The Plaza Live was dark. There were no lights in the parking lot, the marquis was not lit, and the signature tower could barely be seen against the sky. If not for the moon being almost full, there would have been no light to aid drivers trying to park in the dark parking lot in front of the venue. An hour before the concert was scheduled to begin, only six souls stood in line. It looked like the night would be a bust. How could this be? Tab Benoit and the Dirty Dozen Brass Band were scheduled to kick off at 8:00pm on this dark and eerie evening in downtown Orlando, Florida.
At 8:00pm all seats were filled and the party began as the Dirty Dozen Brass Band took the stage ready to entertain the crowd. The Dirty Dozen Brass Band was actually only seven members, but their full sound could have easily been mistaken for being produced by two dozen musicians. Dirty Dozen Brass Band was formed in 1977 in New Orleans, Louisiana and has released 14 albums to date. The band was very tight and got The Plaza Live rocking and dancing in their seats by the end of their one hour set. The audience showed their appreciation with a standing ovation. Great musicians and a great opening band!
Band:
Gregory Davis – Trumpet, Vocals
Roger Lewis – Baritone, Soprano Sax, Vocals
Kevin Harris – Tenor Saxophone, Vocals
Kirk Joseph – Sousaphone
TJ Norris – Trombone, Vocals
Julian Addison – Drums, Vocals
Takeshi Shimmura – Guitar
After about a twenty minute stage change over, Tab Benoit, Corey Duplechin, and Terence Higgins found their way on the stage opening with “Why Are People Like That?” a Muddy Waters cover. The song selection was high energy until Tab slowed it down a bit with a love song “Nothing Takes the Place of You,” a song written by Toussaint McCall. I saw members of the audience slow dancing in the isles.
After “Nothing Takes the Place of You,” Tab took some time to converse with the audience. He apologized for not putting out a Christmas album, stating all the songs have been previously written and recorded. Also, recording the holiday songs in July in order to be ready for Christmas just didn’t appeal to him. Not wanting to disappoint anyone in attendance, he decided to make his song “Louisiana Style” a Christmas song by interjecting the word Christmas three times during this blues number to the delight of the crowd. It was actually quite funny, and you could see Tab was amusing himself by the smile on his face.
Tab Benoit is a charming and extremely genuine artist in front of an audience. He commented that he wasn’t there to put on a “show” as there weren’t special effects, great lighting or pyrotechnics. He was just a guitar player that loved to play to the people in an unprocessed fashion. Tab plays with just his fender guitar plugged straight into an amplifier without the use of petals or other devises. He plays without a setlist and sometimes he even plays without a guitar pic!
Tab Benoit is a great, raw guitar player that shares his music from his heart directly to the audience with nothing getting in the way of that connection.
Band:
Tab Benoit – Guitar
Corey Duplechin – Bass
Terence Higgins – Drums
Setlist:
1.) Why Are People Like That? (Muddy Waters cover)
2.) One Foot in the Bayou (Filé cover)
3.) Little Girl Blues
4.) Darkness
5.) Shelter Me (Buddy Miller cover)
6.) Nothing Takes the Place of You (Toussaint McCall cover)
7.) Louisiana Style
8.) Medicine
9.) It’s Alright
Encore:
10.) Muddy Bottom Blues
Follow Tab Benoit Online:
Follow The Dirty Dozen Brass Band Online:
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.
