Erika Gardner's Blog

The Lady (or Woman) in Black is a figure from myth & legend, history and song. She appears again and again, an achetype that stirs the imagination. I mean, the very phrase, “the Lady in Black” begs for a story to written, preferably something sweeping and romantic, even epic. Of course there is also The Man in Black (and not just Johnny Cash), but this piece is dedicated to the ladies.

A woman of mystery, a woman with a past (silly, since everyone has a past if your stop to think about it), a vengeful ghost, heartbroken spirit, a supernatural badass, the lady in black is or has been all these things. She’s the banshee of Irish myth, the Lady in the Lake, the grieving mother Jennet Humfrye in Susan Hill’s novel (and the movie of the book), she’s Aggabadora of Sardinian myth, the mysterious spirit of Apalachian and Civil War stories who targeted unfaithful men. The Lady in Black is La Llorana of Hispanic lore, the urban legend from Thailand of Wat Samian Nari, you might remember Cher’s 1970’s number one hit Dark Lady or Foreigner’s Woman in Black, while Pavla Blanca dates back to Conquistador days, she is often presented as a cautionary tale to stay on the path of life, not to wander off into the dark or she is frequently a mourning ghost who grieves a lost love or a dead child. She’s often veiled, cloaked and at times is described as melting back into the shadows from whence she came.

This week’s Lady in Black is something else. She is introduced to us as a person of deep wisdom, more of a goddess figure, “she the mother of all men.” She walks for a while with our singer through a wartorn landscape and counsels him against revenge. She speaks to him of a better way, to trust in peace. The song teaches that one does not defeat evil by doing more evil. This week’s song is Lady in Black by Uriah Heep.

Uriah Heep is named for the that quintessential villain from Charles Dickens’ David Copperfield. He was the original Grima Wormtongue; pretending to be humble all the while undermining and plotting the downfall of those around him. Not sure why the group chose THAT particular moniker to thus christen their band. Although, it certainly did provide name recognition. Perhaps that was enough. Lady in Black was written by their keyboard (and sometimes guitar) player Ken Hensley. He also sang lead vocals as no one else in the band wanted to sing it. The song became particularly popular in Germany and Russia and despite not being released as a single in Great Britain or the United States it remains a classic and one of Uriah Heep’s most popular songs. It is far and away my favorite of theirs. Nothing else they did ever struck the same kind of nerve in me that this beauty did. I hope that you also enjoy it.

Speaking of feminine badasses, be sure to check back at this site on Thursday when this week’s Friendly Thursday will feature an amazing group of women that I met last Wednesday. I look forward to being able to highlight their good work and their cause. Until Thursday then, friends!

 

 

Lady in Black

She came to me one morning
One lonely Sunday morning
Her long hair flowing in the midwinter wind
I know not how she found me
For in darkness I was walking
And destruction lay around me
From a fight I could not winAh, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ahShe asked me name my foe then
I said the need within some men
To fight and kill their brothers
Without thought of love or God
And I begged her give me horses
To trample down my enemies
So eager was my passion
To devour this waste of lifeAh, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ahBut she wouldn’t think of battle that
Reduces men to animals
So easy to begin
And yet impossible to end
For she’s the mother of all men
Who counseled me so wisely then
I feared to walk alone again
And asked if she would stayAh, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah“Oh lady lend your hand,” I cried
“And let me rest here at your side.”
“Have faith and trust in peace,” she said,
And filled my heart with life“There’s no strength in numbers
Have no such misconception
But when you need me
Be assured I won’t be far away.”Ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ahThus having spoke she turned away
And though I found no words to say
I stood and watched until I saw
Her black coat disappear
My labour is no easier
But now I know I’m not alone
I find new heart
Each time I think upon that windy dayAnd if one day she comes to you
Drink deeply from her words so wise
Take courage from her as your prize
And say hello for meAh, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah

 

 

The post Musical Monday- Lady In Black by Uriah Heep appeared first on Erika Gardner.

