Sheryl Crow at The Mountain Winery

I took Candice to see Sheryl Crow at the Mountain Winery in Saratoga last week. I wasn't sure what to expect, but it was a really great show! She's backed now by a 10-person band, including two horn players, two backup singers, two drummers, two guitarists and a bass player, and they all put on a great show. We had awesome seats in the 7th row, which cost a small fortune, but it was totally worth it because Candice enjoyed it so much.

We had dinner on the Chateau Deck beforehand and sampled lots of their wine. All in all, a lovely concert experience!

The Dead

Bought tickets for The Dead at Shoreline tonight. Fourteen years later, I never thought I'd be saying that! Of course, it's not the Grateful Dead, with Jerry Garcia at the helm, but I expect they'll be able to evoke him, if not invoke him.

Going with m'pards Jay, Kelly, and Bob. Once more into the breach, dear friends, once more!

Hopefully, the aforementioned doomsday fears won't materialize. Ish....

Eno

I love Brian Eno's music. I have from the first time I heard "Apollo: Atmospheres and Soundtracks" back in the early 80's. Then I heard "Another Green World" and knew that he was a genius. He was ambient decades before anyone else. And can carve a pop hook with the best of them, as his collaboration with John Cale, "Wrong Way Up," shows. Enigmatic, haunting, intense, sparse and yet dense...these are some of the words I would use to describe Eno's music.

Yes

The band with the shortest name, but the most complex music, spinning prog-rock jams of epic proportions: John Anderson's spacey, soaring vocals over virtuoso rock instrumentation. Not to everyone's taste, but one of the best at what they do.

The Decemberists

Wonderful band from Portland OR, with songs that tell great stories. Generally classified as "Indie" or "Alternative", but with their own unique style that evokes Jethro Tull and Steeleye Span. Their songs often have historical settings.

Their latest album, The Crane Wife, is really amazing.

Ken Peel

Just heard "Ashes and Snow" from Ken Peel's self-proclaimed lounge electronica album, "Marginal."  Very nice indeed.  On Groove Salad internet radio, an old favorite.