Pat Travers
Rick Derringer
Wolf Den
Uncasville, Connecticut
April 26, 2010
Tony Pijar/Frank Esposito
It’s interesting how the careers of Pat Travers and Rick Derringer have paralleled each other over the years, but to my knowledge have not played together. Back in the mid 70s, Derringer had already achieved star status with Johnny and Edgar Winter as well as with The McCoys. And Travers had just released his critically acclaimed debut and was dutifully given the label of ‘guitar hero’. During the 80s, both men ventured into blues territory and recorded several blues/rock albums for the Blues Bureau Label. While Derringer continues to release credible blues albums including his most recent, “Knighted by the Blues”, Travers has chosen to return to his rocking roots releasing “PT=MC2” back in 2005 and more recently “Fedelis”, which will hit the streets in June.
Derringer opened the show in fine form with “Still Alive and well” and then played some blues standards and new songs from the aforementioned “Knighted by the Blues” album. He, of course, closed with his two most familiar hits “Hang on Sloopy” and “Rock and Roll Hoochie Coo”. Wish list #1: I wish he would have played some Edgar Winter stuff like “Free Ride” and “Some kinda Animal”.
Travers looked mean and lean as he stepped up to his mic and said, “I’m Pat Travers and this is my band…and we’re here to kick your ass!’ And they did as they launched into “Life in London”. The band covered a fleeting few from Travers’ 70s heyday and some blues chestnuts as well. Needless to say, “Crash and Burn”, “Heat in the Street”, “Snortin’ Whiskey”, and “Boom Boom – Out go the Lights” went down in the proverbial storm. Wish list #2: I wish we would have played more of the mid to late 70s stuff like “Hooked on Music”, “Speakeasy”, and Sock n Roll Susie.”
Yes, they’re a bit older and a bit mellower too, but Derringer and Travers are well worth checking out. It’s hard to beat two plus hours of great guitar-oriented classic rock.