Bob Dietrich

The date is April 20. 2017. Two days earlier Snoop Dogg and company blazed through San Diego in their classic gangsta style, and like magicians, poof, they were gone in a cloud of smoke. Two days later,little Wayne and his entourage appear from that cloud of smoke to deliver a hard-core rap concert for the ages.

Lil Wayne fans were coming out of the woodwork to see this rap artist,and they endured long lines at the concession stands as they prepped for the rapper to emerge. Lil Wayne stepped on the stage to a full house at San Diego State’s open air amphitheater, Puffing a cigar which he managed to keep lit for his entire performance.And the crowd was high with excitement and bouncing off the walls as Lil Wayne delivered his best stuff. He performed such hits as Down, Lollipop and Let It Rock. The end of the concert featured Lil Wayne’s entourage who joined him for an encore at the end.

As Lil Wayne said, “We’re going through some tough times right now, but just ya’ll being here makes it all worth it.”

Lil Wayne loves his fans, and his fans love him back.

By Bob Dietrich

The year was 1994. Grunge was becoming passé and teenagers like myself began looking for a new outlet to vent our frustrations. Then out of nowhere, and no pun intended, the album “Dookie” from Green Day dropped on Middle Class American Youth. With hits like “Longview”, “Basket Case”, and “When I Come Around” suddenly the youth of America found what we were searching for. Green Day became household names from those hits and became radio and MTV regulars. That year they made a surprise stop at Woodstock 94’ and is remembered for the infamous mud fight that they helped ensued. To think that after twenty three years of playing together and starting families, that this trio would settle down. That this band of punks would lose their edge. Far from it.

Green Day invaded Wells Fargo Arena on Monday April 3, 2017, and just like all their other shows, were impressive. The opening band, Against Me, was good, but I was excited like everyone else to see Green Day. For me, I did not know how I would take it? Would these guys get me moving? Would I still feel the same way that I did at age nineteen listening to these guys in my room? Would they still rock? The answer to all these questions is HECK YEAH! A man in a bunny suit who is rumored to be the drummer Tre Cool was first up getting the crowd railed up. Then the curtain dropped and Billie Joe and Mike Dirnt came on stage, with Tre Cool joining his bandmates. They started the set with a song entitled “Know Your Enemy”, and that was that. A young fan is onstage with the band and just like I remember from the 90’s stage dives into the crowd.

“Tonight brothers and sisters, tonight is about having a…..great time,” Billie Joe said to the audience. “It’s about humanity. No more lies. No more conspiracies. No more corruption. We’ll all have each other’s back in Iowa.” I have to add to this. For the 3 hour plus set, and yes I said 3 hours, I had a smile on my face. And so did everyone in attendance! Bob and I bumped into a girl who attended the Green Day show in Los Angeles and her enthusiasm was contagious. The show was exciting and I thought, if we acted like this on a regular basis, maybe the world would be OK. Instead of worrying about our health, finances, mortgages and an endless cycle of debt. Green Day took me back in time to where I had no worries. “Singing together and dancing together that’s what we should be doing.” Armstrong tells the excited fans. “I don’t want to talk about war. I want to talk about love and singing and dancing.” Maybe they should be ambassadors of peace.

Green Day is mainly known for getting in touch with their fans, and this evening was not exception. They brought young musicians on stage to perform to play drums and lead guitar for their classic song “Knowledge.” Seeing these kids playing with the band added to the fun that helps me to believe that anything is possible. Since Green Day has been playing together for nearly 30 years, they have added musicians to their traveling circus. An accordion/piano player, a guy on saxophone, and a rhythm guitar player are now in the mix. However, these are recent editions. They were not part of the band in the 90’s which I feel was their heyday. They even played one of my favorite songs, “She”. That song and “Welcome to Paradise” were staples in a punk cover band that I used to perform with. Warm memories flooded my mind and Billie Joe closed the show with the second encore by performing on acoustic “Good Riddance (Time of Your Life)” and the three band members all took a bow with smiles on their faces. I too had a smile on my face and was so happy that I had the privilege of attending a fantastic show that helped bring me back to my youth. Thank you Green Day, thank you.

