The Steve Miller Band Review with Photos 7-29-23

This October will mark 40 years since Steve Miller’s “The Joker” was released and it still one of those songs that you just must turn up and sing along with.

The Steve Miller Band performed at The Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion in the Woodlands Saturday night, in front of more than 10,000 happy fans. This rescheduled concert was originally supposed to include the late 70’s rockers Cheap Trick. Due to the rescheduling the opening slot was filled by 22-year-old Grammy Awards winner Christone "Kingfish" Ingram.

The 22-year-old from Clarksdale, Mississippi opened with a great sounding blues set highlighted by marvelous guitar playing. Having already shared the stage with well-known blues artists and younger blues musicians such as the Tedeschi Trucks Band, Samantha Fish, Bob Margolin, Eric Gales, Mr. Sipp, Rick Derringer, Guitar Shorty and Buddy Guy, this young man will be a name that you will hear more of as time goes by.

Miller, dressed in blue, and his band - Jacob Petersen guitar, Joseph Wooten keys, Kenny Lee Lewis bass, and Gordy Knudtson drums, had the crowd rocking the moment they took the stage. Opening with the well-known radio hit “Swingtown,” Steve then performed several lesser-known songs from his 1997 album Book of Dreams before leading into his most successful hit worldwide “Abracadabra.” When Steve finished the next song, one of my personal favorites “Jet Airplane,” Christone "Kingfish" Ingram joined the band for 3 blues-oriented tunes, “Caress Me Baby,” “Blues With a Feeling” and “I'm Tore Down” all 3 of which gave Christone time to shine on his blues playing skills. During the performance Steve told the audience a story of when he was a little boy Les Paul and Mary Ford were friends of his parents and they would visit often. Steve even revealed that Les Paul, who was also his godfather, was responsible for teaching a four-year-old Steve his first chord on the guitar. Several years later the family moved to Texas and T-Bone Walker became a family friend who also helped Steve with his guitar playing.

The rest of the night was nonstop hits, beginning with “Fly Like an Eagle” and finishing with the two classics “Jungle Love” and “Take The Money And Run.”

With Steve now 79 years old I’m wondering how much longer he will be able to bring us all the music that we loved growing up. You better see him as soon as you get another chance.

The Steve Miller Band Setlist:
Swingtown
The Stake
True Fine Love
Abracadabra
Jet Airliner (Paul Pena cover)
Caress Me Baby (Jimmy Reed cover) (with Christone “Kingfish” Ingram)
Blues With a Feeling (Rabon Tarrant cover) (with Christone “Kingfish” Ingram)
I'm Tore Down (Freddie King cover) (with Christone “Kingfish” Ingram)
Fly Like an Eagle
Wild Mountain Honey
Jet Airliner (Paul Pena cover) (Solo Steve Acoustic)
Dance, Dance, Dance
Living in the U.S.A.
Space Cowboy
Serenade
Jungle Love

Encore:
The Joker
Rock'n Me