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Flamin' Groovies Reunite at New Orleans' Ponderosa Stomp

Among the resurrected bluesmen, rockabilly cats, garage rockers and soul shouters at the eighth annual Ponderosa Stomp were various "Littles," including Little Willie Littlefield, Little Joe Washington, Lil' Buck Sinegal -- not to mention Long John Hunter and Lazy Lester. Though each of these acts that held court at the festival (held April 28 and 29 at the House of Blues in New Orleans), and several others -- including a master's class given by newly inducted Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Wanda Jackson -- demonstrated the breadth and width of American music, one undisputed highlight was the Wednesday reunion of the two prime forces in the Flamin' Groovies, who played a set together for the first time since 1971.

Groovies frontman Roy Loney and guitarist Cyril Jordan, who co-founded the Bay Area rock band in 1965, tore through selections from the three critically heralded LPs released before Loney's departure, with backing by Brooklyn combo the A-Bones (which featured Yo La Tengo's Ira Kaplan on keyboards and guitar, and, appropriately, former Flamin' Groovies Fan Club president Miriam Linna behind the drum kit). As Loney explains, "Cyril and I rehearsed in San Francisco and the A-Bones rehearsed in New York" -- yet this bicoastal convergence showed no signs of disconnect, jelling as if they were a long-estabished unit.

While the band propelled full-tilt versions of early-'70s Groovies greats including 'Second Cousin,' 'Teenage Head' and 'Slow Death,' Loney's feral growl showed no signs of fatigue throughout the hour-and-15-minute set of Stonesy rockers interspersed with a couple of supercharged '50s classics by Fats Domino and Freddy Cannon. The singer did take a well-deserevd breather during the post-Loney Groovies signature song 'Shake Some Action' (on which Jordan and Kaplan shared lead vocal duties). Given the adulation thrown at the reunited pair at the Ponderosa Stomp, it sets up the inevitable question: Would there ever be a reunion of the Flamin' Groovies proper? Says Loney, "It's possible. We came really close to a full-fledged reunion a few years back. But Cyril and I will continue to work together, no question about it."

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NankerPhelge

"yet this bicoastal convergence showed no signs of disconnect, jelling as if they were a long-estabished unit."

You must have been at another show because from where I was standing, the rhythm section of the A-Bones were messing up the songs, sometimes horribly. The middle section of Teenage Head was completely butchered, and generally the drumming and bass playing left a lot to be desired. Thankfully it didn't completely ruin the reunion of Roy and Cyril. If they decide to do this again, I would hope that they would seriously consider using a band with real musicians who know the songs and can actually play their instruments.

May 06 2009 at 2:42 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
NankerPhelge

"yet this bicoastal convergence showed no signs of disconnect, jelling as if they were a long-estabished unit."

You must have been at another show because from where I was standing, the rhythm section of the A-Bones were messing up the songs, sometimes horribly. The middle section of Teenage Head was completely butchered, and generally the drumming and bass playing left a lot to be desired. Thankfully it didn't completely ruin the reunion of Roy and Cyril. If they decide to do this again, I would hope that they would seriously consider using a band with real musicians who know the songs and can actually play their instruments.

May 06 2009 at 2:39 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply