WOLFMOTHER – LIVE AT THE PARADISE ROCK CLUB – BOSTON

By Joe Perusse

Wolfmother has been a band I have enjoyed ever since their debut album Wolfmother hit the US in 2006. I would tell my friends this will be the next big band, keep an ear out for them. Although they may not have hit my original expectations so far, I was looking forward to seeing them live. A large number of people agreed with my love for the band as the Paradise Rock Club was sold out for this Thanksgiving weekend appearance.

A Boston show usually involves my son Jagger, who resides there and this was no exception. At past Paradise shows we usually find our way to the side of the mixing board and hang out there. Tonight as we made our way across the floor, finding the mixing board was missing. Upon further review it had been moved up to the balcony, opening up more space on the main floor.

We took a stroll upstairs thinking there was space next to it still. When we got to the balcony, we found box seats took up our usual space so we headed back to the main floor and were about 10 feet back on the left side of the stage. This turned out to be an optimum move on our part as Wolfmother‘s lead guitarist and vocalist Andrew Stockdale spent 98 percent of the show camped out in front of us.

Leading the night off with “Dimension” and “New Moon Rising” Stockdale then said “Cheers” to the crowd. One of the huge hits off that first album “Woman” was next. After “White Unicorn”, Stockdale introduced the band, Nate Wagner (Drums) and Nick Vogepohl (Bass). He also thanked opening act Fever Dog and then let the crowd know it was time to get crazy.

“RockOut” played and Stockdale said what an honor it was for him to play in this venue. The guitar tech then handed him a white Gretsch guitar with gold trim. He joked it was time to bring out the fancy guitar for the sold out show as “Apple Tree” was next. Returning to his Gibson, “Pyramid” and “Midnight Train” followed, the later including a duck walk. Before “Colossal”, Stockdale told a woman in the balcony he was a little worried she was going stage dive ala Pearl Jam in 1991.

Dokman played a great bass intro to “California Queen”. The stage lights all turned green for “Vagabond” which Stockdale said was their tribute to Guinness. A new song, “Stay a Little Longer” was followed by “Rock ’n’ Roll Survivor” and “Paranoid”, a Black Sabbath cover. “Gypsy Caravan” and then “Feeling Love” had Stockdale checking if everyone was having fun and then telling a tale about the first time he heard “Woman” on the radio. He was listening to a radio that was a giveaway from Viagra and laughed about how he had to get it up when it came on.

“Victorious” saw Stockdale laying on his back for the final guitar solo. Ending the main set was the other big hit off the debut album “Joker And The Thief”. The encore was “Rock and Roll” by Led Zeppelin, which could be the song I have heard the most other bands play live in concert. Wolfmother did a great rendition, Stockdale’s voice strong all night. Leaving the show I still say they should be a bigger band than they are. An outstanding performance both vocally and musically that has me wanting to see them again.

Fever Dog, from California opened the night with an entertaining 45 minute set that they even squeezed a drum and guitar solo into. The group came out in matching white jump suits and Danny Graham (Guitar) and Joshua Adams (Drums) took turns on vocals. Quanah Lienau (Guitar) and Jaxon Fischer (Bass) round out the lineup.

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