ALL OF IT? Like Audrey in "Roman Holiday"? Did you dye it brunette, too?

Well that certainly deserves a toast with a pint of Guinness...or a lovely glass of Pinot. Congratulations writer!

There are many Clipper coaching possibilities, Rick. Byron Scott(him and Chris Paul bonded when Scott coached New Orleans), Brian Shaw, Memphis coach Lionel Hollins...but whoever the Clippers pick, Chris Paul and Blake Griffin will be consulted first. It's clear that they are the reason the Clippers never signed Del Negro to a contract extension before the season, and fired him despite setting team records for wins in a season, consecutive victories, and being the winningest coach in Clipper history. Paul, don't worry...your Heat will shake off the rust they had in game one and handle the Pacers. Sure, the Pacers might win a game or two, but I fully expect the Heat to be in the Finals. Where San Antonio will be waiting for them. Memphis is a tough team. But San Antonio got lucky in that the three teams that could have given them matchup problems by being younger, faster and more athletic, OKC, Golden State and the Clippers, all got knocked out. Memphis is just like San Antonio in that they walk the ball up and grind it out in the low-post. San Antonio isn't stupid. They don't beat themselves. You have to beat them by outplaying and out-scheming and out-coaching them. That's a tall order for a team like Memphis. I'll tell you one thing, it's weird not having the Lakers playing in May. There's a void in the city.

^^^ Don't forget about "Sway"...

Stones last night...tonight it is my favourite band from Austin: May 21, 2013: Black Angels @ The Mayan...w/ Wall of Death Actually, now that Robert Plant lives in Austin, the Black Angels are my second favourite band from Austin, TX.

One of my most memorable shows was seeing Megadeth on the "Peace Sells" tour in 1988 at the Raymond Theatre in Pasadena...it was formerly known as Perkins Palace, and the concert venue is sadly now long gone. The mosh pit was so raging that this girl had her top and bra ripped to shreds, so I gave her my shirt to wear. After the show she asked if I wanted my shirt back but I told her to keep it. Saw the Rolling Stones at Staples Center last night...last show of LA and the California leg of the 50 and counting tour. I was ambivalent at best about going to see them this tour but now I'm glad I did.

Funny thing about waiting for the DVD...sometimes it's like waiting for Godot. One of the great scores of my life was getting tix for the Rolling Stones' Wiltern Theatre concert in 2002 with Solomon Burke opening. One of my friends wasn't so lucky. When I spoke to him a couple of days later, I told him about all the cameras filming and said the Stones were probably filming for a dvd release. Well, 11 years later and there still hasn't been a dvd of that concert released. I haven't even seen a bootleg dvd of that show. So waiting for the dvd doesn't always pan out. Besides, the dvd experience pales in comparison to the actual concert. Ask anyone who went to 1.9.70 Royal Albert Hall or the 12.10.07 O2 Ahmet Ertegun Tribute if they would trade those nights for the dvd? 3 Rolling Stones Tix @ $150 each: $450 Steak dinner for three: $60 Stones tour t-shirt: $40 Tour program: $30 The look of joy on my godson's face when they played his favourite Stones song, "Sympathy for the Devil? PRICELESS!

