First, I hope someone else sends in a review as I'm not good at set lists at all.

For those of you who have not gone to one of the Venice/Jackson Browne shows .. they are fantastic. This is the third year in a row that they have gotten together to do a benefit to raise money for the Santa Monica/Malibu public schools to fund the arts and music programs. As Jackson pointed out, when the government needs billions for more bombers, they seem to come up with it easily enough, but benefits are needed for this sort of thing.

Generally, Jackson does some songs, then Venice does some songs, then they do a lot together. This was the pattern this year, with students from Santa Monica high school sitting in,Ýthe amazing Fred Martin and the Levite Camp. As Jackson called them, the Christian singers with the Jewish name. They are truly fantastic.

Jackson opened up with "I'm Alive" and then "For America". He did some more but I honestly can't remember which ones. There's so much going on at these shows. I hope someone from the Jackson Browne group can remember and supply these in a future letter.

Amber Guerra, from Venice Central, has supplied the rest:

I Want You Back (also with Fred Martin & The Levite Camp)

There were also gospel versions of Lives in the Balance and World in Motion that were truly spectacular.

Both Jackson Browne and Venice are fabulous separately but this joint show was the best I've ever seen either of them do.

I went with about 10 other folks that I met through Russ's site, the Jackson Cafe and Venice Central. We were right near my old high school, Uni High, going to a benefit at the high school auditorium at Santa Monica High. We are all 50ish, college educated, good jobs, families .. but we all felt like we were 18 again. Lots of fun.

Jackson mentioned that he had a choice of sending his nephew to Venice High with the diplomacy magnet or Santa Monica High with the music magnet and they ended up at Santa Monica.

Michael Lennon of Venice has set up a foundation, Artists for the Arts Foundation, and they hope to make this a yearly event. The event last Friday raised $100,000!

It was a wonderful evening, three hours plus of great music with only a brief break between Venice's first set and Jackson setting up. They had all been there all day figuring out how to get everyone on and off, and the set list. They did songs they all knew, like Brown Eyed Girl, even though, as Jackson pointed out, they did all KNOW them, but in different keys.

So, hopefully, someone else will produce Jackson's set list.

I am going to the Ostia Antica concert but can find no information about travel back to Rome from the venue. Has anyone ever been to a concert there? Any tips or info would be much appreciated.

Many thanks for your efforts and hard work with the site. It was only through the fan site and a pre booked holiday to Rome that this fantastic opportunity to see Jackson and David has occurred. Hope to post a review if I can find my way back!

All the best.

Here's a couple of reviews from the benefit concert Jackson did with Venice last month:

http://www.smdp.com/article/articles/1852/1/Tender-was-the-night

http://www.smmirror.com/MainPages/DisplayArticleDetails.asp?eid=3505

Becuase my friend bought me a pair of tickets to the show in Manchester, on August 9, I no longer need the ticket purchased for myself initially.

The concert is being held at The Bridgewater Hall, and the seat is in Block GL03, Row A, Seat 38. The face value of the ticket is £32.50, which is the price i'm after, purely to cover my out-of-pocket expenses.

For some reason, the box office isn't sending the tickets out, so i'll be able to meet you on the day of the show to hand over.

Thank you!

I was riding in the car, listening to the radio, not really paying attention when I heard "Too Many Angels" being played. Without catching all the words, I thought it was a Jackson's war protest song. I was moved, the idea, that we're making too many angels. Later, I realized it was a song about lost love. I couldn't get the idea out of my head. I'm a published poet, and so took Jackson's song and without changing very many words at all, formed it into, what I believe, is a moving song against war. It will appeal to those who support the war, as well as those of us who don't, because everyone can agree, we're making too many angels.

If somehow Jackson Browne could put his eyes on this, I think he would rework "Too Many Angels" and release it as a new song against the war. Elton John reworked "Goodbye Norma Jean" to honor Princess Diana with "Goodbye English Rose." I don't know how to get it to him. I don't even know how to publish it to the web where, if there was enough spontaneous support, it would eventually be brought toÝJackson's attention. I want nothing from Mr. Browne, no money, not even the credits. I assign all rights of publication to Jackson Browne, if he'll raise his voice against this senseless war.We need Jackson's plaintiff, moving voice to point out that no matter which side we're on, we're making too many angels.

"Too Many Angels - Anti war version"

There are photographs of angels
all in their silver frames
in Baghdad and Kansas City
lit by candle flame,
and on the mother's faces
life's expectations fly
since a picture couldn't save them
when it came their time to die.
Too many angels
although they're trying
too many angels
are out there dying

In the mosques and in the churches,
the weeping behind the doors,
add these to the pictures
of the ones who died before.
A cherub's open eyes
see the loved ones bowed in pain.
We seem compelled to make
the same mistakes again.
Too many angels
have seen us crying.
Too many angels
are out there dying.

Bring the morning on
voices sing of day
I want to step out in the morning sun
through the flood of tears
I want the darkness gone.
Sweet faces all appear,
apparitions coming one by one,
but there's no end in sight
only the dead of night
and too many angels

Too many angels
Are out there trying
Too many angels
are out there dying,
too many angels.

Bring the morning on
voices sing of day
I want to step out in the morning sun
Through the wasted years
I want to greet the dawn
cast away these fears
Remember what we could have done.
Bring the healing on
Voices sing of a new day
The children should be running
through their loving years
I want this darkness gone
Sweet faces should appear
like apparitions coming one by one,
because what we've seen
is we keep making
too many angels