Q. Can just give us the rundown on the look and the feel of the new tour?

A. The look is different.  It’s a completely new stage.  The lighting grid is different.  It’s pretty impressive, I think.  I think my lighting director really did herself this time and came up with some spectacular looks, as well as very intimate moments as well, because the music is varied and it goes to both of those spectrums.  I think she did a wonderful job.

Basically, I’m trying to cover a lifetime of music and to be as close up to the audience as I possibly can.  So the stage and the lighting and the choice of the songs that we use in the set, and the sequencing of the songs are all based on that, connecting with the audience in a way, as best I can really.

Q. With the new record and its predecessor even, would you say that you’re trying to branch out and reach out to a slightly younger demographic, and maybe even reinvent yourself a little bit?

A. No, I like the way I was invented originally.  I’ve kind of gotten used to it.  This is just another step, that’s all.  I’ve been taking steps since the beginning, from “Cherry Cherry” to “I Am… I Said” to “America” to Christmas music to “Home Before Dark.”

It’s me.  I’m not reaching out for anybody but the audience that wants to listen.  That’s all.  I’m not doing anything logical.  I’m not pre-planning anything.  Maybe I would have had a better career if I had and thought it out, but it was all based on how well I could write the songs, and how good the songs would be, and how the audience took it to their hearts, or not, and it’s still that way – exactly that way.

Q. What’s it like to have an album debut at number one after all these years?

A. Well, I didn’t actually think it was my first number one.  Somehow in my mind, I don’t know what the opposite of a state of denial was, but I thought for sure I had a number one album somewhere along the way.  I thought “Hot August Nights” was number one, but then I was told it only went to number two, so I was crestfallen. 

I don’t feel that old.  I feel very young, but it’s nice to feel that in this market that’s filled with young people, or seems to be aimed at young people, that an old geezer can come along and knock a few of them off their perches and say hey, here’s for the senior citizens, and we can kick a little butt too.

Q. How do you maintain that energy [for your live shows]?

A. The secret is the audience.  It has very little to do with me.  It’s the audience.  They establish the atmosphere and the ambience, and I only reflect it, and when they’re happy, I’m happy, and when they’re excited, I’m excited, and I just want to do a show as well as I possibly can.  I want to sing as well as I can, but the energy does come from the audience, and I only reflect it…

The audience knows a bunch of these songs, and they want to join in and sing-along and I’m happy to have them do it.  I take it as a compliment and I enjoy the experience as well.  As long as they know that I’m the main singer, they can do with the songs whatever they like.  I’ve heard some pretty horrendous notes out there, but they’re welcome to sing.

Q. But the one thing that hasn’t aged is your music…is it because you’re one of the few performers who has never followed trends?

A. I was never good enough to, because to follow a trend you have to be able to know what the trend is, you have to be able to copy it, and you have to know enough about music to be a good imitator, and I’ve never been that.  I’ve always had to follow my own thing, because it was the only thing I could do.  It was the only thing I felt I could do well.  So, I haven’t followed any trends.  To me, trends don’t exist.  The only trend is music.  Either it’s good or it’s bad.  Either it’s beautiful or it’s not.  Either it involves the listener or it doesn’t.  Either it moves me when I perform it or not.  These are the considerations.

Q. Do you see anybody on the scene now who you think has the possibility of having a career like yours, the length and success of your career?

A. There are a lot of talented people out there, but to go for a long time and to try and remain productive, that’s, I think, in the hands of the gods.  Luck has a lot to do with it.  I’ve seen more talented people than I fall by the side of the road.  Road kill in a business and a world that can be very cynical and very difficult and has lots of traps and potholes, so I do believe that good luck and maybe a little karma plays a part in this whole scenario. 

I also think that you have to absolutely be in love with what you’re doing if you want to be around for awhile, because you’re around for as long as you want to be around.  Nobody will stop you from making music.

It’s not like if you’re a movie actor.  You’re around as long as they want you in a movie, but a musician or a writer can always, till their dying day, make music.  I think a lot of that comes from inside the person themselves, their motivation, and their passion for it.  I would say that’s an important element as well.

Q. You’re in the middle of a tour and everything.  Have you thought at all about what your next musical project or album might be?  Do you see foresee going back with Rick and those guys and continuing this path?

A. I’m so much into this project now, this tour, and the completion of this album, I really haven’t sat down and logically tried to figure out where I go to next.  I’m just going to enjoy this, all the wonderful fallout from the release of “Home Before Dark” and the wonderful response to the show.  I’m just committed to enjoying the hell out of it and not thinking about anything else for awhile.
Maybe in six months from now I’ll really start to think seriously about what’s next.  I have a feeling it will have something to do with music.  That’s all I know.

