It was pure joy to see Death play pure rock ‘n’ roll, from the material the Hackney brothers recorded 40-odd years ago to the stuff that the resurrected, reformulated and recharged trio has done since 2012 doc A Band Called Death.
Post-funk and proto-punk—they did the Motor City proud. No matter that Bobby Hackney’s voice got pretty raspy from pushing hard for five shows in five nights; the crowd at The Foundry at The Fillmore was happy to help out.
Highlights: “Rock-N-Roll Victim,” “Politicians In My Eyes,” “Resurrection,” “Freakin’ Out,” “Let The World Turn” and “Where Do We Go from Here???”
D.C.’s Thaylobleu was a solid opener, with hard licks, easy banter, emotional lyrics and a genuine appreciation for the black rock giants who paved the way for them, including Death and Sister Rosetta Tharpe, who shared a song dedication.
—M.J. Fine; photos by Chris Sikich
