By John Johnson. photos by Chaz Dykes
When I was offered the chance to review the Dokken with Lynch Mob show at Ferg’s I was torn. I always have a great time at Ferg’s Concert Courtyard so that was not in question. No, I was conflicted because on one side I knew that George Lynch was going to be solid. He always backs himself with a tight band and singer, and at 71 is still in great physical shape and can most definitely play the guitar. On the other hand, his sometime nemesis, and past vocalist partner Don Dokken has been known to be somewhat of a diva and sadly doesn’t quite pull off the vocal duties like he once did. So, I wasn’t sure if it was going to be worth the hike to St. Pete from Lutz. Then everything changed when I heard that DEEP was going to be opening the show and there was no doubt that I was going to be attending.
The evening wasn’t quite as hot as it’s been on recent nights so that was a plus. The staff at Ferg’s was as accommodating and pleasant as usual and the near capacity crowd (roughly 1,500) were all settled in and ready to rock.
Promptly at 7pm DEEP took the stage, and I don’t believe anyone was quite prepared for what was about to go down. DEEP is a four piece group from the Bay Area consisting of local rock stars and this was their debut live performance. On drums, the amazing Frank Richardson III, better known as Third, is captivatingly cool behind the kit. Supporting him on the low-end is Lemonjello Whataboutit (probably not his real name) with his not so subtle low slung bass swagger. Handling guitars and part-time vocal duties is St. Pete Sons own Billy Wells, or Willy Bells depending on his mood. Leading this troupe of heavy hitters on lead vocals and road worn, intensely loved sax is Ronnie Dee. Yes, Ronnie Dee of The Superstars fame, host and creator of Deep Inside the Music and part of the Tampa Bay Music News family.
Some of us that remember Dee Force from “back in the day”, and those more current that have seen the Superstars know that Ronnie Dee is a “force” to be reckoned with regardless of who he’s fronting. But the attendees that had come to see Lynch Mob and Dokken may not have been prepared. Especially when they see a guy with a mohawk, asymmetrical sunglasses and purple shorts run to the mic, sax in hand, informing them that they are about to witness their new favorite band. Now I’m not sure how anyone else felt after, but Mr. Dee may have been correct in his succinct assumption, because I freaking love this band. Although their set was only a paltry five songs, they filled every second with super funky ear, and eye candy. Honey Girl, Ronnie’s beloved saxophone, was being fed through a pedal board with wah-wah distortion, and grungy effects, and rarely sounded like a sax at all. Dee’s wide vocal range was on full display, with Wells’ deeper, scratchy tone jibing at just the right time. Even though their space was limited, Dee covered it from front to back and side to side, Honey Girl hanging on for the ride. Lemonjello and Third in perfect march with one another, with the latter artfully splattering tasty drum fills with style. The all original set consisted of songs with titles like opener “I Ain’t Lyin’”, “The Hustle is Real” and “A.I.” to the more in your face tunes “Motorboat” and “Mind Fucker”. It was a non-stop barrage of angst filled funk-rock, delivered masterfully by a quartet of living cartoon characters. If the Banana Splits (look it up kids) were “alive” today and actually knew how to play their respective instruments, they’d be DEEP. When they were done, they might not have been everyone’s “favorite” band as declared by Ronnie Dee at the start, but judging by the crowd reactions and murmuring afterward, they most certainly left an indelible mark. And I for one look forward to going DEEP again as soon as possible. Giggity.
At roughly 8:20, Lynch Mob hit the stage, and George Lynch and company were exactly what I expected as mentioned in the beginning. The three players he has backing him on this tour were polished and tight. You’d have to be to keep up with Lynch. The tall, slender Jaron Gulino on bass and super charismatic drummer who I can not seem to find the identity of. Strangely enough, Lynch introduced them after the first song and he didn’t seem to know his name either. I’m only mostly kidding. But long time collaborator and Lynch Mob vocalist Andrew Freeman was in top form. He may be small in stature, but he makes up for it with his control and sheer power. The nine song set was packed with post hair-metal ditties. Standouts were “Sweet Sister Mercy”, “Machine Bone” and the Dokken cover “Mr. Scary”, all with massively projected graphics to match. It was set closer “Wicked Sensation” that got most of the congregation to their feet. The now sweaty quartet threw in a little Sly and the Family Stone for good measure. With a head of gray hair, a physique that rivals most half his age, Lynch still looks like he’s having a good time up there. His riffs were loud, crunchy and unmistakably George Lynch, delivering plenty of the attitude the fans came for.
Many had also come for Dokken, obviously. Sadly, this is where the waiting game began. Do you recall, all the way back to the beginning of this writeup, when I mentioned that I was torn about covering Dokken. As a refresher, it was due to the fact that he has been known to be quite the diva and as of late, may not perform as he once did. Unfortunately I was right in my assumption, as Mr. D was supposed to start at 9:30 but didn’t waltz on stage until 10:35. As cool as Ferg’s is to hangout at and enjoy crowd participation songs being played over the PA like “Bohemian Rhapsody” “Don’t Stop Believin’” and the like, the majority was ready for Donny when they expected him. Kudos to the staff at Ferg’s for appeasing the audience and making an uncomfortable situation less-so. I also felt for the band, because by the time they came out, the boos and middle fingers were already flying about. The three musicians sounded great as they began with an extended intro to “Kiss of Death”. I mention the extended part because Dokken hadn’t made it up the stairs yet and could be seen taking selfies with back-stage VIP’s. Regardless of downtown St. Pete’s sound ordinance, which I believe is a very loose 11pm, Dokken played a 13 song set. And although he’s been very candid about his opinion of his former bandmate, look it up, George Lynch came out to shred on the last three songs of the night. I’ll end it there and consider this one of those “if you can’t say something nice…” moments.
My takeaway from the event. Ferg’s Courtyard is a blast to see concerts at, Lynch Mob adeptly brings the rock, and DEEP is a band that you all should witness asap. Also, Dokken was there, eventually.
Now. Go Out and See, Hear and Feel Live Music.
