“I’m ageless. Wait till you see me play tonight.” Punky Meadows

LOS ANGELES – Still regarded as one of Rock’s pioneering Glam bands, Angel played a rare comeback concert Friday at The Whisky, and loyal fans went absolutely crazy for poster-boy guitarist Punky Meadows and legendary singer Frank DiMino. 

Both sounded great, as four backing musicians – like the leaders dressed in Angel’s classic all-white – helped Angel slide through most of their old classics like “Don’t Leave Me Lonely” – what an insanely catchy chorus – and “The Tower,” which saw DiMino singing his ass off like it was the Hollywood Bowl.

This band was pro on Friday, very well-rehearsed and tight. They also headlined in Ventura and Las Vegas last week, and rarely has a Whisky audience been this enthusiastic and attentive.

There were no top-10 singles in Angel’s ultimately disappointing prime – but a huge throng was singing along to every word.

Meadows was considered among the most handsome men in music in the late 1970s – no easy task back then when image was everything – and he has done an utterly amazing job of still looking nearly the same even though it is three-plus decades later. Perfect hair, sculpted cheekbones and lips that still melt girls’ hearts.

“I’m ageless. Wait till you see me play tonight,” said Meadows a few minutes before going on. “Our fans are still crazy for us. We just played the Ciach House, a really good gig, and they were crazy. We had some girls up there that were just shaking and crying that they were so happy to meet up. Our fans love us, you know. And we give them what the want, too – and more.”

There was no doubt. Angel absolutely sizzled, and you could tell they had the Whisky’s  attention because there was not the usual milling about.

“Can You Feel It” and “Having a Bad Time” were two selections that went over especially well. 

“This is great. I love playing Los Angeles,” DiMino said. “I used to live right down the street. I would go with (founding Angel drummer) Barry Brandt here to the Whisky all the time. We saw ACDC here. We saw Van Halen here before they were signed.”

Angel also has a second talented guitarist, Danny Farrow, who like most people in the building remains a huge Punky fan even though Meadows took a 25-year break from music after Angel first broke up.

“Punky is my favorite guitar player, and you should write in Metal Sludge that he’s the best ever because he is,” Farrow said. “He’s the man, my favorite guitar player in the world, and I’m not saying that because I’m biased because I’m in a band with Angel. He has been my favorite guitarist since I was what, 16 years old? And now we’re best friends. So he’s my favorite guitarist and best bud, and we’ve been together as a team for 10 years playing music and producing three albums together.

“Nothing is going to stop us. We’re a team, and I’m proud to say that. I don’t care who the fuck says anything, Punky Meadows is the best ever, so when you write your story, let them know, let them know.”

Even DiMino agreed.

“Punky has a great presence,” DiMino said. “We’ve done a lot of shows together, and people just want to see Punky all the time and just watch what he’s doing. It’s great to be playing with him again.”

The band recently renewed touring, but they’re now based in New Jersey, so this was only the second time since 1980 that Meadows performed in Los Angeles with Angel. 

“I remember this town well,” Meadows said.”I used to hang out at the Rainbow with Angel when we weren’t on the road, but we were on the road all the time. We’d come back to L.A. for a few weeks back then, then go right back on the road. But yeah, the Rainbow, the Starwood, the Whisky, I hung out at all of them when I was young and full of piss and vinegar.”

DiMino is the only other original. Keyboardist Gregg Giuffria had some solo success and now lives in Missisippi. Brandt retired long ago, and last we heard had moved to Riverside more than an hour away. Bassist Mickey Jones died, and his old replacement, Felix Robinson, is a businessman back east.

“I remember sometimes I wouldn’t even go in to the Rainbow – just the Rainbow parking lot like everyone else,” DiMino said. “It was great times. We will be doing more shows in California. It’s just so hard to get the whole band out here from New Jersey. But I do love playing out here. Punky and I lived out here for such a long time so its always great to come back.”

Reach Gerry Gittelson at gerryg123@hotmail.com.