Real Estate band returns with new album 'Daniel' later this month

Indie rock mainstays Real Estate will release their new Daniel Tashian-produced record Daniel next month on February 23rd via Domino Recording Co. The band previously shared the album’s first single “Water Underground,” in tandem with a music video inspired by and made in collaboration with and featuring the stars of the beloved 1990s Nickelodeon sitcom The Adventures of Pete & Pete. Today Real Estate shares another taste of the forthcoming album with “Haunted World.”

Of the track, singer Martin Courtney says, “‘Haunted World’ sounds like a 90s sitcom theme to us. Network execs - this song is available and we are ready and willing to sell to the highest bidder. We’re super happy with how this one turned out. We had a nice arrangement worked out before we headed to Nashville to record, but it really came to life in the studio. Sometimes a song will surprise you like that."

Listen to the song and watch its visualizer now HERE.

Real Estate also announces that they will be playing a “Daniel-Only” album release show at Union Pool in New York on Feb. 22. Admission is free with RSVP but guests must have a first, middle or last name of Daniel (Dan, Danielle, Danny, Daniella, Danielson, etc)" to enter. Non-Daniel +1s are allowed. Space is limited; first come, first served. This show is in addition to the band’s extensive Spring North American tour, beginning March in Vancouver and running until May 26 in Atlanta. Get tickets HERE.

The sixth full-length from New Jersey natives Martin Courtney (vocals, guitar), Alex Bleeker (bass, vocals), Matt Kallman (keyboards), Julian Lynch (guitar) and Sammi Niss (drums), Daniel sports 11 new songs recorded with GRAMMY-winning producer Daniel Tashian (Kacey Musgraves) over nine days at RCA Studio A in Nashville.

In the city, Real Estate shared a rental, cutting up in close quarters after the imposition of separation of these last few years. Several days into recording, they were discussing album titles when someone suggested “Daniel,” simply because it seemed like a good idea to bestow a human name upon a record. Was it for Daniel Tashian? Maybe. Was it the sign of a band that has now been around long enough to take its music seriously without taking itself or its perception too seriously? Absolutely.

Daniel is available to pre-order on Mart edition baby blue vinyl with a 24x36” double-sided poster, indie edition silver vinyl, LP, CD and digitally. Dom Mart | Digital.

Track list:

1. Somebody New

2. Haunted World
3. Water Underground
4. Flowers
5. Interior
6. Freeze Brain
7. Say No More
8. Airdrop
9. Victoria
10. Market Street
11. You Are Here

Tour Dates:

02/22/24 – Brooklyn, NY @ Union Pool *DANIELS-ONLY*
03/01/24 – Vancouver, BC @ Hollywood Theatre*
03/02/24 – Seattle, WA @ The Showbox*
03/03/24 – Portland, OR @ Revolution Hall*
03/05/24 - Salt Lake City, UT @ The Urban Lounge*
03/06/24 – Denver, CO @ The Gothic Theatre*
03/08/24 - Santa Fe, NM @ Meow Wolf*
03/09/24 – Phoenix, AZ @ Crescent Ballroom*
03/10/24 - San Diego, CA @ The Observatory North Park*
03/11/24 - Los Angeles, CA @ The Bellwether*
03/13/24 - San Francisco, CA @ Bimbo’s 365 Club*
04/05/24 – Montreal, QC @ Beanfield Theatre (formerly Corona Theatre)^
04/06/24 – Toronto, ON @ Masonic Temple - The Concert Hall^
04/07/24 – Detroit, MI @ El Club^
04/08/24 – Milwaukee, WI @ Vivarium^
04/10/24 – Minneapolis, MN @ Fine Line^
04/11/24 – Chicago, IL @ Thalia Hall^
04/12/24 – Cleveland, OH @ Mahall’s^
04/13/24 – Pittsburgh, PA @ Mr. Smalls Theatre^
04/15/24 – Washington, DC @ 9:30 Club^
04/16/24 – Philadelphia, PA @ Union Transfer^
04/17/24 – Boston, MA @ Royale^
04/18/24 – New York, NY @ Webster Hall^
04/20/24 – Woodstock, NY @ Levon Helm Studios^ SOLD OUT
05/16/24 - Houston, TX @ White Oak Music Hall #
05/17/24 - Austin, TX @ Scoot Inn
05/18/24 - Fort Worth, TX @ Tannahill’s Tavern & Music Hall
05/20/24 - Kansas City, MO @ The Truman #
05/21/24 - St. Louis, MO @ Delmar Hall #
05/22/24 - Louisville, KY @ Whirling Tiger #
05/23/24 - Nashville, TN @ Basement East
05/24/24 - Asheville, NC @ Orange Peel #
05/25/24 - Saxapahaw, NC @ Haw River Ballroom #
05/26/24 – Atlanta, GA @ Variety Playhouse

