JENNINGS: Rock staple wraps up concert series

Columns

Related Photos

August 23, 2009

By Thom Jennings The Lockport Union-Sun %26 Journal Sun Aug 23, 2009, 12:48 AM EDT

LOCKPORT — Randy Bachman took care of business Friday night, ending a stellar canal concert series with a rock staple after thrilling the Lockport crowd with a multitude of hit songs from his days in the Guess Who and Bachman-Turner Overdrive. A solid band, each of whose members took turns singing vocals on songs originally sung by Burton Cummings, backed the 65-year-old

rocker.

Bachman opened with a catchy version of the Guess Who’s “No Sugar Tonight.” The arrangement sounded reminiscent of the Grateful Dead, which suited Bachman’s laid-back vocal style. The next song was the Guess Who’s first hit from 1965, “Shakin All Over.” Legend has it that when the song was released by a local group from Winnipeg, the label credited the song to a mystery artist asking fans to “guess who” it was, giving the legendary band its name.

Before breaking into the BTO hit “Let it Ride,” Bachman told a funny story about how his band was boxed in by some truck drivers while on the way to a show in New Orleans. Next was one of the best songs of the night, “American Woman,” featuring bass player Mick Della Vee on lead vocals. Although other band members sang songs made famous by Burton Cummings, Della Vee sounded the closest to the original Guess Who vocalist.

Bachman then went “Neil Young style” as he called it, sitting alone on stage with a hollow body electric, strumming three famous Guess Who songs, “These Eyes,” Laughing” and “Undun.” It was an opportunity for the crowd to sing along to familiar hits, even if Bachman’s vocals were not on par with the original versions.

Soon after the band returned to the stage, they hit full stride with excellent versions of “Roll on Down the Highway,” featuring some excellent harmonies from Bachman’s band. That was followed by the BTO hit, “Hey You,” which included a medley of bar band hits like “All Right Now,” “Rockin Me,” “You Shook Me All Night Long,” “Hot Legs” and “Wild Thing.” It seemed appropriate that Bachman paid homage to songs that have reached the same stature as many of the hits he wrote or performed.

The last song of the set was “You Ain’t Seen Nothing Yet.” The band really came into their own at that point and left the crowd wanting more. Thankfully, Bachman left the stage while the crowd cheered for the encore. I know that encores are a given, but I miss it when bands don’t go through the ritual. Bachman returned with a smoking version of “Takin Care of Business,” one of the greatest rock songs ever recorded.

This was my third time seeing Bachman in concert; I have seen him once with BTO and once with the Guess Who. As a solo artist, he puts on a good show, especially because he is able to play BTO and Guess Who songs in the same set.

At the end of the night, Mayor Mike Tucker asked the crowd if they wanted the series to come back, and the roar of approval was fantastic. Then he promised it would be back next year, which was music to this reviewer’s ears.

Contributing reviewer Thom Jennings is an Albion resident.

Text Only

Columns

LEFFLER: The things that actually matter
To hear some people tell it, this great republic of ours is on the brink of disintegration.

May 22, 2012 1 Photo
Your friends are great ... at Facebook
The internet has been the facilitator of a lot of good things; it allows us to comparison shop without putting on pants, lets people check the weather report without having to watch the rest of the news and it’s made keeping in touch with friends and family a breeze; cruising through Facebook seeing pictures of your friend from high school’s new baby, a twitter feed full of self-promoting tweets about your neighbor’s new online start-up, a status update from your nephew that talks about meeting Buffalo Bills legend Jim Kelly. Reading all of these updates from the exciting lives of your friends and family while you sit at home, it can at times feel like everyone is living the dream but you.

May 17, 2012 1 Photo
The war against the English language
April 25, 2012
VINCENT DAVIS II: Oil prices and the 'Bro-conomy'
Can we be serious for a moment; not too long, but longer than usual? Gas prices are going up folks. US oil drilling is at its highest point in more than 10 years. But when Toyota Prius commercials come on TV during sporting events, we know longer make fun of them for advertising a “fake car” that “only a hippy or English professor would drive.” Instead, we think to ourselves “40 miles a gallon, that does sound nice ...”

March 16, 2012 1 Photo
‘Mailing it in’ is not good enough
The U.S. Postal Service has been mailing it in for years. It has stuck like an old postage stamp to a business model that was going nowhere fast, literally. Snail mail is still the USPS stock in trade, and it has increasingly earned its nickname. And for a poorly run operation, it certainly does cost a lot. USPS must offer competitive shipping options, guaranteed faster delivery times and overall service enhancements — or the death spiral of an American institution will continue.

March 2, 2012
Gadgets Galore
The 2012 International Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas has come and gone, but the gadgets introduced there likely will be part of our future for years to come. Record numbers were set with attendance, vendors, and square footage of exhibit space. Innovations were unveiled, and in some cases, expectations dashed.

January 29, 2012 5 Photos
LEFFLER: I remember the scream
If you’re sick of news of the run for the White House, I’ve got some really bad news for you: It’s about to get worse.

January 3, 2012 1 Photo
Put some Apple accessories under the tree this year
December 18, 2011 6 Photos
War of 1812 has lots of connections to us
December 17, 2011
Don’t overlook freedom
November 13, 2011
More Columns Headlines

Columns

Search Results

Related Photos

JENNINGS: Rock staple wraps up concert series

Site Map

Contact Us