It was the first show this year of the city-favorite Crown Center Free Concerts last Friday-
featuring Peter Cetera and a local warm-up band Drew6. Compliments of Ameristar Casino- a "free" meal of BBQ at the World's Best- Arthur Bryant's- Ms. Rittenhouse and I sauntered in with our blanket.
We videoed about 5 of Peter's tunes- imbedded here. Next time- I'll bring the tripod (g=grin).
The weather was a tad warm & humid- but WTF- it's summer in the Kosmic City. The Crown Center concert venue filled to the max by the time Drew6 came on just after 8pm.
These guys look & sound a lot like the big-hair rock bands of the 1980's- as they tout on their website.
The guys sounded pretty good- actually rockin' the house more than the featured performer would. A tepid response from the cheap seats- typical of K.C.'s laidback "L.A. In The Heartland" personality.
Darkness and only a slight breeze waifed through this urban setting when Peter Cetera and his band "Bad Daddies" took the stage.
Sound problems marred the opener "Restless Heart" and the next tune ("Glory Of Love") before the techies could get it right.You can see Peter in the opener video walking to the side of the stage several times to complain to a sound techie.
A few numbers into the show- Peter started talking about the duets he's sang with a number of female recording artists- and how he hasn't exactly gotten along with "some (one)" of them.
If you guessed Cher- you guessed right. He went on a bit about his relations with Cher then went into the song he did with Cher- "After All."
When the female part came up- backup singer Kim Keyes- sounding EXACTLY like Cher- got the crowd's immediate attention. Wish I had videoed this one.
In fact- Ms. Keyes filled-in the female vocal on all the duets sang this evening. The lady not only could sound like Cher- but Amy Grant (who Peter said "hates Kansas City" HeHe) as well on "Next Time I Fall."
Besides his duet solo hits- Peter and his band performed 4 CHICAGO-era songs- including "If You Leave Me Now" and "You're The Inspiration- songs he penned with the band.
Before I say what I'm going to say- it's qualified by my saying I have nothing against PC leaving the band.
However- Peter shouldn't do those CHICAGO songs that had lots of the horn parts.
They performed "Hard To Say I'm Sorry" from 1984's CHICAGO 17- no problem. But then PC and the band tried to do the end piece to that tune from the album- "Get Away"- a heavily horn-driven addition to "...Sorry" without horns.
It does not work Peter. Nor did that performance of "25 Or 6 To 4." Please stick to the CHICAGO tunes you wrote with few or no horns- or add them...
Of course- Peter performed his big hit "Glory Of Love" from the 1986 "Solitude/Solitaire" recording and soundtrack of the motion picture "Karate Kid-II."
All in all it was a fine evening and concert- once the sound problems and the emptiness of no brass on CHICAGO songs subsided.
Thank you Crown Center!
___________
No comments:
Post a Comment