We saw Steve Miller Band in our first concert of the 2010 summer season at Chateau Ste. Michelle on Wednesday night. CSM summer concerts tend to include a preponderance of rock stars from the 60s and 70s, some of whom are looking, sounding and performing better than others, so many decades after their heydays. Steve Miller is definitely one of those who is still faring well after all these years. His voice, guitar playing and showmanship are still going strong, and he had a good band – and a number of special guest stars – to accompany him.
He played one long set, with one encore in which he responded to audience requests. Despite our efforts to get him to play Your Saving Grace, he responded to louder requests for Jungle Love (or, as at least one particularly loud requester was referring to it, “Chug-a-lug“). Surprisingly to me, throughout most of the concert, the keyboardist also provided the bass lines. The backup guitarist played bass guitar on a few songs, but it was mostly keyboards throughout (not that I would have noticed if I hadn’t seen the players assembled on stage).
As is so often the case at these oldies but goodies (and not so goodies) concerts at CSM, I think SMB could have provided far more opportunities for audience sing-alongs. He did invite us all to sing the refrain during Space Cowboy, but I’m often surprised at how little beloved musicians are willing to engage their long-time fans in a more participatory experience … especially fans like me who used to play his songs in an amateur rock band years ago. I’m sure the music quality is higher with the professionals performing, but I suspect the people known as the “audience” would welcome more opportunities to share more prominently in the music-making.
Among the highlights of the concert were
- Gerald Johnson (bass), a former member of the Steve Miller Band, and Randy Hansen (guitar), a local Jimi Hendrix cover artist, joining the band for some cover songs by Eric Clapton, Jimi Hendrix, Slim Harpo and Muddy Waters – shown in the image at the top.
- Dillon Brown, a young (high-school age) guitarist from the Kids Rock Free program who joined the band for several numbers toward the end – shown in the image at the right.
Here’s the set list, as best as I can read my scrawled notes from the concert:
- Jetliner
- Take the Money and Run
- Mercury Blues
- Hey Yeah
- Come On (Let the Good Times Roll)
- Further On Up the Road [Eric Clapton]
- Ain’t No Telling [Jimi Hendrix]
- Got Love If You Want It [Slim Harpo]
- I Can’t Be Satisfied [Muddy Waters]
- Shu Ba Da Du Ma Ma Ma Ma
- Seasons
- Wild Mountain Money
- Dance, Dance, Dance
- Space Cowboy
- Abracadabra
- Ooh Poo Pah Do
- Tramp
- Don’t Cha Know
- Serenade
- Living in the USA
- Rock’n Me
- Fly Like an Eagle
- The Stake
- Jungle Love
Update, 2010-07-27: Just read about ThingLink‘s photo tagging service; trying it out on a larger version of the first photo above. Mouse over / click on people in the image to see who’s who.
Comments
6 responses to “Steve Miller Band at Chateau Ste. Michelle: a concert review”
Kia ora e hoa Joe,
The first concert I ever saw, 1975-76 was Steve Miller and headlined by the Eagles. For my money Steve Miller blew the Eagles off the stage, at least that night. Amazing that 35 years later he still is doing well by your account. Also had to always love his early Wisconsin connection at UW Madison with Boz Scaggs and Ben Sidran. When I think back on what I remember of my teen years it seems one song or another by the SMB was always on the radio. I may have moved on to other music by even the Ripon days in 80-81 but always had an album or two in my collection, and even now a few tunes on my ipod. Think I shall go listen to them. Thanks Joe!
Rangimarie,
Robb
Hi Robb,
Thanks for the additional context. I didn’t know about the Wisconsin / Madison connection, nor did I realize that Boz Scaggs used to play with SMB. I do remember that the Anthology album was part of the regular rotation of music on Jeff’s turntable, especially when he turned his speakers out the window to accompany frisbee and other activities on the Ripon quad … which was the scenario that triggered my loud but unheeded request for Your Saving Grace during the encore.
Joe.
Thanks for the review and photos. Cool stage backdrop. I’ve found that most artists that started in the 60s and 70s put on just as good if not better shows as they get older.
Jiff: I, too, have found that many – but not all – aging artists still put on great shows. One of my motivations in sharing some notes from the concerts I go to is to help others make better informed decisions about which of these artists they may want to go see … sometimes I think it’s better (and cheaper) to simply retain more pleasant memories of earlier experiences. In this case, seeing Steve Miller Band was definitely worth the price of admission.
Hi Joe, I’m also a fan of Steve Miller band and their performances totally blow me away.
My friends and I usually go to outdoor concerts. Denver and other parts of the country often invites bands to perform. It would be great if we would be able to see them perform again.
Thanks for the review!
do any of you really know where most of the songs and music on fly like an eagle and book of dreams albums came from, i know you dont, because its the worlds greatest untold music secret, after 34 years the truth has been revealed, the news is out, proof,evidence,and fact to late to hide or cover. it will rock everything you ever believed in. eagle ear