In 1983, Strat slinger Stevie Ray Vaughan and his gang, bassist Tommy Shannon and drummer Chris “Whipper” Layton, entered the El Mocambo tavern in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, and flooded the Great White North audience with a sonic wave of boogie and blues born deep in the heart of Texas.
“Testify” and “So Excited” open with a splash of high-energy instrumental brilliance, followed by “Voodoo Chile (Slight Return),” Vaughan’s tribute to his mentor, Jimi Hendrix. Stevie sings “I’ve got my voodoo right in my hands,” before breaking out with a solo that proves she’s a worthy successor to Jimi’s throne.
Up next is “Pride and Joy,” the song that put Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble on the map. Combining a walking bassline on the lower strings and chords on the higher strings, Vaughan creates the effect of two guitarists playing at once, as Layton lays down the shuffle beat and Shannon’s Fender bass adds precision counterpoint.
Featuring readings of Howlin’ Wolf’s “Tell Me” and Buddy Guy’s “Mary Had a Little Lamb,” Vaughan recites lessons from the masters while lending his own phrases to the blues lexicon.
The centerpiece of the set is “Texas Flood,” a twelve-bar slow blues reminiscent of Albert King’s “Blues Power.” Playing the Stratocaster behind his back, Stevie Ray unleashes a relentless torrent of guitar fury that hits the audience like a thunderstorm in the Lone Star State.
The band swings into high gear with “Love Struck Baby,” an original rock style by Chuck Berry, and “Hug You Squeeze You,” a boogie blues classic by John Lee Hooker.
Another Jimi Hendrix tune, “Third Stone From the Sun,” serves as a vehicle for Vaughan’s dramatic theatrics. Shannon’s bass beat and Layton’s drum beat provide a launching pad as Stevie Ray spins the guitar around the stage, maniacally manipulating the rumble bar, volume and tone controls to navigate a feedback-fueled orbit. through the solar system.
The frenetic beat cools down with “Lenny,” a ballad named after Stevie Ray’s wife, in which he deftly employs the Stratocaster’s five-way pickup selector to maneuver through a myriad of textured jazz tones. .
Closing the show with “Wham!” by Lonnie Mack, Vaughan sends one last blast from his Strat through the appreciative Canadian crowd. After the smoke cleared, Stevie Ray Vaughan packed up his six ropes and rode off into the sunset.