| Women love
him, men stood in awe of him (quite possibly in deference to his
remarkable power over women!), and from the opening moments of True,
Bobby Bare Jr.
and his band commanded a riveting, no-holds-barred attack on the
Shel Silverstein
monologue which bridged into a high
intensity guitar jam of epic proportions! The party continued for
well over a dozen more tunes, and by the time the performance had
finished, I had formed a new-found appreciation and respect for this
musical virtuoso, a true professional, the eldest son of country music
legend
Bobby Bare.
By no means "pretty" in the classic sort of
way (already I feel an affinity!), Bare nonetheless oozes a
natural personality, warmth and charm that comes across in wave after wave
of easy smiles, catchy melodies, vibrant vocals, and good-time rock 'n
roll demeanor. I spoke with him briefly before his performance and
was immediately engaged by his quick wit and easygoing style. And,
though I could tell the folks at Schubas' were chomping at
the bit to open the doors to the crowd, the time and care he took with his
sound check - even bringing the horn players in to run through a few of
their parts, was the hallmark of a true professional.
For Flat Chest, a true ensemble
effort, he brought out the guest horns for extra emphasis, with punctuated
chords and a rollicking solo. In Be Around, the sweet
intro builds to a steadier rock beat, again with a saxophone solo.
The tight, sweet, 2-part harmonies on Valentine immediately
catch the ear, though the tune doesn't stay quiet for long (as Bare is
master of surprise, tune after tune).
On Panting, another
Shel Silverstein
composition, the group starts into it with a nice country waltz, but by
the time it is all over it is a full balls-out jam complete with
full choreography - almost big-band style. |
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Adorable was straight-ahead rock
with a lazy day twang, and a solo performance by backup vocalist
Carrie Katzianas
was one of the most charming - and bawdy - highlights of the evening!
No this is what a jam session is all about - the
band rocked out, Bare was a true master of ceremonies, and he had the
audience in the palm of his hand! I
will try as often as possible to catch Bobby Bare, Jr. live, as he is sure
to be full of surprises.
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