I’m going way back this week, folks. We’re talking old school. Classics. This week’s piece stems from the fact that Triumph, yes, TRI-motherloving-UMPH is touring and they are coming on a day that I just can’t see how I logistically make things work. *cue major water works* Any of you out there who know me, I will, and have, moved heaven and earth to see a show, to see old friends, these are my priorities. I can almost always make it happen. A Triumph show is not a completely dead concept, the corpse is still twitching, but, damn. It will be rough.

Anyhow. Triumph are a power rock trio from Canada who straddle that chasm between progressive and metal, enough so that they can remind one of a certain Canadian trio going by the handle of one band named Rush. Similar but NOT the same. Triumph have their own certain flavor, their own spice, special sauce. Rush is like Yes in that they are in love with that extra fiddle-faddle, all those extra bells and whistles. Triumph are clean, less with the frills. They are powerful and they are, like Yes and Rush, really, really good musicians. And Rik Emmet’s vocals? How does he hit those high notes? How does he (allegedly) still hit those high notes? I do not know. That’s between him and rock-n-roll Jesus. Better than that, there’s Gil Moore on drums with amazing pipes of his own. The play between him and Emmett on Follow Your Heart is everything a rock fan wants in a song. I can sing along (so badly, so off key) note by note, word by word. The third original member of the trio is Mike Levine on bass, backing vocals and keyboards. Between the three of them- Magic. The idea that they are on their first tour in more than thirty years and I might miss them? Unthinkable.

And here’s why it hurts. Triumph was founded in 1975. They had a couple of decades of amazing creativity. They were hugely popular with a ton of great songs. Then they just went away. Emmett left the band, who carried on for a while but without the same passion that ignited fans in the beginning. Now they are back and singing all those songs I can butcher so well… Magic Power, Lay It On The Line, Fight The Good Fight. They were all great, but for my money, give me World of Fantasy any day. I love this song. I hope that you do, too.

I also hope that some way, some how I get to this show!!! Here’s Triumph live at the US Festival, yes, the actual US Festival by the great and powerful Woz (Steve this how you spend your Apple money Wozniak) on May 29th, 1983. I follow it with the offcial video for those who would like a tighter, cleaner version.

 

 

 

If any of you do get to the show please share your experience so that I might live through you. Don’t get me wrong… I’m still trying to make it happen. I’ve moved heaven and earth before. Maybe, just maybe…but, hey, I do live in a world of fantasy.

I was out on my own in a great big world
Thought I’d seen it all
Then along comes a woman, a fantasy
Then I took the fallI was chasing a dream, I was fancy free
I was so naive
You were all wrapped up in a mystery
You looked good to meAnd I needed love, I wanted it desperately
Oh, real love, you never came to meI was lost in your world of fantasy, yeah-yeah
I was caught, caught in your game of make-believe, yeah-yeah
I was lost, lost in your world of fantasyLost in your world of fantasy
Look what you’ve done to me (look what you’ve done to me)
Lost in your world of fantasy
Look what you’ve done to meYou were drawin’ me in to your spider’s web
With your hungry eyes
I was under your power, I was in your spell
I was hypnotizedAnd, oh, sweet love, you wore such a strange disguise
So neat love, the way I fell for your liesI was lost in your world of fantasy, yeah-yeah
I was caught, caught in your game of make-believe, yeah-yeah
I was lost, lost in your world of fantasyLost in your world of fantasy
Look what it’s done, done to meAll the times you lied and all the tears I cried
I’m never gonna be the same againLost in your world of fantasy
Look what you’ve done to me (look what you’ve done to me)
Lost in your world of fantasy
Look what you’ve done to me (look what you’ve done to me)Lost in your world of fantasy
Look what you’ve done to me (yeah, I was fool for your love)
Lost in your world of fantasy
Look what you’ve done to me (look what you’ve done, look what you’ve done)
Lost in your world of fantasy
Look what you’ve done to me

The post Musical Monday- A World of Fantasy by Triumph appeared first on Erika Gardner.

