Courtesy: Rick Munroe, MusicFestNews.com
Longtime blues rockers George Thorogood and the Destroyers kicked off the first of an eight-day Sunshine State-based tour stop, bringing Thorogood’s “Good To Be Bad Tour: 45 Years Of Rock” on Thursday (Feb. 17) to Live at Coco, the new outdoor venue at Seminole Casino in Coconut Creek, Florida.
Sure, at 71, Thorogood isn’t the wild rocker he once was, but from the opening song, he got the crowd going showing everyone he still has the chops to rock out. Getting back to a pre-pandemic normal was the feeling of the night. The guitar slinger got back to basics, serving up his signature guitar riffs that have kept the singer/songwriter’s successful career in the limelight for more than 50 years. On a rainy Thursday night, the Delaware-born singer opened his catalog of hits and delivered a boisterous, blues-based 75-minute set.
At this point of his career, Thorogood is an unapologetic rock-and-roll preacher who isn’t afraid to cut loose with solos with saxophonist Buddy Leach that exemplify the spirit of the veteran rocker. Opening with “Rock Party,” he continued into several drinking-themed tunes including “I Drink Alone,” “House Rent Blues/One Bourbon, One Scotch, One Beer,” and “Tequila” that got the rain-soaked crowd moving from side to side. From there, Thorogood got into several uninterrupted guitar-bass-drum combos with longtime Destroyer bandmates bassist Billy Blough and drummer Jeff Simon, a threesome who have worked together since 1976.
George Thorogood’s voice has never been particularly strong; at times he shouted lyrics to some of the his most iconic tunes. The intimate gathering of 1,500 enthusiastic fans got a high-energy rock show that had the bluesman moving all over the stage with the swagger of the George Thorogood of yesteryear. His vintage thick, crunchy, low-down blues-rock guitar tone is what we are used to seeing, and he was on point that night while fingerpicking on his signature Gibson ES-125 guitar.
The band appeared to be having a great time together as they rocked and rolled through plenty of feel-good moments. They plowed through the radio hits that everyone came to hear, including fan-favorite fare like “Who Do You Love?” and “Bad to the Bone.” The frontman showed his guitar prowess on an extended show-stopping solo sans band midway through “Gear Jammer.”
It was great seeing the iconic rocker still on stage delivering a solid rock show. While the show was entertaining, it was pure nostalgia. What can we expect from George Thorogood moving forward? At this point in his career, he has nothing left to prove, and if rocking and rolling is still fun, he and the band should continue to entertain crowds who choose to spend their entertainment dollars getting “Bad to the Bone.”