July 27, 2010 – Steve Miller seems to have scored bingo at this point in his career. And yes, that choice of phrasing might have a little something to do with the title of his brand new album. But regardless, it’s clear that the revered singer-songwriter known for far-out guitar licks and lyrics alike is doing something right. On a nationwide tour in support of the new release, Miller is singing in top form, jamming away with pride, and having tons of fun in the process.
So when the Bingo party rolled into Washington, DC at the Wolf Trap, there was only one thing for fans to do. Get up and rock with the Steve Miller Band.
The show was as good as sold out, the night was cool, and the classics were waiting to be heard. A “Space Cowboy” banner hid the stage before being dropped to reveal a ready-to-rock, guitar wielding Steve Miller and crew. He smiled as the lights flashed and fans stood to scream; even after performing thousands of shows there’s still plenty of thrills to be had.
After breaking the crowd in with some upbeat favorites, including “Jet Airliner“, the band migrated to the blues. It’s the theme of the new disc, and a key element in the SMB’s catalog, so why not. A homage to Muddy Waters and a couple cuts from Bingo were on the table for this section of the set.
Singer Sonny Charles brings a whole fresh new vibe of blues with him, as well as some fun dance moves that are quite impressive for a man who is about to turn 70.
Miller’s not much younger, but you wouldn’t know it by listening to him sing, or even seeing him rock on stage. The youthful tinge in his voice that gave the band’s songs their edge is still intact, with an added maturity that one would expect.
Since he’s playing songs just released on first new CD in 20 years, Miller thought he should do something special with the stage set up, too. So a whirling background of guitars is seen behind the band, along with multicolor lights and a giant, neon guitar neck that sweeps down the middle. It’s much more elaborate than any Steve Miller Band stage in recent memory, and it stands in contrast with Miller’s more “everyman” attire of jeans and a checkered shirt. That said, it does make for some great photos.
If you’ve listened to any classic era Steve Miller Band songs lately, you’d probably have serious doubts about the likelihood of hearing live versions today that sound anywhere near to the originals. But any naysayers would have proven wrong at this concert; “Fly Like an Eagle” and “Abracadabra” were performed with shocking accuracy. And while the band may have made its biggest impact in the 1970s and played songs mostly from that era, at no point in the show did the music sound dated.
Just when the show was about to wrap up, Miller had one more treat in store. After giving the crowd a brief introduction to Kids Rock Free, a children’s music education project that he’s helped to develop, a 12-year-old guitarist from the program emerged to deliver the opening riff of “Fly Like an Eagle”.
He stuck around for the next couple songs, playing with confidence as he stood in front of thousands and next to one of rock’s most defining performers. It seemed to be no sweat for the young kid, and his performance brought out the more excitement than ever from both the crowd and Miller himself. On a side note, if you’re interested in supporting or learning more about Kids Rock Free, you can visit this link.
Although he’s an animated performer, Miller was stationary for most of the set. But because each song requires an ample amount of guitar pedal manipulation, this was more out of necessity than personality. Guitarist Kenny Lee Lewis was at his side at nearly every moment, except when the set was toned down a notch for a moving version of “Wild Mountain Honey” – in dedication to the band’s late harmonica player, Norton Buffalo. This one only involved Miller’s vocals and an acoustic guitar, and was one of the show’s best moments.
Later on, some more sing-a-long favorites were on tap. “Are you ready to go to the jungle??” Steve Miller screamed as keyboardist Joseph Wooten began the crowd’s trip into some “Jungle Love“. It was a grand finish for a two hour show that was littered with hits, but filled with a bounty of bluesy guitar experimentation. In a time where many artists are cutting their sets short and sticking to the safe material, the Steve Miller Band is giving fans a whole lot of bang for their buck, and journeying into new territory in the process.
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i often wonder why musicians who know folks are there to HEAR STUFF THEY KNOW AND LOVE continually do this sort of thing like Steve does, play the songs the people who are PAYING for steve to be in town and a few others, not this every year of playing blues songs that stop the momentum of the show. the last time i went to see steve miller i gave him 25 minutes and never heard a note id ever heard before. i along with thousands found the gate before it was too late at nite.
if they want to play blues shows, come up with another name for the band, make it clear what you are doing and let folks who like blues come see an all white blues band (please note sarcasm)
sad but true