There’s something about a Little Feat concert on New Year’s Eve that feels especially right. Maybe it’s because the band — which formed in 1972 after lead vocalist and guitarist Lowell George, who was with Frank Zappa’s Mothers of Invention and keyboard player Bill Payne teamed up — has always stayed true to its roots. Arguably that’s the reason such renowned musicians as Jimmy Buffett, Dave Matthews, Bob Seger and Vince Gill count themselves among the ardent fans and occasional guests of the band.
“The crowds there are always wonderful,” said guitarist Paul Barrere with a laugh. “We still manage to fool them into thinking we’re a good band.”
| Onstage |
| Little Feat |
| When: 8 p.m. Saturday |
| Where: The Fillmore Silver Spring, 8656 Colesville Road, Silver Spring |
| Info: $55; 301-960-9999, filmoresilverspring.com (club); 202-397-SEAT; ticketmaster.com |
Joking aside, the bandmates are in the process of recording their next album that Barrere said would lean heavily toward blues. The group has recorded about nine songs to date and will finish the album once they’ve completed this year’s tour.
“We road tested some of the songs and the fans really enjoyed them,” he said. “We will probably play a couple on New Year’s Eve, too.”
The songs, like the band, are perhaps best described as a collaborative effort with several of the members bringing in various songs for consideration. Although Barrere said the album is still a work in progress, he predicted that fans would have the album sometime in the spring or summer. After the release, Barrere said the band will again tour.
“We’ve kind of gotten to the point where our tours mean a little more” than perhaps they had in the past,” said Barrere. “The fans are still as receptive and seem to really enjoy hearing our music and we enjoy seeing them as well.”
Although the band often has a diverse set list, the songs are as vibrant and rich as they sound on recordings. Not that the band mates are stuck in musical ruts as evidenced by their steady stream of new recordings, acoustic tours and other projects. Barrere credits the array of available new music by other artists with some of the band’s continuing innovation.
“There is a lot of great young talent out there,” he said. “I think what happens when we get older is that we stop listening to what is coming out and we stop digging into music. We become more of less purveyors of the mainstream ourselves with no interest of seeking out new talent.”
Barrere credits the musical interest of his children with helping him see beyond what might be called a musical comfort level.
“Kids are on the computer all the time and they’re always listening to what is new and happening,” he said. “There’s some really good stuff out there … that helps me find new things that I really dig.”
