In 1983, Stratocaster slinger Stevie Ray Vaughan and his posse, bassist Tommy
Shannon and drummer Chris “Whipper” Layton, rode into the El Mocambo Tavern
in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, and flooded the Great White North audience with
a sonic wave of boogie and blues born deep in the heart of the Texas. “Testify” and “So Excited” start off the proceedings with a shot of high
energy instrumental brilliance, followed by “Voodoo Chile (Slight Return),”
Vaughan’s tribute to his mentor, Jimi Hendrix. Stevie sings “I got my voodoo
right in my hands,” before tearing into a solo that proves him to be a worthy
successor to Jimi’s throne.
Next up is “Pride and Joy,” the song that put Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double
Trouble on the map. Combining a walking bass line on the lower strings and
chords on the higher strings, Vaughan creates the effect of two guitarists
playing at once, as Layton lays down the shuffle beat and Shannon’s Fender
bass adds precision counterpoint.
With readings of Howlin’ Wolf’s “Tell Me” and Buddy Guy’s “Mary Had a Little
Lamb,” Vaughan recites the lessons of the masters while lending his own
phrases to the blues lexicon.
The centerpiece of the set is “Texas Flood,” a slow twelve-bar blues
reminiscent of Albert King’s “Blues Power.” Playing the Strat behind his back,
Stevie Ray unleashes an unrelenting torrent of guitar fury that strikes the
audience like a Lone Star State lightning storm.
The band shifts into high gear with “Love Struck Baby,” an original Chuck
Berry style rocker, and “Hug You Squeeze You,” a John Lee Hooker boogie blues
classic.
Another Jimi Hendrix tune, “Third Stone From the Sun,” serves as a vehicle
for Vaughan’s dramatic stage theatrics. Shannon’s driving bass groove and
Layton’s rolling drumbeat provide a launching pad as Stevie Ray spins the
guitar around the stage, manically manipulating the whammy bar hollister uk , volume, and
tone controls to navigate a feedback fueled orbit through the solar system.
The frenetic pace cools down with “Lenny,” a ballad named after Stevie Ray’s
wife, in which he deftly employs the Strat’s five position pickup selector to
maneuver through a myriad of jazzy, textured tones.
Closing the show with Lonnie Mack’s “Wham!,” Vaughan sends one last blast
from his Stratocaster through the appreciative Canadian crowd. After the
smoke cleared, Stevie Ray Vaughan packed up his six string and rode off into
the sunset.
Greg Bahr writes about the guitar and related topics. Read more at
