Good music tends to soar on its own wings. You don’t need a dial to turn it up.
Take the legendary Eagles. The American rock band was one of the most successful of the 1970s, delivering seven number one albums. Among their numerous accolades they received six Grammys and five American Music Awards.
Although they cranked out hit after hit, the hard partying band imploded from infighting and strife. Their harmonies were elegant and the musicianship almost flawless, However, many music lovers in the following decades dismissed their accomplishments.
But there were diehards such as singer-songwriter-musician Rocko Vaugeois, who have refused to let the legend’s legacy drift away.
The St. Albert resident was one of the architects for the defunct Canadian country rock band One Horse Blue, and now host for the new LB’s Thursday Open Stage.
“I was never one for punk rock or metal. The Eagles had a combination of great songs and great harmonies. When they became big, it was when I started playing. And when I was with One Horse Blue we were called the Canadian Eagles and it fit the bill,” says Vaugeois.
He is the driving force behind Eagles Last Resort, a tribute band that performs at the Thursday Open Stage every week. Their individual stamp focuses on replicating the authentic sound and feel of the Eagles’ original recordings.
For Last Resort, Vaugeois brought in former One Horse Blue bandmates – guitarists Ian Oscar and Winston Quelch. Rounding out the six-piece is Joey (Tomtom) MacIntyre on drums, Mark Puffer on guitar and Stan Pietrusik on keyboard.
A focal point of this musical stew is Vaugeois. With similar sounding vocals, he is often compared to Don Henley. Oscar’s signature guitar style and powerful vocals fill Glen Frey’s boots and Quelch is modern day Joe Walsh.
MacIntyre brings in the high harmonies and lays down the Henley groove. Puffer is one of the most versatile and respected guitarist-singers in Canada, and Pietrusik’s keyboard glues together the sweet stuff.
“I had a band like this one when I lived in Vancouver and I had so much fun. It’s a lot of work and a lot of people don’t want to do the work. But we’ve taken lots of time to authenticate the sound and it gets better every week.”
The Thursday open jams kicks off at 8 p.m. with a short, warm-up set as Last Resort plays old tunes from Poco, CSYN, One Horse Blue, The Byrds and varied bands from that era.
The longer second set is a romp through the Eagles biggies remembering Hotel California, New Kid on the Block, Heartache Tonight and How Long. Then by 10 p.m. it is jam time, an open invitation to the public to participate.
“There’s a certain consistency to the program, but there’s also spontaneity in the latter part of the evening. It’s totally unplanned. It’s an open stage.”