By Brian Webb and Bob Dietrich

Brian Webb is a freelance author with a just released e-book entitled “Chasing the Miracle”, documenting his journey around the country during the Great Recession. The book is an e-book of cell phone pictures as he began discovering things within this country and within himself. You can purchase the e-book on the Amazon link below. He currently resides in Des Moines, Iowa.
https://www.amazon.com/Brian-Webb/e/B06XWD7P9S/ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_1?qid=1491489534&sr=8-1http://mybruisedbrain.com/because-i-can/ http://thisibelieve.org/essay/50569/

Valley View Casino Center, San Diego, CA

On March 5, 2017 the Red Hot Chili Peppers were scheduled to perform at the Valley View Casino Center in San Diego. This same evening Bon Jovi was also scheduled to perform at the Viejas Arena at SDSU. This kind of “double booking” was a highly unusual event for the city of San Diego, and it left many fans having to choose between the two groups.

As fate would have it, RHCP lead singer Anthony Kiedis came down with the flu and the Chili Peppers had to cancel several tour dates. Normally this would have been bad news, but for some fans it was great because it allowed them to see Bon Jovi as scheduled, and the Red Hot Chili Peppers at a later date, provided they rescheduled.

About 1 week after the cancellation, the promoters announced the rescheduled date of March 21, providing a perfect storm for fans of both bands.

Believe it or not, tickets for the Chili Peppers were still available the day of the concert, as the promoters opened up some extra sections for last minute fans. It was also scheduled to rain that night, but the rain never came and the stage was set for a real rager!

The crowd was ready to rock as the Chilis stepped out on stage and opened with a medley they call their “Intro Jam.” After a few songs Flea, who seemed to the the spokesman for the band, gave a big hello to San Diego and talked about how much he loved coming here. “I love your city San Diego! There’s so much to do here. I especially love surfing in PB.” Then Flea gave a shout out to the troops stationed here in San Diego as they started to play The Zephyr Song.

The Chili Peppers only played 18 songs with one encore, but the crowd seemed satisfied as they rushed the stage, cheered on the band and beckoned their encore. The band finished their set with Goodbye Angels and Give It Away as they concluded a high energy evening, and once again the Red Hot Chili Peppers demonstrated why they sell out arenas in every city the visit.

By Bob Dietrich

March 18, 2017 San Diego, CA

On the day of their five thousandth show, March 18th, 2017, the Mayor’s Office in the city of San Diego declared it “National Comedy Theatre Day.” For almost 2 decades, the National Comedy Theatre has been the premiere place San Diegans go to watch improv comedy and take improv classes. It is the home of the longest running show in San Diego’s history and it’s “Sunday Company” (a group of performers who perform on – you guessed it – Sundays) is the second longest running show in San Diego.

To celebrate their milestone, there was a reception before Saturday night’s show where there was live music, wine & cheese, and a photobooth. The show had sold out a few days before and the crowd was excited to spend time with the cast. For their part, the cast took photos together, talked to the crowd, and had a great time. Then, an assistant to the mayor (who is also on the Sunday Company) presented the founder, Gary Kramer, with a framed proclamation of “National Comedy Theatre Day.”

Then the doors opened and the crowd flowed in for the five thousandth time. But it was a different crowd and as the ref came on stage to warm up the crowd, he asked them who was visiting for the first time and only six people raised their hands. It was a crowd filled with NCT family and fans. There were a few of us in the audience who were even alumni of the improv classes who had found our way onto one of NCT’s house teams (full disclosure: I just made a team but haven’t performed with them yet).

After about a hundred minutes of non-stop laughter, instead of preparing for another performance, the Mainstage cast went to a nearby wine bar, 57 Degrees, to cut cake and party with cast members old and new as well as family and friends. It was a great way to celebrate such a significant milestone and a great opportunity for the fans to ask all about improv.

