Today's Tune: "No Matter What" By Badfinger

Thomas Evans, Jr. (June 5, 1947 – November 19, 1983), English musician (bassist, guitarist, singer and songwriter) mostly remembered for being a member of the rock group Badfinger, was born on this day in 1947. We will remember and honor Evans today, with this 'Today's Tune'.

You'd probably expect me to choose "Without You" (November 1970), since it was co-written for Badfinger by Tom Evans, Jr. and Welsh bandmate Pete Ham (singer, songwriter and guitarist), and became one of the most covered hit tunes ever recorded. It's even my personal favorite of all the songs in the entire Badfinger catalogue. However, it's the cover recordings by Americans singer-songwriter Harry Nilsson and Heart that I prefer, and some day those will surely be posted on this blog.

Instead, please enjoy the track I did decide to post here. "No Matter What", released on the same album, 1970's 'No Dice', is the Badfinger song that I most enjoy hearing performed by the band. It always takes me back to the good times of my childhood. I hope it brings back good memories for you as well.

Badfinger - "No Matter What" (1970)



Badfinger - "No Matter What" Live

Today's Tune: "Secret" And "I Love You" By Heart

Looking back through the historical events that have happened on a March 25th, one that caught my eye took place in the year of 1306. That was when Robert the Bruce became King of Scotland. While it connects to me Scottish roots, does it connect to any music that I like well enough to post on my blog?

Well, it's a bit of a stretch, but we're going from Robert the Bruce to songwriter and singer Bruce Roberts. Roberts' songs have been recorded by a lot of popular and varied artists, including Jennifer Rush and Elton John ("Flames of Paradise"), Cliff Richard ("We Should Be Together") and Alice Cooper ("Only My Heart Talkin").

For this 'Today's Tune', I'm going with a song cowritten with Franne Golde and recorded by Heart, titled "Secret". This track was released on the Brigade album, and as a single in 19. Since I like the B-side "I Love You" just as much, we will have another two spot today. This track was actually created by Ann Wilson, Nancy Wilson, Holly Knight and Albert Hammond.

Heart - "Secret" Official Video

Heart - "Secret" (Possibly better than official video)



Heart - "I Love You"

August 2010 Concerts In Maryland, Virginia And Washington, DC

If you were lucky enough to catch the Heart concert at Pier Six Pavilion in Baltimore, MD on August 1st, or The Red Green Show at the Weinberg Center for the Arts on the 7th in Frederick, MD, I'm sure you enjoyed it.

Here is a current list of some of the great music concerts scheduled to take place during the rest of August 2010, at venues in the Maryland, Northern Virginia and Washington, DC areas.


George Thorogood & The Destroyers and The Robert Cray Band - August 10th at Wolf Trap Filene Center in Vienna, VA

The Outlaws - August 12th at Rams Head On Stage in Annapolis, MD

Foreigner - August 14th at St. Leonard Fire Department in St. Leonard, MD

Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers and Crosby, Stills & Nash (per The Bay) - August 15th at Jiffy Lube Live in Bristow, VA

Tears For Fears - August 24th at Rams Head Live! in Baltimore, MD

Jackson Browne - August 24th at Pier Six Pavilion in Baltimore, MD

Cheap Trick and Blondie - August 29th at Pier Six Pavilion in Baltimore, MD

KISS - August 21st at Jiffy Lube Live in Bristow, VA

*All details are subject to change!

Today's Tune: "Dreamboat Annie" By Heart

Illustration of the Clermont steamboat, found at Wikipedia.

On August 17, 1807, the North River Steamboat (later known as the Clermont), built by American engineer and inventor Robert Fulton with the help of American lawyer and politician Robert R. Livingston, carried paying passengers from New York City to Albany, NY via the Hudson River, thereby introducing the world's first commercial steamboat service. To commemorate this piece of history, the tune for today is "Dreamboat Annie" by Heart.

Heart - "Dreamboat Annie" (2002 - Live in Seattle, WA)

May 2009 Concerts In DC, MD, PA & VA

Here is the current list of concerts scheduled to take place in May 2009, at venues in Annapolis and Baltimore, MD; Fairfax, VA; Hershey, PA and Washington, DC.


