Concert Reports

George Thorogood & The Destroyers threw a Rock N' Roll party in Paso Robles Sunday night bringing blues legend Buddy Guy along for the festivities.

All Photos: Gary Lambert

www.LambertsPhotography.com

www.GeorgeThorogood.com               www.BuddyGuy.net

www.VinaRoblesAmphitheatre.com

George Thorogood & The Destroyers proved beyond a shadow of a doubt that they are a REAL ROCK BAND. Cranking out hit after hit that kept the crowd on their feet, starting with the opening Rock Party. Thorogood joked that his band The Destroyers were on work release from jail to play the show, and that’s a good thing because the band proved throughout the night that their scorching playing is nothing short of criminal.

Who Do You Love, Night Time, and Thorogood’s mega hits I Drink Alone, One Bourbon, One Scotch, One Beer followed as Thorogood kept the talking to a minimum as his vibrant personality lit up the Vina Robles Amphitheatre.

Get A Haircut, Move It On Over, and Thorogood’s signature Bad To The Bone as well as a rousing Madison Blues ended the high energy evening under the stars.

Legendary blues icon and six-time Grammy Award winning artist BUDDY GUY entertained the crowd with a nod to John Lee Hooker, Eric Clapton, and Jimi Hendrix. Guy had the audience entranced with his storytelling and haunting guitar licks. Mid set the guitarist exited stage right with wireless guitar and microphone in hand, and the veteran "youngster" who is 78 years young ventured up into the audience demanding attention. Strolling up the aisles, across the seats, Guy played personally to almost every single fan in the amphitheater before returning the stage. Highlights of his set included Damn Right I’ve Got The Blues, I’m Your Hoochie Coochie man, Born To Play Guitar- the title track to his latest CD and an emotional version of Skin Deep.

About George Thorogood and The Destroyers  

In 1973, their very first gig was at a University of Delaware dorm. Today they have performed over 8,000 live shows, and sold 15 million albums worldwide. They have a catalog of classics that includes “Who Do You Love,” “I Drink Alone,” “One Bourbon, One Scotch, One Beer,” “Move It On Over,” “Bad To The Bone” and more.

Of performing, George says, “Every night when I walk out on that stage is the highlight of my career. I hit that first chord, the band kicks in, and we hear the audience respond. That’s the rush. Over 40 years into this, and every night that’s still the only moment that matters.”  

About Buddy Guy  

At age 79, Buddy Guy is a Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee, and was an influence on musicians like Jimi Hendrix, Eric Clapton, and Stevie Ray Vaughan. He has received 6 Grammy Awards, along with a 2015 Lifetime Achievement Grammy Award, 34 Blues Music Awards (the most any artist has received), the Billboard Magazine Century Award for distinguished artistic achievement, and the Presidential National Medal of Arts.  

Rolling Stone ranked him in the top 25 of its “100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time.” In 2012 he was awarded the 2012 Kennedy Center Honors for lifetime contribution to American culture; earlier in the year, at a performance at the White House, he even persuaded President Obama to join him on a chorus of “Sweet Home Chicago.” That same year he published his memoir, “When I Left Home,” and released Live at Legends, which was nominated for Best New Recording in the Living Blues Awards.  

One of five children, he was born in 1936 to a sharecropper’s family and raised on a plantation near the small town of Lettsworth, located 140 miles northwest of New Orleans. Guy was just seven years old when he fashioned his first makeshift “guitar”—a two-string contraption attached to a piece of wood and secured with his mother’s hairpins. On the new album, he recounts these days on such deeply personal songs as “I Came Up Hard” and “My Mama Loved Me.”  

“He was for me what Elvis was probably like for other people,” said Eric Clapton at Guy’s Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction in 2005. “My course was set, and he was my pilot.”

About Vina Robles Amphitheatre  

Welcome to the Vina Robles Amphitheatre, where European Inspiration meets California Character and the stars always shine. Here, two of California's great compositions meet, as exceptional wine and intimate live music are paired to create an unforgettable wine country experience.

The 3,300 seat boutique amphitheatre is nestled on a picturesque, oak-dotted hillside in Paso Robles on California's Central Coast. With its opening in the summer of 2013, the Vina Robles Amphitheatre became one of the largest outdoor venues for arts and entertainment in San Luis Obispo County. Featuring a style reminiscent of the California missions, guests are able to immerse themselves in a unique and intimate concert adventure as they enjoy modern amenities and first class hospitality. The concert season runs from May through November and features top tier acts from around the world in all genres. Various seating options all within 150 feet from the stage, including regular, VIP and general admission lawn seating, make events accessible to anyone in the community. We look forward to sharing our love of wine and the arts with you soon. For more information about the Vina Robles Winery, Click Here  

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