WE ALL COME TO LOOK FOR AMERICA

AMERICA IN CONCERT
Melbourne, Florida 1/16/08

photos by "Java" John















Tonight I saw the band AMERICA for the 3rd time in 25 years. Took my wife for her birthday (which was in October)...it was her first time seeing the band, and she loved it!

Before the show, I turned and asked "what song do you think will kick off the show"...I don't know she said, do you? I guessed Ventura Highway...wrong. Anyway. the lights went down, and as video rolled I heard Paul Simon singing. Odd, I thought, they most really love Paul. Then I paid attention to the song....."we all come to look for AMERICA" - duh!

So the band (and they do have a great band) ripped through an hour and 40 minute set of classics (of course my favorites "Sandman", "Daisy Jane" and "Sister Golden Hair". Now, I know these are classics because Gerry Beckley pointed out that that when they were in Australia last month he posed the question to the audience - "are the hits oldies or classics?" to which a crowd member shouted back - "they are classics...because your not dead yet!"

The set was also peppered with a few obscure tracks and four or five off their new critically acclaimed album "Here & Now". Most notably of the new material "Chasing the Rainbow", and "Ride On". Both great songs, but they did not play my my fave off the CD "Indian Summer". All in all a very good show by seasoned showmen.


At the end of the show before the last encore, Dewey mentioned that their production manager/sound guy Jeff Worrell was a local talent from Melbourne (to much whoop-whooping!), and that they would like to bring him and his old band from back in the day out to join them on the finale "Horse With No Name"....excellent! And Jeff even got to play the paisley guitar! I recognised one of the guys, Curtis, but if anyone knows who the other guys are please let me know. Classy way to end the show.













My 'portrait' of America (before I knew that Dan Peek had left the band) signed by Dewey Bunnell & Gerry Beckley on the 1994 tour....signed twice by each when they thought the ball point was not dark enough, nor were there enough arrows !






america on german tv in the 70's


AMERICA

DEWEY BUNNELL

JEFF WORRELL

DAN PEEK