It's Saturday and the wind chill's at minus ten below – a night that even an Eskimo would think twice about entering. But the heat of new rock 'n' roll was in the air, promising to thaw even the most frozen of dance shoes. Legends in New Albany, Ind. was hosting Louis Michael and his band.
Until earlier that afternoon I had no idea who Louis Michael was, but by two o'clock Sunday morning I knew I would never forget. Saturday afternoon the phone rang and Brad Garrett of Crystal Productions in Nashville began to give me a thorough run down of his latest management project, Louis Michael.
Later, at the end of a very informative pro-show interview with Michael, he invited me to "Stick around and enjoy the show!" And enjoy it I did!
With the loudspeakers playing ELP's "Welcome back my friends...," Louis and band took the stage with a fire and intensity that couldn't help but make one forget the bitter cold outside. Opening the show with an original entitled "Start the Show," they blazed through a dozen numbers that had the crowd dancing and yelling for more. The group mixed originals such as "Tell Me Your Secrets," "I Believe" and "Be A Friend to Me" (a song recorded in Nashville with Dee Murray of Elton John fame) with covers of Elton John's "Rocket Man" and "Your Song," Don Henley's "Living Colour," Bob Seger, Richard Marx, Van Halen, Billy Joel, Roco, Bruce Hornsby and Lynyrd Skynyrd.
Louis and band moved through the evening with great style and precision, modulating from cliff-hanging, high-energy rock 'n' roll to pillow-cuddling ballads, proving to the energetic and appreciative crowd the versatility and talent that this new singer-songwriter is capable of delivering.
With only a three-piece group, they turned out a better mix of lightning riffs and syncopated soul than many larger ensembles I've seen from here to California.
Scott Logan thrilled the audience with excellently constructed guitar solos and held his v own with lead vocals on tunes such as Roco's "Call It Love" and Richard Marx's "Satisfied."
Kevin Head maintained the driving energy level from behind his drum kit and ably assisted with harmony vocals.