Certain rock ‘n’ roll genres have more staying power than others. Some, like yacht rock, went away for decades before recently making a triumphant return.
Since the early 1970s, when the Allman Brothers blew the doors off New York’s Fillmore East, southern/country rock has been a staple for all rock fans, urbanites, and rednecks alike.
One of the early pioneers, The Marshall Tucker Band, brought its southern musical stylings to the Performing Arts Center SLO on a recent school night.
An older but appreciative crowd was rewarded with a strong, 18-song, 90-minute set as part of the band’s tour swing through blue-state California.
We’re seeing more headliners make the SLO pit stop between SoCal and the Bay Area, which bodes well for us Central Coast music lovers.
Lead singer/guitarist Chris Hicks was the star of this show, handling most of the singing with his powerful but melodic voice.”
Only one original band member remains, lead vocalist Doug Gray, who’s nearly 80 and suffering a few health issues, so he’s sitting this tour out.
Technically that makes the current version a tribute band, so at $70-$90 a pop for tickets, they had to bring it.
And to Gray’s credit, he’s assembled a talented five-piece band that sounds as good or better than ever. Lead singer/guitarist Chris Hicks was the star of this show, handling most of the singing with his powerful but melodic voice.
I saw Marshall Tucker several years ago at Pozo with Gray at the helm and it was disappointing; his vocals wavered, then he spent most of the concert rambling about past substance abuse issues, using the audience as a kind of mass confessional. No bueno.
Several hundred fans turned out for the mid-week show and seemed to enjoy the festivities in the comfy, beautiful 1,300-seat Harold Miossi Hall.”
But this night was different: the band was tight, professional and engaged for the entire performance, playing all its classic hits like “Heard It in a Love Song,” “Fire on the Mountain” and “Can’t You See.”
By now, most of you know my love-hate relationship with tribute bands and nostalgia acts with no original members—and there are plenty more like Skynyrd and Foreigner as aging rockers decline.
But live music is universal and can be compelling, with imitation sometimes trumping the original. Plus, musicians like those in The Marshall Tucker Band are often hand-picked by original members like Gray so you know they can play.
Either way, several hundred fans turned out for the mid-week show and seemed to enjoy the festivities in the comfy, beautiful 1,300-seat Harold Miossi Hall.
Nothing else matters.