The Pete Best Band @ Wilmington

Now one week into their 2007 Fall Tour, the Pete Best Band smoked the packed second floor audience at Kelly's Logan House on Thursday, October 4 in Delaware. This visit being their third to Wilmington; each time the PBB appears, the crowd capacity eclipses the previous performance.

Cutting through the shoulder-to-shoulder throng, the PBB members were dressed in matching sharp black suits. Gearing up for another sweltering gig, the PBB launched into the familiar "Slow Down", but the group was anything but slow. Immediately, Logan House was moving to the grooves of the PBB.

The infectious drive of "One After 909", an example of an early Lennon composition eventually released in 1970, never fails to entertain. Although milder in tempo, the tender tones of "P.S. I Love You" is not to be discounted. Ballads written by the Fabs remind us just how talented those young Brits really were.

Both the rousing "Besame Mucho" and inclusion of the witty "Three Cool Cats" provide the PBB an opportunity to spice up their performance with the subtle humor found in these golden gems. Melia sang lead on two back-to-back solid Lennon & McCartney originals, "Hello Little Girl" and "Like Dreamers Do". These songs featured Pete Best on drums, recorded during a January 1962 Decca audition.

Parry first sang the mellow "Till There Was You" and followed that with a passionate rendition of "Long Tall Sally", displaying his remarkable versatility as a vocalist. Not to be outdone, Flynn took his turn on lead vocals with "Rock And Roll Music", challenging Parry for outstanding vocal recognition.

The lone instrumental in the PBB's concert cannon is "Cry For A Shadow", a 1961 Harrison & Lennon collaboration that showcases Melia on guitar. Pete Best was reintroduced to step forward and greet the enthusiastic fans. Clearly comfortable on stage, Pete enticed the crowd to act rowdy. Best spoke about recording "My Bonnie" in Hamburg and invited the audience to assist the group on the chorus.

Parry delivered an incendiary version of "Lucille", a welcome addition to the PBB setlist. Macca himself sang this classic rocker supported by the Rockestra line-up and released on Concerts for the People of Kampuchea in 1981. Hopefully, those forgotten vinyl recordings will find their way onto compact disc on day soon.

Flynn's vocals edged out his companions' harmonies during "You Really Got A Hold On Me". This new number went down exceedingly well with the audience. The energetic "Some Other Guy", sung by Flynn, agitated the audience. That enduring Liverpool staple had Wilmington twitching and twisting to the beat.

The musical impact of "I Saw Her Standing There" is predictably consistent. As Parry took charge on vocals, pandemonium ensued with this optimistic Beatlemania anthem. Nobody was able to simply stand still while the PBB pounded out the motivational rocker.

Winding down, the PBB hammered out a stellar romp through "Twist And Shout". Parry belted out the medley "Kansas City/Hey Hey Hey Hey" with the crowd hollering back on the lyric. Teasing the audience at the mike, Pete exclaimed, "You swine!", upon consenting to an encore. The animated "Johnny B. Goode" brought a close to a fantastic evening of Merseybeat memories that no one wanted to end.

Tony Mowen guitarist and vocalist for The Inflatable Dates, which appeared on the bill as the opening act, also promoted the PBB appearance. He and his band had opened at last year's PBB date. Mowen worked hard at building a crowd for the concert. Even Dave Rode, venue owner from Club 66 where the PBB are performing on Oct 5 in neighboring Maryland, planted himself right up against the stage to enjoy the lengthy set.

Pete Best has a tight touring unit that advances beyond recreating the embryonic sound of the early Fabs. Complimented by younger brother Roag Best on drums, the pair embellishes the aural impression of the PBB live. Bassist Paul Parry, lead guitarist Phil Melia and rhythm guitarist Tony Flynn all share harmony vocals together. Each singer takes the lead individually on vocals, adding variety to the show and their own unique professional presentation.

If you have remained on the sidelines wondering what the buzz is regarding the Pete Best Band, make a point to check out their touring calendar and pick a date nearby to go see the group in concert. The PBB members do not bite, but they do enjoy toasting their audiences with a round of Tequila shots.

www.PeteBest.net reported that the PBB have been hard at work in between tours to complete their much anticipated new studio album. The lads have been sequestered inside the Casbah Club recording studio, focused on finishing a final product that will command attention beyond average PBB fans. Targeted for a 2008 release, keep an ear out for this first new PBB studio album in almost a decade.

Wilmington setlist: Slow Down * What I'd Say * One After 909 * Please Mister Postman * P.S. I Love You * Roll Over Beethoven * Besame Mucho * Ain't She Sweet * Three Cool Cats * Hello Little Girl * Like Dreamers Do * Till There Was You * Long Tall Sally * Rock And Roll Music * Money * Cry For A Shadow * My Bonnie * Lucille * You Really Got A Hold On Me * Sweet Georgia Brown * Some Other Guy * I Saw Her Standing There * Twist And Shout * Kansas City/Hey, Hey, Hey, Hey * Encore: Johnny B. Goode

RockonTour Issue #73
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