Went to see Nils Lofgren last night in Copenhagen on his solo tour. You can't really call it solo acoustic tour, because on a few songs he duns his sun glasses, grabs his electric and lets it blast over a taped drum and bass track, including on a blistering version of "Because the Night". Wonderful stuff if you can get past the tape part. Most of the show however is a traditional acoustic setting with Nils doing his magic on an acoustic guitar. Amazing the sounds he can force out of it. No, "force" is not the right word, because it all looks and sounds so natural. The guitar is not objecting one bit.

Well, as I watched and listened to his between song comments I was overwhelmed by what a legend he really is. Some of the most famous tours and sessions that rock fans drool over and wish we just had a recording of, he was actually there alongside the big names. In 1973 he was part of Neil Young's infamous Tonight's the Night Tour just as he took part in the sessions for that album. He auditioned for the Rolling Stones. He stood alongside Bruce Springsteen when he was the world's absolute biggest rock star. And in between all of that he has continued to do his own thing, playing for 300 people here and 500 there, just carrying on the torch of real, true, honest music in a world of American Idol and Eurovision Song Contest, and never letting it stop him that his high status with the greats never really made him a star himself.

These days he doesn't even have a recording deal, but releases his music through his website. Whether that's a deliberate choice or because no label is interested, I don't know for sure... it's probably a little bit of both.... but whatever the case, Nils remains one of the most sympathetic characters in music. As long as he's out there touring and releasing music something is still right in the world. So... check him out whenever you get the chance, and until then visit www.nilslofgren.com and read his personal notes and buy a few of his albums.