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Reviews and News - December 21, 2013

Review: Waddy Wachtel Band 12/21/13


Note from Nina:

The Waddy Wachtel Band gave everyone a fantastic amount of fun at their holiday bash - the last show of 2013 - at The Joint in Los Angeles Saturday night, December 21. Holiday cheer, impeccable performances, happy rockers and a few holiday songs too! Fun for all!

I want to start out by giving the utmost appreciation to the multi-talented man who has been the driving force behind keeping these fantastic gigs going for 13 years now....... Waddy Wachtel! He not only stays busy with recording sessions, backing up other artists as guitarist and musical director, writing songs and composing original music for films....... he always has the energy and incentive to put together these WWB gigs for us. When Waddy hits that stage at The Joint, he's like a bolt of lightning! He turns it up and turns everyone on. We're so lucky! Anyone who has come to a WWB gig gapes in amazement at him. A true treasure!!!

Waddy only has top-notch players and singers up on that stage with him. Phil Jones, Rick Rosas, Bernard Fowler and Keith Allison have been exceptionally incredible in the band for 13 years. Brett Tuggle, Jamie Savko and Ron Dziubla were added along the way - because they're also exceptionally talented. There's never a night when those guys and other great players show up that everyone in the venue doesn't cheer!

So...... what did WWB give us for our holidays? The best gifts of all...... great Rock 'n' Roll. Let's open our gifts.

Jamie Savko showed us our first present when he unwrapped his vocal chords in soaring lead vocals on "Hey Hey, My My." Waddy blew the ribbon off with his burning guitar solo, and we all were saying: "My My what a way to start!"

The lights sparkled and shone when Bernard Fowler took over the mic to tell us "She Was Hot." Those beautiful lights were hot, we were hot, and Bernard was definitely hot. Bernard is a shining example of what any singer should aspire to. He then moved right into "Suffragette City" and we were all liberated!

Do you know the kind of people who open their gifts carefully so as not to tear the wrapping? We were happily ripping the paper off as Jamie let loose with "Girl's Got Rhythm." Jamie got us totally wrapped up in his great vocals!

As Jamie - with Waddy and Bernard adding harmony vocals - was about to take us to "Itchycoo Park," Waddy gave mention of his good friend Ian McLagan who was a member of Small Faces and played on that recording. Waddy and Ian have played on lots of albums and live gigs together. Recently they were both in the backing band at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame tribute to the Rolling Stones in Cleveland on October 26. We got a gift from Ian too!

We want to hold on to all our gifts, right? Bernard didn't want to let go either, and we were glad he didn't. When he sang lead with Waddy and Jamie adding perfect harmonies on "I Can't Let Go" we were all holding on..... to WWB!

Now, let's get one of the rockingest Xmas songs of all time. Keith Allison gave us "Run Run Rudolph" which was written by Chuck Berry. Holiday berries plus a reindeer. Delivered spectacularly by Keith. Ron added some beautiful brass with his saxophone. Then Keith got right into "The Shape I'm In." I don't think he was talking about Santa. :-0 Keith and all of us were in great shape!

Waddy introduced the next song by saying it was almost Warren Zevon's birthday - January 24. Then Waddy gave an exciting and thrilling rendition of Warren's "Lawyers Guns and Money." WWonderful vocals and guitar. Of course! We didn't need to get no lawyers, guns or money as a gift. We had Waddy!

Jamie closed out the first set with his mind boggling vocals on "The Ocean." Phil and Rick showed what pros they are - perfect playing, which isn't easy on that song. And....... Waddy and the whole audience joined in on harmony vocals. An ocean of voices! Great gifts from all to all.

After a break for everyone to share cheer, more gifts!

"Problem Child" delivered by Jamie with Waddy on harmony vocals. Great song - great performance by WWB! There were no problem children unhappy with their gifts. Smiles lit up The Joint. Then Jamie flew right into "Bitch" with Waddy and Ron giving us tingles with their solos.

Our holiday heroes were up on that stage. Bernard always rocks everyone with his vocals on "Heroes." Just for one day! He made everyone happy we had this day with WWB!

Everyone was very happy to be out of the cold and into the heat provided by WWB, and when Bernard sang "She's So Cold," it was like an invitation to: Come on in here and get hot! We did! In the middle of the song, the band smoothly segued into a reggae beat and we all sang along with them...... "Yo Yo Yo!" That's a variation of "Ho Ho Ho." Get it? Then they just as smoothly went back into the original beat.

I said it was cold here, but not as cold as in other places. Waddy and Jamie reminded us of where we were - the land of tumbleweed snowmen - with "I Love L.A." One of the things we love about L.A. is being able to be at these gigs!

