The last laugh was on those in the packed house for the Salt Lake stop of the Lafftour, as they came in expecting great performances from two of the three bands, and got them - but one of those was from the act they least expected.
Folksinger John Wesley Harding, whose major-label debut has garnered good reviews and comparisons to a young Elvis Costello, turned in a bright acoustic set that clocked in at an all-too-brief 30 minutes.In fact, Harding's performance may have left the tour's headliners, the Ocean Blue and the Mighty Lemon Drops, sounding a little sour (excuse the pun).
That's no criticism of those two bands, though. The Lemon Drops put in a wonderfully rough-edged mix of old and new hits, but ultimately, Harding's sometimes acerbic performance was one of the best one-man shows the valley has seen in years.
"I am the son of Bob Dylan, and I am the son of Joan Baez," Harding sang from the song "Bastard Son," (off his "Here Comes the Groom" LP), and it was obvious Harding meant it.
His mix of politicized folk-rock and terse verbal banter made for an entertaining set that charmed over at least one new fan. Though the crowd was largely unappreciative of Harding's efforts, his acid wit (including good-natured insults directed toward Alan Osmond and Phil Collins) sometimes soothed the savage beast that waited for the headliners.
In addition, his brief acousticized cover of Madonna's "Like a Prayer," his revamped Live-Aid cover and his own "The Devil in Me" were among the gems in his sparkling performance.
In comparison to Harding's stripped-down rock approach, England's Mighty Lemon Drops might have sounded like industrial noise, but their new harder-edged performance has the group breaking away from its earlier pop formula (which led some critics to compare them unfavorably to earlier bands).
New bassist Marcus Williams has galvanized more soundly with drummer Keith Rowley, and the rejuvenated rhythm section sounded terrific. In fact, at times, Williams' throbbing bass lines had the Palladium dance floor rumbling more than lively crowd members.
Consequently, the tougher approach really paid off on early gems like "Fall Down (Like the Rain)," "Happy Head" and "My Biggest Thrill."
Though vocalist Paul Marsh doesn't always have the sweetest vocals, guitarist Dave Newton's songs are well-tailored for Marsh's sometimes gruff approach. Additionally, Marsh doubled on guitar and took the 12-stringed lead on the band's new single, "Where Do We Go From Heaven?"
Also, the singles "At Midnight" and "Into the Heart of Love" (from the band's "Laughter" LP) retained all of the energy of the vinyl versions and actually gained something from Marsh's warmer vocals.
The night's biggest disappointment, however, was Pennsylvania quartet the Ocean Blue, who after garnering raves after their initial Salt Lake debut last year, opened themselves to criticism with their lackadaisical, unoriginal performance.
Though the band opened to roars from the crowd, and actually livened things a little with some of the punchier numbers from their self-titled debut, the band ultimately resorted to cutesy tricks (including relying on their looks and Dorothy Hamill-style hairdos, in addition to throwing out chocolate kisses - they're from Hershey, Pa.) to get plaudits.
Adding to the mess was a muddy mix from the rhythm section that had singer David Schelzel's vocals buried under heavy percussion. Actually, considering Schelzel's many faults as a vocalist, that may have been a blessing.
The band gave songs like "Between Something and Nothing" an earnest approach, but too many numbers from the band's set sounded too similar, and by the time the band's semi-listenable single "Rising and Falling" appeared, this reviewer was nearly asleep.