Big Blue Planet
Shotz, Spartanburg, SC
Sunday, February 18, 2017
I caught Big Blue Planet, a great band from Upstate South
Carolina on Sunday, February 18th at a club called Shotz in the
Pinewood area of Spartanburg, SC. The band kicked off a fundraiser for a guy
named Jeremy Penland who was involved in a motorcycle accident on December 2,
2016. The man has had six surgeries to repair the damage to his hips and leg,
and will require a prosthesis.
Big Blue Planet do quite a lot of benefit shows. The guys
are not only talented, they have big hearts. I have been friends with their
drummer, Jim Summer, for many years and honestly, he is one of the best
drummers I have ever seen. I was even blessed to play in a band with him once
as a three-piece. I still have no idea how I lead a three-piece, but we did it!
Big Blue Planet also features Phill Cooper, lead vocals and
acoustic guitar; Gary Wright, guitar and vocals; Brandon Cash, guitar; and Mark
Shirley, bass. The band plays an exotic mix of deep classic rock album tracks,
many of which you may have never heard played by a cover band. Did I say cover
band? They also have plenty of original music on hand for when the time is
right.
On this day the boys came out of the chute kicking with the
Genesis song “Land of Confusion.” I always loved that one back in the day, and
have not ever heard it played live. Excellent. Next up we were treated to some
Bryan Adams, “Summer of ’69.” Every man in this band appears to be at the top
of his game. I always loved Big Blue, but have never, ever heard them sound
better than they did on this day.
I was truly pleasantly surprised when the band announced
they were going to do a song by the ‘70s Capricorn Records band
Hydra. They played the solid blues number, “Feel a pain,” from Hydra’s first
album. Talk about happy memories! The older I get, the more I love hearing the
songs from my high school days.
The guys can flat blow it out on some Styx as well, and
“Renegade” rocked like a bucking bronco. Suddenly I felt like I was back near
the stage at the old Greenville Memorial Auditorium. Heck, I think I saw Styx
there five different times!
The original song “Help Me to Love” is a beautiful tune
performed by Phill. Now this guy has a voice! He can channel Geddy Lee, Steve
Perry or Steve Walsh with equal skill. Breathtaking. And he writes a great song
too!
Another favorite of mine back in the ‘70s was Edgar Winter,
and when they started “Free Ride,” it was all I could do to keep from jumping up
there to join in on backing vocals. I actually got to do that with Edgar Winter
and Jerry LaCroix on January 1, 2000! But I held myself back. I never want to
be one of the musicians that step onto the stage and try to take the focus away
from the band. It’s their gig, people. Think about it!
Without a doubt, my favorite song of the day was “In Memory
of Elizabeth Reed,” by the Allman Brothers Band. Not a lot of bands get that
right, but Big Blue Planet did a very nice job. One of my all time favorites.
The band was going to do another set after break, but sadly
I had to be somewhere, so I said goodbye to the band and left. I was bummed I
missed their cover of “Carry On Wayward Son” by Kansas. I know they rocked it
and the whole second set. They always do.
Check out Big Blue Planet on Facebook, and if you are a
venue or a booking agent, I highly recommend BBP. Write them via their FB page.
-Buffalo
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