I was excited as the day wore on at work for what I hoped would be a trip down memory lane for me. One of the first concerts of the New Year in Anchorage is the kick off performance of “America” in the Atwood Concert Hall at the Performing Arts Center.
It has snowed the last several days and this evening was no exception. What we decided to do was drive downtown to the mall parking lot and then walk along the four blocks in the falling snow to the concert hall. It was quite cold but glorious as we walked past the many shops, restaurants, and attractions along the way. The “city of lights” was just that as the trees along the walk and Town Park was aglow with the many colors of the season. There were ice sculptures backlit in various colors as the artists continued working on them for the upcoming Fur Rondy celebration.
My wife and I arrive glad to be in the warmth of the Atwood making our way to our mezzanine level seats. We were meeting our friends Scott & Kim who were also with Scott’s brother, his wife and two children. As we settled into our seats we had a great view of the stage just below us and a good view to watch the sold out crowd which had gathered.
Looking around there were mainly us ‘old farts’ in attendance with a slight mixture of the below 45 year old crowd. I was not sure if I was expecting to see a multi-generation family mix like a Jimmy Buffett concert. In a way America is probably a lighter version of Crosby, Stills and Nash.
Good music with the no frills concerts found here in the arctic north. The logistics of bringing a show to Alaska means that there are no 40 tractor trailer trucks full of equipment or lighting usually found Outside. The band has a nice stage to work from, and the audience is pretty 'up close and personal' as they can be with no bad views from anywhere, so there's no room for artifice or stadium theatricals. Maybe a backdrop banner would have been nice but the Ludwig drums had “America” stenciled for everyone to see. Probably just as well in the case of America as their music favors the intimate setting for their style show. Gerry Beckley and Dewey Bunnell are still true musicians in every sense of the word as their music spans over thirty five years with much the same sound and quality that I first saw in Atlanta in 1987.
I remember America from their most successful period back in the early 1970s - they had a string of hits all done in that west coast unplugged style that was highly popular back then. The band has stayed together over the years with a few minor changes to the members with America still actively performing live concerts around the world with over 120 shows last year. That’s not bad for a group of old codgers & yes, there is a case of nostalgia going on here, as I quite liked America's un-flashy amalgam of rock and folk.
Tonight’s concert was a pleasure to hear those lovely harmony vocals and chiming acoustic guitars again. I have been an America fan since the release in 1972 of the self titled America album. They chose to start a majority of their album titles with an ‘H’ if you hadn't noticed, starting with Homecoming. After 35 years they still make great music together despite the absence of Dan Peek. Gerry's voice has improved with age. Dewey's voice was a little weak, but overall he played and sang well.
The show started with much the same set as on previous albums . . . I guess I should say CD’s as the eight track and the cassette tape are things of the past. Tried and true tunes that didn’t disappoint us: Riverside, Ventura Highway, You Can Do Magic, Daisy Jane, Tin Man, Lonely People, Last Unicorn, From A Moving Train, Sandman, Sister Golden Hair, and the encore, A Horse With No Name.
The sound was awesome as they have always been acknowledged for their singing and writing, but their skills on the guitar shined tonight as well. Opening with Riverside and closing with the required A Horse with No Name, everyone was treated to an outstanding performance and we ended the evening with another walk through the Park, a stop for snacks at the Sea Galley before heading home.
A cold night in Anchorage . . . nah . . . a warm night of music with old friends!
Ice
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