Summer Music Wrap Up
 by Kathy S-B  ·  14 September 2006

So we’re trying something new at the me&thee coffeehouse website. We’re moving into the twenty-first century with our very own m&t blog!

I thought I’d begin the blog by writing a bit about some of my musical experiences and adventures of this past summer. As always, I had a diverse summer of music and I like it like that.

My summer season actually started off with a bang. I went to see The New Cars at the Bank of America Pavilion in Boston. Anyone who knows me well or even doesn’t know me very well, probably knows that a day doesn’t go by when I don’t say the name Todd Rundgren and I’ve been known to genuflect before graven images of him (only kidding, folks). Todd was fronting this new version of the Cars and I most certainly had to be there to root him on.

Rock music fans are no doubt aware that the first edition Cars broke up many moons ago and neither lead singer Ric Ocasek or drummer David Robinson were interested in reuniting with their fellow bandmates. Ben Orr who was responsible for the achingly beautiful vocals on one of their best known songs, “Drive,” died way too soon of cancer in 2000. That left guitarist Elliot Easton and keyboardist, Greg Hawkes, who really wanted to get back into the studio and out on the road and bring those classic Cars tunes to old and new fans alike. They asked Todd Rundgren if he’d like to join them. Todd thought it sounded like fun but realized that it was a risky tour — knowing that he’d be compared to Ric Ocasek all along the way.

>Hear Todd singing a brand new New Cars tune<

Two or three days before the Boston gig, the tour bus was involved in an accident which caused Elliot Easton to break his left clavicle. Being the professional that he is and knowing that the band’s main fan base is in Boston, he went on with the show in great pain. He played as though nothing was wrong — blistering solos all night long. Todd served the New Cars well and even managed to sneak in a couple of Todd songs as well. One of his signature songs which features some real juicy guitar licks, “Black Maria” was a definite highlight as was one of his early songs “Open My Eyes” which he recorded with his band, the Nazz. Todd fans were satiated and Cars fans probably walked away scratching their heads. I’d like to think that Todd made a new fan or two though. By the way, Elliot ended up having surgery and the tour will pick up again this fall.

>Click for more information on my rock and roll hero of all time<

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