“Florida has the most unpredictable weather…there’s a lot of factors in orchestrating this escape, one of the most exciting, challenging, the biggest, the baddest escape of my career
I vowed to my mother that if I am successful in doing this, that I will retire from doing these things…I’ve got 4,600 performances to do at the Luxor and they’re freaking out…I won’t be doing things of this nature. Walking on water, that doesn’t have as much risk factor. I’ll still be doing what I do, but not dangling 1,000 feet from helicopters [with] 450 sticks of dynamite [ready to blow.]”

Angel’s mother, who is in her 70s, is insisting on watching the stunt on site with Angel’s brothers.

“I adore her to death. My mother and my father are the reason why I had the opportunity to pursue my dream and I don’t want to put her through this anymore,” he said.

Angel says he’s been preparing for Wednesday’s act, as well as his Cirque show, by doing a lot of cardio exercises, including talking to himself or someone nearby while exercising to help keep his heart rate relaxed.

“I might not be the greatest magician who ever lived, but what am I blessed with is [being] able to work in very high stressful situations and really keep my cool,” he said. “When things go wrong, I don’t panic. I really try to stay focused because panicking will just make my situation worse.”

Angel claims that he isn’t a daredevil, but a highly skilled artist who is methodical and places great value on safety. Still, he probably possesses a lot less fear than the average person.

“If you don’t fear death, what is there to fear? I don’t fear anything, because ultimately, what’s the worst that’s going to happen?” he wondered. “I’m going to die. And I’ve accepted that and I’ve sacrificed my concern to put forth my effort in my art. At the end of the day, you could die from crossing the street.”

Whether it’s healthy living, enviable genes or sheer luck, Springfield has managed to stay rock star handsome while providing the energy of a man half his age.

His 90-minute set Sunday – which, naturally, attracted a largely female contingent (though a surprising number were much younger than his expected thirty-and-fortysomething fan base) – was a great lesson for the casual observers in the crowd.

These would be the people yelling out, from the moment Springfield stepped on stage in his shades, “Play ‘Jessie’s Girl’!”

He did, eventually. But first, Springfield and his band tore through many of his 16 other Top 40 hits, including a propulsive “I’ve Done Everything For You” and “Affair of the Heart.”

Though he sounded uncomfortably hoarse on “Rock of Life,” Springfield’s rasp cleared up for a fan’s dream medley that included at least one verse and chorus of “Bop ‘Til You Drop,” “Celebrate Youth” (injected with heavy rock guitar), “Don’t Walk Away,” “State of the Heart” (those high notes did present a slight problem), “What Kind of Fool Am I” and “I Get Excited.”

Those same concertgoers who probably think Springfield’s last output came in the ‘80s, during his “General Hospital” days, might have also been surprised to hear “Wasted,” his engaging power pop song from 2004’s “Shock/Denial/Anger/Acceptance” and material from “Venus in Overdrive,” his second album since then, which arrives July 29.

The first single, “What’s Victoria’s Secret?”, is an irresistible pop song with a chorus that is pure ear candy and a bridge that should come stamped with “Instant Hit” on it.

But, like most musicians of his ilk, Springfield will likely be met with indifference at radio, simply because he isn’t the Jonas Brothers. Hopefully, satellite radio will show him some love instead (the song is also available now at iTunes and amazon.com or….here http://www.rickspringfield.com/vio/wvs_video.html).

If Sunday’s concert proved anything, it’s that the guy is an admirable guitarist and still an incredibly noteworthy pop star.

For those interested in the rest of the Summer Nights series:

Grand Funk Railroad, July 26-27
The Charlie Daniels Band, Aug. 2-3
The Guess Who, Aug. 9-10
Peter Frampton, Aug. 16-17

For more information, visit http://www.buschgardens.com.

An orchestra performed the swelling theme to “The Natural” – which Joel has used as his entrance music for years, but was obviously especially fitting in this setting.

Then, rather than launch with his usual “Prelude/Angry Young Man,” it was a stirring rendition of “The Star-Spangled Banner” into “Miami 2017” that kicked off the three-hour show.

