Bruce Wojick And The Struggle: "The Hard Way" (2025) Vinyl Review

The Hard Way, the latest album from Bruce Wojick And The Struggle, contains some great blues-based rock music, sort of along the lines of what many of us grew up listening to. Some of the songs even directly address those times, the 1970s and 1980s. But it's not really, or purely, a nostalgia trip, for the music feels alive, often pulsing with energy, and some of the songs are about not gettied tied down to the past. The band is made up of Bruce Wotjick on guitar and vocals, Dan Delano on keyboards, Will Holton on saxophone, Leo McDonald on bass, and Denny Pelczynski on drums. There are also guests on several tracks. The album features all original material, written or co-written by Bruce Wojick.

The album opens with "More Time," which comes on with a great hard force, a good heavy pounding, then pulls back a bit as the vocals comes in. "If you really want me to, I'll tell it like it is," Bruce Wojick sings. That's a perfect oppening line for a song, for an album. This blues rock song takes on more power on the chorus. The song's main line "All I really need, all I really need is more time" stands out for me. I suppose most of us feel that way as we get older. And I have less and less patience with anyone or anything that wastes my time. "You know I like my Chevy/Don't need no rock star car," and "rock star car" is repeated, giving me a moment to wonder just which vehicles are considered rock star cars. But I guess we all know them when we see them. This song was written by Bruce Wojick and Vito Wojick (Bruce's son). Vito plays drums on this one. There is a very cool instrumental section in the second half, and I especially dig that drumming, which is the focus of that part. This song was released as the album's first single. And speaking of needing more time, I look around at my music collection, and need more time just to listen to all these records and CDs.

Bruce Wojick takes things down a few notches for "Cryin' Shame," which has a cool, darker vibe. "Well, I don't know how we got here," Bruce sings at the beginning. This song addresses the homeless problem. "Me and my little girl, we have nowhere to sleep/Keeps praying for her to find some, find some kind of peace." This track features some really nice touches on saxophone. "She keeps on telling me that she's friends with Elvis" is a line that jumped out at me the first time I listened to this record. And I love the change in his delivery on "Aint it time for a change," and the way the saxophone backs him up there. There is also a spoken word section, as from a newscast, about the homeless situation in Los Angeles. It's a huge problem here, if you were unaware. That guitar reaches up to the heavens with its needs, its demands, so that we almost expect a response from somewhere. And then we are treated to some passionate work on saxophone. Wonderful stuff. That is a powerful section. This song was written by Dan Delano and Bruce Wojick.

"Louder Than Concorde" begins with the sound of rain, which I can always do without, though it does serve a purpose here. The track eases in with some pretty work on guitar and keys, and even then we are lost in memory. As the vocals come in, the rain effect goes away, for, I suppose, by then we are more firmly back in another time (and no longer require that sound to lead us in). "It was 1976/Well, you looked just like Stevie Nicks." It's a song about that important first time. No, not the first time having sex, but the first time seeing a concert, which, let's face it, is even more important. You never forget your first time, right? Mine was with Heart, and John Cougar was the opener. Bruce Wojick's first show was Elton John, and it rained at that outdoor show. "You were louder than, louder than Concorde/But not quite as pretty." The band then brings us only slightly forward in time with "1983." It's a fun number, as you'd expect from a song with that title. Hell, that was a year when even pop music was really good. This song opens with lively stuff on keys, and features delicious work on keys throughout the track. "It was a warm summer day," Bruce sings at the beginning of this one, and yes, this music feels like summer. There is a moment when the guitar delivers a bit of Van Halen's version of "You Really Got Me," which certainly takes me back. This is a fun, energetic track. Erin Hoyle provides some wonderful backing vocal work, adding to the great vibe of the song.

The first side of the record concludes with "Yesterday Is Gone," a song about letting go of the past. It begins with some pretty work on keys, then suddenly springs alive. The sound and feel of this one, at least in its early moments, also take me back in time, back to my youth, particularly the force of the music as the song kicks in. Interestingly, Bruce soon asks, "Why must you/Hold onto/Yesterday?" Yesterday is gone, but music allows us to return in some fashion to those moments. The track features some strong drumming (that for a moment makes me think of John Bonham) and a soaring lead on guitar. By the way, that's guest Bobby Rondinelli (from Rainbow) on drums. Mick James is on bass for this track. The song ends softly, as it begain, on keys.

