Okee dokee folks… Back in May I saw Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass at Veterans Auditorium in Providence. That show was so amazing that I had to see it again! Fortunately, just up the road in Worcester, The Hanover Theatre had the Herb Alpert & The Tijuana Brass & Other Delights concert booked for August 2nd!
I have loved Herb Alpert’s music since the ’60s but had never witnessed him performing live. When I first decided to go to the concert I was a bit concerned because he was 91 years old. I have attended many advanced-age-legends concerts and sometimes they are no longer fit for the stage. I also thought it would likely be only a 75-minute show. I was wrong on both topics. Alpert danced out onto the stage and tore right into “The Lonely Bull.” I had goosebumps. Those goosebumps lasted all evening. They played for about 15 minutes going from one song to the next with hardly a breath between. At the first pause Alpert grabbed a microphone and told folks how happy he was to still be playing music. Throughout the night he would tell stories about the songs and his 65+ year career as a musician and a record label owner (A&M). Projected behind the band and off to either side were screens that played videos of Alpert performing at various stages in his career as well as related footage that his music was used for. These added more nostalgia to the music played. Some of the highlights of the night were: “Spanish Flea,””Tijuana Taxi,””What Now My Love,””Casino Royale,” and “Ladyfingers.” Extended versions of “Rise,” and “A Taste of Honey,” brought the audience to their feet. His number one hit,”This Guy’s in Love with You,” had the crowd singing along to Alpert’s only vocal performance of the show. It was truly a treat to hear him perform this one live.
The 6-piece band – keys/vibes, guitar, bass, trumpet, and trombone – was made up of very gifted musicians who were given the opportunity to shine, and shine they did, several times during the show. Many times during the night I overheard people around me saying things like, “I can’t believe how good this is!” or “This is great!” They weren’t wrong. The near capacity crowd gave Herb Alpert SEVERAL standing ovations during the-close-to-two-hour show. At the end of the set Alpert danced off stage playing his trumpet followed by the two horn players who were banging a tambourine and shakers. The lights came on but the audience continued with the applause. He had already played 20 minutes of encores! It’s not often that I will see a performer twice while on the same tour. I haven’t done this in decades. I have to be immensely moved by the music to get tickets twice. This was one of those rare exceptions. I told folks about this show an issue or two ago and I hope some listened. I know that I heard some in the audience say they were at the Providence show as well. This was just one of those musical experiences that one cherishes. I have mentioned the Hanover Theatre in Worcester a few times but it honestly is a great place to see all types of shows. Worcester is less than an hour from its sister city, Providence. Since I have discovered this theatre I have kept it on my radar, you should add it to yours. For more, beat on over to: thehanovertheatre.org
That’s it for now. You can listen to my podcasts at motifri.com/rootsreportpodcast and find my photographs at motifri.com/fuzeksfotos. Thanks for reading and listening. johnfuzek.com