BCC live in Washington, DC, USA

Sure, I bought the first BCC disc and read all the press clippings...had yet to buy the second disc and figured I would pick up a copy at the show; how cool is it to get your first taste of the new material in a live setting?

Beyond chrome plated cool....

A twinge of uncertainty as I got to the club around 1730..there were only a handful of people out front. And it stayed like that until 1830...then the bus pulled up and the line quickly stretched down the block! I was right up front about 3 feet from the barrier...the 9:30 Club filled up fast and there were whispers that the show had indeed sold out. As the strains of "Ride Of The Valkyries" filled the darkened room and the guys took the stage you knew you were in for a wild ride...

Better hang on!

They guys burst out of the blocks with "Black Country" like world class sprinters. They culled the body of the set from the two CD's and the new material really DELIVERS... go look elsewhere for a sophomore jinx! There were nods to "All Right Now", "Rock And Roll", "Stratus" (my jaw hit the floor here!) and "Won't Get Fooled Again" during the jamming sections. The only nods to their solo roots were "The Ballad Of John Henry" and "Burn"....when your material is that strong you don't have to look back!

Glenn and Jason are a monstrous rhythm section with Glenn matching Jason's intensity and running with him shoulder to shoulder. Derek got to flex his chops during his solo section and was placed fairly out front in the mix. I had heard about Joe over the years but never understood the fuss until last night....now I get it. Sure, he can rock but there is that earthy blues feel underneath that gives his playing gut power and warmth. There were two guys standing behind me who were huge fans of Joe's; they were chatting away about his gear....The audience was singing along...they knew the material new and old....Man...this show ranks up with my Top 5 for sure!

Oh yeah...that Hughes kid can sing a mean tune as well...

I didn't hang out afterwards; a fitfull nights' sleep the night before and flying back from NY in the morning made for a long day...also the Metro stops running at midnight! But you know what? I got EVERY cent worth...bought a signed copy of the new CD and listened to it in the car on the drive home from the Metro station....and it is fantastic!!

Take a bow guys....you deserved it...Thanks for a monumental evening!!

A few shots from the show....

A few more from the show...enjoy!!

Nice shots, Bill!