Let's see, here's what's on deck -

8/21 Matthew Sweet
8/22 Idina Menzel
9/9 Pink Martini
10/19 Trashcan Sinatras

I'll let you guess which ones I chose and which my wife chose.

looks like donald fagen is going to be busy this fall.

he is touring as 'donald fagen and the nightflyers" in august and september and then steely dan touring following that in october and november.

odd, very odd. and tix are about in the same price range for both.

there have been rumors of walter becker's demise, i wonder..................

Back from Aruba where we had a great time, second time on the Island and can't wait to return next year.

2 concerts this weekend, YEStival tomorrow night at a place I've never been to called the Ford Ampitheater at Coney Island with the Steve Howe version of Yes.

Then Saturday night will be alright with ABBA in Concert, a fabulous recreation of 70s ABBA at Westbury. Saw them 2 years ago and they put on a great show, all those hits and the two front women are adorable.

Picked up 2 exciting shows last week, Kings X at the Boulton Center which is nearby for this Fall and King Crimson is playing LI's Paramount Theater for one night only, that will be a gas!

So I will see Crimson three times that week (twice in NYC) with one night being the Royal Package which includes the meet n greet with front row tickets.

It doesn't help that Fagen has been cryptic, citing that Becker had a "procedure" done and is recovering. It will be interesting to see if Becker returns for the few shows they have scheduled in Europe.

I wonder if Becker passed on if Fagen would continue to use the SD name.

Tonight was a free show with Steppin Stones opening for the Outlaws. My wife had surgery yesterday, so I wasn't sure if I was going until it was about time to leave (had to make sure my son was going to be home).

Steppin Stones were the main draw for me. We saw them open for the Marshall Tucker Band at the end of June. This felt like a shorter set - about 30 minutes. It might have been cut short a bit - rain started five minutes after they started and didn't stop until about 10 minutes were left in the Outlaws' set. I was drenched. But Steppin Stones were just as good as before.

This was the second time I've seen the Outlaws - the first was in the 80s as part of a demolition derby at Three Rivers Stadium. Tonight, they opened with a 1-2 punch of "There Goes Another Love Song" and "Hurry Sundown" and kept it going until the closing punch of "Green Grass And High Tides" and "Ghost Riders In The Sky". Great guitar playing and harmonies all night long.

Saw something tonight I don't think I've ever seen before - a band member was sent back to the bus to change shirts. When Henry Paul was introducing the drummer, he asked him what happened to the Penguins Stanley Cup Champions shirt he'd been wearing earlier. He then told him to go back to the bus (which was actually just at the side of the stage) and put the shirt back on. Which happened.

Alan, I hope your wife feels better!

We had a great time at the YEStival last night in Coney Island. Turns out it's a very nice venue once you deal with the traffic from LI to Coney Island. By the time we parked and walked into the venue, Carl Palmer was finishing his half hour set with Fanfare For The Common Man but I will see him in September and on the Cruise To The Edge, so no biggie.

Next was Todd and I was very impressed, he sounded great and though his set was light on "hits", his music is always very good. Great backup band and 2 sexy singers helped further. He played for about an hour.

YES came out and we're greeted like conquering warriors opening with Survival and then Time And A Word both fantastic old songs. A trip through their catalog even included 2 songs from the under rated Tormato which I've always liked. Madrigal was very special and of course the encore of Roundabout always brings down the house!

Big props to Billy Sherwood who has filled in for Chris Squire nicely. Billy is a great guy in person.

I'm lucky that I will get to see this show once again in September at LI's Paramount theater where I can get real close to the stage and see Steve Howe in action.

I thought this venue has great sound as it's essentially a very large tent over an open space right next to the famous boardwalk so you get nice ocean breezes. The only downside is you need to sit in the right section. Since it isn't properly elevated in some sections, you end up looking around the guy in front of you or his big head. Next time I would sit in section 102 which has a better angle to the stage.

It was nice to finish the night with a walk down the boardwalk to the car passing under the famous Coney Island parachute ride which is all lit up at night.

Just looked at Todd's setlist. Not only don't I recognize most of the songs, but I don't even know the albums they come from.

Tonight ABBA In Concert a real cool tribute act that's a lot of fun. And in the perfect venue, Westbury Music Fair.

Been there once way back in the mid 70's. Nice memories where I took my Mom to see Captain & Tennille. I told you it was long ago.

Another big show announced today, Dream Theater will be at LI's Paramount Theater in November. So that venue gets 2 of the biggest progressive rock acts in the world in November with King Crimson and now Dream Theater!

Cool story on Hans!

How Movie Maestro Hans Zimmer Became a Rock God

http://www.thedailybeast.com/how-movie- ... a-rock-god

WOW - didn't even notice that. "It's Late" is killer, and was amazing at the live show!

I'll keep this brief:

DO NOT MISS - Deep Purple, Alice Cooper, and Edgar Winter.

The tour opened last night in Vegas and - WOW!

Who knows how many more chances we will have to see these legends?

Man, I go see them if they came to Florida.

Styx tonight at Jones Beach, a little fun pre-birthday event.

Also with Don Felder and REO Speedwagon.

Nice Long Island Summer evening.

Prices for this Saturday's hard rock show featuring Deep Purple/ Alice Cooper/ and Edgar Winter at Jones Beach has finally dropped to really cheap bargains. They were trying to get up to $80 a seat but now you can pick up really decent seats for $20 each.

Good things come to those who are patient so we are going to the show at a heavily discounted rate.

Big musical weekend coming up!

Steve Vai Masterclass at the Music Zoo this Thursday night. A Q&A with the maestro of the Ibanez.
Friday night its Davy Knowles at the Boulton Center.
Saturday night its Deep Purple with Alice Cooper at the beach.

I think I will take Sunday off.

Excited about meeting Steve Vai tonight at a small Q&A gathering at the Music Zoo a guitar store.

Guess who with Steve Vai, a really nice fella. He mentioned to me he saw me in the audience because we shared a laugh when some local teenager got on stage to play with him and tried to upstage him Slash style.

Vai is a local guy, grew up In Carle Place LI.

Tonight concert #2 with Davy Knowles at the Boulton Center in Bayshore LI.