Hello Lovely Human.

I adore those words. These are the words that my friend, Heidi White, uses to begin her Substack posts. It brings to mind the peace and serenity Mr. Rogers evoked when he said, “Hello neighbor.” I don’t mean this in a childish way. I mean that the words evoke a nicer world, a kinder one. It’s a world I think most of us would love to live in. Well, when you read Heidi’s Substack you get to visit such a place.

https://heidiwhite115.substack.com/

So I recently came up with the idea of celebrating my friends. When I look around at my friend circle I see so many talented and creative people. There are musicians, writers, chefs, photographers, athletes, craftsmen and women, you name it. I’m sure if you look around you, you have a similar richness of individuals and it feels good to celebrate that. I am not always comfortable bragging about my own work, however I can quite happily brag about my friends. This week I’d like to brag about my amazing friend Heidi. She’s a fellow mom, wife, career woman, athlete and… poet. Her Substack is a place of poetry and thoughtfully taken & placed photos.

Heidi’s posts are insightful and thought provoking. She takes great joy in looking around at the world with fresh eyes, seeking a different view, a new perspective. This does not mean that all her posts will make you laugh or even smile. Some are pensive, even melancholy and I have frequently been moved to tears. Sometimes though, we need to cry. Other posts fill me with hope and do bring a smile to my face, even to my soul.

Here is a small sample of her work. It is difficult to choose just one. She is prolific and the emotion she brings to every piece is real. I chose FADE. Heidi recently lost her beloved father and watching her navigate her grieving journey through her poems has been a revelation to me. I admire her strength, to allow the world into her vulnerability, to share her love of her dad…it’s beautiful even in its tragedy.

FADE

This morning

I replay your voicemails

Re-read your texts 

Clutch your blanket

Savor your cologne

Pieces of you

Left behind

I will not let you

Fade away

Nor will I let myself

– Heidi White 7/1/26

 

Looking at the world with fresh eyes.

 

The tagline to my first book, The Dragon in the Garden, reads “find the magic beneath the mundane.” Well, Heidi has done that. Now she’s willing to share that magic with you fellow lovely humans. I hope you will follow her Substack, even become a paid subscriber (I just upgraded today). The world can be cruel, scary, unfair and many other things, but it can also be magical, even transcendent.

I will leave you with one last thing to consider. You, yes-YOU, are enough.

 

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I should start by saying that this post has absolutely no point. It’s just me, expressing our collective sadness, remembering a point in time, wishing for a different world, a better world.

As the events in New York, Virginia and Pennslyvania were unfolding on that day twenty-five years ago, I was oblivious. I was a mom. My children were ages two years and two months and three months old and my youngest was still to come along. My then husband was at work. We three were at home in Sunol, doing our morning thing. That meant getting dressed, having breakfast and watching Sesame Street. I had made an appointment at Sears for my daughter to have her three-month-old photos taken. It’s a good time for baby pictures. At three months they can smile and giggle, you can prop them up in cute poses. It works. I did them with all three of my babies.

So, I load up the kiddos and we head to Sears in Stone Ridge Mall. It’s not there anymore. My first clue that the world had changed was the entire mall was dark. Sears was the only store open. The gals in the picture studio updated me on what little information was available. Planes (multiple) being used as bombs. No one was clear on how many there were or would be. No one knew where one might strike next. Hijacking was something in our reality. We had seen it. You negotiated with the hijackers, you flew them where they needed to go, they usually got arrested. We didn’t know about suicide bombers, yet. This was something new and likely one of the reasons more passengers didn’t fight back or, at least, fight back sooner. The people on the planes, like me, didn’t know yet that the world had changed.

There are plenty of individuals far more eloquent than me who will eulogize that day, its victims and our shared loss and sorrow in terms that will better express everything inside me, everything I am struggling to articulate. There is this surreal dichotomy to our lives before we knew about 9/11. There’s the world we had before the towers fell, the planes went down. Then there’s the world after and the complete pathos in that shift for every one of us. Everything changed.

