Johnny Wild has these words for Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens and the Big Bopper – rock in peace.
The three stars died in an airplane crash 59 years ago, on Feb. 3, 1959. But rock and roll heaven has, as the song says, “a helluva band” and the same description fits Johnny Wild (Andy Matchett) and the Delights. They were joined Saturday by Brian Padilla-Irizarry as Valens and Thom Mesrobian as J.P. “The Big Bopper” Richardson. Matchett was Holly.
They played an explosive and raucous sell out show at Katie Belle’s called, “The Day the Music Lives Dance Party.” The idea was to partially re-create the last concert Holly, Valens and the Bopper gave – on The Winter Dance Party Tour — before that fateful flight out of Clear Lake, Iowa.
“This is a celebration of those three guys who gave us so much great rock and roll,” said Matchett, looking like a Buddy Holly clone with big, black glasses, a white sportcoat and a wicked electric guitar. “It’s sad that they died the way they did, but their musical legacy is still going strong.”
Rock and roll fever was rampant in Katie Belle’s. The dance floor was packed, the band was jamming and there seemed to be a ghostly presence that resembled that scene in the movie “Peggy Sue Got Married.” You know, the one where Peggy Sue gets magically transported to the 1950s.
“This isn’t just about the music of Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens or the Big Bopper,” said Marilyn Whitley, wearing a poodle skirt. “We’re going back to a happier time and place when we were young.
“Rock and roll was new and exciting. This music was full of energy and you could feel it, and Buddy Holly could feel it. He’s been gone a long time, but the music still has that energy and it still feels the same way.”
The concert started when Matchett came out as Dion — who was also on the Winter Dance Party tour – and ripped through “The Wanderer,” and “Runaround Sue.” Bobby Vee would later replace Holly on the tour, and Matchett honored him by covering “Take Good Care of My Baby.”
Then it was time for the Bopper.
Burly Thom Mesrobian jumped on stage, pulled out a big, mustard-yellow dial telephone out of his tiger-skin coat and started rapping with his girl.
“Hellllll-looowwww baby, yea this is the Big Bopper,” sang Mesrobian, sounding almost as funky and cool as J.P. Richardson on “Chantilly Lace.”
Mesrobian, like the Bopper, presents a dominating presence to fill the stage. And, like the Bopper, he has a soulful, down-and dirtyoblues voice. Mesrobian displayed such vocals, “White Lightning,” “Shake, Rattle and Roll” and “Crazy Blues.”
“The Bopper was all about having fun,” Mesrobian said during a break. “His song is a novelty classic, but the guy could really sing. He proved that on ‘Crazy Blues.’
“More than the music, I think a show like this and a night like tonight is really a celebration of that time. People were growing up with rock and roll, and so were the singers.
“Here were these young singers on a winter tour, freezing in buses and playing before a couple hundred people every night. They loved it and so did the fans.
“So here we are 60 years later, and the people still love that music. And it still matters.”
Bob Jankowski was a kid during the 1950s and remembers seeing Buddy Holly play live at an Alan Freed show in New York City.
“Buddy was great, you could just tell this guy was special,” said Jankowski, who brought in a newspaper clipping of the story about Holly’s death the day after the plane crash. “I hear this music tonight, and it sounds just as good as it did then.”
Ritchie Valens was only 17 when he died.
Brian Padilla-Irizarry is 23 but knows Valens’ music.
“I’m from Puerto Rico and I grew up with Ritchie’s music,” he said. “My grandfather taught me
Ritchie’s songs. It’s part of our culture and I’m proud to sing them.”
Padilla-Irizarry opened his set with a scorching version of “C’mon Let’s Go.” The guy had slick moves and at times, resembled Prince as well as Valens.
Padilla-Irizarry perfectly captured the soft romance of “Oh Donna,” and then turned to some frenetic wailing on “Oh My Soul.”
The climactic moment came with Valens’ all-time classic “La Bamba.” Padilla-Irizarry rocked Katie Belle’s so hard you could almost the glasses and dishes shaking.
“I’ve been singing that song since I was 5 years old,” Padilla-Irizarry said. “It’s still great and as the years go by, I think Ritchie’s music will only be greater.”
Matchett met the challenge of closing the show in style with Buddy Holly songs.
Some view Holly as a nerdy figure in rock history, but Matchett plays Buddy tough. He’s big and in your face and likes to rock the guitar. That was the case on such numbers as “Not Fade Away,” “Rock Around With Ollie Vee,” “Oh Boy” “That’ll Be The Day” and “Peggy Sue.”
But a surprise was the gentle “Everyday,” and an almost polka sound to “It Doesn’t Matter Anymore.” Another song, “Peggy Sue Got Married” possessed a wistful longing and soothing beat.
All in all it was quite a show, especially for the Delights band featuring Abraham Couch, bass; Randy Coole drums; Simon Palombi, guitar/keyboards. Also contributing were singers: Amanda Warren and Whitney Abell-Couch.
“They brought the music back to life because they’re so talented and they respect the music,” said Vic Cote, who noted his wife, Mary, represents “the Class of ’57.”
“That’s when I graduated,” she said. “I had Buddy Holly’s records back then. Tonight was like listening to them all over again.”
Somewhere in rock and roll heaven, Buddy, Ritchie and the Bopper were smiling.
