Tonight, I saw one of the legends of our time... John Mayall, playing with the latest incarnation of his Bluesbreakers, the John Mayall Band, at Folsom's Three Stages.
So many well-known musicians have played with him (and it's definitely them who played "with John Mayall", rather than the other way round, because they didn't make it really big until later)... Mick Taylor, Andy Fraser, Clapton, John McVie, Mick Fleetwood being just a few.
John Mayall surrounds himself with outstanding musicians; his band today is no exception. Rocky Athas ("Cocky Rocky" for you Lizzie fans) on guitar, Greg Rzab on bass, (what the heck did he just do with that bass???), Jay Davenport on drums. (He made me want to learn to play the drums... I can't do the multiple-rhythms-with-different-limbs-thing, no way, but his energy made me want to try to do that...) The Mayall-Rzab musical duel was clever and funny and ... wow. How it all. Just. Worked.
The blues is the blues is the blues: best heard live, and best with musicians who know how to weave their virtuosity tight together. That's what they did tonight; the solos were stupendous, but the whole was wonderful.
John Mayall will be eighty years old later this year. He wears blue jeans and a ponytail and a smile. Has recorded well over fifty albums. And he's out there touring the world. Remember that when you're feeling a little tired... he's out there, playing to standing ovations. Nearly eighty. Amazing.
(I found out about this show from Sacramento's Morpheus Music. You can subscribe to their newsletter for info about upcoming shows.)
Friday, May 24, 2013
Monday, May 20, 2013
The Faceless, Ace of Spades Sacramento, 18th May 2013
The Faceless, Ace of Spades Sacramento, 18th May 2013, full set of photos on Flickr.
When my daughter Jade used to listen to Cannibal Corpse, Deicide and other death-metal-genre music, loud, I really didn't get it (apart from the teenage rebellion part, I had Black Sabbath for that): the gutteral scream-growl vocals felt so painful. Not an aural reaction, more a physical one; knowing the sort of throat-strain it would take to produce those sounds. However, on Saturday, I think I finally got it. Listening to The Faceless, hearing these growling vocals pour from Geoffrey Ficco like honey, in a delightful yet nasty contrast to Michael "Machine" Keene's pure song, I think I finally understood... and I very much enjoyed the show.
Four bands in one evening; Journal, Royal Thunder, The Faceless and The Dillinger Escape Plan: progressive, rock, death metal, math-core? (whatever), punk... a good and entertaining mix and well worth travelling downtown to see at the Ace of Spades.
Band on Facebook: www.facebook.com/thefaceless
Ace of Spades: aceofspadessac.com
Photographer and high-res editorial photos: alisontoon.com
Sunday, May 19, 2013
Royal Thunder, Ace of Spades Sacramento, 18 May 2013
Royal Thunder, Ace of Spades Sacramento, 18 May 2013, a set on Flickr.
SACRAMENTO, CA - MAY 18: Royal Thunder, performing at the Ace of Spades, Sacramento CA, on May 18th 2013. From the moment that Mlny walked onstage and spoke into the microphone for the sound check before the set began, I knew I was going to love her voice. And Royal Thunder sounds like good, new, progressive rock to me... however you choose to label it.
Photographer and high-res editorial photos: alisontoon.com
The Dillinger Escape Plan, Ace of Spades, Sacramento, 18 May 2013
The Dillinger Escape Plan, Ace of Spades, Sacramento, 18 May 2013, full set of low-res photos on Flickr.
SACRAMENTO, CA - MAY 18: The Dillinger Escape Plan, performing at the Ace of Spades, Sacramento CA, on May 18th 2013. Incredibly high-energy performance (both by the band and the audience). This is the show where Greg Puciato took a huge leap into the crowd...
Photographer and high-res editorial photos: alisontoon.com
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