In case you missed it the other day, the Big Johnson, most of you know him as Eric Johnson, our midday guy on MGK, announced this year’s MGK Big Gig 2024, and I could not be any more excited.

This year’s lineup for the MGK Big Gig 2024 is one of the best lineups ever if I do say so myself!

The headliner is John Fogerty, who will be celebrating his songs from Creedence Clearwater Revival as part of his “The Celebration Tour.”

I am psyched to see him perform all of his CCR hits such as “Keep On Chooglin’,” “Down On The Corner,” “Fortunate Son,” and many more hits that have appeared on his recent setlists.

But my favorite part of this year’s MGK Big Gig 2024 may be the band that takes the stage before the headliner.

My Favorite Part of the MGK Big Gig 2024…

George Thorogood and The Destroyers are also tagging along as special guests for the show, and I am stoked!

George Thorogood was one of my first loves in music — I have always dug him, Jeff Simon, and Billy Blough.

Jeff and Billy have been the rhythm section of The Destroyers since day one.

I actually have something in common with each of the members of the band I mentioned — we all went to high school in Wilmington, Delaware.

George Thorogood was in the class of ‘72 at Brandywine High School, Jeff Simon was in the class of ‘72 at Concord High School, and Billy Blough was in the class of ‘72 at Christiana High School.

Oh, and I was in the class of ‘77 at Salesianum!

So it goes without saying, I always had an instant connection with the band.

Plus, the band cut their chops at some legendary Newark bars such as Deer Park and Stone Balloon — I had actually been to both myself before they both shut down.

The first Destroyers LP that came out in 1977 is one of my all-time favorite albums ever.

The LP features tons of cover songs, but the raw spin that The Destroyers put on these classic blues tracks is fantastic.

I actually brought the LP to my college during my freshman year at S.U.N.Y. Plattsburgh and it was a hit in the dorm, for sure, because no one had really ever heard of George Thorogood and The Destroyers let alone had their debut LP!

Thinking of all these memories has me excited to hear some George Thorogood this summer at the MGK Big Gig 2024, and the rhythm section with The Destroyers!

This is the exact copy of the debut LP from George Thorogood and The Destroyers that Matt Cord took to college his freshman year all those years ago

Info On How To Get Tickets

The show will be on Friday, June 7th, and the Freedom Mortgage Pavilion just across the bridge in Camden, NJ.

You can purchase tickets for the MGK Big Gig 2024 on Friday, March 15th when they go on sale to the public at 10 a.m. via LiveNation.

Enjoy my top five George Thorogood and The Destroyers’ songs below in anticipation of June 7th

So you there!

Matt Cord’s Top 5 George Thorogood and The Destroyers Songs…

• 5. Get A Hair Cut (Don't Panic Cover)

  This is the title track to the band’s 1993 album. It’s a song they had been playing since the early days, and they finally decided to record in in ’92.

  It is a song that is very tongue in cheek with lyrics such as – “Get a haircut and get a real job. Get it together like your big brother, Bob.”

  What a classic line. My dad, Jack Cord, used to joke with me when I had long hair, and he’d tell me, “Matt, get a haircut and get a real job!”

• 4. No Particular Place (Chuck Berry Cover)

  This is a Chess Records classic about that “safety belt that wouldn’t budge.”

  It is the B-Side to “Bad To The Bone.”

• 3. It Wasn't Me (Chuck Berry Cover)

  For whatever reason, they don’t always play this song during their live shows.

  However, if they play this at the MGK Big Gig 2024, I’ll be stoked!

• 2. Ride On Josephine (Bo Diddley Cover)

   

  Georgeo Thorogood sings and tells this blues classic like it was meant for him.

  Plus, he does a solid job on the slide guitar on this classic.

• 1. Madison Blues (Elmore James Cover)

  “I know a girl named Lindsey Lou. She told me she loved me, but I know that ain’t true.”

  That has always been the best line in the song, in my opinion.

  This Elmore James, aka the king of the slide guitar, song was written specifically for the slide guitar, and George Thorogood does Elmore proud with his version of the song.

  George’s slide and Jeff’s drums open the song and it never slows down.

  Check out his version with Albert Collins from July 5th, 1984.

  So. Dang. Good.

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