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http://www.macombdaily.com/articles/2011/03/27/entertainment/doc4d8f5907cec71352633820.txt

REVIEW: Seger kicks off tour by rocking the house in Toledo

Published: Sunday, March 27, 2011

By Gary Graff

For The Macomb Daily

TOLEDO, Ohio -- As he and his Silver Bullet Band tour into a show-closing rendition of "Rock and Roll Never Forgets" on Saturday (March 26), Bob Seger inserted the line "sweet 16 turns 65" -- as if marveling that he was still on stage playing his particular brand of Midwestern rock at an age many others are collecting Social Security.

But as the Detroit rocker opened his highly anticipated spring tour at Toledo's Huntington Center, it was clear Seger remembers how to put on the kind of long and lusty show on which he's staked his Rock and Roll Hall of Fame expectation.

The salt-to-pepper ratio, of course, has increased a bit since Seger finished his last tour nearly four years to the day. And there were some concessions to age as he sat down on a stool for his acoustic guitar numbers such as "Main Street," "Against the Wind" and "Night Moves" -- not to mention some expected opening-night miscues and even a bona fide senior moment when Seger introduced "Her Strut" as coming from the "Stranger in Town" album (it's actually on "Against the Wind").

But at two hours and 15 minutes and 25 songs this was no retiring kind of rock show. Rather, it was full-tilt and fired up, an exhaustive exposition whose flaws only made the set seem that much more reckless and youthful -- to the delight of the sold-out crowd of 8,200 that seemed almost equally divided between Michiganders and Ohioans.

Seger and company came out strong -- perhaps a bit TOO strong -- with "Roll Me Away," Otis Clay's "Tryin' to Live My Life Without You," "Her Strut," "Main Street" and "Old Time Rock and Roll," with the 13-piece Silver Bullets in fine form, bolstered by the four-piece Motor City Horns and solos by saxophonist Alto Reed, keyboardist Craig Frost and guitarist Mark Chatfield. But by the time the group hit "Downtown Train," the Tom Waits cover that's the first release from Seger's upcoming (but incomplete) new album, the singer -- who was sporting a Toledo Mud Hens baseball jersey and a headband -- seemed a bit gassed and working to maintain an equilibrium.

He managed to find it, however, and even got stronger as the show went on -- and particularly after an eight-minute break that followed the pleasing-as-ever coupling of "Travelin' Man" and "Beautiful Loser."

The show did follow a model similar to the 2006-07 run -- after all, it's not like Seger can get away without playing staples such as "Ramblin' Gamblin' Man," "We've Got Tonight," "Turn the Page," "Horizontal Bop," "Katmandu" and "Hollywood Nights." But he did insert some gems and surprises, including the "Against the Wind" ballad "Good For Me," "Gets Ya Pumpin' " from 2010's "Early Seger Vol. 1" collection and the return of Ike & Tina Turner's "Nutbush City Limits" and "Come to Poppa." The only flat selection was a cover of the Isley Brothers' "It's Your Thing" performed by the three Silver Bullet backup singers -- Shaun Murphy, Laura Creamer and Barbara Payton -- a speed bump that, coming shortly after the break, didn't make much sense.

But if tradition holds, the ever-exacting Seger will go over the opening night show in detail and continue to tweak it probably until the tour wraps in May at the Palace of Auburn Hills. But on Saturday, the trek certainly began on good footing.

Tickets, priced at $69, are on sale for Bob Seger & the Silver Bullet Band shows May 17, 19 and 21 at the Palace of Auburn Hills. Call 248-377-0100 or visit www.palacenet.com.

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Great to hear him again. Back to his "pre-children" sound. I found his music changed a bit after he had kids. Not a bad thing, I changed a bit after my daughter was born too. But I still prefer his earlier stuff. Seger is the only other artist ( Zeppelin being the other, duh!) that I truly have an obsession for.

Will be looking for Downtown Train.

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I've had the Bob Seger record, against the wind, on vinyl..since I was a kid. It was a cool record to have in a limited record collection. Along with John Fogerty, Billy Joel, John Mellancamp and Bruce Springsteen....I think they all are good singer songwriters and their records hold up well today, considering that there are soo many singer songwriters these days. There wasn't a lot of variety of singer songwriters back in the 70s/80s compared to today...but my 2cents is they were and are very good.

