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(1) Greg and Mojo Risin's biggest fan, and (2-5) More photos of fans
Photo Credits: All photos on this page were taken by Greg DeClue
The moon was full and the mojo was rising just across the Mississippi River from Saint Louis at Pop's in Sauget Illinois, as the Doors tribute band Mojo Risin took the stage...
I got to the club an hour early and there was already a line at the door. This was my first tribute concert and like most people, I was skeptical of what they were all about. I expected a dreary group of guys rehashing another's songs. I was wrong!
What occurred was a trip back in time to a younger and perhaps more innocent period in my life. I waited in the darkened atmosphere, listening to recorded songs from the sixties playing in the background, as the people kept packing in. I drifted with the music as I saw a mixture of young and old crowding around the stage. The deja-vu was complete when the smoke started rising to announce the arrival of the band.
When they hit the stage in full costume, the audience went wild. The set was an effective replica employing the same equipment the original Doors used in 1969 to create their unique sound. Vintage Acoustic and Fender amps delivered the impact from the Gibson and Les Paul guitars, as they blended with the Vox Continental keyboard and Lugwig drums.
Starting off with a rollicking "Roadhouse Blues", they wound one tune into another. Only taking breathers long enough to ask for requests, they performed their magical stage theatrics to the enchantment and delight of the cheering fans.
Steve Zavesky (co-founder of "Jandrix", a Janis Joplin/Jimi Hendrix tribute band) on drums, Mark Jamison on keyboards, and Justin Johnson on guitar gave lyricist Scott Mattocks the right background to lead us through the journey of our lives. The instrumentals were masterful and the vocals superb. The all-out madness continued until the music was over...
I talked with Scott at the conclusion of the concert. His fondness for the Doors is one of his earliest memories. He considers Jim's broad range of vocal interpretations the epitome of a great performer. His dream is to emulate him with a lasting tribute, and that he does!
I believe Jim Morrison would be honored by the professionalism and talent exhibited by Mojo Risin. A great time and great show was had by all.
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(1) Greg and Mojo Risin's biggest fan, and (2-5) More photos of fans
Photo Credits: All photos on this page were taken by Greg DeClue
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Click here to read an interview with Mojo Risin by Tribal Soul Kitchen co-editor Jane Gwaltney (aka: Poe Sparrow).