WILLIE NILES WILD ASBURY NIGHT 8-22-14. The pre-show anticipation for Willie Niles Sold Out Summer 2014 show at McLoones was electric. Most seats were snapped up within the hour of going on sale with many fans shut out. The faithful gathered at the Asbury Boardwalk on a beautiful summer night as clouds started to roll in from across the Atlantic. The temperature must have dipped ten degrees as if Mother Nature was preparing for the Super Nova called Willie Nile that was about to ignite McLoones Stage. After a wonderful opening acoustic set by Bobby Mahoney and then a short break it was time for the Main Event. Willie Nile, Johnny Pisano, Matt Hogan and Alex Alexander cut a swath through a sea of Nileholics as they made their way to the stage, the excitement was palpable. Other than a festival gig the week before the band had been off the road for the past month as Willie was writing and recording (he supposedly has two new albums already in the pipeline). The stage was set, flashbulbs popping and the instruments amped and ready to go. The Buddhas opening salvo was a number nobody would have called. SING ME A SONG (from the 1980 album Willie Nile) started things off with a stunning extended epic monster jam that put the pedal to the floor on the Willie Nile Bands engine first number out. This was like an encore anybody else would have killed for getting things started. As Nile sang “Pretty babe.... sing me a verse... take me across.... the whole universe” he meant it. The band took flight under his spectacular composition and the crowd let out a deafening roar when it was over. I thought to myself three things: greatest opening number I have seen by anyone period hands down, I just got my moneys worth, and what the hell can they possibly do after that? Did they just put themselves into a pinch. Seriously? Nope. This band is too good and Willie way to smart a performer for that. The man knows what he is doing. They pushed the accelerator into the red, put their heads down and went to work putting on one of the greatest rocks shows I have ever witnessed. Second song THIS IS OUR TIME hit and they were flying by the seat of their pants and taking us all along for the flight. Willie was in rare form on this night of nights, looser than I have ever seen. He was adding in lyrics about the band during “Time”. Great fun and the crowds blood was boiling as they swarmed the stage. Next up LIFE ON BLEECKER STREET with that ultra cool bass intro by Johnny Pisano. “I meet my baby on the Bowery, in the dark on the lower east side, in a city made of stone we can finally be alone”. The band was tight and cracking on this. Kudos to Johnny on backing vocals. Alex drumming was in the pocket. I challenge anyone to find a cooler alternative rock number released in the last couple of years. After a blood hurling scream from Johnny Pisano, Willie threw a GRENADE into the Asbury night and his punk rock side made an appearance. Willie punched this punk ode to a girl who is “a hand grenade with the pin pulled out” through the roof. Johnny, Matt and Alex displayed machine gun precision. Frigging awesome! I can just imagine what a crowd at CBGBs (during its heyday) would have thought if they could hear something like this. I imagine they would have wet themselves. Then the show took on an ultra serious moment as Willie addressed the terrorist beheading of U.S. Journalist James Foley with a ferocious HOLY WAR. This hit a personal nerve and his rage and passion exploded across the stage and shook the room to its core. “**** violence, **** anger, **** you” as he segued into a thunderous rendition of the song littered with “f “ bombs and literally f yous thrown in throughout as he could not control his emotion. It was raw, it was real. “Holy War, Holy War love and kindness out the door... Holy War Holy War tears fill up the ocean floor”. Matts Hogans guitar work was astounding as Alex Alexander held down a pounding beat. HEAVEN HELP THE LONELY followed and was just the thing to bring the mood back to joy. The whole crowd sang along and pumped their fists to one of the great rock anthems ever. “I walked by the cathedral, and heard the singin of the choir singin Heaven Help Heaven Help The Lonely”. What a great moment thanks to the gift of music. Willie took to the piano for a couple numbers. First up was ACROSS THE RIVER (another from his 1980 debut) in all its majesty. “Across the river... across the bay... people starving every day... nearly naked... pale and wan... with crowds of people looking on”. Willies piano and vocals on this were touchingly beautiful. The bands accompaniment was perfect. Many in the crowd dried their eyes when it was done. LOVE IS A TRAIN followed as Willie sang with all the passion in his soul “Love is a power an unbelievable force, it can derail the human race put it right back on course” as he pounded the keys, the crowd clapped and the band took this sucker home. Amazing to behold! SHES GOT MY HEART & AMERICAN RIDE followed off the recent Independent Music Awards winning Rock Album Of The Year “American Ride”. They showcased Willie leading the band on acoustic and in full troubadour mode. The former a gorgeous love song, the later one of the great road songs ever written. “Leaving New York City with a tank of gas, got my bag and my guitar Im gonna get out fast. Going cross the border to the Jersey Shore” indeed. Back to full rock mode with the high voltage GOLDEN DOWN. Has there ever been such a beautiful ode to a lady of the night? That is the thing with Mr. Niles compositions, his pen knows no limits to who or what he will write about. He observes humanity in every corner of our world. Often times in places most people would shun or look down on he will shine a light onto the outcast and into the darkness to expose the soul. SWEET JANE was up next as the whole crowd jumped up and down and sang along to The Willie Nile Bands electric cover of the Lou Reed classic. Loved it! “Jimmy Hendrix plays all night long” in the HOUSE OF A THOUSAND GUITARS. The crowd sang every word and the throngs in front of the stage jumped up and down in unison. It was bedlam as he threw MAGDALENA on the coals to stoke the fire even further. Theres a damn good reason Little Stevens Underground Garage picked this as the Coolest Song In The World a few years back. Kicked ***! “Im a soldier marchin in an army.... Got no gun to shoot... But what I got is ONE GUITAR... I got this one guitar.... And it goes... na na na...” Pandemonium and all the Nileholics in joyful jumping jubilation singing every single word. This never gets old and is something everyone needs to experience. Rock N Roll Ecstasy! The Clashs POLICE ON MY BACK followed and could not be more appropriate since Joe Strummers birthday would have been the day before. The energy level was off the charts as the band and fans were one sweaty unit in concert with each other as this incredible night ended with a bang. Nope, Willie called an audible of GIVE ME TOMORROW and looked to the future as the crowd sang along in unison, arms around each to end a night they will never forget.... “Ive seen solid walls of fire, Ive seen smiles as cold as stone, Ive seen hatred and desire, Ive seen lonely hearts, all alone I have heard the threat of thunder I have felt the cold, cold rain Oh, but I have seen things change. Ive seen lightening in the valley Heard the howling wolf call I saw the Reaper in the alley, Writing names upon every wall I see breaks out on the levee, In a world so far beyond the strange Oh, but I have seen things change. Give me tomorrow, now now now Give me tomorrow, now now now Give me tomorrow, now now now Right now, right now Ive seen poison in the waters, Heard the crying of the sea, I have heard your sons and daughters Say, Whats to become of me, Ive seen hunger in the garden, Ive seen empty eyes full of pain, Oh, but I have seen things change. Change! Give me tomorrow, now now now Give me tomorrow, now now now Give me tomorrow, now now now Right now, right now Ive seen solid walls of fire, Ive seen smiles as cold as stone, Ive seen hatred and desire, Ive seen lonely hearts, all alone I have heard the threat of thunder I have felt the cold, cold rain Oh, but I have seen things change. Change! Give me tomorrow, now now now Give me tomorrow, now now now Give me tomorrow, now now now Right now, right now Give me tomorrow, now now now (Give me give me give me tomorrow) Give me tomorrow, now now now (Give me give me give me tomorrow) Give me tomorrow, now now now (Give me give me give me tomorrow) Right now, right now” (review courtesy of Nileholic)
Posted on: Mon, 01 Sep 2014 14:46:59 +0000
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