Side 2

The second side of the album begins with the title track, "The Hard Way," and from that opening moment on keys, it is clear this is going to be another fun, high-energy number. And it kicks in with a great joy. Bruce tells us, "Everything I've learned, I learned the hard way." Ah yes, nothing can ever be easy. Erin Hoyle comes in on vocals, this time sharing lead vocal duties, making it a cool duet. So we hear both sides, and both sides are sick of the same things, both are annoyed by the same things in each other. I love it. But it is that lead on keys that especially makes this track stand out. A total delight! The guitar has its own say too. This song must be a highlight of the band's live performances. It is certainly a highlight of the album. It was written by Bruce Wojick and Dan Delano. That's followed by "Powerlines 25," which begins with a good steady pounding of the drums. The saxophone then takes it into moodier territory, softening the edges, even as that rhythm continues. "Powerlines falling down/See the sparks in your hometown." And, as Bruce sings here, it's those moments late at night when we start to question everything. "Thinking about everything you said/Thinking about where I want to be now." I love how certain lines of a song will stand out to different listeners, addressing whatever it is we are going through, whatever is on our minds. Where do we want to be now?  There is a really nice moment toward the end of the track when the saxophone and guitar respond to each other. Vito Wojick plays drums on this track.

"Something In The Water" is a delicious heavy blues rock number to overwhelm us, carry us away, featuring a cool vocal performance. That delivery, it's a voice in the middle of action, you know? We hear the energy, the motion. Not a contemplative tune, this. The track features a strong lead on keys, and then the sax begins to fly, the guitar joining it, both instruments driving us forward and upward. This song is another of the record's highlights, even before that cool bit near the end when the keys, bass and guitar each get a brief solo. That's followed by "Watching The Sky Turn Blue," which begins with a solid beat and the promise of something brewing. Here the guitar is the first to have something to say, before we hear any lyrics. And then when the vocals come in, the delivery is different fom other songs, sort of spoken word at first. "Sometimes you find yourself in a bad situation." The chorus has a different sound. And there is something of a dance groove or element to this track. It's a surprising and very cool tune, another of my personal favorites. It was written by Joshua Wojick and Bruce Wojick, and it features Steve Padin on organ and percussion, and J. Doyle on bass and synthesizer. "Funny how your routine can change/All of a sudden you find yourself going from familiar to real strange/Wouldn't it be great if everybody took the high road?" Oh yes, but there is no chance of that, as Bruce acknowledges. This track contains some really nice guitar work. There is something positive in these lines: "Gonna sing my song/Ain't no right or wrong/Watching the sky turn blue." And those are the final lines of the song, and thus the album, leaving us in a good place, a new dawn after the storm.

Record Track List

Side 1

1. More Time
2. Cryin'  Shame
3. Louder Than Concorde
4. 1983
5. Yesterday Is Gone

Side 2

1. The Hard Way
2. Powerlines 25
3. Something In The Water
   
4. Watching The Sky Turn Blue

The Hard Way was released on October 3, 2025.

Fernando Perdomo: “Clouds 2” (2026) CD Review

Fernando Perdomo continues his second year-long project, Clouds, with Clouds 2, and if you’ve been following his work over the last year, you’ll notice a couple of differences in this new release right away. First, the photo on the cover contains a sign of humanity, that being the road (along with a telephone pole). The photo, by the way, unlike the photo for the first Clouds album and for all twelve Waves albums, is by Fernando Perdomo rather than Joe Galdo. The second difference is the number of tracks. Each volume of Waves and the first volume of Clouds all had ten tracks. This release has thirteen (with two listed as bonus tracks). However, like all previous volumes in both series, Clouds 2 contains all original material composed by Fernando Perdomo (well, except for one of the so-called bonus tracks). And Fernando Perdomo plays all the instruments and produced the album. This album was recorded in South New Zealand.

The album opens with “Monowai Sky,” which eases in, as with a message from beyond our vision, beyond our skies. And soon the music takes on a greater force, a stronger, more prominent voice, or message, with some deeper tones, touching on something eternal within, eternal and active. And then it is as if there is a dialogue between the two, which takes over the air, the sky, as we look up, witnesses to this celestial dialogue. Soon it feels almost like a dance, taking place all around us, not just above us, and we get caught up in its motion. The pace increases briefly before the track’s conclusion. That is followed by “Reflections.” There is something both contemplative and soothing in the guitar work here, expressing short thoughts, as if to test the waters, to see where things might lead. And one thought leads to another, and soon there is a flow. Nothing tentative at that point. The music looks outward, while learning something from within. And with whatever knowledge is received, things then can slow down. The final section is particularly pretty.

With “Ghosts Of Flight,” green and pink lights flutter gently across the sky, a fleeting beauty. If we close our eyes, we’ll miss it, for things are changing, developing. But if we look with a serious eye, we can catch glimpses of the past, for voices are within those lights, moving across the sky from somewhere familiar to the unknown. And maybe, just maybe, for just a moment, we can travel with those voices and see something of the future too. Those lights, understanding that we are true witnesses, find the power to pause and remain with us, to speak to us in the only language available to them, showing us what they think we wish to see. It’s a magical moment. What of it will we keep with us? “Dam Right” is the first of two tracks to play with the words “dam” and “damn.” As it begins, it is already in motion. There is something serious in the sound, something demanding in its repeated theme. It pauses to make sure we are with it, to make sure we are giving it what it requires. And then it relaxes, carrying us with it. The music slows then, as it climbs and then falls. Ah, but the beauty continues, not faltering.

