George Thorogood & The Destroyers Prove It’s “Good To Be Bad” As They Rock The Peabody in Daytona Beach Florida December 9th, 2021

 
 
When I was younger, I never really thought about bucket lists or things of that nature. Now that I’m older I’ve realized that it’s not a bad idea to have such a list and tonight I was going to be able to shorten it, courtesy of George Thorogood and The Destroyers. The band is in the midst of their brutally long “Good To Be Bad Tour” that will take them across North America before wrapping up in Europe in the fall of next year. Tonight’s venue was the Peabody Auditorium in Daytona Beach and it would mark my first visit. I always welcome the opportunity to work in new locations but with it comes a certain level of apprehension. After tonight’s show I cannot wait to return. Everything from the venue to the staff is top notch.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
As I arrived, I noticed that the lobby was already packed with concertgoers as they waited in anticipation for the doors to open. A crowd huddled around the merch table and the bar was turning out a steady stream of adult beverages. The doors opened promptly at 7:00 and I set out to stake a claim to the best vantage points. I didn’t know there would be an opening artist, so I was unable to perform my usual pre-show reconnaissance.  The Damon Fowler Band are products of Florida’s Gulf Coast, an area rich in blues, jazz and southern rock. Fowler is an accomplished singer/songwriter and guitarist who is highly acclaimed in the music industry. Fowler was joined by Justin Headley on drums and Chuck Riley on bass. Fowler’s style of bluesy southern rock is the perfect complement to George Thorogood & The Destroyers. The fans really enjoyed the set which included “Alafia Moon” from their album of the same name which was released earlier this year. The passion and soul of this song is amazing. The band’s 45-minute set also included “Taxman” from the same album. The Damon Fowler Band has plenty of upcoming dates so be sure to check them out. 
 
 
 
 

 
 
 
Damon Fowler Band:
 

Damon Fowler: Lead Vocals, Guitar

Justin Headley: Drums

Chuck Riley: Bass

 
 
 
 

 

For 45 years George Thorogood & The Destroyers have rocked the world. Their list of accomplishments is so extensive it would span way beyond this review. The 50 Dates/50 States Tour is the stuff legends are made of as was their performance at Live Aid. One fact that I wasn’t aware of is that a portion of proceeds from every date goes to benefit the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. These guys are a class act, and they were here to throw a party. The lights went out right at 8:45 and the traditional playing of “Eve Of Destruction” by Barry McGuire blared throughout the auditorium. At the conclusion of the intro George and company hit the stage and kicked things off with “Rock Party.” Wearing a simple black tee, headband, and sunglasses Thorogood was on a mission to show the fans a good time.

 

 

Thorogood told the audience that the Destroyers’ probation officer let them out for 24 hours to make this one show however he was intent on going to jail in the name of rock n’ roll. From there the party was in full gear. Hits like “Who Do You Love?” and “Bad To The Bone” had fans dancing in their seats. At one point Thorogood walked to the front of the stage and said that he wanted to show off a little bit. What followed was awe inspiring rendition of my favorite song, “Gear Jammer.” George gave his guitar a rest during the band’s performance of The Champs‘ megahit “Tequila.” Buddy Leach displayed his mastery of the sax as the crowd went wild. The rest of the Destroyers were as dependable as ever. With Jeff Simon on drums, Billy Blough on bass and Jim Suhler on rhythm guitar, these guys are an integral part of the band’s success. I was pleased to see the band play “Madison Blues.” I hadn’t seen it on previous setlists so this was a welcomed surprise. The encore of the night was an electrifying execution of “Born To Be Bad.” Damon Fowler joined the band onstage and took over the lead guitar while George sang to the crowd. 

 

This show exceeded all expectations. Time has been a friend to George Thorogood & The Destroyers and they never missed a beat. Their performance was straight up down and dirty and I’m sure they wouldn’t have it any other way. As I wrote this review, I couldn’t help but notice a few more Florida dates in February of 2022. Although the bucket list was fulfilled tonight another show or two couldn’t possibly hurt. 

 

George Thorogood & The Destroyers:

George Thorogood: Lead Vocals, Lead Guitar

Jeff Simon: Drums, Percussion

Billy Blough: Bass

Jim Suhler: Rhythm Guitar

Buddy Leach: Saxophone, Piano

 

 

Setlist:

1.Rock Party

2.Who Do You Love?

3.The Fixer

4.Night Time

5.I Drink Alone

6.One Bourbon, One Scotch, One Beer

7.Howlin’ For My Baby

8.Get A Haircut

9. Gear Jammer

10.Bad To The Bone

11.Tequila

12.Move It On Over

13.Born To Be Bad

 

 

 

 

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