Willie Nelson at Radio City Music Hall!

I spent a wonderful Thursday night watching Willie Nelson at Radio City Music Hall. Willie Nelson came on right at 9, playing "Whiskey River" with a huge Texas flag behind him.


Norah Jones sang with Willie on "Nightlife" and "I Gotta Get Drunk," which was spectacular. During "Nightlife" she noted "but it's your life, Willie." Both songs are also reprises from her efforts with The Little Willies, only one of my favorite bands.

Willie played on until 10:45 in a very entertaining show.


Willie and his guitar. The man still has the licks and still has the pipes.


Setlist (33 songs, 1 h 45) (!!!)

Whiskey River
Still is Still Moving to Me
Beer for my Horses
Funny How Time Slips Away
Crazy
Nightlife (w/ Norah Jones)
I Gotta Get Drunk (w/ Norah Jones)
Get Down Little Sister (Bobbie Nelson, a.k.a. Little Sister Bobbie, who is actually Willie's older sister (interview))
Death Ray Boogie (Bobbie Nelson)
Help Me Make It Through the Night
Me and Bobby McGee
Me and Paul
If You've Got the Money, Honey, I've Got the Time
Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain
Georgia on my Mind
All of Me
Mammas Don't Let Your Babies Grow Up to be Cowboys
Angels Flying too Close to the Ground
On the Road Again
Always on my Mind
Nuages (guitar solo)
Milk Cow Blues (incl. long instrumental)
City of New Orleans
To All the Girls I've Loved Before
Superman
You Don't Think I'm Funny Anymore
Moment of Forever
Bloody Mary Morning
On the Bayou
Hey Good Looking
Move It On Over
'Til I Can Gain Control Again
Will The Circle Be Unbroken/I Saw The Light/I'll Fly Away

Much better photos from others at brooklynvegan (photos from Fresh Bread).

Also blogged about at the Village Voice, New York Magazine's Vulture, stillstillmoving, and People Talking Strange.

Plenty of uploads on youtube

Flickr sets: 1, 2

Iceland

Iceland was an incredible country to visit. It is striking from the start, landing in a field of volcanic rocks in Keflavik. The airport itself is James Bond-like (in terms of the architecture and dress and mannerisms of the flight attendants). Then on to the bus ride to Reykjavik you pass through this incredible barren landscape of lava fields. (But my photos of this landscape are all horrible, because I was in a moving bus and it was raining.)

Reykjavik is right on the water, and is surprisingly small as a European capital (the entire country only has 300,000 people).

Along the waterfront: An homage to the Vikings.


Coming off a redeye, I needed to start my day with something highly active. Even in the cold and rain (temperature 10-12 degrees C with a constant drizzle). I took a boat out to Videy Island for a very pleasant hike.




I particularly enjoyed the tidal pools in volcanic rock at lock tide.




I found myself singing, "The hills are alive...with the sound of minimalist art."

After a red-eye, a pick-me-up was needed, and the kaffi latte at Kaffitat, on Laugavegur, provided.

The Blue Lagoon - one of the most bizarre and incredible places I have ever been. Set in volcanic rock, geothermally heated, silt-filled water that is incredibly smooth on the skin. A very pleasant 2 hours here, even in the rain.


After a fine Icelandic dinner of seafood stew (***) and bacalao at Ristorante Caruso, I was entertained by the Icelandic locals at a local pub. Undoubtedly, the highlight of the post-dinner evening was an acoustic (!) cover band that apparently really enjoyed Bon Jovi - as did the crowd! Icelanders belting out Bon Jovi (played acoustically, I remind you) and other American standards provided the perfect ending to a wonderful day of sampling Iceland.

Note: Iceland is the same distance from New York as Los Angeles is - I definitely plan future trips to more fully explore all aspects of the country! Like the American west (combining aspects of Wyoming, California, and Alaska), but with fewer people - and just as close (well, much closer than Alaska)!

Blue crabs

I love preparing local seafood. Blue crabs, lobsters, clams, mussels - ahhh, the tastes of summer.