What makes an NCT improv performance so amazing is that the audience understands that they’re seeing something made up on the spot and that everything that happens will never happen again. The theatre sits 103 audience members so it’s large enough that the crowd makes a lot of noise but the farthest seat is about 25 feet away so it’s intimate no matter where you sit. For their Friday and Saturday night shows, tickets are $18 (or $14 for military, students, and seniors with ID). Get tickets and more information on all of their shows and classes at nationalcomedy.com.

They also have locations in Arizona and New York and they’re willing to travel to wherever you are. They’ve been around since 1999 and if their current success is any indication, they’ll be here for another five thousand shows.

By Chris Hammell and Bob Dietrich

The Forum, Inglewood CA

Bon Jovi was one of the biggest acts of the 1980s, and you really haven’t seen much of them since then, until recently. Jon Bon Jovi has appeared on several commercials, as if he were hinting that he might be mounting a comeback. I traveled all the way to The Forum in Inglewood to capture this
moment with John Bon Jovi. The crowd was electric and eclectic as I entered the infamous Forum. I expected this to be a real cougar convention, but I was shocked by the diversity of people in attendance. You had single moms there with their children, couples young and old, and every range in between.

As the opening band blared in the background, it seemed as though their purpose was to give people time to wait in the long lines for their food and alcohol. Although they sounded very good, I can’t tell you their name, but they served as a worthy placeholder as almost everyone was in the vending corridor gearing up for the concert. The break between bands seemed exceeding long. Probably because this event was on a Wednesday night. Most people were coming from work, and promoters were likely allowing people time to get dinner and drinks before John Bon Jovi started his 24 song set.

Bon Jovi kicked off this epic evening with his new song This House is Not For Sale, and the crowd went crazy as he transitioned into his legendary hit You Give Love A Bad Name. Jon Bon Jovi is a true professional, and knows how to work a full arena. He kept people engaged, even through his new songs, which is very hard to do. Bon Jovi sounded like their original selves, and didn’t miss a beat, and although a third of their songs were new, everyone was on their feet having a great time! At the end of the concert, Bon Jovi performed two separate encores, wrapping everything up with Wanted Dead or Alive, and Livin’ on a Prayer. When it was all over the crowd’s cheer kept Jon and the band on stage. The crowd just didn’t want the night to end, and they wouldn’t let them go.

This was a fun rock concert in true 80’s style. People were dressed up in 80 garb, the crowd rushed the stage, and Jon Bon Jovi was moving like he was 25 again. This blast from the past is already the highlight of this young 2017 concert season.

By Bob Dietrich

Stevie Nicks is touring with The Pretenders this year, and you might think Stevie Nicks would be the hot item on this ticket. But after watching Crissie Hynde and the Pretenders rock out for about an hour, I have to say they are as fun and exciting as any throwback rock group I’ve seen.

The Pretenders played like they were still in their 20’s, playing such hits as Talk of the Town, Middle of the Road, and Brass In Pocket. They really rocked the house, and the audience, which was about 65% female, responded with huge cheers.

The audience was an interesting group. You had everything from 70’s Rockers, to 80’s Madonna Wannabes, to Wicca Princesses. The audience was fun and full of energy, especially after The Pretenders got them so pumped.

At the break everyone was buzzing. It was a delicious feast for people watchers. After what seemed to be a long break, the lights went out and Stevie’s band took the stage one by one. Once the band was in position, Stevie strolled out from the back center of the stage, and the crowd jump to their feet with a gracious applause.

She was wearing her traditional black scarf that her mother gave her years ago. She later told a fun story about how her mom gave her the scarf years ago, and how it has stood the test of time.

She opened the show with two of her solo songs before she invited Crissie Hynde on the stage with her to sing the duet Stop Dragging My Heart Around.

I wasn’t sure if she do many Fleetwood Mac songs, but about five songs in she sang Gypsy, and I knew she was going to sing all her hits.

