Concert Review: Herb & Lani @ One World Theater

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Captain Bacardi

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Finally! Herb and Lani make their first Austin appearance last night at the wonderful One World Theater (another show tonight, which I will also go to). The place was packed and the crowd was very enthusiastic. My wife and I were in the very front row.

First pianist Bill Cantos, bassist Hussain Jiffry and drummer Michael Shapiro come out on stage. Bill starts playing piano and Herb is heard introducing him, followed by Hussain and Michael. Then Herb and Lani come out to a standing ovation. The band starts into a groove and Herb plays "Bittersweet Samba" to start things off. I can't recall the setlist exactly, but they played:

Moondance
O Pato
Besame Mucho
Don't Cry
Chattanooga Choo Choo
Fly Me To The Moon
TJB Medley (Rise/Whipped Cream/Work Song/Lonely Bull/Mexican Shuffle/Tijuana Taxi/Taste Of Honey)
This Guy's In Love With You (sung with the crowd)
Brasil '66 Medley (Up On The Roof/Look Of Love/Fool On The Hill/Like A Lover/Mas Que Nada)
Begin The Beguine
I've Grown Accustomed To Her Face
Let's Face The Music And Dance
Viola
Come Fly With Me
I've Got You Under My Skin
Puttin' On The Ritz
Something (encore)
Jobim Medley (Agua De Beber/Quiet Nights, Quiet Stars/Waters Of March/One Note Samba/Spanish Flea) (encore)

There's probably another tune or two that I'm forgetting. There was a tune they started with that segued into "Under My Skin" but I can't recall what it was.

Herb was very engaging with the crowd, taking a couple of questions and talking about the old days, as well as making a statement about how melodies have disappeared these days. The band was phenomenal, as usual. Shapiro was lights out on drums. There were a couple of tunes (Don't Cry and Chattanooga, for example) where there was a rhythm loop and/or strings that Shapiro controlled. Bill Cantos almost stole the show on "Under My Skin" with his scat vocal.

A great show overall that lasted about an hour and 40 minutes or so.

Afterwards, we hung around a bit. One of my best friends is an usher at One World and she came to me and said that Herb would be out to talk to some friends after a while, so we waited around. Hussain had come back out to get his bass and I called him over and asked if Bill was coming back out. I had met Bill a couple of years ago and PMed him here about the show. He came out after a few minutes and we chatted for a good while. We talked about the Japan gigs they did a while back and he said that the song "Bittersweet Samba" had been used for a TV show there for about 40 years, and they decided to do the song there and the crowd went wild. So they've been doing it on the current leg of the tour. He's been busy playing with Burt Bacharach as well.

Finally, to the left of the stage Herb came out to greet a couple of people so I walked over there. After they finally left Herb looked at me and we shook hands and chatted a bit, which just made the night even more special. Super nice guy who looks amazing for an 80 year-old man. He signed my copy of Come Fly With Me that I had brought and my wife took a photo of us. My wife also told Herb that she dared me to bring my trombone to see if he would let me play with him. Herb laughed and said "not going to happen." :laugh:

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Herb was about to leave and I asked if Lani would be available to sign my copy of her book"Emotional Memoirs", and he said he would go get her. She came out after a couple of minutes, shook my hand and when I showed her the book she said "Oh, you have the first edition! I like this photo better than the newer version." So she signed it and again my wife took a pic of the two of us:

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I then told her that I was also from the Chicago area. I then told her that I was curious about one thing, since I've never saw an interview that ever asked her this question. Being a Chicago girl, which did you prefer - Cubs or White Sox? She looked at me for a moment then burst out laughing. She said her family weren't really into sports but she had heard about "the Cubbies" and thought that was a cute phrase. She didn't realize until afterwards it was a baseball team. :D

All in all an excellent evening and one to remember!


Capt. Bacardi
 
Wow, nice experience... Never got to meet them in the two shows my wife and I went to but hopefully someday I can meet and greet them both! I'm surprised Herb didn't play Puttin' On The Ritz, that's been a staple in his live shows since its release, the tracklist is essentially the same since when I last saw him (July 2015 Rochester Jazz Festival) with the exception of the new tracks from Come Fly With Me. I especially enjoy the Jobim medley, Bill Cantos' scat steals every show, I'am still jealous that you got to meet the two of them!! Great post Captain.
 
Glad Herb & Lani are still out there doing what they enjoy for us all. For those who haven't seen or met them yet don't despair. After collecting their albums since 1962 my first opportunity didn't happen until 2009. While helping my daughter move into her dorm in Chicago I made a side trip up to Brookfield, Wisconsin -- about a half hour west of Milwaukee -- for their show. The following night I caught their next appearance in Naperville, IL. There was ample time for photo opps and getting a few albums signed at both stops.

Recently I learned they plan to return to Chicago to play at a City Winery. There are similar wineries in other cities, and artists who appear at one are known to appear at others. Perhaps Nashville might be a prospect (?)

Enjoyed the review and set list & am happy you had a great time.

JB
 
Last night's show was pretty much the same set list, except they did "La Vie En Rose" instead of "Grown Accustomed...". But some of the songs were done differently, such as "Besame Mucho", "Don't Cry" and "Viola". And it was "Begin The Beguine" that segued into "Under My Skin". A lot of humor between Herb & Lani plus Herb & Michael Shapiro did some cutting up. Two nights of a Herb concert. I guess I've had my Herb fix for now. :D

Coincidentally, my wife & I are going to Minnesota on Friday to see our in-laws, and Herb & Lani are playing that night in Minneapolis. But we'll be a couple of hours away. But it sure is tempting!

A couple of photos from last night:

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Capt. Bacardi
 
Now I'm jealous. Maybe some day I'll get to hear them... Sigh...
Road trip! :D

Last night's show was pretty much the same set list, except they did "La Vie En Rose" instead of "Grown Accustomed...". But some of the songs were done differently, such as "Besame Mucho", "Don't Cry" and "Viola". And it was "Begin The Beguine" that segued into "Under My Skin".
I like that they mix things up on these gigs. Never the same show twice. :thumbsup:
 
I like that they mix things up on these gigs. Never the same show twice. :thumbsup:

Yeah, it's not like the shows that the Carpenters did. I have a homemade tape of a concert at the Valley Forge Music Fair - and it's the same exact show, word for word, song for song as the LIVE IN JAPAN album. Herb likes to keep things different and interesting - not only for the audience, but for him and the band too.

Harry
 
I remember that comment about the band, which I likely read in one of Herb's interviews: they're pretty much "open" with the concept and are easily able to change things up. It helps to have musicians that are very flexible backing him up, and the chemistry to make it happen. Hard to believe it's been six years since I saw them.
 
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