The long-awaited Tampa Bay debut of California-based cult band The Tubes was met with feverish enthusiasm last Friday night at Clearwater’s Capitol Theater. As a mostly over-50-aged crowd shuffled into the cozy venue, a variety of conversations could he overheard, some wondering how long they’d been waiting to see the infamous band, others relating memorable of past concerts.
But one thing was certain: the nearly two-hour performance The Tubes delivered to a packed house is one that won’t be forgotten soon.
From the moment the four-piece came onstage and ripped into a razor-sharp rendition of “Getoverture,” it was clear this would be no ordinary show. Lead guitar virtuoso Roger Steen, he of killer guitar faces and mind-melding licks, led the band through the loud, crunchy song before making way for lead singer and consummate showman, Fee Waybill.
Clad in long trench coat and fedora, the always expressive and animated Waybill looked like he’d just walked off the set of a spy thriller. He playfully warbled through a cover of Lee Hazlewood’s 1968 tune “This Town” (“This town is a losin’ town/It’s a miserable town/It’s a no where town/It’s the pits”), then closed facetiously with a bit of commentary (“I wasn’t talking about here…I was talking about Ft. Myers!”) to roars of laughter, the first of many Fee would command throughout the night.
“Welcome to the fuckin’ Tubes! In Clearwater!” Waybill screamed to thunderous applause. And, in an instance, those who’d waited so long to see the band on a local stage were smack dab in the middle of a true Tubes experience.
The band cruised through some of the many musical and visual highlights from their 40-plus year career, sounding crisp, sharp and tight and doling out classics like “Power Tools” and “Crime Medley” (which found Waybill in a full-on straight jacket that he managed to shimmy his way out of), and proved the long wait to see them was ever so worth it.
An early audience request for “White Punks On Dope,” the band’s signature song from their 1975 self-titled debut, led Waybill to playfully roll his eyes and put the antsy audience member at ease: “Yes we’re gonna do it…when have we NOT played it?”
A tender moment came when the Tubes dedicated their radio ballad “Don’t Want To Wait Anymore” to late member Vince Welnick as the 10th anniversary of his death approached. Waybill seemed to get emotional during the intro and in turn, delivered what might have been the most passionate number of the night.
A set-closing “White Punks” found Waybill donning his over-the-top gear in his portrayal of fictional British rock god, Quay Lude. Massive platform shoes, long curly wig, makeup, enormous glasses and an exaggerated male enhancement pushing from his spandex trousers transformed Fee into the larger-than-life rocker as he made his way to the front of the stage without a hitch on the stilt-like shoes.
A giddy and elated crowd was then treated to a high energy encore that featured “She’s A Beauty,” the band’s massive 1980’s MTV hit. Clad in the circus barker duds he wore in the well-known clip, Fee led the now-standing audience through a spirited sing-along that segued into a frenzied version of Beatles classic “I Saw Her Standing There” and then finale, a smoking version of their 1981 radio hit, “Talk To Ya Later.”
This may have been the first time The Tubes have brought their iconic stage show to the Bay area but here’s hoping it won’t be the last. This type of visual entertainment coupled with superb musicianship isn’t so common these days. The Tubes are true entertainers that know how to rock.
And speaking of rocking, opener John Waite knows plenty about that subject. The British veteran vocalist treated an eager crowd to a 60-minute foray into his catalog. Thin, fit and always ready for action, Waite, sporting a shaggy mop of his trademark red locks, looked and sounded great and he wasted no time getting things heated up with “Saturday Night,” the lead track from his 1984 solo breakthrough, No Brakes. Waite’s soulful, rich voice sounded untouched by age. Still as gruff, powerful, bold and effective as ever, his greatest instrument is still as distinctive and expressive as ever.
Dipping back into the days with his 1970s hard rock band The Babys, Waite unleashed red hot versions of AOR staples “Back On My Feet Again” and “Midnight Rendezvous” with his current three-piece backing band delivering the goods to make the songs come alive.
Equal emphasis was given to solo hits “Change” and 1984 chart-topper “Missing You.” Waite, who has been absent from local stages of late, seemed to be enjoying his set and dug deep into the trenches of his mighty vocal prowess to unleash some mighty powerful notes.
A smoking, set-closing cover of Led Zeppelin’s classic “Whole Lotta Love” found all band members (most notably Matchbox 20 guitarist Kyle Cook) really strutting their stuff and showing off their chops. Waite’s gutsy take on the song displayed every iota of his vocal power quite magnificently.
This seasoned rocker, a man worthy of headlining a show in his own right with a lengthy catalog to boast, was plenty effective in warming up a crowd that was ready for a night of rock ‘n roll and sheer entertainment. And that’s what they got … all night long.
This article appears in Jun 2-8, 2016.