The Cherry Poppin’ Daddies shook McDonald Theatre on Saturday night with their swing and ska rhythms. They took the stage at 10:30 p.m. — after the audience waited for what seemed like an eternity — after Tympanic opened at 9 p.m.
The Daddies’ lively music covers a wide range of sounds including jazz, rock and soul.
Swanky lead singer Steve Perry gyrated all over the stage, struttin’ his stuff and shakin’ like he was spasmodic. He and the band kept their high energy throughout the concert.
The lighting, energy, rhythms, dancing, music and vibrations of the bass combined to make a swingin’ atmosphere and an awesome experience.
The concert attracted an audience of all ages, from elementary school kids to senior citizens. Seating was available, but most people stood ready to dance in a large area between the back seats and the stage.
The eight-member band, which originated in Eugene, has played since 1989. Perry is lead singer and plays guitar; Jason Moss plays guitar; Daniel Schmid plays bass; Tim Donahue plays drums; Dana Heitman plays trumpet; Sean Flannery plays tenor saxophone; Ian Early plays baritone and alto saxophone; and Dustin Lanker plays keyboards and piano.
All the music was danceable, and people swing-danced, tapped their feet, bounced to the beat and jumped along with Perry.
The music varied in intensity and rhythm. The song “Soul Cadillac” had a bluesy feel and was slow and sentimental. “Trapped on a planet of rollerskating bumblebees” contrasted with a fast hard-rock sound.
The climax came when the Daddies played “Zoot Suit Riot,” the song that put them on the map in 1997.
Lanker, wearing a furry shirt, had huge, animated expressions on his face as he pounded out harmonies. Schmid, in an orange jump suit, had fun expressions as well, as he created dramatic reverberations on his bass.
“A real man wears a pink shirt,” Perry said. He sported a pink button-up shirt and tight white jeans.
The Daddies ended at midnight, but the audience was so enthused that the band came out and played a three-song encore.
Tympanic, the opening group, is a four-person original, eclectic alt-jam-rock band from Eugene that actually improvises some of its music on-stage, according to the band’s Web site. The lead singer is John Craig, who also plays bass and keyboard; Harvey Rogers sings and plays guitar and keyboard; Austin Jones plays guitar; and Ryan Dobrowski is the percussionist.
Most of Tympanic’s music was instrumental, easy-going and relaxed with a catchy, bluesy sound. Each song had cool variations, from soft and slow to fast and loud. Some songs used syncopated guitar bridges and innovative echoes.
The concert was fun, energetic and entertaining, and I didn’t stop dancing.