Photos by Kelly Hueseman
The Scene: Saturday night brought one of the hottest bills of the summer to Red Rocks Amphitheater. The “Wheels of Soul” tour paired the retro-Soul review of Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings and the Blues/Soul hybrid of Susan Tedeschi and Derek Trucks in the impeccably tight, Tedeschi-Trucks Band. Expectations were high as concert-goers rolled up to Red Rocks early for some pre-game beers and BBQ. The weather was great and it seemed that summer had finally arrived. But as soon fans started to feel confident in a warm summer night, the clouds quickly came over the mountains and unleashed a torrential downpour leading to a 30-minute weather delay after opener, Blues virtuoso, Doyal Bramhall II. The weather would remain wet and cold throughout the night and remind us that summer doesn’t always follow the calendar. But while the weather was cold, the music was anything but.
Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings: Seeing Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings is like stepping back to a 1960’s Soul review. The Dap-Kings take the stage and get the crowd going with ultra-funky grooves before bringing out the first showcase, Saun and Starr. Saundra Williams and Starr Duncan are collectively known as the “The Dapettes,” the Dap-Kings backing vocal duo. Saun and Starr have released an impressive new record on Daptone Records titled “Look Closer” featuring the Dap-Kings. Saun and Starr set the night with soul showcase singles, “Hot Shot” and “Big Wheel.”
Following Saun and Starr, the new queen of soul took the stage. Sharon Jones is a soulful, funky force to be reckoned with. Following a year-long battle with cancer, Sharon Jones puts a determination and purpose into her performances that is unmatched. Taking a cold, wet Red Rocks stage did not stop her from delivering powerful renditions of her singles, “Stranger to My Happiness,” “Making Up and Breaking Up” and “Get Up and Get Out.” The highlight of Sharon Jones’ performance was her dance breakdown in which she succumbed to the wet weather, kicked off her shoes and showed us all how to dance some throwback 60’s dance moves including the “Boogaloo,” “Jerk,” and “Mashed Potato.” The Dap-Kings ever-flawless Funk execution and Sharon Jones’ command of the stage had the crowd warmed up and ready for the main act.
Tedeschi Trucks Band: The powerful husband and wife team of blues woman Susan Tedeschi and slide guitar master Derek Trucks drive an unbelievable Blues/Soul machine known as Tedeschi-Trucks Band. Their regular summer Red Rocks stop is a mainstay for many music fans in Colorado and Saturday night was a great example of why. Tedeschi-Trucks opened with a new tune called “Are You Ready?” into the title track off their latest album, “Made Up Mind.” What stood out throughout the night was Susan Tedeschi’s guitar playing. It is well-known that Ms. Tedeschi can hold her own on guitar but her guitar work at Red Rocks was outstanding. She manhandled “All That I Need” and “Sky is Crying” which saw Susan and Derek trading guitar licks with opener and long-time friend, Doyle Bramhall II.
The Tedeschi-Trucks setlist was an equal mix of new songs like the funky bBlues number “Break in the Road” and Tedeschi Trucks standards “Bound for Glory” and “Midnight in Harlem” which was precluded with a Led Zeppelin “Livin’ Lovin’ Maid” jam. The show closed out with guests Sharon Jones and Lumineers singer, Neyla Pekarek taking on the Etta James classic, “Tell Mama.” The powerful take on the tune was impressive as you could see how much fun Sharon Jones and Susan Tedeschi were having and how much steam the “Wheels of Soul” tour will take throughout the summer. Sharon Jones stayed for the encore which was a Sly Stone medley highlighted by a rousing take of “I Want to Take You Higher.”
The Wheels of Soul tour is not to be missed this summer. The bill of bluesman Doyal Bramhall II, followed by Sharon Jones and the Dap-King soul review sets the tone for the Tedeschi Trucks powerhouse. While the weather was a bummer and summer has not set in Colorado just yet, both bands persevered and showed us why they are two of the best bands in the business.
Energy: A-
Musicianship: A
Sound: A
Stage Presence: A
Set / Light Show: B
Overall: A-
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