Gig Review: Coco Montoya Ignites The Stage in Detroit

Gig Review: Coco Montoya Ignites The Stage in Detroit

By Marc Dorian

Blues rock enthusiasts in the metro Detroit area were in for a treat on October 21 as renowned guitarist, vocalist, and songwriter Coco Montoya took the stage at The Token Lounge in Westland, MI. The California native demonstrated his seasoned expertise with a 13-song, 90-minute performance for the crowd of about 200.

Montoya’s melodic solos and tasty phrasing were on display all night. Even though he didn’t move around much on stage, he poured his energy into belting out soulful and powerful vocals.

Montoya’s journey in the blues began in the 1970s when he served as a drummer for the iconic Albert Collins, transitioning into the role of the band’s rhythm guitarist. He caught the attention of the British blues artist John Mayall. This led to Montoya’s appointment as the primary guitarist in Mayall’s Bluesbreakers, a role he held for a decade. He launched his solo career in 1995, tirelessly recording and hitting the road year after year.

During Saturday night’s performance, the Blues Music Award-winner Montoya featured songs primarily from his two most recent albums. Dressed in a light blue casual shirt and black pants, the left-handed guitarist took the stage with his three-piece backing band and kicked off the show with “Coming in Hot,” firing up the crowd. The tight ending transitioned right into “Before The Bullet’s Fly,” after which Montoya took a moment to welcome the audience and joked, “Great to see some young people out here too, as well as old folks like me.”

Montoya expressed pride in his new album, ‘Writing On The Wall,’ released on September 1. “We are so proud of this new release.” And before introducing his band members, he noted, “The band you’re hearing tonight is the band that’s on it – they did it, they tracked the record.”

The long-time road band featured Jeff Paris (piano, organ, guitar, backing vocals), Detroit native Nathan Brown (bass), and Rena Beavers (drums and backing vocals).

The set included six songs from the new album, with “I Was Wrong” notably drawing the loudest cheers and applause. Montoya played a scorching solo and bared his soul vocally, letting out some heartfelt growls, making sure we heard and felt every word. Other highlights from his latest release included the infectious “Natural Born Love Machine,” the slow blues number “Stop,” and the lively “Be Good To Yourself.”

Paris is a multi-talent and added an animated presence behind the keyboards, exchanging solos with Montoya throughout the night. He delivered a dynamic organ solo during “Stone Survivor” and contributed guitar work to two more tracks from ‘Writing On The Wall,’ including a slide guitar performance on “A Cup and A Chair.” At one point, he held the slide in his mouth, which brought a smile to Coco’s face.

But it wasn’t all about the new album. Montoya also paid homage to his blues roots, introducing “Love Jail” by saying, “I wrote it for Albert Collins, the master of the telecaster. He didn’t get a chance to record it, but we played it live on the road. So I don’t care if I wrote it. It’s Albert’s song. We always do it in his honor.” The tight-knit band showed off their musicianship on this one, hitting shots and bringing down the dynamics for Montoya’s second solo in the song, which saw him put the wah-wah pedal to use.

Montoya had been delivering fiery, lyrical guitar solos all night, but mid-way through “Women Have A Way With A Fool,” he stepped aside, giving his band room to shine. Brown took the spotlight with a melodic bass solo that included slapping, getting heads nodding in approval. The crowd cheered, setting the stage for an engaging drum solo by Beavers that had Coco smiling.

Over the outro groove, the band’s energy surged, and Montoya concluded with another burning solo. “I’m truly grateful to be standing on this stage. I thank you for a great evening,” he said before leaving.

The band received a standing ovation and returned for an encore, cranking out “Ain’t It A Good Thing.” It was a delight to catch Coco Montoya in action. Those who attended were left with high hopes for his speedy return to metro Detroit.

Setlist:
Coming In Hot
Before The Bullets Fly
Hey Señorita
I Was Wrong
Stone Survivor
Love Jail
Natural Born Love Machine
Stop
Be Good To Yourself
A Chip And A Chair
Writing On The Wall
Women Have A Way With A Fool

Encore
Ain’t It A Good Thing

For more information on  Coco Montoya, see here