Derek Trucks Band and Robert Randolph

My first visit to The Palace in Melbourne. I wasn't quite sure what to expect as made my way there. I was hoping for some seats and didnt find any. The venue is a dance club, therefore, lots of room to dance hardly any place to sit. I found a long seat, sort of like a sofa without a back and spent most of the night there.

The two bands were really chalk and cheese.

Robert Randolph   Derek Trucks Band  
 

Band lineup:

  • Lap steel/pedal steel
  • Bass
  • Drums
  • Guitar
  • One female backup singer
 

Band Lineup:

  • Bottle-neck guitar
  • Bass
  • Keyboard
  • Two drummers
  • Two backup singers
  • One female singer/guitarist
 

This band rocks! They involved the audience and even had a dozen women dancing on stage for one song.

For the audiences entertainment Robert moved on the drummer, the drummer moved on the Bass player and the Bass player played pedal steel. In the next song Robert moved on the bass player, who moved onto the lap steel, and the lap steel player played the drums. All good fun.

The only limitation of sorts is that Robert had to sit down to play his instrument, but every now and then he'd jump up, grab the microphone and whip up the audience.

Roberts quite versatile in his sound from straight pedal steel, to distorted pedal steel and the wah-wah. Robert would drop in riffs from Thriller and Voodoo Chile.

 

This band, given the strong rhythm section didn't rock!
Susan probably spoke ten sentances all night.
Derek didn't speak a word, didn't acknowledge the audience at any time and was his usual persona: Very good but detached.

Those who came for Derek's technical skills would have been well pleased. Those who wanted to dance missed out and became distracted as did people at the back who started talking to each other for the lack of a beat.

One unusual aspect was that Derek was promoting his new CD which wasn't available just yet. You could pick up an I.O.U. for the CD.

The band played Manic Depression, but it became to technical in the midle losing its drive.

Caught up with a few people I haven't seen for awhile. Tony Martin from Accent, Ken McTaggert and a guy (can't remember his name) who I used to work with and is a huge Derek Trucks fan. He even has the same set up: The SG, slide, etc.

During the last few songs I made my way to the front and noticed that not all of the band was coming through the front-of-house speakers. Derek of course was, but the Keyboard and Bass players weren't?

Not too sure of the double drummers. Looks good, but for some reason didn't drive the band.

Had a great night!