Along with Joel concert staples (“My Life,” “The Entertainer,” “Everybody Loves You Now”) came a few tunes that he doesn’t always play live: “Ballad of Billy the Kid,” its soundtrack-i-ness augmented beautifully by the orchestra; “Lullaby (Goodnight My Angel),” which really isn’t necessary, but it obviously means something to Joel; “Big Man on Mulberry Street,” his sweeping big band ode that, sadly, prompted a bathroom/beer rush; and “Goodnight Saigon,” which hasn’t steadily appeared in concert for a couple of years, but was as emotional as always with the presence of New York officers on stage.

Joel also paid homage to The Beatles with a taut read of “Hard Day’s Night,” which he’s often injected into set lists for years, and a spotty, but well-intentioned “Please, Please Me.”

But let’s forget Mr. Joel for a moment.

You want to talk guest list? How about the one he cobbled?

The elegant Tony Bennett, so perfect as a duet partner on “New York State of Mind” (is it me, or is he just the happiest man alive?).

John Mayer, whose sleeve tattoo looks ridiculously out of place on his preppy body, nonetheless tapping out a restrained solo on the sublime “This Is the Time,” another song Joel rarely plays live.

Don Henley, whose Eagles are playing at the Borgata in Atlantic City tonight and Saturday, confidently stream rolling through “Boys of Summer” (appropriate, given the setting), as Joel and his band played backup.

And John Mellencamp, looking not a day older than he did in 1986, doing that funky leg kick thing and bellowing the “yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah”’s in “Pink Houses.” (Trivia interruption: Mellencamp “found” Joel’s trusty percussionist/multi-instrumentalist Crystal Talifero, who looked a bit different Wednesday, sporting a mammoth Afro).

Joel also obviously sank some thought and money into the stage setup.

A wall of pixilated lights served as the occasional video screen behind the gigantour stage, and flanking the stage were a pair of customized video screens, jaggedly shaped on top to resemble the Manhattan skyline.

Of course, whatever it cost him to produce these suckers – which are being recorded for a documentary/DVD (http://www.cinemablend.com/new/Billy-Joel-To-Rock-Shea-Stadium-On-Screen-9533.html) – Joel likely recouped on merchandise sales alone.

More than 55,000 people crammed Shea, and if only half of them picked up some type of souvenir, it’s a small fortune.

I broke down and shelled out $40 for this: http://www.fanfire.com/cgi-bin/WebObjects/fanfire.woa/wa/product?sourceCode=EMLBJO&sku=BJO43801, and had to restrain myself from spending another $30 on a program that would wind up sitting in a drawer.

Maybe if it hadn’t cost me $7 for a hot dog (OK, it was Nathan’s, so it was worth it), $8 for a can – yes, one can – of Heineken and $5 for a little swirl of Carvel (I never claimed this was a healthy outing), I could have afforded to blow more on merch.

But, as is turned out, the experience of the Penultimate Play at Shea was pretty priceless.

Although, it’s really the Almost Last Play At Shea since a few hours after the “only, final concert” at Shea sold out within minutes a couple of months ago, a second “really, we swear it’s the last show” was immediately added for Friday.

But, whatever. I’ll take Mr. Joel in his hometown any day – especially now that I hear rumblings that Tony Bennett might pop up as a guest.

So I had always planned to come up for the Joel show, and then, several weeks ago, Bon Jovi added the final two dates to its “Lost Highway” tour – the last one being Tuesday.

How could I resist?

And to complete the trifecta, Gervais recently announced he would play three shows in L.A. and three shows in New York – yep, Monday, Tuesday and today.

So really, what’s a girl to do? Attend them all! Heck, I could have hopped the subway to Yankee Stadium after the Jovi show and still caught the last few innings of the All Star Game, the way that one turned out.

But on to the point: Ricky Gervais is as goofy and hysterical as you might have guessed if you’ve seen his masterwork on “The Office” (the original, not the lukewarm American copycat) and HBO’s “Extras.”

All six of his U.S. dates are being recorded for an HBO special; probably why he kept his uniform simple – black T-shirt and pants. The easier to splice different parts from different shows together.

As much as I’d like to tell you some of his best jokes, well, I can’t. Our sister publications can get away with using certain language on our Web site, but anything associated with the Times-Dispatch tries to be a little more…appropriate.

Let’s just say that Gervais is more of a storyteller than a rat-a-tat-tat comedian. But he still deftly moved from such un-PC topics as cancer, autism, Nazis and obesity (“Fat people whine about airplane seats. ‘They’re not made for someone my size.’ No! They’re not! If they were, they would only be able to get 12 [bleepin’] seats on the plane!”).

