Robin Trower opened a time capsule from the ’70s at Center Stage in Atlanta on Sunday night, launching the set with one of my personal favorites, “Too Rolling Stoned.” The song appeared on his album Bridge of Sighs, whose title track also made the setlist. The venue was full, and the fans were locked in. At 81, the guitar hero played as well as I have ever seen him. He looked happy, the sound was dialed in, and the entire band played beautifully.
Trower played the entire show on a beautiful yellow Fender Stratocaster through two Marshall stacks. The tone was legendary, something you could not only hear but feel in your chest. It was so faithful to the sound of his records that the music seemed to come alive again, more than 50 years after his early solo albums first hit vinyl.
Speaking of records, Trower has a new album, Shine, released during this tour. I loved the track he played from it, “It’s Not Time.” It captures the sound and feeling he has remained remarkably consistent with over the years, fitting perfectly into the setlist. You can hear the space in the song, along with every nuance of the slides and vibrato that define his signature sound. The album is excellent. It feels fresh and creative while somehow already sounding like a classic, one that will remain in regular rotation for me. The same can be said of his songs over the last decade and more, and the several he included measured up just as well as his older classics.
Trower first achieved success with Procol Harum, joining the keyboard driven band in 1967 and remaining through 1971. During those years, he recorded five studio albums with the group and toured extensively. Although he remained grateful for the opportunity, his creative instincts increasingly pulled him toward psychedelic rock, inspired in no small part by Jimi Hendrix. One of his final contributions to Procol Harum was “Song for a Dreamer,” a tribute to Hendrix that also helped point Trower toward his own guitar driven musical direction.
Trower saw Hendrix perform in Berlin in 1970, just a few weeks before the legendary guitarist’s death. Procol Harum shared the bill with Hendrix, and although Trower felt Hendrix’s band was having an off night, he was thoroughly impressed by the guitarist’s playing. Trower went backstage afterward to say hello and tell Hendrix how much he admired what he had seen. It was a brief encounter, but one involving a musician whose influence would remain with Trower throughout his career.
Hendrix was far from Trower’s only influence. He has cited B.B. King’s Live at the Regal and James Brown’s Live at the Apollo among his favorites. Blues greats Albert King, who influenced Trower’s decision to tune down, and Howlin’ Wolf, along with guitarist Hubert Sumlin, were also important inspirations. Elvis Presley’s guitarist Scotty Moore was the musician who first inspired Trower to pick up a guitar.
I thoroughly enjoyed this show. Bridge of Sighs was one of the first albums I bought when I was learning to play guitar, and it has remained one of my all time favorites. I have always loved Trower’s ability to draw so much emotion from his instrument while leaving room for the song itself. His playing has always felt melodic and human to me, making it easy to connect with the music.
More than five decades into his solo career, Trower still puts on a wonderful show that stays true to his impressive catalog. If you have not heard Shine, do yourself a favor and pick up a copy. Vinyl would be a particularly fitting choice. You will be glad you did.
Setlist:
Encore:
