Rooting his style in the very basics of rock n’ roll, George Thorogood combines catchy bad boy phrases, with simple melodies, and crafts a brand of song that crosses standard 12 bar blues over to a working class America. His recent performance at the Chicago House of Blues, with his solid backing band The Destroyers, proved to be the ideal Saturday night escape for blue collar city folk and suburbanites alike.
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George Thorogood and the Delaware Destroyers
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 Entertainment
Art
House of Blues
Chicago, Il
August 23, 2008
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Arriving on stage late in the evening after a house light dimming four-song intro, including the movie theme from Halloween, the inebriated Chicago crowd got their first glimpse of Lonesome George and his Delaware Destroyers. He and his band, dressed mostly in black with their amplifier absent stage, received a welcoming ovation from the middle aged Americans.
George proclaimed to the crowd “rock party tonight” as he stormed into the cleverly titled “Rock Party”. The crowd accepted and enthusiastically danced their way through a fine display of choreographed blues.
The Bo Diddley-driven “Who Do You Love” then followed, with Lonesome George’s pitch-perfect growl and catlike strut encouraging a crowd- interactive rendition. George then introduced “The Fixer”, rejoicing that he was going to do everything in his power to get arrested that night. In fine fashion, the capacity-filled House of Blues filed suit, as alcohol consumption and hostility increased exponentially.
Set highlight and fan favorite “I Drink Alone” proved that George’s knack for a melody and audience-trumpeting catchphrase proves to be his most fine-tuned skill. It wasn’t long before a group of fans wearing blue collar brand t-shirts began to collide as Black Label Society, Harley Davidson, and Ron Jon Surf Shop supporters traded explosive words and shoves before being broken up by house security.
After completing “One Bourbon, One Scotch, One Beer” Thorogood shouted “God bless the working class”. Despite the uplifting roar from the audience, the band carried on with the rest of set both tired and non-enthusiastic exchanging suspiciously mocking glances during George’s long note riding solo’s.
Greatest hit “Bad To The Bone”, helped carry momentum through the end of the set, satisfying concertgoers and sealing George's ‘working class hero’ status.
After completing his set with a dance happy version of “Move It On Over”, George wasted no time in returning for two up-tempo encores of standard fan favorites “Love Doctor”, “You Talk Too Much”, “American Made”, and “Madison Blues”. The show ended with the house lights on, a fully choreographed 5-piece band, and a farewell bow.
As the working class in Chicago enjoyed a Saturday evening of good times and neighborly conflict, it is enlightening to see popular music continue to find it’s roots in the blues. As all fine brands evolve to achieve novelty status, the House of Blues, blue collar brand t-shirts, as well as George Thorogood and The Destroyers will continue to find a successful future together.
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