Waddy Wachtel Band: Reviews and News


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Reviews and News - October 2007
Review from October 8, 2007
Review and Photos from October 29, 2007

Review: Waddy Wachtel Band 10/1/07

Review by Nina:

The energy was really soaring Monday night 10/1 at The Joint when the Waddy Wachtel Band hit the stage, plugged in and pumped it out. There's just nothing like it anywhere!

Those of us who got there early were treated to the sound check when the guys worked out some songs with our guest Al Ortiz on bass. Even the sound check rocked! Listening to and watching these pros work out the songs, taking just a matter of a few minutes to get the parts down, is a truly electrifying experience. It's like the Cliff Notes of Rock!

Al Ortiz definitely added to the magic on that stage. Not only did he play the bass parts with astonishing accuracy, but he was having a great time doing it. Perfection! A bit about Al..... He comes from a musical family - all of them play instruments and sing - so he's got the musical gene for sure. After playing with lots of local musicians and doing studio work in his home town of Phoenix, he hooked up with Stevie Nicks in 1998, recording and writing with her. His first tour with Stevie was the Trouble in Shangri-La tour in 2001, where he met Waddy and Brett. Al also toured with Stevie on her most recent Crystal Visions Tour. We were so lucky to have him join WWB Monday night - And he'll be back to delight us all next Monday 10/8.

Since Phil Jones, Brett Tuggle, Jamie Savko and Al Ortiz were at the top of their game with exquisite playing and singing, Waddy Wachtel was able to pound out excellent vocals and guitar solos. He always seems to go one step beyond what's expected and thrill us with his expert guitar techniques. How does he get those incredible sounds out of a guitar using no pedals or effects? I think it's a natural energy coming directly from his heart into the music. Not to mention that he loves Rockin' It!

Phil is the bedrock - every drummer's paragon (yeah, "paragon" - look it up :-) ) - never rushing or slowing down, but consistently in perfect time. Brett easily moves from his keyboards to strapping on his guitar and letting his fingers fly comfortably on either instrument - while moving just as easily from singing a soft crooning melody into a screaming rock bit. Jamie's voice seems to be coming through a mixing board - how could someone reach those notes so clearly without some special effects added? - but he just lets the notes sail out of his mouth with astounding clarity. Yeah, they're all incredible!

Set List:

1st Set:
"Bitch" (Stones) Jamie Savko lead vocals
"You Shook Me" (AC/DC) Jamie lead vocals
"Cinnamon Girl" (Neil Young) Waddy Wachtel and Brett Tuggle vocals
"Trampled Underfoot" (Led Zep) Brett lead vocals
"Happy" (Stones) Waddy lead vocals
"I Feel Fine" (Beatles) Waddy and Brett vocals
"Till the End of the Day" (Kinks) Brett lead vocals
"Eight Miles High" (Byrds) Waddy, Brett and Jamie vocals

2nd set:
"Tomorrow Never Knows" (Beatles) Brett lead vocals
"Honky Tonk Woman" (Stones) Jamie lead vocals
"Girl's Got Rhythm" (AC/DC) Jamie lead vocals
"Misty Mountain Hop" (Led Zep) Jamie lead vocals
"What's Next to the Moon" (AC/DC) Brett lead vocals
"All Down the Line" (Stones) Jamie lead vocals
"Live Wire" (AC/DC) Brett lead vocals
"Jumpin Jack Flash" (Stones) Waddy lead vocals

Other notes:

WWB played at a private party last Tuesday night and were joined on stage by Joe Walsh and Bernard Fowler with some introductions by Billy Bob Thornton. No, I didn't go - it was a private party - but I hear they rocked the whole place!

Waddy and Al performed in Hawaii with Stevie Nicks at a private event last Saturday night, sharing the bill with Aerosmith.

Hope you rockers make it to the next WWB gig Monday 10/8. Waddy and Al will be gone for 2 weeks recording the Soundstage show with Stevie, so get your dose of Rock before the break.

Click any photo to enlarge........

