A Fan's Testimonial:
Nov 20, 03:44 PM by Mark Stone
The casino night club has a good crowd tonight, maybe 400 people. There is no warm up band, so it’s been a long night for Blue Moon; two full sets stretched over three hours. The band is loose, though. Lisa’s vocals have soared to show all the emotional character she is so capable of when she opens up, and James’ lead guitar has filled the instrumental spaces like a celebration. His slide guitar work has been particularly on tonight. With bass guitar, acoustic guitar, keyboards, and drums, the band delivers a full sound that carries well out onto the casino floor. Even the nearby slot machine jockeys are craning their necks to see what the excitement is.
It sounds like a contradiction, but a band that isn’t tight can’t be that loose. The sound check has to be thorough; the reverb must be set just right for the room. Soloists have to know their cue, and know when to bring it back down to the band. The drums must keep time like a metronome, and if the bass isn’t in tune then the guitar and vocals will sound off. None of this happens by accident; it takes a great band leader.
When Lisa wavers just so slightly looking for a note, Larry’s backup vocals guide her. When James comes screaming down from another slide solo, Larry’s acoustic guitar has four steady bars ready for him to land on. At a glance from Larry, the drummer chills the beat so as not to drown the keyboard. Rhythm acoustic guitar and vocal harmony does not sound like a dazzling, exciting role in a band. But being a steady, charismatic band leader requires the most of a consumate professional. Larry delivers all that. Tonight, like kites in the sky, the band members reach for it all, secure enough to soar because they know that Larry anchors each of them.