I Didn't Get Tickets for Paul Simon on My Second Try

 

The general ticket sale for Paul Simon at the Beacon Theater went on sale today at 10 AM.  I went to the Ticketmaster site at 9:55 and at 10:02 the cheapest tickets available were for about $350.  I do like Paul Simon, but to pay $700 for 2 hours of entertainment is too much for me.  Perhaps I should have accessed the Ticketmaster site at 9 AM and waited for an hour.  It shows that he is very popular.

 

Hey Western Union Man - My Favorite Hit from Jerry Butler "The Ice Man"

 

Today we learned of the passing of Jerry Butler at age 85.  There is an obituary in the New York Times.  He had many hits that charted from 1960-72, but Hey Western Union Man was my favorite.

Comments about Paul Simon - Thursday February 20, 2025

 

I have been a fan of Paul Simon with or without Art Garfunkel since 1966.  He has appeared in Bruce's Journal many times.  In February 2018 d on hishe announced he would stop touring.  In September of that year the family saw him at Madison Square Garden  where he was superb on what he said would be his last tour.  He just announced a tour for 2025  including a residency at the Beacon Theater in June.

There was a presale for the shows at the Beacon Theater today at 10 AM.  When I got through at 10:45 the only tickets left cost $636.  No thanks.  I assume only a limited number of tickets were sold today.  I will try again tomorrow as the general sale starts at 10 AM.  I'll likely have a journal entry stating whether or not I got tickets.

I assume that his voice is still good and will not lip sync as Frankie Vallie did on his recent tour.

Stranger to Himself by Traffic - Classic Rock Song of the Day

 

Struggling with confusion, disillusionment too

Can turn a man into a shadow, crying out from pain

Through his nightmare vision, he sees nothing, only well

Blind with the beggar's mind, he's but a stranger

He's but a stranger to himself

Suspended from a rope inside a bucket down a hole

His hands are torn and bloodied from the scratching at his soul

Through his nightmare vision, he sees nothing, only well

Blind with the beggar's mind, he's but a stranger

He's but a stranger to himself

Through his nightmare vision, he sees nothing, only well

Blind with the beggar's mind, he's but a stranger

He's but a stranger to himself

Source: Musixmatch

Songwriters: Steve Winwood / Jim Capaldi

I have a vinyl copy of John Barleycorn Must Die.

Sometiimes I think we are all strangers to ourselves (an others)

Larry Stahl - Facebook Friend of the Day

 

Larry Stahl was a good friend of mine when we were students at Russell Sage JHS 190 in the early 1960s.  We both went to Forest Hills HS at the same time, but drifted apart.  He went to Queens College and then to law school.  He relocated to Baltimore and was a successful attorney there.  He later became a managing administrative law judge.  He has 4 children and 9 grandchildren.

Some memories of Larry:

• In the 8th grade he brought a small reel to reel tape recorder to school and recorded some lectures.  Our math teacher went into a rage when he told her he was recording the lecture.
• Some mutual friends were Josh Socoloff, Eric Fradkin, and Alan Nelson.
• If I remember correctly his Bar Mitzvah was at the Regency House in Jamaica.  He invited our social studies teacher and her husband to the reception.
• There was a baseball player named Larry Stahl who played for the Mets in 1967-68
• I remember going to his house to listen to the album The First Family by Vaughn Meader.  Thea album may be heard on YouTube.
• He lived on Clyde Street in Forest Hills and was a member of the Young Israel there.
• He was a big fan of Steve Allen

He recently posted on the Forest Hills High School site for alumni from 1960-75.  I sense he is not active on Facebook.  Let's see if he discovers this journal entry.

Please Please Me - Random Beatle Song of the Day

 

The Beatles performed Please Please Me in Washington, DC in February 1964.  I suspect that this video was colorized at a later date.

Today is World Radio Day - You Turn Me on I'm a Radio by Joni Mitchell

 

For me everyday is a Radio Day as I have listened to AM, FM, Satellite and internet radio since the 1960s.  Radio songs were the question of the day on WFUV this morning, so I have chosen this Joni Mitchell song for my journal post of the day.

I Guess Elected Officials Can Commit Crimes and Get Away with Them

This story in the New York Times best describes the situation with New York City Mayor Eric Adams.  I guess if you know the right people you can get away with crimes. The mayor should go to trial and have a jury of his peers decide whether he is innocent or guilty.

The mayor must run for re-election this year.  I value integrity when I decide my vote in any election.

I throw my hands up in disgust when I see what is going on in politics today.  Are there any honest politicians out there?

Advice to My Readers - Avoid Romance Scams

 

I dodged one when a young lady give me a sob story and asked for money.  I had a nice online conversation with her for a while but suspected she would eventually ask for money.  As soon as she did, I stopped communication with her.  This happened on Facebook so romance scams are not not limited to dating apps.  The Federal Trade Commission gives good advice on this issue.

Random Thoughts of the Day - February 7, 2025

• The Mets finally signed Pete Alonso with a 2 year deal with an opt-out after 1 year.  Pete dropped the ball after declining a 7-year $158 Million offer by Billy Eppler.  He bet on himself and lost.
• I can't get excited about the Superbowl as I was never a big football fan.  I will watch it was millions of others around the world, but I don't care who wins.
• I had a crazy dream last night arguing with a former colleague about his misuse of email.
• When we get to February 6-8 I remember a bad snowstorm that happened when I lived in New London, CT in 1978.  There are a few smaller storms that are predicted for NYC in the next few days.

