Steamroller Rolls Through Bluesiana, Just Across the Border (2012)

Arhiv Arhiv Last updated 11 June 2026

Author: Jernej Vene

Location: Bluesiana / Velden / Austria
Gig date: 03.10.2012
Attendance: 70

The name Steamroller probably doesn’t mean much to music fans who are a bit less rock-savvy. But add that behind it stand Doug Aldrich, Michael Devin and Brian Tichy – the guitarist, bassist and drummer of the latest Whitesnake lineup, who played Hala Tivoli in Ljubljana at the end of last year – and a much wider rock crowd is bound to perk up their ears.

After a grueling world tour in support of the album Forevermore, the trio decided to use the break to wander around the European club scene. That brought them to Bluesiana, a cozy little spot just over the northern border in Velden. Since Brian Tichy had other commitments, Doug and Michael brought along drummer Joe Travers this time, who is known for having pounded the skins for Duran Duran, and whom we’ve also seen with Dweezil Zappa in the Zappa plays Zappa project.

Damn tempting stuff for four of us who love everything that smells like real music. So skipping Bluesiana was simply out of the question. Especially because it’s a gorgeous little mini club with great acoustics, where you feel almost like you’re at home. And the names mentioned above were of course more than good enough reason to hit the road last Wednesday.

A minimalist lineup on a minimalist stage. In other words, the basic rock format, where every player carries an equally important load. Though “load” is really the wrong word, because with the easygoing, wholehearted way they played, the whole show felt like a birthday party with the extended family. Well, this family included Austrians, Slovenes, Italians and even Hungarians. »Anything for a good time« was the Steamroller motto from the very first note. Given their mileage on stage, it would be silly to expect a superficial attitude toward the material or a band that looked tired. Quite the opposite: bassist Devin is from the younger generation, which comes in very handy in the lead vocal role. His voice is also pretty close to that of his current boss David Coverdale, only, of course, his birth certificate lets him hit a lot higher notes. He delivered the lyrics and melodies from the rock treasure chest, which formed the backbone of the show, with real dedication. Behind the kit, Joe Travers hit straight and very unobtrusively, backing up both guitarists. Several times he also showed off serious technical chops, which polished an already high-octane performance. The guys were also billed as the Doug Aldrich Trio, naturally because of the name, which draws people in with its colorful career (Lion, Bad Moon Rising, Dio, Whitesnake). The blond Aldrich is of course half of the guitar duo in Whitesnake, where he’s joined by Reb Beach. Seeing an artist on the big stage of a big hall versus in a small club from a distance of one meter – there’s simply no comparison.

The whole time there was priceless dedication to the playing in the air, the basic rock standards were delivered, and there was constant invention in building up the musical expression, which is what gave the covers their point. The crowd felt it and responded accordingly. Its participation fired the guys up even more, and they gave it everything they had with their hands and voices. Whitesnake material was represented by Steal Your Heart Away, Crying In The Rain (with a one-of-a-kind guitar solo intro) and Slow An’ Easy, where Aldrich proved he’s a master of slide guitar. His guitar whines, screeches, wails and roars, and with his incredible control over tone, Aldrich reaches perfection in performance. They surprised us with Stevie Wonder’s I Wish (from the excellent album Songs In The Key Of Life, 1976), the blues classic Statesboro Blues (better known from the Allman Brothers band version), and a medley of Cocaine (J.J.Cale) and Pride And Joy (Stevie Ray Vaughan). More as a joke than anything, they fired up Smoke on The Water and I Shot The Sherriff, and Walking On The Moon (The Police) was a total surprise. They visited Led Zeppelin twice (Immigrant Song at the start and Communication Breakdown to close), and in the encore we also heard Young Man Blues by Mose Allison, popularized by The Who. As a bonus, maestro Aldrich showed us how to change a string fast, adding a few more carefree minutes to an emotional, warm and friendly performance.

After a more than excellent job, Doug, Michael and Joe made themselves available for a short chat. So we got the chance to grab autographs, take photos and say a word or two about the projects the guys have planned. What they told us about that, though, is a story for another time.

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