Yes, I know. Game 4 of the NBA finals airs at 8 p.m. Friday on ABC. But for those of us who don't care whether Golden State or Cleveland wins, there's outstanding alternate programming.
Great Performances will air "Joan Baez 75th Birthday Celebration" from 8 to 10 p.m. Friday on AETN. It's a good time for all us baby boomers to relive those halcyon days of our youth.
And kids, it's a good chance to listen to some quality "oldie" music, where you can actually hear the words and wouldn't be embarrassed to have your grandmother walk by.
What's that? Did I hear someone yell, "Get off my lawn!"
I love this stuff because it's the music I learned to play on my guitar when I was 14 -- simple chord progressions, pure, clear melodies, and lyrics that ring like poetry.
The guest list for the all-acoustic concert at New York's Beacon Theater is a who's who of vintage, venerable talent. They include David Bromberg, 70; Jackson Browne, 67; Judy Collins, 77; David Crosby, 74; Emmylou Harris, 69; Mavis Staples, 76; and Paul Simon, 74.
Also on hand were relative youngsters -- Irish folk singer Damien Rice, 42; Chilean singer Nano Stern, 31; Mary Chapin Carpenter, 58; and the Indigo Girls (Amy Ray and Emily Saliers, both 52).
Folk singer/songwriter, Baez was born on Staten Island, N.Y., on Jan. 9, 1941, the daughter of a Mexican father and English mother. She began her recording career in 1960 with songs of protest and social justice. In the early years she was associated most with the music of Pete Seeger, and especially Bob Dylan. In fact, she was instrumental in popularizing Dylan's earliest work.
The singers were even romantically linked for a couple of years in the early '60s.
I've only been able to see snippets of the concert, but a Billboard review labels it "a low-key, intimate affair that features mostly duets with one or two instrumental accompanists."
Also, it "suited the venerable performer who's spent as much time and effort on social activism as she has on her musical career."
Baez, the review notes, was "looking decades younger than her age." Must be her vegan diet.
The New York Times added Baez "radiated her characteristic maternal strength and easygoing humor" and noted, "that strength is embedded in a voice that has shrunk in range and power but conveys an embracing reassurance and solidity. Her upper register is all but gone, but her middle range, where she remained comfortably settled for most of the evening, was as warmly expressive as ever."
The concert's set list includes folk, gospel and pop, with a dash of Latin and Irish music. An evident lack of rehearsal time meant that some of the performances were not as polished as they could have been.
Billboard notes, "Her harmonies with David Crosby on 'Blackbird' were hardly pristine, but the duet was still affecting. And she and Judy Collins cracked each other up over the outdated lyrics while singing 'Diamonds and Rust'. 'They made cuff links back then,' Baez pointed out."
Despite all that, "the evening featured far more stellar performances than missteps."
The highlight for me will be the Baez and Simon performance of "The Boxer," followed by her encore consisting of "The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down" and "Forever Young."
For those making a list, the songs include those above plus "God Is God," "There But for Fortune," "Freight Train," "She Moved Through the Fair," "Catch the Wind," "Hard Times Come Again No More," "Deportees," "Seven Curses," "Swing Low, Sweet Chariot," "Oh Freedom/Turn Me Around," "The Water Is Wide," "Don't Think Twice, It's Alright," "House of the Rising Sun," "She Never Could Resist a Winding Road," "Before the Deluge" and "Gracias a la Vida."
• Streets of Compton Parts 1 and 2 premiere at 8 p.m. today on A&E. Rap artist The Game leads a tour of his hometown along with hip-hop group N.W.A. and tennis stars Venus and Serena Williams. Part 3 airs at 9 p.m. June 16.
• The Eighties concludes at 8 p.m. today on CNN. This is the third installment of the decade series from executive producer Tom Hanks and ends with "The Tech Boom." It deals with the innovations that still define our lives today -- the personal computer and the internet.
• Flip or Flop kicks off Season 5 at 8 p.m. today on HGTV. The series follows Tarek and Christina El Moussa as they buy distressed properties and renovate them for a profit. Hopefully. It's always a gamble.
Tonight's episode, "Down to the Studs," showcases a home in Whittier, Calif., that appears to be beyond repair, but the couple have high hopes it can be transformed into a modern house.
The TV Column appears Sunday, Tuesday and Thursday. Email:
mstorey@arkansasonline.com
Weekend on 06/09/2016