University of Virginia Library

Bluish Numbers

Friday night's show began with
someone named Jerry warning up
the crowd with a few bluish
numbers on guitar, vaguely
sounding like Joe Cocker, and then
the Grease Band came out, minus
Joe Cocker and with a new bass
player. Except for a gig in Albert
Hall four days ago ('knocked the
crowd out' said Jerry), this was
their first performance in a year.
All of the bands had just flown in
from England, this being the first
stop on their American tour, and it
took a little while for the Grease
Band to get it together.

Finally, in the middle of their
third number, something clicked
and the group began to sound like
it could do some pretty nice things.
It was without a single standout
performer; those sorts of bands
usually sound best after they've had
a chance to get warmed up. The
Grease Band ended sounding pretty
good; by the third stop on the tour
or so it ought to be knocking them
out again.