I didn't really have high hopes that the show would actually be good. Part of me went to this show tonight just so I could say I saw a "legend". And if a geriatric Dick Dale could make a middle-aged me feel like I did tonight, 's no wonder he was able to father a whole new genre of music back in the day. I got just a glimpse of what those young surfers in Balboa, California witnessed back in the summer of '61. Live music nearly always makes me happy, but as Dick Dale wrapped up his set with a surf guitar version of "Amazing Grace" segueing into his signature "Misirlou", I experienced a euphoria that I've only been able to grasp at a handful of shows over the past few decades of going to shows. He was still able to channel the energy of a very enthusiastic crowd (which was comprised of 20-somethings, septuagenarians, and every age in between) into an unforgettable performance. He may not play quite as fast as he did at his peak, but c'mon! His peak was over 50 years ago! Dick Dale still plays the guitar like no one I've ever heard. And to be clear, Dick Dale was and is above all a rock star.Though they occasionally shot each other a bemused look, they stuck to the star's pace no matter how much it fluctuated.
When you're 78, I guess you're entitled to stop songs whenever to tell a story, forget which songs you've already played, or switch songs entirely halfway through if the first one is tiring you out.
The bass player and drummer were clearly less than half of Dale's age, but they were a perfect fit. He's a got an incredibly patient back-up band.Dale is the guy who originally took guitar volume to 11. Not a lot of musicians can tell stories of hanging with Leo Fender, inventing record breaking guitar amps and making the Fender Stratocaster the legendary instrument that it is today. Of course he made his name in California, but Dale was clearly feeding on the home-town energy tonight. He's a Bostonian! I had no idea before tonight that he grew up in Quincy.When was the last time you heard a musician complain about his kidneys at a rock show? But hey, it was pretty cool to hear some new banter for once. Dale does the same thing a lot of 78-year-old men do. He's your grandpa, but way more talented.And that's great! But Dick Dale was a lot more than that. Usually when I got to see a band, it's a few dude and dudettes, generally in their 20s, 30s, or maybe 40s, playing their hearts out (if you're lucky).
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