JOHN WAITE LIVE @ THE WALL STREET THEATER

Local Scene

2022-05-11

JOHN WAITE LIVE @ THE WALL STREET THEATER

Photo / Amanda DeFilippo

On April 20th, the esteemed John Waite played the Wall Street Theater with Frank Viele in support. In attendance was an energetic crowd that was ready for an enjoyable night of engaging music. Waite is a well accomplished singer/songwriter who has previously graced the stage as a member of Bad English, the Babys and other hugely successful groups. His explosive career spans over 35 years. Waite‘s songs transcends all genres. He can effortlessly float from raucous rock and roll to celtic folk in a heartbeat. The man is a mastermind of creative energy and spirit.

The evening opened with our dear friend Frank Viele. Before his performance, his manager, Rick Demko, Frank and myself sat in the green room discussing how awesome this night was going to be. I have only experienced Frank in much smaller milieus, so this was going to be interesting. He is used to larger settings since Frank has supported countless major artists including Blues Traveler, Lee DeWyze and Zach Myers of Shinedown.

As soon as he took the stage, the magic began. Viele opened with “Hearts We Left Behind” and immediately the audience knew this performance was going to be something special. He then followed with “Tears Drag You Down” from his Time Is a Thief EP. Frank’s forte is his ability to easily connect with the room via his entertaining stories. No different here. The throng was fully engaged!

After “Trainwreck”, Frank went into one of my favorite Viele tunes. With “Love You Enough (The Vultures)” Frank came out swinging. The entire place was feeling his strong vibes. “Vultures” was definitely on fire. “Honey” led into his Bob Seger cover, “Against The Wind” which drew a loud applause. He closed out with his signature tune “Broken Love Song”. Frank was a beast and the people loved him.

As soon as John Waite entered the audience exploded. His devotees were eager to catch their idol live. Waite delivers a certain charisma. He knows how to capture the stage and his showmanship is impeccable. You can effortlessly see the seasoned front man take control. He opened with the Bob Dylan cover “All Along The Watchtower”. His fiery brand of rock and roll quickly consumed the room. The next song was the Bad English huge hit, “When I See You Smile”. He already had everyone mesmerized. “Bluebird Cafe” and “Downtown” followed. In between songs, Waite gave the crowd a brief history behind each tune. They enjoyed every moment.

The next two songs were his immensely popular “Missing You” and The Babys’ “Every Time I Think of You”. Both songs were colossal fan favorites. Everyone was singing along.. Waite then went into a Vince Gill cover, “Whenever You Come Around”, then “Imaginary Girl” and “Change”. With each song, Waite drew his fans closer and closer. In addition, his band was tenacious. Their musicianship was amazing. “Midnight Rendezvous”, another Babys’ song ensued followed by “Tears”.

Waite finished strong. Bad English’s “Best of What I Got” had the audience on their feet. They went wild when he closed out with The Babys’ “Back on My Feet Again” and “Head First”. His band was adventurous and resolute. The entire room was swaying to the audacious rhythms. The encore was killer. Waite brought out Frank Viele for a propulsive version of Zeppelin’s “Whole Lotta Love”. The throng was in pure ecstasy. The night was a massive success encompassing bold music and dynamic intensity.

A little bit about the venue. The Wall Street Theater is a beautifully restored space with amazing acoustics. By far, one of the best concert halls in the state.

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