J Roddy Walston & the Business 4/28/12

Not since The Killer (aka Jerry Lee Lewis) has anyone thrashed a piano like J Roddy, and these guys are still having to open for bands like Lucero.  Sorry to those of you that are fans of Lucero, but all I can hear is simple, generic, familiar lyrics and melodies bordering on country after having Pandora-ed them.  Plus, half the band looked like hipsters and the other half American Chopper.  I only stuck around for a few songs from them.  JRW look like the boozing Greasers that they probably are with only the drummer having shorter than shoulder length hair.  They opened with "Don't Break the Needle" (that included his menacing cackle) and kept me smiling with their raucous energy and rock-a-billy blues mix with a dash of do-wop.  When I saw these guys open for Weezer a couple of years ago (bizarre pairing), their performance couldn't help but stick in my mind.  Simply put, these guys are just FUN.  They're music will never be mainstream, but there's never been anything wrong with that.  That's part of their appeal, I don't think they even give a shit if all they ever do is open for other bands.  They seem to just want to play, and when a band does it with vigor and balls like this group, its going to be enjoyable for most everyone.  Fear of being up-staged by them would prevent me from asking them to open up for my band.  They jammed on a good mix from their two albums with slammin' piano, piercing guitar, and 3-part harmony, although I don't think they played one of my favorites "Uh Oh Rock 'n' Roll."  J Roddy brought back his bent-over-backward moves while sitting on his piano bench and then actually ended up on top of the instrument and pounded the ivories with his knee.  Only because I wasn't alive to witness The Killer do it back in the day, I hoped JR would set the damn thing on fire. But in the end, they had to help pack up their own equipment with the roadies, something they probably wouldn't miss if they did make it mainstream.

Red Hot Chili Peppers 4/10/12

How many different guitarists does it take to wreck a band?  Don't ask the Chili Peppers, they're still counting and don't seem to see an end in sight.  If new kid Josh Klinghoffer doesn't feel right, he won't be on the next album, which they will invariably record.  Just ask Dave Navarro.  I'm one of very few that thinks One Hot Minute wasn't sooooo bad.  I know I'm gonna catch Hell for that.  JK seemed a little over-the-top on stage but being accepted in a worldly established band, not to mention trying to keep up with Flea, must be at least a little frightening.  I really can't think of a more resilient band than the Peppers; and guitar has always been a significant appendage to the sound.  Flea is still the same ole mad-man he's always been.  Jamming on piano for a tune, walking around on his hands, and...  oh yeah, slappin the bass like no other.  They played a lot of hits like "Californication", "Under the Bridge", "Dani California", and their famously funked-up cover of Stevie Wonder's "Higher Ground", among others, while being magnified on a kaleidoscope of TV monitors.  Will Ferrell -- um, I mean Chad Smith (they could be twins) started the encore with a rousing drum solo and they predictably ended the night with "Give it Away."  This show was originally scheduled for late January, but front-man Anthony Kiedis (wearing a Frank from 30 Rock style fish-net hat that simply read "OFF!") injured his foot while on tour so the southeast endured a postponement until the spring.  Worth the wait.