FOGHAT
L I V E
AT THE CENTER OF
ANNA MARIA ISLAND
WEST OF BRADENTON, FLORIDA
It was my first concert to cover at The Center in the heart of beautiful Anna Maria Island to kick off The Bradenton Gulf Island Concert Series.
A well-organized event with standing room only. Before the show I discovered Foghat taking pictures with some of their perhaps most loyal fans in a back room, so I grabbed my concert partner in crime and loyal photographer Mark Weaver and got a shot with the band. I conducted a zoom interview with legendary drummer and founding member Roger Earl on December 11th to promote their most recent release, Foghat’s seventeenth studio album ‘Sonic Mojo’ and upcoming U.S. tour.
Foghat opened their set with an immediate crowd favorite, the 1975 hit “Fool for the City” written by the late Dave Peverett also known as Lonesome Dave. I witnessed the original Foghat lineup ten times over the years, from a third billing act supporting rock heavyweights to eventually top billing at large venues around the Washington D.C. area. I am usually one to criticize when only one or no original members are still performing under the original band name, but it’s certainly not the case with Foghat. In this case, Foghat could also be classified as The Rock Legend All-stars! The current lineup was simply magnificent in every way and loaded with rock legend familiarity and talent!
FOGHAT LINEUP
ROGER EARL
Savoy Brown member in 1968-70 and original Foghat drummer since its inception in 1971. As a side note, Roger Earl unsuccessfully auditioned for the Jimi Hendrix Experience.
Just imagine if he got the gig.
BRYAN BASSETT
Lead guitar and slide and has over 40 years’ experience as a professional musician and recording artist and 30 years’ experience as a recording engineer and producer. He began his career with Wild Cherry (“Play that Funky Music” a number 1 hit in 1976) and played with Lonesome Dave's Foghat and Molly Hatchet.
RODNEY O' QUINN
Bass player, vocalist was a member of the Pat Travers Band before joining Foghat. Rodney also performed with the likes of Derek St Holmes (Ted Nugent), Mark Farner (Grand Funk Railroad/Mark Farner’s American Band), and Ronnie Montrose (Edgar Winter Group/Montrose/Gamma).
My favorite selections of the evening were the tracks from their new album ‘Sonic Mojo’ which entered at number one for Blues albums on the Billboard charts and remains in the top ten. “She’s a little Bit of Everything” and “Black Days and Blue Nights” from the new album followed their 1973 classic “Road Fever.”
Ex Roger Earl bandmate from his Savoy Brown days, the late Kim Simmonds contributed several songs on the new album that were included in their set like “Drivin’ On.” Savoy Brown ex bandmates Pat DeSalvo and Garnet Grimm have recently teamed up with local guitar hero and Florida Music Hall of Fame inductee Sean Chambers to form Sean Chambers and the Savoy Brown Rhythm Section. I interviewed the band on zoom five months ago.
Also, from the new album a Willie Dixon cover “Let Me Love You Baby” and one of my favs that should be a top40 hit if I had anything to do with it, “I Don’t Appreciate You.”
“I Just Want to Make Love to You” the timeless classic written by Willie Dixon in 1954 and recorded by Muddy Waters and eventually given to Foghat to record in 1972 ended the setlist before the encore. The current lineup performed the song immaculately, Willie and Muddy would be proud and honored.
The night concluded with Wild Cherry’s “Play That Funky Music” because of Bryan Bassett’s association with the band and Foghat’s most recognized rock anthem their 1975 hit “Slow Ride” from their fifth studio album, Fool for the City. “Slow Ride” was named the 45th "Best Hard Rock" song of all time by VH1.
After the show, the band came out to meet their fans.
A GREAT BAND AND A FUN NIGHT FOR ALL!
-By music journalist Ray Shasho
Special thanks to Rose Nangano for arranging the show entry and photo access. You are the best!
And of course, special thanks to everyone at The Center of Anna Maria Island for a great evening!
THE BRAND-NEW RELEASE
BY
f o g h a t
Entitled
SONIC MOJO
available at
https://foghat.lnk.to/SonicMojoPR
and amazon.com
FOR MORE INFORMATION
ABOUT
f o g h a t
VISIT
Official website
https://www.facebook.com/Foghat
Facebook
https://www.instagram.com/foghat_official/
Instagram
https://www.youtube.com/user/FOGHATMUSIC
YouTube
https://www.pinterest.com/foghatmusic/
Pinterest
https://open.spotify.com/artist/6x33CmZWo2Ve4hxYl2Craq
Spotify
https://vinoshipper.com/shop/foghat_cellars
Foghat wines
f o g h a t
TOUR DATES
2024
Anna Maria, FL The Center For Anna Maria Island
Jan. 20, 2024
Indio, CA Fantasy Springs Resort Casino
Jan. 26, 2024
Enoch, AB River Cree Resort & Casino
Feb. 2, 2024
Bremerton, WA Admiral Theatre
Feb. 9, 2024
Las Vegas, NV The Golden Nugget
Feb. 17, 2024
Parker, CO Pace Center
Feb. 18, 2024
Solana Beach, CA Belly Up Tavern
Mar. 9, 2024
Silver Spring, MD Rock And Roll For Children 2024
Mar. 29, 2024
Van Wert, OH NIswonger Performing Arts Center
Apr. 19, 2024
Belleville, IL The Lincoln Theatre
Apr. 20, 2024
Tiffin, OH The Ritz Theater
Jul. 18 - 20, 2024
Walker, MN Moondance Jam
Aug. 23 - 25, 2024
Gatlinburg, TN The Mountain Music Festival
Discography
Studio albums
Year Title
1972 Foghat
1973 Foghat (Rock and Roll)
1974 Energized
Rock and Roll Outlaws
1975 Fool for the City
1976 Night Shift
1978 Stone Blue
1979 Boogie Motel
1980 Tight Shoes
1981 Girls to Chat & Boys to Bounce
1982 In the Mood for Something Rude
1983 Zig-Zag Walk
1994 Return of the Boogie Men
2003 Family Joules
2010 Last Train Home
2016 Under the Influence
2023 Sonic Mojo
Live albums
1977 Foghat Live
1998 Road Cases (live 1996)
2003 Decades Live
2007 Foghat Live II
2017 Live at the Belly Up
2021 8 Days on the Road
Compilations
Best of Foghat (1985)
Best of Foghat Volume 2 (1992)
Best of Foghat (Rhino Special Edition) (1992)
Slow Ride and Other Hits (1997)
Anthology (1999)
Hits You Remember Live (2001)
Live 2000 (2001)
The Essentials (2002)
The Definitive Rock Collection Double CD (2006)