* w/ Florry
^ w/ Marina Allen
# w/ Water From Your Eyes

Luke Bryan tour news

Luke Bryan will kick off his 2024 “Mind Of A Country Boy Tour” in Canada in Calgary’s Scotiabank Saddledome on April 17 with Chayce Beckham and Tenille Arts joining. The tour will run through mid-September. Tickets on sale February 9 at www.LukeBryan.com.

The tour will make two stops in Southern California - Kia Forum in Los Angeles on August 9 and Glen Helen Amphitheater in San Bernardino on August 10, 2024.

Luke will also feature multiple special guests throughout the “Mind Of A Country Boy Tour”: Tenille Arts, Chayce Beckham, George Birge, King Calaway, Dillon Carmichael, Larry Fleet, HunterGirl, Ella Langley, Tracy Lawrence, Kameron Marlowe, Chase Matthew, Meghan Patrick, Lily Rose, Josh Ross, Alana Springsteen, Zach Top, and DJ Rock.

The tour includes two stadium dates this year, Truist Field in Atlanta on August 17 with Bailey Zimmerman, Kameron Marlowe and Chayce Beckham and Wrigley Field in Chicago on August 25 with Bailey Zimmerman, Tracy Lawrence and Chayce Beckham. The tour is produced by Live Nation.

Ticket presale for Luke’s fan club members begins Tuesday, Feb 6 at 8am local time through Thursday, February 8 at 5pm local time. For details go HERE.

Citi is the official card of Luke Bryan’s “Mind of a Country Boy Tour”. Citi cardmembers will have access to presale tickets beginning Wednesday, February 7th, at 10 am local time until Thursday, Feb 8th, at 10 pm local time through the Citi Entertainment program. For complete presale details visit www.citientertainment.com.

“Mind Of A Country Boy Tour” is titled after a song from Luke’s upcoming album release.

The “Mind Of A Country Boy Tour” will launch during the American Idol season on ABC where Luke serves as a celebrity judge alongside Katy Perry and Lionel Richie. Idol premieres on February 18.

Tour Dates:

4/17/2024 Calgary, AB Scotiabank Saddledome

4/18/2024 Edmonton, AB Rogers Place
4/24/2024 Saskatoon, SK SaskTel Centre
4/25/2024 Winnipeg, MB Canada Life Centre
6/13/2024 Jacksonville, FL VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena
6/14/2024 Orange Beach, AL The Wharf Amphitheater
6/15/2024 Orange Beach, AL The Wharf Amphitheater
6/21/2024 Endicott, NY En-Joie Golf Course*
6/22/2024 Bristow, VA Jiffy Lube Live
6/27/2024 Grand Rapids, MI Van Andel Arena**
6/28/2024 Detroit, MI Pine Knob Music Theatre**
7/11/2024 Bethel, NY Bethel Woods Center for the Arts
7/12/2024 Cleveland, OH Blossom Music Center
7/13/2024 Cincinnati, OH Riverbend Music Center
7/18/2024 Gilford, NH BankNH Pavilion
7/19/2024 Gilford, NH BankNH Pavilion
7/26/2024 Omaha, NE CHI Health Center Omaha
7/27/2024 Ridgedale, MO Thunder Ridge Nature’s Arena**
7/28/2024 St. Louis, MO Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre
8/1/2024 Idaho Falls, ID Hero Arena Inside Mountain America Center
8/2/2024 Nampa, ID Ford Idaho Center Amphitheater
8/8/2024 San Diego, CA North Island Credit Union Amphitheatre
8/9/2024 Los Angeles, CA The Kia Forum
8/10/2024 San Bernardino, CA Glen Helen Amphitheater
8/15/2024 Kansas City, MO T-Mobile Center
8/17/2024 Atlanta, GA Truist Park
8/22/2024 Oklahoma City, OK Paycom Center
8/24/2024 Des Moines, IA Wells Fargo Arena
8/25/2024 Chicago, IL Wrigley Field
9/5/2024 Somerset, WI Somerset Amphitheater
9/7/2024 Noblesville, IN Ruoff Music Center
9/12/2024 West Palm Beach, FL iTHINK Financial Amphitheatre**
9/14/2024 Tampa, FL MIDFLORIDA Credit Union Amphitheatre

*Not a Live Nation date

**On sale Feb 16

For full list of opening acts on each show go to www.lukebryan.com

Emerson, Lake & Powell box set arrives this spring

Spirit of Unicorn Music will put out Emerson, Lake & Powell “The Complete Collection,” a 3 CD box set on April 12. 