With “Chill,” we enter a darker space. It is like a bell sounds, signaling us, calling us to some ceremony. The air is thicker here, alive with intensions, buzzing with knowledge, yet soon we find ourselves soothed by it. We relax, comforted by the weight of ancient voices. We can let go, for whatever will be has already been. Various voices rise and fall, as if carried on a wind. There is a slight pause before a more somber tone is felt. We soon feel ourselves floating in the eternal, ourselves but a small part of it. That’s followed by “The Lake Is Another Sky,” a title I love. We’ve all looked into the clear water of a lake to watch the sky, and felt like we could fall into heaven, into the clouds, that we could be immersed in sky. And even in the soft ripples of water is the movement of the universe. We feel that in this music. The motion, the soothing motion, and the beauty of the earth meeting the sky, the light dancing near us. We can touch it, change it. Ah, when else can we so affect the sky? Interestingly, there is also a sense of time ticking away, especially in the second half. At some point both the lake and the sky will cease to be. And for a moment near the end we sense a possibly dark future.

As “WFD” begins (and, no, I’m not sure what “WFD” stands for), a light shines toward us, again and again. And then something more intense appears, something tangible. But soon we can feel its beauty, even if there is a great weight to it. It isn’t long before a lighter source appears, urging its own dance before the heavier steps return. Is there a hint of lament within those steps? This is an intriguing track. It takes on a power to combine all elements, everything converging. That’s followed by “Give A Dam,” the second track whose title plays on “dam” and “damn,” beginning like the slow heartbeat of the sky. Soon we experience bright lights that have physical weight, and they lead to a softer space, a space open for thoughts, for hopes, for desires. A single voice gets excited, takes on a certain pace, before slipping back into the fold, into the larger sound. The sound gets heavier, echoing in some great hall. Things become stranger as a light is struck repeatedly, the ripples felt, and sound becomes twisted, fragmented, bitten off. Until that light is struck again. This track releases its grip on us at the end.

“Sunset At 10 PM” makes me think of my childhood. I loved those summer months growing up in New England, when the sun wouldn’t set until what was a fairly late hour for us kids. There was a magic in those hours before the sun went down, like we were getting away with something. And there is a sort of magic at the beginning of this track, sliding in, playing with our senses, with our expectations, like a large firefly sliding past us, and disappearing just as quickly, as they do. Reappearing, disappearing again. A voice from above seems to play with us, to take pleasure in our pleasure. (On Bandcamp, the song is titled “Sunset At 10 a.m.,” by the way.) That’s followed by “Ominous Mass,” which feels hesitant at first, tentative steps in a place where wind seems to hold some sway, and each movement is echoed in the great hall where we find ourselves. We can catch glimpses of something through the haze, through the smoke, something timeless, something that promises to hold secrets, knowledge, if only we could crack the code, be accepted in its arms. There is an intensity, a rumbling. Have we offended the gods somehow, broken into a place where we are not expected or wanted? Have we interrupted something? The wind is what is left, busy and maybe angry, buzzing at the end.

“Thunder” presents short messages with breaths in between at the beginning, and then things begin to flow, to touch different places of the sky and the earth. Light plays across, and against, a greater darkness. A power is there, striking, thumping, and we want to seek shelter. The gods have been angered, it turns out. Is this their voice, or ours in response? For there is a rumbling within us too, isn’t there? And yet something lighter soothes us just before the drive forward and downward. The disc’s final two tracks are listed as bonus tracks, though I still don’t understand what is meant by a bonus track on an initial release. Anyway, the first is not an original composition. It is an interesting variation of “Auld Lang Syne” (misprinted as “Aul Lang Syne” on the CD case), a very brief rendition reaching down to us from the sky. And the last track, “Hiding Under Clouds,” features vocals, another unusual step in the series. Clouds are mentioned in the lyrics, from the very first line, “Cloudy days are here again.” There is a kind of folk vibe to this one, and it includes the sound of birds. “She’s no longer by my side/But I could see her sitting there/She’s hiding under the clouds.” There is something perhaps frightening in the repeated line, “There’s a shadow over my life,” but this song is about the sun, and so offers hope.
 
CD Track List

1. Monowai Sky
2. Reflections
3. Ghosts Of Flight
4. Dam Right
5. Chill
6. The Lake Is Another Sky
7. WFD
8. Give A Dam
9. Sunset at 10 PM
10. Ominous Mass
11. Thunder
12. Auld Lang Syne
13. Hiding Under Clouds

Clouds 2 was released on February 1, 2026.

