Steve Haynie Posted February 28 Posted February 28 Robin Trower played at the Variety Playhouse in Atlanta last night. The opening act was Marty Manous, a local guy who played a Fender Acoustasonic Telecaster with a looper pedal. His playing reminded me of Eric Johnson. He was worthy of getting that opening slot. There were a bunch of people bragging about how they saw Robin Trower in the 1970's. No one introduced me to his music until around 1980 or 1981. A guitar playing friend I had not seen in a decade (or two... or more) saw me, and the conversation was all about guitars. At least half the people there around us were talking guitars, too. So, my friend and I were trying to get photos of the settings on the two Marshall heads on stage. The guy next to us got a blurry photo, but it worked. The Presence knobs were turned all the way back. I noticed that for virtually every song Robin was using the neck pickup on his Strat. During Bridge of Sighs he had it in the middle position, and toward the end of the show it was between the middle and neck position. Everything you could hope for in Robin Trower's playing was there. He is 79, and age does not seem to have affected his ability to play guitar. It was a wonderful night. 15 Quote
santellavision Posted February 28 Posted February 28 He's still amazing and one of a kind. You hear him and instantly know it's him. That's what everyone should strive for, be yourself, find a sound and style and be unique. 4 Quote
diablo175 Posted February 28 Posted February 28 (edited) Saw him 10 or 15 years ago in a small club in Allentown PA. We were within 5-6 yards of the stage at one point. Love his tone and phrasing and agree with Santellavision. Very distinct and identifiable sound. I'd have liked to see him with Jack Bruce ala 7 Moons- Edited February 28 by diablo175 3 Quote
hamerhead Posted February 28 Posted February 28 I'm a little surprised by the number of band members (including guitarists) who had never heard of him, or worse, called him a Hendrix wannabe. Yeah, he has a Hendrix vibe, but he definitely does his own thing. Not sure what he's using these days, but a VooDoo Labs Micro Vibe has a spot on my board just to cop the 'Too Rolling Stoned' sound. 2 Quote
alantig Posted February 28 Posted February 28 I heard some of his stuff in the 70s, but I wouldn't consider myself a fan. About 10 years or so ago, he came to town, and since my buddy is a big fan, I asked if he wanted to go. I went in knowing maybe 2-3 songs - 90+ minutes, was totally rapt at what he was doing. I still don't recognize many songs by title, but we've seen him four or five times (and had three shows cancelled). Got tix for when he comes around this summer. He's pretty much a can't miss thing now. 3 Quote
diablo175 Posted February 28 Posted February 28 1 hour ago, alantig said: I heard some of his stuff in the 70s, but I wouldn't consider myself a fan. About 10 years or so ago, he came to town, and since my buddy is a big fan, I asked if he wanted to go. I went in knowing maybe 2-3 songs - 90+ minutes, was totally rapt at what he was doing. I still don't recognize many songs by title, but we've seen him four or five times (and had three shows cancelled). Got tix for when he comes around this summer. He's pretty much a can't miss thing now. Shame on me for not getting tix to see him up here on this go-round. Honestly, had this thread come out before his passing through here, I'd have gone. When I saw the show advertised I thought, "nah, dude's old AF." I recently paid a hefty sum to see another late 70's guitarist at MSG. Kinda feel like I've hit my quota. Quote
BoogieMKIIA Posted February 28 Posted February 28 I saw him at a club near Lexington, KY around 30ish years ago. The club had lots of acts that were past their commercial prime and maybe not all original members. Decent size place, not big. My friend and I were about 10 feet away from Robin with earplugs in place. Strat, Marshall with the tall cabinet. We were amazed that he got all the sounds we loved, live. 2 Quote
DaveH Posted March 1 Posted March 1 (edited) I've seen him twice in a now defunct dive called The Handlebar in Greenville, but that been about 20, and 25 years ago. He was always great! Saw Kim Simmonds and Savoy Brown there too, around the same time. They always had great acts, and it was a small venue. ETA: Robin made a huge impression on me at 15 when I saw him on TV (don't recall if it was Don Kirshners, SNL, or what), but he was playing a new track 'Somebody Calling' off of In City Dreams. Edited March 1 by DaveH 1 Quote
