Rick Springfield Is Right In The Middle

Rick Springfield Is Right in The Middle By,

Penny Pepperstein

Sometimes I write a concert review in chronological reverse of appearance. Starting with basically the headliner and end the article with the opening band. Well, tonight my friends I am going to start right smack dab in the middle. Rick Springfield was second of three in the line up and without a doubt my favorite show of the night. I am not ashamed to admit that I am a hardcore Rick fan. From about the age of 12 and my best girlfriend at the time had the vinyl (back then we just called them an album) of Working Class Dog with the ever so popular hit “Jessie’s Girl”. It also featured “Love Is Alright” and “I’ve Done Everything.” Being young, being girls and being silly, we would dance all over the place in our socks, singing to the words we both probably got wrong. Can we just scream heart throb already? Flash forward and see that much older girl, looking down the lens of a camera wishing for that one perfect look and not necessarily for the photograph, but maybe because it’s Rick Springfield and some wishes should just happen like that. Now let’s get to it, Rick Springfield is still well, Rick Springfield. His voice hasn’t aged nor his ability to jump crazy through the air and land in perfect pose all why singing Jessie’s Girl. But, that might be where some resemblance pauses. The latest album by Rick Springfield The Snake King gives way to a much different sound. Introducing the song “Little Demon” he grabs his steel guitar and proceeds to play the blues, and I do mean the blues. I listened intently as I realized this was a dark song and the other song performed “Voodoo House” which he explained that could be seen on YouTube, was also pretty dark. But the new song brought dancing, hands in the air and a little swaying of the hips. Nothing brought the screams of the 80’s back to the Pinewood Bowl that night, like the compilation of the old Rick Springfield favorites. He gave the audience their chance to sing along with him. and sing they did! The encore was Jessie's Girl and if there were any ladies that were not already standing, they jumped up and screamed the words back to the singer.  Rick Springfield will continue to entertain us with his good looks (had to be said), serious, kick ass guitar playing and sing-able lyrics. Thank you, Rick, keep coming back to Nebraska, keep bringing new music and keep being, well, being Rick.

Next will be the headliner Pat Benatar and Neil Giraldo. A husband and wife team that got over looked a lot as a singer songwriter team over their nearly 40 years. Last summer I was given the opportunity to photograph and write a review on Benatar and Giraldo’s performance. That show brought back some amazing, memorable days if singing into my hairbrush as I tried to mimic Benatar’s style and attitude while staring into the mirror. The show in Lincoln was just as wonderful, although pretty much the same show, many of the same songs and stories told in the same way. But hey, if it ain’t broke… I love the relationship they have, close, and they don’t let the world or audience take that from them. Pat affectionately calls him Spyder and they talk about their day or week as if we were all sitting on their sofa chatting. As far as the music, spot on, spot on as always. I am always amazed by that ladies voice, and that she sings every note as if she were 26 instead of 65.

Now the starting entertainment was a pleasant surprise. A duo singer/songwriting team who are called Dauzat St Marie and are based out of Las Angeles. Heather, who is the main singer, has an incredibly beautiful, alto voice that when singing in her powerhouse could be compared quite easily to Cher. Mat, the backing vocals and acoustic melody on guitar, gave me the urge to sing a long on songs I had never heard before and reciting the words Dauzat St Marie repeated in the chorus. I would love to see them come back around this way and be the headliner so that I could enjoy the music and the show a lot longer.