Stevie has a lot of ballads, so this was not the regular “stand and dance” type of concert. A lot of people were sitting through out, listening to the beautiful ballads Stevie is so well known for.

She drew her show to a close with her Fleetwood Mac hit Golddust Woman and her solo hit Edge of Seventeen, And then, after a bit of a wait, she returned for an encore to close out the show with her Fleetwood Mac hits Rhiannon and Landslide.

Stevie Nicks enjoys performing by adding narratives between her songs. Because she has so many rich stories to tell, this really gives the show a unique feel. It’s kind of like taking a joy ride through time in the life of a rockstar in the 60s 70s and 80s.

In the back of my mind I remember the stories a friend of mine used to tell me about seeing Stevie Nicks at parties in the 70s with other celebrities. He said “I never seen anyone do so much cocaine in my life.” LOL. As you can guess, she didn’t talk about that. But she is a rockstar and lived a rockstar lifestyle. So what would you expect?

It’s always fun seeing the legend perform, and Stevie Nicks is truly a rock legend. I feel blessed to be able to still see people like Stevie Nicks and Crissie Hynde perform. I have to say they both have still got it!

Stevie Nicks is touring with The Pretenders this year, and you might think Stevie Nicks would be the hot item on this ticket. But after watching Crissie Hynde and the Pretenders rock out for about an hour, I have to say they are as fun and exciting as any throwback rock group I’ve seen.

The Pretenders played like they were still in their 20’s, playing such hits as Talk of the Town, Middle of the Road, and Brass In Pocket. They really rocked the house, and the audience, which was about 65% female, responded with huge cheers.

The audience was an interesting group. You had everything from 70’s Rockers, to 80’s Madonna Wannabes, to Wicca Princesses. The audience was fun and full of energy, especially after The Pretenders got them so pumped.

At the break everyone was buzzing. It was a delicious feast for people watchers. After what seemed to be a long break, the lights went out and Stevie’s band took the stage one by one. Once the band was in position, Stevie strolled out from the back center of the stage, and the crowd jump to their feet with a gracious applause.

She was wearing her traditional black scarf that her mother gave her years ago. She later told a fun story about how her mom gave her the scarf years ago, and how it has stood the test of time.

She opened the show with two of her solo songs before she invited Crissie Hynde on the stage with her to sing the duet Stop Dragging My Heart Around.

I wasn’t sure if she do many Fleetwood Mac songs, but about five songs in she sang Gypsy, and I knew she was going to sing all her hits.

Stevie has a lot of ballads, so this was not the regular “stand and dance” type of concert. A lot of people were sitting through out, listening to the beautiful ballads Stevie is so well known for.

She drew her show to a close with her Fleetwood Mac hit Golddust Woman and her solo hit Edge of Seventeen, And then, after a bit of a wait, she returned for an encore to close out the show with her Fleetwood Mac hits Rhiannon and Landslide.

Stevie Nicks enjoys performing by adding narratives between her songs. Because she has so many rich stories to tell, this really gives the show a unique feel. It’s kind of like taking a joy ride through time in the life of a rockstar in the 60s 70s and 80s.

In the back of my mind I remember the stories a friend of mine used to tell me about seeing Stevie Nicks at parties in the 70s with other celebrities. He said “I never seen anyone do so much cocaine in my life.” LOL. As you can guess, she didn’t talk about that. But she is a rockstar and lived a rockstar lifestyle. So what would you expect?

It’s always fun seeing the legend perform, and Stevie Nicks is truly a rock legend. I feel blessed to be able to still see people like Stevie Nicks and Crissie Hynde perform. I have to say they both have still got it!

By Bob Dietrich

I attended the Spend The Night With Billy Crystal show on Thursday, February 16th at Symphony Hall in downtown San Diego California.

This unique performance was set in an interview format, as essentially a retrospective on the five-decade career of comedian Billy Crystal.

