Stomp brings oldies but goodies
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NEW ORLEANS — In its seventh year of presenting the lost legends of rock ’n’ roll, rhythm-and-blues, blues, soul, country and swamp pop, the Ponderosa Stomp drew big, enthusiastic crowds Tuesday and Wednesday during its two-night stand at the House of Blues and its adjacent sister club, The Parish.
Describing the Ponderosa Stomp’s acts as lost may be an exaggeration, but most of the performers in the extraordinary lineup do exist well beyond America’s youth-obsessed, mainstream culture.
Staged annually between the two weekends of the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival, the Ponderosa Stomp specializes in authentic artists who recorded hits and influential nonhits during the 1950s, ’60s and ’70s. Given such criteria, performers tend to be in their 60s and older.
This year’s younger acts included 59-year-old psychedelic-rock pioneer Roky Erickson and Mary Weiss, who was 15 when her group, the Shangri-Las, reached No. 1 in 1964 with “Leader of the Pack.”
At the elder end of the Stomp talent, Herbert Hardesty, saxophonist with Fats Domino for some 60 years, and Baton Rouge blues veteran Henry Gray are both 82.
About 60 featured performers appeared at this year’s Ponderosa Stomp, including the always fun Lazy Lester, a former Baton Rougean whose swamp-blues recording, “Ponderosa Stomp,” inspired the event’s name.
Erickson, making his second, much anticipated Stomp appearance Wednesday, recently returned to music following decades of drug and mental health problems. Backed by the Explosives, the Austin-based Erickson drove through a high-speed, post-midnight set including his signature songs “Bloody Hammer,” “Don’t Shake Me Lucifier” and “The Beast.”
The heavily bearded Erickson turned his back to audience every time he played a guitar solo. Otherwise, he looked healthy and happy as he barked lyrics about demons and devils to a full house of fans.
Preceding Erickson on the House of Blues stage, Ronnie Spector, formerly with ’60s girl group the Ronettes, performed with a 12-piece band.
The size and power of Spector’s group echoed the wall-of-sound recording technique created by her infamous producer and
ex-husband, Phil Spector.
The 64-year-old Spector’s big, ’60s-style hair and classic girl-group steps complimented such Ronettes hits as “Walking in the Rain” and “Be My Baby.” She also sang a fitting rendition of the Beach Boys “I Can Hear Music.”
Watching from the balcony, Shangri-Las singer Mary Weiss, who’d performed the night before on the same stage, clapped and snapped her fingers in rhythm.
As much as Spector, Weiss and Erickson were among the 2008 Stomp’s main attractions, the smaller Parish stage offered much fun from lesser-known artists. New Orleans singer-pianist Eddie Bo joined house band the Checkmates (featuring Herbert Hardesty), leading his own funky dance party.
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