C. J. Walsh

Jeff  Beck

 Buddy Guy

Sands, Bethlehem, Penn.

July  24,  2016

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Jeff Beck

Sands Bethlehem Events Center – Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, USA

July 24, 2016

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In the shadow of an enormous shuttered factory from the city’s industrial past the ageless Beck took off with The Revolution Will Be Televised, the opening track from his latest, Loud Hailer, before swerving into Freeway Jam. This version of his band was predominately female, tight as hell and lacking keyboards. So far, so good. Attired in Che Guevara-chic, singer Rosie Bones tackled new songs like Scared For The Children and Ballad Of The Jersey Wives, which reflected a modern and decidedly R&B take on El Becko’s sound. Later came the haunting squall of Cause We’ve Ended As Lovers from 1975’s Blow By Blow.  

Jimmy Hall, whose sweet spot is always over the top, had the microphone for Sam Cooke’s A Change Is Gonna Come and Superstition from the Beck, Bogert and Appice days. A show with a smattering of each phase of Jeff Beck’s extraordinarily varied career.

 Published in Record Collector Magazine

 

Buddy Guy

Sands Bethlehem Events Center – Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, USA

July 24, 2016

View: Midway Back, floor

 

Wearing a Hawaiian shirt almost as loud as his guitar the man strode across the stage playing a fervent Damn Right I Got The Blues. Then followed with concert favorites like Someone Else Is Slipping In and  classics from Muddy Waters – She’s 19 Years Old, Hoochie Coochie Man and I Just Want To Make Love To You,  all battered into Guy’s unique style. Midway through he played the title track from his latest LP, Born To Play Guitar, and there’s not much one can add to that.

 He’s approached his eighth decade as elder statesman in decidedly unstatesmanlike manner – “Used to be if I cursed I’d get fired but since the rappers come along I can say what the fuck I want.”

As much a dissertation from the Buddy Guy School of Bluesology as a concert, but definitely worth attending.

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