Dave Mason

Dave Mason - Nov. 19, 2022 - Celebrity Theatre, Phoenix

Rock journeyman and founding member of Traffic Dave Mason brought his World in Changes Tour to Phoenix on November 19 for a show at the historic Celebrity Theatre. Accompanied by a four-piece band, the legendary singer and guitarist played a lengthy set of favorites from his solo career as well as many songs from the Traffic catalog.

In keeping with the name of the tour, Mason began his show with "World in Changes" and changed up the arrangement a bit to allow for the cut to take on a reggae groove not present in the original recording. The song is from Mason's 1970 solo debut Alone Together as is the song played next, the great sing-along "Only You Know and I Know." Mason then went a little further back to play four songs in a row by Traffic: an especially funky version of "Rock and Roll Stew," "Forty Thousand Headmen," "Dear Mr. Fantasy" and a long take on "The Low Spark of High Heeled Boys" that was performed as a blues number. "It's time for me to get sentimental for a while," said Mason before playing his big late '70s hit "We Just Disagree" for which he put down his electric guitar and strapped on an acoustic 12-string, also taking a seat on a stool for the mellow song.

The last portion of the concert featured two more cuts from Alone Together, "Look at You Look at Me" and "Shouldn't Have Took More Than You Gave" along with a cover of Blind Faith's "Can't Find My Way Home" and another late '70s hit, "Let it Go, Let it Flow." Mason waited until the show was almost over to play a new song, a cut about a musician's life on the road called "Road Dogs." The star also explained that he doesn't record new music anymore "because everyone steals it." The show ended with another Traffic song, one that Dave wrote and one that makes for a great closer as it encourages audience participation, "Feelin' Alright." The encore was a take on the Bob Dylan chestnut "All Along the Watchtower," also heavily associated with Jimi Hendrix. Mason's crack band for the evening was Johnne Sambataro on guitar and vocals, Alvino Bennett on drums, Bill Mason on keyboards and vocals and Ray Cardwell on bass and vocals.

Two opening acts of note performed before Mason took the stage; folk luminary Tom Rush and the revered English songwriter Al Stewart. Rush played a set that included "It's Gonna Get Hot Tonight," "Voices" from his new album, Joni Mitchell's "The Circle Game," the Bo Diddley classic "Who Do You Love" and his most popular song these days, "Remember Song," an amusing cut about senior moments. While Rush performed alone, Stewart was accompanied by guitarist Josh Solomon from the group the Empty Pockets. Both played acoustic guitars only, with Stewart playing rhythm and Solomon playing lead in a jaw-dropping manner. Their set included "Antarctica," "On the Border," "The Palace of Versaille," "Soho (Needless to Say)," "Broadway Hotel" and big hits "Time Passages" and "Year of the Cat." Celebrity Theatre is a theater in the round with a stage that sometimes revolves as it did for all three acts this evening.

Mason's tour is over but he'll resume touring in 2023 and those dates can be found here.

The Dave Mason concert was promoted by Danny Zelisko Presents and they have a lot of exciting shows coming to the Phoenix area yet this year:

ZZ Top - Dec. 2, 2022 - Talking Stick Resort Pool, Scottsdale
Alice Cooper's 20th Annual Christmas Pudding - Dec. 3, 2022 - Celebrity Theatre, Phoenix
Frankie Valli & the Four Seasons - Dec. 4, 2022 - Gammage Auditorium, Tempe
The Mavericks with JD McPherson - Dec. 9, 2022 - Talking Stick Resort Ballroom - Scottsdale
Geoff Tate (of Queensryche) - Dec. 9, 2022 - Celebrity Theatre, Phoenix
Gladys Knight - Dec. 16, 2022 - Celebrity Theatre, Phoenix

To see all upcoming Danny Zelisko Presents shows go here.

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