“Nice venue,” both Daryl Hall and John Oates decided shortly after taking the state at the Lakeview Amphitheater on Saturday night.
For our second visit to the new venue on the shore of Onondaga Lake, my dear wife Karen and I agreed.
We arrived around 6 p.m., some 90 minutes before show time. Cruised into the parking lot. Passed on the deal that offered lawn-to pavilion upgrades for $20 a ticket, the price I’d bought these on special. I didn’t want to double down.
We knew from our experience opening night last September with country star Miranda Lambert to take our chairs-in-a-bag toward the left side of the lawn to get closest to the pavilion.
Close enough for us.
We ended up sitting a couple dozen feet from the rail, no poles blocking our view. I walked to the concession stand to bring back two really big Labatt’s Blue Light cans.
Hover over any gallery photo for a description. Click on an image for an enlarged slide show.
I took some photos with my iPhone 6. We hung out and talked. Karen took off the for merch tent and bought T-shirts for son Daryl — Live from Daryl’s House, just perfect — and a way cool retro-looking Hall and Oates for me.
The opener, Mayer Hawthorne, was pleasantly soulful for a dude from Detroit. WE both liked him.
The sun set gloriously in the break between sets. I shot away with my iPhone 6, naturally, basking in the glow.
The headliners, out with a burst.
And then came the Philly guys, Hall and Oates, a duo that’s been making me happy since my college days down the road at SUNY Morrisville, when my pals Twenty and Shultsie and I would hear “She’s Gone” on the radio in the radio room of the library every day at the same time when we were freshman — and sing along.
In my days toiling as the reviewer for the big daily, I’d have commented that Hall’s voice can’t get to the very highest notes anymore. No matter. And I’d also have pointed out that Oates did very well on his parts, including during the Righteous Brothers’ classic “You’ve Lost that Loving Feeling.”
Their 14 songs were enjoyable, through and through. I got to hold my dear wife Karen’s had through “Sara Smile,” and we weren’t together when that one came out. Nice. Very nice.
Hall and Oates make me feel young with “Out of Touch,” the first two minutes of which I shot with my iPhone 6.
Here’s my attempt to let you know just what the Lakeview Amphitheater offers during “Las Vegas Turnaround (The Stewardess Song)”
Next up for us at the Amphitheater comes the double headliner bill of Counting Crows and Rob Thomas in mid-August. I’m looking more forward to the Crows, Karen awaits Thomas. Another $20 ticket score. Yay, us.
Are you a fan of Hall and Oates from their 1970s and 80s run of hits? What’s your favorite Hall and Oates song? What do you think of the Lakeview Amphitheater?
Mark Bialczak 
Went to the show. Loved it. My first time there. Don’t really have a fave song. Was hoping they’d sing Family Man but maybe they’ll do that next time they come to Syracuse. Next up for me is Jason Aldean. Can’t wait.
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Enjoy Jason, Tina. Glad you had a good time at H&A.
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I love me some Hall and Oates. I’m jealous of you a little. Hope you had a great time.
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It was a fine time, Tony. Don’t get jealous, get even. 🙂
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great band. Looks like a terrific venue! Glad you had such a great time.
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Yeah, we have to get out and act up once in a while, Elyse. 🙂
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Fabulous venue and I love Hall and Oats!
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It’s a pretty place, Willow, and the music was nice that night. 🙂
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It all looked and sounds fabulous!
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Our place came out OK, Willow. 🙂
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Good
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I was never a huge fan but now they have that sort of quality of bringing me back to my youth which is nice. Do you ever see that show Darryl’s House? I think it’s on the new MTV channel. Well, they always have it on at my son’s rock school. It’s pretty interesting.
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It’s a really good show. He always has interesting guests, Marissa. I like it. 🙂
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Yeah, it’s very cool!
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this looks like a beautiful venue to see most anything. hall and oats bring back such fond memories, they would be fun to see –
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It is quite serene out there, Beth. And Hall and Oates are OUR generation. 🙂
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What a beautiful venue…love the lake and sunset. ☺
“She’s Gone” has a special place in my heart. It was playing on the radio on the way home from the funeral home when we arranged for my mother’s funeral. There was a dead silence in the car for my father, brother and I. Bittersweet memory. Philly boys touched our heart. ❤️
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That is quite a memory from the ride home with your father and brother, Van. My heart goes out that the Philly boys gave you that moment for your mom. ❤
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GLAD YOU ENJOYED hALL & oATS YES, I LISTEN TO THEM ON THE oLDIES sTATION-i DO LOVE THEM TOO! WOO HOO…
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You betcha, Gatorette. They have the great songs. 🙂
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Agreed!
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Very, very nice Mark. Perfect land slope for an amphitheater – I’m sure they adjusted it to make it so perfect but it must have had the right stuff before they started. Hall and Oates is one of my favs – Maneater being their best song. I like a lot of their other stuff too. Nice,nice spot and great band and super ticket price scoop my friend. I bet the beer was dear though – but hey, again perfect for the weather and venue – Ahhhh, I can taste the brewsky. Yum!
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The two beers were more than one ticket, Paul. The price you pay, as Bruce Springsteen sang. That’s one reason why we drank one beer each! Yes, to find $20 tickets for a name-brand show in this day and age is indeed rare. And I was able to get two in one summer by getting online at the 10 a.m. annoucement time for the bargain to go on sale. Lucky me. 🙂
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Very Nice!
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I love Hall and Oates, Mark! I wish I could have joined you and Karen, played catch up and how people come into each other’s lives, then somehow drift out, then back in. Thanks for a recent comment, I just seem to have stretched myself a bit too far at times.
Although I had an album of their songs, I am hard pressed to say my favorite. Have a wonderful rest of the week, Mark! 🙂
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It’s been near impossible for me to read AND comment on WordPress, Robin, with my new job taking up that chunk of time and continuing to post at my place every day. But no excuses. I need to keep the ties that bind more often and permanently. ❤ Thanks for the comment. And it would have been great to have you here!
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