Seth Saith

My 100 All-Time Favorite Artists of Popular Music - 2020 Edition

noreply@blogger.com (Seth Arkin) — Sun, 22 Nov 2020 20:53:00 +0000

Theoretically I should've published this back in July; it's not like I didn't have the time.

It's the latest iteration of a list I first created in 2005 and updated in 2010 and 2015--in July or early August.

I can't really cite good justification for having skipped it until now, but in being not only a fan of recorded music but also--typically rather prolifically--live concerts, there is a certain wistfulness, perhaps even ruefulness, in citing so many great artists whose tour plans have been shelved until who knows when (if they're even still with us.)

I expect absolutely no one to agree with this list, and not just because I've never fully agreed with ANY list (that's really not the point of list making).

But this is MY list. Of MY favorites.

I'm not saying these are the best, or should be your favorites. And quite knowingly, with a foremost affinity for guitar-driven rock, this doesn't cover a vast idiomatic range even within the constructs of "popular music."

I certainly like, would've considered eligible and may have included some acts representing blues, country, folk, soul, R&B, pure pop, Motown, disco, rap, hip hop, funk and other popular musical styles. (And jazz, classical, opera and very much so Broadway, though it's beyond the purview here.)

So my choices--and rankings--come with no insistence or preaching, but also no apologies. Keep in mind, too, that while I did take the sequencing seriously, in some ways it's kind of arbitrary and could easily change day to day, if not year to year.

Some who look at the past lists will see that R.E.M.--while still in the Top 10--has slid somewhat, but I really can't say I like them any less than before. But perhaps their retirement has prompted me just feel like I like other legends a bit more.

Perhaps, sadly, death helps as well, as David Bowie made my Top 10 for the first time and Prince jumped from #84 in 2015 to #36 now.

But great concerts also factor in, and helps explain why Depeche Mode has jumped nearly 50 spots.

As in 2015, I've generally opted to include solo acts who derived from major bands as part of the band's entry, whether in auxiliary (e.g. The Beatles + the members' solo careers) or joint (Black Sabbath/Ozzy Osbourne) fashion. But where this really didn't make sense (Nirvana and Foo Fighters), I listed them separately.

It certainly isn't perfect, but especially in this crazy year, just go with it.

My 100 All-Time Favorite Artists of Popular Music - 2020

1. Bruce Springsteen
2. The Beatles (+ solo, Wings)
3. Led Zeppelin (+ Robert Plant)
4. Nirvana
5. The Rolling Stones
6. The Who
7. U2
8. David Bowie
9. R.E.M.
10. The Kinks (+ Ray Davies)

11. Pearl Jam

12. The Jam (+ Paul Weller)

13. The Smashing Pumpkins (+ Zwan, Billy Corgan)

14. Midnight Oil

15. AC/DC

16. The Clash

17. The Replacements (+ Paul Westerberg)

18. The Ramones

19. Jimi Hendrix

20. Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers

21. Cheap Trick

22. Neil Young (+ CSNY, Buffalo Springfield)

23. Rush

24. Queen

25. Van Halen

26. Depeche Mode

27. Bob Seger

28. Elvis Costello

29. Bob Dylan

30. Arcade Fire

31. Hüsker Dü/Bob Mould/Sugar

32. Soundgarden

33. Blur

34. Radiohead

35. Dinosaur Jr.

36. Prince

37. Talking Heads (+ David Byrne)

38. Pink Floyd

39. Guns 'N Roses

40. Green Day

41. Foo Fighters

42. Elton John

43. Steely Dan

44. Warren Zevon

45. The Killers

46. Stevie Wonder

47. The Wildhearts

48. Stereophonics

49. The Police

50. Aerosmith

51. Black Sabbath/Ozzy Osbourne

52. Creedence Clearwater Revival (+ John Fogerty)

53. Johnny Cash

54. Simon & Garfunkel (+ Paul Simon)

55. Eric Clapton/Cream/Derek & the Dominoes/Yardbirds

56. Fleetwood Mac

57. Willie Nile

58. The Waterboys

59. Peter Gabriel/(early) Genesis

60. Billy Joel

61. John Mellencamp

62. The Zombies

63. The Cure

64. Maxïmo Park

65. Garbage

66. Buddy Guy

67. Electric Light Orchestra

68. Jackson Browne

69. Metallica

70. Wilco

71. Van Morrison (+ Them)

72. Bob Marley

73. System of a Down

74. Smoking Popes

75. Blondie

76. Liz Phair

77. Elvis Presley

78. The Cars

79. The Doors

80. Beach Boys

81. Santana

82. Stevie Ray Vaughan

83. The Byrds

84. Stone Temple Pilots

85. Bee Gees

86. Leonard Cohen

87. White Stripes/Jack White

88. The Pretenders

89. Coldplay

90. Buddy Holly

91. Manic Street Preachers

92. The Supremes/Diana Ross

93. Nine Inch Nails

94. Velvet Underground/Lou Reed

95. Sex Pistols

96. Aretha Franklin

97. Smokey Robinson/The Miracles

98. Ash

99. Alejandro Escovedo

100. Dire Straits

The Next 30

Material Issue

Boston

Chuck Berry

Red Hot Chili Peppers

Taylor Swift

Beck

The Flaming Lips

Rod Stewart/The Faces/Jeff Beck Group

Love

Kiss

BoDeans

Social Distortion

Eagles

Def Leppard

Sly & the Family Stone

ZZ Top

Pulp

Weezer

Adele

The Monkees

Alice Cooper

The Struts

The Pixies

Supertramp

Oasis

The Tragically Hip

Roxy Music/Bryan Ferry

Rage Against the Machine (+ Tom Morello)

Graham Parker

The Bangles

All the Madness, for Now

noreply@blogger.com (Seth Arkin) — Sun, 01 Nov 2020 19:36:00 +0000

The latest...and all the rest to date:

Uh, Just Some More Madness

noreply@blogger.com (Seth Arkin) — Wed, 09 Sep 2020 19:58:00 +0000

I actually had been working on a blog post, with words and stuff, but it's kinda been forestalled. So to keep you up to date, here are the additional Madness tournaments I've coordinated on Facebook:

And just now underway:

The Madness Just Won't Stop

noreply@blogger.com (Seth Arkin) — Mon, 03 Aug 2020 18:56:00 +0000

To date, on Facebook, I've created and overseen a dozen "Madness" tournaments, à la the NCAA Basketball Tournament known as March Madness. I actually started them in March as something of a substitute for the frenzy.

Several past posts have shown previous tourneys, but here are the latest three, now completed.

The Remarkable Alternate Universe of Emitt Rhodes (1950-2020)

noreply@blogger.com (Seth Arkin) — Sun, 26 Jul 2020 19:55:00 +0000

On April 17, 1970, Paul McCartney--having a week prior announced his departure from the Beatles and essentially, to the public, breaking up the best rock band ever--released his first solo album, titled simply McCartney.

I was only 18 months old at the time, so can only imagine the hubbub of "PAUL QUITS THE BEATLES" headlines coming amidst contentious scheduling conflicts with the release of not only the last official Beatles' album, Let It Be, but also Ringo Starr's solo debut, Sentimental Journey.

