Enmore Theatre, Sydney
Wednesday 27 November 2019
Reviewer and Photographer : Annette Geneva
America is one of the most influential melodic folk rock bands of the 70s. Their impressive 50 year long music career spanning numerous albums, hit songs, collaborations, awards and even a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. I felt enormously privileged to be in the audience at the Sydney leg of their 50th Anniversary Tour at the infamous Enmore Theatre.
Supported by Mitch King, who is in his own right a very talented young folk/blues singer and multi-instrumentalist who was hand picked by Roger Hodgson (Supertramp) for his 2019 Australian tour. I suppose the word got out, as Mitch was quite an impressive opening act for America. Armed with guitar and a harmonica in a seated venue with all the house lights on – King was not intimidated to be pouring his heart out with the extra help of his howling vocals. His song ‘Burning’ was the one that struck me the most. It felt like Mitch came straight out of alligator filled Luisiana bayou region or from some country town of New Orleans. An Australian nod to southern blues and folk rock indeed. Check Mitch King out if you get the chance.
I grew up listening to America, Golden Earring, Pink Floyd, Rod Stewart, Asia and the likes, those bands pretty much shaped my childhood and it’s great seeing a legendary band that still sounds exactly the same as all those records I remember. America are a band praised by many – including Ryan Adams and My Morning Jacket’s Jim James. This time around, the iconic duo Gerry Beckley and Dewey Bunnell, who started the band in the 70’s when they were just 16 and 17 brought along a younger backing band who are also accomplished musicians themselves. Ryland Steen on the drums (Reel Big Fish, Phantom Planet), Steve Fekete on guitar, keys and backing vocals (Gwen Stefani, Tom Morello, Rita Wilson to name a few.) and Richard Campbell on bass and backing vocals.
The set list of this tour was on point – ‘Tin Man’ and ‘You Can Do Magic’ were a perfect starter point and it only gotten better from there. While being a seated show, some of the older audience members couldn’t contain their excitement and kept standing up to dance only to be told to sit back down. ‘Ventura Highway’ was such a delight – Gerry Beckley jokingly acknowledged afterwards that Dewey Bunnell wrote the song, with a scoff :”…it’s not a bad song yeah”
For older fans – ‘Driving’ was pleasantly received, but this time with an additional guitar solo courtesy of Steve Fekete, afterwards Beckley also joked “We were having comebacks before Steve was even born”. Followed by ‘Eleanor Rigby’ – The Beatles cover in a George Michael arrangement – “George would’ve been very proud.” The band fondly reflected on their years working with producer George Martin and played quite a few songs written by former original member Dan Peek (who left the band in 1977, died in 2011). As told by Beckley – ‘Survival’ was #1 song in Italy “….here – not so much” – he joked.
The show went on : “This one is from an old obscure album, after 50 years we have a lot of those. This is a funny song, its called ‘Greenhouse’“, Bunnell aded – “It’s a rock song about gardening.” After the song finished, Beckley continued with a story : “Once we played it and said that it was from mid 80s and someone in the crowd shouted “90s!” – Wow! We were off by a decade on our own record.”
‘Only In Your Heart’ had another extended jam session and everyone on stage looked like they were having a lot of fun. It is truly hard to believe that America have been around for 50 years. They have been playing about 100 shows each and every year for the last 50 years – how amazing is that? Bunnell gave us all a history lesson of them being American teenagers in “swinging London” – all the bands they saw and loved and ended up opening for quite a number of those bands “And this song is from that era – we used to play it in high school”, the song was ‘California Dreamin” by The Mamas and The Papas – sounded divine.
I don’t think I’ve ever been particularly fond of ‘Sandman’ but it sounded quite Neil Young and My Morning Jacket-ishtonight, which was interesting – to say the least. The golden voices of The Vocal Hall Of Fame (2006) played ‘Lonely People’ (a song written by Dan and Catherine Peek), ‘Sister Golden Hair’ and a worldwide iconic 70’s hit
‘Horse With No Name’ to close the show, which alone was worth the ticket.
The iconic duo of Gerry Beckley & Dewey Bunnell continue to blur borders of cultures, sounds and arrangements. Their music continues to be an uplifting, positive breeze in a pool of over-produced modern folk and rock music. If you are at all fond of music history and a good old classic rock – do not miss America on this tour!
