Live from Daryl's House

I got hooked into this series while looking for a Fitz and the Tantrum's video on YouTube. I noticed that they had performed a cover of Hall & Oates' "Sara Smile" and immediately thought that this must be a great video. The singer Fitz from FATT has many of the same great qualities as Daryl Hall in both his voice and his approach to perfectly done blue-eyed soul.

I ended up watching a "Live at Daryl's House" marathon, and in the process was introduced to a lot of bands I'd either never heard before or ever heard of at all, Neon Trees being an early favorite. Neon Tree's version of "Adult Education" with Daryl and their iconoclastic lead singer trading off verses was great, and the Trees members were grinning nonstop. Daryl has a real expert's eye when it comes to choosing who will share the stage with him and his crack-on band. His guests all have the same comment: that they really admire him and his amazing career, that he was a down-to-earth guy and that doing his show was a lot of fun.

You get the sense that Daryl is doing this for the sheer love of music. He has an excellent rapport with his band and never comes across as a diva--they seem to really respect him and like working with him. He looks like he is having a great time in every single episode, like it never gets old for him and his enthusiasm is infectious. Even a known grumpy curmudgeon like Todd Rundgren manages to have a good time. And he's very gracious and disarming when he accepts the inevitable praise from his guests as they dive into his deep catalogue of some of pop music's most classic and enduring gems.

The vignettes that fill in around the musical numbers are well-filmed and the show has an overall high production value. He uses the same formula for each show: the guest(s) are interviewed as they drive up to his upstate NY compound, he shows them around his gorgeous collection of pristine Revolutionary War residence and outbuildings, they settle into the live studio and banter back and forth while working on songs, then they cook something, have dinner, and do some more songs, ending with a closing interview. By the way, I've come to really like the food/cooking angle. Rather than being an awkward add-on, the food is interesting and the guests become more relaxed and "into it" with the promise of a gourmet dinner. It it one more revealing facet of Daryl's personality: he's an earnest, intelligent and tasteful aesthete who makes the viewer want his relaxed, casually sophisticated lifestyle. None of this feels overly scripted, canned or phoned in, like what happens to most reality series, and after 60+ episodes, Daryl Hall still looks like he's thrilled with the discovery of new bands and old friends.

That's what's kept him so young; keeping up with all the new bands. (And let me say that he looks INCREDIBLE for a guy in his mid-60s. Wow.) It would be so easy for him to live in his storied past and become a nostalgia act--most guys with his fame and age do just that, But Daryl Hall has more adventuresome musical taste than most teenage hipsters, and I really appreciate him for introducing me to so many great artists. Conversely, his "vintage" guests are like a who's who of what young fans and musicians alike need to know.

My favorite episodes were with Joe Walsh, Sharon Jones (Dap Kings), Neon Trees, Dirty Heads, Nick Lowe and the aforementioned Fitz and the Tantrums. With 60+ episodes, there's plenty for music lovers of all kinds to choose.

Darryl Hall (of the famous act "Hall and Oates") is the host of an intimate music show featuring Hall's favorite musical guests. A good meal, some conversation, and some fine music is the recipe for fun on this show. Hall's band is good and the guests are always interesting. Some are relatively new, and others are trailblazers form decades ago. But if you like pop music, especially with a "soul" element, you will enjoy this. Past guests have include Jason Mraz, Chromeo, Booker T Jones, Joe Walsh, Sharon Jones, and John Mayer. Usually there is collaboration on music of the guest, as well as some from Hall and Oates. The atmosphere is casual, and the rural setting of Hall's remote location promotes a relaxed vibe.

Live from Daryl house is the best show.

He has the most amazing performer's and band. Love this show all the episodes are awesome and the sound is the best I've ever heard. Daryl is a man ahead of the times! Great concept to have Live from Daryl's house. Love the cooking segments too! Love to watch how gracefully he interacts with his guests and band. Highly recommended for a great time! I was hooked from the first episode and love the one with Smokey Robinson mind blowing! This is the only show I really enjoy watching. So turn off the News and crank up the music from live from Daryl's house and enjoy!

Please. please. Bring this show back. This show ooozes originality, creativity, and a musical spark that most bands today can't seem to capture. Absolutely love the cooking segments and fireside chats at the dinner table.

Live From Daryl's House is interesting to me in so many different ways! As a longtime fan of Daryl's, I love hearing non-singles of his that I don't usually get to hear at a concert performed live on the show or his hits reimagined in a totally different way. So many of Daryl's deep cuts are amazing and it would be a shame for them to stay hidden.

As a fan of music in general, watching the show has been an efficient way to discover new music I enjoy as my taste in music overlaps with Daryl's taste in music quite a bit. I know there is a good chance that if he thinks it's good, I will too.

I've been learning to make music of my own recently and I find the musical discussions to be fascinating as well. I'm eager to absorb what I can from those who have mastered their craft. Daryl obviously knows what he is doing and I love having an inside look into the creative process!