Stung by John Lennon's private departure from the Beatles the previous fall, it was a rather audacious move for the 27-year-old McCartney, who was for 7+ years officially half of rock's greatest songwriting duo--although in the Beatles' latter years he and John largely wrote separately.

Paul would record the McCartney album at home and, excepting some minor contributions from his wife, Linda, played all the instruments on it.

McCartney

Though McCartney sold well--going to #1 in America before ceding that spot to Let It Be--and contained some gems ("Maybe I'm Amazed," "Every Night," "That Would Be Something"), it was far from a masterpiece filled with the type of ear candy brilliance Paul regularly wrote with the Beatles.

By the end of 1970, George Harrison (All Things Must Pass) and John Lennon (Plastic Ono Band) would release solo albums that were--subjectively, though in the minds of many--superior to McCartney.

So too would a handsome 20-year-old, who had left behind a band he fronted, The Merry-Go-Round, and within his parents' home in Hawthorne--the same SoCal burg that birthed the Beach Boys and their transcendent songwriter, Brian Wilson--played all the instruments on what would be his official, self-titled debut album:

Emitt Rhodes

Now, certainly, we can agree that Paul McCartney was--and remains--an insanely great pop songwriter, possibly the best ever.

And we might also agree that, while it has its moments, his 1970 solo debut album is lesser than releases that year by not only John Lennon, George Harrison and The Beatles but also Van Morrison (Moondance), Neil Young (After the Gold Rush), Derek & the Dominoes (Layla and Assorted Other Loves Songs), Creedence Clearwater Revival (Cosmo's Factory), The Kinks (Lola Versus Powerman), Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young (Déjà Vu), Simon & Garfunkel (Bridge Over Troubled Water), James Taylor (Sweet Baby James), Randy Newman (12 Songs), Elton John (Tumbleweed Connection), David Bowie (The Man Who Sold the World), Led Zeppelin (III) and likely records by Black Sabbath, Deep Purple, Pink Floyd, Traffic and many more.

So, hey, no one bats 1000.

But take a listen to this; a prime cut from Emitt Rhodes called "Fresh as a Daisy:"

Doesn't it sound McCartneyesque?

And if you're intrigued, take a listen to Rhodes' entire solo album, which I culled from a longer retrospective on Spotify.

Now, to be clear, regardless of the "Paul is Dead" rumor that surfaced a few years prior and which I enjoyed exploring about a decade later, I'm in no way suggesting that Paul McCartney was Emitt Rhodes, or ever recorded in his name. (Or vice-versa.)

Nor am I saying that, in the whole scheme of things, Emitt Rhodes was as anywhere near as great or important a musician as Paul McCartney.

That would just be stupid.

But maybe I'm amazed that in the year Macca (McCartney's nickname) officially ended the Beatles in order to put out his solo debut on the day he wanted, a little-known musician--Emitt Rhodes did go to #29 on the Billboard charts so wasn't completely ignored--who sounded rather similar released a solo debut album that was even better.

I don't know if its apt to use the term "alternate universe" or "alternate reality" or "crazy coincidence" or "unknown treasure" or "hidden genius," but I'm fairly certain that there are insanely gifted people living among us whose talents will barely be known.

In this, I'm not referencing--necessarily--supremely talented co-workers whose true gifts are never tapped (nor even much shared) while toiling in mundane jobs, though I've known many.

And though I don't rule out the possibility, I've yet to see evidence of X-Men type mutants, or unrevealed superheroes.

But I swear a college friend of mine who never played organized prep sports could throw a baseball 90 MPH, serve a tennis ball at 120 MPH and hurl a football 80 yards on a rope. I'm sure he's not the only one.

Once I attended a party where talented musicians were jamming, then one dude showed up in a well-worn Honda Civic and routinely tossed out guitar solos that sounded every bit as good as prime Clapton.

And I have to assume that there are professional or Olympic-caliber athletes who perhaps don't even know their own talents, and/or will never be "discovered."

So Emitt Rhodes, who passed away on July 19 at the age of 70, just fascinates the fuck out of me.

Oddly, news of his death reminded me that I had once heard of Rhodes and his unlikely brilliance, but then forgot about him.

Having worked in creative environments for much of my career, frequently on a short-term, freelance basis, I've had the pleasure of knowing many skilled musicians, painters, filmmakers, comedians, actors, authors, etc., etc., who had other day jobs.

At one stop, where I actually wound up twice, I got to know a guy named Todd, a copywriter by day and also a singer/songwriter under the guise of Hop on Pop, with which he's made a few albums. (At the linked Bandcamp page, check out "Here" from the Chicken on a Bicycle album, among other fine tunes.)

Todd is also probably the best-versed musicologist I know, at least in rock realms.

Over lunch one day, during a gig that for me last 2 weeks, Todd told me about Emitt Rhodes and his brilliant first album. He may have even played something for me.

I was impressed, enough to note Rhodes in my iPhone's Notes app, but the debut album wasn't readily available on Amazon--it still isn't--and if on Spotify was perhaps part of The Emitt Rhodes Recordings 1969-1973, as it remains.

So I came to know of Emitt Rhodes, but not really his music, and essentially forgot about him.

Until late last Sunday, when I saw a post on Facebook--not from Todd--about the passing of Mr. Rhodes.

Obviously, I wasn't the only one who found him a fascinating footnote in rock history.

In 2009, a fan and filmmaker named Cossimo Messeri had made a documentary about Rhodes titled--as others had referenced him--The One Man Beatles.

Within the past week I found the 54-minute film on Vimeo and enjoyed it, but it seems to have been taken down.

It showed Rhodes--residing in a friend's home in Hawthorne, across from his childhood home and parents until they passed--older, heavier, bearded, speaking of his having depression, but with a Brian Wilson-like innocence, NOT bitter regret.

And still a gift for knocking out a catchy tune.

The Bangles, Michael Penn and noted producer Keith Olsen are among the notable Emitt Rhodes fans interviewed in the documentary. And although I didn't know it until this week, in 2016 Rhodes released Rainbow Ends, a new solo album featuring contributions from Susannah Hoffs, Aimee Mann, Jon Brion, Richard Thompson, Nels Cline of Wilco and others.

Somewhere in this long piece I should probably have mentioned that Rhodes initially played drums in a band called The Palace Guard, that The Merry-Go-Round had some nice tunes and minor acclaim in the late-1960s and--in part due to legal & financial troubles with record companies before & after going solo--his last album prior to Rainbow Ends came in 1973. (Find his Wikipedia entry here, AllMusic bio here and several fine tributes since his passing, including this one from the L.A. Times.)

I should also note, as several of the obits of Emitt Rhodes did, that director Wes Anderson used one of the debut album tracks, "Lullabye," significantly in his 2001 film, The Royal Tenenbaums.

Anyway, so far I've mainly (re)focused on Emitt Rhodes, the rather obscure 1970 solo debut that, IMHO, matches that of Paul McCartney. Or probably even surpasses it.

