Bryan Ferry: Concert Review

We walked out midway though his final number Hold On (I'm Coming) from his The Bride Stripped Bare masterpiece solo album from 1978.  I enjoyed most the two songs he played from Flesh+Blood: Oh Yeah – the campy "we’re on a date coming home from a drive-in movie show" song.  And later, the layered and erie workings of My Only Love, the show’s best song. [Important Flash! This Just In. Woodstock Connection to Roxy Music! Alan Spenner played bass live at Woodstock in 1969 with Joe Cocker and the Grease band. Spenner is an on again/off again bass playing member of Roxy Music.]

Utter revelatory - was Chris Spedding.  I cannot overstate the quality of work of Chris Spedding added to the ensemble.  Born Peter Robinson, from Derbyshire (raised in Sheffield.  Aren't they all?  That city could have it’s own wing in Cleveland!,) this master session man’s versatility is his stock in trade.  As the commercial goes, “his core competency is competency.”  No wonder Bryan taps the guy for this lineup.

Try: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IJ5R6YaWlk8  Also, our well-respected local Chicago rock critic Greg Kot (Chicago Tribune) in his review today gave absurdly low marks to Ferry’s “lackluster” first set – which I thought was superb. But Kot praised the elevated energy our ageless crooner gave after intermission. Kot gives us the set list: “The Main Thing” (Roxy Music). “I Put a Spell on You” (Screamin’ Jay Hawkins)/“Slave to Love.” “Just Like Tom Thumb's Blues” (Bob Dylan). “Don’t Stop the Dance.” “If There is Something” (Roxy Music). “Make You Feel My Love” (Bob Dylan). “Casanova” (Roxy Music). “Boys and Girls.” “Oh Yeah” (Roxy Music). “Like a Hurricane” (Neil Young). Second set: “Tara” (Roxy Music), “Bitter Sweet” (Roxy Music), “You Can Dance.” “Reason or Rhyme,” “Avalon” (Roxy Music). “My Only Love” (Roxy Music). “Love is the Drug” (Roxy Music). “Editions of You” (Roxy Music). “Let's Stick Together” (Wilbert Harrison). Encore: 20 “Jealous Guy” (John Lennon). 21 “Hold On, I'm Comin” (Sam and Dave).

We caught most of the opening band’s set: The Phenonminal Handclap Band. Think Blondie meets the Jefferson Airplane in a dark alley in 2012.

For some fun: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FvNuYqAdFXw&feature=relmfu