Johnny 2.0

Only two celebrity deaths have really affected me on a personal level. The first was John Lennon: I'm not sure I even realized who he was at that point, but my mom was sobbing when the news broke, and that's always upsetting for a little kid. The other one was Johnny Cash. I grew up listening to Johnny with my dad--he was a sentimental favorite, and I shed a couple of tears when I learned that he had passed on. But the truth is that neither Lennon nor Cash is really dead. Sure, they're technically no longer on this corporeal plane, but I can jam with Lennon any night of the week on Rock Band. And Johnny Cash...well, Johnny is playing at the Palladium Thursday night. The Man in Black: A Tribute to Johnny Cash features country music hero Johnny Cash, as embodied by Shawn Barker, playing through all of our favorite Cash tunes. I've looked this guy up on YouTube, and it's just uncanny how much he looks and sounds like our friend in black. And while certainly Johnny Cash can never, ever be replaced, it's nice to know that he's never truly gone. The show starts at 8 p.m. at the Palladium Ballroom, 1135 S. Lamar St. Tickets are $35 and $22, and can be purchased at ticketmaster.com. For more information about the show, visit themaninblackshow.com.
Thu., Oct. 22, 8 p.m., 2009