Stevie Ray Vaughan

Press, 14 November 1984, Page 8

Stevie Ray Vaughan

Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble at the Christchurch Town Hall auditorium last evening. Reviewed by Nevin Topp. There must be something about coming from the Lone Star State. The Austin, Texas, guitarist, Stevie Ray Vaughan, turned in a virtuoso performance of the solo kind, and for that reason gave the concert a touch of disappointment. The guitarist works mainly in blues, which can make it quite restricting, unless there is plenty of variety and excitement. Vaughan was backed by Double Trouble — Tommy Shannon (bass) and Chris Layton (drums) — so as a three-piece they had to work hard. There seemed to be the need for an extra instrument, and a blues harp would have added just

the right touch. There were problems with the sound early in the show. It was difficult to hear the vocals on “Voodoo Chile (Slight Return)” at the start, but it was pleasing that the song was not played note for note as the Jimi Hendrix original was in Vaughan’s last album. Th’ere was even a hint of “Power Of Soul,” a “Band of Gypsies,” in the song. The change-over of guitars and work to get the sound right interrupted the flow of the show, but once these were settled, Vaughan and the band showed they could play with a vengeance, notably in “Love Struck Baby” and “Pride And Joy,” both highlights of the concert.

What was striking was that Double Trouble appeared to be a platform

for Vaughan to show his guitar skills — and perhaps the comparison to another three-piece, The Jimi Hendrix Experience, is inevitable. It was only on a long encore that Layton powered into the drumkit in a jam session that was more akin to jazz than blues and the sound created was interest-

ing. The show was technically proficient and Vaughan showed some marvellous skills on guitar, but one could not but help compare the concert with the excitement that another blues guitarist, George Thorogood, and his group, the Destroyers, created when they were here. And, of course, another guitarist is in Christchurch on Friday and Saturday — Wilko Johnson, who has his own brand of manic playing. _____