By John Johnson, photos by Chaz Dykes of Chaz D Photography

Having had the honor of interviewing John Waite earlier in the week, I knew it was going to be a good night the moment I walked into the sold-out Nancy and David Bilheimer Capitol Theatre. The historic gem nestled at the end of Cleveland Street in downtown Clearwater was the perfect venue to enjoy an artist like Mr. Waite. Not only because the dapper Englishman hasn’t lost a step vocally, and the acoustics…but because the staff at all Ruth Eckerd run stages are above reproach. Shout out to Katie. I’ll preserve her last name anonymity out of deep respect, but if you know, you know.

We entered the lobby, and felt that low, happy buzz in the room, the kind that only happens when everyone there *knows* they’re about to hear songs that soundtracked their lives. From early Babys pop hits, to late 80’s Bad English tunes, sprinkled with his illustrious solo material, John Waite has a way of penning ear worms and has sung them masterfully for 50 plus years.

But first, local bay area and southeast United States legend Greg Billings was slated to open the show. Greg, I can comfortably call him by his first name as we have been friends for 30 some odd years, not to mention he played my 50th birthday party on my pool deck eleven years ago, was now decked out in a black sport coat with red bandana around his neck. For a guy who is usually more comfortable in shorts, fishing tee and Titleist cap, he had no problem taking on the crowd solo, in his sharp tailored ensemble. Whether or not he’s crooning to a dozen people in a dive bar, or hundreds, ne thousands, opening for another songster, Greg leaves it all on the table. And last night at the Cap was no exception.

There were moments that his microphone wasn’t even necessary, because the cat has pipes, and extra emotion driving said pipes due to his recent health battles. I have no qualms about saying Fuck Cancer in the middle of a show review. I digress. His hard work mastering his guitar chops for the last few years was evident as it was just him on solo acoustic guitar, and he backed himself up with “near” flawless picking. His voice was huge, soulful, and commanding, filling that historic room with nothing but strings and pure vocal power. When you add a dash of that quick wit and sincere storytelling, you see why this Southern gent is such a captivating front man. It was the perfect setup: no frills, all feeling.

Then the lights dropped and John Waite walked out with his four-piece band, all in black, looking cool and locked in. He didn’t ease us into it either—he slammed straight into “Midnight Rendezvous,” and suddenly we were off. From there it was hit after hit, especially from The Babys catalog. “Every Time I Think of You” and “Back on My Feet Again” had the crowd trying to sing along as Waite is known for mixing up the cadence of his songs while performing them live. He told me during our chat that every time he walks up to the mic, it’s a different experience and he can’t do a song the same way twice. When he launched into “Head First,” one of my personal favorites as my high school band (coincidentally named BABYface), attempted to perform it at a Leto High talent show. It was shot down by school admin due to it’s alluding to fellatio, even though the way the line is sung on the radio edit could be just a way a couple falls blindly into a relationship, you know, head first.

But the few times I’ve witnessed Mr. Waite perform it on stage, last night included, he delivers that line more like a subtle command. Like, “ok, that’s all cool…but…head first”. Being a big fan of the 40 year old tune, and a bigger fan of the “action”, I’m def here for it. Again, I digress.

What really made the evening special was how Waite moved effortlessly through the different chapters of his career. He pulled out “Change,” originally by Spider—songstress Holly Knight’s old band—but forever tied to him, and it landed hard in the best way. The gloriously coiffed band Bad English, a super group that was part Babys, part Journey, was destined for greatness and sadly downfall as well. When you have that much talent and bravado in one band, it typically goes south but usually creates good music. And it did create just that, as the Bad English stretch was pure crowd-pleasing gold. “When I See You Smile” had the entire theater orating the “Oh-Ohhh” parts with exultation, and smiling along with Waite. “Best of What I Got” soared, proving Waite’s voice hasn’t lost an ounce of its emotional punch. In between songs he shared tales from his storied career. From video shoots involving helicopters dropping him atop mesas in the desert, to becoming an American citizen 5 years ago and how much he loves this country. A brief moment of attempted politics and call for less violence in the world was met with mixed reaction. The message, possibly, or probably actually, lost on the ones it was intended to dissuade. I digress a third time.

Just when it felt like the night couldn’t go any higher even though it was winding down, Waite closed with a full-on Led Zeppelin medley. Tearing into “Whole Lotta Love” and “Let Me Love You Baby” with abandon. Letting loose Alan Childs and Tim Hogan on mini drum and bass solos, respectively. Hogan also plays double-duty as Waite’s tour manager. A special shoutout to him for setting up the wonderful phone convo this past Monday.

For the mostly gray topped assemblage (present company included), it was loud, fun, and unapologetic—a perfect way to end a show that never let its foot off the gas. Walking out into the uncharacteristically chilly Clearwater night, I had that post-concert glow, the kind that reminds you why live music, art—and John Waite—still matters.

Now, Go Out and See, Hear and Feel Live Music.