Rick Shea: “Smoke Tree Road” (2026) CD Review

The southern California music scene is far and away the best in the country, and no small part of the credit for that is due to Rick Shea. He is an extraordinary singer and songwriter who has performed with people like Dave Alvin, Tony Gilkyson, Jon Langford, Patty Booker, Brantley Kearns, and Jimmie Dale Gilmore. I first became aware of him through Fur Dixon & Steve Werner more than twenty-five years ago, soon after I moved to this city and found this great music scene opening before me like a giant flower. Rick Shea’s name would come up over and over, on the tongues of so many of the artists I was being turned onto. He’s released several excellent albums including Shaky Ground, The Town Where I Live, Love & Desperation, and Sweet Bernadine. I’ve been looking forward to his new album, Smoke Tree Road, for a while, because some of its songs, including “A Week In Winnemucca” and “An Irishman’s A Laborer At Heart,” have been making it onto his set lists at performances over the last several months, especially at his regular music series at Maui Sugar Mill Saloon, "Swingin' Doors." And it’s no surprise that there is an incredible group of respected musicians lending their talents to these tracks, including guitarist Tony Gilkyson, bass player Jeff Turmes and drummer Dale Daniel, who make up The Losin’ End, Rick’s regular band. And also Chad Watson on bass, Shawn Nourse on drums, Eleanor Whitmore on fiddle and bass fiddle, Danny McGough electric piano, Celia Chavez on vocals, Tony Zamora on bass and guitarron, Cougar Estrada on drums and percussion, Roberto Rodriguez III on accordion, Skip Edwards on organ, David Jackson on acoustic bass, Doug Livingston on pedal steel guitar, and James Cruce on drums and percussion. As you can see, many of southern California’s finest have contributed to this album. It features mostly original material, written or co-written by Rick Shea, who also produced the album.

Rick Shea opens the album with “A Week In Winnemucca,” one of the new songs that he has been performing on occasion. This studio version has a wonderful vibe right from the start. “Like a breath of country air,” Rick sings early in the song, and that’s also a great description of the song’s feel. When I’ve mentioned this song in concert reviews, one line I’ve quoted is “The locals kept their distance, yeah, but not for very long,” and it again stands out here. This track features some beautiful guitar work, particularly that lead in the middle, which has a friendly vibe. This song is a perfect start to the album. It is followed by “Guardian Angel,” in which Rick sings of youth, “Some hard-headed kid, wild-eyed and restless/Out loose and running around/Chasing some dream or foolish adventure.” There is a wisdom to his voice, a wisdom earned through experience. His is a voice we trust, a voice we believe, a voice whose guidance we accept and want. “I took a lot of crazy chances/I was lucky that I pulled through/I must have had a guardian angel, baby/And she must have looked a lot like you.” This track contains some beautiful work on fiddle. This is one of the songs in particular I was excited to hear after seeing Rick perform it at a recent "Swingin’ Doors" show, and I love this studio rendition.

“An Irishman’s A Laborer At Heart” is another song I was looking forward to hearing on this album. I wish my dad were still around to hear this one. I know he would have loved it. Here are the first several lines: “My father was a simple man/Never one to boast/He paid no mind to lavish things/Or cared who had the most/He worked an honest day/And he got an early start/Because an Irishman’s a laborer at heart.” Would my dad have recognized himself in those lines? Perhaps, but he wouldn’t have said so. “Not one to show his feelings/Or speak of them out loud,” Rick sings. This a tender, touching song, and, yeah, I don’t mind saying it brings me to tears. “And in a world of broken promises that can tear your soul apart/An Irishman’s a laborer at heart.” Then “Georgia Bride” features some very cool guitar work right from the start, plus some delicious stuff on keys. There is an easygoing groove to this track, and a certain energy to the vocal approach. And if this song needed another layer of cool, we get some delicious touches on saxophone. Wonderful! Jeff Turmes, in addition to playing bass on this album, plays saxophone. The track contains a good sax lead halfway through, and more great stuff on guitar after that, all of which helps make this track a highlight of the album.

“Midnight Shift” is the first of two covers on the album, this one written by Jimmie Ainsworth and Earl Lee, and recorded by Buddy Holly and also by The Hollies. Rick Shea gives us a delightful rendition, with a jazzy sense of cool, and featuring some wonderful work on guitar and a really good vocal performance. “So if you’ve got a good woman/Who’s staying at home/Man, you’d better enjoy/It might not last long.” The fiddle plays an important part from the start of “Maria,” a fun song written by Jennie Moyeda and Rick Shea. This one is sung in Spanish, and has a delightful vibe. It’s not the first song that Rick Shea has delivered in Spanish, and it has a natural flavor and flow. Rick is joined by Celia Chavez on vocals. “El Diablo Manda” also has a delicious Spanish flavor, though this one is delivered in English. This track features some really nice work on guitar and on percussion, as well as on accordion. “Walk softly where the light grows dim/Whisper a familiar hymn/You can never know what’s hiding in the night.” And what a great vocal performance. There is sort of nervous edge at moments, which is totally fitting. It’s a vocal performance that helps immerse us in the song’s world, in the story. Celia Chavez adds some wonderful backing vocal work. “The thief, he wears a rich man’s clothes/The center’s cracked, it cannot hold/Old friendships fall/And crumble in the sand.” This is a song I love more and more each time I listen to it.

