American Pop – Unadulterated Blue-Eyed Soul

Grass Roots

The American Pop! tour played to a packed house at Pala Casino, bringing us their funky brand of blue-eyed soul.

The impressive lineup included The Grass Roots, The Buckinghams, and The Box Tops. Just before showtime, a glittery cluster of women gathered near the stage. One excited woman told me that these ladies were part of a group who knew the bands by going on nostalgic ocean-bound Rock ‘n Roll cruises. They had just completed the “Flower Power” cruise – eight days of nostalgia and music, at sea.

Guitarist-vocalist- Dusty Hanvey

The Grass Roots opened the show. This band was formed in Los Angeles in 1966. Talented studio session artists, they were put together by the songwriting team of P.F. Sloan and Steve Barri to showcase their songwriting. Two of their biggest hits were “Midnight Confessions,” and “Let’s Live for Today,” which echoed the sentiment of the ’60s and became a sort of anthem for youth.

People often think of this band’s music as “Bubblegum Pop,” but make no mistake, The Grass Roots are all about rhythm and blues. When they were announced, the audience cheered and applauded their welcome. Performing were Dusty Hanvey, lead guitar, vocals; Larry Nelson, keyboards, vocals; Joe Dougherty, drums and percussion; and Dave Zane standing in for Mark Dawson on bass and vocals. They are incredibly versatile. Dusty introduced the music and provided so much laughter and nostalgia as he cracked jokes about “we all have to get home early to take our meds.” His running commentary brought up many memories from the 60s. He asked for the house lights to be turned on and asked us to notice how many people in the crowd were veterans. He said, “Thank you for your service!” We all applauded at this touching moment.

Guitarist-vocalist- Rick Levy

As the first portion of the evening ended, the bevy of fans stage right dissipated somewhat but continued to mill around in front of the stage, laughing and joking, sharing their cell phone photos, and thoroughly enjoying themselves. Some of the Grass Roots adjourned to the merchandise table, set up in the far corner of the theatre. The fans broke apart and stormed the table, seeking CDs and autographs.

The Box Tops were next. This rhythm and blues band delivers Memphis-style blue-eyed soul. The musicians are Bill Cunningham, bass and vocals; Rick Levy, guitar and vocals; Ron Krasinski, drums; Mike Stewart, keyboards; and Dave Zane, subbing for Gary Talley, on guitar and vocals.

Rick Levy, a great musician in his own right, also manages the band. Before the concert, he could be seen darting out from backstage, prepping the stage, most likely making sure everything was ready. He came over to talk to us, and we introduced ourselves and exchanged business cards. I was, of course, duly impressed, as I had seen the original Box Tops when they appeared at the San Diego Sports Arena in 1968!

Bassist-vocalist, and Founder Bill Cunningham

They took off with, “Cry Like a Baby,” followed by “Treat Her Right,” showcasing their guitarists’ best picking talent. Next up, a song written by Dan Penn, “I’m Your Puppet.” The crowd swayed to that one. “Born Under a Bad Sign” was next, then a beautiful rendition of Booker T’s “Green Onions.” There was continuous conversation with the crowd then they sang “It’s All Over Now,” Rolling Stones-style.

Bill introduced their next song, telling us that this had been their attempt to blend their soulful power-pop with flower power. It was a song called “Neon Rainbow,” which was the B side for perhaps their best-known number one hit, “The Letter.” As they started their next and final song, “The Letter,” the crowd cheered wildly as they sang along: “give me a ticket for an AEROPLANE!” It was joyful, and wild, watching the fans dance and sway in their makeshift moshpit.

Last but not least, The Buckinghams. Created by Carl Giammerese in 1965, they quickly rose to stardom with their number one hit song, “Kind of a Drag.” In 1967, Billboard Magazine dubbed them the “The Most Listened to Band in America” because they had received so much airplay.

Buckinghams- Carl Giammerese, Dave Zane, Nick Fortuna

While the name “The Buckinghams” brings to mind the “British Invasion” of the 1960s, they hail from Chicago, Illinois. Carl Giammerese told the audience that when the band first guested on The Smothers Brothers tv show, they arrived at rehearsal to find the stage covered in English flags! He said, “We’re not British; we’re Italians from Chicago!”

Their sound is pure, unadulterated blue-eyed soul. Their setlist was impressive as they played hit songs, one after the other. These guys are so talented and genuinely have a blast onstage. Their enthusiasm was contagious as they rocked the house: “Let’s Live for Today,” “Sooner or Later,” “Where Were You When I Needed You,” “Temptation Eyes,” “Don’t You Care,” “Two Divided by Love,” “Hey Baby.” When the band began the opening chords to “Susan,” the lady sitting next to me shouted breathlessly, “That’s MY SONG,” and sprang up out of her seat to join the other gals upfront and stage right, who had created a kind of oldies mosh pit. The band’s stirring renditions of “Lawdy Miss Clawdy,” “Mercy, Mercy, Mercy,” and James Brown’s rhythm and blues tune, “I’ll Go Crazy,” made me swoon; they were so mesmerizing. Their brilliant horn section filled out their funky, soulful blues sound.

Guitarist-vocalist-Buckinghams Co-Founder- Nick Fortuna

Carl Giammerese, the lead vocalist, told us that when the band first started, they played at a club in Chicago where the house band was, guess who?: “Chicago.” To celebrate their old friends, they played “Saturday in the Park” and “Does Anybody Really Know What Time It Is?” Carl joked that they had told their manager about this house band, and their manager signed them to Columbia Records. The rest, of course, is history.

The Buckingham members are Carl Giammerese, lead singer and guitar; Nick Fortuna, guitar and vocals; Dave Zane, lead guitar and vocals; Rocky Penn, drums; and Bruce Soboroff, keyboards and vocals.

Dave, Carl, and Nick took center stage with only guitar accompaniment in a poignant moment to sing a Lennon/McCartney song, “This Boy.” Their voices blended so harmoniously; it was magical.

The Buckinghams also had merchandise to offer at the end of the concert: I found myself blithely following Carl to the line of fans.

Thank you, American Pop! for a wonderful evening. It was the best.

Backstage 360 would like to thank The Grassroots, The Box Tops, The Buckinghams, and Pala Entertainment Center for welcoming us to this event.