Bobby Vega's Birthday Bash at the Sweetwater...

I am currently uploading vids and drafting a brief review but I need a little assist.

Who was that singer with the Leather Bomber?

After Catalina what was the order of the songs that Zero Played?

Set 1:
Express Yourself
It's Your Thing
Tell Me Something Good
What is Hip
Hair
Come Together

Set 2:
3 Instrumentals from Chris Rossbach with Bobby and Prairier

Set 3: 
Kashmir (with Darby Gould, Miles Schon and James DePrato, Chris Smith, Prairie Prince and Bobby Vega)
Manic Depression (with Leather jacket singer)
Whipping Post

Set 4
Catalina (with Jessica Fierro)
?
Tangled Hangers

(I may be wrong about some of the above. - Just help me if ya can please.)

 

Express Yourself
https://youtu.be/SIcjommScKA

It's Your Thing
https://youtu.be/nvVxcTtH6a0

Back with more later.....
(I got a day job to do.)

Last night’s 60th Birthday Party for Bobby Vega at Sweetwater music Hall in Mill Valley was a reunion of the faithful followers of one of the funkiest bass players on the planet.  Pitched in 4 sets, the evening’s entertainment got started with a serious Funk throwdown that featured Bobby in fine form throwing down a master class of technique and feeling behind a string of familiar songs like Charle’s Wright’s “Express Yourself,” the Isley Brother’s “It’s Your Thing,”, Sly and Family Stone’s, “Hair,” the Tower of Power’s, “What is Hip,” and the appropriate and funkified Beatle’s classic, “Come Together.”  Aided and abetted by the soulful vocal stylings of Mz Dee (a veteran of the Johnny Otis Band and several other notable bay area funk and blues ensembles), the redoubtable Prairie Prince (of the Tubes and many other great assemblages), and Chris Smith on keys (of the “Jefferson Wheelchair,”), this band simply crushed the opening set of tunes and created an instantly hooky and delicious dance party.

During the set break Bobby was feted in the courtyard of the Sweetwater with a rousing round of Happy Bday from the crowd and an enormous Birthday cake!

Upon return to the stage Bobby was joined by Prairie on drums for an instrumental 3 tune jam with Chris Rossbach (guitarist w Zigaboo Modeliste) from some jazzy complexity.   Chris played a fanned fret electric guitar from the work bench of Ralph Novak; the guy who makes custom fanned fret instruments for Charlie Hunter.  This was angular, slinky and intricate stuff that followed the Kimock pattern but with its own delicate approach.  Rossbach and Vega weaved a tapestry of tones out of both their instruments.

Set 3 showcased some serious young talent with Miles Schon (son of Neil Schon of the original Santana Band and Journey) along with James DePrato (of Chuck Prophet’s band) smashing barriers wide open behind Darby Gould’s fantastic vocal efforts on the Led Zeppelin classic “Kashmir.”   With Bobby, Prairie and Chris as rhythm section this band could do no wrong and the jamming was both intense and creative.   Next up came a singer I still don’t know the name of though Bobby mumbled his name several times.  What he lacked in vocal sweetness he made up for with sheer stage bravado and energy delivering “Manic Depression,” in tribute to the 74th Bday of Jimi Hendrix and then a deep dive into the Allman Brother’s “Whipping Post,” with slashing lead guitar work from Schon and Deprato.  Where Miles took on a blistering heavy metal approach toward leads on a couple of PRS guitars DePrato was smoother and more impactful with Les Paul and fantastic drippy reverb, especially during the slide solos and twin leads of Whipping Post.

The final set brought together a Zero reunion with Pete Sears on keys, Greg Anton on drums and Steve Kimock on guitars to ring the jam bells once again.  Opening with “Catalina,” delivered vocally by Jessica Fierro (daughter of the late, great saxophonist, Martine Fierro) the crowd swayed to this old familiar gem.  Perhaps the only criticism of the set was that it seemed to challenge Jessica key-wise but she ably carried through and Steve, Bobby, Pete and Greg created a lot of beauty behind that vocal.

To complete the show Zero threw down, “Coles Law,” followed by “Tangled Hangers,” with some giant solos and some great melodic duet work between Steve and Pete.   For real fans of Steve Kimock it’s notable that he came out hot and didn’t hesitate to get very amazing very quickly.  There was no lag or excruciating wait for the money licks.

This show was an amazingly entertaining experience for a Wednesday night and at an extremely reasonable cost of less than $20 a fantastic bargain.  4 incendiary sets of music jet propelled by the fantastic tones, technique and skills of Bobby Vega.  May he throw it down for another 60!

Tell Me Something Good
https://youtu.be/LdJeLcW0ItQ

Good review, and agreed that was a fabulous show, because I still feel the glow!

If anybody has the full Zero set list, please share. I've been to a lot of Zero, KVHW and other Kimock shows over many years. I usually recognize the melodies, groove with it big time, then can't remember the names of the songs. Thanks.

Looking forward to 12/29 Zero show!

 ZERO setlist included:  Catalina, Cole's Law, Try a Little Tenderness, and Golden Road.

Edit of my 2nd to last Paragraph

To complete the show Zero threw down, “Coles Law,” “Try a Little Tenderness,”  and “ Golden Road.” with some giant solos and some great melodic duet work between Steve and Pete.   For real fans of Steve Kimock it’s notable that he came out hot and didn’t hesitate to get very amazing very quickly.  There was no lag or excruciating wait for the money licks.

Thanks. I didn't think they played Tangled Hangers. 

Hmmmm

i arrived late and without a ticket, it was a sellout...i hung out for 20 minutes then left. i did see and visit with JB outside, but sorry i missed you JohnnyD...next time

Kashmir......

~
If there was only some money to be made as a rock journalist?

Jambase used my vids and pararphrased my review - but at least they gave me credit:
http://www.jambase.com/article/bobby-vega-celebrates-60th-birthday-marat...

this is great! thanks for the reviews, everyone, and the lights and sounds treble.

bobby looks super happy!

I still have no earthly idea who the hell that guy was who sang Manic Depression and Whipping Post.....????

Joe

Super helpful post there Tofu man.....

65

Bobby Vega's current age, Face?

Wow.I'm jealous of you guys. Thanks for the post.

Will wonders never cease. Kimock and Vega onstage together again. Nice.

Bobby Vega's current age, Face?<<<

Yes!

Oh shit that was a post from ancient times. I gotta get new glasses. I'm probably still a little discombobulated from that Ravens / Steelers game yesterday.

Carry on.

I did the same thing with the Chicago thread that Face recently resurrected, Alan.

Yeah, these resurrected threads lately are messing with my head.

Yeah. Why all the old posts?

I think the Chicago thread answers that, Mark. Some of these old topics can still get some traction.

Is it not also close to the 5 year anniversary of the resurrection / migration of the zone?

Thou Shalt be Emily'd.  Prepare thyself.