Live Review: Love and Rockets with Special Guest Vinsantos

Love and Rockets - Bobby Talamine (c) 2023

Love and Rockets - Bobby Talamine (c) 2023

Writing and Photography by Bobby Talamine
Edited by Fiza Javid 

Riviera Theatre Chicago
Tuesday 6/6/23

Love and Rockets baby.

Daniel Ash- All sorts of guitars, vocals, and all around cool vibe, with a wicked and striking fashion presence.
David J Haskins- bass guitar, and also vocal, followed by a debonair and elegant fashion sense, as well, and also a cool vibe.
Kevin Haskins- All sorts of drums, and also synthesizers- (also perfect timing on samples), and a simple, yet elegant vibe as well.

May look simple on paper, but when up close and personal, from the front stage pit for a bit, and you see the layout of the stage, and floor plan, and you then see lights go down, and the show is about to begin...some moments are memorable, sure, and then some are downright fantastic and F'ing way way more memorable, to the point of- "The show's already over?" Like - fast.

It's hard to really define and describe the importance and coolness of all this, without kind of getting lost in the weeds.
But age be damned, I guess is first and foremost.
Some rockers look tired, aged to the point of mummification.

Some rockers look beaten down, after years and years of hard living.
And then some rockers look so cool, so clean, so elegant, where they can (and will) be cool into their eighties.
Bryan Ferry is one. If David Bowie was still alive, he'd be another. I put Daniel, David and Kevin in this camp as well.

It has a lot to do with the songs. They are mysterious. They are at times dark, at times psychedelic freakouts. They are at times acoustic jams followed by sexy electric.
Go ahead, fill in the blank of whichever song fits the mold, because there's lots and lots of them.

And the beauty of it all, Love and Rockets style- nothing is dumbed down. Nothing is dialed in. It's all thought out, thought out to the point of cosmic wisdom.
And sexy.

This show, with a stop at the Riviera Theatre in Chicago, was just so damn sexy.
The setlist- hasn't changed since Cruel World a couple weeks back.
And there's nothing wrong with that.
Not that these guys couldn't surprise and tweak- they're definitely capable.
No need though.

---

Vinsantos - Bobby Talamine (c) 2023

Love and Rockets - Bobby Talamine (c) 2023

Love and Rockets - Bobby Talamine (c) 2023

Love and Rockets - Bobby Talamine (c) 2023

Love and Rockets - Bobby Talamine (c) 2023

Immerse yourself in the setlist, and explore.
Explore some more, while on the road.
Let's make this work.
Let's mold and meld, this established setlist of eighteen songs.
Opening with "I Feel Speed". Followed by "No Big Deal". And then "Kundalini Express". Then into "The Dog- End of a Day Gone By".

By now, you should get the gist. This is wicked pop music, for lack of a better term. And these songs aren't boring. They're well thought out, molding genres with serious backbeats depending on mood, courtesy of Kevin Haskins.

That's the juice, in my opinion. You make this work with a solid drummer- a drummer who knows sexy beats, then the rest of the band can add to the sexy as well.
All of this show, and from what I've read leading up to their show at the Riviera- they still sound so vital.
They still sound vital and important and meaningful.

What an enjoyable grab bag of songs to pick and choose from- with more nuggets midway through their set, particularly with "Haunted When the Minutes Drag", which had moments of psychedelic freakouts, and also "No New Tale to Tell", followed by again, the oh so sexy "So Alive".
"My Dark Twin", and of course "Mirror People" have an understated presence as well.
Eighteen songs total, including the two encores.
And again, it felt like it was over in a minute.

For this show at the Riviera- every aspect resonates. It resonates in a such a good way- seeing these guys play together again, an intimate venue, the extraordinary lighting and overall presentation, the mood throughout- just so astonishing.
You should feel lucky that you saw them, or will see them, with the seven or so dates remaining, because apparently this will be their last time out together.

I can go on, but the focus the past 48 hours since the show has been the images, and how to convey what I saw the best way possible, and not produce anything "boring".
Like the band, I want the photos to pop off the page.

And the same goes for the delightful opening act on this tour- Vinsantos.
Such a blend of all things cool as well- a bit of cabaret, moments of heartfelt presentation, a display of wicked eye makeup and bright aqua blue lipstick- and to start the show while walking out, and before playing his keyboard, he has to get comfortable by removing his white shoe pumps.

I love how Vinsantos experiments- not just in musical tastes, but also with costume, and presentation, and the simpler the better in my opinion, not too extravagant, but to have the sense enough to detach a bit, and listen to the songs, and show support.

That's the beauty of Chicago- not detrimental to an intimate performer, especially the opener, with lots of nauseating crosstalk from the main floor.
It's quiet, and respectful.
As short as the set was, it was meaningful, and memorable.

Bobby Talamine - JBTV Music Television Chicago

---

Love and Rockets, David J, Daniel Ash, Kevin Haskins, Vinsantos, JBTV Music Television, Fiza Javid, Bobby Talamine