Slash brought his S.E.R.P.E.N.T. Festival to The BayCare Sound in Clearwater, Florida on the evening of August 10, 2024. The anagram S.E.R.P.E.N.T. stands for Solidarity, Engagement, Restore, Peace, Equality N’ Tolerance. Slash’s blues festival is on the heels of Orgy Of The Damned with his Billboard number one US Top Blues Album released on May 17, 2024. Although the audience wasn’t treated with the artists that performed on the album, (Chris Stapleton, Steven Tyler, Gary Clark Jr., Iggy Pop, Beth Hart, Paul Rodgers, just to name a few) the show was still outstanding. But, the next best thing is to load the concert bill with extremely great blues musicians and put on an epic evening.
Slash added Larkin Poe, ZZ Ward, and Robert Randolph to the Florida shows having a great lineup. The Florida evening was in the high 80′ with 73% humidity, a typical summer night in August. The saving grace was the cool breeze off of the Gulf of Mexico that waffled through the amphitheater keeping the atmosphere pleasant for the fans in attendance.
At 6:30 pm four-time GRAMMY® nominated artist and virtuoso on the pedal steel guitar, Robert Randolph and family took to the stage. Robert Randolph holds multiple Blues Music Awards and a BMI award. The performance really kicked into high gear when the energy was elevated by Randolph’s sister Lenesha when she came on to sing. The program of Robert Randolph got things started as the audience filtered in and found their seats. The set was only five songs ending with The Jimi Hendrix Experience cover, “Foxy Lady.” A few more songs would have been great, but there were still three bands to come so time was limited.
Robert Randolph and the Family Band Members:
Robert Randolph – Guitar, vocals
Ray Ray Randolph – Bass
Lenesha Randolph – Vocals
Brett Haas – Guitar
Setlist:
1.) I’m So Glad (Skip James cover)
2.) I Need More Love
3.) (Unknown) (Lyrics “I’m in pain”)
4.) Where the River Runs Free
5.) Foxy Lady (The Jimi Hendrix Experience cover)
The BayCare Sound welcomed blues artist, ZZ Ward to the amphitheater stage at 7:20 pm. The sun was shining and was still lighting the stage, but the temperatures were down a degree or two since the gates opened at 5:00 pm. Zsuzanna Eva Ward, otherwise known as ZZ Ward, stormed onto the blues scene in 2012 with the album Til the Casket Drops which charted two top ten hits. Ward started the set on vocals passionately belting out the lyrics for “My Baby Left Me” an Arthur “Big Boy” Crudup cover then moved to singing “Dust My Broom” from Elmore James, throwing in some great harmonica for the first two songs. For the third song, ZZ Ward strapped on a guitar and played her newly released single “Mother.” Her set ended with two more covers and three original songs. ZZ Ward has a great stage presence and an awesome blues voice to boot.
Setlist:
1.) My Baby Left Me (Arthur “Big Boy” Crudup cover)
2.) Dust My Broom (Elmore James cover)
3.) Mother
4.) Cannonball
5.) Ride
6.) Grinning in Your Face (Son House cover)
7.) Put the Gun Down
8.) Cadillac Man (The Jesters cover)
At 8:15 pm as the sun started its descent into the Gulf of Mexico, 2024 Grammy Award winner Larkin Poe graced the amphitheater stage. Their Grammy award was for their 2023 release Blood Harmony for Best Contemporary Blues Album. The two Lovell sisters put on a show that will be remembered by all members of the audience for years to come. Megan and Rebecca Lovell have been performing for almost 20 years and their chemistry just bubbles on stage which adds to their exceptional musical talents.
Rebecca on lead guitar, and Megan playing a lap steel guitar draws comparisons to the Allman Brothers Band with Megan’s great slide guitar playing. Their set even included the Allman Brothers instrumental “Jessica,” solidifying the comparison. Larkin Poe received a standing ovation that was greatly deserved, and it was evident that they had expanded their already large fanbase.
Larkin Poe Members:
Megan Lovell – Vocals, lap steel
Rebecca Lovell – Vocals, guitar
Brent “Tarka” Layman – Bass
Ben Satterlee – Drums
Setlist:
1.) Summertime Sunset
2.) Jessica (The Allman Brothers Band cover)
3.) Kick the Blues
4.) Preachin’ Blues (Son House cover)
5.) Blue Ridge Mountains
6.) Bad Spell
7.) Two Step
8.) Wanted Woman – AC/DC
9.) Bolt Cutters & The Family Name
10.) Bluephoria
After the three opening bands, center stage was turned over to the guitar artist that the crowd had come to see, Saul Hudson, or Slash as he is internationally known. This tour and his latest album Orgy Of The Damned is a side project for re-recordings of some of the greatest blues songs ever recorded. Looking at the credits on the album, there were 19 superstars that took part in making this blues masterpiece. This was only Slash’s second solo studio album he has released. From past to present, Slash has built a historic guitar-playing career, from Guns N’ Roses, Velvet Revolver, Slash’s Snakepit, to Slash Ft. Myles Kennedy & the Conspirators. Slash is one of the most recognizable guitar players on the planet.
The show covered the songs, “Killing Floor” by Howlin’ Wolf, “Born Under a Bad Sign” by Booker T. & the MG’s, “Papa Was a Rolling Stone” by The Temptations, “Shake Your Money Maker” by Elmore James, just to list a few. The vocals of keyboard player Teddy ‘ZigZag’ Andreadis were just over the top with his Wolfman Jack deep delivery. Tash Neal was also excellent on guitar and vocal. His delivery of Fleetwood Mac‘s, “Oh Well” was spot on.
This six-week tour with all the combinations of lineups that included Slash, Warren Haynes Band, Eric Gales, Samantha Fish, Christone “Kingfish” Ingram, Robert Randolph, Jackie Venson, Larkin Poe, and ZZ Ward is 2024’s best blues tour of the year!
Slash Band Members:
Slash – Guitar
Robert Randolph – Vocals/Guitar/Steel Guitar
ZZ Ward – Vocals/Guitar
Rebecca Lovell – Vocals/Electric Guitar
Megan Lovell – Vocals/Steel Guitar
Johnny Griparic – Bass
Teddy ‘ZigZag’ Andreadis – Keyboards
Michael Jerome – Drums
Tash Neal – Vocals/Guitar
Setlist:
1.) Parchman Farm Blues (Bukka White cover)
2.) Killing Floor (Howlin’ Wolf cover)
3.) Born Under a Bad Sign (Booker T. & the MG’s cover)
4.) Oh Well (Fleetwood Mac cover)
5.) Built for Comfort (Howlin’ Wolf cover)
6.) Awful Dream (Lightnin’ Hopkins cover)
7.) Papa Was a Rolling Stone (The Temptations cover)
8.) Love Theme from The Godfather / Stormy Monday (Aaron Walker cover)
9.) The Pusher (Hoyt Axton cover)
10.) Metal Chestnut
11.) Cross Road Blues (Robert Johnson cover)
12.) Stone Free (The Jimi Hendrix Experience cover)
Encore:
13.) It Takes a Lot to Laugh, It Takes a Train to Cry (Bob Dylan cover)
14.) Shake Your Money Maker (Elmore James cover)
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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.
