Live Review: 'Steve Miller Band Digs Deep Into The Past In LA'

New York, NY (Top40 Charts/ RoadRunner Records) - While on his Bingo! summer tour, Steve Miller recently stopped by the Greek Theater in LA, and The OC Register's music blogger was on hand to take it all in. In a review of the show, the publication writes, "Usually the worst thing a classic-rock performer can do is fill the majority of a live show with newly released material. But an exception can occur if the new material is good - and the performance of it is excellent... New tracks are generally buzz-killers at classic-rock shows - yet because the Bingo songs brought out the best of Miller's fabulous guitar playing, they were actually the highlights. That's really quite an achievement considering his deep catalog of hits."

Offering some solid insight into the setlist, the site continues, "For the latter part of the show, Miller, an avid promoter of the Kids Rock Free program at the Fender Center in Corona, brought out a KRF student, 15-year-old Dillon Brown, soon to be a sophomore at Santiago High in Corona. The kid traded leads with Miller on 'Rock'n Me,' and you had to figure, 'That was nice to bring him out there for a song.' But Brown was with the band as it returned for an encore, playing on all three selections - 'Fly Like an Eagle,' 'Swingtown' and 'Jungle Love.'

"In addition to the aforementioned encore songs, the set included several radio staples: 'Jet Airliner,' 'Take the Money and Run,' 'The Joker,' 'Abracadabra.' But the seven covers from 'Bingo' really stood out most, especially 'Tramp' and 'Ooh Poo Pah Doo.' Former Checkmates singer Sonny Charles, who joined the Steve Miller Band a couple years ago, provides most or all of the lead vocals on those and other Bingo songs. He sounds great, though when he's not at the microphone he sure shows that he's got all of his Four Tops dance moves down perfectly. (Such music also needs a great backbeat drummer, and Miller's got one in Gordy Knudtson.)"

Read the full review right here, pick up a copy of the stellar blues homage Bingo!, and for a full list of tour dates and more information on how to catch Steve Miller on tour this summer, go right here.