Founding Stray Cats bassist Lee Rocker brought his rockabilly and roots-rock to ‘The Ram’ in ‘La Rambleta’ for a killer night of hits and old classics. Opening up with a Stray Cats’ Runaway Boys supercharged the crowd from the start. Then, Rocker continued with another early hit Built for Speed. “Well, all right, how are you doing? Thank you, great to be back.” a nod to his previous sold out show at 16 Toneladas. “You can sing along with this one if you want.” as Rocker started playing that iconic walking bass line of Stray Cat Strut. This ushered a crowd chorus singing that sultry “ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh” in unison. Rocker slapped his double bass with style and force. Mid-song, Rocker teased out some masterful bass improvisation with the same energy that launched his early success.

His band was Larry Mitchell on drums, guitarist Buzz Campbell and Phil Parlapiano on piano, harmonica and guitar. This tight ensemble captured a full sound. Campbell filled some big shoes by nailing Brian Setzer’s riffs and more. It was Parlapiano’s piano playing that set the music distinct from the original band and helped make it Rocker’s own sound. His improvisation throughout Stray Cat Strut fitted masterfully.

Rocker proclaimed “We’re going to turn the clock back to 1956 Memphis, Tennessee and play this rockabilly music.”  They jammed a melody of That’s All Right, Blue Moon of Kentucky and Night Train To Memphis. “Here’s a song from my old friend Carl Perkins” and they launched into Your True Love following up with Rocker’s own composition, a double-time romp titled Miracle in Memphis.

Switching up, Rocker played an acoustic six string guitar for a song from his last recording. An upbeat country-leaning tune dedicated to his wife of 36 years titled The Last Offline Lovers. Then it was into another Rocker composition, titled Memphis Freeze which vamped out with Campbell’s tasty guitar soloing. By now it is clear Rocker’s devotion to the music of Memphis.  “How we stumbled in darkness. Now the blind man sees… When will it end? The Memphis freeze.”

Changing it up, they played The Band’s Ophelia as Rocker nostalgically recalled a time he played it with the late, great Levon Helm, the original vocalist on the 1975 recording. Parlapiano nailed the old-timey, southern honky-tonk piano style. Rocker’s danceable Love Me Good followed, building up the energy.

Lee closed the set full tilt with a Chuck Berry classic Bye Bye Johnny,  Stray Cats’ Bring It Back Again, the heartbreak Stray Cats’ ballad I Won’t Stand In Your Way, a solo song Bulletproof and the rocket-fuelled Rumble in Brighton. But ending with Rock This Town was the height of it all as Rocker let loose on his bass with vengeance. One encore was all needed when that song was Johnny Burnette’s classic scorcher Rockabilly Boogie. This evening, we enjoyed a masterclass on Rockabilly and Memphis music.

Report by Phillip Solomonson

Article and photos copyright Phillip Solomonson/ ‘24/7 Valencia’