3.14.2014

ERIC BURDON & THE ANIMALS IN ANN ARBOR!

Eric Burdon

Wow what a fantastic show last night at the beautiful Michigan Theater in Ann Arbor! Eric Burdon and The Animals with Special Guests, The Howling Diablos were just fantastic. The whole night was so inspiring..

Hadn't gone to see a show in almost a year..I had seen so many in the past few years that I really just needed a break. But when my friend Tino Gross announced that the Howling Diablos were opening for rock legend Eric Burdon in my town..I had to go to this gig.



Rob King the great drummer from Destroy All Monsters was my partner for the show..I thought of Rob immediately as the perfect person to go with me to this show.  Rob's Dad owned King's Music in Ann Arbor for decades and Rob grew up around the finest musicians that came and played in A2.  Rob is like having a personal music professor.. he explained the techniques and the instruments in detail to me. Really interesting...

Eric Burdon

Eric is in his early 70s now and in great form..he was so adorable..I loved the way he just sauntered onto the stage with no introduction or fanfare. Kind of surprised the audience! His manner was so casual..as if we were in his living room watching him play.

It seems to be so difficult for legendary rock players to transition into playing their music as they get older.  Eric made this transition perfectly.

Eric Burdon

If you have kept up with Eric Burdon over the decades, you know how he evolved so beautifully with the highly talented bands he assembled after The Animals blew up in 1966. The Animals went from guitar, bass,drums, to an orchestra.

His band was over the top fantastic...

Billy Watts: Guitar
Eric McFadden: Guitar
Terry Wilson: Bass
Teresa James: Keyboards

Wally Ingram: Percussions 
Tony Braunagel: Drums
Red Young: Hammond B3 and Keyboards.



Eric's band was so clean and clear,  magically it was music...I apologize for not knowing the names of the players as they were not listed in the program or announced anywhere. So all I can refer to is is the guy on the Hammond B3, the girl on keyboard/strings, flute and back up vocals, the lead guitarist stage left and the lead guitarist with bowler hat stage right, the drummer, and percussionist/conga/bongo player..and the amazingly quiet but steady bass player in the left side of the drummer.

THEY ALL PLAYED SO WELL..

Tino Gross Eric Burdon and Johnny Bee Badanjek photo: Marianna Burdon

It was so much fun for me to see my friends The Howling Diablos, play in A2 and at the Michigan. It is such a lovely venue with a great stage and acoustics. I had never seen the Diablos play in a theater before.


The audience was packed with the happiest crowd of folks! It felt like 2 thousand people with cabin fever who finally escaped! Everyone was so friendly and excited to see Eric Burdon. Rob and I had such great seats too! 11th row dead center. Really great few and perfect for sound..Eric Burdon's large diamond earring in his left ear kept blinding me! LOL

My program and ticket 

Haven't seen the Diablos in quite awhile so I really came to see them as much as Eric Burdon. Let's share a little BIO.....


The Howling Diablos rockin, funky, blues jam style is well known in Detroit, and everywhere they have toured, as a great live music experience. Since their formation in the 90’s they have toured with and opened for acts including George Clinton’s Parliament Funkadelic, Alice Cooper, Albert Collins, Ben Harper, Hank Williams Jr, NRBQ, Incubus and The James Gang as well as headlining their own shows.

Tino Gross Johnny Bee Badanjek, Johnny Evans and Mo Hollis back turned

Really fun moment was watching Rob King witness the Howling Diablos playing their signature piece "Go Gene (Krupa) Go".  It is over 11 minutes long and a drum tribute to Gene Krupa and Johnny Bee. Had to keep an eye on Rob and he was about to go into a drummer's coma! Don't think he blinked for the entire 11 minutes!!

Rock Legend Mr. Johnny Bee Badanjek....♥

Rob and I both just loved the girl who played flute on Spill the Wine...she was dancing around the stage while playing and we haven't seen anything like that since Jethro Tull at Olympia a hundred years ago....She sang, played the keyboard with all the other instruments programed into it...I swear I will find these young band members name and add them as soon as I get a message back from Eric's team....


Mo, Erik, and Johnny Evans were smokin that stage....Mo! what moves that man has!


There was a young guy sitting in front of me last night at the Michigan Theater. He was frantically scrolling his Smart Phone trying to find out whether or not Eric had the rights to use the name "The Animals"... the answer is YES he does...Read about that here..


**Special Thanks** to Lee Berry  and all the staff at the Michigan Theater, Event Photographer Julian Konwinski (so great to meet you!), Tino Gross, and Rob King xK

4 comments:

Heather Lynn said...

It was such a phenomenal show! Eric really was so adorable. It was the type of show that leaves me a bit bummed out though. I can't help but think about all the amazing shows I missed out before seeing him now. Shame they haven't figured out time travel yet. I hope he plans on coming back soon!

Anonymous said...

"SKY PILOT" - In my opinion, the best Vietnam protest song. Especially the long version, with the bagpipes.

Maggie Blue, Investigation said...

Eric sounds good as ever - love'm !!

Anonymous said...

I saw Eric Burdon and War in ca 1970/71. He played at a dance for Bakersfield College! (It was during a down period). I was amazed to be dancing next to the platform stage in the cafeteria next to one of my favorites! They were great!

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