But from a listen to Rainbow Ends and some songs Rhodes was shown tinkering with in The One Man Beatles, it seems clear that his prodigious pop songwriting talent wasn't just a long-forgotten fluke. Or something that just went away, as he seemed to.

Even minus the proverbial pot o' gold at the end, Emitt Rhodes' alternate universe seems to have legitimately covered quite a spectrum.

And clearly, there is so much untold brilliance than can conceivably be found and savored, perhaps just biding its time somewhere beneath the surface.

Or unwittingly walking among us.

Mourning the Passing of Nick Cordero (1978-2020)

noreply@blogger.com (Seth Arkin) — Mon, 06 Jul 2020 18:34:00 +0000

Although I go to -- or at least used to go to -- a bunch of theater, in Chicago and occasionally on Broadway in New York, my database indicates I'd only seen the musical actor Nick Cordero once.

That was in the jukebox rock musical Rock of Ages, in Chicago in 2010. But I have followed news of his critical condition at the hands of COVID-19, and was quite saddened to learn of his passing yesterday.

So to serve as a Facebook cover image, I felt compelled to make this. (The actual GoFundMe link can be reached here)

And Yet Even More Madness

noreply@blogger.com (Seth Arkin) — Wed, 01 Jul 2020 18:57:00 +0000

See this post to understand why I'm posting the latest completed tournament...

...and the opening bracket of the current tourney:

Ours Go to 11: Volume 38, Coolest Concerts Attended

noreply@blogger.com (Seth Arkin) — Thu, 18 Jun 2020 02:59:00 +0000

In my previous post--inspired by the coronavirus pandemic precluding my seeing the Chicago Cubs play the St. Louis Cardinals in London, as I was scheduled to--I compiled a list of the most Notable Games I have attended.

Initially I was intending to cover Regular Season and Postseason/Exhibition games in separate lists within the same post.

But recollecting, researching and writing about just the Regular Season games of note wound up taking up a full afternoon.

So I promised to cover Playoff Games in a subsequent post.

Ostensibly, that would be this one.

But today, June 17, is a date that stands out in my mind for some memorable concerts I've attended.

So it seems apropos to do this:

The Most Memorable Rock Concerts I've Been To
These shouldn't be construed as "the best" concerts, and while I'll include plenty of Bruce Springsteen, I won't let him fill the Top 11, even though he easily could. (This includes leaving out Springsteen on Broadway.)

1. Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band - June 17, 2000 - Madison Square Garden, New York
The Boss is my favorite; I don't think there's ever been a better live rock performer. To date, I've seen him 50 times, including 10 shows on his 1999-00 reunion tour with the E Street Band. This one was amid a tour ending 10-show soldout run at the world's most famous arena. Via the on-sale, I was able to snag a ticket in the 10th row center (over-the-phone from Chicago). And the show was as great as I could've hoped.

2. Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band - June 15, 2013 - Wembley Stadium, London
I've seen Bruce many other cool places, some noted below and also the now-demolished Giants Stadium in New Jersey, where I attended 7 shows across 3 tours. But seeing him at Wembley, in London, on an European jaunt, was extra special.

3. Nirvana - October 25, 1993 - Aragon Ballroom, Chicago
During the concert, Kurt Cobain opined that the sound sucked. "Smells Like Teen Spirit" went unplayed. And in a post-show interview with Rolling Stone's David Fricke, Kurt said, "I’m really glad you could make it for the shittiest show on the tour." Still, though my memory isn't great, I can acutely remember being absolutely blown away.

4. Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers - June 17, 1981 - Rosemont Horizon, near Chicago
My first concert attended of my own volition. The Loop radio station presented it as a "Free Show" and I was able to get a pair of tickets by waiting at Flip Side at Lincoln Village mall. Being only 12, I had to be accompanied to the show by my dad. We didn't always get along, but this was a cherished memory.

5. David Bowie - May 25, 1990 - Dodger Stadium, Los Angeles
In March 1990, at the age of 21, I moved from the Chicago area to Los Angeles, settling in the poorer section of Encino in the San Fernando Valley. After having missed out on seeing him in Chicago in 1983 and 1987, I made a point of seeing the "Thin White Duke" at Dodger Stadium. It was my first show in LA, and one I went to by myself. Can't say I recall all that much, but have never forgotten Bowie opening with "Space Oddity."

6. U2 - April 29, 1987 - Rosemont Horizon
Technically, this wasn't my first time seeing U2 live; note #11 below, the previous year. But during my freshman year at Northern Illinois University in DeKalb, U2 had become--with the release of The Joshua Tree--"Rock's Hottest Ticket" as proclaimed on a TIME magazine cover. With just one show at the Horizon, getting tix seemed daunting, but via the Jam (Productions) Ticket Club, I got two choice seats on the floor.

7. The Rolling Stones - September 16, 2002 - Aragon Ballroom
As with most of the artists on this list and many others, I've seen the Stones a bunch of times. But just by simple luck I was able to buy, for $50 each, tickets when they opted to do an intimate show at the Aragon among bigger Chicago venues as well. The setlist was actually a tad esoteric, so it isn't the "best" Stones show I've seen. But it was quite cool, and Bono even showed up onstage to duet on "It's Only Rock 'n Roll (But I Like It)."

8. Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band - September 7 & 8 - Wrigley Field, Chicago
My favorite artist at my favorite place in the world, twice. 6-1/2 hours of sheer joy. I even touched the Boss on Night 2, which isn't as creepy as it sounds.

9. Pearl Jam - July 9, 1995 - Marcus Amphitheater, Summerfest, Milwaukee
At the height of their popularity, Pearl Jam scrapped most of its tour due to refusing to play venues with tickets sold through Ticketmaster (with hefty surcharges). But they played Chicago's Soldier Field (should've gone but didn't) and two gigs as part of Summerfest. I went to the latter.

10. Paul McCartney - June 8, 2019 - Lambeau Field, Green Bay
I've seen the great Beatle many cool places--Wrigley Field, Le Bercy arena in Paris, Miller Park Milwaukee, Busch Stadium St. Louis, in Tulsa, OK and more--but even for a devoted Chicago Bears fan, there was something special about being on the tundra of the Green Bay Packers home stadium. And still playing nearly 3 hours, Sir Paul was awesome.

11. Amnesty International Conspiracy of Hope tour featuring U2, The Police, Peter Gabriel, Bryan Adams, Lou Reed and Robin Williams - June 13, 1986 - Rosemont Horizon
A remarkable lineup, and my first time seeing any of the performers. U2 was incredible; The Police, who had reunited for the tour and were terrific, still shouldn't have followed them as the closing act.