^^^ Read it and weep, Nutrocker...here is the setlist from last night's Staples Center show: 1. Get Off of My Cloud 2. It's Only Rock and Roll 3. Paint It Black 4. Gimme Shelter 5. All Down the Line 6. Far Away Eyes 7. SWAY w/ Mick Taylor! 8. Doom and Gloom 9. One More Shot 10. CAN'T YOU HEAR ME KNOCKING W/ MT! (Worth the price of admission alone!) 11. Honky Tonk Women Band introductions... 12. Keef: You Got the Silver 13. Keef: Before They Make Me Run 14. Midnight Rambler w/ MT 15. Miss You 16. Start Me Up 17. Tumbling Dice 18. Brown Sugar 19. Sympathy for the Devil(Mick Jagger wears an awesome black cape with red lining during this song) Encore: 20. You Can't Always Get What You Want w/ USC Thornton School of Music Choir 21. Jumping Jack Flash 22. Satisfaction w/ MT It was worth the price of admission alone just to hear Can't You Hear Me Knocking with Mick Taylor!!! Throw in Mick Taylor on "Sway", "Midnight Rambler" and "Satisfaction" and it was a dream come true. Then you add in "Far Away Eyes", "You Got the Silver", "Paint It Black", and "You Can't Always Get What You Want" played with a choir in the studio arrangement for the first time, and you've got one special setlist. Greatest show ever? I don't know...I would still put the 1972 and 1975 shows I saw above tonight. But tonight was definitely in the top 10...maybe even top 5 considering MT played four songs. If you've been on the fence about spending the money for tickets, I'm here to tell you it's worth every penny. Just do it...GO! If you're patient enough at the box office the day of the show, you'll get pretty good seats for $150. Or just keep checking the Rolling Stones ticket website for your area's show...they've been slashing tix periodically. I got to the Staples Center box office yesterday at 4am and 14 and 1/2 hours later at 6:30pm, finally the box office released the tickets I wanted.

I'd say taking my godson to see his FIRST Stones concert is a good enough excuse.

WOOHOO! After waiting 14 hours in line, I finally scored 3 tix for $150 each in section 204. A graduation present for my godson. We're heading into Staples Center now after having a nice steak dinner. This just might be my last Stones show. #21 over the last 41 years.

Listen to most "Dazed and Confused" performances on the 1972 tour and you'll hear the "Walter's Walk" jam...it's on the official "How the West Was Won" release featuring the D & C from June 25, 1972 at the LA Forum. All D & Cs from late 1972 to 1975 feature the chord progression that would eventually be used in "Achilles Last Stand"...it's used in the "San Francisco/Woodstock" part just before the bow solo. This is one reason why D & C was dropped from the set after 1975.

Yes.

Umm, I just did it with no problem.

^^^ No shit. I'm so fucking sick of John Mayer. I'm in line now at the Staples Center box office...been here since 4am...rumours are that the Black Keys will be the special guest tonight. I'd rather Mick Taylor play on more than one song.

OOTT was also performed at the evening show at Madison Square Garden, September 19, 1970. Though the sound quality isn't as good as Blueberry Hill, the performance is better. Of course, it is possible that they played OOTT at some other concert...we just don't have tape of it as evidence.

I'm assuming this is for completist purposes, as I doubt you'll spend much time watching the 11th over the 4th. There was a DVD set out recently that had both the 4th and 11th Knebworths...it might have been EVSD...and it was the best quality 11th I had heretofore seen. I don't have the info at hand...I'll post as soon as I dig it up. Unless one of the fine fellows or ladies here can provide the info first.

When it comes to "best" Led Zeppelin concert, it is extremely subjective...it all comes down to personal taste and preference in the long run. For instance, some people like the early blues-heavy setlists; others prefer the "Physical Graffiti"-"Presence"-era songs. If we're strictly talking audio quality, then obviously, the official releases of "The Song Remains the Same", "How the West Was Won", and the Led Zeppelin DVD including 1.9.70 Royal Albert Hall, 1973 MSG, 1975 Earl's Court and 1979 Knebworth are the tops. After that, once you get in the "unofficial" realm of audience tapes and soundboards, the list grows exponentially. I'm proud to be a nerd.

It's bogus. There are a multitude of "Ultimate Review" dvds out there on all sorts of bands...Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, Radiohead, Tool, The Who, ad nauseum. None of them are official and are pretty much a rip-off. Save your money.

