Frogwings The Derek Trucks Lupos February 7, 1999

Frogwings is one of those superstar jam bands that continue to fill the void left when Garcia died and the regular Dead tour became no more. Frogwings has members of the Allman Brothers Band, Blues Traveler, Aquarium Rescue Unit, and The Derek Trucks band playing new material together- not greatest hits. Although the endless jamming got a bit redundant, it was still some damn fine jamming.

I guess Frogwings has had other lead singers, at least that's what some dude told me. Popper seemed to draw the most attention, although Derek Trucks (the 19-year-old son of Allman Brothers drummer Butch Trucks) held his own with some solid blues licks.

I stood up front well after I finished taking pictures to hear if Popper would introduce any of the songs, but all he said that this was the first of a very short tour, and most of the songs were new and had never been played for an audience. That being said he and the boys stood back and laid on the blues for a while.

I guess if I had to describe the sound it would be exactly what you would expect from a mix of the Allmans and Blues Traveler- long jams with tight harp up front and solos by everybody. Many of the songs had Popper pointing back and forth for who was going to trade licks next, or solo for a while.

The band was tight for a jam band, and all the time most of them have spent on the road shows. Derek Trucks may have been 19, but he played an awesome slide most of the night and held his own even if his dad was pelting him with drum sticks from behind.

Since they didn't bother introducing any of the songs I can't tell you which 15 minute jams were better than others, some had words some didn't, some were fast, some weren't. If you really want to find out there were plenty of tapers there. I almost freaked when I saw the mini section of shotgun mic's by the soundboard, but I guess those guys gotta tape something between HORDE tours.

Frogwings is worth seeing just to see the mix of two of the better psychedelic blues jam bands trying to figure out how to kill another winter between lucrative summer tours. I mean these guys could be at home sucking down beers and watching hockey, but they'd rather stay on the road and play to anybody who will listen, so you gotta give them credit. I know I mentioned him, but Derek Trucks is pretty good. His Derek Trucks Band deserved to open for Frogwings, and he's got the talent to stand up there with the veterans. While he shows little emotion on his face, his guitar goes the range. He did a perfect version of Bob Marley's "Rastaman Chant," playing the vocal part on his guitar. It was awesome. Check him out.