California Breed – Vintage Swagger

Whisky a Go-Go

West Hollywood, California – Wednesday, May 28^th, 2014

Review by Oscar Jordan

Photos by Kimberly Annette © 2014

Black Country Communion is no more. Guitarist Joe Bonamassa has returned to being a solo artist, and keyboard wiz Derek Sherinian is a free agent. Drummer Jason Bonham and bassist/vocalist Glenn Hughes have remained together and joined forces with twenty-three year old guitarist Andrew Watt to form California Breed.

Through an introduction from Julian Lennon, the pairing of Hughes and Watt has produced an album with equal parts ‘70s era Bowie, Deep Purple Mk4, and Led Zeppelin. Their debut gig at the Whisky a Go-Go in West Hollywood on May 28^th was an old school rock fest of epic proportions.

Performing selections from the album, the venue heated up with vintage swagger and anthemic arrangements. “The Gray,” “Chemical Rain,” and “Sweet Tea” began the set. While pretenders imitate the retro mechanics of majestic blues-based rock, Hughes lived it having been a member of both Deep Purple and Black Sabbath. He’s the real deal. The compositions co-authored by Hughes and Watt seduced the quality-starved Whisky crowd. They appropriate key ingredients from the cream of edgy classic rock, and serve it with a side order of showmanship, excitement, and passion.

This contemporary musical hybrid is no put-on. “Medusa” is from Hughes’ early ‘70s band Trapeze. He’s been writing in this mellow to heavy rock style his entire life, and its inclusion in the set fit seamlessly. With his freakish vocal range, Hughes reigns supreme covering Zeppelin’s “What Is And What Should Never Be,” “The Immigrant Song,” and Deep Purple’s “Burn.” They whipped the crowd into a sweltering frenzy.

Bonham has none of the hypnotic swing of his father, but he makes up for it with monstrous intensity. Watt plays guitar with fearless abandon, ignoring press agent hype and nutty comparisons to Mick Ronson and Jimi Hendrix. He brings his own pentatonic fury in spades. Blasting through two Orange stacks, he’s a talent to keep your eye on. He sings great, plays mean guitar, and knows his way around a song; but Hughes is the queen bee, and that’s the way it is.