Classic Rock Here And Now: Sonic Mojo

Showing posts with label Sonic Mojo. Show all posts

Tuesday, January 16, 2024

FOGHAT LAUNCHES THEIR 2024 U.S. TOUR TO SOLD-OUT ANNA MARIA ISLAND CROWD!

FOGHAT

L I V E

AT THE CENTER OF

ANNA MARIA ISLAND

WEST OF BRADENTON, FLORIDA

Classic Rock & Blues legends Foghat opened their U.S. tour last Saturday night at The Center of Anna Maria Island west of Bradenton, Florida in front of a jam-packed sold-out auditorium and all the band members wives, which was made abundantly clear several times during the night by singer Scott Holt.

It was my first concert to cover at The Center in the heart of beautiful Anna Maria Island to kick off The Bradenton Gulf Island Concert Series.

A well-organized event with standing room only. Before the show I discovered Foghat taking pictures with some of their perhaps most loyal fans in a back room, so I grabbed my concert partner in crime and loyal photographer Mark Weaver and got a shot with the band. I conducted a zoom interview with legendary drummer and founding member Roger Earl on December 11th to promote their most recent release, Foghat’s seventeenth studio album ‘Sonic Mojo’ and upcoming U.S. tour.

ROGER EARL ZOOM INTERVIEW

Opening the show was singer-songwriter ‘Caruso’ (308 Ghost Train) with an acoustic set.

Foghat opened their set with an immediate crowd favorite, the 1975 hit “Fool for the City” written by the late Dave Peverett also known as Lonesome Dave. I witnessed the original Foghat lineup ten times over the years, from a third billing act supporting rock heavyweights to eventually top billing at large venues around the Washington D.C. area. I am usually one to criticize when only one or no original members are still performing under the original band name, but it’s certainly not the case with Foghat. In this case, Foghat could also be classified as The Rock Legend All-stars! The current lineup was simply magnificent in every way and loaded with rock legend familiarity and talent!

FOGHAT LINEUP

ROGER EARL

Savoy Brown member in 1968-70 and original Foghat drummer since its inception in 1971. As a side note, Roger Earl unsuccessfully auditioned for the Jimi Hendrix Experience.

Just imagine if he got the gig.

BRYAN BASSETT

Lead guitar and slide and has over 40 years’ experience as a professional musician and recording artist and 30 years’ experience as a recording engineer and producer. He began his career with Wild Cherry (“Play that Funky Music” a number 1 hit in 1976) and played with Lonesome Dave's Foghat and Molly Hatchet.

SCOTT HOLT

Lead singer, lead guitarist, songwriter was a member of blues legend Buddy Guy’s band. Scott has recorded and/or performed with a host of blues legends including B.B. King, Albert Collins, Junior Wells, John Lee Hooker, Otis Rush, Willie Dixon, Eric Clapton, Carlos Santana, Mitch Mitchell, Billy Cox, Buddy Miles, Albert King, and Steve Miller among others.

RODNEY O' QUINN

Bass player, vocalist was a member of the Pat Travers Band before joining Foghat. Rodney also performed with the likes of Derek St Holmes (Ted Nugent), Mark Farner (Grand Funk Railroad/Mark Farner’s American Band), and Ronnie Montrose (Edgar Winter Group/Montrose/Gamma).

My favorite selections of the evening were the tracks from their new album ‘Sonic Mojo’ which entered at number one for Blues albums on the Billboard charts and remains in the top ten. “She’s a little Bit of Everything” and “Black Days and Blue Nights” from the new album followed their 1973 classic “Road Fever.”

Ex Roger Earl bandmate from his Savoy Brown days, the late Kim Simmonds contributed several songs on the new album that were included in their set like “Drivin’ On.” Savoy Brown ex bandmates Pat DeSalvo and Garnet Grimm have recently teamed up with local guitar hero and Florida Music Hall of Fame inductee Sean Chambers to form Sean Chambers and the Savoy Brown Rhythm Section. I interviewed the band on zoom five months ago.

SEAN CHAMBERS

WITH EX SAVOY BROWN MEMBERS

ZOOM INTERVIEW

Also, from the new album a Willie Dixon cover “Let Me Love You Baby” and one of my favs that should be a top40 hit if I had anything to do with it, “I Don’t Appreciate You.”

“I Just Want to Make Love to You” the timeless classic written by Willie Dixon in 1954 and recorded by Muddy Waters and eventually given to Foghat to record in 1972 ended the setlist before the encore. The current lineup performed the song immaculately, Willie and Muddy would be proud and honored.

The night concluded with Wild Cherry’s “Play That Funky Music” because of Bryan Bassett’s association with the band and Foghat’s most recognized rock anthem their 1975 hit “Slow Ride” from their fifth studio album, Fool for the City. “Slow Ride” was named the 45th "Best Hard Rock" song of all time by VH1.

After the show, the band came out to meet their fans.

A GREAT BAND AND A FUN NIGHT FOR ALL!

-By music journalist Ray Shasho

Very special thanks to photographer Mark Weaver for all the Foghat photos. All the the live photos of Foghat featured in this article were shot by Mark Weaver.

Special thanks to Rose Nangano for arranging the show entry and photo access. You are the best!

And of course, special thanks to everyone at The Center of Anna Maria Island for a great evening!