It might be unfair to compare somebody with a Beatle, but Steven Roth doesn’t seem to mind.
An official bio says Roth unleashes his inner Paul McCartney when he sings a rock song.
We go further. The name of Roth’s debut solo album is “Let It In,” a famous line from The Beatles’ “Hey Jude.” The Fab Four’s final video of an informal performance was taken on a rooftop, while Roth’s group has one from a backyard. There is clearly a physical resemblance.
And, best of all for Tahoe music lovers, Roth will soon play at the same Truckee venue where McCartney made two surprise visits.
Roth’s quartet will appear at Moody’s Bistro at 8:30 p.m. Friday, Aug. 14.
“It’s a cool situation (at Moody’s) up there,” Roth told Tahoe Onstage. “It’s a restaurant-bar but what happens is, we do an acoustic set around 8 o’clock when the dinner hour is happening and then they pull out all the tables and we go into an all electric, full-out rock band mode and it becomes a dance-party club atmosphere.”
A Los Angeles native, Roth cut his professional teeth with the band Redstone Hall, which he left more than three years ago. He went to Nashville to record and begin a solo career.
“I started working on the album and before I even had a band booked a show for myself,” he said. “I gave myself a deadline to light fire under my ass. It was unconventional but I figured if I was not playing and was staying there too long, that would be dangerous.”
Roth assembled a band, which became tight after it secured a weekly gig. His touring band which will appear at Moody’s includes guitarist Jesse Berent, drummer Neal Daniels and bassist Federico Orlandini. Like McCartney, Roth plays keyboards.
Roth’s influences can be heard in his music. He grew up listening to classic rock, Motown, Stax and going to Allman Brothers and Grateful Dead shows.
“The jam bands influence the live show,” Roth said. “The live version of songs contrast from the album. We open up the tunes to improvisation to keep it exciting and fresh for our fans and for ourselves.”
The band has opened for David Grohl, Robert Plant and toured with the Who for shows at the Staples Center and Madison Square Garden.
Website: StevenRothMusic.com CLICK
Video: WATCH
