WAS /NOT WAS AT THE ORPHEUM
By Tom Teicholz at 20 February, 2008, 9:03 pm
This was a great show– the funk was thick and the groove was deep. Was/Not Was was in rare form — hitting on all cylinders — musically confident — ebullient even — it showed in their dance moves, in their solos, in the singing, in the songs old and new –
But this was not just a Was /Not Was concert. It was the Was/ Not Was was Valentine’s Spectacular — a Don Was version of Rolling Thunder, or a pilot for a modern day Johnny Cash show replete with amazing guests such as Brian Wilson, Kris Kristofferson, and Jill Sobule.
And what a night it was: Will anyone who was there ever forget when Brian Wilson almost ran off the rails.
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Imagine Brian Wilson looking and seeming healthier than he has in years, renders ‘God Only Knows’ and ‘Wouldn’t it be nice’ — and then out of the blue starts trying to conduct the audience in a round of “Row, Row, Row – Row your boat ashore.”
At that moment, I wanted to turn to the teenagers in the audience and say — “That, is the argument against doing drugs.”
Back back to the show: Was /Not Was performed with all three vocalists who had performed with the band over the years together on stage together, Sweet Pea Atkinson leading the troops, Sir Harry at his side — the backup singers – every one swaying, doing the dance moves – a soul revue to make Detroit proud.
There was a smoking version of “Papa was a rolling stone” –as well as Was /Not Was classics like “Dad, I’m in Jail,” “I blew up the United States” and “Walk the Dinosaur”.
And new songs from the forthcoming album BOO
Kris Kristofferson was there to remind us of the great songs he’s written including “Sunday Mornin’ Comin’ Down,” Help me make it though the Night” and of course “Me and Bobby McGee.”
and Brian Wilson did regroup to perform “Fun, Fun, Fun” with every one.
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