The David Laflamme Band, July 12, 2003
19 Broadway, Fairfax CA
Observation by Peter Thelen
Fairfax is a small town in Marin County north of San Francisco, in the morning shadow of the great Mount Tamalpais, one out of the way place like many others where this classic band has kept the fire burning for the last twelve years or so. 19 Broadway is an intimate and very respectable club on the main strip where a crowd of 100+ appreciative fans and curiosity seekers gathered this night to see the legendary San Francisco icons on tour. With original bandleader, violinist and vocalist David LaFlamme firmly at the helm, the band today features original It’s A Beautiful Day drummer Val Fuentes, LaFlamme’s wife Linda on lead and backing vocals, and the trio of Rob Espinosa, Toby Gray, and Gary Thomas on guitar, bass & harmonica, and keyboards respectively, all sharing backing vocal duties.
Launching the first set was a smokin’ version of their classic instrumental “Don and Dewey”, after which they were joined by Linda for “Hot Summer Day” as well as a number of tunes new and old, including “Lost In Paradise”, the country-gospel number “Pick Up Sticks”, and the pop-rocker “Who’s Gonna Love Me?” featuring Linda’s voice in a lead role – all three of these featured on the band’s latest album Beyond Dreams (credited to “The David LaFlamme Band” – the reason being a long story of legal wrangling over the ownership of the It’s A Beautiful Day band name which is way beyond the scope of this review). In fact over the course of the evening every song from the new CD was performed. What is most striking about their set are the flawless vocal harmonies, the tight interplay between violin and guitar – often pulling off unison leads and dueling arpeggios, and the impeccably precise work of the rhythm section. A fresh arrangement for “Soapstone Mountain”, seemingly giving more emphasis to the song’s melodic aspects gave new life to the rocker from Marrying Maiden. Throughout LaFlamme built a solid rapport using humor, storytelling and audience interaction. Three more instrumentals were performed in the first set: an extended version of “Bombay Calling”, “Swept Away” from the new disc, and “Grand Camel Suite” from Choice Quality Stuff. An old favorite from album #1 “Girl With No Eyes” was an instant crowd pleaser, as was their 1969 hit “White Bird”, which drew the most audience appreciation due to familiarity.
After a short break, the band was back for their second, shorter set. A couple more songs from recent albums, and then the closing extended instrumental “Santa Cruz”, with its Santana-like feel and plenty of room for everyone in the band to stretch out. The audience demanded an encore, so they came back and offered a new arrangement to “Time Is…”, originally from the first IABD album (this new version was recorded on their new CD), and the crowd ate it up. In all, an excellent performance by seasoned pros that won’t be forgotten anytime soon by those who attended. Their recent tour schedules have mostly taken them through western states (Colorado, Utah, Nevada and California), but If the opportunity permits, by all means see this band!
For more information go to
http://www.davidlaflamme.com
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