THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, September 5, 1996 TAG: 9609050409
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B3 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Music Review
SOURCE: BY SUE VANHECKE, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: VIRGINIA BEACH LENGTH: 65 lines
Blues brought music lovers together - but didn't draw the masses - Wednesday night at the Virginia Beach Amphitheater.
Even with the lawn seating closed, there were plenty of empty chairs under the shed as the House of Blues Barn Burner Tour rolled through Hampton Roads.
That didn't stop some of the genre's best and brightest from charming an adoring audience. The New Orleans-based Radiators kicked off the show with a party-time set of rock 'n' soul gumbo pulled largely from their recent album ``New Dark Ages.''
Austin, Texas' Fabulous Thunderbirds were just that, serving up a scorching, jam-packed set of roadhouse rock 'n' roll and hoary harmonica-fueled blues that included the hit ``Tuff Enuff.''
Pompadoured guitarist Kid Ramos, original ax-man Jimmie Vaughan's replacement, borrowed liberally - but likeably - from the Chuck Berry bag of tricks. But he was obviously equally at home peeling off burning blues licks.
Bassist Willie J. Campbell, sporting his own piled-high pompadour, pounded his electric instrument like an upright. Piano man Gene Taylor slammed, jammed, trilled and vamped as if Beelzebub himself were breathing down his backside.
Singer Kim Wilson handily proved why he is considered one of the world's finest harmonica players, blowing jaw-dropping harp with colorful expression and infectious passion.
Chicago blues-legend Buddy Guy followed, and showed why he's the real-deal favorite of rock idols like Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck and the Rolling Stones.
Accompanied by a seven-man band complete with a three-piece horn section, the indomitable Guy held forth like a preacher in a revival tent.
``I'll play blues so funky you can smell it,'' hollered the three-time Grammy winner, who has played with Muddy Waters, Howlin' Wolf and a host of other luminaries.
Guy made his guitar sing and scream, moan and pant, working songs from hushed murmurs to fiery frenzies, and at one point even entering the crowd and ambling around the amphitheater without dropping one down-and-dirty lick.
Cocker's suave, if less kinetically spectacular sets, featured dancing backup singers and his keyboardist playing a sleek grand piano.
Cocker had the mannerisms of a man on the verge of some sort of fit. He sang in his distinctively croaking bellow and on-the-edge intensity selections from his 30-year career, including a starkly powerful ``You are So Beautiful.'' ILLUSTRATION: GARY C. KNAPP photo
Chicago blues-legend Buddy Guy showed why he's the real-deal
favorite of rock idols such as Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck and the
Rolling Stones.
Accompanied by a seven-man band complete with a three-piece horn
section, the indomitable Guy held forth like a preacher in a revival
tent.
``I'll play blues so funky you can smell it,'' hollered the
three-time Grammy winner, who has played with Muddy Waters, Howlin'
Wolf and a host of other luminaries.
Graphic
MUSIC REVIEW
Joe Cocker, Buddy Guy, Fabulous Thunderbirds,
The Radiators
Wednesday at the Virginia Beach Amphitheater
KEYWORDS: CONCERT REVIEW by CNB