After Emerson Lake & Palmer split in 1979, Keith Emerson and Greg Lake both explored solo careers. By 1984, the pair were considering their next move. Carl Palmer was busy enjoying success with Asia. So the two guys got Cozy Powell (Rainbow, Whitesnake) in to occupy the drum stool.

“When Cozy came in, he really dazzled us. We didn’t intend to put the group back together, but he was such a good technical drummer and such a good performer, we thought it might be a good idea to go back out with a new version of the band,” Greg Lake told the LA Times back in 1986. And so, Emerson, Lake & Powell began.

The new 3CD box set includes the band’s only studio release: “Emerson, Lake & Powell,” featuring 3 bonus tracks. Also included is their live album, “Live In Concert” and a CD of rehearsals, “The Sprocket Sessions,” which has previously only been released as a bootleg.

All material included in the box set has been re-mastered by renowned engineer Andy Pearce. It is also presented with an enhanced booklet with sleeve notes written by Prog Magazine editor, Jerry Ewing.

Pre-orders for Emerson, Lake & Powell can now be placed via Cherry Red Records: https://www.cherryred.co.uk/product/emerson-lake-and-powell-the-complete-collection-3cd-box/

Emerson, Lake & Powell were:

Greg Lake: guitar, bass and vocals
Keith Emerson: keyboards
Cozy Powell: drums

Track list:

DISC ONE: Emerson Lake And Powell

The Score
Learning To Fly
The Miracle
Touch And Go
Love Blind
Step Aside
Lay Down Your Guns
Mars, The Bringer of War

BONUS TRACKS
The Loco-Motion - B-Side
Vacant Possession - B-Side
The Score - Single Edit

DISC TWO: The Sprocket Sessions

The Score
Learning To Fly
The Miracle
Knife Edge
Tarkus
Pictures At an Exhibition
Lucky Man
Still, You Turn Me On
Love Blind
Mars Bringer Of War
Touch & Go
Pirates

DISC THREE: Live In Concert

The Score
Touch & Go
Knife Edge
Pirates
From The Beginning
Lucky Man
Fanfare For the Common Man
Mars, The Bringer of War / Drum Solo
Medley
Karn Evil 9 (1st Impression)
America

Rondo

Pet Shop Boys' unveil details for 'Nonetheless' album

Pet Shop Boys' new single “Loneliness” is out now via Parlophone. They also announce upcoming 15th studio album Nonetheless, arriving April 26. Listen to “Loneliness” HERE and pre-order Nonetheless HERE. Watch the “Loneliness” video, which was directed by renowned photographer/director Alasdair McLellan, HERE.

The announcement also marks their return to Parlophone Records in the UK (Warners in the US), the label which released their successful material spanning from 1985 to 2012. The album is the duo’s first with producer James Ford (Arctic Monkeys, Depeche Mode, Blur, Gorillaz).

In a special cinema release in partnership with Trafalgar Releasing, Pet Shop Boys Dreamworld: The Greatest Hits Live at the Royal Arena Copenhagen is coming to screens worldwide for an exclusive event Sunday February 4, showcasing Pet Shop Boys' tour captured at the Royal Arena in Copenhagen last summer. Tickets are available now via psbdreamworldlivefilm.com.

This year marks the 40th anniversary of their debut single “West End Girls,” which was their first global #1. They will celebrate with five special performances at London’s Royal Opera House from July 23 to 27. In 2016, they became the first electronic group to play the venue, and returned for additional sold-out shows in 2018. Fans who pre-order the album at http://www.petshopboys.co.uk will receive access to priority tickets for the shows.

Nonetheless features 10 new tracks, recorded and mixed in London last year. The music mixes electronics, live instruments and orchestral arrangements.

Pet Shop Boys spoke about the creative process around the record:

“We wanted this album to be a celebration of the unique and diverse emotions that make us human. From the more dance-orientated tracks to the raw poignancy of the introspective ballads, with their beautiful string arrangements, each track tells a story and contributes to the overall narrative of the album.”