People ask the usual question, “Where were you when the towers fell?” Me? I was watching Sesame Street.

My daughter 9/11/01

 

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Those who know me know that I do enjoy a nice glass of wine, especially red. I also work in the wine industry when I am not writing. That experience and my first hand witnessing of the industry’s steep decline prompted this Wine on Wednesday.

It’s fairly common knowledge that the wine industry is experiencing a bit of a hiccup and by hiccup I mean going from a 1.3 billion dollar business to a 850 million dollar business in the year and four-ish months since this current administration enacted its whack-a-doodle tariffs. We’ve watched as U.S. wine exports plummeted by 33.5% in 2025 following retaliatory trade tariffs and bans under the Trump administration. My company has been through three rounds of layoffs. They are privately held so not much is made public but when you are an employee and you see someone who’s been with the company twenty-three years pack up their desk, you know stuff just got real. It’s happened over and over again. Truly sad, even devastating and I’m only watching from the cheap seats.

Don’t get me wrong, the wine industry has been in the doldrums for years, just not to this extent. Baby Boomers are aging and not drinking as much, “doctor says to cut back,” “it interferes with <insert name of Rx here>,” that kind of thing. Then there’s the younger generations who aren’t drinking as much (it’s a spendy luxury and they have less discretionary cash than other generations). Lastly, there are lots of fun, attention grabbing new beverage options: hard teas, lemonades, seltzers and ciders to tempt shoppers, not to mention the growing acceptance of marijuana.

That all pales in comparison to what happened when Canada, who used to import 80% of America’s exported alcoholic beverages, pulled all US liquors off its shelves. OUCH. That was 20% of my company’s gross sales. Again, OUCH. Because hundreds of millions of dollars worth of wine could no longer be exported, inventory flooded back into the United States. This crowded retail shelves, tanked wholesale prices, and forced some California growers to leave grapes rotting on the vine or pull out thousands of acres of vineyards entirely. The trade wars have hiked the price of glass bottles, corks from Portugal, oak barrels from France, even label printing costs more. Checking online, an American winery has closed every day since the implementation of the tariffs, some days more than one. Out of roughly 6000+ wineries we’ve lost about 700, with plenty more teetering on the edge.

And while wine is my thing, it’s not just that elixir of the gods that is suffering. Jim Beam has paused production for the entirety of 2026 as their organization struggles to deal with the changing manufacturing landscape. Howard Miller, a historic clock and watch maker has closed its doors. Whirlpool, Alcoa, John Deere, and Stellantis are restructuring and laying off employees. Small coffee roasters and local sawmills are going under, as are farmers. On the flip side, many foreign companies have made the strategic decision that, for now at least, it’s not worth the trouble to deal with the chaos that is the US. Nintendo, Jaguar/Land Rover, Swiss watch companies, Razor (laptops), and Basic Fun (makers of Lincoln Logs, K’nex, Tonka Truck and Care Bears) are among those business skipping the circus of Trump policies. The winning continues!

In the meantime, please do a sister a solid and order a glass of wine. Thank you for your attention to this matter- EMG

 

The post Wine on Wednesday- What Happened to the US Wine Industry? appeared first on Erika Gardner.

So, I had a thought. (Hey you in the back- stop giggling.) Seriously, I’m thinking as I’m on a run and I said to me, “Self, we have amazing friends. They are talented, kind, simply outstanding human beings.”

My self takes this in, ruminates for a bit and responds, “We are right. We DO have amazing friends. We should introduce EVERYONE to them!” (This part of self is fond of capitals and exclamation points. Editors hate her.)

So I (we) have decided that blogs about my friends are clearly indicated. Hence, I bring you Friendly Thursdays. Expect writers, philanthropists, musicians, artists, just lovely humans. I might not do a FT every week but I will do one as my next amazing community member pokes their head up and presents something that the world needs to hear about.

