# SRV - A Rertrospect



## Midnight Rider (Apr 2, 2015)

Just watched the Friday night Austin City Limits music show which featured the ' Stevie Ray Vaughan - A Retrospect' episode and I felt the same way about his performance as I did when those concerts were taped back in the 1983 and 1989,... totally blown away at his talent.

I was 23 when I first saw him in 1983 at the El Mocambo in Toronto. An ex-bandmate of mine had joined a Lynyrd Skynyrd tribute band and while playing Ottawa in 1983 had went to the SRV show at I believe Barrymore's,... or some small club. I remember him telling me that there were less than 100 people in attendance and that after the show he approached SRV who was more than willing to chat. They talked about music and guitars, had a beer, smoked a joint and afterwards my buddy had helped them load their gear into the van.

He said SRV was genuine down to earth soul who had no signs of a rock star ego.

It will be 31 years this August 27 since SRV had passed and is hard to believe it will soon be as many years as he was alive at 35.

For me SRV was the last blues player who took that genre to the next level and,...IMHO, played 'Voodoo Child' to a level better than Hendrix,... who I also have full respect for.

What memories do you have of this iconic Blues musician?


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## fretzel (Aug 8, 2014)

My introduction to SRV came while flicking channels one evening and stumbling upon the Chum FM simulcast on channel 79/City TV. I recorded Lenny with my boombox close to the TV. 

Next day I was telling a friend in my building about this guitar player that was on TV. He proceeded to hand me Stevie's first two albums. 

He was definitely part of my path on guitar.


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## Fred Gifford (Sep 2, 2019)

that VHS tape of his show at the Elmo was a masterpiece ... he was pretty much at his peak at that show


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## zdogma (Mar 21, 2006)

I saw him play twice when I was in high school/university. My first show in Fredericton was a free ticket, I didn’t even know who he was at that time. One of the guys in my band was a harmonica player and we played in a blues duo and someone gave us the tickets when we played a show. It was kind of like seeing Hendrix-it was the Live Alive tour, he was newly sober and pulled out all the stops short of lighting the guitar on fire. It was shockingly loud. Second time I saw him was in Moncton, it was very refined show-less volume but much better production and sound quality. He wore a grey suit with a fedora. We came early and were down in the front of the GA section.


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## Guitar Bill (Mar 1, 2021)

I saw SRV at a local theater in Victoria -killer show but I hate to say it , it was too loud -I swear the ceiling as threatening to crumble -after the show Stevie went to the legendary Harpos night club to sit in with Jeff Healey -simply off the hook greatness-I hope someone might have some video or audio footage -I was kind of high and don't remember it all that clearly lol


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## FatStrat2 (Apr 7, 2021)

I was at that famous El Mocambo show as well. I also saw him twice at the NAC in Ottawa. The El Mocambo show was the best, he was clearly coked out on the other 2 shows and I was not happy with his lackluster sweaty performance.

As a retrospective look back though, he was a clever thief - but most didn't know or care because he pulled it off so well.


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## HighNoon (Nov 29, 2016)

First time I saw Stevie play was with Lou Ann Barton and Double Trouble, circa summer '78 at Tips in New Orleans. That night he played second fiddle to Denny Freeman (the style and technique master). Next was doing a first time gig at Fitzgerald's in Houston, early '80. I was about to leave after our set (chasing the wild Texas rose), when the bartender said you should hang and check out the next set. Grabbed a beer at the bar and Stevie came out (three super reverbs chained together) and kicked off with Chris and Tommy on Third Stone From The Sun. I figured I wasn't going anywhere. After the show went back for a hang. Next up was a couple years later at A.J.'s in Austin, opening up for them again. We finished our set, when the owner came up and said play some more.....Stevie's 'sick'. We knew what that meant and did a few more songs to fill the space. After that he came out and ripped it up. The lad could play.


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## Midnight Rider (Apr 2, 2015)

FatStrat2 said:


> As a retrospective look back though, he was a clever thief - but most didn't know or care because he pulled it off so well.


Lets not kid ourselves,... we are all lifting from someone whether we realize it or not, 😁


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## FatStrat2 (Apr 7, 2021)

^ Agreed. When you're young and inexperienced, you hear it and think it's original. Then dig back and realize it's not.

His huge sound was defining.


