Review by JoJo-Anthony
Photos by Joe Schaeffer
With so many bands reuniting these days, sometimes the results aren’t always pleasing. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t. Angel are one of the few that have pulled it off extremely well. The six-piece outfit returned to the Whisky a Go Go in Hollywood for a second time since founding members Punky Meadows and Frank DiMino got together. With this performance, the band donned their trademark white satin outfits, which definitely helped make them one of the more visually and exciting acts of the 1970s.
For those unfamiliar with Angel, the five-piece configuration released six albums from 1975 to 1980 on Casablanca Records (home of Kiss, Donna Summer and Parliament). The band constantly toured America but they never achieved the success they so rightfully deserved. Believe me folks, I saw Angel at least a dozen times, either as a headliner or an opening act, and they were fantastic. They had one of the more elaborate stage shows of the decade, with the band in all in white and a sleight-of-hand effect that magically made them appear and disappear from the stage.
Taking the Whisky stage at a very late hour (we’ll discuss this issue later), Angel opened the show fast and heavy with “On the Rocks” from their third release, On Earth As It Is In Heaven. DiMino certainly has not lost any of his vocal chops. He still hits the notes and is definitely one of the best vocalists I’ve ever heard. Meadows is one amazing guitarist and he’s one of my all-time favorite players. Plus, he’s just fun as hell to watch, striking some memorable “rock star” poses.
The set featured a nice balance of material spanning all five of their studio albums. Other songs from On Earth As It Is In Heaven like “Can You Feel It” and “Cast The First Stone” absolutely rocked the crowd, while “Wild And Hot” from Sinful and “Don’t Leave Me Lonely” from White Hot displayed the more pop element of the band. I was pleased to hear a couple of the more obscure album tracks like “The Fortune” and “Broken Dreams,” going all the way back to the first two albums, Angel and Helluva Band.
Unlike many veteran bands who essentially cover a “greatest hits” repertoire at their shows, Angel has a new album entitled Risen to promote. So, they performed the album’s single “Under The Gun.” If you haven’t heard the new album, I highly recommend it. It not only captures the band’s classic sound, but it shows how Angel has seamlessly progressed into the 21st century.
Angel closed their main set with fan favorites “Feelin’ Right” and “Rock And Rollers.” The enthusiastic crowd brought them back for an after-hours encore, which featured the classic “The Tower.” The Whisky must do a much better job getting the headlining act on stage at a much more reasonable hour.
I must give special praise to the four newest musicians in the band. Rhythm guitarist Danny Farrow, bassist Steve E. Ojane, keyboardist Charlie Calv, and drummer Billy Orrico are one powerhouse unit. It’s evident that they are all extreme fans of Angel and couldn’t be more ecstatic playing these songs. You can definitely see and hear it in their performance.
Angel are one of the few bands from the 7Os currently on the concert trail that sound as good as they did decades ago. They also have an album of new material to support. That’s refreshing and exciting for this fan who first saw the group in concert back in 1976. Good things definitely come to those who wait…