That quite nicely brings us to this week’s Friendly Thursday. First, can we simply acknowledge the guitar work here? I mean, come on. So clean, so interesting, it stays with you and draws you in, inviting you to smile. If you think that may be you’ve read Sanjay’s name before- ten points to Gryfindor! Yes, I featured Sanjay on a Musical Monday a couple of months back. (And yes, I have a thing for alliteration. I hear there are ten step programs for people like me.) You can check that blog out here:

Musical (Not Quite) Monday- Supporting Local Artist Sanjay Subramanian!!!

Sanjay has a great take on traditional Americana music. He effortlessly blends classic old school rock & roll with a bit of country, a bit of soul, maybe some honky-tonk and a little bit of something that is uniquely Sanjay. Maybe it’s because of his Indian heritage, despite he and his family being the very best of America, but he has a reverance for true American rock and roll that I’m not sure that even America has anymore. It reminds the listener of how awesome the genre is and how much we have to enjoy. And, aren’t we lucky? There is also a hopeful spirit to his songs, even when he is singing about something bittersweet or even sad. His music has a warmth. It invokes summer days, driving with the top down and singing along. I invite you all to sing along even in our shared sadness.. Let me then share some of his thoughtful lyrics:

The Waif

Lord my mind’s confusedWon’t you help me find an answerI can wait for you foreverThe wait for you will never endThe war is on the newsIs it all they need to know?Do we have to kill to survive?But we have to lose to know lifeLong ago my mama diedLeft a cloud of miseryTime delayed my dreamsAnd I found myself on the streetsDays would passI feared the nightsHopes would leave by twilightSeemed to me like a dreamThat the waif began to believeDo you think it was rightWhat they did to Ma?When all the lights are goneIn my heart there’s still a glowThat will take me through the darkest nightsAll I need to know is You exist

 

Here’s where to find Sanjay!

https://music.apple.com/us/artist/sanjay-subramanian/1866862525

 

The post Friendly Thursday- Spotlighting Sanjay Subramanian appeared first on Erika Gardner.

This blog is delayed, delayed and then delayed again. It started as one thing (Danny Elfman) then went to something else (ZZ Top- RIP Frank Beard) and finally, I got the news. Well, we all got the news. She has left the building. The last universally loved person on earth has moved on. So, I thought last week’s blog would be about Dolly Parton.

Heaven has a new angel.

While I have loved the outpouring of love and memories from all over the world and from all walks of life, it is plain to me that many kind souls have celebrated her better and with more intimate knowledge that I could. So, I will simply say this… I first heard Coat of Many Colors when I was five in Fresno, California. It made me cry then and it makes me cry today…many decades later. Thank you, Dolly. Although I am a religious nomad, an agnostic wandering the spiritual landscape, I know that you are in Heaven with Jesus and Carl and everyone else you knew you would find waiting for you.

So, after so many twists and turns, what to write this week? (Because let’s face it, it’s been a minute since I posted.) Quite unexpectedly I found the answer on Facebook of all the unlikely places. I was doing a quick catch-up and I scrolled past an ad. Yep, an ad, an actual ad. The advertisement was for a duo who plays gothic, romantic, dark, moody music. On a lark I went to Spotify and I looked them up.

Ladies and gentlemen, color me happy and surprised. The name of this artist is Valentine Wolfe. They have a pretty big discography as they have been around since 2010. The pair consist of a soprano singer (gorgeous voice by the way) named Sarah Black and electric double bass player named Braxton Ballew. The haunting beauty of that electric bass simply draws you in and you are ready for a dark tale at midnight. This will be excellent music to write to. The two artists met in university. It looks like both have masters in some facet of music. Sarah also plays keyboards. They appear to reside in South Carolina. If I seem to be unsure regarding the band, it’s simply because these two are forging their own path and there isn’t a lot out there…yet. I hope that you’ll all check them out as they are lovely. In addition to this week’s featured song, I also recommend I Felt A Furneral and Lullaby. I’m planning a deep dive on them this week, but in the meantime- I hope that you enjoy them!

