Chris Isaak

SLAMM Magazine
December 20, 1995
By Leslie Bailey

December 5, 1995; 4th & B

When Chris Isaak took the stage at 4th & B, nothing happened quite as it should have. The lights did not dim enough. The loud, incessant talking among the crowd did not cease. But then, despite the confusion ("part bank and part ballroom," Isaak himself said at one point), something extraordinary happened: Isaak and his band, against the odds, managed to treat concert-goers to a remarkably intimate, entertaining performance.

For one thing, Isaak's smooth, melting vocals, which fortunately filtered clearly through the din, were impressive, ranging from deep and bluesy to high and heartbreakingly sweet. Isaak's band, too (Johnny Reno on sax, Rowland Salley on bass, Kenney Dale Johnson on drums, and Jimmy Pugh on keyboard) demonstrated talent and diversity, even if they were a little showy. With Isaak sporting a jacket-pants combo made of mirrors and sequins, the effect was 70% Elvis, 20% Vegas, and 10% Sun City country show.

But it worked. Maybe his secret is the Chris Isaak stand-up comedy routine, a self-conscious, melodramatic mockery of broken hearts and shattered relationships. The man does not lose any points by being able to laugh at himself. Who else could wear silver-mirrored pants, sequined shirts, act completely goofy, and still end his show with waves of hungry women jumping on stage and dancing around?

Isaak's lead-in to "Baby Did a Bad Bad Thing" was an endearing description of how foolish people in love can be: "You know, first she's parking her car in back of yours, so you have to keep asking for the keys whenever you want to leave, and you think, hey, this is kinda cute! And then, you know it's something else, like you find out she's sleeping with all your friends...." It may have seemed funny, but by the end of Johnny Reno's wailing sax solo, you could almost taste the agony in the air.

And along with agony was true love. Isaak, after all, is the quintessential boy-next-door-who's-been-dumped, and that came across as bitter, but in a cute way. And there was never a doubt that the crowd, consisting primarily of denimed, stargazing females and opportunistic boyfriends, was easily pleased and definitely got what it came for. Lucky.

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