The beautiful Landis Theater is located in Vineland, an economic enterprise zone, one hour outside of Philadelphia: an area better known for its blueberry farms than entertainment. The 1937 movie house has a neon & chrome makeover and typically plays host to AOR/hair metal cover bands, each weekend. About once a month, there’s some touring act: Accept has played here, as did Burning Witches.
The last few years, former Rainbow/MSG/Alcatrazz singer Graham Bonnet has been most readily seen as part of Michael Schenker’s traveling musical cavalcade. So a rare opportunity to see him front his own band (albeit, thankfully, relying heavily on his old employers) was not to be missed, especially when it stopped nearby. In fact, Bonnet’s bass player/girlfriend Beth-Ami Heavenstone attended my cross-town rival in Cherry Hill, NJ, when I was in high school. Small world.
Tonight was the last night of a short US run. In addition to the music, Bonnet proved to be a good storyteller, often with a dose of self-deprecating humor, relating tales about certain songs and/or his time with other bands. Despite complaints about his hearing and eyesight, at 77, he looks to be in good health (his voice is!). The silver hair is combed back, no longer in the customary flattop. Nor is he wearing a suitcoat, but the tie is still there, along with orange canvas sneakers. While he fakes robotic motions, he mainly stays center stage, between two wedge monitors, but plays off paramour/bassist Heavenstone and engages in horseplay with the guitarist.
Unconcerned with his physical health/safety, he precariously walks the length of the unlit, rounded lip of the stage, in front of the monitors (no protection from a 4+ foot descent to the floor). It was a seated venue and the older crowd took advantage of the comfortable theater chairs, only standing, pressed against the stage, for the final number. With “Eyes Of The World” opening, the initial third of the set drew exclusively from Down To Earth (played almost in its entirety), the one Rainbow album on which he appeared (Ironically, it was the first concert I attended, Blackmore’s clan opening for Blue Oyster Cult at the Philadelphia Spectrum, Sept. 29, 1979).
As “All Night Long” kicks in, Bonnet jokes, “I know this one,” and casually starts singing, his left hand in his pants pocket. Girlfriend on his left, he sang the traditional lyrics, about needing “a girl who can keep her head, all night long,” not the bawdier version captured on some old live recordings. Purple lit “Love’s No Friend” temporarily steps off the accelerator, as a slight haze of stage fog envelops the performers. Some in the seats rise, in a show of adulation, after each number, then return to their perch.
The singer introduces “Makin’ Love” as “very rude, very naughty,” and the current rendition has a recurrent “Thump!” within an almost Middle Eastern context, as the bassist sways in time to the music. The guitar is understated to the low end keys, until the solo/break, which is funny, given who wrote these songs (Blackmore). As the guitar and keys engage in a calliope inspired interlude, Bonnet visits the drum riser for a bottle (of water).
Although written by Russ Ballard, “Since You Been Gone” belongs to Rainbow, as far as hard rock/metal fans are concerned. Speaking of which, the crowd has been busy, recording the proceedings on their mobile phones. The pace picks up, but only a few clap along (tough to do with cell, in-hand), bass and guitar adding backing vocals. When finished, Graham walks off, then the rest of the band vacated the stage, leaving just the keyboard player, on a dark, empty stage, for a solo spotlight.
He launches into a 2001 Space Odyssey meets Close Encounters Of The 3rd Kind series of otherworldly effects. Like the fans, most of the phone screens will light up again, only when Mr. Bonnet reappears. Don’t always believe the photos of setlists, or what’s posted online. As the band returned (first guitar, trading licks with the keys), there’s a bit of Deep Purple’s “Lazy”, but no lyrics (Bonnet still missing-in-action), with the guitarist and bassist leaning on one another, back-to-back.
I get it, the solo spots give the singer a breather (the great Dio, scheduled “breaks” throughout the set, even in his prime), as well as one of the perks afforded being in a band playing material you may have had little, if anything, to do with writing (“Join and I’ll make sure you get 5 minutes, each night, to show off your talents.”).
That said, would have preferred dispensing with said intervals (including “Lazy” and the eventual drum solo) in favor of one more Bonnet-penned piece, say the absent “Jet To Jet” (or even “Island In The Sun”). Especially on nights (like tonight) with sparse crowds, forego the big stadium antics and give fans what they came to see, Graham Bonnet (and his band) material.
Back on the mic, Graham starts to speak, “When I look at my hand, I see liver spots. I look in the mirror and I see my Dad. That’s OK, Dad was handsome.” Cue “Imposter”, a tune about growing old. Under the Graham Bonnet Band moniker, he’s written some unconventional rock/metal topics, including gun violence, racism and combating pedophilia (more on that later).
