Christmas Throwback: Brian Setzer at GSR in 2016 (photos)

Not a ghost story, but a story of Christmas Past none the less. Let me take you back to Christmas 2016: two days prior, in The Grand Theatre with The Brian Setzer Orchestra. There was a joyful noise, indeed.

The Brian Setzer Orchestra made a Christmas Eve Eve appearance at The Grand Sierra Resort Friday night. What a fantastic show to experience this time of the year. There is absolutely no way to NOT be in the holiday spirit after sitting through this show. This is the 13th annual Christmas Rocks tour for the Brian Setzer Orchestra.

The 19 piece orchestra kicked it off with the trio of Rockin’ Around The Christmas Tree, Hoodoo Voodoo Doll, and Brian’s classic Stray Cat Strut, and the energy never subsided. What a gas. The set was a mix of classic holiday music of a rock ‘n roll / rockabilly style, Stray Cats tunes, and some hipped up classical selections of the Christmas season. The stage setting included a life-size Frosty the Snowman (if that’s even possible) in full top hat and holiday regalia on one corner of the stage, Santa ringing a bell on the other, four very large Christmas trees, and many poinsettias and Christmas gifts all over the place.

Brian shared several stories about the band and its beginnings. At one point he shared that he started all of this 24 years ago and nobody thought it had a chance. He told them all he needed was a little luck, and he got it with his 1998 hit cover of Louis Prima‘s “Jump Jive & Wail” off of his BSO release, “The Dirty Boogie “. During another between song interlude a man near me kept yelling “Switchblade”, as if it was request time. After about four shouts for the song a young girls voice rang out “Jingle Bells”. Little did she know at the time that Jingle Bells was to be the show closer.

In his career Brian Setzer has revived both rockabilly and big band swing. He truly found his niche with the annual Christmas shows he puts together. Organizing, rehearsing, and taking a 19 piece band on the road is no easy task. To my ears the show sounded great. Vocals were right on, horn harmonies were clean…but there was that one moment in Angels We Have On High. After a climb up through three or four modulations, somebody’s guitar solo started in the wrong key. I’m not naming names, but his initials are Brian Setzer. It happens, but as a true professional should, he barreled ahead undaunted.

Late in the show Brian did a solo performance of The Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting…) after which his bass player, and drummer came front stage and the three of them played Put Your Cat Clothes On, Fishnet Stockings, and Rockabilly Rudolph as a “Stray Cats” style trio.

Although there were many, a couple highlights that deserve recognition would be Jump, Jive and Wail which got everybody going, and Rock This Town which did the same. The first song in the encore was a magnificently scored jazzed up rendition of The Nutcracker Suite. Brian had a score brought out on a large music stand for him to follow while he conducted portions of this composition. The show ended with the Brian Setzer Orchestra’s own jazzed up, rocked up, hipped up version of Jingle Bells complete with Santa Claus running around the stage, dancing and tossing goodies to the crowd.

It was not a silent night, but it was a wholly enjoyable night.