Review: Bob Seger
2017.09.23 The Palace of Auburn Hills
Bob Seger and the Grande Ballroom were some of my inspirations for reopening my rock correspondent path. If you’re in the know you can’t help but think of Bob and the Silver Bullet Band first thing when someone asks about Detroit Rock City origin stories. Bob Seger played his and THE final show at The Palace of Auburn Hills last night. It is without a doubt the fullest I have ever seen The Palace. It was noted on the doors that our concert going experience was to be recorded should anyone with the power decide that they wanted to release a live album or dvd of some sort to commemorate the evening. My ever loving heart was thrilled- I took this photo to send to my dad as he was on hand for the recording of Live Bullet at Cobo Hall in 1976. It’s just another story in the rich rock and roll history that is the Casebolt family!
Roadcase Royale opened the show and I daresay that I now have a girl crush on Liv Warfield. I’m ashamed to say that I did not know of her before last night but what an inspiration I find her and Nancy Wilson (of whom I did know). They did a few Heart songs which were extremely well received as well as some originals to the band- their new album First Things First dropped this past Friday and I already have it! What a jam! I hope to see them again and soon.
The last show I saw at this venue was Neil Diamond and he, to me, is more showman than rocker and his entrance involved pulleys and lights swirling- which was neat at the time but there is something very cool about just being able to open a show to a raucous but non-violent crowd by being yourself. The opening was simple. Roll Me Away was the first song to liven up our happy rock and roll souls. Gosh, if Bob Seger doesn’t sound just like himself! I almost expected and wanted him to bust into Santa Claus is Coming to Town with that laugh he has. I am positive that it would have been just as beloved as anything else he would have chosen to perform for us. Maybe even moreso. When he started Fire Down Below I missed my dad. The crowd is so loud that you’re lucky to hear Bob at times. I have also decided that I need that horn section with Shaun and the girls to follow me around and be my real life soundtrack. Everyone in the band- Bob, Shaun, Alto- nobody seems to slow down.
The backing video playing during You’ll Accomp’ny Me was so romantic. It was all about love and art, romance and beauty. Really nice touch, guys. But Bob- are you wearing your own merchandise sweatband? Ginchy! He then dedicated Old Town Rock and Roll to mother-in-law, Juanita. If this is only his 5th song I cannot yet imagine what his closer will be like. Alto Reed on sax was enough to bring crocodile tears to my eye. Lungs of steel, that one! (SCS homie- holla!) Just imagine hearing something that you’ve spent your whole life hearing through speakers at home and in cars and now it’s live and in your face and exactly how you remember it. It’s like coming home again.
Come to Papa was introduced with a story about friendship with Willie Mitchell. Shaun Murphy and her girls, Lauren Kramer and Barbara Payton make it sound like you’re at the gates of Heaven with this harmony. RIP, me. Her Strut followed and during this one I thought “What a time to be alive and feel so involved. Live shows are a constant love affair with me and Bob Seger is no shabby afterthought. It’s live music from people I adore (and even some I don’t) that makes me feel at my most joyful. There’s something about it, and this night, that rekindled not just my love affair with rock and roll, but with all things. I felt like I was even more in love with my husband (who wasn’t even with me), I felt more connected to my family, more inspired to reopen band sessions- everything more alive, more vibrant. True love strutting on stage- and Bob, we love watching you strut just as much.
Bob jumped on acoustic for Like A Rock. If Michigan had a theme song it would be this 1984 classic. Not only do I constantly think of Chevy commercials, but I think it became a hometown hero kind of thing with this one. Bob’s new album, I Knew You When is dedicated to a friend to all, Glenn Frey of the Eagles (also a hometown legend). Now that’s a classic rock friendship to behold, am I right? Moody punk legend Lou Reed’s Busload of Faith made an appearance tonight, as well as the apparently elusive track The Fire Inside. It was noted from stage that this was only his 12th time playing this song, but I don’t know if he was being facetious or not. Maybe he meant on this tour. He explained that it’s hard to sing sometimes, what with its fast pace and dueling pianos. I think this song is the first piano melody I remember hearing and I’ve always wished I had learned piano. It brought a tear to my eye- again. To me this song means dancing in the kitchen with my mom as a kid. I feel her here and can just see her dancing in her white mom arm gestures way with snaps and hips twisting. You know the type! “It’s my turn to play piano” moved us into his mother’s favorite song: We’ve Got Tonight. It’s sweet that he plays it at every show just because he knows his mom likes it. Sometimes when Bob’s at the mic he looks so happy. Like that video of that puppy you saw on his first car ride with the window down. Ramblin’ Gamblin’ Man- Fuck yeah Shaun! You rock that tambo! She really let loose in a way that most will only pretend to do in fantasy.
A wardrobe change! And a song change combo! Reppin that Old English D hat to kick off Beautiful Loser. Paying tribute to The Palace, we regaled in a bit of storytelling about a party at Glenn’s house, I believe, where Jack Nicholson was a guest. Turns out working with Stanley Kubrick on The Shining was a “Lotta Overtiiiiime”. Jack was in town five years later for the film Hoffa while our beloved Pistons played the Lakers in the 1984 finals. Can I throw in a No Duh that the Pistons won? Thanks for everything palace- from Bob and from all of us! We’ve seen and heard and been a part of an inconceivable amount of escapades in this very room. Including this crowd pleasing sing-a-long: Turn the Page. There’s a reason saxophones are the instrument played in Private Dick films when sexy ladies come around. People lost their shit at the sax melody. The crowd was cheering so much extra at the end that the show had to pause a tick to be able to hear again. Awesome. And Bob seems to really love his band- they’re a team, a family. And he loves this city. You can see it every time he said Detroit and the crow exploded. His smile was contagious and loving. Though this is billed as his final tour, I do believe that, like Cher, there will always be more. He’s a local kinda guy in Oakland County so maybe it will just be us for a while and we won’t have to share Bob Seger shows with the rest of the country. One can only dream for more. And more and more.
Encore! Against the Wind showed Bob once again back on acoustic while talking about “ridin’ a Harley in the michigan wind, baby!” I’ve spent probably half of my life with this song running in the back of my head, I swear. Every walk around town or on campus, every bike ride, every Harley ride with my dad- Against the Wind has been ever present in my thoughts and on repeat. The Hollywood Nights closer seemed more like jam fest than just a closing number. It was a musical explosion of rainbows and dreams and friendships and harmonious afterglows.
2nd encore: Can you believe it?? Night moves! (or Night Cheese for the Liz Lemon fans) I’m just marvelling at this crowd. Finally the guy next to me got into it as he had spent most of the concert sitting with his hands clasped around his oversized and overpriced beer can with barely a clap in between songs. You know how in movies people in churches praise Jesus with their whole body? I feel like Bob did that to us from stage. He was praising us for being there as we were praising him, all of us on our feet and chanting along, to him on stage. Rock and Roll Never Forgets rounded out this dream of a concert going experience. Every ooh and ahh was in place like a comfortable blanket and a kiss on the forehead from a loved one. It’s everything I needed and I am thankful to my friend Becky for asking me to go with her instead of her brother. Not sorry, Mark! God bless all our little rock and roll hearts. What a perfect night. Thanks for everything, you guys!
