Joe Walsh & Bad Company – May 15 – Red Rocks Amphitheatre

Estimated read time 5 min read

Joe Walsh 2016-05-15-27-4366
Photos by Jim Mimna

The Scene: It’s always exciting to go to your first Red Rocks show of the season and although the sky looked a bit threatening, it didn’t stop throngs of the dad-rock faithful from flocking to the legendary venue. While it was an older crowd, seeing as it was Joe Walsh and Bad Company, it was a party crowd. But you don’t have to be a “dad” to dig Dad-Rock. There was a healthy sprinkling of 20 and 30 somethings just as there was a healthy sprinkling of rain falling intermittently from the sky.  In the end it didn’t matter; it was time to check something off the bucket list.

Joe Walsh: That check-off of course was hearing Joe Walsh play “Rocky Mountain Way” at Red Rocks. He had to do it, right? While “RMW” could have been a candidate for an opener, Walsh came out with “I Can Play That Rock & Roll.” Tell us something we don’t know, Joe. Walsh busted out some slide for the opener and really got the crowd moving. Walsh’s band sounded great, complete with four backup singers, two drummers, keys, synth, and legendary session guitarist Waddy Wachtel, whose resume reads like the guestlist to a Rock & Roll Hall of Fame gala. The band kept the energy up by jumping right into an energetic version of the James Gang hit “Walk Away,” but not before Joe slung on a white Telecaster—the first of 12 guitar changes—and did a little riffing with Wachtel. The show was off to a great start.

Joe Walsh is a funny guy. After “Walk Away” he took a little time to address the crowd and get everyone pumped for Bad Company. “We’re gonna get you all sweaty then Bad Company’s gonna finish you off.” But more on that later. Walsh then surged into the nostalgic and yet relevant “Analog Man,” from the 2012 album of the same name. The rest of the set contained favorites spanning Walsh’s career with The James Gang, The Eagles, and as a solo artist. Walsh dedicated the Eagles’ “Take It To The Limit” to Glenn Frey, who passed away earlier this year. Joe closed out the set with a block of favorites that included his solo hit “In The City;” the James Gang classic “Funk #49,” which evolved into a synth laden dance party during the middle section; the party anthem “Life’s Been Good,” which featured photos of Walsh with his rockstar comrades; and a rollicking version of The Eagles’ “Life In The Fast Lane” to close out the set proper. When the band left the stage, the fact that everyone had “Rocky Mountain Way” on their minds was palpable – you could smell it. Sure enough, the band came back out and Joe busted out the crunchy opening chords to the Colorado anthem. The version was short and rockin’ and, of course, contained the talkbox jam. I can now die happy.

Bad Company: I’m not sure how they decided who played first but, to be honest and at the risk of having Peter Grant haunt my dreams forever, Bad Company’s set was a bit anticlimactic after Joe Walsh. It wasn’t that the set was bad, it was solid, but Joe Walsh is a very tough act to follow. The stage looked empty after having Joe’s 11-piece band up there. Lead singer Paul Rogers and drummer Simon Kirke were the only members performing from the classic 70s lineup. Original guitarist Mick Ralphs was slated to be on the tour, however, he had to cancel for whatever reason. But BC brought in an ace to fill in for Ralphs, one Rich Robinson of The Black Crowes.

The setlist was pretty predictable but, in BC’s defense, so was Joe Walsh’s. After opening with “Live For The Music,” the band cycled through hits like “Feel Like Making Love,” “Burnin’ Sky,” and “Ready For Love.” Rich had some ripping solos here and there and Paul Rogers’ voice still sounds amazing.  Rogers performed a couple of acoustic numbers midway through before closing out the set with favorites like “Rock & Roll Fantasy,” “Shooting Star,” and “Can’t Get Enough,” which was the highlight of BC’s set. The band encored with a solid, smokey version of “Bad Company.”

For the most part, the “One Hell of a Night” tour lived up to its name, even though at some points it seemed like the “One Half of a Night” tour. Can’t resist a good pun and Peter Grant’s ghost is definitely coming for me now. No, Bad Company was good, but maybe they should consider letting Joe close out the shows from here on out.

Energy: B
Musicianship: A
Sound: B+
Stage Presence: A
Set/Light Show: B

Overall: B+

Nate Todd

Nate Todd was born on the central plains of Nebraska, but grew up on the high plains of the Texas panhandle. With not much to do in either place, music was his constant companion. His parents dubbed the first two albums he ever owned onto a tape for him. Side A was Bert and Ernie’s Sing Along. Side B was Sgt. Peppers. His lifelong love affair with music started early as he practically grew up in a Rock & Roll band, with his father and uncle often taking him out on the road or into the studio with them. Nate began performing live at sixteen and hasn’t looked back, having played in numerous bands from L.A. to Austin. At the age of twenty he was bitten by the writing bug, and upon moving to Denver decided to pursue a degree from Metropolitan State University where he recently graduated with a B.A. in English and a minor in Cinema Studies.

More From Author

+ There are no comments

Add yours