favorites, and the crowd was thankful, drowning out Roberge on most of the songs.

But the quintet that’s made a name for itself on high-energy shows seemed to lack some of its punch during the hour and 45-minute set Friday night. As usual saxophone player Jerry Depizzo drove the majority of the songs, but for the better part of O.A.R.‘s set the boys stood straight-faced, subdued and detached and going through the motions. At times, it seemed as though they were deaf to the crowd’s claps and cheers.

Their set continued with “Untitled,” “Heard the Word,” and a new song, “Living In The End,” from their “Live From Madison Square Garden” disc. Then, “Here's To You,” which produced a funny moment of the show: Just for a second, the picture screens on both sides of the stage flashed in large white letters “CHANGE THE BATTERY PACK.” The moment drew a quick burst of laughter from those in the crowd who caught it.

Next up, “The Stranger,” a mellow, heartfelt song that ranks as one of my favorites from O.A.R. It was a song that might have seemed out of place at what I expected to be an energizing O.A.R. show, but last night it worked during what was turning into a toned-down set. And it was one of my personal highlights.

They played “Patiently,” and then, finally, pulled out “Love And Memories,” their biggest mainstream hit to date. The song drew the loudest cheers of the night to that point, and the group followed that one with “Hey Girl,” which drew cheers and singing that might have been loud enough to drown out the Def Leppard show all the way over at the Marcus. Finally, a smile leaked out of Roberge's face, Depizzo turned in a riveting sax solo and, finally, O.A.R. was the band I'd anticipated seeing.

After a brief break from the stage, the band came back on for a two-song encore and Roberge mentioned their friend’s passing once more; clearly he was on their minds last night. O.A.R. mellowed again for “I Feel Home,” before capping the night with the eight-minute crowd-pleaser “That Was a Crazy Game of Poker,” which came close but fell just short to “Hey Girl” in terms of crowd energy ...

At 11:46 p.m., I was on my way back to catch the shuttle. I pulled in our driveway around 1 a.m. Was in bed around 2. And was back up at 6:30 this morning to do some writing. By 9, I was at baseball practice. And by 4 this afternoon, I will be back on my way back to Summerfest, this time with Kates ...

I'll let you know how it goes.

Summerfest countdown!

Aw, the Summerfest schedule is set. 40th anniversary bash here we come!

Kates and I have long had our tickets for Ben Folds and John Mayer at the Marcus on July 3. It’ll be my ninth Ben Folds show (I think ... I'm beginning to lose count), my second for John Mayer, but a first for the Marcus …

Still the real fun, the essence of Summerfest is the ground stages, and I live for the days each spring when the schedules start seeping out. This year I found myself pulling for the Summerfest crew to reel in The Shins (whose album I'm still head over heels for ...), or Guster or Avril Lavigne (also still listening to a lot of her album ...) or even Mute Math. Some I got, others I didn't. Soon enough, the outlines began forming in my head. And eventually the picturer became clear ...

So without further ado my 2007 Summerfest to-do list…

I’m eyeing up O.A.R. on Friday, June 29 ... Saw them for the first time last year. Awesome! Fell in love with their sound and showmanship immediately. I’ve been dying to see them again. Passed on a chance to see them in Milwaukee last fall. But nothing should stop me from seeing them in a few weeks …

On Saturday, June 30, I’ll have to decide between Lindsey Buckingham or the Goo Goo Dolls. Given that I saw the Goo Goo Dolls last summer, and my fascination with Fleetwood Mac, I’ll probably end up at Lindsey Buckingham’s show …

I’ll have another decision to make on Sunday, July 1. Do I go to Summerfest and catch Sister Hazel, or do I stay closer to home and go to our city’s annual Independence Day celebration, where this year, Peter Noone and Barry Williams will be performing? That’s going to be a hard one -- I’ve already seen Sister Hazel twice, and though both shows were good, neither was so captivating that I’m yearning to see them again. Still, just being at Summerfest is enough of a pull for me … Then there’s Peter Noone, whom Kates and I had a blast seeing last February. Pack him with Barry Williams, aka Greg Brady (I’m a huge Brady Bunch fan …) performing at our lakefront park, and that might be enough to snag me … It might be a game-time decision …

I may take or leave Augustana on Friday, July 6. Same with Blue October on Sunday, July 8 …

The big one is going to be Saturday, July 7. Guster … Last year, you might remember, I also pegged Guster as my big one. And instead it was my big bomb. Things didn’t go off as planned that night, I spent much of it tying to locate a friend and by the time the Guster show started, I was so frustrated and fed up with the frat house crowd, I left for some of the other stages a few songs into Guster’s set …

Yet, in the past year, I’ve continued to adore their more recent albums. And in the months since last year‘s Summerfest, I’ve wanted so badly to be redeemed. I had an opportunity to see the Guster boys last fall when they hit Milwaukee again, but it didn’t work out for me to go. In the meantime, I held on to a flicker of hope that they’d be invited back to Summerfest, even while figuring it was a long shot. So, yeah, you can imagine my blissful excitement this spring when I discovered that Guster was indeed returning …

Yep. Summerfest. Bliss.