specialk Posted March 1 Posted March 1 First caught him in '74 at Winterland. Killer! Saw him last at a little dive in KC about 25 years ago. Still killer! 1 Quote
DaveH Posted March 1 Posted March 1 On 2/28/2025 at 9:56 AM, hamerhead said: Yeah, he has a Hendrix vibe, but he definitely does his own thing. I read somewhere, years ago, that he was plying Gibsons until he had the opportunity to play through Jimi's rig one time... Been playing Strats and Marshalls ever since. But yeah, he definitely has his own thing going Quote
Steve Haynie Posted March 1 Author Posted March 1 It was trying out Marrin Barre's Stratocaster in 1971 that made him get one of his own. Quote
seeker Posted March 3 Posted March 3 Saw him on their Caravan album support tour in 78?. It was awesome to say the least. Had been a fan, like a lot at the time, since Bridge of Sighs. Had been an absolute Hendrix-head before that. Every album and bootleg I could find. Trower is in the same state, but a different county. I just revisited him in detail just a few months ago. Funny, my choice of top 10 fave songs has changed, lol. 1 Quote
JOE_CPWE Posted March 3 Posted March 3 Saw him once, in 1988. My brother wants me to go with him to see Trower this summer. I think that's gonna happen. 3 Quote
shankyboy Posted March 3 Posted March 3 On 2/28/2025 at 8:56 AM, hamerhead said: Not sure what he's using these days, but a VooDoo Labs Micro Vibe has a spot on my board just to cop the 'Too Rolling Stoned' sound. Guessing he's still a Fulltone guy. Fuller made some custom pedals for Robin including the WAHFull. 2 Quote
Brooks Posted March 3 Posted March 3 (edited) Love Trower, never seen him live, gotta try to pay attention when he tours. I knew a guy back in Tx who had the tall 8x10 Marshall cab, an old Marshall head, a power soak, and a sunburst LP. You can imagine how great that sounded. EDIT - found a pic of him on FB! This is so 1982 haha Edited March 3 by Brooks 4 Quote
Steve Haynie Posted March 6 Author Posted March 6 The next batch of USA tour dates: Wed, JUN 11 The National Richmond, VA Fri, JUN 13 Penn's Peak Jim Thorpe, PA Sat, JUN 14 Music Box at the Borgata, Atlantic City, NJ Sun, JUN 15 Keswick Theatre Glenside, PA Tue, JUN 17 Hackensack Meridian Health Theatre at Count Basie Center for the Arts Red Bank, NJ Wed, JUN 18 The Wellmont Theater Montclair, NJ Fri, JUN 20 The Paramount Huntington, NY Sat, JUN 21 The Bardovan Theatre Poughkeepsie, NY Tue, JUN 24 Tupelo Music Hall Derry, NH Wed, JUN 25 The Wilbur Boston, MA Fri, JUN 27 Aura Portland, ME Sat, JUN 28 Blue Ocean Music Hall Salisbury, MA Tue, JUL 1 Center for the Arts of Homer Homer, NY Wed, JUL 2 Babeville Buffalo, NY Thu, July 3 Palace Theatre, Greensburg, PA Sat, JUL 5 MGM Northfield Park Center Stage Northfield, OH Sun, JUL 6 Taft Theatre Cincinnati, OH Tue, JUL 8 Royal Oak Music Theatre Royal Oak, MI Thu, JUL 10 Brown County Music Center Nashville, IN Fri, JUL 11 Copernicus Center Chicago, IL Sat, JUL 12 Pabst Theater Milwaukee, WI Mon, JUL 14 Hoyt Sherman Place Des Moines, IA Wed, JUL 16 Uptown Theater Kansas City, MO Thu, JUL 17 Gillian Theatre Springfield, MO Sat, JUL 19 The Factory Chesterfield, MO 1 Quote
Camstone Posted March 6 Posted March 6 I saw him in Seattle at the Seattle Center Arena in 1976. He came out on stage, there was a problem with the PA, so he left, came out 15-20 minutes later, and had the same problem. So he left the stage again. When he came back out he was very apologetic and then played for 3 1/2 hours to make up for the delays. I want to say Montrose was the opener but that was a lot of Heinekens ago....... 4 Quote
