Pat Travers Band
Rick Derringer
Wolf Den
Uncasville, Connecticut
April 20, 2010
Tony Pijar
It’s interesting how the careers of Pat Travers and Rick Derringer have paralleled each other over the years. Back in the mid 70s, Derringer had already reached superstar status with Johnny and Edgar Winter and with his solo material as well. Travers had just released his critically acclaimed debut recording. Both had ‘guitar hero’ tagged onto them and they had the chops to back it up. In the mid 80s, both men ventured into blues territory and recorded several blues albums for the Blues Bureau label. While Derringer continues to put out blues gems including his latest opus “Knighted by the Blues”, Travers had chosen to go back to his roots with “PT=MC2” back in 2005 and “Fedellis”, his latest output. Anyhow, it was a pleasure to see both play in the live setting.
Derringer opened the show with the very familiar “Still Alive and Well” and then played some blues standards and new songs from “Knighted by the Blues.” He closed with his most familiar songs “Hang on Sloopy” and “Rock and Roll Hoochie Koo.” Wish list #1: I wish he would have played some Edgar Winter stuff like “Some Kinda Animal”, “Free Ride”, “Tobacco Road”, etc.
Travers looked lean and mean as he and his band hit the stage. The main man yelled out, “I’m pat Travers and this is my band…and we’re here to kick your ass!” And they did! The band opened with “Life in London”. You could hear the years pass by when the likes of “Crash and Burn”, “Heat in the Street”, “Boom Boom, Out go the Lights”, and Snortin’ Whiskey”. Wish list #2: “Hooked on Music”, “Speakeasy”, “Getting’ Betta”…
Yes, they’re a bit older and mellower nowadays, but Derringer and Travers are well worth checking out. It’s hard to beat two-plus hours of great guitar music.
