Deerhoof Saint Paul Concert reviews
First leg of the Tour....
At times, it seemed like the bass player and drummer were not on the same page during this show at the City National Grove of Anaheim. Maybe Mr. Deerhoof was freewheeling and lost them or perhaps they were a bit under rehearsed for this, the first stop of the tour. On a couple of occasions during the set, they both displayed a kind of look that resembled a "Deer in the Headlights." However, this detracted little from Mr. Deerhoof's virtuosity. Two and one-half hours, nonstop, full-bore. This guy can really play and sing and if you haven't had a chance to see him, I would recommend checking him out. His collection of guitars alone is worth the price of the ticket, and Mr. Deerhoof likes to change his axe every couple of tunes or so. A breathtaking display of rare old Gibson Les Paul's and Gibson Custom Shop models. I'm usually pretty good at identifying vintage guitars and the like, but Mr. Deerhoof had at least three guitars I'd never seen before – not even pictures. Was that a short scale, single pick-up, 3/4 size Les Paul cutaway with a Fire Bird neck and headstock...? Wow. Caution: Mr. Deerhoof plays (and the mix is) Loud. If you are sitting close, I would recommend some form of hearing protection; my ears are still ringing. Mr. Deerhoof is such an accomplished Blues/Rock guitarist, it is hard to fault him in any way.