The newly remodeled venue, The Plaza Live, in Orlando, Florida hosted a great night of rock and roll with two bands that got their fame in the 1970’s. Foghat and Cactus were on the bill and the new seats in the Plaza were filled with a mature rock audience. Both bands are currently promoting new music. Foghat released their 17th studio album last year, Sonic Mojo, and Cactus released Temple of Blues just the day before the show on June 7, 2024.
First up at promptly 7:30 pm, Carmine Appice and Cactus took the stage. Those who know, know! Carmine Appice is drum royalty as he has played with the greats, Vanilla Fudge, Jeff Beck, Rod Stewart, Rick Derringer, Brian May, Ted Nugent, Richie Sambora, Yngwie Malmsteen and so many more. At 77 years old, Carmine held court behind the kit and even rocked out with a drum solo as he encouraged the audience to aid with keeping the beat as he blasted in the fills. It was the highlight of Cactus’ set which included six of the seven-song set being of the latest album.
Do you miss 1970’s rock and roll? Cactus transports you back to that era of great music. A must-see band with Carmine Appice on drums and Tony Franklin on Bass guitar. Great, great show.
Band Members:
Carmine Appice – Drums
Artie Dillion – Guitar
Ed Terry – Vocals/Harmonica
Tony Franklin – Bass
Setlist:
1.Parchman Farm (Mose Allison cover)
2. One Way…Or Another
3. Brother Bill (The Last Clean Shirt) (Charles Otis cover)
4. Headed for a Fall
5. Evil Is Goin’ On (Howlin’ Wolf cover)
6. Big Mama Boogie
7. Rock N’ Roll Children
Foghat was founded back in 1971. That’s 53 years of rocking crowds by playing great, foot-stomping music. Drummer Roger Earl is the only remaining original member left in the band. Foghat played 14 songs in a one-hour and fifteen-minute set. The set was short but held the band’s highlights from their long career. The set started with “Drivin’ Wheel” from the 1976 album, Night Shift, mixing in “Stone Blue,” “Fool For The City,” and they finished the show with the band’s highest charting single, “SlowRide,” which brought the house to their feet.
This show had nostalgia written all over it and the demographic of the fans found it easy to slip back to the 1970’s. I found it interesting that they plugged in the Wild Cherry cover, “Play That Funky Music” and introduced the song with a long dialog and making fun of the era and guitarist Bryan Bassett who was in Wild Cherry from 1975–1978 when the band charted that number 1 hit in 1976. The imagery formed of scarves, bell bottoms, and platform shoes was too much to be remembered fondly. Overall it was a great Sunday night of rocking entertainment.
Band Members:
Roger Earl – Drums
Bryan Bassett – Lead Guitar, Slide Guitar, Backing Vocals
Rodney O’Quinn – Bass Guitar, Backing Vocals
Scott Holt – Lead Vocals, Lead Guitar
Setlist:
1.Drivin’ Wheel
2. Road Fever
3. She’s a Little Bit of Everything
4. Stone Blue
5. Black Days and Blue Nights
6. It Hurts Me Too (Tampa Red cover)
7. Slipped, Tripped and Fell in Love (Clarence Carter cover)
8. Drivin’ On
9. Home in My Hand
10. Fool For The City
11. I Just Want to Make Love to You (Willie Dixon cover)
13. Play That Funky Music (Wild Cherry cover)
14. Slow Ride
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Photographer and Editor/Founder of AllMusicMagazine.com. My love of live music has taken me to incredible experiences with the top bands of all time in stadium shows to the smallest venues with equally inspiring musicians. Using the medium of photography and my publication, these memories will last forever.