How sweet it is ...

… I’m feeling so exhausted tonight I want to cry …

… I had a couple of free tickets to see OAR at The Rave tonight. I’d been looking forward all weekend to getting a second shot at seeing the band I fell in love with the minute I first saw them live last spring … But after being out late Friday night and being up even later last night, and then today’s full slate of events -- church activities, an afternoon with the in-laws -- the notion of driving the hour to Milwaukee, sitting through two opening acts I hardly cared for, dealing with the college-aged crowd OAR draws and returning home with ringing ears was hardly appealing …

Darn. It could’ve been a blast …

… So here I am. Lying on my favorite couch, wrapped in a blanket, laptop in my lap and Game 2 of the World Series on the TV …

It’s OK. Last night, we saw a legend …

* * *

… I learned a few weeks ago James Taylor had announced the Chicago Theatre as one the stops on his “One Man Band” tour. Kates has been a JT fan for as long as I’ve known her, she wished to see him every time his name came up. We missed him at Summerfest a couple years ago, and again last spring when he stopped in Chicago.

I had to pull the trigger this time. I jumped on it the Saturday morning tickets went on sale. And then sealed my lips.

… Even while I went on a kick of listening to James Taylor for several days in a row. For days I had “Your Smiling Face” playing in my head. And on one afternoon I walked to meet Kates at a downtown joint for lunch, humming the song all the way -- funny thing, the moment I walked in the door of the coffee shop, the song was starting up on stereo. Crazy!

… So on Saturday the big night arrived, and Kates, knowing only that we were going to a show of some kind, looked beautiful. … Before leaving the house, I sweetened the deal -- it was Sweetest Day, after all -- a little bit with a Hallmark card and James Taylor’s new Christmas CD …

“Is this a hint!?” Kates said.

I couldn’t keep the secret any longer and handed her the tickets.

* * *
We drove to Chicago with James Taylor on the iPod all the way …

… Unfortunately, we didn’t time the drive and pre-show dinner plans as well as we should have …

… We parked the car at the theater district parking garage and trekked to Bennigan’s for dinner …

The show was scheduled to start at 8 p.m. We were seated at our table about 7:20 and ordered our food immediately, telling the waiter we were on a tight schedule. The food arrived at our table about 7:35, and the throwing down began … The food was great, we were just sorry we couldn’t enjoy it more. By 7:55, we were paying for our food, throwing on our coats and rushing out the door, walking as fast as our full stomachs would allow …

… At almost exactly 8:00 we were walking up to the theater with barely enough time to enjoy the splendor of seeing the words JAMES TAYLOR ONE MAN BAND lit up on the famous marquee. … Luckily we weren’t the only ones showing up late. The theater lobby was still packed with people asking the ushers for directions to their seats.

Soon enough Kates and I found our seats in the theater’s balcony, a perfect view overlooking the stage …

Then the lights dimmed …

* * *

Applause took over the auditorium the moment Taylor appeared from behind the red curtains at center stage. Waving to the crowd, he walked to the front of the stage, shook hands with some of the front row fans and generously signed a few autographs. After a couple minutes, Taylor took his seat on a stool and reached for his guitar, tuning it as the crowd continued yelling the obligatory “We love you, James!” song requests and, well, requests for other things too …

“Well I‘m certainly enjoying this back and forth with you tonight,” Taylor said. From that point and for the rest of the evening it was very apparent that Taylor’s sense of humor and wit is charming and entertaining as his music …

Finally, some of the guitar strumming that accompanies that classic baritone voice. Taylor opened with “Something In the Way She Moves,” his voice still sounding as good as it did on some of his first albums …

Beginning with the second number, Taylor was joined by Larry Goldings on piano, adding accompaniments that were sometimes jazzy, and always wonderful. And while Goldings sat at the piano to Taylor’s right, a screen on Taylor’s left served as the launch pad for the songs he performed. He used the screen to show pictures of the frozen man he once saw in a National Geographic magazine, gorgeous landscapes and country scenes, family photos, home movies and Richard Nixon. At one point during the show, Taylor clicked through shots of him with pals Carole King, Joni Mitchell, and other members of his 70s band -- their long, stringy hair and the men’s dark, bushy mustaches prompting Taylor to quip, “This is what happens when you don’t have mirrors.”

