place: Moonwalker Club, Aarburg Switzerland
band: Stevie Salas, TM Stevens, Dave Abbruzzese

First time I've seen Bernard fronting a band, and he does it very well. Of course the band is a bunch of all-stars, which helps. Early highlight "I'm only happy when it rains" (cover of song originally done by Garbage) - they put a hard rock spin on it that really worked. Salas is a tremendous guitar player and did two original songs without Bernard onstage midway through. His style sort of heavy medal funky - worked well well with Stevens' master funk bass lines and persona. Abbruzzee held up the back end quite well, though the drum sound in this club was poor.

Audience (maybe 3/4 full, 200 people) was into it, but show was only about 1 hour 20 minutes including encores. That was too short. The encores were stellar though: Love Song (didn't know this one) and I Don't Know Why (cover of obscure Stones song from Metamorphosis).

I would see them again, but would hope for longer set and also hope they record together as the combination works well.

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UGot2Rollme

The encores were stellar though: Love Song (didn't know this one) and I Don't Know Why (cover of obscure Stones song from Metamorphosis).

The stones' version of I don't know why might be obscure, but Stevie Wonder's original was quite a hit at the time!

C

didn't know that was a Stevie Wonder song!
The arrangement they did last night was quite different than Metamorphosis. I think Salas worked up the arrangement - nice guitar interludes. maybe clower to the original?

i saw several of his shows in the US and also appreciated "i'm only happy when it rains", considering it was a rainy weekend.

did he sing "i gotta go" which he says is about ronnie and joe?

SO GLAD to hear there were 200 people. a few of his midwest shows were sparse. he's gotta leave the country to get some appreciation!

UGot2Rollme:
Bernard and Stevie Salas (and Dave and T.M. on 1 or 2 songs I believe) can be heard together on the CD Nickelbag - 12 Hits and a bump (re-released as "Mas Feedback" )
Get it, it's great, sounds like the actual live shows and it contains "Don't know"!



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 2010-03-04 13:33 by MrBird65.

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little queenie
did he sing "i gotta go" which he says is about ronnie and joe?

SO GLAD to hear there were 200 people. a few of his midwest shows were sparse. he's gotta leave the country to get some appreciation!

yes, he did sing I Gotta Go (but didn't mention Ronnie or Jo). Alot of charimsa but not alot of stage banter from Bernard, made a joke about being called Bernhardt (German for Bernard), had their guitar tech come out for applause because it was the last public gig of their Euro tour. They're playing a private party in St. Moritz tonight.

I was happy with the attendance, too, as the club is kind of in the middle of nowhere...

Thanks MrBird65 for your tip on Nickelbag CD!