Some others

- Jeff Tweedy (of Wilco) with student musicians - March 21, 2009 - Private residence. A close friend's family hosted a special benefit performance.
- Foo Fighters - March 29, 1996 - Riviera Theatre, Chicago. My first Foo.
- Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band - July 17, 1984 - Rosemont Horizon. First-time seeing Bruce live; life-changing.
- The Smashing Pumpkins - April 10, 1999 - St. Andrews Hall, Detroit. "The Arising" tour briefly reunited the original Pumpkins for the last time. There was no Chicago show, so I went to Detroit for a small club gig. Would see a bunch of shows the next year on the then-final tour, including in Paris.
- R.E.M. - October 21, 1986 - Chick Evans Field House, NIU, DeKalb, IL. Early in my freshman year; I got up to the first row. It made me a fan for life.
- Radiohead - August 15, 2003 - Parc Jean Drapeau, Montreal. A Canadian air travel blackout on the day of the show forced me to fly to Burlington, Vermont, take a bus, find my hotel and take the subway to reach the show at a huge park on an island. I think I missed two songs.

- Vote for Change Tour - Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band, R.E.M., Bright Eyes - October 3, 2004 - Cobo Hall, Detroit. After seeing Pearl Jam at a VFC show the night before in Toledo, where Neil Young showed up, I caught two more of my all-time favorites in Detroit. No Neil, but John Fogerty and the Dixie Chicks made appearances.
- Aretha Franklin - September 3, 2017 - Ravinia Festival, Highland Park, IL. The legendary Queen of Soul was really terrific in her last Chicago appearance, my only time seeing her.
- Robert Plant - October 2, 2014 - Riviera Theatre, Chicago. I love Led Zeppelin and have seen Plant many times, including twice with Jimmy Page. But there was something just goose-bumpnig and mind-blowing about this particular gig.
- Material Issue - May 7, 1991 - Palomino Club, North Hollywood, CA. Living in L.A., I caught wind of this Chicago trio getting buzz from their debut album and went to see them at a long-famed country music venue. In 1994 I was back in the Chicago burbs and went to a Material Issue CD signing, where I mentioned having seen them at the Palomino, which seemed to impress them. Sadly, singer/songwriter Jim Ellison took his life just a couple years later.

And also...

- Stereophonics - December 11, 2003 - Cubby Bear. Hung out with the band afterward.
- AC/DC - Various - Always awesome
- Arcade Fire - Various - Likewise
- Buddy Guy - Several times - Buddy Guy's Legends
- Zwan - April 12, 13, 2002 - Double Door. Sheer joy in hearing new material ahead of the album.
- Midnight Oil - October 23, 2001 - The Rave. First time seeing a legendary band I long loved, in a small venue.
- The Who - July 21, 1989 - Alpine Valley, WI. My first-time seeing The Who was almost scrapped when a friend bailed, but my mom accompanied me. She would do so again for the Rolling Stones a few months later.
- Coldplay - March 12, 2003 - Eagles Ballroom, Milwaukee. A relatively intimate setting for how big they had already become, and the band was fantastic. Would then go see them at the Hollywood Bowl a couple months later and not be nearly as impressed.
- Stevie Wonder - June 28, 2008 - Petrillo Bandshell / Taste of Chicago. Just a "Wonder"ful communal vibe, especially when the entire lawn did the "electric slide."
- Soundgarden - January 29, 2013 - Riviera Theatre. As with the other times I saw them, they were bone-crushingly phenomenal.

There are dozens of other shows that I could easily have included here, so no slight meant to any artists, shows, venues or individuals with whom I may have attended.

Ours Go to 11: Volume 37, Notable Games Attended -- Regular Season

noreply@blogger.com (Seth Arkin) — Sun, 14 Jun 2020 22:38:00 +0000

Had things proceeded as scheduled, last night--June 13, 2020--I would have watched my beloved Chicago Cubs play a regular-season, Major League Baseball game against their Arch rivals, the St. Louis Cardinals.

Rather than at Wrigley Field or Busch Stadium, this game would've taken place at London Stadium at Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park in London, England.

Hopefully it will be rescheduled for 2021, or as safe, and I will be able to plan a different European jaunt and attend.

But theoretically, it would be a once in a lifetime event, to see the Cubs play in Europe.

So for now, I will draw upon my memory banks--and perhaps even more so, ticket stubs--to list some of the most notable, memorable and/or cherished games I've attended across various sports.

It seems a bit unfair to loop together regular season and playoff/exhibition games, so here I'll focus only on the former, and will follow up with a subsequent post covering the latter.

But this is quite inexact. I've been fortunate to attend many games over the years, some at the gracious invite of friends, relatives, bosses, etc. How I attended, or with whom, isn't a criteria I'm much considering, but I remain extremely grateful to those who treated me, joined me, traveled with me, etc.

I recall very few outcomes or specific happenings within games, and while I've been to games at 40 different major league baseball stadiums, vary rarely do the venues factor into the choices below. I was also a vendor at several Chicago games between 1985-89, which I'll include in some cases, but sparingly.

Perhaps inadvertently, I'm leaving out several Cubs vs. White Sox games I attended, and mostly won't include games I went to in order to see all-time greats--Cal Ripken Jr., Ken Griffey Jr., Barry Sanders, LeBron James, Allen Iverson, etc.--or to observe pre-game ceremonies or get promotional items.

And as I feel apt, I'll lump a few games together.

The Most Memorable Regular Season Games I Was At

1. April 18, 2007: Chicago White Sox vs. Texas Rangers - Mark Buehrle No-Hitter
It was a freezing evening game at U.S. Cellular Field that I attended with three friends. I would've happily left at any point the Rangers got a hit, but they never did. Sox won 6-0.

See video within article

2. August 8 / 9, 1988: Chicago Cubs vs. Philadelphia Phillies / New York Mets - Lights at Wrigley
The first night game at Wrigley Field never officially happened, as after 91-year-old Harry Grossman flipped the switch on 8/8/88--I was there as a vendor--Mother Nature stalled the game in the middle of the 4th inning. Fortunately I was back the next night for the first official night game at Wrigley, against the Mets. Cubs won 6-4.

3. September 6, 1998: St. Louis Cardinals vs. Cincinnati Reds - Old Busch Stadium, St. Louis
Incidentally, Long Gone Summer, which chronicles Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa's home run chase of 1998 premieres tonight on ESPN. I attended this late-season game in St. Louis as McGwire sat at 60 HR (Sosa was at 58). However I may feel now about both stars presumably juicing, the atmosphere was electric then. McGwire did not homer (nor did Sammy on the day), so nothing noteworthy happened in this game, it was just cool to be there. Over the next two nights, against the Cubs at Busch (I wasn't there) McGwire hit HR 61 and 62, tying and breaking Roger Maris' longstanding record. He finished the year with 70 HR; Sosa 66.

4. January 2 & 24, 2003: Chicago Bulls vs. Washington Wizards - United Center
I saw Michael Jordan play in person about 10 times across his career, mostly with the Bulls. Some of these games are noted below. But after he unretired to play a final two seasons with the Wizards, I had a ticket for a 2002 game at the UC in which he didn't play and also unwittingly bought a fake ticket for his final game at Madison Square Garden in New York in March 2003. But I did attend his first and last visits to the Jordan -- err, United -- Center in the 2002-03 season. He had a combined 21 points, but so what. I cheered loudly.