But aside from the pleasure of simply listening to Taylor, there wasn’t much for the audience to get excited about during the first set, which was filled with Taylor’s lesser known and newer songs, including “The Frozen Man” and “My Traveling Star.” He concluded the first set, however, with an amped-up, bluesy rendition of “Steamroller,” bopping all over the stage and dropping to his knees every few bars while his electric guitar cried out …

After a 20-minute intermission, during which I survived a long line for the men’s room and didn’t even dare get in the drink line that was even longer, we were back to our seats. Taylor returned to the stage the same way he took it to start the show, greeting fans in the front row and signing autographs. But this time, Taylor spent so much time with fans prior to beginning his second set that the audience appeared to get restless and a security officer eventually had to shoo away the fans who were now leaving their seats and coming up to the stage for a chance to snag a quick autograph from Taylor…

Finally, Taylor was seated again, showing those snapshots of him and his pals, and explaining how he taught himself to play “You’ve Got A Friend” by listening to Carole King perform it. He then kicked off his second set with his rendition of the song.

The second set quickly turned into a parade of hits that included the beautiful “Sweet Baby James” (the song, Taylor explained, was actually written for his nephew), “Country Road,” “Shower The People,” “Secret O’ Life,” and “Line ‘Em Up” (a song Taylor said he was inspired to write after watching Nixon -- whose walk he compared to common poster illustrations depicting Cro-Magnon man -- resign and walk to his waiting helicopter amid a line of White House staff …)
Taylor ended the second set with “Carolina In My Mind” and left the stage …

Clearly there were still songs to be played, however, and the audience did their best to let him know it -- three more times, practially standing, applauding and cheering for the remainder of the show.

Taylor returned to stage again, signing yet a few more autographs for the fans lucky enough to be near the stage. Then he took his seat once more and played “Fire And Rain.”

Taylor left the stage and repeated the sequence another time -- return to stage, sign autographs, play song -- with “Copperline.” And one final encore with “You Can Close Your Eyes,” which, lyrically, seemed to be a perfect cap to the evening.

(… I was a little disappointed I didn’t get to hear my two most favorite Taylor tunes -- “Your Smiling Face” and “Mexico” … a group of 30-something guys walking out of the theater alongside Kates and I must’ve been feeling the same way. They tried filling the void for all of us by singing “Smiling Face” on their own. It wasn’t nearly as good as Taylor would’ve done, but it held up …)

( ... From a critial standpoint, these other views from the Daily Southown and the Tribune are almost dead on in their descriptions of the show and the mood ... both reviewers mention the tank-like drum machine -- which I didn't mention here -- that Taylor used on two songs ... I disagree, however, with the Tribune writer on the use of the recorded choir to accompany “My Traveling Star” and “Shower The People.” Although the choir added a little to “Star,” the extra vocals drowned Taylor and ruined “Shower the People.”)

* * *

Driving home, I fought not fire, but rain. A hard, pounding rain. … Not so fun.

A pit stop midway at the Oasis for some caffeine and Kates I continued home, still listening to James Taylor on the iPod and rehashing our favorite points of the concert …

Back at home, Kates night was over, but mine wasn’t. While she curled up and fell asleep next to me on the couch, I switched on the DVR and watched Game 1 of the series as though it was being played right then and there at 2 in the morning -- commercial-free, of course.

The Tigers lost ... but Joe Buck, as promised on Friday night's Conan, wore LaBamba's tie -- HA-larious!

I finally got myself to bed around 4 a.m.

No wonder I’m so tired …

Joining the Revolution

Had you suggested a few weeks ago I could become a fan of O.A.R. (aka Of A Revolution), I would have shook my head and looked at you like you had a monkey sitting on your head …

Last night, all of that changed. I officially became an O.A.R. fan …

… The wheels were set in motion, of course, last week when I got the assignment to preview and interview the band for the upcoming show in town. I started previewing some of their music on iTunes, and then got a copy of their latest 'Stories of a Stranger,' which I fell in love with almost immediately. The more I read, and the more I heard from Richard On during our phone interview Friday, the more intrigued I became …

Still, I headed to their show last night with barely any expectations …

…Although, it didn’t start off so great. … I rode over to the show on a shuttle bus that stunk like a boy’s locker room, and sitting across from me were a handful of high school-wannabe-frat-jocks who were fidgeting with the radio dial like a bunch of 4-year-olds… and the bus driver was allowing it! If I was him, I would have stopped the bus and made them walk …idiots. ...And while it was a little comical watching the endless stream of girls pulling up their pants because they’re so low-cut they might as well be wearing them at their knees, it was hardly amusing when I made a pit stop in the men’s bathroom and some 20-year-old kid stepped to a urinal and dropped his drawers for everyone to see his bald bottom …

Nonetheless … the show did go on. Army of Me opened … Their songs occasionally were catchy, and they featured some cool guitar riffs, but the vocals were sub par and nasally… Meanwhile, I’m thinking, ‘these guys sound like Bush with members of the Monkees singing vocals’ .. and I’m not sure if the lead singer reminds me more of Rob Thomas or Chris Martin …’

… and as gigantic as the venue appears, it seemed empty. Granted there were no seats set up for this one, leaving the audience with few options other than to stand and crowd around the stage -- even then there had to be only a couple hundred people at the show, in a venue that spans about the size of two football fields and holds nearly 4,500.

