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| David Uosikkinen & Eric Bazilian of The Hooters @ the Mountain Winery (Photo: Kevin Keating) |
SARATOGA, CA -- This past Tuesday night at the Mountain Winery in Saratoga, California, we witnessed a show long in the making that left the audience buzzing with excitement. The stars of the night? None other than the incredible band, The Hooters. We had a chance to speak with founding member Rob Hyman only a few weeks ago and you can find our interview here.
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| Rob Hyman of The Hooters @ the Mountain Winery (Photo: Kevin Keating) |
As a Philly native, I promise that I'm going to try and check my bias throughout this review; and although Rick Springfield may have been the headliner, it was The Hooters' 45-minute set that stole the spotlight in my honest opinion. The Philadelphia-based band delivered an unforgettable show filled with infectious energy and timeless hits that hadn't been seen here in the Bay Area since the Loma Prieta earthquake in 1989. That tour with Stevie Nicks was The Hooters last visit to the Bay Area over 30 years ago!
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| Eric Bazilian & Rob Hyman of The Hooters @ the Mountain Winery (Photo: Kevin Keating) |
Show opener, Tommy Tutone spent the first 20 minutes of the night with a quick warm-up that included his hit "867-5309/Jenny" and after a quick set change, The Hooters wasted no time in captivating the crowd with their unique blend of rock, pop, and reggae-infused hits. From the very first chords of "I'm Alive," they had us in the audience hooked and ready for a musical journey back to the '80s. They even slipped in a song off their latest album, Rocking & Swing's "Why Won't You Call Me Back". Eric Bazilian's guitar, mandolin and saxophone skills and Rob Hyman's masterful keyboard work transported fans to a different era, evoking memories of youthful exuberance and gave us all another reason to make this night one big party.
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| John Lilley & Rob Hyman of The Hooters (Photo: Kevin Keating) |
Joining Eric & Rob were David Uosikkinen (drums), John Lilley (rhythm guitar) and Fran Smith Jr. (bass guitar), along with Tommy Williams (guitar) who joined the band in 2010. The six-piece maintained an unrelenting pace, seamlessly moving from one hit to another to maximize their 45-minute slot. It was easy to see how the band won over the crowd who were largely there to see 80's pop star and soap opera heart throb, Rick Springfield. "All You Zombies" saw a good chunk of the audience on their feet and by their closing number, "And We Danced", the audience was singing along and dancing throughout the entire lower bowl of the Winery. The band's chemistry was palpable, and their genuine enjoyment of performing together radiated from the stage.
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| David Uosikkinen of The Hooters @ the Mountain Winery (Photo: Kevin Keating) |
The intimate setting of the Mountain Winery gave The Hooters a chance to really connect with us in the audience -- it wasn't as intimate as Philly's Keswick Theater, a favorite and often-played venue of theirs -- but Eric and the rest of the band gave it their all to make eye contact with as many people as they could from the stage. And talk about Philly pride, it was on full display between Eric and David's shirts ( ie. Eric's 'Philly Vs Everybody' and David's 'Levittown'), even the sound engineer wore a retro Pete Rose Philadelphia Phillies baseball jersey! Between songs, they shared anecdotes and interacted warmly with fans, making it feel like a gathering of friends for a party rather than a traditional concert.
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| Fran Smith Jr., Rob Hyman, Eric Bazilian, and John Lilley of The Hooters @ the Mountain Winery (Photo: Kevin Keating) |
And to those who weren't already familiar with The Hooters before the show, the band snuck in the two non-Hooters hits written or co-written by Eric & Rob respectively, Joan Osborne's "One of Us" and Cyndi Lauper's "Time After Time." Rob pointed over to Eric at the start of "One of Us" and called to the crowd 'he wrote this!' to add that context to those wondering why the band was 'covering' the hit.
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| Rob Hyman of The Hooters @ the Mountain Winery (Photo: Kevin Keating) |
All-in-all, The Hooters abbreviated 45-min set alone was well worth the ticket price, and while Rick Springfield's performance was scheduled as the main event, The Hooters' show was the clear highlight of the evening. Their high-octane, danceable set was a testament to their enduring talent and ability to ignite a crowd. I only hope another 30 years don't go by before we see them again back in the Bay Area!
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| The Hooters @ the Mountain Winery (Photo: Kevin Keating) |
