101 Series Lesson 80: Songs About Baseball

Yeah, it’s the dead of freaking winter, but we don’t hate to admit it . . . we miss baseball. Football? Eh. Basketball? So-so. College football? Go fuck yourself. Here in Lesson 80 of the 101 Series we go full the nine innings with the best tunes about the Pastime you’ll ever hear. Start the oven, […]

101 Series Lesson 79: Songs About Planes, Trains and Automobiles

Getting somewhere is half the journey of going somewhere. But, your choice of transportation can be worth writing a song about . . . for better or worse. With Lesson 79 of the 101 Series we concentrate on three important modes of travel – planes, trains and automobiles – and try to understand if there […]

101 Series Lesson 78.2: Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers Live ~ with special guest DJ Kat Jackson!

OK everyone. It’s time for the Petty party to continue as our three instructors (heroes) return to the classroom (studio) to listen to some “Live” music from Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers. This is part 2 of Lesson 78 in the 101 Series and it’s 2 hrs of great performances throughout the career of this […]

101 Series Lesson 78.1: Tom Petty (In Studio) ~ with special guest DJ Kat!

OK. We’re not going to BS around here – Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers are GREAT! And they made some amazing albums that kick major ASS. So, for Lesson 78 of the 101 Series we devote two full shows to them. First in the studio and next week “live” and in full color. Plus to […]

101 Series Lesson 77: John Hiatt

What does John Hiatt have beneath that gruff exterior? We don’t know . . . a gigantic foldy brain, a house big heart, guts the size of boulders . . . the usual stuff unsung geniuses have. In Lesson 77 of the 101 Series we pull out some tunes by one of the best phrase […]

101 Series Lesson 76: Farm Aid Performances

Willie Nelson is an American legend and icon. He saw there was a need to help some people known as “farmers.” So, after a comment by Bob Dylan at Live Aid,  Willie called a few friends on the phone (John Mellencamp, Neil Young) and said “Hey, kids! Let’s put on a show and pay a few mortgages.” […]

101 Series Lesson 75: Talking Heads

The name of this band? Talking Heads! In Lesson 75 of the 101 Series, the weird art kids are taking over. And we let them. We at The Balcony hate to admit it, but yeah, we stole all our dance moves from David Byrne. And our fashion sense. Join us as we play some jams […]

101 Series Lesson 74: Lou Reed and The Velvet Underground

Andy Warhol gave us some important things: soup cans as art, 15 hour movies of a guy snoring and . . . the Velvet Underground. Two out of three of these things we at The Balcony are big fans of. In Lesson 74 of the 101 Series we take a look at the band that […]

101 Series Lesson 73.2 (Tom Waits In Studio)

When Tom Waits asks you to come to a recording session and bring a fender . . . you probably should bring both a guitar and the front end of your car into the studio. Cover your bases. In part two of Lesson 73 of the 101 Series, we follow Waits out to the barn […]

101 Series Lesson 73: Tom Waits (Live and In Person)

Step right up, one and all. The attraction today is the unique, eccentric, well-coifed, surprisingly good at acting, megaphone wielding, garage rattling, barn stomping Tom Waits. Hear the man transform from a 70’s piano playing boho to a mutli-tracked beatboxing sixty year old indie rocker. In Lesson 73 of the 101 Series, we put together […]