With December being Guitar Month at the Baked Potato, Steve Lukather had a tough act to follow with last week’s Joe Bonamassa Rock Candy Funk Party, but he was more than up to the task with his Nerve Bundle band of Jorgen Carlsson/b, Jeff Babko/keys and Gregg Bissonette/dr taking part in their 8th annual Christmas show, the first after a 3 year absence due to the draconian COVID restrictions.
There were no restrictions opening night, as Lukather, sauntering on stage with the assistance of a cane due to a knee condition was nevertheless in inspired musical form, leading the team through songs ranging from Robin Trower to Franz Gruber.
Each band member brought his own bag of ingredients to the table, with Bissonette riding the whip and driving the stallions with his avalanche of rhythm, Babko creating moods with his various keyboards and humorous tape effects, Carlsson holding the fort down with his relentless pulse, and of course Lukather conjuring up imaginative solos like Dr. Emmett Brown at work in his lab.
Lukather’s guitar seared like roasted chestnuts on an open fire over spacey keys and driving pulse of Mel Torme’s “Christmas Song”. Joking that “all our songs have drums for the intro”, Lukather let Bissonette’s sticks do the talking as they led through the hip soul jazz groove of “Big Bone” with Babko adding some tasty treats.
Even some Toto tunes got into the act, with Lukather mixing clean lines alongside Babko’s blue keys on the ballad “Don’t Stop Now” before Bissonette fired ricochet shots that had the audience ducking for cover as Lukather and Crlsson jabbed and punchd through the funky boogie of “Jake To The Bone”. From his own recent release, Lukather sang and played ‘for all you 70s stoners’ a dark, murky and ominous take of Robin Trower’s “Bridge Of Sighs” . Even more impressive was the first time “live” performance of Babko’s own “Journey Through” from the same release, with Lukather showing why he’s one of the studio studs of our time, bringing out a rich and creative solo on the spot with more ideas than a Mensa seminar on the majestic theme.
After Bissonette and Babko brought out their brass for a festive “Jingle Bells”, Lukather and company closed the set out with a clean, clever and contemporary take of “Silent Night”. Even after a 3 year absence from the famed Potato, Luke still brings the gospel on the Christmas
Also coming up at the Baked Potato is Mike Stern 12/17-18, Groove Legacy 12/19, Donati-Machacek Band 12/27-28, The Cranktones 12/30, Don Randi & Quest NYE, The Lineage Trio 01/02