Beatles Let it Be Musical to Close on September 1

Beatles music transcends the generation.  People who were  born after the Beatles Years (1962-1970) love the music of the Fab Four.  Over the years there have been several tribute groups that play their music and emulate their style.  On Lee's birthday in 2009 we saw Strawberry Fields at BB Kings.  Back in the late 1970s I saw the show Beatlemania on Broadway.  This Yahoo Directory lists several Beatles tribute bands.

The Broadway show Let it Be was scheduled to run until December 29, but will close on September 1.  Perhaps it came to Broadway too soon after the Beatles tribute show rain closed in July 2011.  I guess since two of the Beatles have passed away seeing a tribute band is the next best thing.  Maybe the problem is that there are just too many such groups imitating the Beatles.

Just Like a Woman - Bob Dylan Song of the Day

Brian Matthew just played the original studio version from Blonde on Blonde.  Above is the version played at the Concert for Bangla Desh in August 1971.

Remembering Elvis Presley

It is hard to believe that it is 36 years since Elvis Presley died in Memphis.  I was on vacation in Cape Cod when I heard the news.  I always remember in 2003 when I visited Graceland as most of the visitors where not yet born when the King died in 1977.  Below is a performance of Heartbreak Hotel on the Ed Sullivan Show in January 1957.

Remembering the August 14, 2003 Blackout

It was 10 years ago today as I left NJIT at 4 PM as usual.  I found out that the Newark Light Rail was not running, but thought it was just a local power outage.  I walked toward Newark Penn Station and  observed that the traffic lights were out.  When I arrived at the train station we were informed that it was a blckout covering most of the eastern U.S.

I walked back to NJIT and went to the Public Safety office where they let me stay in a dormitory room.  The power was restored in Newark at about 9 PM, but NYC was still out.  I slept in the dorm until about 6 AM.  I was able to find an open restaurant nearby to eat breakfast.  I then walked back to the train station and was able to board the PATH train to NYC.

The NYC Subways were not running, but I was able to ride an express bus back home where I arrived at 10:30 AM.  I was lucky to be able sleep in an NJIT dorm room since so many stranded commuters had to sleep on the sidewalks.

Bob Dylan and Friends play The Weight at Hoboken

On this leg of the Never Ending Tour, the set list didn't vary much.  However The Weight, originally done by The Band, was not played at Jones Beach but was done at Hoboken the night before.  The performance above features Bob Dylan with Jeff Tweedy, Jim James and Peter Wolf.

Random Thoughts of the Day

I returned to work at NJIT after my yearly August staycation.  This is the slowest period of the year since there are no classes until after Labor Day.  It took me about 3 hours to go through my work related e-mail.  Of course 90% of it is irrelevant.  After that I was able to spend some time working on my research project that I am doing in conjunction with a librarian at LIU Post.  I must always be grateful that there is a job to go to each morning.  Two of my librarian friends have been unemployed for sometime now.

My Vague Memories of Camp Wel-Met's Western Trip #3 in 1965

A journal entry I wrote in February 2009 recalling my days in Camp Wel-Met has generated numerous hits. I just received a response from Mitchell W who was on the Western Trip #3 in 1965 with me.  It encourage me to scratch my head for memories of that trip.  Since it is almost 50 years ago, my memories of the details are fading.  I will do my best, so here goes.

Camp Wel-Met had 4 yearly bus tours of the Western United States in the 1960s and 70s.  Back in 1965 I was on Western Trip #3 that left NYC about July 16 and returned August 25.  

The tour started at the Narrowsburg site for a few days of training before we hit the road.  The first day was an overnight drive to St. Louis.  We actually changed drivers in Columbus, Ohio.  We stayed at the Jewish Community Center in St. Louis for a few days.  The next stop that I can remember  was the Jensby Farm in Kansas near the Nebraska border.  

The highlight of the trip was the Grand Canyon.  We actually hiked down the trail and slept near the bottom before we made the trek back up.  I was only 16 years old at the time and had a lot more energy that I had now.

I also remember stopping at the Navajo Indian reservation in Window Rock Arizona where we had to sleep in the bus one night since our sleeping bags were caught in a torrential rain.

There was also the stop at Pikes Peak where we took a railroad to the top

I can remember only some of the people I met on the trip:

Gerhard - group leader

Bernie, Louise, Mike and Marge were the counselors.

Phyllis Silverman

Nancy Yellen

Dick Seltzer

Mitchell W  who responded to my original post about Wel-Met (1961-65)

Mark Soloway

Barry

Andrea

Laura

Steve