5. June 17 / 18, 2000: New York Yankees vs. Chicago White Sox, Old Yankee Stadium; Boston Red Sox vs. New York Yankees, Fenway Park
On a brief East Coast jaunt highlighted by seeing Bruce Springsteen at Madison Square Garden, the next afternoon I would see the White Sox clobber the Yankees 17-4 on my second ever visit to the original Yankee Stadium. I would then take a train to Boston, where my sister Allison lived, and the next night we went to a game at Fenway, my first at the venerable home of the Boston Red Sox ballpark. The Yankees won 22-1. I don't know if any other team has had a 34-run loss to win swing in 2 days.

6. September 8, 1985: Chicago Cubs vs. Cincinnati Reds, Wrigley Field - Pete Ties Ty in a Tie
Before he would disgrace himself for getting caught betting on baseball, Pete Rose became the Hit King by surpassing Ty Cobb's 4,191. On a Sunday in Chicago, late in my first season as a vendor, "Charlie Hustle" tied Ty--he'd surpass him Wednesday in Cincinnati--in a game that would officially end in a 5-5 tie. Per #2 above, Wrigley didn't yet have lights.

7. March 1, 2014: Chicago Blackhawks vs. Pittsburgh Penquins, Soldier Field
I went to a handful of Hawks games during their dynasty era, including a Stanley Cup Final game. But this outdoor "Stadium Series" game at Soldier Field was really cool, especially as it was freezing. And it was also my first chance to see the Penquins' superstar Sidney Crosby live in person. The Blackhawks won 5-1 in front of nearly 63,000 fans.

8. June 7, 2003: Chicago Cubs vs. New York Yankees - Wrigley Field
Roger Clemens aiming for career win #300 vs. Kerry Wood. The series marked the first Yankees visit to Wrigley since 1932. Cubs won 5-2 but game marred by a scary injury to the Cubs' Hee-Seop Choi.

9. March 9, 1985: Chicago Bulls vs. Utah Jazz - Chicago Stadium
First time I saw Michael Jordan in person. He scored 28 but the Jazz won 111-105, led by Darrell Griffith's 40 points. Orlando Woolridge had 35 for the Bulls.

10. May 2, 2000: Chicago Cubs vs. Houston Astros - Wrigley Field
Kerry Wood's return to action after more than a year on the Disabled List. He went 6 innings for the win in a 11-1 Cubs victory, and also hit a 2-run homer.

11. November 26, 2011: Chelsea vs. Wolves, Stamford Bridge stadium, London
My friend Paolo was in London on business, staying in a corporate flat, so I visited him. Though I had seen some great international soccer stars play in Chicago, I'd never been to a game--of any kind--in another country. Paolo is a huge fan, of soccer and Chelsea, so we went to Stamford Bridge and got tickets from a "tout" (i.e. scalper). It was a fun experience; Chelsea won 3-0. I can't trace who scored goals, but notables on Chelsea's roster included Didier Drogba, Michael Essien, John Terry, Frank Lampard, Daniel Sturridge, Fernando Torres and Ashley Cole.

A few others

- September 5, 1983: White Sox v A's - First-place Sox won 11-1 enroute to playoffs. Went with my childhood (and still) pal Jordan; Floyd Bannister started.
- August 6, 1984: Cubs vs. Mets - First-place Cubs beat second-place Mets (with Dwight Gooden starting) 9-3; taken by summertime boss, sat 1st row behind Cubs dugout
- April 8, 1999: Blackhawks vs. Rangers - Wayne Gretzky's last visit to Chicago. The crowd and the Hawks gave him a great salute.
- April 14 (or 15), 1981: White Sox vs. Brewers - I remember my took me and a friend to a game right at the start of the Sox first season with Carlton Fisk (alongside Greg Luzinski). April 14 was opening day, but the 15th would've been a much easier ticket. I don't have the stub or much recollection, but do recall my dad being pickpocketed on the L.
- February 15, 2000: Bulls vs. Lakers - Phil Jackson's first visit to the UC as Lakers coach on a title-bound team with Shaq and Kobe. Lakers won 88-76
- November 26, 1991: Bulls vs. Clippers, LA Sports Arena - Living in L.A. from 1990-92, I convinced a colleague to accompany me to see Michael, who scored 23 in a 116-79 Bulls win.
- December 9, 1995: Bulls vs. Bucks, Bradley Center, Milwaukee - My friend Mark and I went up to Milwaukee early in the Bulls' 72-win, 4th ring season. Adorned in black uniforms, the Bulls won 118-106; Michael had 45.
- Various dates, 1990-92, 1996: Cubs vs. Dodgers, Dodger Stadium - I don't recall any game in particular, but it was always fun to see the Cubs in L.A., when I lived there and on a return visit.
- March 30, 2014: Fluminense vs. Vasco de Gama, Maracana, Rio de Janeiro - The famed Maracana had been reconfigured down from a 200,000 capacity to 80,000 and wasn't even 1/4 full for this game, but it was still fun to attend.
- September 11 / 12, 2005: San Francisco Giants vs. San Diego Padres, SBC Park - As noted above, I've been to many baseball stadiums, and my favorite beyond Wrigley is the Giants' home on the Bay. And while I hated Barry Bonds, even in real time, the game on 9/12 marked his first of 2005 after 4 straight MVP seasons. So it was kinda cool.

Documenting the Madness That Was

noreply@blogger.com (Seth Arkin) — Mon, 08 Jun 2020 17:20:00 +0000

In mid-March, with the Coronavirus pandemic prompting the cancellation of the NCAA College Basketball Tournament, commonly referenced as "March Madness," I created a substitute bracket I called Rock Madness.

Purely to entertain my Facebook Friends, the tournament allowed people to vote on matchups to determine the winner of each game, and eventually overall.

I can't say it went viral, but was popular enough among my pals to beget--to date--seven more tournaments now completed, with Novel Madness (above) being the latest.

In multiple Seth Saith posts, I've shared tourneys in progress, and as finished, but thought I'd capture all eight to date in this one. I wouldn't mind doing a tournament of Famous Painters, but don't know if Facebook interest warrants it. So if this is it, the Madness was mad fun. While it lasted.

Pithy Philosophies #43

noreply@blogger.com (Seth Arkin) — Sun, 31 May 2020 19:43:00 +0000

Seth Saith:

Until those within the power structure are made to feel uncomfortable, or even afraid, nothing will change.

Tripped Up: Oh, the Places I Won't Yet Go

noreply@blogger.com (Seth Arkin) — Sat, 23 May 2020 20:38:00 +0000

As recently as three months ago--having finished making my reservations on Feb. 21--today was supposed to be one of "those days."

If everything proceeded as planned--which obviously they haven't--I was to board an American Airlines 8:55pm flight at Chicago's O'Hare Airport, which would have me in London on Sunday morning.

Although I've gone on many fascinating overseas trips, there really is no getting used to the palpable thrill of doing so.

And after getting through British customs and taking the Tube to my hotel, I would've spent the remainder of Sunday and a good part of Monday rummaging around my favorite tourist city in the world.

