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March 05, 2007
MOFO Party Band at Monroe Hall 3/3/07
OK, let’s say it right out front, a lot of you missed it!
I arrived at beautiful Monroe Hall at about 7:35 for the 8:00 pm show to find Mo there, and only about ten other people. Oh, oh. I talked with the Clifton Brothers, who were visibly concerned that few were there. As we talked a few more people came in, many couples who hugged the walls and the benches with little interaction. MOFO put back their start time to 8:20 for more people to arrive.
The wonderful dance floor of Monroe Hall and its all redwood architecture right out of the old days of Sonoma County and the Redwood Empire looked so fine. It’s a large hardwood floor with the best dancing qualities. Spin and shuffle moves are completely possible and people really get out and shake it. Mo said, ”This place smells good!” The old redwood stills has aroma after 85 years. The warm color tones just make you feel good.
Old Blues friend Arman was not happy with the few there and said it wasn’t his scene. He hung around for the band to start.
More people showed up, the band did their hot opener, and Mo stationed directly in front began to dance, a couple joined her and after surveying the people sitting along the sides I joined them. The few dancers on the floor gave a great view of the classic rigid-white-male-at-a-dance syndrome, with the women bopping in their chairs wanting to dance. The guys who weren’t self-conscious stepped out with their ladies and the women who aren’t afraid to dance on their own came out and the floor was pretty full. Cars kept driving in and the place filled up over the next hour.
MOFO was at full tilt and the power right out of the gate was pedal to the metal. I didn’t take notes and so don’t have the song order. It doesn’t matter, I remember dancing my butt off on that great dance floor. “Howlin’ For My Baby” was an early standout with Bill hitting the signature lick and John howling, “Wooo-Woo-Wo-Wooooo!” Since it was the full moon I repressed my urge to break out in hair. John didn’t seem that repressed. We howled back at him from the floor. Cars kept arriving and the MOFOs got looser. The Clifton showmanship was turned up to ten and numbers like “You a Demon” and “Too Late” revved up the crowd. Lots of balance to this band, every member gets their star turn and John gets to blow crazy, Bill showed how much he really can play.
Cobra Finney the bass player sure does play that stand up bass and does great fooling around with it. Standing on it while playing it, laying it down on the dance floor and plunking it a-straddle are all fun showmanship. I hadn’t seen MOFO in a while, so I don’t know how recent drummer Daniel Burt’s return to the band is, but I was sure glad to see him. He was the drummer for a long time and is the one who can keep up with these guys (that’s a load!).
I admit I’m a sucker for the Little Walter tunes John blows on. Since every harp player the world around is a Walter authority I’m sure John’s habit of playing Little Walter tunes as John Clifton tunes is sure to be analyzed closely. On the other hand, it sure makes the tunes lively!
I’m still not sure how the MOFOs manage to be pure blues and rockabilly at the same time. Sheer projection of personality and their sense of humor sure does fuel a lot of the fun. Shameless willingness to do the schtick bits and be corny while letting the crowd know it’s for the fun of it is part of it. The other part is that they’re so damn good at it. It was at another show that John introduced himself as “Overweight Elvis.” He didn’t do it at this show; they’ve got show bits in reserve.
No matter how much schtick gets served up it always serves the real music making and is always so the crowd has a real good time. And the Music is just so solid, the real deal is going on and purists like the MOFOs as much as the casual fan just there for entertainment.
Then there’s Swamp Blues! Somehow four guys from Fresno sound swampier [is there such a word?] than most bands out there. They even write their own swamp blues/pop. “My little Voodoo Doll” and “You’re A Demon, Baby” sure do have that deep murky tremolo sound and a touch of shiver. I love it. Both fun and slightly serious at the same time, with room for Bill Clifton to give those different swampy licks and riffs a workout.
I had one hell of a good time and you will too next time they come back here. At the end the hall was full, but not packed. The Monroe Hall folks probably didn’t do as well as they liked, but on a cold night in March when they were going head to head with a big show up the road they did all right. I talked to the managers and they want MOFO back. I do too.
Posted by Rolfyboy6 at March 5, 2007 03:24 PM