Concert held at "The Intersection" - Grand Rapids, Michigan
I have been a fan of guitarist Gary Hoey since first hearing his instrumental version of the song "Low Rider". I have since enjoyed most of what I have heard, and had been looking forward to a chance to see him perform live.
Saturday, August 5, came the opportunity for me. Myself and a friend went down to Grand Rapids venue "The Intersection". My friend had seen Gary about 10 years prior, and was looking forward to seeing the new show.
The evening was started with an opening set by a local blues band. I apologize for not remembering their name, but they were a basic electric blues group. No new ground was covered, but they were decent at the style.
After a short intermission, Gary Hoey and his band took the stage. The touring band was a simple power trio, made up of bass, drums, and guitar. Gary opened the night with a few instrumentals off his "Monster Surf" release, and moved on to some vocal tracks from his new CD "American Made". Personally, I didn't find Gary's vocals that impressive, but that isn't surprising (see Joe Satriani vocal tunes). Gary shines much more on guitar, and did an excellent job of holding down melody lines and keeping the rhythm going (as much as possible). His fellow band mates provided a solid foundation for Gary's guitar acrobatics. Considering the new CD wasn't yet out at the time of this concert, I felt Gary included a few too many of the new tracks in his set. However, I understand about promoting a new release. Ultimately, Gary was best when cranking out the instrumental tunes. Gary's versions of "Hawaii Five-o", "Low Rider", "Wipe Out", "Linus & Lucy", and "Pipeline" were all presented in all their rocking glory.
After the 90 minute set (approximately), Gary wrapped up the set. Shortly after, he was out at the merchandise table signing autographs and getting pictures with fans. I met the guy, and he couldn't have been nicer.
Overall, a fun evening of American guitar rock, without any frills.
Rating: 7 out of 10
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