Some People Call Me Maurice

Midnight Toker.

Went to see Steve Miller Band on Friday night. The above tapestry was the second best thing about the show, trailing only behind the stage set-up revealed upon its dropping.  It was a bucket list kind of concert. I'd never seen him before, know a ton of his songs, and who doesn't like free beer?

The big surprise was Miller's backup singer (whom I will refer to as fatbald Wayne Newton.) This guy ruined the show for me. I cropped him out of my photos out of principle. He had a decent voice but worse dance moves than a toddler. Like a lot of older artists, Miller's voice isn't what it used to be. However, as much as it might suck to see Willie Nelson or Bob Dylan have to tone it down onstage, those artists would never consider taking a complete backseat to an unattractive, mediocre unknown. Wayne's dancing was so distracting, I found the only way to really enjoy the show was not to look at it. And Miller even let him sing entire songs solo! Whaddabumma!

Anyway, I took some photos...

A rare moment where Miller actually proves he's not a robot.

Very cool astrology-meets-rock backdrop (aka, the best part of the show.)

He can sing, just chooses not to.

Coming Up Roses

pic: jESiO

Rose Hill Drive opened for STP last week and killed it. I learned last time they were in town it was opening for Government Mule, who are quite the departure from Stone Temp, so I was intrigued. The NorVa was packed. Making my way to the front row, a'ha moments were popping up on the faces I passed. No longer were they patiently waiting for the headliner, tolerating these unknown rock-n-rollers; instead they were really digging it.

From Boulder, these dudes have been compared to Zeppelin and Cream a lot. They've definitely got a psychedelic seventies thing going on, but it's definitively American, with it's straightforward riffing and metal harmonies. If I had to compare, I'd actually say Soundgarden meets KOL. Bands crop up like this from time to time (remember Wolfmother?), gain a bunch of buzz, and often are recycled into nostalgic one-hit wonderville. I don't see this for Rose Hill Drive, as they seem quite content to maintain solid tours and festival gigs (they've done Bonnaroo, Austin City Limits, Warped Tour and others.) They're definitely a buzz band if nothing else (though they have been for five years, being named a band to watch by Rolling Stone in 2007), though I've been buzzing for nearly a week on them and they were the opener. It's so rad when that happens.