The Concert Hall

I want to change the tone of my review today. Instead of expressing myself like I am an «authority» perhaps a more reckless approach with some colorful imagery and inappropriate references would make for a better read. No, I am not going to bash the place or the artist; everything was great. Just having a chance to try so many great things in this city is «five stars.» But I think this is more my editorial then a review and in it are the obvious and of course, the suggested. So, not for «everyone», I hope you will find a reason to journey to The Concert Hall at the Society for Ethical Culture.
This is my second show here. I had the pleasure of seeing Dickie Betts tonight play with a band of fellow Southern rockers and his son. Wow, did this show bring back some good memories. I actually saw him play with the Allman Brothers Band in 1979 at the Springfield Civic Center. I was with a good friend and we had center stage seats twenty rows back in a small stadium of maybe seven thousand. What started out with Stealy Dan pre-​show music and a little «smoke» turned into a four hour party with band and all just enjoying the scene: no attitudes or trouble, just good music with good people having a good time. It is as clear in my mind now as it was the night of that show. Not much has changed except now all the «smokin’» is done outside before the show. The faces are different but the attitude is the same: just «cool» people «chillin’» with good friends. The «old rockers», like Dickie Betts, still have a style and presence like a favorite faded blue jean jacket: broken in, worn soft and a familiar style. Betts played his hits with the grace of an old thorough-​bread brought out to show «one more time.» It was a pleasure to relive «Jessica» and although not like it was, gave me that «tingle» like it did when music was new to me.
Five stars, priceless and «one more ticket» for the scrap book, Dickie Betts performing at The Concert Hall was a tribute to his music, our music, the faded blue jean jacket and all of us who deep down inside still «rock on.»