Maybe if Ronnie Montrose had known how loved and respected he was, things would have turned out differently. As it is, the Concert For Ronnie Montrose – A Celebration Of His Life In Music, staged at San Francisco’s Regency Ballroom and filmed for DVD release, is jam-packed with some major A-listers, paying homage to the guitarist who passed away on March 3, 2012. The show features the music and songs from various chapters in the Montrose story.
Eddie Trunk narrates a short and swift documentary before the actual concert begins. A run through of the evening’s guests and Journey guitarist Neal Schon, drummer Steve Smith (formerly of Journey), Styx bassist Ricky Phillips and keyboardist Ed Roth step up for a round of instrumental numbers from Ronnie Montrose’s first solo album, Open Fire. In between the fiery title track (on which Schon goes ballistic all over the fretboard whilst retaining the flavor of the original) and Gene Pitney’s epic “Town Without Pity,” Schon speaks highly about Montrose, commenting that he “traveled a lot of different places, conquered a lot of area.” Afterwards, Phillips also talks about knowing and working with the late guitarist.
Several different musicians, including recent Montrose band members — drummer Steve Brown, bassist Dan McNay and singer Keith St. John — as well as KISS drummer Eric Singer and guitarist Tommy Thayer, along with Mr. Big vocalist Eric Martin, come up to play Montrose songs from the band’s landmark 1973 self-titled debut album. Tesla, a band Montrose mentored early on, play their own song, “Little Suzi.” Singer Jeff Keith sporting a broken arm, struggles through the vocal while the band grinds it through. Auspiciously missing if you’re a Montrose fan is most anything (aside from the short “One And a Half” instrumental) from the two mid 70s Montrose albums with Bob James on vocals (whatever happened to Bob James and why wasn’t he invited to this concert?). Apparently that’s a period in the guitarist’s career no one feels compelled to revisit (including Montrose himself, as he told me when I interviewed him in 2011).
Nevertheless, Montrose’s work with Edgar Winter is highlighted with “Free Ride” and “Frankenstein,” which gets a healthy workout and a stellar alliance between former Night Ranger guitarist Jeff Watson and Tesla guitarist Frank Hannon. Undoubtedly, one of the most captivating sets of the night is when guitarist Marc Bonilla, in a Gentle Giant T-shirt, takes the stage alongside singer Davey Pattison, drummer Denny Carmissi and bassist Glenn Letsch for six Gamma numbers. Clearly, one of the most underrated bands of the late 70s, the crowd seems to know their Gamma, joining in on the choruses of “Thunder and Lightning,” “Fight To The Finish” and “Voyager,” while responding favorably to Pattison’s soulful vocals and the rapid fire guitar antics of Bonilla, who clearly did his homework.
Guitarist C. J Hutchins, percussionist Jimmy Paxson and keyboardist Ed Roth play an light and easy acoustic set featuring “Lighthouse” from Montrose’s 1999 acoustic album Bearings (recently rereleased) and “One And A Half,” a short little thing squeezed in on 1975’s Warner Brothers Presents… Montrose!. With all other possibilities exhausted, it’s time for the main event: The original Montrose band featuring Carmissi, who played with Gamma earlier, along with bassist Bill Church and singer Sammy Hagar. Joe Satriani, Hagar’s Chickenfoot bandmate, speaks about Montrose’s influence on his own solo career, then takes the hot seat, slaying the guitar on “Rock The Nation” and “Space Station #5.” In between songs, Hagar, who was somewhat critical of Montrose in his autobiography, credits the guitarist with helping him gain a footing in the business. But it’s Church who gets in the last word with a “God bless you Ronnie” just before the credits roll.
A bonus DVD includes an additional set of songs featuring Chuck Terpo, Mario Cipollina, Tal Morris, Dave Meniketti and members of Y&T at Bob Weir’s TRI Studios. Among the songs they cover is Van Morrison’s “Wild Nights,” which Montrose laid down the guitar on back in the Spring of 1971. Commentary from many of Montrose’s peers, friends and band mates as well as a gallery fill out the disc. Clearly, as a set, the double-DVD Concert For Ronnie Montrose – A Celebration Of His Life In Music covers a lot of ground. Perhaps a little more footage of the man himself would have shed some additional light, but who knows what’s forthcoming. The show itself was a fitting tribute that not only brought the players together, but brought back memories of some serious kick-ass early 70s American hard rock that set the tone for years to come. I’m with Bill Church: God bless you Ronnie!
~ Shawn Perry