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## tonewoody (Mar 29, 2017)

I caught SRV in 1988 at the Ottawa Civic Centre. It was a double bill concert with Robert Plant.

I had seen SRV perform on Austin City Limits (TV) early on and came away with the impression that Stevie was a Hendrix wanna be. Good effort but... just wasn't really impressed. I was a fan of SRV's recorded material. I liked his Texas blues style and appreciated that he was injecting new life into the blues genre. Somehow, the Jimi wanna be thing overshadowed my expectations.

SRV was first on the bill and hit the stage with Hendrix, Come On. From the first note to his last, the man was completely on fire. Pure epic jaw dropping dynamic blazing live guitar playing. A true force. If I had to try to describe it in one word, he was volcanic. Honestly though, no words come close to capturing the live experience. The sound system was absolutely killer. I remember thinking, Jimi would never have sounded this good in concert back in his day.


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## zontar (Oct 25, 2007)

I don't remember when I first heard SRV--but there had to have been a first time.
Mostly it was not on radio--although sometimes on TV or something like that.
I do have some of his stuff on my phone so I do hear that from time to time.
This is probably my favourite thing of his he ever did.


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## Midnight Rider (Apr 2, 2015)

My 1992 SRV,... one of very few with the Brazilian Rosewood neck.


zontar said:


> I don't remember when I first heard SRV--but there had to have been a first time.
> Mostly it was not on radio--although sometimes on TV or something like that.
> I do have some of his stuff on my phone so I do hear that from time to time.
> This is probably my favourite thing of his he ever did.


Great video,... with all those flash frames of Fenders I felt compelled to post pics of my 1992 SRV,... one of very few with the Brazilian Rosewood fretboard.


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## Sneaky (Feb 14, 2006)

I saw him open for Steppenwolf at the CNE bandshell in 83, I think it was just before the Elmo gig. I hadn’t heard him before except on Bowie’s Let’s Dance album so I thought it would be worth checking him out. Wow. We didn’t bother staying for Steppenwolf.

Summer of 1990 we were packing to move to Calgary. I was offered free tickets to see him and Joe Cocker at Copps in Hamilton, but passed because we were too busy. The day we arrived in Calgary we checked in to a hotel and I turned on the TV and the news of his death came on. Tragic loss for sure.


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## laristotle (Aug 29, 2019)




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## Sneaky (Feb 14, 2006)

Here’s a rare one... Jeff Healy, Albert Collins and Stevie at Alberts Hall in Toronto 1985.


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## MarkM (May 23, 2019)

Saw him in the fall of 83 in Edmonton backing up I wanna say Moody Blues or something like that in the old Oilers rink, I think so, maybe not? I remember cruising in my buddies El Camino to Edmonton, staying at a hotel across from the arena, going to a shitty ballet club all in one night!


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## Midnight Rider (Apr 2, 2015)

Sneaky said:


> Here’s a rare one... Jeff Healy, Albert Collins and Stevie at Alberts Hall in Toronto 1985.


Wow!,... thanks for posting this gem. First time I have heard this!,... where the hell have I been living?,... under a rock?, lol.
This audio is lick city,... which by the way I will be lifting licks from the entire cast.

I thought SRV had the best tone when he stepped in for his time slot. For me jam sessions like this are an encyclopedia of lick and technique knowledge.


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## Sneaky (Feb 14, 2006)

Midnight Rider said:


> Wow!,... thanks for posting this gem. First time I have heard this!,... where the hell have I been living?,... under a rock?, lol.
> This audio is lick city,... which by the way I will be lifting licks from the entire cast.
> 
> I thought SRV had the best tone when he stepped in for his time slot. For me jam sessions like this are an encyclopedia of lick and technique knowledge.


Yeah, it’s a good one. My friend was there and recorded it with some good portable equipment, this might even be his recording. I used to have a clean copy but I haven’t had a cassette player for 20 years.


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## Sneaky (Feb 14, 2006)

MarkM said:


> Saw him in the fall of 83 in Edmonton backing up I wanna say Moody Blues or something like that in the old Oilers rink, I think so, maybe not? I remember cruising in my buddies El Camino to Edmonton, staying at a hotel across from the arena, going to a shitty ballet club all in one night!


You summed a perfect trip to Edmonton right there. 

And yes he definitely toured with Moody Blues back then.


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