Mr. Crystal was accompanied by actress/comedian Bonnie Hunt who served as the interviewer for this unique performance format.

I found the format, as well as the show itself to be quite entertaining, as it included lots of storytelling interspersed with bits of stand up, as well as a plethora of film clips from crystals remarkable career.

The format, which included Mr. Crystal and Ms. Hunt seated on stage in a pair of chairs that one might find in ones living room, made the audience feel like they were invited guests. This intimate feel to the evening was greatly enhanced by the numerous behind the scenes stories related by Crystal that were both touching and hilarious.

Moreover, during the 2 1/4 hour performance, the conversation ranged from crystals earliest attempts at standup, to his role on the sitcom Soap, to Saturday night live, to his feature films, to finally his 9 times hosting the Academy Awards.

However, it was his descriptions of the genuinely private moments with icons such as Muhammad Ali, Sammy Davis Junior, and the late Robin Williams that made this performance very unique and very memorable. Billy Crystal fans will definitely love “Spend The Night With Billy Crystal” as it is a great stroll down memory lane with one of the finest comedians of the last 50 years.

Click here for a full list of upcoming performances http://www.livenation.com/artists/151413/billy-crystal

By Bob Dietrich and Calvin Goetz

The rock band Chicago performed at Pechanga Casino on February 3, 2017. The show featured three of the founding members of this group, Robert Lamm, Lee Loughnane, and James Pankow. While the fourth original band member, Walter Parazaider, was not present.

However the band itself certainly hasn’t missed a beat, with all of the current members sounding like a finely tuned machine.

The show was unique in that Chicago performed as a solo act, and delivered two hours plus of their bounty of hits. The group, which has been performing live every single year since his formation in February 1967, certainly showed that they still love to perform. And that’s right, Chicago is the celebrating 50 years of performing its unique blend of rock and jazz, or as Walter Parazaider once described the group as “a good little rock band with horns”.

And even though the most well-known member of the group, Peter Cetera, has not performed with the band in 30 years, on this evening the group definitely did not disappoint the sold-out audience at the Pechanga Casino.

Chicago started out the evening by playing many of their early hits, such as Does Anybody Really Know What Time It Is, Color My World, Beginning’s, and Saturday In The Park. The audience seemed to genuinely enjoy each of the group’s hits, and roared their approval throughout the evening. The concert rocked continuously without a break for more than two hours, with the group displaying great energy and enthusiasm for their music.

Chicago capped off their performance with a three song encore highlighted by their classic hit “25 or 6 to 4”. Lastly, the members of the band came back on stage and appeared in their trademark chorus line lineup, as the crowd showered the members with a standing ovation.

Yes, even after 50 years of live shows, Chicago remains “a great little rock band with horns”!

By Calvin Goetz and Bob Dietrich

Unless you’ve been living in a cave you’ve at least heard of Amy Schumer. And what you’ve heard is true – she is funny, fearless, and as vulgar as you think she is. So when my friends and I heard she was performing at the Valley View Casino Center in my hometown of San Diego on December 3rd, we purchased our tickets immediately.

We arrived during the opening act. I’m an avid listener of Pandora’s comedy channels and recognized the comedian immediately (though I can’t recall his name now) because he was doing a routine I’d heard. He was great on Pandora and even better in person. I wish I’d caught his entire act.

Next, of course, came Amy Schumer. The stage was raised about 10 feet off the floor so she was easier for the audience to see. Her set was a smart combination of the sexual observations she’s known for mixed with some ‘slice of life’ bits concerning some of the celebrities she’s had run ins with since conquering the comedy world. And of course she did the anti-Trump material that made some of the audience at one of her shows leave. Fortunately California isn’t just a blue state, it’s pretty tolerant of different opinions.