“It was great to work with James Ford, who we think has brought new elements to our music. James has dared to make us a bit more minimal at times and the final result is a record we’re very proud of.”

The last three albums, recorded with producer Stuart Price, coincided with extended bouts of touring which saw the group headline Glastonbury for the third time, as well as headlining other major music festivals across the world. The duo also toured the US in 2022 in the co-headlining Unity tour with New Order, which saw them selling out arenas including Madison Square Garden in New York and the Hollywood Bowl in LA. More dates for the Dreamworld tour have already been announced for 2024, including a headline slot at the Isle of Wight Festival this summer.

Track listing:

LONELINESS
FEEL
WHY AM I DANCING?
NEW LONDON BOY
DANCING STAR
A NEW BOHEMIA
THE SCHLAGER HIT PARADE
THE SECRET OF HAPPINESS
BULLET FOR NARCISSUS
LOVE IS THE LAW

Eighties techno-pop band Vivabeat gets the album reissue treatment

Eighties techno-pop band Vivabeat will release remastered reissues of much of their back catalog via '80s-centric label Rubellan Remasters on March 1. Founding members Marina Muhlfriedel (Marina del Rey) and Mick Muhlfriedel spearheaded the projects, showcasing a treasure trove of tape masters they found languishing in the depths of a closet.

Rubellan is releasing two separate projects simultaneously — a dramatically elevated edition of Vivabeat's debut album, Party in the War Zone, including ten bonus tracks gleaned from the years after the original release, and The House is Burning, a limited edition, purple and blue colored-vinyl, best-of package, which includes four previously unreleased songs.

“We never stopped believing in the music we made back then, and when a Vivabeat fan reached out on social media last year, urging us to connect with Rubellan Remasters’ founder Scott Davies, we did,” says Vivabeat keyboard player and vocalist Marina Muhlfriedel. “Scott was enthusiastic about working together, and seeing these projects get a second chance 40 years on is a remarkable gift.”

“After transferring the tapes to a digital format, I remixed two of the songs, one with the support of legendary producer Earle Mankey,” says bass player and lead songwriter Mick Muhlfriedel. “Then, Scott Davies' expert remastering really breathed new life into the tracks.”

Vivabeat was formed in L.A. in 1978 as a hybrid of Los Angeles and Boston musicians playing in local punk/new wave bands and was active until the mid-1980s. Marina Muhlfriedel founded the seminal LA punk/pop band Backstage Pass; drummer Doug Orilio was in Boston’s Reddy Teddy, and Mick Muhlfriedel and Alec Murphy played with various Boston bands. When he joined the band, lead singer Terrance Robay was fresh off playing James Dean on the London stage. Connie DiSilva was a prodigy synth player and radio DJ.

Their debut album, Party in the War Zone, included the group's most successful song, "Man from China" — a tune that first captured Peter Gabriel and Charisma Record's attention. Its haunting whistle hook is said to have inspired Gabriel's "Game Without Frontiers." "Man from China" quickly became an underground classic and a Top 20 80s dance hit in Europe, the U.S., and Asia.

The band continued to record, including an eponymously titled EP featuring Earle Mankey's production and former Japan/Gary Numan/Sinead O’Connor guitarist, Rob Dean. It featured the song "The House is Burning (But There's No One Home)," which appears in the movie Body Double and has recently been licensed for Amazon Prime’s new animated series, The Second Best Hospital in the Galaxy.

By 1982, Vivabeat found its footing alongside mainstream New Wave bands and spent a few years touring and playing shows with B-52s, Depeche Mode, Gang of Four, Human League, The Thompson Twins, R.E.M., Gary Numan, Wall of Voodoo, and others.

The CD and vinyl reissues serve as meaningful tributes to Terrance Robay, Connie DiSilva, and Alec Murphy, who died of AIDS, and to Doug Orilio, who succumbed to complications years after a motorcycle accident that left him as a paraplegic. Of the later members, guitarist Rob Dean, guitarist Jeff Gilbert (who also passed away), and drummer Chris Schendel figure most prominently in these recordings.

Marina is currently a writer living in Los Angeles. She occasionally performs with
a Backstage Pass reboot and hosts Our Lips Unsealed, a rock and roll storytelling show. Mick is the president of a large youth soccer non-profit, the Downtown L.A. Soccer Club, and is working on a second album with his experimental Buff Roshi project.