By the time, O.A.R. hit the stage, I was actually entertaining the thought of leaving after a few songs …

Sha!

The band’s first song literally blew me away. It was explosive. The light show was spectacular!! …Guitarist Richard On and saxist Jerry DePizzo went off on dazzling solos and didn’t stop all … night … long … I knew the moment the opening song was over that I was in for a treat and wouldn’t be forgetting this show any time soon …

… and while I don’t yet know a lot of the words to a lot of songs, it didn’t stop me from doing my own little dancing and jumping around with the crowd. … several times throughout the show -- the concert, mind you, was taking place on the second floor of a huge field house/recreation center, above a pool -- you could feel the floor trembling beneath you and see the lights bouncing from the rafters like they were hanging from a bungy chord. And I’m thinking, ’well, this is great and a ton of fun, but please don’t let me be on the news tonight for a story about this floor collapsing …’

Nonetheless … The show continued on. ‘Love and Memories’ and ‘Hey Girl’ had the crowd going wild, not to mention a couple more sweeeeeeeeeet saxophone solos (there were a few times I thought I was watching Dave Matthews Band, not OAR ...) ... And after the band had been playing for more than an hour, all of the members left the stage except for lead singer Marc Roberge, who announced he was trying out a new song: Princess Valerie. A light, coffeehouse-type tune, he played solo, singing with his acoustic guitar -- and performed it beautifully. Yeah, this is about the time the lighters came out …

Finally, the rest of the band returned and it came time for the part of the show I’d been reading about -- the band playing the fan-favorite ‘Crazy Game of Poker.’ Personally, I don’t see the appeal of the song, but the crowd went crazy for it nonetheless. There were more soaring saxophone and guitar solos. And the floor continued to shake …

… But if my jaw wasn’t open enough by the end of the show, it hit the floor for the grand finale. The guys invited Army of Me lead singer Vince Scheuerman back on stage and rolled into a cover of U2’s ‘Sunday Bloody Sunday.’ … There’s no words to explain how great it was. It was loud, dead-on and it rrrrrocked!!

As I joined the herds to catch a bus back to the parking area, a guy behind me said to his buddy, ‘That was pretty much amazing.’ … ‘Yeah, that was straight-up,’ the buddy replied.

I’ll say.

(For the complete set list, links to downloads and more reviews of the show -- some of the aspects noted above, and some I didn’t catch on to -- are here.)

Good day, sunshine

...It's Friday. Nothing better than driving into work to the B-side medley of 'Abbey Road' on The Drive.

... and then interviewing O.A.R.'s Richard On. The reason: On and his bandmates are going to be in town for a show next week. ... The interview went well, I thought. On's about as professional, and down-to-earth and nice a guy as they come. That, and it turns out he's part of a pretty decent band I should've started paying attention to a long time ago ...

...not that I wasn't 'paying attention.' I just didn't care for them much. I first heard of OAR a few years ago when a guy I was in a wedding party with talked about them almost non-stop (it seemed) for the entire weekend. ... course he was from Ohio. The land that made O.A.R. kings of the grassroots, indie genre.

... even when my editor told me a few weeks ago O.A.R. was coming to town and I my get the interview, I shrugged it off ... Lo and behold, listening to their recent stuff and preparing for the interview over the last couple days, they grew on me in a way I never anticipated ...

... The New York Times, and On sort of agreed, hit the nail on the head a few months ago when they called O.AR. 'Matchbox Twenty plus Maroon 5 plus UB40.' ... Add a little 311 in there too and O.A.R.'s catchy, rock raggae sound and tight jams is like nothing out there currently. Seriously how many bands draw comparisons to other bands spaced as far apart as Dave Matthews Band and UB40!?

... Their lastest album, 'Stories of a Stranger' is full of feel-good upbeat jams, mixed with some mellow beats too -- and plenty of singable melodies. ... and like that I'm hooked. ... Although they really had me the moment I learned Toby Lightman did back up vocals on a couple of the tracks, including the fourth one, 'The Stranger,' which is arguable the most beautiful song on the album.

Yeah.

... And to cap off my afternoon? I caught up on more of 'Love Monkey' during my lunch ... Again, thank you VH1!

Good day.