Red lit “S.O.S.” (not the Abba tune) ends with a group vocalization of the Morse Code: “beep, beep, beep, bit, bit, bit, beep, beep , beep.” Graham loosen his tie and makes a remark about taking off his shirt (which he doesn’t), then adds, “I’ll keep my pants on.” Titters and chatter amongst the crowd. “Oh, you’ve heard the story? I’ve told it so many times I’m not going to tell it again,” then launches into the dick trick that got him nixed from MSG.
“It was a cheap pair of pants, made in an hour on (Carnaby?) Street. I ripped them (onstage) and I ‘go commando,’ so my penis popped out. People are yelling all sort of obscenities at me and I’m thinking, ‘What am I gonna do,’ so I made it part of the show and started swinging it about.” He adds hand gestures to accentuate the tale, as his girlfriend not only looks away, but practically walks off stage, during the yarn. Longwinded intro to “Desert Song”, whereupon he also mentions having made amends with Schenker, over the old school groin unveiling, and then participating (alongside other MSG vocalists) on the touring Schenker Fest. Did get the crowd to clap along to this one.
Another explanation, how a favorite teacher at school (when Graham was 14) turned out to become a renowned (picture in the paper) pedophile, the impetuous for the song “Uncle John”, which worries about the victims and how society can better protect children. Honestly, a bit of uneasiness in the house while this one aired. Towards its conclusion, as Graham once again leaves the stage, it segues in a full blown call & response drum solo.
“Night Games”, which was recorded with Jon Lord (keys, Deep Purple), Cozy Powell (drums, Rainbow, et al) and Micky Moody (guitar, Whitesnake) reached the UK charts, but was never issued Stateside. “Into The Night” follows the band introductions, handled by Heavenstone, who acknowledged growing up nearby and praising the guitarist for having to play compositions by Blackmore, Malmsteen and Schenker (she also mentions Vai, but nothing from his tenure in Alcatrazz was on the menu tonight). “Assault Attack”, the title track from Bonnet’s lone MSG record, closes the proper set.
Last night of the tour, no one wants to stop, so there’s two songs left. Up first, the only Alcatrazz offering, the somewhat autobiographical, “Too Young To Die, Too Drunk To Live”. Onstage, one is struck by it being more of an Yngwie Malmsteen vehicle than an actual song: the lyrics are sparse, well-spaced between several fleet fingered runs. It seamlessly runs into the closing “Lost In Hollywood”. As mentioned earlier, by now, most are on their feet, glued to the edge of the stage for this fiery finale that sends everyone home happy.
Graham Bonnet, master craftsman!
More photos:
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The last few years, former Rainbow/MSG/Alcatrazz singer Graham Bonnet has been most readily seen as part of Michael Schenker’s traveling musical cavalcade. So a rare opportunity to see him front his own band (albeit, thankfully, relying heavily on his old employers) was not to be missed, especially when it stopped nearby. In fact, Bonnet’s bass player/girlfriend Beth-Ami Heavenstone attended my cross-town rival in Cherry Hill, NJ, when I was in high school. Small world.
Tonight was the last night of a short US run. In addition to the music, Bonnet proved to be a good storyteller, often with a dose of self-deprecating humor, relating tales about certain songs and/or his time with other bands. Despite complaints about his hearing and eyesight, at 77, he looks to be in good health (his voice is!). The silver hair is combed back, no longer in the customary flattop. Nor is he wearing a suitcoat, but the tie is still there, along with orange canvas sneakers. While he fakes robotic motions, he mainly stays center stage, between two wedge monitors, but plays off paramour/bassist Heavenstone and engages in horseplay with the guitarist.
Unconcerned with his physical health/safety, he precariously walks the length of the unlit, rounded lip of the stage, in front of the monitors (no protection from a 4+ foot descent to the floor). It was a seated venue and the older crowd took advantage of the comfortable theater chairs, only standing, pressed against the stage, for the final number. With “Eyes Of The World” opening, the initial third of the set drew exclusively from Down To Earth (played almost in its entirety), the one Rainbow album on which he appeared (Ironically, it was the first concert I attended, Blackmore’s clan opening for Blue Oyster Cult at the Philadelphia Spectrum, Sept. 29, 1979).
As “All Night Long” kicks in, Bonnet jokes, “I know this one,” and casually starts singing, his left hand in his pants pocket. Girlfriend on his left, he sang the traditional lyrics, about needing “a girl who can keep her head, all night long,” not the bawdier version captured on some old live recordings. Purple lit “Love’s No Friend” temporarily steps off the accelerator, as a slight haze of stage fog envelops the performers. Some in the seats rise, in a show of adulation, after each number, then return to their perch.
The singer introduces “Makin’ Love” as “very rude, very naughty,” and the current rendition has a recurrent “Thump!” within an almost Middle Eastern context, as the bassist sways in time to the music. The guitar is understated to the low end keys, until the solo/break, which is funny, given who wrote these songs (Blackmore). As the guitar and keys engage in a calliope inspired interlude, Bonnet visits the drum riser for a bottle (of water).
