Live

For hardcore fans of Cactus, and/or Tim Bogert and Carmine Appice, the boogie onslaught of this first live concert in over 30 years by the updated version of this venerable group should do the trick. It's a solid effort by a band that never offered any surprises, and the inclusion of harp player Randy Pratt and non-descript vocalist Jimmy Kunes keeps things in line with past efforts. Sure, guitarist Jim McCarty goes into overdrive on Mose Allison's "Parchment Farm," but the current lineup of Blue Cheer in 2007 just happen to give the style at play here a little more punch. The encore of "Rock N Roll Children" from this outfit's 1971 release, One Way...Or Another, rambles along with vocalist Kunes looking and sounding like any member of the audience jumping on-stage to have some fun with a trio of rock & roll legends. Without any frills there's little to differentiate the music here from any other collection of yesterday's stars getting together to reminisce. In fact it could be Starz, or a reunion of Flint, former members of Grand Funk Railroad, playing this hard-driving blues/rock in any typical nightclub in suburban America. The camera work is very public access TV, the lighting inconsistent, and the direction rather pedestrian. Plus there's no "Take Me for a Little While" or "You Keep Me Hanging On" for fans to key into, perhaps the biggest let down. Even a slowed-down cover of "Journey to the Center of the Mind" a la Vanilla Fudge, a nod to original singer, the late Rusty Day (though he didn't perform on the hit version), would brighten up the proceedings. Leslie Gold, "the radio chick," does the introduction and the audience is revved up, but what is missing is a spark. Finding a Leslie West to join the group or Cactus battling it out on-stage with members of Blue Cheer would at least put a jolt into this new chapter. The jolt isn't there, but this is an adequate package with some backstage footage and a decent photo gallery that will please those who care. ~ Joe Viglione|