Page 20 Thursday, September 29, 2011 The Westfield Leader and The Scotch Plains – Fanwood TIMES A WATCHUNG COMMUNICATIONS, INC. PUBLICATION
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Foo Fighters’ Blistering, Searing Show Proves Rock Isn’t Dead Yet By FRED T. ROSSI ers closed the show with a blister- rades and blasted through the rest and the band on Monday paid trib- Specially Written for The Westfield Leader and The Times ing and searing rendition of what I of the encores. ute to Petty and the Heartbreakers They may not take themselves consider to be one of the great rock These guys are a true rock and with a cover of “Breakdown” near too seriously — take a look at their and roll songs ever, “Everlong,” roll band, with guitars loud and the end of the night. always entertaining music videos from 1997’s “The Colour and the blazing, drums pounding and en- Bubble-gum pop music this isn’t. and their filmed rejoinder to the Shape.” ergy throughout the show. Grohl, If you have thin eardrums or want extremist Westboro Baptist Church There were exceptions to the who was Nirvana’s drummer, led to sit and politely tap your toes for monsters or go read online their blisterings and searings, the way on guitar and vocals three hours, this show might not be hilarious concert tour demands - though, in the 25-song set. Monday night, supported for you. But if you want great, loud but Foo Fighters, now nearly 17 Nearly an hour of en- by drummer Taylor guitar-driven rock performed by an years old with a collection of hit cores opened with Hawkins, bassist Nate incredibly tight band that’s been songs that could fill two or three front man Dave Mendel and fellow rocking since the mid-1990s, catch greatest hits compilations, sure do Grohl, holding an guitarists Pat Smear the Foo Fighters when they’re back BEAUTIFUL…“I Want to be Found,” was submitted by Emily Lee to Assembly- take their music seriously. acoustic guitar, and Chris Shiflett. in the area in November at Madison man Jon Bramnick’s 4th Annual Photo Contest in the Wildlife category. This was clearly evident on Mon- standing alone on a Rami Jaffee contrib- Square Garden on Saturday, No- day night at the Izod Center, where small elevated plat- uted keyboards and vember 13, and the Prudential Cen- some 15,000 fans stood for most of form near the back organ, and Grohl ter on Sunday, November 14. the three-hour concert that featured of the arena. “You brought out Nirvana They’re blistering and searing — Artists Selected To Exhibit In all but three songs from the Foos’ guys who thought bandmate Krist and throw in “scorching” as well, recently-released and fantastic you had [exple- Novoselic, looking just for good measure, because Arts Guild’s Nexus NJ Show “Wasted Light” album along with tive-deleted] more like a subur- they’re that, too. fan favorites from their previous seats,” he said to ban dad than a RAHWAY – Arts Guild New Jer- lery is open during the exhibition six studio efforts and two covers - those of us in those former member sey announces the results of Nexus on Saturdays and Sundays, 1 - 4 one from Pink Floyd and one from [expletive-deleted] seats,” are of one of rock’s seminal Pierpan to NJ, a juried exhibition open to New p.m. and Monday through Friday Tom Petty. now almost in the front [expletive- bands, for a turn on the accordion Jersey artists. Rocío Aranda- by appointment, during office I jotted down the words “blister- deleted] row.” on “These Days.” Alvarado, Associate Curator of Spe- hours. ing” and “searing” to describe the He then launched into wonder- Novoselic’s appearance was Debut Play in cial Projects at El Museo Del Bar- opening song, “Bridge Burning,” ful, quieter versions of “Long Road timely given that this week marks rio, is this year’s esteemed guest and then came up with the same to Ruin” and “Best of You.” Half- the 20th anniversary of the release NYC judge. adjectives for the follow-up, way through the third song of the of Nirvana’s game-changing NEW YORK, N.Y. – Nicho- From nearly 300 entries submit- “Rope.” And it was pretty much acoustic set, “Times Like These,” “Nevermind” album. las Pierpan, Westfield High ted by 96 artists, Dr. Aranda- like that all night - through “My the rest of the band had retaken the Foo Fighters has been described School Class of 1991, will Alvarado selected 47 artworks in a Hero” and “Walk” and “All My stage and the song’s volume in- as this generation’s “answer to Tom make his New York City debut wide variety of styles, media and Life” and “This Is A Call,” right up stantly went from a soft 3 to a thrash- Petty—a consistent hit machine this November with his play sizes, in two and three dimensions. until midnight when the Foo Fight- ing 10 as Grohl rejoined his com- pumping out working-class rock,” The Maddening Rain, which is Winning entries will be featured part of the annual Brits Off in the Nexus NJ art show, which Broadway festival at the 59E59 opens on Sunday, October 23, and Street Theaters. runs through Thursday, November After graduating from WHS, 17, at Arts Guild New Jersey, 1670 Nicholas attended Bowdoin Irving Street in Rahway. College before winning a An opening reception will be held scholarship to study at Oxford on Sunday, October 23, 1 - 4 p.m. University in England, where Dr. Aranda-Alvarado will be elect- he received a PhD in English ing a best-in-show artwork during Literature in 2004. the opening. The exhibition and re- As a graduate student, Nicho- ception are free, open to the public, las twice won the Cameron and wheelchair accessible. The gal- Olga Mercedes Bautista – Nine Heads Mackintosh Award for best new play. He is now a writer and lecturer living in London, where The Maddening Rain Enjoy Classic Tango Music had a successful run last au- tumn. Nicholas if the son of Tom At First Friday Music Series and Jennifer Pierpan. WESTFIELD - Hundreds of area Navarro bring to you a memorable music lovers have enjoyed the popu- music concert performance that cel- lar First Friday Music Series con- ebrates this passionate South Ameri- certs, presented by Teatro Si at the can music genre. All are invited intimate Galeria West Art Gallery, you to celebrate the arts in a unique WCP to Open located at 111 Quimby Street in setting. Season with downtown Westfield. First Friday concert tickets are This once a month live concert $15 for adults and $10 for children. Squabbles event continues to bring a unique Advance tickets are available online WESTFIELD – The Westfield opportunity to enjoy a diversity of at www.BrownPaperTickets.com Community Players (WCP) music genres as performed by a (enter First Friday Music Series @ will open their season with select series of acclaimed interna- Galeria West for event search) or Squabbles on Saturday, Octo- tional artists. for event reservations and more in- ber 15, at 8 p.m. The First Friday events continue formation call the Teatro Si box For tickets, visit on Friday, October 7, at 7 p.m. with office at (908) 301-9496. For events westfieldcommunityplayers.org a special evening of the classic tango information visit or call the Box Office (24-hour music made internationally famous www.TeatroSi.com. ticket tape) at (908) 232-1221. by Argentine iconic singer Carlos Proceeds from each event benefit WCP is located at 1000 North Gardel. Acclaimed vocalist and ac- theatrical programming efforts at Avenue West, Westfield. tor Chris Vasquez and award win- Teatro Si, a 501(c) 3 New Jersey ning guitarist Francisco Pancho not for profit corporation.