Reviews: Brian Wilson, Deftones, Bruce Springsteen, Hiatus Kaiyote , Don Henley, Morrissey

Brian Wilson @ Benedum Center in Pittsburgh, Pa., Aug. 25 – “Nothing compares to watching a genius still at work and surrounded by all the right men.” – Scott Mervis / Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band’s second record-breaking concert @ MetLife Stadium in E. Rutherford, N.J., Aug. 25— “A few tunes into his colossal set – more on the gig’s heft in a moment – Bruce yelled ‘it’s ‘Born to Ru’’ birthday day!’ and kicked into a vibrant rendition of ‘Night.’” – Bobby Oliver / NJ Advance Media for NJ.com

Don Henley @ Minnesota State Fair in Saint Paul, MInn., Aug. 25 – “He seemed totally invested in his solo hits The Boys of Summer’ and ‘Heart of the Matter’ (which resonated as if it were as much about the late Eagles co-leader Glenn Frey instead of a former lover) and roared through the Eagles’ signatures ‘Life in the Fast Lane’ and ‘Hotel California.’” – Jon Bream / StarTribune

Hiatus Kaiyote @ The Pageant in St. Louis, Mo., Aug. 9 – “Lead singer Nai Palm’s stage presence was unlike any other I have seen perform live. She controlled not only the band, but the audience, as well. When she wasn’t singing with the guitar, she centered herself on the front of the stage and started to sing in somewhat of a power stance. Her gestures were similar to that of a rapper or an MC, which helped to maintain the focus on her. Everyone was vibing with her every move; I noticed some in the audience even copying her movements.” – Toni Saputo / PlayBackSTL.com

Deftones @ Rotary Amphitheatre in Fresno, Calif., Aug. 23 – “The Deftones performance last night at Fresno’s Rotary Amphitheater can be distilled down to a single moment; vocalist Chino Moreno is perched over the crowd as it surges forwards, a sea of reaching hands. He thrusts the microphone into the crush of bodies. Someone screams back his words. The music breaks for a beat, Moreno jumps and screeches, high-pitched and powerful. He lands as band explodes back into action.” – Joshua Tehee / Fresno Bee

Morrissey @ Charles Bronfman Auditorium in Tel Aviv, Israel, Aug. 23 – “An hour into the show, Morrissey bludgeoned the audience with an aggressive rendition of The Smiths classic ‘Meat is Murder,’ which he sang with the same fervor as a teenage girl recently converted to veganism. The performance came complete with bright red lights blaring at us while a giant screen overhead showed gory footage from a selection of slaughterhouses, mostly those of the kosher and halal varieties throughout the US and UK. The pounding, explosive drums and screeching, cacophonous guitars evoked the incessant moans and screams of dying animals, while he accusingly shouted the words to the song: “As you savor the flavor of murder…” – Sarah Levi / The Jerusalem Post