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nobody
08-04-2007, 07:31 AM
Went to see the Blasters last night…just shaking off a hangover now.

First band came on…Roland Johnson and the somethin’ or another takes the outdoor ramshackle stage. Local R&B band. And, if you’ve been kickin’ around St. Louis playing R&B and blues into your sixties, you’ve learned a thing or two. Mostly blues and soul standards. Great baritone sax, minimal drum kit on a tiny stage, a guy who could play the **** outta his baby blues Strat and a damn fine soul singer. They played with the sun goin’ down, momma feeding her little girl some red beans and rice off to the side of the stage and a Union Pacific train rolling past above the fences. Got the crowd into things with some Al Green and James Brown.

Then, the Blasters came out. I’d thought the openers channeled James Brown for the first set, but then Phil Alvin belts out Please, Please, Please like no white man I’ve ever heard. Crowd was into it and despite a bit of thunder and some lightening flashes in the background, particularly effective when they launched into Dark Night, the rain held off. No Dave Alvin, but the guy they had playing his parts has a nice gold Les Paul and frankly, I didn’t miss a damn thing…new guy can play. They rounded things off with a great version of Marie, Marie before coming out to play American Music and a couple others before taking off around 12:30.

Damn fine show at a place I hadn’t been inside but once or twice. I think I may have to stop back by when Los Straightjackets stop through with Big Sandy in a few weeks.

unleasHell
08-04-2007, 08:51 AM
saw the Blasters a bunch of times back in the 80's they are from So. Cal. (where I am as well)

that's cool they are still rockin'...

Monkey Bones
08-04-2007, 02:05 PM
Used to catch them every time they rolled through town back in the 80s before Dave left. Great band. Kudos to our buddy maf, now Ex Lion Tamer, including some Blasters on his 80s comp. Classic stuff.