With enough star power to light up a small village, Chickenfoot landed at the Brady Theater Monday night. 
The super-group, comprised of Sammy Hagar (vocals), Michael Anthony (bass), Joe Satriani (guitars) and Chad Smith (drums), happened by accident, a result of jams held at Hagar’s club, Cabo Wabo Cantina, in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico. The group’s self-titled album was released in June, debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard Indie charts and hasn’t slowed down since.
The group may have come together as an accident, but what they brought to Tulsa was a purposeful, energy-filled show that knocked my socks off.
(Check out the photo gallery by clicking the last photograph)
Opener was Davy Knowles and Back Door Slam, a blues-rock act out of Britain. Reviews for this guy said that he “gets boring the more you watch,” but based on crowd reaction, the group was anything but boring. It was not rare to hear, “Man, that guy was really good!” He set the stage well for the headliner with his tasty guitar licks and catchy groove-rich song choices. This is a guy who is coming into his own as a guitarist and front man. Look for great things from him.
After Davy Knowles wrapped up his 45-minute set, a short intermission saw the stage transform for the main event. It is cool to go to a show like this because the audience really does transcend time. As you look around you see all walks of life: from bikers to babes, kids to the young at heart, white collars to blue collars, an amazingly eclectic blend.
Lights go out and cheers and screams begin. It’s time for this much-anticipated grouping to hit that stage and let it rip.
Chad Smith of Red Hot Chili Peppers fame appears first and stands at his drum kit, arms lifted in the air. Joe Satriani is next, carrying a handheld video cam to capture the moment. Michael Anthony, (former bassist, Van Halen) strolls on to the stage with bass guitar slung around his neck brandishing the Chickenfoot logo. And then the ring master takes his place, as Sammy Hagar races to the microphone and with a “How you doing Tulsa?” we are off and running.
Now throw out what you know of the aforementioned RHCP and VH, this band has nothing from those days. This is a band that is straight ahead, in your face rock, hard and heavy. From the opening drum hit, bass note and guitar lick, it was evident this quartet was here to rock. These are veteran rockers who have found a fresh, new sound and energy.
Sammy is always playful with the crowd and as things were thrown on stage he took time to go to through them, and showcase them in some way.
This is a very special part of his shows and allows the crowd to close in some and feel a part of the show.
Items included a football jersey with the number 55 (from his classic hit “I Can’t Drive 55), to the small bottle of Cabo Wabo given to him that he ripped the cork out of, took a shot and handed back to the provider. At one point he was wearing an OU hat that was thrown onto the stage, which he later took off and placed on the head of Satriani.
All cylinders were hit. This is a very tight show that really takes the album to new heights. The CD does come off a little flat at times and does not really allow Joe and Michael to stretch their musical muscle.
Not so live. They are able to soar on stage and play to Sammy’s movements and the audience’s ovation. It was as if they were all trying to outdo each other, which created an even better show. You can tell they have a lot of fun during their set and added lots of improvisation.
{gallery}entertainment/chickenfoot/slides{/gallery}From the moment they took the stage, Chickenfoot commanded the night with the expertise of professionals. They had risen to the point where their art flowed mystically; it was not contrived. They had earned the right to enjoy themselves while allowing us a peek into their secret passions.
If you’re presented the opportunity, you owe it to yourself to see Chickenfoot. You’ll only regret it if you don’t
Photos: Kevin Pyle
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