Concert Review -- Little Feat
Montgomery, Alabama October 3, 2004

 Little Feat came calling on Sunday night, October 3 to headline the Alabama Jazz & Blues Federation’s River Jam at Montgomery’s Union Station Train Shed.  And the Snapper Snatchers were on hand as official sponsors.  The Feat did us proud!

Formed in 1969 (a particularly superb year) by LA-based slide guitar genius Lowell George, Little Feat has been one of Rock’s enduring institutions.  And while the big guy died 25 years ago (incredibly hard to believe), the band has never missed a beat – it’s long-time members are still playing to happy audiences around the globe and the Feat cult lives on.   Paul Barrere took over as front man in 1979 and he still burns up the stage with amazing guitar work and righteous vocals.  The other half of the complimentary guitar assault is Feat veteran Fred Tackett and he’s badder than ever too.  On the Korg keyboards is yet another famous Little Feat mainstay -- Bill Payne.  It’s no wonder why he’s been one of rock’s most in-demand recording artists of all time.  Watching him is like discovering “Rick Wakeman for bikers” -- majestic coolness in abundance.  The Feat rhythm section is just as awesome – a band couldn’t help but be great with Richie Hayward on drums & vocals, Sam Clayton on percussion & vocals, and Kenny Gradney on bass guitar. All three of these lifelong Featsters were allowed to solo and get the crowd genuinely pumped up.  Rounding out the lineup was vocalist Shaun Murphy, a dark-haired Detroit gal who more than held her own with the guys.  And while it seemed odd at first to see this particular band with a female singer, Shaun won over the crowd with her loud and very soulful pipes. 

Opening up with Hate to Lose Your Lovin’ (originally sung by ex-Pure Prairie League’s Craig Fuller for 1988’s Let It Roll album), Shaun & Paul immediately got the old train shed jumping.  The Feat Heads made it down front to shimmy, the sun went down for good, and the party started.  After a couple of less familiar songs, I was ready for them to play a few of my favorites.  About the time I finished that thought, Kenny’s big bass resonated some classic notes. Having listened to 1974’s Feats Don’t Fail Me Now at least a jillion times, I recognized that immortal paean to juke joints, Spanish Moon.   The Feat nailed it and then some.  If they had left the stage after that song, I would have been happy.  Fortunately, the best was yet to come.  All the stops were pulled out for Fat Man in the Bathtub, clearly the best live musical moment Montgomery has seen in a long, long time.  Barrere and Tackett wailed on their Strats, wild-eyed Payne smoked his hot piano, the drums and congas were louder than the passing Southern Pacific, and Kenny was thumping that bass like a madman.  “I hear ya moan…..” Fantastic guys!  Right in the middle of the song, they segued into Bob Marley’s anthem Get Up Stand Up.  While I haven’t exactly felt downtrodden and disenfranchised lately, it kinda fired me up too.  If the group knew that some of these boogie monsters down front were Bushies, they’d probably croak.  Oh well……..

Other notable tunes for the evening included Skin It Back, Rad Gumbo, Let It Roll, and a near-agonizingly long version of Dixie Chicken.  The band noodled their way thru parts of the show, featuring Fred on the trumpet, among other lapses.  All in all, however, Little Feat delivered a super live show for us all.  Time loves these heroes!    GD