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I've had the Bob Seger record, against the wind, on vinyl..since I was a kid. It was a cool record to have in a limited record collection. Along with John Fogerty, Billy Joel, John Mellancamp and Bruce Springsteen....I think they all are good singer songwriters and their records hold up well today, considering that there are soo many singer songwriters these days. There wasn't a lot of variety of singer songwriters back in the 70s/80s compared to today...but my 2cents is they were and are very good.

Here's a short list just from the 70's:

Jim Croce

Gordon Lightfoot

Joni Mitchell

Neil Young

Harry Chapin

Bob Dylan

James Taylor

Don McLean

Joan Baez

Neil Diamond

Maria Muldaur

Carly Simon

Arlo Guthrie

John Denver

Willie Nelson

Waylon Jennings

Bruce Springsteen

Townes Van Zandt

Paul Simon

Patti Smith

Stevie Wonder

Paul McCartney

John Lennon

George Harrison

Nick Drake

Kris Kristofferson

Johnny Cash

Billy Joe Shaver

Bill Withers

Curtis Mayfield

Lowell George

Leo Kottke

Jackson Browne

Iggy Pop

Gerry Rafferty

Elton John/Bernie Taupin

David Allen Coe

Crosby, Stills, Nash

The 70's was actually a time of great variety. It's often referred to as the singer-songwriter decade. Time will tell if any of the current crop will be remembered and overplayed in 40 years.

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Here's a short list just from the 70's:

Jim Croce

Gordon Lightfoot

Joni Mitchell

Neil Young

Harry Chapin

Bob Dylan

James Taylor

Don McLean

Joan Baez

Neil Diamond

Maria Muldaur

Carly Simon

Arlo Guthrie

John Denver

Willie Nelson

Waylon Jennings

Bruce Springsteen

Townes Van Zandt

Paul Simon

Patti Smith

Stevie Wonder

Paul McCartney

John Lennon

George Harrison

Nick Drake

Kris Kristofferson

Johnny Cash

Billy Joe Shaver

Bill Withers

Curtis Mayfield

Lowell George

Leo Kottke

Jackson Browne

Iggy Pop

Gerry Rafferty

Elton John/Bernie Taupin

David Allen Coe

Crosby, Stills, Nash

The 70's was actually a time of great variety. It's often referred to as the singer-songwriter decade. Time will tell if any of the current crop will be remembered and overplayed in 40 years.

I think i had a dyslexic moment in my post there, like many of my posts when trying to discuss music. I was trying to express that there seems to be such alot singer songwriters these days. I listen to college radio, when i even listen to radio and it seems the singer songwriters outnumber the bands these days, maybe im wrong. One of the possible reasons is, that there are alot more women singer songwriters out there also.

As a kid i got bob seger, billy joel and bruce springsteen records from my uncle, stuff that he liked. It wasnt until i was buying my own cds, that i bought neil young, townes van zandt, bob dylan, joni mitchel, willie nelson..and thats after i exhausted my search for rock and metal bands.

Listening to bob segers, against the wind, on vinyl is a good memory...sounded great

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I, love Seger. He was Springsteen before there was a Springsteen plus he has a great voice. One of my fondest memories is attached to both Night Moves & Mainstreet, whenever I hear either song it brings a tear of joy and longing to my eye.

Seger is one of my top five song smiths, as far as writing a musical picture, both him and Springsteen have no comparison. It is life set to music for the everyday American. True rock & roll Americana.

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  • 2 weeks later...

My review of Bob Seger's new album Ride Out (3 out of 5 stars):

  1. Detroit Made...up tempo rocker...it will inevitably be the soundtrack for a new car commercial ***
  2. Hey Gypsy....sounds heavily inspired by Stevie Ray Vaughan's Pride and Joy ***
  3. The Devil’s Right Hand...catchy song that cleverly conveys an anti-gun message ***
  4. Ride Out...traditional AOR ***
  5. Adam And Eve...delightful slice of Americana served up here ****
  6. California Stars...acoustic homage to the Golden State ****
  7. It’s Your World...another Save the Planet anthem I neither needed to hear nor particularly like **
  8. All Of The Roads...the ramblin' gamblin' man is still just that ***
  9. You Take Me In...soft rock showcase for Bob's amazing vocals ***
  10. Gates Of Eden...music to compliment any long journey...the opening acoustic chords remind me a lot of Time and Time Again by Beautiful Creatures ***

Best Song: Adam and Eve

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dwMmho-BOzQ

Original:

Edited by SteveAJones
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