TRACK LISTINGS:

Party in the War Zone

1. Working for William
2. From The Bop
3. To The Heart
4. Not Dead Anymore
5. Popgirl
6. Man from China
7. Wild World
8. Enemy Fire
9. I Know Your Room
10. Jet Set
11. The House is Burning
(But There’s No One Home)
12. Tents
13. Angry Red Planet
(Previously Unreleased)
14. The Good Life
(Previously Unreleased)
15. What We Talk About
(When We Talk About Love)
(Previously Unreleased)
16. The Power of Love
(Previously Unreleased)
17. Man From China
(Alternate Version)
(Previously Unreleased)
18. On Patrol
19. Shine (Previously Unreleased)
20. Blue Guitars
(Previously Unreleased)

Vivabeat / The House is Burning: The Best of 1979-1986

Side One

1. Man From China
2. Working For William
3. The House if Burning
(But There’s No One Home)
4. Tents
5. From The Bop
6. Grey, Grey, Grey Side Two

Side Two

1. The Blue Guitars
(Previously Unreleased)
2. Angry Red planet
(Previously Unreleased)
3. What We Talk About
(When We Talk About Love)
(Previously Unreleased)
4. Henry James
5. Glisser le Rat
(Previously Unreleased)
6. The Last White Man
(Previously Unreleased)

ABOUT VIVABEAT:

Vivabeat was an LA-based techno-pop band that was active from 1978 into the mid-1980s. It is best known for being discovered and signed to its first record deal by Peter Gabriel as the initial American band on the British label Charisma Records. The band released one album on Charisma, Party in the War Zone," produced by Jeffrey Lesser. It included the band's most successful song, "Man from China." The song became a Top 20 dance hit in Europe, the US, and Asia. The band continued to record and spent several years touring and playing shows with iconic ‘80s groups like the B-52s, Depeche Mode, Gang of Four, Human League, R.E.M., The Thompson Twins, and Wall of Voodoo.

In 2001, Permanent Press Records released a best-of Vivabeat album titled The Good Life 1979 – 1986, which also featured tracks from See Jane Run, a Vivabeat spin-off band. In March 2024, Rubellan Remasters is re-releasing a remastered version of Party in the War Zone with bonus tracks and a limited-edition colored-vinyl LP, The House is Burning.

REO Speedwagon and Train team up for summer tour; both play LA's Whisky and Jimmy Kimmel Live this week

This is a cool bill; I've interviewed both bands in the past...

REO Speedwagon and Train will be joining forces for the Summer Road Trip 2024 Tour. It kicks off in July and runs through September. Yacht Rock Revue will support. Full tour routing can be found below.

To celebrate the tour, Train and REO Speedwagon will take the stage at LA’s famed Whisky a Go Go nightclub on the Sunset Strip this Thursday, February 1 for an intimate sneak preview concert that is not to be missed. Tickets for the show go on sale today at 12pm PT here.

Additionally, the bands will be stopping by Jimmy Kimmel Live! this Wednesday, January 31 for a very special collaboration, which marks their first-ever performance together on stage. Jimmy Kimmel Live! airs on ABC at 11:35p/10:35c, and is available next day on Hulu.

Of the tour, Train frontman Pat Monahan shared: “When I was younger I heard a band called REO Speedwagon and fell in love with their numerous, infectious hit songs. Years later I met Kevin Cronin, and thank goodness he’s as great a person as he is a songwriter. This tour won’t just be a great time with great people, but a tour that will have a ton of familiar songs to most generations. I will be wishing I was in the audience as much as I’ll love being on the stage.”

REO Speedwagon’s Kevin Cronin said: “Pat Monahan and I have done several benefit shows over the years, and now we get to take out our bands for a summer full of music and fun. I love the idea of bringing together people of all ages, who share a common love for well-crafted songs and high energy live performances. The REO boys are stoked about this tour.”

Citi is the official card of the Summer Road Trip 2024 Tour. As such, Citi cardmembers will have access to purchase presale tickets beginning Wednesday, January 31st at 10am local time through Citi Entertainment. For complete presale details visit citientertainment.com.

Fans can gain first access to the artist presales beginning Wednesday, January 31st at 10am local time until Thursday, February 1 at 10pm local time. Additional presales will run throughout the week ahead of the general onsale beginning Friday, February 2 at 10am local time at SaveMeSanFrancisco.com and REOSpeedwagon.com.

