Little Feat’s swamp boogie wows masses at Fox Theater show

BY HELEN LAME’

They say time loves a hero, and in the case of Little Feat, an electrifying roots rock and blues beat colliding with a Grateful Dead jam vibe can prove to be even more heroic. Appearing Monday night at The Fox in Oakland as part of their Last Farewell Tour, the band rather emphatically showed they’ve got a lot more left in the tank over 50 years after their debut.

Overcoming internal strife and the loss of original lead singer Lowell George in 1979, Little Feat is touring in support of last year’s brilliant Strike Up The Band, their 18th studio album. Founded in Los Angeles in 1969, vocalist and keyboardist Bill Payne is the sole remaining original member still active in the group.

But let’s be clear: This ain’t no cover band ! Seventies era additions Sam Clayton (percussion and vocals) and Kenny Gradney (bass), in addition to Fred Tackett and Scott Sharrard (guitar and vocals), along with drummer Tony Leone have all kept Little Feat both relevant and a highly entertaining live band.

Playing cuts from nine albums and over a handful of covers during an overly generous two hour and twenty minute performance, Little Feat’s opening setlist included tracks like “Fat Man in the Bathtub,” “Time Loves a Hero” and Allen Toussaint’s “On Your Way Down” before guest guitarist and vocalist Grahame Lesh took the lead on the Grateful Dead’s “Shakedown Street,” signaling a brief intermission.

Returning with Lesh for a mini acoustic set featuring “Roll Um Easy,”Church Falling Down,” “Bluegrass Pines” and “Willin'” from the band’s self-titled debut, the second half of the show took it to another level, with tracks like “Let It Roll, “Oh Atlanta,” The Dead’s “Franklin’s Tower,” “Dixie Chicken” and the finale “Feats Don’t Fail Me Now” providing an epic showing by the band.

Little Feat’s tour continues tonight with a show in Grass Valley before wrapping up in Colorado with a series of five shows beginning Sunday in Gunnison.