Nearly 40 years after, I finally got my chance to see Ten Years After. Now, I know there are many Alvin Lee purists out there, but I'm not necessarily one although I certainly appreciate and enjoy his work with the band. He made the decision to not be a part of the band and new lead singer/guitarist Joe Gooch is on tour with them. Me? I just like a good show, good music, and a good performance. Did I get them? You'll have to read on. I have to tell the whole story of the night, y'know...
It was Wednesday evening, the Ides of March, that I hit the New Jersey Transit train for B.B. King's Blues Club located in the Times Square area of Manhattan. Ah, an adventure indeed, eh? I had my CD player with the studio album Ten Years After Now (recently reviewed by Blogcritics Larry Sakin) playing at high volume to drown out the loud woman on a cell phone seated behind me. I agree pretty much with Larry's review — technically great songs, but they need more soul or excitement behind them. So, I was hoping the live performance would provide just that "oomph" to the new songs.
Once I got to B.B. King's, there was an opening act for Ten Years After well worth a mention. The Lizards, a NYC based blues-rock, at times even a bit funk, band opened the show. They're loud. Very loud, at least in the acoustics of the rather small (perhaps seating 600 in cabaret style) atmosphere of the club. Hard-rockin' blues, a fantastic drummer (Bobby Rondinelli), chilling vocals — they got the house in the mood, for sure. One quote I found from a band member seems very fitting to their sound: "There's a sweet spot where James Brown meets Black Sabbath; we want to be there." If you get a chance to see this band perform live, go for it.
Then it was time for Ten Years After in its new incarnation. There were two obvious contingents in the crowd — those who mistakenly believed they'd be seeing the original lineup with Alvin Lee and the Gooch fans hollering "GOOCH, GOOCH!" As I perused the crowd, I couldn't help but notice many British accents and older rocker-type folks ... even older than I am. Y'see, I was old enough to want to go to Woodstock, but too young for my mother to allow me to go. Although I saw many of the big groups and solo artists of that era live in various concerts, I've never seen Ten Years After live. I have some of their original albums on vinyl if that counts! So, this was my chance nearly forty years down the road — a scary thought all of its own, but I won't go there now. It's time for the show.
Article comments
1 - Douglas Mays
WOW, Ten Years After 40 years later. The way you describe it, sounds good to me....Concert version of "Choo Choo Mama"? Rockin'
2 - Krisztina Fazekas
Hi, I think you got it right. I agree. Only that crapy photo doesn`t fit to the quality of your critic. So check out www.newyorkcool.com at 1 of April. You can find some good stuff there.
3 - Brigitte and Dave
Great concert review, couldn't have done better myself - as we host two of the best Ten Years After (Now) and Alvin Lee (Tribute) websites, we should know.
If we don't have this review on our website at the moment, we will be sure to add it this weekend for sure.
Nice to read someone being objective for a change, and who just likes good music, a good band and a great time -- that's what Ten Years After has always been about, right from the start!
Much respect from your host,
Brigitte and Dave
Germany / USA
Enjoy our work!!!