Be sure to check out their website: https://valentinewolfe.com/

 

 

Annabel Lee by Valentine Wolfe

She was a child- I was a child
In that kingdom by the sea
How cruelly then she was taken from me
My beautiful Annabel Lee

When death came in to steal her from me
I tried to put up a fight
I was no match for that figure cloaked in black
And I lost my bride to the night

She was singing at her piano
Such a beautiful sight to me
But blood has now consumed our lives
It is dripping from the keys

Let me have under her own hand
A letter bidding me goodbye
I may die, my heart will break
But I will say no more

Annabel Lee was the last complete poem by Edgar Allan Poe. Although written in 1849, it was not published until 1850, after his death. As with many of Poe’s works, it focuses on the death of a beautiful woman, someone taken far too soon. Poe had lost many significant women in his life: his mother, his foster mother and, of course, his wife Virginia who passed away in 1847 (two years before the poem’s writing). Many women have claimed or potentially could be considered to be the inspiration for Annabel Lee. I am, however, always a romantic and I like to think that he wrote this for Virginia whom he had loved when they were both so young and is the only one to be “my darling—my darling—my life and my bride.” One of my mother’s degrees is in English Literature and her books helped line our shelves. There were so many beautiful poems, but Annabel Lee always stuck with me. I think part of its charm is that unlike The Raven who famously said that the narrator would see his love “nevermore,” the narrator of Poe’s last poem is convinced that he and his love will see one another again, that nothing, not even demons can ever split them apart. They are bound together forever by their love “that was more than a love.”

 

Annabel Lee by Edgar Allan Poe

It was many and many a year ago,   In a kingdom by the sea,That a maiden there lived whom you may know   By the name of Annabel Lee;And this maiden she lived with no other thought   Than to love and be loved by me.I was a child and she was a child,   In this kingdom by the sea,But we loved with a love that was more than love—   I and my Annabel Lee—With a love that the wingèd seraphs of Heaven   Coveted her and me.And this was the reason that, long ago,   In this kingdom by the sea,A wind blew out of a cloud, chilling   My beautiful Annabel Lee;So that her highborn kinsmen came   And bore her away from me,To shut her up in a sepulchre   In this kingdom by the sea.The angels, not half so happy in Heaven,   Went envying her and me—Yes!—that was the reason (as all men know,   In this kingdom by the sea)That the wind came out of the cloud by night,   Chilling and killing my Annabel Lee.But our love it was stronger by far than the love   Of those who were older than we—   Of many far wiser than we—And neither the angels in Heaven above   Nor the demons down under the seaCan ever dissever my soul from the soul   Of the beautiful Annabel Lee;For the moon never beams, without bringing me dreams   Of the beautiful Annabel Lee;And the stars never rise, but I feel the bright eyes   Of the beautiful Annabel Lee;And so, all the night-tide, I lie down by the side   Of my darling—my darling—my life and my bride,   In her sepulchre there by the sea—   In her tomb by the sounding sea.

The post Musical Monday- Annabel Lee by Valentine Wolfe appeared first on Erika Gardner.

This week’s blog features new music by Deep Purple, yes, you read that correctly, Deep-motherloving-Purple has a new album out. It’s titled SPLAT! which gave me a giggle. If you’ve followed this blog at all then you have heard me mourn that point in a band’s career when they no longer put out new music. The growing point, the meristem of their hearts, has frozen over and we are left with aging musicians endlessly touring with their greatest hits slowly growing more and more stale. It’s sad. So when I stumbled upon the fact that Deep Purple released a new album on July 3rd, I was more than a little impressed. I mean, come on, Ian Gillian and Roger Glover are both closing in on eight-one (this month and November respectively) and I have to say, despite only possessing about 30% of his sight (When A Blind Man Cries takes on a whole new meaning now), Gillian’s voice is STILL on point and the bass lines on this album are the usual solid, aggressive Glover lines that we know and love just…fresh. Ian Paice (still on the skins) and Don Airey (their keyboardist since 2002 after the departure of the one and only Jon Lord) are both rocking seventy-eight. The baby of the group is Simon McBride age forty-seven who stepped in for long time guitarist Steve Morse once Morse retreated to care for his wife who was battling stage 4 cancer.