I have performed stand up comedy locally, one show featured Dat Phan, the first winner of “Last Comic Standing” but that doesn’t give me any special insight into the hard work and dedication necessary to get to Amy Schumer’s level. I does give me insight into who comedians are though: they’re self aware storytellers. Over a year prior to the performance, there was a shooting at her film “Trainwreck” that deeply affected her. Two of her fans were killed in that shooting and she immediately educated herself on both sides of the gun control debate, joining her cousin, Senator Chuck Schumer, as an advocate for gun control.

She did a bit that covered some of the insane gun control laws that exist. The more we laughed the more I wondered who created these odd laws.
The staff of Valley View Casino Center were very quick to shut people down who were trying to video the event. Maybe it was because of this vigilance at her shows that Amy seemed at ease with the audience… though it was probably her hundreds of performances that we can credit that to. Either way, a good comedian makes the jokes seem like a conversation between the performer and the audience so I’m not sure how much was off the cuff and how much was planned but it seemed like a blending of the two. In any case, she’s got plenty of material for her new stand-up special, “The Leather Special” on Netflix. As of this writing, the premiere of that special is in two days but I’ve no doubt I’ll be treated to familiar material.

Amy Schumer’s performance was full of the sexual talk I was prepared for. What I wasn’t prepared for was her well-informed and hilarious take on gun control. She’s using her humor to bring awareness to a serious issue and talk about her sex life. It was an event worth attending and I hope you’ll get to see her when she comes through your city.

By Chris Hammell and Bob Dietrich

The warm wind was blowing as we stepped out of the car at Marango casino for Buckcherry’s solo performance on this final day of September 2016. You could feel something was in the air and as we walked into the venue it’s circular shape really lent itself to and intimate concert setting.

The signature Buckcherry drum set was already set up on the stage, and as a roadie came out in tune the guitar is the crowd chatter increase in volume and excitement begin to feel the air.

Buckcherry always draws in an interesting and dynamic crowd, and tonight was no different. Tattoos, colored hair and suicide girls filled this venue as Josh The warm wind was blowing as we stepped out of the car at Marango casino for Buckcherry’s solo performance on this final day of September 2016. You could feel something was in the air and as we walked into the venue it’s circular shape really lent itself to and intimate concert setting.

The signature Buckcherry drum set was already set up on the stage, and as a roadie came out in tune the guitar is the crowd chatter increase in volume and excitement begin to feel the air.

Buckcherry always draws in an interesting and dynamic crowd, and tonight was no different. Tattoos, colored hair and suicide girls filled this venue as Josh Todd walked out onto the stage with his bandmates. Josh Todd’s raspy and spectacular rock voice begin with their song Sunshine as he warmed up the crowd. Josh supported his signature style; long pants with a jacket and no shirt, later shedding the jacket to reveal his multiple tattoos for the second half of the show as per usual.

Buckcherry is one of the last remaining rock bands of this genre. They bring a level of passion that keep them on the doorstep of being a huge rock band. Remaining true to the sex drugs and rock ‘n’ roll mantra, Josh Todd flirted hard with the audience throughout the entire set. His raw sexuality set the tone for the finale which included Crazy Bitch, Lit, and Too Drunk…

His rendition of Sorry was heart felt, so much so Josh said it gave him chills. Men and women alike were singing along with this classic rock ballad, which reminded me of the first time I heard the song several years ago on a long solo drive from Albuquerque to San Diego. For me it was an instant classic and I still ponder the circumstances that inspired the words and melody.

Keith Nelson, Xavier Muriel and Stevie D crushed it as this hard charging band rocked the crowd. The guitar solos were outstanding as you would expect from a professionals like Buckcherry.

The only thing this experience was lacking more was time. I would have love to see an opening band lead off the concert and warm up the crowd first. Buckcherry is such a fun experience, they could’ve played for another two hours as far as I was concerned.

Maybe next time they grant us an interview so they can say a few words to their fans and the troops, the amazing men and women that love their style of rock.

So keep a fresh eye out for this hard charging band. These guys are just plain fun in the classic sex, drugs and Rock ‘n’ roll style. Check them out at Buckcherry.com and I’ll see you at the next concert.