Brianland

It opens Friday, April 4th.  Here’s some info on it . . .
Shine A Light  (2008)
The Rolling Stones, with Darryl Jones, Chuck Leavell, Blondie Chapman, Bernard Fowler & Lisa Fischer, and a 4-piece horn section led by a wailin’ Bobby Keys.
Special Guests:  Buddy Guy, Christina Aguilera, Jack White 
Directed by Martin Scorsese
Cinematographers:  Scorsese brought together […]

[Read more →]

                           The Grateful Dead Played My 30th Birthday
                                                                     Or
           Everything I Ever Needed to Know I Learned At A Grateful Dead Concert
            The weekend of my 30th birthday, four old friends drove from Winnipeg to New York to help celebrate it, and the Grateful Dead flew in from San Francisco to play.
            It’s a curious […]

[Read more →]

Here’s an article I wrote on the film Festival Express, published in Relix Magazine, April 2004. 
Drivin’ That Train . . .        
The Festival Express Rolls Again After 30 Years
by Brian Hassett

“That was the best time I’ve had in rock and roll,” said Jerry Garcia. “There were no straight people.”
In the summer of 1970, the Grateful […]

[Read more →]

Long slow line winding around industrial waterfront of Toronto, on Lake Ontario, minus about 20 with the wind-chill, waiting to go into big square industrial box to absorb some very organic music. 
Beers, you could smoke, and it wasn’t over packed. 
He comes on about 8:35 wearing big white cowboy hat, and black western show suit. 
First 3 […]

[Read more →]

The Bob Night at Springsteen . . .
I noticed that no one seems to be talking about Bruce’s Dylan rap moment. 
So, first Bruce returns after the 1st round of encores, “And I’m thinking, ‘Okay, if anybody’s comin out, this is it.’”  Being a New Yorker, I’m always pullin for this, there being so many musicians […]

[Read more →]

After Christina Aguilera’s performance of James Brown’s “It’s A Man’s World” at the Grammys, this is one of the more transcendent performances by any musician I’ve seen in years.  Or ever.  This woman’s a channel, for sure. 
“Live Earth” was the most watched event in human history, the single event experienced by more people at the […]

[Read more →]

Holy muthr jezus of gawd!  What just happened?!  Herbie Hancock just won Album of The Year! 
Herbie, besides everything else in his brilliant career, was a key to the “Yes We Can” Obama video.  And the guy climaxes the Grammys, saying, “Yes, We Can” from the stage when he wins.  I’m freaking out.  
you can see the Herbie […]

[Read more →]

did you see Christina Aguilera deliver the James Brown tribute at the Grammies?  i assume you did.  here’s a little gift 4 u if not. 
here’s the best link – the 3:03 length version.
 
http://youtube.com/watch?v=rh2Yxp6q2h0
i dunno what you think of a 20-something white chick doing the music industry’s tribute to The Godfather of fuckin music  –  but […]

[Read more →]

“I mean, tickets come to about a dollar per supergroup.”  Ian Tyson, in Festival Express. 
 
same idea  +  inflation  =  last night
 
hearing, “Come and get it, but ya better hurry cuz it’s goin’ fast.” 
 
my momma always said, “Life is like a multi-act rock show;  You never know what you’re gonna get.”  You think […]

[Read more →]

The Tour Set-List . . .  opening act:  Pegi Young (8 songs, with a 3-piece band)1st set - acoustic, Neil solo on guitars, banjo, upright piano, grand piano?, organ/synth. From Hank To Hendrix - w/ harmonica,  Harvest Moon (’92!)  the only non-oldie he plays,
* Ambulance Blues - On The Beach
Sad Movies - never on an […]

[Read more →]