Tour dates:

Monday, July 8 Somerset, WI Somerset Amphitheater
Wednesday, July 10 Noblesville, IN Ruoff Music Center
Thursday, July 11 Pittsburgh, PA Stage AE ^*
Friday, July 12 Cincinnati, OH Riverbend Music Center
Saturday, July 13 Tinley Park, IL Credit Union 1 Amphitheatre
Monday, July 15 Cuyahoga Falls, OH Blossom Music Center
Tuesday, July 16 Maryland Heights, MO Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre
Wednesday, July 17 Kansas City, MO Starlight Theatre ^
Friday, July 19 Lewiston, NY Artpark ^
Saturday, July 20 Toronto, ON Budweiser Stage
Sunday, July 21 Clarkston, MI Pine Knob Music Theatre
Tuesday, July 23 Saratoga Springs, NY Broadview Stage at SPAC
Wednesday, July 24 Bethel, NY Bethel Woods Center for the Arts
Friday, July 26 Camden, NJ Freedom Mortgage Pavilion
Saturday, July 27 Wantagh, NY Northwell Health at Jones Beach Theater
Sunday, July 28 Gilford, NH BankNH Pavilion ^
Wednesday, July 31 Syracuse, NY Empower FCU Amphitheater at Lakeview
Thursday, August 1 Holmdel, NJ PNC Bank Arts Center
Saturday, August 3 Hartford, CT XFINITY Theatre
Sunday, August 4 Mansfield, MA The Xfinity Center
Tuesday, August 6 Bristow, VA Jiffy Lube Live
Wednesday, August 7 Virginia Beach, VA Veterans United Home Loans Amphitheater
Friday, August 9 Raleigh, NC Coastal Credit Union Music Park
Saturday, August 10 Charlotte, NC PNC Music Pavilion
Sunday, August 11 Wilmington, NC Live Oak Bank Pavilion ^
Friday, August 16 Pelham, AL Oak Mountain Amphitheatre ^
Saturday, August 17 Alpharetta, GA Ameris Bank Amphitheatre
Sunday, August 18 Franklin, TN FirstBank Amphitheater
Tuesday, August 20 Tampa, FL MIDFLORIDA Credit Union Amphitheatre
Wednesday, August 21 West Palm Beach, FL iTHINK Financial Amphitheatre
Thursday, August 22 Jacksonville, FL Daily’s Place ^
Friday, August 23 Orange Beach, AL The Wharf Amphitheater
Sunday, August 25 Houston, TX The Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion
Monday, August 26 Dallas, TX Dos Equis Pavilion
Wednesday, August 28 Denver, CO Fiddler’s Green Amphitheatre*
Thursday, August 29 Salt Lake City, UT Utah First Credit Amphitheatre
Saturday, August 31 Auburn, WA White River Amphitheatre
Sunday, September 1 Bend, OR Hayden Homes Amphitheater
Wednesday, September 4 Ridgefield, WA RV Inn Style Resorts Amphitheater
Friday, September 6 Wheatland, CA Toyota Amphitheatre
Saturday, September 7 Mountain View, CA Shoreline Amphitheatre
Sunday, September 8 Inglewood, CA The Kia Forum
Tuesday, September 10 Chula Vista, CA North Island Credit Union Amphitheatre
Wednesday, September 11 Phoenix, AZ Talking Stick Resort Amphitheatre

^ No REO Speedwagon
* Not a Live Nation Date

The NAMM Show '24 news: Jon McLaughlin headlines Yamaga stage

While attending The NAMM Show, catching at least one of the three outdoors Yamaha Concerts on the Grand is always highly recommended. 

Jon McLaughlin performed there on Saturday evening. Noting that he'd done two previous stints there as a guest, the Indiana singer/pianist was thankful to be the headliner.

His impressive set lasted nearly 90 minutes and included earnest pop/rock tunes that often recalled Coldplay's Chris Martin. Highlights included McLaughlin's top 30 Adult Pop radio hit "Beautiful Disaster" (from 2007), his latest single "Why it Hurts" and some Police and Billy Joel covers.

McLaughlin brought along fellow singer/songwriters Matt Wertz and 2009 "American Idol" winner Kris Allen to perform a couple songs each. The latter did his platinum-selling single 'Live Like We're Dying." The finale found them all back again for a nice group singalong of The Beatles' "Hey Jude."