Side note- I know that last sentence will generate two logical questions.

Is Morse’s wife still alive? Sadly, no. Janine lost her battle with cancer on February 4th 2024 with Steve by her side. While I am not a huge fan of Morse’s playing despite his participation in two bands that I revere (DP and Kansas) his tribute to his wife, the love they shared and his decision to spend every moment that he could with her in her last days touch me more than I can say and I admire him greatly. His tribute to her is worthy of looking up.Why isn’t the legendary Ritchie Blackmore with DP? Oof. Much of this answer is my humble opinion after years of asking myself the same. Blackmore and Gillian do NOT like each other. There’s respect certainly, but they do not do well together. The world of rock & roll has had to deal with the fact that we lost Blackmore long ago to a life as a minstrel in the universe of Magic Vagina (my pet name for his wife, musician & singer Candice Night). I hope they are both very happy.  Sadly for Night, Lorena McKinnitt exists, sorry but there it is.

Apologies to digress so wildly, but I was sure those questions would come up and now I’ve saved you having to go down two rabbit holes. Back to SPLAT!.  The great thing about the album is that it possesses the hallmarks that have always defined Deep Purple while having modern overtones. These musicians are still learning, seeking, still inspired. It’s a wonderful thing.

The song that I’ve chosen to highlight, Sacred Land, for me has echoes of Sabaton, Yes (the Trevor Rabin years), some Kamelot and even Rush. Traditionally Purple has explefied blues based rock & roll with a hard edge, yet on this album they lean a bit more toward power metal, which pleaseth me greatly, although “metal” is putting it a bit too strongly. Important to note that I am NOT mad at McBride’s axe work, the guitar soars, but with his own signature, not Blackmore’s, not’s Morse’s. The group is joined on an August & September US tour of twenty-four dates by Starship and Kansas after which they head over to Europe. Once there Jayler will be their Special Guest and, interestingly, their opener will be Mammoth. In case you didn’t know, that last band is fronted by one strapping young Wolfgang Van Halen, yes, son of the late great Eddie.

Now, let’s turn the volume up and raise our glasses to Deep Purple. Still growing, still creating, still giving the fans what they want!

 

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I’ve just returned from ten days in Ireland…exhale. It’s my fourth visit and one of my longest. Damn, I love that place! So…apologies for the radio silence. No blogs or Substacks for a bit. I was there with my three kids and their significant others as well as my boyfriend. Glorious! I can’t promise it won’t happen again. Sometimes you just have to be in the moment. Besides, life and living is where all the other stories come from.

Anyhow… moving on to this piece. While in Dublin I had the amazing privilege and opportunity to see The Dropkick Murphys with my boyfriend, my son and his lovely girlfriend. To say this is a rare treat is the very definition of understatement. Before the show I even got to spend the evening with some dear friends who live in Dublin. What a night!

Needless to say, I arrived at the show in a fine mood, ready to have a grand ol’ time. I am sure right here that is where most reviews would drop off the proverbial cliff. Nope. Spoiler alert! Dropkick Murphys ROCK!!! Literally. Actually. Rock!

These guys are classics. They are a Celtic punk rock band from outside of Boston. To get to see them in Dublin, Ireland? Outstanding. They played traditional Irish instruments in addition to your basic hard rock fare: tin whistle, the Uilleann pipes (like bagpipes except using your elbow, “Uilleann” is actually Gaelic for elbow), the accordion, the fiddle and the mandolin. They also use Scottish bagpipes for big intros, because how can you not?

