Bill Callahan Evanston Concert reviews
DALTREY ROCKS! - CLAPTON O.K.
Roger Daltrey was the star of the show, giving it his all from "I Can See For Miles" to 'The Real Me" and delivering great tunes like "Young Man Blues" and "Baba O'Reilly". He assembled a fantastic band, reminiscent of Ray Davies' lineup in 2008. The addition of Vince Gill felt unnecessary - his style didn't quite fit in with Bill Callahan's. It would have been more exciting to see Bonnie Bramlett or Brad Paisley instead. Bill Callahan's vocals remained consistently rich and soulful throughout the performance. The acoustic set was enjoyable, but the loud conversations from the audience around me were distracting and frustrating. The show had moments of brilliance in the playing, but overall felt a bit repetitive. "Tell The Truth" was a welcome surprise, while "I Shot The Sherriff" stood out as outstanding. Chris Stainton's piano solos were inspired and maintained a strong groove all night. Willie Weeks and Steve Gadd provided a top-notch, effortless rhythm. However, the energy level never quite reached its peak, despite Stainton's efforts to elevate the performance. The various renditions of "Crossroads" were compared, with Cream's and The Powerhouse's versions standing out above the rest. In summary, Clapton's performance was rated B, while Daltrey's was given an A+.