Sugar Ray September 25, 2018 America Gardens Theater Orlando, FL

Despite their all but forgotten start as a nu metal band, Sugar Ray morphed into this pop phenom in the late 1990's with their mega-hit "Fly". They went on to score a handful of other hits into the 2000's, when it was virtually impossible to turn on the radio without hearing one (or more) of them. With less success on their more recent albums, Mark McGrath teamed up with similar bands to create successful 90's nostalgia tours (first "Summerland", then "Under The Sun"). 
This recording captures the third show from night two of their tenth year playing the International Food and Wine Festival at Disney's Experimental Prototype Community of Tomorrow (Epcot). This was forty minutes of absolute fun for all, including the band. I lost count of the times McGrath was in and out of the audience, pausing for selfies with countless fans. As if Sugar Ray didn't ooze enough 90's sentimentality, they decided to throw in a cover of Chumbawamba's "Tubthumping" for good measure. Although officially fall, this was a hot Florida evening spent with family enjoying a trip down memory lane.

1. Words To Me
2. Every Morning
3. band intro
4. Someday
5. When It's Over
6. Tubthumping
7. Fly/What I Got

Download this show HERE.
Photo credit goes to Ryhan Wickerham
Check out all things Sugar Ray HERE.

Smash Mouth April 14, 2018 America Gardens Theater Orlando, Florida

As part of the Garden Rocks Concert Series for the International Flower and Garden Festival at Disney World's Epcot, bands play three half-hour sets per night (5:30, 6:45 and 8:00), for two to four nights. Here is the 5:30 and 6:45 sets, of the second (and last) night of Smash Mouth's run.

Like 'em or not, Smash Mouth provided some great pop music in the '90's. Their first two albuns were stellar. Admittedly, I'm not too familiar with their stuff since. I guess I'll dig around and see what I think of some of their newer material. Recommendations? 

5:30 Set
1. intro
2. Can't Get Enough of You Baby
3. Pacific Coast Party
4. Then The Morning Comes
5. Road Man
6. Holiday In My Head
7. So Insane
8. Walkin' On The Sun
9. I'm A Believer
10. All Star

6:45 Set
1. intro
2. Can't Get Enough of You Baby
3. Pacific Coast Highway
4. Why Can't We Be Friends
5. Then The Morning Comes
6. Holiday In My Head
7. Always Gets Her Way
8. Walkin' On The Sun
9. I'm A Believer
10. All Star

Download these sets HERE.
Check out all things Smash Mouth HERE.

Foghat April 7, 2018 America Gardens Theater Orlando, Florida

As part of the Garden Rocks Concert Series for the International Flower and Garden Festival at Disney World's Epcot, bands play three half-hour sets per night (5:30, 6:45 and 8:00), for two to four nights. Here is the second (and last) night of Foghat's run. Just as the 6:45 set ended, a torrential downpour sent fans running for cover. I'm not sure if the third set happened, as I headed for the gate as soon as rain let up enough to get there without getting soaked.

Foghat's first album in 1972 was in heavy rotation in my house as a kid, and still ranks in my top 101 all-time favorite albums. I lost track of them after that, although Boogie Motel was played frequently  by friends, and I have seen them live a few times before this (twice in 1981 and in 1988).

Roger Earl
Bryan Bassett
Charlie Huhn
Rodney O'Quinn

5:30 Set
1. intro
2. Fool For The City
3. Home In My Hand
4. I Just Want To Make Love To You
5. Slow Ride

6:45 Set
1. intro
2. Drivin' Wheel
3. Stone Blue
4. Hot Mama
5. Fool For The City
6. I Just Want To Make Love To You

Download these sets HERE.
Check all things Foghat HERE.

Squeeze November 12, 2017 America Gardens Theater Orlando, Florida

Twenty eight years, almost to the day, from the first time I saw Squeeze, I took the opportunity
to see them at Epcot's International Food and Wine Festival. This was the first, and one of just a handful of US tour dates supporting their new release "The Knowledge", that I'm just now listening to for the first time as I type. Difford and Tilbrook both looked and sounded great,
and so did their band. Their back catalog is of course, amazing so choosing a handful of "hits"
to showcase must have been difficult, BUT how could they not play Footprints (end of rant). The
new songs sounded good, having no frame of reference at the time. I'd have preferred to been familiar with the new tunes, but I'll do that now (opera singing on Rough Ride just blasted my speakers). If you can catch one of the few US tour dates, based on this sampling, I'd go for it.

Set 1
1. Hourglass
2. Pulling Mussles (From The Shell)
3. Patchouli
4. Annie Get Your Gun
5. Albatross
6. Take Me I'm Yours
7. Innocence In Paradise
8. Tempted
9. Black Coffee In Bed

Set 2
1. Please Be Upstanding
2. Another Nail In My Heart
3. Hourglass
4. Cool For Cats
5. Innocence In Paradise
6. Goodbye Girl
7. Tempted
8. Black Coffee In Bed

Set 3
1. Slap and Tickle
2. Is That Love
3. Pulling Mussles (From The Shell)
4. Patchouli
5. Take Me I'm Yors
6. Cool For Cats
7. Tempted
8. Black Coffee In Bed

Find tour dates and such HERE.

Download these sets HERE.

10,000 Maniacs October 18, 2017 America Gardens Theater Orlando, Florida

So here you have night 1, set 3 from 10,000 Maniacs' three night stand at Walt Disney World for their 2017 International Food and Wine Festival from Epcot's superb America Gardens Theater. Can't say that I'm a huge fan of the band, but "In My Tribe" and "Our Time In Eden" have a permanent spot in my record collection. Lots of personnel changes over the years, including Natalie Merchant's solo career must have taken them off my radar. Here they are though, without Natalie Merchant, sounding really good. I thoroughly enjoyed this set (which they, too were recording) and wish I would have attended the first two sets that day.

1. Stockton Gala Days
2. Because The Night
3. Rainy Days
4. Just Like Heaven
5. These Are Days

Download this set HERE.

Gin Blossms April 16, 2017 America Gardens Theater Orlando, FL

For four consecutive nights, from April 14-17, the Gin Blossoms played three sets per day at Disney World's America Gardens Theater during the Epcot International Flower and Garden Festival as part of the Garden Rock Concert Series. Here you have night three, set two. The Gin Blossoms are a really good band. Their 1992 quadruple platinum selling major label debut New Miserable Experience was an "alternative" masterpiece, and 1996's Congratulations... I'm Sorry was close to that good but didn't sell nearly as well (these are now available on vinyl for the first time). There are a handful of albums and EPs since that I'm not familiar with. Lead singer Robin Wilson mentioned a new album that they just finished on a couple occasions during these sets. It was clear this night that they still put on a great show, and had a lot of fun doing so. Besides, this was right in my back yard and I couldn't pass it up. I saw one of the sets the night before this one, but technical difficulties are preventing me from posting. Go see these guys live if you get a chance- you won't be disappointed!

1. Lost Horizons
2. Pieces of the Night
3. Break
4. Don't Change For Me
5. Miss Disarray
6. Allison Road
7. Til I Hear It From You

Download this set HERE.

Visit their website HERE.