Gervais’ delivery, though, is what makes an amusing story a hysterical one. Even his entrance – set to Queen’s “One Vision” – was deliberately hyperbolic, as he poked through a curtain wearing a cape and king’s crown, the word “RICKY” spelled out in KISS-style lights behind him.

His philosophy about the ridiculous nature of children’s nursery rhymes was also hilarious in an Oh-my-God-that-is-so-true manner.

On the boy who cried wolf: “What’s the moral there? That you shouldn’t tell a lie, right? No, it’s not. It’s that you shouldn’t tell a lie TWICE!”
And Humpty Dumpty: “All I ever got out of that one was that if you’re an egg, you shouldn’t sit on a wall…and really, sending all the kings’ horses to perform a medical procedure? How is that supposed to work?”

The highlight, though, was his reading of a genuine leaflet with suggestions about how gay men can avoid getting AIDS.

Look it up on YouTube – I’m sure it’s there.

As for Bon Jovi, the band sounded as crisp and vigorous as it did months ago in D.C. – even though the indefatigable Jon Bon Jovi started to look a tad worn by the set-closing “Bad Medicine” with a hunk of “Shout” threaded through.
(Here’s the set list for those interested in such things - http://www.bonjovi.com/bonjovi/blog.php?uf_item_id=8-105669&uf_system_id=0).

Say what you will about the derivative nature of their blue collar anthems – the band knocks itself out onstage with a show that rivals Springsteen’s in its simplicity and dedication to the music.

Besides, it was nice to finally be like everyone else in the crowd – spend $7 on a beer, grouse about it, but still have a great time singing along to “It’s My Life.”

Oh, but then my night got better when I discovered the legendary hot dog place, Gray’s Papaya. a few blocks from my hotel (if I ruled the world, I would make every establishment 24 hours, as many are in Manhattan).

Really, what better way to end a 17-hour day than with a delicious hot dog that has that rare, perfect snap to it, and a Styrofoam cup of papaya juice?

I know. I can’t believe I haven’t thrown up yet, either.

Sporting a hair length that doesn’t threaten her shoulders, the fit and trim 37-year-old DiFranco could pass for college kid home for the summer. She’s also sporting a new two-man, one-woman band, which fits her quite nicely.

Originally a no-frills, one-woman, one-guitar act, DiFranco dabbled in some horns, some noise and some funk once her career gained momentum.  On this tour, she’s back to acoustic guitar only backed by upright bass and a rich mix of percussion, a development I would characterize as positive.

The first half of tonight’s 90-minute set was dedicated primarily to tunes from the recent years. And sure, there’s more soul and guts in tunes like “Modulation,” “Lag Time” and “Unrequited” than most of the music cluttering the airwaves these days.  But those were just warm-ups for the good stuff.

The good stuff being gritty tunes of strength, vulnerability and non-conformity like “As Is,” “32 Flavors,” “Names and Dates and Times” and “Fire Door.”

She also tried out a couple almost mellow tunes obviously authored from the perspective of a parent with choruses of, “Look how much the world loves you” and “Love is all over the place.”

But as if to assure the Ani nation that she hasn’t gotten all mushy on us, she immediately followed up with her fabulous I love you/ I hate you message of “Gravel.”

In the interest of journalistic integrity, one disclaimer is necessary. I’m not exactly an impartial Ani judge. Twelve years ago, my daughter needed to raise cash to enter our town’s Soap Box Derby. In addition to friends, family, and neighbors, Cara sent a money-begging letter to Ani’s Righteous Babe Records office.  The result: a check from Ani larger than those donated by Grandma, Grandpa, Mom or Dad.

Ani’s invited a few of her most talented pals to join her on the “Ani and Friends Tour.” The revolving list of tour bus passengers includes Melissa Ferrick, Natalie Zukerman, the Wailin’ Jennys and Richmond’s opening act, Kimya Dawson.

If you loved “Juno” (and if you didn’t, you weren’t paying attention, go back and watch it again), then you must have loved Dawson’s work, which is a significant part of the movie’s soundtrack and was also a part of her 30 minute warm-up set.

Not exactly a slave to lush melodies, Dawson’s bare bones, sound-alike tunes have what would charitably be described as “sing-songy” quality.

But the reward that Dawson delivers is the wonderfully weird way that she puts words together in her brief musical observations about love, giants and farts, as well as her complete disdain for our country’s president.

Dawson’s not bad at crowd control either, as evidenced by her quick response to an “I love you” shout out from the floor.

“I love you, too. .. But I have to whisper so your mom won’t hear me.”