Orel Family

Colin Hay at Royal Oak Music Theater, March 27, 2022 "Waiting For My Real Life to Begin" seems like a suitable title for the past two years of pandemic life. COVID-19 isn't gone, but we're collectively doing our best -- some more than others -- to carry on as if it's no longer a defining factor. So when a friend called and said he had 7th row center seats staring back at him from a computer screen to see Colin Hay , my first instance wasn't to say, "who?" Rather, it was, "yes, I'll go... Who?"  Colin Hay was the primary songwriter and singer for Men At Work , the popular Australian band. He's touring solo acoustic, and his show is well worth catching. I don't know how full the 1,700 seat Royal Oak Music Theater was, but it sure felt like a good turnout and an enthusiastic crowd. I wasn't familiar with Hay's solo output, but it didn't really matter. He gave most songs extended humorous introductions. Everything ...

Friends of mine have been posting links to articles claiming that going to concerts makes people healthier and happier . Apparently, many studies have proved this effect. The studies don't even claim that this is restricted to good  concerts, though I'm supposing that helps. So on Friday evening we went in to Royal Oak for part of the 19th annual Arts, Beats and Eats festival. The "healthier" aspect was clear enough immediately: My fitbit says it took 1871 steps to get from our parking space - at a Middle School on Glenn Frey Drive - to the Michigan Lottery Stage . A few of those on a daily basis would help, no doubt! We went to see Stewart Francke and then Joan Jett . Stew had played the event every one of its 19 years; it's nice to see him get a huge audience. Stew's band had 11 members of Friday, including a horn section and multiple singers. Beginning with a tribute to David Bowie of "Rebel, Rebel," Stew then took the show crisply thro...