Review and Images by: Craig Hunter Ross
It was 1973 when the Steve Miller Band released their 8th recording, The Joker. The album would go platinum and provide Miller and his band their first commercial success, reaching #2 on the Billboard charts.
Little did they know then, that the title track would manage to weave itself not only into the musical lexicon, but into the fabric of American pop culture.
Fast forward 40 years to 2013, and The Steve Miller Band would take The Joker on a celebratory anniversary tour that would span the country all summer long.
Miller, a longstanding summer amphitheater staple for the better part the last four decades, would be making significant changes to the standard set-list of hits to showcase the album for the occasion.
The fan favorites were all still at the party, but sandwiched between classics like “Jungle Love”, “The Stake” and “Abracadabra” were lesser known tracks from The Joker, such as numbers like “Mary Lou”, “Lovin Cup” and “Something to Believe In”. In all, six of the album’s nine tracks would have their turn to be performed by the master.
Miller sounds as good as ever and his playing continues to be spot on, not to mention every guitarist’s ogling of the sheer parade of guitars that make their way across the stage during the set. We wish “THE JOKER” a very happy birthday, though it seems the fans were the ones continuing to receive the gifts!
GALLERY
