SRO again, wild standing-O's

Well, Jerry told me he was himself in need of some healing tonight. Mission accomplished. I gotta assume from the love that poured forth out of the audience, and from the look on his face as the first show concluded, that he got what he needed (I know the crowd did!). The band torched the standing-room-only audience during the first set. "Ain't That Peculiar" was a raging herd of stomping elephants drunk on funk. Jamie fried us with "Higher Ground." Jerry's "Take my Heart Away" blew it out totally, for the first eruption of a standing ovation. Then the band followed that up with a thermonuclear throw-down of "Living for the City" that made the whole house completely crazy.

Above, orange shirt, that's twin brother Tyriq subbing for bro' Johnnie Johnson tonight. Ya just gotta shake your head at the talent (and the energy), man. Unreal. I hope the Suits are gettin' it by now. This is Vegas at its finest. (BTW: to whomever upgraded the lights, thanks, much better.)

Below, digging the band (left to right), my man the ace singer and photographer Bobby Black, the fabulous Ryan Ralph of the new "Pasion" show (www.ryanralph.com) next to him, two unnamed yummie beauties next to him, the stunning Celest Lero of "Pasion," and her (GQ in his own right) friend whose name I also did not get.

Below, tenor wizard Rob Mader gets it on. The Fat City Horns were a six alarm fire tonight. And, Eric Tewalt was again subbing seamlessly on bari sax. Great job.

Man, those charts...there are no words. Mr. Walking Thesaurus 99.9th percentile Verbal Dude here is outa adjectives and analogies (and that doesn't happen much).

More later, the day gig looms, and I got hell week this week at the office, major friggin' deliverables tomorrow, and back to back bi-state conference calls. 'Sleep hard and sleep fast, BobbyG...'

7:04 a.m. Update: Groan. Ugh. Hmmmm...."ut, uh, uhhh..., hey, hey, ut, uh, uhhh..., HEY-h hey. Ut, uh, uhhh..., hey, hey, ut, uh, uhhh..., HEY-h hey..."

AIN'T THAT PECULIAR?

Honey you do me wrong but still i'm crazy about you
Stay away too long and i can't do without you
Every chance you get you seem to hurt me more and more
But each hurt makes my love stronger than before
I know flowers go through rain
But how can love go through pain

Ain't that peculiar
A peculiar ality
Ain't that peculiar baby
Peculiar as can be

You tell me lies that should be obvious to me
I've been so much in love with you baby til i don't wanna see
That things you do and say are designed to make me blue
It's a dog gone shame my love for you makes all
Your lies seem true
But if the truth makes love last longer
Why do lies make my love stronger

Ain't that peculiar
A peculiar ality
Ain't that peculiar baby
Peculiar as can be

I cried so much just like a child thats lost its home
Maybe baby you think these tears i cry are tears of joy
A child can cry so much until you do everything they say
But unlike a child my tears don't help me to get my way
I know love can last through years
But how can love last through tears...

- MARVIN GAYE

Conventionally, non-original tunes performed by a band or artist are called "covers." Majorly inadequate characterization with respect to our guys. They rip the covers OFF the tunes to expose and then act upon the unlimited funk potential underneath (groping about here to recover my analogy/metaphor inventory, LOL!).

'eh?
__________

Here's what I had to miss last night, Mosaic, sitting in during the 2nd show, I'm told (now appearing with George Wallace at the Flamingo):

"Mosaic is a six man, vocal collaboration bringing a new face to a cappella music. Definitely not a boy band, Mosaic uses no instruments in creating a style all their own. Mosaic has something for everyone from funk and soul to jazz, big-band and hip hop. The merging of different genres and styles of music combine to form a sound that is universally appealing to all audiences. Finding a way to blend Frank Sinatra, Enigma, Beck and even a drum machine, you won't believe what you hear from these talented men. Performing from underground clubs to packed arenas across the globe, audiences are continually impressed and entertained by their intricate harmonies, industrial urban grooves and outlandish on-stage antics."

Dang!