I was just about ready to hang it up tonight. I tried to find a place to park at the Grand Sierra Resort--and mind you, it is only Thursday, not a weekend--and it was just about impossible. I couldn't understand why the hell it was so packed. The past two evenings it wasn't, and I was about an hour ahead tonight.
I ended up parking at the Bank of America parking lot on Mill Street. I was lucky I found that.
Anyway, I went down to where Peter Noone, only 60 (since he started out in show business when he was only 14 or 15), who is best known as being the "Herman" of Herman's Hermits, one of the top bands of the 1960s British Invasion of 1963-1966, was to perform, and the joint was packed. I do mean PACKED. Fortunately, I don't take a chair with me to sit in front of the stage; I much prefer to stand up and get a better view. I did get a good view and, when he came on, I got a few pictures. My memory card, though, is about filled up, and I keep the memory cards for backup. I will have to get a new one tomorrow.
Noone has come to Hot August Nights for the past 15 years. I can see why he packs in the crowds. This guy puts on one hell of a show. He still looks good, if a bit heavier than when he was young, but gravity and shit happens when you hit 50. He noted that during his show, only he mentioned forty instead. Noone has had something of a revival in his career.
Same is true with Davy Jones of the Monkees fame. He is supposed to be at the Grand Sierra parking lot tomorrow night. I expect the crowd to be murder.
I have read articles in the local paper about how there are fewer and fewer "oldies" acts and how HAN was going to emphasize more of the cars, but as far as I am concerned, there are PLENTY of vintage acts still around, especially from the 1960s, not so much from the 1950s anymore. To me the live shows are the main draw. The cars are great, but unfortunately there are far too many 1960s muscle cars, which don't interest me one bit and don't have the style of the early 1960s and older cars.
Frankly, if you've seen one GTO or Super Sport, you've seen them all. They were really cookie cutter cars.
2 comments:
I've seen both these guys in concert and they do put on one good show. I have seen Davy many, many times and if you can go to his show tomorrow, I'd recommend it. I wish I had the money for airfare, I'd be there if I was off work.
With Noone, he has been to Reno for YEARS and YEARS (I guess he lives not too far away, in Santa Barbara, California), and I guess because Herman's Hermits wasn't my top 1960s band years ago, I didn't bother to go.
Last night I decided to do it, and I forgot how good those songs were, and Noone is a master entertainer.
I am sure Jones will be just as good, and the crowds will be even worse.
I hope HAN can get more of the entertainers from the 1950s-1960s era (and even some from the 1970s, as the 1950s entertainers are dwindling) because the music, more than the cars, is what made those decades so memorable.
Post a Comment