Doors tribute relights the ’60s fire

Otago Daily Times
Tuesday, 14 Oct 2008

Doors tribute band Peace Frog plays a gig at Los Angeles’ Venice Bistro.
After a month on the road, Peace Frog front man Tony Fernandez declared his band “back home” as they ripped into the start of another rollicking gig at Los Angeles’ Venice Bistro.

Indeed, “home” is exactly where this Doors tribute band were; right in the heart of the colorful Venice Beach’s seaside “boardwalk” and, as Fernandez frequently points out throughout the show, “birthplace of The Doors”.

“What an honor it is . . .”, Fernandez exclaims, referring to the opportunity to perform on the same ocean-front setting that Jim Morrison and his band once graced in the mid-1960s.

It is certainly apparent all along the boardwalk that you are in Morrison territory, with countless T-shirts, posters and paintings on display and apartments where some claim the rock icon spent time also situated here.

So, with the scene set, what about the act? Thankfully, Fernandez is clearly just as concerned about nailing the raw rock ‘n’ roll vocals as he is with pulling off any generic and over-emulated mannerisms.

Having said that, Fernandez, dressed in typical Morrison attire, does put on the facade for the audience, often gripping the microphone with both hands and swaying his head in that now legendary manner.
Whereas Fernandez becomes a picture of his charismatic idol, the other band members, more casually dressed, are content to let the music do the talking.

With incredibly skilled keyboardist Steve Bach even providing the bass line on his bass keyboard, this polished, seasoned four-piece band must be as close to the real thing as possible.

Celebrating their return, Peace Frog deliver no fewer than three shows, over five hours, with all the intensity of a Doors performance, covering everything from obscure numbers such as Summer’s Almost Gone, to the more familiar tunes such as LA Woman, Light My Fire and Roadhouse Blues.

As the crowd built up, Fernandez began to take on the role of showman, spurred on by an excited crowd who quickly filled up the small, intimate venue.

With most clubs now sadly dominated by dull, unimaginative house music, or rap, it was an incredibly welcome sight to see the mostly young crowd charged on genuine rock ‘n’ roll.
According to one Bistro regular, who claimed to have seen The Doors at Venice in 1965, this venue is the last place that “truly represents” the Venice of the ’60s.

Of course, I have to take his word for that.

But one thing is for sure – the Venice Bistro, with the help of Peace Frog’s highly acclaimed act, is one place that keeps ’60s rock ‘n’ roll alive and kicking, creating a practical time warp to thrill a whole new generation of rock fans, as well as some older ones.
Peace Frog plays every Sunday.
- Damian George