Chris Isaak - More Than Just A Wicked Game

 

 Chris Isaak made his annual visit to the Club Casino in Hampton Beach, NH a couple of Fridays ago.

Lori & I from Chris Isaak 2012

 I have lost track of how many times I have seen him in concert.  I know this was my fourth time with Lori, my other Chris Isaak fanatic and great friend.

The first time that I saw him was performing outside of a radio station in Portland, Maine when his giant hit "Wicked Game" first hit the airwaves.  I am fairly certain he still plays the same guitar that he was playing that afternoon.  Lots of people only know him from his song "Wicked Game," which was a national Top 10 hit back in 1991.  It also had one of the greatest videos of all-time featuring model Helena Christensen and filmed in black and white on a beach.  Needless to say that video will be included here in this blog and will easily be the best part of this entry.


 

 I think some people think a Chris Isaak show would be filled with lots of love songs and old women throwing underwear at the stage.  And they would be right.  Just kidding, there are a few love songs and limited underwear being thrown.  Chris is a fabulous showman and entertains throughout the night.

A few things you can expect to enjoy at most of his shows are:
 
     1. A song sung while walking throughout the audience giving hugs and posing for pictures with his loving fans. (all of the Reserved Seating was sold out for this show and most of the General Admission area was filled too)
 
     2. He will make you laugh loudly with his between song banter
 
     3. He and the band will throw in a little acoustic break in the middle of the show and sit in a circle and zip through some great songs. This part looks like the band is immensely enjoying themselves.
   
     4. Chris will wear some outlandish suits! I believe his mother used to make his suits. I am not sure if that is still the case, but let's assume it is.

His last cd was released in 2011 and was entitled "Beyond the Sun." This disc was a tribute to the legendary Sun Studios in Memphis, Tennessee.  Elvis Presley, Jerry Lee Lewis, Carl Perkins, Johnny Cash and Roy Orbision, all recorded there when they were first starting out.  Their songs, as well as many other famous artists are covered here by Chris on this superb 2-cd set.  I had the good fortune to be able to visit Sun Studios.  It isn't in the nicest part of Memphis and the day I was there, the historical marker that should have been out front, was in the lobby because someone tried to pull it out of the ground the night before with a truck and chains.  The tour of the place was perfect for me. You walk in the studio and then never move from there!  The studio has been kept in its original condition with the same ceiling tiles and floor that you see in all of the famous early pictures of the artists that recorded there.  The tour folks tell you stories about the artists and the recording sessions and play you samples of the music.  It is one of the coolest musical places that I have ever been in.

     So back to Chris Isaak, he is a whole lot more than a "One Hit Wonder" and you should get out and see him.  You will not regret it!