Let's dance around under the lights with our gifts. A great song WWB has added to their shows - "All She Wants To Do Is Dance." And make romance, of course. WWB provided the mistletoe!

Keith came back to smile all the way through "Just Like Me." I don't know if there's anyone who can be just like Keith on that song - he's so good - but we were just like him with our smiles.

We really didn't need Santa because Bernard became our "Hoochie Coochie Man." Yes, thank you! Waddy slid right into it with that slide on his finger on that guitar neck..... smoooth! And Ron got us all hoochie-ing and coochie-ing with his amazing sax solo.

Anyone would want to immigrate to Los Angeles to hear Jamie sing "Immigrant Song." When he hit those high notes impeccably everyone let out a big "Wow!"

Waddy introduced the band before the last song of the night, and we all gave them big thanks for their holiday gifts. And one more.....

Try to figure out how "Sin City" can morph into "Little Drummer Boy" and back. When you've got Waddy, Bernard, Phil, Rick and Ron anything's possible! It's a special treat we get for the holidays. Bernard brought us right along on a spectacular ending for a spectacular night. Rick came in at just the right moment with his bass line to take it back to "Sin City" with Phil, Waddy and Ron perfectly taking it back to that beat. With all the gifts we got, everyone left with a lovely glow...... The glow of being rocked up real good!

Set List:
On all songs:
Waddy Wachtel - Lead Guitar
Phil Jones - Drums
Rick Rosas - Bass

First Set:
1. "Hey Hey, My My [Into the Black]" (Neil Young) Jamie Savko lead vocals; Waddy Wachtel harmony vocals; Ron Dziubla guitar and harmony vocals
2. “She Was Hot” (The Rolling Stones) Bernard Fowler lead vocals; Jamie and Waddy harmony vocals; Ron guitar
3. "Suffragette City" (David Bowie) Bernard lead vocals; Jamie harmony vocals; Ron saxophone
4. "Girl's Got Rhythm" (AC/DC) Jamie lead vocals; Waddy harmony vocals; Ron guitar and harmony vocals
5. “Itchycoo Park” (Small Faces) Jamie lead vocals; Waddy and Bernard harmony vocals; Ron guitar
6. "I Can't Let Go" (The Hollies) Bernard lead vocals; Waddy and Jamie harmony vocals; Ron guitar
7. “Run Run Rudolph” (Chuck Berry) Keith Allison lead vocals and guitar; Ron saxophone
8. "The Shape I'm In” (The Band) Keith lead vocals and guitar; Waddy and Jamie harmony vocals; Ron saxophone
9. "Lawyers Guns and Money" (Warren Zevon) Waddy lead vocals; Ron guitar
10. "The Ocean" (Led Zeppelin) Jamie lead vocals; Waddy and the audience harmony vocals; Ron guitar

Second Set:
1. "Problem Child" (AC/DC) Jamie lead vocals; Waddy harmony vocals; Ron guitar and harmony vocals
2. "Bitch" (The Rolling Stones) Jamie lead vocals; Waddy harmony vocals; Ron saxophone
3. “Heroes" (David Bowie) Bernard lead vocals; Waddy harmony vocals; Ron saxophone
4. "She's So Cold" (The Rolling Stones) Bernard lead vocals; Waddy and the audience harmony vocals; Ron guitar
5. "I Love L.A." (Randy Newman) Waddy and Jamie lead harmony vocals; Ron guitar and harmony vocals
6. "All She Wants To Do Is Dance" (Danny Kortchmar) Jamie lead vocals; Waddy harmony vocals; Ron saxophone
7. “Just Like Me” (Paul Revere and the Raiders) Keith lead vocals and guitar; Waddy harmony vocals
8. “Hoochie Coochie Man” (Willie Dixon) Bernard lead vocals; Waddy slide guitar; Keith guitar; Ron saxophone
9. "Immigrant Song" (Led Zeppelin) Jamie lead vocals
10. "Sin City" (AC/DC) / "Little Drummer Boy" (Katherine Kennicott Davis) Bernard lead vocals; Ron guitar

More gifts to acknowledge and appreciate:
John Philbrick for being so on top of keeping the guitars and amps in tip top shape - the star at the top of the tree.
Mark Nathanson for making the sound zing.
Charlie McIntosh for welcoming everyone with a big holiday smile, and his lovely assistant Anna Whalen.
Ondrea and Fernando for providing such a beautiful venue in which to receive our gifts.
All the barmaids, crew and security guys at The Joint for their smiles and hospitality.
And especially....... All you Rockers who come to these gigs and share your wonderful energy and keep rockin' with WWB. You make these shows possible and delightful!

See you next year!!!!!!!!




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