Bill Engvall & Frank Caliendo - May 9th at Patriot Center / George Mason University in Fairfax, VA

Spinal Tap: Unwigged & Unplugged - May 12th at Lyric Opera House in Baltimore, MD

The B-52s with The 88 - May 13th at Rams Head Live! in Baltimore, MD

Andre Rieu and his "Johann Strauss Orchestra" - May 14th at 1st Mariner Arena in Baltimore, MD

Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band - May 15th at Hersheypark Stadium in Hershey, PA

ZZ Top with Buckcherry - May 16th at Preakness Infield / Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, MD

Chesapeake Bay Blues Festival - May 16th & May 17th at Sandy Point State Park in Annapolis, MD

Heart with Danielia Cotton - May 17th at Pier Six Pavilion in Baltimore, MD

Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band - May 18th Sold Out at Verizon Center in Washington, DC

Larry the Cable Guy - May 22nd at 1st Mariner Arena in Baltimore, MD

Little Feat - May 24th Sold Out & May 25th at Rams Head On Stage in Annapolis, MD

M3 Rock Festival - May 30th at Merriweather Post Pavilion in Columbia, MD

*All details are subject to change!

August 2008 Concerts In Mid-Atlantic

The weather has been heating up and so has the local concert schedule. There are plenty of good shows to catch in the Mid-Atlantic area this August.

Counting Crows and Maroon 5 played Hershey Park Stadium in Hershey, PA tonight. On Friday, the stadium will be filled with the heavy sounds of Poison and Dokken.If you're a fan of Bruce Springsteen and The E Street Band, you can catch them there on the 19th. The Allman Brothers Band bring their bluesy southern rock to Hershey Monday August 25th. The other half of that bill is Bob Weir and RatDog. Ending the month's shows at Hershey, is a triple threat concert of Journey, Heart and Cheap Trick on the 28th.

At Rams Head Live! in Baltimore, MD tonight, Metallica wannabes and an embarrassment to all of us with even partial Welsh heritage, Bullet For My Valentine were scheduled to play. Opening for them was Cancer Bats, who could be a halfway decent band if they had a singer fronting the band instead of whatever you would call Liam Cormier. One upcoming concert that does get me excited, and for the right reasons, is Peter Frampton. He'll be playing real Rock and Roll music at Rams Head on Friday, August 15th. Ted Nugent may be a total whack job, but he sure can play guitar. You can "Wango Tango" with him on the 26th.

There are many reasons to visit Baltimore's Pier Six Pavilion this month. They'll have a wide range of musical styles in the entertainers headlining the venue. I'll just mention the most interesting. Classic Rock takes the stage on August 13th, when both Boston and Styx play there. Eight time Grammy Award winner Anita Baker follows with her beautiful voice two nights later, on the 15th. We change gears again on the 19th, with a harder edged style of blues in the forms of George Thorogood And The Destroyers and Buddy Guy. Performing their own hits, as well as 'Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band' in it's entirety on August 21st, is an odd mix of musicians if you ask me (nobody's asking me). The list for the 'Sgt. Peppers' Tribute includes the great talents Todd Rundgren (He's gone metal with his latest album, you know), Lou Gramm (of Foreigner) and Denny Laine (of The Moody Blues, Wings), along with the less popular Christopher Cross and Bo Bice (former American Idol contestant). Speaking of Idols, Billy Idol will be at Pier Six on the 22nd. The wonderful blues artist Robert Cray will share the bill with Keb' Mo' on Saturday, August 23rd during the "Bringin' It Back Home Tour".

This coming weekend, Saturday August 9th and Sunday August 10th, it's time for "Virgin Music Festival 2008" . Held at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, MD as it has been each year since 2006, the festival will have a boat load of talent. The artists scheduled to perform this year include Bob Dylan, Nine Inch Nails, The Foo Fighters, Stone Temple Pilots, Iggy Pop And The Stooges, etc., etc., etc.

There's a few really good concerts at Nissan Pavilion in Bristow, VA (a.k.a. Washington, DC) this month. The 'Metal Masters Tour 2008' featuring Motorhead, Judas Priest, Heaven And Hell and Testament rocks the place on Thursday, the 7th. Counting Crows along with Maroon 5, as well as Sara Bareilles visit on the 16th. The legendary singer, Rod Stewart appears on Sunday, August 24th. Finally, on the 27th, the combo of Journey, Heart and Cheap Trick play at Nissan Pavilion.

Cheap Trick, Heart, Journey 2008 Summer Tour

In case you haven't heard yet, there's another multi band tour I've been meaning to tell you about. This may be the only one in the USA this summer that rivals the Metal Masters Tour for me. They're not metal, but they sure are rockin'. Most of the concerts will include (in order of appearance) Cheap Trick, Heart and Journey. The tour starts in Denver, CO on July 9, 2008 and ends in Albuquerque, NM on October 4, 2008. If you're in the Mid Atlantic area like me, you'll get a couple chances to see them in August. They will be at the Nissan Pavilion in Bristow, VA (a.k.a. Washington, DC) on the 27th and Hershey Park Stadium in Hershey, PA on the 28th.

Cheap Trick - "I Want You To Want Me"


Heart - "Barracuda"


Journey with Arnel Pineda - "Open Arms"