LucSulla Posted March 7 Posted March 7 Dude turns 80 Sunday. It's cool he's out there still doing it really well. He and David Gilmour have so many of the same ingredients that I've found ABing them interesting since I started getting into RT's catalog. Never knew a damn thing about him other than he was a guitarist that a lot of folks liked until Opeth did a cover of "Bridge of Sighs" back in 2008. Anyway, DG is probably my favorite guitarist, but my taste in gear runs more toward Trower. It was nice finding him because, for me, going for something based around how he was getting that tone was a little easier than with DG. Always seemed like if you were already on the Marshall side of the house and most of your gear ran that way, it was easier to go for Trower's take on that swirly, sustain thing than trying to get a similar vibe via a loud, clean amp like a Hiwatt. I have extreme metal in the rotation around here from time to time, but I'm not sure anyone ever wrote anything more sinister sounding than the intro to "Bridge of Sighs." Maybe it's growing up where I did, but I'm pretty sure if there is a soundtrack for running into the Devil on a rainy night, that's what is playing. 3 Quote
Steve Haynie Posted March 7 Author Posted March 7 Someone described Hendrix' use of the Univibe as sounding like he was stirring molten lava with his guitar. That could also apply to Trower when he plays Bridge of Sighs. 3 Quote
Jakeboy Posted March 8 Posted March 8 (edited) I’ve always loved his playing and albums and yet have never seen him….I should prolly rectify that at the Uptown in KC. Very intimate venue. Edited March 8 by Jakeboy Quote
Ham Rex Posted March 19 Posted March 19 On 3/6/2025 at 2:06 PM, Steve Haynie said: The next batch of USA tour dates: Wed, JUN 11 The National Richmond, VA Fri, JUN 13 Penn's Peak Jim Thorpe, PA Sat, JUN 14 Music Box at the Borgata, Atlantic City, NJ Sun, JUN 15 Keswick Theatre Glenside, PA Tue, JUN 17 Hackensack Meridian Health Theatre at Count Basie Center for the Arts Red Bank, NJ Wed, JUN 18 The Wellmont Theater Montclair, NJ Fri, JUN 20 The Paramount Huntington, NY Sat, JUN 21 The Bardovan Theatre Poughkeepsie, NY Tue, JUN 24 Tupelo Music Hall Derry, NH Wed, JUN 25 The Wilbur Boston, MA Fri, JUN 27 Aura Portland, ME Sat, JUN 28 Blue Ocean Music Hall Salisbury, MA Tue, JUL 1 Center for the Arts of Homer Homer, NY Wed, JUL 2 Babeville Buffalo, NY Thu, July 3 Palace Theatre, Greensburg, PA Sat, JUL 5 MGM Northfield Park Center Stage Northfield, OH Sun, JUL 6 Taft Theatre Cincinnati, OH Tue, JUL 8 Royal Oak Music Theatre Royal Oak, MI Thu, JUL 10 Brown County Music Center Nashville, IN Fri, JUL 11 Copernicus Center Chicago, IL Sat, JUL 12 Pabst Theater Milwaukee, WI Mon, JUL 14 Hoyt Sherman Place Des Moines, IA Wed, JUL 16 Uptown Theater Kansas City, MO Thu, JUL 17 Gillian Theatre Springfield, MO Sat, JUL 19 The Factory Chesterfield, MO No one like this comes to Florida! I've been a huge fan of Robin since High School and covered a couple of his songs in every band I played in. There was a great venue in Bonita Springs that was bringing in great talent. Robert Cray, Modern English, Squirrel Nut Zippers, but Covid killed it. Nice tables and food available. BB Mann is one place now but tickets in front rows are Gimmick $300 each with Alice Cooper Fanny Pack and Snow Hat VIP Silver. Enough out of me. Glad you enjoyed the show! 1 Quote
bry4321 Posted March 19 Posted March 19 (edited) Someone posted a review of his performance in Alexandria, VA a couple of weeks ago, with some good pics. Robin Trower’s recent set at The Birchmere, the first of two evenings at the venue, may have been the loudest show I’ve ever taken in in that room. Edited March 19 by bry4321 3 Quote
Steve Haynie Posted March 19 Author Posted March 19 2 hours ago, Ham Rex said: No one like this comes to Florida! The first batch of 2025 dates had Robin Trower playing Fort Pierce, Fort Lauderdale, St. Petersburg, Orlando, and Jacksonville back in February. 1 1 Quote
Ham Rex Posted March 21 Posted March 21 On 3/19/2025 at 12:57 PM, Steve Haynie said: The first batch of 2025 dates had Robin Trower playing Fort Pierce, Fort Lauderdale, St. Petersburg, Orlando, and Jacksonville back in February. Oh wow, I missed it and misspoke. Thank you for setting me straight. I never hear advertisements for Florida and try to check once a week. My Bad. Quote
Steve Haynie Posted March 21 Author Posted March 21 Shows slip past me, too. That can be a good thing, though. My concert experiences have had to be limited just because they are getting too expensive. If you missed Robin Trower, there will be another great guitar player doing a show somewhere. You never really run out of shows to see. Quote
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