Ian McLagan
Ian McLagan
La Zona Rosa
Austin, Texas
A large, star-studded affair, it consisted of Ian McLagan & the Bump Band, Alejandro Escovedo, James McMurtry and Right or Happy, the latter which broke out with an interesting rendition of the Emotions’ disco evergreen “Best of My Love.” They all were on hand to show their support for the second annual Child Guidance Center’s Super Hero Show, helping to improve children’s mental health in the Austin area. The casual bar, which had a dining area, also housed an auction display to the left of the stage that featured books, tickets to a Rod Stewart show, a bicycle, and other collectable music items.
Amongst the top-notch performances augmenting the night’s good cause and camaraderie, Ian McLagan & the Bump Band’s Lone Star was the most luminous. McLagan, a member of the legendary Small Faces/Faces in the ‘60s and ‘70s, cranked out charging and keyboard-driven rock ‘n’ roll music. Added into the mix were a series of lighthearted comments, also courtesy of Ian.
The band introduced their set with the bluesy “I Will Follow,” which featured a blistering keyboard solo, before “I’m Hot, You’re Cool” took the floor. “And this is a tribute to Fats Domino,” Ian explained with their third number, the New Orleans-saturated “Loverman.” The steady, reggae-brushed “A Little Black Number” was another delight.
But the band played more than just the tracks off of their latest studio endeavor, “Never Say Never” (2008). They revisited the Faces’ enduring rocker “Cindy Incidentally,” again showcasing Ian’s raucous keyboard, and the sweetly slow “Glad and Sorry,” both found on 1973’s great “Ooh La La.” They also performed the mid-paced “You’re So Rude” (“Dedicated to all the rude girls in the house,” Ian declared) and the driving “Temperature,” both of which can be found on the band’s 2006 live album.
The audience also noticed when Ian inadvertently introduced his band members at least twice, while giving his thanks to them, a consideration many artists tend to fail to do onstage. Ian was quick to give his opinions: “We can’t see MP3s. Let’s bring back vinyl!” appeared to be another way of saying, “Support our records by purchasing them, not downloading them for free!”
by Jeff Boyce
La Zona Rosa
Austin, Texas
Amongst the top-notch performances augmenting the night’s good cause and camaraderie, Ian McLagan & the Bump Band’s Lone Star was the most luminous. McLagan, a member of the legendary Small Faces/Faces in the ‘60s and ‘70s, cranked out charging and keyboard-driven rock ‘n’ roll music. Added into the mix were a series of lighthearted comments, also courtesy of Ian.
The band introduced their set with the bluesy “I Will Follow,” which featured a blistering keyboard solo, before “I’m Hot, You’re Cool” took the floor. “And this is a tribute to Fats Domino,” Ian explained with their third number, the New Orleans-saturated “Loverman.” The steady, reggae-brushed “A Little Black Number” was another delight.
But the band played more than just the tracks off of their latest studio endeavor, “Never Say Never” (2008). They revisited the Faces’ enduring rocker “Cindy Incidentally,” again showcasing Ian’s raucous keyboard, and the sweetly slow “Glad and Sorry,” both found on 1973’s great “Ooh La La.” They also performed the mid-paced “You’re So Rude” (“Dedicated to all the rude girls in the house,” Ian declared) and the driving “Temperature,” both of which can be found on the band’s 2006 live album.
The audience also noticed when Ian inadvertently introduced his band members at least twice, while giving his thanks to them, a consideration many artists tend to fail to do onstage. Ian was quick to give his opinions: “We can’t see MP3s. Let’s bring back vinyl!” appeared to be another way of saying, “Support our records by purchasing them, not downloading them for free!”
by Jeff Boyce
