As a companion piece to the awesome review and video provided the other day by the King of All That is ATV; I, the Stereo Dictator, am pleased to bring you Robert Cray live from Philadelphia.
Harken back to 1987 when blues was experiencing a revival of sorts. On FM radio, you could hear new music from Stevie Ray Vaughan, the Fabulous Thunderbirds, Mason Ruffner, Johnny Winter and others as they fit nicely alongside of what was to become classic rock. The door was open and Robert Cray was walking on through.
Cray had five albums under his belt by this time, including an acclaimed live collaboration with Johnny Copeland and Albert Collins called Showdown! which was released on Alligator Records, the home for dozens of legendary and otherwise blues artists.
His most recent work at this point was 1986’s Strong Persuader, a breakout piece that featured two songs destined to become staples of the Cray catalog: “Smokin’ Gun” and “Right Next Door (Because of Me).” Cray was riding a wave of popularity that cemented his career and enabled him to release 14 more albums over the next 25 years with no foreseeable end in sight.
Can you remember what you were doing on April 26, 1987? Me neither, so at least this gives us some perspective. Get your blues hat on and head down to the Tower Theater for an hour plus of Robert Cray and see if your memory improves any.
SETLIST
Phone Booth
Bad Influence
More Than I Could Stand
T-Bone Shuffle
False Accusations
I Guess I Showed Her
Foul Play
Right Next Door (Because of Me)
Playin’ in the Dirt
Too Many Cooks
Smokin’ Gun
The Crawl