Orel Family

WE DID IT!! Tour de Cure 2008 is over. Sunday morning, Aaron and I participated in the 25-mile bike ride out of Brighton. This was an ambitious ride for Aaron; he'd never gone more than 15 before. And, it would be a special challenge, as predictions called for extreme heat. Everything in the basic setup for the right involves a bit of nerves. There's the fundraising, of course (and there's still time for a bit more of that). The liability waivers and emergency contact forms. And... the bike rack. When I was 16, my dad loaded me up in the station wagon to go off to summer school in Massachusetts, and we loaded my 10-speed bike up on the rack. Out the driveway he backed, oblivious to the angle of descent in to the road and the many little bumper scrapes over the years. I remember feeling a repetitive bumping sensation in the car, followed by a scream to dad to stop the car! But it was too late, my bicycle resembled Curious George's after he hit the rock. ...

The afternoon before my father's funeral last September, our family met with the rabbi. He explained Jewish customs of mourning. I knew most of them, but there was one that was new to me: during the 11-month mourning period, it was prohibited to attend any performance of live music (unless required by profession). I immediately thought, I don't think I can observe that one. Springsteen is going to tour with the E Street Band. Danny's been ill. I can't wait a year. I need to be there. Ten days have passed since Danny Federici died. I’ve read eulogies. at the funeral. From fans. From former colleagues. Many eloquent eulogies, and a groundswell of emotion. I didn’t expect any of this, or my own reaction. I know of Danny Federici, of course, because of his 4-decade long association with Springsteen. I became a fan in 1977, so it’s more than 30 years for me. But, in all the time I’ve followed Bruce, my attention has always been on Bruce. Of course I ...

My report from the Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band concert in Columbus, March 24, 2008, as published on the official Bruce Springsteen website . Before the Cincinnati show, I told some friends that just once, I'd like to be "between the mics," that small portion of the front of the pit between Bruce and Steve. The lottery odds of that are rather small, of course, but last night my number came in. So, any veneer of objectivity I might otherwise pretend in a review will be absent in this one, there's just no way. My ears are still ringing, I'm operating on three hours sleep, I have a meeting with a new boss in half an hour, and, and... I'm feeling just fine. Even taking into account a once-in-a-lifetime (so far) position, I've seen Bruce enough times (73) to know that last night's show was pretty hot. Right from the opening salvo of "The Ties That Bind," Bruce and the band were on a mission. Shaking things up just four songs in to t...

My report from the Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band concert in Cincinnati, March 22, 2008, as published on the official Bruce Springsteen website . At just about 10:30 p.m. on Saturday, Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band left the stage, having just completed "American Land" before a nearly packed house at U.S. Bank Arena in Cincinnati. The crowd was loud and had been on its feet -- even back in section 201-- for nearly the entire show. But, even before Springsteen was off the stage, the house lights were on. At barely two hours, the show was over. On the floor, some long-time fans were apoplectic. What the #%&!? Anyone with an internet connection knew that, in the prior two shows, fans had been treated to incredible guest appearances. Not that anyone expected anything like that again, but here we were, on a Saturday night, with a phenomenal crowd, and it was already over? Sure, we'd collected a bunch of moments. An unusual (and unrushed) opener of ...

What does one do when a seemingly normal friend -- albeit one I've met in person only once, through more than a decade of email correspondence -- decides to climb Mt. Everest? Not that Monty can't do it, he's climbed mountains in the Himalayas before, and has had his share of near death experiences. But I'm aiming to see Monty out in Portland in August, so he better make it back it one piece! And while my travbuddy profile is now updated because I have seen the Birmingham, Alabama airport from the tarmac, I think Monty's is a bit more interesting... and scenic. So what I do is, decide to follow along with Monty's blog. It's at http://monty-val-everest.blogspot.com . Good luck, Monty, and I look forward to sharing some good wine with you in about half a year.

It's mid-February, so I guess the New Year's greeting is a bit overdue. In recent years, I haven't written so much, but will make a short exception this year. For the rest of the New Year's greeting and the pictures, please go to http://matt.orel.ws/2007_album/.

In late 2005, I established an associates account with amazon, going primarily from my discography page. Any amazon.com sales generated by people navigating to amazon from my site generates commissions, that amazon eventually sends my way. As I noted at that time, anything that comes my way from amazon.com will be turned over to charity, on a quarterly basis, doubled by a match from me. During Q3 2007, a total of 54 items were sold by amazon off links from the site. Total commissions for the quarter were $50.35. With rounding, this quarter's donation+match is $100.00. This brings the total raised for charity since the inception of the amazon account up to exactly $1100, to 12 different charities. T The donation for Q3 is to the Melanoma Research Foundation. The Melanoma Research Foundation ( http://www.melanoma.org ) has been actively supported by Danny Federici. The foundation was mentioned on Bruce Springsteen's website when Danny recently took a leave of absence...