The Fabulous Thunderbirds @ Club Tequila
For the past 25 years, The Fabulous Thunderbirds have been the quintessential American band. The group’s distinctive and powerful sound, influenced by a diversity of musical styles, manifested itself into a unique musical hybrid via such barnburners as “Tuff Enuff” and “Wrap It Up”. Co-founder Kim Wilson, the sole original member; still spearheads the group as it evolves into its newest incarnation.
Last night, Dad and I saw The Fabulous Thunderbirds at Club Tequila here in Vegas. It was an amazing show. I thought the band might miss a beat with Jimmy Vaughn gone, but they didn’t. I mean no disrespect to Vaughn. The T-birds are definitely different without him. Both iterations of the T-Birds are awesome, just subtly different sounds.
In my opinion, it is a sign of genuine musicianship if the audience feels a little let down when the band trots out old hits, in this case “Tuff Enuff” and “Wrap It Up”. I love those songs and was glad to hear them at the end of the show. That said, the newer stuff in the middle of the show is what got my blood pulsing.
Kim Wilson’s vocals only get stronger with time. At his best, he is an old, black blues singer in a white man’s body. He is equally masterful with the harmonica, including what must have been a 4-minute harmonica solo which seemed to be one breath. Gene Taylor was equally amazing on the keyboards. Newcomer Kirk “Eli” Fletcher plays a wicked blues guitar.
One of the things that makes the blues special is the way a good blues band makes the music “talk”. To me, this makes blues a genuine art form and, in the world of music, puts it right up there with jazz and classical. Without any words at all, Wilson, Taylor and Fletcher told rich, heartfelt stories as a group and on individual solos. When Wilson does sing, you believe every word comes from personal experience.
What a tall, cool drink of water in the desert of modern music. I cannot wait to see them again.
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