DR. BOOGIE BACK IN TOWN, DOUBLING DOWN 6.2.17 and 6.10.17

 












Dr. Boogie
ignite Alex's Bar in Long Beach, 6.2.17, back from their East Cast tour. They indeed substantiate my contention that the great bands always get better and better, with new material always adding something major to the mix. And they do. Anyone who's had opportunity yet hasn't seen this band live is sabotaging their own cultural well-being. Yeah, they're that good.

Meanwhile..."Brian Eno" circa 1972 Roxy Music ignites the dance floor at Alex's Bar. He  was dancing all night to his own personal velocity, and that's all I can tactfully say since I enjoyed the spectacle and don't want to get him into trouble, whoever he is...

And the next week, Dr. Boogie returned with a teerrific set as always to grace the stage
 at Cobraside Records' warehouse for a BBQ and jam for clients and friends. Other acts included Barrio Tiger, The Singles, Fatal Jamz and Jon Wahl.  

Dr. Boogie are Chris P., lead vocals, guitar; Dustin James, guitar, vocals; Luis Herrera, drums, vocals; Pat Salway, bass vocals.

PHOTO OPS:

Backstage (the Cobraside warehouse) found The Blessings' singer Jeremy White with denim overalls-clad Lisa Lee, rock and roll couturier Evita Corby, redheaded writer Terry Moreland Henderson, and your humble photojournalist.

DR. BOOGIE and THE BLESSINGS, LIVE dream double bill at El Cid 4.8.17

Here we had a dream double bill at El Cid club April 8th, 2017 with two of the best acts currently playing Los Angeles and points beyond --DR. BOOGIE and THE BLESSINGS-- then what happens? Well, as the lead singer of The Blessings said of his mic stand twirling in the second photo above, "I was aiming for the so-called soundman's head."

Yes, both bands predictably spun their respective hard rock magic as always to the infinite delight of appreciative crowds packing the club despite what purportedly seemed like sabotage by the club's new management. Let's put it this way, Dr. Boogie, nor the Blessings, two bands who have gigged there many times in the last two years, nor I as a photo pro whose prior experiences at the club yielded many great looking shots, one even gracing Dr. Boogie's debut album, will be recommending this venue as a well lit, great sounding one any more. 

Jeremy White, lead vocals, harmonica + guitar did his finest, even without benefit of a live microphone on for the first two songs. (I goosed the lighting to make up for lack thereof in these two variants.)

      

 Inevitably, tensions

percolated. Singer Lavone

Barnett-Seetal said of the photo at left with guitarist Mike Gavigan, "I look like Aunt Esther

from Sanford & Son! Hah! 'You ol' heathen!' "

Bassist Lights Out Levine off camera, but

below we find drummer Jason Upright and keyboard player Jeffrey Howell rounding out the full, Exile on Main Street-y sound of The Blessings who compare in cool songwriting as well.

 

Dr. Boogie benefitted from staff's tinkering with ironing out the sound of the prior acts, and delivered their usual solid set of originals led by Chris's raspy authority in their pre-East Coast tour warmup.

 

Pictured: Chris P. lead vocals, guitar; Dustin James, guitar, vocals; Pat Salway, bass, vocals, Luis Herrera, drums, vocals.

"Oi Vey!"

PHOTO OPS:

 Who's that hiding behind the cloud of smoke (and a mighty "Hi yo, Silver!?") Answer: singer/guitarist/producer Richard Duguay, seen with Mike Spent, rock and roll couturier Evita Corby and Lisa Lee.

Also on hand to see this great bill, Loren Molinare of The Dogs and Little Caesar (behind a cloud of spectacles glare,) Shelley Mitchell and California Rocker Editor Donna Balancia.

DR. BOOGIE BACK IN ACTION!

 Dr. Boogie, back in action with new bassist Pat Salway, all seen at their video production at Swing House for newest single "Peanut Butter Blues," ably directed by Berto Mendoza. At least 2017 will be starting out right!

DR. BOOGIE and THE BLESSINGS SAVE LOS ANGELES' ROCK AND ROLL

  Dr. Boogie (top photo) at El Cid Club 6.25.16; 

 The Blessings (next pic) at Cafe NELA 5.24.16

All the time, night after night, year after year you hear the yammering: why can't today's bands be as good as they were in (pick a year)? Wake UP!! They are! They're here and now and gigging, they're as good as any of your oldskool favorites and they rip through a set like they motherf--k--g MEAN IT, all cylinders firing.

Any time you see either of these bands listed for future shows, pick your complacent self up and get going. They've learned from the best (just like the best once learned from the best) and certainly are on their way there themselves, right on schedule. 

Dr. Boogie, fresh off their East Coast and Canada tour of festivals and club stormed El Cid Club on 6.25.16, with Patrick French jamming on harp and dancer Candace stage-invading to cavort and shimmy with her faves for the entire last half of their set. Lotsa new material, and always the high quality rock for a band who would describe their oeuvre as sleaze, because Record Collector magazine just did in its rave review of Dr. Boogie's new release Gotta Get Back to New York City, giving it 9 out of 10 stars. Yeah!

Dr. Boogie are: Chris P.- lead vocals, guitar; Dustin James- guitar, vocals; Jeff Turpin- bass, vocals; Luis Herrera, drums








  

The Blessings cut loose at Cafe NELA (of the cool lighting system) sharing the bill with Pat Todd and the Rank Outsiders (Stones' reference, geddit?) But The Blessings were on fire, all six of 'em. Singer/guitarist/harmonica player Jeremy White wore his vintage North Beach Leather ensemble (Q: How can you wear that on one of the hottest days and nights of the year? A: I was dying to wear it!!) and the whole band rocked predictably magnificently in their Stones-y, hell raising original repertoire. 

 The Blessings are:

Jeremy White- lead vocals, guitar, harmonica 

Mike Gavigan- guitar

Jason Upright- drums 

Jeffrey Howell- keyboard

& organ 

Lavone Seetal- backing vocals, percussion 

and filling in for Duffy Snowhill on bass,

 Lights Out Levine.

 Both bands are chock full o' charisma, great tunes and gifted players. So go, already!

For more evidence, click LINK for previous Dr. Boogie photo essays and LINK for The Blessings photo essays. For more info, click their websites Dr. Boogie LINK 
and The Blessings LINK

 

PHOTO OPS:

 At El Cid: rock and roll couturier Evita Corby, Dr. Boogie's Chris P. 
and stage dancer Candace.

At El Cid: Evita and Lisa Somerset (Mrs. Chris P.)
 Below, at Cafe NELA, Jeremy White of The Blessings. When someone online noted that a few decades ago, that bottle of water would have been Jack Daniels, I countered, "who knows if we'd all still be here doing what we do were it a bottle of Jack..."