Once Again, You've Just Heard 'The News'
By Louis R
HLN Today Reporter
"Are you still with me?" queried Huey to the crowd of more than 40,000 at Rockfest in Wisconsin this past Saturday night. The crowd roared its approval, showing that the heart of rock and roll was still beatin' in the Midwest. The News rocked their way through the Midwest these last three days with shows in Mahnomen, MN; Hinckley, MN; and Cadott, WI. The most impressive about these three shows was the class the band had displayed. From Huey to the "Lol"y tour manager, everyone was involved in the show, proving that they all take their jobs very seriously to ensure the music is never compromised. It becomes very apparent why the band has been rockin' for more than 19 years now. They are driven professionals who put their heart into every show. Their love for the music is obvious. It is the power of this love that has been carrying the fans for so long.
Shooting Star Casino; Mahnomen, MN - July 16 was the first show
in Mahnomen, and Huey good naturedly used his best Scandinavian accent
to say "Mah-noooo-man" to the crowd. A light rain was falling and Huey
remarked that the audience probably would have shown up if it were 40
below. The band was as sharp as ever, with the most donning suits to spread
the News. It was a really fun show as the band did not let the wet weather
slow things down, and most of the crowd danced throughout the concert.
The Grand Casino Hinckley; Hinckley, MN - July 17 brought the second
show, while the audience and band enjoyed better weather. The sun shone
brightly in the News' faces as they took the stage. Huey had his trademark
shades on and was sounding great. A dry stage made for sure footing and
Huey did not disappoint the audience by doing his patent rock and roll
run in "Heart and Soul."
Rock Fest '98; Cadott, WI - July 18 displayed the third show in
the middle of a corn field in Cadott, Wisconsin. A big stage, great sound,
and a huge audience led to a great show again on this night. Huey really
had fun quarterbacking the band, and the crowd could tell that the band
was riding this wave of great music and really enjoying themselves. At
the end of "Not Here for a Long Time, but Here for a Good Time," Huey
asked, "Did you have a good time?" This really sums up an HLN show - a
good time.
Huey Lewis and the News is one of the few American bands to know what playing music is all about. They know that there is nothing better than finding that comfortable, well-oiled pocket of great music and just riding it with their audience in hand. This band has been together for 19 years because they do not make any sacrifices in producing the best music. The fact that they do it with humility and a sense of humor is almost scary.
The songs played throughout the weekend included: "(She's) Some Kind
of Wonderful," "Doin' It All for My Baby," "Heart and Soul," "Power of
Love," "60 Minute Man," "It's Alright," "The Heart of Rock & Roll,"
"If This Is It," "Hip to Be Square," "He Don't Know," "But It's Alright,"
"I Want a New Drug," "We're Not Here for a Long Time, but Here for a Good
Time," "My Other Woman's Got Another Man," "Bad is Bad," "Let Her Go and
Start Over," "Plan B," "Stuck With You," "I Know What I Like," "I Never
Think About You," "Couple Days Off," and "Workin' for a Livin'."
