Courtesy - AXS.com
By: James Wood AXS Contributor
There aren't many artists today with the track record and resume of George Thorogood, and for good reason. For the last forty years, Thorogood has released sixteen studio albums, toured with the likes of The Rolling Stones and has written songs that have become the fabric of rock classic radio. Thorogood was also one of the artists asked to perform at Live Aid in Philadelphia thirty summers ago, hopping a red-eye flight from the west coast to make it in time to perform alongside Blues greats Albert Collins and Bo Diddley.
Although Thorogood knows the Lehigh Valley area quite well from his performances up and down the East Coast over the years, his 'Badder Than Ever' tour stop in Allentown, PA last night was actually Thorogood's first visit to the historic Miller Symphony Hall. Arriving onstage to the sounds of Barry McGuire's "Eve of Destruction", Thorogood and The Destroyers began a blistering set of blues classics and originals mixed with a heavy helping of Thorgood-ness!
Thorogood's set included the usual suspects: "House Rent Blues / One Bourbon, One Scotch, One Beer," "I Drink Alone," "Move It On Over" and (after asking the audience how "bad" they wanted it) his signature song, "Bad To The Bone". Thorogood's tasty, slide guitar work was on full display throughout the performance as well as his infectious rhythm section that kept the beat (and party) going.
Now in his sixties, Thorogood’s playing and vocal prowess still sounds as good as it did in the bars of Philadelphia and New England during the mid 1970’s. And whether he's talking about bartenders, late rent or making public service announcements (yes, George is worried about you), Thorogood proved to the audience of more than 1,000 that he hasn't lost a step from those early years.
Speaking of early years, it's also worth mentioning that the original mix of George Thorogood And The Destroyers’ self-titled debut album (originally recorded in 1976) will be made available on Record Store Day on April 18 at participating independent retailers. In addition to many classics, the rare collection also includes the never-released song, “Goodbye Baby”.
At one point during his recitation, Thorogood told the enthusiastic Allentown crowd that he played by his own rules. “There’s no way we're leaving now" Thorogood said. "It took us forty years to get where we are."
Judging from Thorogood's performance at Symphony Hall last night, that's certainly a good place to be.
George Thorogood And The Destroyers Set List (Allentown, PA)
Rock Party
Who Do You Love? (Bo Diddley cover)
The Fixer
Night Time (The Strangeloves cover)
I Drink Alone
House Rent Blues / One Bourbon One Scotch One Beer (John Lee Hooker cover)
Cocaine Blues (Clarence Ashley cover)
Get a Haircut
Gear Jammer
Move It on Over (Hank Williams cover)
Tail Dragger (Howlin’ Wolf cover)
Bad to the Bone
Encore:
Madison Blues