The album’s second cover is “Long Black Veil.” I’ve heard a lot of versions of this one over the years, and Rick Shea puts his own spin on it. There is a kind of rockin’ vibe to this rendition, a good energy, which works in some contrast to the song’s theme. I love the guitar here, and there is a delightful saxophone lead in the second half. There is also an interesting section at the end, with the repeated line “Nobody knows but me” becoming a sort of echo in the darkness as he fades away. Wow, that is unexpected and fantastic. “Long Black Veil” is followed by “Delia,” a song that grabs me right from the start. There is a lonesome vibe, a sense of melancholy to it, to that instrumental section at the beginning. “Delia was the only one/The one and only one/Who saw the emptiness inside of me/She was always there for me/Always there to care for me/I always knew that Delia was the one.” There is a great haunted quality to this song, particularly to his vocal performance. This is a captivating and quietly powerful number, one hell of a good song. “The ravens call out endlessly/Leaving only memories/Of all we had and all that’s left behind.”

“One More Night” is a lovely song with a classic, familiar, timeless vibe, a song of being on the road, a traveling musician. “One more night, one more city/Too many towns, too many names/All these miles and miles of highway signs/These days all seem the same.” And the lines “And the road runs endlessly/And as far as I can see/I’m no closer to that dream” hit hard for many of us, don’t they? As we get older, and see our goals, our dreams still far in the distance. This song features one of the album’s best vocal performances. I also love that guitar work, so simple and yet it hits us just right. This song was written by Rick Shea and Wyman Reese and is another of the disc’s highlights. The energy then picks up on “Trailrider,” also written by Rick Shea and Wyman Reese. This is the album’s only instrumental track, taking us out on the trails of the wild west, and featuring some nice work on pedal steel. It is the final track that is listed. However, there is a twelfth track, not listed on the CD case. It begins with the sound of birds, and then Rick Shea begins to sing a cappella. “I got a lot of birds in the Juniper tree/I got a lot of birds in the Juniper tree/I got a lot of birds in the Juniper tree/Birdie, birdie, birdie birdie bird.” And for the dog verse, a barking dog is added to the sound of the birds, and so on. And we’re left with the sounds of nature. A sweet children's folk song, and an interesting and surprising conclusion to this excellent album.

CD Track List

1. A Week In Winnemucca
2. Guardian Angel
3. An Irishman’s A Laborer At Heart
4. Georgia Bride
5. Midnight Shift
6. Maria
7. El Diablo Manda
8. Long Black Veil
9. Delia
10. One More Night
11. Trailrider
12. Juniper Tree

Smoke Tree Road was released on February 24, 2026 through Tres Pescadores.

I See Hawks In L.A. at Tuning Fork, 2-22-26 Concert Review

"Good And Foolish Times"

If you’ve known me more than four minutes, you’ve heard me talk about I See Hawks In L.A., one of the absolute best bands out there, and one of the reasons I want to remain in Los Angeles even though all my family is three thousand miles away. These guys always deliver an excellent show, and on Sunday they gave a particularly wonderful performance at Tuning Fork in Studio City. It was the band’s first time playing at that venue, though Paul Marshall had played there with a couple of other artists in recent times, and it was clear even during the soundcheck that it was going to be a fun night. “This is going to be our soundcheck, so don’t attempt to adjust your tables, your chairs or anything,” Paul told the crowd, setting a playful tone for the evening. And after the brief soundcheck he said, “We’ve got five minutes, so talk among yourselves, and we’ll see you in five.”

"Ohio"

At 7:01 p.m., the band opened the first set with “Carbon Dated Love,” and immediately good vibes filled the packed room. The song featured some excellent harmonies, as well as a nice lead by Dan Wistrom on electric guitar. “Nice to be here at the Tuning Fork,” Paul said. And Rob Waller added, “Tuning in.” The band then went into “White Cross,” which featured another good lead by Dan, who this time got more of a chance to stretch out a bit. “I know the angels love me/Even though I did them wrong.” Then during “Ohio,” it was perfectly clear that the band was having a great time. Dan delivered more good stuff on electric guitar. This is a song that I always love hearing, and I especially love that moment at the end when it’s just the drums. I don’t know exactly when the new Hawks album is coming out, but it’s going to be a good one.

