Review: Experience Hendrix

Billy Cox performs at Experience Hendrix at the Uptown Theater on Wednesday night. Photos by Susan Pfannmuller/Special to The Star

Four tour buses lined the streets near the Power and Light District, each painted with classic album covers and photographs. Their bright colors could be seen from blocks away, heralding the arrival of a six-string circus.

Covered with images of Jimi Hendrix, there was little doubt what brought the caravan of nearly 20 musicians to the Midland Theater on Wednesday. The Experience Hendrix tribute clocked in at nearly three hours, or just slightly longer than the time it takes to play the three studio albums Hendrix released in his lifetime back-to-back-to-back.

Dweezil Zappa

Hendrix’ army buddy and Band of Gypsy's bass player Billy Cox opened the night and as expected the guitar pyrotechnics started almost immediately. Byron Bordeaux was the first to impress with his solo on “Machine Gun.” A terrific exchange between Dweezil Zappa and Indigenous axeman Mato Nanji on “Manic Depression” was another early high point.

Eric Johnson

Eric Johnson’s six-song mini-set was the music equivalent of driving with hands firmly planted at 10 and two on the steering wheel and keeping the needle glued to 55. Johnson’s thin, reedy voice was incapable of creating any energy, a trait especially missed on “Power of Soul.” While technically proficient, Johnson’s fretwork also failed to capture the freedom and spontaneity that underlined Hendrix’ work.

Robert Randolph’s segment nailed the other end of the spectrum. The pedal steel stylist had the crowd dancing for all of his set. Randolph was accompanied by the Slide Brothers, and hearing “Purple Haze” performed by three pedal steel guitars placed the classic number in a new context. When bass player/vocalist Henri Brown tried to wrap up “Them Changes,” a tribute to Gypsys drummer Buddy Miles, Randolph kept on playing, eventually leading the ensemble into a gospel romp.

Between the Johnson and Randolph sets, Doyle Bramhall II provided the only acoustic moment of the night with his riveting solo performance of “Hear My Train A-Comin’.” He was followed by an outstanding blues set by Taj Mahal that found Mahal channeling Howlin Wolf on “Catfish Blues” and jamming with Cox on “Hey Joe.”

Kenny Wayne Shepherd also led his band through a three-song set that included a lengthy performance of “Voodoo Child.”

Although the musicians at the front of the stage rotated, Chris Layton, the drummer with Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble, manned the kit for the entire night. The evening closed with many of the musicians reunited onstage for “Red House.”

| Joel Francis, Special to The Star

 

Comments

[Penny]

You described it well... Love Doyle Bramhall...

[40wnks]

Kenny Wayne Shepherd needed to remember that the night was about Hendrix and not necessarily a showcase for him. His set was a bit self indulgent. And a bass solo during it too?!?
Eric Johnson's "Are You Experienced" and "Wind Cries Mary" were highlights for me.
I was waiting to hear "Little Wing" and "Crosstown Traffic" but as Mick sings, "You can't always get...."

[40wnks]

Oh, and Byron "Showman" Bordeaux really started the night with a great vibe.

[gsp]

The indigenous guitar players amp was up WAY too loud from the right side of the audience. Drowned out the entire band.

[fiddler]

they didn't do little wing or crosstown traffic??? major omissions i'd think.

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[gsp]

40wnks, I hear you. If KWS is the "headliner" next time, I'll think I'll pass. I think he spends a lot of time looking in the mirror.

[J.G.]

You could go down to Texas, shake a tree and four guitar players will fall out that all sound just like KWS. Main difference - they can probably all sing.

[Corky]

Lotsa problems with the audio by me as well, but Mato Nanji and Eric Johnson were my reason for attending.

The first time I caught this tour was in New Hampshire a few years back. Mitch Mitchell was still alive. Buddy Guy headlined, and it became 'his' concert. No Jimi songs.

A similar bit of showboating by KWS as well at that date.....

But the best guitarist of the night was Mato. On a good night,he is simply astounding and he was on that evening. Never glancing at his hands and bringing the most heartfelt and soulful versions of Jimi's songs. I remember turning to my gal and saying he was the best player all night.

[Tom]

We bought what I thought were high end seats in Row 6. Problem was: The Bass Component of the Sound System was sitting on the Floor directly in front of us, Bad enough for vision of the stage but once they started playing the Bass literally turned us into Maxell men. They exchange the seats but we went from row 5 to Row 20 something where we could not see either due to several very tall fellows in front of us. Cannot believe they actually sell those seats without a disclaimer and sold them to "po me" for about $90 each. They sure did not put much thought into the renovation the Floor is not sloped so there are very few good seats anywhere.

[jhnycat]

Tom, I agree, Uptown is a mess.
The only seats where sound and vision are good are further back on the floor around the sound board, but not under the balcony out cropping. I've sat in all locations in that theater over the years and even if the band's sound tech is superior you can have problems.

[gsp]

It was at the Midland. I thought the sound was fine except for Mato's amp being turned up too high.

[jhnycat]

Sorry, thought show was at Uptown. Midland has good sound, but don't get stuck on the floor if you're claustrophobic. We got moved down to 10th row for a seat upgrade at the RTF show, I was so crammed I couldn't breathe or move in the seats. We moved back to seats in sect in front of bar area where the sound and comfort were much better.

[Bill Gresham]

I was once on row 3 at the Midland, and the sound was so muddy that I resolved to sit further back. I think the sweet spot is row 8, mid-house. We were on row 10, on the right this time, and the sound wasn't bad.

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