I first saw the Steve Morse Band in 1985 when they opened for Rush. I went on to see him several times with that band, and the Dregs, and Kansas, and then Deep Purple. However, I hadn't seen him in at least a decade before last night.
He's left Purple and is doing a mini-tour with his 3-piece band, with monster bassist Dave LaRue and monster drummer Van Romaine. Morse has been suffering from carpal tunnel syndrome and had been wearing a handbrace with Purple, but he didn't have the brace on last night and showed no signs of discomfort or of any impairment at all. Very simply, he and his band kicked butt for an hour and 45 minutes. Stellar musicianship and some fun banter between songs. There was a lovely mini-set with Steve on classical guitar and Dave Larue playing amazing counterpoint on bass. He is a national treasure. If you can see him, do it.
I recognized some songs from the Dixie Dregs and from the first SMB album in particular, but there were some I did not know. The setlist for Ridgefield has not been posted yet, but this is the setlist from a few nights earlier, and it looks similar:
- Relentless Encroachment
- The Introduction
- Ice Cakes (Dixie Dregs)
- Highland Wedding
- On the Pipe
- VIsta Grande
- John Deere Letter
- Baroque’n Dreams
- Slice of Time
- Name Dropping
- Rising Power
- Here and Now and Then
- Night Meets Light (Dixie Dregs)
- Cruise Missile
- SImple Simon
- Cruise Control (Dixie Dregs)
Number 7. John Deere letter is a cool song.
I recently watched a special on cable TV called " The men who make the machines that moved America".
There was Henry Ford, The Dodge Brothers, Walter P. Chrysler, J. I. Case ( steam engines and farm equipment) and many others.
And there really was a man named John Deere!!
https://images.app.goo.gl/iTdi9tKNuYhdBmY57
A video from Sunday's show:
Thanks for the review an sharing! Very cool, like the trio aspect of the band. I think Dave LaRue is his go to guy for bass. I am not really familiar with much of the material , but I would go if he were to come my way.
Here is Dave and Steve in "Flying Colors"
Everyone has a plan, till you get punched in the face,
