Tommy James and the Shondells - Rialto Square Theater, Joliet, Illinois, 3/3/2023

  by Lisa Torem

published: 26 / 4 / 2023

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The Rialto Square Theater built in 1926 had formerly been a vaudeville movie palace. Boasting examples of Greek, Roman and Byzantine architecture, the lavish, gilded venue is unarguably a beacon of Joliet’s premiere entertainment district. For Paul Hulka, of the state of Michigan, seeing Tommy James and The Shondells on a chilly Friday night was a dream come true: “I finally got to do the two things on my bucket list: go to the Rialto and see Tommy James…you know, check it off,” he gesticulated, over a steaming plate of hash browns at the Route 66 diner the morning after the show. But prior to the concert, another fan confided: “I want to hear the hits – I hope Tommy is still up to it.” Both fans got wishes granted. Tommy James was in consistently great voice at this long--awaited concert and the iconic Rialto Theater provided the perfect ambience. ‘Karen’ freestyle danced as the band rocked. “I don’t know anyone here,” she told me. “I just came to have fun. I love the music.” In honour of Marcia Grabowski’s birthday, she, and her husband, Ray, of Roselle, Illinois, were gifted last-minute tickets. Ray talked enthusiastically about their night out: “We were Tommy James fans. His music always reminds us of when we were able to do things. I was glad to hear, ‘Gettin’ Together’ because that song reminded me of when I first met Tommy in July of 1966. I met him on a date. Tommy James and The Shondells (with Chad and Jeremy, Martha and The Vandellas, etc.) played the World Teenage Show at the original McCormick Place in Chicago. It was funny because we had walked outside to have a cigarette and he was there. The girl that I was with asked me, ‘Would you wear those boots?’ Tommy had gold boots on. I said, ‘Not unless I was onstage.’ Sure enough, who walks up onstage? This guy!” Ray affirmed that the highlight was simply “hearing the music live.” He added: “Tommy always had a great voice. As for tonight, I liked the way he put the two keyboards together. He played an acoustic version of ‘I Think We’re Alone Now’. The people, they were all into it. The Shondells were great and we were all glad that there was no snow.” Ray was referring to earlier meteorologist warnings that a severe winter storm would be approaching. As such, fingers remained crossed throughout the day of the show, especially since the concert appearance had been cancelled last November when illness struck. To offset any problems, the band had arrived a day earlier, but fans still grit teeth, as menacing rain and grey clouds loomed over Joliet’s main thoroughfare. Miraculously, however, the sky cleared and drizzle evaporated. Fans, at that point, were understandably ecstatic. Singer and acoustic guitarist Joe Cantafio’s energizing support act included ‘Here Comes The Sun,’ ‘House of the Rising Sun,’ ‘Pinball Wizard’ and ‘I’m Proud to Be An American.’ After a brief break, The Shondells claimed the stage, with John Golden on lead guitar and vocals, Greg Smith on bass guitar and vocals, Jonathan Ashe on rhythm guitar and vocals, Benny Harrison on Hammond B-3 and vocals, Mike DiMeo on keyboards, synth and vocals and drummer Glenn Wyka, followed by a beaming Tommy James. Fans rose swiftly from their seats to applaud. James wore a colourful vest over a long, white shirt, dark slacks and his signature boots. The first song, ‘Draggin’ The Line’ featured an evocative guitar solo by Golden, whose white-hot electric guitar shimmered under wavering lights. Holding court under the spotlight, James acknowledged the stress of the day: “We were predicting a snow storm,” he exhaled. But in that same breath, he forewarned the audience that he’d be leaving centre stage mid-set: “I’m just gonna kiss everybody…” For ‘Crystal Blue Persuasion,’ Wyka kicked up the heat on his kit. A swirling light display followed. Harrison broadcast brooding blasts from his masculine Hammond B3 against Smith’s spitfire bassline. Finally, the outro. commenced at warp speed. ‘Say I Am,’ (What I Am), a revival meeting on steroids, was threaded with honeyed harmonies, hefty oohs and ahs and Ashe’s jangly guitar riffs. Fresh from the vaults, the song was played live for the first time back in 1967. ‘Gettin’ Together’ brought back memories of youthful, romantic love affairs and foreshadowed another superior lead from musical director Golden. James then showcased his acoustic guitar, mugging Johnny Cash doing ‘I Walk The Line,’ before dishing about acclaimed memoir, ‘Me, The Mob and The Music.’ He summed up the sturm und drang that the book detailed and concluded with a statement of positivity: “It’s a thrill and an honour watching it come together,” he concluded, sharing the news that a new film and musical about his life are in-the-works. The award-winning artist also revealed that two-thirds of the book was devoted to scary, tumultuous goings-on and that despite much success, he’d had to endure the “dark and sinister”… “Doing this book was very therapeutic for me,” James admitted before elaborating about the process. Originally, James and co-author Martin Fitzpatrick had discussed writing a lighter story about songs, such as ‘Crimson and Clover’ that tipped the scales and became gold records. But the deeper story couldn’t be contained. “It was a mixed bag,” James explained. He talked quietly about his next number, ‘I Think We’re Alone Now.’ “It’s a very different way of doing the song,” James said. He explained that this alternative version will appear along with the closing credits when James’s memoir flashes on the giant screen, and as his relationship with label owner, Morris Levy, gets fleshed out. Of course, fans know the song as a thrumming pop standard, so hearing James perform it as a touching ballad was an unexpected treat. The next song, ‘Ball of Fire’ found James diving into a truly emotional space over a minor-tinged progression. His voice has never sounded better. ‘Tighter, Tighter’ exploded with Wyka’s solid beats, the group’s mesmerizing harmonies and DiMeo’s soulful synth. Come ‘Crimson and Clover,’ James took awesome liberties with the phrasing that tried and true fans recollect from the recording. Harrison’s powerful B3 solo took my breath away. Golden’s electric guitar solo broke the wall of sound as strobe lights swirled above sightlines and front row hands waved over heads. Of course, no concert would be complete without The Shondells hammering out early hit, ‘Hanky Panky’ (The Raindrops). Bassist Smith convincingly came into his own, with his personality coming into full-throttle, and with James finessing the final chord. ‘I Think We’re Alone Now,’ reminiscent of the gold-standard version, was then performed with a throbbing percussive sound. ‘Do Something to Me,’ featuring Wyka’s industrial-strength drum solo, ushered in a compelling modulation. Fans had begun shouting out requests for ‘Mony Mony’ (from the album of the same name) from the start. So, when the first blistering bars rang out, there were shouts of excitement. This vivacious party song has been covered by the likes of Melissa Etheridge, Meat Loaf, John Mellencamp, Bruce Springsteen, Jerry Lee Lewis and Billy Idol, among others. James eagerly unstrapped his guitar and glanced downstage at the sea of hopeful faces. “We want you to help us keep it in the groove,” James shouted, pacing the stage. Then, like a flash of lightning, the statesman slipped into the gathering crowd, as Golden and Smith led the group instrumentally. James kept his promise. He embraced swooning fans, posed for portrait shots and signed the random signature. Once back onstage, the encore included country hit, ‘Sweet Cherry Wine’ from ‘Cellophane Symphony.’ Synth master, DiMeo, killed it on the Kronos. And with the pleaser ‘Mirage,’ this magical evening came to an end. Photos by Rob Grabowski

Band Links:-

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tommy_James_and_the_Shondells
https://www.tommyjames.com/
https://www.facebook.com/TJandtheShondells
https://twitter.com/TJShondellls

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