"Poour Me"

Dan switched to pedal steel for “Poour Me,” “for the pedal steel aficionados in the house,” Rob said during the song’s introduction. The “bad burrito” line makes me laugh every time the band plays this one. There was a whole lot of joy on that stage throughout the evening, and perhaps especially during that song. The sound guy asked Paul if they could close the curtains at the back of the stage, and so they did, which meant any folks passing by on Ventura Place would no longer be able to see in. I had been to this venue a few times before this and noticed folks standing there checking out the band, but I hadn’t seen anyone this time (though, really, I was too focused on the music to notice much of anything else going on).  “Poour Me” was followed by “On Our Way.” One thing I love about this band is that their music offers comfort, offers encouragement. This is a band that is on your side, you know? There is a friendly warmth to the music that is welcoming, inviting. Music that says, “Yeah, come on in, we know you.” I think the right sort of person connects to it immediately, recognizing something within it. It just feels so natural, like it’s always been a part of our lives. “The path is everything,” Rob sings in “On Our Way.”

"Truth Is You Lied"

There have been a lot of deaths in the music world lately, and one that hit me especially hard was Bob Weir. If you’ve heard the Hawks, you’re probably aware that these guys are Grateful Dead fans too. They even have a song called “I Fell In Love With The Grateful Dead.”  So in tribute to Bob, they played “Friend Of The Devil,” with Dan moving to pedal steel again. It was a sweet, if short, rendition. “Here’s a legitimate country song for you,” Paul then said, introducing “Truth Is You Lied.” The band delivered a really nice rendition, with Dan remaining on pedal steel for that one. Victoria Jacobs then sang lead on “Skipping Stones,” a relatively new song that has quickly become a favorite of mine. I love the rhythm and the whole vibe. That was followed by “California Country,” with Dan back on electric guitar. “But I’m still standing in California country.” Oh yes! As “Hope Against Hope” was being introduced, a woman yelled out, “Play it!” Dan, off microphone, asked, “Did she say ‘Quiet’ or ‘Play it’?” I love the bass work to this one, and Dan delivered some beautiful stuff on pedal steel. It was a really nice rendition to close out the first set. The set ended at 7:51 p.m.

"Highland Park Serenade"

At 8:10, everyone but Dan was back on stage. Victoria playfully called to him, and soon he joined them, a fresh drink in hand. The band opened the second set with a wonderful rendition of “Live And Never Learn,” the title track to the band’s 2018 album. After that song, Rob joked, “We’ve been living and never learning for maybe twenty-five years.” And for a moment the band members were calculating what percentage of their lives they’d been in this band. They followed that with “Hitchhiker,” Dan switching from pedal steel to electric guitar, and then “Highland Park Serenade,” one I hadn’t seen them play in quite a while, and one the band was quickly getting reacquainted with. “I think it’s in D.” Rob introduced the song, saying, about Highland Park, “Neighborhood’s changed a lot, but it’s still pretty great.” Indeed, on both counts. It was wonderful hearing this song again. It was followed by “Raised By Hippies.” The line about not knowing what to do when Reagan was president always makes me smile. This song featured some great harmonies on the “Summer of love” section, and of course at the very end, which was fantastic.

"My Parka Saved Me"

Rob introduced “Jug Of Misery” as “Sip On The Jug Of Misery.” In this song, he advises, “Don’t gulp it down like a fool.” The band delivered a beautiful, touching rendition at this show, a highlight of the set. I’ve said it before, but Rob Waller has perhaps the best voice in music today, and this is a song that really demonstrates his talent. Victoria then asked the crowd, “Do you want a little bit of a lighter story now?” And indeed, they switched gears, playing “My Parka Saved Me.” This is a delightful song, and the only song I can think of offhand in which the backing vocals attempt to steer the story. At this show, in her response to Rob’s assertion that they drank for free all through high school, Victoria said, “Oh, Rob, you’re just making that up.” It was an absolutely wonderful rendition, and it drew a lot of applause from the audience. Paul decided to keep things in that lighter, more humorous vein, and chose “Talking To The Dog,” a song I first saw him perform solo down at the Unurban, where he had the whole audience laughing at every line. The crowd was into it again at the Tuning Fork, so much so that afterward Rob suggested Paul do another song. It was, as Rob mentioned, Paul who got the Hawks to play at this venue. He’d done a couple of gigs there with other artists and thought it would be a good spot for the Hawks. And it certainly was. Paul then chose to do a traditional folk song. He mentioned how people characterize the band’s music in different ways, as country rock, as folk rock, as psychedelic country and so on. Well, this was “an actual folk song,” he said, introducing “St. James Infirmary.” Paul did change things up a little bit, and inserted Rob Waller into the song’s lyrics. This rendition featured some cool stuff on pedal steel and bass.

The band wrapped up the set with a great rendition of the always-appreciated “Good And Foolish Times,” this time including that extended section at the end. The set ended at 9:04 p.m. Folks wanted an encore, which gave Dan a chance to riff on that earlier shout, here playfully wondering if they had yelled “Encore” or “No more.” They certainly wanted an encore, but it was like that last part of “Good And Foolish Times” acted as the encore, as the final punctuation on a great night. So that was that. We had some good and foolish times, indeed!

