Elvin Bishop’s Big Fun Trio

The Johnny Vernazza Band

Elvin Bishop’s story is rich with fifty years worth of accomplishments in the music industry, and to compartmentalize it here would be a disservice. But to an eager audience’s delight, The Elvin Bishop’s Big Fun Trio played at the Belly Up Tavern in Solana Beach, California. Even before the show, as wine bottles lined the front row, Bishop greeted folks warmly, asking if they were ready to have some fun.

The Johnny Vernazza Band opened the performance, and were consistently vocal about their gratitude. “Guess this is it. Welcome folks,” Vernazza addressed, enthusiastically, promising everyone a great time. The band was a magnificent act, accentuated by the spirited solos from each of the four musicians, their saxophonist especially. These men knew how to amaze, and each song possessed a groovy atmosphere. As a guitarist who began playing in the sixties, it’s no surprise that Vernazza’s craft demanded respect.

Vernazza asked himself, what do you write about when you are in your seventies? He found his answer in a photograph he owned, one of a cemetery in Colma, California. The finished song was named “Gates Of Redemption,” and like every other piece they performed, his lyrics and music complemented each other. These dual acts were a match made in Heaven, and the excitement did not stop there. It had just begun.

The big fun trio themselves included the aforementioned Bishop, Robert Welsh Jr., and Willy Jordan. Jordan provided vocals, and played on a percussion block, while Welsh jumped between keyboard and guitar. Bishop smiled, telling everyone to make some noise. They began with “Let’s Go!” and continued onward with “Keep On Rolling.” Bishop welcomed everyone, including friends and family in the crowd.

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“We got two of the greatest musicians in the world here,” Bishop said. He was certainly right. The trio’s excellence was unmatched, illustrated greatly in songs like “My Soul.” At one point, Jordan ran around the stage, signaling for the audience to clap along. “Another Mule,” spoke for itself, elevated by Bishop’s voice and the way in which he played the guitar. He joked, saying that he lost his mind in the middle of it.

Bishop turned to Jordan, asking what their next song was. Jordan laughed, jokingly saying that it was the story of his life. Not a song from The Rolling Stones, but one from Bobby Womack. A song Womack’s wife wrote for him, titled “It’s All Over Now.” This was followed by “Old School,” which unified the crowd, causing them to cheer out the chorus. With this genre of music, time flew by impressively fast.

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“Rain,” sung by Jordan, was a melancholic piece with a flame simmering underneath. Bitter, yet familiar. Afterwards, Welsh did a special performance on piano, “Bob’s Boogie,” like an upbeat jamming session. “I’ve reached an advanced age,” Bishop said. He shared that when he gets worried, he slaps himself a bit, and says to lighten up. He doesn’t know anyone going the other way in life, so he wrote “Same Boat.” It was a song perfectly made for the masses. One that said to get comfortable, cause everyone’s with you.

Before “Hey Ba-Ba-Re-Bop!” Jordan informed the audience it was his first time at the Belly Up Tavern, and encouraged them to sing along with him. The next piece, “Higher,” further exemplified his skills in singing high notes. After “WTH,” Vernazza returned for “Fooled Around and Fell In Love.” So often do people attend their favorite artist’s shows, in the hopes of hearing a particular song live. For many that night, this was it. Everyone knew the lyrics by heart, reached their hands up, and basked in the moment.

During their final song, “Shoes,” a man from the audience approached the stage, and left his cowboy boots behind. It was the perfect concoction of humor, and unexpectedness. Everybody demanded an encore soon after, and all the musicians returned to the stage, entertaining an affectionate, loud crowd. It goes without saying, but any chance to see these men perform together should be acted upon immediately. Not only do they create music that elevates the soul, but they live up to their name, and bring on the fun. To hear their discography, and learn about upcoming shows, visit https://www.elvinbishopmusic.com/.