Waddy Wachtel, Phil Jones, Jamie Savko, Al Ortiz, Brett Tuggle	Waddy Wachtel, Phil Jones, Jamie Savko, Al Ortiz, Brett Tuggle	Waddy Wachtel, Jamie Savko	Al Ortiz
Jamie Savko	Jamie Savko, Brett Tuggle	Jamie Savko, Phil Jones, Brett Tuggle	Waddy Wachtel

Review: Waddy Wachtel Band 10/8/07

Review by Nina:

Just when you think it couldn't get any better........ The Waddy Wachtel Band really wowed us last night by pulling out all the stops and shaking the rafters. Literally. As they were doing their rehearsal before the actual sets, big pieces of sparkly glitter fell from above. It was like magical Rockin' dust coming down all around us. That set the tone for the whole evening - WWB Magically Rockin It.

The sound check consisted of WWB playing "Kashmir" (Led Zep), a song the band hadn't done in a while, which wasn't played during the actual sets later in the night. The band also worked out a new song they'd never played before: "Supermassive Black Hole" (Muse). I'd never heard that song before, so I asked everyone in the place what it was - no one knew! Waddy told me later the name of the song, and said he'd heard it on the radio a couple days earlier and decided to play it on Monday night. From listening to them working on that song, you'd think they'd been playing it for years - that's what happens when talented musicians and vocalists have one day to learn a song without a band rehearsal. :-D Waddy took that song and made it into a really Rockin' delight! We all liked it so much, they played it in the second set as well! Loved it!

WWB paid homage to John Lennon on his birthday by playing 3 Beatles songs. Lennon is dearly missed, but his legacy will live forever. What a great and talented man - a true inspiration.

There wasn't a bad musical moment in last night's show, but here are some highlights:

Waddy Wachtel's guitar solos flew around the music like the glitter cascading from the rafters. As a friend said last night: It's like his fingers are One with his instrument - you can't tell where he leaves off and the guitar begins. His vocal harmonies on "Supermassive Black Hole" were exquisite, and when he sang "Like a Rolling Stone" it seemed like he was off in another world - one we were lucky enough to e included in.

Brett Tuggle really got a chance to show how versatile his voice is by crooning through "Tomorrow Never Knows" then screaming through "What's Next to the Moon". Plus his keyboard solo on "I Am the Walrus" was other-worldly.

Phil Jones sailed through all the tempo changes and 3/5 beats in "Kashmir" during rehearsal effortlessly. Then he went on to amaze us with his energetic playing and smiling face throughout both sets.

Jamie Savko blew minds with his vocals on "Supermassive Black Hole". There are high notes in that song it's hard to believe anyone could reach - but Jamie hit them perfectly. He can also hit the low notes, like in "All Down the Line." I don't think his range is limited at all.

Al Ortiz showed us again what an exemplar musician he is. He kept up note for note on his bass throughout all the songs - some he'd never played before! And when they reached the crescendos at the end of some of the songs, he matched Waddy's fingers note for note.

Set List:

1st Set:
"Tomorrow Never Knows" (Beatles) Brett Tuggle lead vocals
"Girl's Got Rhythm" (AC/DC) Jamie Savko lead vocals
"Supermassive Black Hole" (Muse) Jamie lead vocals
"The Rover" (Led Zep) Jamie lead vocals
"Ohio" (Neil Young) Waddy Wachtel, Brett, Jamie vocal harmonies
"What's Next to the Moon" (AC/DC) Brett lead vocals
"Lawyers, Guns and Money" (Warren Zevon) Waddy lead vocals
"All Down the Line" (Stones) Jamie lead vocals
"I Am the Walrus" (Beatles) Brett lead vocals

2nd set:
"Revolution" (Beatles) Brett lead vocals
"You Shook Me" (AC/DC) Jamie lead vocals
"Honky Tonk Woman" (Stones) Jamie lead vocals
"Trampled Underfoot" (Led Zep) Brett lead vocals
"Shot Down in Flames" (AC/DC) Jamie lead vocals
"Like a Rolling Stone" (Bob Dylan) Waddy lead vocals
"Eight Miles High" (Byrds) Waddy, Brett, Jamie vocal harmonies
"Supermassive Black Hole" (Muse) Jamie lead vocals
"Sin City" (AC/DC) Jamie lead vocals

Other notes:

Sorry, no photos for last night's gig. I had to get completely involved in the music with no distractions since the band won't be back at The Joint until 10/29. Waddy and Al will be joining Stevie Nicks in Chicago to tape the Soundstage show for PBS. They're also working out some new/old songs to include in that show with Stevie. Stevie's a really lucky girl, huh!

Keep Rockin' It!!!!!!!!!

| WWB October 29 07 |