Tag Archives: jeff lynne

Features, Tours and Festivals

Jeff Lynne’s ELO Announces US Tour For 2018

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Recently, the folks behind the media affairs of Mr. Jeff Lynne and his incredible Electric Light Orchestra, revealed their 2018 touring plans. Please check out the full press release and dates and know that I will return with some editorial notations.

The Press Release:
On the heels of a once-in-a-lifetime Wembley Stadium show and a European tour in 2017, Jeff Lynne’s ELO announces its first North American tour in 30 plus years produced by Live Nation. Jeff Lynne’s last extensive U.S. tour with ELO was in 1981. Known as one of the most iconic forces in music history, Jeff Lynne’s ELO has spent the last two years with a critically acclaimed and chart-topping album, a sold out run of UK and European shows, as well as an induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. The tour announcement comes just ahead of this Friday’s release of the live concert CD/DVD, ‘Wembley or Bust,’ which will give fans a glimpse into the extraordinary ELO live experience that critics in the UK raving; a video sneak peek is here and here.

Of the tour, Jeff Lynne says, “Our Audiences are amazing. It’s like they’re in the group. We can’t wait to play for them again.” The tour will hit 10 cities, starting in Oakland, CA at Oracle Arena before wrapping in Philadelphia, PA at Wells Fargo Center. See below for full tour routing.
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Features, PiercingMetal Says

The 2017 Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame Inductees Are:

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rock and roll hall of fame

Well the votes have been submitted and I am not speaking about the whole Electoral College ones and instead am here to reveal the 2017 inductees to the Rock and Roll Hall Of Fame. Check them out below along with some quick notations.

The Class of 2017 Is:

Electric Light Orchestra: ELO has long been one of my favorite artists based on just how many songs I knew by them and could sing word for word thanks to the traditional Rock radio of the past. Congrats to Jeff and the rest of the group. Looking forward to seeing their performance on the broadcast.

Journey: I think I’ve been listening to Journey almost as long as I’ve been listening to KISS and that my friends is a very, very, very long time. Super stoked to see them inducted and while the jury is still out on whether or not Steve Perry will perform with them on the stage I hope we get Greg Rolie up there as well since he was a vital part of their earliest success.
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Reviews, Videos

“Live In Hyde Park” [DVD] by Jeff Lynne’s ELO

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Artist: Jeff Lynne’s ELO
Title: “Live In Hyde Park”
Label: Eagle Vision
Release Date: 9/11/2015
Genre: Rock
Rating: 4.5/5

Historically speaking in the list of groups that I have always wanted to see in my life lies the band Electric Light Orchestra or ELO as I will be referring to them for the rest of this narrative. The band itself came to life in the early 70’s and essentially was many members of The Move who were a very popular British Rock band during the sixties. When ELO took flight in their fantabulous spacecraft the radio waves of every single Rock station was ensnared by their melodies. One could truly not get through an hour of listening time without hearing at least one of their tracks and no one minded because these tunes were so catchy and melodic and just “bigger” and different when it came down to it. One of the foremost plans behind the bands inception was to blend radio friendly Rock with Classical instruments and they did this to success again and again.

This new live DVD finds Jeff Lynne and his longtime ELO collaborator Richard Tandy delivering the musical goods in front of about 50,000 fans at an event for the BBC Radio 2 that is called “Festival In A Day”. Thought I’d never heard of this particular event its clearly popular if you are bringing 50K people into it. The group wastes no time launching into ELO classics and the video truly showcases the wonderful stage setup that they were using with superb clarity and brilliance in color. One begins to feel as if they are in the front row for the close-ups and a little further back for the wider shots. Now when it comes to ELO material I am guilty of being a “hits” guy, and that was based on my growing up along with radio rock and knowing signature tunes like “Evil Woman”, “Livin’ Thing” and “Turn To Stone”; the latter being one of my top tunes in their repertoire. Lynne and Tandy are joined by a bevy of talented musicians and singers for this mega performance and I felt the drumming truly captured the thick sounds of the bands original drummer Bev Bevan when he was hitting the toms. It’s just made it all the more “true” in its delivery at the end of the day for me. Another interesting part of the show is that we get a quick taste of The Travelling Wilbury’s in “Handle With Care” which was the first track the world got from a true super group made up of Lynne, George Harrison, Bob Dylan, Roy Orbison and Tom Petty. I felt it was a nice touch. There is truly something for everyone in this very enjoyable live performance and while it comes on both standard edition (the one I am reviewing) and Blu-ray disc, there does not yet seem to be an audio only companion which is a shame. I could easily see myself listening to this one in the car or gathered with friends at some occasion. Maybe in the future.
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Music, Reviews

“All Over the World: The Very Best of Electric Light Orchestra” by Electric Light Orchestra

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Artist: Electric Light Orchestra
Title: “All Over The World: The Very Best Of ELO”
Label: Epic Legacy
Release Date: 6/21/2005
Genre: Rock
Rating: 8/10

There is no denying the unmistakable sound that is the Electric Light Orchestra. The rich harmonies and lush musical orchestrations made this band a true hit maker for many years. The release of “All Over The World: The Very Best Of ELO” is proof positive of this status. Fans that own the first Greatest Hits compilation (which was essentially a CD version of an LP if memory serves me) will definitely enjoy this edition for it includes nine more tracks and reaches a little deeper into the Legendary bands catalog. “Cant Get You Out Of My Head” will be the only tune from the first hits piece to be excluded from this one which might surprise some since it was apparently the bands first hit. Beyond that it’s not so much the big deal when you consider that for a hits package that this one seems to include almost every other song you expect to find on such a release. As I listened I was taken back to my Youth when contemporary radio and LP’s (or 8 tracks) were the means of your sating the musical Jones. I again realized how much of this stuff I actually remembered and enjoyed. I seemed to also remember a lot of words and that amused me a little bit. Songs like “Telephone Line” and “Turnin’ To Stone” are classics and pretty much my very favorites. Founder and principle songwriter Jeff Lynne certainly has a lot to be proud of considering so many of these songs were truly radio hits and not just labeled as such for the sake of a greatest compilation. The music seems to have been given a little bit of a fine tuning in the mastering department so they also sound a little fuller and in the now of CD medium.
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