The chances of making a 3pm curtain for a West End musical would've been iffy, and I didn't notice much playing I haven't seen, so perhaps a walk along the Thames or a visit to the National Gallery would've filled my afternoon.

I've been to London several times and was planning to spend a few days there later in the trip prior to flying home from Heathrow, so in addition to checking out the British Museum for the first time since 1993, I was considering spending Monday taking the Tube (London's erstwhile subway system) to some random stop and just seeing what I might find.

Then, though I had delightfully visited Italy in 2002--going to Rome, Venice, Florence, Pisa, Siena, Naples and Pompeii--this Monday I was to fly from London to Pisa and check into a hotel across the street from the Square of Miracles, home to the Leaning Tower, Cathedral and other splendors.

Tuesday morning, my close friend from Chicago, Paolo--who since September has been off adventuring and, from February on, living in Florence as part of a planned semester of study--would meet me at my Pisa hotel.

We'd revel in the Pisa landmarks, hang out for a few days in Florence--home to some of the best art anywhere--including a likely side trip to Rome (if we'd want to;), then go our separate ways for awhile.

I was booked to fly to Athens, long having dreamed of seeing and photographing the Parthenon. From there, I'd spend a couple days among the blue domed roofs on the island of Santorini.

Assuming no hiccups, I was then slated to view the wonders of Istanbul, including Hagia Sophia, the Blue Mosque and Topkapi Palace.

On Paolo's longstanding recommendation, I would also for the first time visit Berlin, home to moving memorials, grand museums and a presumably buzzing modern culture.

I'd then fly to Glasgow, where Paolo was to be hanging out with his effervescent Scottish girlfriend, Sharon. After a day or two checking out Charles Rennie Mackintosh architecture/design and perhaps some of the renowned Highlands, the three of us would trek down to London, where Paolo & I had tickets to see our beloved Chicago Cubs play an official game against the St. Louis Cardinals.

Having never seen Stonehenge in person, I was planning to take a day tour before flying home--through Boston, with enough time for the Freedom Trail and some chowda--on Monday, June 15.

Pretty damn exciting.

Seeing a dear friend with free digs a stone's throw from the incredible Uffizi Gallery, Pitti Palace, Palazzo Vecchio, Michelangelo's David, Duomo, Ponte Vecchio bridge and lots of gelato.

Re-checking out other places I've loved: London, Pisa, Rome.

Undoubtedly having my mind blown by the history and beauty of Athens, Santorini, Istanbul, Berlin and Glasgow.

Spending some quality time not only with Paolo but Sharon as well, who I tremendously enjoyed meeting last summer when she visited Chicago.

Having the once-in-a-lifetime experience of seeing the Chicago Cubs play in London.

Reliving my Spinal Tap memories at Stonehenge.

Heck, it seems a rather small blip in the overall scheme, but I was truly enchanted by the thought of seeing the historic Ishtar Gate and sublime bust of Nefertiti, both held within Berlin museums.

And oh, the food, all the glorious food.

But alas, it's not to be, at least not today, or any yet rescheduled time in the future.

Yet how can I complain?

During a time when at least 5,000,000+ people worldwide have been contaminated by COVID-19, with many becoming desperately ill--including, sadly and scarily, Sharon, who now appears to be out of danger but still far from recovered--and over 342,396 individuals have lost their lives, I've been fine.

Knock on wood, but my mom's been fine. My sisters and extended family have been fine.

A 97-year-old dear family friend tested positive but, more than two weeks on, has not shown any symptoms.

As far as I know, my friends and their families have escaped the harshest possibilities.

Paolo certainly was worried sick about Sharon--and instead of studying Italian art and taking a deep dive into Florence has been on lockdown for nearly 3 months--but there too the story is thankfully better than it could've been.

So boo-hoo, I'm not flying to London tonight. I won't be seeing Pisa, Florence and all the rest, including many first-time sights.

Sure I'm disappointed, and honestly somewhat bored in my day-to-day existence.

But though I'm not a religious person, my recent prayers have all been answered to date.

And one day, when as many lives as possible have been saved, in part by true heroes, in part by those willing to patiently stay home and wear a damn mask at Walgreens, God-willing I'll take a trip along the above lines.

And even if not, oh well.

I've been fortunate, to travel to various European locales, some multiple times. Plus Australia, Israel, Egypt, India, South America, Japan, Mexico, much of the U.S. and elsewhere.

I've attended hundreds of shows across various idioms, and even saw my Cubs win a World Series (with a few games in person).

More importantly, I've been blessed with beloved family and many fantastic friends.

As my hero Bruce Springsteen--who for the record, I've seen 50 times in concert and met once--used to say as he led into "Born to Run":

"Nobody wins unless everybody wins."

So this isn't a time for celebration.

Many around the world--or just Chicagoland--are still in a fight for their lives, one they weren't expecting at this point in time.

And several will sadly lose.

But I'm quite glad, and so grateful, that those I know and love are well.

Let's hope it stays that way, for all who you know & love...

...and far beyond.

The rest of it--including Europe--can wait.

And Still the Madness Goes On

noreply@blogger.com (Seth Arkin) — Tue, 19 May 2020 19:34:00 +0000

I know these don't make for the most exciting blog posts, but the "tournaments" have been going over well on Facebook. So it seems apt to share them here, if only for posterity's sake.

Here's how Jukebox Madness played out. (See this post for the opening version.)

Then came Broadway Madness, as it began and then ended.

And today I introduced a rather compact Comedian Madness:

How Many Classic Albums Did You Find?

noreply@blogger.com (Seth Arkin) — Mon, 18 May 2020 17:10:00 +0000

See two previous posts for point of reference.

List of Albums in the Previous Post

noreply@blogger.com (Seth Arkin) — Sun, 17 May 2020 16:45:00 +0000

The Album Search grid contains the titles of 30 notable albums, plus So. In a couple days I'll show the solution but for now, this is the list of albums included.

Find a Bunch of Great Albums

noreply@blogger.com (Seth Arkin) — Sat, 16 May 2020 00:04:00 +0000

The Eternal Wisdom of Yogi Berra, born this day in 1925 (d. 1915)

noreply@blogger.com (Seth Arkin) — Tue, 12 May 2020 21:25:00 +0000

Click image to enlarge

Confined, a poem

noreply@blogger.com (Seth Arkin) — Thu, 30 Apr 2020 21:25:00 +0000

I miss doing the things I used to do

but I don't matter more than you

I hate that there's no baseball

Loathe that there's no shows

But every single life matters

far more than any of those

I miss having dinner with friends

but will gladly wait til this thing ends

So I don't need any parties

Or to hang out on the beach

Especially if it means eradication

is that much further within reach

by Seth Arkin, ©️2020

The Madness Continues

noreply@blogger.com (Seth Arkin) — Sun, 26 Apr 2020 20:12:00 +0000

See recent posts for context. And now below, the completed TV Madness and underway Jukebox Madness. (click images to enlarge)

Of 'Skokie' and Great Work at Chicago's Goodman Theatre: A Fond Remembrance of Brian Dennehy

noreply@blogger.com (Seth Arkin) — Sat, 18 Apr 2020 22:21:00 +0000

Especially during these difficult times, when everyday heroes are ever more pronounced--and many at tragic risk--not a day goes by without hearing of somebody admirable dying.

