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Welcome to Papa's Corner! The eclectic column by Rex Stocklin!
Pictures, memorabillia, reviews, personal treasures, & rarities! All from the vast vault of Papa Frog All opinions are those of Papa Frog.
Click Here For Papa's Review of The David Pack Go Fish Show Click Here for the previous "Papa's Corner" Review of the Joe Puerta's Sunken City Show @ The Normandie Casino-June 19,1998 Since the set list is pretty much the same as the first concert (with one notable exception), I won't do a song by song review here. Because frankly these Sunken City songs are all pretty well executed and wonderful compositions or better than faithful executions of older Ambrosia material. I will note various impressions I had during the show that stood out. I've gotta say that seeing Joe & his band twice now, that I've come full circle as to who I think is the best songwriter and the best singer in Ambrosia. Also, while Ambrosia is the more creative of the two bands, they are equivalent in talent load and SC is currently the one who has the most fun and it is infectious! Disclaimer: All referenced sound links are to representative clips and not necessarily excerpts from this show. The casino is heralded as a bit of Vegas in
Los Angeles. It was smoke-filled and loaded with blue-collar, ethnic and elderly folk who
either care not for the trek to or stress of the real McCoy just a hundred or so miles
away or can't afford to do so. But hey! Money is money and dreams are dreams. Mine lay in
the back of the room in the showroom. This was to be a taste of the upcoming trip to the
Arizona Chaz show. The room was at once cozy and cheesy (I searched high & low for the
poker-playing dogs on black velvet paintings, but none were found), draped in whorehouse
red with Disneyesque high society "statuary" in the faux 2nd floor box seats
overlooking the stage that I half-expected to come alive in that animatronic Bear Country
Jamboree way. Festivities erupted after a short warm-up by San Pedro stand-up comedian
Robert Aguayo giving a mix of tepid audience banter, inside San Pedro jokes and quite
inspired bits (the drive-thru signage routine for the illiterate was "choice").
Then, like Batman, pow...biff...zowie....Sunken
City was unveiled, this time more formally via a red satin curtain, than the more
casual gig at Sacred Grounds. Talk about classing up a joint!! A "Freak Show" (http://www.rth1.com/freak.rm) began the set sans
Jerry Springer and via an a capella intro that belied the upcoming intense tune. It
sounded as good as always, but Buck was ever so sweet & soulful on baritone sax. He
put David Sanborn to shame and easily matches Raphael Ravenscroft's saxophonic intensity.
Once again Gordon Sumner (aka Sting) surprised the audience with a walk-on. He was a
master shape-shifter though & pretty damn good at sleight of hand because damn if he
didn't look like Joe Puerta and then again like Eddie Callen. I mentioned this impression
in my review of the first show, but I am stunned by these vocalists consistency and
complimentary harmonies. Like Sting double-tracked. I hope Joe doesn't feel slighted by
this comparison, because in this reviewer's mind Sting, love him or hate him, is one of
today's most gifted vocalists. Buck was magnificent on this number as well.
Next was "Let Me Down Slow" (http://www.rth1.com/letdwn.rm) with even more
sexy, bluesy sax and pretty Joe bass lines featuring the chameleon-like Callen sounding
this time like a blend of Gino Vannelli and Bloodrock's Warren Ham. "Kamikaze" (http://www.rth1.com/kamikaze.ra) is maybe the
most quirky & musically imaginative of Joe's Ambrosia songs. It was made for the
virtuosity of Mike Keneally, who, apologies to Joe & the others, is THE walking
highlight film of Sunken City shows. This young man can do it all. I bought his
"Sluggo" CD off of him at the show and will, along with Joe, introduce y'all to
this genius in a later post. Meanwhile check out his 2 websites for more info at http://www.rth1.com/bfd.htm & http://www.moosenet.com/keneally.html.
For some Mike sound clips:
http://www.immunerecords.com/keneally/index.htm. He again started the song out with
tasty improvised metallic prog chops seguing fluidly to the familiar choppy & chiming
chords of "Kamikaze". The next songs were the "Life Beyond L.A." tandem of "Art Beware" & "Apothecary". "Beware" proves that there is beauty to be found in dissonance with Joe, Mike, Jason & Eddie blending in that jazzy, not quite melodic vocal pastiche that only a band like Sunken City or Ambrosia can really handle. Let's see Hanson or Boyz II Men do THAT!!!. Buck's sax works fine in lieu of the harmonica (which Eddie can play wonderfully, too bad, I missed that sound here).
Brian's ethereally haunting cello solo was the "lead-in" to "Shape I'm In". This was singularly the most intriguing sound of the night. Imagine McKendree Spring using a cello instead of their violin for their signature "God Bless the Conspiracy" ambient sound. Sort of Philip Glass by way of Alan Parsons. "Shape I'm In" was okay and as in the first show Eddie filled in for Royce's pipes like a trooper. Why isn't this guy on a contract?
The show's tenor calmed a bit as Buck flauted us into "Fool Like Me" and then to "Harvey", two of the best examples of Joe's acoustic range. Gordon Lightfoot, eat your heart out. A great clip of the "Cowboy Star"/"Fool Like Me" tandem is at http://www.rth1.com/cowboy.ra.
Other notes: The venue only gave our
fearless crew 90 minutes in which to unleash their powerful mojo. Thus crowd favorite
"Mama Don't Understand" and personal favorite "Feels so Good to Win"
had to be excised from the program.
For more of an idea & a different perspective of what
Sunken City is all about, I refer you the excellent review of the first show at http://www.rth1.com/sunkenstory.htm.
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