A friend and I took a road trip to see Cory Wong with Victor Wooten in concert this week. It was amazing! Cory’s band has all top notch players: bass, drums, keys and a five piece horn section, while he is renowned for his rhythmic guitar skills. I recorded them at the Sacred Rose festival in Chicago last summer, but since he doesn’t explicitly allow recording (I had general permission from the festival organizers) I left the recording gear at home and just went to have a good time. They did not disappoint! Victor Wooten is arguably the most talented bass player alive today. I hadn’t seen him in concert since 2005. He has a flashy showmanship which doesn’t always serve the groove of a song IMO, but he fits so well as a special guest with this big band.
Highlights included bringing out the opening act, Trousdale, to sing on a few songs.
Later Cory bantered about the challenges of moving such a large group of people with so much gear through the airport, and introduced the concept of the “Carry On Band”. All their instruments would fit within an FAA approved carry on bag. The drummer’s mini kit was adorable
Another great bit was, at the end of the set, to set up a backdrop/table/chairs/mics for a post-show press conference, like you’d see after a sporting event. The horn section had suited up in matching track suits for the occasion. They took questions from the audience, and ended up autographing some guy’s music theory homework he had brought to the show.
It was a blast and I would not hesitate to see them again any time they are near. This was the opening night of their tour and they’ll be on the road a good chunk of the year…