Don't know about that, but his amps must have been on as I've read that Keith was upset that Mick Taylor's guitar was so loud at that Kansas City show in 1981. Well, after much hemming and hawing, it seems me and my friend are going to bite the bullet and try to get tickets for the Stones show Monday at Staples. I'll do my usual routine and line up early for releases. They have released $85 seats...but they're obstructed view seats. Some of the $250 and $300 seats have been slashed to $150, so we might try for those. We're taking my friend's son, which is the main reason we decided to go...this is probably the best chance he'll have to take his son to the Stones. Plus, even if it is only for a few songs, it'll be nice to see Mick Taylor with the band again after 41 years. The night after the Stones concert, I'm seeing the Black Angels, Wall of Death, and Hanni El Khatib at the Mayan...for $23.

Don't worry, Paul...they will be in about three hours. Indiana will close them out at home tonight. So, it looks like smooth sailing for your Heat from here on out. I think San Antonio vs. Memphis will be a war. What say you? I don't think either team will have anything left for Miami after this series.

Well that Darvish vs. Verlander pitching duel turned out to be a pitching dud. Angel fans are not happy with the club backing Scioscia. How much more is it gonna take to make the Front Office see the light? It's ridiculous...all the good will accrued to Scioscia and the owner, Arte Moreno, is spent. There are disgruntled rumblings all over the Southland.

Happy Birthday to SuperDave! Hope you take some time off from your Superhero duties and enjoy your birthday, Dave. Kick out the jams and rock on, dude! It's a Celebration Day! Cheers!

May 16, 1973 Sam Houston Coliseum, Houston, Texas. 40 years to the night. It's the soundboard that only covers the last hour of the show; from Stairway to Communication Breakdown. I used to have it on the "Going Down" cd but I gave that to a friend as a present last year. Then, I got Godfatherecords "Quick Diet", which includes the Houston Soundboard on a third disc along with the May 28, 1973 San Diego Soundboard. If the first part of the Houston show is as good as the last, then Houston must rank as one of the best of the 1973 U.S. tour. The Houston tape kicks off with a very good "Stairway to Heaven". Jimmy's guitar is a little low in the mix until the solo, and it seems the band doesn't quite hit the "To be a rock and not to roll" part quite right(whether it's Bonham's or Plant's fault is uncertain). But Jimmy's solo is one of the better ones. After Stairway comes one of the best "Moby Dicks" ever...top 10 for sure, amd maybe even top 5 all-time. It's up there with 9.29.71 Osaka and 8.31.71 Orlando and 1.9.70 RAH. It's energetic and focused...one way to tell that Bonzo was on his game is that he hits the Tympani part only 10 minutes into the solo. Compare that to the 1977 Landover snooze-a-thons, where 10 minutes in and Bonham is still diddling around the first part of the solo...he hasn't even made it to the hand-section yet. What also makes this "Moby Dick" shine is the way the band attacks the riff before and after the solo. There were times when the band, especially Jimmy, approached this part with indifference, particularly in 1975. Not here, though...in Houston 1973 they nail it with force. "Heartbreaker" follows and again, it's a good version...and Jimmy doesn't meander during the solo as he sometimes tended to do; he gets right down to brass tacks and shreds it almost perfectly. I never cared for how they linked "Heartbreaker" and "Whole Lotta Love" together, casting aside the final verse and ending of "Heartbreaker", but once they get started on "Whole Lotta Love", it cooks. What makes the Houston WLL special is that it is one of the few from this tour where they added "Going Down"(the Jeff Beck arrangement) to the medley. Off the top of my head I know 5.28.73 San Diego and 6.3.73 LA were other "Going Down" nights. The Soundboard tape ends with the encore of "Communication Breakdown". The tape garbles the end of the song...don't know if that was the fault of the original tape or if it got garbled later on. Too bad there's no "The Ocean"...again, maybe it was played and the Soundboard tape just ran out before the song. Considering that Zeppelin only played "The Ocean" a few times on the 1972 tour, the band should have made it the encore song at EVERY 1973 concert. Then, they could have played CB as the second song, with "Thank You" as the third encore on special occasions. All in all, 1973 Houston is a treat...just wish we could have the whole show.

This...in my opinion the best version, as well.

The NY Jets circus continues...now QB David Garrard says he is getting the hell out of Dodge...err, the Big Apple.