Scaggs is a buzz in first South Pacific Concert

Mana (Auckland), Volume 1, Issue 15, 23 February 1978, Page 2

Scaggs is a buzz in first South Pacific Concert

Review by

Tigi Ness

Good lighting, good backing, and good music drew Boz Scaggs a very hot reception from a crowd determined to get their moneys worth quicksmart, at Western Springs last Tuesday. Boz wound up three encores later, very surprised at the success of his first AucklandSouthern Hemisphere-South Pacific-Concert. I cannot remember the last overseas artist who had such a friendly report with the people, or who even had three encores for that matter. As one of the audience was overheard to say, “He’s better than his records.’’

With two black women, Vanetta L. Fields, and Paulette Brown backing his vocals, and eight professional musicians Boz certainly knew how to turn-on the crowd with a medley of rock

and roll, blues and R & B numbers. Boz Scaggs has made a career out of interpreting black music for predominantly white audiences. Vanetta and Paulette certainly needed no one to interpret them. Box himself freely admits to having been heavily influenced

by black musicians earlier on in his career, as can be read in the

very glossy handbook about him; sold at the show at the ripoff price of a dollar-fifty. The state was also there at the concert in the form of Police and Security Guards “protecting the interests of the people” — and very big interests they must have had at those prices too.

Boz played an old 8.8. King number, very long and very Boz

Scaggish, a tribute to the black musicians who weaned him on the blues. Whether playing rock and roll, blues, or R & B, Boz is very much a performer. Here then is a palagi who has successfully interpreted the influence of black oppression in music, with a “distinct white pop vocal style”.