First of all, it was alias for Florian Rein, Sebastian and Peter Horn Banana Fish Bones an easy day. Or what could be more laid-back than heating up the sold-out Tollwood music arena in front of 5000 sweating tent visitors as the opening act for Jeff Beck and Johnny Depp. Especially since the Bad Tölz indie rockers after 35 years in a band and various side projects (three quarter blood) now look more like Bavarian Buddhists. It must have been less casual after the short appearance backstage: the three were locked away, so to speak. It’s the usual madness when a Hollywood star who is well known beyond the norm gives a musical guest performance.
Johnny Depp was known to have hooked into guitar god Jeff Beck’s tour. The two met through Depp’s show band Hollywood vampires know and discovered their musical kinship – at least that’s what you can read in the press releases. That being said, for Depp, it could also have been about putting the hype surrounding his War of the Roses trial behind (or even exploiting it a bit). For Beck, it’s coming into his old age – the Brit is 78, which he covers up perfectly except for facial close-ups with his jet black mane and wiry body – a chance to expand his fame beyond the guitar aficionado scene. And then, of course, it’s normal business practice to also advertise live an album that’s just been released, like the jointly recorded “18”.
No talk, no antics, the joint program is unwound quite humbly
For half a time it goes straight through Beck’s guitar cosmos, from the aptly titled introduction “The Pump” to Billy Cobham’s rocking fusion hit “Stratus” to a divine version by Brian Wilson that transforms the guitar tone into a glistening, pure euphony “Caroline, No”. Musically it was amazing, because top-class musicians like bassist Rhonda Smith, drummer Anika Nilles or keyboardist Robert Stevenson refined Beck’s feats. Of course, their names were never mentioned, and the audience only began to rage when the “Pirate of the Caribbean” appeared on stage in a black country rocker outfit with endless chains and bracelets. The world is so unfair.
Although you have to admit that Depp doesn’t do his job badly. His voice, which ranges from acting-appropriate speaking to crooner singing, is more than acceptable, with “Song For Miss Hedy Lamarr” he even demonstrates songwriting qualities, and he doesn’t cut a bad figure on the guitar either. You have to dare to stand next to a Jeff Beck with a second Stratocaster. No talk, no antics, the joint program from John Lennon’s “Isolation” to the “Death And Resurrection Show” is quite humble killing joke unwound, two more encores, then at quarter past nine everything is done in a nutshell. And everyone can go home with a good feeling.