From a venerated local veterinarian, Dr. Peter Sakas, to renowned musicians like John Prine, Adam Schlesinger and Ellis Marsalis to famed playwright Terrence McNally to mathematical genius John Horton Conway to a Pennsylvania paramedic named Kevin Bundy to a New Jersey ER doctor, Frank Gabrin, to a CTA machinist (based in Skokie) named Antonio Martinez, the new coronavirus has stolen skilled and valiant individuals across a vast spectrum.

But even beyond COVID-19, the grim hand of death has recently taken talents like singer/songwriter Bill Withers, ex-Cubs manager Jim Frey, MAD magazine caricaturist Mort Drucker and the acclaimed actor, Brian Dennehy.

It is meant as no slight to anyone else, mentioned above or not, that I'm deciding to spend a bit of time reflecting on Mr. Dennehy.

Certainly, well beyond any personal connection--simply in a spectator's sense, I never met the man--Dennehy's multifaceted acting career, in movies, on TV and in the theater, could well warrant a fine tribute, and excellent remembrances have been written by Chris Jones of the Chicago Tribune, Ben Brantley of the New York Times and Helen Shaw of Vulture, among others.

And I've been quite fortunate to have seen many cherished favorites onstage multiple times--whether in a theater vein like the late John Mahoney and living icons such as Nathan Lane and Patti LuPone, or numerous beloved rock stars, including the departed Tom Petty, David Bowie and Prince--so while my regard for Dennehy is deep, it's not that he's someone I singularly adored.

But I consider myself lucky to have seen Dennehy--fairly well-known to the general public via movies such as First Blood, F/X and Tommy Boy--onstage seven times, mostly at Chicago's Goodman Theatre.

Also notably, in the 1981 TV movie Skokie--about my hometown's battle with neo-Nazis--Dennehy starred as Police Chief Arthur Buchanan.

Yet although I was a fan before seeing him at the Goodman, his work there--almost always in tandem with the theater's venerated artistic director, Robert Falls--corresponded considerably with my wholehearted embrace of live theater.

For while I had been indoctrinated in childhood by parents who took me to see musicals such as The Wiz, A Chorus Line and The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas before I turned 10--with early awareness long exacerbated by my Aunt Mickey, an ardent attendee of Chicago theater--as a teen and young adult I largely distanced myself for various sociological reasons that made much more sense then than they do now.

Sure, I saw some high school and college productions, and a handful of works in the '90s--The Phantom of the Opera, Tracy Letts' Killer Joe, The Mousetrap, Les Miserables and more--but through the turn of the century, when I was 31, I had seen 10 theatrical works of my own volition.

Since then--in good part ignited by seeing Teri Hatcher in a touring version of Cabaret, twice, in 1999--I've seen well over 1,000.

This has always included a mix of musicals--which I tend to love a bit more--and plays.

Nowadays--well, not exactly nowadays, but pre-pandemic quarantine--I'm graciously invited to Press Nights to review shows on this blog, but until about 2015, I went entirely on my own dime.

And though I did see a few plays in 2000 and 2001 and a stellar take on Glengarry Glen Ross a few weeks prior in 2002, I consider A Long Day's Journey Into Night--starring Brian Dennehy--a rather seminal piece of my theater-loving existence.

The epic family drama by Eugene O'Neill clocks in at well over 3-1/2 hours and, as directed at the Goodman by Falls, I recall it being excellent (although I wasn't writing reviews at the time).

My seeing it in March 2002 even impressed Aunt Mickey, who--bless her departed soul--could listen to me note 10 shows I'd seen in a month (as a fairly rare straight man attending solo) and with an air of consternation ask why I hadn't seen three others.

After Long Day's Journey, for which Dennehy won the Best Lead Actor Tony Award upon Falls having taken the Goodman production to Broadway in 2003--likewise with Death of a Salesman a few years prior, also garnishing Dennehy a Tony; sadly I was still fairly theatrically oblivious at that point--I would next see the actor in The Exonerated.

Co-starring Marlo Thomas, this wasn't a Goodman Theatre staging but a small touring production that I happened to see on Feb. 4, 2003, its first night in Chicago.

The play by Jessica Blank and Erik Larsen, which had opened in New York in 2000, is about death penalty injustices, and just 2 weeks before I would see it with Dennehy, then-Illinois governor George Ryan commuted all remaining death sentences in the state.

In 2005, Dennehy would star in a film version of The Exonerated with Susan Sarandon, Danny Glover and others.

The remaining five times I got to see Brian Dennehy onstage came at the Goodman, in plays by Eugene O'Neill except as noted:

● Celebrating the Work of Arthur Miller - a staged reading featuring excerpts from four famed Miller plays; 2004.

● Hughie - 2004

● Desire Under the Elms - 2009

● Hughie / Krapp's Last Tape (latter by Samuel Beckett) - 2010

● The Iceman Cometh - 2012

Though I can't deny being challenged by Iceman's near 5-hour runtime--as I wrote in my review--I still largely loved it, particularly the performances by Dennehy and Nathan Lane, another stage favorite mentioned above.

Under the direction of Robert Falls, that production would be restaged in Brooklyn in 2015, with the Goodman's stellar cast.

Last Wednesday, the long stout Dennehy died at his Connecticut home at the age of 81, of cardiac arrest due to sepsis.

IMDB shows film acting credits into 2020 and perhaps beyond, plus TV work as recent as 2019 in The Blacklist.

Along with First Blood and F/X, I recall enjoying Brian Dennehy in Presumed Innocent and as Bobby Knight in A Season on the Brink.

But I'll never forget the hours I spent watching the great man at the Goodman.

And remain forever appreciative of what he did in Skokie.

Additional Madness

noreply@blogger.com (Seth Arkin) — Wed, 15 Apr 2020 17:41:00 +0000

After my post of March 26, I've continued on with additional Facebook "Madness" tournaments, as you can see below.

This one is newly in progress. Click to enlarge.

Pithy Philosophies #42

noreply@blogger.com (Seth Arkin) — Sat, 28 Mar 2020 10:00:00 +0000

Seth Saith:

Demonstrating class, even if not reciprocated, is never the wrong decision.

Madness Amid the Malaise: Recapping a Rock Tournament, Commencing a Reel One

noreply@blogger.com (Seth Arkin) — Fri, 27 Mar 2020 00:25:00 +0000

These are odd times. Certainly the oddest that I lived through. I mean, I was living in Los Angeles during the riots of 1992 and stayed in my apartment for a couple days, but this has obviously been longer.

And worldwide.


A blank version of the original Rock Madness 2020 tournament; click here for a large version you can right-click and save

While nothing I'm about to say should be construed as a complaint--I believe we should all relax and stay put in our homes until doctors, scientists, epidemiologists and trusted leaders tell us to resume normal activity once EVERYONE is safe from risk--as someone who in many ways relies on the arts, sports and live events for companionship, I certainly miss theater and concerts and baseball and the NCAA tournament and so much more.

