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The
Boston Globe, April 26, 2003
A new voice and two old hands bring fire to Doors
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Steve Morse
Sometimes
a show jumps up and surpasses expectations. A perfect example was
last night's Doors reunion, which could have been a hard sell because
of the late singer/rock-icon-supreme Jim Morrison's absence. But
new singer Ian Astley stepped up remarkably well and, helped by
original Doors Ray Manzarek and Robbie Krieger, made this an event
to savor.
Astley, whose booming vocals have been a staple
of the psychedelic hard-rock band The Cult, appeared completely
comfortable in the role of Morrison. From the stage regalia of sunglasses
and leather jacket, to the blistering, leather-lunged belting, Astley
fit the bill incredibly. He had some trouble on the moody side of
the Doors repertoire (he seemed a bit tame on When The Music's
Over), but on the rock tunes, he excelled. On the vintage Roadhouse
Blues and L.A. Woman, he reached transcendent levels
that had old-school Doors fans shaking their heads. (Full disclosure:
I saw the original Doors twice – once at the now-defunct Crosstown
Bus in Brighton, where Morrison chugged Southern Comfort and young
women danced in go-go cages next to tinfoil-covered walls, and once
at Meehan Auditorium in Providence, a tamer show by comparison).
Last night was tame from a behavioral point of
view (Astley didn't ingest anything), but not tame musically. The
Doors rocked for two hours and 15 minutes, hitting nearly every
highlight from their '60s heyday (Back Door Man, The Crystal
Ship, Light My Fire, Peace Frog, and Soul Kitchen helped
take the night home), but the group also debuted a new song, Cops
Talk (written by Jim Carroll of ''Basketball Diaries'' fame),
that fit in nicely and featured Astley and Manzarek trading lead
vocals that had a street-rap edge.
The video montages also brought back the highs
and lows of the '60s, from footage of a happy Morrison on a beach
to turbulent images of police brutality during the Civil Rights
struggle, and shots of abused Native Americans shown during Wild
Child. The Doors had a film school background in Los Angeles,
so it was appropriate to see that side of the band carried on. And
kudos to the Brotherhood of Love, a San Francisco company that helped
put together the video and the arresting light show that was like
a psychedelic experience revisited.
Concert highlights included several intense instrumental
solos between Manzarek and Krieger (who also played some flamenco
guitar to great effect). One forgets just how talented the rest
of the band was, since Morrison usually got all the credit. And
new backup musicians Ty Dennis on drums (he played with The Motels)
and Angelo Barbera on bass were worthy additions to The Doors fold.
Manzarek said the group was working on an album
for release this year. It might be a hope beyond hope to think it
could rival their old work, but based on the concert last night,
there should be no shortage of momentum.
Boston
Herald, Saturday, April 26, 2003
Doors reunion lights fire musically, legally
Dean Johnson
The
Doors fans who packed the Orpheum last night for the group's first
local show in over 30 years likely saw a very rare gig because this
reunion just doesn't have the scent of a long-term project. It's
not that the concert was a sham, even though it had its creepy,
necrophiliac moments. On a purely musical level, it was as good
as any diehard Doors fan could have hoped for. But this version
of The Doors – which includes original members Ray Manzarek (keyboards)
and Robbie Krieger (guitars) along with former Cult singer Ian Astbury
on lead vocals – has become extremely popular with lawyers.
Original drummer John Densmore has taken legal
action to stop the band. Former Police drummer Stewart Copeland,
who replaced Densmore and then was replaced by Ty Dennis, is suing
for breach of contract. Wednesday, the estate of the late Jim Morrison,
the group's first singer, filed suit. If Manzarek and Krieger thought
'60s rock was an adventure, they're learning rock in the new millennium
is a full contact sport.
Still, the group dished out 20 songs last night
in a show that ran over two hours. The mix included most classic
Doors cuts, a new tune, a few lesser known Doors ditties, and a
'60s-style light show.
Astbury, faced with the tough task of replacing
a legend, met the challenge head-on. He took to the stage in sunglasses,
jeans, a leather jacket and a Morrison haircut. If Morrison's mother
stood at the back of the Orpheum last night, even she would have
wondered what was going on. Though Astbury hardly conveys the same
danger and intrigue that were Morrison's constant buddies, he has
a similar dusky baritone and strong stage presence.
Manzarek and Krieger remain talented and unique
musicians; no one sounds like them. The three, supported by Dennis
and bassist Angelo Barbera, roared through Doors songs such as Break
On Through, L.A. Woman, Light My Fire, and a romping Soul
Kitchen finale.
The crowd was in a state of rapture from the start,
and a good slice were obviously Doors fans after the fact. There
were even a few teens in the house. A half hour and three songs
into the night, Manzarek introduced Astbury, and the place went
nuts, a litmus test passed.
But Astbury's "Jim-alike" look added
a heady dose of weird to the night. Still, the surviving Doors must
have realized months ago something on display last night: Morrison
has been gone so long that most fans never saw him or hardly remember
him. It's the sound they want. Last night, they got it.
Set
list: 1. Roadhouse Blues / 2. Break
On Through / 3. When The Music's Over / 4. Love Me Two Times / 5.
Moonlight Drive / Horse Latitudes / 6. Wild Child / 7. Cops Talk
/ 8. Alabama Song / Back Door Man / Five To One / 9. The Crystal
Ship / 10. People Are Strange / 11. Spanish Caravan / 12. Maggie
M'Gill / 13. L.A. Woman / 14. Light My Fire / Encore:
15. Riders On The Storm / 16. Peace Frog / 2nd
Encore: 17. Soul Kitchen.
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