There are lots of ways that a favorite band can disappoint a fan. Might be lack of enthusiasm, could be set list choices, could be loss of voice, maybe the sound engineer screwed things up, the list goes on. None of these occurred. What I really enjoy about Dropkick Murphys is, being punks, they aren’t polished. They are passionate. So, the singing might not be classically trained multi-octave, but it’s heartfelt and I am welcome to, even encouraged, to sing along in my profoundly not-in-key way. It’s like being at the best block party ever, with thousands of your most outstandingly awesome buddies.

Please do yourself a favor and check this band out. As I have gotten older, I have watched so many artists whom I loved pass away. It’s important to find new songs, new groups. You need artists who are still making new music, not merely playing their golden oldies. Mind you, Dropkick Murphys are NOT new… or young…but they ARE fun!!!  They’ve put out four new albums in the last six years. Highly recommend taking in a show on the 2026 United States Apology Tour for the FantaFascist in the People’s House:

Upcoming Tour DatesSept 5, 2026: Pryor Creek, OK – Rocklahoma FestivalSept 23, 2026: Highland, CA – Yaamava’ TheaterNov 21, 2026: Christchurch, New Zealand – Wolfbrook ArenaNov 24, 2026: Auckland, New Zealand – Spark ArenaNov 28, 2026: Gosford, Australia – The Entertainment GroundsNov 29, 2026: Brisbane, Australia – Riverstage BrisbaneDec 1, 2026: Sydney, Australia – Sydney Opera House ForecourtDec 4, 2026: Perth, Australia – Red Hill Auditorium

 

The post And Now…For Something Completely Different- A Concert Review of The Dropkick Murphys appeared first on Erika Gardner.

A classic for sure, I think most of us can sing the lyrics to this tune right along with George Harrison. I chose this week’s song to give myself and all of us a little pick me up. After the grotesque displays of corruption, greed and cruelty displayed by the current administration  and its followers (as in cult followers because that’s what they are), I thought we could all use a palate cleanser and a reminder that the sun will  shine (metaphorically) upon our country again. This, too, shall pass.

Harrison wrote this song after an intensely stressful period in The Beatles’ musical career. Their manager, Brian Epstein, had recently passed away and the group was dealing with the financial changes and contract fall outs that resulted in the vacuum of Epstein’s death. Not to mention, the personal tensions and deterioration of their friendships were also taking a toll. Harrison decided to skip a particularly stressful meeting and instead walked through his friend Eric Clapton’s garden in Surrey. Winter was just loosing its grip on England and the garden was bathed in sunshine. For Harrison it was a welcome respite and he sat in happy contentment taking it all in. Eventually, he borrowed one of Clapton’s acoustic gardens and and sat gently playing as the lyrics flowed out of him.

The song was released on the Abbey Road album July 7th, 1969, fifty-seven years ago today.

Here comes the sun, doo-doo-doo
Here comes the sun
And I say, “It’s all right”Little darlin’
It’s been a long, cold, lonely winter
Little darlin’
It feels like years since it’s been hereHere comes the sun, doo-doo-do
Here comes the sun
And I say, “It’s all right”Little darlin’
The smile’s returning to the faces
Little darlin’
It seems like years since it’s been hereHere comes the sun
Here comes the sun
And I say, “It’s all right”Sun, sun, sun, here it comes
Sun, sun, sun, here it comes
Sun, sun, sun, here it comes
Sun, sun, sun, here it comes
Sun, sun, sun, here it comesLittle darlin’
I feel that ice is slowly melting
Little darlin’
It seems like years since it’s been clearHere comes the sun, doo-doo-doo
Here comes the sun
And I say, “It’s all right”Here comes the sun, doo-doo-doo
Here comes the sun
It’s all right
It’s all right

The post Musical (Not Quite) Monday- Here Comes the Sun appeared first on Erika Gardner.