by Michael Doherty
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SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 15, 2024
The Hawks are back to performing as the Hawks. But that doesn’t mean lead singer Rob Waller is not doing any more solo shows. In fact, last night he played a truly solo show, apparently only the second time he’s done so (which seems crazy to me). Mike Berman hosts a monthly music series at Jeweled Universe in South Pasadena, located on the strip where Eclectic Music Festival has been held. It’s a cool spot, a store selling jewelry and clothing, with artwork on the walls. And there is a stage there. The series, which is titled Acoustic Jewels Showcase, features talented singers and songwriters. Last night’s show was a treat, not only because of a rare solo performance by Rob Waller, but because Arielle Silver, whom I’d seen open for Ellis Paul, was also on the bill. And to top it off, Steve Key joined Mike Berman for a set, the two trading songs, along with some anecdotes. So, yes, it was a special night.
At 7:35 p.m., Mike Berman introduced Rob Waller, who opened his set with “Libre Road,” a song I don’t think I’ve heard him perform in quite a long time (if ever, now that I really think about it). It was included on the I See Hawks In L.A. album Grapevine. He told the story of going down to Mexico, a sort of spur-of-the-moment trip, and deciding to take the Libre Road rather than the toll road (I would have made the same decision), and being somewhat surprised at finding no one else traveling the road that night. Well, before long, he learned why. Some people had set up a fiery roadblock, and, with machine guns, forced Rob to the side of the road. But there was nothing worth stealing in the car, and so they continued on their way. “We were terrified for like forty-five minutes, then went and had a good time,” Rob said. What a story! Rob then mentioned that Anthony Lacques, an original member of the Hawks, was in the audience (you might also know Anthony Lacques from his Stoney Spring albums).
Rob followed “Libre Road” with “Turn That Airplane Around,” a song from the first Hawks album. He delivered a moving rendition, with a sweet, gentle vibe. On that album, that song is followed by “Beautiful Narcotic Place I Reside,” and last night he decided to follow it with that song as well. He vocalized Paul Lacques’ solo in the song, a wonderful moment. He then chose another song from Grapevine, “Hitchhiker,” afterward mentioning that it was originally called “Good Luck Hitchhiking.” For me, the big highlight of the set was “The Mystery Of Life,” another song from the band’s first album. This was the song where he really demonstrated the power and beauty of his voice. It was so damn good. While everything up to that point had come from those early albums, he wrapped up his set with a relatively new song, “Jug Of Misery.” This one has not yet been included on a Hawks album, but will likely be on the next release. (You can hear a version of the song at the end of my interview with Rob Waller.)
