Herbs, Joe Walsh

Press, 17 May 1989, Page 8

Herbs, Joe Walsh

Herbs with Joe Walsh, Theatre Royal. Running time: 8.40 p.m. to 11.10 p.m. Reviewed by Alistair Armstrong. Just two months after their last visit, and with six weeks of studio work on a new, collaborative LP under their belts, Herbs and Joe Walsh returned to Christchurch with a mixture of funky Pacific reggae and mainstream rock. Herbs filled up the first half of the evening with an hour of tasteful, entertaining rock that kept the audience ,of about 300 interested and wanting more. The core of experience within Herbs, coming from the snappy bassist, Charlie Tumahai, in particular, showed itself in tight arrangements and in vocal harmonies immaculately timed and delivered. •'

Walsh has had some influence in the instrumental department. The guitarist, Dilworth Karaka, seemed more assured than previously, and provided several of the night’s highlights with soulful solos that gave a boost to the appealing, funky “Them’s The Breaks” and "Jah Reggae.” Karaka should continue to turn it up in this way. Walsh seemed determined not to steal the spotlight from his adopted band. His performance was low key by his standards, some of his familiar hits, such as “Rocky Mountain Way,” getting fairly perfunctory treatment. However, it is impossible not to enjoy this self-deprecating rock guitar hero, even on a slow night.