Photos: Aleš Podbrežnik
Location: Velden am Wörthersee (Vrba na Koroškem) / Bluesiana Rock Cafe / Austria
Concert date: 09.09.2015
Attendance: 60
Ticket price: €28.00 (advance) / €32.00 (day of show) / Kelag members €23.00 / students €20.00
What comes to mind when you hear the name Marco Mendoza? Most of you probably thought back 10 years, when Marco Mendoza toured with Whitesnake and showed up as their bassist on the live CD “Live…In the Still of the Night”. Well, Whitesnake didn’t make it to Bluesiana, but Marco Mendoza did, and he’d set himself a mission: to prove that even a »regular bassist« can deliver a top-notch rock show.
We’ve written about the hospitality at Velden’s Bluesiana several times this year and in previous years too – and we’ve also said that words can’t do it justice – you simply have to experience it. This time again, the star of the evening greeted us in front of the club, apologized that he had to quickly jump in the shower, and said he’d be right back. At Bluesiana, that kind of friendliness and accessibility from the biggest stars is nothing surprising, since thanks to the intimate vibe the performers don’t have to deal with hordes of pushy fans.
Before the show – a beer, obviously. And of course a chat at a little table by the fireplace, which wasn’t lit this time because it was pleasantly warm in the club. With that cozy, homey feeling, we kept glancing curiously at the stage, wondering what we were in for tonight.
Who hasn’t Marco Mendoza played with? A glance at his résumé reveals a hefty list of eminent names, from the previously mentioned Whitesnake to Thin Lizzy and their offshoot Black Star Riders. He has played with John Sykes and Ted Nugent, and in November we’ll be able to catch him in Europe again as the bassist of the supergroup The Dead Daisies, who will also play Zagreb as the opening act for Whitesnake.
Marco Mendoza didn’t come to Bluesiana alone, of course – he was backed by a European band: guitarist Fabio Cerrone, of Italian descent, a second guitarist from Vienna named Elmar Castillo, and drummer Pino Liberti.
Marco Mendoza had played Bluesiana years ago, so the place felt like home to him. Right at the start, he casually asked if they could turn off half of the stage lights so he could see the crowd. Sadly, a no-frills club like Bluesiana doesn’t offer many options – the lights are either on or off. Marco didn’t let that bother him much, though – he simply nudged each spotlight with the headstock of his bass to aim its light at the ceiling, then looked out happily at the audience below the stage.
Marco Mendoza released his second solo album, Casa Mandoza, in 2010, but at the show he leaned mostly on his solo debut from 2007, Live for Tomorrow. Once he could actually feel the crowd with his eyes, Marco loosened up completely. He told a story about every song he sang and played, which brought him even closer to the audience. Marco proved he’s not only an exceptionally good bassist but a singer too. His voice is warm, inviting and teasing, and several times during the show he asked the crowd to close their eyes and feel his music. The four-piece on stage sounded tightly rehearsed, despite the many improvised bits with which Marco enriched his songs. And he didn’t dress up his songs only with playing and singing – between the lyrics, a whole bunch of percussion sounds came out of his mouth, from imitating the sound of tom-tom drums to assorted bells and pipes. All in perfect rhythm and, of course, in sync with Pino Liberti’s drumming.
Among the artfully performed originals, like I Want You, Your Touch, You got Me, In My Face and others, Marco skillfully wove in a few covers. So we got to hear how sensually different, yet no less appealing, songs by James Brown, Neal Schon and Carlos Santana sound in a slightly different outfit. The European backing crew watched Marco’s every move and followed his every gesture flawlessly. Having two guitars meant the show came out at times much more rock-oriented than expected, while on the other hand Marco melted every soul in the crowd with blues ballads and emotional lyrics. A real mix of harder-hitting rhythms and gentle tenderness, it couldn’t leave anyone cold.
At the show, Marco Mendoza proved himself not only as an outstanding musician but also as an incredibly warm person. A guy who talks to everyone in the club, who knows how to listen and who understands the tough times we live in. That’s exactly why he said he wants everyone to leave the club with his CD in hand, and if you don’t have the money for it, he understands that too and will give it to you. I don’t know how many CDs he actually had to give away, but the gesture counts anyway.
Marco Mendoza is definitely a guy worth getting to know. He has a compassionate, gentle soul, which runs through his songs too, though every now and then a true rock volcano erupts in it. You may still catch him this year with The Dead Daisies, and next time, don’t miss his solo show.
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