Set List

Set I

1. Carbon Dated Love
2. White Cross
3. Ohio
4. Poour Me
5. On Our Way
6. Friend Of The Devil
7. Truth Is You Lied
8. Skipping Stones
9. California Country
10. Hope Against Hope

Set II

1. Live And Never Learn
2. Hitchhiker
3. Highland Park Serenade
4. Raised By Hippies
5. Jug Of Misery
6. My Parka Saved Me
7. Talking To The Dog
8. St. James Infirmary
9. Good And Foolish Times

Here are a few more photos:

"White Cross"

"Ohio"

"Friend Of The Devil"

"Skipping Stones"

"California Country"

"California Country"

"California Country"

"Live And Never Learn"

"Hitchhiker"

"Highland Park Serenade"

"Talking To The Dog"

Tuning Fork is located at 12051 Ventura Place in Studio City, California.

The Firkins, The Smokey Lonesome, and Stu Olsen at Music Garden L.A., 2-21-26: Photos

Is there any place better to be than Los Angeles? An outdoor concert in February? Come on! It was a beautiful day in Highland Park yesterday, and the lineup at Music Garden L.A. included The Firkins, The Smokey Lonesome and Stu Olsen. Here are some photos to show you that L.A. is the best place in this country, especially for music fans.

Stu Olsen

The Smokey Lonesome

The Firkins

Music Garden L.A. is located at 5133 York Blvd, in Los Angeles, California.

Rick Shea & The Losin' End at Maui Sugar Mill Saloon, 2-18-26 Concert Review

Once a month Rick Shea & The Losin' End go to Maui Sugar Mill Saloon in Tarzana for the Swingin' Doors music series. It's a night you can count on to deliver the goods, and certainly we are in need of things we can count on these days. Rick Shea plays two sets, and in between has a special guest perform. Last night that guest was Lightnin' Willie & The Poorboys. Last night was also special because Rick Shea was celebrating the release of his new album, Smoke Tree Road, which comes out tomorrow. Sitting in on guitar with The Losin' End was Danny Ott. Two great bands delivered several hours of excellent music. I only wish more people had made it out to the show. 

Rick Shea & The Losin' End

Rick Shea & The Losin' End started the first set just after 8:30, easing in with "The Town Where I Live," which had a rather beautifully sad vibe, Rick singing, "You could waste your whole life in this ragged ol' town." And check out these lines: "Sometimes I wonder why I hang around here/If you ain't got much choice, man, your choice is real clear." That was followed by "Mexicali Train." This song always takes me on a ride to another place, another time, traveling with ghosts, of "Kerouac and Cassady," traveling with the past. "For now I'll try to lose myself somewhere inside this Mexicali train." And isn't that key? Losing ourselves in the music, in the rhythm. After that song, Rick mentioned his new album, and then played a couple of songs from it. The first was "Guardian Angel." After a false start, Rick explained, "We've only played this a couple of times." I hope it will become a regular part of the band's sets, because it's a sweet number that I've quickly come to love. The second was "A Week In Winnemucca." This is one that has popped up occasionally in sets for close to a year, a song about music, a song that mentions Johnny Cash. The line that always makes me smile is "The locals kept their distance, yeah, but not for very long."

Before "Big Rain Is Comin' Mama," Rick mentioned how Los Angeles got rain this week, though not as much as expected, and that some more was on the way. It was a particularly fun rendition, featuring some nice leads by Danny on guitar. That was followed by "Shelter Valley Blues," which has become one of my favorites, popping into my head with some frequency. It's such a cool song. "They say this ain't no place for fools or dreamers/But a foolish dream is all I've ever known." Then we got "Blues At Midnight," a different kind of cool, that delicious slow blues kind of cool, you understand. There was a great ache in Rick's voice, and he took the guitar lead on this one. Like blood dripping out of an opened vein. "Blues at midnight ever since you've been gone." Jeff Turmes then took over lead vocals on "Don't The Moon Look Real." Yeah, this set was just one kind of cool after another. This song had a nice jazzy vibe, Rick and then Danny delivering delicious guitar leads. Jeff's cap said, "Trouble Maker," by the way. That was followed by a cover of "Mathilda," the line "You gave me love when there was none" standing out in these twisted times. The band wrapped up the first set with "Down At The Bar At Gypsy Sally's." Ah yes, demons peer at us through the smoke, and we know everything is okay, more or less. 

