Alligator Stew
Welcome to Monticello...Live!!!

I like Live recordings for two reasons. One, you get a chance to hear how good a band is without the luxury of trying it again on the next take. Two, it gives me something to do out here in beautiful Mira Linda, California besides saving my home from raging brushfires. Actually, there is a third reason--you get to hear the crowd's reaction to the music, and the Monticello audience was in full voice to cheer for this blazing hot Southern Rock band, Alligator Stew.

It only takes a few minutes to realize how talented this band is. Their sound is polished and original, yet they maintain the feel of how a Southern Rock band should sound. "Louisianna Man," with its driving rhythm and down home lyrics, actually made me homesick for my hometown of Denham Springs, Louisianna. Gary Jeffries, who wrote this one, has a convincing voice that is perfect for this band. Throaty and a bit gritty, his voice is part of the reason this band sounds so original. Add that to the killer lyrics on their original material and a stellar rhythm section in Doug Richardson on Bass and TC Markle on drums and you have the foundation for a great band. Throw in John Andrews' stunning guitar licks and Chris Turbis and his show-stealing piano and Hammond B3 and you have yourself a killer Southern Rock band. Put them in front of an appreciative audience, and you've got a magic formula for a memorable recording. "Welcome to Monticello...Live!!!" is just that--a killer recording.

The original songs are filled with visions of old friends, old times and big Harleys. The lyrics are so well written and performed with a cohesiveness that many other bands would kill for, they provide a show that anyone would love to see and hear. Thank God, they got this on tape for the rest of us to enjoy! There is also a version of Bob Segar's "Turn the Page" that sounds so much better than Bon Jovi"s version, it isn't even funny. If that wasn't enough, there is also a medley of "Green River" and "Suzie Q" that would make John Foggerty proud.

I listened to this three times while hosing down the roof of my house (all unnecessary, because the Sana Ana winds shifted). I couldn't figure out what happened to the audience at the end of the recording. After I had the chance to read the liner notes, I discovered that the last four tracks were recorded in the studio. What a dope I am! But it just goes to show you how clear and clean the Live recording was--you couldn't tell the difference in the quality of the sound.

This is a great recording of an asskickin' performance by one of the best Southern Rock bands in the country. To find out how you can purchase your own CD, and to learn more about this band, check out their website at: http://www.alligatorstew.com. You won't be sorry!


--Ray Synkane