Robby Krieger Band - City Winery, Chicago, 13/6/2024

  by Lisa Torem

published: 19 / 12 / 2024

Robby Krieger incited a standing ovation before the band even got started. Once settled in, the quartet set a casual tone, with the former Doors’ guitarist and songwriter extraordinaire singing along to a streaming Lotte Lenya track—a good choice. After all, the late Doors’ front man, Jim Morrison, had been an admirer of the Three Penny Opera composers who featured Lenya in recordings. That said, ‘Alabama Song (Whiskey Bar)’ from 1927’s ‘Little Mahogany’ took the band in a new direction; they also resonated with ‘Pirate Jenny’ and ‘Mack the Knife.’ Tonight, the audience got a taste of The Doors’ music through the eras. Singer Dan Rothchild has the charisma of a youthful Mick Jagger, save for the black, curly locks. He displayed a visceral love for the famed rock group’s repertoire. As did Morrison, he boasts a gusty baritone and full-on stage confidence. Unlike Morrison, he flits from raucous to deliriously sweet at the drop of a hat. Let’s stop the comparisons there--Dan brought a freshness to the songs that was completely his own. ‘Break On Through,’ with its rebellious underbelly was a brilliant opener. Krieger, wielding the first, of a series of guitars, was fired up on all pistons. Dan ripped through that legendary bass line without a glitch as he pored through the vocal narrative, with Krieger supplying his own vocal response. Simultaneously, Krieger concentrated on the high notes when soloing. While his style is imaginative, it’s hard to pinpoint, probably because his background has been so diverse. He started out as a flamenco instrumentalist, became a sitar afficionado and has consistently enjoyed the challenges of jazz. His skill at slide guitar is phenomenal; hearing him perform this technique on non-blues material was impressive. Drummer Ty Dennis, who has played in all Doors’ post-Jim Morrison iterations made sure his 23- inch bass drum provided punctuation and would not be outdone. Kreiger introduced ‘Love her Madly’ with great affection. He smiled as he announced that the band would be “faithful to the records” tonight. Dan, like a wolf howling at the moon, sang this hard-driving ballad with gut punch sincerity. ‘My Eyes Have Seen You’ was a definitive contrast. Through his guitar work, Krieger brought home a crystal-clear twang and tonality, as he master-minded a myriad of effects. Dan Rothchild’s vocals conveyed pure grit. ‘Moonlight Drive’ featured a great deal more of Robby’s mesmerizing slide work. The glitter of his strap reflected on his deep red axe was a standout. It’s a song he treasures. He commented that the song came to life during one of The Doors’ very first rehearsals. “Surrender to the waking world” was one of many poetic images that made this song pop. Talk about some serious riffing! ‘Wild Child’ burst into flames with Ed Roth’s bleating organ against Krieger’s haunting effects. Interplay between Krieger and the band was exciting. Krieger proudly announced that this day represented the 54th Anniversary of ‘The Soft Parade.’ He explained that the band was excited about performing songs from The Door’s fourth studio album because it didn’t garner as much press as other works. This unusual song starts out with the mocking of a preacher’s speech and is followed with a gorgeous instrumental and unison singing. Krieger said that ‘Love Me Two Times’ was “the second song I wrote for the Doors.” It was a great ensemble piece, with Dennis’ above-par fills; with every eye on Krieger as he pulsed on that iconic riff. Krieger recollected: “That was going to be a hit single and that week, Miami happened. We couldn’t play for six months. After the show, the cops went upstairs and had beers with us.” Krieger’s reference was to a time in which Morrison was wrongly accused of indecent exposure. Regardless, The Doors got banned from performing in major U.S. clubs for a spell. Thankfully, however, they made good use of that down time by writing and recording. In fact, over the course of the classic rock band’s era, the musicians carved out six stunning albums in a span of only about four years. The title song from ‘Waiting for the Sun’ was dreamy and roller coaster erratic, flanked with rhythm and counter-culture appeal. ‘The Changeling’ was a joyous return to thunderous organ. A massive energy cycled through a crafty modulation, with thrilling double-time at the outro. it’s a fierce song about standing strong and reclaiming one’s identity: “I’ve never been so broke that I couldn’t leave town.” ‘Touch me’ was set against a bullrush of percussion and rich organ. Then, Krieger faced the crowd and invited us to hear something “dusted off and waiting for you,” a song that “rarely gets played.’ This audience, had done their homework, I surmised, through the knowing glances. ‘The Soft Parade’ album which enjoyed Top Ten fame, lauded ‘Touch Me.’ ‘People Are Strange’ contained a great mash-up of harmonies and sensibilities. But while the band played at the highest level, they also seemed keen to share messages: Said Ed Roth, the organist: “This book is timeless. We should give Ray Manzarek some real, real love. If you hear something Ray Manzarek plays on, you know. it’s Ray Manzarek.” Glancing at the Hall of Famer: “If you hear Robby Krieger play, you know, it’s Robby Krieger.” ‘When the Music’s Over’ featured a sprawling intro. on organ and dynamite drum fills. Regarding guitar, Krieger’s solo work echoed the lead vocals with hypnotic clusters. The words, simple at the start, moved along full-force as the song progressed poetically. ‘Love Street’ has a mystique; a satisfying melancholia. As for ‘City of Lights,’ street cred and cold cement crept beneath the narrative. The audience grew attentively silent when ‘L.A. Woman’ retreated into the slow boiling ‘Mr. Mojo Rising’ chant. ‘Riders on the Storm’ was another chance to hear sterling organ and unabandoned guitar work. The band stretched the ballad out for a luxuriously long time. Prior to the last encore, ‘Light My Fire,’ Krieger joked, “…First song I ever wrote, and it’s been downhill ever since.” Krieger’s melodic contribution for one of their greatest, and most covered hits was spiked with a spectrum of electronic add-ons. In fact, ‘Light My Fire’ from their self-titled 1967 album foreshadowed a series of same-decade follow-ups: ‘Strange Days,’ ‘Waiting for The Sun’ and ‘The Soft Parade.’ ‘Morrison Hotel’ and ‘L.A. Woman’ then created a sonic storm in the 70s. Tonight, their live version of ‘Light My Fire’ was a fantastic sendoff. And, no, “you couldn’t get much higher.” The Robby Krieger Band’s magnificent show rekindled memories and rocked the Chicago City Winery hardcore. Keep in mind that Robby Krieger is concurrently working on other projects. With The Soul Savages, he has recorded stellar instrumentals. He is also promoting his paintings. Photos by Chris Torem

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