 

Here's One for Al Kooper's 81st Birthday

 

In 2012 we went to a concert at BB King's (now closed) to celebrate Al Kooper's 68th birthday.  Today is Al's 81st birthday, but there was no concert to celebrate it.  Pat St. John mentioned it on his afternoon show on the 60s Gold Channel on SiriusXM and played Al's cover of the Three Dog Night hit "One".  I didn't realize that this existed.  Two years ago Al was elected to the Rock 'n Roll Hall of Fame.

Happy Birthday Al.

My Thoughts on the Pete Alonso Situation

 

Spring training will start soon and Pete Alonso is still unsigned.  Something has to happen soon.  I think Pete dropped the ball a year ago when he turned down a contract for $158 million over 7 years.  He bet on he had an himself and lost since he had an off-season.  I think that his agent Scott Boras is the troublemaker here.  Steve Cohen said that the negotiations have been exhausting.  Alonso should not get a bonus if he opt out of his contract.

If Pete does not have any more options, he should sign ASAP so he can start spring training on time.  I think the Mets should give him an ultimatum and give him a final offer.  If he doesn't accept it, they need to make plans without him for 2025.

I am tired of reading fake news about this on Facebook.

Bob Dylan will Appear at the Outlaw Music Festival in 2025

 

Bill Pagel made the announcement on his Facebook page.  I am concerned that with so many acts on the tour Dylan's set list will be short.  Tickets will go on sale on February 4th, so I will have to buy them 6 months in advance for the August 1 show at Jones Beach.

Bob Dylan, Willie Nelson & Family, Billy Strings, Trampled by Turtles, Wilco, Sheryl Crow, Lucinda Williams and many others

Tickets will go on sale to the general public on Tuesday, February 4 at 10:00 AM through Ticketmaster and the Outlaw Music web site.

Additional information can be found at www.BobLinks.com

May 13 - Talking Stick Resort Amphitheatre, Phoenix, Arizona

May 15 - North Island Credit Union Amphitheatre, Chula Vista, California

May 16 - Hollywood Bowl, Los Angeles, California

May 18 - Toyota Amphitheatre, Wheatland, California

May 20 - Ford Idaho Center Amphitheater, Nampa, Idaho

May 22 - ONE Spokane Stadium, Spokane, Washington

May 24 - Cascades Amphitheater, Ridgefield, Washington

May 25 - The Gorge Amphitheatre, Quincy, Washington

Jun 20 - Pine Knob Music Theatre, Clarkston, Michigan

Jun 21 - Blossom Music Center, Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio

Jun 22 – Riverbend Music Center, Cincinnati, Ohio

Jun 25 - FirstBank Amphitheater, Franklin, Tennessee

Jun 27 - Radians Amphitheater, Memphis, Tennessee

Jun 28 - Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre, Maryland Heights, Missouri

Jun 29 - Thunder Ridge Nature Arena, Ridgedale, Missouri

Jul 04 - Willie Nelson's 4th of July Picnic (not confirmed)

Jul 05 - Dos Equis Pavilion, Dallas, Texas

Jul 06 - The Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion Presented By Huntsman, The Woodlands, Texas

Jul 25 - Ameris Bank Amphitheatre, Alpharetta, Georgia

Jul 26 - PNC Music Pavilion, Charlotte, North Carolina

Jul 27 - Central Credit Union Music Park at Walnut Creek, Raleigh, North Carolina

Jul 29 - Veterans United Home Loans Amphitheater, Virginia Beach, Virginia

Aug 01 - Northwell at Jones Beach Theater, Wantagh, New York

Aug 02 - Broadview Stage at SPAC, Saratoga Springs, New York

Aug 03 - BankNH Pavilion, Gilford, New Hampshire

Aug 08 - Darien Lake Amphitheater, Buffalo, New York

Aug 09 - Hersheypark Stadium, Hershey, Pennsylvania

Aug 10 - Empower Federal Credit Union Amphitheater at Lakeview, Syracuse, New York

Sep 05 - Maine Savings Amphitheater, Bangor, Maine

Sep 06 - Xfinity Theatre, Hartford, Connecticut

Sep 07 - Xfinity Center, Mansfield, Massachusetts

Sep 12 - Freedom Mortgage Pavilion, Camden, New Jersey

Sep 13 - PNC Bank Arts Center, Holmdel, New Jersey

Sep 14 - Merriweather Post Pavilion, Columbia, Maryland

Sep 19 - Alpine Valley Music Theatre, East Troy, Wisconsin

ST. John's 68 Providence 66 in a Thriller at Madison Square Garden

 

Since it cost over $200/ticket to see a Knicks game at Madison Square Garden we thought we would take in a college game where the ticket prices are more reasonable.  Both teams held the lead during the first half, but the Red Storm pulled ahead by 19 points in the second half.  The Providence College Friars fought back and tied the score at 66 with 33 seconds left.  Kadary Richmond nailed the game-winner with three seconds left on the clock.  The Red Storm has now won eight-straight regular season league games for the first time since it won eight consecutive from Feb. 1 from March 2, 1992.  At that point the legendary Lou Carnesecca was coach.

Before today's game the Red Storm was ranked 15 nationally.  There is about a month to go in the regular season leading to the Big East Tournament.  Hopefully the Red Storm will get a spot in the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament popularly known as the "Big Dance".

Game Summary