LIVE REPORT:
By Gerry Gittelson
Melodicrock.com Los Angeles correspondent
LOS ANGELES -- The American brand of classic glam band Sweet, featuring original bassist Steve Priest, plays just a handful of concerts per year, so it's a rare treat to catch 'em, especially in adopted hometown Los Angeles.
The group with a penchant for ultra-catchy songs performed on before a near-capacity crowd at the Canyon Club, and the performance was a rousing success.
Opening with a nice-and-loud rendition of "Action," Sweet stuck mostly to the hits, and that meant a whopping total of six selections from the band's iconic album "Desolation Boulevard," including "Fox on The Run" and "Ballroom Blitz," the two crowning jewels of the evening.
Singer Joe Retta was terrific. His vocals are about as close to the late Brian Connolly as you're going to get, and wow was the curly-haired American spot-on with "Love Is Like Oxygen" and "Sweet FA." Since joining seven years ago, Retta continues to gain confidence and charmisa, and he now has more panache than before.
Guitarist Mitch Perry joined just recently, replacing Stuart Smith (who has opted to focus only on his band Heaven & Earth), and Perry proved spectacular. He looks, he sounds great, and he's got the perfect rock and roll attitude that screams rockstar.
You've got to have Priest, of course, who will be 68 in February, and the stocky bassist still has a cool vibe in addition to playing well and also offering ocassional lead vocals.
And then there is drummer Richie Onori, among the best in the world. He was bashing for all he was worth on "Set Me Free," followed by "Blockbuster," and the crowd was going crazy.
Keyboardist Stevie Stewart was barefooted and wore a kilt -- which was a little weird -- and in case no would noticed, he continually pranced around the stage.
In all, an extraordinarily successful night for the kings of glam rock. May Sweet live on forever.
