If you turned on FM radio anytime in the late 1970's, there's a good chance you were exposed to the fine vocals of John Waite. Whether fronting power rock band The Babys, supergroup Bad English or throughout his long solo career, Waite's clear, soaring vocals have always been his defining characteristic. His flawless ability to raise a whisper to a scream without losing any clarity or depth has always been what's made him one of the more distinctive and enduring vocalists in the rock genre. Sadly, it was a struggle to hear that dynamic voice Friday night at the cozy Capitol Theatre in downtown Clearwater. [Text by Gabe, photos by Jeff.]
An uneven mix that was very, very low-end heavy made it difficult to get the full effect of Waite's finest instrument, that fantastic voice of his. Jumping right into the heart of his catalog, Waite opened his set at 8:20 p.m. with his radio and MTV hit from 1982, "Change." Clad in black jeans, black button-up shirt and black blazer, Waite looked as fit and youthful as ever. Admittedly the unevenness of the sound improved as the night progressed, but for the opening three or four numbers, it was a strain to hear Waite's still-amazing voice. The odds seemed against Waite for most of the night; contending with a lead guitarist who'd only joined his current touring band a week ago (as he mentioned when introducing him), an unfortunate mix and guitars that seemed to go out of tune often, Waite made the best of it all. "It's more like a soundcheck, isn't it?" he sheepishly muttered. But make no mistake — Waite has been around the block a time or two and carried himself like a true showman. He smoothly dodged all the obstacles that were hurled his way Friday night and asserted himself like the engaging frontman he's always been.
A smart mix of old reliable,recognizable tunes, some covers and selections from his fantastic new disc, 2011's Rough & Tumble, kept the small (but very loud) crowd entertained for nearly 90 minutes. Revisiting his string of radio hits from his first band, the British arena rockers The Babys, Waite treated the audience to "Back on My Feet Again," "Is It Time" and "Head First." All prime examples of the type of smart, radio-friendly pop/rock the band pumped out during their short tenure. Sadly, The Babys never reached the heights they rightfully should have in terms of record sales and popularity but nonetheless, they earned a faithful fanbase along the way. The same fanbase who eagerly supported Waite at the onset of his solo career in the early 1980's. Waite dominated every possible form of media in 1984 thanks to his mega hit "Missing You," the song that most casual music fans still know him for. His rendition of that tune on Friday night was laced with the same amount of passion and enthusiasm as heard in the original recorded version. It's slower and more subtle instrumentation helped to make Waite's delivery clearer and more easily heard. The same can be said about "When I See You Smile," the quintessential power-ballad from 1989 that Waite produced with Bad English. Although the song wore out its welcome a long time ago, Waite's enthusiastic and impassioned reading of it made it sound fresh and inspiring again.
Waite and his three-piece band also threw in an interesting and impressive string of cover tunes as well. The Bob Dylan-penned "All Along The Watchtower" benefited from crunchy guitars (with Waite himself strapping one on for the tune); a cover of Country superstar Vince Gill's 1994 ballad, "Whenever You Come Around," and a rousing, show closing cover of Tina Turner's 1974 barnburner, "Sweet Rhode Island Red."
Despite the unfortunate sound issues, John Waite's Friday night performance was a slam dunk. There aren't a whole lot of performers from the era Waite hails from that can still command the type of loyal following he's kept or boast the type of catalog he has under his belt. Whether belting out a sensitive ballad or churning out a rocker, Waite still has what it takes to carry both thanks to his magnificent vocal delivery.
Setlist:
Change
Back On My Feet Again
Evil
Better Off Gone
When I See You Smile
In Dreams
All Along The Watchtower
If You Ever Get Lonely
Whenever You Come Around
Keys To The Highway
Downtown
-drum solo-
Missing You
Rough & Tumble
Is It Time
Head First
E:
Sweet Rhode Island Red
This article appears in Jun 2-8, 2011.