Although written by Russ Ballard, “Since You Been Gone” belongs to Rainbow, as far as hard rock/metal fans are concerned. Speaking of which, the crowd has been busy, recording the proceedings on their mobile phones. The pace picks up, but only a few clap along (tough to do with cell, in-hand), bass and guitar adding backing vocals. When finished, Graham walks off, then the rest of the band vacated the stage, leaving just the keyboard player, on a dark, empty stage, for a solo spotlight.
He launches into a 2001 Space Odyssey meets Close Encounters Of The 3rd Kind series of otherworldly effects. Like the fans, most of the phone screens will light up again, only when Mr. Bonnet reappears. Don’t always believe the photos of setlists, or what’s posted online. As the band returned (first guitar, trading licks with the keys), there’s a bit of Deep Purple’s “Lazy”, but no lyrics (Bonnet still missing-in-action), with the guitarist and bassist leaning on one another, back-to-back.
I get it, the solo spots give the singer a breather (the great Dio, scheduled “breaks” throughout the set, even in his prime), as well as one of the perks afforded being in a band playing material you may have had little, if anything, to do with writing (“Join and I’ll make sure you get 5 minutes, each night, to show off your talents.”).
That said, would have preferred dispensing with said intervals (including “Lazy” and the eventual drum solo) in favor of one more Bonnet-penned piece, say the absent “Jet To Jet” (or even “Island In The Sun”). Especially on nights (like tonight) with sparse crowds, forego the big stadium antics and give fans what they came to see, Graham Bonnet (and his band) material.
Back on the mic, Graham starts to speak, “When I look at my hand, I see liver spots. I look in the mirror and I see my Dad. That’s OK, Dad was handsome.” Cue “Imposter”, a tune about growing old. Under the Graham Bonnet Band moniker, he’s written some unconventional rock/metal topics, including gun violence, racism and combating pedophilia (more on that later).
Red lit “S.O.S.” (not the Abba tune) ends with a group vocalization of the Morse Code: “beep, beep, beep, bit, bit, bit, beep, beep , beep.” Graham loosen his tie and makes a remark about taking off his shirt (which he doesn’t), then adds, “I’ll keep my pants on.” Titters and chatter amongst the crowd. “Oh, you’ve heard the story? I’ve told it so many times I’m not going to tell it again,” then launches into the dick trick that got him nixed from MSG.
“It was a cheap pair of pants, made in an hour on (Carnaby?) Street. I ripped them (onstage) and I ‘go commando,’ so my penis popped out. People are yelling all sort of obscenities at me and I’m thinking, ‘What am I gonna do,’ so I made it part of the show and started swinging it about.” He adds hand gestures to accentuate the tale, as his girlfriend not only looks away, but practically walks off stage, during the yarn. Longwinded intro to “Desert Song”, whereupon he also mentions having made amends with Schenker, over the old school groin unveiling, and then participating (alongside other MSG vocalists) on the touring Schenker Fest. Did get the crowd to clap along to this one.
Another explanation, how a favorite teacher at school (when Graham was 14) turned out to become a renowned (picture in the paper) pedophile, the impetuous for the song “Uncle John”, which worries about the victims and how society can better protect children. Honestly, a bit of uneasiness in the house while this one aired. Towards its conclusion, as Graham once again leaves the stage, it segues in a full blown call & response drum solo.
“Night Games”, which was recorded with Jon Lord (keys, Deep Purple), Cozy Powell (drums, Rainbow, et al) and Micky Moody (guitar, Whitesnake) reached the UK charts, but was never issued Stateside. “Into The Night” follows the band introductions, handled by Heavenstone, who acknowledged growing up nearby and praising the guitarist for having to play compositions by Blackmore, Malmsteen and Schenker (she also mentions Vai, but nothing from his tenure in Alcatrazz was on the menu tonight). “Assault Attack”, the title track from Bonnet’s lone MSG record, closes the proper set.
Last night of the tour, no one wants to stop, so there’s two songs left. Up first, the only Alcatrazz offering, the somewhat autobiographical, “Too Young To Die, Too Drunk To Live”. Onstage, one is struck by it being more of an Yngwie Malmsteen vehicle than an actual song: the lyrics are sparse, well-spaced between several fleet fingered runs. It seamlessly runs into the closing “Lost In Hollywood”. As mentioned earlier, by now, most are on their feet, glued to the edge of the stage for this fiery finale that sends everyone home happy.
Graham Bonnet, master craftsman!
More photos:
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5Venue
6BonnetGuitar
7GrahamBonnet
9GrahamBonnet
The post GRAHAM BONNET BAND – Eyes Of NJ, All Night Long! appeared first on BraveWords - Where Music Lives.
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