Review by Shaggy
Another busy night at the Crossroads, although I can’t help but notice there seems to be an ever increasing amount of cars in the Crossroads lot and the lot at the laundromat next door, yet no corresponding increase in the crowds. Where are all these cars coming from?

Set one opened with the one-two punch of "The Coast>Hungry Moon." For me, this is the Suns’ equivalent of "Scarlet>Fire" or "Help>Slip>Frank". A delight for the ears usually reserved for the middle of the set or set two, but a rare treat at the beginning of the show. I really like the way the band has altered the tempo of this one, as well as drawing out the opening chords. (Was that a bar of "One More Time" I heard in there Mark?) The transition into "Moon" was longer as well, providing some real jamming time for Bruce, Mark and Gus. The "Hungry Moon" was flawless, despite what seemed to be some tuning difficulties with Mark’s Fender. As he subtly strummed his string mid-song ‘till he got the right sound, Gus immediately filled in the blanks with a terrific solo on the organ. "Laced In Silver" was top-notch as always. Maybe it’s because I was sitting near his spot on the stage (the Bruce Zone, if you will), but I couldn’t help but notice the furious and intricate jamming Bruce was doing at the end of the first section of this song. Extraordinary fretwork that I wish had been turned up just a notch in the mix. "Boy In The Bubble" followed, a strong version with ever more confidant vocals from Bruce, while "Shooting Tequila" provided an opportunity for some trademark, on-the-spot free-styling from Gus. "Sugaree" was excellent, with a fiery Mark solo in the middle that elicited cheers and applause from the crowd. The boys then served up a delicious sandwich of "One More Time>Space>Wicked History". Space was especially enjoyable, as most "One More Time"s are fast and furious and end with a direct thud. This one sort of oozed and squirmed into a sonic undersea exploration before returning to the surface to breathe in the winds of a revitalized "Wicked". The perennial favorite "Festival" put the icing on the cake.

Set two opened with two fairly new ones, at least to my ears. "Forbidden Fruit" and "Calling". The "Forbidden Fruit" was lyrically enticing, and "Calling" brought me back to my old Solar days at the Metro. (Was that a tinge of "We’re All Here Together" I heard at the end there?) "Express Yourself" was an enjoyable aural romp as always, with the added treat of watching Mark ponder the significance of the three girls dancing in front of him removing each other’s shoes. (only at a Suns’ show!) Gus’s steel drum solo on the synth lent a sweet tropical air to the Crossroads, belying the frigid temps outside.

After "Express Yourself", everyone’s favorite guest vocalist, Tara Elliott, hopped up onstage and took the mic for two songs. "Proud Mary" startred out in the traditional style of CCR, with a slow bayou back beat. But you can’t keep a lion in a lamb’s pen forever. Off went the locks, wide swung the door, and out came the closest you’ll ever come to seeing Tina Turner performing in Union County. The tempo sped up like a dragster at Englishtown as Tara’s vocals roared and soared to dizzying heights. All that was missing were the Ike-ettes paddle-wheeling behind her. But just as soon as it was firing up, the song was over. A disappointment at first, but Ms. Elliot obviously knows the old show business adage of "always leave ‘em wanting more." The crowd did, and she mercifully bestowed upon them a "Turn On Your Lovelight" that left the last one I reviewed in November in the dust.

More lyrically assured this time, Tara sang the first two or three stanzas of Lovelight powerfully and provocatively, pushing the band to test its improvisational mettle. Then came the "now wait a minute" section, a la Pigpen. (At this point, I think special mention should be made about drummer Ivan Funk. The search for a permanent drummer has been the Suns’ Achilles’ Heel for quite some time now. It would be praiseworthy enough to say that Ivan kept impeccable time on the regular five minute standards, or even the usual jamfests like "Laced In Silver" or "One More Time". But a song like "Turn On Your Lovelight", with its sudden tempo changes and unpredictable phrasing, would be challenging even to a permanent drummer who practiced with the band every day. Improvising without rhythmic consistency is like trying to support a ten-story building on a foundation of toothpicks. It would sound awful and just sink into the mud. Ivan didn’t miss a beat on this "Lovelight" and allowed both Tara and The Suns to steer this song along a wonderful vocal journey whose final destination neither seemed certain of.) After dropping to her knees like a preacher possessed by the Spirit, Tara held up her hand as though reaching for something – a sign? the muse? The ghost of Big Mama Thornton? Like a lightning rod, Tara’s upstretched arm summoned a bolt of energy from the Mississippi Delta, filtered it through the rehearsal halls of Sussex, England, and sent it searing forth from the Suns’ amplifiers in the form of – "What is that song?" What are they going into?" Is it… Can it be… Yes! "It’s WHOLE LOTTA LOVE!!!!!!!" In all it’s blues in technicolor glory. "Lovelight>Whole Lotta Love". A monumental moment in live Suns lore. "I wanna be yo back doh girl!", cried Elliott, and no one doubted her sincerity. With the crowd up on it’s feet, sweating in a collective sonic fever, the band brought us back into the closing strands of "Lovelight", shifting gears slowly, popping the drag chutes, and bringing the engines to a slow idle, then a full stop. Tara stepped down from the stage, a delirious crowd cheered and clapped till their hands bled, and as the noise quieted down, Mark wiped his brow and said "Whew. We need some time to cool down. It’s too hot up here."

The ensuing silence allowed an exuberant fan to beg for "any Beatles cover" for his birthday. The Suns responded with a most appreciated "Get Back". Gus followed up with a terrific "When I Paint My Masterpiece", matching his soulful vocals with a classy display of piano playing. All night the boisterous crowd had been playing "Let’s Berate the Band With Shouted Song Requests", and sheepishly I joined in at the end of the set, shouting for a "Jungle!" The band granted my wish with a rocking version of what I consider the most powerful of the (relatively) "new" songs.

At this point, the lights had already been up for 10 minutes and the band started to pack it up. But, sensing a potential melee if they didn’t do otherwise, management wisely allowed the band one encore, Peter Tosh’s "Legalize It". You couldn’t help but smile when a joyfully exhausted Mark sang "Legalize it, yeah, yeah, and I will criticize it". Whoops! A reminder of just how hot that second set really was. :)