Canned Heat
B.B. King Blues Club, June 4, 2002:
Canned Heat comes on stage at 9:12 P.M. Their opening number is, “I Used To Be Bad.” This tune is a strong boogie tune and features excellent solo guitar work by both John Paulus, on a black Stratocaster, and Dallas Hodge on a gold Les Paul. Stanley Behrens takes an excellent harmonica solo as well. The mood is set and tonight we’re gonna’ BOOGIE !! The second song is, “Bullfrog Blues.” This tune is an upbeat boogie, 12 bar blues. The song features Stanley on lead vocals and excellent ‘harp’ solo with Dallas soloing on his Les Paul guitar. The third song is Canned Heat’s very popular, and well-known original, “On The Road Again.” Stanley Behrens does the excellent falsetto, lead vocal with a stupendous harmonica solo.
The fourth song is, “Bad Trouble.” SMOKIN’!! This tune features a tremendous guitar solo by John, then a tremendous harmonica solo by Stanley, and an additionally exceptional guitar solo by Dallas. The left-handed drummer, Fito De La Parra, is very, very solid and his style is quite intriguing.
Song five is off the CD, Boogie 2000. It is titled, “World Of Make Believe.” It features Stanley on flute, floating over a Latin composition, which evokes a strong and dramatic mood change. John Paulus takes an exceptional ‘strat’ solo. The next tune is written by Stanley and called, “Same Old Game.” This is a sly and moody boogie about the ‘harp’ player’s ex-wife. Stanley takes an inspirational harmonica solo. Song number seven is called, “1-2-3 Here We Go Again.” Stanley is featured on tenor saxophone; Dallas is on lead vocal, which is raspy and soulful!! This is a staggered blues with the drummer using a double time, right hand rhythm technique. The song starts off with a soft quiet touch, with Dallas taking a tasteful solo on his Les Paul, and then develops into a loud and clear middle and finish. Dallas takes another more exaggerated and louder guitar solo, excellent!
Song eight is a Canned Heat boogie blistering blaster called, “Amphetamine Annie.” This song smokes from start to finish. John Paulus takes a wailing ‘strat’ guitar solo. Jump-Up-And-Down!!!!!
The next tune is, “I’m Her Man.” This super-fast boogie features Fito De La Parra on lead vocals. The boogie is fast and furious and contains another smokin’ guitar solo by John. Song ten is, “Harley Davidson Blues.” This tune is a slow swing shuffle beat and is laced with much humor. Dallas exclaims, “We played more biker gigs than any other band!” This song features the bass player, Greg Kage on lead vocals.
The next Canned Heat tune is their most popular and well known hit, “Goin’ Up The Country.” This song is their standard-bearer original composition that everyone associates with them, no doubt. Stanley Behrens handles the falsetto lead vocals and anthem flute solo.
The next tune is, “Chicken Shack.” Dallas Hodge handles the soulful lead vocal with a wailin’ tenor solo from Stanley. Davis Cohen returns to perform a tremendous boogie piano solo. The next tune, “Let’s Work Together,” John wails on a vintage red Gibson SG guitar, doin’ slide. David Cohen takes another exceptional piano solo. The band finishes, gathers at center stage to take a bow, and goes off. The standing ovation lasts until they return.
The encore is a John Lee Hooker tune, “Boogie.” John again wails the slide guitar, Stanley on smokin’ ‘harp’ solo, Dallas on an exceptional Les Paul guitar solo and Greg Kage on an extended superior bass solo. Then it’s Fito De La Parra’s turn to solo on the drums. Fito is an amazing drummer! He lets completely loose and has an amazing drum solo. He has been keeping cool all night, but now let’s us all see that he’s a tremendous drum soloist and performer. Boogie all night long!!!
Canned Heat puts on an incredible show tonight. I am super impressed and blown out. Boogie, Boogie, Boogie, all night long!!!!!
Jay, across from me at the table, again shows exceeding forethought and insight and balls and retrieves two Canned Heat set lists: one for him and one for me. Amazing! Thank you Jay…. You can click here to see the Canned Heat set list.
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A.J. Alfaro
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