Brad Patton

CONCERT REVIEW: Grace Potter drives Kirby Center crowd ‘Delirious’ in Wilkes-Barre

CONCERT REVIEW: Grace Potter drives Kirby Center crowd ‘Delirious’ in Wilkes-Barre

Coming to the stage as the intro to Prince’s “Let’s Go Crazy” blared from the speakers, Grace Potter was a nonstop whirlwind of energy throughout her 100-minute performance at the F.M. Kirby Center on Friday, July 29. “Wilkes-Barre! So good to see you tonight,” the 33-year-old singer-songwriter from Vermont shouted before beginning her opening number, […]

 Brad Patton

CONCERT REVIEW: Paul McCartney in top form in Philly, digging deep for longtime fans

CONCERT REVIEW: Paul McCartney in top form in Philly, digging deep for longtime fans

Since returning to the concert stage in 1989, Paul McCartney has treated concertgoers to a healthy mix of his Beatles, Wings, and solo classics. With his current “One on One” tour, the two-time Rock and Roll Hall of Famer is digging even deeper into those stellar catalogs. McCartney, still looking Fab at the age of […]

 Brad Patton

CONCERT REVIEW: New Riders of the Purple Sage ‘Keep On’ country rockin’ in Wilkes-Barre

CONCERT REVIEW: New Riders of the Purple Sage ‘Keep On’ country rockin’ in Wilkes-Barre

The unique sound of country rock filled the F.M. Kirby Center’s Chandelier Lobby in Wilkes-Barre on Friday, July 1 when the New Riders of the Purple Sage rode into town. With a repertoire that leaned heavily on the band’s 1971 self-titled debut album, the New Riders kicked off its first set with that record’s “Last […]

 Brad Patton

CONCERT REVIEW: Dolly Parton proves she’s simply the best in ‘Pure & Simple’ Wilkes-Barre show

CONCERT REVIEW: Dolly Parton proves she’s simply the best in ‘Pure & Simple’ Wilkes-Barre show

For her first major tour in over 20 years, Country Music Hall of Famer Dolly Parton wanted to keep things “Pure & Simple” – a non-cluttered stage with minimal lights, no special effects, and support from just three backing musicians. Thankfully for the large crowd at the Mohegan Sun Arena at Casey Plaza in Wilkes-Barre […]

 Brad Patton

CONCERT REVIEW: When we need it most, Ringo Starr brings ‘peace and love’ to Wilkes-Barre

CONCERT REVIEW: When we need it most, Ringo Starr brings ‘peace and love’ to Wilkes-Barre

It was a night full of “magical musical moments” as Ringo Starr and His All-Starr Band played the F.M. Kirby Center for the Performing Arts in Wilkes-Barre on Tuesday, June 14. Starr, now 75 and still fit as a fiddle, brought back loads of memories for the sold-out crowd as he sang his solo hits […]

 Brad Patton

CONCERT REVIEW: Johnny Winter All Star Band crafts starry night of blues rock in Wilkes-Barre

CONCERT REVIEW: Johnny Winter All Star Band crafts starry night of blues rock in Wilkes-Barre

Legendary blues rock guitar slinger Johnny Winter died nearly two years ago, but his music lives on thanks to guitarist Paul Nelson and the Johnny Winter All Star Band. The band, which also includes vocalist Jay Stollman and Winter’s longtime drummer Bobby “T” Torello, faithfully reproduced some of the best-known tunes from the legend’s long […]

 Brad Patton

CONCERT REVIEW: Pat Benatar and Neil Giraldo still get ‘All Fired Up’ for stripped down Wilkes-Barre show

CONCERT REVIEW: Pat Benatar and Neil Giraldo still get ‘All Fired Up’ for stripped down Wilkes-Barre show

Even while sitting on a stool and accompanied by a single acoustic guitar, Pat Benatar has a very powerful voice. The four-time Grammy winner proved it time and again on Friday, May 20 as she and her husband of 34 years, Neil Giraldo, brought the intimate “We Live for Love” tour to the F.M. Kirby […]

 Brad Patton

REVIEW/PHOTOS: Susquehanna Breakdown brings family of bluegrass fans together in Scranton

REVIEW/PHOTOS: Susquehanna Breakdown brings family of bluegrass fans together in Scranton

For the fourth consecutive year, Scranton/Wilkes-Barre bluegrass band Cabinet kicked off the summer concert season with the Susquehanna Breakdown Music Festival at The Pavilion at Montage Mountain in Scranton. The two-day affair got underway on Friday, May 20 with performances by local bands The Dishonest Fiddlers and the Coal Town Rounders, acoustic guitarist extraordinaire Larry […]

 Brad Patton

CONCERT REVIEW: Even before hospitalization, Ace Frehley flawlessly rocks Wilkes-Barre show

CONCERT REVIEW: Even before hospitalization, Ace Frehley flawlessly rocks Wilkes-Barre show

Following a blistering performance on Friday, April 15 at the F.M. Kirby Center for the Performing Arts, former KISS guitarist Ace Frehley ended up at the Wilkes-Barre General Hospital suffering from exhaustion and dehydration. Frehley, who will turn 65 on April 27, played for 80 minutes at the Kirby Center, which was his 11th concert […]

 Brad Patton

Record Store Day limited releases and live performances on April 16 keep local indie stores ‘special’

Record Store Day limited releases and live performances on April 16 keep local indie stores ‘special’

NEPA store owners select this year's hottest items

For the past eight years, the third Saturday in April has made music lovers feel like kids in a candy store. This Saturday, April 16 will be no different as Record Store Day once again brings hundreds of limited edition vinyl records to independent record stores nationwide. Locally, all three locations of Gallery of Sound […]