Lightnin' Willie & The Poorboys

At 9:42 p.m., Lightnin' Willie & The Poorboys took the stage, a five-piece band made up of Lightnin' Willie on lead vocals and guitar, Billy Burke on guitar and backing vocals, Patrick Lynch on bass and backing vocals, Tommy Gunn on drums and backing vocals, and Michael Murphy on keyboard. Lightnin' Willie introduced the band before kicking off the set, just in case we were curious who it was we were seeing. Then they got into the music, the magic, the blues, opening the set with "Satisfied," which was great fun, followed by "Sweet Marie." "This one's about cheating," Lightnin' Willie said in introducing "Eyes In The Back Of My Head," adding, "Don't cheat." That led straight into "Heart That Burns," which featured a very cool lead by Billy on guitar. Later in the song, Lightnin' Willie also delivered a strong guitar lead. Lightnin' Willie mentioned that lots of stuff got him worried, then said, "I shouldn't be worried, though; I'm playing music." I feel that way listening to music. "I'm so sad and blue," he sang, and yet this music was shaking all the blues away from me. That song, "Sad 'N' Blue," featured a delicious lead on keys. Then "I'm Walkin'" was a total delight. "Treat Her Right" featured a good, mean groove. "Sorry If I got a little loud there," Lightnin' Willie said afterward.

"Here's a song everyone can sing along to," Lightnin' Willie said in introducing "Don't Let Go." That song, as Willie mentioned, was a hit for Roy Hamilton. But I got turned onto it in the late 1980s when I saw Jerry Garcia Band cover it, and I've loved it ever since. Lightnin' Willie & The Poorboys delivered a good, fast rendition, and, yeah, they jammed on it, making it one of the set's highlights. And, yes, people sang along. They then slowed things down with "Tears Falling Down," a pretty song. "Don't Bite The Hand" began with a delicious rhythm on the floor tom. The set concluded with "Shake My Snake," which Lightnin' Willie introduced as a Britney Spears song, to which the audience responded with laughter. The song was a good blues boogie. And though the crowd could have been bigger (should have been bigger), the folks there made it clear they wanted more from Lightnin' Willie. And Lightnin' Willie is certainly not one to disappoint. He joked about how he and Rick Shea are independently wealthy, each owning some oil wells, and introduced the first song of his encore as "Alone I Count My Money." In truth, it's a new song, "Alone I Cry," which featured some beautiful guitar work. So, yeah, there is a new album in the works, something to look forward to. The crowd wanted more, and Lightnin' Willie & The Poorboys wrapped things up with "Couldn't Do Nothin'." The set ended at 10:56 p.m.

Approximately fifteen minutes later, Rick Shea & The Losin' End were back on stage, opening their second set with "The Starkville Blues." "I knew a girl in Starkville/She was tough, she was mean." Oh yes, we can hear it from his delivery. And the line about the folks in Starkville just getting bad news stands out, because these days people everywhere get bad news. Rick followed that with "Hold On Jake," delivering a good lead on guitar. "Hold onto whiskey if it gets the job done." Ah, this music gets the job done, and the band rocked out at the end of this one. That was followed by a excellent rendition of "Sweet Bernadine," one of my favorites. There was some wonderful stuff by Rick on guitar just before the end, which made me want it to go on a little longer. The band then played another song from the new album, "An Irishman's A Laborer At Heart." "We've only done this a handful of times," Rick said at the beginning. That was a song that got me thinking of my dad, and wishing he could hear it.

Rick Shea & The Losin' End delivered a good cover of The Rolling Stones' "No Expectations," and then Jeff took another turn at lead vocals on "Things I'm Not Gonna Think About." That was a song that stood out to me the first time I heard it last summer, and it sounded even better last night. That was followed by "Blues Stop Knockin' At My Door" and a wonderful rendition of "Honky Tonk Blues." Danny was given the chance to sing a song, but chose not to, and instead Jeff did another of his songs, "Early Train," a seriously cool, slow number. "It's early in the morning, and they're dreaming still." Rick Shea then played another song from the new album. This one, "Georgia Bride," was a highlight of the set, a wonderful song. A video for this song was just released, so keep an eye out for that. The band wrapped up the set with an energetic rendition of Chuck Berry's "Thirty Days," the audience singing along, and at one point Rick and Danny traded riffs on guitar. The show ended at 12:07 a.m.

Set I

1. The Town Where I Live
2. Mexicali Train
3. Guardian Angel
4. A Week In Winnemucca
5. Big Rain Is Comin' Mama
6. Shelter Valley Blues
7. Blues At Midnight
8. Don't The Moon Look Real
9. Mathilda
10. Down At The Bar At Gypsy Sally's

Lightnin' Willie & The Poorboys Set

1. Satisfied
2. Sweet Marie
3. Eyes In The Back Of My Head >
4. Heart That Burns
5. Sad 'N' Blue
6. I'm Walkin'
7. Treat Her Right
8. Don't Let Go
9. Tears Falling Down
10. Don't Bite The Hand
11. Shake My Snake
12. Alone I Cry (encore)
13. Couldn't Do Nothin' (encore)

Set II

1. The Starkville Blues
2. Hold On Jake
3. Sweet Bernadine
4. An Irishman's A Laborer At Heart
5. No Expectations
6. Things I'm Not Gonna Think About
7. Blues Stop Knockin' At My Door
8. Honky Tonk Blues
9. Early Train
10. Georgia Bride
11. Thirty Days

Here are some more photos: