Jeff Beck: Live 2010

A couple of weeks ago I had one of those moments in life when seemingly the stars align and everything goes right for a change. I knew Jeff Beck was playing at the Bank Of America Pavilion in Boston’s South End but hadn’t seriously considered finding tickets. It’s such an expense to see anyone these days now that Live Nation/Ticketmaster has monopolized the internet-ticket sales business. I had seen Jeff at the Orpheum a decade ago so he was off my bucket list. Still, I left it on my calendar- the guy’s a living legend for crying out loud, one of a handful of people who reinvented how a guitar could be played. And, someone I have loved since Shapes of Things was a single for the Yardbirds 44 years ago, back when a young and penniless Jimi Hendrix decided to take Chas Chandler’s offer to go to London and make a band as it would afford him the chance to meet Jeff Beck.

So I didn’t hesitate when a co-worker from across the hall came to me with a problem two hours before the concert. As I saw him reach into his wallet I exclaimed, “don’t tell me you have Jeff Beck tickets and you have one left to sell! Next thing I knew I was sipping a cold one watching opening act Susan Tedeschi and Derek Trucks from row J. But the story gets WAY better. Co-worker Dave found 4 empty seats in the row B. One thing led to another and we spent the rest of the night watching Jeff Beck from 16 feet away (see photo).

Jeff attracts a heavily male audience with a set blending exquisite ballads (Over the Rainbow) with thundering funk-fueled rockers (Led Boots). For at past decade or so his quartet has included talented women. Australian bass prodigy Tal Wilkenfeld has been in Jeff’s touring band for the past few years and can be heard (and seen) on . . . Live at Ronnie Scotts and the new album, Emotion and Commotion. However for this tour Jeff has a new rhythm section. The bass spot has been handed to the formidable and funky Rhonda Smith who has worked with Prince. Famed drummer Narada Michael Walden- who played on Wired back in the ’7os is also a wonderful addition. The man is a tank. We’re talking Tolkienesque Uruk-hai-like  but (of course) nicer looking. The new album’s killer track Hammerhead was played early in the set. Here is the song played a few months ago in NYC.

Other than Led Boots from Wired they stayed away from the older things. Other favorites of mine: Stratus, a Billy Cobham fusion-era tune and (more recent), Rolling and Tumbling’, Big Block and Dirty Mind. Download these songs off  Ronnie Scott’s and listen at frightening volume in the car to get an idea of how much fun this concert was. Here is Big Block, a song which never fails to put my jaw on the floor:

The thing you really need to understand about Jeff Beck is that he is a magician. He does things with his hands that don’t equate with the sound you hear. Eric Clapton recently said of Beck, “ he pulls notes out of the guitar.” There are moments when he reminds you of Dumbledore conjuring something with a wand. I’ll let you get a feel for the show with a few YouTube clips. Fortunately Jeff has put aside the 22 piece orchestra now that he isn’t doing the larger venues with Eric Clapton- a pairing reported by the NYTimes as not as good as it could have been. Though the ballads can sometimes verge on being sappy, they showcase Jeff’s amazing technical virtuosity in ways different from the rockers. Personally I enjoy the uptempo things more.

The man’s stage outfit is indicitive of what a character he is. The shirt is (always) sleeveless, though at his age the biceps are getting flabby (the forearms get all the exercise).  He sports weird hightop sneaker-like footware and trousers stolen from some marching band – navy with a 3 inch wide yellow stripe down the outseam.  A turqeouse necklace thingie and to cap it all off, 5” silver bands on both arms and wrists like something out of Jason and The Argonauts.

A memory I will always hold is the way he soaked in the applause and adoration after each number, standing straight in front of the audience breathing it in like fresh air. After giving up touring for a good part of his life, clearly the affirmation brings him back. Unlike many rockers, Jeff Beck doesn’t take the adoration for granted. It was clear the love was flowing in both directions. He closed with A Day In The Life in suitably epic fashion. The encore was another treat. In honor of Les Paul (for whom he did a tribute concert a few days later at Iridium in NYC) he played a barn-burning version of How High The Moon.

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