LOS ANGELES — Live rock is beginning to make a comeback in Los Angeles, and classic band The Babys celebrated Friday with a powerful performance at The Canyon in Santa Clarita, Calif.
Led by originals Wally Stocker (guitar) and Tony Brock (drums), The Babys romped through a 19- song set — not bad for just one rehearsal — including their 70s radio hits like “Isn’t It Time” and “Head First.”
The band is rounded out by guitarist Joey Sykes, singer John Bisaha and three additional musicians including two female backup singers.
“It was nice to be back after all this time,” Bisaha said
“It was like getting back on a bike — you never really forget how to but it may take a moment to feel steady!”
The crowd was really into it, which is really no surprise because most of us have been masked up and locked away for 17 months, too.
Things started with “Back On My Feet Again” followed by “Broken Heart,’ and the group sounded tight.
Frankly, it was nice to be ANY where.
“I’ve actually been waiting a long time to see this band, and the pandemic made it feel a lot longer,” said fan Scotty Greene of Porter Ranch. “It”s just great to go out and hear live music again.’
Bisaha has the hardest job because he is the one who has replaced star singer John Waite, who is still touring, too.
He is a strong singer put no Waite copyist — even though they look similar at first glance — with his own style and inflections to The Babys’ material that includes five familiar radio hits plus a newer song “Never Say Goodbye” which sounds like it could have been a hit, too
‘I made sure I played the set a bunch before we got together to do the show,” Bisaha said. “But there’s no way to ‘rehearse’ what it’s like to be out in front of a crowd again. So glad to be back. Hope it all holds!”
The Babys were slated to play Saturday at Coach House in San Juan Capistrano. Tickets were already sold out..
The group had been touring fairly regularly before the pandemic. Now they’re starting over — if things don’t get worse, that is, causing more closures.
Drummer Brock took over to sing “Silver Dreams,” the first time the song has been attempted in at least three decades. He pulled it off, too.
By the time The Babys got to “Midnight Rendez-Vous,” the Canyon was getting pretty loud. Stocker and Sykes were dueling it out on guitar, Brock was smashing his drum kit like he had a new one waiting at home, and Bisaha was singing his ass off.
“Every Time I Think of You” was another highlight, a power ballad from 1978 that arrived before the term was ever invented.
The song offered a nice dose of interplay between Bisaha and the backup singers, specifically wife Holly Bisaha.
As for Stocker, who played with Rod Stewart (with Brock), Air Supply and others after The Babys originally broke up in 1980, the slim Brit has always prided himself on tone over speed. He’d rather bend one note around your soul than be the next Herdrix. He was spot-on all night.
In all, The Babys stretched the set to nearly two hours, and no one left early.
This was more than a concert. It was a celebration of life. Raise your glasses!
The Babys also appeared Saturday night at Coach House in San Juan Capistrano. Tickets were sold out.
