Author Archives: Tony Hicks
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INTERVIEW: Jared James Nichols living a guitar player’s dream
Jared James Nichols. Photo courtesy of the artist. Being good enough at guitar to get into prestigious Berklee College of Music, ironically, almost ruined Jared James Nichols’ musical career. The then-17-year-old kid from Wisconsin was convinced by his mom to try a four-day camp at the Boston institution. He…
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ALBUM REVIEW: Jeff Lynne’s ELO not exactly ‘Out of Nowhere’ on new record
If Jeff Lynne makes a record under the name “Jeff Lynne’s ELO” without the ELO, and the record drops more than four decades after the band’s best work, does it still make the wonderful noise of old? Not really. Is new record From Out of Nowhere still ELO? Yes and no. From Out of Nowhere…
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REVIEW: Phil Collins gets it done despite showing his age at Chase Center
Phil Collins performs at Chase Center in San Francisco on Oct. 17, 2019. Photos: Gary Chancer. SAN FRANCISCO — Phil Collins can still defy expectations. The rock star who never behaved like one. The prog rock drummer who wrote and sang more pop hits than all drummers from all…
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Peter Frampton makes saying goodbye look effortless in career finale in Concord
Peter Frampton performs at the Concord Pavilion in Concord, California on Oct. 12, 2019. Photos: Karen Goldman. CONCORD, Calif. — For the last show of a tour called Peter Frampton Finale — the Farewell, there wasn’t a lot of crying and saying goodbye Saturday night at the Concord Pavilion.…
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Janet Jackson goes through the motions but recovers in time at Chase Center
Janet Jackson performs at Chase Center in San Francisco on Sept. 21, 2019. Photos: Gary Chancer. SAN FRANCISCO — Rarely does a performer set such high expectations, dip low into serious mediocrity, then pull off such an epic, mid-career comeback the way Janet Jackson did Saturday night at Chase Center.…
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Elton John on top of his game at Farewell Yellow Brick Road stop at Chase Center
Elton John performs during his “Farewell Yellow Brick Road” tour at PPL Center on Sept. 8, 2018 in Allentown, Pennsylvania. Photo: Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for Rocket Entertainment. SAN FRANCISCO — Near the end of Elton John‘s sold-out show at the Chase Center on Friday night, a figurative ton of…
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Heart’s return mixed, but Joan Jett rips through the classics at Concord Pavilion
Nancy Wilson (left) and Ann Wilson of Heart perform at a previous stop on the “Love Alive” tour. Courtesy: Kimberly Adamis/Heart. CONCORD, CALIF. — At various points during their 90 minutes or so onstage Friday night at the Concord Pavilion, the Wilson sisters of Heart referred to how long…
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Chrissie Hynde plays Sinatra, Coltrane and a former beau on new jazz record
Can you imagine outspoken all-time great rocker and Pretenders leader Chrissie Hynde, buddy of the Sex Pistols, in a smoke-filled room, wearing a low-slung, sparkly tassled dress and a headband, crooning jazz? Valve Bone Woe Chrissie Hynde BMG Records, Sept. 6 Maybe not before you hear it. But now? Count…
