George Thorogood and The Destroyers

Newport Music Hall

Columbus, Ohio

12/4/04 

By Rob Kern

Set list: Run Run Rudolph, Who Do You Love, Nighttime, I Drink Alone, One Bourbon One Scotch One Beer, Cocaine Blues, Sweet Little Lady, Haircut, Bad To The Bone, Gearjammer, Move It On Over, The Fixer, You Talk Too Much, Greedy Man, Rockin’ My Life Away. 

Quick show of hands, how many people think Nelly, Linkin Park or Ashlee Simpson will be performing in 2034? Or 2014 for that matter?  Anyone, anyone?  Bueller….Bueller?  The young “artists” of today may just want to take notes as George Thorogood and The Destroyers treated a packed crowd to an energetic performance as part of their 30^th Anniversary tour at the Newport Music Hall, which just happened to be celebrating its 20^th Anniversary. 

George and The Destroyers took the stage in a holiday mood, opening with “Run Run Rudolph” and then launching into a set of some the best-known tunes from their deep catalog of classics.  The enthusiastic crowd cheered the band on as they performed “Who Do You Love” and “Nighttime” while George stalked the stage and played the familiar chords with a fire that most wouldn’t associate with songs that were recorded twenty years earlier.  Long time bassist Bill Blough and drummer Jeff Simon laid down a solid beat during “I Drink Alone” as George teased the ladies, gyrating and thrusting while saxophonist Buddy Leach blasted out a blazing solo. 

George Thorogood and The Destroyers have mastered the art of blues rock bar boogie; if you’ve ever been in a blue-collar bar or tuned into a classic rock FM station for more than an hour, chances are you will hear one of their tunes.  One of the most well known, “One Bourbon, One Scotch, One Beer” was served up to the audience and most of them sang it right back to the band, word for word.  George kept the crowd energized as he led the band through “Cocaine Blues”, “Sweet Little Lady” and “Get A Haircut”.  Guitarist Jim Suhler was given ample opportunity to showcase his nimble fretwork to an appreciative crowd; no egos here as George gave everyone in the band time to shine.  

The hit parade continued as the band turned on the classic “Bad To The Bone”, it may be overplayed on classic rock stations but George and company have more than enough magic to breathe life into it on the stage.  If slide guitar is your fancy, George had it in bucketfuls on “Gearjammer”.  Thick, meaty grooves oozed out as Thorogood worked his guitar during “Move It On Over” then followed it with the slower groove of “The Fixer”.  The band wrapped up the set with the henpecked husband anthem, “You Talk Too Much”, followed by “Greedy Man” and “Rockin’ My Life Away”. 

Thirty years from now, many of today’s top sellers will not even warrant a footnote in the history of music.  Good lord willing and the creeks don’t rise, we’ll all be celebrating George Thorogood and the Destroyers’ 60^th anniversary tour.