October 20th The Canyon Club was literally bursting with the excitement of long-time Frank Marino and Mahogany Rush fans as Marino celebrates the band’s 35th anniversary with a national tour. Devotees discussed his guitar work, what they hoped he would play, and how long it had been since Marino had played L.A. Marino answered the question himself after kicking off his set with “Voodoo Chile”: “It’s good to be back here in Southern California after 13 years.”
His next words were his final commentary of the evening, “Since we’ve got to be off the stage at a certain time, I’m going to do a lot of playing and not much talking.” As fans cheered, Marino launched into the second of a series of rock/jazz jams and kept right on going for 2 straight hours without so much as a swig of water or quick finger stretches.
Marino, who released his first album “Maxoom” in 1972 at age 16, exemplifies the difference between retro and vintage: He’s the real thing. In spite of -- or perhaps because of -- his start as a drummer, he’s one of the world’s most famous rock guitarists. As a teenager in the late 1960s, Marino picked up a guitar as therapy while recovering from a massive acid trip (a “mahogany rush”), and has been sober for more than 35 years. His incredible talent and strong devotion to the music side of the music business have established his position as an integral rock music influence for longer than most of you reading this have been alive. And yes, he still rocks!
Not many guitarists can truly say their original work echoes that of a planetary superstar. Even if Marino hadn’t said the words, “Red House” before playing it, there’s no denying much of his singing and guitar playing sound eerily like Jimi Hendrix. I’ve seen a lot of bands, and I’ve never experienced a better live version of “Red House.”
With psychedelic amoebas contracting and expanding on the large screen behind them, Marino and Mahogany Rush played nearly every song off 2004’s retrospective “RealLIVE!,” including the “Poppy / She’s Not There / Crossroads” jam and the “Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame” jam. Marino’s long solo “Electric Reflections Of War” was incredible as a strobe lit him on cue, creating a spooky bombing raid atmosphere. He also threw in crowd favorite “Dragonfly” off 1976’s “Mahogany Rush IV.”
Although it looked like the rest of the band wasn’t nearly old enough to be the original Mahogany Rush, it takes considerable talent and confidence to play with Frank Marino, and all 4 musicians were clearly enjoying the 2-hour nonstop set. Drummer Dave Goode couldn’t stop smiling, and he and bassist Remi-Jean LeBlanc held the beat solidly, flawlessly. Rhythm guitarist Avi Ludmer seemed perfect, and also contributed both amped violin and electric violin solos.
For those who think Agoura Hills’ Canyon Club is too much of a trek, it’s well worth the drive. The sound system is great, with high-quality components and soundmen both out front and at stage left. The stage is big, the dance/fan floor is huge, and there is plenty of seating. Yes, that’s right, seating. How often can you sit in the Hollywood clubs? The food and drinks are good as well. In short, it’s an ideal venue for those of us from pre-MTV generations.
Marino kept his promise to play rather than talk, but because the band had to exit the stage at 10:30 to make room for venue regulars Boogie Nights, there was no encore. The Canyon Club’s own Concert-Line Magazine’s October 2006 edition quotes Marino as saying “I never did what rock stars would do. I didn’t want to be treated like a king or travel in limos and be separated from the fans…. I wouldn’t do what labels and managers told me to do if I didn’t think it was right.” Local and up-and-coming musicians might do well if they take those words to heart.
Marino continues, “I’m just an old reactionary from the late ’60s who believes now what I believed then. My clothes are the same, my hair is the same and my songs are the same.” That consistency both on and off stage has kept fans loyal for decades. For fans old and new, Frank Marino and Mahogany Rush’s show at The Canyon Club last month was nothing short of a dream, and most of the chatter afterwards was anticipating future gigs: “Next time, I hope he plays ‘Purple Haze.’” Although no more tour dates are listed yet, keep tabs on Marino at http://www.mahoganyrush.com and on MySpace.
