The Tea Party: Live at the Capital Music Hall: Man, 10 years after their
Splendor Solis debut, these guys are rockin' harder than ever. With medleys made up of Jimi Hendrix, Led Zeppelin,
Tool and the Rolling Stones, this show had something for rock fans of all ages. You know when you just get a feeling about someone? That they're bringing a wealth of knowledge to the table, even when they're barely contributing? I got that feeling about Jeff Martin that night, more so than any of the other times I've seen him. He radiates a love, a respect, an understanding of the rock 'n' roll experience like few musicians I've seen live (
Gordie Johnson and
Tom Wilson also come to mind). Where the first band - I have no idea who they were - was nervous and rushed, and the second band -
Turn Off The Stars - had no sense of where the audience was or how to pace their set - to say nothing of their boring rehash of what I loved about U2 - the Tea Party took us on an amazing ocean voyage, riding beautiful wave after wave.
When the lead singer just casually changes instruments in the middle of songs, letting the bass or drums pick up the slack, you know you're listening to someone in their element, completely comfortable with leading the night. Martin convinced me that the experience was unique, even as I was telling myself that, logically, he has similarly captivated many an audience over the last 10 years. That is no small feat.