And, of course, just seeing friends and relatives face-to-face.

But I've been making enjoyable use of Facebook, not just to interact with friends and family--I still do that more so directly--but to maintain daily features other seem to enjoy.

I did just last week cease updating my 6word Portraits blog after 3 full years of describing esteemed folks "sixinctly" on the birthday of a given legend--and then sharing it to Facebook, where I and others would run through additional daily birthdays--but I've taken to culling five photos a day from my vast archives of pictures taken, which I share to Facebook as Random Access Memories.

And to somewhat cheekily replace the NCAA Basketball Tournament--a.k.a. March Madness--I created a tournament I dubbed Rock Madness.

I selected 64 rock artists of various eras, including big name legends and some personal favorites--for a sensibility akin to smaller schools making the NCAA Tourney--and invited my Facebook friends to vote on matchups in order to advance the bands through the bracket.

I got a bunch of great feedback as about 40+ different people participated, with each "game" gathering between 15-25 votes. And others told me it was great fun to watch, even if they didn't "play."

Although I was tempted to spread it around more publicly than to just my 356 Facebook friends, I honestly didn't want to tally up hundreds of votes and enjoyed seeing the preferences of actual friends (about 90% of my Facebook connections are people I've known in real life).

As you can see at top, The Beatles won, beating The Rolling Stones in the title game.

Now, after gathering "nominations" from friends--rather than just my own whims--I'm running a Movie version I've dubbed Reel Madness.

Four "Play-in Games" were held last night--with even more response than for Rock Madness--and Round 1 matchups in the A Regional are taking place today.

A blank bracket is below; likely at the conclusion I'll add the completed one.

I truly hope everyone is doing OK in these trying times, but with a bit of trying, I've found some fun ways to waste time.

And not just mine.

Ours Go to 11: Volume 36, My Favorite Music Movies (that aren't concert films, documentaries, musical adaptations or biopics)

noreply@blogger.com (Seth Arkin) — Thu, 19 Mar 2020 17:10:00 +0000

Nobody told me there'd be days like these.

Strange days, indeed.

Most peculiar mama.

But I am trying to get through them with much grace and aplomb as possible.

And that has included watching movies and having discussions about others, via email, Facebook, etc.

One of these days I may try to write something more substantive, but for now, a list seems apt.

And so, mainly in a pop/rock vein, without including concert films, documentaries, Broadway adaptations or biopics (i.e. Rocketman, Ray, Bohemian Rhapsody, Walk the Line, etc., even if some of the choices below are technically biographical), I give you my picks of:

The Best Feature Films About Music:
(Primarily in a pop/rock vein; no concert films, documentaries, Broadway adaptations (or akin: Singin' in the Rain) or biopics, although some might say the first three choices somewhat are the latter. Go with it.)

1. A Hard Day's Night
2. Purple Rain
3. This is Spinal Tap
4. Sing Street
5. Saturday Night Fever
5. The Blues Brothers
6. Almost Famous
7. Once
8. The Commitments
9. School of Rock
10. Across the Universe
11. Quadrophenia

Plus A Few More

Help
Footloose
8 Mile
Blinded by the Light
A Star is Born (2018)
High Fidelity
La La Land
Crazy Heart
The Five Heartbeats
Pink Floyd: The Wall
Rude Boy
Yellow Submarine
Pirate Radio
I Wanna Hold Your Hand
Cadillac Records

Some I Haven't Seen or Recall

American Hot Wax
Black Snake Moan
24 Hour Party People
Pump Up the Volume
The Idolmaker
Empire Records
Eddie & the Cruisers
Jailhouse Rock (or anything except Viva Las Vegas)

Where Are They Now?: Ex-TV Stars Make for a Fun If Fleeting Trip to 'Middletown' -- Chicago Theater Review

noreply@blogger.com (Seth Arkin) — Wed, 11 Mar 2020 18:07:00 +0000

Theater Review

Middletown: The Ride of Your Life!
a play by Dan Clancy
starring Sandy Duncan, Donny Most, Adrian Zmed & Kate Buddeke
Presented by GFour Productions
at Apollo Theatre, Chicago
Thru March 22
@@@1/2

likable \ˈlī-kə-bəl \
having qualities that bring about a favorable regard: PLEASANT, AGREEABLE

Certainly there are worse things to be called, and while I wouldn't dub Middletown: The Ride of Your Life brilliant or stupendous or deep or sensational or especially incisive, I found the four character play--performed without scenery or props and with the actors reading from scripts, often while seated--to indeed be likable.

The draw in Chicago for presumably most attendees is the cast, consisting of three fairly well-known names from television and a local stage actress of some note.

Sandy Duncan, a frequent presence on our sole household TV when I was a kid in the '70s, but also boasting dozens of theater credits and three Tony nominations, looks great and is quite amiable as Peg, long married to Tom, played by Adrian Zmed, a Chicago-bred one-time heartthrob best-known for co-starring on TV's TJ Hooker in the '80s.

As Middletown chronicles, Peg and Tom are close, weekly-dinner friends with Don (Donny Most, forever known as Ralph Malph on Happy Days) and the sassy Dottie (Kate Buddeke, a longtime Chicago theater performer--I saw her in Airline Highway and Superior Donuts at Steppenwolf--who also has Broadway, film and TV credits).

And across 90 minutes and at least 30-some years, we learn about their lives.

How the spouses met, how Peg and Dottie met, when the husbands got introduced, about their jobs, their families, their ups and their downs--some particularly wrenching--and to a degree, how the world changed around them.

Not too much happens that one mightn't expect, but writer Clancy does a nice job making the characters and scenarios seem both unique and universal.

Though I have no aversion to nostalgia and have seen numerous TV celebs onstage over the years--Linda Evans, Joan Collins, Jason Alexander, Kelsey Grammer, John Mahoney, David Hyde Pierce, Bebe Neuwirth, George Wendt, Teri Hatcher, Christina Applegate, Marilu Henner, Alan Thicke, Michael McKean, Carol Kane, Melissa Gilbert, Richard Thomas, Richard Kind, Holland Taylor, etc., etc.--I can assure you that I have never wistfully wished to see Duncan, Most and Zmed act together. (I did once see Duncan years ago in The King and I.)

But each was fun and--yes--likable, and Buddeke more than held her own.

Her character, Dottie, a grade school teacher with a sharp tongue who enjoys a cocktail or three, is probably the best written of the quartet.

And Dottie's life with Most's Don just feels a bit "cooler" than the Duncan/Zmed pairing, not that they don't too come off well.

I see and enjoy all kinds of theater, much like I take in a good cross-section of movies, TV and books. Everything has it's place and art needn't be groundbreaking or profound to be worthwhile.

So while, despite its subtitle, Middletown wasn't quite the "ride of my life," and not the type of play I would want to regularly ingest, it was undeniably fun to see some older yet still familiar faces in the comfortable confines of Chicago's Apollo Theatre.

And--perhaps all the more so amid global pandemics and crashing stock markets--it was perfectly nice just to see something likable.