ExpressMilwaukee.com Review
By: Michael Muckian - expressmilwaukee.com

John Hiatt knows how to show an audience a good time, as evidenced by an evening he christened “Summerfest Indoors” to an enthusiastic Pabst Theater crowd Friday. “Hello, young people,” Hiatt said as a greeting to his mostly older but jubilant fans. “Your mayor said this week is all about fellowship, beer and entertainment, and that’s what we’re about tonight.” The entertainment part, which kicked off at 9 p.m., lasted about 2 hours and went a long way toward creating fellowship between the audience and Hiatt’s band, The Ageless Beauties, with or without the beer. The quartet ran through a dozen or so Hiatt hits, leaving everyone exhausted and satisfied. Hiatt has always been a genre-straddling American original, his raw-throated, honey-coated yowl flowing with worldly wisdom. Friday’s song selection proved his work to be as timeless as the “beauties” in his band were ageless. The Beauties, in fact, provided a solid blues-rock backbone that complemented Hiatt’s skills, with drummer Kenneth Blevins and bassist Patrick O’Hearn filling the hall with rhythmic sound. The evening’s real musical star was guitarist Doug Rancio, who coaxed some remarkable tones out Read More...